012 // A Simple Health Framework

A tricky lie we tell ourselves about health:

"If I want to be healthy, I must give up things I love, and do things I hate."

This creates an exhausting uphill battle.
Every day requires a herculean effort to make any semblance of progress.

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Judgement and shame are the emotional drivers holding up this lie.
Our self-judgement is quick to point the finger at every place we are not living up to the mark.
Shame digs us a hole that we must climb out of to prove that we can do better.

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The stakes are high and the outcome is binary. You are either doing bad or good.
In this paradigm, you either white-knuckle your way to "health", or become weary and give up.

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A New Health Framework

Understand that life is not binary: good or bad; black or white.
We are all in different stages in life with varying responsibilities, struggles, schedules and priorities.
Think of health practices on a spectrum:

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Modern day fitness/health industry swing heavily toward "doing hard things". That's not always the winning formula. The missing ingredient is the nuance and context of your life.

You need self-awareness to know what health looks like for you in a given moment.​
​For example:

• high-stress job, young kids, little time: lean more into doing enjoyable things
• lots of free time, little responsibility: lean into doing hard things

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Practicals:

1) Do things that are enjoyable. Say you want to start eating better. Instead of jumping into an intense 30-day restrictive diet, simply upgrade a meal you already love to a healthier version. Instead of pushing through workout classes that drain your energy, enjoy long walks or pick up a favorite sport/activity.

2) Do things that are hard. Shock the system with a challenge (ex: 75 Hard, Whole 30). These types of challenges not only improve your physical health, but build resilience in your mind and spirit that you need to take on the challenges of life.

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Takeaways:

1. Release negative motivational drivers. Your health is not a mountain of achievement to climb. It is a journey of becoming the fullest expression of yourself.
2. Figure out where you currently fall on the spectrum.
   Are you in a place where you need more enjoyable/sustainable health practices? Or could you use a shock to the system? Or perhaps a little of both.

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As always, self-awareness is a super-power in your health.

Enjoy the process.

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TOMMY

// Hit reply to give feedback, ask questions, or request a topic

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Email Archive:

​001 // Step 1 to a Healthy Life​

​002 // Your Body Runs on Clocks [Circadian Health]​

​003 // Sleep's Connection to Eating Healthy​

​004 // Make Movement A Movement​

​005 // What Mice Taught Us About Eating Healthy​

​006 // The story of a 61-yr-old Farmer Ultra Marathoner​

​007 // Redefining Health for a Meaningful Life​

​008 // A Guide To Cardio Training​

​009 // What's the Best Form of Exercise?​

​010 // Take Care of Yourself to Take Care of Others​

​011 // Your Brian's Connection to Health​

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