A busy cardiologist and father of 3 shares his 4 simple habits for good heart health

• Dr., a cardiologist in Alaska. Jake Kelly has picked up a few heart-healthy habits over the years.

• As a busy dad to a 3-year-old, Kelly relies on morning exercises and small movements to stay active enough.

• He also eats mostly unprocessed foods and prioritizes his sleep for better cardiovascular health.

Cardiologist Dr. Jake Kelly didn’t always prioritize heart health.

Although he was raised to love sports like football and running, and was encouraged by his mother to stay active, these habits stopped when he started college.

“I found video games. I chose not to be active, other than walking to class,” Kelly, who lives in Alaska, told Business Insider. “I gained 30 pounds freshman year.”

After realizing how bad she felt about gaining weight, she did a “hard reset,” losing all the weight in three months and eventually becoming a college triathlete.

He began prioritizing more macronutrients in his diet, such as proteins and carbohydrates, and learned to change his diet. exercise routine She is at different stages of her life, from medical school to having three children who are now 10, 8, and 5 years old.

Kelly tries to pass on the same advice to her patients.

“Things that seem like small or bad habits add up over time,” he said. “It’s not that important in your 20s, but it starts to increase in your 30s.”

“And certainly in your 40s, 50s and 60s you now have the burden of bad habits that lead to poor health metrics.” cardiovascular diseasehe continued.

Kelly shared four habits she prioritizes for heart health, even in the midst of her busy work and parenting schedule.

Works first thing in the morning

Like many of her patients in their 30s and 40s, Kelly has to balance her routine with taking care of her family. “You don’t have time to do anything,” he said.

One of the big adjustments he made was working first thing morningas his wife does. “It only took him 15 years to transform me,” he said.

Kelly spends an hour in the morning cycling or running with the dog. He also tries to squeeze in two strength training sessions each week, usually about 20 minutes.

“I’m just protecting that time,” he said.

Short resets and a standing desk help him avoid being sedentary

In addition to her morning workouts, Kelly aims to get 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day with what she calls “exercise snacks.”

“Sitting is the new way of smoking; our smoking rates are very low, but we’re all extremely sedentary,” he said. major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

To combat this, aim for short resets throughout the day, like power walking in the office, taking a bathroom break, or doing 10 air squats. Breaks usually last no more than 15 minutes and aim to take a break approximately once an hour.

He is also himself kids keep him active. “They need to walk or run a mile, kick a football, ride a bike,” he said. “So now you get that extra exercise by moving around with your kids.”

Kelly also can’t sit for long periods of time due to proximal hamstring tendinopathy, a chronic overuse injury common in runners, and nerve compression syndrome, which causes sharp pain in the lower body.

he is using a standing desk He prefers to walk as much as possible and move as much as possible in between.

Follows a simple, heart-healthy diet

When it comes to diet, Kelly keeps things pretty simple.

“Everyone has protein, protein, protein right now,” he said.

But he thinks people should avoid glorifying or demonizing any type of food.

“I tell my patients: ‘Eat three meals a day, ideally with a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.’ We want all three macronutrients.”

Kelly’s breakfast usually consists of protein-packed, fat-free Greek yogurt, topped with mixed berries for fiber and extra nutrients. She adds ingredients like minimally processed Kashi cereal, chia seeds, and peanut butter for additional fiber, healthy fats, and protein. Sometimes he adds protein powder to stay full throughout the day.

His lunches consist of salads that he tosses with leftovers like chicken, tofu, roasted vegetables and grains with homemade olive oil and vinegar.

Evening meal focuses on protein. “We eat a lot of salmon and halibut here in Alaska,” Kelly said. It includes roasted vegetables and carbohydrates like quinoa and farro, which provide additional protein.

Snacks on strength training days are usually nuts, fruit, or Chomps meat sticks.

Kelly also likes to stop eating between 6 and 8 p.m. and give herself 10 to 12 hours of time. fasting period To aid digestion and reduce heartburn.

“I finish eating by 8 and try not to eat until the next day,” she said.

If he wakes up hungry, he eats an apple before training. “I just listen to my body,” she added.

fall asleep

Kelly tries to be as consistent as possible with her sleep routine, going to bed within the same 30-minute window every day.

“Sleep is the best performance enhancer available,” he said, as it helps the body repair tissue and clear brain toxins throughout the night. It also depends on something reduced risk cardiovascular disease.

He tries to stop eating a few hours before bed, stops drinking fluids two hours before bed to avoid waking up in the middle of the night, and stops using screens an hour before he goes to the sack.

“These kinds of resets prepare you for the next day,” he said.

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