The path to remarkable and unconventional health isn’t an undiscovered one. In truth – it’s simple and straightforward.
But when you don’t know what you’re doing – or worse, when you think you know what you’re doing – you can easily venture into a dark and dangerous universe.
That was my reality at the dawn of summer, 2002 – when I became obsessed with “getting fit”. Vanity was the bottom line. And any means to that end was justified.
It was a toxic outlook on life, and an even worse existence.
But I learned powerful lessons from those mistakes. I’ve since used them to architect a remarkable healthy life. And I have them to share to you now so that you don’t experience the same darkness that I did.
Simple Truths of the Universe
01. It’s an overused metaphor, but good health is not a destination but a journey (or quest as I call it). Thus, what matters is not where you start but where you finish. This is no excuse to half-ass your devotion. But it is reason to proceed with prudence.
02. Crafting your healthy lifestyle requires you to experiment with new foods, activities, and experiences. Pursue these adventures with great zeal. But everything won’t be meant for you. So, when in doubt, listen to your body.
03. Nature knows best. Though I didn’t always accept this. I believed in the over-hyped (and highly processed) sport supplements for a long time. I also routinely pushed myself into states of chronic over-training. Nature gave me the warning signs. I just didn’t listen.
04. With respect to Tim Ferriss, good health is your most important asset. Without it, money, fame, and time are marginalized (at best). After all, how can you reap the full value of those other assets if you don’t have the mental, emotional, and physical health to make them worthwhile?
05. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it’s NEVER too late to get healthy! Your health, like your life, is not forfeit if you say it isn’t. You may be 500 lbs today. But if you believe in a healthier tomorrow strongly enough and are willing to make the necessary changes, then your dream can come true!
Noble Perspectives
06. Remarkable health is the pursuit of the unconventional. Why? Because the modern status quo is by definition unremarkably average. Hence, those that achieve greatness of health (like any of life’s conquests) proudly embrace unconventionality.
07. Whining about the things you cannot change doesn’t help. This includes your genetics, other people’s impressions and expectations, and the status quo itself. All complaining is good for is draining your energy. I was guilty of this a lot back in my dark days. How foolish.
08. As Master Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Or phrased differently, talk and half-measures don’t work. If unconventional and remarkable health you seek then devote yourself you must.
09. The goal is not to define your healthy lifestyle by your wants. The goal is to define your healthy lifestyle by what you believe. Such is the mindset of the health elite.
Unconventional Behaviors
10. Remarkable health is a lifestyle choice, not an after-work activity. “Wait a minute” you say, “isn’t health just a hobby”. Average and (un)remarkable health may be. But not world-changing fabulous health. That kind of health is perpetual and imbued into life itself.
11. Many think that the workout they just completed justifies their next gluttonous, sugar-coma indulgence. But it’s a false rationalization. You’re as healthy as your next lifestyle choice. Keep breaking your positive health momentum with crap decisions and you’ll successfully get nowhere.
12. No one else is responsible for your health but you.
13. Adhering to society’s expectations and norms without question is a short trip to life-long mediocrity. I was on this train for a while, but I got off. To live large and thrive with radiant health you must be skeptical; you must challenge everything!
14. Achieving healthy lifestyle domination is simple – not always easy, but simple. But in a society infatuated with complexity as guise for meaning, what’s simple is rarely accepted. Don’t be one of those drones. Work smarter, not harder.
Mental Invincibility
15. As I shared at the outset, lust for vanity can lead you into dangerous places. It’s a poisonous apple easily bitten. Consider yourself warned.
16. Never underestimate the power of your emotions. They can energize your courage and confidence to superhuman levels. Or they can corrode your desire and skew your focus. I’ve experienced both, and the latter sucks.
17. When I “snapped” at the start of summer in 2002, what I really wanted wasn’t profound fitness but profound happiness. Tragically, it took me about three years to figure that out. So remember, health without happiness is a fools errand.
18. Life-altering good health is possible if you can free your mind. Unplug from the world you know and create your own reality.
Nutrition 101
19. All calories are not created equal. It’s true. Macro-nutrients (protein, fats, carbs) have different properties and are used differently by the body.
20. In my former life (as I now call it) I literally tried to run my way out of a poor diet. I lost. You cannot out run a poor diet. Accept it and move on.
21. You don’t need me to tell you that (most) supplements are snake oil. It’s a logical truth but an emotional quagmire. Why? Because people lust for no-hassle, no-effort, quick-fix solutions (think Hydroxycut). The lone exceptions are legitimate supplements prescribed by medical professionals for real medical conditions.
Losing At Popularity, Intentionally
22. Going Rambo on your quest for healthy lifestyle domination may appear glamorous but it’s not sustainable. Euphoric health cannot be achieved alone. You’ll need friends and allies to provide emotional support, practical wisdom, and uplifting camaraderie.
23. That said, choose your friends carefully. Science shows us the powerful yet usually hidden influence of our social networks on our lives. Whether you like it or not, your relationships do have a profound influence on your health and happiness.
24. Fabulous health isn’t popular. It’s not mainstream or “hip”. Big Macs and reality TV shows are. So, when you unleash your vigrously healthy self upon the world, some (many) people will look at you funny. Just keep calm and carry on!
25. Living healthy is the economically smart choice. Those that believe otherwise don’t account for variable change – better known as the Butterfly Effect. Small differences in your health now will have dramatic (and potentially quite costly) effects latter in your life.
Fitness For Dummies
26. When it comes to any form of physical training, progressive overload is law! It’s a simple premise – set a new personal best every time you train. Take baby steps, not giant leaps.
27. Vigorous fitness is not a golden ticket to health supremacy. In fact, you should only engage in functional and well-balanced fitness regimens after you’ve established stable roots in healthy lifestyle philosophy, wellness, nutrition, and general activeness.
28. If you choose to lift weights, stress your muscles not your joints. This requires immaculate technique that never wavers. Practice makes perfect; it took me near 10 years to really “get” this, and I’m still learning.
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Obviously, your healthy lifestyle crusade is uniquely your own. Thus, you’ll experience your own struggles and gain your own learnings. So consider my lessons from above as tools for your journey. Use them however and whenever you best see fit.
Have valuable learnings of your own to share?! Please do in the comments so that the whole world can prosper from your knowledge! We are, after all, in this social movement for healthy lifestyle domination together.
- Find me on Twitter: Twitter.com/MattGartland
- Join us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MattGartland
- Subscribe by Email: Modern Audacity by Email
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Editor’s Note – This article was chiefly inspired by Chris Guillebeau’s 28 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Traveling. If you’ve never met Chris before then do yourself a favor and visit his site for world domination – The Art of Non-Conformity. Thanks Chris!
Image Credit: Herbert
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome list Matt. One question though – you suggested “setting a personal best every time you train.” I know this is in general terms, but don’t you think that’s too aggressive and would qualify as trying to take a big leap every time you train?
- Fitz.
Hey Fitz-
I’m glad you enjoyed the list! And a good, thoughtful question too.
Recovery time and cycling you training are both important elements to a smart program. Indeed you need low-intensity days, where you’re not lifting as heavy, running as far (or fast), or generally exerting yourself to 100%.
Thus, my point was unclear – what I meant by “every time you train” was targeted at all your “have at it” days where you need to push yourself forward. If you just keep repeating your training with the same weights, or same distance, or same intensity you’ll never progress. Your “work days” need to adhere to progressive overload.
But I’ll reiterate again that recovery and recoupe days are VERY necessary. The progressive overload principle doesn’t apply here because it’s a fundamentally different day with fundamentally different objectives.
Thanks for pointing out my gaff! Well done!
Cheers!
Matt
Nice list Sir!
I really like what you are doing on your blog to promote healthy eating and living. I’m trying to cut out all junk food and just eat vegetables and lean proteins. I have noticed I really crave sugar and junk food, even though I thought I always ate pretty healthy. hmmm
Cheers
Diggy
Upgradereality.com
Hey Diggy!
Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words. Welcome to HLD!
The junk food paradox is always a tricky one. It definitely toys with you because logically it makes sense to stop eating that stuff, but emotionally (and physiologically) it’s damn hard.
To me, that proves that junk food (or more accurately – the junk ingredients in them) are drugs. They alter brain chemistry (at minimum).
If you’re interested, may I recommend checking out Primal Living. Mark Sisson over at MarksDailyApple.com is the true guru. But I have a review on HLD (http://bit.ly/djcamj). It’s an approach that can really help conquer the junk food paradox and lead one into a truly unconventional yet remarkable healthy lifestyle!
Cheers!
Matt
Great list, Matt. I like that you view health as a “long haul” activity. I have been a mentor to many athletes including Olympic level athletes and it’s sad to see when a person insists on over-pushing and their beautiful, healthy young body becomes a not so beautiful, sedentary middle aged body because of past injuries or just plain burnout. The tortoise often wins the race in the big picture.
Hi Carmen!
Beautiful comment. Thank you! Though I don’t have your close-hand perspective, I agree that so many “fit” athletes plummet in health after their careers. It’s such a shame really because these folks were once at the heights of physical ability. In part that shows (to me anyway) that physical health isn’t the only part of health that matters. It also proves, as you say, that injuries and burnout are very real dangerous to a life-long happy and healthy life!
The conventional plan is surely to live fast during your peak years and then accept a fall into health mediocrity afterward. I’ll follow the unconventional plan of building great health today that can last “to infinity and beyond!”
Cheers!
Matt
Matt -
As always, great stuff here. Really appreciate how much work you put into these post. I really liked #20, and the realization that you can’t outrun a bad diet. It took me a long time to steer my eating in a “good” direction, and even though I have my binge meal a week, it’s still a daily choice. The benefits, however, far outweigh the yumminess of what I am passing over. Better sleep, no mood swings, more strength on the bike, clarity…just can’t be beat. Thanks for the inspiration and reminders!
Patrick
Hey Patrick-
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I love your point about thinking long term in a benefits-versus-costs sort of way. Sadly, too many live myopic lives focused only on the present. Instant gratification, thusly, becomes a major danger to healthy living.
Sounds like you’re doing well though. Great job and keep it up!
Cheers!
Matt
Awesome list Matt. I’m trying to get in the healthy all the time mindset, not just when I’m running. I’m really active but my nutrition has a bit to go yet. I used to hit the gym for vanity’s sake but now I run, hike, ride, wakeboard and play ultimate, rugby and volleyball for the pure fun of it. I also get a wicked workout from doing it. It’s definitely a lifestyle choice that should last the rest of your life rather than just a 2 month diet.
Hey Ross! Thanks for another great comment!
The mindset of the truly, fabulously healthy is definitely an “all-the-time” one. It should be noted, however, (and this is VERY IMPORTANT) that the “all-the-time” mindset need not be a conscious one. In fact, once anyone gains enough experience the healthy mindset goes into auto-pilot. It becomes imbued into the favor of your life.
It’s a cool feeling really, because you’ll start to make healthy lifestyle decisions sub-consciously! The beauty here is that you’re not spending any mental energy. You’re just in the flow!!
And your active lifestyle sounds fantastic! Keep that up – do only that which brings you immeasurable health and happiness!
Cheers!
Matt
P.S. I’m a former rugby player myself!
This is a great list, one I’ll refer to over and over again as I make my own journey toward vibrant, excellent health. As a 47-year-old mom of four, I’m a testament to the fact that it’s never too late to completely overhaul your lifestyle. I’ve spent the last year moving to a clean, whole-foods diet, and now I’m working on being fit and strong. And yes, people look at me funny when I bypass the donuts at work, but that’s okay.
I’m looking forward to reading through your archives. Very nice blog!
Hey Denise-
Indeed you do sound like a testament to the adage that it’s never too late! Kudos to you, that’s fantastic! I have no doubts that you’ll be wildly successful because you’re approaching your quest thoughtfully – first about mindset/beliefs, then about wellness/wholesome-nutrition, then about fitness. That’s a winning approach right there!
Thanks for the comment and welcome to HLD!
Cheers!
Matt
What a brilliantly written article. It is probably one of my favorite articles on the site (thus far).
Your first thing you wish you knew (“what matters is not where you start but where you finish”) is my favorite one on the list and something that took me a while to learn. I would eat pretty well for most of the day, catch myself eating junk later in the day, and then say, “Well, this day is a lost cause… I’ll try again tomorrow,” and would then proceed to eat junk food the rest of the day with the thought that tomorrow I would “try harder.”
Eating right is just one portion of being healthy and it starts now. Don’t wait until tomorrow!
You’re too kind David
Thanks!
You hit the nail on the head – waiting is a suckers game. There will always be another tomorrow, so those that use that as a crutch will sadly never get anywhere. At best, they can hope to achieve a healthy half-life, but it will be greatly short of their potential.
The “tomorrow-is-another-day” syndrome is a common curse of those that feel they must already be of some pre-defined, magical health ability. Not true, as you emphasize. Start from where you are and keep going! No one (other than you) really ever remembers where you start anyway. What matters (and what is remembered) is where you finish!
Cheers!
Matt
Curious to your thoughts about martial arts as a path to both fitness and health. I’ve done all sorts of workout plans in the past – CrossFit, P90X, local gyms, single-sport training (tennis) and even attempted the straight-out running deal – but nothing has really addressed so many goals for me as my recent forays into tae kwon do.
There are definitely high-intensity periods each day, but much of what we do gets into “move around a lot slowly.” We also work on mind/body awareness, and we work on balance and focus.
Seems good, right? So why do I get the feeling I’m not “working hard enough”?
Hi Joan-
I’ll admit up-front that I’m not a active martial artist. However, there is perhaps no other form of health that I admire more. I’m sharing this generally – a grand appreciation for all flavors of martial arts.
I have, through other experiments, learned acutely that vibrant and fulfilling health comes much less from “working out hard” than from living active and well. Fitness is important, don’t get me wrong. And intense fitness at times is very healthy and necessary.
But the mind-body practices and wholelistic wellness of martial art teachings is a far better approach. It’s more inclusive, creative, pervasive, and gratifying.
You already know the answer – “Nothing has really addressed so many goals for me as my recent forays into tae kwon do.” That’s all the evidence you need
Great job and keep going!
Matt
#4 so true.
I’m not after eating better, or just being fit for the sake of looking good, I’m after these things so that I have more energy and feel better because the emotional toll of feeling bad + physically not having any energy will break even the strongest will to achieve. I pretty much run my life around my energy, to accomplish what I’m after – I eat to live, and I exercise to live a good life, a full life, and a meaningful life.
Wonderful mindset Sarah – one that’s essential, in my opinion, to maintaining a healthy perspective on one’s choices; not to mention furthering one’s motivation for being healthy and enjoying the better side of life!
Keep that focus on energy sharp. Many don’t manage their energy well. It’s vital that we do.
All the best!
Matt
Such good stuff! Fitness is such a journey, and it’s a process, and it’s a way of life – it’s not a destination. You touch on so many points that are often overlooked here – the mental stamina, the influence of our friends, the fact that it takes time and diligence – that many people forget about when they go on their quest to “get skinny” or “get buff.”
(The only thing I might wonder about is with is your point 01 – where you say that “it’s not about where you start, but where you finish” – I think you hit the nail on the head when you say “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” That said – perhaps the next line is more that it doesn’t matter where you finish; what matters is that you take daily action.)
The best tips you have relate to Leo’s (and others) explorations of habits and incremental change. It’s about micro-changes, daily. The smallest of steps, each day, really does add up to huge changes over time. Even seasoned athletes do this – when I get back into training each year, I start with just ONE workout a week and build up – no joke. I have to give myself a way to be successful every week so that I build up a repertoire of mental and physical success to keep myself going. It works.
PS. “Keep Calm and Carry On.” — This is such an awesome phrase. It was initially used by the British during the Nazi invasion!
Hey Sarah!
So glad this article resonated with you. And thanks for echoing some of the major themes – daily action, thoughtfulness, etc. Taking things slow but steady (micro-changes as it is) is quite wise IMHO. I certainly think Leo would agree!
And yes, “Keep Calm and Carry On” is a lovely and wonderful phrase. Naturally, being the British-admiring dork that I am, I knew this phrase originated with them
Gotta love the Brits!
Matt
Hey Matt, (nice name by the way)
I like how 2/3 of all of these recommendations relate to health. It just goes to show how important that is. As for being a skeptic, it’s one of the best things to be. To filter in what is fitting to one’s own life is a beautiful way to live.
Most of whatever you mention is supprisingly accurate and it makes me ponder why I hadn’t looked at this in this light previously. This piece truly did turn the light on for me personally as far as this topic goes. However at this time there is actually one particular factor I am not really too comfortable with so whilst I try to reconcile that with the central theme of the position, permit me observe what all the rest of your readers have to say.Very well done.
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