Chapter 2: Kaizen (Consistent Improvement)

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

If there is one recurring theme that I noticed undergoing this journey to reverse Type-2 diabetes is that consistency will be a key factor. Dr. Huberman mentions that “its been estimated that up to 70% of our waking behavior is made up of habitual behavior.” It is very likely that what made me diabetic wasn’t a particular Thanksgiving dinner binge, though they certainly did not help. More than likely, it was daily snacking on sweets and eating rice, noodles, breads that did most of the damage. Similarly, I knew that running a marathon once a year would not get me out of this mess either. Whatever I did, would have to be fairly consistent. I would need to create new habits.

I want to take this time to note the obvious. Each of us are different, we bring our own history, genetics, cultures and thoughts to these lifestyle changes. Much of the work I am sharing with you may not work for you exactly the way it did for me. You will need to be vigilant, persistent and most of all forgiving. This will be a work in progress and a journey for you. You will need to set your own habits.

However, one thing seems to be universal, whether in your work life or health. Consistency of small habits is worth more than doing sporadic large tasks. As James Clear mentions, the systems you set up for yourself coupled with simple habits, will make the dramatic changes you are looking for easier to obtain.

Jim Kwik also mentions, taking small simple steps will be key to maintaining the motivation to improve. Especially in the beginning, I realized I needed to make sure that whatever I did, I could do it long term and without risk of injury. I would go out for walks rather than start with jogging or sprints. If I injured myself, it would prevent me from reaching my goals by preventing habit forming practices. I would recommend for you to also change your habit expectations from extremes to consistent and gradual.

BJ Fogg also recommends Habit Stacking – by connecting your new small steps with habits you already have. Currently, I add a few dashes of turmeric and cinnamon to my morning coffee which I make sure to have everyday. Another simple trick is to make the habits you want to be easily accessible and the habits you want to avoid inaccessible. For example, throw away or hide anything with carbs and place water bottles and running shoes by the front door.

Like with most things, the Pareto Principle or the "80/20 rule" applies here. Your body actually thrives off change and stress. It is ideal to stick mostly to your habits but not expect to do so 100% of the time. Even though I have largely given up traditional sweets and carbs, I still eat them in limited amounts once every few months. I will also randomly eat at a different time of day or change my workout routine. Being too consistent can be boring and your body will habituate and the effects will lessen over time. Note: This does not mean adding a “cheat meal” to your routine every week. If anything, I am asking you to stretch further with these changes. Randomly do more than your average set of exercise or skip a day of eating.

Here are some habits I started since the beginning of the new year.

1. Add Turmeric & Cinnamon to my black coffee (no sweetener of any kind) in the morning. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and Cinnamon helps lower blood sugar.
2. Take supplements - Men's 1-a-day, 2 Magnesium, 2 Fish oil, 1 metformin with Apple Cider Vinegar in Seltzer water before lunch. ACV helps lower blood sugar.
3. 30-min walk or jog after a meal - refer to image above. Exercise really helps remove glucose from your blood by transferring it to your muscles. The example above shows a more high intensity workout to show how effective it can be. 180 to 80 in 30 minutes.

Action Items

1. Create a list of habits that will serve you in this journey

2. Envision yourself completing these tasks daily (early in the morning)

3. Try to attach these new habits with ones you already have (preferably early in the morning)

4. Take a moment to reduce any friction for the habits you want and conversely make it much harder to continue habits that aren’t good for you.

5. Understand that you don’t have to be 100% consistent. It is actually preferable if you mix things up once in a while before resuming the habit.