Something that comes back again and again in the financial freedom-sphere is health. Perhaps because there is a similarity between breaking free from misconceptions about finance and misconceptions around health.
Our conclusion is that we need to be as radical with health as with finance. Actually, health came first for us, and we discovered investing later. The same concept still applies - what is considered 'normal' has gone far away from what is in our own interest.
The 'normal' has inactivity as its goal, inventions that remove discomfort (e-scooters, really?) and convenience as its means. The 'normal' markets health as a commodity, with roughly the same mediocre results as listening to financial advice from the old banks.
When one has been indoctrinated to the normal for too long, the break seems hardcore. Just like with finances.
The body below the head is not a dead appendix sewn on under the shoulders. It's something that requires attention!
Go Hardcore!
1) Sell the car. Just get rid of it, give it away if need be. Get to everywhere within 12 kilometers (7 miles) from where you live with muscle power. Kids? They can bike. We're not kidding.
2) Go up at 6:00 every morning and go for a 5-km run (2 miles). It's not so short that it doesn't matter, but long enough to make you really happy, and healthy. And the heart is a super-Godlike-fabulous muscle, that literally keeps you alive from second to second, so give it Respect! The secret to getting up at 6 (or 5:30)? Start with going up early! That's how one gets sleepy in the evening and gets into the habit.
3) Office? Stand up! At least 4 hours a day. And go for a lunch walk or run.
4) Don't underestimate micro-training. Do pull-ups in that outdoor gym when running. Do 50 pushups, squats and sit-ups when you can.
5) Always have ready access to training. Have kettlebells at home. Running shoes by the door. Live close to a swimming pool. Get rid of the gym card, that's just a silly excuse, draining costs and worth nothing by itself. Get real, get out and get going instead.
6) Surprise the body. Go for the odd long run. Swim in lakes. Jump. Dance.
Don't fool yourself that hand-eye-control and kicking or throwing things is training. It's not. It's just eye-hand-control and throwing things. Benefit? Unclear. Grow up.
Where to start?
Don't let the Ego be the Enemy. Run 1 km, walk 1 km, and progress slowly until you can run a complete 10+ km. Do push ups, squats and situps with body weight. Do yoga. Keep on until your body starts to respond.
We keep some metrics:
- Our BMI:s should always be in the 20-25 range.
- We log training. In a year we should accumulate 10000 minutes.
- We should run 80 mornings, and we have some stretch-goals to strive for: go for a long run at least every month and crawl +3km 3 times a year.
Food?
Some suggestions:
- Breakfast is a stupid invention of modernity, made up by the food industry to make us consume junk food (don't try to excuse yourself in thinking your breakfast is an exception) and pooring in useless, low-quality calories. Have a coffee in the morning, learn not to fear some hunger that keeps you sharp - and eat an early lunch with real food instead.
- Bread was invented by the Devil.
- Cole and broccoli were invented by the Gods.
- Give up meats. It's as stupid to let a cow eat grass and then eat the cow as one might think. Did we mention hardcore?
- No alcohol. Not kidding. Why the heck would you?
- Popcorn is underrated.
- Use sweeteners if you like, or stevia. The criticism is machiavellian propaganda to the uninformed and mentally behind by the sugar and farmer industry. Sugar is the worst cancerogenous substance we habitually consume now, after alcohol. And you will be able to decrease sweeteners as you learn not to expect food to be so sweet.
- Think about how much energy you put in (nuts = much, cole=not much), and how much you use up by training, moving and being active during a day.
- For GODS SAKE: the MOUTH should NOT be a path to great pleasures in life! We would recommend scenic runs, happy kids, good art, a meaningful vocation and a fun sex life instead. Stop whining and get serious.
Leaning in too much
As with finance, one can go too far, and let the ego-complex-nerd, the inner little person fueled by insecurities and control-needs take over. Then, just as with finance, one's compensatory behavior quickly becomes unhealthy. No, you don't have to run EVERY morning. No, don't run marathons, ultramarathons, iron-mans or any races for that matter. Who are you competing with? Why should you?
And no, don't go and lift a mammoth three times in the gym to get biceps as big as your legs.
There's healthy, and there's too much.
Even Seneca recommended just jumping around, to avoid the excessive eating that comes with excessive exercise.
A Hardcore Break
There's no excuse. Just as we can realize that the 'normal' in finance is anything but healthy and requires a radical break; the same applies to an even more important asset - our body, heart and butt - and the approach needs to be just as thorough, consistent and radical.
Good luck and get going!
//antinous&lucilius
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