Lifestyle Checklist: Getting The Rust Off

Eric Cressey

September/October 2007

Recently, I put something I call the “lifestyle checklist” in place with a few of my young athletes. In a nutshell, it’s a simple checklist used to keep them accountable to something with respect to their nutrition, sleep, and off-day exercise habits.

Sports nutrition expert Dr. John Berardi is an advocate of the 90% rule – which states that if you are on-point with 90% of your meals, you’re in good standing from a physique and health standpoint. I’ve simply applied that principle to my athletes’ weekly checklists – and you can easily do it with your family meals.

We select seven habits we want to prioritize, factor in the seven days a week (49 total boxes to check), and aim for them to earn checks in at least 44 of those boxes.

Here’s what a sample might look like:

1. Eat three main meals and 2-3 snacks per day.
2. Eat protein at each meal.
3. Incorporate some sort of planned exercise during the day.
4. Eat at least five servings of fruits and/or vegetables.
5. Avoid fast food altogether.
6. Sit down as a family for dinner at night.
7. Avoid calories from drinks (a great way kick soda and Gatorade habits).

After three weeks at or above 90%, we’ll move to seven new habits.

(Dr. Gwenn's Comment: Eric's plan is so simple kids of all ages can follow it. The planned exercise can be viewed as "exercise time" and let your kids have their choice of what to do. The family meal may be the one you have the toughest time with as school schedules get more crazy but this is the one that will benefit your kids the most. If night time doesn't work - make it a family breakfast or family dessert when parents are all home from work - just have the dessert be fruit or a low fat treat!)

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