What a difference our lifestyle makes

Isn’t chronological age the number that really counts when it comes to health, wellbeing, performance and longevity? Personally, I care less about when you were born and more about what you can do.

Can you still run a 5k without having to train for it? Can you run around with your kids? Can you react to an unexpected situation with youthful spontaneity? Can you focus? Do you sleep well? Do you feel mental clarity when you wake up in the mornings? Do you have a fulfilled and active sex life?

The answers to those questions tell me much more about your health status than your birth date.

Your biological age is more important than your chronological age.

And sure, part of that may be influenced by genetics. But the much larger part is influenced by your lifestyle. When we talk about lifestyle or read about it in magazines or books, it gets real detailed real fast. A certain type of meditation, a certain workout routine, a new superfood, this one supplement becomes the new superstar. Bad news: There is no one thing or tool that will make ALL the difference. In German we call such a concept the „eierlegende Wollmilchsau“, meaning an egg-laying wool-milk-sow. Get it? No such thing.

Lifestyle is the way you design you life.

There are main pillars that make our lifestyle: Nutrition. Movement. Sleep. Mental Health.

When you think about each of these pillars, you’ll realize quickly that there is no one rule that fits all. You will also understand that they are all intertwined. It is important to understand what will enable you to work with these pillars and to make sure you build a solid foundation.

Let’s start with nutrition:

By this, I mean all the macro nutrients, i.e. proteins, fats, carbs and all the micro nutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals, etc. that your body requires to perform optimally. That is why, in my book, supplements are nutrients and why they improve your diet when taken with intent.

We eat to fuel our body and mind. But when I eat before a workout, I also think about what foods will have me feeling good during that workout. I also know, which foods allow me to sleep better. And I prefer a plant-based diet for my self because it makes me feel better psychologically. Other than that: As little processed food as possible and no senseless grazing are good rules to go by.

What foods make you feel sharp, fit and healthy?

When it comes to movement, I keep it simple: We all sit too much and move too little. An hour- long workout at the end of the week is not going to make up for six 12-hour days at your desk.

The question to ask yourself is: How can I integrate movement into my everyday life?

Since I got myself an apple watch, I’ve made it a habit to get up every hour and move around just a little bit. I found it super annoying in the beginning but I’ve been using the time to work on my handstand skills and I can feel progress. I’ve also started to work with a personal trainer regularly.

This helps me in several different ways: I take the things we work on together as inspiration for my own workout sessions. I have a commitment in my calendar that involves a second person. I have actually begun to train for my training sessions because I simply don’t like to suck.

What type of movement is going to keep you moving?

Sleep. That is a tougher one for many and in my opinion can require much more intent than nutrition or movement.

The way you spend your day often leads up to a good or not so good night of sleep. No caffeine after 2pm, no food 3 hours before bed-time, no screen-time or blue light exposure an hour before you go to bed. A dark and cool and quiet room and a regular night- time routine all help with good sleep.

But what if none of these work? Then it’s really time to look at when you got up, what you did after, what you’ve been eating, how and when you’ve worked out, your cortisol levels, etc. Certain supplements work also very well for some people. This requires some tinkering, but I believe it’s absolutely worth it.

Supplementing can help improve your sleep.

And now the mental health bucket. In my experience this is the one that gets neglected most.

I’m not sure if it’s the time commitment or the stigma connected to it. But I ask and urge any of my patients if they have a good support system.

That can be a therapist. It can be a functioning relationship. It can be meditation or Tai Chi. It is important to identify the tools that allow you to get in touch with your mind and work with it. Mold it. Keep it supple. You may need to try different approaches and they may change over time. That’s ok. To keep trying is the way.

The easiest way for me is to track my habits in those four boxes - nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental health - and check in regularly to see how I’ve been doing and also how I feel with the things that I’ve been doing or not.

Consistency is key.

My most valuable tracking tools are my apple watch and my bullet journal, but I’ve been considering Whoop or the Oura ring to get a better understanding of my sleep patterns. But honestly, I don’t fuss around too much. I try a few new things but I stick to those that work for me. Like in many things in life, here too consistency is key.