Energy First: Why I'm Starting With How I Feel, Not the Scale

It's 3 PM. You had a decent breakfast, maybe skipped lunch, and now you're standing in the kitchen looking for anything with sugar in it. Or you're at your desk, reading the same email for the third time.

Most of us have a day like that more often than we'd like to admit. And when we finally decide to "get healthy," we usually start with the scale. A number to hit. A diet to follow. A big Monday restart.

I'm going about it differently this time.

I'm 57, I've been a chiropractor in Kelowna for 33 years, and I'm in the last few weeks before the Athens Marathon on November 8. After the race, I'm starting a 100-day reset of my own: eating better, moving every day and sleeping well. But I'm not starting with the number. I'm starting with energy.

This is general wellness, not medical advice. Check with your own health professional before you make big changes, especially to how you eat or exercise.

Why energy comes first

When your energy is low, every good decision gets harder. You skip the walk. You grab whatever's fast. You stay up late scrolling because you're too tired to go to bed. It's a loop, and willpower alone rarely breaks it.

When your energy is steadier, the good choices get a little easier. Not easy. Easier. And easier is what lets you keep going past the second week.

So instead of asking "What should I cut?", I'm asking "What helps me feel steady through the whole day?"

Five simple places to start

None of these are new. That's the point. They're plain habits you can keep on an ordinary Tuesday.

1. One grocery list, one prep day

Decide once, not twenty times a day. I write one grocery list for the week and pick one day to prep a few basics: some protein like chicken or ground beef, a pot of rice or a tray of potatoes, and a lot of vegetables. When the food is already there, the 3 PM kitchen raid has less to work with.

2. Water before coffee

A glass of water when you wake up, and one with each meal. It's the easiest habit on this list, and it's a good one to start with because you can check it off before 8 AM.

3. Walk every day

Not a workout. A walk. Ten or twenty minutes after a meal, around the block or down to the lake. If you have a dog, like my Lab Luca, you already have a walking partner. If you sit for work, get up once an hour and move for a minute or two.

4. Close the kitchen in the evening

One habit I'm borrowing from my daughter: no eating after 7 PM. Pick a time that fits your life, and let the kitchen close. It also tends to make the next habit easier.

5. Protect your sleep

Go to bed and get up at about the same time each day. Put the phone away before bed. If something leaves you wired at night, like late coffee, late news or late email, try moving it earlier. Sleep is where your body catches up with the day.

Track a little, every day

Here's one thing training for a marathon has taught me. Big goals are built on small days. I don't run 42 kilometres on race day because of one heroic workout. I get there because of months of ordinary runs, most of them slow.

The same goes for this. Small daily tracking beats a big monthly overhaul. A quick check each evening is enough:

• Did I drink my water?
• Did I walk?
• Did I close the kitchen on time?
• How was my energy today, on a scale of 1 to 5?

That last question matters most. Over a few weeks, you start to see what actually helps you feel steady, and what drains you.

Rest is part of the plan

For me, this includes a weekly Sabbath. One day set aside for worship, family, a slow walk and no to-do list. Rest isn't a break from the plan. It's part of it. Your energy needs a day to refill, and so does your spirit.

Start with one

Don't try all five this week. Pick the one that feels most doable. Keep it on ordinary days, not just good ones. When it feels normal, add the next.

Steady beats dramatic.

Have a goal you keep putting off?

Maybe it's a race. Maybe it's walking a 10K, or finally getting back to the gym. On Thursday, October 29, at 6:00 PM PT, I'm hosting Run the Original, a live online session about picking a goal, putting the date on the calendar first and building a plan backward around your real life. Bring your questions.

Save your seat for Run the Original: tr.ee/9NfSP_Sud4

Dr. Cary Yurkiw