attractive sporty girls in bodysuits training at aerobics workout on grey
Getty Images/LightFieldStudiosThere's lots of confusing health advice and information out there in the public. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed about what it takes to get healthy. But NFL sports nutritionist Mike Minnis has broken it down into 3 key steps for a healthy lifestyle. He’s been working with elite NFL athletes for nine years and says to be fit and stay healthy for life. Insider says this is what you need to do.
Here's the 3 steps for a healthy lifestyle
- Understand energy balance to help maintain a healthy, stable weight - The principle of energy balance just means the balance of calories you’re consuming and the energy you’re burning, Minnis says. Before you worry about if foods are organic or if you’re taking the right supplements, he says you need to figure out whether you’re eating the right amount for your body and activity levels. Quantity matters more than quality here, as he explains, “If someone’s calorie budget is 2-thousand a day and they’re eating 25-hundred, it doesn’t matter if they’re only eating grilled chicken, broccoli and brown rice, they will gain body fat.”
- Eat more protein, even if you’re not an athlete - The nutrition expert says a lot of people have a misconception that they don’t need much protein because they’re not working out, or not working out as hard, but that’s “literally the opposite of what’s true.” Eating protein helps you maintain the muscle you have, which is important since our muscle mass gradually decreases with age. So how much protein should we be consuming? He recommends eating 0.8 to one gram of protein per pound of body weight every day.
- Eat enough fiber - Minnis calls fiber “the great equalizer of quality” in our diets because to eat enough of it, you have to be eating nutritious, minimally-processed, plant-based foods. The amount you need varies from person to person, but he advises eating 14 grams of fiber for every thousand calories consumed. So if you eat 2-thousand calories a day, aim for 28 grams of fiber.
Exercise & Eating Habits That Helped Queen Elizabeth Live To 96
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch in British history and she was the world’s oldest head of state when she died peacefully on Thursday at age 96. While her official duties had been scaled back in her later years, the Queen was working right up until her death, even meeting with the new U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss on Tuesday.
To be not only living but working and maintaining an active lifestyle until her mid-90s means Her Majesty was doing some things right to keep her so healthy. She had COVID in February 2022 but beat it and because of her health and wellness, she had only been hospitalized for three brief visits over the last two decades. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight all contributed to her long and healthy life, and these are the habits she was known to follow.
The Queen preferred "sensible exercise"
Her Royal Highness wasn’t into intense workouts, instead, she preferred activities like riding horses and walking her corgis, according to author Bryan Kozlowski.
She enjoyed spending time in nature
Particularly in the Scottish countryside around the royal family’s Balmoral estate.
Her Majesty also never smoked
This had to help boost her longevity and so did the fact that she got good sleep.
She ate a balanced diet
The Queen was “not a foodie,” according to Darren McGrady, her chef from 1982 to 1993. Instead she preferred simple meals and he says she was “very disciplined” and would often eat low-carb meals when dining along.
But she did enjoy treats and alcohol
Before a simple lunch, the Queen would enjoy a gin and Dubonnet (a sweet wine-based aperitif) with a slice of lemon, according to McGrady. She also liked a dry martini but stopped having a daily one last year for her health. Her former chef also reveals that Her Royal Highness was a “chocoholic” who loved dark chocolate, which has known health benefits.
