Thread by @SteveKamb

Samurai warriors followed the ancient moral code of Bushido.

Medieval knights had a code of Chivalry.

Even the Mob has a code that governs their decisions.

I’m an emotional disaster who wants to be strong & fit, so I made my own code to protect me from myself:

🧵

1) Move every day. Cardio sucks for weight loss, but it’s great for heart, lung, & mental health.

I move every day. Even 5 minutes counts.

Hitting golf balls, walks with the dogs, handstands in the backyard.

If I move deliberately, it’s a win.

2) Strength train 4 times per week (45 minutes).

Current Me and Future Me needs it.

It makes me feel better about what I see in the mirror, it keeps me #antifragile, and it makes me better at everything else.

I never have to ask “Can my body handle it?”

3) At least 1 serving of fruit or veggies with every meal.

4) Aim for 1 gram of protein per lb of bodyweight (180 g).

Protein helps rebuild the muscles broken down during my strength training sessions.

If I target 180g per day, it balances out travel or low protein days.

5) Have a rough plan for my next 2 days.

If I’m gonna have a blowout dinner tomorrow, I adjust my other meals so there’s no guilt OR lost progress.

6) Eat for my goals 90% of the time.

My balance: "prepare my own meals" 90% + "optimize for fun/friends/experience" 10%

7) No foods are off limits.

There are no “good foods” or “bad foods.” There are foods I prioritize (veggies/protein) and foods I eat less frequently.

Actually, truffle oil is off limits: it tastes like dirty gym socks and should be vaporized.

8) Optimize for enjoyment out at restaurants.

I control 90% of my meals with goal-oriented portions at home…I eat whatever I want guilt-free when I eat at restaurants (3-4x per month).

Life is short.

If there is short rib pasta on the menu, I order it.

9) Sleep is a priority.

A productive morning is the result of decisions the night before.

This means the TV/PS5 is turned off by 9pm.

Read some fiction on my Kindle (dark mode) in bed, no phone within reach.

Up by 6:30AM to make coffee for my wife and take the dogs out.

10) Tough love doesn’t work.

If I miss a workout, I do it the next day. Like missing a shower, it happens. No need for guilt and shame.

11) Don't overcomplicate. If I eat a big fun meal, I follow it up with a smaller meal.

Keep it simple.

12) Life happens outside the gym.

If a friend texts me to golf on a workout day, I play golf. ⁠

If my wife wants to take the dogs for a walk and grab a beer, I say yes.

Life is short. I do the work in the gym so that I can LIVE outside it.

This is the Code that allows me, an impulsive comical disaster, to feel pretty good, look pretty good, and be pretty good (most of the time).

Do you have a code? If not, make one!

If it's good enough for Samurai, medieval knights, and the Mob, it might help.