The Blueprint

There's a plan for you

Reflecting

Your body was designed in a certain way.  God or evolution or some combo beyond my understanding made your jaw and your abs.  Look in the mirror — you should see them.  Does it look like the blueprint intended?  It makes sense to weigh your food or weigh yourself each day.  But you can get a quick approximation by just looking at the mirror to see if you need to bulk up or cut calories.  False precision isn’t necessary; if you can see a clearly defined jaw and abs then you’re probably about where you need to be in terms of overall calories.  Whenever I see someone who has accomplished a radical body recomposition and newly gotten really lean, my first thought is always “oh, so that is what they look like” – it is the natural state, the intention, the blueprint. It isn’t something new, it is the revelation of one’s true self. You were there the whole time, waiting to be revealed. 

Training

If you think lifting is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.

- Bret Contreras

Whiteboard: 3-6-9-12-15

• Deadlifts 275 lbs.

• Handstand push-ups

Cash Out: 50 Cal Row

Then run.  There is no such thing as bad weather, I remind myself this morning as I head out the door into a dark, windy 48 degree rain.

Everyone should have a training plan for May.  Additional evidence is overkill but a recent study showed intense exercise to be 1.5x better than medication or therapy for treating depression, stress, and anxiety.  Cheaper and more fun, too (that part is me, not the study).  It should be the first line treatment for all mental heath issues.  On average, the stronger you get, the less anxious you’ll become. 

If you want to tweak your plans, here’s something you can do with me.  I’m helping a friend micro dose fitness in May.  He’s at the very beginning of his fitness efforts. He doesn’t want to come to CrossFit.  He hasn’t been able to come over to workout that frequently.  So I thought about what the minimum effective dose might be, something quick and easy that could show some real results.  Our plan: 100 push-ups each day and 1 hour (2 minutes per day) of plank in May.  But 100% consistency and a daily email confirming that it was done.  If you don’t train, this is a start.  If you do train, it is a 5 minute daily addition that should show some gains by June.  Please let me know if you do it!

Fueling

Yak sirloin

It is getting weird.  Still prioritizing protein – meat, Greek yogurt, eggs, and whey.  But been branching out on meat, trying all kinds of things from Fossil Farms.  I’m eating plenty of my usual bison and elk but also their ostrich, kangaroo, and yak.  They were all successful.  Nothing transformative, just a bit of diversity (our strength, no?).

Supplementing

My doctor has me starting out on over the counter 500 mcg per day of BPC-157 peptides.  So far it appears to help me bounce back between workouts and joint pain in my knees and elbows has gone down.

Measuring

Measure whatever you care about.

Recovering

Sleep is the greatest legal performance enhancing drug.

- Dr. Matt Walker

Just getting plenty of sleep so I can recover between workouts.  This time of year it becomes crucial to have a good eye mask or blackout curtains to be able to sleep before the sun sets. 

Closing

Peter Attila had a short discussion on alcohol, vaping, and nicotine.

TL; DR: alcohol destroys sleep quality.  It is a drug and not a good one.  Just don’t.  Vaping isn’t worth the risks.  Nicotine isn’t the problem; the delivery mechanism is.  So, if you want it, just don’t smoke it.  A 2 mg lozenge is virtually harmless and certainly far safer than most alternatives. I skip it to avoid addiction, but it seems to help others focus especially with reading and writing.  And there are lots of worse ways to get dopamine hits including overeating, which has been the most common nicotine replacement.