Good books: eat, move, sleep. Activity is more important than exercise

"" Tom Rath (2014):

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Healthy lifestyle- the question that in our time not only retains its position, but is also gaining more and more active adherents in all parts of the planet. And this is not surprising, because the realities of our time are such that the environmental conditions in which a person lives today are getting worse, and average age life of an ordinary person, unfortunately, continues to decline. And at a time when some people are not particularly concerned about such issues, as well as issues of their health, others are seriously asking them and are ready to take all steps to extend their life as much as possible.

Now anyone in the public domain has just an incredible amount of literature on any nuances and factors of a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes very good new materials come across, in which there is a lot of interesting information related to the topic of health, longevity, proper nutrition etc. Tom Rath book Eat, move, sleep. How everyday decisions affect health and longevity"is a prime example of this and beautiful to that proof!

About the book

ISBN 978-5-9614-4757-6.

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The healthy lifestyle book we are considering is an extremely simple, but at the same time very effective and motivating guide for everyone who follows or wants to start following the right way life, but due to the influence of any factors postpones the beginning of a new period "on the back burner". Those who have not thought about this at all, but have encountered this work, will have something to philosophize about.

In Tom Rath's Eat, Move, Sleep the conversation will not be about some decisive and explosive changes, dramatically and dramatically changing a person's life, such as moving and changing permanent residence, a complete rejection of cigarettes, alcohol, junk food etc. In contrast, the author talks about the so-called little things - things that in our everyday life we simply do not pay attention or are almost indifferent to: breakfast products, an evening walk or watching TV on the couch, a short exercise in the morning or an extra 5 minutes of sleep etc.

In his work Eat, Move, Sleep, Tom Rath tells about simple secrets healthy life, wellness and prolongation of longevity. From this book, the reader will be able to learn about what and how it is possible to easily change in one's lifestyle, at what time and what exactly should be eaten, how to painlessly increase physical activity and why low physical activity most threatens health. And also about the influence of phones, tablets, etc. devices on the quality of sleep, the effect of plate diameter on waist circumference, harmful effects TV and many more interesting facts. A new book About Healthy Living Tom Rath's Eat, Move, Sleep is a great collection of helpful tips for a better life.

about the author

The author of Eat, Move, Sleep is an expert on the impact of habits on health, work, business and other areas; is a consultant and research fellow at Gallup and director of its research on improving people's performance. Tom Rath is also a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of a number of popular and successful books, one of which became a #1 bestseller.

About the publication

Language: Russian.

Format 60x90/16 (145x215 mm), hardcover, 204 pages.

Publication date: June 2014 (first edition).

The Russian-language version of the presented work in 2014 is published by the Alpina Publisher publishing house. Buy Tom Rath's book Eat, Move, Sleep. How Everyday Decisions Affect Health and Longevity” is recommended for anyone and everyone who wants to change their lifestyle and make life longer.

How everyday decisions affect health and longevity

Introduction

At the age of 16, the author of this book was diagnosed with Hippel-Lindau disease. This is a rare genetic mutation that interferes with the production of a gene that suppresses cancer cells which leads to the development of tumors in almost the entire body. The disease left no choice: either lead healthy lifestyle life or die. Tom Rath has chosen life and for twenty years now has been learning to eat, move and sleep properly in order to increase his chances for a long and happy life. He puts his knowledge into practice every day and shares it with readers.

Do not expect high-profile discoveries and miraculous recipes from this book. Its value lies in the fact that the author offers proven, including from his own experience, simple small daily steps ("tasks for 30 days") to health, accessible to anyone, even an over-busy person.

After reading this book, you:

Learn to pay attention to the so-called “little things”, to the fact that every small decision you make (choose oatmeal or an apple for breakfast, walk or take the elevator to the desired floor, watch a series or go to bed) has great importance for your present and future life;

Understand the equal value and mutual influence of movement, nutrition and sleep;

You will learn how you can change your habits, how to simply add more movement to your life, what to look for when choosing food.

Every decision you make matters. Today you can make choices that will help you become stronger tomorrow. The right decisions increase your chances of living a long and healthy life.

30 days to make the right decisions

Spend 30 days testing the ideas in this book. If the technique works, use it constantly, if not, try something else. Only you can figure out what works for you and what doesn't. Don't try to use everything at once. Introduce at least a couple of ideas into your life. Pair good habits acquired over the next month will allow you to fully live the following years.

Eat, move, sleep equality. New research has shown that the combined effect of all these elements brings more benefits than diet or exercise alone.

1. Eat

Forget about fast weight loss

Instead of trying to get rid of a couple of pounds in the next month, change your diet, and then new habits will bring many benefits in the future. The body needs time to respond to a change in nutrition. It usually takes a year or so.

Take the most useful ideas from the tried and tested diets and make them part of your diet. Try to choose foods that are lower in fat, carbohydrates and sugar.

Every bite is a net gain or loss

Literally everything you eat matters. If you choose more useful product like water instead of soda, that's a net benefit. If you preferred fried potatoes, for example, vegetables - this is a loss. But even the right choice of any one component can be useless if you have not thought through the whole meal.

Ask yourself: Is this bite a net benefit or loss to your health? Repeat the exercise throughout the day.

Calories don't matter

Studying the composition of the product and counting calories will not lead you anywhere. Instead of tracking total calories, carefully evaluate the ratio of carbohydrates and proteins in your diet.

Choose foods that have 1 gram of protein per gram of carbohydrates. Try to avoid foods that have a carb-to-protein ratio greater than five to one (most chips and cereals are as high as ten to one).

Product placement at your home

It has long been known that more often than not we buy what we see first. In a store, you are more likely to buy products from the shelf at eye level than those at the very bottom. Use the basics of product placement at home.

Place healthy food in prominent places in the refrigerator and on the table. And hide the harmful away - so you are unlikely to remember about it. Better yet, just throw out all the unhealthy foods and don't buy them again.

Sugar is the same nicotine

It provokes diabetes, obesity, heart problems and even cancer. At the same time, it is addictive, and you may feel that you cannot live without a chocolate bar or sweet tea.

To start, cut down on the amount of added sugar: choose a drink or dish that you always add sugar to, and try to go without sweetening for a week. For example, drink coffee without sugar.

Sugar is found in most prepared and semi-finished products. Find out how much sugar is in your favorite food. If more than 10 g, find a replacement for it.

What does skin color say?

Lifestyle can significantly affect heredity.

For a steady improvement in overall well-being, you need to eat at least seven servings of vegetables and fruits a day.

Include as many fruits and vegetables in your diet as possible to improve the heredity of your family. Give preference to vegetables and fruits with a rich color. Try to spend as much time as possible in the fruit and vegetable department before you go shopping.

Don't be so refined

We are all addicted to refined carbohydrates. They are in almost every dish.

Try to replace refined carbohydrates with vegetables as much as possible. You get enough carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and protein, you don't need extra. Try to cut down on pasta, bread, rice, and potatoes (especially potatoes!).

Instead of chips, crackers, and bars, snack on nuts, seeds, apples, celery, or carrots.

Fat family dinner

During family dinners, when dishes full of food are placed on the table, people eat much more than they would like: women by 10%, and men by almost 30%.

If you have leftover portions, try to put them in the refrigerator immediately. If you leave them on the table, someone will have to eat more than they wanted.

Leave treats in the kitchen, on the sideboard in the living room, or somewhere else so that everyone has to get up from the table for more. This way you and your guests will only eat what they really wanted and leave the table without feeling full.

An empty stomach is a bad adviser

The more you want to eat, the harder it is to resist the temptation to snack on something unhealthy. If you think ahead healthy menu you don't have to take hasty and not always right decisions.

Pack bags of fruit, nuts, or vegetables with you on the road in case you get hungry.

20 minute rule

Haste in eating does not lead to anything good. If you're in a hurry digestive system does not have time to convey the signal “I have enough” to the brain, and you eat more than you need.

According to experts, if you chew properly, one serving of food should take you about 20 minutes.

The first course sets the tone for the entire dinner.

The more guests at the table, the more you eat. In behavioral psychology, there is the concept of "anchor", which describes a situation where people completely rely on the first information received. If someone offers to buy a product for 100 bucks, you will probably think that buying for 75 would be profitable. The price tag is a kind of "anchor" for all discounts and auctions.

The person who places the first order in a restaurant creates an "anchor" for the entire company. If he orders healthy food, then everyone else at the table will be "forced" to choose healthy dishes.

Order healthy dishes in a restaurant and try to do it first. Then your dinner will be both pleasant and useful.

Plant protein is your friend

Almost all of us need to eat more plant-based protein. Studies have shown that protein stimulates the growth of cells that allow us to be lean and energetic. certain kind proteins can provide the body with everything it needs without causing such harm as, for example, hamburgers, hot dogs or smoked beef sandwiches. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish are rich not only in proteins, but also in omega-3 fatty acids, which are so lacking in our regular diet. Omega 3 fatty acid protect the body from certain types of cancer, reduced brain function, macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, relieve symptoms of depression and generally improve mood. The best choice in these categories: salmon, walnut and flaxseed.

The bulk of proteins are best obtained from plant sources.

Stop feeding your friends junk food

People buy healthy products for themselves more often than for others. But for some reason, when choosing food for family and friends, we most often prefer junk food.

Try to treat your friends to things that are good for their health.

junk food

In a restaurant, don't be tempted by the free dessert.

If you are given a junk treat, just throw it away. This way you avoid the temptation to eat it or give it to someone else. Many foods are better thrown away than eaten.

Help someone who decides to quit

People with alcohol and drug addictions may avoid temptations to avoid succumbing to temptation. For those who suffer from diabetes or obesity, it is impossible to completely refuse food. Therefore, the choice of proper nutrition turns into a daily struggle for them. Public opinion forces us to make bad food decisions. Example: more than half of the survey participants (56%) admitted that they violated the diet more than once so as not to offend the hostess, boss or client. The other 51% did it in such a way as not to stand out from the company and eat the same as everyone else.

If one day you refuse cake for dessert, then over time you will notice that your entire company has stopped ordering sweets for dinner, even if this topic has never been raised at the table.

Always support friends who prefer healthy meals.

Butter is healthier than bread

Two slices of bread turn healthy food into unhealthy food. Try to eat as little bread as possible. Remove the top piece from the sandwich. Better yet, replace the bread with lettuce leaves.

Instead of free bread, order a healthier alternative for dinner, or skip bread altogether.

Do not eat meat with potatoes

The link between a large amount of meat in the diet and chronic diseases is confirmed by many scientists.

Think about how you can replace potatoes with meat. For example, instead of a serving of processed meat, you can eat vegetables, fish, nuts, or legumes. It is unlikely that you will be able to completely abandon meat and potatoes, but at least try to make this dish an infrequent guest on your table.

Give up any one type of meat (for example, bacon).

Less plate - thinner waist

When it comes to satiety, we rely more on our eyes than on our stomach: when food is served on large plates, we eat much more. Choose cymbals that are closer to the length of your palm than your foot.

It is not only the size that matters, but also the color of the dishes from which we eat: the contrast between food and plate saves us from gluttony. For example, when pasta with white sauce was served on a white plate, participants in the experiment ate almost 30% more than from a red plate.

Use smaller plates or try to put less food on larger ones.

Don't fall into the trap

Restaurateurs know very well how to lure us to their place.

If you find yourself in a place with a limited choice of dishes, try to still defend your rights. Ask for a sandwich without mayonnaise. Ask for a light dressing, but better served in a separate gravy boat. Instead of stewed vegetables in oil, ask for steamed vegetables. Try not to eat fried foods. And you gradually give up bad habits and learn to make the right choice.

Choose a restaurant that makes it easy to find healthy food on the menu.

"Waste" after fatty foods

Foods affect our mood and well-being. Research has shown a similar link between food and intelligence: certain foods increase or decrease brain energy. For example, fatty foods can make you sleepy and lethargic. Consumption of trans and saturated fats, fast food and baked goods increases the likelihood of depression by 48%. If you tend to eat Bad mood junk food, try to control yourself. Bad food will make your day even worse.

Luckily, eating healthy food can give you energy and positivity.

On days when you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, you feel calmer, happier and more energetic than usual.

Shame on junk food!

Public opinion and condemnation of fatty, fried and sweet foods can be used to fight bad habits with you. You don't have to judge people who are obese, but you can and should blame the food that causes obesity, diabetes, and cancer. By starting to look differently at harmful products, you willy-nilly gradually learn to make the right choice.

So that the temptation is not so strong, limit your choice to the “right” products, support your willpower. Don't fight the temptation, just try not to put yourself in those situations. Find healthy alternatives to your favorite unhealthy foods. Think of a drink that you will always have on hand. Grab a couple of snack boxes.

Each correct decision makes the subsequent choice easier and easier.

If you often buy something that does not bring any benefit to your health, come up with some unattractive name for this dish that will make you think 100 times whether it is worth eating.

Organic Doesn't Mean Healthy

Do not confuse organic with healthy. The label "organic" simply means that the product has been prepared from raw materials grown without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, solvents and chemical additives.

Usually on the packaging there is information about nutritional value and composition of the product. Study it. Assess the ratio of fats, carbohydrates, sugar and protein. Read the ingredients carefully to better understand what you are going to eat or drink. Compare with similar products on the shelf. Knowing the composition will help you make the right choice.

Choose organic options if you're going to eat whole fruits and vegetables, including the skins.

Morning evenings are more satisfying

One article aptly remarked: “Those who eat breakfast are not only leaner, but also smarter.”

Instead of traditional cereal, choose for breakfast egg white, apples, salmon, nuts, seeds, or other foods that do not contain added sugar.

For lunch, choose a dish with vegetables and herbs and lean meat. Do not eat fried, fatty and too sweet. After such a meal, you will lose the sharpness of attention and memory until the end of the day.

The last meal should be the lightest. If you still really want to have a snack before going to bed, let it be something light and healthy, such as berries, nuts, an apple.

Plan your day so that you eat more in the morning, less in the afternoon, and nothing after dinner.

Are there fruits in juice and dried fruits?

When you decide to save time and choose processed fruit, you are missing out. most their nutritional value. Moreover, dried fruits can be much more harmful than juices. While your favorite fruit is much more convenient to take with you when dried, you end up with an excess of sugar and almost no benefit.

Instead of dried fruits and juices, eat fresh fruits.

Don't judge content by its wrapper

Today, potatoes with mayonnaise are called "salad", milkshakes are called "smoothies", sweetened water is called "fortified drink", and potato chips are called "vegetable chips".

If the packaging says that this is a very useful product, please Special attention for the composition.

Less heat - healthier food

The method of preparation is no less important than the quality of the products. When you grill, pan, or boil, heat and charcoal cause the production of toxins known as glycosylation end products. These substances are also produced during the sterilization and pasteurization of products and lead to the development of inflammatory processes, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's disease and some cardiovascular diseases.

Steam healthy foods like fish and vegetables instead of grilling them.

Buy perishable products

An effective way to distinguish healthy food from unhealthy food is to look at its shelf life. Long shelf life products are stuffed with chemicals and preservatives.

Conduct an inventory audit. Get rid of those products that you have been storing for more than a month. Go grocery shopping more often. Only buy food for a few days - don't stock up like you're a bear preparing for hibernation.

tomato tan

We always judge a person's health by their appearance. We are what we eat. People who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables look healthier. A third of those surveyed even said that people with a "vegetable tan" look better than those who tanned in a solarium or at the seaside.

To improve your complexion, eat more carrots and tomatoes. Blueberries and salmon, walnuts beneficial for hair and skin. The main thing is to compose balanced diet and stick with it.

Eat what is healthy first

The first course sets the tone for the entire meal. According to experiments, eaten at the beginning is about 50% of one meal. If you know that not the healthiest food awaits you at a party, eat something healthy at home. Then your appetite will decrease.

Try to make the first course as healthy as possible: you should start the meal with vegetables or a salad. If you really want to eat something unhealthy, save it for later.

A handful will be enough

Remember the last time you ate at your desk, sitting in front of the TV or driving: that time you ate much more than you planned, but you got less pleasure.

If you can only eat at work, at least try to slow down. If you want to snack, take no more than a handful of goodies, and leave the entire package in the kitchen. Or put just one plate/bowl/cup in front of you. Another option is to eat something at work that requires additional "processing", such as pistachios in the shell. When you have to think about what you eat, you eat less.

Eat to beat cancer

Most microscopic tumors will never grow large enough to pose a real threat to health. They "sleep" in the organ in which they formed. And whether this will continue depends on the lifestyle you lead. In particular, what you eat can reduce your risk of developing and spreading cancer. It has been proven that diet and physical activity reduce the likelihood of relapses and increase the overall life expectancy of patients.

Instead of sweet and fried foods, eat more healthy foods and spices: apples, artichokes, blueberries, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, green tea, kale, lemons, mushrooms, raspberries, red grapes, red wine, salmon, strawberries and tomatoes. And be sure to add seasonings: cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, parsley and turmeric.

Buy willpower in the shop

You make the most important decisions for your health in the store. If you put something in your cart - good or bad - you will eventually eat it.

Identifying your own weaknesses is the first step to victory.

In the store, try to put in the cart what is good for your body so that there is no room for junk food. Even more effective method- make a shopping list in advance so that you don't have the opportunity to buy something on impulse in the store. And try to go to the store on a full stomach. When you're hungry, it's hard for you to make the right food choices.

Choose a few useful products and order them online automatically so that they are always available in your home.

Eat cake on your birthday

If you've ever worked in a team, you know that every week there is a "special occasion" for candy, cookies or cakes. Sure, celebrating events like birthdays, anniversaries, and public holidays is healthy, but that's no reason to eat a mountain of sweets every time.

Eat sweet desserts only on your birthday. At other events, give preference to fruits and berries. Mix them with unsweetened coconut or plant-based milk, and you have a very healthy product with a pleasant aroma. If found fresh berries out of season is a problem, try frozen ones. Or make a dessert with all-season fruits like apples and bananas. Remember: any berries and fruits are healthier than cake or ice cream.

Less food, more fun

When you're addicted to a treat, the 15th bite is far less satisfying than the first. The less often we allow ourselves to eat something, the more joy it brings us. The effect of novelty is useful not only for our health, but also for general well-being.

Eat your favorite treat infrequently and in small portions to enjoy it more. If you can't live without chocolate, try to eat no more than a couple of pieces a week. Give preference to chocolates with a cocoa content of at least 70% and the minimum amount added sugar - they contain more flavonoids and have more beneficial effect to the cardiovascular system.

Broccoli is a win-win

To date, a huge amount of research has been devoted to broccoli. It is a source of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Scientists believe that broccoli helps fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, prevents the development of asthma and arthritis, improves eyesight and strengthens the immune system.

Be sure to include broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables in your diet. There are plenty of green vegetables you can include in your diet, as long as you get creative.

Prioritize water

The most inconspicuous sugar is liquid. Pay attention to the composition of popular drinks - almost all of them are stuffed with sugar or sweeteners. When you have a headache, stuffy nose, or allergies, water in large quantities works better than any medicine.

Instead of sodas, juices, and sugary drinks, drink water, coffee, tea, or other unsweetened drinks.

Food is your ally

Each of us has our own vulnerabilities. Maybe it's cancer, heart problems, diabetes, or some other disease. Knowledge is your best assistant.

Take an hour to figure out which foods will help you fight your ailment or weakness.

Every Meal Matters

Every bite and sip that enters your mouth throughout the day counts. Before you eat something, think about how it will affect your health. When you know which foods will benefit you, you will be able to make the right choice and notice an improvement in well-being pretty quickly.

2. Get moving

Immobility is your enemy

You spend more and more time sitting. Every morning you sit while you have breakfast and watch the news. Then you get half an hour or an hour to work on public transport or by car. Then you work, that is, you sit in place for 8-10 hours. And in the evening you return home again (sitting!) And spend the evening with your family (also sitting!). Then you watch TV for an hour or two and go to bed.

Morning exercise is not enough. Exercising three times a week is also not enough. It is more important to reduce the total amount of chronic immobility than to add infrequent bursts physical activity. There are hundreds of opportunities to move more throughout the day. Even if you just stand still, you get more energy. Walking increases your activity by 150%. Climbing stairs - by 200%.

Analyze your day and try to add movement or at least reduce the time in sitting position. Get up as often as possible, walk and stretch, walk back and forth in front of the TV, do not call a colleague, but walk to his office.

Work on the go

Use special simulators for walking or standing. A good option is with a high table or a table with a variable height so that you can work at it both standing and sitting. If you have to stand in one place for a long time during the working day, it is useful to periodically change position and sit down.

Think of ways you can work and still not sit.

Two minutes every 20

As a result of sitting for a long time, pressure is put on the cells and the body begins to produce 50% more fat than usual. Even if you regularly exercise, sitting for a long time will still provoke the growth of adipose tissue in the pelvic area.

If you have to spend a lot of time sitting, try getting up, walking, and stretching every 20 minutes.

Think of an activity for yourself - something that you can do regularly, two or three times an hour. A great option is to drink more. Then you willy-nilly have to go to the kitchen for another glass of water and to the toilet.

Rearrange your home and office so you have to move more.

Count how much you move

It has long been understood in medicine and social studies that measurements themselves improve performance: when asking participants to simply record changes, performance tends to be higher.

If you want to increase your physical activity, start counting how much you move. Start recording the results, and they will definitely improve.

Find a convenient way to measure physical activity throughout the day. Use a pedometer, watch, GPS, smartphone or just a notepad and pen and start counting today.

Target - 10,000

Set a goal: 10,000 steps a day or 70,000 steps a week.

10,000 steps a day is a good indicator of activity. It's about 7 km. It's actually not as big a distance as it seems. Start small. If you live in the city, walk not to the nearest cafe, but to the next one. Park your car not at the entrance to the store, but at the far end of the parking lot. Aim to take 1,000 steps every hour at home or in the office. Take a walk at lunchtime, this will give you an extra 3,000 steps. Take up some active sport, it will give another 8,000-10,000 steps.

Set a goal: 10,000 steps a day or 70,000 steps a week.

Burn Calories After Your Workout

Think about what you can do to increase your heart rate.

Any exercise burns calories. But the more intense the load, the longer body will continue to burn calories after the end of the workout. Set aside at least an hour for an intense workout.

Study in the morning to enjoy the whole day

Just 20 minutes of simple gymnastics can cheer you up for 12 hours! Let in the first few days you will only get tired of morning workouts, remember that they energize you for the whole day. Not only will you look and feel better, but you will also be able to think more effectively in difficult situations.

Train in the morning to be in a good mood all day.

Take care of your back

If the wheels of the car are unbalanced, it starts to pull to the side. The same thing happens with the body if your movements are not balanced. Using one half of the body more than the other leads to serious back problems over time and more.

Surgeons advise very carefully to bend over, lift weights and turn: at these moments, our spine is most vulnerable. Engage your knees, not just your back. Try to stay upright and take care of your back, even when you just sneeze. If you are reaching for something, then also be careful.

Before you sit down at your computer, check that the keyboard, chair, and monitor are at the correct height. Think about what you do most often (talking on the phone, sitting at the computer, carrying a heavy bag), and try to do it with your right and left hands alternately.

Find motivation to move

Everyone knows how important it is to exercise regularly, but not everyone can force themselves to do it. I advise you to find specific reasons why you personally should move more here and now. Everyone has their own motivation. I have heard many stories about how people quit smoking for the sake of a spouse or children. Friends who managed to lose weight often said that they decided on this because their relatives had been begging for it for a very long time.

Find a reason to move more. Set reminders for yourself: on your phone, on your computer, or on your fridge.

Don't eat at your desk

Approximately two-thirds of employees eat lunch at their desks. Most do not take a break to walk and rest. As a result, many find it difficult to focus on work. Try to use lunch break to take a breather. Walk around the office. If weather permits, take a walk. Go eat with friends. Lunch is a great occasion to warm up and chat with colleagues.

Take breaks of at least 30 minutes in the middle of each working day.

An active lifestyle starts at home

If you want long-term change, start at home. It is at home that our habits, good and bad, are formed. Start small. If you are lazy to go to the gym in the morning, organize it at home. Place the projectile next to the bed so that in the morning it would be enough for you to just get up and immediately start exercising. If you are used to drinking coffee in the morning, set a timer on the coffee maker so that you wake up every day to the aroma of fresh coffee. Find the path of least resistance and follow an active lifestyle that way.

Choose a pleasant way to add physical activity to your life: walking, running, cycling, home gym, aerobics video course, yoga or Pilates. Be sure to add in some "micro-workouts" - physical exercises that have a measurable impact on your health, but are not considered full-fledged workouts - cleaning the apartment, using the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to the printer and back to the desktop in the long run bring a lot of benefits.

Exercise for pleasure

The hardest part is getting started.

To start training, you should choose the most enjoyable exercise for you. Use any tricks to get started, and not postpone everything for later. Try to concentrate on the most pleasant and easy part of the workout and make sure that it also ends pleasantly.

If you really feel like skipping a workout, start and hold out for at least 10 minutes.

Walk for the brain

Our brain works more productively after exercise. It is enough to walk one and a half kilometers a day to prevent the drying of the brain.

If you've learned something new or need some creative inspiration, take a walk!

Tell everyone about your goal

To achieve your goal, it is useful to tell your friends about it. This will help you achieve it.

Set a goal to exercise more. Write down a goal on paper, set yourself a deadline and tell all your friends and acquaintances about it.

TV shortens life

Studies have shown that people who spend four hours (or more) watching a video are twice as likely to die or be hospitalized due to heart attack than those who spend two hours a day in front of the TV.

Be sure to periodically get up from the couch to walk or stretch, especially if there was little physical activity that day. If you walk around the apartment during commercial breaks, you will burn as much as 100 kcal. There is another option: record your favorite programs on video and watch them during training.

Do not watch TV sitting for more than two hours a day.

road to divorce

Think carefully before accepting a new job offer that will take longer to get to than your current one. If you have no choice and the commute to work takes a lot of time, think about how you could shorten it even a little. Perhaps you should change your work schedule to avoid commuting during peak hours? It's great if your boss doesn't mind if you work from home on days when you don't have meetings or business at the office and don't waste precious time on the road.

Reduce total time travel from home to office and back. To do this, you can work at home for a couple of days or travel off-peak hours.

Pay attention to how you move

Due to all kinds of gadgets, drivers and pedestrians hardly notice what is happening around. Almost all of them have their heads down, their shoulders hunched. Many hold mobile phones in their hands and do not see where they are walking. This “mobile phone in hand” pose is very bad for the wrists, neck, and back.

Put your cell phone in your pocket, keep your back straight, raise your head and chin and look ahead. You will notice how much better your back will be when you do not look at the floor and do not keep your arm constantly on weight. An unsuccessful posture not only causes physical discomfort, but also spoils the impression of a person.

Try to walk, sit and stand straight. Remember: your ears, shoulders and hips should be in line. In this position, your muscles will remain in good shape, discomfort will be minimal, and breathing will become much easier.

Look younger with every step

Physical activity is the key not only to external beauty, but also to internal health. Even in patients with heart failure, regular aerobic exercise helps prevent muscle aging, strengthens the general condition of the body and slows down age-related inflammatory processes. Therefore, it does not matter how old you are and what your current physical state- Workouts will help you look younger and feel better.

Try to walk briskly for at least five minutes a day to prevent aging. For best results, do 45 minutes three times a week at an intense pace.

Five minutes outside

Classes on fresh air more efficient. You get a boost of energy, pleasure and a feeling of renewal. You can even get rid of tension, anger and depression.

To cheer up, it is enough to spend just five minutes in nature. Any outdoor activity will do - walking, gardening, fishing, cycling. Walk with a colleague for coffee. Walk in the evening with your spouse around the neighborhood. Walk the dog.

Pay for reminders

It is very helpful to have someone nearby to whom you will report. Often we need a little “kick” to start living a little more actively. Find someone who will make sure you stay active on a regular basis. This person could be your spouse, a friend, or a professional personal trainer. When training together, choose someone who has already achieved in a particular sport good results and surpassed you. Acquaintances who perform better but don't criticize you will be a more effective motivator.

Prescription exercises

Exercise can be more effective than medication in fighting everything from depression to migraines. An increase in physical activity allows you to refuse some medications, as inflammatory processes in the body fade away. Regular physical activity changes the way our DNA works and increases the effectiveness of diets.

You must know these two numbers by heart.

Despite the fact that millions of people around the world die from a heart attack, this disease is easier to prevent than any other. Cholesterol levels, blood pressure, physical activity, smoking and diet are all of great importance in the fight against heart attack.

Find out your cholesterol and blood pressure readings. Get your cholesterol checked annually. Try to stick healthy diet to keep these indicators under control. Exercise for 30 minutes daily. This will reduce the risk of a heart attack by 70%. If you can’t allocate half an hour for classes, take at least 10 minutes for this. Small amounts of exercise can also raise your "good" cholesterol levels. And try to spend as little time as possible sitting idle.

Cleanse your mind and body

Scientists have found that exercise "accelerates the excretion of harmful substances from body cells. You don't have to be a runner long distances- suitable for absolutely any physical activity. While you are just moving for several hours a day, metabolic and other processes in the body do not slow down. And by the way, this is why doctors have always recommended to lead an active lifestyle in order to avoid constipation.

Caution: ties and tight trousers

Any clothing that makes you uncomfortable can lead to serious problems in the long run. A belt that is too tight puts undue pressure on important nerves. Tight jeans disrupt digestion and cause the development of the so-called "tight pants syndrome", when one of the nerves that runs along the outer part of the thigh is compressed. Ties and tight collars restrict movement and impair blood flow to the brain. Because of them, vision problems may begin, there is a risk of reduced mobility in cervical region spine and increased muscle tension in the back and shoulders.

Determine what element of the wardrobe causes you discomfort, and find a convenient replacement for it.

Activity is more important than exercise

How much time should you devote to training? Scholars give conflicting answers. But the simplest answer is: a little more than what you are doing now. A little physical activity is better than none. Increase the load a little every day.

The main thing is not to set goals so unrealistic that it will simply scare you away. Try not to overwork yourself and do not work out to the point of exhaustion, otherwise you will be out of shape the next day.

Physical activity has a positive effect on our mental state, allows us to enjoy life more and makes us less susceptible to external stimuli and stress.

3. Sleep

Sleep more - get more done

Minus one hour of sleep does not mean plus hour of active work or rest. Just the opposite. If you sleep an hour less, your well-being, productivity and ability to think clearly deteriorate. People who sleep less than six hours are more likely to "burn out at work."

If you take too long to complete a task, your efficiency will decrease.

So if you want to succeed - get enough sleep!

Try to divide the working day into several parts, do not forget to take a break and get enough sleep at night. If you need to work an hour longer, sleep an extra hour.

Sleep sets the mood for the whole day

Just one extra hour of sleep can do as much good as an hour of work or exercise and turn a bad day into a good one. And even 15 or 30 minutes of sleep can affect your mood and state of mind throughout the day.

Gradually increase the amount of sleep, 15 minutes at a time, until you start to wake up fully rested.

Cold Vaccine

A good night's sleep affects the state of the body. Sleep deprivation increases blood pressure and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, inflammatory processes develop. That's why it's especially important to get plenty of sleep when you're at high risk of catching a cold or the flu.

Try to plan your schedule in advance so that you have time to get enough sleep.

In bed, quality is more important than quantity.

You can easily spend eight hours in bed at night, and wake up completely broken in the morning. Try to improve the quality of your sleep first: think about your diet, daily activities, bedroom decor. And only after that, take up the duration of sleep.

Night is dark time

Don't let artificial lighting ruin your sleep.

Use bright light to feel refreshed throughout the day. Dim the lights in the evening. If you read before bed, turn on a small bedside lamp, not a chandelier. Hang dark curtains, cover all sources of artificial lighting (alarm clocks and other electronic devices), remove all distractions. And at night, close the windows with curtains to limit the access of light to the room as much as possible.

A spoiled dream

For many, waking up on an alarm clock stretches for half an hour or an hour. And everything would be fine, but this is completely contrary to the concept of sound and healthy sleep.

Over the next few weeks, set an alarm for the latest time so you don't have the opportunity to lie around after the call. Try to get out of bed immediately.

If this option doesn't work, place your alarm clock away from your bed so you can't turn it off without getting up.

If you are used to waking up at the same time in the morning, try to do without an alarm clock at all.

cool bed

This will help you fall asleep faster and sleep better. You can open the window to make the air in the bedroom cooler than in the rest of the house. You can install a separate thermostat on the batteries in the bedroom and set it to a lower value. A great option is lighter, cooler blankets, a fan, or even a gel mattress topper.

Keep the temperature in the bedroom at night 2-4 degrees lower than usual.

Let sleep become a family treasure

Modern scientists have found that the success of children in school directly depends on the quality of their sleep. Children who sleep better are more active and eat healthier foods.

It has been proven that the simplest ritual of going to bed gives impressive results. Therefore, we absolutely need to make sleep the main family value.

Develop a new business schedule with your family, change the lighting, the temperature in the house, remove sources of noise - in general, do everything so that you and your loved ones sleep better.

memorable night

Many people underestimate the impact of sleep on our ability to remember what we learned the day before. Sound sleep helps the brain to process all the pending information. While you sleep, memories of the past day scroll through your brain, and the most important is selected. These memories are then processed and transferred into long-term memory. This allows you to recall certain facts and events over time.

The next time you're working on something that requires a lot of processing, go to bed early instead of staying up late as a habit.

Sports instead of sleeping pills

Regular exercise is the key to a sound sleep at night and a sea of energy the next day. If you're having trouble falling asleep, try adding evening workouts to your schedule before starting sleeping pills. Morning workouts energize you for the whole day, while evening workouts provide you with sound sleep.

Keep calm before bed

What you do an hour before going to bed can turn into insomnia. Reading emails and text messages, thinking about money problems, arguing with your spouse, watching horror movies - all this greatly increases the level of stress. Drinking too much liquid or eating fatty foods can also interrupt sleep.

Have a bedtime ritual that doesn't include food or gadgets. Choose from the usual and pleasant ways for you to relax.

Make noise before bed

Remove anything that can distract you at night. And before going to bed, run programs with background "white" noise. It will help you to ignore external sources of noise. The main thing is to choose correct level volume, which will drown out unwanted noises, but will allow you to hear the alarm or other important sounds if necessary.

Sleeping a little longer is not so sweet

Violation of the usual daily routine never goes unnoticed. Crash in biological clock(due to a change in time zone, promotion at work, dinner at an unusual time) can cause a huge number of problems, from dialing excess weight to heartache and depression.

Try to wake up around the same time each day to maintain your circadian rhythm.

Don't let stress ruin your sleep

Unfortunately, they haven't come up with a switch that turns off all the irritants before you go to sleep. But you can prevent stress.

To begin with, you need to build your day in such a way as to avoid situations that cause you stress: leave early so as not to be nervous that you are late. If possible, take a break to calmly consider controversial issues. Understand what keeps you awake at night. Deal with major sources of stress first, then identify the smaller ones and eliminate them as well.

Find one source of stress in your life. Think of ways to get around the situations in which it occurs. Remember, your response to stress is more important than the source of the stress itself.

Sleep to impress

A radiant complexion always attracts attention. Insomnia is one of the few conditions that first affects our appearance and then it hurts general condition organism.

If you need to be energetic and look good, try to get enough sleep. If you manage to sleep well day after day, you will look younger by a couple of years.

restful sleep

If you've had a rough day, deep REM sleep will help you recuperate. During REM sleep the brain processes the emotional experience of the past day, but the body does not produce stress hormones.

Lose weight and sleep better

Sound sleep over time leads to weight loss. One way to lose weight is to replace an hour of watching TV with an hour of sleep. Over time, this can lead to significant weight loss. A study conducted in this area showed that replacing an hour of cinema with an hour of sleep leads to a loss of 6 kg per year.

Eight hours should be enough

To improve the quality of sleep, it is important to start by understanding how many hours you need to get enough sleep. Everyone needs a different amount. For most, seven hours will be enough to get through the next day, and eight to live it to the fullest.

Try to sleep about eight hours a day.

Sleep is an investment in the future

Sound sleep stimulates the production of the digestive hormone leptin, which keeps our appetite under control. The less you sleep, the more you want to eat. The less things you remember. The more you get sick. And you look bad. bad dream leads to an increase blood pressure, mistakes in work, irritability, indecision and general dissatisfaction with life.

Sleep should be your priority. If you get enough sleep, you will be able to spend more effective workout, complete more tasks at work, have a good time with loved ones. Remember that an extra hour of sleep is a great investment, not a loss.

Conclusion

Eat right. Move more. Sleep better. Taken together, this will be of great benefit to you.

Every decision we make, every action we take has consequences. If you already have health problems, then food, movement, and sleep are the only things you really have control over.

Ask yourself: Is this bite a net benefit or loss to your health? Repeat the exercise throughout the day.

One way to lose weight is to replace an hour of watching TV with an hour of sleep.

Cut down on daily sitting.

Gradually increase your sleep time, 15 minutes at a time, until you start to wake up fully rested.

Set a goal: 10,000 steps per day (about 7 kilometers) or 70,000 steps per week.

Choose foods that have one gram of protein per gram of carbohydrates.

Invent an unpleasant name for a harmful delicacy that will make you think 100 times before you eat it.

Drink water, tea and coffee. According to some studies, the antioxidants found in coffee may help prevent certain types of cancer. Coffee helps you live longer mental capacity and mood, gives additional strength needed for training. In addition, coffee helps fight type 2 diabetes.

Remember the equality "eat, move, sleep."

From the author of the site:

Read with pleasure and benefit, dear Friends!

Whoever owns the information owns the world.

Eat, move, sleep. How everyday decisions affect health and longevity

Project Manager A. Derkach

Computer layout M. Potashkin

Art Director S. Timonov

The cover design uses illustrations from shutterstock.com.

Original edition on English language was published in 2013 by Missionday Arlington, Virginia, USA

All rights reserved. No part electronic version This book may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

* * *

Dedicated to my wife Ashley, daughter Harper and son Everett, who light up my day and give me hope for an even better tomorrow.

Eat, move, sleep

Every decision you make matters. Today you can make choices that will help you become stronger tomorrow. Making the right decisions increases your chances of living a long and healthy life.

A hundred years ago, people were dying from infectious diseases because they didn't have the right medicines. And today they continue to die from diseases that could be cured. The next time you see your friends, think about the fact that two of the three of you have every chance of dying prematurely from cancer or a heart attack.

Our trouble is that usually we do not think about the negative consequences of everyday decisions. It is unlikely that you want to go on a diet right now so that at the age of 60 you do not die of a heart attack due to the fact that you ate too much fried, sweet and meat. But preventing the disease at sixty will be possible, but much more difficult.

No matter what lifestyle you lead now, you can always change in order to live a longer and more fulfilling life. At any age, it is useful to learn how to make the right choice. The way you eat, sleep, move every day is very important. From my own experience, this can change a lot.

My history

It happened when I was sixteen. I was playing basketball with my friends, and suddenly it seemed to me that something was wrong with my vision - some kind of black dot was always floating in front of my eyes. I hoped that soon everything would pass, but it only got worse. Then I complained to my mother, and she immediately took me to the optometrist.

It turned out that this black dot was a tumor on the retina of the left eye. According to the doctor, I could go blind. I had to donate blood to get a complete picture of the state of my body. A couple of weeks later, my mother and I were again invited to the clinic to get acquainted with the results of the analysis.

The doctor said that I had a rare genetic disorder called Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). Usually it is inherited, but in my case it was a rare species. genetic mutation, which occurs in one case in 4.4 million. It disrupts the production of a gene responsible for the suppression of cancer cells, which leads to a sharp development of neoplasms in almost all organs.

I remember very well how I sat at a massive wooden table in front of the doctor, and he told me that I would have to fight cancer for the rest of my days. My heart sank into my heels, and my brain frantically searched for the answer to the only question “Why?”. The doctor, meanwhile, said that I could soon develop cancerous tumors in the kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, brain and spinal cord.

In his new book Eat, Move, Sleep: How Everyday Choices Affect Health and Longevity, American writer Tom Rath reveals how easy it really is to make your lifestyle healthy. You do not need to overcome yourself every day, it is enough to introduce a few new habits. How to do it - read our review.

“Scientists have already proven that longevity is not inherited. Life expectancy is determined only by your habits. That is, the point is not how long your parents lived, but how do you live», - Tom Rath gives such a rationale for his system. A new, healthy lifestyle should be made up of three main components: food, movement, sleep. « Healthy breakfast in the morning will give you strength for the whole day. This will help you eat right throughout the day. And if you eat right and move a lot during the day, then sleep soundly at night. And after the night good sleep you will be full of energy the next day"- this is how the author explains his technique. This quote is the best answer to eternal question: "How can I get up early?" It's simple: you need to actively spend the day, get tired and go to bed early.

Quote

The right lifestyle is shaped by the decisions we make every minute of our lives: should I eat porridge for breakfast or just drink a cup of coffee? Go to bed before midnight or watch your favorite series until three in the morning? Do you spend 20 minutes on morning exercises or lie down in a warm bed?

According to the author, this way of life is formed due to the decisions that we make every minute of our lives: should I eat porridge for breakfast or just drink a cup of coffee? Go to bed before midnight or watch your favorite series until three in the morning? Should I spend 20 minutes doing morning exercises or lie in a warm bed longer? Tom Rath suggests paying attention to each of these decisions, comprehending your lifestyle and changing it. Think about it right now - do you even notice how you make these decisions?

In this book, the writer reveals little secrets that will help make your lifestyle healthier in all three areas: food, movement, sleep. We have selected the most interesting tips to help create healthy habits in each of these areas of life.

The habit of eating healthy food

The habit of moving as much as possible

Two minutes every 20. If you are an office worker and have to sit all day, it is especially important to warm up more often. “When you sit a lot, your butt literally grows. Studies based on MRI data have shown that as a result of long sitting, pressure is put on the cells, and the body begins to produce 50% more fat than usual. Good news: empirically, scientists have found that even a two-minute walk every 20 minutes can significantly reduce the consequences of this process. Walking to the printer or to the cooler for water is a great way to stretch.
Work out in the morning to enjoy all day. Tom Rath describes studies that led to very interesting conclusions: after a 20-minute exercise, people felt their mood improve. Moreover, scientists were surprised not by this fact, but by the duration of the effect: a positive sense of self persisted for a period of 2 to 12 hours! “Imagine, just 20 minutes of simple gymnastics can cheer you up for 12 hours!”- the author exclaims in astonishment.
Find a reason to move. Yes, we all know that we need to be more active. But here's how to force yourself to go to a fitness club, where, by the way, a subscription has long been bought? “I advise you to find specific reasons why you personally should move more here and now, writes Tom Rath.- One of my short term motivators-relationships with colleagues, friends and family. After a whole day at my desk, I get mean. But if I do exercises early in the morning, I have enough energy for the whole day. Everyone has their own motivation, you just need to find it.
Sports instead of sleeping pills. If morning workouts give energy, then evening workouts provide sound sleep. “Contrary to popular belief that exercising in the evening can disrupt sleep, studies show that vigorous exercise at night only contributes to better sleep.”- explains the author and does not leave us a chance to miss the lesson.
Pay attention to how you move. “The girl was so engrossed in texting that she fell into the pool at mall. A man at full speed crashed into a pole because he was checking mail on his mobile, ” warns Tom Rath. We have all seen these videos on the Internet. And they would be very funny if they weren't so sad. If you have already made it to the park, put your smartphone in your pocket, straighten your shoulders, look ahead, listen to the birds singing and enjoy the walk.

Sleep habit

In bed, quality is more important than quantity. You can sleep 8, 10 and even 12 hours, but wake up completely broken. “Try to improve the quality of your sleep first. Think about your diet, daily activities, bedroom decor. And only after that, take up the duration of sleep,- the author advises.
Night is a dark time. Even artificial light lowers melatonin levels, a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles. “Turn down the lighting to the maximum in the bedroom and other rooms where you spend the evening. This will allow your body to produce additional melatonin and fall asleep faster», - strongly recommended by the writer.
A broken dream. Yes, usually the alarm clock pulls us out of the realm of Morpheus. But most of all, we hurt ourselves when we set the timer every 10 minutes for an hour. “Studies have shown that if you break the last hours before waking up into such short segments, then this time does not count towards the total time of useful sleep.”, warns Tom Rath. So try to get out of bed as soon as you wake up.
Cool bed. “Our internal clock monitors body temperature and tells the brain when to sleep and when to stay awake. If the room is too warm, the internal clock thinks it's time to wake up, even if it's night outside."- are simple truths described in the book.
Sleep to impress. It seems that Tom wrote this paragraph specifically for readers. Fresh look and radiant skin - these are the main bonuses good night. “Nothing spoils the impression of a person as much as traces of sleep on the face”,- the author writes. And he cites as an example a study that due to insomnia, a number of mechanisms are triggered in the body, under the influence of which the complexion worsens.

Project Manager A. Derkach

Computer layout M. Potashkin

Art Director S. Timonov

The cover design uses illustrations from shutterstock.com.

The original English edition was published in 2013 by Missionday Arlington, Virginia, USA

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

* * *

Dedicated to my wife Ashley, daughter Harper and son Everett, who light up my day and give me hope for an even better tomorrow.

Eat, move, sleep

Every decision you make matters. Today you can make choices that will help you become stronger tomorrow. Making the right decisions increases your chances of living a long and healthy life.

My history

The doctor said that I had a rare genetic disorder called Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). Usually it is inherited, but in my case it was a rare type of genetic mutation that occurs in one case in 4.4 million. It disrupts the production of a gene responsible for suppressing cancer cells, which leads to the rapid development of neoplasms in almost all organs.

This prospect frightened me even more than the risk of blindness. A conversation in the doctor's office made me look at my life in a whole new way. Will I be treated differently if they find out about my illness? Will I ever get married and have children? But more importantly, will I be able to live a long and happy life?

The doctors did everything possible to save my vision - they froze the tumor, tried to remove it with a laser. Unfortunately, I am permanently blind in one eye. Resigned to this loss, I began to seek any information about my rare disease.

It quickly became clear to me that the knowledge I was gaining could help me prolong my life. Over time, I have found that annual eye exams, MRIs, and CT scans keep me under control. If doctors find a tumor at an early stage, they more likely could halt its development. This was great news. Now I could live much longer, even if it required complex operations.

For the past 20 years, I have been undergoing the necessary examinations every year. On the this moment I have small neoplasms in the brain, kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas and spinal cord. Every year I look to see if any of them have grown so large that they need to be removed. Most often, the question of the operation does not arise.

It may seem that living in constant expectation of the growth of active tumors is terrible. Perhaps that would be the case if I relied on something I could not control - my genes. But I keep everything under control with annual check-ups and do my best to reduce the risk of developing and spreading cancer cells in my body.

Year after year, I learn how to eat, move and sleep properly to improve my chances of a long and happy life. I put what I learned into practice every day. And every day I make a vital choice on which my future depends.

Little things matter

Making the right decisions is not easy - you have to compromise all the time. But the game is worth the candle. New data are constantly emerging about treatments for cancer, heart failure, and other chronic diseases. Every day I find new ideas that could help my loved ones live healthier and longer lives.

For the last 10 years I have been trying to systematize all the knowledge I have gained so that others can use it. I try to find verified and simple techniques to help people make better decisions and live healthier lives. To do this, I study a lot of research literature - from medical and psychological journals to highly specialized works.

Of course, I'm not a doctor. And not a nutritionist physical education or sleep disturbances. I'm just a patient. I am also a researcher and a very keen reader, and I like to find useful information and share it with your friends. In this book I have collected the most interesting and effective methods which I happened to know about.

Everything I wrote about here influences my daily choices. Every bite that goes into my mouth increases or decreases my chances of spending another couple of years with my wife and kids. Half an hour of morning exercises give me strength for the whole day. And sound sleep at night allows you to cope with tasks next day. So, thanks to a healthy diet, physical activity and sleep I can stay active, a good husband and a father and a passionate person.

All our actions, even the smallest ones, have a cumulative effect. If you make the right decisions more often than the wrong ones, you are more likely to live healthy into old age. Life is generally a game of luck. Take for example four diseases that are generally preventable: cancer, diabetes, heart failure, and lung disease. Together, 9 out of 10 people die from them. At the same time, studies have shown that, subject to certain simple rules, 90% of people could live up to 90 years. And not just to live, but to live without diseases that so poison mature years. And if someone from your family died of cancer or a heart attack, you still have a chance to avoid a similar fate.

Scientists have already proven that longevity is not inherited. Life expectancy is determined only by your habits. That is, the point is not How many your parents lived, and in how you live.

I myself am living proof that even with bad genetic predisposition can survive. My lifestyle allows me to control the appearance of new and the growth of existing tumors.

Yes, unfortunately, nothing can definitely prevent cancer or guarantee you a long life. Do not believe those who promise such things. But everything I write about in this book will definitely help you increase your chances of living as long and happy as possible.

30 days to make the right decisions

I hope that you will find useful ideas in the book that you want to test in practice. Spend a month on this. Experience shows that new habits are acquired in about two weeks. The main thing is to take the first step, on your own or together with like-minded people.

In each chapter, you will find three evidence-based techniques and how to use them in practice. Try to use at least one of them within a month. Write down what needs to be done on paper and stick it in a visible place. This will help make the new skill a habit.

If the technique works, use it constantly, if not, try something else. Only you can figure out what works for you and what doesn't. But do not try to use everything that is described in this book. Not worth it. Introduce at least a couple of ideas into your life. In addition, at www.eatmovesleep.org you can:

Make a personal action plan based on your habits and tasks;

Download the First 30 Day Plan and other teamwork resources.

Take action! It is only important to develop a plan that will be effective in your particular situation. You can practice applying new skills with like-minded people or on your own - whichever suits you best. And remember: a couple of good habits acquired over the next month will allow you to fully live all the years to come.

The Eat, Move, Sleep Equality

A healthy breakfast in the morning will give you energy for the whole day. This will help you eat right throughout the day. And if you eat right and move a lot during the day, then sleep soundly at night. And after a night of good sleep, you will be full of energy the next day.

Poor sleep, on the contrary, immediately negatively affects our nutrition and activity. After a sleepless night, you will want to eat something unhealthy for breakfast, and the rest of the day you will hardly feel a surge of energy. As a result, all three elements will begin to act against you, and your life will deteriorate every day. That is why it is so important to correctly build all three components.

New research has shown that the combined positive effects of all these elements bring more benefits than diet or exercise alone. And eating right, moving and sleeping will be much easier if you debug all three processes at the same time.

If you eat right, move a lot and sleep well today, you will be full of energy tomorrow. You will be more attentive to friends and family. Achieve more at work and in other areas of life.

The main thing is to understand that your future depends on the decisions you make today.

1. Basics

Forget about fast weight loss

Believe me, you are not the only one who can not understand the latest trendy diets. Approximately three-quarters of those surveyed believe that it is impossible to eat right, relying on modern, ever-changing theories. At the same time, more than half of the respondents say that it is easier to calculate income tax than to draw up the right diet.

Perhaps that is why more than two-thirds of Americans cannot cope with overweight and obesity, although almost all adhere to diets. The problem is that "diet" implies a temporary effort. And because of this, many popular diets are doomed to failure. If you see ads new diet, which promises results in a few weeks, stop and think about the consequences.

If you want to lose weight, you will be offered many diets that will allow you to quickly get rid of extra pounds, but will not help you maintain your gains for a long time. Some "especially prominent" nutritionists suggest eating (you won't believe it!) only cookies or drinking only smoothies for several days. But even if you lose a couple of kilograms on such a diet, it will have a very detrimental effect on your health.

Even popular diets are doomed to failure if they take into account only one element of the equality "eat, move, sleep." In the early 1990s, diets with low content fat. As a result, many companies began to produce fat-free products. Diet bakeries opened on every corner, and fat-free crackers and chips appeared in stores. I, too, succumbed to the general craze for everything fat-free.

But it turned out that the decrease total share fat is achieved through the addition of carbohydrates, sugar and synthetic substitutes. Manufacturers simply replaced fats with sugary ingredients.

Then came the turn of low-carb diets. People began to eat animal proteins in large quantities, not considering how this may affect the body. At the same time, vegetarian diets are also not very useful if animal proteins are replaced with processed carbohydrates or sugary foods.

Calorie-based diets have also proven to be insufficiently effective. As one of the researchers said: "Contrary to the theory of nutrition, calories are different calorie." It turned out that eating everything in moderation is also harmful.

Quality what you eat is much more important quantity. This was the main result of a study conducted at Harvard based on observations of more than 100,000 patients over 20 years. The researchers concluded that the type of food has a greater impact on health than the number of calories consumed. Even the level of physical activity is not as important as the quality of nutrition. As one scientist noted: “The idea that you can eat anything in moderation is just an excuse for gluttony.”

Popular diets can be helpful, but only within integrated approach to nutritional issues. Remember what diets you have already tried. Take the most useful ideas from them and make them part of your diet. Try to choose foods that are lower in fat, carbohydrates and sugar.

Eating right is not that hard. Healthy food can be delicious. Prioritize foods that will give you energy for the day and keep you healthy into the future. Much easier to stick to a daily plan healthy eating than to sit on one or the other diet all the time.

Once you start eating right, be patient. Many people quit diet after diet because they don't get it. quick results. The body needs time to respond to a change in nutrition. It usually takes a year or so. Instead of trying to get rid of a couple of pounds in the next month, think about how to change your entire diet, and then your new habits will bring a lot of benefits in the future.