Workout and Nutrition as HABITS
Part 1 — Identity-Engrained Long-Term Practices
Fitness and nutrition are intertwined subjects. They are complementary, and one does not suffice without the other in the pursuit of improved health, physical and psychological fitness. Focusing on one of those two "areas" of life can impact the other in a ripple effect fashion. While having the necessary knowledge and tools to properly set up our nutrition and fitness regimens is of crucial importance, this is not enough. As is often the case in many endeavors, also in health and fitness taking action feels much more complicated than "thinking about taking action/strategizing."
It does not have to be that way. What separates professionals from amateurs in any discipline, as James Clear points out in this article, is consistent commitment and deliberate practice over time. This is valid in health and fitness: achieving health objectives (outcome-based goals—e.g., losing fat, building muscle) is a long-term process that requires a plan, but, most importantly, that requires consistent action over time. We need to commit our identity to health and fitness. Not in a dangerous way, because there may come a day in which you might be forced to bed, not being able to exercise at all. Strongly tying your identity to fitness, in that case, would be dangerous, because losing your identity could lead to depression and the experience of strong emotions such as pain, frustration, anger, resentment, cynicism—things you may prefer to stay away from.
Identity-based habits can be based on a light-hearted, Stoic detachment from that identification, while aware that attaching our identity to the protocols we want to establish can be a potent tool in our toolkit of behavioral interventions. We aim at "becoming the type of person who chooses the healthiest option on the menu," or the "type of person who works out regularly without missing a session unless absolutely necessary." We can make good use of those identities, to then detach ourselves emotionally from them as soon as they are acquired. This is a healthy and sustainable strategy, I think: seek an identity (e.g., I want to become the type of person who trains regularly and consistently at the gym) wholeheartedly and passionately.
Once you reach that identity, let go of it just as wholeheartedly. And I do not mean letting go of the identity as in stopping to do the habit. I mean letting go of the identity psychologically. There is value in that, I would argue. Attaching our ego to something is rarely a reliable choice, in my perception. What if you lose that thing for causes that are outside your control, at some point in your life? Letting go of your emotional attachment to your current identities means believing firmly and non-naively that "everything will be alright." You can always pick yourself back up, clean your wounds, return to the surface, and form new identities, or re-establish your old ones, one step at a time. This is not a signaling game.
Part 2 — Habits and Small Improvements
““Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits. What you repeatedly do (i.e. what you spend time thinking about and doing each day) ultimately forms the person you are, the things you believe, and the personality that you portray.” ”
As dr. Jordan B. Peterson points out in his book Beyond Order, 12 More Rules for Life, "it is worth getting what gets repeated right." And you can pick your rituals, stick to the ones you intend to carry on, detach your emotional ego from them, and "getting them right."
We cannot rely on motivation to form and stick to habits long-term. Motivation is a fleeting and vulnerable mechanism that is short-term oriented. We need to rely on identity changes for long-lasting transformations. We need to become the type of person who cares about his health and fitness, instead of merely "trying to lose 10 pounds of fat". We need not rely on outcome goals, but process goals. Identity is about what you believe (and what the people around you believe of you). "You have to become the type of person you want to be, and that starts with proving your new identity to yourself." (James Clear)
The result of small habits is a compound effect of improvement. The compound effect of improvement (as in the concept of compound interest in finance) occurs when small habits you stack up, one after the other, consistently and deliberately, reward you with a ten-fold improvement toward achieving your desired outcome. Intentionally choosing the "right" food for our health and fitness goal, consistently and resentment-free, will reward us, if we trust the process. The concept of trusting the process sounds cliché and overused at times. In such a seemingly superficial idea, however, there is the implication of compounding results, the underlying credo that detaching your ego from the outcome can make things much more delightful along the way.
There is utility in breaking down our habits, or objectives, into their most actionable and smallest components. Breaking seemingly complex goals into small steps toward improvement can be a game-changer. Such an activity, although cognitively demanding, can bring mental clarity and a clear pathway to the game. "Starting to eat healthy" from tomorrow feels vague, unactionable, and unclear. What does "eating healthy" mean? How do you define healthy food? How do you acquire such healthy food? How do you plan to implement this habit into your life? How will you be able to stick to it consistently despite social events and life's suffering? There is value in being as precise as possible in our definition of a goal, or especially a habit.
Cleaning up your diet and "eating healthy" may begin with the clear definition of your end goal for eating healthy. Why do you intend to alter your eating choices for the better? You better cherish your why, because it is only in this way that you can keep your habits up in the darkest of moments. Then, you may resolve to read at least three scientific resources or articles from science-based websites on the practice and science of nutrition. And you could define the amount of calories you intend to eat daily (and weekly) to achieve your outcome. For the first week, you may negotiate with yourself that you will track every food you eat in order to understand your baseline and become aware of your current eating regimen. In the second week, you may make it of utmost importance to swap your current choices of refined food with vegetables and high-protein food sources. And so on, incrementally and mindfully. With a clear plan laid out in front of you.
Part 3 — Habits and Protocols for Everyday Life
Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and podcast host of the Huberman Lab. In the podcast episode linked above, Maximizing productivity, physical and mental health with daily tools, dr. Huberman illustrates some science-backed, actionable daily routines and protocols to maximize productivity and health. He does so by presenting a case study of an ideal daily routine, from waking up to going to sleep, in a detailed manner. I believe this podcast episode is worth watching, understanding, and internalizing. Below are some notes of the episode.
You can't control the mind with the mind
Caveat: some of the takeaways below are general and research-based. Others are a by-product of dr. Huberman's experimentations to find what works best for him, hence of anecdotal nature.Ideally, go to sleep and wake at the same time every day. If you go to sleep late one night, wake up at the same time, as usual, the next day, as if nothing happened.
Expose yourself to morning light upon waking up through forward ambulation (walking). From a minimum of five minutes to a maximum of one hour, this is beneficial for fostering alertness and focus.
Dr. Huberman finds that fasting throughout the morning works very well for him to maximize focus and attention (maximize productivity).
Delay caffeine intake to a minimum of 90 minutes after waking up.
Do a deep work session of 90 minutes. Pure deep work. No distractions or "hyperactive hive mind" (Newport, 2021) behavior. At this time, there is nothing more important than deep work. White noise can be helpful to foster focus here. Admin work can be done at other times of the day. You can leverage visual elevation for optimal alertness (set up your laptop so that it is slightly above your eye level). The ideal period for deep work is between 4 and 6 hours after your temperature minimum. Your temperature minimum is two hours before you wake up.
After deep work, go for your training session (five times a week is ideal for dr. Huberman—following the 3:2 ratio of strength to endurance). For general health, alternating between mesocycles of strength-focused and endurance-focused training is ideal.
For lunch, dr. Huberman finds that a low-carb meal is very beneficial to avoid feeling tired post-lunch. He eats a high protein meal, accompanied by vegetables, fats, and some starchy carbs (in low quantity). Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to be very beneficial from a health perspective (1000 mg per day). Starches cause the release of serotonin in the brain.
Take a brief walk after lunch. This gives information to the brain about the time of the day and bolsters metabolism.
Non sleep deep rest (NSDR). Hypnosis is suggested by dr. Huberman here. Other types of NSDR protocols include meditation, naps, and yoga Nidra. Hypnosis is very unique, as dr. Huberman points out (reveri.com). This protocol helps reset the mind and body.
If you want to nap, do not nap for more than 90 minutes. Too long naps can disrupt your night's sleep.
After that, begin the second bout of deep work.
View light in late afternoon/evening light (at sunset ideally) for 5 to 30 minutes.
Eat dinner that promotes serotonin and calmness. Dr. Huberman tends to eat a high-carbohydrate meal for dinner.
You can decrease your temperature before going to sleep through a hot shower/sauna.
Go to sleep at the same time every day in a dark and cool environment. If some days you don't go to sleep at the same time, that is ok. Just keep your schedule. Wake up at the same time, as usual, the next day, and continue your routine from there.
RESOURCES
How Atomic Habits Can Change Our Lives | Ali Abdaal
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools | Huberman Lab
The Worst Cardio Mistakes Everyone Makes For Fat Loss (Avoid These) | Jeff Nippard
Identity-Based Habits: How to Actually Stick to Your Goals This Year | James Clear
Habits Guide: How to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones | James Clear
