Toe touching

I have rarely ever been able to touch my toes. I have done it very few times without bending my knees over my entire life. After two-three months of stretching everyday, I am finally able to touch my toes.

Pretty exciting!

I'll keep stretching. I think most of my problems before was not realizing that more of the stretch is in the lower back than it is in the hamstrings. It is similar to another problem I had once.

Before I joined the US Army, about six months before, I was unable to perform a perfect form push-up. I just never realized how to do it and how to bend the right ways in my arms.

Of course, the Army made me do lots of push-ups. I can now do a good amount even though I gained a good bit of weight. I am working on losing it, but it can be slow.

Squatting is another big project of mine. I had trouble staying in a cross-fit program due to lack of being able to squat with perfect form. I'll start working on that next.

Getting stuff done

I have been getting a lot done.

I have been counting calories to stay around 1800. I have been drinking 166 or more ounces of water per day. My dissertation is sitting at my proposal stage and I have a population and sample lined up. I stretch and am getting really good at remembering my medicines.

I am looking forward to the next couple of iterations with my dissertation proposal. I think it will be accepted soon.

As for weight loss, there is probably minimal of that yet. I will get to it. My main goal isn't to look better or anything but deal with a fatty liver issue.

I have read probably 50 books over the last month. This would be bigger but I have been somewhat scattered, as two weeks ago I was dog sitting and house sitting.

I have been contemplating a single question: If my life were ideal, what would I do? Obviously, this leaves a few steps in between, but I should start figuring out those steps soon.

Goals and targets

I picked up SUCCESS Magazine with the Jocko Willink cover today. I was excited about it. I know there are some errors, that Jocko has worked on fixing. I am looking forward to reading it. 

The primary thing is to stay disciplined. I am waiting on my dissertation, but during the meantime getting a lot of reading done. Reading is the primary way I stay on top of what is happening and generate ideas. 

I am having a little trouble with my prospectus and its approval. This is a subjective struggle, where I pleased the chairman of my committee while not pleasing my methodologist. I have to please the methodologist to get the chair in line. Approval will follow.

The secondary thing is to branch out into my self-quantification. I am counting ounces of water I drink. I am also counting calories right now. I want to start journaling a minimal amount every morning. 

So, if you are having trouble meeting your goals, set little goals that target all the others.

Not an aviator

I am not an airplane aficionado. Yet, something has my attention reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. It came to me somewhat by insight, and I am not sure it is true. Yet, it probably is.

WWI and WWII aviation probably allowed airplanes to become safer than they would be without WWI and WWII. Obviously, the wars were horrible. But without the many unsafe training flights and combat flights of the World Wars, we might not be able to fly safely today.

The military is constantly in forms of social experimentation. It allowed integrated military units before the nation integrated. It recently allowed transgendered people in, yet with some heavy stipulations.

The military may have allowed airlines to become safer than car travel. I know that plane crashes receive lots of TV coverage, but it is still safer than car travel I understand. I still cringe during takeoff and turbulence. And landing. Maybe, especially landing.

On other news, even though I have diverted from my diet, I am still 258 lbs. as of this morning. I think I can be satisfied with that.

Falling behind

I am busy preparing for an upcoming doctoral residency. I'll still try to post, but it has been hard to keep up like I had before.

There is a lot of editing to do. It is harder to find time to cook, so I am at the point of quickly grabbing a meal and then back to work. Keeping on track has been difficult.

I am not sure what is different except for mindset. I need to think tougher.

One book that is relevant to that which I have not read in a while is Mike Cernovich's Gorilla Mindset.

I need to read it again. It is not Kindle Unlimited eligible.

What are some strategies you readers use to or books you read to get motivated?

I guess, besides diet, productivity is at an all time high for me.

End of week recap

So, I am not down to 255 from 269 a month ago. I am keeping a record in my fitbook lite.


Drinking eight glasses of water is easy. Just pick up some cheap flavor enhancers. I like the Kool-aid Brand.
Kool-Aid, Liquid Drink Mix, Grape, 1.62oz Container (Pack of 4)

I have had good improvements on the blog and posted 4x/week.

How are you improving?

I can keep adding on because of my willpower. Fourteen pounds is just a start.

Cheers.

Results arriving from habits

So, I started a program of ditching donuts, and using my Fitlosophy Fitbook Lite 6-Week Weight-Loss Journal on April 4th. Today is the 25th, and I am down 14 lbs.

It has been hard work. I even pushed down to 1400 calories a day. This was part of an effort to combat fatty liver. The GI doctor either hates me or loves me.

I am not sure, but I think I can get much lower. I will keep working towards 1400 calories a day. I have committed to it for three months. It has not been that hard.

I blame willpower. I have read many books on willpower, such as Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength and I think I've finally got to a point where I can beat my gut anytime.

Buy your  Fitlosophy Fitbook Lite 6-Week Weight-Loss Journal at Amazon. You won't regret it.

Ditching Donuts

The ditching donuts project is going well. I went another day eating extraordinarily clean. I avoided it if it was questionable. I know I cannot hold up for this forever. I'll break.

That's not the point.

I am on a streak right now. It is more important to keep the streak at this point than much else. I need to exercise my willpower. 

At some point, the rest of my family will go out for hot fudge sundaes. I'll join them.

The point is when I am alone, not to dip towards the donut, fried pie, or candy bar. Save it for social occasions.