“You can only predict things after they have happened.” EUGENE INOESCO (1912-1994), France

With the new year upon us it is time to reflect and review 2009. Although nothing particularly spectacular happened in my life 2009 it was a great year for me.

Here is a quick review of my salient goals that I had for 2009:
• Increase disposable income/control finances: This was the most important goal for me as I believe money is a salient catalyst to freedom. On November 16, 2009 I accomplished this goal by disposing my old occupation for a new one. My new occupation is much more rewarding and offers more freedom (no cubicles). I am excited about starting the new year with my new job and look forward to making my disposable income work for me.
• Start businesses that I have not acted on for the past two years: This goal was not accomplished, but I did not fail at it. In the summer of 2009 I decided to be come a partner in a start-up couture clothing line named “Jn. Marie.” I have decided not to pursue “Status Basketball Camp” or “b-ballersource.com” in order to focus on Jn. Marie Fashion. Our Goal is to have our line launch in the fall of 2010.
• Lose weight: This goal should really say “reduce body fat.” At 6′4” 225 lbs I was hardly big. The issue for me is body fat. However I do feel like I should be closer to 215 lbs. Long story short I am still at about 225 lbs. What I learned last year is that I had the wrong focus. I will reveal my fitness plans for 2010 in a future post.
• Play in Semi Pro League: This should have never been a goal for 2009. Now I just play for they love of playing and where that takes me is where it takes me.
• Read at least a book a month: This was another silly ass goal. I didn’t come close to a book a month. Now I just read when I desire. Attaching some goal to reading takes away from the joy.
• Simplify: I did okay with simplifying last year, but not good enough. This goal is more like a life long principle. I will get better with simplifying with time.

Despite accomplishing almost none of my goals for the year that I posted in my March 12, 2009 entry, it was still a great year. How so? Well fist we have to look at how I define and gauge my success. For now, if I finish a year wiser, smarter and as a better person than I was in the previous year then the year was a success. So by my definition, 2009 was a huge success.

2009 was a year where I rebuilt myself internally. The work that was done can not be seen or touched but the work was done. I feel that I know have the solid foundation that is needed to support my larger than life dreams. I also meet some wonderful people in 2009, including one individual in particular that revived my true spirit with out even knowing it. I now see life in a simple way. I don’t feel the need to attached “outcomes” and “expectations” to everything anymore. I take life as it comes and simply do what I know I am supposed to and desire to do. With this view I can not lose. 2009 formed me into and stronger and happier man. Thank you 2009!

How will I do it? A combination of exercise, diet & supplement regimen of course!

THE DIET

The diet I will implement is inspired by a post I read on the blog of Tim Ferris. It is a variation of the “slow card” diet as used by Dean Karnazes, an ultra marathoner. The rules for this diet are very simple and practical. The is why I chose it to experiment with. I did a semi-test of this diet a few weeks ago and lost 5 lbs. Here are the rules:

1) No “white carbohydrates”.

2) Mix and match the same few meals over and over again.

This is important for any diet. Things get difficult to manage when you try to have to much variety.

Each meal will consist of one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:

Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Turkey

Legumes:

Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:

Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetable

3) Avoid high calorie drinks!

I will only drink water, unsweetened ice tea, & tea.

4) Take one day off per week.

I have designated Saturday to be the day that I can eat what ever I like.

THE WORKOUT PLAN

I will be working out 6 days per week with Sunday being my off day. This is somewhat extreme but necessary to loose the weight and gain the muscle I want to.

Weight training: This will include lower and upper body and should only take about 45 minutes. I apply Pareto’s law aka the 80/20 rule to weight lifting. The essence of the law is that 80% of all results come from 20% of the efforts. So if 80% of my strength will come from only 2-3 exercises why waste my time doing 10. I will do bench press, squats with barbell, deadlifts, curls into shoulder press. That’s it!

Dynamic Exercise: Dynamic exercise is anything where you’re not performing routine after routine and where you are moving in natural movements vs. fixed, robotic movements. I chose basketball as my dynamic exercise.

Calisthenics: These are bodyweight exercises. For lower body I will do lunges, squats, and calf raises. For the core I will do crunches, reserve crunches & For upper body: pull-ups, push-ups, and shoulder press ups.
Isometric exercises: These are basic bodyweight exercises, but where you hold your body in a static position. I will start of with planks.

Balance: Balance is the ability to keep your equilibrium when your center of gravity is thrown off-balance. For this I will do balance disc exercises.

The schedule will be as follows:

Monday: Weight training & dynamic exercise
Tuesday: Calisthenics, isometric exercises & 5 mile run.
Wednesday: Weight training & dynamic exercise
Thursday: Calisthenics, isometric exercises & 5 mile run.
Friday: Calisthenics, light dynamic exercise, balance
Saturday Play in basketball league.
Sunday Off day

Well that is the gist of my plan/experiment. I will provide weekly updates on my progress. Wish me luck! Better yet join in on the challenge.

“First tell yourself what you want to be; and then do what you need to do.” EPICTETUS (55-C. 135)

The above quote is one of my favorite. It simplifies what we often unnecessarily complicate. Many of us tell ourselves what we want to be, but we don’t do what we need to do. I believe the first thing we need to do set goals for ourselves.

I know this post is a bit late for 2009 goals, but here goes. This year I have set goals for myself that very challenging yet attainable. I am very excited my goals and I know I will feel great once I accomplish them.

How will I accomplish them:It feels very good to write down goals and set resolutions for the new year, but this brief feeling of hype often dissipates as the year goes on. One must find ways to stay motivated through out the whole year to make sure that we are on course to completing our goals. I will do this by simply telling everyone what my goals. I find that when you tell people you are going to do something it creates the pressure to do it. I have instructed my best friends to ask me weekly about my progress. This really keeps me motivated as I don’t want to be embarrassed by not having anything to report when they ask me for progress. Actually the primary purpose of this blog is to tell as many people as possible about my goals.

My goals for the year are as follows:

Salient goals for 2009

• Increase disposable income/control finances: This will be done in two ways. I plan on making some income from the businesses I am planing to start this year. But the primary way I will increase disposable income is by making an effort to live more frugally and reduce expenses.
• Start businesses that I not acted on for the past two years:
  • jcrowlife.com: This blog. I blog that is primarily about attainment of desired lifestyle and escape unwished-for lifestyle.
  • Status Basketball Camp: (Network of advanced basketball trainers) This is still being tested for viability by a friend and I and is not yet in development.
  • b-ballersource.com: (Online resource for basketball players) Development will begin in late march early April.
  • InnovationBlvd.com: (Online workplace for advertisers and video productions – 2010) This is my very big project. I will spend most of this year planning vs. acting. I plan on changing the way business is for many industries with this site.
• Lose weight: I am 6′4” 225 now, not big by any means but I ned to get to 210 lbs to make my goal below come to life.
• Play in Semi Pro League: I have played basketball all my life. My college career was ruined due to injuries. So I want to prove that I can play at high level by getting back into shape and playing in a very competitive semi-pro league. This is a very ambitious goal since I have not played at a high level in years.
• Read at least a book a month

  My last goal is copied from zenhabits.com

• Simplify: Reduce my needs. Reduce clutter. Reduce complications in life. Simplify workday. Simplify the house. Create times of peace (meditation, running, reading).