Thread by @stevemagness

I’m tired…

of people obsessing over infrared saunas, magic elixirs & special supplements

Stop searching for the 21st-century version of the fountain of youth

If you want to be good at anything, mastering the basics gets you 99% of the way there.

Thread on Nailing the Basics:

We live in a quick fix culture.

There is real harm being done by the purveyors of scientific misinformation, diet cults, hack culture, anti-vaxxers, and those who are convinced that there is one optimal way to workout.

It’s all the same heist:
-create doubt on the tried and true
-oversell the small and inconsequential
-sprinkle in some "data"; speak from authority
-create a tribe
-and then sell the magic pill, lotion, potion, or program.

If you use any of the above or have fallen for it…I’m not blaming you.

It's human nature to go for this stuff; we are all susceptible. Complex-sounding, neatly packaged, easy solutions to our problems seduce our prehistoric—and quite powerful—lizard brain.

The basics aren’t sexy.

They don’t sell.

They aren’t a quick fix.

They are simple to understand but difficult to do consistently.

It’s why so many people buy supplements to improve their strength, but so few squat two times a week for months, if not years, on end.

What actually works? Let's find out.

We’ll divide this into two sections:
1. Principles For Physical Health, Fitness, And Nutrition
2. Principles For Mental Health and Cognitive Performance

1. Move Your Body Often, Sometimes Hard, Every Bit Counts

If exercise could be bottled up and sold as a drug, it would be a billion-dollar blockbuster.

Want to exercise to maximize health?

Think: consistent work, mostly easy, occasionally hard.

Easy: 4-5x times a week. ~40+ minutes. Able to have full conversation as you go.

Hard: 1-2x a week: About a 7 out of 10. Mix up what "hard" is.

2. Avoid Foods Wrapped in Plastic

Foods that undergo heavy processing lose much of their nutritional value. The result is not-so-great energy combined with lots of calories. Over time, this is a recipe for ill health.

But what about all the diets?

Research shows that whatever "diet" you choose, the only real indicator as to whether or not you'll lose weight is if you stick to it. The so-called success of a diet has less to do with fat, carbs, or ketones than it does with one's adherence

For those interested in longevity, consider:
Studies of centenarians show they have diverse diets with really only one thing in common: they hardly eat any processed foods and they move their bodies often.

3. Sleep At Night: Aim for Seven to Nine Hours

Regardless of what the biohackers may tell you, you simply cannot nap or intermittently sleep your way to optimal health and functioning

Sleep is the best performance enhancer there is.

The two most general rules of sleep: try hard to get sleep, and don't freak out too much if you can't.

Want to learn more? Here's a deep dive:

https://twitter.com/stevemagness/status/1365302730919706627

4. Don’t Smoke, And Seek Help Quitting If You Do

Smoking is associated with dozens of types of cancer, as well as heart disease, dementia, & chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the American Cancer Association, smoking causes one out of every five deaths in the US

5. Don’t Drink Too Much

Like smoking, excessive alcohol use is associated with a number of chronic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, throat cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Drinking too much also impairs sleep and daily function.

If you enjoy alcohol, drinking reasonably—one drink per day for women and up to two for men—seems to carry minimal risk when it comes to health. But for peak performance and long-term ability to crush it, when it comes to drinking less is more.

Principles For Mental Health and Cognitive Performance

1. Build Community
The people with whom you surround yourself shape you. Nothing can replace the value of an in-real-life community.

Research shows that social media is helpful only if it is used as a way-station to meet people and then take those relationships offline for deepening.

Deep community provides us with spaces in which we can support each other through ups and downs.

2. Don't Expect Things to Feel Good all the Time

The more you try to change the way you feel, the more stuck you’re liable to be.

What you can control is your behavior.

You don't need to feel good to get going, you need to get going to give yourself a chance at feeling good.

3. Seek Professional Help If You Need It

Self-help has its limits. If you are feeling completely overwhelmed by negative thoughts and emotions, or if you are thinking of harming yourself or someone else, get professional help.

4. Get Off Your Phone and Do Real Things In The World

Doing something that is hard and real humbles you. You have to earn the successes. And when you fail, you can’t just talk them away

Doing lets you the experience of living in a smaller & simpler world.

5. Read Books

Deep reading, or full engagement in a book, is an absolute joy. It is good for mind and spirit, and it is also a competitive advantage in today’s knowledge-based economy.

6. Work in Intervals
Highly focused, single-task intervals allow you to exert and sustain the physical, cognitive, and emotional energy required to get the most out of what you’re doing. This intense, deep-focus work ought to be followed by some rest.

7. Spend Time in Nature

People report that they feel significantly happier outdoors than they do indoors, yet we spend less than 5 percent of our waking hours in nature.

Research shows that time spent in nature helps with mood, focus, creativity, fulfillment, and more.

If you enjoyed this thread, consider following along.

You can read the full version of our manifesto (with lots of data, evidence and resources) on nailing the basics here: thegrowtheq.com/nailing-the-ba…