Sunday Special: System Reboot
The Comeback Begins Now
My cleats have been in a plastic bin in the garage for over a decade. My game day now consists of back-to-back Teams calls, navigating the complex architecture of an enterprise network, and trying to figure out why the Wi-Fi is lagging during a school night.
I used to be an athlete a long time ago. I remember what it felt like to move without thinking about my knees or wondering if I’d pay for it the next morning. But somewhere between my career in IT and the second kid, the “athlete” became a ghost, and it is time to correct that.
The Reality Check
Let’s be honest, the fitness influencer world is exhausting. I don’t have four hours a day to spend in a dimly lit warehouse gym, and I’m not chasing a six-pack for a beach photo. Although both of those would be fine, that’s not where I am in life with a demanding job and two boys at home.
My goals are more mission-critical than aesthetic. I want the cardiovascular capacity to sprint after my kids without needing a recovery period. I want the mental clarity to lead through a high-stakes deployment without the 3:00 PM brain fog. This isn’t about vanity and looking good (although that definitely is a plus), it’s about utility. I need my body to match the pace of my life.
The System
In the kitchen, mise en place means “everything in its place” before you start cooking. In IT, we call it the environment setup. For my fitness, focusing entirely on the inputs, the things I can control. That means my workouts, my nutrition, and my sleep.
If I manage the system, the results will eventually settle themselves. My current “v.1.0” system is simple.
Workout every morning for at least 30 minutes.
Walk outside everyday for at least 30 minutes, and get at least 8K steps a day.
Eat as many whole foods as I can and limit processed foods.
I am going to be using Tony Horton’s Power of Four workout program. The program is designed around four pillars - Fitness, Nutrition, Supplements, and Mindfulness. These are four things I want to work on, so it seems like a great fit. The other good thing is, I can do these workouts in my living room, and don’t need to go to the gym to do so. By removing the friction of a commute to the gym and following a pre-built road map, I’m essentially automating the decision-making process.
The goal isn’t to lose 20 pounds, although that would be nice and will be a byproduct of the system (at least that’s the plan). The goal is to execute the system perfectly for seven days. Then do it again next week.
The Comeback Begins
There is a specific kind of ego hit that comes with being a former athlete. You remember what you used to be able to do, and it makes what you can actually do now, feel not so good.
There is a lot of power in the Day 1 mentality. It’s an admission that the old version of me is gone, and this new version is a rookie. I’m starting from scratch. People don’t actually relate to perfection, at least I know I don’t, and can see through it, especially on social media. People relate to the guy who is willing to look a little foolish because he’s tired of being tired.
This isn’t going to be a highlight reel. It’s the comeback.
Until next time.