Burnt Eggs, Remote Cooking, and Never Skip Push Day

Have you ever had one of those days when you decide to make a change, and reality hits you like a ton of bricks? That’s pretty much how I felt on day one of my “Something's Gotta Give” reset. Spoiler alert – it didn’t go as I’d planned. There was no movie montage, no “Dream” by The Carpenters playing in the background as I transformed from failure to success in three minutes flat. Instead, it's a series of small, often messy steps that lead to gradual improvement. This is the heart of my Something's Gotta Give Reset.

A Not-So-Perfect Start

Let's talk about my relationship with protein. I hate it. Eggs, fish, meat, poultry, plant-based—you name it, I probably eat it out of necessity rather than desire. Unless it's dairy, flame grilled, soaked in sauce, or bacon, eating protein feels like a chore. And I skip it more often than not (I can almost hear the health enthusiasts cringing).

Day 1 of my reset started with an omelette that was supposed to be my lunch. Instead, it ended up a charred mess. “Who burns eggs?” you might ask. Well, clearly, I do. In my household, we call it “remote cooking.” Somewhere between pouring the mixture into a pan and walking to the cutlery drawer for a spatula, my brain decided it was an excellent time to detour back to my desk. It wasn't until the dog barked, and the cat meowed incessantly, that I remembered I was cooking. Remote Cooking for the win…again. (Don't judge me. My brain is awesome at other things, okay.)

It's okay to dislike parts of the process. What's important is that you keep going.

Getting Under the Bar Again

Despite the kitchen catastrophe, getting back to weightlifting was a different story. There's something incredibly satisfying about the energizing exhaustion you feel after a good workout— the kind that hits you when you're done, but you know you have two more reps in you.

Day 1 Push Day Routine

Bench Press: I started with two warm-up sets:

• 10 reps at 20 kg
• 10 reps at 25 kg

Then moved on to my working sets:

• 5 reps at 30 kg
• 5 reps at 30 kg
• 2 reps at 35 kg

Decline Bench Press: It's been years since I did these, so I took it slow:

• Set 1: 8 reps at 15 kg
• Sets 2 and 3: 5 reps each at 25 kg

For tricep kickbacks:

Set 1 – 3 kg, 10 reps per side

Sets 2 & 3 – 5 kg, 10 reps per side

In all fairness, I could have counted the 3?kg set as a warm-up and gone straight to 5. But this is day one, and I'd rather make sure the form is right. Next week, though, I'll start with 5?kg and do 10+ reps per side as my final set.

Lateral raises have never been my strong suit, so I focused on proper form over heavy weights:

• Set 1 – 1.5 kg, 15 reps per side
• Set 2 – 2.5 kg, 10 reps per side
• Set 3 – 2.5 kg, 12 reps per side

My focus for the first two weeks of lifting is always to set a base for each exercise. It’s week one, after all. I think about which exercises I want to skip (i.e., shoulder press) and make a note of why, and adjust accordingly.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted—in a good way. I fell asleep reciting my favorite verse from Psalms, “I lay down and slept [safely]; I awakened, for the Lord sustains me.” The next morning was typical—groggy until coffee kicked in—but I stuck to my plan, and I can stick to the plan today.

Change Doesn't Come Easy

Change doesn't happen overnight. There’s no fast-forward button that skips over the hard parts. It's not glamorous, it's messy, and frustrating. But it's the small victories—like getting through push day or avoiding another burnt omelette—that make it worthwhile.

If you're on a similar journey, remember that it's okay to stumble. It's okay to dislike parts of the process. What's important is that you keep going.

If you're looking for support on your own journey, consider reaching out to a community or a mentor. Share your struggles and victories. And most importantly, never skip push day.

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Join me on this journey and let's make positive changes together. Share your own experiences in the comments below!