A month ago, I started my Tiny Experiment to reclaim my health at 43. The plan was simple: build consistent workouts back into my routine, clean up my eating habits, and track key metrics like HRV to make sure I was aligning my body, mind, and spirit.
Now that the first month is in the books, it’s time to talk about how it really went — the wins, the struggles, and the lessons I’m carrying into Month 2.
Where I’m At After Month 1
The Good
For the first two weeks, my workouts were solid. I felt good, stayed motivated, and kept up with my coach’s 45-day workout program, even when life got busy.
One of the biggest wins came with my eating habits. Our family’s schedule means we rarely eat together, which led to a lot of quick meals and Doordash dinners. To fix that, I tested meal prep services — two weeks with Cook Unity, then a switch to Clean Eatz, which I prefer. It’s been a big shift: I’m eating out less and have healthy meals ready to go. Sure, it’s not cheap, but it’s still less than the cost of groceries plus multiple takeout nights.
The Bad
The short version? I pushed too hard.
Even though I felt good, my training load spiked and my nervous system got overloaded. I ignored the early warnings from my fitness apps and my own body. Within days, my resting heart rate, respiration rate, and body temperature were all elevated, my HRV dropped below baseline, and my sleep worsened. A few days later, the cold hit — and it knocked me out for a week. I haven’t worked out since.
Unfortunately, this is a pattern I’ve repeated before: going from sedentary straight into high-intensity training, as if I’d never stopped. This time, I’m choosing to learn from it instead of letting it derail me.
The Lesson: Don’t Overdo It When You’re Getting Started
The takeaway is simple: Motivation can be a trap.
Starting something new feels exciting, but if you push harder than your body is ready for, you risk:
- Nervous system burnout
- Disrupted sleep
- Lingering soreness
- Getting sick (like I did)
- Losing momentum because you’re forced to stop
The key is progressive overload, not instant overload. And there are two metrics that can help you pace yourself: HRV and training load.
What is HRV?
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures the tiny variations in time between each heartbeat. You can think of it as your “recovery readiness score” — a single number that reflects your overall health & how well your body is coping with stress.
- Higher baseline HRV = better overall adaptability.
- Drops below baseline = possible fatigue, stress, or incomplete recovery.
- Big spikes or drops = something is off and your nervous system is reacting.
Balance is the goal. When your HRV is near baseline, you’re in a good position to train.
What is Training Load?
Training load is a measure of how much strain your workouts put on your body over time. It combines intensity and duration, giving you a picture of your “stress budget.”
- Too low = you’re not challenging your body enough.
- Too high without recovery = risk of burnout or injury.
- The sweet spot = enough challenge for growth, with room for recovery.
Most wearables calculate this using a rolling 7-day (acute) vs. 28-day (chronic) average. The aim is to keep them balanced while slowly increasing over time.
How I’m Using Them Moving Forward
I track mine using my Apple Watch with Apple’s Fitness app and Bevel. Here’s my process:
- Every morning: Check vitals (HRV, resting heart rate, respiration rate, sleep) against my baseline.
- Before workouts: If HRV is well below baseline, I swap intense training for lighter movement like walking or stretching.
- Week-to-week: Watch training load trends. If it’s climbing too fast, scale back workout duration or intensity.
The goal isn’t to follow a rigid plan at all costs — it’s to listen to my body and let the data guide my pace.
The Reboot Plan
With these lessons in mind, here’s how I’m approaching Month 2:
Keeping:
- Meal prep with Clean Eatz
- The structure of my workouts (resistance band training, walking, biking)
Changing:
- Lowering workout intensity for the first 2–3 weeks
- Building in intentional rest days
- Adding light activity on off-days
- Using HRV and training load to make adjustments in real time
The plan itself was solid. The execution needed a slower pace and more listening to my body.
The Mindset Shift
Progress isn’t always linear — and that’s okay.
The whole point of a Tiny Experiment is to learn, adjust, and keep going. I’m in this for the long game, which means protecting my nervous system, pacing my training, and staying committed to alignment.
So here’s to Month 2 — with better tools, more wisdom, and the same goal.
If you’ve ever burned out early in a health reset, I’d love to hear how you bounced back. Drop a comment or email me your story. Let’s learn from each other.
Because health isn’t just about weight.
It’s about alignment.
And I’m still on the journey to reclaim mine.