My Learning Log: Building Discipline One Choice at a Time
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with small, simple lifestyle changes. They aren’t extreme hacks or magic pills—but little rules that compound to make a big difference in energy, mood, and productivity. Writing them down has helped me stay accountable, so here’s an entry from my learning log.
1. No Alcohol
Alcohol drains my energy, lowers focus, and kills progress at the gym. Cutting it out keeps my testosterone, productivity, and clarity intact. I’ve realized it doesn’t add any value to my life, only takes it away.
2. Black Coffee in the Morning
My morning ritual is now just black coffee. It’s clean, simple, and suppresses my appetite until I’m actually ready for my first meal. Stimulating without being destructive.
3. No Food After Dinner
Once I brush my teeth, the kitchen is closed. I’ve discovered toothpaste is a powerful hack—its taste completely kills cravings. What feels like hunger at night is usually just boredom.
4. Walk, Don’t Run
I’ve stopped running. Instead, I focus on walking over 10,000 steps daily, spread across the day. It’s sustainable, joint-friendly, and clears my head. Consistency matters more than punishment.
5. No Processed Food
Processed foods are designed to make you overeat. They don’t even taste that appealing to me anymore once I tune into real, whole food.
6. Ask Before Eating
Before I reach for food, I ask: “Am I hungry—or just bored, stressed, or thirsty?” Most of the time, it’s not hunger. Sometimes I just need a glass of water or to take a break rather than another snack.
7. Protein First
Chicken is my default protein. It fills me up and keeps meals simple. Protein is the anchor of every plate.
8. Load Up on Fruits & Vegetables
It’s nearly impossible to overeat fruits and vegetables. Even just aiming for one fruit a day has already increased my energy levels.
9. Condiment Control
Sauces can be calorie traps. Low-calorie seasonings and condiments allow me to keep meals exciting without undoing my progress.
10. Flexibility with Favorites
Pizza, burgers, chocolate—these aren’t the enemy. The key is enjoying them occasionally without falling into the habit of making them the baseline.
11. Quality Food Only
If I’m going to eat, I’d rather it be nourishing, whole, and satisfying. No shortcuts. Just quality food.
12. No Extreme Diets
Crash diets and fad extremes don’t work for me. Cutting entire food groups just makes life miserable. I’d rather do something sustainable and balanced—boring in the best way.
13. Smarter Swaps
Soda is gone. Tonic with lime fills the craving without the sugar spike.
14. Tracking Progress, Not Perfection
I weigh myself daily but only look at the 7-day average. Fluctuations are usually just water weight, not fat. Tracking data without panic is liberating.
15. Routine Meals
To simplify decisions, I eat the same foods Monday–Friday. Boring is effective. Weekends, I loosen up a little for variety.
16. Strength Training, Not Marathon Workouts
I lift weights three times a week, 45–60 minutes per session. Anything longer turns into wasted time. Simple, focused training wins.
17. Rooted in Why
Ultimately, all these small rules come back to one reason: to function at the highest level—for myself and for my family. That keeps me grounded whenever discipline feels hard.
Takeaway
The biggest lesson here: simplicity is power.
You don’t need extreme diets, endless cardio, or complicated routines. Just simple, sustainable habits—done daily—are enough to change how you feel and function.