Hello August and we're "cruisin' down the freeway in the hot, hot sun...Is that a Chevy '69? How bizarre."

I love August. It's the gateway through the threshold of promise. How many Septembers did I have such hopes for the semester that lay ahead!

Of course, August absolutely sucks. The sun is too hot; the air is far too thick with water. Fall is ever so tantalizing close, yet, here is this weird place on the calendar where any outdoor activity grinds to the pace of a beached whale.

Who am I kidding? It's gonna feel like summer 'till October. I generally just choose to stop cutting the grass in October because...well, it's UNNATURAL.

Oh, the dream of autumn..."Set adrift on memory bliss of you, baby, you send me! " That brisk rustle through the night leaves...I'm full of wonder—even today.

It's funny how the mind spins and circles down the analog calendar and can I see, hear, smell, touch, and taste again...

You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After (twenty-four) years, you know what I realize?

[Takes a bite of steak]

Ignorance is bliss.

The Matrix (1999)

While The 13th Expedition was about getting into the rhythm of a keto diet leaving only the 5th and 6th weeks for workouts, The 14th Expedition is all about the implementation of a training regimen to run in tandem with nutrition.

I lookedup a blog post by Mark Sisson, author of Keto for Life: Reset Your Biological Clock in 21 Days and Optimize Your Diet for Longevity (2019). I'm really like the implementation of the 4 exercises he posts. And I gotta admit, at 66 he is cranking out a workout that knocks me back. C'mon, decline Spider-Man pushups at his age?! Get out of here!

One of my takeaways from the book for direct application is to pull back on the throttle for my morning routine. It's a carryover from when I was young, but when I train, I thrive to rail against the temptation to quit. But, when I step back, can I really say that what I'm doing is fun? If I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, then its going to take will to get it done. And from experience, I know that despite having the will to go for 116 days on 1150 kcal /day, I eventually stopped. A force of will in whatever application is just not sustainable. It's great to work in a pinch, but, it's simply not a starter.

I enjoy having a meditation space; I value having a workout in the morning. These things are important to me. But, when I push beyond fun where it feels it breaks me, or at least, breaks me from all the other activities I want to accomplish in a day, then I gotta re-evaluate.

And without further adieu, the results of The 13th Expedition are in!

I lost 24.25 lbs!

I achieved this by the daily average of the following:

• Fat: 196.2 g
• Protein: 151.5 g
• Carbs: 30.5 g
• Kcal: 2297.6

The numbers are a little elevated, because I didn't finish developing my approach at the outset as my intent was a 190/140/30 approach.

It's the opening salvo of a long struggle, but, I feel confident.

And thus, as you might have expected, the playlist:

The 13th Expedition: Of Yachts & Speedboats