December 18, 2021

Levels Experiment Week 1

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

December 16, 2021

Levels Experiment Day 5

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

spikes and crashes all day

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

December 14, 2021

Levels Experiment Day 3

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

December 12, 2021

Levels Experiment Day 1

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

December 11, 2021

Levels Experiment

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

October 17, 2021

Anxiety Is Like an Armed Torpedo

Anxiety: A Target Seeking Armed Torpedo

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that anxiety is like the torpedo scene in the movie The Hunt for Red October. Like an armed torpedo, our brains like to search for a target.

In the movie, Soviet submarine Capitan Ramius is attempting to defect and turn over the submarine to the U.S. government. But before they sail, he sends a letter explaining his intent to a relative in the Soviet government, and now the whole Soviet navy is hunting him.

October 2, 2021

Give Up Perfection for Balance

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

July 25, 2021

Funks and Houseguests

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

July 3, 2021

Morning Intentions

Living Intentionally

As we begin to re-experience a visceral reconnection with the needs of our bodies, there is a brand new capacity to warmly love the self. We experience a new quality of authenticity in our caring, which redirects our attention to our health, our diets, our energy, our time management. This enhanced care for the self arises spontaneously and naturally, not as a response to a “should.” We are able to experience an immediate and intrinsic pleasure in self care.

July 2, 2021

Zen Row

It’s been an emotional week with lots of evening hours spent not relaxing. A 20 minute, 20 stroke rate (SR) workout was just what was needed.

Be kind to yourself. Extremism in any part of our lives is toxic.

Thanks Dark Horse Rowing for making this workout video in addition to all the other great content you have.