Today is Tuesday, February 3rd, and this entry feels like an important pivot point in this challenge.
Not because anything dramatic happened — but because something clicked.
Yesterday was my non-training day, and for the first time since starting this challenge, I deliberately altered my approach based on what my body was telling me.
Yesterday: Life Happens (and the Plan Adapts)
Yesterday wasn’t a “perfectly controlled” day — and that matters.
It was a bank holiday here in Ireland, both kids were off school, the house was busy, and I didn’t get to the gym. Not because of lack of discipline — just real life.
Instead of forcing a workout into chaos, I:
- Stayed active
- Ate properly
- Hit protein hard
- And leaned into recovery
Most importantly, I intentionally added carbs.
I had two big bowls of rice with chicken, alongside my usual clean, high-protein meals. Everything else stayed the same:
- No junk
- No sugar binge
- No “see what happens” eating
Just clean carbs, on purpose.
Supplements & Foundations (Still Rock Solid)
Nothing else changed.
My morning still started the same way:
- Perfect Amino on an empty stomach
- Electrolytes with creatine, NMN, beta-alanine
- Vitamin D
- Omega-3s
Protein intake was strong — over 200g for the day.
Dinner was meatballs (solid, satisfying, no drama), hydration was on point, and I felt good going to bed.
The Interesting Part: Sleep & Recovery
I slept very well last night.
And this morning… something I hadn’t seen in about a week happened.
WHOOP went green.
This was my first green recovery in five days.
I’m not jumping to conclusions — but it’s very hard to ignore the timing:
- Higher carbs
- Non-training day
- Better sleep
- Improved recovery signal
At the very least, it suggests that glycogen replenishment and nervous system recovery are connected, especially when training volume and life stress are both present.
Today So Far: Sharp, Focused, Productive
As I write this, it’s just after️after 6pm.
So far today:
- 2,400 calories already in
- ~190g protein
- Carbs back down to ~30g
- Mostly meat and fats
Mentally, I’ve felt sharp all day.
I’ve had coaching clients, built systems, designed app workflows — the kind of work I genuinely love doing. Focus has been solid, energy steady, no brain fog.
This is important, because it tells me:
- Adding carbs strategically didn’t derail ketosis adaptation
- It didn’t blunt mental clarity
- If anything, it may have supported recovery without costing productivity
Movement Still Matters (Even on Busy Days)
Despite the chaos, I still got:
- 10,000 steps this morning
Tonight’s plan:
- Coaching session (1 hour)
- Full-body workout
- 1,000 rebounder bounces
It’s not ideal timing — it’ll push me to about 9:30pm — but it’s real life, and it’s getting done.
Consistency doesn’t mean perfection.
It means execution inside reality.
The Current Strategy (Locked In for Now)
Here’s the structure I’m running going forward:
🔹 Non-training days
- Higher carbs (clean sources like rice)
- High protein
- Support recovery and glycogen
🔹 Training days
- Low carb (under ~40g)
- High protein
- Focused stimulus, not constant refueling
This isn’t dogma.
It’s feedback-driven adjustment.
I’m still keto-adapted.
I’m still metabolically flexible.
But I’m no longer ignoring recovery signals just to stay rigid.
Final Thoughts for Today
This challenge isn’t about suffering for the sake of suffering.
It’s about:
- Reading the data
- Listening to the body
- Adjusting intelligently
- And still moving toward 180 pounds with intention
Yesterday’s carbs didn’t derail me.
They may have unlocked recovery.
And today confirmed something important:
You don’t lose discipline by adapting.
You lose progress by ignoring feedback.
Onward.
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