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Health. Performance. Longevity. What do they really mean and how do they relate to each other.
These are broad terms that encompass a broad range of goals to different people. In reality, the things we do to improve these measures in our lives are generally the same but with varying degrees of specificity.
In order to be healthy, we need to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week. To achieve performance, we need to incorporate a mix of aerobic and anaerobic work that supports a specific goal. And for longevity we can monitor VO2 max.
In order to eat healthy we aim for balanced meals with protein and fiber. To eat for performance, we work at nutrient timing to support optimal performance and recovery. In longevity, we incorporate specific antioxidant containing foods to fight free radical damage and inflammation.
This is the reasoning behind why we adopt the athlete mindset. We are all training for life - a long and healthy life that is marked by performance. A life that is not just long but one in which the body continues to perform, the mind stays sharp, and you remain capable of doing hard things until the end.
How much attention do we give the foundational aspects of these three metrics each day?
Here are three things you can do in order to be intentional today:
- Think one meal or one workout ahead. It can be easy to let the day get away from you if you don't work towards controlling the controllables. If you allow yourself to get pulled off plan - you just need to make it to the next line on the field. Take 5 minutes right now and ask yourself what am I going to eat at my next meal that will get me closer to my goal? Where will I get it? Then think about the next 3 meals - What do I have? Can I stop to get more groceries? Do I have time to prep or should I get microwaveable items, etc? Don't "start on Monday" - Start now.
- Drink 16 - 24 ounces of water right now. Add electrolytes especially if you plan to train today or have trained today. The majority of people walk around dehydrated all day. Hydration improves circulation, cognitive function, recovery, and performance. A well hydrated individual may urinate up to 10 times per day. Do you?
- Take a multi-vitamin. Yes, supplementation is necessary especially for tactical athletes and very physically active persons. No one who eats a generally healthy diet meets all the recommended daily intakes of each vitamin and mineral needed to keep metabolic pathways functioning optimally. AND active persons will use up their vitamin and mineral storage faster than the sedentary person due to recovery needs. It's low hanging fruit that you are leaving on the vine.
Are you checking the boxes on these foundational aspects? What is limiting your movement through each level?
Interested in putting together a plan that is specific to you and your goals? Schedule a nutrition consultation or join our performance program HERE.
Check out the articles below to level up your nutrition and performance knowledge:
- The Relationship Between Exercise and Longevity - This review found that elite athletes, defined as conducting > 10,000 METS of exercise per week had lower mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and cancer with an additional 5 years of life expectancy. Not all athletes saw these benefits. Boxers, wrestlers, weightlifters life expectancy was not much different than the general population. Endurance athletes experienced the greatest benefits. Maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max, was associated with lower all-cause mortality. Read: Higher VO2 max and cardiorespiratory fitness predicts longevity.
- Fueling the Firefighter and Tactical Athlete with Creatine - Creatine benefits include: improvement in anaerobic exercise capacity and muscular fitnesss as well as aiding in thermoregulation, decision-making, sleep, and recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Creatine is generally recognized as safe up to 30 g per day for most healthy individuals. This article contains a comprehensive review of creatine and creatine metabolism worth reading.
- Nutrition Strategies for Recovery and Performance - This article reviews dosing and timing for performance nutrition including carbohydrates, creatine, caffeine, and sodium bicarbonate. This article supports and validates strategies taught inside our Performance Program.
Interesting Articles from the Web:
- Sleep Hacks for Police Officers from Police1 - This article explores techniques for better sleep and includes a 35 minute free training on sleep.
- Want to Live Longer? Start Moving More. By Outside Magazine - This article discusses longevity and fitness.
- Could your life be lengthened by a heartbeat budget? The Times - This article explores how exercise and resting heart rate could result in a lower number of total heart beats throughout your life and how that impacts your "heartbeat budget" or longevity.
Happy Reading Friends.
John 8:12
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