I Spent 400 Days Focusing on My Health, and Here’s What I Learned

400 days of tracking, experimenting, and learning what works for my health. Here’s how I built a system that’s both practical and personal.

Mostly Media

24 Nov 2024 — 35 min read

I Tracked Everything for 400 Days — Here’s What I Learned

The internet is full of health advice — some of it useful, most of it noise. Over the last 400 days, I set out to sift through that noise and figure out what actually works for me. This isn’t a list of rules for you to follow step-by-step — it’s a blueprint for building your approach. Through tracking, experimenting, and questioning what ‘just get better’ really means, I learned how to create a system that works for my life. My hope? That you’ll take these lessons and use them to build yours.

Part I: Why I Started

For the longest time, my health felt like a second priority — a fleeting thought pushed aside by the chaos of everything else in life. Stress, work, and obligations seemed to take precedence, leaving me without the capacity to give my well-being the attention it deserved. But I began to notice something troubling: when one aspect of my health faltered, the rest followed in what felt like a domino effect. A single bad night’s sleep could spiral into low energy, poor choices, and mounting frustration; unraveling progress, I thought I had locked in.

It wasn’t just about letting things slide; I didn’t understand why my habits were so fragile — why one slip could send everything off course. For years, I leaned on shortcuts and advice from so-called health gurus. I’d follow their methods, only to realize that their routines worked for them, not for me. Their “one-size-fits-all” solutions left me feeling like I was spinning my wheels, stuck in trial-and-error cycles with no real results to show.

That’s when it clicked: health isn’t just about following generic advice — it’s about creating a system that reflects your unique needs and circumstances. I needed to find my own method, my blueprint, one grounded in what actually worked for me. And the key to unlocking that? Understanding the signals my body was already giving me — my biomarkers.

By tracking, questioning, and building awareness of how my choices impacted my body, I stopped seeing health as something reactive and started treating it as a proactive investment. It wasn’t about perfection but about figuring out what mattered most to me and creating a plan that I could sustain.

Part II: What I Focused On

The first step was identifying which aspects of my health were most vulnerable when I wasn’t paying attention. This might seem obvious at first glance — things like sleep, nutrition, and exercise — but what became clear is that none of these existed in isolation. Each relied on the others to function properly, forming an interconnected web. When one faltered, the rest struggled to compensate. The key wasn’t just addressing them individually but understanding their interdependence.

I realized that my health wasn’t a collection of isolated habits; it was a system. Fixing one area without considering the others would never lead to meaningful change. By breaking them into categories and addressing how I approached each one, I began to see the bigger picture. Here’s what I focused on and how I built a plan that worked for me.

Keeping Track: Building a Health Dashboard

As I delved deeper into improving my health, one thing became clear: what gets measured gets managed. I realized that understanding my progress and keeping track of even the smallest metrics was just as important as making the changes themselves. Without a reliable way to store and analyze this information, I would have been flying blind. Tracking gave me clarity, accountability, and, more importantly, a sense of control over my journey.

The tool that became my cornerstone was the Apple Health app. It quickly turned into my go-to resource for storing and visualizing key metrics. Sleep patterns, step counts, active minutes, heart rate variability — it compiled everything into a seamless, easy-to-navigate dashboard. Over time, it felt like having a personal assistant for my health, ensuring I wasn’t missing anything crucial.

But there were gaps in what Apple Health could track — metrics that mattered to me but didn’t have a built-in home. That’s where Obsidian came in. Using it, I created a comprehensive database that captured all the nuanced aspects of my health journey. It became my space for:

• Journaling: Reflecting on how I felt day to day, noticing patterns in mood, energy, and performance.

• Exercise Logs: Tracking workouts and tweaking plans based on how my body responded.

• Plans and Strategies: Housing ideas for improving specific areas, from sleep routines to meal planning.

With these two tools working together, I had a system that captured both the hard data (steps, calories burned, hours slept) and the soft insights (how I felt, what worked, what didn’t). Together, they allowed me to create a bird’s-eye view of my health and fine-tune the specifics in ways I hadn’t thought possible before.

Tracking wasn’t just about numbers; it was about building a habit of awareness. I started to see connections I’d never noticed before — like how a poor night’s sleep impacted my productivity or how consistent hydration amplified the quality of my workouts. By centralizing everything in one place, I wasn’t overwhelmed by data; I was empowered by it.

While this article focuses on my journey, I’ve also written a full breakdown of the tools and systems I use to manage my health and maximize productivity. If you’re curious about the specifics or want to build your own personalized tracking system, that article dives into the details. But here, I’ll touch on how I used these tools in each category as we break them down individually. If you want to read the full article, you can read it here:

Part III: Biomarkers and the Pillars of Health

If there’s one thing I wish I’d realized earlier, it’s this: health isn’t just about how you feel — it’s about what your body is trying to tell you. These signals, often called biomarkers, are the measurable indicators of your health. They act as signposts, guiding you toward areas that need attention or improvement. From the obvious ones like heart rate and sleep patterns to subtler markers like energy levels or stress tolerance, each one paints a picture of your overall well-being.

When I first started focusing on my health, I didn’t just want to feel better — I tried to understand why I wasn’t feeling my best. That’s where biomarkers came into play. Tracking these gave me clarity and helped me make targeted changes tailored to my needs, not just generic advice floating around online.

But biomarkers don’t work in isolation. One metric can impact another, creating a ripple effect across your body and mind. That’s why I approached my health through five interconnected pillars:

1. Sleep: The foundation of everything. Poor sleep wasn’t just making me tired; it was affecting my mood, recovery, and even my ability to focus.

2. Hydration: Often overlooked, but I learned quickly that even mild dehydration could derail my performance in subtle yet significant ways.

3. Nutrition: It wasn’t just about eating healthy — it was about finding the right balance of foods that worked for my body and goals.

4. Mental Health: Stress and emotional well-being weren’t just mental — they were physical too, impacting energy, digestion, and more.

5. Physical Health: Movement, strength, and overall activity were key drivers in making every other pillar stronger.

These pillars became my blueprint. Each one influenced the others, creating a loop that either worked for or against me. For instance, when my sleep improved, I noticed I was better able to handle stress, recover faster, and make smarter food choices. It was all connected.

In this section, I’ll break down each pillar and share what I focused on to improve them. I’ll also touch on the biomarkers I tracked for each — what they revealed and how they helped me adjust my approach. The goal isn’t to tell you to copy my blueprint exactly but to give you a framework for creating your own based on what matters most to your health and lifestyle.

Sleep: The Foundation of Restored Energy

When I first began focusing on my health, sleep was easily the most broken pillar of all. My entire life had been a battle against insomnia — a tug-of-war between too much energy at night and too little during the day. I had tried it all: substances, supplements, doses of caffeine carefully timed to push through the fatigue. None of it worked. If anything, it made things worse, trapping me in an endless loop of artificial highs and debilitating crashes.

Sleep wasn’t just a struggle; it was a mystery I couldn’t solve. I’d wake up exhausted, slog through the day in a fog, and when bedtime came, I’d lie awake, thoughts spiraling, wondering why I couldn’t just shut off.

Starting with Data: Understanding My Baseline

The turning point came when I got my first Apple Watch. Back then, its sleep-tracking capabilities weren’t as advanced as they are now, but it didn’t need to be. I wasn’t after precision — I needed a rough picture. The goal was to wear it a few nights a week to figure out when I was actually falling asleep and waking up.

What I discovered was eye-opening. Sleep wasn’t just about how long I stayed in bed; it was about what happened before and after. What was causing me to stay up so late? Why was I waking up earlier than I wanted? The data revealed patterns I hadn’t noticed before, like how inconsistent my bedtime was or how stress in the evenings consistently delayed my ability to wind down.

This initial tracking gave me something I had never had before: clarity. I could finally see the gaps in my sleep routine and, more importantly, start to understand why they existed.

Redefining “Good Sleep”

One of the biggest lies I’d bought into was the idea that everyone needed 8–9 hours of sleep. It seemed logical; that’s what the experts said, right? So I aimed for it, night after night, and felt like a failure every time I couldn’t hit that target. But the truth? That magic number didn’t work for me.

For months, I experimented, tracking different amounts of sleep to see what left me feeling the best. Too little sleep (6 hours or less) made me sluggish, unfocused, and prone to mental fog. Too much (9 hours or more) left me groggy, almost as though I was too rested. Both scenarios felt like I was either running on an empty battery or still stuck to the charger.

But then something clicked. After weeks of trial and error, a clear pattern emerged. Seven and a half hours. That was my number. It wasn’t about what experts claimed was “ideal” — it was about what worked for me. On nights when I hit that sweet spot, I woke up alert, energized, and ready to move. No more lingering in bed trying to wake up. No more hitting snooze or questioning whether I’d slept enough. It was a complete shift, and it made all the difference.

Fixing My Sleep: Building a Routine That Works

Once I discovered my ideal sleep duration — 7.5 hours — the next challenge was ensuring I could consistently hit that target. This wasn’t about simply setting an alarm or going to bed at the same time every night; it was about building a system that put my body and mind up for success. Sleep wasn’t just a passive process — it became an intentional practice.

What I Did Before Bedtime

Falling asleep was always the hardest part. I needed to address everything that disrupted my ability to unwind. Through trial and error, I pinpointed the factors that consistently sabotaged my sleep and made adjustments accordingly:

• Caffeine Cutoff: I realized consuming caffeine within six hours of bedtime kept me wired, even if I didn’t feel it immediately. Cutting it out entirely after mid-afternoon was a game-changer.

• Early Dinner: Eating my last meal 3–4 hours before bed allowed my body to digest fully, ensuring I didn’t go to bed with lingering energy or discomfort from a late meal. This timing was crucial in signaling to my body that it was time to wind down.

Exertion During the Day: If I hadn’t exerted enough physical or mental energy during the day, my brain seemed to stay in overdrive, unable to switch off at night. On more relaxed days, I often found myself lying awake, restless. To fix this, I made a point to incorporate an ideal amount of exercise, tiring out my body in a healthy way. For my mind, I addressed lingering thoughts by either journaling to offload mental clutter or engaging in focused brain activities like puzzles or reading. This gave my brain the workout it craved, helping it shut down when the time came.

Physical Exertion: I discovered that combining 1 hour of NEAT or casual activity with 1 hour of intense exercise was ideal. For me, this looked like walking 30 minutes to the gym, working out for an hour, and then walking back — enough to tire my body without overdoing it.

Mental Exertion: To quiet my thoughts at night, I aimed for 2–4 hours of focused mental activity during the day, such as work or social interaction. I followed this with 30–60 minutes of journaling before bed to unload lingering thoughts and clear my mind for restful sleep.

Optimizing My Sleep Environment

Falling asleep was only part of the equation — staying asleep mattered just as much. I had to refine the environment around me to ensure uninterrupted, restorative rest:

• Temperature Control: I made the room comfortably cold, as I found a cooler environment made falling and staying asleep significantly easier.

• Earplugs: Sound disruptions — whether from neighbors, street noise, or random creaks in the house — would easily wake me. Earplugs became non-negotiable, giving me a consistent level of quiet throughout the night.

• Blocking Out Light: Whether it was streetlights sneaking through the blinds or early sunrises disrupting my REM cycles, light was a silent disruptor. Blackout curtains and an eye mask eliminated these intrusions, creating the dark environment my body needed.

Calculated Sleep Focus Over Consistency

For me, it wasn’t about rigid routines or strict bedtimes — it was about making sure I always hit 7.5 hours of sleep, no matter what. I focused on completing the steps that prepared my body and mind for rest and adjusted my sleep schedule based on what the next day required. If I had an early commitment, I’d aim to finish everything earlier in the day. If I didn’t, I allowed myself the flexibility to work late and wake up later. The key wasn’t consistency in timing — it was consistency in hitting my optimal sleep duration.

If sleep is something you struggle with the most, I’ve been there — I battled lifelong insomnia before finding what truly works. I wrote an entire article on how I went from sleepless nights to a sleep guru, I found the cure, which you can explore below:

Nutrition: The Fuel of the Body

When I began this journey, my primary goal was simple: lose 15 kg. That was the weight I felt comfortable with before, where I was both happy with how I looked and confident in how I felt. To track my progress, I started with a body weight scale. It became my first and most tangible metric. Stepping on it daily wasn’t always easy — it brought a lot of mixed emotions. But it gave me something concrete to measure against, keeping me accountable as I began tweaking my habits.

One of the first methods I tried was intermittent fasting. It seemed manageable without overcomplicating my life, and I figured it would help me regulate when I was eating. it also served as my first tangible metric that I could gather data. I wasn’t sold on it at first — it felt like one of those trends that people followed for the wrong reasons — but I decided to give it a try. Starting with a 12-hour fasting and eating window, I gradually adjusted. I experimented with 16–8 and eventually landed on an 18–6 split that worked well for me.

By the time I hit the 18–6 mark, I found a rhythm that worked. It wasn’t about starving myself; it was about building awareness of when I was eating and how much. For instance, I timed my workouts just before breaking my fast so I could follow up with a protein shake. That became my routine — cutting out the need for a traditional breakfast or lunch while optimizing my dinner. I even tried OMAD (One Meal a Day), but I found it a bit more difficult to cook so much food for one meal. Also, it was just impractical to eat a full day of calories in one sitting. So, I broke it down while ensuring I kept it within the time frame of my eating window.

That said, fasting alone wasn’t efficient enough. While it regulated my eating schedule, it didn’t address the deeper issues. I was still consuming too many calories without fully realizing it, and the quality of my food often left me feeling either overly full or unsatisfied. The scale helped me see that my progress was stalling despite my fasting efforts, which made it clear: I needed more data to understand what was going wrong truly. That’s when I turned to calorie tracking and began diving deeper into the specifics of my nutrition.

Through trial and error, I found that fasting was a solid foundation, but it was only part of the bigger picture. It gave me structure, but it wasn’t the sole solution. Pairing it with calorie tracking and a focus on meal quality became essential for making real, sustainable progress.

The Reality Check: Tracking Calories

Over time, fasting became second nature, but it didn’t solve everything. I still felt full at odd times, overly stuffed some days, and surprisingly hungry others. It clicked — I didn’t actually know what I was eating or how much of it was healthy for me. The thought of calorie tracking made me cringe, but I decided to try it for a month. My logic was simple: I needed to know my baseline, even if I wasn’t going to commit to tracking forever.

That month was eye-opening. It turned out I was eating far more than I thought — portion sizes were out of control, and the quality of what I ate was all over the place. Snacks I thought were harmless were packed with calories but left me hungry. Meals that I assumed were light ended up being calorie bombs. Conversely, certain foods that seemed heavy were actually filling and kept me satisfied for hours. It was frustrating to confront my lack of awareness, but it was also liberating. I realized I could start making deliberate choices to buy more of what worked and less of what didn’t.

Fixing My Nutrition: A Sustainable Practice That Works

The journey to fix my nutrition wasn’t easy, but the lessons I learned along the way made all the difference. One of the biggest revelations? I was drinking my calories — calories that didn’t make me feel full but pushed me too close to my daily limit. I started drinking more water and switching to sugar-free drinks when necessary, which helped me better control my intake. I also set a realistic calorie goal that left me feeling satisfied, allowing me to lose weight without constant cravings. My ultimate goal was to shed the weight that made me feel resentful toward my own body — and slowly, it became achievable.

Weekly Weigh Tracking: Daily weigh-ins often fluctuated due to factors like water retention, salt intake, or even stress, which made the data unreliable and frustrating. By averaging my weight over a week, I could better assess my progress. As long as the monthly trend was downward, I considered it a win. Only when the average failed to move in the right direction did I adjust my calorie intake, meal timing, or physical activity. This long-term perspective kept me from overreacting to small day-to-day changes and allowed me to stay focused on the bigger picture.
Caloric Deficit: One of the most important realizations was that losing weight fundamentally boiled down to eating fewer calories than I burned. Establishing a caloric deficit became a cornerstone of my approach. By eating slightly less than what my body needed daily, I allowed myself to steadily lose weight over time. This wasn’t about deprivation; it was about self-regulation — learning to eat what I needed, not what I craved. The deficit kept me disciplined, curbing unnecessary indulgences while leaving room for satisfying and enjoyable meals.
Caloric Restriction Through Time Frames: Intermittent fasting became the cornerstone of my practice. By narrowing my eating window, I was able to better manage my food intake and stay within bounds. I stayed strict about not eating outside my set window, which gave me structure and removed the temptation to snack late at night.
Tracking Calories and Micronutrients: Calorie tracking wasn’t something I enjoyed, but it was necessary. It gave me insight into not only how much I was eating but also the quality of my food. I became more intentional about consuming foods rich in nutrients and cutting out the ones that didn’t serve me. Tracking also helped me stay accountable to my goals — ensuring I had enough energy without overdoing it.
Finding the Right Calorie Balance: Through trial and error, I discovered the optimal calorie intake for my body — enough to keep me energized while staying in a caloric deficit. As I progressed and lost weight, I made incremental adjustments, lowering my intake slightly each week or month to continue moving toward my goal without feeling deprived.
Measuring Portion Sizes: Eventually, I added a food scale to my toolkit, and it was a game-changer. Understanding portion sizes allowed me to fine-tune my meals and stay consistent with my calorie goals. It also highlighted how much I’d been misjudging my servings before.
Simplifying Meals: One of the biggest obstacles I faced was overcomplicating my meals. The mental effort of planning elaborate dishes often led me to order takeout instead. So, I shifted my strategy: I kept my groceries simple and my meals straightforward. This not only made cooking easier but also ensured I had full control over what I was eating. Simplicity became my ally — it eliminated decision fatigue and made healthy eating sustainable.

Nutrition Optimization: Fine-Tuning for Better Results

• Reduced Sauces, Switched to Spices: Sauces are often calorie-dense, and I quickly realized they were taking up valuable calories in my meals. By switching to spices, I kept the flavor without the added calorie load, making it easier to stay within my targets.

• Cut Out Salt: I decided to eliminate added salt altogether since most foods I ate already contained more than enough. This small adjustment helped me feel less bloated and made tracking simpler.

• Switched to Sugar-Free Alternatives: Sugar was another area I optimized. By replacing sugary items with sugar-free alternatives, I could still enjoy the sweetness without the added calories, making this change both satisfying and effective.

• Adopted a Slow-Carb Diet: I reduced processed carbs like bread and pasta, focusing instead on whole-food alternatives such as chickpeas, beans, and other vegetable-based carbs. This shift kept me feeling full and energized without the crashes that processed carbs can bring.

• Allowed Cheat Days Mindfully: To avoid burnout, I permitted myself occasional cheat days or meals. However, I ensured they stayed roughly within my calorie goals, so while I indulged, I didn’t undo progress.

• Supplements and Vitamins- While tracking my food intake, I noticed certain micronutrients and minerals were consistently missing from my meals, either due to personal preferences or the simplicity of my diet. Instead of overhauling my entire meal plan, I turned to supplements to fill those gaps. Regular multivitamins and specific minerals became part of my routine, ensuring I maintained a balanced nutritional profile. This approach allowed me to stay on track without complicating my meals or feeling overwhelmed by trying to hit every single micronutrient target through food alone. It was a practical addition that made long-term adherence much more manageable.

Nutrition Made Simple: Finding What Works for You

With all these methods at my disposal, I found a simple and sustainable approach that worked for me. What stood out most was that each element — whether fasting, tracking, or simplifying meals — had its own unique benefit but also worked cohesively when combined. Ultimately, the key lesson was that nutrition is less about strict rules and more about understanding what works for your body and making sure it's easy to adhere to. Quality matters, but so does awareness of how much you’re consuming and what truly satisfies your hunger. If your goal is weight loss, it really boils down to the basics: move more and consume less. By focusing on what fills you up and tailoring the process to your needs, you can achieve your nutrition goals without overcomplicating the journey. It’s about finding the best balance for you and making consistent, effective adjustments along the way.

Hydration: Quenching More Than Just Thirst

Hydration was the most neglected pillar of my health journey. I often dismissed it as secondary — just water in, water out, right? But as my journey progressed, I realized hydration was more than a box to tick; it was a cornerstone for energy, calorie regulation, skin health, and even mental clarity. When I first started intermittent fasting, I found hunger between fasting windows unbearable, and my initial instinct was to lean on caffeine and energy drinks. But these only masked the issue and left me jittery and dehydrated. That’s when I discovered that proper hydration could curb hunger, support my workouts, and even improve how my body retained water and flushed out toxins.

To quantify my hydration needs, I started tracking how much water I drank daily. Using reminders on my phone, I logged each glass, but the process was tedious. Running back and forth to refill small glasses was a hassle, and water itself was… bland. So I pivoted, opting for larger bottles. A single 1-liter bottle became my go-to metric, paired with an additional 750ml of electrolyte water during workouts. This simplified approach made it easy to hit my hydration goals while leaving room for tastier beverages like flavored sparkling water or smoothies.

Over time, I started noticing significant changes: clearer skin, reduced water retention, and less unnecessary sweating. Even my lifelong struggle with eczema improved as I maintained consistent hydration. These results made hydration a priority instead of an afterthought.

Electrolytes: The Secret Sauce of Hydration

When I first heard about electrolytes, I didn’t fully understand their importance — or even what they were. But as part of my journey, experimenting was key, so I gave them a shot. Through trial and error, I learned that hydration isn’t just about how much water you drink; it’s about how well your body retains and utilizes it. Electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium became game-changers. Potassium helped my body hold onto the water it needed while flushing out the excess, and small amounts of sodium replaced what I lost by cutting salt from my diet.

Adding electrolytes to my drinks — whether during workouts or sipping throughout the day — made a huge difference. I felt more hydrated, had consistent energy, and sweat far less unnecessarily. This wasn’t just about hydration; it was about efficiency. By maintaining proper hydration with electrolytes, my workouts left me feeling refreshed rather than drained. And with the added benefit of tastier drinks, staying hydrated became a habit I looked forward to.

Fixing My Water Habits

• Bigger Bottles: I replaced glasses with 1-liter bottles, drinking at least one bottle daily. Adding 750ml of electrolyte water during workouts covered most of my hydration needs, leaving space for other drinks like flavored water and smoothies.

• Mixing It Up: Flavored water, sparkling water, and sugar-free options kept hydration interesting and easy to stick with.

• Workout Hydration: I prioritized water during workouts to replenish what I sweat out, making hydration feel purposeful.

• Electrolytes for Efficiency: These ensured my hydration was balanced and retained where needed, boosting energy during and after physical activity.

Optimization

• Balancing Alcohol: I made it a rule to drink an equal amount of water with any alcoholic beverage. For hangovers, electrolytes helped with recovery.

• Morning Water Ritual: I began my day with a glass of water, setting the tone for hydration.

• Listening to My Body: Instead of forcing a rigid water intake, I focused on drinking when thirsty while maintaining my baseline goals. If I had a heavy activity day, I drank more; if it was a lighter day, I adjusted accordingly.

• Strategic Liquids: Fruit smoothies and other beverages added variety and helped me stay on track without feeling restricted.

Hydration in Perspective

Hydration isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. It’s a mix of intuition and activity levels tailored to your unique needs. If your day involves heavy workouts, drink more; if it’s a lighter day, you don’t need to overdo it. For me, it wasn’t about rigidly sticking to “eight glasses a day” but about understanding what my body required to perform at its best.

By combining strategies like larger water bottles, electrolytes, and mixing in tastier beverages, I created a sustainable hydration routine that fit seamlessly into my life. The key takeaway? Hydration is about balance: drink enough to feel energized, keep your skin healthy, and support your overall well-being — without forcing yourself to meet arbitrary numbers. Listen to your body, and you’ll find your sweet spot.

Physical Health: Moving with Purpose

Physical health has been the most rigorously measured aspect of my journey. Over the years, I’ve tried everything — tracking steps, logging workouts, monitoring heart rate zones, and testing every fitness app I could get my hands on. It felt like I was trying to master a science that didn’t need mastering. The numbers piled up, but the results? They didn’t come from the data — they came from the doing.

What I eventually learned was that physical health isn’t about perfectly tracking every metric or finding some elusive magic formula. It’s about movement, plain and simple. Words like “consistency” and “discipline” get thrown around a lot, but they’re just shorthand for showing up as often as you can. The key isn’t perfection — it’s intention.

That intention came from mixing up my workouts and focusing on activities that I actually enjoyed. Going to the gym wasn’t enough. I needed variety, engagement, and a reason to keep moving beyond the numbers on a screen.

From there, I learned how to balance deliberate workouts with passive activities like walking and everyday movement. This wasn’t about chasing a perfect fitness regimen — it was about creating a system that worked for my body and my lifestyle.

Mixing It Up: Making Movement Sustainable

Traditional gym workouts were fine for a while, but I found it hard to stick with them long-term. The repetitive nature wasn’t motivating, and forcing myself to go just for the sake of it felt counterproductive. That’s when I started exploring other activities. Boxing, running, and cycling became the pillars of my physical health journey. They weren’t just workouts; they were engaging, skill-building, and, most importantly, fun.

The biggest lesson? You can’t force yourself into a routine you hate and expect it to stick. Finding something you enjoy — or at least tolerate — makes all the difference. For me, boxing offered mental clarity and a focus on technique, running gave me an escape, and cycling became a refreshing way to explore the city.

Active vs. Passive Calories: Why Both Matter

Initially, I poured all my energy into deliberate workout sessions, aiming to burn as many calories as possible. While this worked to some degree, the needle barely moved on most days. Despite sticking to a caloric deficit and working out intensely, I wasn’t seeing the progress I expected.

That’s when I learned about NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) — the calories you burn through everyday movements like walking, fidgeting, or even standing. NEAT was the missing piece. My workouts, while effective, weren’t enough to offset the sheer amount of time I spent sitting. Passive calorie loss became just as important as active sessions, and I realized that staying more generally active throughout the day mattered just as much, if not more, than my time in the gym.

The Power of NEAT

NEAT became my secret weapon. By increasing my daily steps and finding ways to stay in motion, I created a baseline of activity that kept me burning calories even on rest days. It wasn’t about extreme effort; it was about consistency in the little things.

• Walking more: I just made a conscious choice to get in more steps when I could; instead of elevators or escalators, I took the stairs; instead of taking a shortcut to get home, I opted to take a long way.

• Standing breaks: Every so often, I would just get up and take a bit to walk around my apartment, stretch my legs, and fiddle with something else to break down the amount of time I was sitting down throughout the day.

• Light chores: Cleaning, tidying, and other small tasks added up over the course of the day. You’d be surprised how many steps you get from just vacuuming the apartment or moving clothes from one room to another to hang them up.

These small adjustments transformed how I approached fitness. NEAT wasn’t about intensity — it was about frequency. The more I moved, the more I felt my energy levels stabilize and the easier it became to maintain a calorie deficit without feeling restricted.

The Benefits of Physical Health

Building physical health isn’t just about weight loss — it’s about improving your body and mind as a whole. Here’s what I learned:

Muscle Building: Strength training became a cornerstone of my routine, transforming more than just my physique. Beyond the aesthetic changes, building muscle boosted my metabolism, allowing me to burn more calories even at rest. It also corrected years of poor posture, easing discomfort and helping me move with greater confidence. The discipline required to lift heavier weights and push my limits each week translated into a deeper sense of self-assurance, making me feel stronger both physically and mentally.
Cardiovascular Health: Incorporating running and cycling into my routine wasn’t just about burning calories — it reshaped my endurance and energy levels. These activities strengthened my heart and lungs, allowing me to handle daily tasks with ease and tackle more intense workouts without feeling drained. Surprisingly, cardio also improved my sleep, helping me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. The rhythmic nature of running and cycling became meditative, turning what started as a chore into a vital part of my health journey.
Mental Clarity: Exercise, especially boxing, became my go-to therapy session. The intensity and focus required in boxing helped me channel stress and let go of overthinking. Each punch felt like a release, clearing my mind and sharpening my focus. It wasn’t just about the physical benefits — it was a mental reset that left me feeling grounded and more in control of my emotions. This clarity carried over into other areas of my life, making me more productive and emotionally balanced.
Self-Confidence: Seeing tangible progress — whether lifting heavier weights, running longer distances, or simply feeling more agile — was incredibly rewarding. These milestones reminded me that the effort I was putting in wasn’t in vain. The changes in how I moved, how I felt, and even how I saw myself reinforced my belief in my own potential. Exercise became more than just a task; it was a daily reminder that I could achieve what I set my mind to, and that sense of accomplishment spilled into every other aspect of my life.

Fixing My Routine: Tailoring Movement to My Life

Once I identified what worked for me, I began tailoring my approach to make it sustainable.

Switching Up Workouts: I alternated between boxing, running, and cycling, each offering its own challenges and rewards. This variety kept me motivated, preventing boredom and ensuring my body was constantly adapting to new movements.
Adjusting Intensity: Not every day requires maximum effort. On some days, I pushed hard to test my limits; on others, I opted for lighter activities to give my body time to recover without losing momentum.
Balancing NEAT and Workouts: On days without formal workouts, I focused on NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) by increasing steps and light activities. This passive movement added up over time, making a significant difference without feeling like extra work.
Alternating Focus: I alternated between cardio-focused days and strength training sessions. This approach allowed me to improve endurance and build muscle while giving different parts of my body adequate time to recover.
Taking Breaks: Rest as a Priority: Rest became just as important as movement. I learned to take days off when my body needed it, ensuring I didn’t burn out or risk injury. Longer breaks — weeks off from structured workouts — allowed my body to recover and come back stronger. Pushing through exhaustion only led to diminishing returns, while strategic rest made my progress more sustainable.

Physical Optimization: Fine-Tuning Movement and Performance

• Listening to My Body: On days when I felt drained, I prioritized recovery rather than forcing a workout.

• Avoiding Comparison: Fitness isn’t a competition; it’s a personal journey. I stopped comparing myself to others and focused on my own progress.

• Balancing Nutrition and Activity: Progress isn’t about exercise alone — it’s the sum of movement and proper nutrition.

Closing Thoughts on Physical Health

The fitness industry loves its buzzwords — “consistency,” “grind,” and “just show up” — but those soundbites oversimplify what physical health really means. It’s not about blindly pushing yourself until burnout; it’s about intuition and perseverance, finding your rhythm in a way that aligns with your life. Progress isn’t about chasing arbitrary numbers or logging every detail; it’s about moving purposefully because you want to feel healthier, stronger, and more alive.

When I first started, I thought tracking everything — the hypertrophy patterns, gradual weight increases, protein intake, and every step — was the key to success. I quickly realized that this level of scrutiny not only made things harder than necessary but also took the joy out of the process. Instead, I learned that the goal is simply to feel more active, not bogged down by metrics. It’s not about perfection but about doing more, even if that’s just walking more steps or adding variety to your week.

Between active workouts and passive movement, the latter often wins. The less you overthink it, and the more you enjoy it, the more sustainable your habits become. Being active doesn’t have to mean showing up to the gym every day. It’s about doing what works for your life — recognizing what’s missing and leaning into that without making it a chore.

For me, losing 15kg wasn’t about flawless adherence to a strict regimen. It was about being mindful that I needed more movement and more intentionality. I didn’t hit the gym every day or go for a run, rain or shine. Some days were lighter, maybe even nothing at all, and that's okay; others were more intense, and it was all based on how I felt and what I could handle. If I wanted a bigger challenge, like running a marathon, I adjusted accordingly. Goals were fluid and realistic, and that’s why they worked.

Ultimately, physical health should be simple, not overwhelming. It’s about showing up for yourself in a manageable and sustainable way, creating a foundation you can build on when you’re ready to push further. Intention beats perfection every time.

If you’re curious about how to find sports or activities that keep you moving while staying engaged, I’ve written another article exploring what worked for me. It shows how boxing, running, and cycling became my go-to solutions and how you can find what fits your life. Check it out here:

Mental Health: The Cornerstone of Wellness

Everything in this journey — tracking biomarkers, optimizing sleep, nutrition, hydration, and physical health — stands on the foundation of mental health. Without it, the metrics become meaningless, the self-awareness falters, and the intention to grow gets lost. Mental health isn’t just another pillar; it’s the glue that holds all the others together.

When I first started, the connection between mental and physical health was undeniable, yet I ignored it for years. Stress was a constant companion, quietly undermining my ability to sleep, make sound nutritional choices, or find the energy to move. It wasn’t until I prioritized understanding my mental clarity that I realized how pivotal it was to avoiding burnout, sustaining motivation, and maintaining perspective. Clarity isn’t just about thinking straight — it’s about giving yourself the emotional bandwidth to face challenges without crumbling under pressure.

The Realizations That Changed Everything

The turning point for me was realizing that mental health isn’t about always being “okay.” It’s about acknowledging where you are and what you’re feeling without judgment. Stress, frustration, and even moments of self-doubt are all signals, much like the biomarkers I was tracking in my physical health. Just as I had learned to listen to my body, I had to learn to listen to my mind.

Stress, I found, wasn’t always the enemy. In manageable doses, it could be a motivator, but unchecked, it became toxic, clouding my judgment and derailing my progress. Mental clarity was the antidote. By creating space for reflection — through writing, speaking, or just sitting with my thoughts — I found I could address stress before it spiraled.

I also realized that clarity isn’t a passive process. It takes effort to identify patterns, unpack problems, and determine what’s truly important. When my mind felt cluttered, everything else suffered. Finding ways to declutter it became as critical as any physical health practice.

Fixing My Mental Health: Taking the Time It Deserved

Fixing my mental health wasn’t about finding a magic solution — it was about creating consistent habits that gave me space to process and recalibrate.

Writing It Down: Journaling became my most valuable tool. By writing down my thoughts, I could externalize my worries and begin to see patterns that weren’t obvious at the moment. Some days, it was a few sentences; other days, pages poured out. Regardless, the act of writing helped me untangle complex emotions and focus on solutions rather than being overwhelmed.
Exploring Problems: I stopped avoiding the hard stuff. Instead of shoving problems to the back of my mind, I leaned into them, asking myself why they felt so heavy and what I could do to lighten the load. Often, just acknowledging an issue and defining it clearly was enough to make it feel manageable.
Talking About It: Sharing my thoughts — whether with friends, family, or even anonymously online — gave me perspectives I hadn’t considered. Often, I found that simply articulating what I was going through allowed me to find answers I hadn’t realized was already within me.
Reflecting: Taking time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t was as important as doing the work itself. Reflection gave me insight into my progress and helped me celebrate small wins, even on days when bigger victories felt far away.

Mental Optimization: Turning Reflection Into Action

Once I built a foundation of self-awareness and clarity, optimizing my mental health became about refining those habits and exploring new methods to stay grounded.

Structured Thoughts: I began organizing my reflections into actionable plans. Using apps like Obsidian, I created a mental health database where I could track my thoughts, journal entries, and breakthroughs. On paper, I used bullet journals to map out daily intentions and review the week’s mental wins and struggles.
Exploring New Approaches: I experimented with different methods to see what resonated. Guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, even small moments of stillness — all offered unique benefits. The key was keeping an open mind and not forcing what didn’t feel natural.
Seeking Outside Perspective: Talking to others remained a cornerstone of optimization. Whether it was a professional therapist or a close friend, gaining an outside perspective helped me challenge cognitive biases and reframe my experiences. Sometimes, a single conversation could shift my mindset entirely.
Simplified Processes: As much as tracking and reflection were valuable, I avoided overcomplicating them. Mental health isn’t a task to “complete” — it’s a lifelong process. By simplifying my practices, I ensured they stayed sustainable.

Closing Thoughts: The Mind-Body Connection

Mental health is arguably the most important pillar because it ties all the others together. Without strong mental health, I wouldn’t have had the self-awareness to start this journey, the intention to measure progress, or the clarity to stay on track. It prevented burnout and helped me see setbacks not as failures but as opportunities to grow.

A strong mind creates the foundation for a strong body. The resilience, discipline, and energy required to improve physical health come from mental clarity and emotional stability. Whether it’s overcoming the discomfort of calorie tracking, pushing through a challenging workout, or simply taking the time to rest, it all begins with the mind.

In the end, mental health is about balance — not just in managing stress or avoiding burnout but in finding the space to appreciate your progress and continue moving forward. The strongest version of yourself isn’t just physically fit; it’s mentally equipped to handle whatever comes next. And that strength is what truly ties this entire journey together.

Part IV: What I Learned

When I started this journey, I thought health was just a matter of doing the “right things” consistently — eating better, moving more, and sleeping enough. What I’ve learned over these 400 days, though, is far more nuanced. Health isn’t a checklist or a one-size-fits-all formula. It’s a deeply personal, evolving process that demands both curiosity and self-compassion.

Through tracking, experimenting, and challenging my assumptions, I discovered what worked for me and how empowering it is to reclaim control over my life. Along the way, I found lessons that not only shaped my approach to health but also redefined how I saw myself.

Health Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

If there’s one truth that stood out the most, it’s this: no single plan or strategy works for everyone. I spent years chasing advice from health gurus, thinking their “perfect routines” would unlock everything I was missing. Instead, I found myself frustrated, questioning why their methods weren’t working for me.

What I learned is that those routines worked for them because they were tailored to their lives, not mine. This realization shifted everything. I stopped trying to copy someone else’s blueprint and instead focused on building my own. Tracking biomarkers like sleep, hydration, nutrition, and activity helped me understand my unique needs. What I eat, how much I sleep, and the way I move — it’s all deeply personal. The journey isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress and finding balance.

Small Changes Build Momentum

When I first started, the idea of overhauling my health felt overwhelming. It was easy to look at everything I wasn’t doing and feel defeated before I even began. So I started small: tracking my sleep with an Apple Watch, setting fasting windows, and drinking more water. These small changes, while seemingly insignificant, built momentum.

Momentum was the key. Each small win made the next step feel achievable. The beauty of starting small is that it removes the pressure to be perfect. I didn’t need to have all the answers right away. By focusing on what I could do at the moment, I found myself naturally building habits that snowballed into larger progress.

One of the most transformative aspects of this journey was the power of tracking. Before I started, I was flying blind, assuming I was doing “enough” to be healthy. But tracking sleep, calories, hydration, and activity showed me just how far off I was. It wasn’t about obsessing over numbers; it was about creating awareness.

For example, tracking my sleep revealed that my late nights weren’t just a matter of staying up too long — they were tied to stress, caffeine intake, and lack of exertion during the day. Tracking calories taught me that even foods I thought were “healthy” were derailing my progress. These insights helped me make targeted changes instead of relying on guesswork.

It’s Okay to Pivot When Something Doesn’t Work

Not everything I tried worked — and that’s okay. There were times when I followed a plan to the letter, only to find it wasn’t giving me the results I wanted. Fasting helped regulate when I ate, but it wasn’t enough on its own. Calorie tracking gave me insight, but it was mentally draining to sustain long-term.

These moments taught me the importance of flexibility. Health isn’t about rigidly sticking to one method; it’s about adapting when something doesn’t fit. For me, the key was learning when to pivot. If fasting wasn’t effective, I paired it with calorie tracking. If a workout felt monotonous, I switched to something I genuinely enjoyed, like boxing or cycling. The willingness to adapt kept me moving forward, even when progress felt slow.

Vulnerability and Breakthroughs

There were weeks when progress felt invisible, and I wanted to quit. I’d step on the scale and see no change. I’d follow my sleep routine but wake up feeling groggy. These moments were hard — moments where I felt like all my effort was for nothing.

But those were also the moments where I learned the most important lesson of all: health isn’t a destination; it’s a daily process of showing up for yourself. It’s about choosing, over and over again, to take care of your body and mind, even when it feels like progress is stalling. The breakthroughs didn’t always come from big wins; they came from staying the course, trusting the process, and giving myself permission to rest when needed.

Empowerment Through Self-Awareness

This journey taught me that I’m not a passive observer in my life — I’m the one in control. Every choice, every adjustment, and every experiment gave me more ownership over my health. Instead of feeling like life was happening to me, I felt empowered to create change.

Self-awareness became my most valuable tool. By understanding how my habits impacted my energy, mood, and overall well-being, I could make intentional choices. I wasn’t guessing anymore; I was responding to what my body and mind needed. That clarity was liberating.

The Takeaway: A Blueprint for You

My hope is that you take these lessons and use them to build your own approach. Health isn’t about doing what works for someone else — it’s about understanding yourself and making choices that align with your life. Whether it’s tracking metrics, experimenting with fasting, or finding a workout you love, the goal is to create a system that’s sustainable for you.

Progress is rarely linear, and setbacks are part of the journey. But with self-awareness, curiosity, and compassion, you can create a foundation for lasting change. Remember, health isn’t a race to a finish line — it’s a lifelong process of showing up, adapting, and taking care of the one body you have.

Conclusion: A Journey of Unison and Discovery

These 400 days taught me something profound: health isn’t about chasing perfection — it’s about listening. Every part of this journey, from my sleep patterns to the way I fueled my body, was interconnected. Sleep gave me the energy to move, movement sharpened my mind, hydration enhanced every system, and nutrition was the fuel that kept it all running smoothly. None of these pillars stood alone; they worked in unison, supporting each other like gears in a well-oiled machine. When one fell out of balance, the others felt the strain. But when they aligned, the results were transformative.

I started this journey unsure of where it would lead. At first, I simply wanted to feel better, to lose weight, and to regain a sense of control over my life. But as I tracked, tweaked, and learned, it became about so much more than that. It wasn’t just about looking or feeling better — it was about living happier and healthier. What started as a challenge to improve my body grew into an experiment in understanding myself on every level. And the truth is, I never expected to come this far — but I started anyway.

That’s the real lesson: you don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to take the first step. Whether it’s tracking your sleep, trying a new workout, or simply drinking more water, start somewhere. Health is a journey, not a destination, and every slight improvement builds momentum for the next.

Think of your health as your personal dashboard. Every habit, every choice, every signal your body gives you is a piece of the puzzle. What’s your dashboard telling you? Take one aspect of your health — just one — and track it for a week. See what you discover. You might find like I did, that small, intentional changes can lead to something far more significant than you ever imagined.

Thank You for Reaching the End

If you made it this far, I want to extend my deepest gratitude. Most people won’t read to the end of an article like this, but you did — and that says something about you. It shows that you care about your health, about learning, and about living a better, more intentional life. That commitment to yourself is powerful.

If this resonated with you, let’s celebrate that commitment. Comment “healthy” below to let me know you made it to the end. I want to pinpoint the true believers in themselves — the ones who are ready to take that first step and keep going. You’re not just reading this article; you’re starting a journey, and I couldn’t be more honored to be part of it.

Let’s keep the conversation alive and continue building this momentum together:

📩 Email: me@mostly.media

📰 Substack: https://substack.com/@mostlysocials

☕ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/mostlymedia

🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/mostly_media

🌌 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mostly.media

Thank you for trusting me with your time and energy. Let’s keep pushing forward.