Yesterday was day two of 30 Days Of Discipline and it was a little easier than day one. Though I have still not found time for Wim Hoff's method, I shall try and fit that in today.
The Rules
Before we go further it is probably best to explain what the rules of the 30 Days are.
30 Days Discipline must be practised at least 6 days a week (Sundays off).
Each day you must complete 100 pushups, 100 situps (choose variation), and 100 squats.
The exercises can be completed in however many sets of however many reps you want, e.g. 10 sets of 10 reps each. However whatever rep number you start on, you must add one per day to those reps.
Daily meditation, for as long as you like however you have to add one minute per day to the routine. Take this up to a practical level and then stop, so meditating for more than 30 minutes may not suit daily routine.
Cold showers/baths, the water can be tepid/lukewarm, however there must be one instance of cold, cold, cold!
No snacking.
No carbs before 6 p.m. protein only.
Carry a notepad around and write down ideas that come to mind.
Keep a rigorous todo list.
Day Two
Things that I found hard today were the various exercises. This has surprised me somewhat because I am very physically fit. However I've been doing a lot of short burst high intensity fitness for about the last eight months or so. Therefore this probably explains why I've been finding the exercises tough.
Reps
I started on twenty reps of everything, so 20 pushups, 20 situps and 20 squats. Yesterday I did 21, meaning that my last set was only 16 reps.
Today it's 22. When I first did 30 Days four years ago, I started out on 10 reps. As I could just about do 10 pushups.
By the end of the 30 days I could do 40 pushups in a row. So this time around I'm aiming for being able to do 50 pushups in a row.
No Daytime Carbs
Phew! This is a toughie. Carbs are usually between 40-55% of a healthy diet, especially if like me you go to the gym and lift weights as they help you build muscle.
There is a lot of BS written about carbohydrates, but one thing is for sure, they make you feel sleepy. Hence one of the 30 Day rules is to avoid them before 6 p.m.. Once that has passed, knock yourself out! Literally!
Cold Shower
This is another great excuse for me to go to the gym because I don't have a shower at home. Back in '14 when I first did the 30 Days, I was having tepid baths, then dumping a cold bucket of water on my head to rinse off. Ironically enough the ice bucket challenge was in full swing at the time.
A shower is better, because you can start it off tepid and just notch it down little by little during your wash. Then by the end you whack it on full cold and just let it freeze you for 10-20 seconds.
Yesterday I managed about 30 seconds just standing there under the full cold, it felt nice. However just like when I first did it, the weather in England is on the turn. So I'm not looking forward to the last few days when it'll probably be pretty damn cold outside.
Notepad Todo List & Wim Hoff
I unfortunately haven't done any of these things and so am starting tomorrow on them. I'm not beating myself up about it, I just know that at the end of the 30 Days I will carry these on for at least a few days extra.
Really though, keeping an ideas pad and a todo list are good life habits and so I'm just looking to reintroduce them into my daily routine.
Good Habits Die Hard
The whole point of this is to fix habits into your lifestyle. After around 21 days (23 was my sweet spot) anything you've been doing will just become automatic.
Plus it is a way of telling your subconscious mind that you don't mind doing difficult things. Which in turn makes it easy to form new habits.
Bonus. No Smoking!
If you follow me then you might remember that I've given up smoking. Or rather I've become a nonsmoker.
However, I have let slip somewhat in the last 6 weeks or so. Not back to smoking every day, but definitely on most weekends, on holiday and during the recent Notting Hill Carnival.
Therefore this is the perfect time to reclaim my nonsmoking status! I have definitely found it easier this time, I had a smoke a few days ago and I've had a couple of mild cravings since.
I am now at the 72 hour mark, or at least will be by around middnight tonight. Ergo all nicotine will have been banished from my system. Woohoo!
WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF LATELY? DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING SOMETHING LIKE 30 DAYS OF DISCIPLINE? OR PERHAPS YOU HAVE LONG AGO FOUND THE SECRET TO LIVING A DISCIPLINED LIFESTYLE?
AS EVER, LET ME KNOW BELOW!
Title image: Thao Le Hoang on Unsplash