5 Tips on How to eat Cheap and Healthy

This was hard to come up with this because eating healthy is already cheap by nature.

Black beans, brown rice, canned green beans, etc.

But here's a few more tips.

1) Oatmeal can be bought in bulk at places like Sprouts.

2) Fruit can get expensive, so I just stick with bananas.

3) Canned tuna is pretty cheap and there's usually sales.

4) Buy the big bulky packages of meat to save money on protein.

5) Quit buying bottled water, it's a waste of plastic and money. I just use the water from my faucet.

Anyone else have any tips they want to share?

Willpower Instinct

I recently finished the book Willpower Instinct.

I decided to break it down to 27 tips because you probably lack the willpower to read it yourself.

1) Willpower is limited

Your willpower is like a life bar in a videogame or battery on your phone. It's only going to last so long. That's why you make worse decision as the day goes by.

2) Heart rate variability

Studies show that those that have a higher heart rate variability turn down temptations better. So slow your breathing to 5-6 breaths per minute for around 10 minutes and you'll make a better decision.

3) Working out adds willpower

When you start fixing one problem the momentum helps in other areas. Plus healthier people feel better and make better decisions too. That's why I'm so great.

4) Morning meditation Mess Up

Suck at meditation? Great. The fact you notice yourself messing up and trying to constantly get back on track will stick with you throughout the day as you catch yourself constantly getting distracted.

5) Seeing yourself do it

If you can see yourself doing something it makes it much easier to actually do that. See yourself or plan doing the task first, then you'll much more likely do it.

6) WANT makes WILL

If you don't have a strong enough WANT you'll never have the WILLpower. Losing weight to feel better is not as strong a want as making your ex jealous.

7) Good person rationalization

Many people feel so good after doing one good thing that they feel they can justify their next fuck up. You donated money so you can talk down to your waiter. That's why you see so many people in fast food restaurants in their gym clothes. They think they earned it.

8) Your identity

Think about how many things you do because you feel that's what you're supposed to do. Esquire and GQ market around the identity that makes men think they're James Bond. 'Don't Mess with Texas' stopped littering around the identity of gritty tough state pride. Think on how to make an identity around the things that will actually benefit you.

9) Opportunity Only

Studies show many people will do things only for the opportunity but not actually do it. You'll go to a restaurant because of the healthy options but not actually order them. Such as McDonald's Big Mac going up in sales after they added low calorie foods to the menu.

Just like I like living in a city like Austin with so many things to do, but I just stay home. I like the idea of being able to things.

10) Tomorrow I will be able to do it

People think of tomorrow as in it will be a much better day to do it. They'll be a stronger person, the day will be full of open time. That day will never come.

11) Dopamine vs Seratonin

People like quick dopamine boosts. Checking email and Facebook, watching quick video after video on YouTube, it's like high calorie, low nutrition food.

When you do the things that actually make you feel good and give you serotonin such as completing a big project you wonder why you don't do this more often.

It's because the body discounts the rewards that you have to wait for.

They did an experiment with Chimps and humans. The Chimps outdid the humans on waiting for bigger rewards by a severe margin.

So even if you think you're above average at waiting for rewards, you're only good for a human.

12) Are you as Excited as an Electrocuted Rat?

Rats were stimulated in the part of the brain that gives you excitement if they ran on the electric bars in their space. They ran on those bars until they couldn't physically do it anymore. As cruel as this experiment was, it shows that excitement is more rewarding than the actual reward.

People are much more excited about a lottery win than savings through a stock index fund. It's much more exciting to think of what could happen than what will happen.

Hard to get that excited about a slow fat loss process. Much more exciting is Papa John's on it's way to your door.

13) Hooks

That thing that has you constantly looking for a new notification. that next text, that Instagram like. These are the hooks that people who make apps and video games base their entire model.

It can work for your good as well. Apps that teach coding, foreign languages, and calorie counting are trying implement this.

14) Stress Terror Management

People naturally indulge to relieve stress. That's why companies love advertising during the news. All that scare mongering makes people want to buy.

People buy nice cars or vacations to deal with bad relationships. People buy expensive TV's and video game consoles to deal with being in debt. People eat to get over being fat.

15) Ask yourself while you're fucking up 

While you're fucking up ask yourself during what lead to this and you can find your trigger behavior. Because you didn't get sleep? Because you were starving? Because you're overworked? Be cause of the people you hanging around? Because you were around the birthday cake?

16) Wait 10 minutes

Much like controlling your breathing for heart rate variability, waiting 10 minutes usually sets your mind in a better decision making mode.

17) Fuck up upon sight

People can much more easily make better decisions when the temptation in not in your direct sight.

So stay away!

18) Burn your ships

Like the famous story of Cortes burning his ships so they couldn't retreat, make it so that you can back out of your goal.

Announce a big proclamation on Facebook or wager a bet that you'll donate to the KKK if you don't follow through. Unless you support the KKK, then you should donate to Black Lives Matter.

19) You vs Future You

People think of the future them as a stranger. You put off things for the future and give all the work to them like an asshole. Think of them as you and you'll be much more nicer to yourself.

Send out an email to yourself that won't come until a much later date and see how different you are actually.

Do I want this ice cream sandwich now vs do I want to deal with the repercussions later?

20) Too far sighted is a problem

Some people don't indulge enough and save money forever or stay away from bad food all the time and never actually enjoy life at all (me?). They actually need to make indulging a goal to do every now and then.

21) Out of shape infection

There's an infection that can affect people without knowing it and is scientifically proven. People that are out of shape make everyone around them become out of shape. And vice versa. So think of who you surround yourself with and they will begin to shape you. The closer they are to you the worse.

22) Social Norms

As a follow up to the last point, most people cheat on their taxes so you shouldn't feel bad. Well, that's not really the case but it's a belief and the fact it's a popular held belief gives many people the okay to do so. Same thing when all your friends are fat or lazy or negative.

23) Shame Vs Pride

Self shaming only makes your willpower weaker and more susceptible to giving in. Which is why shaming doesn't work.

Researchers have found that pride works the other way and more people are willing to stay strong out of the want for pride.

So go ahead and be prideful. Never mind those Seven Deadly Sins.

24) No White Bear

Tolstoy's older brother asked him to stay in a corner until he couldn't stop thinking about white bears. He came back much later to see him still in that corner. When you tell your mind to stop thinking about something, it doesn't receive the NOT part. Only the subject. DON'T eat chocolate. Becomes EAT CHOCOLATE.

Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.

25) Accept the Thoughts

You will feel anxious, frustrated, mad, sad, tired, and will probably try to suppress the emotions. I don't know what you've heard about suppression, but the general idea is that it's NOT GOOD. Accept those feelings. You're only human. Accepting those thoughts doesn't mean you have to act on them. But accepting them and thinking about them  makes it much easier.

26) Surf the Urge

When you find yourself wanting to give in, and especially while you give in. Ask yourself what brought you to this point, what is it like.

What does it feel like? Are you tense? Where? How do you feel emotionally?

This will help you in the future or help you get out of a bad state.

Because the best way to not fuck up, is to fuck up, and then ask yourself why.

27) EGO

People who think they have the most willpower are likely to have the least.

Derek Sivers has even more notes from the book on his blog. https://sivers.org/book/WillpowerInstinct

You can also purchase the book here.
https://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Instinct-Self-Control-Works-Matters/dp/1583335080


Let me know if any of this changed things for you.

Are You Still Trying to Get Abs?

Everybody wants abs, but everybody wants to get them by doing ab workouts.

That's like everybody wanting to get rich, but they don't want to save money.

So you want to workout so hard that you can eat whatever you want?

Fine, go google the Michael Phelps Olympic workout.

Ab workouts are the least important factor when it comes to getting abs.

If we're looking at an 80/20 rule. Calorie Deficit>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stomach crunches

Why should you even do ab workouts? Well, let's be more specific, core workouts.

Stronger core helps in all of your lifts, and protects the spine.

That means it helps with back pain.

But for having a six pack or flat stomach, it doesn't do much there.

You have muscle underneath, that's how you bend and twist. It's just hidden under flab, so you think you don't have them.

If you want sore abs, do lots of crunches.

If you want a strong core, do planks, side planks, bird dogs, and exercises such as those.

If you want to see your abs, then cut down the calories.

And don't do sit ups, they hurt your low back and don't help you get abs either.

www.getfarmerfit.com

steven@getfarmerfit.com

3 Reasons to Walk

1) Great for your Back

Walking is non negotiable for eliminating back pain. 

Walking fast unloads the spine and challenges the later parts of the spine and core.

Don't walk slow. Slow walking does the opposite and loads the spine.

Keep your head up and chest forward, poor posture is bad for the back.

Make sure you're swinging your arms, 

Aim for 2-3 twenty to thirty minute walks a day.

2) Great Low Impact Cardio

You can burn around 120 calories with one thirty minute session.

Do that 3 times a day and you're burning 360 calories!

Do that 7 days a week and you're burning over 2500 calories a week!

That's over an entire days worth of calories for most people.

And you're doing it all without hurting your knees, feet, ankles, and back.

You're actually healing your back!

3) Great for Productive Meditation

In the book 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport he recommends walking as a way to be only occupied physically and not mentally. Allowing you to focus on a single problem.

Many poets, writers, scientists, and Greek philosophers have all used walking as a way to bring about their best ideas or answers to perplexing problems.

Isaac Newton was well known for wondering around in endless thought.

Go ahead, google some examples. It's endless!

Runners Up Include:

Boosts brain power, fights dementia, heart disease, high blood pressure, stress, and most importantly your dog will love you for it.

For more information on walking helping your back pain, check out the book the 'Back Mechanic' by Stuart McGill

For more information on productive meditation checkout the book 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport.

Are You Getting Anwhere?

STOP DOING THIS

Don't talk about your goals

Doing that gives you a false sense of accomplishment and annoys your friends.

Quit looking for new information on how to get results

There's nothing new to doing what you need to do. Don't reinvent the wheel. It's all common knowledge.

Don't complain

Gain weight easy? Hard to put on muscle? Does that mean it's impossible? Work harder. Was it hard for you to go to work one day because of traffic? Did you just not show up?

Don't take things for granted

Think about all the business that were huge and now are gone. Think about the people in high school that were popular and now are nothing. Think about the A-list actors from the a decade ago that can hardly get a decent role on a TV show. Did you get in shape but then started to gain weight. Happens all the time. Did you get cocky? Did you start to slide because you thought you could get away with that extra bagel?

Don't shop for groceries or go to restaurants hungry

You crave empty carbs been you're hungry. You'll buy Red Baron pizzas at the store, or eat 2 baskets full of corn chips or bread sticks. Chips make hips and rolls make rolls.

Don't look for an easy way to get results

There is none. If there was, everyone would have already accomplished it.

START DOING THIS

Track what you're eating

Track your exercises. Blog, journal it, track it. If you're not, you obviously don't care enough and deserve to get there.

Be happy that it's hard to be in shape

If it was easy, everyone would look great. Personally, I'd hate that, I would have to be judged off my personality and I would never survive.

Recognize your bad habits.

Bad habits don't immediately give you bad results. If ice cream immediately upped your body fat by 15% and gave you type 2 diabetes you'd stop eating (I hope).

It's the little things that get you, because they're little and you let them slide. Back pain, body fat, high blood pressure, bad relationships, low wages, everything bad in life is from your bad habits.

Prove to yourself who's in control

I give up things to show myself who's in charge. I can't live with the fact that anything could possibly have control over me. Maybe it's because I have a history of addicts in my family, but I can't live without knowing I have control.

Stay away from bad environments

It's easy to eat healthy when I"m home because I don't have junk food around at all. At my grandmas house it's harder to make those choices.

Recognize your successes

So many of you are so successful in areas of your life but can't do something so simple that you want to do? Why? Think about how good you are at other things, how you did that, and how you could apply that to your fitness goals?

FRIENDS

No one is going to help you

Everyone is too worried about the little dilemmas in their life to waste their time thinking about what you're doing. Are you thinking about their aspirations right now, or are you concerned with your own?

Get rid of loser friends and people that aren't developing themselves

Eliminate bad influences from your life, they don't want you around anyway. If you stop drinking you won't want to be around your drinking buddies, and they definitely don't want a sober person around. If you eat healthy, people who eat shit don't want you around reminding them of how bad their life choices are. 

Negative people and bad influences are not so transparent

They're hidden in your life and use subtlety to throw you off base. Think hard on who they are, and they'll eventually reveal themselves. Just like they'll slowly get you off track, not just push you off the rails in a few single meetings.

"That's too hard. It's easy for her. Wish my family was rich. That could never happen. Easy for them to say. If I had time and money I could do that." People who say things like that are friends you need to delete. 

Do you have the right mentor?

A lot of trainers were in shape at one point but now are chubby or even fat. They say they know how to get in shape though and flash old photos of themselves. But being in shape isn't about getting in shape one time, it's about a lifestyle you can maintain. If they can't live that, how could they possibly teach it?

THE COMPOUND EFFECT

A lot of what I mentioned was taken from life experience, and a lot of the things mentioned were also heavily influenced by a recent book I've been reading called THE COMPOUND EFFECT by Darren Hardy. http://www.thecompoundeffect.com/

Back Pain

BACK PAIN 

You're only allowed so many bends throughout the day. Save them for things like tying your shoes, not sit ups.

Don't do sit ups. They stopped doing them in the military.

Your back hurts most in the morning because you're superdehydrated.

Stretching by pulling knees to chest may feel good today, but will hurt you more tomorrow. You're flexing your back and putting yourself in a dangerous position.

Find what's hurting your back, stop doing that, work on strengthening what's lacking.

Don't ever get surgery. It may alleviate one pain, but open up a whole new world of problems that you can never fix.

Many people have herniated and/or bulging discs, but don't even realize it because they're not in pain yet.

Enlarge your computer screen to 150% so you don't have to lean forward.

Common thought is that you hurt yourself through some sort of event. Disc herniation is not an overnight thing. It's bad habits/posture/form that have lead to this happening.

If you're in pain during an exercise you've gone beyond your capacity, stop it. Your body is telling you something.

Squatting is appropriate for getting off a toilet or chair but not for dropping to the floor. Instead, do a lunge that does not bend your spinal discs and is a much more appropriate choice

Athletes with the most abdominal flexion have the most injured discs, think gymnasts.

80% of people have back pain.

People with back pain tend to use their hamstrings more, when they should be using their glutes.

Doing glute bridges reinforces the idea of using your glutes.

Curl ups, Side Planks, Bird Dogs are all good exercises to rehab your back.

Back pain is not a life sentence. Just have to take an effort to rehab it.

Genetics play a part in it. Slender spines are great for golfing but terrible for football. Thicker spines are great for football but are terrible at golf.

Some people have deeper hip sockets than others. Not everyone is meant for squatting deep.


For more info from Stuart McGill, check out http://www.backfitpro.com/

I'M BECOMING A MORNING PERSON

I'm the last guy who would ever write this

I'm not a morning person, I've always told myself that. I've always been that. But recently I've tried doing something different. I now start doing some jumping jacks almost as soon as I get out of bed, and I then engage in some yoga stretches. And I already love the change.

Exercise has been proven to get the brain moving

These too many studies and articles boasting about how much exercise boosts the brain so I'll let you just look them up for your leisure. Let's just say it's very, very, very, significant.

Just promise me you won't use Stephen Hawking as an excuse to not do it.

1st hour is the catalyst for the rest of the day

You ever heard of setting the tone from the beginning? Now the 1st thing you've done is something positive, healthy, and gets the brain going.

How good are you going to feel about the rest of the day now.  It only needs to be 20 minutes, and for that little time donation you get a huge ROI.

Make it easy

Keep the phone far from the your bed and don't check it until after you workout.

Splash your face with water and put on your workout clothes.

Reward yourself

Think of that coffee you're going to immediately after.

That breakfast meal or hot shower. Keep the reward in sight you get for you're morning task.

Do the exercise you enjoy. Swimming, Lifting, Biking, Running, whatever.

New habits should be done 1st.

When overcoming old habits your brain is resistant, so why wait till the end of the day when you're mentally exhausted to try forming a new habit?

Getting up earlier is better in general means less distractions. Now you're up around less gym rats at the gym, more parking spots, less traffic. The earlier you do it the more time for shower, breakfast, meditate, and anything else you need to do.

Go to bed earlier

It's like the old Seinfeld joke about Day Guy vs Night Guy.

Are those few extra YouTube videos or BuzzFeed quiz worth the 1 or 2 of sleep you're going to miss.

Without alarm clock

Use the app sleepyti.me to find what the best time to go to bed is for you. You can wake up are the correct sleep cycle so you don't even need to use an alarm clock and get a full sleep.

Accountability

Thomas Frank has a lot of great tips to help out such as apps to keep you accountable such as an automatic Facebook post about it or having to pay your friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XFAYNQIM3Q

Not Working Out is Just as Hard as Working Out

Want to workout and you're too tired. What if I told you it takes the same amount of energy to not workout than it does to workout... Got your attention?

Think about it, you want to workout but don't. Do you automatically get relieved of all this energy and time of working out? No, you're still doing something. Now, you may have saved a lot of physical energy but now you're going to have guilt, regret, and have used the mental energy to lie to yourself and rationalize why you can't workout.


You can brainstorm for excuses or just do the work.

Ever been unemployed? Was life without ta job fun and relaxing? Stressing about money, your future, resumes, and interviews. It's probably way more work and stressful than most jobs. Same thing when you don't do the things you know you need to do. The more guilty you feel, the more you need to do it.



Most hope that one day they just feel so guilty they just have to do it. By that point you're so far in the negative side of that receipt it's going to be 10X the work to where you initially wanted to be. Where, if you would've just done it in the beginning you would've had a receipt on calories spent.


Speaking of 10X, here's a great read

Hell, most of you are literally spending money on the gym and don't go to it. It takes just as much money for a gym membership you go to, as one you don't go to.


The gym is making plenty of money whether or not you show up

It's like this for everything, that person you wanted to ask out, that career you wanted to try out, that novel you want to write, it goes on and on.



Quit wasting all that energy on excuses. Does the taste of those Mozzarella sticks last near as long the guilt you keep from eating it? If it does, let me know where you got them.



You're going to pay a price either way, may as well pay for something you want.