[1087] One Car

If I could have any one car that was locally sold here in the Philippines as my daily driver for the rest of my life, what would it be?

I was originally going to answer the third generation Subaru Impreza WRX STi automatic hatchback. It combines the sportiness of a rally car with the space of a hatchback. Plus it's automatic!

However as I began writing this I realized there's an even better, more practical answer. The second generation Honda Jazz, 1.5L VTEC automatic variant.

Yes, it may be smaller than the STi, but it does have magic seats. And since it's a naturally aspirated 1.5L engine fuel consumption will be decent. Space for both cars may be an issue, but that's nothing if you add a roof rack system that can carry a bike rack and/or a cargo box.

The Honda Jazz may not be as collectible now as the Impreza WRX STi, but if it will be my daily driver for the rest of my life then I guess the simplicity of a non-turbo engine, coupled with parts availability of something I still see driving around everywhere and I guess I do want a second generation Honda Jazz as my forever car.

Of course we'll be doing modifications to it for quality of life. Maintenance and upgrades will also be done so it stays reliable and economical.

Out.

[1086] Healthspan

I've been following GCN's Dan Lloyd and his videos about longevity and health in youtube. Aside from that I also heard Dr. Peter Attia when he was a guest in The Smoking Tire podcast mention healthspan versus lifespan.

It's gotten me really curious and open to the idea. I'm in my mid-40s and not getting any younger, and I do want to enjoy my life moving forward as healthy, mobile, and independent as possible.

I'm starting small, focusing on being consistent with my weekly exercise goals. Mainly to do at least four sessions of twenty-minute exercises a week. I usually do two-to-three 40-minute walks a week, occasionally replacing one or two sessions with around a 20-minute jog.

I've also added a twenty-five minute Tabata/HIIT workout but it's still basically intense cardio with a 20 lbs kettlebell. I've also started focusing on the quality of my reps during these HIIT workouts rather than the quantity of reps. When I was doing these a few years ago I was targeting getting more reps per twenty seconds but now I realize I should make sure each rep is as close to a perfect form as possible so I'm back to less reps of squats, deadlifts, and other kettlebell exercises.

I honestly don't know if I could have done this at a younger age. I was too immature and shortsighted to consider my long term health. I honestly hope I am not too late, but I am hoping I'm doing enough nowadays to help me improve my healthspan.

Out.

[1085] OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G

This OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is probably the last OnePlus phone I will buy and own. Let me explain why.

While this is probably their mid range phone I'm not really that ecstatic about it. Yes it does the job, but I do find it a bit slow. I got it for around PhP14k or so, and to be honest I could probably have gotten a way faster phone for a few thousand pesos more.

Times have changed and my budget and priorities for a mobile phone will limit me to mid range phones. OnePlus isn't it. I'm seriously considering getting whatever latest Poco X(n) Pro model is current when I do decide to change. Actually the Poco X5/6 Pro was the biggest competitor of the Nord when I was looking to upgrade.

The reason why I didn't get the Poco was because the stupid Shopee app wouldn't let me pick "cash on delivery" for the payment method, and sadly Poco doesn't have any physical stores in Metro Manila. It may be under Xiaomi as a brand but the Mi stores don't sell it.

OnePlus' motto used to be "Never Settle" and I think I will follow through on that by choosing a better brand and bang for the buck phone the next time I change phones.

Out.

[1084] Rainy Day Exercises

Now that it's the wet/rainy season here in the Philippines I know there will be days when I won't be able to go on my morning walks. Fortunately I have come up with alternatives to do in the house when it is raining.

My HIIT/Tabata session is the main thing. I'll do 4 sets of alternating cardio and 20 lbs kettlebell exercises and it lasts for around 20 minutes. My goal doing this is to change up my morning walks, as well as do some light lifting and core exercises. Truth be told I try to do this at least once a week, and have recently started doing less reps in twenty seconds but making sure each rep I do with a kettlebell has better quality movements.

Another alternative that I tried earlier today is riding my bike on my indoor trainer. It's not a fancy indoor trainer that I can connect to those online bike apps. It does get the job done though. Sadly I find this a bit boring, and was pleasantly surprised with my 16-minute workout earlier. That's one of the longest I've done on the trainer that I rarely use. I prefer riding my bike outside, I guess. Plus this also depends if my folks are at home, since I don't want to wake them up with the noise from the trainer if they are here from the province.

I'll probably consider doing HIIT/Tabata exercises that are all cardio instead of sprinkling in some kettlebell workouts. These will probably be my main replacement for my morning walk / jog when it is raining.

I'm trying to be consistent with my exercising. I'm trying to target doing at least three to four exercises a week, with one of those involving the earlier mentioned HIIT session. I still prefer doing walks, and the occasional jog.

Out.

[1083] The Older I Get

I recently entered my mid-40s. These are some ramblings of some random person on the internet. Health is the biggest priority for me now. Not just physical health but also mental health.

Physical health seems to be the easier priority to address. I try to be consistent doing my three-to-four-lap walks during the week. Now I also try to add one or two HIIT sessions just to do some activity that increases my heart rate past the fat burning zone.

Mental health is the more challenging one. I know my weaknesses but I also cannot seem to address them. It's a roller coaster of highs and lows for me.

I'll probably leave it at that. I dislike posting my really private thoughts online.

Out.