Month: April 2018

Metabolism Monday – The Start

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This is not a normal 66-day habit, but I will be following a prescribed program.

Habit: Follow the Fast Metabolism Diet for the required 28 days.

Start Date: Friday, 04/30/2018

Projected End Date: Sunday, 05/27/2018

Action Plan:

Incentive: Buy an elliptical machine!

Lofty Goal: Be healthy enough to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

My coworker, Dave, did a presentation at our last internal conference about his weight loss results with
The Fast Metabolism Diet: Eat More Food and Lose More Weight. He’s lost 47 pounds since January and other members of his extended family have had similar results.

Pomroy’s book does a great job of laying out the program and explaining the data behind each element. The program is 4 weeks long and the weeks are broken into phases. Phase 1, two days, is mostly grains and fruit and pairs with cardio workouts. Phase 2, two days, is similar to a paleo diet and pairs with strength workouts. Phase 3, three days, is a balanced diet incorporating healthy fats and pairs with relaxing workouts like yoga.

This book hits on so many of the healthy habits I have been trying to build. It ties my meditation, green smoothie, 8WW meals, and rowing habits together and I am hoping to see tangible results.

The program is practical and straightforward and we’ve finished Day 1! We enjoyed most of the food and felt sated throughout the day. We also completed our first cardio workout by swimming after work. We’re off to a great start and are determined to finish out the full 28 days!

Have you completed the Fast Metabolism Diet, or know someone who has? Please share your experiences in the comments!

TED Talks on Social Ties

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My action plan focused on networking, but that wasn’t exactly the inspiration I was looking for. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted so I browsed TED’s Friendship and Relationships categories to find these talks.

“…villagers lives constantly intersect.”

This is one of the best talks I’ve seen in a while. It’s funny, Pinker is well spoken, and she has a plethora of data to back up her assertions. She starts with her study of longevity in Sardinia. These anecdotes from the village bring the data alive.

One study shows that the most powerful predictors of long lifespans are close relationships and social integration (how many people you interact with throughout the day). She also sites resources that show in person interaction engages more of your brain and different chemical reactions than online interactions produce. One conclusion is that in general women live longer than men because they prioritize these face to face relationships. As few as 3 stable relationships would be enough to see benefits in your health.

“Come back to me.”

Menon’s talk is engaging and full of practical tips for expanding your social horizons. It won’t happen by accident. You need to go out of your way to allow yourself to bump into new people. We also have natural filters so her next tip is to interact with people you initially find boring or annoying. There are also times when it’s easy to reach out to your network, but we should be brave and also reach out when times are hard. Her assertion that people are partners, not resources is especially poignant.

“…genuine emotional connections…”

Strangers are not always dangerous, and we don’t need to be afraid of interacting with people we don’t know. Stark maintains we should try to see people as individuals and get others to see us that way as well. Fleeting intimacy with strangers can have profound impacts and help to positively disrupt our everyday lives. She provides a number of examples of how to approach strangers without completely breaking social norms, and challenges us to try these out in our own lives. 

These talks have given me confidence in continuing this habit. It’s hard to introduce myself to new people, but these talks lay out all of the benefits I could realize if I step out of my comfort zone.

Have these videos inspired you to talk to new people? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Friday Friends – The Start

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I’m in a new job and a new city. Now I need to make some new friends!

Habit: Introduce myself to a new person every day for 66 days

Start Date: Friday, 04/13/2018

Projected End Date: Monday, 06/18/2018

Action Plan:

  • Attend a community event
  • Attend a professional event
  • Join a local book club
  • Read 2 books about networking
  • Volunteer with a local association
  • Watch 3 videos on networking

Incentive: Host a game night for all my new friends!

Lofty Goal: Attain enlightenment, give generously, and be healthy enough to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Things are finally starting to settle down after our move. We’ve gotten into a new routine, and we’re both happy where we’ve landed. I am ready to explore my surroundings and hope to meet interesting people.

I miss my midwestern friends dearly, and I want to build some equally strong relationships now that I am back in sunny SoCal. Friends help with our mental and physical health, and they improve the quality of our lives. That seems like a lot of pressure right off the bat, but I’m sure to find people I enjoy having a drink with!

Clayton thinks this habit sounds exhausting, and I must admit it is a little daunting. It’s difficult to make new friends as an adult, but introductions are the first step! Since I’m still the new person at work, it should be pretty easy to meet people around the office. It will be harder to meet new people on the weekends, but my action plan should help.

I am somewhere in the middle of the introvert/extrovert spectrum. There are some days when I am so mentally drained that the last thing I want to do is interact with other people. Most of these introductions will take place in person, but I am going to give myself a little wiggle room and count online introductions as long as they potentially lead to in-person interactions.

What’s your favorite way to meet new people? Please share your tips in the comments!