How to get the body you want so you can be more productive

This guide is based on Mixergy’s course with Adam Gilbert.

Adam Gilbert knew that an unhealthy lifestyle can squash your productivity, so he helped a friend improve his diet and exercise and it gave him the stamina to work an extra two hours a day. It was all done by improving his health, so we invited him to teach you how to do it.

Adam is the founder of MyBodyTutor, the site that helps you stay consistent with your diet and exercise.

Here are the actionable highlights from the course.

1. Find a long-term motivation so you’ll stick with your new health plan

Adam says that many entrepreneurs want to be healthier so they’ll have more energy and run their businesses better, and those motivations make it easier for them to work on their health over a long period.

Take Action:

Write down reasons for improving your health that will apply far into the future, and don’t focus on short-term goals like getting in shape for a vacation.

2. Eat healthy dishes every few hours so you won’t crave sugar

Adam recommends eating several small meals a day that combine lean proteins like chicken or fish and complex carbs like brown rice or whole wheat bread.

Take Action:

Eat a small, healthy meal every three or four hours, and don’t put off eating until you’re craving a candy bar.

3. Start eating healthy snacks so you can eliminate junk food from your diet

Adam suggests that people who are used to snacking on candy try eating fruit as a snack instead.

Take Action:

Snack on nuts, fruits, or vegetables, and give up snacks that are high in fat or sugar.

4. Eat slowly so you won’t overeat

Adam’s client should have eaten slowly and savored his food, but he ate meals in two minutes so he struggled with overeating.

Take Action:

Pretend you’re a food critic eating slowly and enjoying your food, and try to make your meals last 20 minutes.

5. Postpone eating foods you crave so you won’t give in to every temptation

Adam’s client was craving a chocolate chip cookie, so Adam told him to wait until the weekend to eat it because by then, he probably wouldn’t want it anymore.

Take Action:

When you feel like eating something unhealthy, plan on eating it in a few days if you still really want it.

6. Give yourself non-food rewards so you won’t undo your health progress

Adam’s client should have rewarded himself for losing weight with a fun activity, but instead he rewarded himself by eating a whole pizza, so he undermined his weight-loss efforts.

Take Action:

When you meet goals like losing weight or exercising every day, reward yourself by doing something enjoyable or buying something you want that doesn’t involve food.

7. Choose a manageable workout so you’ll exercise consistently

Adam recommends that people do 20 jumping jacks, 20 pushups, and 20 crunches because it takes just 12 minutes and you can do it anywhere.

Take Action:

Select a short workout that you can complete at least a few times a week, and don’t plan on huge, daunting workouts that you might never get around to.

8. Text someone what you eat so you can hold yourself accountable

One client sends Adam a text or email about each thing he eats, and that keeps him from eating foods he knows he shouldn’t.

Take Action:

Sign up for MyBodyTutor and send your tutor a text whenever you eat, but don’t send your texts to a close friend or family member who won’t be completely objective.

Written by Sarah Brodsky, based on production notes by Jeremy Weisz