The only fitness routine you need for a long life

Health is my top priority when it comes to 80% of my actions. Whenever I choose to do something, a question that I always ask is, ‘How will this affect my health?’

So that means in 80% of my actions, I put my health before other elements.

In doing so, I instantly elevate my health to a higher standard.

Fitness is a key part of your health, and also enjoyment. I love to play soccer, tennis, and golf. I like to hike and snowboard. If I don’t have good physical fitness, I probably wouldn’t be able to do those things as well or enjoy them as much.

Not to mention, that good fitness is part of a long life, which is something I optimize for.

But how do you optimize fitness for longevity?

It boils down to a few simple components, here are the 4…

1 - Weight is very simple (Calories In - Calories Out)

If that number is positive (+), you will gain weight, and if it’s negative (-), you will lose weight. This is true in 80% of situations, maybe more. Now the quality of the calories is extremely important, 400 calories from a donut vs 400 calories from salmon can make all the difference, so you always want to optimize for high-quality foods.

2 - Multi-dimensional training (Mobility, Cardio, Strength, Endurance)

Lots of people make the mistake of just doing one type of training. Maybe it’s just lifting weights, or just running on the treadmill, when it should be a combination of all these things. I like to break my routine down like this.

Cardio

Jump Rump (5x A Week) for 5 minutes

Soccer (1x A Week) for 2 hours

Boxing (2x A Week) for 20 minutes

Strength + Endurance

Weights (5x A Week) for 45 Minutes

Mix of Heavy Lifts (Strength) and High Reps (Endurance)

Mobility 

Stretching + Swimming

Weights can also help with mobility

3 - Flexible Dieting

Meal plans are great, and they are the most effective since they are calculated and measured to exactly what you need. But I prefer a more fun, and sustainable method, which is still extremely effective, called flexible dieting. This allows me to eat out in restaurants, have different foods each day. The way you do this is by multiplying your bodyweight by 12 (to lose weight), 15 (to maintain), or 16-18 (to gain), and that’s the amount of calories you should consume a day. If you eat high quality foods, and hit your target within 50-100 calories buffer, you will be able to reach your goals with a more enjoyable process.

4 - Start By Taking Away, Then Add

Instead of starting by adding chicken breast and broccoli, stop drinking soda, or stop eating chocolate or candy. Stop eating packaged foods like chips. Often with removing a few bad dietary vices, chances are you’ll start seeing some progress over time, especially in how you feel, and that can be a game changer before you’ve even shifted to eating better foods and adding more nutrients.