fridjonk

5:00 AM Just finished a great flow workout and did little arm training as well. I'm done with the loading phase with the creatine and now only consume 5g per day instead of 20g. I'm noticing a big difference in my body already, I'm a little more toned and bulkier, but still lean. I've never been as heavy as I'm now in my life, at around 86kg, and was about 84kg before I started the creatine, my normal weight is usually around 80kg. I actually thought I'd never get so heavy while working out twice a day, and both intense cardio sessions. Yet somehow I do, I feel the flow workout balances strength training with cardio nicely; I'm noticing some muscle gain for sure. But all this is just something I've noticed yet don't pay much attention to. What I like most is, I feel fantastic being in top shape, It plays such a massive role on one's mental health.

@BipolarGrowth The honda will break down after 3 runs?

You'll be ready when you're ready. It's just hard the first week or so, after that it becomes more fun even when it's freezing cold.

@BlackMaze Awesome man! It does feel great doesn't it, and it will feel even better when you're in a habit of running every day. I've only seen one person during my morning runs the last month or so, lol. Are you smoking cigs or that other good good? Running after smoking a little weed is so fun. But I haven't smoked for a year or more, and I don't miss it. Even though it can be super fun.

5:00 AM Woke up this morning to weather so bad it were enough to depress even David Goggins. Really regret now that I didn't just get up and go for it instead of laying there in my comfort. I suppose the weather will be similar tomorrow so I'll have no excuse to skip tomorrow's run. Did some flow training today with a weighted backpack which felt great as usual. Love the loosey-goosey feel it gives you, mainly because of the warm-up when you're swinging your arms around in all directions. I've noticed it has been correcting my posture and the stiffness I had in my shoulder blades for the longest time, I'm also becoming way more flexible. Thank you Mike Chang for making this workout free! I'm checking my posture and aligning myself much more often throughout the day now. Awareness is such a golden gem of a tool to have. It's so easy to fall into an auto mode during the day; just catching yourself in the midst of an activity and asking "what am I doing?", "how do I feel right now?", "how does the body feel?". This has likely also been more on my mind after re-watching some of Aaron Alexander's podcasts and talks. What I've also been doing is, whenever I'm going into the kitchen to get a drink, I'll walk like an ape, but squatting more to open up the hip flexors. Most people today have insanely tight hip flexors, I included. But it has been getting better after I started to work on it. After I started to drink cacao again, I noticed how incredibly fast I got hooked on the theobromine. It's such a clean stimulation it was getting kind of difficult to skip it some days. So I've not drunk cacao for about 5 days and won't until maybe 5 more. Took a cold shower today and did some Wim Hoff breathing. I've been getting that insane stomach tightness lately while under the cold which is supposed to happen I think. It's been showing up more, and more intensely, but I also feel a lot warmer when it happens so I guess it's the body trying to keep itself hot and keeping it from panicking. I can't have my head under the shower for more than 10 sec without getting a complete brain freeze, so I alternate between head under and not under.

Thanks. I was the biggest night owl on the planet btw. It was much easier to create a good sleep schedule than I had previously thought. Just follow the basic steps and stick to it.

This! Can't be emphasized enough.

Been a blast reading through this thread. @Shin You're hilarious dude.

Your body will tell you when its had enough. I usually go for like 6-8 months on then 2-12 months off, but that's just me. I'm not very obsessed with supplements. Just take em when you feel like taking them. Your body is like 70% water so I don't see how water retention could be bad unless you're not exercising at all.

@BlackMaze Absolutely, but mostly water weight. It helps build muscle as well if you exercise. It's super healthy for the mind as well, everyone should be taking it like Ben Greenfield suggests.

Build a habit before you go to bed. For me, that's drinking night-time tea with some magnesium in it. Set your alarm far from your bed so you'll have to get up to turn it off, this was by far the biggest aspect that helped me. And most importantly you just have to stick to it. Just do it.

Eat breakfast, something like granola. Eat 300-500 calories more than what you eat now. Take creatine.

I actually agree with the high-intensity training, it can be super spiritual to push beyond your mind's limiter. Just don't do it in a stupid way.

Literally my favorite video on the internet, thanks for reminding me of it.

Just experienced a big ass earthquake as I was about to write here. Though my house was collapsing, lol. Anyways, just found this cool fitness channel which goes kinda the same way and style I'm heading with my fitness; which is functional strength under all conditions, Wim Hof/David Goggins style with less emphasis on hardening the mind and more just being loose. Merging physical exercise with spiritual practice to complete the body mind connection, your body is more connected to your spiritual path than one might let on to believe. Just finished a great strength focused workout, which is just bodyweight exercises with a 10kg backpack. Did some push ups, some pull ups and some core work. I've been doing the flow workout for about 2-3 months now which focuses largely on stamina+bodyweight strength. And after a long time of the same workout I want to focus a little on strenght as well. So I'll be mixing some heavy backpack workouts here and there alongside the running and flow workout. Don't really care about a six pack, but a good core is the foundation to which the entire body is connected to. Not really interested in the toughest mindset in the world type of training. But there's a fine balance in which you play between pushing the mind beyond what you believe you can achieve and doing to free yourself from your ego. Pushing beyond your capacity is one of the most liberating things I've felt. and It's surprising how big of a role your physical health plays a part in a spiritual journey-if you're still in your younger years.

5:00 AM Went for my normal circle but at a considerably faster pace, then did some uphill sprints. Ended up doing the later part of the run without music then meditated for 20 min straight after. Did not manage to focus at all during it, but that's to be expected since I've not meditated for couple of months.

See'ya on the other side my friend.

10:00 AM Yup, that's right. I didn't fall asleep until around 3:30 am and I've noticed I've been having a hard time falling asleep lately. I have no idea as to why, but it might be something to do with not being consistent enough with waking up at 5 am lately. It's been kind of on and off for the past week or so, some days I wake up at 5, some at 8. I think I've actually been way too soft and lenient on the morning runs and the early waking. From now on I'll be stricter and will try and run every day at precisely 5:00 am as I've been doing for the past weeks. I'm still training hard and just finished a great flow workout followed by a cold shower. The showers are getting SO cold at this time of year when the ground is at such low temperature. Been trying to work on my breathing when I'm under the cold, so I'll do about 10-15 deep breaths before I submerge myself under and then I continue with controlled breathing while under for about 4 minutes in the coldest setting. I've now noticed I'm getting a lot better at controlling my body temperature. I've been loading creatine and just started yesterday. I'm taking 20g at 4 different times each day and will do so for about 6 days, then I'll tone it down to 5g per day and keep it there. Been trying to finish off my old supply that expired in 2017, lol. Should be alright since it's stored well. I did buy a new 80 serving pack yesterday and was incredibly surprised at how cheap this stuff still is. Was like 6$, which means it's cheaper than bottled water for the amount you get. I've just got to remember to drink about 3 liters of water each day which I can often forget, but I'll try to remember. Been kind of on and off on this nofap stuff and I've not really had a stance on whether I like it or not until now. And I'm firm on it being something I want to continue with. Noticed that fapping can easily interrupt my sleep routine and it's just not healthy for me at this stage in my life. Also, that extra testosterone feels so good when you're working out intensely and doing cold showers, followed with meditation which I've yet to start. My plan was to meditate after runs but I've not tried it yet, I'll make sure to try it tomorrow morning after my run. I've been running with music ever since I started so I'm going to try and switch to running in silence or with an audiobook. I bet running in silence and then meditating straight after feels great. I do like my music in the mornings because it brings that extra motivation needed, but I'm up for a little experimentation. I'll be interested to see how well creatine helps with my recovery and performance.

We voluntarily act as devils because god's love is too much for an ego to handle and accept. It confuses it, because how could there be such powerful and forgiving love? How can something be so perfect to accept everything as its most profound creation? How can something be so selfless that it cares for the most minuscule creation equally as its largest most intelligent creation? It's all equally intelligent because IT IS ITSELF. It's IT. Selflessness and love so pure it's the only thing that allows reality to exist as it is, infinitely perfect and infinitely forgiving. In the end, it will all be okay.

@preventingdiabetes He has to find his own way out. What you said to him may have impacted him more than he may have led you to believe. I doubt it didn't impact him in any way, even the most minuscule impact is some impact. And if he made a joke out of it, I'd say that means it hit home and he couldn't handle the advice on the spot. This is precisely what society is doing, they're drowning themselves in cheap entertainment and will do anything to not sit alone with their thoughts.

@bejapuskas Let's hope this field will evolve and bring them some less judgemental help. Can't imagine how helpless one must feel in their position. This takes another level of courage to come out and admit.

They're afraid of change.