Facing the Challenge of Change

Hey everyone,

Björn here, with another update on my journey to better health and well-being. Let me start by being honest—this journey is tough. Like, 'trying to ride a bike up a mountain in a hurricane' tough. One of the most significant challenges I've faced is breaking free from my old habits and creating new, healthier ones. I'm sure many of you can relate to this struggle.

You know how they say old habits die hard? Well, mine seem to have nine lives. Every day is a battle between my desire for change and the comfort of the familiar. It's like my brain is a punk rock concert, with chaos and rebellion against any form of routine.

Take my habit of grabbing a handful of sweets or nuts every time I pass through the kitchen. It's like my hand has a mind of its own, and it's on a constant mission to sabotage my progress. And don't get me started on my nightly ritual of sinking into the sofa with a movie. It's like trying to convince myself to give up a backstage pass to my favorite band.

Now, I know the easy solution would be to not have a snack jar in the open. But I live with the queen of snacks, Jana. We have a treasure chest full of snacks that would make a pirate jealous. But I gotta say, despite her royal snack status, she's been 100% supportive these past few weeks. Living with someone who loves snacks as much as Jana can be challenging when trying to adopt healthier habits, but her support has been invaluable.

Yet, here I am, trying to navigate this mosh pit of life, determined to come out stronger and healthier on the other side.

Struck Down by Me

The biggest hurdle for me has been escaping the clutches of my old routines and creating new, healthier ones. I often find myself making excuses to avoid going for walks, citing the noise, crowds, and traffic around my neighborhood. The only quiet place nearby is a cemetery. Yes, you heard that right—a cemetery. Now, I'm not exactly a goth who loves spending his time among the tombstones. Sure, I went through my goth punk phase with AFI's "Sing the Sorrow," an all-time favorite of mine. I could always crank up The Cure, Joy Division, or even throw it way back to my youth with Sisters of Mercy. Hell, I could listen to "The Crow" soundtrack (the original, of course, not the remake nonsense that's coming soon—I have my doubts about that one).

But seriously, while I don't find cemeteries creepy at all, walking in the same cemetery every day gets old fast. Variety is the spice of life, right? So, I've been trying to find other walking routes. There's a park a bit further away, which, funnily enough, is actually a former cemetery. It's really small, though, and just walking in circles there isn't exactly thrilling.

There are two bigger parks, but they're too far away for a quick walk. I'd have to ride there or take a bus, and that's not convenient. I hate taking the bus, and I don't own a bike I wouldn't mind getting stolen while waiting for me there. At least in the cemetery, I know the dead aren't going to steal my bike.

You don't need to be Sherlock to see how good I am at finding excuses. Maybe that's part of why I chose the cemetery in the first place. Besides it being the only quiet spot, there might be a voice deep inside that resonates with my old screen name, "callmemorbid" (yes, that is a reference to The Smiths.) It's clear I need to work on breaking out of these old patterns and finding new, healthier routines.

Another major issue is the comfort and procrastination that come with familiar habits. Imagine this: I'm at home, my office is just a few steps away, and there's no commute. It sounds great until you realize it means no built-in opportunity for physical activity. So, I've toyed with the idea of simulating a commute—leaving the house in the morning and "coming back" in the evening. It feels a bit ridiculous, like playing house as an adult. Has anyone tried this? Is it a thing? How much walking should I be doing? My mind insists it's a waste of time, but in reality, it's an investment in myself.

Procrastination: The Real Monster

Procrastination, though, is the real monster here. It's like having an evil twin that constantly whispers, "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?" Breaking free from this has been a colossal struggle. I keep promising myself I'll take that walk, do that workout, and then... well, I don't. It's a daily fight to keep pushing myself to move, especially when it feels like I'm wading through a swamp of old habits.

Just the other day, I told myself I'd do a quick workout after lunch. Lunch came and went, and suddenly, it was dinner time. How does that even happen? It's like my day gets hijacked by the Screen Sirens. You know, those sneaky distractions that lure you into endless loops of work tasks, binge-scrolling through social media and watching YouTube videos of the NBA draft or whatever catches my eye.

But I'm not giving up. If there's one thing I've learned from punk rock, it's to keep fighting even when the odds are stacked against you. So, I'm actively looking for ways to sneak more movement into my day. I've started using time blocking in my daily routine and calendar, setting up specific times for my walks. Now, I just need to make them a reality. If you have any suggestions or ideas on how to incorporate more steps into a home-based routine, I'd love to hear them. Your experiences and any resources you can share are incredibly valuable. I'm counting on your support in this journey.

Here are a few ideas I've come across that I'm trying to implement:

Morning and Evening Walks: Simulate a commute by walking around the block or to a nearby park. It might feel odd at first, but it's a great way to bookend your day. Although, I have to admit, walking around the block means I'm often tempted to pay a visit to Brammibal's Donuts. It's hard to resist when you're weak for the best vegan donuts out there.

Walking Meetings: If you have phone calls or virtual meetings that don't require you to be at your desk, consider walking while you talk. This one has been a game-changer for me. It's amazing how a change of scenery can spark creativity and keep you alert.

Source: Harvard Business Review

Break Time Walks: Set a timer to remind yourself to take short walking breaks throughout the day. Even a five-minute stroll can add up. I use my phone to set these reminders, and it's surprising how much difference those little breaks make.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Speaking of habits, I recently picked up "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg (affiliate link). I've heard great things about it and need to dive in soon. One quote that stands out is, "Change might not be fast and it isn't always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped." Seems like the perfect motivation for all of us struggling with breaking old habits and forming new ones.

It's not just about adding steps or getting fit; it's about reshaping my entire approach to daily life. For instance, Jana and I usually ride our bikes on the weekends, but we've talked about going for walks and taking our cameras with us when we're not riding. It's a great way to also improve Jana's photographic eye and makes the idea of getting out and moving much more appealing.

However, the next few weeks might be particularly challenging with the Tour de France going on. There will always be something to watch live, rewatch, or read about. But yeah, we'll see how that goes.

Tools and Resources: WHOOP and Steps

I use WHOOP to track my overall activity and strain. WHOOP doesn't count steps because it focuses on the quality of your movement, not just the quantity. They emphasize measuring strain and recovery to get a more comprehensive understanding of your body's exertion and needs. You can read more about why WHOOP doesn't count steps here. This approach aligns more with my goal of improving overall health and performance rather than just hitting a step count.

One feature I particularly appreciate is WHOOP's ability to measure my recovery. It gives me insights into how well my body bounces back from workouts and daily activities. This helps me adjust my routine to avoid overtraining and optimize rest days.

WHOOP also offers detailed sleep tracking, a game-changer that helps me understand my sleep quality and patterns. By monitoring factors like sleep stages, disturbances, and overall efficiency, WHOOP provides actionable insights that help me improve my sleep habits and, consequently, my overall health.

That said, I do still find step counts somewhat helpful as a gauge of my daily activity. Seeing that I've only taken 500 steps by the end of the day is a bit of a wake-up call. Luckily, my iPhone and Apple Watch do a great job tracking my steps and providing that quick snapshot. WHOOP recognizes and logs activities like walks, so if I do manage a good walk, it gets tracked. And yes, WHOOP can automatically detect activities if they're long enough, which helps give a clearer picture of my activity levels.

If you want to try WHOOP, you can use my affiliate link, join.whoop.com/ridepunkride, to get a free month when you sign up.

Helpful Information about WHOOP:

• WHOOP provides daily recovery scores based on your heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep performance.
• It measures cardiovascular strain throughout the day to help you understand the impact of everything from your workouts to work stress.
• The sleep coach feature provides personalized sleep recommendations to optimize your rest.
• WHOOP's community feature allows you to connect with friends and other athletes to share progress and stay motivated.

If you have any recommendations for tools or resources that have helped you in your fitness journey, I'd love to hear them. Learning from others and finding new ways to stay motivated and active is always great.

The Paint Chips Away

Let's fill in some of those paint chips with a splash of color and a few updates.

First, I've got some exciting news. Withings has generously supported my journey by gifting me their all-new Body Scan smart scale. It's only been two days, so I don't have all the insights yet, but I can already tell this tool will be a game-changer. It's loaded with features that give detailed metrics about my body composition. I'm hoping this will add an extra layer of motivation by providing real-time data on my progress. I mean, who doesn't like seeing those numbers move in the right direction?

In other news, I weighed in below 90kg yesterday for the first time in what feels like forever. Even though I've been there just four years ago, it's still a huge milestone for me. Today's weight was slightly above 90kg, but I'm chalking that up to those daily fluctuations. The key takeaway? I hit that sub-90 mark, and that's what keeps me pushing forward.

Last week, I also saw a shift in my body composition: a decrease in body fat by 1-2% and an increase in muscle mass by the same amount. These small victories remind me why I started this journey in the first place. It's not just about losing weight but about gaining strength, both physically and mentally.

So, what about you? Have you had any wins, big or small, this week? I'd love to hear about them. Remember, every step forward, no matter how tiny, is progress. Let's keep celebrating these victories together.

This is it, for this week

To wrap up, remember that building new habits is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about making small, sustainable changes and not being too hard on yourself when things don't go perfectly.

Until then, keep pedaling forward and enjoy the ride.

Cheers,

Björn