Being physically active and pushing my body is part of who I am. It makes me feel healthy and accomplished. I try to eat clean, rest well, and train hard. Here, I’ll talk about some of the things I’ve learned, personal habits, and goals.
I’m not a professional in any way. If you chose to take my advice…. that’s on you ;).
Per aspera ad Astra.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Nutrition
I think a good diet is something very individual. I’ve experimented quite a lot with different approaches to find what fits me. There’s a huge amount of (often contradictory) articles and research on the topic. One book I found helpful was The Diet Compass by Bas Kast, a gift from a friend — it offers a comprehensive and objective overview of scientific findings.
If you yourself are trying to eat healthier, my advice is to make it maintainable. Extreme changes tend not to last. Cut out some things you know aren’t good for you. Replace them with healthy alternatives. Step by step.
What I eat
I make it a point not to be too rigid with my diet. If I’m not at home or don’t cook for only myself I’m perfectly fine with eating whatever there is available. I don’t track macros or calories.
For me, leaving out big carb sources like pasta, potatoes or rice is key. Instead, I focus on getting plenty of protein and high quality fats. I eat lots of nuts, eggs, cold-pressed olive oil, fruits – especially berries, vegetables, plain yogurt, chia seeds (big fan), unprocessed meats, fish, some cheese, honey and once in a blue moon some dark chocolate.
I’m very aware that leaving out big carb sources that are usually rather cheap in comparison, comes with a price tag.
Additionally I find fasting to be very beneficial. It keeps me focused and saves time. I usually eat only in the afternoon (around 14:00-19:00). This may sound a bit extreme but after a week or two the body adapts and I’m not starving by breakfast. If you try fasting you might notice a bad breath even with good oral hygiene. Algae pills help with that.
Goals
Recently I realized that, more often than I’d like to admit, I take pride in past personal bests that I can’t redo anymore. I’m still young and feel like the best years of my life are still ahead. My goal now is to reattain those personal bests, then maintain and grow. Here are three of them:
92 consecutive push-ups, 11-minute plank hold, 5km run in under 19 minutes
I recently started doing calisthenics, so there are a few skills I’m aiming to master. There are also some other ones…
5 second human flag and front lever hold, 10 clean muscle-ups, 120kg bench, finish a 75km ruck march
I’m not really a long distance runner but I want to run my first marathon. The goal is to finish in under 4 hours.
By the way, I’m a big fan of push-ups. You can do them anywhere, no equipment needed, and you can increase the difficulty with different variations. On the right, I’ve compiled a small collection of videos from my phone. Would you believe me if I told you that for the last ones, we were punished with extra push-ups?
How I train
To achieve the goals outlined above, I created a new workout plan. I’ll try to stick to it as best I can, but luckily, life sometimes gets in the way — and that’s okay. Once again: I’m not too strict with the plan.
I aim for four calisthenics workouts per week, preferably in a local park with bars — two push sessions and two pull sessions. I also plan to run three times a week, add one bike session, and one sprint drill or plyometric leg workout. One day is reserved for rest. I leave a longer training block open for long runs, marches, swims, sparring, or similar activities. In summer, I like to play beach volleyball.
Plank every day, max push-ups at least twice a week and stretch daily.
Again this would be an ideal week. More often than not I won’t be able to get that much done.
Some other things
Getting plenty of sunlight is a game-changer. Working outside can do wonders.
Get your water in early. It helps with sleep quality. Also get at least an hour offline before going to bed. I usually stretch and read.
If you’re in a save environment don’t be afraid to push your body. It’s probably more capable than you could imagine. Getting dizzy, throwing up or passing out is part of the process. Embrace it.