Thrive Fitness

Yes. The foundation of Thrive Fitness can be performed in as little as two and a quarter hours per week. Spending just 45 minutes three times per week will yield impressive results in a matter of weeks. But the best part about the time invested in the program is that you gain it back. Thrive Fitness allows you to build a more capable body that will function more efficiently, thereby reducing the amount of sleep you need and giving you more natural, sustainable energy. On page 53 I explain in detail how Thrive Fitness improves sleep quality so that quantity can be reduced. You will find that once your sleep improves, you will be more alert and more productive.

Absolutely. All you need for the main program is a bench and a set of dumbbells or a simple piece of equipment called the Jungle Gym that is available online for $50. Details and order info are on page 230.

I’ve never been able to stick with an exercise program in the past because I have a bad back. Exercise seems to aggravate it. How can I overcome this?

This is a concern for many people. Lower back problems in particular have become ubiquitous in our society for several reasons. For a couple of years, I, too, struggled with a back problem. However, I found that by consistently performing a few simple exercises, I was able to overcome it. I’ve included a stretching and strengthening program specifically to address lower back concerns. It begins on page 97. I suggest making this part of your daily life if you have had nagging back problems. It will only take about two weeks to notice an improvement. From this point, you can slowly introduce the full Thrive Fitness program.

I know that feeling. About a week after I first began running, I developed shin splints. As I found out, they are among the most common complaints for those new to running. Thankfully, there’s a simple way to heal and, better yet, prevent them. Starting on page 101 are exercises specifically designed to strengthen the shin muscles and therefore greatly reduce the risk of developing shin splints. Additionally, I’ve include a running buildup table on page 101. It uses a systematic approach that incrementally increases mileage no more than 10 percent per week, which will allow your body to adapt to the mileage without overburdening the shins.

It can take as little as two hours and 15 minutes per week to do just the basic resistance training program. And up to about six hours if you prefer the comprehensive program that also includes VO₂ max training, repeat-pattern aerobic activity, and continually changing movement activity.

Yes. The program is structured in such as way that it is entirely scalable to your level of fitness. Accomplished strength, power, and endurance athletes can simply boost the intensity and weight during each workout to suit their needs. And since Thrive Fitness is based on the high net-gain principle, all energy exerted, regardless of ability, will yield a high level of return.

I’m a busy executive who would like to boost my energy and reduce the amount of sleep I need in an effort to raise productivity. How can I do this in a natural and sustainable fashion?

Thrive Fitness is geared to boost performance in all facets of life. As fitness levels and therefore muscular efficacy rise, stress and cortisol levels drop. This will enable the body to slip into a deep, efficient form of sleep. People who sleep more efficiently don’t need to sleep as long, so they have more time to be productive. Plus they wake up better rested and therefore with more energy, which can of course augment productivity.

Yes. Engaging in activities that continually change and therefore require your brain to think about each movement, such as basketball, is said to encourage the construction of neurotransmitters. It is thought that the consistent building of neurotransmitters will reduce the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Yes. Regular physical activity and a whole food, nutrient-rich diet such as outlined in this book and Thrive are effective ways to prevent and reverse type II diabetes.

I’ve always been afraid to begin a weight training program for fear of developing large, bulky muscles. I want toned, lean, functional muscles. Can Thrive Fitness help?

Yes. Thrive Fitness was specifically designed with efficiency for practical purposes. While muscles will grow significantly stronger, they will not become bulky and inhibit functionality.

There are numerous exercise books on the market that promise a drastic visual transformation in a set period of time. Why doesn’t Thrive Fitness follow that template?

Thrive Fitness will certainly burn fat and yield impressive visual results. However, they are simply welcome by-products of the program, not the primarily goal. For me, coming from an endurance athlete background, physical activity has always been about efficiency and functionality. As I realized, a strong body that can move with grace and fluidity dramatically improves the overall quality of life. From reduced risk of disease, to increased energy, to improved mental function, Thrive Fitness is about real-world functionality.

Yes. Most people find that they prefer to work out in the morning because it helps them start their day feeling good. Also, if you work out first thing, no matter what unfolds throughout the rest of the day, you will have gotten your workout in. However, if your daily schedule lends itself better to an evening workout, that is fine. Whenever you enjoy doing it the most is the best time to do it. Just be mindful of the likelihood that if you go to bed too soon after working out, you may have a more difficult time falling asleep since exercise releases endorphins that help you stay alert.

Yes. For your nutrition, even one meal or snack a day from the diet can make a noticeable difference over the course of six to eight weeks. Having a fruit smoothie with plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and fiber for breakfast instead of sugary, starchy cereal is a sensible and easy way to begin.

As for the training program, consistency is one of the most important elements of any physical training program. Because of the physiology of how the body responds to physical exertion and rest, it’s important to exercise at least four times a week to experience noticeable results. And, the better your nutrition program, the quicker you will recover from training and therefore the more your body will be able to handle.

Higher-quality ingredients cost more than lower-quality ones. I view these food costs as a kind of preventative medicine. The fact that healthy, whole food can prevent sickness from ever occurring is reassuring to me.

If the bulk of your diet is healthy, the odds of developing disease later in life are greatly reduced. A major problem now facing senior citizens is the cost of symptom-treating drugs. While in certain areas programs exist to help seniors obtain drugs inexpensively, many simply can’t afford them if they are not privy to such assistance. I see it this way: We pay now for higher-quality food or pay later for drugs to treat symptoms caused by poor diet.

Also, people who are healthier don’t require as much sleep, have greater energy, better mental clarity, and are physically stronger. This leads to a significant gain in productivity, which saves money too.

I’m pleased to say that an increasing number of major supermarkets now include natural food sections and consequently are an excellent place to find ingredients for the recipes as well as the Top Foods for Peak Performance on page 164. If your local supermarket doesn’t carry what you need, you may need to go to a store that specializes in high-quality ingredients, such as a health food store.

Yes. Several organizations devoted to children’s health and welfare have reported that there is an undeniable correlation between children’s ability to learn and their diet. Processed, sugary foods such as breakfast cereal can cause children to have an energy spike that makes them hyperactive and unable to concentrate. Following a sugar spike, a crash always occurs. During an energy crash, it is incredibly hard for children to focus and retain information presented to them.

Yes. Resistance training such as the Thrive Fitness program combined with impact exercise such as walking or running will help improve bone density by causing ligaments and tendons to pull on the bones, which makes them stronger.

Also, the dietary suggestions in this book and Thrive are alkaline-forming, to prevent bone mass from being broken down in an effort to maintain the blood’s neutral acidity level. Refined, processed, denatured foods create an acidic environment within the body. As a survival mechanism, blood draws highly alkaline calcium from the bones to maintain a neutral pH. Over time this leads to weaker bones and possibly to stress fractures in athletes. If not resolved, osteoporosis later in life is likely to transpire.

As a society, we are developing osteoporosis in an earlier stage of life than ever before. This is not due to a lack of dietary calcium as originally thought, but rather to the overconsumption of processed, refined foods that cause calcium to be leached from the bones. Thrive includes a chart showing which foods are acid-forming and which are alkaline-forming.