Get MAD Daily for Awesome Health!

By Shazad

“He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”

Thomas Carlyle

Do you want to be healthy? Would you like to have a strong and lean body? How about a sharp mind that continues to work well as you age? The answer for everyone I know is a resounding “YES!”. In this article, we’ll find out some strategies to do this by referring to the Amazing Health chapter in the Awesome Life book.

It’s so confusing to figure out what’s healthy, how to exercise, and how much effort is required to actually get and then stay healthy. I’m here to simplify some things for you so you can be clear, have a simple plan, and develop consistency.

First, ignore the government food guides, the hype on TV, and most of the fitness influencers with their magical smoothies and ‘superfoods’ on the Internet. Get back to basics and do what humans have been doing for thousands of years. What’s that you say? Eat real food whose ingredients you know and do this at least 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time you can indulge in processed food. Next, make the 80% good food you eat as nutritious as possible and make it look Awesome! What we call MAD. That stands for Massive - Awesome - Delicious! Make great salad bowls with the most colourful vegetables and fruits you like to eat and top off with the tastiest proteins you enjoy from chick peas to grilled chicken, beef, or fish. Use the best Olive oil you can find and enjoy frequently! Make all your meals as colourful and nutrient-rich as possible. This doesn’t mean they have to be calorie bombs as a lot of real food that is minimally processed is low calorie in nature while being full of the required minerals, vitamins, proteins, and flavour you crave! When you do eat, make it a social thing at least one meal a day. Eat with family. Eat with friends or peers at work. Just don’t eat alone any one day. The act of eating and enjoying great food with others cannot be understated. Great for your mind and body when you gather around the table for some great tasting and healthy food.

Second, make sure you move your body daily. Go for 15-minute walks at least twice a day. If it’s safe, do some brisk walking or even running once or twice a week for about 5-10 minutes on a soft surface like a grassy field or sandy beach. Get your heart rate up until you can’t talk, then return to a normal pace of walking or cycling. You don’t need hours of cardio each week, but you do need to keep moving, and you should be able to sustain a fast walk, run, or cycle for 5 minutes once a week. Don’t stop there. Pick up and put down moderately heavy objects. Yes, I mean strength training with your body, bands, or weights in a gym. Focus on 4-5 exercises total, such as pushing, pulling, squatting, hinging, and stretching. Basic exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, bodyweight squats, deadlifts, lunges, and flys are easy to find proper form for online. Look these up and do them twice a week with 1-2 days of rest in between. You don’t have to lift heavy or do much, but you must do everything slowly and smoothly, then finish. Take your breaks between sets and repeat. When planned well, a quick 20-30 minute strength training session can be very effective. Doing two of these weekly, gradually increasing reps and weights, will make your body stronger, leaner, and most definitely awesome! If you need coaching or help creating a program tailored for you, consider hiring a personal trainer for 3-6 months and follow their plan exactly to see results. You can’t keep changing programs and expect significant progress, so find a suitable one and stick with it for at least three months but no longer than six before making major adjustments.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

Benjamin Franklin

Third, lock in your gains and maximize the benefits of all that healthy eating (80% of the time) and those workouts (twice a week) with daily walking. Go to sleep on a consistent schedule such as 10 pm and wake up no later than 8 pm every single day. It’s very easy and often neglected, but it’s critical if you want to see results. You can’t grow if you don’t rest, and sleep is the time when the mind and body do their cleanup and repair process, so you are a better human being during the daytime. Your nutritional needs, digestion, and thinking abilities all change depending on how well you rest at night, so focus on getting the best possible sleep every day. This is even more important for those 40-plus who want to avoid the various lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, blood sugar/insulin sensitivity, and heart conditions. Sleep is such a big factor in healthy ageing and keeping diseases away that it cannot be understated. Give up your FOMO and stop talking to your friends online or in person after 9 p.m., at least six days a week.

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Aye! it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts can find comfort”

Holy Quran (13:29)

Incorporate prayers in the morning (pre-dawn) and night (after sunset) to further enhance your soul by expressing gratitude, asking for help, and seeking wisdom from the Creator. Our souls need exercise as well, and spending some time reflecting throughout the day and offering prayers is an excellent way to nourish your soul. Start your nightly wind-down and aim to be asleep by 10 p.m. for optimal rest and recovery. Perform prayers and go to sleep on time consistently, and over a month you’ll feel like a different person. A better and more competent person with better health, God Willing!

The advice above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute official medical or official health advice. Please consult with your healthcare professional and fitness coaches for the best guidance tailored to your specific situation.

My goal was to offer a general overview of key points to consider and share some practical strategies I used to stay fit and maintain that for over 10 years. Your circumstances may be different, but I believe the principles mentioned will generally apply, and the individual actions can be adapted to fit each person's schedule, physical abilities, and preferences. Always remember to look after yourself—mind, body, and soul. Don’t let time pass without self-reflection and a commitment to take even small steps each day to improve your situation. If we all aimed to be just 1% better every day, we could significantly transform our lives in positive ways.

Live Awesome!

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