Alhamdulillah. We shouldn’t forget to be grateful.

It’s been almost a month and a half since I last wrote. From time to time, I feel like writing just for the sake of writing. I went back and read my previous piece as well you can check out “2026 + 67” if you’d like.

First of all, after a long break, I started working out again as of April 6. In 12 days, I’ve only missed 2 days, and those were either for recovery or due to work. But more important than the gym itself, I feel like I’ve finally understood the logic behind fat loss. Let me briefly explain it to you as well.

Normally, I used to go to the gym and then weigh myself every single day. Turns out, that’s not very logical. Going to the gym is important, but what matters most is your nutrition. For example, someone with my build needs around 2600 calories per day under normal conditions. If I eat around 1900 calories daily and burn an extra 400 calories through exercise, I’m effectively closing the day at 1500 calories. If I also manage my nighttime eating properly, my body starts burning fat. And when you wake up in the morning, go to the bathroom, and weigh yourself, that’s when you see your actual weight for the day.

By the way, I consciously consume about 5 tablespoons of olive oil per day. Getting healthy fats is important because if your body thinks it’s not receiving enough fat, it may go into preservation mode and resist burning fat. That can really slow down your progress.

Now I know the calorie content of most foods. When I buy something, I check the nutritional values on the back calories per 100 grams, protein, fiber, fat, and salt content. For example, I try to keep my daily salt intake around 4 grams. Honestly, it would be even better to cut it out completely, because it causes serious water retention. I notice that when I consume salt, my face gets puffy, but if I avoid it for 3 days straight, my face looks much leaner. As you understand the logic, you start to understand your body better too.

It’s been 12 days since I started working out, and I’ve lost 4.5 kilos already. Of course, everyone says that the first few kilos come off quickly, and that’s true the first 2–3 kilos are mostly water weight.

But one of the most important aspects is nutrition. If you get enough protein and divide your meals into 3 parts throughout the day without getting too hungry, losing weight becomes much easier. For example, I try to stop eating around 6–7 PM. But since I usually stay up until 1 AM, I sometimes get hungry and still have occasional slip-ups. I believe I’ll get better at controlling my cravings over time. When I say “cheating,” it’s still something light—like a bowl of yogurt with chopped cucumber, without salt. Recently, I’ve started adding black seed (nigella seeds) to it. They say it helps with satiety. I’ve only tried it twice so far, so I’m not 100% sure yet. I’ll share more as I gain experience.

Another key factor is sleep. Having a proper sleep routine is important. Thankfully, I usually don’t stay up past 1 AM, but tonight I broke that rule. It’s currently 2:03 AM. I’m sitting at a Kahve Dünyası across from Eyüp Sultan Mosque. No sponsorship, by the way, just in case 😄

You might ask, how are you sitting in a café at this hour? I asked when I entered, and they said they’re open 24/7. So I performed the night prayer at Eyüp, then went to a small soup place on the corner and had some kelle paça, and then came here. You might say, “You ate that at 9:30 PM, you broke your routine.” But actually, I didn’t. I hadn’t gotten enough protein during lunch or dinner, so I ate it intentionally. Since I do weight training, not getting enough protein would make the workout less meaningful.

Of course, the worst thing I’m doing right now is staying awake instead of sleeping. But I think doing this occasionally won’t hurt too much. On weekdays, I usually go to the gym at 7 AM when it opens, then start work. Tomorrow is the weekend, so the gym opens at 8. I’ll probably get home around 3–4 AM, pray the morning prayer, sleep, and then wake up around 10 and go to the gym, that would be perfect.

This part of my routine is settling in, but I’ve really neglected myRota and 60eksi. I’ve come up with more ideas, but I haven’t been able to organize them yet. I need someone who works consistently and sits across from me, I’m more productive when someone is around. Or I need to keep myself outside all the time. When I’m at home or even near home, my laziness increases. Since I know myself, I try to spend more time outside.

For example, the time I was most productive was during my uninterrupted 3-month trip abroad in 2025. I was working very efficiently while traveling. If I can recreate that level of productivity in my current routine, it would be amazing.

By the way, I have the opportunity to buy World Cup tickets. But for now, I’m waiting. Let’s see if it’s meant to be. I’ll probably share the outcome in my next post. If it happens, it would be incredible, because who knows when I’ll get another chance like that. And if it doesn’t, I’m still grateful. There’s good in everything.

Alright, I’ll end my writing here for now. Take good care of yourselves. Goodbye, and may you be entrusted to Allah.