The New Year is right around the corner, and what better way to usher it in than with Jocko Willink’s take on New Years resolution:
Don’t make a New Years resolution to be a better person next year… Make a resolution to be a better person NOW…
That resolution of DISCIPLINE to work and follow through and maintain your will, that’ll result in the freedom that you’re looking for…
DISCIPLINE EQUALS FREEDOM.
I’m currently spending the last few weeks of 2016 on the East Coast with the BJJ Cave-Inlaws and getting in a lot of great brazilian jiu-jitsu training in at the gym I used to train at here, Fifty/50 BJJ. It’s great to get beat up by the same guys here that used to beat me up while at the same time realizing the progress I’ve made since we left this area 6 months ago. While the BJJ Cavewife is catching up with her family I’m taking some time to do some reading, writing, and administrative work.
I know it sounds strange, but this holiday with the in-laws is pretty much a dream vacation to me.
The older I get the more I realize how simple the things I’m looking for in my my time off are.
As long as I have a BJJ gym to train at, an internet connection, and time to make use of both, I’m content. And naps of course. A quiet place to nap is essential.
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2016 at a glance
Before we rush into the New Years I thought it’d be fun to look back on what I’ve learned so far this year:
Fasting may or may not help Jimmy Moore’s cholesterol. His experiment did lead to a book, The Complete Guide to Fasting, which I have not read yet.
VSL#3 Probiotic can protect against weight gain
Curcumin can help treat osteoarthritis
The National Lipid Association is recognizing the relationship between low carb diets and increased cholesterol, but still doesn’t really know much beyond that.
Dr. Hallberg released a great lecture examining the relationship between low carb and high cholesterol and his currently running a prospective study to see if she can get to the bottom of things. As of now, I don’t think her study has been published… or is even completed yet.
Nasal Dilators do nothing for my snoring
I did another MyPerioPath test which showed an improvement in my oral flora… and politely declined the $2355 treatment plan the dental office tried to sell me on.
I test my poop with uBiome for the first time which wasn’t as gross as I thought it would be. The results showed that I need more Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus and can probably improve my overall diversity.
I took a deep dive into the Biggest Loser Paper and learned that it was mainly just headline fluff and didn’t really say much at all and the science of using calculations to estimate metabolic is inexact to say the least… and I’m not even sure calling it a science is accurate.
Speaking of calculating metabolic rates, I bought a new gizmo, the Breezing Metabolism Tracker which will allow me to test my metabolism whenever and wherever I want.
Nootropic infused Kimera Koffee didn’t lead to any noticeable difference in my day.
In one of the most memorable experiences of my life, I came face to face with molten lava.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Whole 30 book and took part in a Whole 30 challenge run by my Crossfit gym. I’ve only documented the first 15 days so far, but a post about the subsequent 15 days and the few weeks after is in the works.
The mystery behind my persistently elevated HbA1c’s despite normal blood sugars and low normal fasting insulins was finally put to rest.
And of course I tested my blood multiple times over the course of the year writing about my most recent results from September including my cholesterol, testosterone, vitamin D, and thyroid panel.
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2017
Since things have stabilized a bit and we don’t plan on traveling as much it will be much easier to follow through on various experiments I’ve been meaning to do. More than once I initiated an experiment then something would come up last minute and I couldn’t continue on with what I wanted to do. Or I’d do my best to pack everything with me but the chaos of travel would just screw it all up.
As with the video posted above, I’m not making any New Years resolutions this time around… I’m making NOW resolutions. From this moment on I resolve to:
- Improve my mobility and flexibility. I want to be able to touch my toes cold without warming up and I plan to pursue this goal by being more diligent about following through with the Gymnastic Bodies Stretch Series and incorporating more Yoga in my life.
- Attend Crossfit more regularly. My attendance has died down and tailed off at the end of the year. I plan to wake up earlier and join the 5:45 am class before work at least twice a week. My metabolic conditioning will improve from this moment on.
- Learn to do my taxes. This has been something we’ve been sending off to our accountant for the past few years. We then get our tax returns back and instructions to pay x amount or receive amount from the government, and I have almost zero understanding of what the heck is going on. I just blindly do as he instructs. Our 2016 tax returns will mark the year that this changes.
Do you have any resolutions?