Over the last few years I've been making steady progress toward getting in better shape. It's not been a straight path, but I'm pleased to report that I've been able to get very close to my ideal body type several times (body-image issues aside) and am much closer now than I was even a few months ago!
In this article, I'll try and share what's worked for me.
BTW, the title is a riff on How to get rich (without getting lucky) by Naval Ravikant, one of my favourite modern writers.
Goal#
Before launching into the tactics, I want to clarify my goal. I didn't actually start out with a clear goal, but rather I developed the goal over time and refined it quite a few times.
My basic goal now is a lean-muscular, moderately "athletic" body.
There are some constraints around this goal:
- Long-term. Not just for a few months. Ideally life-long.
- Healthy. Not involving toxic chemicals or unhealthy extremes.
- Frugal. Spending little or no more money on food than I would otherwise.
- International. I can move to another location while maintaining the diet/lifestyle.
- Environmentally conscious. At least not adding more damage to the natural world than I would otherwise.
As you can imagine, adding these constraints necessarily adds some complexity. However I still found it doable, given some ingenuity and (importantly) persistence!
Motivation#
“Visualize your success and then go after it.”
– Arnold SCHWARZENEGGER
It's important to always have a "north star", "dream", "vision" or whatever you want to call it.
Some thoughts that keep me going:
- I can achieve something difficult that even some great or famous people have struggled with.
- I'll feel "light as a feather" and energized throughout the day, carrying less weight around.
- Looking good, with a body that is pleasant to behold, is a plus, for myself and possibly others.
- I see myself keeping physically fit into my 70s, regardless of what happens to me, health or otherwise. This is a life-long vision.
- Avoiding serious health issues associated with obesity and unfitness, such as cardiovascular issues and cancer, is well worth the effort.
When all else fails, I just imagine having ripped abs while partying on a yacht in Fiji. That usually does it! 😄
These all visions congeal into an image in my mind of a successful, active, fit, mature adult.
Mind-state#
I practice a few minutes of daily mindfulness meditation, which helps to reduce anxiety and reduce mental blocks. During this I take some time to wish strength, health and wellness, both for those I know, and for myself.
There are some other mental tricks I use to manage anxiety, such as focusing on next actions and the future, while deliberately moderating expectations and reducing thoughts about the past.
Understanding and harnessing the effort-reward cycle I also find important. For example, I try to do my morning exercise before having my first shower or drinking my first coffee. This helps motivate me to do the exercise (effort) in order to get the reward (shower, coffee). I use a similar cycle for my afternoon/evening exercise. First I exercise (effort) then I enjoy dinner/supper (reward). These cycles can show up in all kinds of little parts of life, so I try to make best use of them whenever possible.
Monitoring#
Any long-term endeavour should have appropriate monitoring.
I've given up on measuring body weight or mucking around with measuring tape.
A quick look in the mirror on a regular basis seems the surest measure!
And the best way to avoid making excuses.
There is one other kind of monitoring I consider crucial: blood tests. These can be obtained relatively inexpensively (at least in Australia, the UK, etc). You take the results to your GP/doctor and they tell you if you have any deficiencies. In my case, there was a minor calcium deficiency, which I remedied by adding a little yogurt to my diet and taking Vitamin D tablets (to aid absorption).
Routine#
“We are what we repeatedly do. ... Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
– ARISTOTLE
“Don't Make Me Think”
– Steven KRUG
What has helped me the most is simply maintaining a daily routine. Having a consistent, repeatable layout to my day ensures that I keep acting toward my goal.
My routine has functioned as a kind of "fall back" which I can execute almost mindlessly, without stressing and lapsing. It's a simple default that enables me to accomplish my tasks as easily and directly as possible, without hesitation or doubt.
This has actually been good for my mental health too. I'm less anxious when I don't have to constantly worry about what to do next. Of course, I do sometimes change my routine, but I do so in a relaxed, contemplative frame of mind, usually not in the heat of the moment.
I've been able to maintain my routine pretty consistently throughout international travel, changing work hours and various ups and downs of life.
One trick is to make the routine flexible and focus primarily on activities, rather than timing. So if I miss a morning workout, it's Ok, not the end of the world. I just need to do that workout in the evening instead. So the times are flexible, while the activities remain solid.
I also have certain routines in the evening that help me to wind down, relax and avoid snacking. These include dimming the lights to create a cosy atmosphere, according to the famous Scandinavian Hygge effect. Even on travel this can be done quite effectively with a portable USB lamp and/or tweaking my laptop display configuration. I also like to floss and brush my teeth, which gives me a fresh taste that helps to avoid any temptation to eat.
Exercise#
Exercise is a critical part of my routine. Exercise builds and maintains muscle tone and sustains health (including mental) and energy levels.
There's a fantastic cumulative effect with exercise: as you lose fat and gain muscle, the exercise gets easier and you feel less hungry, which make it easier to exercise more, etc. The challenge, of course, is to maintain consistency and not slack off.
All the exercises I'm about to list are:
- Reasonably environmentally friendly do not by nature involve any damage to the environment
- Can be done in practically any major city or town, at any time of day
- Are healthy and low impact on your body, unlikely to cause serious injuries when done long term, assuming they're done with reasonable care
I try to do at least one session of HIIT, strength training and walking every day, and some swimming every week.
Strength training
Here's a list of the specific strength exercises I do. I like to do body weight exercises, also known as calisthenics. These include:
- Pull-ups and muscle-ups on the bar. Forward and reverse grip. Several sets, each as much as I can while keeping form.
- Push-ups. Lateral and tilted up or down. On the bars or the floor.
- Dips. On the bar or between two chairs.
- Ab crunches. While resting on the bar or hanging off the bar, or lying on the floor with a weight.
- Step-ups onto a low bar, large stair step, rock, or even bedside.
- Military presses with weight or resistance band.
- Bicep curls with with weight or resistance band.
- Some other body-weight exercises like planking, squats and lunges.
In case you didn't notice, many of these can be done either with or without the gym! I can just use body weight, furniture or outdoor facilities. This makes the exercise routine easy to maintain while traveling and resilient to unexpected changes in the my day plan.
Strength-training builds muscle, which aids weight loss in multiple ways:
- Speeds up metabolism, aiding digestion and fat loss
- Improves general stamina for cardio
- Good for general health - heart, lungs, etc.
I aim for 3-5 strength training sets every day.
HIIT
I've recently been practicing high-intensity interval training. Here I do body-weight cardio exercises at a high intensity, with 20 second breaks, for a period of 5-10 minutes.
HIIT seems to generally accelerate my progress. Plus, I've seen plenty of studies showing its benefit for overall health.
The real beauty of HIIT is its simplicity, minimalism and time efficiency. No equipment is needed, just a little floor-space and discipline! And one can almost always spare 5-10 minutes out of a 16-hour waking day. These factors make it simple to maintain HIIT during travel or changes to my day plan.
My HIIT routine varies, but typically consists of:
- Burpees
- Squat-jumps
- Star-jumps
- Push-ups
- Back squeeze while lying on chest
- Jogging on the spot
I found HIIT to be the toughest exercise to begin, yet the easiest to complete once started. Funny that!
YouTube videos like this one are a helpful aid: Intense 15 Minute BURPEE ONLY HIIT Workout for Serious Results!.
I aim for 1 HIIT session every second day.
Walking
Yes, simply walking.
The real beauty of walking, apart from being minimal and easy to do almost anywhere on travels, is how it can be combined with other activities. With smartphone in hand, I can tune in to a fantastic array of audio material: audiobooks, podcasts, online courses and great music.
I can also combine it with traveling to appointments, shopping, remote meetings, connecting with nature (bush-walking) and just general exploration of the world. 🙂
I aim for 30 minutes to 1 hour of walking every day.
Swimming
I like to do laps at the local pool. Maybe pool-swimming is not 100% good on the environmental scale, so I might someday switch to ocean or lake swimming. Swimming is a great all-round cardio workout and very safe and low-impact. And being in the water is fun!
I aim for one session per week.
Standing
I've been trying to stand for more hours of the day. Studies have shown that spending more time standing is positive for overall fitness and burns more calories. Most modern offices have standing desks. At home it's easy to turn almost any surface into a standing desk using a sturdy cardboard box or a crate or two.
I aim for at least 4 hours of standing per day.
Managing pain
“God ... does not pet the good man: He tries him.”
– Seneca
To be sure, there's some physical pain involved in regular exercise. Feeling fatigued, occasional muscle aches, the odd heel spur.
I don't have any one sure answer to this, but more like a set of small "mind hacks" that help me to manage pain and stay the course.
- Exercise even when I don’t want to. Especially when I don't want to, so as to reinforce the habit.
- Meditation, mindful breathing. Deep inhalations, breathing into the pain, being with my body.
- Effort-reward cycle. Making the effort with the knowledge that I'll feel better at the end. (And yes, 99% of the time I do feel better!)
- Awareness of body. Especially the effect of heat/cold, caffeine, sleep. When drowsy or lethargic, I remind myself of external factors to avoid excusing myself from putting in work.
Enjoying the weather
I've found weather isn't usually a reason not to exercise. Actually, with the right mindset, I find the weather more of an incentive.
When it's hot and sunny, I enjoy the intensity of the sunshine (with generous application of sunscreen, of course). When its cold and wet, I enjoy the calming effect of the coolness and rain (under the comfort of a sturdy umbrella). When it's humid and cloudy... well... I tell myself to toughen up! 😄 Recalling Stoic quotes can help.
Suitable clothing really helps here. When it's hot, I wear minimal clothes, light materials and clothing styles that free up my body, like shorts and singlets. When it's cooler, I wear clothes that conserve heat while keeping my body flexible, like close-fitting long-sleeve wool shirts and tight pants. I like to wear good quality, comfortable shoes, typically hiking boots. Wearing comfortable, clean, quality clothing really makes it easier to motivate myself to get out and exercise!
Diet#
I've settled on the mediterranean diet as my diet of choice. This diet is plant-based, mostly vegetables and whole grains, with some added fish, dairy and fruit, and plant-based fats like olive oil. It's high in nutrients, filling, low-calorie and I find it delightful!
Environmentally it's maybe slightly less optimal that pure veganism/vegetarianism, due to the fish and dairy content. I am investigating more sustainable options such as synthetic fish and dairy alternatives.
Meals
Meals I prepare regularly:
- Fruit. In-season berries or citrus fruits. Combined with a cup of plain or sugar-free flavoured yogurt. This combo I find especially refreshing in hot weather and/or just after an intense workout. High in vitamin C.
- Sardines/Salmon/Oysters. From a tin (bones included). Fried or fresh. Seasoned with lemon/lime juice or vinegar and topped with ground pepper. Side of wholemeal pasta or a bread roll. Maybe complimented with tomato sauce (simply onions fried in tomato paste and vinegar) and/or a quarter of avocado. This kind of seafood is high in protein, calcium, zinc, magnesium, etc.
- Veggies. Steamed in a pot. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, etc. With some added carrot, capsicum, red onions, button mushrooms or whatever else I feel like. Sprinkled with vinegar, a single stick of cheddar cheese (cubed) and generous herbs and spices, including hot chilli powder and a carefully measured tablespoon of olive oil. Veggies are high in vitamins and minerals, fibre and antioxidants.
- Oatmeal. One half-cup of oats mixed with a teaspoon of cocoa in a small bowl. Soaked in water for a few minutes - hot or cold. Cooked for a few minutes if I have a microwave. Topped with a tablespoon of peanut butter, 5 small pieces of dried fruit and some cinnamon powder. The dried fruit adds a perfect level of sweetness and chewiness with minimal calories and practically zero sugar spike. Makes a great dessert!
These meals can all be prepped in ~20-30 minutes each and I'm rarely spending more than 45 minutes per day in the kitchen.
The ingredients are cheap, available, healthy, reasonably environmentally friendly, simple to store and cook.
- Cost: Mostly cheap and can be purchased in bulk or found in aisles. The fresh fruit and veggies can be purchased frozen to save cost and studies show that in frozen form they are just as nutritious as refrigerated, and possibly even more nutritious!
- Availability: Thanks to the wonders of modern globalised trade, I've found most of these are available in most major cities and metro areas in much of the developed world. I do donate to food banks and other initiatives, with the hope that we will eliminate hunger and malnourishment for all people.
- Health: Nutritious, low GI, low sugar, high-fibre, high in anti-oxidants, low-calorie.
- Environment: There's no beef or chicken and the dairy portions are modest. Even the seafood is relatively good - consuming bottom-feeders like sardines has a lower environmental impact.
- Storage: Most of the stuff can just be kept in a cupboard. I'll usually pick up the veggies the same day I eat them, but they keep pretty well in the fridge if I decide to do a weekly shop. Frozen veggies can, of course, be kept in the freezer indefinitely.
Drinks
I only drink water and plain coffee or tea (no sugar or milk, zero-calorie, always before 3 PM).
Drinks should always be zero-calorie, in my opinion. Liquids are the worst way to get calories - they're typically over-processed, resulting in insulin spikes. And you don't get to feel full and satisfied, because you're consuming them so fast. I'll never understand why some people are into shakes; I find them inconvenient, complicated and messy.
Portion control
Importantly, I control and measure all the ingredients out. This gives me pretty much total control over calories.
I don't use any tricky or sophisticated equipment, just simple measuring rules, such as the following:
- Hand-full (pasta)
- Punnet (berries)
- Pot (yogurt)
- Can (fish)
- Piece (citrus fruit, bread roll, dried fruit)
- Quarter (avocado, potato)
- Measuring cup scoop (oats)
- Tablespoon (olive oil, lemon/lime juice, peanut butter)
- Stick (cheese)
When preparing any meal, I simply follow the same predictable routine, with the same quantities. For example, only 2 hand-fulls of pasta per day, or only 1 stick of cheese.
I can work out the calories fairly easily, by examining the packaging or searching online, then dividing by the quantities. For example, one 1 hand-full of pasta is about 1/8th of a pack, which is ~436.25 calories.
Here's an example of a calorie table, based on a spreadsheet I currently use.
| Food item | Daily portion | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Tuna | 1 small can | 80 |
| Sardines | 1 small can | 145 |
| Salmon | 2 small cans | 100 |
| Yogurt | 1 small pot | 120 |
| Strawberries | 1 punnet | 100 |
| Chickpeas | 1 can | 310 |
| Vinegar | 2 tablespoons | 30 |
| Tomato paste | 2 tablespoons | 100 |
| Avocado | 1 quarter | 80 |
| Cheese | 1 stick | 105 |
| Brussels sprouts | 1 bag | 210 |
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon | 120 |
| Oats | 1 cup | 230 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tablespoons | 220 |
| Seeds | ½ teaspoon | 35 |
| Hazelnuts | 5 pieces | 25 |
| Dates | 5 pieces | 80 |
| Cocoa | 2 teaspoons | 75 |
| Honey | 1 teaspoon | 30 |
With these simple measurements, I don't have to think much about the quantities when preparing and consuming meals. I just follow the routine "blindly" and rely on "force of habit" to override and overwhelm any possible urge to cheat and add too much or too little. This consistency has helped me overcome temptation to overeat or under-eat. It took some time to build up the habit, and I've had occasional relapses, but overall I've maintained my diet plan more often than not.
By measuring ingredients in a standardised, repeatable, "unthinking" way, I can "lock in" a certain number of calories per day. This allows me fine-grained calorie control. This way I can create a long-term caloric deficit in a balanced, controlled way and avoid the dreaded "yo-yo dieting", where extremes of under-eating and over-eating lead to stress and missing weight-loss goals.
With this careful diet plan in place, I only need to store the necessary ingredients in my home. So I have no unhealthy foods lying around to be accidentally snacked on. This makes it easy to stick to my diet and, to paraphrase Rico Mariani, "fall into the pit of success". Even within my approved list of ingredients, I keep the higher-calorie items (such as peanut butter and dried fruit) stowed away in the fridge or drawer, out of harm's way. 🙂 This habit of minimizing stored food works great with my minimalist lifestyle and is also convenient for extended periods of travelling.
Enjoying food
I try to eat a bit slower and more mindfully. Famous spiritualist Thích Nhất Hạnh wrote a whole book on this topic: How to Eat, which I've started reading. Some studies show that if we take 20 minutes or more to finish a meal, we'll feel more satisfied.
I like to eat while involved in some relaxing, social and/or moderately stimulating activity. Typically while in an online meetup, interacting in an online chat or forum, with friends and family, and/or watching or listening to something educational such as history or nature documentary.
One thing I noticed since childhood is that the layout of the food can really make eating an absolute joy! For example, I like to add small "sides" to my dishes that really pack a flavour and spice punch. I can combine different parts of the plate as I eat, creating a rich, varied experience. I noticed this kind of "mix-and-match" mode of eating is prominent in the more traditional world cuisines, no doubt for good reason.
- South Indian cuisine - thali
- Vietnamese cuisine - spring roles
- Spanish cuisine - tapas
- Mexican cuisine - salsas
So with my regular diet, I take inspiration from this technique of having small side portions, but adapt it to my own calorie control and nutrient constraints.
Fasting
I like to do most of my exercise in the morning or afternoon, when I'm feeling lightest and most alert. So I generally fast most of the day (except for coffee and a small post-workout snack) and do my main eating in the early to late evening. This is known as the "warrior diet".
This is a simple repeatable eating schedule, since there's only one main period of cooking/heating and one place in which to do most of the eating. It's also very satisfying and filling to consume 2,000+ calories in a 4-hour period. I'm never hungry at the end of it, as long as I finished it all and drank enough water. And I don't get hungry much during the day either, since I'm pre-occupied with work, exercise and whatever else I'm doing.
Avoiding temptation
Whenever I'm feeling some random unexpected hunger pang (which is pretty rare these days, thanks to the routines described in this article) I try to run through a mental checklist and this usually sorts me out.
- Am I feeling stressed? Maybe I need a brief meditation or even just a few minutes of simple box-breathing. This is usually not a problem while out, at work or elsewhere.
- Am I uncomfortable? Maybe I just need to put on a coat or jacket, turn on the air conditioning briefly or go to the toilet.
- Am I hydrated? Thirst and hunger can be easily confused. I always carry a water bottle with me so I can hydrate regularly.
- Am I tired? This is more tricky during the day, but in the evening I can usually go to bed earlier if I need a bit more sleep.
I've found that 9/10 times, it's not that I'm genuinely hungry, but that I'm using food as a distraction to cope with some other issue. If I can quickly find the root-cause and address it, I have no need of food.
Humans need to eat, but we don't need to eat that much, and certainly not as much as is pushed on us by the capitalist/consumerist system. If we feel hungry outside of mealtimes, it's likely for some other reason, not a genuine need for food.
There are still a few simple, cheap, easy fall-backs if I really desperately need to consume something tasty outside my usual mealtime.
- Small piece of fruit. Usually 20-50 calories is pretty negligible and I eat it slowly to enjoy it. Healthy and great while on-the-go.
- Pickled veggies. Especially cucumber and carrot. Pretty low-calorie and healthy.
- Mint tea. This refreshing drink provides a pleasant freshness, with zero calories or caffeine.
- Brushing my teeth again. I don't go nuts with this, but if I want to freshen up during the day, this is healthy zero-calorie way.
Finally, some little habits that give me a motivational boost sometimes:
- Simply wait for 20 minutes, most cravings will pass
- Look forward to tomorrow's activities including eating
Supplements
I'm not very big on supplements, due to the cost, complexity and dubious health benefits. I do take one vitamin D tablet per day if I'm not getting out in the sun much.
Conclusion#
I hope you found some utility and inspiration in this article!
Maintaining fitness and health is best treated as a long-term game in my opinion. The changes should be gradual, cumulative and sustainable.
In my experience, the surest way to lose unwanted fat is to maintain a calorie deficit over a long period of time by exercising vigorously on a daily basis and sticking to a healthy and enjoyable eating routine.
The toughest aspect is to persist over long periods of time, which is why I emphasize simplicity, convenience, health, motivation and enjoyment! But Stoicism is a great help when times do get tough.
Optimizing my exercise and diet has been a fun and fascinating (though sometimes challenging) journey. I see it as a kind of infinite game, something I can always get better/smarter at and that enriches my life.
Further reading / viewing#
- Food and health on Coursera
- The Miraculous Healing Power of Food with Anthony Lim
- Calisthenics parks - free work outs, all over the world
