Daniel Clough

One dude. Seven foundational health habits.

Articles

Want More Discipline? Do These 4 Things

Let’s be honest, no one feels like doing the hard stuff all the time.

Take yesterday, for example:

I didn’t want to swim. It was a hassle getting to the pool, getting in wasn’t exactly pleasant, and to be honest — it can get a bit boring. But I did it anyway.

I didn’t feel like fasting for most of the day or staying under 1,500 calories. But if I’m going to hit my calories and macros this week, it was important to stick to the plan.

And I really didn’t feel like hitting my step count. I just didn’t have the convenient space or time for it. But I got creative, found a way, and got the steps in.

I did all of those things not because I was motivated — but because I’ve built something far more reliable than motivation.

Discipline.

Discipline changes everything. Once you understand what real discipline is, and how to build it, life starts to feel a lot more manageable.

People who have discipline really stand out. And when someone compliments you for being disciplined, it feels amazing. It’s one of the best compliments you can receive.

There are lots of ways to define discpline, but here’s mine:

Discipline is the ability to follow through on what you said you’d do — regardless of how you feel in the moment.

You know that feeling when you follow through on something you said you’d do — and needed to do? It feels amazing.

And the opposite? There’s almost nothing worse than bailing on something you know you should’ve done. You want to feel more of the first, and a lot less of the second.

The good news? It’s completely possible.

One of the biggest realisations I’ve had is this: It’s not about motivation. It’s about systems.

Motivation feels great when it shows up — but it’s inconsistent. Same with willpower. Same with trying to “connect with your why.”

It’s nice when you get these working, but they are not reliable.

If you want consistency, you have to focus on:

  • Building simple habits and routines that run on autopilot
  • Starting small, then scaling up
  • Setting your environment up for success
  • Finding someone who can coach you or hold you accountable

That’s where I’ve had my biggest breakthroughs.

For example:

You work all day, come home, drive to the gym, push through a full workout, then drive home again. It’s tough to keep that up. Especially a few times per week — week in, week out.

But what if you did a shorter, simpler workout at home? Before work? During your lunch break? And what if someone was expecting you to show up — a coach, a friend, a workout partner?

Suddenly, it’s a lot, lot easier to stay consistent.

Now, if you’re the ambitious, high-achieving type, starting small and keeping it simple can feel underwhelming. Almost unambitious.

But here’s the truth: Consistency at a lower level beats inconsistency at a higher one — every single time.

Just start with something you can actually do. And then build from there.

This type of approach takes patience. It takes letting go of ego. But it’s the best long-term strategy, every time.

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The bottom line is this: Discipline matters — a lot.

Anything meaningful in life that brings real happiness, will, at some point, require you to do something you don’t feel like doing — and to do it consistently.

If you want to build discipline, I would say this — pick one thing you want to be more consistent with. Then return to those four pillars:

  • Keep it simple — don’t overcomplicate it
  • Start small (smaller than it will feel comfortable to)
  • Set your environment up for success
  • Find someone to hold you accountable

Start there, and then build from that foundation. And before long, discipline won’t just be something you admire in others — it’ll be something people admire in you.

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Why Your Habits Are Slipping — and What to Do About It

Here is one of the most surprising truths I’ve learned about building habits:

Even your strongest habits are always one rough week away from slipping.

I used to think that once I locked in a habit, that was it. Job done. On to the next.

But recently, I’ve realized something important: habits don’t stay fixed. And even the most well-ingrained ones will fade if you’re not intentional.

When they do start to slip, it can feel like you’re failing — like you’re going backwards.

But here’s the thing: the goal isn’t perfection. You’re human. You’re not infallible. You should actually expect them to slip from time to time.

What matters most is noticing when it’s happening — and then regrouping and recommitting. That’s how you turn one step back into two steps forward.

A Quick Update on My Own Habits

With all that in mind, I want to give you a quick check-in on where I’m at with my foundational health habits.

I haven’t done one of these in a while. Honestly, I stopped because it started to feel a bit self-indulgent. But actually, I think it can be quite useful. These updates show the reality behind the scenes — especially when life throws things at you.

I’ve had some major changes in both my personal and professional life lately. So I think this is a great time to show what it really looks like to keep pushing forward with your habits — even during transition and uncertainty.

So, here’s where I’m at with each of my eight foundational health habits: what’s working, what’s slipping, and where I’m putting my focus next.

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  1. Alcohol

Status: Solid — 100%

I’m nearly four years sober. I still like to track this daily, and I’ve ticked the box every single day for the last four years. But, for me, alcohol is the rare habit that’s completely locked in. It doesn’t waver — it’s just who I am now. So, no issues here.

  1. Sleep

Status: Slipping — Needs Focus

Sleep is an interesting one for me at the moment. I got my average up from 6.5 hours to about 7.5 hours a few months ago. But recently, it’s dipped again — closer to 7 hours or just under.

Why? Some of it is just summer light creeping into the bedroom. Some of it is life changes. And actually, a fair bit of it is occasional evening procrastination with my phone or a film. All of these add up and have caused a bit of a dent in arguably my most important foundational health habit.

The biggest thing for me to focus on right now is a solid evening wind-down routine. When I don’t get my 7+ hours, it’s almost always because I went to bed too late.

  1. Protein

Status: Strong — But Under Pressure

My goal is 150g of protein per day. Normally, I’m solid here. But, I’m currently in a calorie deficit, and when I have to choose between hitting my protein or staying within my calorie target, I prioritise calories.

That said, I still manage to stay around 80% consistency. So while it’s being challenged a bit, protein is holding steady, and it’s just one to keep an eye on for now.

  1. Caffeine

Status: Strong

My goal is two cups before midday, none after. I find it pretty easy to stick to this. When I don’t, it’s a very intentional decision to break it (and I keep these to no more than six per month to stay over 80% consistency). This one’s really not a struggle.

  1. Water

Status: Strong

The goal is three litres a day, and I’ve got this one nailed. I’m usually nicely at around 90%+ consistency, and I don’t find it challenging at all.

  1. Whole Foods

Status: Struggling — Needs Attention

This is still my achilles heel. I do love a sweet treat. I am hovering around 50–60% consistency and still haven’t cracked the code to break through into 70–80%.

The main issue is Fridays and weekends. If I can tighten those up, I’ll see a big improvement. This one is definitely still a work in progress — but I’m chipping away at it and I know I will get there.

  1. Steps

Status: Slipping — New Constraints

Steps have dropped recently — down to about 60% consistency.

The reason? I’m solo parenting my daughter more often now, and long walks just don’t happen as easily. Funnily enough, she’s not a fan of them — and once I pick her up from school, the window for hitting steps really shrinks.

Where I need to focus is fairly straight-forward. I need to prioritize getting steps in between 9am and 3pm.

  1. Meditation

Status: New — Off to a Good Start

This is my newest habit. I’m 10 days in and I’ve meditated 6 times, which already puts me at 60% consistency.

I’m enjoying it more than I thought, so I have a good feeling about this. It feels like this could be one of the fastest habits to climb into the 70–80% range — certainly faster than whole foods!

The Bigger Picture: It’s Not Linear

I’ve been tracking these habits on paper for over three years now. At the end of each month, I enter the data into a spreadsheet so I can see patterns over time.

And here’s the big takeaway from looking at that data: Progress is not linear.

You’ll see solid green months where everything’s humming along — and then months where things slip, often due to life events or a slip in focus.

Sleep is the best example of this. I had managed to get it consistently over 80%. However, recently, it has dipped into the 70’s. Steps have also dropped from an albeit shakey 80%, down to 57%.

But you know what? That’s OK. Because this isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness and intentionality.

If a habit slips, the answer isn’t to get bent out of shape and the question isn’t “Why did I fail?”

It’s: “Why did this happen? And what am I going to do about it?”

Here’s the big idea I want to leave you with:

Wherever you find yourself, just push for as much green on the board as you can.

You’re going to slip, that’s entirely normal. I’m slipping on one or two habits at any given time, as you’ve seen

What matters is noticing, regrouping, and recommitting. That’s how you stay intentional and that’s how you keep growing.

Here’s the call to action:

  1. Write down your own foundational health habits.

Use with the eight I’ve shared: alcohol, sleep, protein, caffeine, water, whole foods, steps, meditation. After a lot of experimentation, I truly believe these are the foundational layer of becoming a healthy, disciplined and capable person.

2. Track them daily.

Keep it simple. No apps, just use a notepad. It;s important to make it visual.

3. Review often.

Check-in multiple times a day. Over a longer time frame, look at what the picture is telling you — and adjust as you go.

If you’re already tracking your habits — well, that’s of course amazing. I would then ask yourself this:

Which 1–2 habits do you think are solid, but actually there are a few early signals that they might need your attention right now? Where could a little more focus bring them back to green?

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The Liver King Lied — But Was He Completely Wrong?

So, you’ve probably heard of Brian Johnson — better known as The Liver King.

He blew up the internet a couple of years ago by eating raw organs on camera, dragging weights through the wilderness, and claiming his ancestral lifestyle was the secret to his absolutely mutant physique.

He didn’t eat junk food. He didn’t wear shoes. And I’m not sure I ever saw him with a shirt on.

He was all about liver, lifting, and living like a caveman.

He built his brand on what he called the 9 Ancestral Tenets: Sleep, Eat, Move, Shield, Connect, Cold, Sun, Fight, and Bond.

And honestly? Most of those are really solid. I agree with a lot of them.

But then came the scandal.

Despite constantly, and very loudly claiming he was natural — leaked emails revealed he was spending over $11,000 a month on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

So it turns out, the liver and the 9 ancestral tenets didn’t build the body. The steroids did.

What followed was an apology video and a sharp fall from grace. His supplement empire completely fell off a cliff, and then came a series of extremely strange, rant-filled videos on social media.

Most recently, things got even weirder. He challenged Joe Rogan to a fight, and then got himself arrested in Austin.

Here’s what’s interesting in all this. Yes, steroids helped build his bodybuilder physique. But, it’s easy to dismiss everything because of the deception.

However, if you look past the liver and lies, there was actually a really solid foundation underneath it all:

  • Daily movement
  • Whole foods and nose-to-tail eating
  • Good sleep
  • No alcohol
  • Discipline

Strip away the steroids and social media circus, and what you’re left with are the same kinds of foundational health habits I talk about all the time.

They won’t make you look like the Liver King. But they will build you a strong, lean, capable, healthy body and mind — without the drama.

So today, I want to set the record straight — and maybe even right a bit of a wrong. Because while the Liver King cheated, the message he buried under all the steroids was actually worth paying attention to.

And to prove it, I want to walk you through five people who live those habits out. People with real, natural, impressive physiques and lifestyles.

No steroids. No circus. Just the basics, done really well.

So, let’s get into it.

Rich Froning

    Let’s start with Rich Froning — four-time CrossFit Games champion and an absolute machine well into his late 30s.

    His physique is super impressive, but what’s more impressive is how he lives. He trains hard, stays active every single day, and continues to compete in epic endurance events — mountain biking, triathlons, even team CrossFit.

    His life seems simple, structured, and clean. It’s built around sleep, whole foods, and foundational habits. But it’s not extreme. He’ll still enjoy a beer or a slice of pizza here and there, but it’s clearly a 10% thing, not the norm.

    That’s what I love — it’s sustainable. He’s been living this way for decades. And he balances it with being a grounded family man, a man of faith, and a successful entrepreneur.

    He’s proof you can be world-class without living like a lunatic.

    Josh Bridges

      Josh Bridges is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and also an ex-CrossFit competitor. He’s living proof that you can be lean, strong, and athletic well into your 40s.

      His YouTube channel gives a great peek into how he lives: tough training, clean eating, and disciplined structure. But what really stands out is how hard he pushes the nutrition angle — which becomes even more crucial as you get older.

      He brings a grit and consistency component too. These are qualities he honed in the SEALs and CrossFit, and now channels into everyday life — as a dad, husband, and seriously fit guy.

      And like the others, he’s built success outside of fitness too, running a thriving business.

      He proves you can keep pushing hard well into midlife, all without sacrificing your family or your values.

      Paul Saladino

        Now, Paul, he’s a bit more extreme.

        He’s a doctor, best-selling author, and the guy many credit with pioneering the animal-based diet — meat, organs, raw dairy, fruit, honey. And yes, he’s controversial. But if you strip away the extremes, what you’re left with is unmatched discipline.

        He lives in Costa Rica and is all about morning sunlight, cold plunges, long walks, and surfing. He lifts weights, doesn’t drink alcohol, and is fully committed to whole animal protein. He’s relentless about stacking clean habits.

        He’s close to 50 and in phenomenal shape — lean, athletic, and natural. In fact, his physique is one I often aim for myself.

        Like the others, he’s also a successful entrepreneur through his own supplement company.

        So while he’s intense, he shows what’s possible when you take your health seriously every single day.

        Peter Attia

        Peter Attia might not be the first guy you think of when it comes to aesthetics. But, if your goal is to age well and stay capable for decades, he’s your blueprint.

        He’s a doctor, bestselling author, and podcast host who lifts consistently, walks a ton, and does a lot of endurance work. He’s known for tracking his steps religiously, strictly eating whole foods, and prioritising sleep. He lives and breathes longevity.

        You’re not going to see shirtless selfies — but you just know he’s got the big foundational elements of health dialed in, better than almost anyone.

        He proves that real health isn’t always flashy. Sometimes it’s just consistent, quiet, and long-term.

        Chris Williamson

          Chris Williamson is probably the most relatable on this list.

          He went from UK club promoter to one of the most successful podcasters on the planet. Along the way, he has transformed himself physically and mentally.

          He lifts super hard, walks 10k steps a day, eats clean, and now abstains from alcohol. He’s well known for leaning into self-care — cold showers, meditation, sunlight. It’s all foundational stuff, stacked day after day.

          What I love is he seems like a normal guy who chose a better path and stuck with it.

          His podcast Modern Wisdom is one of my favourites, and he’s built a thriving business from supplements, to clothing, to content. He’s a reminder that you don’t need to be extreme — just consistent and committed.

          The Bigger Message

          What these five guys show is — there’s a better way. There doesn’t have to be gimmicks. There don’t have to be hacks. And you don’t need any sensationalism.

          These are just real lives, built on real habits. More importantly, these are lifestyles that actually last and that most of us can learn from.

          Look— yes — the Liver King used steroids. But he also pointed to something deeper. And that’s that discipline, routine, and simple ancestral habits do work.

          You don’t need to go full caveman thought. Instead, take a page out of Rich, Josh, Paul, Peter, and Chris’s book — maybe even mine.

          Go all in on the basics. And do it for years — not weeks.

          I want to finish on one very important thing. Did you notice that when you dial in foundational health habits, there’s a level of capability and confidence that starts to show up? And it doesn’t just build a good physique and better health — it spills over into every other part of your life.

          Every person above lives a real, grounded life. They have strong character, they look after their families, and they’ve all built thriving, successful businesses.

          That’s not a coincidence.

          I’ve said it before — building foundational health habits will rewire you as a human. It builds discipline, consistency, and follow-through. And those are the exact same traits that help you succeed in every other area of your life too.

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          I Think I’m Ready for Habit #8 (Maybe)

          I’ve had an idea for an eighth foundational health habit for a long time now — but I’ve been quietly sitting on it.

          Not because I’m lazy. But because I’m genuinely torn.

          I have a really high bar for what makes the cut into my foundational health habits. And I’m not 100% sure this one meets the standard for being foundational.

          It goes without saying that any habit I add to the list becomes a non-negotiable — something I will commit to hitting 80% of the time, probably for the rest of my life.

          Habits like alcohol, sleep, steps — they clearly make the cut. But this one? I’ve been on the fence.

          I don’t want to water things down with “so-so” habits, and I don’t want a bloated list of 20. I want a small, gold-standard set of habits that actually rewire you as a human. That’s what foundational means to me.

          There’s another reason I’ve hesitated to add another habit: I’m still on the journey with the seven I already have. I’m not yet hitting 80% consistency on all of them. So part of me thought: why add another before I’ve nailed the first seven?

          But here’s what’s changed:

          Lately, I’ve realised this journey will never be “done.” There won’t be a magical moment where all seven habits are perfectly dialled in and I’m finally ready for the next one. That’s not how this works. It’s actually a messy, nonlinear journey.

          So, I think I’m ready. I think this eighth habit might actually be foundational. And there’s only one way to really find out: commit to it.

          Let me walk you through what this eighth habit is — and why I want to add it.

          The Eighth Foundational Health Habit: Meditation

          Yep, it’s meditation.

          Here’s why meditation has been quietly tugging at me in the background for a while now:

          I want a stiller, more peaceful mind.

          I tend to ruminate and overthink. And when that ramps up, it can spiral into overwhelm and negativity. And, honestly? It can be exhausting.

          I’d love to quiet all of that down — not just during meditation, but throughout the whole day. I want more calm. More stillness. More peace.

          I want to think more clearly.

          I’m drawn to people who can cut through the noise and make consistently excellent decisions. We’ve all seen them. They seem to operate with this crystal-clear clarity.

          I have moments like that too — where I spot something others miss or make a decision that turns out really well. But they feel too fleeting right now. And I want more of them.

          I think meditation might help me clear the fog and live more in that zone.

          I want to act more consciously.

          Even though I consider myself fairly self-aware — I still act on impulse more than I’d like.

          That’s where I think meditation comes in: it could build awareness of the inner dialogue that’s constantly running in the background. With that awareness, I can better choose how I respond instead of reacting automatically.

          I want more input-free experiences.

          There’s a lot of noise in modern life — phones, music, podcasts, screens, stimulation everywhere. I’ve realised I want less of it. I want more silence.

          Meditation feels like the purest form of that. Just me. No inputs, no noise.

          Honestly, I can feel myself looking forward to that. I want more peace and stillness in my day. And right now, I’m struggling to get that.

          I want more emotional agility.

          I want to notice emotions without being hijacked by them. I want to respond, not react.

          That ties into everything I’ve already mentioned above — the overthinking, the impulsivity, the fog. I just want to feel steadier, no matter what’s going on.

          I want to deepen my presence and identity.

          I get it, this one’s a bit deep. But, let me explain.

          You know those people who just seem stoic as hell? Calm. Clear. They appear super in control.

          I’ve had moments like that too — but I want more of them. I want to live in that mode more often. I really want a life where I am calm, consistent, and in control of what I can control.

          Meditation feels like a path to that. A way to bring more presence in my everyday life. This could have a big impact on myself, my work, and the people I care about.

          And this isn’t about being all zen for the sake of it.

          Everything I’ve talked about so far are real gaps I’ve noticed in how I think, feel, and act day to day. And I’m starting to feel genuinely excited about how much I could level up by filling those gaps.

          So, that’s already a bunch of strong reasons to lean into building meditation as a foundational health habit.

          But There’s One More Reason

          It seems like nearly every smart, successful person I admire swears by it.

          Here’s just a short list of people who’ve spoken openly about how meditation has helped them:

          Let’s dig a bit further into why some of these are fans of mediation:

          • Naval calls it the practice that helped him decouple from his ego and find more lasting peace.
          • Ryan Holiday links it to Stoic discipline and self-mastery — both crucial to his work.
          • Lex Fridman uses it to handle complex conversations and ideas with calm and clarity.
          • Chris Williamson says it helps him stay focused and clear in a noisy world — something I’ve been feeling too.
          • Ray Dalio credits it with helping him stay grounded through volatile financial markets.

          See what I mean? All of this is just becoming too consistent to ignore.

          All of that said, I’ll admit, I’m still a little skeptical at times.

          Many of these people describe meditation as a first principles habit — something that made them more capable, not just something they picked up after becoming successful.

          And while I don’t think they’re lying, I’ve wondered if there’s a bit of a halo effect at play. Meditation, like journaling or cold plunges, sometimes takes on a cult-like status in high-performance circles.

          But even if there is some of that at play. Even if it wasn’t a breakthrough habit for all of them.
          My gut tells me, it’s almost certainly been a force multiplier for them. And I think at this point, that’s enough for me.

          So where have I landed?

          I don’t think meditation is why these people became who they are. But when some of the clearest, calmest, most effective thinkers in the world point to it as a key part of their life — I think I need to pay attention.

          So I think I’ve made my decision: meditation is probably going to become my eighth foundational health habit. I’ll make the official call in the next few days.

          If I do lock it in, I’ll share exactly how I plan to build it into my life — and what my goals will be for the first month.

          If you’ve already built meditation into your life, I’d love to hear from you.

          I’d love to learn what’s worked for you? What hasn’t?

          Please do get in touch — I’m genuinely curious!

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          Why You’re Still Not in Shape — and How to Fix It

          Let’s start with a bit of a harsh truth: getting in shape isn’t that complicated.

          We all know it deep down that the steps to looking and feeling great are actually pretty obvious:

          • Train hard.
          • Eat well.
          • Make good lifestyle choices.

          So why do some people get into the best shape of their lives — while others stay stuck, spinning their wheels for years?

          The answer is consistency. You have to train hard, eat well, and make good lifestyle choices consistently. If you can do that, it’s almost impossible not to get results.

          So, perhaps the real question is: why do some people manage to stay consistent — while others keep falling off?

          Here’s a secret: It’s not willpower. It’s not motivation. And it’s definitely not some clever workout or diet plan.

          The truth is: these people have built themselves into the kind of person who is able to show up — no matter how they feel. They have a foundation of discipline and capability. And that changes everything.

          I had to learn this the hard way. For years, I was all over the place. I would start strong, only to fizzle out after a week — sometimes even just a few days. I couldn’t stick to my diet. I was inconsistent with training. I struggled to make good lifestyle choices. No surprise, my results were just as messy.

          It wasn’t because I didn’t want it. I really wanted it. I just wasn’t capable of doing what it took — consistently.

          Today, I’m a different person.

          I train hard. I eat well (ish — but, that’s for another post!). I make good choices even when I don’t feel like it.

          I’m not perfect. Not at all. I mess up from time to time. But here’s another secret — you don’t have to be perfect. Importantly, I’m consistent enough to get great results, and because of that I look and feel the best I ever have in my life.

          So, let’s dig into this. Here are three examples of how this kind of capability plays out in real life — and how you can start building it for yourself.

          Example 1: My Training + Eating Last Week

          Here’s a snapshot of my training and eating from the last couple of weeks.

          I still get a bit blown away when I look at what I get done in a typical week now.

          The crazy thing is — this kind of week is normal for me now. Now, I’m not saying it’s “easy”… but it’s also genuinely not hard for me to sustain.

          That wasn’t the case a few years ago. Back then, I’d have been lucky to hit even half of that. And, only if everything lined up perfectly.

          So, what changed?

          No surprise: I built seven foundational health habits into my life. Those habits make this level of consistency feel automatic.

          Like I said — it’s not about willpower or being fired up. It’s capability and discipline — built slowly and deliberately over time.

          Example 2: The Marathon Runner

          You’ve probably seen this before — maybe you’ve even lived it yourself?

          Someone signs up for a marathon. Suddenly, they’re training like never before. Sometimes they go from completely sedentary, to running most days.

          They totally pull it off. They finish the marathon. Which, by the way, is an epic achievement!

          But what happens next?

          They stop. Training falls off a cliff. The motivation disappears.

          Why? If they were able to train so consistently before the marathon, why don’t they keep going afterward?

          Here’s my theory. They were being pulled forward by external accountability — the fear of failing publicly, the fixed deadline, the pressure, maybe even the charity donations.

          But underneath all that? They didn’t build the internal capability to train consistently without those crutches. As soon as the external accountability disappeared, so did the ability to put in the kind of training weeks they had previously been doing.

          It’s easy to find short-term hacks, or even in the case of a marathon, a huge dose of external accountability. It might work for a while — but it doesn’t last.

          Example 3: A Day Last Week

          Last week, I had one of those days — low energy, tired, just not feeling it. I felt pretty crappy.

          It was tempting to shrug off what I had to do and laze about feeling sorry for myself. A few years ago, I would’ve done exactly that. It would’ve turned into a second bad day, then a third, and inevitably into a much longer bad streak.

          But on that crappy day last week, I still trained, ate well, hit my steps, and stuck to most of my habits.

          A few years ago, that kind of day would’ve been hard to hit even when I was feeling at my best. Now? I can do it when I’m feeling close to my worst. Days like that have become my baseline.

          That’s what changes when you build a foundation of discipline and capability.
          You get the important stuff done, regardless of how you feel.

          That type of consistency is the difference between getting the results you want — or mostly none at all.

          Final Thoughts

          I hope those examples helped drive home how critical it is to build foundational health habits into your life.

          Most people aren’t getting the results they want because they’re shying away from building capability — or often they’re not even sure that’s what’s actually missing. They’re chasing tactics or the next quick fix, instead of working on becoming someone who can actually do the work.

          Here’s the harsh reality: if you haven’t built yourself into someone who can do the basics consistently — no hack, no program, and no diet will work. You won’t follow through long enough to see results.

          Instead, go back to the basics. Build your base. Rebuild yourself from the ground up — into a different human being.

          Do that by building the seven powerful foundational health habits into your life.

          When you do, you’ll finally break the cycle and get into the best shape of your life. You’ll feel capable and you’ll be in control. And you might just surprise yourself with how consistent you’ll be able to be.

          Ultimately, you’ll realise you’ve been playing on difficult mode this whole time.

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          Stack Ranking My 7 Foundational Health Habits

          Building consistency with these seven foundational health habits is the key to feeling and looking great.

          Each habit plays a role, but the real power is in how they work together — almost like an operating system reset. Forget being someone who’s tired, anxious, skipping workouts, or making poor food choices. These habits will transform you into someone strong, capable, and disciplined — not just in your training and nutrition, but in every area of life.

          That said, not all habits are created equal. Some are more foundational than others. So here’s my personal stack ranking — from most to least important.

          1. Sleep

            Sleep is the foundation. If all seven habits form a pyramid, sleep is the base everything else sits on.

            When I sleep poorly, everything unravels:

            • I skip training sessions
            • I walk less
            • I overeat
            • My thinking gets foggy
            • My mood tanks and I become anxious and irritable

            Here’s a great example: Last year, I went on a camping trip and got two consecutive nights of under 5 hours of sleep. The two weeks that followed were incredibly difficult. It was a perfect illustration of how quickly sleep deprivation throws everything off.

            The evidence is overwhelming. Sleep has a big effect on not only your physical health, but also your cognitive, and emotional health.

            In fact, check this out. A 5% reduction in REM sleep increases mortality risk by 13%! [1].

            Sleep is everything. You have to nail it and you have to make it non-negotiable.

            I work harder on this habit than any other, and that’s why it’s number one.

            2. Alcohol

              Alcohol comes in a very close second.

              Let’s start with the obvious: alcohol is a toxin. The evidence is clear that alcohol is bad for us:

              • Drinking more than five drinks per week shortens life expectancy.
              • Even light, regular drinking (a couple per night) can reduce your lifespan by 4–5 years
              • Drinking alcohol is linked to all sorts of diseases, including cancer etc. [2]

              But beyond the data, my personal experience was even more telling. When I drank, life would reliably go off the rails. I found it much harder to make good choices.

              But, here is what really opened my eyes.

              Wearing a WHOOP band revealed clear patterns between alcohol and health. Even a couple of drinks would tank my:

              • Recovery scores
              • Resting heart rate
              • HRV
              • Sleep quality

              WHOOP didn’t know I was drinking, but my metrics said it all.

              Eventually, I had to remove alcohol entirely to regain control. That’s why it holds the number two spot.

              Before we jump into number 3 and go further down the list, a quick side note.

              If you can nail just sleep and alcohol, you’re 80% of the way there. These two habits will drive the most visible and lasting change — and make all the others far easier to implement.

              3. Steps

                Steps are massively underrated.

                I even used to ignore steps — but now I track them daily. They’re the ultimate baseline for movement and overall activity.

                Walking is full-body movement. Add terrain, incline, or a weighted vest and you’ve got something close to Zone 2 cardio. Best of all, it’s low-friction and easy to build into your life.

                It’s not uncommon to see people attribute their entire weight loss to building a habit of walking.

                It’s also great for mental health. It improves mood, clears your head, and is the best all time generator of ideas.

                I love this quote from Dan Go.

                It’s so true.

                Theres evidence to back that this whole steps thing is great for your health too.

                Walking approximately 6,000 steps per day has a 40% lower risk of all-cause mortality — compared to those walking 3,500 steps. This risk reduction increased with higher step counts, reaching up to 53% for those walking close to 11,000 steps daily. [3]

                That’s why steps is so high on the list.

                4. Whole foods

                  Another obvious, but powerful one.

                  When I eat whole foods exclusively for a couple of days, I always feel sharper, leaner, and more energised.

                  When I slip into a bad habit of eating sugary, processed foods, the opposite happens — I feel tired, sluggish and bloated.

                  It’s literally a night and day comparison, over the period of just a few days.

                  Over the long term, this only becomes even more important. You’ll find yourself more easily able to maintain a healthier body weight. And, studies have shown that populations (blue zones), which eat 90–100% whole food diets, live the longest and have the lowest disease rates. [4]

                  5. Protein

                    This one hurts to put so low, especially as I’m a big fan of a high-protein diet. But, I guess it just shows how important sleep, alcohol, walking and whole foods are!

                    Why protein matters:

                    • It’s essential for building and keeping muscle — a huge marker of long-term health and longevity.
                    • It improves satiety and reduces overall calorie intake.
                    • Starting meals with protein (like meat or eggs) tends to “clean up” the rest of your plate.

                    Protein, in short, helps build a strong, capable body.

                    6. Water

                      Even mild dehydration causes fatigue and brain fog. When you’re well hydrated, you will feel sharper and make better decisions.

                      Also, you will perform better in the gym when you are well hydrated. I know most of us aren’t trying to win the Olympics, but every little bit helps!

                      So, stay hydrated if you want to feel sharper, have less brain fog and perform better in the gym,.

                      7. Caffeine

                        Last on the list — though still pretty important.

                        The main reason I include caffeine in my seven foundational health habits is because it interferes with sleep. And as we’ve seen, sleep is everything.

                        Caffeine has a quarter life of 10–12 hours. This means a midday coffee still lingers in your system at midnight.

                        To put them into perspective, it’s proven that one evening dose of caffeine can reduce deep sleep by 20% — the equivalent of aging 15 years! [5].

                        I personally tolerate caffeine fairly well, but I still respect it. Keeping it in check protects my sleep and holds me accountable.

                        Final Thoughts

                        If you’re just starting your journey with foundational health habits, start with sleep and alcohol. They will change your life faster than anything else and you will find it so much easier to unlock the rest of the habits.

                        Tackle those two, and you’ll feel better, look better, and show up stronger in all areas of your life.

                        References:

                        [1] A Prospective Study of Sleep Duration and Mortality Risk in Women

                        [2] Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2016 study (The Lancet, 2018)

                        [3] Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohort

                        [4] Blue Zones Study (Dan Buettner + National Geographic)

                        [5] Drinking just one dose of caffeine in the evening can decrease the amount of deep sleep by 20%

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                        Over 40? These 6 Lessons Will Change the Way You Train Forever

                        In my early 40s, I was getting injured a lot — probably a third of the time.

                        When you’re constantly dealing with injuries, it’s almost impossible to stay consistent — which means you don’t make progress. And when you’re not making progress, training stops being fun. That was certainly the case for me.

                        Everything felt uphill — and I was getting super frustrated.

                        Fast forward to today: I train six times a week and genuinely love it. I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m proud of my physique and I’m objectively fitter and healthier than I’ve ever been.

                        So what changed?

                        That’s what I want to share with you — six key lessons that helped me completely transform how I train in my 40s.

                        If you’re in your forties — or older — and you apply even just one of these, you’ll notice a big difference in how you feel and how you perform.

                        But stack a few of them together, like I’ve done, and you can take your training — and your results — to a whole new level.

                        So, let’s jump into the six lessons.

                        1. Warm-ups matters more than ever

                          Warming up thoroughly before a training session has probably been the most powerful shift for me when it comes to reducing injuries.

                          Back in the day, I’d skip or rush through warm-ups. Now, it’s completely non-negotiable.

                          Here’s a quick example, just to illustrate the power of a warm up.

                          About a year or so ago, I randomly decided one day to skip my normal warmup. Instead, I substituted it with some back rehab exercises that I wanted to get in the habit of doing.

                          I did the back rehab exercises and went straight into my workout _ with the first exercise being front squat. I kid you not, on he fourth rep of the first set —bang — my back completely went. It was really painful and it ended up setting me back probably a couple of months.

                          Only in hindsight could I realise how important my warm-up was for the training session that came after it. Skipping it for some random lower back exercises that in no way prepared me for that session was a pretty stupid thing to do. It wasn’t a coincidence that I got injured only a couple of minutes into the session.

                          So, what does a good warm up look like? It should cover three things.

                          • Something broad and general to get the whole body moving
                          • Something specific to the day’s workout. I.e if you’re doing a lower body workout, you want to prepare the lower body — hips, hamstrings etc.
                          • You want to get the body warm, so you should be breathing fairly heavily

                            I follow a rough rule of thumb: your warm-up should take about a third of the total workout time. So, if I’m training for an hour, my warm up will tend to take about 20 minutes.

                            If your warm up is thorough enough, you’ll notice your range of motion dramatically increase towards the end of the warm up. Your body should feel nice, warm and loose. If you’re not seeing increased range of motion — or looseness — it probably wasn’t enough.

                            2. Be Smart About Volume

                              As you get older, your body simply doesn’t recover as quickly — and it doesn’t tolerate as much volume.

                              This is something I’ve had to deal with first hand. When I was doing three heavy strength sessions a week, I was constantly feeling beat up. Now I only do two, and it’s made a big difference to how my body feels.

                              Everyone has a different tolerance, so it’s important to stay self-aware. If you’re feeling overly tired, stiff, or mentally flat — it might be a sign you’re doing too much. And you might want to experiment with dialling the volume back a bit, and seeing how your body responds.

                              3. Train at 80%, Not 100%

                                This ties closely to volume — but it’s more about intensity.

                                In my 20s and 30s, I trained like I was trying to win something every session. I pushed to failure in strength work. I went all-out in conditioning.

                                But now? That approach just wrecks me.

                                What works better is training just below the edge — sitting at around 80% to 90% most of the time. I’m always trying to leave a few reps in the tank. The goal is to leave the gym feeling good, not destroyed.

                                One way I put this into action is I train in blocks — four weeks of building intensity, then a test fifth week where I safely push the limits. This is then followed by a deload week, where I focus on active recovery.

                                Another way I put the 80% rule into practice is most of my conditioning now is zone 2 cardio — low-intensity stuff. I will go to the limit in benchmark workouts, and these tend to happen only so often.

                                Training this way keeps my body feeling good and ready for the next session. And that consistency adds up over time.

                                4. Be Smart with Exercise Selection

                                  A good way to frame this lesson is with some advice a previous trainer once gave me.

                                  He said this: “Each day, ask yourself — what version of this workout moves me away from pain, not towards it?”

                                  That really stuck with me.

                                  Since then, my current trainer Jamie (who is super awesome) has helped me let go of certain exercises that didn’t serve me anymore — back squats, olympic lifts, handstand push-ups, double-unders etc.. These exercises simply aren’t worth the cost.

                                  Nowadays, he programmes me exercises that give me the right training stimulus with the least risk.

                                  Now, it’s easy to say this, but it’s actually quite hard to do.

                                  And, honestly, it did take me a bit of time to accept this type of approach. Some of those exercises that were risky for me — they are actually kinda fun to do. But I had to realise that it’s about staying in the game, and it’s about being consistent.

                                  Once you let go of the stuff that’s hurting you, you realise there are loads of options that still challenge you, keep things fun, and don’t leave you limping the next day.

                                  5. Follow a Well-Rounded Program

                                    Every time I’ve over-focused on one thing too much, like clock work, I’ve picked up injuries.

                                    Too much running? Calf issues.
                                    Too much pressing? Shoulder pain.
                                    Too much air bike? Knee problems.

                                    A well-rounded program spreads the load and avoids overuse injuries.

                                    These days, my training program is super well rounded (and again I give a lot of credit to my trainer Jamie for making sure this is the case).

                                    My training program is built around five pillars:

                                    • Strength work
                                    • Zone 2 cardio
                                    • VO2 max efforts
                                    • Mobility
                                    • Walking

                                    Nothing’s overdone. It keeps me feeling good, and it’s much better for long-term health — which of course matters more and more to me as I get older.

                                    So, it’s worth looking at your training program. How well rounded is it?

                                    6. Get Individualised Programming

                                    This ties everything we’ve talked about together.I’m fairly knowledgeable about training. But working with a great coach has shown me there are levels to programming — especially as you age.

                                    Jamie, my coach, constantly spots things I would miss. He helps me avoid mistakes, adjust for how I’m feeling, and refine the details of what I’m doing.

                                    And it’s not just what he knows — when you’re deep in your own training, you sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees. No matter how smart you are
                                    So.nowadays, when I do pick up an injury, it’s usually because I strayed from the plan that Jamie had set for me.

                                      So I’d say: if you can find a great coach and get a personalised program, it’s worth every penny.

                                      Here are the six lessons again:

                                      1. Warm-ups matters more than ever
                                      2. Be Smart About Volume
                                      3. Train at 80%, not 100%
                                      4. Be Smart with Exercise Selection
                                      5. Follow a Well-Rounded Program
                                      6. Get Individualised Programming

                                      These are the things that keep me on the right side of injury — and let me train hard, week in, week out.

                                      And that’s really the secret: consistency. It beats intensity every time.

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                                      Will I ever stop tracking my foundational health habits?

                                      Recently, I’ve been pondering a question – will I ever stop tracking my foundational health habits?

                                      What got me thinking about this was seeing how a couple of people I follow online live out their healthy lifestyles – Josh Bridges and Paul Saladino. The thing about both of them is that their approach seems effortless.

                                      They’re not meticulously tracking habits or counting calories. They just make good choices consistently, as if it’s second nature.

                                      There’s no doubt about it, my system looks a little obsessive. It definitely takes time and effort. Their more natural, instinctive way of doing things really appeals to me.

                                      I track each of my seven foundational health habits every single day with a simple tick or cross:

                                      Then, each month, I create a new physical tracking sheet and update a monthly spreadsheet.

                                      So yeah, there’s a bit of upkeep, both daily and monthly.

                                      All of that said, once you get used to it, it becomes second nature. Daily tracking only takes a few minutes. The monthly admin? Maybe 30 minutes or so. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big time sink.

                                      That said, it’s still a thing. And it’s certainly not as natural as what I see from Bridges and Saladino.

                                      That contrast has made me wonder: Would life be better if I didn’t track at all? What would that feel like? How would it go?

                                      Let me be clear: I’d never let go of the habits themselves. They’re too important to how I look, feel and live.
The question is just about whether I could ever stop tracking them.

                                      And the answer I keep coming back to?

                                      Maybe… but certainly not any time soon.

                                      So, why not?

                                      1. I haven’t built anywhere near a solid enough base yet

                                      For my seven foundational health habits, four are on pretty solid ground: protein, caffeine, water, and alcohol. I consistently hit 80%+ each month. Of course, alcohol is always at 100% – because I’ve given it up for good.

                                      But even these “safe” habits can slip. Case in point, just last month, protein dipped below 80%.

                                      What works today can stop working tomorrow. So I need to stay alert – even with the ones that seem locked in.

                                      Then there are the more fragile three: sleep, steps, and whole foods. These are still a work in progress. I’m pushing hard to build the same kind of consistency with them, but I’m not there yet.

                                      So while I’ve been tracking for 38 months straight, I still feel like I’m in the early stages of the journey. I definitely haven’t built a foundation where all seven habits stick naturally at 80%+ consistently.

                                      1. I’m Not Naturally Disciplined

                                      The second reason I don’t think I can stop tracking? I might not be naturally disciplined enough to survive without the crutch of it.

                                      I’m not someone who finds discipline effortless. I don’t have insane willpower.
I’m not the type of person who decides something and just does it forever without a system.

                                      People like Bridges and Saladino – and even a few people in my own life – they seem to have that gear to just stick to something once they’ve made up their mind.

                                      I don’t. I find I have to rely on routines, environment design, and tracking to stay consistent. It takes more effort. More brute force. Maybe it looks a bit over the top to everyone else, but I know deep down that it’s necessary for me.

                                      Why tracking matters (for me)

                                      Tracking these habits is crucial – not just to building them, but to keeping them strong.

                                      It forces daily awareness. It forces regular reflection – every day, every month, and over the longer arc of quarters and years. That reflection helps me keep strong habits from slipping, and it helps me break through with habits that are still forming.

                                      I’m pretty convinced that if I stopped tracking, I’d stay consistent for a while… but eventually, I’d slide. And that’s not a risk I’m willing to take.

                                      These habits are the foundation of my physical and mental health. They give me the capacity to handle everything else in life. Letting them erode isn’t an option.

                                      So, will I ever stop?

                                      Maybe one day I’ll feel confident enough to let tracking go. Maybe I’ll hit a point where 80%+ consistency across all seven habits feels so natural that the tracking becomes redundant.

                                      But honestly? I’m not convinced that day will ever come.

                                      I think this is a forever journey. And even if I get to a point where they all feel a lot easier than they do now, daily tracking might just be what will continue to keep me accountable.

                                      So, my answer is to will I ever stop tracking my foundational health habits –Maybe… but certainly not any time soon.

                                      Because for me, it’s not just about ticking boxes. It’s about staying intentional. It’s about building a life where health is non-negotiable. And tracking is part of the system that keeps that life on track.

                                      So for now, and probably for a long while, the tick sheet stays!

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                                      Small tweaks can create BIG results!

                                      Small tweaks – often the tiniest of tweaks – can lead to significant improvements in your health.

                                      We all know that habits and routines can be super powerful. Once established, they help us stay consistent with actions that have a big impact on our lives.

                                      But here’s the thing about habits and routines – they can become stale. What once worked brilliantly may start to lose its effectiveness over time.

                                      That’s why it’s important to remain open to exploring small changes and tweaks to your environment, habits, and routines. Sometimes, just the tiniest adjustment is all you need to completely revitalise a habit or routine.

                                      And here’s the kicker: minor changes can often lead to unexpected outcomes.

                                      You start with a small change and end up surprised by how much it helps. It can snowball into other tweaks and even bigger outcomes. Before you know it, what started as a small change has led to something transformative.

                                      The easiest way to highlight this is to give you a few recent examples from my own life. This will help you see just how much only small tweaks can help you improve your habits and health.

                                      To illustrate this, here are a couple of recent examples from my own life. These show how small and somewhat trivial tweaks have had a significant impact on my habits and health.

                                      Water consumption

                                      As you probably know, one of my foundational health habits is to drink three litres of water a day.

                                      However, I recently found myself struggling to hit that target. I couldn’t pinpoint why, but I started delaying drinking water until later in the day. Gradually, it became a struggle to reach my three-litre goal. The habit had become stale.

                                      Then, I made an unintended tweak. I bought some nice new tumbler glasses. Instead of drinking straight from my water bottle, I poured the water into one of these glasses.

                                      I found I really enjoyed drinking from the glass. I drank the whole glass in one go and immediately refilled it. As I went about my day, I noticed I didn’t want to leave the refilled glass sitting there too long – it was more obvious how the water would get stale in a glass (you’ve probably noticed the bubbles that appear when you leave a glass of water for too long!).

                                      The first day I did this, I drank four litres of water. It was actually too much – I was up peeing three times in the night! The next day, I had to be careful to only drink three litres. I’d gone from struggling to drink three litres a day to needing to monitor not over drinking – all from a small change in how I was drinking water.

                                      Mindful eating

                                      I went out for breakfast the other day at a lovely farm shop. I ordered the Greek yogurt bowl. It came in a really nice bowl and was well presented. I also noticed that the portion size was quite a bit smaller than I would typically serve myself at home.

                                      Because of the bowl and portion size, I just felt like I should take my time with it.

                                      Not only did I enjoy it, but I felt light afterwards. This was very different from how I usually feel after eating yogurt – I often feel quite bloated. Having a smaller portion and eating more slowly made the difference.

                                      So, before I left, I purchased some of the same bowls from the farm shop.

                                      And guess what? At home, when preparing my yogurt in the new bowls, I started to take more care with the presentation and mimicked the smaller portion. As a result, I ate more slowly and felt light after eating again.

                                      This then rubbed off on some of my other meals. I became more mindful of portion sizes (I have a habit of eating overly large portions!) and found myself starting to eat more slowly.

                                      This has had a significant impact on hitting my daily calorie targets. I’ve gone from struggling to stay within 2,600 calories to comfortably eating within my 2,500-calorie target.

                                      Honestly, I didn’t see that coming. It was a combination of being inspired by a nice breakfast at a farm shop and purchasing some attractive bowls that led me to smaller portions, more mindful eating, and finding it easier to stay within my daily calorie target.

                                      These two small tweaks have made a significant impact on my life. I’m now finding it much easier to drink my three litres of water daily and have improved my mindful eating, digestion, and overall food intake.

                                      And remember, I intentionally chose the smallest tweaks I could think of – drinking from a nice glass instead of a bottle and changing the bowl I use for yogurt. There are other, more substantial tweaks I’ve made that have had even greater impacts.

                                      There are far bigger tweaks I’ve made in my life that have had an even greater impact.

                                      I hope this demonstrates just how powerful small tweaks to habits, routines, and your environment can be.

                                      So, what’s the takeaway?

                                      Stay Curious: Be self-aware of how well your habits and routines are working. Don’t get too comfortable, and don’t let things become stale. If they do, at least notice it.

                                      Experiment: Don’t hesitate to try small or seemingly trivial changes. Even if they feel insignificant, these small changes can sometimes trigger a cascade of improvements that add up to a significant impact.

                                      I’ll leave you with a question – or perhaps a challenge:

                                      Identify one small tweak you can implement this week. Don’t overthink it; just do it.

                                      Then, observe its impact!

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                                      My health and fitness goals for 2025

                                      Towards the end of last year, I took a step back to reflect on where I was with my foundational health habits, as well as my overall health and fitness. I also started to think about where I want to put my energy and focus in 2025, so I can take things to the next level.

                                      As usual, there’s never a shortage of things to focus on and improve – but I’ve narrowed it down to three main areas of focus for 2025.

                                      1. Foundational Health Habits

                                        Drum roll….. no big surprise here – my number one focus will be my foundational health habits.

                                        I often refer to these as the base of the pyramid. That’s because they are the cornerstone of my health and fitness efforts.

                                        Not only have I found they make the biggest difference to how I look and feel – but importantly they are critical to me being a strong and disciplined person. They make me someone who is capable of being consistent with my health and fitness efforts.

                                        When my foundational health habits slide, I immediately start to feel crappy. From there, everything else gets ten times harder.

                                        That’s why, if someone is looking to take a first step in improving their health and fitness – or in fact their life – it’s always where I would suggest starting. Forget training programs. Forget the latest diet. Don’t worry about which supplements to take. Ignore the hacks. Start with foundational health habits and build from there.

                                        I know for me personally, it’s a journey I’m always going to be on and will be trying to improve. That’s why it’s one of my areas of focus for 2025.

                                        Let’s start with a quick re-cap on where I’m at with my foundational health habits.

                                        I have seven foundational health habits.

                                        Four of my foundational health habits are in a very strong place – alcohol, caffeine, protein and water. These are almost always over 80% consistency (my target) each month.

                                        Two of my foundational health habits are in a fairly OK place, but are vulnerable – steps and sleep. Whilst I would hope for these to be at 80% consistency each month, they often dip below 80%. When I do hit 80% consistency, I get there by the skin of my teeth.

                                        Lastly, I have one foundational health habit that I am still trying to get off the ground – whole foods. This is where I want 80% of my foods each day to come from whole foods. I’m still on pretty shaky ground here, usually coming in around 50% consistency for the month.

                                        Alright, so, where am I going to focus my efforts to make an improvement?

                                        • For a start, I want to keep the four foundational health habits I have in a good place, staying in a good place. I don’t want to become complacent and let them slide.
                                        • I want to get the two foundational health habits that are vulnerable (steps and sleep) into a more robust place – where they’re mostly over 80% consistent each month and are feeling more like the above four habits.
                                        • Lastly, I want to get my whole foods habit up and closer to 80% consistency each month. It’s fine for there to still be some vulnerability, but I want to break out of the ‘early stages of building’ mode and have whole foods feel more like sleep and steps do now.

                                        That would be an AMAZING place for my foundational health habits to be, It would represent a big step forward from where I am now.

                                        So, that’s the first area of focus – foundational health habits. Of course, I’ll be covering my progress with these throughout the year.

                                        2. Digestive Health

                                        Digestive health is going to be my second area of focus for 2025.

                                        I’ve struggled with digestive issues for as long as I can remember – right back to when I was a child. My stomach has always been unpredictable. Some days, I’ll be bloated and in quite a bit of pain. I also suffer from constipation, and a lot of irregularity.

                                        I had a health hiccup over Christmas that was a big wake up call for me. It made me realise I had normalised what is actually a pretty bad situation. I’d just got used to feeling like this – thinking that’s who I am.

                                        However, I really want to make some big improvements to my digestive health this year. I want to try and get much closer to being normal.

                                        I’ve already made two big changes this year that have made a huge difference.

                                        Firstly, I’ve almost tripled my fibre intake, from around 10 grams per day, to 30 grams per day. Secondly, I’m now eating so much more slowly. Both of these changes have already helped reduce my symptoms and have me feeling so much better.

                                        I’ve also started working with a nutritionist / gut health coach recently. I’ve already started to work on some of their initial advice – bringing in a few supplements and getting into much better gut health habits. I’ve also just done a stool test which I’m waiting on the results for, which I hope can lead to a few other changes too.

                                        So, in summary, that’s two areas of focus so far – a big step forward with my foundational health habits and a big improvement in my digestive health.

                                        The third area of focus is also something that’s plagued me for a lot of my life, and I’m determined to tackle it head on this year.

                                        3. Mobility

                                        My training is going the best it’s ever been. I’m training five times a week – a mix of weights, high intensity training and zone 2 cardio. I’m now extremely consistent in training like this, week in, week out.

                                        I’m also seeing really good results. I look better and I’m stronger, leaner and fitter than I’ve ever been. I’ve had more results in the last two years, than the previous ten years.

                                        But, I do have a weak spot – and that’s mobility.

                                        I’ve always been a very stiff and inflexible person. This means that I tend to get injured more easily. Also, I often feel creaky – especially when waking up, or when I move in a certain way (i.e picking things up, getting up from the floor etc.).

                                        So, I know I can make some really nice improvements to how I feel, if I can find a way to consistently do some work on my mobility.

                                        So what does that look like?

                                        Right now, I have a pretty loose plan. I want to bring in a weekly yoga practice. I want to incorporate some daily stretching. And there are also a few mobility programmes I’d quite like to work through.

                                        I want to start folding these types of things into my week – essentially getting into the habit of doing a few things per week.

                                        I know this is a bit of a vague action plan. However, I also want to be fairly agile about this. I want to explore and try lots of different things until I find something that works for me and I’m able to stick to. .

                                        And there you have it. My three big areas of focus for 2025 are:

                                        • Take a big step forward with my foundational health habits
                                        • Improve my digestive health
                                        • Improve my mobility

                                        If I can make good progress across these three areas, I’m confident it will help take all of my health and fitness to a whole new level.

                                        I’m sure there are going to be quite a lot of ‘two steps forward, one step backward’ moments when it comes to these three things. That said, I’m going to work really hard, and I’ll keep you in the loop with how I’m doing.

                                        I’ll wrap with one final thought. If you’re thinking about improving your health and want to look and feel better in 2025, I would massively encourage you to get on a journey with building foundational health habits.

                                        Life is too short to feel tired, crappy and to be out of shape. Foundational health habits are your best bet to get yourself out of feeling like this, and onto a better track.

                                        If you want any help at all with this, DM me on X or LinkedIn, or shoot me an email. I’d love to chat and help however I can.

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