Intermediate Step Approach

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

I read a post on twitter today that seemed like sound advice to me.  A relatively simple life plan for health -- 10k steps per day, eat a high protein diet, hydrate with electrolytes, weights 3-5x per week, get outside in the sun daily and prioritize getting quality sleep.  I would imagine that if I did this, I'd rapidly get into much better shape.  If I kept the eating in check I'd probably lose significant weight.

The thing is, I'm not sure that my body would stand up to that.  Not yet.  So here is an intermediate step that I'm going to see if I can handle for the next few weeks:

• 6k steps per day (my phone says I'm averaging less than 3k, though I don't always have it in my pocket).
• High protein diet (I need to do some tracking to see where I am and what I should target)
• Electrolytes on lift days
  
• Weights 3x per week (just basic stuff like I do on and off at the Y for now)
• Get outside when there is sun (it's winter and our weather sucks, but there is occasional sun)
• Quality sleep (bump up my goal of 7 hours per night to 8 hours per night, consistently)

In the abstract that doesn't sound too bad.  Getting in the walking and making myself go to the Y will be the hardest part, closely followed by getting enough quality sleep.  I have no control over whether there is sun.  Hopefully I can do this and then step up to more walking, an additional lift and even better diet.  With a couple intermediate steps I can get there.

Anyway.  Sleep grade for last night was a B-.  Pretty standard, was able to get to sleep early, woke up early but did not get up.  I'll give it a slightly above average number for the extra sleep, it was otherwise unremarkable.  Scale was surprisingly kind, was quite astonished by that frankly.

Breakfast:  3 strips CF black pepper garlic bacon, coffee

 

I'm guessing at the protein count based on the USDA database, calling it 15g.  Also looking around to see what my protein requirements may be and I think it's a lot, minimum of 150g but 200-250g would be a better target I think.  That's a lot of protein.  Going to start with 150g.  I bet that I have been way undereating it and overeating fat and carbs.

Lunch:  Ham and wild rice soup (with extra ham), cheese toast, Chobani plain whole milk greek yogurt

Okay then.  That's more than I usually eat.  Added extra ham to get 30g+ protein out of the soup, 20g from the toast, 14g from the yogurt, call it 65g total.  I am quite full.

Dinner:  3 eggs sunny in EVOO, hash browns in refined coconut oil, NY strip steak, 12 oz All Day IPA

 

App says 60g protein for the steak and 19g for the eggs, so 80g to get to 160g for the day.  Yay.  Again that feels like a lot of food.  But if I were a normal sized human I'd need a lot less protein.

Also:  Two squares of Ghirardelli 72% dark chocolate.  On clearance at the store tonight.

Exercise:  Just under an hour of moving stuff at the office.  Not what I had planned, but I'm counting it.

 Report card for today:  5/6

• 6k Steps:  Pass (not by much)
• 150g Protein:  Pass (160g)
• Weights (trying for Tu-Th-Sat):  Pass (moving stuff at the office is being counted)
• Electrolytes:   Pass
• Sun:  Fail  (there was no sun to be had, also bitterly cold)
• 8hrs Quality Sleep:  Pass (we'll call it good, close enough)

 97.2