Happy Friday!!!
Hope you’ve been having a most excellent week :-)
We returned to the office this week after having Christmas through New Years off.
While I loved my time away and the opportunity to straight up relax, I am glad to be back.
Sleep has been improving steadily.
Eating more and dialing back my caffeine intake appear to have been beneficial in that regard.
I actually finished transitioning fully to decaf on Thursday, and am loving it.
While I have been feeling some headaches and fatigue, overall I’m feeling much more even-keeled.
Speaking of Thursday, my classes for the spring semester started that day.
I’m a bit apprehensive about taking 11 credits, but I think I’ll be fine.
That said, I have been making a few changes to my daily schedule to accommodate.
For starters, I’m keep a stricter time limit on my morning writing.
Typically, it doesn’t take that long, but some mornings I spend more time than I’d like making minor tweaks.
I am also making some changes to my training.
So far, I’ve been hitting the gym for about an hour 3 times a week.
Instead, I’m now going to be doing more frequent, shorter workouts at home.
I’ve also been getting a little burnt out on the barbell work.
Getting back to kettlebells and bodyweight work will be a nice change of pace.
Much of this is also driven by a desire of mine to simplify.
As my priorities in life change, so do the things to which I want to dedicate my time.
It’s an ongoing process, but I’ve been enjoying it.
Right now I’m looking at 4-5 sessions a week, rotating through variations of a couple of training templates I’ve put together.
One template is focused on deadlift and push-ups, with the other focused on squats and chin-ups.
I’ve put together a few variations for each of them, too.
At first, though, I will likely stick to the basic templates to get a feel for things.
The overall volume of this plan seems reasonable, but I’m not sure how I feel about the more frequent, shorter workouts.
Cutting down the time for each session opens up time for other things.
However, this means I’ll need to make that time (even if not as much) more frequently.
Of course, this also means missed sessions have less impact and are easier to make up.
So, there are advantages and disadvantages.
Looking forward to seeing how it pans out!
This weekend I’ll be focused mainly on studying, spending time outside, reading, and relaxing.
Will probably hit a brewery or pub on Saturday and make time to just veg for an hour or so on Sunday.
That latter activity is something I’d been neglecting the past few months.
My time off from work helped me remember just how nice it is to lay around and do nothing sometimes.
Whatever you get into this weekend, I hope it fills your cup.
I appreciate you.
Here are this week's most excellent resources for a most excellent life…
“Given that HIIT interventions often involve less energy expenditure and require less time commitment, this modality may be particularly efficacious for individuals who are time poor.”
#189 – COVID-19: Current state of affairs, Omicron, and a search for the end game, The Peter Attia Drive
“Themes throughout the conversation include the difference between science and advocacy, the messaging which is sowing mistrust in science despite major progress, and a search for what a possible “end” to this situation might look like.”
“There are many oft-cited recommendations for improving your mood, including exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and meditating. But different people have different socioeconomic and environmental stressors — and it's often beneficial to connect with people who relate to your particular struggles and can share coping strategies that have worked for them.”
Glutamine Supplementation Enhances the Effects of a Low FODMAP Diet in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Management, Rastgoo et al.
“Our findings indicated the superiority of adding glutamine supplementation to a low FODMAP diet in amelioration of IBS symptoms while confirming the beneficial effects of a low FODMAP diet in IBS management.”
The great unknown: 10 tips for dealing with the stress of uncertainty, American Psychological Association
“No one can avoid the unexpected. But these simple steps can help you better face life’s uncertainties.”
How Practical Wisdom Helps Us Cope with Radical Uncertainty, Yael Schonbrun and Barry Schwarz
“Practical wisdom requires an appreciation that there is no perfect choice, and that each choice has benefits, drawbacks, and uncertainties.”
4.35 Omicron, Travel Bans, Masks, Vaccine Mandates with Dr. Zeb Jamrozik, Plenary Session Podcast (Vinay Prasad MD MPH)
“Dr. Zeb Jamrozik, an infectious disease bioethicist at the Monash Bioethics Centre and the University of Oxford, is back again! We discuss Omicron, travel bans, masks, vaccine mandates, and more.”
When all looks bleak, hopebuilding strategies offer a lifeline, Kathryn Gordon
“These hope-building strategies – Seek Help, Find Optimism, Change Perspective, and Attend to Emotions – were designed to guide people through practical steps that are informed by science and clinical experience.”
Physical Activity Reduces Clinical Symptoms and Restores Neuroplasticity in Major Depression, Bruchle et al.
“In summary, we showed that a PA intervention supports the remission of clinical symptoms and normalizes deficient LTP-induced neuroplasticity in MDD, and that these two observations are highly correlated.”
How experiencing autonomy contributes to a good life, Kukita et al.
“Controlling for all other predictors, autonomy was the only significant predictor for momentary affect and engagement; it was the strongest predictor for momentary meaningfulness.”
We need to talk about the food justice consequences of “Less Meat, Better Meat”, Diana Rodgers
“Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to champion the clear ethical and health case for eating meat and, at the same time, to advocate for improvements in the meat industry and in our entire food system.”
New Year's Eve 2022 LIVE (2021 in Review, Omicron, & Sense-Making), The ZDogg MD Show
“It’s been a s**tshow of a year, so let’s have some fun, review the year, and do some sense-making…”
I’ll leave you with this...
It's often not our own problems that drive our distress.
Rather, it's comparing our own to others'.
We wish we were living somebody else's life.
Yet, we don't recognize that the people we envy feel the same way.
Be grateful for your problems.
Somebody out there envies yours.
You've got this.