Be Grateful For 2020?

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How could you possibly be grateful for the shit show of a year that was 2020? Well, if you’re alive and breathing, you should be grateful for every second you experience this gift called life.

That really is the only way to look at the unfortunate events of the past year. That really is the only way to look at life. Be grateful every day to be alive and able to enjoy the finite time each one of us has on this Earth.

So, What Was So Great About 2020?

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Lifestyle Shift: What Have I Lost? (Hint: Not Just Weight)

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Just over two months ago, I embarked on a lifestyle shift journey to radically transform my life. To date, my body weight is down around 40 pounds. Considering I’m now at 175, that’s a pretty significant percentage of my body gone. But, that’s only the tip of the iceberg of what I’ve lost.

After all, weight loss was my measurable goal but it was overall optimum health and fitness that I was really after. Two years north of 50, things were starting to happen with my body that were, quite frankly, depressing. Was this just the way it went? Aging is inevitable? Pain. Stiffness. Internal issues. Generally feeling like shit all the time. Was this all just part of life?

Quick answer for you: “NO!” It absolutely does not need to be an inevitable downward spiral that ends with tubes attached to you in a sterile hospital room while your family stands around waiting for you to die so they can get on with their lives.

What Has Changed?

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How Will Your Life Story End?

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“He died peacefully in his hospital bed, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with some disease.”

That’s not the way I want my life story to end!

I want to be on the news after falling to my death while attempting to climb a mountain. Or, after drowning trying to swim under a waterfall. Or, after plummeting to my death when my parachute doesn’t open. Or… I want to seriously die peacefully in my bed, disease free, after a good 100 years or more on this Earth.

I do not want to wither away helplessly. In pain. My body and mind breaking down minute by minute. The ‘peaceful’ in my death just a nice way of saying I was so pumped full of painkillers that my mind was gone long before my heart took its last beat. Looking at the possible ending is anything but peaceful to me.

Shit happens. Even doing everything I can to create optimum health within the world that is my body may still end with some disease sneaking in and destroying me. But, I have made a vow to myself to do that ‘everything I can’ to give me the best fighting chance to live an optimum life.

It’s Not Rocket Science

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Weight Loss Goal Achieved (Over Three Weeks Early)

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Back on the morning of October 20, 2020, I began measuring my progress toward achieving a lofty weight loss goal. That goal was to reach 180 pounds by December 31, 2020. From my first measurement of 209 pounds, that would mean roughly 30 lbs. in just over two months.

Well, a few days ago, on December 8, 2020, I reached that goal of 180 lbs. Considering at times in September and October, I tipped the scales at closer to 220, this is a considerable drop in body mass in quite a short timespan.

Although I have implemented several lifestyle shift habits in order to achieve this goal and a vision of overall optimum health and fitness, there are a few main habits that are mostly responsible for my success. Intermittent fasting (night fasting) is key. Not eating between 4pm and 9am has really made all the difference.

Of course, returning to a full vegan diet and eliminating sugar, grains and dairy certainly doesn’t hurt. My daily exercise routine has ensured that not only am I getting lighter but I’m getting stronger, as well.

What’s My Next Goal?

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The Wim Hof Breathing Method: Another Habit For Optimum Health

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For years, I’ve half-assed practiced focused breathing techniques. My go-to was bastardized from Tony Robbins. A set of ten or so full breaths, each held for a 24-30 count before exhaling. I believe the theory was that by holding the full breath in, more of that oxygen could get into the blood stream. Thus, this was a method to quickly oxygenate the blood.

It worked. It seemed to remove the brain fog and make me feel more awake. But, it wasn’t enough of an effect and didn’t have a list of benefits behind it to make it a daily practice.

I’ve already mentioned the great Wim Hof on this site. Wim’s claim to fame is his exploring the benefits of cold water plunges and cold water showers. The Wim Hof Breathing Method is, I believe, bastardized by Tony Robbins to create what I had originally bastardized from him. Follow?

This stuff is a bit more elaborate and intense than just breathing in deep and holding your breath. But, it is not overly difficult or time consuming and can be done by anyone, anywhere. Plus, the benefits have been proven to scientifically exist and are not just hocus pocus. Read Wim’s book: The Wim Hof Method: Activate Your Full Human Potential for the full low-down.

What Is The Wim Hof Breathing Method?

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