Healthy Living — activity

Fitness coach Taeler De Haes has some hot takes on the idea of 10,000 steps:. 

Myth Busted

By this point the idea of “getting 10,000 steps” is well-known. Here’s the thing though — 10,000 is not some ~magical~ number for being healthy. Sometimes it can actually become unhealthily obsessive.  

Now don’t get me wrong, movement is obviously important...but there’s a fine line between health and obsession. When’s the last time you took your activity tracker off? So before you stress about getting in those last steps for the day, let’s look at where this 10k number came from.

Japan, 1965

Over half a century ago the Japanese company Yamasa Clock seemingly sold pedometers called “Manpo-kei” which translates to “10,000 steps meter.” The brand slogan was “Let’s walk 10k steps a day” cementing that number as a default goal for generations.

Bottom line: 10k is a number made up by corporate marketers, and it doesn’t matter. 

Being Smart About Steps

Stepping is still important — it’s a great way to manage weight, stress, and overall health. 

GET THIS: a 2019 study supported by the National Cancer Institute and the NHLBI suggested older women who walk about 4,000 steps a day (about two miles) decreased their mortality by 40% compared to women who took less than 2,800 steps on average. AND they found that anything above 7,500 steps provided no additional benefit. Source: Jama Network

Isn’t That NEAT

The goal of getting more steps is to increase NEAT — non-exercise activity thermogenesis —  which is basically any activity outside of a workout routine. We spend an hour in the gym, but what the heck are you doing for the other 16 hours of your day?

Here are some habits to get moving without obsessing over a number:

• Take a 10-minute walk after every meal.
• Park further away from entrances when you’re running errands.
• Walk (don’t drive) to get your coffee.
• Listen to your favorite podcast while walking outside.
• Clean a room in your house.
• Take your dog (or cat, you do you) for an extra walk.

How does bodybuilder and entrepreneur Travis Just stay in shape when he’s running a business, traveling, and raising twins? That’s the #1 question he gets — and here’s his answer:

Make Health A Priority

Great health is a major priority for Travis, and he devotes time to it! Without good health, everything else in life suffers. Who cares how much money you make if you can’t enjoy the benefits of your hard work — vacations, quality time with family, doing hobbies you love, etc…

It Gets Better

The problem is most people quit working on their health before they feel and see life-changing results. At the beginning of a get-healthier journey it sucks. It’s super hard and everything hurts and you’re sacrificing “good food” while everyone around you eats whatever guilty pleasures they want.

Here’s the thing though:

When you push through the suck and get to the place I’m talking about, everything changes. Your desire for unhealthy food is viewed differently. Your taste buds change. You actually look forward to “treat meals” weekly and savor every single bite.

Planning Makes Perfect

Plan, plan, plan. It’s all about having your food ready to go! When we’re scrounging for food at the last minute, we almost always make worse choices than if we had something prepped and ready to eat. ICON Meals has turned our world upside down when it comes to planning and being prepared for our crazy busy lifestyle.

No Excuses

Get rid of the excuses! I used to yoyo diet every few months — I’d eat super clean, work out like crazy and feel great, and let myself roll back down the hill to start over again. Ugh. It’s easy to get caught in this trap. Why do we care what out-of-shape people think, as if they have what we want anyhow? 

I finally decided years ago to live how I want. I realized most people gave me a hard time about how I eat because they were uncomfortable eating poorly around me.

We get one body and one life. Live it the way you choose.

Follow Travis Just and his family on IG at @thehomeless_millionaires and @travelingwithtrav

Want to be featured as an "Everyday ICON?" Submit your stories to info@iconmeals.com or send us a DM on IG or Facebook!

Big Boy is quickly becoming a well known internet sensation, with over 640,000 YouTube subscribers. The entertaining YouTube channel documents his impressive strength challenges, eating, and everyday fun. Big Boy is also the CEO of the popular fitness-centric brand "Strength Cartel".

Big Boy recently stopped by the ICON HQ where he joined Chef Danny in the making of a legendary brisket burrito. Check out the video below to see behind-the-scenes footage of the ICON kitchen and learn how to make a simple burrito at home.

Ready to make your own brisket burrito?

Ingredients:

- ICON Meals' A-La-Carte Brisket
- ICON Meals' A-La-Carte Cilantro Lime Rice
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Red and green bell pepper
- Black beans

Instructions:

- Over medium-high heat, use a skillet to sauté peppers and onions until desired tenderness
- (While the peppers are cooking) Over medium heat, use a pot to warm one 8oz can of black beans
- Warm the brisket using a stove-top pan or microwave
- Warm the Cilantro Lime Rice in the microwave
- Warm tortilla using a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Place ingredients on tortilla and wrap to form a burrito.

Follow Big Boy for more entertaining videos!

YouTube - Big Boy
Instagram - @bigscboy
https://strengthcartel.com/

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