I find myself spending more time reflecting as we approach another new year.

I'm a fan of goal setting.

Not so much a fan of new year's resolutions.

I'm a fan of reflection and looking ahead.

Not so much a fan of waiting until the new year to get started (or after vacation or next week or when things slow down)

I like to reflect and look ahead for each area of my life.

Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially, etc.

The older (and hopefully wiser) that I've gotten, I've gotten away from extremes and the fancier things.

The wiser I get, I find myself focusing more and more on the basics.

The fundamentals.

And if you look at anyone at the top of their field, top of their industry, or top of their game - I believe you'll find the same things.

Kobe Bryant, one of the best basketball players of all time, understood this.

I heard something recently that he was seen repeatedly at the gym, at early hours while most others were sleeping, practicing the basics of basketball.

When asked about it, here's what he said.

"Why do you think I'm the best player in the world? Because I never ever get bored with the basics"

This has stuck with me, because it's not the advice you're going to hear on the latest biohacking or self-help podcast.

So when I found myself reflecting on what I want to accomplish in 2025, I didn't come up with the same exciting answers I have in previous years.

I'm not setting my sights on another 100 mile ultramarathon with only 3 months of training.

I'm not looking to cut 6% of body fat in less than 6 months.

I'm not going to do 100 kilometers of walking lunges over the course of 8 months.

I'm not looking to squat and deadlift 2x my bodyweight and run a sub 20 min 5k in the same week.

I'm not doing another 75 hard, whole 30, or carnivore diet.

I'm not giving up sugar for another year.

Yes these are all things I've done in recent years.

Sure, these are cool accomplishments.

And they make for fun stories.

But none of them on their own made me healthier or caused some crazy transformation like everyone expects.

Instead, I'm going to do exactly what I would tell my 5 year younger self.

I'm going to do what Kobe did, for decades, without getting bored.

I'm going to keep focusing on the fundamentals.

What are these as it relates to my health and fitness?

I'm glad you asked.

Here are some fundamentals I think everyone should be focusing on.

My goal or time spent on a given fundamental might be more than what you need.

1) I'm going to walk more

When I walk more, I feel better.

When I walk more, I'm leaner.

When I walk more, I have more energy, improved mood, and better recovery.

If you think that's boring, you're right.

If you're the type that needs some statistics to get you to buy in, here you go:

Walking over 10,000 steps per day has been associated with the following (pulled from Dr. Casey Means book Good Energy):

• 50% lower dementia risk
• 50-70% lower risk of premature death
• 44% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• 31% lower risk of obesity
• Reductions in depression, gastric disorders, sleep apnea

Maybe it's 10k steps for you. Maybe it's 6k. In a society that sits, the key is to do more than you are right now.

Live longer and get more fit?

I'm walking more in 2025.

2) I'm going to strength train consistently

For me, my goal is at least 4x/week, but ideally 5x/week.

If you've followed along with my emails and my journey, you know that I've been focusing on maximum efficiency of workouts.

For 2+ years, I rarely did more than 12 exercises per week, and this was pound for pound the strongest and leanest I ever was.

That was needed in a time in our lives when things were busy and when I couldn't be gone at the gym for any longer than that.

Now I'm back to a point where I have a little more time to put towards building muscle, which I think is one of the most important things you can be doing for overall health and longevity. 

Because if you've followed along for any length of time on here, you'll also know that one of my biggest regrets was almost completely stopping strength training during my mid 20s - some of the prime years of muscle building.

I'm going to take the advice I would give my younger self and double down on muscle building during these critical years in my mid 30s and heading into my 40s.

It's never too late, but if you're in your 30s and 40s, this should be one of your most important things to focus on if health and longevity is important to you.

3) I'm going to track my calories

Like it or not, calories are king when it comes to any weight loss or muscle building goals.

Does that mean you need to track your calories? (spoiler: it depends)

I personally am going to track them, because it's the system that works best for me to achieve my body composition goals and feel my best.

When I don't track, and when left to my own 'willpower', I quickly end up consuming more calories than I need.

Tracking your calories is certainly not necessary if your goal is general weight loss and fitness.

However, if you've found yourself stalled when it comes to losing weight for a while, it's important to have some system in place to help you reach your goals.

Maybe that's intermittent fasting, eating less processed foods, or dozens of other strategies you can follow (trust me, I've tried them all except for one)

Whatever you decide to do, just remember you can't chase another fad diet and expect different results.

Because you can't pretend calories don't matter if your goal is looking and feeling your best.

For me, I'm not striving to put on a bunch of muscle, and I'm not aiming to shed a ton of fat.

I'm going to eat close to maintenance calories, implement shorter bulks and cuts, and let the results take care of themselves with more consistency.

4) I'm going to try and sleep 7+ hours per night, most nights

I'll keep this one short.

When possible, getting enough sleep will help you feel better, perform better, and even look better.

Look better by sleeping more?

You'll have less cravings, better recovery (allowing you to train harder), and improved hormonal health (especially testosterone, a major driver in helping you look and feel your best)

I know it's not always possible in every season, and I'll certainly have some challenges ahead this year to make this happen consistently, but challenge yourself to get some more quality sleep.

5) I'm going to put more effort into true stress management

I say 'true' stress management intentionally.

There have been times in the past where I've kinda sorta focused on managing my stress.

Or maybe I did the 'cool' stress management things, like jumping in an ice bath or doing some Wim Hof breathing.

But knowing the negative effects that cortisol can have on your body composition and overall health, I'm going to aim to give a better effort at real stress management this year.

For me this will include less screen time (or at least better boundaries on screen time), more time outside, more time with my family, and more time meditating and focusing on my relationship with Jesus.

6) I'm going to track the things that I want to see improvements in

The last fundamental to long-term results?

Accountability.

Maybe you need some help from a coach or a trainer.

Maybe you just need to make sure you're actually tracking the things you want to see the most change in.

If you're trying to lose weight, track your average weight each week

If you want to improve your strength, write down the weights and reps you're doing each week.

If you want to look better, get your body composition tested and measure your waist circumference.

If you want to get healthier, get your bloodwork and hormones checked.

These are all things I track with my clients, and the key metrics I plan to track for myself to see progress this year.

If you have any questions on what you should be tracking, or you need any help getting in your best shape come 2025, click here to set up a free health optimization consult and we can discuss exactly what you should be doing next year.

For everyone else, reply right here and let me know which fundamental you need to focus on the most.

Keep at it,

Dr. Dave