Health And Fitness Tips From Matthew McConaughey Are Exactly What You’d Expect

And everything you’d hope for

Matthew McConaughey is many things. Smooth, suave, and the dictionary definition of early 2000s cool.

If you’ve ever watched his movies, he normally plays the beach-dwelling bachelor with far-out philosophies on life.

Well, it turns out this character is not far off from the real thing.

In his book, “Greenlights”, Matthew breaks down many complexities into what he calls bumper stickers. Short, slick, bite-sized mantras.

Joe Buck, a famous sport announcer, recalls once speaking to Matthew regarding a botched hair plug treatment in which he temporarily lost his voice. Matthew summarized the situation by saying,

“So what you’re saying buckaroo, is you fixed your video but you screwed up your audio.”

Although this oversimplified nugget of knowledge surely didn’t help Joe with his hair troubles, it left a lasting impression. The perfect quality for remembering and actuating habits such as exercise and healthy eating.

Here are a few of Matthew’s philosophies (bumper stickers) on health and fitness that are sure to stick with you.

“Substitute the fork for chopsticks”

Translation: practice mindful eating

Eating slower is a powerful tool for losing and maintaining weight. Not only does it give your brain time to realize you’re full, but it aids in digestion as well.

James Nestor, in his book “Breath”, discusses the impact chewing has on our physical development. Chewing food helps us maintain bone density in our jaws yet most of us give food a mere chomp or two before swallowing.

Slowing down while eating causes you to chew more, eat less, absorb more nutrients from your food, and avoid digestive issues.

“Break a sweat every day”

Translation: Consistency over intensity

Babies can teach us a lot about life.

We must crawl before we can walk, and taking tiny steps in the right direction will bring you to your destination quicker than sprinting around aimlessly. When you fall, simply get back up and keep going.

Instead of killing yourself at the gym or feeling obligated to burn 1,000 calories in one go, just get your heart rate up as often as possible. Stretch a little when you wake up, take the stairs, and park a little further away.

If you haven’t gotten sweaty at the end of the day, flail your arms like a weirdo, dance, or cook yourself into a sweaty puddle. We are habitual creatures, and will naturally gravitate towards activities that make us feel good. Start small, stick with it, and get creative. Exercise can be fun and will snowball over time.

“Hold the fries, please —I’m on a diet”

Translation: speak your goals into existence

I’ll be honest, at times during Matthew’s breakdown of health and fitness I found myself questioning if we were the same species.

Matthew McConaughey’s regimen of “waking up, taking a deuce, getting a tan doing yoga, running a lot, drinking a lot of water, and dancing all night” produces movie star results for very few.

Like much of Matthew’s advice, it’s not about the words but rather the intent behind them.

Reinforcing habits, such as weight loss, requires making them a part of your identity. James Clear in his book, Atomic Habits, talks about becoming a habit. I am someone that does not eat fried food, for example.

Just like any goal, speaking your healthy habits into existence is a great way to hold yourself accountable.

Alright, alright, alright – let’s recap

In the later part of Matthew’s career, he has gone from flexing his beach muscles to legitimate acting chops. This is in no small part due to his commitment to his craft and many bumper stickers along the way.

The key to habits are to make them easy, obvious, and fun. Creating your own bumper stickers is a great way to do this.

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