Ray Knowledge is a magician on the camera, a beast on the microphone, and a monster in the weight room. It’s tough to be good at multiple things, but Ray is able to stay focused whether it’s visually, lyrically, or physically. It’s no doubt in part due to his discipline and lifestyle routine.

So we asked him for some pointers, and here’s what he said:

*Note: Ray Knowledge is not a physical fitness or wellness coach. What works for him, may not be best or work for you. If you are new to fitness, perhaps ask your doctor first.*

5 Health & Exercise Tips

Ray Knowledge

◦ Reduce your sugar intake – This helps with more than losing weight. Sugar leads to a lot of health issues. Reducing sugar will also help brain function, better sleep, mood, etc.

◦ Stop focusing on all these crazy fad diet plans – If you want to lose weight, you have to be in a caloric deficit. Dieting and working out aid in that process and is good, but being in a caloric deficit is the only way to lose weight. No matter how much you work out, if you eat more calories than burn, you will gain weight. Math is math, it’s simple. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you will see results.

◦ Don’t only do cardio – Cardio is great but alone it will not help you achieve the best results. Weight training and cardio together will help you achieve much greater results faster. Weight training also helps strengthen your joints which will allow you to extend the number of years you can run. I personally lift 4-5 days a week and get 3-4 days a week of cardio.

Ray Knowledge

◦ Stay away from too many greasy fried foods and too many carbs – A proper portion of carbs a day is good (it will help give you energy), but too much will not help you in the long run. Remember carbs turn to sugar. When overeating, it will be stored as fat. Greasy foods and too many carbs will cause you to feel tired and sluggish.

◦ Try working out in the mornings before you eat – If you have to eat something before, make sure it’s light and nutritious, or work out a few hours after you eat. Your body will perform much better on an empty stomach. Also, the calories that you burn will burn from the fat that is stored in your body instead of the food you have eaten. I personally start my day off with water and vitamins…Maybe a coffee. Then I go straight to the gym. After I work out, I eat a high-protein breakfast or lunch depending on the time of day. Also working out at the beginning of your day will get your body in a position to burn calories all day and you are more likely to eat healthier.