My 10 Favorite Healthier Habits for Long-Term Wellness

Join me, Turo Virta, as I dive into the essential topic of building sustainable health habits for better sleep, strength, and overall wellness. In this episode, I open up about my own experiences with strength training, sharing how I’ve learned to start small and integrate consistent exercise into a busy schedule. I'll walk you through practical ways to make physical activity both enjoyable and motivating, how to prioritize nutrient-dense foods, and the importance of setting goals that excite you. Whether you're facing challenges in staying motivated or seeking strategies to enhance your mental and physical health, I’m here to offer you personal insights and actionable tips to help you develop lasting habits for a healthier, more fulfilling life.

If you have been thinking about joining my coaching programs like 8-week Challenge but haven´t yet... I have created hundreds of home & gym workouts you can do with bodyweight only, with dumbbells only or if you are having access to the gym.. You can find all coaching options HERE https://www.personaltrainerturo.com/

Transcript

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just a crucial and that's the thing, is that what I what I, what changed, basically everything for me is that I try to cultivate at the same time it's 10pm for me, maybe sometimes it's going to be 10 dirty, but sometimes even before then. But going to pit at this time, obviously, if there is something like parties or it's not possible every time, but in a normal situation, if I have just possibility to go to pit at the 10, I'm going to pit. And that is, that is I wake up naturally around six o'clock, maybe a little bit even earlier, but going to bed at the same time, that has been a big, big game changer for me and and I feel like so many people, they still underestimate the importance of sleep and going to pit at the same time as there is a several studies even showing it how important the darkardian written is so that you are going to pit at the same time and that throughout the week. So not even vegan. So, because that is something, what your body is naturally doing and and that was, that is what is kind of simple habit, but how I try to do it like that, I I still like somebody you probably have, like some Bluetooth and devices, what you should be not watching and and how I do it, I still watch TV, I but I try to limit my every kind of device where I need to touch so touch screen, like writing something or watching so it's totally different for your brain. If you don't watch your phone, for example, and swipe all the time, but you're just watching some movie or series from Netflix, and when you are not touching something. It's totally different than and what I learned so much from Dr Shelby Harris from my podcast, which we recorded already, I think it's 2022 it's one of earlier podcasts, and that was kind of eye opener for me that it's not like, obviously, in ideal world, you disconnect with all kind of devices. But even even if you don't have, if you don't disconnect with everything, like, I still like to read. I like to read maybe 10 minutes per day. That's the kind of bare minimum. So when I go to bed, I try to read like it's not maybe it's 15 minutes. Sometimes it's dirty, but going to read little bit in a bit, and for my bit, one of the things that I never have my phone in a bedroom. So this was something like was, if you have earlier when I had a phone, it was kind of tempting to watch your phone and swipe up or watch some social media or read emails or something, and when you do it in a bit, your brain is getting that kind of informational or something that it's not bedroom should be made for sleeping, so it's made for watching phone, not not for watching TV, even it might be tempting. Or some people who are telling me that they are using their cell phone as an alarm, but trust me, get an alarm clock. What is like that you don't need to have. They are not very expensive. So when you have alarm clock and you don't need to have that phone in your bedroom, it makes your sleep quality so much better. So there is less temptation, everything. So so get an alarm clock, because there was was recently talked with one of my clients who struggled to fell asleep or or sleep, or couldn't get herself up from the bed early in the morning, unless they put your phone so far away, or even several alarms that you have to get up when you when that alarm is ringing. So there is no that snooze button or something that you gotta kind of get up and put it off. So that was, that is kind of those two habits, they are. I would say that my number one, my number two habits, so going to pit at the same time, and then kind of trying to close all phones, or something like 30 minutes before going to bed, and trying to read 10 minutes. So those, I would say, they are, they are, kind of my daily routines, what, what have been probably the biggest game changer. So then Habit number three, what, what I'm, what I have been really trying to implement, is that strength training, and strength training is something like that you don't need to like, I'm, I'm a person who don't enjoy doing strength training. I'm, I, I barely never enjoy doing it. So if I would think that if I trust my motivation, maybe one, two workouts out of 10, I'm motivated to do my strength training. The rest like six workouts, I okay and 33434, workouts, I'm like, I need to really talk myself that I'm going to get started. And I, I kind of never, never promised myself that I will finish my workout. And I, I really try to just get started and doing one exercise. And then when I, when I talk with the people, many of the many people are like that. You know, when I have a 30 minute workout, or or one hour for workout, when I if I don't have time, I'm tired, I'm, I'm not. I'm, I feel like that. I'm, I'm skipping it. I'm not doing it, just that that you are doing it wrong if you are, if you are trying to promise yourself to make an 30 minute workout. Like, I know that we are so good at talking ourselves out of it, but it's really just about getting started and keeping that habit up. Because we have those kind of habits, like what we do kind of without thinking we which don't need, kind of require a lot of green power that you know you do it, they have become already kind of automated, automatic, like if you think habits like brushing your teeth before going to bed or after you wake up, or when you come home, you put your geese in some locket, or You go to couch, or whatever you are doing, you do those basically. You don't need a bill power or anything you do. Do them already automatically. And an easiest thing is to kind of, if you think like that, what kind of, that kind of habits you already have if you have them like you have them 1000s, and what you do every single day, and they don't require a lot of willpower or thinking process that should I do it like a workout? It's often, for many people, it's it's kind of a habit. What really need a kind of willpower that I need to get it done. But if you are someone who is struggling, for example, with the workout consistency, trying to getting it started as little as possible, because that is the biggest thing what you can do if you are struggling or biggest mistake. What you can do is to get started with too much and too much. It might be. It should be. What I have seen from people who have been years consistent is that it's almost kind of too easy. Or what is it's it's always amount what you can find so that there is no no excuses. Like, I like for myself, because my schedule is not every single week. The shame and I like to decide it already before, like it's usually on Sunday, latest on Monday, I'm looking my week schedule, and I'm going to decide when is the time when I'm going to work out, when I'm going to do my strengthening. I don't need to plan something like something else, what I naturally enjoy, like a walking or or playing tennis or ice hockey, those are things like that. Somebody is asking, I'm I'm going. I don't need motivation. I love it. I really enjoy it. But then like things that I know that I need to do, like strength training, those I have to put to my calendar. I have to make a point appointment with myself. And I found I'm the person who need to do my workout earlier in the day, if I make appointment with myself later at night, especially things that I don't naturally enjoy doing, like a strength training, there is a very big chance that something happens or I don't feel like doing it, and that I'm not getting started, so I have To do it early in the morning. Like, not necessarily like when I get up, but I, if I, especially if I have possibility around eight, nine o'clock in the morning, that's my time when I, when I feel that it's when i i can do it. I get it done. And then it's like that after you finish that workout, you are done. And that is the best thing is that now, for example, in summer, I do with my group, we have a early morning practice. It's once in a week, every Wednesday, 6am and people who have been there, like, obviously, it's not for everyone, but those that just talk with one of one of the persons who worked there, they said that they came first time. They never tried it. They hated that when that alarm was ringing like five o'clock or 530 and then when you started like, kind of light, warm up, little choke for our workout, like five minutes long, they were like that. No way that this is, I hate it. And then when we did the workout, and it was okay, and then we did some, like, finishers, some cardio systems there, and they were like, No way. This is This sucks. But then they said that that was the best feeling ever after, when you are done with your workout, like 6:50am and you have took shower, you have had breakfast, and it's like a 730 you are, you have done everything already and and your day is totally different. So this is something, what I personally, what I love. I know that always that waking up, it's not the best possible experience, but it's, it's so your day is so much different. So you feel already that you have accomplished something, and especially for me, I feel so much more productive on a days when I have done already workout. Because if I haven't worked out it, don't I mean, it doesn't need to be like that. Workout doesn't need to be hour long, it's even five minutes or 10 minutes, your day is totally different. Or at least for me, I'm I'm so much more productive on that day when I have feel, when I have done something, and especially some kind of strength training, which I feel that I'm strong. Because that feeling, it's just the it's just incredible, even I don't enjoy doing that strength training, that feeling, what you get from doing it in a short term, but also in a long term, because I know that that is something, what is basically the, what has been the game changer for me, for my mental health and confidence, Is that strength training. So strength training and planning that hit and remember that there is no no perfect amount. It's not that you have to do certain amount. It's just basically getting started if you have possibility. That's what I what I have done often, especially recently, when life have been busy. I have been I was full time teacher. I was doing full time online coaching. I'm I'm having some athletes like a women's icerp national team doing individual workout plans for 30 players working with the local ski ski team three times a week. So it I've had been very busy, and I there was no really, like, it always time that I need to I could do a full one hour workout. But then I was like, when I had a, for example, some breaks in between. It was 15 minutes there, 10 minutes there. And in this way, you get something in and it's not that, but obviously, if you it's always up to what kind of possibilities you have. But I'm always trying to ask those questions for myself that how do if I say that, I can't, but I'm telling that asking myself better questions, that how could I, and this way, this is kind of the thinking process of all habits, is because we are, we are so good to talk ourselves out of it. Meet you and but when you start to ask better questions instead of that I can't. How could I and what could I? Because if you are, for example, you are injured, you can do everything. But what could I do instead? And this is like, kind of same example, what I, I was thinking that I, I got diagnosed. It was, you know, covid times with my aorta is enlarged. Eyes should be I'm not allowed to do strength training, actually, or or it's I have to really, be really careful with my strength training. So what is not allowed? Basically all exercises with where I have to hold my preps. So for example, all heavy lifting, I'm not allowed to do it anymore. But instead of telling that I can strength train, I'm asking, What could I do? And I'm doing then more repetitions, making sure that I'm reading all the time and using actually, actually kind of opposite strategies, like, for example, with the breathing, I try to go like when you usually, you hold up, take a breath. When you go, for example, on a squats, and then when you are kind of on that pushing face, you breathe out. And I'm doing it kind of opposite. So this is, it helps, kind of, it's, I would never recommend it to someone else or doesn't have this condition, but it just helps me to kind of think little bit, and also it's kind of little bit that I can't go too heavy, so it's a very kind of low intensity or moderate intensity, so I'm doing higher amount of repetitions and making sure that I'm able to Breathe. So so this is just my personal example. What like kind of the thinking process that, what could you be doing if somebody something is that you can do, if you have a knee pain, you can do so many other things where you don't need your knee, but there's always something you would be doing then this was now a little bit longer kind of habit of strength training and little bit story. So sorry for that if you were waiting. Just that. Give me now at least what should be do, what I should be doing. But Habit number four is drinking water. So this is something what I I used to struggle like I didn't really think about it. And it's, it's many people are making it way too complicated than it is. So just, I'm trying to like what I always tell to my clients, often, I personally don't use it that often as I don't struggle. But it's basically just a simple tick to put six rubber bands. If you have a half liter water bottle, you have a six rubber bands. If you have a bigger bottle, but I try to get the three liters of water per day. And if you have half liter bottle, six rubber bands into your bottle every time your puddle is empty, remove one, one band so you make sure that you keep kind of yourself accountable. It's visible. For some people drinking water, I like to keep it I have always when I'm working, I have water bottle visible so that I remember I have a rule when I'm working, when I'm giving a lesson in person, I need to drink within depending on workout, but from zero, from half liter to one liter water during that practice. So there are kind of rules, what I try to keep myself and that, and the simplest, simplest best, to know that what is then the right amount when you go to toilet and that it's color of your urine. So, so for me, it's, if it's a light colored you are doing great. If it's kind of dark colored, you gotta drink more. And if it's like a really dark then you have a huge problem. So those are just the simple ways how to remind yourself and thinking different kind of study is what helps for you. For me, it's like, really those habits, keeping everything visible and making sure that you have kind of rules when you do like I start my day it's a one big glass of water before I eat or do anything else. So all, all that kind of things they are are so helpful and water, it's more than important. Or it's kind of everybody knows it, but still so many people are struggling. It's simple habit, but still so many people are struggling with that. Then Habit number four, or now we are sorry. Habit number five, it's a protein intake, and this is for me, is something what I I don't at the moment, I'm not tracking my food. I'm I have just created rules for myself, because I have, I have often, I have a I'm fully in control what I eat earlier in the day, like breakfast and before lunch. But then I don't have always control what I will eat on lunch, how much if I have some protein or how much protein I have. I don't have full control always on my dinner. I don't know how much protein I will be getting. But for me, where I have full control, so I wait around 90 kilos. So my perineum like, what research is that 1.5 to 2.2 grams per kilo body weight? So for me, it would be somewhere like 135 to to 200 grams protein per day. And I have made, I've tried to get kind of 150 grams per day. That is something what I obviously it's not going to be every day. Some days it's lot less. Some days it's not more. Usually, I tend to feel it if I, especially if I don't, if I haven't had enough, I feel hungry. I snack all the time, and I it feels like that. I'm I have, I'm not getting enough, but how I do it for myself? I I really like I said, where I have control. I always like my breakfast. I make sure that I get around 50 grams of protein. Then I have my snack before lunch. I get another 2025, grams of protein. And those sources I love to have, like just my breakfast smoothie. In the morning I have 250 grams of Greek yuk. So that's 25 grams of protein there. And then I add scoop of natural, unflavored protein powder, which gives you another 2520 25 grams, and those are my main sources of protein for breakfast. I I do smoothie. I make smoothie every single day, so fruits, just mixing it with the fruits, berries, seasonal stuff, sometimes even vegetables, even that's honestly not tasting that good. I don't do it a lot, to be honest. It's more like fruits and berries. What I enjoy doing, always one banana to have little bit taste. So this is kind of thing. What I really enjoy doing, I it guarantees me to keep give me some kind of carbohydrates with banana out of fluids, fiber. And this is kind of my habit, how I get 50 grams already before all my breakfast, and then the other 25 grams. It depends on days it's sometimes it's 200 grams of codices. Sometimes it's another protein powder. Mine love to have casaine protein powder for my other protein so it's a kind of way. It's a two different kind of protein powders. What I have. It's not going to be every day. Some days it's I try to prefer natural resources like what it is, but if I'm somewhere on a go, I don't have possibility to take some stuff with me. So this is especially on a days when I'm on a go, and I don't have possibility. So this is, I take just a protein powder with me and add water then later. So it's a it's a simple tip how you can dig some kind of healthier, better snacks with you. So protein, and this is, this makes already, it gives 75 grams of protein before my lungs even and then usually in if I'm thinking that, what is my lunch? What is my dinner? What if I have some snacks in the afternoon? So if I have, if I'm just thinking, is there some protein? What is source of protein? So it's a lot easier to get that remaining 75 grams of protein. So in during the lunch, during the dinner, when I'm already and in the worst case, usually it's at least it's 100 grams, so it's it's at least something. So it's pretty okay that protein intake even on my worst days. So that is number five, and kind of related with that is fiber, habit number six and and fiber, it's, it's, you should be eating around 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories you are consuming. So my own I'm eating between depending on my activity levels, but I think my maintenance is around two, five some days, if I'm really active, might be 3000 but some somewhere, there is my million in calories. So my goal is to get that at least around, like 35 grams of protein. Some days, it should be more, but I try to keep the 35 grams of protein, and that is always like, or if you think like that, where to get it like, it's just, if you look what you are eating like for me, mainly sources are already in my breakfast. Like fruits are great sources. I love to eat a lot of I put always some kind of seeds, like, sometimes tequila seeds, sometimes it's a pumpkin seeds, some kind of seeds on top of my smoothie, and then trying to prioritize, like, I enjoy eating like all whole grain products. So fruits, vegetables and whole grain products, those are kind of my, my fiber sources. I'm not counting it every single day. I'm not looking that. If I'm getting it on a gram, I'm not stressing about it. But sometimes, when I look those my habits, what I have, it's pretty close, and it's pretty much every single day, the same stuff or same similar kind of sources, what I get. So it's even in the worst days, I get decent amount of of fiber. So that is kind of habit number six. Habit number seven, I would say that is daily walk. So kind of trying to think that where you have possibility to walk, and it's something for me, my favorite hobby is to go to work with my wife, and this is just, it's not it's kind of exercise, but for me, it's more, more kind of for my mental health. I need that break. It's for our relationship. It's the kitchen game changer, because when then that's the time when we don't have phones, we don't we don't watch social media. You are really present. If it's 15 minutes, sometimes it's 30, sometimes 45 sometimes so full hour, sometimes weekends, maybe even longer. But that is kind of time when you have really time to be present. You are concentrated, you are talking and you are walking. So this is what I love Absolutely, and this especially for mental health, that's that's something. What have changed everything? Earlier in my 20s, even early 30s, I was kind of thinking walking, it's not even exercise. It doesn't do a lot. You take a lot of time. So what is the point? And now I could not how stupid I was. I was just thinking that how stupid I was when I was under estimating the power of walk, walking, and it's also, it's a great exercise, like especially if you walk a bit faster. It's a zone two cardio so you are able to keep up conversation. But it's kind of like you walk that fast that you don't want to talk all the time. So that is a kind of Jones you cardio. And that is something that it's easy exercise, what you can do a lot, but and it's not too demanding for your body, so it's not increasing in amount of stress. So that is, that is a very, very powerful habit, and I'm always kind of trying to think that, do I have possibility? Can I park further? Can I walk instead of taking a car? So those, those all kind of simple things, what you know you should be doing and but they, and they make, but they make such a big difference, especially in a long, longer, long run. Like those are always, always things like, I talked with one of my clients actually said that she's actually, she's almost never driving. She's taking a train. And good thing to work is that she have to walk. It's every time, 15 minute walk to train station, 15 minute walk back. So you get 30 minute walk instead of if you would take a bus or something. So thing kind of habits, what you have, would you be adding some kind of walk, walking their back, and it's 210 minute walks per day that's just a game changer for mental health, and in the long term, that makes such a big difference. So one other thing for walking is one of my clients, Samia, we have been working now couple of years together. She was actually she was struggling with her health in a big way, and now she started to implement walking. She started to see how much it changed her mental energy. And now she had a big goal. And she actually started this week or week people were not recording this. He made a big walk. She's going to walk for a whole month in in France. And kind of the famous, can't remember the name, famous walk, you go basically hiding from place to another place. And she was so excited, obviously, so scared. And I've seen, I've talked to her, she's in showing, seeing a pictures in Instagram, and just these kind of things like that. If you think that she have changed totally. Everything earlier, it was like a five minute walk was too much. And now, after starting resistance training, changing those nutritional habits, starting walking, and now you are, you are doing that kind of thing. What you were basically never imagined that it's possible for you. And these are kind of biggest things, like, I'm just thinking that, okay, there is somebody is putting, like, some before after pictures, but this kind of things like that. You know, you are able to do, able to perform something, what you never thought that it's possible. And then, you know, you set the goal for yourself, and then work towards that. And then there is that kind of big celebration, big when that event is coming. And that's why that kind of challenges, that kind of goal setting. It's just such an important thing, and that is, you never know where you end up when you just get started. So this is just, I'm going to start my eight week challenge on when this episode is coming out, on Thursday, registrations should be open on that day, and then it's we will start on Monday, June 24 and more information you will find from links in this episode. So it's just something, some idea how to actually, if you are someone who is thinking that I would need to set some goals. So this is where we are sitting. I'm helping you to set goals together. Then you have, actually, you have a plan. You work toward that goal in this challenge. Obviously it's just eight weeks, but you know, you are taking action towards that goal. And then, you know, iterate. You learn so much that you don't you never need me, or you continue staying in my inexpensive membership coaching program, stay around, hang around with the accountability group, with like minded people. Sharing means maybe even some circles and and then who knows what is? What is going to happen? So Habit number seven, RB, at seven No, no. Habit number eight must be because seven was 14, six was fiber, five was protein. Habit number eight is, is power of discipline. And this is kind of related. I talked about it already a little bit, and most people are doing it wrong. They need that. They think that they need a discipline. They don't have it or it's a real power. But you don't need a lot. You have to start keeping promises you make it yourself, and that, if you can't, if you are always that I know what I should be doing. I had a full episode of last week, but if you are consistently struggling to keep promises you make yourself, then it's time to reduce your own expectations and make that kind of promises that you are able to keep, because if you can, if you are able to keep it, then You build confidence, and you start small, increase incredibly, because it's so much more powerful that you are able to stick with the plan you make, even it feels too easy. I always try to tend to say that it first four weeks so easy, your promise is what you make yourself that it feels almost it's too little. And then after three, four weeks, first four weeks, first month, if you still feel like that, you could be doing more, then it's time to start adding things and and it's not especially those who are struggling with the consistency you start, but you have to get started. Like I said. You don't need to finish your workouts, but to get started. So that is Habit number eight. And then I would say Habit number nine is, is simply not going into ariads. So there is, there is, for some people, is, is a diet plans are working. But for most people, I have seen that when you list kind of rules you have, like rules like that, you have limited eating times. For some people, they work very well. I'm not saying that they are bad, but if you are that you can't have something. So it's called, like, kind of flexible dieting, but you can, if you have medical reason to avoid something, then I don't say that you you don't need any rules. I wish that's a different thing. But rules, rather than you start to eliminate something, you start to add something. And, like I said earlier, that's why that adding things, if you are able to add protein, if you are able to add fiber, with those two things, you are going to make yourself feel fuller if, especially if your goal is to lose fat, change your body composition. Those two things are the most beneficial. So instead of taking things away, creating kind of rules, dieting rules that I can't have carbs I can't eat after 8pm whatever, if you create those rules differently, and instead of reducing, you start adding things and thinking like that, what is the pair? Meaning? Amount of for example, I talked already, amount of protein, amount of fiber, what you have to eat. And this way, when you are able to eat those, amount of foods, I'm pretty sure that you already are going to feel so much fuller that you are going to eat something else automatically, less. Your sweet ravings might be gone. If you struggle with them, you are going to snack less. And this is in combination with all these other habits, like sleep walking, strength training, what we have been, what I've been talking here, this has been, majority of my clients, the way for sustainable results and success in the long term. Like, if you are talking like if you want to get the fastest possible results, like one week, eight weeks, you reduce, you reduce, you reduce. But if your goal is to improve your health, improve your well being in the long term, in six months, 12 months, years from now, reducing is not the key. It's adding instead of reducing and making things as sustainable as possible, and then kind of, kind of that happy number, then is, is, I would say that it's probably, if it's not the most important, but it's something to to understand that you have To do also some kind of physical activity, what you enjoy doing, so what keeps you either motivated or or do something that you actually you are looking forward to? And it don't need to be, it can be, it don't have to be anything related with the fitness. It can be something like, for example, booking a holiday, booking a trip, giving yourself that kind of time or or for somebody, it's signing up for fitness challenge, for for marathon, for whatever competition it could be. It could be a challenge, something that you are looking forward, because then, if you have something, what you are really looking forward, life is just so much easier. So if you have a holiday, if you have a whatever event you are waiting for, you are working towards, or if it's even a holiday, it's it gives so much more meaningful and kind of excitement, or life, for the regular life, for daily life, and you know, you have something what to expect. So this is kind of a weird habit, but, but it's, it's in the long term or well being. It's, it's such an important thing. So it could be an event. It could be whatever you naturally enjoy doing, like for me, I love playing Dennis. I love playing hockey. We have events coming up from ice hockey national team camps next week, we are going to go for a week. So really excited about those kind of events. And for me personally, I have, I look forward always when I have possibility to play tennis. And as I'm as a competitive as I am, I love beating if I lose, I hate losing. Somehow I I'm very bad at losing, but that's another story. So if that something, if that got motivated you, starting with these habits, like I said, there's my challenge, starting in June 24 that if you listen this episode somewhere later, I have a wait list. I run these sentences for five times in a year. So next possibility is coming, maybe a little bit later, and just sign up for my email list. There's links in my profile and in this episode. So hope to see you inside of the challenge. And if this was a valuable episode, let me know about it. I'd love to talk about this if you have any questions, podcast, stop, export, you would like to buy DOCA reach out DMA. Want to be emailed to advocate me to run. Thank you for listening, and drone.