Don’t Quit!

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

In the past, around the 3 month mark is where my energy (mental and physical) gives up.

But remember, I flipped the switch. This time is different. It feels different. It hits different.

I have a clear why: Marathon 2024. That’s all I want to focus on. And to achieve that, I need to reduce weight, improve my cardio vascular system, transform this body.

It’s a great journey. And it is my journey. The right number of people know. I have a good support system this time.

I love you man, you are great.

• Low cal
• High protein (protein first)
• Hydration
• Fasted high intensity stuff in the morning
• General NEAT
• Running

I reached a low of 276/277 in Q1. The biggest losses seemed to happen when the above formula was being adhered to.

I am going back to that cut approach. I want to sustain it for at least a month or two. Until April 26. We will do a cheat meal on that day.

Wednesday was crazy, man. For some reason, I got ridiculously stressed out. I acted crazy.

And then to chill out, I broke my sobriety. I walked into a bar and I ordered a Yuengling and a Macallan 12. I took two sips of that Macallan and I immediately chilled out. Fuck. It felt so good in that moment. It stopped me in my tracks, my mind slowed down, and I relaxed.

Then, I went and I got 4 slices of pizza. And they tasted amazing.

The next day, I had gone from 277 to 280.

On this day, it was still a bit high levels of stress. I didn’t drink alcohol, but I ate a lot of protein bars. And I slept very bad.

On the next day, I had gone from 280 to 282.

So, a 5 pound increase over two days.

This is how I ended Q1.

So, am I done with this bender? Yes. I am done with this bender. The new Q opens up new opportunities. New excitement. Renewed energy.

It will be interesting to see how those two cheat days impact me.

Anyway, the new Q starts with a new race this weekend. Excited to how things go!

Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety | Huberman Lab Podcast #10

• The system that governs stress is GENERIC. So its not overfit to specific situations.
• This is a GOOD thing. It’s hardwired biologically.
• System for STRESS and DESTRESS. They are genetically encoded. You can control it.

• Real time tools to push back against stress.
• If you understand the mechanism, you can understand the cheat sheet.

• STRESSORS vs. STRESS
• Stress is the response to Stressors.

• Sympathetic Chain Ganglia – starts from neck to the stomach. These are neurons.
• Generic stress communicator – physical or mental stressors.
• This chain becomes active.
• They release a chemical called ACETOCOLYN at various parts in the body.
• Actually, this chemical is used to move muscles and even focus in the brain.

• Epinepherine / Addrenaline is then released to various parts of the body.
• Two functions: Muscles of heart and legs get energy boost?
• It also acts on digestion, etc. and constricts them. So digestion slows down?

• Stress response is GENERIC and it tilts the body to say MORE YES to some things (legs, heart) and LESS YES to others (digestion)

Tools to reduce stress

• Real time reduction
• Brain to spinal chord

• Best tool: Physiological sigh – breathing
• exhale more than inhale (opposite is true for opposite purpose), gets rid of CO2.

• You don’t necessarily want HR to come down too soon.
• But this physiological sigh is pretty cool.

Length of stress

• Is stress bad? It’s nuanced.
• Short term stress can be beneficial by narrowing focus. Better cognition. Combat nutrition.
• Whim Hoff Breathing? Rapid Deliberate Breathing?

• Deliberate hyperventilation 25x will feel anxious. it’s a way to increase adrenaline.

Chronic stress is bad

• Chemical imbalances due to lack of deep social interactions
• Social connection, actual people, not apps / messages / calls – serotonin
• Sleeping but not necessarily alone – oxytocin
• Actual chemicals start getting produced in long periods of lack of connection – Tachykinin

Q1 was all about just getting used to running. And this helped for sure. But, now I will need more organization.

Here is what I am thinking. I will think later about how to incorporate it:

1. Use the Run Keeper app to continue doing intervals 3 times a week. Monday Wednesday Friday. I have 2 races in April but thats okay.
2. Setup the home gym for upper body weights. I need a bit of that for posture and general muscle promotion

Maybe if easier, I should join a gym for the weight lifting and maybe stair or something. I want to get my legs and cardio vascular system pumping.

Perhaps I can double stack intervals with a trip to the gym. I can make it a thing to just run in the park before going to the gym.

My weight loss slowed down a bit so I have been trying to cheat this weekend. let’s see how things are when I get back from this vacation.

Today I did something interesting. I went to a different city, stayed at a hotel, and ran the next morning.

This was a novel experience for me. I am the most familiar with my usual running route. And I like that route. I figured running on the road is worth trying.

It was interesting. I am not sure I am totally digging it yet, because I am still a beginner. But I can see the draw. The main issue was the unfamiliarity and not being directed. Also, random people in the way. There were not a lot of runners around – I didn’t want to be the only one.

I am okay about it but I won’t necessarily go seeking it, I don’t think.

But, good job. Super proud.

There is something about this combo that helps me out.

I should do a day with only these two things but keeping it low calories like 900 calories for the whole day.

Maybe this is a bad idea, lets see

VIDEO

• Cutting too many calories
• Cutting calories too early. Stay at a level for a while.
• Cut carbs first.
• Less muscle
• Regulation of energy

• You have to rev the metabolism up. By eating for a few weeks at maintenance.

When he is plateaued:

• Small increment changes!
• -100 calories or + 10 mins cardio.