Looking for new habits--Any good resources or suggestions?

[ZZZZ]

I am taking an extended break from cannabis in a couple of days, which has been my most consistent habit by far.

I want to take this opportunity to establish a couple of healthy habits, and possibly clean up/alter my diet.

I've been piling on every calorie that I can in the hopes of gaining weigh/muscle mass, but this has always been very difficult for me. All of a sudden I am finding myself getting fatigued with this, and I kind of want to move in more of a mobility/flexibility/general wellness direction instead of focusing on strictly on strength and size. 

Diet wise, I'd like to cut out overly processed foods and maybe limit red meats, but I'm not really convinced I should follow any of the more restrictive diets. Any helpful nutrition suggestions or resources to evaluate? I have a pretty strong basic nutrition background, but I'd like to do a little more than just "wing it." I was considering just following a Mediterranean diet for a month or something, but I feel like it would be cumbersome to evaluate every possible option. 

A couple habits I'd like to work on are: Establish a daily mobility/flexibility routine. meditate daily (20 mins instead of 10), lift weights routinely (and incorporate cardio somehow), stop smoking completely, maybe stop drinking for the first month to see how that goes? Stop or reduce video game/TV usage and replace with reading books, maybe limit or delete social media.

I have already been making progress towards most of these habits, I'd just like to get more consistent with them and take things a step further. I've just tried to make too much change at once, and I know that can make everything that much more difficult to implement. I just want to seize this opportunity and choose to make positive lifestyle changes. Do you have any suggestions?

Edited January 30, 2020 by ZZZZ

[Michael569]

One habit at a time otherwise you'll overwhelm yourself and fail to follow on any of them. 

I'd say diet-wise, it will be to eat regularly and avoid skipping meals. The first meal of the day to be the largest, lunch, smaller and dinner smallest. This simple habit is where most people who struggle with weight management and consistency already fail. Experimenting with one meals, fasts, meal skipping etc...blood sugar becomes completely bonkers, insulin is overdrive and nothing changes. 

[ZZZZ]

6 hours ago, Michael569 said:

One habit at a time otherwise you'll overwhelm yourself and fail to follow on any of them. 

I'd say diet-wise, it will be to eat regularly and avoid skipping meals. The first meal of the day to be the largest, lunch, smaller and dinner smallest. This simple habit is where most people who struggle with weight management and consistency already fail. Experimenting with one meals, fasts, meal skipping etc...blood sugar becomes completely bonkers, insulin is overdrive and nothing changes. 

This sounds almost impossible for me because I can only eat about 400-500 calories within a few hours of waking up, and even cant eat certain dairy products that I can otherwise eat without issue. If I exceed this or eating  products like yogurt, I start dry heaving for ~30 minutes to the point of almost throwing up. It's very odd and I don't know why. Seems like my digestive system just doesn't want to work early.

[Egzoset]

Salutations ZZZZ,

 

15 hours ago, ZZZZ said:

I am taking an extended break from cannabis...

 

This is typical of a guys who can't refrain from dosing abuse, so did you abuse?  How about the consumption method & ritual??

 

15 hours ago, ZZZZ said:

...stop smoking completely...

 

It can't be wrong to quit chronic self-poisoning by combustion if it's a personal decision.  One eventual problem is to find some healthwise substitute that won't continue to promote self-vilification if total abstainance proves being no durable option...

 

15 hours ago, ZZZZ said:

...maybe stop drinking...

 

Ouch!  Good luck dealing with that one!  Euh...  M'well try to look at the bright side:  alcohol is a "social lubricant", so chances are you've lubrified plenty.

 

 

 

 

[Michael569]

16 hours ago, ZZZZ said:

This sounds almost impossible for me because I can only eat about 400-500 calories within a few hours of waking up, and even cant eat certain dairy products that I can otherwise eat without issue. If I exceed this or eating  products like yogurt, I start dry heaving for ~30 minutes to the point of almost throwing up. It's very odd and I don't know why. Seems like my digestive system just doesn't want to work early.

This usually comes down to habit. You can retrain your body to be able to accept breakfast. Because if you skip it than most of your calories will be taken from lunch onwards and that's when chronobiology starts messing around. 

Basically the earlier you eat, the more calories out of that food will be used to shun into muscle and liver as glycogen rather than fat. The later you eat, the more insulin resistant your muscles become and the more gets shunned into fat stores. 

[King Merk]

Focusing on one habit at a time is great advice

I start most my clients out doing two things:

1. Track the food you eat in an app such as myfitness pal to simply raise awareness to the nutritional profile of the foods you’re eating

2. Begin intermittent fasting. Especially if you aren’t hungry right when you wake up. That your body telling you something. Start slow with IF. Don’t jump right into OMAD or 16:8. Start by simply pushing back your first meal by 1 hour every week until you’re down to roughly an 8 hour feeding window. Also, make sure you don’t eat at least 3-4 hours before bed. 

[ZZZZ]

On 1/30/2020 at 1:08 PM, Egzoset said:

Salutations ZZZZ,

 

 

This is typical of a guys who can't refrain from dosing abuse, so did you abuse?  How about the consumption method & ritual??

 

 

It can't be wrong to quit chronic self-poisoning by combustion if it's a personal decision.  One eventual problem is to find some healthwise substitute that won't continue to promote self-vilification if total abstainance proves being no durable option...

 

 

Ouch!  Good luck dealing with that one!  Euh...  M'well try to look at the bright side:  alcohol is a "social lubricant", so chances are you've lubrified plenty.

 

 

 

 

Various methods. I would vaporize more if it were more readily accessible in my area. Its become too habitual for me, basically partaking in the evenings because "why not?" 

I thought about adding drinking short term because I haven't been fully sober for an extended period of time for several years now, and it would be easier to avoid replacing one habit with another. The side effects of drinking keep me from partaking as often as I smoke. 

 

 

As for the diet advice above, I'm going to have to look into the details of whats been suggested. I know intermittent fasting is a solid method for keeping calorie consumption low or moderate, but it would only make consuming a surplus more challenging. I also do not have many qualms about putting on fat, as my body fat % is quite low, and I would have an easier time with muscle recomposition if I were able to keep on any weight whatsoever. 

[Deezeetho]

On 29/01/2020 at 10:41 PM, ZZZZ said:

I am taking an extended break from cannabis in a couple of days, which has been my most consistent habit by far.

I want to take this opportunity to establish a couple of healthy habits, and possibly clean up/alter my diet.

I've been piling on every calorie that I can in the hopes of gaining weigh/muscle mass, but this has always been very difficult for me. All of a sudden I am finding myself getting fatigued with this, and I kind of want to move in more of a mobility/flexibility/general wellness direction instead of focusing on strictly on strength and size. 

Diet wise, I'd like to cut out overly processed foods and maybe limit red meats, but I'm not really convinced I should follow any of the more restrictive diets. Any helpful nutrition suggestions or resources to evaluate? I have a pretty strong basic nutrition background, but I'd like to do a little more than just "wing it." I was considering just following a Mediterranean diet for a month or something, but I feel like it would be cumbersome to evaluate every possible option. 

A couple habits I'd like to work on are: Establish a daily mobility/flexibility routine. meditate daily (20 mins instead of 10), lift weights routinely (and incorporate cardio somehow), stop smoking completely, maybe stop drinking for the first month to see how that goes? Stop or reduce video game/TV usage and replace with reading books, maybe limit or delete social media.

I have already been making progress towards most of these habits, I'd just like to get more consistent with them and take things a step further. I've just tried to make too much change at once, and I know that can make everything that much more difficult to implement. I just want to seize this opportunity and choose to make positive lifestyle changes. Do you have any suggestions?

Pro tip. If I don't buy it,  I can't eat it. 

I downloaded the Wim Hoff app. I started doing the breathing tactics and exercises. Its super. 

[LfcCharlie4]

Easy ones to implement- 

Low level physical activity through the day, so like using the Pomodoro method, in your 5 minute breaks doing pull ups, jumping jacks, burpeees etc etc, Ben Greenfield has loads on this. 

If you want to lose fat look at Tabatas only 4 minute cycles and really effective and intense. 

Intermittent fasting- Males 16 hours daily, healthy women 12 hours really

Drinking only Water/ Green Tea/ Coffee+ L Theanine 

In terms of working out I'd recommend Kinobody's programmes, however modify them slightly, add Squats/ Deadlifts on leg days and Barbell Rows on back days sometimes. Also utilize 'Active Rest' at the gym which can be foam rolling, some form of exercises etc. 

Cardio- find something you enjoy, if you're looking for minimum time- HIIT is incredibly effective, as is things like sprinting, any of Cycling/ Running/ Swimming is great, but you don't need to do hours to burn fat really. 

Limiting TV/ Games to once you've finished work/ free time is much better idea, still can be enjoyed from time to time