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As a technology and fitness professional, I come in contact with over one hundred people on a daily basis. My days start at 4:00 am when I’ll train for Spartan races, technology consultant by 8:00 am, and teach group fitness classes in the evening. Locations will vary by day as some will start in downtown Chicago, lunch in Wisconsin, and back for class in the South Loop of Chicago. Optimizing my body to it’s full potential is the ultimate goal. I’m required to be “on” at any given moment while performing without breaking a sweat. With that being said, I am human and it isn’t easy.
During this time of a pandemic, I thought it would be best to share my best practices on how I optimize my body and boost my immune system. This is a framework that I implemented to shield myself from Chicago winters. In this article, I will cover my sleep, nutrition, fitness, and supplements that I use to set myself up for success.
Please Note – The information covered in this article is not a recommendation but a mind share. Everything I have implemented in my daily regiment are protocols I have tested and found success on myself. What works for one individual may not work for another. I encourage all readers to please do your research before jumping into any new protocol you may be interested in implementing into your daily life.
Sleep:
[/fusion_text][fusion_imageframe image_id=”1043|full” max_width=”” style_type=”” blur=”” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”” align=”center” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” lightbox_image_id=”” alt=”Sleep Data (Whoop)” link=”https://omarromero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_9708-1.jpg” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″]https://omarromero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_9708-1.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]
I’m putting sleep as the first topic as I believe this is the most important tool we have. In the screen shot above, I am showing my sleep which show the different stages of sleep. I want to emphasize the time spent in REM and Deep sleep as stages are crucial for optimizing your body. Quality sleep will boost the effectiveness of T cells (white cells) which signal the immune system to fight infections. If you’re not getting quality sleep or not sleeping enough (less than 6 hours), you are simply not giving your body the rest it needs to be fully recovered from the day before.
The application I’m using to track my sleep is Whoop. To read more on how I leverage this technology, you can click here to read my article, “How Fit-Tech Impacted My Daily Life.”
Nutrition:
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Food is medicine and that is a fact. I believe in a whole food diet that will provide various meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts to my body. Reason being is because I want all of the essential amino acids from meats and omega 3 fatty acids from fish. I want the natural sugar and antioxidants from fruits. You see where I’m going with this…
If you haven’t focused on your nutrition in the past that’s okay. Now is the best time to eliminate the processed foods (chips, candy, etc.) from your system as they are not providing any benefit to your system. One thing to keep in mind about processed foods is that they are highly palatable foods. What that means is that they are meant to taste great while also making you want more.
Have you every just had one Dorito?
No, either have I…
Fitness:
According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, over 80% of adults do not meet the guidelines of physical activity. The minimum guidelines are 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week.
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There are concerns about going to the gym and there are many solutions. One of the companies I work (Fitness Formula Clubs) for has launched an amazing application for users to work out at home. The application is called “FFC On Demand” and is free for 30 days for all FFC members and $14.99 a month for non-members.
The app will provide full workouts that range from bodyweight, free weights, core, yoga, and more. There are also capabilities where you can find recipes for meals along with nutritional coaching. To learn more, you can click here!
Supplements:
I am putting supplements last because I believe they should be the last piece. Supplements will not work unless you are taking care of the foundation (Sleep, Nutrition, and Fitness) pieces first.
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In the photo above, I am sharing the supplements I take during the Winter season. In my technology role, I always advise my cyber security clients to be proactive around protocols so why wouldn’t I take the same precaution with my body. Silver has been used for thousands of years and leveraged in functional medicine. Elderberry syrup is used to help cold and flu like symptoms. It was traditionally used by Native Americans and Egyptians. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that will strengthen your bodies natural defenses.
One item I’m not showing is my neti pot which I will do three times a week. I do this because I live in downtown Chicago where pollution is high. As a competitive racer, it is crucial for me to have clear sinuses at all times and the neti pot helps me clear up anything caught throughout the week.
Final Thoughts:
This pandemic will pass and we will learn from this time of craziness. My hope is that you’ve taken something from this article to help you and your families. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or living a sedentary lifestyle, we can all grow to be better people. It’s never too late to stop and look around to see where are some areas of growth.
If you’ve made it this far, I’d like say “Thank you” for the time as you are the reason why I continue to write. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at omarromeroinfo@gmail.com.
In Health,
Omar
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