20 Things I know now at 42 that I wish I knew at 22!

By: Ben Fogel

Over the last 20 years being in the health and fitness industry I feel pretty good about sharing these 20 health, wellness and life principles I have learned.  This is by no means an exhaustive list, but more of a snapshot of what I feel are some of the “biggest bang for your buck” principles you can start with TODAY to make amazing improvements in your life and overall health.  

(There I am, at the ripe young age of 20 – Back when I thought I knew EVERYTHING!!)

In no particular order, here are the 20 things I know now that I wish I knew 20 years ago:

1. Use strength workouts to increase and gain muscle mass, diet to burn fat and cardio to improve overall health and longevity. 

2. Eat a high protein diet (between .75 – 1g/lb BW) along with whole foods (think veggies with a side of protein) for body composition and overall better health. 

3. Drink at least one glass of water before coffee upon waking. 

4. Delay drinking coffee 1-2 hours upon waking.  This can lead to more sustained energy in the afternoon.  

5. Sleep at the same time every day. 

6. Use the 3-2-1 method for better sleep.  No eating 3 hours before bed, stop all work related activities 2 hours before bed, No screens for 1 hour before bed.  

7. Memory is fallible. When you have a great idea, write it down.  Your mind is meant for thinking, not remembering. 

8. Your best ideas usually come when taking a walk, working out, or in the shower.  Have a notepad ready! 

9. Take complete ownership for every result in your life. The only constant in every result is you.  

10. Who you choose as a partner will determine your level of peace, wealth and happiness.  Choose wisely. 

11. You will never be as young as you are now.  Do what you feel you are meant to do, and stop waiting for the perfect time to start.  START NOW!

12. Some of your best decisions come from stillness. Stillness is amplified in nature and meditation.  

13. You can only get stronger when you face your problems in life.  Embrace the struggle.  

14. Show up, do the work and seek ways to grow daily.  Do this every day and see the compounding effect that occurs.  

15. True wealth is about being physically and financially healthy while living in a household full of love. 

16. Make exercise a part of your life. Why would you not want more energy, better mood, increased healthspan matching an increased lifespan, a healthy brain and more confidence? 

17. The “Compounding Interest” habits that have nothing to do with money:

    1. Lifting weights is compounding interest for muscle

    2. Meditation is compounding interest for mindfulness

    3. Cardio is compounding interest for heart & brain health

    4. Nutrition and sleep is compounding interest for mood and energy

Doing all of these is compounding interest for living a higher quality of life.

18. Eat real food. I used to like to use the line “eat like an adult” but even high functioning, intelligent adults still eat like children.  If it is in a box, bag or has an ingredient you cannot pronounce, it most likely was not meant to be digested in your body.

19. The four horsemen of addiction are: Alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and screens.  Limit these as much as you can.  

20. Most of the time when you think you are hungry, you are either bored or dehydrated.  Drink a glass of water and get off your phone before reaching for those sugary snacks.  

I hope you found this list useful, and maybe focus on ONE area you can really focus on to see amazing results!

If you are looking for a perfect kickstart for the New Year, we have such a great program that you can check out below.  And if you take action now, you can train for the rest of 2022 for FREE!

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