Jay Diliberto, our wellness guru at Columbia Southern University, works hard to ensure that we have the kind of resources and support at our fingertips to live a healthier life. Jay meets with individuals to go over best practices for exercise, meal plans and anything else that might relate to feeling great. He believes when we are healthy and happy, we have so much more to give.
So, in observance of Men’s Health Month, we asked Jay to share with us his top 10 recommendations for men to achieve a higher level of wellness.
- Sleep Well: Sleeping 7-to-8 hours is crucial recovery time for your body to repair itself from the previous day and/or workout. If you feel tired after a night of rest, you may want to try stretching prior to laying down, meditating, no caffeine within four hours of your normal bedtime, turning the electronics off and going to bed at the same time every night.
- Balanced Breakfast: Starting your day off with a balance of key macronutrients including lean protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats will enhance the effect of thermogenesis. Thermogenesis will help you get your metabolism started earlier in the day, leading to calories being burned at rest.
- Crucial Calories: Eating the appropriate amount of calories per day leads to proper organ function and a having healthy amount of energy. A good starting point would be multiplying your body weight by 10, which will give your caloric intake for the day. For example, a man weighing 200 pounds should start off with a calorie count of 2,000.
- Strength Training: To maintain and/or gain more muscle mass, you should dedicate at least four days per week to strength training. Remember, the more muscle mass you carry leads to more calories being burned at rest.
- Healthy Fats: For your body to properly burn fat, at least 20 percent of your calories should come from healthy fats including avocado, nuts, olive and coconut oils, salmon, seeds and more.
- Bedtime Snacking: Contrary to popular belief, it is best to consume lean proteins or healthy fats just prior to laying down, as they help to control your blood sugar throughout the night.
- Stretch: You may want to participate in some form of flexibility training including Pilates, yoga, etc. Increasing the length of muscles allows for increased activation during your workout, which in turn makes your musculoskeletal system more efficient.
- Carbohydrates: Consuming healthy carbohydrates 45 minutes- to-1 hour prior to your workout will enable your muscles to be maximized during your workout. It is best to consume 45-to-75 percent of your calories in carbohydrates on days that you have a workout planned, so don’t forget that brown rice, oatmeal or sweet potato.
- Hydrate: Your body is comprised of 60 percent water, so it’s important to drink half of your body weight in ounces daily. For example, a man weighing 200 pounds should drink a minimum of 100 ounces every day.
- Fiber: Fiber enables us to be more efficient with absorbing key nutrients from the foods we eat. Strive for 25-to-30 grams of fiber dispersed throughout each of your 4-to-6 meals daily.
