Real health isn’t just workouts
How Josh Clamp - a Registered Nutritionist, Men’s Health Specialist & Ultramarathon Runner - Puts this advice into action.
First things first – I know I can’t do it all. I know it's never going to be perfect. I know I’ll have good days and bad days. Expecting everything to go smoothly or assuming progress is a straight line only sets me up for disappointment.
So instead of chasing perfection, I make a plan. Here is how I set up my week:
- Sleep is my non-negotiable: For focus, mood, strength, endurance - quality sleep underpins it all. I aim for 7–8 hours a night. To make that happen, I set a reminder to step away from screens, work emails, and social media at least an hour before bed.
- Meal prepping to avoid the takeaway trap: I map out my breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the week ahead so I know exactly what to buy or prep in advance. This means I’m much less likely to get home from work tired and order yet another takeaway.
- Eating for energy: I prioritise breakfasts that fill me up until lunch, lunches that keep me energised throughout the afternoon, a small healthy snack for a late-afternoon boost, and a hearty, high-protein dinner - leaving at least two hours to digest before sleep.
- Scheduling movement: I plan what exercise I’m going to do and when. I aim for a minimum of 150 minutes across the week. This includes general low-intensity activity, cardiovascular training to support my heart and lungs, and resistance training to keep my muscles and bones strong.
- Booking in R&R: I even schedule time for a bit of downtime, whether that’s meeting up with friends and family or just getting some much-needed "me-time."
Once the plan is set, I press play on the week.
Most of the time, things go smoothly. When they do, I look for 1% improvements at the end of the week - like pushing my runs to be a little faster or adding an extra portion of veg to my lunch.
And if things go wrong? If a stressful work day, a last-minute birthday event, or bad news knocks me off track - meaning I miss a run, have a late night, or order an XL pizza - I just let it happen. I don’t beat myself up. I simply bring myself back to centre the next day, or whenever I’m ready.
Then, I rinse and repeat the process, learning what works for me each time while building momentum and confidence week by week.
Find out more about Josh
Josh Clamp
Fitness & Nutrition
Josh Clamp is a Registered Nutritionist (MSc), ultra-endurance runner, and men’s health advocate who believes better health is built through consistency, not perfection. With a BSc in Medical Physiology and an MSc in Human Nutrition, Josh runs his own performance consultancy, The Men’s Health Nutritionist, working across 1:1 coaching, group programmes, and corporate partnerships. He supports men - and the organisations that employ them - to optimise health, wellbeing, and performance through evidence-based nutrition, lifestyle coaching, and practical behaviour change. Josh’s work is driven by a desire to improve health outcomes in male-dominated industries, where long hours, pressure, and “just crack on” cultures often come at a cost.
