Reflections on training and everyday life
Reflections accumulate over time faster than ready-made answers do. Here are 6 simple observations that help keep your head clearer, your training more honest and your eating better under control.
Why write reflections down at all?
Some things only become clear when you slow the pace of life for a moment. Not by scrolling on your phone, but in real silence. A cemetery is a strangely honest place for that. Next to a church, a cemetery is one of the calmest places in this fast and restless world. There is nothing to prove there. There are no workout records, calories or comparisons.
I sometimes visit cemeteries for no particular reason. I walk, sit and think. Time seems to stand still there. When the important things in life don’t come to mind anywhere else, in a cemetery those thoughts creep up very easily. The place is at once sacred and very real. It reminds us that our days are not endless.
The same goes for training. If you think only about the next plan, the next diet or the next result, the bigger picture can get lost. Sometimes you need to ask: is what I’m doing really moving me forward?
Reflections on training and eating
1. Visit a cemetery. This advice may sound odd at first, but the idea is simple. Go somewhere without noise. Look around. Let your head cool down. Everyday worries often shrink there, and the things that truly matter become clearer.
2. What once worked may not work later. In life and in training alike, the same thing can produce a completely different result the second time. A diet that once worked may no longer suit you. An old training program can help, but it can also cause a plateau. And that’s all. There is no more wisdom here than that.
Many people think: “If I did something a certain way before and got a result, I’ll get the same result now.” Honestly, you may not. Your body changes. Your life rhythm changes. Stress, sleep, work and age change the picture. That doesn’t mean old experience is useless. It means you need to take stock of what you’re doing and adjust it when necessary.
3. Remind yourself that you ate just a little while ago. I’ve often caught myself in a situation where my stomach feels empty even though I ate only an hour ago. Not snacked, but eaten a proper meal. Then a simple reminder helps: I just ate.
So what is actually going on? Often it isn’t hunger. It’s habit. The hand reaches for the cupboard because that’s convenient. Sometimes the body wants rest, but we give it a cookie. Sometimes the mind wants a break, but we interpret it as appetite.
Reflections worth acting on
4. Write things down. Keep a diary. Log your workouts. Occasionally note what you eat. Write down thoughts, interesting sayings, funny things children say, poems or the more important events of your life.
At first these records seem trivial. Later, though, you discover that you no longer remember things from a few months ago, let alone events from 1-2 years back. I keep a training log, fill in a nutrition notebook for certain periods, jot down ideas I find in articles and books, and hold on to notes about my family.
I recommend trying poetry too. It can work like a release valve that lets tension out. Sometimes it helps just to put your thoughts on paper rather than typing everything into a computer.
5. Start the day with dark 90% chocolate. This isn’t some magic trick. I’ve simply noticed that starting the day with 30-50 and sometimes even 100 grams of dark 90% chocolate helps me consume fewer calories than usual during the day.
When I eat chocolate around 7-8 in the morning, I can sometimes go as late as 12-13 o’clock without any real appetite. A day that starts like this generally has its calorie intake under better control. Maybe it will work for you too. The appetite-suppressing effect of dark chocolate has also been confirmed by science.
6. Walk. A simple truth: walking works. If the weather is good and an acquaintance is driving to a neighboring village or settlement that isn’t very far away, say 5-20 km, put on your workout clothes, let them take you along and walk back home from there.
You can also walk from one edge of town to the other. It’s an active, athletic way to spend your time. You’re out in nature, or at least out of the house, you burn energy and you can think things over at the same time. Walking needs no complicated equipment. All you need is the decision to step out the door.
FAQ: reflections and recommendations
Do all the old training tricks have to go?
No. Old experience that worked is valuable, but you have to look at it in light of your current situation. If your body, workload or goal has changed, your plan may need changing too.
Why does writing things down help?
Writing makes vague thoughts concrete. A training log shows whether you’re moving forward. A nutrition notebook helps you notice habits. Personal notes preserve moments that would otherwise vanish.
Does starting the day with dark chocolate suit everyone?
Not necessarily. It’s one personal observation, not a rule. If it helps you control cravings and fits your day, you can try it. If it doesn’t suit you, there’s no need to force it.
To be continued…
Author: Janar Rückenberg
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