Start with a 10-minute walk every day, preferably after lunch or dinner, to clear your mind. This simple habit is a great place to begin a health journey and manage daily stress.
Actively include friends and family in your healthy habits and lifestyle, rather than pushing them away. It’s easier to maintain positive habits when surrounded by people who share similar goals and can positively influence you.
Adopt a mindset of continuous learning, acknowledging that you don’t know everything and there’s always more to learn and expand upon. This approach fosters humility and drives ongoing personal growth.
Address sleep deprivation as a primary cause of low testosterone. Improving sleep quality can significantly increase endogenous testosterone production, as Peter Attia experienced a substantial rise in his levels by simply sleeping more.
Avoid all-or-nothing thinking about diets, medications, or supplements; instead, view them as tools to be used appropriately. This approach allows for flexibility and optimal application to achieve specific health goals.
Consistently seek ways to improve each day, not always by lifting more weight, but by making progress in some aspect of your fitness or life. Progress is a key motivator and essential for happiness, helping to keep you on track.
Always warm up before any workout to prepare your joints and muscles, such as using a hip circle for squats or moving your elbows and shoulders for upper body work. This practice is essential to prevent injury and improve performance.
Recognize that what you eat directly impacts your performance in the gym and overall physical capabilities. Chris Bell found that his diet significantly affected his gym performance, leading to strength gains after dietary changes.
Consider implementing a ketogenic diet for specific goals like tightening up, mental freedom, or to increase carbohydrate sensitivity. This diet can be a powerful tool to manage hunger and cravings when used at certain points in a training cycle.
Be open about your struggles and challenges, as sharing vulnerability can create connection and help others who might feel alone with similar issues. This practice fosters empathy and mutual support.
Choose a gym or fitness community that is encouraging and genuinely wants you to improve, rather than large chain gyms focused solely on membership sign-ups. A supportive environment is crucial for long-term adherence and progress.
Begin your strength training journey with powerlifting to learn the fundamental mechanics of essential human movements like squat, bench press, and deadlift. This foundation ensures you correctly learn the most important movements in the human body.
Experiment with training protocols that involve less overall volume but higher intensity, such as doing one heavy lift and leaving the gym. The Bell brothers found this approach highly effective for achieving remarkable strength.
Adopt a highly structured daily routine, including consistent meal times, cardio, weightlifting, and sleep, to achieve peak performance and precision in your goals. This regimented approach, exemplified by top bodybuilders, helps ensure you never skip a beat.
Aim for approximately 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to support muscle growth. Chris Bell observed immediate positive changes in his physique by increasing his protein intake.
For specific body composition goals like bodybuilding, adhere strictly to your prescribed macronutrient targets, even avoiding restaurant foods or extra snacks that could disrupt your plan. This level of precision is necessary for advanced results.
To achieve a ‘personal record’ every time you step into the gym, try variations or exercises you’ve never maxed out on before (e.g., max set of seven with incline dumbbell press). This approach makes training a ‘game’ and keeps it fun and motivating.
If struggling with obesity, prioritize weight loss and a healthier diet to improve sleep quality. Addressing obesity can help improve sleep, which in turn positively impacts overall health and hormonal balance.
Be aware that high cortisol levels (hypercortisolemia) can negatively impact testosterone production by shunting precursors and impairing deep sleep. Managing stress and cortisol is important for maintaining hormonal balance.
Encourage children to minimize sitting and consider standing desks in schools to maintain their natural squatting mechanics and overall physical health. Sitting is identified as a major factor in crippling natural movement patterns.
Engage children in physical challenges, like dead hangs, and use these opportunities to teach them about mental toughness, pushing limits, and understanding that progress often involves discomfort. This helps them learn to test the limits of what they are capable of.
In youth training programs, ensure that academic responsibilities, such as homework, are completed before engaging in physical activity. This instills discipline and prioritizes education before physical training.
Kratom, a plant from Southeast Asia, is used by some for opioid withdrawal, pain management, diet adherence, mental distraction, euphoria, and creativity. Chris Bell uses it daily as a pre-workout, noting it makes him feel great and helps with focus (Note: This is a personal account and not medical advice).
Access Mark Bell’s YouTube channel (‘Super Training 06’) as a free and extensive resource for learning how to correctly perform major lifts, featuring content from top powerlifters. This channel provides a wealth of information for those looking to improve their lifting technique.
Visit the Super Training Gym, which is free to the public, to experience the environment and potentially meet Mark Bell. This offers an ‘unbelievable service’ to the community for those interested in strength training.
For questions and comments, use Twitter to reach Peter Attia (@peteratiamd). To stay updated on longevity, science, performance, and sleep, sign up for his weekly email at peteratiamd.com.