Category: Uncategorized

Below are my short-term goals for getting healthy. It’s to build momentum so I can continue on the longer journey in front of me.

1. Be consistent with basic exercise.
2. Fit into old clothing I currently own.
3. Demonstrate visible progress.

–Mark–

I struggle to be fit and healthy. The modern American lifestyle makes it difficult with so many conveniences, temptations, and excuses. I want extend my life, improve quality of life, and be able to do more. I need to stop pushing off the actions that will make me healthy. I need to find ways to get healthy despite the modern American lifestyle.

I visited my doctor last April. My cholesterol is elevated and my blood pressure read very high at their office. At home, my blood pressure was slightly elevated. I don’t have a muscular build and my weight suggests that I’m obese. I still have high blood pressure and I’m still overweight. For reference, I stand 5’10” and weigh 227 pounds as 9/22/2026.

I had too many excuses and reasons this summer to not get healthy. I work a full-time and a part-time job to meet my financial commitments. There were so many get togethers with family and friends. They are excuses. I need to carve out the time and energy get healthy. What the point of building a life to live if I don’t have a life to live it?

I’ve made a few minor changes. I don’t think it’s enough to make a large impact. I’ve been finding more ways to get more walking steps in. I started adding more protein and psyllium fiber into my diet to help me eat less. My weight is still the same and my blood pressure is still high.

Beginning September 29th, I plan to push hard for a month to create visible results. It’s going to be an unsustainable pace bit achievable for a month of intense work. I hope it’ll create enough momentum to keep me going once I push though the barrier that prevents my health journey from progressing.

Lately, I’ve been asking myself, ” What’s next?” I’ve been on this current path for about five years now.

I’ll be doing what I can to keep what I do simple, and smooth. I need to reduce the friction and reduce complexity in the things I work on so I can get it done. Often times, I find myself unable to start things because it is overwhelming and overly complex. Quick and elegant simple actions can get it started. I can refine it as I slowly work through it to smooth out the rough edges.

Overly complex things become hard to maintain or wastes resources. Why do five steps when one will do?

Performing simple actions gives me the experience to get better at the task and refine it. My actions get better. My actions become smoother. My actions become automatic. Once automatic, resources can be allocated to work on something else.

Things need to get done. When they get done I can see a result that can be refined and improved upon. Any mistakes will be a learning lesson.

Building systems simple as possible helps me diagnose problem and fix things. I do not reject complexity. I observe that some things are unnecessarily complex and need refined.

What are some things I need to keep simple and smooth?

–Mark–

Hi! It’s been awhile. It’s been years since I’ve worked on this website. This site has been rebooted numerous times since 2012 without any content. I plan to work on it more.

I’m not quite sure what I’ll be creating here. I think it’ll be more like a diary and field notes. My biggest priority is to write more so I can communicate better with myself and others. Each slide of a writing utensil on paper and keystroke helps me think through ideas, exchange information, and share wisdom.

I’m excited to see where this goes. Join me as I roam, explore, and grow.

–Mark–