Diet Update

Figured I would give an update on the current diet. I've been making good progress and it's pretty easy to follow (though I've been a bit too lax). I eat pretty much the same thing every day, due to the fact that it makes it easier for me. I don't necessarily eat at the same time every day or the same foods at the same time (sometimes I change the order depending on what's easiest at different times).

Feeding 1:
2 eggs
1 container egg whites (comes from Costco, I think there's like 2 cups egg whites in there)
bit of salsa
2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese

Feeding 2:
1 pound deli meat (generally turkey, sometimes roast beef)
2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 cucumber

Feeding 3:
1/2 Jenny-O pork roast
veggies (usually broccoli)

Occasional feeding:
protein shake - 2 scoops (Musclepharm Combat Powder)

On training days, I also add:
Drink during training - ~3.5 tbsp powdered Gatorade mix, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 Rockstar Recovery
Post-training - 10-12 ounces chocolate milk
Then I'll usually have one of the other meals, with some cereal as well.

Procrastination

“Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”

Procrastination is a filthy bitch. I know because I’ve fought her my whole life. Regardless of your best intentions, you can always find a reason not to do things.

Then one day you decide, “no more.” Of course, it doesn’t work that way. Much like addiction, it is merely a day-to-day battle to improve. While I don’t think it is specifically addiction, I do think it shares a lot of similarities. In fact, I’m sure if they were to test it, the brain profiles, in regards to centers of the brain activated, are similar to addicts.

In fact, many times you will hear addicts (or recovering addicts) talk about the fact that it’s not even the substance itself that causes the problem in regards to relapsing. It is the activity. The habit. All the things that surround the act itself which they seek. There is a saying that “we first make our habits, then our habits make us.” Never have truer words been spoken. Habits become very hard to break, and we’re caught in a vicious cycle. Suddenly, you must become cognizant of everything you are doing in an effort to change it. While it is a necessity, it is not conducive to long-term success. Attention means focus, focus means effort, and effort means more energy expenditure. The body in general doesn’t like that. We must make action automatic for it to become repeated over a long period of time.

I’ve often noted, however, that Newton’s first law absolutely applies to activity in life. Objects at rest stay at rest. Objects in motion stay in motion. This is why, if you just get started on one thing, you often end up getting about 5 other things done. Dan John has said that people who get more done, get more done. Simple action leads to more action.

I have most often found my barrier to action is figuring out where to get started. Depending on what it is you are doing, you may be best suited just jumping into the middle. It’s what I’ve started doing with writing – just start writing. You can go back and change things later. You don’t have to have the perfect beginning to get started. Fortunately, a lot of things are that way. Don’t misunderstand me, planning ahead and doing legwork beforehand can certainly speed the process for a lot of your tasks. And you should absolutely take the time necessary to make sure you are doing things correctly. But once you’ve done that, attack it, get started.

Make a list of things to do (I know some people will say not to make To Do lists; I say fuck them, you need a road map). Put a few things at the top that will be fairly simple and/or easy to complete. Something more difficult than “breathe” but less difficult than “replicate the statue of David.” These don’t need to be the most important things on the list – just the easiest/simplest. After a few of those, put the most important. Keep making the list, sprinkling in easy/simple with important. Some may be one and the same. Now start on the list.

I hesitate to make blanket recommendations like “do this.” Because we’re all different and operate differently. What works for me may not work for you. In fact, the more I look at how I operate/think, I’m pretty sure I’m just wired differently than a lot of people. Not in a quirky/unique/I’M SO SPECIAL type of way, I just visualize things differently I think. As such, the way I approach problem solving is different from how a lot of people do. And so I have to figure out solutions that are repeatable for me.

Hopefully, what you will find after a time is that the reward of finishing is so much greater than whatever short-term pleasure you derive from putting off the doing. Often, we don’t actually derive any pleasure – and in fact, we feel worse after the fact because we know what we’re not doing. I realize I’m not breaking any ground with any of this – it’s only in pretty much any self-help book you’ll read, or any successful person, period, will say it. But it bears repeating.