My Journey to sustainable fitness and wellbeing

When it comes to taking care of my body, I focus on a few key aspects: fat percentage, mobility, strength, sleep, and, more recently, mental strain.

I quickly realized that body fat percentage is an important metric for monitoring what I consume. When I see my body fat around 12-13%, I feel good. However, I usually fluctuate between 13% and 16% throughout the year. My goal is to reduce this fluctuation and ideally maintain a steady 13% year-round. I’ve noticed that as I age, I become slower at losing weight. While I’ve improved my weight loss efforts, I am increasingly aware that what I put into my body significantly impacts my ability to regulate myself. The strategy is quite simple:

Track What You Eat and Your Weight

It can be tedious, but ultimately, tracking helps me stay consistent. The more I log my meals, the easier it becomes, as the app retains my various meals and ingredients. As for my weight, it’s essential to monitor it regularly.

Increase Your Basal Metabolism

I dislike feeling hungry, so I first focus on increasing my basal metabolism to raise my daily calorie expenditure. Once I reach my target, I gradually reduce my daily calorie intake by 100-200 calories per week until I achieve my desired weight. To boost my metabolism, I aim for 10,000 to 15,000 steps daily. I also lift weights three times a week for a maximum of one hour per session. My training goal is to work my entire body each week. I switch programs every 3 to 6 months, with no specific goal other than to break a sweat and push myself hard enough. This resistance training provides my body with challenges I wouldn’t otherwise encounter.

Fast

While I don’t consider fasting mandatory, I typically fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour window. I maintain consistency but am not as strict as I am with the first two points. I appreciate that fasting allows me to stop eating by 4 PM, which sets me up nicely for a good night’s sleep.

Sleep Better

This year, I’ve prioritized sleep, which has greatly supported all my other activities. I now see sleep as the foundation of daily life: bad sleep leads to an average day, while good sleep results in a great day. Fasting and my overall diet contribute to better sleep. Additionally, cutting down on screen time and reading at night helps me fall asleep earlier than I would if I continued staring at screens (you have all day to look at them; just breathe in, breathe out, and take a break).

Mental Strain

This aspect is relatively new for me. Recently, I’ve noticed feeling tired and irritable for no apparent reason, and I believe my diet and gut health are largely responsible for these feelings. I’m aware that our stomach is often referred to as the second brain, and I’ve neglected it due to old habits. I’ve started focusing on eating fermented foods, vitamin C-rich foods, omega-3-rich foods, and adding a sprinkle of magnesium while cutting out processed foods, especially sugary treats. As a result, I now feel much better. While I’m not strict about it, I’m increasingly aware of how certain foods negatively affect me and how others can positively impact my gut, mind, and overall mood.

Finally, I stretch every morning—nothing intense, just some yoga poses to check if I can still touch my toes and if my hips are mobile enough for my liking. All these little tricks I’ve accumulated over the years are really adding up and helping me enjoy life more. They aren’t a silver bullet; effort and mindfulness in eating are essential. Ultimately, you have only one body, and I believe taking the time to understand it can help you age better.