SmartSolopreneur Newsletter #2

Pushing, Pulling, and Fasting: My Latest Fitness Adjustments

So, a whole new year has started! A year in which I’m diving into what it takes to feel great after 40. In my last newsletter, I wrote about my preparations to start right away with my Fit Over 40 project.

Fit Over 40 Update

But life caught up with me. I didn’t feel great and had some nagging aches in my hip, lower back, and knee. This worried me enough to visit a doctor—two, actually—who struggled to make sense of my symptoms. In the end, they didn’t find anything unusual and referred me to a physical therapist. Funny thing: since that visit, the aches have significantly lessened. Ah, the joys of being over 40!

I also began testing my new workout routine. And... I discovered some things. Working out seven days a week turned out to be a bit too much. Strength training each body part twice a week, plus conditioning, felt overwhelming and unsustainable. So, I ended up skipping conditioning most of the time. Not quite what I had in mind!

Time for an adjustment.

I’ve revised my routine to be more manageable. Now, I’m following a PPL (Push, Pull, Legs) split, moving through the cycle once a week. I've paired this with HIIT once or twice a week and Rucking for conditioning. This feels way more sustainable for my schedule and energy levels. Let’s see how it holds up!

Relaxation: A Work in Progress

Another area I’ve explored further is relaxation. As I mentioned before, this has been a bit of a blind spot for me. Ironically, I found myself stressing over the fact that I wasn't focusing enough on relaxation—talk about missing the point!

But as I reflected more, I realized I already do plenty of activities that help me unwind: working out, stretching, cooking, walking my dog, and reading. The issue wasn’t doing relaxation—it was noticing it. So, I’m shifting my focus to becoming more aware of what I’m already doing to relax instead of chasing big, formal relaxation strategies.

I wrote a full article on this realization, which you can read here.

Intermittent Fasting: Tougher Than Expected

I also started experimenting with intermittent fasting. I expected that working out in a fasted state would be the hardest part, but surprisingly, it’s been quite manageable. The real challenge? Sticking to the 16-hour fasting window in a way that fits my routine.

Right now, my fasting window ends around 9 a.m.—90 minutes after I finish my morning workout and right when my workday starts. Not ideal. I’m considering shortening the window to 15 hours, but I haven’t made a final decision yet.

Funding a Gentleman Scientist Lifestyle Update

Not much to update here yet, as I’ve been focused more on my Fit Over 40 efforts. However, I did write a new article breaking down my latest marketing strategy experiment—where I’m treating marketing like a research project, testing channels, and tracking both results and energy levels.

👉 Read the full article on my marketing strategy experiment here.

Final Thoughts and What’s Next

This year has already brought some unexpected lessons, but that’s all part of the process! I’m continuing to adjust, track, and explore what works best for me—and sharing those insights with you along the way.

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Thanks for being part of my journey, and feel free to hit reply—what are you experimenting with this year? I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,
Wouter – The Gentleman Scientist