TikTok's 30-30-30 method for building healthy habits

One of TikTok's newest health trends is the “30-30-30” method. This involves consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of low to moderate-intensity cardio soon after.

Supporters of the 30-30-30 method claim it helps you lose weight steadily and sustainably while preserving muscle mass.

But does it really work? It might, though its biggest advantage may be that it helps you develop healthier habits in your daily routine.

Let's first examine the idea of consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up.

Protein is essential for our bodies. We need to consume it so our cells have the necessary resources to repair and recover from everyday wear and tear.

The required amount of protein varies depending on how much stress you place on your body.

If you exercise, your body needs more protein to help muscles repair and recover—typically around 1.2-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Eating more protein can also be important when trying to lose weight, as research shows that higher protein diets (over 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight) may help preserve muscle while losing weight.

For many people, breakfast tends to be their meal with the least protein, often consisting of toast, cereal, pastries, or other carbs.

By consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, the 30-30-30 method may help increase your total daily protein intake right from the start. However, this alone doesn't guarantee that you will meet your daily protein needs.

The other food choices you make throughout the day are also critical.

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn during the day. Eating protein first thing in the morning won't directly cause weight loss, but protein is filling.

This means it might help you feel fuller and eat fewer calories overall throughout the day. This is one reason why the diet encourages eating protein immediately after waking up.

However, the key word is "might." Some people may not find protein that filling, may have high hunger levels, or may snack throughout the day for various reasons.

30 Minutes of Cardio

Now let's consider the exercise component of the 30-30-30 method. There are three aspects of the workout to consider: its timing first thing in the morning, its steady-state nature, and its 30-minute duration.

Some studies have suggested that exercising first thing in the morning may lead to positive health outcomes, such as improved metabolic health, which may lower the risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity.

However, there has been as much, if not more, research suggesting this isn't necessarily true—that the time of day you work out doesn't significantly impact health or fitness.

Therefore, we can't say that exercising early in the morning is inherently better.

The best time of day to exercise is likely the time that's most convenient and enjoyable for you. This will increase the likelihood that exercise becomes a habit, which is key to consistency and reaping any benefits from the exercise.

The 30-30-30 method also specifies that the exercise you do first thing should be "steady state." This means continuous exercise at a low or moderate intensity—essentially anything that increases your heart rate, such as a brisk walk or jog.

There's been a lot of debate regarding which exercise is best for health and weight loss. World Health Organization guidelines recommend including both cardio and strength-based training for overall health.

But when we look specifically at cardio exercise, there's little evidence that steady-state training is more beneficial for health or weight loss compared to other types of exercise.

A 2015 study compared steady-state cardio with high-intensity interval training; both had similar impacts on fitness levels in young, inactive adults.

Similar to the time of day you exercise, the best type of exercise for you is the one you can consistently stick to.

Finally, the 30-30-30 method prescribes 30 minutes of exercise. While this may be because it makes for a catchy title, there might be some practicality to it.

Thirty minutes is short enough to be relatively achievable even on a busy day and not too tiring. It's also long enough to break a sweat, burn some calories, and build cardiovascular benefits—in other words, a stronger and more robust heart. However, if you have less than 30 minutes or want to do more than 30 minutes, that's effective too.

It's worth noting that doing more exercise won't necessarily help you lose more weight. Although exercise burns calories, this effect doesn't increase linearly with the amount of exercise you do in a day.

The body appears to compensate for the extra energy expended during exercise by reducing the amount of energy it uses for other bodily functions. This effect seems to be more pronounced when we're on a diet.

While it's commonly believed that steady-state cardio is superior for health and weight loss, recent studies suggest otherwise. For instance, a 2015 study found that steady-state cardio and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) had similar effects on fitness levels in young, inactive adults.

Just as the time of day you choose to exercise is a personal preference, the best type of exercise for you is one that you can consistently adhere to.

The 30-30-30 method, which advocates for 30 minutes of exercise, might have gained popularity due to its catchy name. Nonetheless, it offers practical benefits.

The 30-minute duration is manageable even on a busy day, making it less daunting and tiring. It's sufficient to induce sweating, burn calories, and enhance cardiovascular health, leading to a stronger heart. However, exercising for less or more than 30 minutes can also be effective.

It's important to note that increasing exercise duration doesn't necessarily lead to proportionate weight loss.

Although exercise burns calories, the body compensates for the additional energy expenditure by conserving energy used for other bodily functions. This compensation is more noticeable when on a diet.

Despite longer workouts not resulting in significantly more calories burned, exercise provides numerous other health benefits.

It enhances cardiovascular and respiratory health, and it may also improve cognitive function.

The 30-30-30 method encourages habits that support overall health and weight loss.

Starting your day with these routines can make it easier to adopt other healthy habits throughout the day. However, this method isn't a foolproof formula for weight loss.

Source: theconversation

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