Why These Updates Matter
When I first started FatmanX over a decade ago, it served primarily as an accountability tool. This time, it's both accountability and education. These daily logs will capture the raw, unfiltered reality of transformation—the victories, setbacks, and everything in between. While the longer-form posts will dive deep into frameworks and analysis, these shorter updates keep me honest and provide real-time insights into what working on your health full-time actually looks like.
The Daily Details
Exercise Approach
I'm starting with three weekly gym sessions. This baseline allows me to establish proper form and prevent burnout, with plans to scale up to five or six sessions as my body adapts. The focus is on compound movements and gradual progression.
Walking has become my primary movement tool. Using an under-desk treadmill lets me combine productivity with activity, aiming for 10,000 steps daily while writing and reading. This will eventually scale to 20,000 steps, but the key is consistency before volume.
Nutrition Framework
The foundation is a modified slow-carb diet. This approach has historically worked well for me, allowing sustainable progress while maintaining muscle mass. I've adapted it to include some dairy for satiety and protein needs.
Calorie tracking adds precision to the framework. While not strictly necessary on slow-carb, tracking helps ensure I maintain a deficit while getting adequate protein. The weekly cheat day aligns with family time, making the program more sustainable.
Sleep Optimization
Sleep quality is non-negotiable. After years of compromising rest for work and family obligations, I'm targeting 7-8 hours nightly with consistent wake times. The 6 AM wake-up may shift earlier to 5 AM as habits solidify.
Bedtime routine starts at 9 PM. This early shutdown gives me time to wind down properly and ensures adequate rest for morning training. The consistency matters more than the exact hours.
Environmental Design
Food prep has returned as a cornerstone habit. While my wife cooks wonderful meals for the family, having my own prepared meals removes decision fatigue and ensures diet compliance. Sunday prep sessions set up the entire week.
The health routine is deliberately front-loaded in the day. Gym work happens first (1.5-2 hours), followed by treadmill writing sessions (2-4 hours). This structure ensures the most important work happens before daily life can intervene.
Progress Tracking
Regular blood work provides objective feedback. Beyond just tracking weight and measurements, monitoring hormone levels and blood glucose helps optimize the approach. This data-driven view prevents emotional decision-making.
Daily logs capture both metrics and mindset. Short updates here combine with weekly summaries to track patterns and insights, applying the DRX framework to identify what's working and what needs adjustment.
Looking Ahead
This initial phase is about establishing baselines and understanding patterns. As I collect data on sleep quality, energy levels, and workout recovery, I'll be fine-tuning these systems and habits. These dramatic changes will require a period of tuning and adjustment to ensure they’re safe and sustainable. These updates will track those calibrations, showing how each element of the framework evolves as we gather more information.