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User:Octygen

This user is proudly Canadian.
This user is proudly Romanian.
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en-N This user has a native understanding of English.
ro-N Acest utilizator este un vorbitor nativ al limbii române.
fr-2 Cet utilisateur dispose de connaissances intermédiaires en français.
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Introduction

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My real name is Octavian Petrescu. I was born in Timişoara, Romania on September 26, 1984. My family and I immigrated to Canada in 1997. I am but a person in this world we share, trying to do my best. I started keeping training programs here on Wikipedia 2022.8.7.

My Biggest Challenge

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My #0P date is 2022-8.2 2022.8.8 2022.8.16 2022.8.18 #0P is a daily battle l have to carry with me for the rest of my life, starting on this day. I have failed countless times, but I probably won't get another child to motivate me. Remember Charlie from Lost. I have a private wiki on tiddlyhost using tiddlywiki to keep track of this. Last check: 56 days #0P on October 14th at 4:45AM.

Primary Objective is Daily Training… but Sleep is the *Perpetual* Priority

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Training Program

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Program
DAY Scheduled Training W1 10/17 W2 10/24 W3 10/31 W4 11/7 W5 11/14 W6 11/21 W7 11/28 W8 12/5 W9 12/12
M Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#)

C25K Day 9 Week Plan (base!) + Kegels for 10m

Tu 60m Human 2.0 Run Mobility Optional: box\chair, long pipes, weight 5 sets of:
  1. Pushups 5 reps + W#*1
  2. Squats 10 reps + W#*3
  3. Plank 30s + W#*5s
  4. Right-leg forward lunge (knee up on the backswing for balance) 10 reps + W#*3
  5. Left-leg forward lunge (knee up on the backswing for balance) 10 reps + W#*3
  6. Perfect-Form Burpees 1 + W#*1
  7. 3m rest
W Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#) See M above ^
Th 60m Human 2.0 Run Strength Optional: balance beam, strap to do leg extensions See Tu above ^
Fr Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#) See M above ^
Sa Human 2.0 Knee Strengthening Optional: yoga block, medium weight KB See Tu above ^
Su Glamour Muscles with DBs
  • Chest: "Boxing" DB Floor Press 5s*20r*25lb hold at top for 2s
  • Biceps: Zottman Curls 20r*8+4s*10r*15 slowly, turn out at the top of the movement
  • Triceps: Skullcrushers 20r*20+4s*15r*15 turn wrists out at the top of the movement
  • Shoulders+++: Oscar Combo 3*15r(8DBs+30KB+8DBs)

+++ = hold at top for 2s with SR (Scapular Retraction) BS (Belly-to-Spine) TB (Tight Butt) HB (Head Back) the whole time. Mandatory DBs: 8, 15, 20, 25.

L! If W >= 5 2022.09.13 From Rage in Midnight Falcon by David Gemmell, then put a W, else L W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L? W/L?
PROGRAM KEYS:
  • GOAL: Run 5K with ease even if slow.
  • DIET: Don't eat sweets anymore.
  • (W)in, (L)oss, (D)raw in the Week columns, with commentary.
  • It'll be too cold for running outside in December, so switch back to doing Human 2.0 indoors. Calisthenics can't stop.
  • Run in your training gear.

Training Principles

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  • Goal: To lose fat!
  • Question: Did you do your absolute best to put a W in there? Each day is a battle. Each week... is a war.
  • Motivation: I am on the verge of being obese at BMI 29 and a Body Fat % of 27.3. -August 2022
  • No matter what, you have to wake up early and go for a morning walk. That's how you get energy for the day.
    • e.g., Door-to-door from 969 Cherrier to the McGill Gym is 27 minutes, 1.2 miles (ca. 2 km), 2700 steps. So return is 60 minutes, 2.4 miles (ca. 4 km), ~5500 steps. You're doing a… taste of a workout. At the middle of it, you're at the gym with people.
    • Once you get fit, you can simply run it. You can shorten the time in half if you run it, since the average run for 2 km is 15 minutes[1].
  • Gym Morning2022.8.18: Renewed my McGill membership and need to do a walk to the gym daily.
    • Since I have to be “in the pool” by 645h, I have to leave home at 600h unless running or biking there.
    • Morning! If it's later in the day, you're 10x more likely not to do it. This implies that your "workout starts the night before when you go to sleep around 9PM.
  • Alternative2022.8.17. If conditions don't allow or if you had an L yesterday but still want to do the workout, you can switch workouts between two consecutive days.
    • E.g., The weather is not good for the current workout the next day, or you simply didn't have time.
    • Try to work out in all weather. If it rains, wear your poncho!
  • No matter what. Even if you do physical activity X (e.g., bike to work, etc.), still do the workouts.
  • Kegel "form".
    • LYING down on your back with knees bent up >
    • SITTING but with trunk forward with straight back and away from the back of the chair with knees apart (Perfect 90) >
    • STANDING with feet apart and good posture good against gravity could look in a mirror to see compression step >
    • ALL-FOURS on palms or elbows best for performance!
    • KEY: PRIORITIZE STANDING position (#3).
    • KEY: DO THE FIRST SET IN ONE position, DO THE SECOND SET IN A SECOND position.

Exercises in Future Training Programs

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Exercises
Exercise Thoughts
Run downhill Get used to the impact
Posture
Skipping Rope Outside (no matter the season)
Pushups 5s*10r with 60s rest
SSET 60s rest (Boxing Squat Left Leg FW 5s*20r +

Boxing Squat Right Leg FW 5s*20r)

SSET 60s rest (Planks 35s

+ Side-Plank Right 35s + Side-Plank Left 35s)

SSET 60s rest (Lunges Left Leg FW 5s*20r

+ Lunges Right Leg FW 5s*20r)

Balance
Masters swimming?
Grip
TABLE KEY: You have the poor tendency to over-plan and under-deliver. Put all those extra plans here.

Sacrifices for Training... or Studying (see below)

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Sacrifices
Sacrifice How much time? Difficulty Replace with?
MTG... but be careful since it keeps you away from #0P (there's no denying this!) 2h+ Medium
  • Message friends on phone. One key thing I did was to remove it from my phone. 2022/10/15 This way I can message or do other things on my phone when I have waiting moments.
  • Workout or study or watch TV to relax. I also removed it from... "the soothing MacBook Pro" :) 2022/10/17 This way it doesn't take away from any effort when I want to work out instead of playing around.
Screwing around in the morning

(e.g., shopping)

2h+ Easy Put something on while you work out

e.g., Blinkist summary, audiobook, anime, TV

TV at night 1h Hard Workout
Non-MTG games 1h Easy Workout
TABLE KEY: These are mandatory to allow for the below.

Idealistic Principles

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Principles
Keyword Principle Notes
Doing vs Studying 80:20 Doing:Studying is optimal. In Doing you learn a tremendous amount more than Studying any given topic. Try it right now! Read how to do a pushup. Then do a pushup.
Relationships The most important treasures in your life are your close relationships with other live beings. Support system. Your most reliable support system is your set of relationships with friends and family. Most importantly, don't forget: you have to constantly maintain each relationship. The needs of those friends and family members change with time. Keep up. Do not be complacent.

Material goods are meaningless when you realize they can all be had for free. Through tight relationships, you can get any thing pretty much free. You need to have some value you provide to others as well. Decide on that value and become excellent at giving it. e.g., You can pay for an expensive hotel room in X location. Or you can know the owner and they let you stay there free

Friendship and democracy. "Democracy is the philosophy of making friends on equal terms not of creating master-servant relationships. I want to have good friends, and I want to be a good friend to other people." Alexander Bucock at his death, Legend of the Galactic Heroes

I wish someone told me this when I was young: everyone, every single person you meet, is suffering. It is the human way. They may portray an ideal life but, inside, everyone carries their own crosses whether rich, strong, beautiful, successful, fit, well-spoken, etc. Knowing this allows you to be compassionate to all. Help them if you can.

"Rare is the man that keeps his promises." Sword in the Storm, David Gemmell

Reality "1. Accept everything just the way it is." Miyamoto Musashi in the Dokkodo Stoicism. "To avoid unhappiness, frustration, and disappointment, we, therefore, need to do two things: control those things that are within our power (namely our beliefs, judgments, desires, and attitudes) and be indifferent or apathetic to those things which are not in our power (namely, things external to us)." William R. Connolly

Serenity. "God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Alcoholics Anonymous

Certainty. "If I've learned anything in my job [doctor], it's that, in life, there are no certainties. Good or bad, there are no certainties." ER

Adapt Adapt to all situations, especially unexpected ones you fear Management and Leadership are both an art because they involve people. No two people are the same. Do not assume that your new role will be the same as your old role. There will be patterns but most important is adaptability to the context. Take time to understand it. Mind the gap between expectations and reality - this is where most frustration comes from.
  • "We either adapt... or die." Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199
  • The reaction to any surprise, especially bad ones is "How 'bout that?". Learned this from The Unit.
  • "That’s the most important thing: Keep your head, don’t panic. Never ever panic, it’s the worst thing you can do." Hoot (from Black Hawk Down)
  • "Most important thing to teach your kid: get comfortable with discomfort. Most people choose the misery of trying nothing." Glenn Saliba (one of my old bosses)
  • "Once you're able to control your fear, that's the bridge to personal courage. And personal courage is contagious on the battlefield." Thomas Patrick Payne
  • "When in doubt [or fear], develop the situation." Mission, the Men and Me. "Research the hell out of whatever you're afraid of. E.g., If you're afraid of swimming in the ocean, find out how to stay safe in the ocean." Chris Hadfield
Insults and Bullies How to best take insults

How to best handle bullies

When someone insults you, the best thing to do is to take that insult, exaggerate it and laugh about it. Be crazy.

When someone bullies you... take it, do not get into fights. Try to prevent another instance by clearly being too strong (overpowering in both intelligence and martial art prowess) for anyone to attack. "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Isaac Asimov

Time vs Health Time is by far one's most important resource - health ensures you can actually use it
  • "What is a general's most important resource on the battlefield? People, food, weapons? No. It is time. " David Gemmell
  • Health is pretty simple: 1) Don't smoke. 2) Only drink socially. 3) Eat a lot of veggies. Don't eat a lot meat. Eat sugar when you need it. 4) Exercise daily maintaining ALL of the following: flexibility, strength, endurance, mobility and balance. 5) Don't obsess over things. Live a balanced life. The psychological extremes are not worth it in comparison to disciplined daily effort.
  • "Until you are about 30, you are your genes. After 30, you become your habits." David Saint-Jacques. So, since this is the case, I ask you: why not establish great habits way before you are 30? That is the strategic way to succeed.
  • Nothing important takes little time. Else it would simply not be important. It's important BECAUSE it consumes a person's most precious resource. e.g., It takes 4 weeks for you to see your body changing when you work out. It takes 8 weeks for your friends and family. It takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world. So, for every workout program you should aim for impact in about 3 months if you stick to it a ton.
Self-worth Self-worth is achieved through discipline Get self-esteem from inside you not from the outside world. Never let others tell you your worth.
  • "You can do anything you want. You just gotta practice." 1% better every day allows for miracles.
  • Sacrifice to keep to your boundaries + Consistent discipline = Success/Results. What else is there to do but practice what you're interested in?
Better tomorrow "I will do better" “The most important words a man can say are, “I will do better.” These are not the most important words any man can say. I am a man, and they are what I needed to say.

The ancient code of the Knights Radiant says “journey before destination.” Some may call it a simple platitude, but it is far more. A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those around us.

But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one.

I’m certain some will feel threatened by this record. Some few may feel liberated. Most will simply feel that it should not exist. I needed to write it anyway.” Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

“Sometimes a hypocrite is nothing more than a man in the process of changing.” Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

Find ways to be 1% better every day at the thing you care about every single day. If you fail, try again the next day until you're able.

QUICK-ADDS BELOW
Have friends you can rely on
Action 3 simple truths re action:
  1. If you do not go after what you want, you'll never have it.
  2. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no.
  3. If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place.
Self-appreciation As the name suggests, this simply refers to noticing and savouring things that we like about ourselves. Many of us have a natural resistance to doing this, but it can be very helpful to do so. It is like selfcompassion for pleasant experiences, and is a natural extension of savouring and gratitude.

Perhaps take a moment now to bring to mind THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF: qualities you have, or things that you have done well. Imagine what your best friend might say about you. Feel the pleasant sensations in your body and savour these. Perhaps be grateful that you have these qualities or have had these experiences.

#lifetip Person to person interaction is key with mentors. You have to see them. Virtual just doesn't work.

#lifetip Good mentors let you develop your own style and then let you fly free. But they could still do the opposite. You have to be aware. #lifetip Aristotle and Alexander. As was the perfect mentor having mastered multiple fields. Taught Alexander how to connect things and how to think.

TABLE KEY: I am doing my absolute best to apply all of these in my life, but not chastising myself if I don't. I would only expect the same from you.

Add:

  • Don't eat rather than eat at restaurants (ideally!)
  • Don't spend money on coffee or tea outside - bring your own in a thermos (ideally!)
  • Only watch tv shows when you're sure you won't be disturbed else it's frustrating
  • Listen to fiction audiobooks and don't feel bad for missing things - look up quotes later on Goodreads
  • Use Pimsleur and the other guy's language learning courses
  • Reach out to old friends like Steve, Yvon, Yan and Arto and Dick Boera
  • Listen to summaries of business books to get the jist of them (e.g., Blinkist and GetAbstract) - they are usually too poorly written to be worth reading for real
  • Keep your bike tuned and your tires inflated
  • Go for daily walks, work out daily and
  • Study toward a job or opportunity you want AND do your best to get recognized formal certs as a result so you can become part of a small community of people with that cert
  • Do Olympic sports. You cut through a ton of BS as a result.

" Your gym, if possible, should be your local uni. You get motivation and you get a community.

What do I think is the key question when it comes to leading one's life? I wanted to start by emphasizing a key question one needs to constantly be asking themselves. If one asks and acts on the answer, one is able to avoid a lot of the unnecessary pain life can provide. Consequently, if one asks and acts on the answer, one can extract infinite pleasure out of life.

Am I currently using suboptimal or unhealthy behaviours to cope with what I am facing? If yes, I am being duped, since my actions allow others to profit off my suffering/fear/stress. Time is my most important and constantly diminishing resource – is it being spent wisely to cope? My health allows me to use my most indispensable resource – am I hurting it? Right now, at this moment, is there a better way for me to cope with what I am facing?

Suboptimal Behaviours

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Behaviours
Behaviour Description
Smoking or Drinking or Doing Drugs There is a reason every doctor asks you whether you smoke or drink or do drugs. Because it hurts your health. Don't start smoking or doing drugs and drink in moderation.
Avoiding hard things to choose comfort If you avoid things that are challenging... If you avoid things that demand a lot of your time...

If you avoid things that make you uncomfortable... If you avoid things where you may fail... If you avoid relationships where you inevitably have to compromise some of your "freedom"... ... then you will never do anything worthwhile.

  • "Comfort is a drug. Once you get used to it, it becomes addicting. Give a weak person consistent stimulation, good food, cheap entertainment and they'll throw their ambitions right out the window. The comfort zone is where dreams go and die." Carl Jung
  • "We have a talent for disguising greed under the cloak of freedom." Steven Erikson
  • "There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived." Steven Erikson
Cheating, stealing and other lies are simply not optimal for mental health. You WILL be found out and lies cause a LOT of problems down the line. I know from a LOT of experience. It's much better to nip the difficulties in the bud. E.g., When a relationship ends, end it fully. If it's meant to be, you'll end up together. When you move away from her, end things. You can get back together later if there is still something there.
Comparing self versus low-fidelity/inauthentic images of others
  • Reality shows. Watching others go on adventures. Watching others be sad. Watching others be happy. Watching others succeed. Watching others fail. In all the time you're putting into watching, you're not doing anything. You have no idea what their life is really like.
  • “How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.” Marcus Aurelius
  • “When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” Lao Tzu
  • "Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." Marilyn Monroe
Living to be entertained Games, TV shows, watching live sports, going to concerts, watching movies. They don't add much value alone. You're watching somebody do cool things. You have limited time on this planet. Go do good things yourself or learn how. This doesn't mean never to entertain yourself. It means to do it in a balanced way and, ideally, with others.

Pornography is especially perverse because it taps into something insidious. The mental effects are only seen in the long-run when it's too late. See articles on Pornography Addiction and Effects of Pornography.

Chasing women Especially if you're doing it to feel wanted or worth-it. The chases consume infinite money, time, and emotions. Chase big goals instead. Find a good one and work on the relationship with her.
“La jalousie est une maladie." Bridgette B All jealousy is trying to tell you is:
  1. There is something you don't have that you want
  2. Someone else has it
  3. You could have it if you did X, Y, Z so, if you truly want it, you'll do X, Y, Z.
  4. Whining, complaining, or even acting on jealousy at all is suboptimal.
  5. Doing X, Y, Z is optimal so that, even if you miss your first opportunity to have what you wanted, you won't miss the next time. Don't waste time letting jealousy poison you.
When you are bullying, you're hurting someone weaker than you. It's the most dishonourable activity. Don't do it. Animals are easy to kill. People with disabilities are easy targets. Poor people are easy targets. Don't waste your most valuable resource (time) with such activities. If possible, get strong and stand up to people that bully others. Now that is a good time investment. :)
Studying videos Books are much easier to learn from than video courses. Videos will contain a ton of preamble that is hard to skip since you can't see what is going to be said. In books, you can quickly skip any irrelevant material.
Reading weak books If the book has three messages and the rest is self-aggrandizing fluff from the author, it's not worth reading. Michener can't be summarized. Neither can Jules Verne. Neither can Herman Wouk. Neither can a textbook for psychology. Neither can the Wilderness First Responder books. These are worth reading and learning. The first ones for fun, the latter for intellectual strength.
Being “part” of someone else's club (e.g., in university) but not being an exec. Don't be a pawn. No. YOU create and lead a club, then have other people be part of it. Find a niche people are interested in.
Being angry when insulted Breathe. Be honest. Is the insult true? No? Then let it roll over you, but note down in your mind who said it. Yes? Then pay heed to the negative feedback – it's rare people give it.
TABLE KEY: Yes, I have done them all. You will have to do them all. Hopefully you do less than me.

ARCHIVE: Training Programs

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August, September 2022

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Program
DAY Scheduled Training W1 W2 W3 W4 W1
M Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#) W! With risk of rain! W 3 stair climbs and felt great after :) Just right for me in Week 2. W 4 stair climbs! L L
Tu 60m Human 2.0 Run Mobility Optional: box\chair, long pipes, weight L Bad interview day but that is not a valid excuse. I didn't do my best. I will do better. L 2022.8.16 Again... no good reason:( Tuesdays seem to be my bad days. Need to mitigate this. I was just lazy. L no good reason again :( Just... mentally-tired? Worried about mtgs the next day. Messed around re martial arts I could do... some anime, a DS9 ep... Had tons of time to work out :( But I'm staying strong with #0P. L L
W Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#) D Walk to the office. Walk from work to metro but no stairs. L Wanted to do yday's workout but got busy with work really no excuse. Would have been easy to squeeze 1 hour in. W 4 again! I do want to fast till lunch after such a workout... All I should need is water. Saw David Usher at the top! :) Also, I think I should run back in the next iteration of this... Just downhill to have my knees get used to the impact. L L
Th 60m Human 2.0 Run Strength Optional: balance beam, strap to do leg extensions L No real reason sadly. Did not sacrifice the morning messing around on phone. Was too tired after work. L Tired and definitely did not sleep well. Not an excuse. Feeling very demotivated at work sadly. L No good reason. Just tired and don't feel like being inside, I guess. L L
Fr Walk to Mont-Royal + Stairs*(1+W#) W W D Stairs... then walked to hospital L L
Sa Human 2.0 Knee Strengthening Optional: yoga block, medium weight KB W Felt good? :) W Replaced with glamour L L L
Su Glamour Muscles with DBs
  • Chest: "Boxing" DB Floor Press 5s*20r*25lb hold at top for 2s
  • Biceps: Zottman Curls 20r*8+4s*10r*15 slowly
  • Triceps: Skullcrushers 20r*20+4s*15r*15 turn wrists out
  • Shoulders*: Oscar Combo 3*15r(8DBs+30KB+8DBs)

*hold at top for 2s with SR BS TB the whole time. Mandatory DBs: 8, 15, 20, 25

W! W Replaced with mobility L L L
L! If W >= 4 (change this to 5 in the future like Rage), then put a W, else L 4W:2L:1D = W :) 4W:3L = W :) 2W:2L:1D 7L 7L
TABLE KEY: (W)in, (L)oss, (D)raw in the Week columns, with commentary. Did you do your absolute best to put a W in there? Each day is a battle. Each week... is a war.
Results
Metric

(in order)

Start Result

Sunday, August 8th, 2022

End Result

Sunday, September 4th, 2022

Notes
Weight (lbs) 225.8 The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
BMI 29 The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
Body Fat % 27.3 The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
Muscle (lbs) 86.7 The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
Bone Mass 14.1 The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
Body Water 53% The results were very good! Naked, measured on Garmin scale
TABLE KEY: What is measured, gets done. What cannot be envisioned, does NOT get done.
  1. ^ "2km Run Test". www.topendsports.com. Retrieved 2022-08-18.