Not Weak or Weary

Turning tables on my friend Chris Irons

May 24, 2023

*I try to never say "no" to a workout, any day, ever.*

Chris, I’ve long admired you, enjoyed your writing, and profited from your investing ideas. Your Quoth the Raven is a must follow on Twitter and Substack and it was kind of you to include me in a recent post. There is no one I’d prefer to have by my side in a trade, on a run, or in a fight, so over to Chris Irons AKA Quoth the Raven:

Reflecting

For me, fitness is a part of my lifestyle. It's only after a workout that I can truly breathe, enjoy my day, feel accomplished and ready to take on the rest of the world. It's way more mental than physical in terms of both performance and benefit. You can do what you think you can't, you just have to believe you can. The post-workout high, and corresponding exhaustion is a feeling I'll chase my entire life.

Training

For me it's usually running or jiu jitsu, 6 or 7 days a week. Some days I do both. Some days I box or kickbox. Right now I run about 20 to 40 miles a week - avg. run is 6, long runs are 10-11, run on a day when I'm training jiu jitsu is usually 5. I also walk 3-5 mile a day. I average about 20,000 steps per day. I'm constantly training to be in "ready" shape, though I compete in local BJJ tournaments at least 1-2 times a year and generally run 2-3 road races a year (5 mile, 10K, 5K, etc.). So I just try to stay sharp.

Fueling

I work out fasted almost always and never eat before 12. Only black coffee from 5 to 12. Then my own recipe for quinoa based salad: cook a ton of quinoa (boil), strain and empty into a massive salad bowl. Then add neatly on top cut green apples (granny smith), feta, onion, any protein you want (I use tofu a lot), walnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, avocado all on top of the quinoa while it’s still warm from boiling. Then use Ken's Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing. It's incredible.

Supplementing

I take a daily multivitamin, milk thistle (because I like a drink) and turmeric to help with inflammation. Some days I miss taking them and I don't notice or mind. Generally that's my every day routine. Sometimes I'll take B12 also because I tend to eat vegetarian or vegan when possible.

Measuring

Mostly I concern myself with just weight. My vitals have generally been okay so weight is my main concern, trying to stay light. Everything is easier when you're lighter. I have calorie counted for two and a half years non-stop and can manage my weight well that way. I also like the freedom it gives me to eat more of whatever I want, and how I know if I’ll gain or lose weight based on my intake for the week. I start with a bank of 1,900 calories a day then adjust for workouts. Usually I wind up at 2,600ish calories per day I can consume and, knowing that my baseline 1,900 is for losing 1.5 pounds a week, I generally compromise and finish the day 300-400 cals over my goal. It’s akin to setting your watch ahead so you're not late. But it’s a system that works for me. My heaviest was 210 a couple years ago. I'm 192 and like to compete at 185.

Recovering

Recovery is a huge deal. Instead of taking days off I will run a very slow pace, running for recovery, usually close to 930 a mile. For me part of it is to stay moving, to be honest. I also try to get a professional sports massage at least once a week because I don't ever stop working out. I don't stretch as much as I should, so I'm constantly fighting off the extra work that causes me. Usually on runs my first mile is my stretch, I'll go out really slow. I try to stay warm all day too. I don't take a phone call, ever, without going for a walk. Those miles keep me warm and add up in terms of burning calories. I love that the Apple Watch ultra counts those calories for me automatically in a daily running tally. In BJJ, we kinda stretch to start but I never do enough. To sleep I eat one half of a 5mg indica THC gummy about 1.5 hours before bed and I get great sleep.

Mentoring

You can't be forced into it. I never understood running until one day I went out really slowly and it caught on with me. My dad is a runner and always tried to get me into it but it had to "click" with me to "get it". Now I can't take a day without getting the workout bug off my back. You have to know the reward...health, mental health, endorphins, feeling of accomplishment, is going to be worth the work. But you can't teach people that -- they have to learn it from doing. I’m already visualizing my miles for today as I'm writing this.

Promoting

I don't want to promote. In the words of Ivan Drago, "I fight for me! For me!"

In that case I, Chris (DeMuth), suggest that everyone checks out his QTR’s Fringe Finance which is mostly finance but this post goes into health and fitness too.

Closing

Two truths and a lie about QTR (in order created by a random sequence generator):

I came in 1st overall in the last 5K I ran.
I can’t do one pull-up.
My longest run ever was 15 miles.

Comment if you can spot the lie.

Thank you, Chris, for taking the time to discuss fitness. Have a great run today!