"You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there." - Yogi Berra

Health & Wellness

In order to have a full life, you must be healthy enough to enjoy it with your family and friends. Financial freedom, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle design are all great, but first and foremost take care of yourself. It is important to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. There are three specific areas that I focus on: fitness & exercise, diet & supplements, and wellness & self-care.

Fitness & Exercise

When it comes to health, focusing on your fitness through exercise is a must. Regular exercise boosts your mood, your cognitive functions, and makes you feel accomplished… after the sore muscles go away! As a kid, I was very active playing lots of soccer, tennis, and riding my bike. In college, I played soccer during my Freshman year, but stopped after that and went through a period of non-activity. I know how important it is to overall health short-term and long-term so I slowly over the years got into yoga (Yoga with Adriene is my favorite free YouTube yogi guide!), running (obstacle course races and marathons), body weight exercise and pick-up games with friends.

It hasn’t and isn’t always easy to stay motivated… in fact, one of my most disappointing decisions is when I quit a half-marathon before it even started. It took me years to finally overcome that crushing mental defeat to finish my first marathon (which I also considered backing out of the morning of the race). That feeling of accomplishment is something I will never forget.

If you are just starting out and looking for an easy way to start exercising you can check out the 4-week training guides. I’ve created these with the novice runner in mind (5k, 10k, 15k, half-marathon).

Diet and Supplements

Beyond fitness and exercise, diet is a key component to a healthy life. There are a lot of different dieting philosophies from keto to Adkins to low-carb to vegan to no gluten to whole 30. The list goes on and on. I recommend you listen to your body and avoid the foods that everyone agrees are bad. For example, I try to limit fast-food which pretty much everyone agrees is bad.

Some of the things that I really enjoy are plant-based protein shakes from Isagenix. I like to have one of these as breakfast or lunch. I blend up the chocolate shake with some combination of water, almonds, sesame seeds, a banana, and frozen fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, and cranberries. The combination depends on what I have and what I’m in the mood for, but it is a quick 2-minute process to make a delicious smoothie.

I also love cooking and try to maximize my intake of fruits and vegetables. Even when I’m feeling lazy I’ll take quick meals (frozen pizza, canned soup, ramen, salad kits) and add tomatoes, onions, or mushrooms to increase the nutritional value. It just takes an extra minute or two to chop and mix.

I also take a few Isagenix vitamins to help supplement my diet. For my skin, I take omega 3 fish oil which has helped tremendously to combat any dryness and itchiness. When it comes to long-term anti-aging I take Isagenesis which has telomere support. Telomere shrinkage in cells causes the symptoms of aging (i.e. wrinkles). Thus Isagenesis helps prevent the shrinking of telomeres resulting in slowing down the symptoms of aging. Lastly, I take a Brain Boost & Renewal vitamin. It supports the health of the brain which at the age of 30 peaks.

As you can tell, I’m a big fan of focusing on diet and care about what I put into my body. Isagenix’s products I have vetted carefully and trust the quality of the products. I’ve been using them for over a decade now.

Wellness and Self-Care

Important to your overall wellness is self-care that goes beyond diet and exercise. This often includes routines, meditation, journaling, reading, and other forms of mind and body connection. I am a big proponent of morning routines to help kick-off your day. I also enjoy reflecting and recording how I’m feeling at the end of my day. Some of the more unique aspects of my wellness and self-care regimen include oil pulling, recorded reflection, and check-ins with close friends.

I am a big coconut fanatic (You can read about my coconut oil miracle review). I spent a semester abroad in the small Pacific Island nation of Samoa where I grew to love and respect coconuts. They are one of the most versatile and interesting foods around. Anyway, every morning before I brush my teeth I take a tablespoonful of coconut oil and swish it around in my mouth for 20 minutes. The process is called oil pulling and is supposed to help you detoxify your body. Oil pulling has been around for centuries and the benefits range from stronger, whiter teeth to detoxification of the body.

A new reflection technique that I started at the beginning of 2019 was an accountability calendar. I have been goal setting through New Years Resolutions with my mom since I was 2 years old. On December 31st, I would sit down write my goals on a piece of paper and tuck it away in a safe place. Then next year I’d pull it out and see if I had accomplished any of my goals. As you can guess it was a good habit to start doing, but I only revisited my goals once a year! Over the years I’ve tried numerous things and finally came up with a new way to track my progress. I pulled up a calendar on Google Sheets and every day I list out the key activities I accomplished from the day. This allows me to see what I am actually doing and if I am doing something towards my goals or not. On a separate tab I record how many creative hours I had that day, the day ranking on a -2 to 2 scale, I answer: “Am I better than yesterday?”, “Why?”, “What is 1 thing I am grateful for today?”, and lastly what is my focus for tomorrow. I have found that I can identify trends in my good days vs bad days. I am much more centered and goal oriented.

I’ve been conducting regular check-ins with friends as a way to reflect, stay connected, and problem solve. One of my friends and I get together the first weekend of every month to review our long-term and short-term goals. We discuss what has worked well and what hasn’t been working. We discuss where we need help and help solve problems. Another close friend and I hop on the phone once a week and do a similar exercise to stay aligned on a more regular basis.

Wrapping Up

If you’d like to purchase my running programs you can visit runnersfuel.net where you’ll find the 4-week training guides to help you run a 5k, 10k, 15k, or half-marathon.

The health company that I buy vitamins and supplements from is Isagenix. If you are interested in seeing some of the products or learning more about the business as a side hustle, visit my personal site here.

[tdn_block_newsletter_subscribe title_text=”Subscribe to the Financial Glass” description=”VG8gYmUgdXBkYXRlZCB3aXRoIGFsbCB0aGUgbGF0ZXN0IG5ld3MsIG9mZmVycyBhbmQgc3BlY2lhbCBhbm5vdW5jZW1lbnRzLg==” input_placeholder=”Your email address” btn_text=”Subscribe” tds_newsletter2-image=”1584″ tds_newsletter2-image_bg_color=”#c3ecff” tds_newsletter3-input_bar_display=”row” tds_newsletter4-image=”1585″ tds_newsletter4-image_bg_color=”#fffbcf” tds_newsletter4-btn_bg_color=”#f3b700″ tds_newsletter4-check_accent=”#f3b700″ tds_newsletter5-tdicon=”tdc-font-fa tdc-font-fa-envelope-o” tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color=”#000000″ tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color_hover=”#4db2ec” tds_newsletter5-check_accent=”#000000″ tds_newsletter6-input_bar_display=”row” tds_newsletter6-btn_bg_color=”#da1414″ tds_newsletter6-check_accent=”#da1414″ tds_newsletter7-image=”1586″ tds_newsletter7-btn_bg_color=”#1c69ad” tds_newsletter7-check_accent=”#1c69ad” tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_size=”20″ tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_line_height=”28px” tds_newsletter8-input_bar_display=”row” tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color=”#00649e” tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color_hover=”#21709e” tds_newsletter8-check_accent=”#00649e” embedded_form_code=”JTNDIS0tJTIwQmVnaW4lMjBNYWlsY2hpbXAlMjBTaWdudXAlMjBGb3JtJTIwLS0lM0UlMEElM0NsaW5rJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRmNkbi1pbWFnZXMubWFpbGNoaW1wLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkY29kZSUyRmNsYXNzaWMtMTBfNy5jc3MlMjIlMjByZWwlM0QlMjJzdHlsZXNoZWV0JTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZjc3MlMjIlM0UlMEElM0NzdHlsZSUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGY3NzJTIyJTNFJTBBJTA5JTIzbWNfZW1iZWRfc2lnbnVwJTdCYmFja2dyb3VuZCUzQSUyM2ZmZiUzQiUyMGNsZWFyJTNBbGVmdCUzQiUyMGZvbnQlM0ExNHB4JTIwSGVsdmV0aWNhJTJDQXJpYWwlMkNzYW5zLXNlcmlmJTNCJTIwJTdEJTBBJTA5JTJGKiUyMEFkZCUyMHlvdXIlMjBvd24lMjBNYWlsY2hpbXAlMjBmb3JtJTIwc3R5bGUlMjBvdmVycmlkZXMlMjBpbiUyMHlvdXIlMjBzaXRlJTIwc3R5bGVzaGVldCUyMG9yJTIwaW4lMjB0aGlzJTIwc3R5bGUlMjBibG9jay4lMEElMDklMjAlMjAlMjBXZSUyMHJlY29tbWVuZCUyMG1vdmluZyUyMHRoaXMlMjBibG9jayUyMGFuZCUyMHRoZSUyMHByZWNlZGluZyUyMENTUyUyMGxpbmslMjB0byUyMHRoZSUyMEhFQUQlMjBvZiUyMHlvdXIlMjBIVE1MJTIwZmlsZS4lMjAqJTJGJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0UlMEElM0NkaXYlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jX2VtYmVkX3NpZ251cCUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQ2Zvcm0lMjBhY3Rpb24lM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmZpbmFuY2lhbGdsYXNzLnVzMy5saXN0LW1hbmFnZS5jb20lMkZzdWJzY3JpYmUlMkZwb3N0JTNGdSUzRGY2ODhiMDBhM2JkZGUwMDAzOTAxYzNmNDglMjZhbXAlM0JpZCUzRGFjNzYzOTM2MmIlMjIlMjBtZXRob2QlM0QlMjJwb3N0JTIyJTIwaWQlM0QlMjJtYy1lbWJlZGRlZC1zdWJzY3JpYmUtZm9ybSUyMiUyMG5hbWUlM0QlMjJtYy1lbWJlZGRlZC1zdWJzY3JpYmUtZm9ybSUyMiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydmFsaWRhdGUlMjIlMjB0YXJnZXQlM0QlMjJfYmxhbmslMjIlMjBub3ZhbGlkYXRlJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJtY19lbWJlZF9zaWdudXBfc2Nyb2xsJTIyJTNFJTBBJTA5JTNDaDIlM0VTdWJzY3JpYmUlMjB0byUyMHRoZSUyMEZpbmFuY2lhbCUyMEdsYXNzJTNDJTJGaDIlM0UlMEElM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmluZGljYXRlcy1yZXF1aXJlZCUyMiUzRSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmFzdGVyaXNrJTIyJTNFKiUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMjBpbmRpY2F0ZXMlMjByZXF1aXJlZCUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybWMtZmllbGQtZ3JvdXAlMjIlM0UlMEElMDklM0NsYWJlbCUyMGZvciUzRCUyMm1jZS1FTUFJTCUyMiUzRUVtYWlsJTIwQWRkcmVzcyUyMCUyMCUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmFzdGVyaXNrJTIyJTNFKiUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0MlMkZsYWJlbCUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2lucHV0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMmVtYWlsJTIyJTIwdmFsdWUlM0QlMjIlMjIlMjBuYW1lJTNEJTIyRU1BSUwlMjIlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnJlcXVpcmVkJTIwZW1haWwlMjIlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jZS1FTUFJTCUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybWMtZmllbGQtZ3JvdXAlMjIlM0UlMEElMDklM0NsYWJlbCUyMGZvciUzRCUyMm1jZS1GTkFNRSUyMiUzRUZpcnN0JTIwTmFtZSUyMCUyMCUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmFzdGVyaXNrJTIyJTNFKiUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0MlMkZsYWJlbCUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2lucHV0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMjIlMjB2YWx1ZSUzRCUyMiUyMiUyMG5hbWUlM0QlMjJGTkFNRSUyMiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIycmVxdWlyZWQlMjIlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jZS1GTkFNRSUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2RpdiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNlLXJlc3BvbnNlcyUyMiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyY2xlYXIlMjIlM0UlMEElMDklMDklM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnJlc3BvbnNlJTIyJTIwaWQlM0QlMjJtY2UtZXJyb3ItcmVzcG9uc2UlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTA5JTA5JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJyZXNwb25zZSUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNlLXN1Y2Nlc3MtcmVzcG9uc2UlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTA5JTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDIS0tJTIwcmVhbCUyMHBlb3BsZSUyMHNob3VsZCUyMG5vdCUyMGZpbGwlMjB0aGlzJTIwaW4lMjBhbmQlMjBleHBlY3QlMjBnb29kJTIwdGhpbmdzJTIwLSUyMGRvJTIwbm90JTIwcmVtb3ZlJTIwdGhpcyUyMG9yJTIwcmlzayUyMGZvcm0lMjBib3QlMjBzaWdudXBzLS0lM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NkaXYlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMnBvc2l0aW9uJTNBJTIwYWJzb2x1dGUlM0IlMjBsZWZ0JTNBJTIwLTUwMDBweCUzQiUyMiUyMGFyaWEtaGlkZGVuJTNEJTIydHJ1ZSUyMiUzRSUzQ2lucHV0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMjIlMjBuYW1lJTNEJTIyYl9mNjg4YjAwYTNiZGRlMDAwMzkwMWMzZjQ4X2FjNzYzOTM2MmIlMjIlMjB0YWJpbmRleCUzRCUyMi0xJTIyJTIwdmFsdWUlM0QlMjIlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmNsZWFyJTIyJTNFJTNDaW5wdXQlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIyc3VibWl0JTIyJTIwdmFsdWUlM0QlMjJTdWJzY3JpYmUlMjIlMjBuYW1lJTNEJTIyc3Vic2NyaWJlJTIyJTIwaWQlM0QlMjJtYy1lbWJlZGRlZC1zdWJzY3JpYmUlMjIlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmJ1dHRvbiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmZvcm0lM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjB0eXBlJTNEJ3RleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JyUyMHNyYyUzRCclMkYlMkZzMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tJTJGZG93bmxvYWRzLm1haWxjaGltcC5jb20lMkZqcyUyRm1jLXZhbGlkYXRlLmpzJyUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHR5cGUlM0QndGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQnJTNFKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCUyNCklMjAlN0J3aW5kb3cuZm5hbWVzJTIwJTNEJTIwbmV3JTIwQXJyYXkoKSUzQiUyMHdpbmRvdy5mdHlwZXMlMjAlM0QlMjBuZXclMjBBcnJheSgpJTNCZm5hbWVzJTVCMCU1RCUzRCdFTUFJTCclM0JmdHlwZXMlNUIwJTVEJTNEJ2VtYWlsJyUzQmZuYW1lcyU1QjElNUQlM0QnRk5BTUUnJTNCZnR5cGVzJTVCMSU1RCUzRCd0ZXh0JyUzQmZuYW1lcyU1QjIlNUQlM0QnTE5BTUUnJTNCZnR5cGVzJTVCMiU1RCUzRCd0ZXh0JyUzQmZuYW1lcyU1QjMlNUQlM0QnQUREUkVTUyclM0JmdHlwZXMlNUIzJTVEJTNEJ2FkZHJlc3MnJTNCZm5hbWVzJTVCNCU1RCUzRCdQSE9ORSclM0JmdHlwZXMlNUI0JTVEJTNEJ3Bob25lJyUzQmZuYW1lcyU1QjUlNUQlM0QnQklSVEhEQVknJTNCZnR5cGVzJTVCNSU1RCUzRCdiaXJ0aGRheSclM0IlN0QoalF1ZXJ5KSklM0J2YXIlMjAlMjRtY2olMjAlM0QlMjBqUXVlcnkubm9Db25mbGljdCh0cnVlKSUzQiUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUwQSUzQyEtLUVuZCUyMG1jX2VtYmVkX3NpZ251cC0tJTNF”]