I’ll be brutally honest: during the early part of 2024, my choices haven’t been good. I allowed myself to be consumed by various poor decisions concerning my health and finances.
Here’s the thing: I have a problem with weight management. I simply cannot control my food intake. My weaknesses have always been:
Potato Chips
French Fries
Soda
I know they’re not good for me, and yet I continue to eat and drink them.
After feeling stuffed, I look at myself in the mirror and feel bad and ashamed of my decisions.
As a result, I’m now almost back to my previous weight from early 2022. I’m starting to feel miserable again and asked myself:
Is this the life you want, Gerard? If not, then you better be accountable and fix your life and the problems you’ve caused.
Enough with the excuses. It’s time to get serious and start working to improve.
For me, improving means going back to brisk walking.
Brisk Walking as a Choice
A lesson from my previous weight loss journey is to find an activity that allows you to be active and consistent.
In my case, that’s brisk walking.
I focused on brisk walking due to my positive experience in the past and the benefits I reaped when I was consistent.
I’ve seen others successfully do this activity and have had positive results from my past experiments.
Also, by starting small, I won’t feel overwhelmed or struggle due to difficulty.
That’s when my purpose began to take shape again.
Setting the Minimum Requirements
In planning my return to activity, I made sure to establish minimum and non-negotiable requirements:
Brisk walk daily for at least 45 minutes.
Record every activity to document my progress.
Write updates and reflections weekly, or whenever a significant event or idea arises.
I also considered the following variables but remain flexible to adjust as necessary:
Time: I chose late afternoon or evening for the activity.
Location: I opted for the underground basement parking of our condominium.
Activity: I will listen to downloaded videos on YouTube about personal development.
Companion: None. I prefer to do it alone and focus on myself.
Initial Expectations
Entering this experiment, my objectives are to replicate the successes of my previous brisk walks and address areas where I failed.
My considerations are:
Determine what time and location work best
Add new exercise routines
Develop healthy eating habits
Practice intermittent fasting
Use a fitness tracker
Highlight small wins and relevant difficulties
First, I am evaluating which approach best fits my schedule. Currently, I plan to do 45-minute brisk walks in the car park basement from late afternoon to evening. After 2 weeks, I’ll analyze the data and make modifications if needed.
Second, I plan to incorporate specific exercise routines into my regimen. The timing will depend on how quickly my body adjusts to the physical activity. Initially, I set a timeline for the third week of consecutive brisk walking.
As for the type of exercise, I am interested in kettlebells. I previously had experience with basic movements such as swings and snatches.
Part of my experiment includes monitoring my weight. I understand that my eating habits will impact my progress, so my goal is to eat as healthily as possible.
I will also limit my intake of sodas and other high-sugar beverages.
I am including intermittent fasting in my routine. Honestly, this has been a practice for almost 8 years. During my previous weight loss journey, I was consistent with the 16:8 approach, or higher.
For this experiment, I’ll aim for:
2 meals (lunch and dinner) within an 8-hour window
16 hours of no food intake, just water
A fitness tracker will help me monitor data relevant to my experiment. I’m using a Huawei fitness band. Since the device is relatively inexpensive, I don’t expect it to be highly accurate. Even if this may be the case, my goal is to obtain general information on my progress.
My personal reflections will provide insights into the brisk walking activity. I’ll highlight my small wins and difficulties each week. This should give readers a glimpse of what it takes to pursue this initiative.
Making Sense of Everything
I recognize that this experiment will involve difficulty and struggle in meeting my goals. However, I am committed to moving forward and learning. I have previously observed the positive effects of brisk walking on my health. Now, I need to build on those successes and address areas for improvement.
More importantly, my attempt to remain consistent with brisk walking aligns with my vision of a better self. I see myself in control of my health, finances, and life. This is just the beginning, and I am ready to embark on this journey toward growth and progress.
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Thank you for taking the time to read Brisk Walk Collective. I’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions! Feel free to share them in the comments section.
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