Be the Total Guy!

Be the Total Guy!

Men's Health Magazine partnered with Total cereal to find the "Total Guy" and five simple healthy lifestyle tips

From the LifeMInute team

Listen up guys! Amid hectic schedules, business trips, social outings and family events, how do you keep your health and fitness goals in check?

Men's Health contributor and wellness coach David Jack shares five easy tips to incorporate into your everyday routines.

1. Know your Nutrients

For starters, "You need to know the necessary vitamins and nutrients for your body." Most guys miss the mark on vitamin D, potassium, and magnesium he says.

Vitamin D Fact: 96% of American adults age 19 to 50 years are not meeting the vitamin D recommendations. Load up on "milk and fortified cereals, Total Cereal for example, is a great option if you're looking for a fortified cereal made with 100% whole grain flakes. It has 25% of your daily value of vitamin D per serving and 100% of the daily value of 12 other vitamins and minerals."

Magnesium "Magnesium helps the body produce energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats, and is necessary for all muscular activity and also helping to build strong bones and teeth." To help meet the 400 mg daily value munch on some spinach, whole grains and nuts such as cashews and almonds.

2. Optimize your Workout

Staying active is a must, even if its just 20 minutes a day.

Tip? "Make exercise fun. Do things you love to do like hiking, biking, basketball, or running trails," he says.

3. Keep Hydrated

"Water is best," says David, However, if you're tempted by sugary drinks and soda try sipping on coconut water. ZICO, (a great post workout drink) has a good balance of electrolytes and a light load of carbs for energy and it has potassium.

Another option is to add Nuun tabs to your water. They come in cool drop-and-dissolve tablets that deliver a strong dose of electrolytes. Plus they're low in calories (only 3 to be exact!).

4. Carry Good Snacks

To stay on the right track no matter where the day takes you "pack a snack,". He recommends ALWAYS having something healthy handy such as whole grain cereal, fruit or a nutrition bar to avoid hitting the vending machine.

5. Quality Sleep

"Sleep is key," says David. If you are having trouble catching those 8 hours try a Sound + Sleep Machine, it helps synchronize brain waves, making it easier to get better sleep.

And make sure the room is dark. If you like a little light, "go red!" says David, "the red light is least likely to suppress sleep-initiating melatonin which helps you sleep."

Still don't think it's possible to balance it all? Check out Men's Health Mag for more on how to be the "Total Guy" MensHealth.com/TotalGuy.

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