Stay Fit While Traveling This Summer

With summer travel plans underway, keeping up with a fitness routine becomes crucial.

UAE-based fitness expert Jackson Litchfield is an internationally acclaimed health and fitness coach dedicated to helping his clients achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle.

With numerous certifications and extensive training, Jackson has consistently delivered excellent results, granting his clients full control over their health and fitness.

Summer, with its longer days and often more flexible schedules, presents an ideal opportunity to focus on fitness.

In an interview with Emirates Woman & Emirates Man, Litchfield shared essential wellness tips for achieving a summer body.

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like?

The first 30 minutes are crucial as they set the tone for my day.

I divide this time into three ten-minute segments focusing on the soul, spirit, body, and mind.

I begin with ten minutes for spiritual and soulful activities, like listing things I'm grateful for, practicing breath work, and visualizing my best self.

Next, I spend ten minutes nourishing my body with protein, fats, bone broth, sauerkraut, and supplements, including zinc, multivitamins, omega-3, curcumin, and PQQ.

Finally, I review my day's schedule, prioritize tasks, and prepare for client programs, training, education, and recovery.

Tackling the most important tasks when my energy is highest ensures maximum productivity.

What does your daily schedule as a health coach look like? What do your training sessions consist of?

My day starts at 4 am with a one-hour morning ritual. From 5 am to 12 pm, I conduct personal training sessions.

The afternoon is reserved for training, studying, blog writing, and content creation until 3 pm.

Later, I fit in an online or in-person PT session, followed by social interaction, meditation, prayer, and leisure from 6 pm to 8 pm.

My approach focuses on individualized programming and continuous progress.

I conduct bi-weekly check-ins with clients to ensure we're on track and make necessary adjustments.

When designing a regime, I consider four main pillars:

body composition, health markers, mindset and cognitive function, and performance levels.

How does your diet support your fitness routine?

My diet is tailored to specific goals, such as reducing body fat, enhancing brain function, and increasing energy and longevity.

I continually experiment with new protocols to discover effective eating methods.

My baseline diet begins with a meal at 4:15 am consisting of bone broth, animal protein, good fats, seasonal vegetables, and sauerkraut. My second meal at 12 pm includes similar components.

I fast for the rest of the day, as early eating aligns with my body's natural rhythms, benefiting hormones, neurotransmitters, digestion, and sleep.

I also consider light exposure part of my diet, as it influences energy production and function. Grounding and viewing sunlight at sunrise and sunset are essential elements.

How do you unwind with a busy schedule?

I'm fortunate to have a career I'm passionate about, which makes a busy schedule more manageable.

My work aligns with my core values, providing organic energy and soul-level satisfaction.

To unwind, I prioritize meditation and reading, allowing my body to reset and my mind to absorb new ideas and insights.

Incorporating these practices into your routine can help you maintain a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle, even amidst the summer hustle.

The Biggest Myth About Exercising

One of the most common myths about exercising is that hard work alone drives results.

I've seen numerous individuals put in significant effort day after day, only to see minimal progress.

The best outcomes arise from a combination of a well-thought-out strategy and consistent hard work.

If you increase one without the other, you're likely to be disappointed with the results.

To achieve significant progress, it's essential to balance a comprehensive plan with a high level of effort.

The Role of Cellular Health in Anti-Aging

Cells are the fundamental units of our bodies. They are programmed to divide, multiply, and perform essential biological functions that keep us alive and healthy.

However, as they divide over time, they age and become damaged. Eventually, they lose their ability to regenerate and function properly within the body.

Scientists are working to understand the interventions that can extend the life of cells and potentially slow down or even reverse the aging process.

I'm optimistic that advances in cellular health will enable us to enhance and reverse aging.

The most promising areas, in my opinion, include cellular nutrition, photobiomodulation, quantum biology, detoxification strategies, water quality, and the properties of different geographical locations.

Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Posture

Today, poor posture is more common than not, primarily due to our modern lifestyle.

One of the main factors is alignment, which is often compromised by sitting for extended periods.

This leads to shortened hip flexors, rounded shoulders, and forward-tilting necks.

The good news is that posture can be improved more quickly than many people realize.

Techniques such as targeted strength training, precision stretching, a nutrient-rich diet for bone, tendon, and ligament health, focused breath work or meditation, and vitamin D from sunlight can all contribute to better posture.

Insights on Calorie Counting

Calorie counting is often associated with weight loss, following the principle of "calories in versus calories out," where a balance leads to weight loss or gain depending on the inputs.

While adhering to an energy balance equation can lead to weight changes, many believe that maintaining a calorie deficit is solely about willpower.

However, this perspective ignores the complex systems our bodies operate on and the various factors influencing our eating habits, energy levels, and overall health.

Failure to maintain a diet usually isn't due to a lack of desire or willpower; it's often because the approach lacked important elements of preparation and support.

Sustainable weight loss isn't a solo endeavor or a straightforward path.

It requires a thorough understanding of your body's needs, recognition of the psychological aspects of eating, and acknowledgment that we may need more than just a calorie counter app to succeed.

The key is not just about eating less and moving more in a generic sense but adopting a holistic approach that considers our unique physical needs, environment, and psychological well-being.

Building Muscle Takes Immense Discipline – Tell Us More

Building muscle requires not only intense discipline but also a well-formulated strategy.

It involves much more than just putting in hard work at the gym.

To break it down, I see muscle building as encompassing three critical stages, each demanding significant energy and preparation.

1. Preparation
   
   

This initial phase involves ensuring the body is well-nourished and in good health. The body must be ready to handle the stress that comes with muscle-building exercises.

2. Push
   
   

During this phase, training must be conducted at a high intensity with perfect technical execution. This is crucial to stimulate an effective muscle-building response.

3. Repair
   
   

In this final stage, the body needs sufficient rest and nourishment to recover and prepare for the next round of intense training.

This cycle is repeated continuously until the desired muscle mass is achieved.

This is ‘The Body Issue’ – What Are Your Non-Negotiable Self and Body Care Practices?

My essential self-care practices include fostering loving relationships, spending time in sunlight and grounding, maintaining a nutrient-rich diet, engaging in prayer and meditation, staying active, and contributing to a cause greater than myself.

Source: emirateswoman

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.