My 3 non-negotiable health habits

Feel like you’re doing all the health things but still hitting that 3pm crash? 

Same. For years, I chased every gadget, trend, and supplement that promised more energy and better focus. But after a whole lot of trial and error (and more than a few raw sugar incidents — yes, really), I’ve finally landed on three simple health habits that actually work. 

In this mini episode, I share: 

• Why your Sunday sleep-in might be wrecking your Monday 

• The surprising psychology behind skipping workouts (on purpose!) 

• What 20–30g of protein per meal has to do with your blood sugar and focus 

• How to stick to health goals without falling into the “what the hell” trap 

If you’re done with overcomplicated routines and ready to build habits that are both science-backed and actually doable, this one’s for you. 

Key Quotes: 

“Varying your wake time is basically giving yourself mini jet lag every weekend.” 

“Planned flexibility helps you stay consistent — not the other way around.”  

“Protein is my secret weapon against blood glucose chaos.” 

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  

Get in touch at [e-mail]  

  

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
After years of being obsessed with health optimization and spending
far too much money on gadgets and supplements that promised
the world but delivered very little, I have narrowed down
just three non negotiable health habits that have genuinely transformed
my energy levels, my mood, and overall well being. These
aren't trendy wellness rituals that look good on Instagram but

(00:24):
do nothing for your body. These are science backed practices
that have made a huge difference in my daily life.
So today I want to share with you three simple
habits that I swear by and they are all very
easy to apply. Welcome to How I Work a show

(00:46):
about habits, rituals and strategies for optimizing your day. I'm
your host, doctor Amantha Imber. So let's get into my
three non negotiable health habits. The first one is having
a conceit distant wake time otherwise known as goodbye Monday
morning jet lag. So something I do religiously is I

(01:08):
wake at the same time every single day, even on weekends. Okay,
now I know what you're thinking, Amantha, those Sunday sleepins
and what dreams are made of? Okay. I used to
feel the exact same way until I learned about the
science behind consistent rise times. Here's the thing. Bearing your

(01:30):
wake time is basically giving yourself mini jet lag every
Monday morning. So if you typically wake at six am
on weekdays but sleep in until nine am or even
eight am on weekends, it's like flying from Melbourne to
New Zealand and back every single week. I mean no

(01:51):
wonder mondays can feel so brutal your body clock is
completely confused. When I interviewed Professor Eric Prather for my
book The Health Habit, he told me that getting up
at the same time every day is the number one
thing we can do for our sleep. It helps train
our circadian clock and sets in motion our homeostatic sleep drive,

(02:13):
which you can think of that as a balloon that
fills with sleepiness throughout the day. Since implementing this habit,
I fall asleep more easily, experience fewer night wakings, and
perhaps most importantly, don't start every week feeling like I've
just stepped off a long haul flight. Okay, let's move
into my second non negotiable health habit, which is daily exercise,

(02:39):
but with an important twist, I allow myself two hall
passes each week. So my routine includes four weight training
sessions where I'm now lifting weights that would have seemed
impossible to my teenage self, and I go for two
to three runs or more realistically slow jogs every week.

(03:01):
Let me tell you though about the Hall pass system,
because that has been a game changer. So research shows
that people who allow themselves occasional planned breaks actually exercise
more consistently than those who set rigid, unforgiving routines. I
learned this from Assistant Professor Marissa Shariff's research, which found

(03:23):
that participants with two Hall passes per week, in other words,
permission not to hit their daily step goal twice a week,
hit their step target forty percent more frequently than those
without this flexibility. This approach prevents what psychologists call the
what the hell effect, that moment when you miss one

(03:46):
workout and decide your entire exercise plan is ruined so
you might as well give up completely. Instead, I use
my hall passes strategically, and this flexibility has helped me
maintain my exercise habit for years, not just weeks. Alright.
Tip number three, My final non negotiable is including twenty

(04:09):
to thirty grams of protein with every meal. As someone
who once spiraled into a sugar fueled frenzy that culminated
in eating raw sugar straight from the container. Yes, true story.
You can read about it in the Health Habit, I
have learned that protein is my secret weapon against blood
sugar chaos. Professor Abby Ryan Smith explained this to me

(04:33):
that adequate protein helps keep us full, it stabilizes blood glucose,
and it prevents those midday slumps that have us reaching
for the biscuit tin. So by anchoring each meal with protein,
I experience fewer cravings, more sustained energy, and improved mental clarity.
It's not always easy, especially at breakfast when the world

(04:55):
wants to push cereal on you, but the payoff in
terms of stable mood, FOD and energy has been huge.
So these three habits now form the rock solid foundation
of my health routeam. They're simple enough to maintain long term,
but impactful enough to make a genuine difference. If you
like today's show, make sure you hit follow on your

(05:18):
podcast app to be alerted when new episodes drop. How
I Work was recorded on the traditional land of the
Warrangery people, part of the Cool and Nation. A big
thank you to Martinimber for doing the sound mix,