Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes

by Tom Rath

DAY 1: The Three Building Blocks Identify the healthiest elements of diets you have tried. Build them in to your lifestyle for good. Each morning, plan ahead to add activity to your daily routine. Sleep longer tonight to do more tomorrow. DAY 2: Big Changes Through Small Adjustments Ask yourself if the next food you put in your mouth is a net gain or a net loss. Repeat throughout the day. Eliminate an hour of chair time from your daily routine. Gradually add sleep to your nightly schedule in 15-minute increments. Continue until you feel fully rested each morning. DAY 3: One Good Choice at a Time Select one food to eat today with a balanced (1 to 1) ratio of carbs to protein. Avoid foods above a ratio of 5 to 1. Put the healthiest foods in your home on a shelf at eye level or in a bowl on the counter. Identify one way you can work without sitting, right now. Test it out tomorrow. DAY 4: Forming Better Habits Identify the sugar content in your favorite meal or snack. If it’s more than 10g, find a replacement. Pick one food or drink you sweeten regularly — artificially or with sugar — and consume it without the added sweetener for a week. When you have to sit for long periods of time, stand up, walk, or stretch every 20 minutes. DAY 5: Giving Your Immune System a Boost Every time you go to the store, start by loading up on fruits and vegetables with vibrant colors. When disruptions threaten your regular schedule, plan ah...