Noticed that I am the healthiest I have been in quite some time. Recently saw my weight get down to the lowest part of my self-defined "range" of acceptable weights and stay there. So its not like I magically dropped 25 pounds and it surprised me. Its more like a subtle trend towards being less heavy. I have always eaten fairly healthy and stayed physically active. That hasn't changed, but there is something I'm doing right, so it is time for some self-analysis.
Exercise:
My weight training has probably increased and has been more focused. One change revolves around my long-term goal of performing strict pullups, despite never being all that close to doing one. Guessing that I have spent the last year building up the specific muscles to get me to that goal. For starters, there have more a LOT more inverted rows. That leads me to recent workouts where I feel like I'm getting closer to a strict pullup by using weigh offsets on a pullup machine. Doubt that is it, but the intensity is extremely high, using major muscle groups, so it is not "nothing".
Strangely, I have gotten away from major lower body workouts, like back squats. They just do not appeal to me anymore. Instead, I have been embracing ATG/Knees over Toes workouts. I start every gym workout with 3 minutes of backwards walking. I end every gym workout with raised elevation Patrick steps (10/leg). While this has been a positive change, I doubt it has done that much to my overall health other than help me avoid injury.
For the last 10 years or so, I have embraced running. There were times when I worked up to 8 mile runs, but that usually brought on knee pain when I increased my distance or speed. Thus, the reason I have been using the ATG workouts. My gym workouts typically involve a 1-2 mile run, which have been consistent. My overall weekly milage is low (~3-4 miles), so while I have been running, it has not been that much.
The only other intense gym workouts have been Bench Press, Inclined Bench Press, Curls, "Cable Pushaways" and "Tricep Pulldowns with a flat grip". Those are to get my arms looking bigger, which have worked a little bit. Maybe the increased intensity has helped on these exercises?
Diet:
We all knew it had to be the diet, right? Let's see if there have been some positive changes.
More meal-kit, pre-prepped meals that have been the default lunch since I have been working from home. This helps with portion control and limiting overprocessed items from getting to the plate. Big positive here.
After a recent well visit trip to the doctor, my blood tests showed my bad cholesterol was a little high. My response was to reduce my cheese intake. This was easy since I was incorporating cheese in so many ways. Primarily, my breakfasts include omelets. Lots of omelets. That means lots of cheese. Just before I realized I needed less cheese at breakfast, I had found a new way to make my omelets which was based on the Korean/Japanese method for Omarice. I decided that instead of rice, I would use cauliflower rice and mix in other vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, broccoli) as a hash base. Then the egg was basically a French style omelet laid over the hash. The more I use this style, the less cheese I consume. I also eliminated cheese as a snack. This could be more impactful that I realize.
Summary:
No changes that I would consider major. Weight training has been more intense. My diet has improved with the drastic cheese intake reduction. The results are essentially that my weight is less, but I feel better overall.
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