Daily Check-In — Day 26 (Friday, January 30)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes 
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: None
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: 10 minutes
• Squats: No
• Sit-Ups: No
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: Yes, recorded episodes 3, 4, and 5

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

Okay, so this has not been an exemplary week. I have nothing to brag about. I did get my daily bible reading caught up (finished the book of Genesis today). I also got back on the trampoline today (10 minutes is better than nothing). Next week will be a challenge becuase I'll be vacationing in Iceland for a week. My diet is out the door becuase I fully intend to soak up the culture while there - it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see new places, hear new sounds, and enjoy tasting all the good food! Let's call it a reward to myself for 4.5 weeks of consistently eating carnivore! 

Daily Check-In — Day 25 (Thursday, January 29)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: No
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: Pickles
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: No
• Squats: No
• Sit-Ups: No
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: No
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: Yes
• Podcast progress: Yes, prep work and exploring a mini-series to add to my podcast

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

Well, today may have been slightly better than yesterday. Truth is, I was so caught up in my work, I simply haven't remembered to do my daily bible reading. I see my trampoline in the living room every day, but I just stare at it and think "later." But I have been thinking about what I'm going to report on my podcast this week since I seem to missing most of my goals this week...and I'm still thinking about it...

Daily Check-In — Day 24 (Wednesday, January 28)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: No
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: Yes
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: No
• Squats: No
• Sit-Ups: No
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: No

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

This may be my worst day yet with regard to time spent focusing on my goals. To say I wasn't motivated is an understatement. But I'm at least aware that I missed out. Today is NOT an example of the kind of day I intent to form into a habit.

Daily Check-In — Day 23 (Tuesday, January 27)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: No
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: 20 minutes
• Squats: 20
• Sit-Ups: 20
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: Yes - continuing to pursue the IBM cert in AI Prompt Engineering
• Podcast progress: Yes

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

This has been a strange week so far. I don't really have any thoughts to share today...just hanging in there!

Daily Check-In — Day 22 (Monday, January 26)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes - I fasted, but had a cup of hot beef broth
• Exceptions: None
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: 20 minutes
• Squats: 20
• Sit-Ups: 20
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: Yes
• Podcast progress: Yes

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

I decided to give my digestive track a healing rest for 36 hours. I'll eat again Tuesday afternoon. I'm also nearly half-way through my book of the month - I should be able to finish it up this week. I'll take some time this evening to study my AI certification, and then I'll record episodes 3 and 4 of my podcast tonight.

Daily Check-In — Day 19 (Friday, January 23)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: 
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: 20 minutes
• Squats: None
• Sit-Ups: None
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: Yes
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: Yes

Reflections / what worked / what didn’t / other thoughts:

I'll have my next no-social day Sunday, 1/25. I'll be iced in this weekend, so I hope to make a lot of progress on my book and study time. Admittedly, I lost track this week and failed to completed any exercise on several day; however, I did maintain my diet very closely.

Daily Check-In — Day 18 (Thursday, January 22)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: A1 Sauce
• Exercise -
• Rebounding: 15 minutes
• Squats: None
• Sit-Ups: None
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• Creation
• New skill study: Yes! I purchased a year subscription to Coursera and enrolled in an IBM professional certification for Generative AI Engineering, and completed a couple hours of study time today.
• Podcast progress: Yes...I'm going to restructure my podcast to evolve into more of an inspiration/motivational podcast, using my own experience to encourage others in pursuing their goals and new habits.

What worked / what didn’t:

Got back on track today - mostly! I'm finding I get most of my "tasks" completed during the workday during a short break. Waiting until after work when my mind is tired and I want to relax has proven ineffective. Regarding my eating, I've lost my cravings for sweet treats - which I'm thrilled about. That's not to say when I smell something delicious (like certain breads cooking) I'm not tempted, but I'm far more inclined to overcome the temptation and press on with my current eating plan. I did fall out of ketosis this week...I think because of the Szechuan chicken I had Monday. I never noticed before, but it's kind of sweet. It's supposed to be spicy, but I never picked up on the sweet tones of that sauce until my palette hadn't tasted sugar in a few weeks. Either way, I expect I'll be back in ketosis by the weekend.

One thought worth carrying forward:

"Oops" doesn't mean "I failed", it means I had a setback and I'm moving on!

Daily Check-In — Day 17 (Wednesday, January 21)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: No, I'll make up for it tomorrow
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: None
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: No
• Squats: None
• Sit-Ups: None
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• No-social day: N/A
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: No

What worked / what didn’t:

Another very busy day at work, then choir practice this evening - I didn't get a chance to do any exercise; however, I am having a better day than yesterday (emotionally and mentally). I'm feeling pretty good. I haven't noticed a change in my weight in well over a week now. I started at 271.2 on 1/1/2026, then 262.0 1/20, and 256.6 on 1/19. Well, seeing it documented, it looks better than I thought - still, I was kind of expecting a more aggressive loss. But, let's keep expectations realistic - 14.6 pounds in roughly three weeks is better than average.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Determined to get back on track!

Daily Check-In — Day 16 (Tuesday, January 20)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: Queso, Salsa
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: No
• Squats: None
• Sit-Ups: None
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• No-social day: I did not complete a no-social day this week
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: No

What worked / what didn’t:

I'm not supposed to make excuses; however, I had a really bad day at work and lost all motivation. I didn't stray terribly far from my carnivore diet - and only had maybe a tablespoon of salsa and queso, at that. Still, I didn't bother to do any exercise today. Hoping the week improves.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Sometimes you just need to stop and reflect.

Daily Check-In — Day 15 (Monday, January 19)

IWhat I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Mostly
• Exceptions: Szechuan flavored/seasoned chicken
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: No
• Squats: None
• Sit-Ups: None
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: Yes (2 chapters)
• No-social day: 
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: Yes (worked on my script for Episode 3)

What worked / what didn’t:

I was out of town visiting with my partners family this past weekend. While there, I stuck to my diet - pat on the back for that!

One thought worth carrying forward:

Feels like I'm having more fails than wins - but when I look at it from "bigger picture" perspective, I'm making progress! I may not be seeing the fruits of my efforts, yet, but I know they are coming!

Daily Check-In — Day 12 (Friday, January 16)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: None
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: 15 minutes
• Squats: 40
• Sit-Ups: 0
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• No-social day: Yes, I do this on Sunday, and did my no-social day on 1/11/2025
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: No

What worked / what didn’t:

I'll be traveling to Greenville, SC after work today and will be there through Monday. I'm bringing my book with me in hopes to get time to read several chapters - I'm halfway through the month, but only a few chapters into the book, so I need to get caught up.

I'll be doing the same thing this weekend as last: taking Saturday and Sunday off from exercise, but still doing my daily bible reading. I won't have my laptop with me this weekend, so I'm not likely to get much study time in for AI or any prep work done on my podcast.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Yesterday, I got through all 40 squats with no issues. Today, I began to struggle around the 30 squat mark. The thought here is no two days will feel the same! Keep pressing on!

Daily Check-In — Day 11 (Thursday, January 15)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: Pickle, green bell pepper, onion, queso
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: 12 minutes
• Squats: 40
• Sit-Ups: 0
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• No-social day: 
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: Yes

What worked / what didn’t:

I'll resume my sit-ups Monday to give my abs more time to fully heal (something was hurting in the wrong way the last couple times I did my sit-ups). I'll also resume daily walks once the weather warms up (cold air kills motivation). I went out with a friend for dinner and, while I usually just order a plate of stake, last night I modified a different entre. I got the steak, chicken, and shrimp with bell pepper and onion, and added a few tables spoons of queso. I felt bloated by the end of dinner - but assuming I keep that kind of "cheat" to a minimal, I'm not going to beat myself up. After all, I asked them to exclude the rice, beans, and tomatoes - so I did modify the meal to be closer to zero-carb. I haven't had any issues doing my daily bible reading...it's only been a few chapters a day, but I completed the book of Job this morning - great book, by the way!

One thought worth carrying forward:

I'm nearing the end of my 2nd week on this journey. I'm feeling pretty good. I'm still very positive that I'll be successful with all  7of my primary goals!

Live today, so I 

Daily Check-In — Day 10 (Wednesday, January 14)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Yes
• Exceptions: Pickle
• Exercise -
• Bouncing: 10 minutes
• Squats: 40
• Sit-Ups: 20
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: No
• No-social day: 
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: Yes

What worked / what didn’t:

I've experienced a sharp pain in my lower right abdomen when doing crunches yesterday and today. I may have to take a day off to allow my muscles to fully heal before I resume doing daily crunches - although, it may be the result of me skipping Saturday and Sunday (as I plan to do every week), and then zooming through 40 crunches Monday morning at a pace I'm not used to...thinking I over did it Monday and now I'm paying for it.

I'm looking for a cubed steak recipe that is carnivore-friendly. I love cubed steak, but only when I can prepare it in such a way that it's tender. I may just salt/pepper it and fry it up on the cast iron, but I know it'll likely be a little tougher to chew. I have some research to do here.

One thought worth carrying forward:

First, do no harm! If I injure myself by aggressively pursuing any one of my goals, I'm down for the count...at least for a period of time. I need to take it slow and build. That's the key word: "build!"

Daily Check-In — Day 9 (Tuesday, January 13)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Intentional prayer: No
• Focus
• Carnivore - Mostly
• Exceptions: Pickle
• Exercise:
• Bouncing: 10 minutes
• Squats: 20, 20
• Sit-Ups: 10
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Book reading: Yes, Intro + 3 chapters
• No-social day: 
• Creation
• New skill study: No
• Podcast progress: None

What worked / what didn’t:

I got the first two episodes of my podcast recorded last night...what a relief! My partner made my chicken tenders for dinner last night - very filling, but lacks the fat I need to be successful with the carnivore diet. I'll make up for that today.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Life happens! When it get's in the way, walk around it and find a way back to your purpose.

Daily Check-In — Day 8 (Monday, January 12)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Yes
• Prayer: Not yet, but there's still daylight!
• Diet
• Carnivore: Yes
• Exceptions: Pickles
• Exercise
• Bouncing: 8 minutes
• Squats: No
• Sit-Ups: 40
• Walking: No
• Other exercise: None
• Study
• No

What worked / what didn’t:

Coming out of a relaxing weekend, I feel good! I feel stronger! I feel like I'm thinking more clearly...like the brain fog is dissipating! I'm ready for week 2! Let's do it! I did fail to record my podcasts this past weekend as planned; however, I got my recording area set up, and got all my notes prepared for me to record very soon! I also forgot to do my squats for today - I'll make up for it tomorrow.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Anything worth doing, is worth doing right! :-)

Daily Check-In — Day 6 (Saturday, January 10)

I'll be reserving Saturdays and Sundays as my "days off" from journaling, and Sunday as my day off from social media. Thus, while I'm counting today as day 6 (because it is), I'm also using this one entry to state that, going forward, I will not be posting on Saturday or Sunday. I will also not be doing any exercise on these two days - I feel like 5 days of light exercise for now is sufficient.

That said, I will continue with my daily bible reading and prayer time, and following the Carnivore diet as closely as possible. But I will be putting my phone away to observe a day of rest - rest from work, rest from physical exercise, rest from social media, and rest from life's drama (as best I can).

Happy Sunday! Have a blessed day!

Daily Check-In — Day 5 (Friday, January 9)

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Completed
• Prayer: No
• Diet
• Carnivore: Mostly
• Exceptions: Pickles
• Exercise
• Bouncing: 9 minutes
• Squats: 30
• Sit-Ups: 30
• Walking: 1 mile
• Other exercise: None
• Study
• No

What worked / what didn’t:

The first week was somewhat challenging, but not as difficult as I expected. Breaking my sugar cravings has proven to be the most difficult - thankfully, I pulled through! My weight is 262.0 (I started at 271.2). I realize most of the loss was water/fluid weight - still, I'm happy!

One thought worth carrying forward:

How about one word: consistency!

Daily Check-In — Day 4 (Thursday, January 8)

I'm going to shorten these updates a bit. I fear if I continue with the "journal" style posts, I'll weary myself from day-to-day.

What I did today:

• Faith
• Bible reading: Job 17-20
• Prayer: No
• Diet
• Carnivore: Pork skins, beef sticks, deconstructed cheeseburger (no bread)
• Exceptions: Dill pickle minis, cheddar cheese, mustard
• Exercise
• Bouncing: 8 minutes
• Squats: 20
• Sit-Ups: 30
• Walking: 1/2 mile
• Other exercise: None
• Study
• No

What worked / what didn’t:

I didn't properly plan my day. I failed to spent any time with God in prayer, and had to leave the track sooner than I planned (wanted to do a full mile, but only got through 2 laps). I failed to set aside time to work on my AI studies, or for my daily book reading (not bible reading).

One thought worth carrying forward:

You win some, you lose some! It's cliche' to say, but that's where I landed. I'm still working on developing new habits.

Daily Check-In -- Day 3 (Wednesday, January 7)

What I did today:

What a BEAUTIFUL day it was today! I started my day with prayer, followed my my daily bible reading, continuing in the book of Job. I also went ahead and got my exercise out of the way for today - bouncing, squats, and sit-ups - but I was really sore and only able to complete 10 sit-ups and 20 squats. Hopefully, some of the soreness will have worn off and I can get back to my Tuesday reps.

Eating was good - it was strict carnivore, but maybe not "clean" carnivore. And, it was so nice outside, I went for a walk at the park during my lunch break.

Socially, I attended choir practice this evening. We rehearsed a song we've sang before, but brought it back to start the new year off on a upbeat note. The song is called "Sweeter As the Days Go By."

What worked / what didn’t:

With my diet - I get the munchies (not good). I need to get that under control, and quickly. I'm only supposed to eat when I'm hungry. But, when I get the munchies, I tend to chow down on beef stick and/or pork skins - neither of which is "bad" for me...but eggs, beef, and butter are superior.

One thought worth carrying forward:

Success comes in many shapes and forms and is different from one person to the next. Success for me will be completing this week having consistently showed up and intentionally met my daily goals!

Daily Check-In — Day 2 (Tuesday, January 6)

What I did today:

I started off yesterday by adjusting my blogger theme and settings -- having a daily journal (via a blog) adds another layer of accountability to my 2026 journey! I also made my first blog entry, and I'm already one day behind. I need to get in the habit of doing this at the end of each day instead of waiting until the next morning.

I continued my reading in Job and was inspired by Job's consistency! Regardless of what his friends told him, he remained humble in suffering and did not blame God. Unfortunately, once again I failed to find time along with God in prayer yesterday - why is that so tricky?

Healthwise - I had my first strict carnivore day yesterday. I ended the day with three butter coated fillet mignon's, and they were delicious. I made a Sam's Club run last night to get a 10 pound log of 80/20 beef and some 0-sugar beef stick snacks. I'm only eating when I'm hungry, but I plan to have eggs and beef today! I increased my bouncing time from 5 minutes Monday to 6 minutes yesterday - I plan to work my way up to 10 minutes. I've ready a lot of good about bouncing, so, until the weather warms up and I can go walking, I'll consider bouncing as my daily movement.

Finally, I did 10 more squats and crunches than the day before. Yesterday I wrote that I wasn't feeling any soreness. That's changed! I'm feeling sore everywhere between my lower chest and my ankles. But, how's the saying go? "No pain, no gain!"

What worked / what didn’t:

Well, I think maybe I need to focus on having my prayer time earlier in the morning. As the day goes on, I just don't think about it because I'm so busy tending to other things throughout the day and, come evening, I'm tired and ready to go to bed.

Increasing my time/reps with exercise was positive - I think I'll do it again today! 

One thought worth carrying forward:

Job was consistent in the worst of circumstances - total loss and maximum suffering. While I don't dare compare myself to Job, there are many lessons to be learned from his story - the one I'm focused on was his consistency! His determination to love, trust, and serve God, despite himself. I strive for similar consistency in growing my faith, improving my health, and learning new skills.

Daily Check-In — Day 1 (Monday, January 5)

What I did today:

Yesterday was the first day of the first full week of 2026! It's the day I begin my journey to build my faith, work on my mental and physical health, and learn new workplace and life skills. My time spent in the Word yesterday morning was in the book of Job — a great book. I don't fully understand every passage, but I'm familiar with the gist of the book. I've reached the point where his friends have arrived and are trying to help. I didn't spend any time in prayer yesterday — which I regret — but I'll make up for that today.

Healthwise, I completed 5 minutes on the trampoline (my calves are paying for it today), completed 20 squats and 20 sit-ups in good form. I'm hoping to take advantage of the slightly warmer temperatures this week and walk at the track a few days. Diet-wise, I mostly stuck with carnivore, with a few small deviations.

Finally, I spent most of the day taking company-provided AI training while pursuing certification in AI-Driven Leadership.

What worked / what didn’t:

I'd say I was motivated for the exercise I did today - but it's easy to be motivated when "starting" - I hope to continue and be consistent, but starting slow on purpose feels right. Limited carnivore options at home were the part of the reason I wasn't strict carnivore — that gets fixed tonight.

One thought worth carrying forward:

It's okay not to complete everything in one day. Consistency beats perfection. Habits are built over time.