We are becoming
ever more conscious of our health owing to the never seen before health issues
we are fighting. Many lifestyle diseases are plaguing us that we knowingly and unknowingly
invite into our lives. It has become ever more important to monitor our health
as we have little physical activity left in our lives made easier by
technology. Most jobs are desk-based and only a margin of professions now need
physical work. Technology has made our lives sedentary.
Some people are
truly conscious and track down their health stats regularly. It is said that
below 40 years of age one can get a yearly or bi-yearly check-up done for general
health. After 40 the check-up should be more frequent. I prefer getting a
yearly Blood work done just to check if any tweaking around the diet is
required. Also, it gives you a peep into the working of your organs and general
health. It can alarm you if there is something abnormal that needs working on.
There are plenty of
markers that one can track but the important ones that actually matter are
1. Blood Pressure
2. Body Composition
3. Resting Heart Rate
4. Cholesterol
5. Blood Sugar
The above metrics
provide you an insight into how well your body is functioning. A negative range
in the above tests may indicate an ongoing issue or chances of troubles in the long
term. So, get yourself tested and work around the metrics to bring them into a
normal state. Exercise, both strengthening and Cardio, can help you achieve a normal
prescribed range of these metrics. Consult your doctor and assess your position
and make necessary lifestyle changes if you value a healthy and functional long
life.
I got myself tested early this year and I have made significant changes to my lifestyle. I am feeling healthier even though I have not got tested again. Sooner the realization that health matters, the better the chances of a healthy life. Respect your body, it is the only one you have got.
Learnings of the Day
Book:
I am currently reading “Influence” by Robert Cialdini. It
is a book on the psychology of persuasion. I have already read a part of the
book earlier. Now I am picking it up again.
The main idea I learned today was a continuation of the
idea of Authority. The Authority bias is existent everywhere you look.
Medicine, government departments, schools, airlines and any place you can think
of that has a hierarchy.
In the Hospitals, it is the senior MD sitting on the top
who writes prescriptions which are followed without questions. A classic case
of Rectal earache became famous when a doctor prescribing liquid drops of medicine
for a patient for an ache in the right ear wrote on the prescription “place in
R ear” supposed to be an abbreviation of Right ear. The nurse followed the
command written by her senior and put the ear drops in the anus (literal
translation of the prescription).
The Authority can go unquestioned and unchallenged even
when the outcome is outrageously weird or destructive.
Another aspect I learned today was the tricks of
advertising agencies deploying the Authority bias to garner increased sales. In
the U.S. an actor playing a doctor in a Vicks Cough Drops ad increased sales
substantially when the doctor tells people that Vicks heals cough-related issues.
The actor had been the lead doctor in a successful TV show that made people
look up to him as a figure of Authority. Even though the ad clearly stated that
the Actor was not a doctor and only acting as one on TV.
The Dangers of Blind obedience to Authority Bias can be
seen in Airlines where the captain of the flight being a senior pilot commands all
the actions. There have been instances of crashes whereby the co-pilot despite
knowing what was going wrong could not put up his contrary observation to the
pilot because of the Authority. In some instances, the doubts of co-pilots were
overruled by the Captains and the co-pilots believed that the captain must be
right if he is saying so. The black boxes recovered post crashes detail the
last recorded conversations from the cockpits.
We should be careful with the blind following of any
figure of Authority. I am reminded of Jim Jones reverend who influenced more
than 900 people to commit suicide with him in the infamous Jonestown massacre
all because of his Authoritative dominance. We should question the rationality
of actions, beliefs, and opinions that come from the people we admire be it a
parent, spouse, guru, religious authority, idol, role model, or someone you
have a high regard for. Always think before you act and question yourself
whether I am falling victim to an Authority bias. Of course, for some things in
life, we need obedience to Authority who is been there and done it but for
things that have high stakes, it is wise to think this question and then act.
Podcast:
Vishal Khandelwal’s podcast with William Greene on
Charlie Munger, Good Parenting and Secrets of a Happy and abundant life.
The key takeaway for today was the importance of “Structuring
your life to be true to yourself”. One should be in a position to live a
conscious life as to what one wants and what one actually values in life. Whether
it is earning a lot of money, success, fame, a sports car, a mansion, education,
learning, or spending time with family.
The biggest advantage of money is that it helps you to structure
your life where you are less worried about money problems. Once you have enough
then you can choose to structure your life around your interest. One catch of the
relentless pursuit of wealth is that it actually becomes meaningless after a
certain point where earning money just for fame, position, or power wields
little returns.
It is good to learn from your mistakes but even better to
learn from the mistakes of others. So, we should listen to people who have been
there and done it. Successful people tell us that after chasing success, fame,
and wealth they compromised many aspects of life, leaving a void.
So, it is important to live a wholesome life while still
trying to earn your financial freedom. If your only concern in Life is to earn
money for the sake of it, you will miss on the abundance of life. Abundance is
not just material wealth, it is health, relations, friendships, self-growth,
and giving.
Exercise
Strength: Shoulder Day.
4 sets of Overhead Barbell Press with moderate weight. 4
sets of Lateral Raises with light weight. 4 sets of Lying Rear deltoid raises.
4 sets of Barbell Shrugs with moderate
weight.
The update on the last day’s post-workout assessment is
that I had no pain after doing the Chest workout yesterday. Last week I had a moderate
level of pain and discomfort post chest workout. I did Foam rolling before
leaving the Gym yesterday and I was fine throughout the day. Today I have even
been able to do Overhead Barbell Presses which I am doing after almost 100 days
post-injury. The pain that I endured for the last 3 months was due to excessive
tightness in my lower back which compressed my spine. After I worked on the strength
and stability of my core and introduced vigorous foam rolling, I am seeing progressive
results. Earlier I could feel a relapse in pain if I did some lifting. After introducing
foam rolling to my back, glutes, thoracic, and hamstring area, I am feeling the
difference.
Rehab: McGill Big 3. (2 sets each) for Core stability. Lock Big 3 for
shoulder stability.
Cardio: Running
Zone 2-3 Training: 0 mins. For the week 61 mins.
Last week 95 mins. Target 180 mins for the week.
Homework for Life
There was a
message on the Thapar Alumni group whereby a person is raising a fund for his
sister who is battling Stage 4 Breast cancer with bone metastasis. I felt the
urge to donate. There was also a doubt- should I? I had an important insight
that my donation may help her fight the disease and she could be with her
family. If my little contribution can give the family that joy of togetherness
should I be even thinking a Yes or No? I donated whatever I could.
Anything I like to share/ Habit Tracker
Clean for 118 days.
Target weight 85.40 Kg by 31.05.23.
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