Category: Daily

The other day, I had a chat with a client that got me to do wheelies on my mind-excitement-moped. That was right before she gently told me I should park the moped because I was wrong.

In the nicest possible way. And I am thankful that she did.

Here’s how it went down:

Client: I switched taking the creatine immediately after my workout and ate post workout too. Noticed a significant reduction in soreness all about. 

Me: Interesting to hear about that change in soreness with the immediate meal. Cool to see such a concrete change [I was referring to a concrete change due to the meal timing change]. I will write a blog post about this.

Client: I’m a big believer in correlation (vs causation) so while it might be fun to relate the drop in soreness directly to the creatine [and meal timing], I’m guessing it’s more a result of adaptation [to the workouts] + rowing + creatine + protein timing. Your thoughts? 

Me: You’re so right. Thanks for pointing that out. [Me to myself: Joonas, you’re an absolute jackass.]

I wanted to believe the simple answer. And it clouded my judgment.

The point of this?

We tend to latch on to simple, black-and-white explanations. Whether it’s soreness, fat loss, strength, fatigue, whatever. There’s a reason why evil fitness marketers hype their quick-fix, simple solution products.

That goes for politicians too. Or anyone happy to lie through their teeth to sell a product or an idea.

The answers to our problems are always more complex than what we want to believe.

-J

But exercise sure as shit matters if we care about improving the overall quality of the years we have.

I don’t know about you, but that’s good enough for me.

“Clearly, people who exercise more live longer on average. Genetics, social factors, existing health and other aspects of lifestyle explain some of the association. We should not rule out a direct link between exercise and longevity, but this study suggests that it may have a smaller role than previously thought.”

“Nevertheless, experimental evidence shows that exercise can prevent illness and disability, improve mood and overall quality of life, which many would regard as more meaningful outcomes than lifespan alone.”

Here’s the article that digs into the Finnish(!) longevity study.

-J

You’ve got a few days off, right? Besides eating, hanging out with the fam and playing with the kids, there are a few things I enjoy more than a good book.

Even if I only have time to read in the evenings once the kids go to bed.

Here are some of my favourite books I read/listened to this year:

The Road by Cormack McCarthy. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so anxious while reading a book – in a good way. I wanted to start again as soon as I finished.

Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner. Mann’s film Heat from 1995 is my all-time favourite. If you’ve seen the movie and liked it, you’ll like this one too. If you haven’t seen the movie, don’t read this until you have because none of the stuff will make any sense.

Human Mind by Paul Bloom. A super interesting book about all things brain and mind. Bloom is the Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University and has a knack for distilling all his knowledge into an enjoyable and accessible book for us laypeople. Extra points that it’s not a self-help book.

Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are by Robert Plomin. How much does nurture shape us into who we are? Not much, according to this book. A good read for anyone who wants to have a more empathetic way of looking at the world.

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt. My attempt to have a better understanding of the basics of economics. This book was first published seven popes ago (I checked) but came highly recommended from various sources. It’s stood the test of time in explaining the principles in simple terms.

Good Inside by Dr Becky Kennedy. It’s not a stretch to call this book a parenting revolution. If this is what it’s like to be in a cult, I am all for it.

Hello, My Name Is Awesome by Alexandra Watkins. In case you need some inspiration for (re)naming your business. It is actionable with an outside-the-box framework that helps you name your business/podcast/whatever in a way that doesn’t make your customers want to die when they see it. It’s also short and free of the typical marketing book bullshit.

The Coaching Business Prescription by Scott Perry. Speaking of business books, this has become my go-to recommendation for someone starting a new service business. But also for the more experienced service business owners who need help with traction. There is so much actionable, fluff-free, down-to-earth value in so few pages. I read it in one sitting.

Merry Christmas, if you’re into it. If not, hope you’re having a stunning Monday.

-J

None of my clients love strength training.

But they love what strength training allows them to do:

– Skiing with stronger and less injury-prone knees.
– Easier hill climbs on the bike.
– Hiking the glazier.
– Running a marathon.
– Getting rid of knee pain and to “avoid huck shop lady arms”.
– Snowboard pain-free.
– “More energy and stamina for cycling, hiking and everyday life with friends and family”.
– Cycling 1200km to raise money for cancer cure.

Tie the strength training to the meaningful shit that matters to you. And you’ll never have to look for motivation again.

So, what’s yours?

-J

This is what I use 95% of the time:

– Kettlebells 12kg, 16kg, 20kg, 24kg
– 1.5 x 1.5 meters of space in my home office

This is what I use about 5% of the time:
– Dumbbells 3kg and 7kg (bought them both to rehab my golfer’s elbow)
– Gym mat
– Olympic rings
– TRX
– Floor slides

I’d use the rings and TRX more if I’d set them up somewhere other than the backyard.

As for the gym mats, I just can’t be bothered to set them up before each workout. I mean, it takes at least 18 seconds to piece them together.

It just goes to show that to make a habit sticky, convenience is the way to go.

-J

Do 5-10 minutes instead.

I did exactly this the other day.

After the kids went to bed, I knew I didn’t have the time or the energy for a long workout.

So I did some get-ups to warm up and then worked my way to a challenging set of single-leg deadlifts and a single-arm row.

I was done in about 13 minutes. And I felt a whole lot better than when I started.

No, it won’t win the internet. But that’s not what I train for anyway.

And neither do you.

-J

We’d all be way more content with our lives by implementing some (or all?) of these points from Bryan Caplan.

All the points are worth a discussion, but this one jumped out for me:

“Emotionally distance yourself from people you personally know who aggravate you. Don’t purge anyone – that causes more trouble than it saves.  Just accept the fact that you aren’t going to change them.”

What would you add?

Here’s the article.

-J

When you’re setting up your health and fitness goals, do it with your calendar open.

Look at your calendar to decide what’s a reasonable goal given your current obligations with work, family and lifestyle.

Yes, something might have to give. Even with a reasonable goal.

But if you’re hellbent on reaching a goal that’s way beyond reasonable, it’s first worth asking if you’re willing to burn the calendar to make that happen.

-J

“Better adherence to plant-based dietary patterns, especially those emphasizing healthy plant-based foods, is beneficial for lowering the risks of major chronic conditions, including T2D [type 2 diabetes], CVD [cardiovascular disease], cancer, as well as premature deaths.”

Here’s the study.

Also, there’s an omnivore vs plant-based study circling, which some folks are sharing as evidence of a plant-based diet being more likely to lead to bone fractures and shitty bone density. What they forget to mention is this part of the study:

“The differences [vegan vs omnivore] were attenuated in the subgroup reporting regular resistance training. Altogether, these results suggest that the higher fracture risk associated with a vegan diet as compared with omnivores can be mitigated by calcium-vitamin D supplements and possibly regular resistance training.”

-J

Why? We reduced the friction by focusing on short workouts at a convenient location for her: at home.

Besides kettlebells, we’re using equipment she can take when she travels: suspension trainer and resistance bands.

Her main goal when we started was to build a training habit she could stick with. And she’s managed to do just that.

Here are some notes from her that might help you too: 

1. Convenience and Flexibility: she appreciates the ability to exercise anywhere, whether at home or while travelling.

2. Privacy: she’s super social, but not when it comes to exercise. Training at home gives her comfort and privacy.

3. Consistency: the workouts adapt to various locations like hotels or Airbnb, ensuring the routine is uninterrupted. Well, most of the time.

4. Missed Workouts: there’s no stress about missing a session as they are all full body and listed in order, preventing the feeling of a broken streak. The next workout you do is the one you see on the list, regardless of whether she’s missed two days or two weeks.

5. Zero guilt-tripping: There’s no emotional abuse (from the tech OR Joonas) for missing a workout, which is crucial for her long-term motivation.

6. Adaptability to Schedule: The workouts fit her schedule without being overwhelming.

Key takeaway?

Don’t look for the perfect program. Look for the one you can do with your time and resources.

And build from there.

-J