Retrospective: January

Looking back on January, I’m really pleased with the health progress I made. Overall, I feel a lot better—experiencing less fatigue and reduced brain fog—and I’m genuinely surprised by the dramatic improvement in my well-being in just one month. Even more encouraging is the noticeable drop in my body weight, which makes me feel significantly fitter, despite not engaging in any cardio. This positive momentum has motivated me to keep pushing forward and explore more ways to enhance my overall health in the coming months.

Stats

As I mentioned in my previous post, planning without tracking progress is virtually ineffective. The January report shows that I’ve been consistent in documenting everything, and I fully intend to keep it up.

After a month of dedicated diet, intermittent fasting and training, the numbers are in—and they tell an encouraging story. The table below summarizes the key metrics from this period, highlighting notable improvements in my overall health and fitness.

Diet and intermittent fasting

Overall, the fasting and the diet went well—I primarily ate whole foods, focusing on meat and vegetables. I was mostly able to stick to the plan, with only a few moments of weakness when cravings for snacks hit. However, I need to improve meal variety to make this approach sustainable in the long run. I’m also eager to see how this diet has affected my cholesterol markers.

Going completely alcohol-free wasn’t too difficult either, aside from a slight challenge during the first weekend.

Training

After three months of inactivity, I returned to strength training and quickly realized how much progress I had lost during my break. The first sessions were challenging, and I could feel the significant drop in my strength, which was a stark reminder of the benefits of regular training. However, I’m confident that with consistency and focused effort, I’ll regain my previous levels in a few more weeks.

Bloodwork

A new blood sample was taken on February 3rd to assess the impact of my diet and training over the past month. The results provide valuable insights into key health markers, helping me track progress and make any necessary adjustments moving forward. Refer to the table below for a detailed breakdown of the numbers and how they’ve changed since last month.

Note: Avoid exercising for 48 hours before your next bloodwork to prevent elevated ALAT and ASAT levels, as these enzymes are released by muscle tissue following physical activity.

As evidenced by the latest bloodwork it’s safe to say I’m definately on the right track!

I’ve added apoB in the latest bloodwork which is outside the reference value, I now need to dig a bit deeper to gain a better understanding to what this really means and if additional action is needed. To be continued.

Fatty-liver index

Let’s see what my new Fatty Liver Index (FLI) score is based on my latest bloodwork and body stats. This score is a useful indicator of liver health, and I’m eager to find out how my diet and training over the past month have influenced it. With the changes I’ve made, I’m hoping for a positive trend—check the table below for the updated results.

In just about a month, my Fatty Liver Index score dropped from 86 to 53. Great stuff!

Goals & plan

The foundation of my diet plan will continue to be centered around intermittent fasting and primarily keto-based meals, as this approach has been effective for my energy levels and overall well-being. However, I also want to maintain balance and flexibility, so I’ll make room for occasional moments to enjoy a drink or have a cheat meal without guilt. The goal is long-term sustainability, not perfection, and allowing some flexibility will help me stay consistent while still making progress.

Supplements

I understand that health issues can’t be resolved solely by taking supplements—relying on them alone is both naive and ineffective. However, certain supplements can provide valuable support when combined with a healthy lifestyle. Here’s a list of the supplements I’m currently using:

• Vitamin D3 6000iu
• Vitamin K2 180mcg
• Vitamin C 2000mg
• Omega 3 DHA/EPA 250mg
• Magnesium 800mg
• ZMA

Achievements

Creating plans without tracking progress is essentially ineffective, so this is where I document and monitor my progress (if any). I will update this post a couple of times a week!

Stats

For the body measurements I use an Omron BF511. I guess it’s safe to say that the fat and muscle measurements are not that reliable - but given enough data it should still reflect a trend. All weights and measurements are expressed in kilograms and centimeters.

Diet

My diet primarily revolves around whole foods like meat, vegetables, and nuts, ensuring a nutrient-dense and balanced approach. Beverages are limited to coffee, green tea, and water to keep things simple and aligned with my goals. I aim to avoid bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, processed foods, junk food, and sugary drinks in my regular meals.

Training

For simplicity, I’m only tracking the key exercises to gauge progress, though I incorporate other movements into my routine as well. The exercises I track include: Bench Press (BP), Incline Bench Press (IBP), Military Press (MP), Push Press (PP), Hang Clean (HC), Squat (SQ), Bent-over Rows (BOR), Seated Cable Rows (SCR), Deadlift (DL), Lat Pulldown (LPD), Dips, and Pullovers (PO). All weights are recorded in kilograms.

Maintaining this table is becoming too cumbersome, I need to find a better solution for this.