My Remarkably Simple 4-Step Routine For Health & Longevity

This year, keep things simple.

I’ve never been a huge fan of overly optimized… well, anything.

The idea of forcing yourself to live a certain way feels constricting. And, frankly, takes the fun out of life. My strategy has always been to find habits that work for you, long-term.

The best habits are simple — not sexy.

Whether it be losing weight, increasing energy levels, or staving off disease to live longer, you are merely the sum of your daily habits.

So, here are the 4 basic principles I follow to get the most out of life. And, how you can too…

You’re (probably) overthinking things.

Health and wellness is a widely controversial topic.

Depending on who you listen to, you can receive drastically varying results. And, if you’re simply looking to become a little healthier, it can feel overwhelming.

It’s for this reason, I like to take everything I learn with a grain of salt. And, put it into practice before preaching judgment.

What works for you is what works. Period.

Although fitness gurus will preach the importance of binging protein and plunging into ice-cold water the second you wake up, if you don’t enjoy the process, you simply won’t practice it.

No matter how effective it is.

So, for starters:

• Stop thinking
• Start experimenting

I believe experimentation is the key to any healthy lifestyle. As you inevitably change with each new experience, so will your routine.

Health is holistic.

Years ago, I started seeing a naturopath to address my life-long struggle with energy and digestive issues.

She referred to herself as a ‘holistic doctor’ — which at the time, sounded pretty cool. Instead of receiving a diagnosis and going home with a bottle of antibiotics (like I was used to), we would sit, talk, and strategize baby steps to cure the root cause of my issues.

Fast-forward to today, and we’ve done just that.

And, my biggest takeaway from the experience has nothing to do with the health practices themselves. But rather how redundant the word ‘holistic’ is when describing health.

Because health is all-encompassing.

In life, everything is connected.

Every cell in your body (except your bones) regenerates every 7 years. This means, although the structure of who you are remains the same, you become an entirely new person every decade.

How you eat, sleep, think, and move all contribute to what you experience in life.

And in turn, who you become…

My complete 4-step health routine.

Throughout my life, I’ve been average at most things.

I was never a star athlete, valedictorian, and despite my hardest efforts, have never had an overly impressive physique.

When things don’t come easily, you’re forced to learn.

Be it health, nutrition, or exercise, nothing has come easy. And as a result, I’ve been forced to learn one step at a time.

Although my specific routine may not be right for you, I hope it acts as a foundation to help build your own…

1. Energy:

Until quite recently, I thought I was born with low energy.

I’d spend my weekends recharging from work. And, couldn’t understand how the rest of the world was able to do so much.

That is, until I realized how to organize my energy.

It really came down to 2 habits.

**In the spirit of simplicity, I will give you the summarized version, leaving links to more in-depth information at the bottom of each section.

The 90-Minute Rule:

Sleep is the single most underrated habit, in modern society. We preach the importance of doing more without focusing on the foundation of a happy, healthy, and productive mind.

A good night’s sleep.

One of the best habits I’ve adopted is what the internet’s top voice on anything productivity-related, Dr. Andrew Huberman, calls The 90 Minute Rule. Essentially, by utilizing the first and last 90 minutes of your day, you can drastically improve how you sleep, and with it, how much you can get done.

To keep things simple:

• Within 90 minutes of waking up, expose yourself to sunlight (or overhead lighting) to signal your body’s autonomic system — setting a natural timer for bedtime.
• 90 minutes before bed, dim the lights and avoid screen time to cue your body to wind down for bed

👉 Here’s a complete breakdown of The 90-Minute Rule.

Caffeine intake:

Perhaps the biggest sleep antagonist in our modern world is our obsession with caffeine.

Coffee is one of the most addictive drugs on Earth.

And, for good reason.

Since it has many positive benefits, most people won’t sacrifice it in the name of a good night’s sleep (myself included). So, I’ve learned to create a healthier balance by following a few guidelines:

• Waiting at least 90 minutes after waking up to consume it
• Taking intermittent breaks to let my adrenal glands reset
• Having my last cup 10–12 hours before bed

👉 Here’s how to create a healthier balance with coffee.

2. Eating:

Eating is very personal. So, I wouldn’t dream of telling you what foods to eat. But, I will share a simple way I’ve learned to control how much I eat.

Back in 2016, I discovered intermittent fasting along with the rest of the world. The philosophy behind fasting is that abstaining from food for long periods of time is a more natural way to eat.

And, that many modern-day diseases can be attributed to our bodies needing to constantly digest food. Long before we had supermarkets and food delivery, we needed to hunt or gather food. And, during these times of food abstinence, our bodies would engage in many healthy processes, such as:

• Cellular/genial repair
• Regulating blood sugar
• Fortifying immune function

On a micro-scale, not eating for 12+ hours can help regulate healthy hormones, improve focus, and increase energy levels. So, a life-changing habit for me is to engage in daily intermittent fasts of 16+ hours.

Being that I’m generally not hungry in the morning, I like to finish eating for the night at 8 PM, not eating again until 12 PM the next day. The first thing I consume is always bone broth — as it contributes to a healthy gut.

Food is addictive.

In addition to the health benefits of fasting, I’ve found it to be a more efficient way to eat. And, as your body gets used to not eating, you end up eating less — making losing or maintaining weight, much easier.

Fasting has not only helped me see food as fuel, as opposed to little hits of dopamine, but also understand how much of the food we eat… isn’t really food at all.

In the book Ultra-Processed People: Why We Can’t Stop Eating Food That Isn’t Food, Dr. Tulleken breaks down the modern myth of what most people consider clean eating.

How food companies strategically stretch the truth of food labels not only to save money but to keep us eating more. Even “health foods” are packed with preservatives and ultra-processed ingredients to keep us hungry — and coming back for more.

So, in addition to fasting, I’ve found hunger cravings can be drastically diminished by simply reading food labels and avoiding the following ingredients:

• Vegetable/seed oils
• “Natural” flavouring
• Anything “modified”, “enhanced”, or “enriched”

Basically, anything that masquerades as food… but isn’t really food.

👉 More information on fasting.

3. Exercising:

One of the biggest revelations I’ve had this year, is how much wasted effort I had been putting into my exercise routine.

Mike Mentzer is a 1970s bodybuilder whose philosophies have had a recent resurgence, decades after his passing. In particular, his focus on high-intensity training followed by intense periods of rest.

He recommends taking 4 full days off of heavy weight training to overcome plateaus and preaches the importance of not overtraining. In his Heavy Duty Training Program, he shares,

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking overtraining is merely wasted effort. No, it is much worse than that… It is exactly that which prevents you from growing.”

As someone who’s always struggled with injury and fatigue, I was instantly intrigued. And, since implementing his philosophies into my routine, I have seen not only an increase in performance but overall quality of life as well.

I can work out harder, don’t feel burnt out, and have been more consistent than ever. And, love the simplicity it provides.

My current schedule is a 5-day split:

• Day #1: Weights (full body)
• Day #2: Core/Mobility
• Day #3: Rest (I usually take a day off of coffee on this day too)
• Day #4: Endurance/cardio (I’ll usually go for a long hike)
• Day #5: Active Rest (stretching, walking, light mobility)

Then, rinse and repeat — taking 1 full week off every 3 months.

👉 More information on Mike Mentzer’s philosophies.

4. Effervescent skin/hair:

So, to be honest, I’m new to the idea of skincare. And, frankly, could have left this section out, entirely.

But, as I move further into my thirties, I’m becoming more motivated to maintain my youth. And, I’m excited to share what I’ve learned thus far.

Although admittedly vain, feeling good about how you look is an essential part of feeling good. And, keeps you motivated to continue making healthy habits.

So, here’s my current, all-natural, and inexpensive hair and skin routine…

Skin:

For starters, your skin is your body’s largest organ.

Just like your gut, your skin controls much more than we often think. It’s responsible for our hair, nails, sweat, and oil glands — all of which are controlled by our natural skin biome.

So, although it’s important to keep your skin clean, we often overdo it. It’s for this reason, I stopped shampooing my hair years ago. It’s all but cured my life-long struggle with dandruff and gives my scalp’s natural oils a chance to flourish.

Instead, I simply rinse my hair thoroughly with warm water.

Although I’ve heard the same theory can be applied to not showering at all, I’m still a little skeptical. Mainly, because body odour exists.

After showering, I use a variety of essential oils, including:

• Coconut oil (as an aftershave)
• Rosehip oil (as an anti-aging toner/moisturizer)

Hair:

In addition to not shampooing, I like to turn the water cold at the end of my showers, to lock in moisture and avoid drying out my hair.

Then, I apply more essential oils, including:

• Argan oil (to moisturize/protect my hair)
• Castor oil (as my primary hair styler)
• Coconut oil (in my beard)

For the rare social event, I’ll also style my hair with a DIY texturing powder made up of arrowroot and cocoa powder.

Like everything else you’ve read this far, hair and skin are a holistic endeavour. And, your diet and lifestyle have perhaps the biggest effect on how you age.

So, I try to live with low levels of stress, exercise frequently, drink plenty of water, and take supplements such as biotin and collagen — all of which contribute to healthy skin and hair.

👉 More information on cold/hot exposure.

Now, for the simple part.

I realize thus far, I’ve hammered you with a laundry list of information.

So, I feel it necessary to illustrate the “simplicity” of this routine. If you’re looking to become a little healthier this year, here’s my blueprint:

• Sleep better: Avoid caffeine for 90 minutes after waking up and stop consuming it 10–12 hours before bed.
• Eat better: Read labels and stick to real food. If your body enjoys fasting, fast.
• Exercise & rest more: Work hard. Then, rest hard. Daily walks and general movement work wonders for physical well-being and recovery.
• Live longer & look younger: Let your natural skin biome flourish, drink plenty of water, and de-stress your life.

Although simple, making healthy changes is often easier said than done. So, take baby steps, research, and most importantly, start experimenting.

To see what works for you…

Final thoughts: the magic word.

In life, everything is connected.

How you eat affects your exercise, which in turn, dictates your sleep, energy, mood, and how you perform in everyday life.

But, being that everything you do is personal, it all comes down to finding what works for you.

So, start experimenting.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to making healthy changes. And, what you believe today may be disproven in the future.

So, fall in love with the process. And finally, even if my specific routine doesn’t work for you, I hope it helps guide you in a happier, healthier direction.

Hi, I’m Hudson. I write about living healthier, happier, and more mindfully. To see my stories pop up on your feed, I’d love for you to follow me (Hudson Rennie). And, to have stories sent directly to you, subscribe to my newsletter.👇

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