I did it last year, 2,000 pushups in February, and Iāve started it again this year. Itās not hard, but itās a commitment. Itās a little challenge thatās fun to do with friends. And thereās a pretty good sense of accomplishment when itās all done.
Iāve got my weight vest on. However, I donāt want to get on the treadmill, which is why Iām wearing the vest. I want to crawl under my blankets and not think about having to shovel the driveway later.
But yesterday was a rest day and I refuse to be someone who misses two days in a row. My habit of regular exercise is part of my identity. Am I motivated right now? Hell no! Am I going to work out immediately after writing this? Absolutely!
Make your habits about who you are and not what you doā¦ and you donāt need motivationā¦ you just get it done.
Recently Iāve seen a few social media posts from a guy who has been working out for 11 years. I donāt follow him and canāt remember his name right now but basically he is in decent shape but not super muscular. He also shared the image in poor lighting that didnāt highlight his muscles like you see most fitness influencers do.
He got ridiculed. Most comments were all about how he should look a lot bigger after all that time. But the good news is that a lot of healthy, fit, natural body builders came to his defence.
People have a false sense of what it means to be fit because the people they see on social media are jacked up and have rather unrealistic physiques that are too hard to maintain. Some use steroids to enhance their growth. Others have chiseled abs, and that involves not just physical training but a very strict diet. And of course they only take photos in the best light after doing a āpumpā to maximize their size.
Hereās the reality: adding just 10 pounds of muscle is hard work! Adding 10 more after gaining your first 10 is significantly harder.
Six years ago I was overweight and started a fitness journey that Iām still on. It took me a year to lose just over 25 pounds. I did this with regular cardio, weights, and reducing my snacking using intermittent fasting, (basically, no snacking food from dinner to a late breakfast 5 days a week). I accomplished this in one year, then it took me 5 years to build my weight back up with 13-14 pounds of good weight. Thatās right, my gains average are less than 3 pounds a yearā¦ and Iām thrilled with my progress.
Gaining muscle is hard. Unless you take the route of unhealthy supplements like steroids, you arenāt going to bulk up any time soon. Will you see results from your hard work? Yes. Will that mean that you get a lot stronger? Yes. Will you see a massive difference in the size of your muscles? Probably not without considerable effort over a long period of time.
Being fit doesnāt mean that your body looks like a body builder. It doesnāt mean that you walk around with six -pack abs. It does likely mean that you are feeling better and stronger than you were a year ago. It does mean that you are making small gains that you might notice even if others donāt.
Donāt buy into the delusions of ideal fitness that influencers share on social media. They arenāt sharing the sacrifices they make to look like they do. They are sharing month old images of when they were jacked up for a competition because they canāt maintain that look day to dayā¦ or they are making unrealistic dietary or lifestyle sacrifices to keep looking that way, so that they can sell you their program, or suppliments.
Find a way to make fitness part of your life, so that your quality of life can be better in the years to come. Thatās it, thatās all. And once youāve figured that out, appreciate all the small gains, because realistically thatās all youāll see, small gains over timeā¦ and thatās a good thing no matter what the bulked up and juiced up influencers say.
Iāve been on a bit of a health journey since 2019. I consistently exercising, I eat very little sugary foods, and for the most part eat quite healthily. Yet from 2019 to 2024 my cholesterol has gone from not great to bad, and Iāve watched my blood pressure move from optimum to the top end of normal, which is a big jump in just a few years.
When my cholesterol got worse between my 2022 and early 2024 test results, my doctor, not knowing the extent of my healthy routines, suggested I watch my diet for a few months and test again. I booked another appointment with her. I explained that I could definitely increase my fibre intake, but that cholesterol was a genetic issue on both sides of my family.
I shared that my momās dad died too early due to cholesterol issues. My mom has been on statins for 17 years, and my dadās brother is 20 years older than me and was put on statins 20 years ago. Basically requested to be put on statins. Her immediate response was why I value her as a doctor. She said that she would rather that I consulted a cardiovascular specialist first, and set up an appointment.
That was great until, still waiting for my appointment 2 months later, I learned that I was declined an appointment. It seems that being on the cusp of unhealthy, (based on norms of people far less healthy than I am), I am not critical enough to get a specialist appointment. As a bit of a rant, do I really need to have a heart episode or stroke before I fix my cholesterol issue? I think thatās the sign of a broken medical system. So, with this news, my doctor said she would put me on statins and we could retest my bloodwork after 6 months.
It has been just over 7 months on medication and I just got my bloodwork results. The results are shockingly good. I assumed they would be better than they were on my last test because during the past few months Iāve seen my blood pressure drop into the low range of normal, almost back to optimal. But to see such a large drop in my cholesterol in only 7 months definitely shows the medication is working.
I can control a lot of my heatlh with exercise and healthy eating, but the reality is that cholesterol is mostly genetic, and when it comes to cholesterol, Iāve got bad genes on both sides of the family. I chose to take statins under doctor supervision, and I did my own research too.
In all honesty, I was not expecting such positive results. A previous blood tests showed that I have high lipoprotein (a) which is a bad combination to have with high cholesterol because this protein likes to hold onto the bad LDL cholesterol. And new research shows that statins are less likely to show success in people with high lipoprotein (a). But my test results speak for themselves.
So now Iām probably going to be on statins for the rest of my life. And frankly Iām quite happy about that. Itās working for my mom, and my uncle, and itās fixing something that I donāt have the power to fix with my lifestyle. I wonāt pretend that Iāve noticed any physical or health changes in the last few months. In reality I feel the same as I did before I started medication. But internally my body is dealing with a lot less stress. My heart doesnāt need to pump as hard, and Iām probably having a lot less plaque build up in my veins.
Itās wonderful to see such positive results. And on that note, itās time to get on the treadmillā¦ Iām not staying healthy by medication alone, Iām also sticking to a healthy routine. I like to joke that I plan to die healthy. And while I hope that wonāt happen for many years to come, I plan on being active, mobile, and fit when my time comes. To paraphrase Dr. Peter Attia, I want a good healthspan, not just lifespan. For me that means taking statins as well as exercising and maintaining a healthy diet.
Itās fascinating how much of weight training is mental. Iām simultaneously an athlete who can push my body to a level that surprises me, and the loafer who canāt eke out one more rep despite still having gas left in my gas tank. One minute Iām forcing myself to get one more weighted pull-up done, straining with everything Iāve got to get my head above the bar. A few minutes later Iām quitting on weighted step-ups, because mentally, rather than physically, Iām done.
What Iāve mastered is showing up. What Iām working on now is maximizing my gains. That doesnāt mean being stupid, lifting too heavy, and hurting myself. What it does mean is making my sets count. Making my reps count. Making my workouts efficient and effective.
How does this look when Iāve mentally quit on a set too soon? Maybe it means a 4th set. Maybe it means a lighter weight and more reps. Maybe it means giving myself permission to let that one set go and come back stronger the next setā¦ or if need be the next workout. Awareness is the first step. The next step is being intentional about what I do next.
If Iām going to see the gains I plan to have in the next year, Iāve got to push a little harder than I have been. Pushing in a smart way is going to get me to my goalsā¦ injury free.
It started January 1st, 2019. I was almost 30 pounds overweight and I decided that Iād had enough of working out, getting busy and lazy and not working out, and yo-yo-ing between these two statesā¦ while progressively getting further out of shape.
In my 1 year video reflection, back in late December 2019, I was able to share that Iād basically lost the 30 pounds and was back on track for staying healthy. Now, years later, Iāve put back on about 12 pounds, but a completely healthy 12 pounds. Iāve added almost an inch to my biceps, I have great definition on my (still skinny) legs, and my shoulders/traps are probably where I see my biggest gains.
Here are my key stats this year:
Workouts – defined as a minimum of 20 minutes cardio and some weights (unless itās a Coquitlam Crunch day when I donāt usually go weights).
Meditation – At least 10 minutes, usually 15 or 20 minutes guided meditation on the Balance App.
Daily-Ink – Daily writing on this blog.
Writing/Creating – Intended to be for writing beyond my blog regularly but mostly just tracking conversations with my uncle.
Workouts: 326 days or 89%
Meditation: 313 days or 85%
Daily-Ink: 366 days or 100%
Writing/Creating: 53 days or 14.5%
Reflections:
Workouts: Iām actually setting a goal to work out less in 2025. Iāve made some good gains and think they can be better if I gave myself more rest. This is especially true for my legs. I think working out cardio 10-12+ days in a row is limiting my leg recovery time needed to see them grow a bit more. Lack of rest might be why my legs are a lot stronger but still skinny. For upper body, many of my workouts are just a single muscle focus, and so I usually get enough rest between hard sets for specific muscle groups.
Meditation: These could have been qualitatively better this year. Itās not an issue of volume but definitely one fit quality. In 2024 I found that writing was taking me a bit longer in the morning, and so a lot of times I ended up doing a walking meditation on the treadmill to make up the time. That said Iām not convinced that those meditations were necessarily moving me towards my meditation goals as much as dedicated time would.
Daily-Ink: Iāll keep my blog going another year. And while Iāve basically maintained daily writing for 5 and a half years, I still want to track it.
Writing/Creativity: The largest area for growth is in being creative. Iām going to do a couple things to improve this. First, I wonāt be counting conversations with my uncle, even when we are recording them. What I will count is video editing of the videos he and I record, as well as writing not related to by blog. A goal related to this is less social media time… Reducing distractions and focusing on creativity. My writing/creativity goal will be a minimum of two days per week, 104 days a year, or basically doubling last yearās total while not counting the vast majority of days I would have tracked last year. I wonāt meet my uncle less often, I just wonāt be counting these Zoom visits as part of my creativity goal.
Ultimately I want to see two outcomes this year that will result from my tracking above:
Finally, one more goal unrelated to my tracking will be a reading goal. Watching that December 2018 reflection video again I was shocked that I listened to 26 books that year. I think this yearās count was 6, with 3 partial reads to finish, although I did listen to a lot more podcasts. I want to improve my book count. I think this will also help with my creativity.
One final reflection: Overall Iām pretty damn proud of my 2024 stats above. Yes I have some ambitious goals ahead of me, and Iām always pushing to improveā¦ but that doesnāt take away from the fact that Iāve been on a 6 year journey from an overweight and unhealthy 51 year old to a 57 year old who hasnāt been this healthy and strong since I was an athlete in my 20ās.
My ultimate goal is a great healthspan to go with my lifespan. I want to be able to do things in 20 years that most 77 year olds canāt imagine doing. I want to be hiking, traveling, and living a vibrant, healthy life well into my senior years. I think Iām on the right path.
Iāve had adjustable weights for over 15 years and I have been using them extremely consistently for the past 6. Those weights can adjust from 5 to 50 lbs, in 5 lb increments, with the twist of the handle. Yesterday I got my new updated weights. These require twisting a dial on each side of the dumbbell, but they can adjust from 10 to 90 lbs, in 5 lb increments.
The reality is that Iām not going to be using the full 90lbs much, but Iām excited to be able to extend my home workouts beyond a 50 lb limit. To be able to have access to such a variety of weights in my tiny home gym is amazing. I know that Iām going to see some positive gains.
The one challenge is not getting too excited about the new weight possibilities, and pushing myself too hard. I donāt have anything to prove to anyone, and I think Iāve matured in my thinking enough not to try something stupid and hurt myself. Now I just need to prove this rather than just saying it.
A little nerdy workout reflection:
When I walk on a treadmill I usually go at 4 to 4.2 MPH, (I donāt bother clicking to km, miles is the default on my treadmill). For the past couple months Iāve been walking at 3.8 with a 34lb weight vest, and increasing the incline. But every time I increase to 7.5 or higher, I end up holding the handrails for most of the time Iām on those increased inclines.
Today I forgot to increase my speed from my 2 minute warmup at 3.6 and was able to do most of my walk at a 7.5Ā° incline. I also did 4 minutes at 12.5Ā°, but did hold the handrails then (actually the front rail so Iām not pushing down as much as levelling myself). Still the increase in my ability to maintain the 7.5 incline, for most of the 30 minute workout, and mostly without assistance, was impressive after feeling stuck trying to do this for so long.
Iāll do this a few more times then try at 3.7, then shortly after back to 3.8 MPH. But thatās still to come. For right now I am just surprised that this little adjustment made such a difference. Itās so important to mix things up a bit when you want to see gains in workouts.
Iāve been on a really positive tear recently in the gym. Both my cardio and weight training has seen positive gains.
And today I rest.
This has been an amazing year for consistency of workouts. Most weeks have been 6 or 7 days of working out at some levelā¦ 20-30 minutes of cardio, 5 minutes stretching, and then working a single muscle to fatigue. Or the 50+ minute Coquitlam Crunch walk, or a workout with my buddy at his gym.
Sometimes this year Iāve had weeks where I really didnāt take a break. Thatās not hard to do when Iām only working one muscle strenuously besides doing my cardio. I can give my muscles a full rest before pushing them again, without having to take a day off. But my cardio always involves legs and when they get tight, my back gets tight.
This morning my body is telling me to take a break. Iām about to meditate and do a longer than usual stretch, and thatās it. Itās weird, I know how important rest is, but I usually plan my rest days before I get up in the morning and I canāt help but feel a little guilty skipping my workout today.
Itās a mental game I play with myself. Itās a fear of developing a bad pattern, of breaking the habit. So rather than just feeling good about my rest day, I sit with slightly guilty pangs. This is silly, of course, since what Iām doing is listening to my body. But part of me fears that an unplanned rest day like this is an excuse to have another one soon.
I should see my rest metaphorically as the space between musical notes, as the gaps that make the music. But instead I see my rest as a sign that Iām slipping, that my age is showing, that Iām getting soft. Iām not sure why I do this to myself? Itās a head game of rationalizations, rather than just letting go and enjoying the break. But maybe itās also that I truly enjoy the way working out makes me feel, the sense of accomplishment before I even leave the house.
Still, I need to listen to my body, take the rest dayā¦ and feel good about it!
My Grandfather liked using the saying, āKill a snake when itās small.ā Heād walk into your house and notice a loose tile, or drawer that didnāt fully close, or some other minor issue, and the next day heād arrive with his tools and it would be fixed.
Deal with it while itās a small issue. This is a great strategy, but one thatās often ignored in the world of health and fitness. Maybe āignoredā is too harsh of a word, itās more like not taken seriously enoughā¦ the small snakes are not payed attention to until they get quite a bit bigger.
Sore shoulder? It doesnāt hurt too much, Iāll just keep doing what Iām doing and stop later if it really hurts.
Hernia pain is back? I donāt need to go to the doctor, Iāll just monitor it for a bit and see if it goes away.
10 pounds overweight? Iāll watch my diet for a week before I go back to my normal routine.
Too busy to work out? Iāll just work out more when things calm down.
We ignore pain until itās too painful to ignore. We watch our weight when itās already a big problem. We give ourselves a pass on taking care of ourselves when we are busy, only to be busy more and more frequently. We ignore the small snakes, and wait for them to be bigger than we ever hoped theyād get.
The snakes we ignore come back to bite us.
