Consume vs. Create

My time spent consuming vs. creating content has been 99:1 for the last few years. One of my goals for 2017 was to change the balance and create more. I’m late getting started.

My friend Clay has started old-school blogging again – no list posts, no single theme – just his thoughts and creations. I love it. He inspired me to do some website clean-up. I’ve collapsed a bunch of categories and added SSL to the site. I deleted numerous websites from my blogroll. So many of my favorite writers have stopped making new content, or are exclusively posting on Facebook. I’ve noticed myself doing the same, for quick thoughts on single ideas or moments. I miss having the old-school blog archive of those moments in time.

Thematically my consumption has been largely focused on Fitness & FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).

I completely fell down the FIRE rabbit hole. If FIRE interests you, I’ve been reading through the archives from:

• Mr. Money Mustache
• 1500 days
• Budgets are Sexy
• Physician on Fire
• The Wealthy Accountant  (although why he consistently spells LexisNexis as LexusNexus I have no idea)

Retirement savings in the USA are terrible. Side note: major financial crisis coming – look at the median savings! I’m better than average, but not where I should be for a nice comfortable retirement. I’m playing catch up! I’ve maxed my 401k and IRA for this year, and automated a savings plan. At this rate, I may only need to work full time until I’m about 70 or so. Good thing I like working. If you have favorite writers on this topic please let me know. I’m still soaking it all in.

In terms of Fitness, there are just a few resources I consistently consume.

• Precision Nutrition (my go to for the last decade) – numerous PhD’s, peer reviewed research, coaching, works with world class athletes
• Renaissance Periodization – again numerous PhDs, coaching, templates for training and nutrition, works with world class athletes
• physiqonomics (humorous but accurate)

I still love Precision Nutrition. I am L1 certified. I’ll be starting my L2 certification next month – it’s a year long program. I’m a few months into my second year receiving coaching. My fitness goal for this year was largely to “automate” my fitness and get a bit leaner and stronger. I’m getting closer. I’ll do a more formal fitness update at the end of the 12 week cutting cycle I’m on. I feel like finally internalizing the habits that will make this sustainable in the long term.

Speaking of habits – watch this:

And read his post:  Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.
I’ve been working towards this for the last few years without consciously realizing it. He says it out loud and writes it down.

Let me sum up: Habits/Practice >>> Goals/Motivation

I discovered Renaissance Periodization last year as I was looking to lean up more. Their programming is magic if you love Microsoft Excel (I do). All of the templates are Excel based. I have cutting (nutrition) & physique for women (strength training). I started with their women’s book, and may at some point do a full on 12 week cycle with both their nutrition and training plans. For now, I am using some of their recommendations to tweak what I’m doing with Precision Nutrition. I also joined their members only section (RP+) of the website to watch scientific lectures (seriously) on emerging research on fitness and performance nutrition/training. Gloriously geeky.

I think all things fitness/nutrition/performance are fun and interesting. And while I don’t remember how I found Aadam or got signed up for his newsletter, I am so glad that he’s contributing his perspective, humor, and drawings to the field. If you read nothing else that I’ve linked here, read his post – The Best Fat Loss Article on the Motherfuckin’ Internet. It’s a great tough love summary.