Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Monday motivation
This is your body on coffee
Workout of the week
Arnold’s Podcast
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Arnold’s Corner
Monday Motivation
What can you do if you just focus on what you can control?
This week, I was at my institute at USC. There was an event about environmental communication, and someone asked me a question I’m very used to hearing:
“What do we do when the president disagrees with us on environmental issues?”
My answer might surprise you, and it applies to many things in life, so I want to share it.
I told the audience that I think people should stop worrying about what the president thinks, cut the complaining, and get to work.
It is bogus politics. I know because I’ve been there before. When I was Governor, the president didn’t agree with me on the environment. I didn’t whine. We built a million solar roofs, provided incentives that helped the electric car market take off, and cut pollution by 25 percent.
We didn’t waste time complaining about what we couldn’t control — that the federal government didn’t agree with us — because there was too much work to do that we could control.
It’s the same now. You might disagree with the President on environmental policy.
It doesn’t stop you from doing what you can, and pretending otherwise is frankly just an excuse.
I promise you he will not be waiting with handcuffs on your roof if you decide to install solar panels, and you don’t need to worry about being arrested driving your new clean car away from the electric car dealership.
This isn’t a political issue.
There is an epidemic of complaining around the world about everything.
Maybe it came from social media, maybe people just need more to do.
People just cannot stop whining. They’ve tricked themselves into believing that whining about something is the same as doing something about it.
Let’s be clear: it isn’t.
I see this in every category, not just politics.
People love to complain about the food industry. I understand it. What I don’t understand is talking non-stop about these processed foods and then eating them all the time. You have the power to buy fruits, vegetables, and fish. I promise that when you do that, nobody from Big Food will jump out from behind the fish counter and beat you up.
They love to complain about how soft people are today. Then I look at their profile photo and realize the last time this person did a push-up was probably when Commando was in theaters. If you think people are soft, start by not being soft yourself. You have the power to do something hard and train every day.
This week, I want you to try something.
Whenever you start to complain, stop and ask yourself: what can I do about this?
It does not have to be something huge or world-changing. It can be anything that you can control.
Then do it.
I promise, even the smallest action will feel a hundred times better than your complaining.
People often ask how I am always so optimistic.
The reality is I just feel positive because I always know I do what I can. I don’t waste time complaining.
Do what you can, and you’ll find yourself feeling more and more positive.
If you need a little reminder to get through the week with no complaining, only action, just play this for yourself:
Health
This Is Your Body On Coffee
If you live on coffee, a new study suggests your favorite morning drink offers many health benefits — as long as you know when to cut yourself off.
Scientists found that drinking coffee leads to more daily steps, a little less sleep, and no harm to your heart.
Researchers explored the real-time effects of coffee consumption on health behaviors and heart function. Participants were randomly informed each day whether they should or shouldn’t drink coffee, and scientists tracked steps, sleep, and used heart monitors to detect abnormal rhythms like premature atrial contractions (PACs) and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). They also used geolocation and a custom app to verify coffee consumption on any given day.
Coffee drinkers took an average of 1,058 more steps per day when they drank coffee. But it came at a cost if they drank the coffee later in the day. Coffee drinkers slept 36 minutes less per night on average. But genetics might be the ultimate influence on sleep, as people with slower caffeine metabolism genes experienced even more pronounced reductions in sleep.
If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, consider cutting off caffeine by early afternoon, as caffeine will stay in your system for approximately 9 hours. If you stop drinking earlier in the day, you’re less likely to see any changes to your sleep.
Fortunately, there was no dangerous changes to heart health that are associated with serious arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation.
Not to mention, other studies appear to show that drinking 3 cups or more is also associated with reducing the likelihood of certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
Of course, if too much coffee makes you feel bad and jittery or causes an upset stomach or headaches, there’s no need to force the issue. Drink the amount that makes you feel best.
Fitness
Workout Of The Week
This week’s plan is all about intensity and focus. Each workout only includes two exercises. But when you combine the workouts, you end up with 8 exercises that build total body strength.
How It Works
You’re going to do two exercises each workout. You’ll do Day A, then Day B, take a rest, and then repeat. The idea is when you return to Day A and Day B for a second time, you’ll select two new movements.
Day A
Exercise 1: Pulling (rows, pullups)
Exercise 2: Pushing (chest press, shoulder press)
Day B
Exercise 1: Hinging (deadlift variations, swings, hip thrust, good mornings)
Exercise 2: Squatting (any type of squat or lunge)
You’ll do 2 to 3 work-up sets, and do perform:
Day 1: 4 sets of 4-6 reps per exercise
Day 2: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise
Day 3: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise
Day 4: 4 sets of 4-6 reps
On the lower reps, you’ll want to use heavier weights. On the higher reps, you’ll use a moderately challenging weight. No matter the rep range, the last 2-3 reps should be very challenging, with rep speed unintentionally slowing down.
So it might look like the following:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Use the sets and reps above, push yourself, and then call it a day. Each individual muscle might not feel overly fatigued — and that’s the point. You want to get stronger each workout.
Give it a try and start your week strong!
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
