The Power of Walking and Filling Up on Fiber and Fats
Mar 2021 - Evergreen Thoughts
What’s on my mind…
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The Power of Walking
How much would you pay for a Limitless style pill to magically reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and boost creativity?
Well, I have some exciting news for you. This magic “pill” already exists. It’s called going for a walk.
The Benefits of Walking
Let’s start with the physical benefits. Walking:
🔥 Burns calories
❤️ Strengthens your heart
🩸 Lowers blood sugar
🦠 Boosts your immune function
Not enough? No problem. The mental benefits are just as potent. Walking:
⚡️ Boosts energy
🙂 Improves your mood
💡 Makes you more creative
🧠 Improves mental clarity
🧘♂️ Reduces stress and anxiety
Getting the Most Out of Walking
Walking is a terrific activity on its own. However, you can make it even more effective by being strategic with when and how you walk. Some examples below:
☀️ Walking outside: When and how much natural light you get is one of the most important factors for determining your circadian rhythm. Going for a 15-20m walk first thing in the morning and/or during sunset are two great ways to help you more easily fall asleep at a reasonable hour. This is especially helpful given the opposite effects of our constant phone, computer, and TV usage.
🤝 Walking with others: Walking is a great way to catch up and connect with people. Whether in person or on the phone, try walking with coworkers, friends, and family. Even better, use it as an opportunity to talk through a challenging topic on your mind or help them think through a similarly tricky situation. Try this at work by turning a video 1:1 into a fresh air and sunshine filled walk-n-talk.
🍔 Walking after meals: Ever feel lethargic and find it hard to focus after a big meal? That’s likely due to the food you’re eating causing a blood sugar spike, triggering a chain of hormonal activity that makes you tired and induces a brain fog. Walking for 15m after a meal can minimize the magnitude and duration of these blood sugar spikes. You can read more about metabolic fitness and my experience with a continuous glucose monitor tracker in the Aug 2020 edition.
The below tweet resonates with me and is all the more reason to use walking to help you get outside and connect with others:
Interested in learning more? Check out:
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Feastin’ on Fiber and Fats
Last month I shared my experience with intermittent fasting. This month I’m sharing another healthy eating tactic: eating truly filling foods.
While it may sound obvious, I find people (including myself) increasingly “filling up” on empty calories that leave us craving for more soon after. Refined carbohydrates and low-fat foods being the most common culprits. So what do truly filling foods look like?
In short, foods with lots of fiber or healthy fats. Filling up on these foods makes it easier to resist the temptation of unhealthy snacks throughout the day. They’re also one of the most sustainable sources of energy for both your body and mind.
Below are some of my favorite fiber and fat filled ingredients that help me stay full and satisfied throughout the day.
🍳 Eggs
🥑 Avocado
🐟 Salmon
🥗 Leafy greens
🍎 Apples
🥦 Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts
🍓 Berries: Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
🥜 Nuts: Walnuts, cashews, and almonds
🌱 Seeds: Pumpkin, hemp, and chia
🦸♂️ Superfoods: Cacao nibs and extra virgin olive oil
Mixing and Matching
Below are my favorite ways to combine these together to form delicious, filling, and healthy meals:
🥗 Salad with salmon: This is one of my favorite dinners. Broiled salmon, leafy greens, an assortments of vegetables for the crunch factor (peppers, carrots, cucumbers), avocado, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. If I’m looking for a little extra fiber fuel I’ll throw on some nuts or seeds.
🥑 Turkey wrap: Another one of my staple lunches. I start with a whole wheat wrap and then add turkey, avocado, pesto, hemp seeds, tomatoes, feta cheese, and olive oil. If you’re in the NYC area I absolutely love this pesto in particular.
🍳 Eggs and avocado: This is one of my staple lunches. I start with scrambled eggs and a slice of whole grain bread. I then add avocado, pesto, hemp seeds, and finish it off with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. I add Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel if I’m looking for an extra flavor booster.
🌱 Chia seed pudding: The last of my stable lunches. It also makes for a great afternoon snack. I start with some homemade chia seed pudding made using unsweetened almond milk. I then add some combination of: fresh berries, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, low sugar granola, and collagen protein. It tastes better than it sounds (and looks).
Interested in learning more? Check out:
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🎧 On repeat: Big Bootie Mixes, Binaural Beats, Vitamin String Quartet
🍿 Worth binging: All American, Palmer, I Care a Lot
✍️ Posts published: How to Build Great Products, Beware the Cult of Numeracy, Product Design Resources
📚 Read: Ender’s Game (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️), Unleash the Power of Storytelling (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
📖 In Progress: Bitcoin Billionaires, Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming
👋 Until next time,
Adam