How a personal need for simplification ended up in me becoming an entrepreneur (to be continued…)

It was 2017. Moved to UAE after approx 4 years spent in Houston, TX. Yes, you’re right making calculations: I did join the “America’s Fattest City” at the right time. To get fat.

In 2020, Houston has fortunately lost its first place, ranking below the 25th, and I lost my weight too, gained focus and energy and, why not, started my entrepreneurial career ar 42+ years.

Moving around the world for work is not easy stuff. Many people would avoid it at all costs, and all for different reasons.

I have to say I really love to travel. Meeting people, observing behaviours, studying cultures, it has always fascinated me.

But I’m digressing now. After having reached a weight of more than 200 lbs (100 kg), feeling groggy all day, ofter reacting impulsively at home and at work…this was a call for a change. When in the US I started the path for my interior “evolution”, studying and learning more stuff about biology (I’m an engineer by trade), self-awareness, growing up and waking up, Integral Theory (yes, Ken, available to talk anytime) and, finally, Biohacking: the main goal? Become a better version on me in, what I later defined, all the “Five Elements for a Better (and more fulfilling) Life”.

1. Diet and Nutrition
2. Body and Exercise
3. Work and Productivity
4. Mindfulness
5. Rest and Recovery

Although all of the 5 above are all equally important elements, I’ve classified them in that particular order because of my personal preference. It’s simply a personal and subjective choice.

Cutting the story short: I’ve increased my levels in all the Elements, eventually creating a project and a Company (tHe Holistic experiment LLC), willing to pursue the mission of helping others to improve the quality of their life the same way, always acting purely on the 5 Elements.

But that journey was not just a piece of cake.

Too much information, too many diets, products, courses, books, systems, apps, gadgets, supplements, videos and so on in a never-ending loop.

So I spent a lot of time and efforts (and money too) looking for something easy to implement, something simple but still complete, a real “holistic” approach to the Elements.

2017 Original “hand-made” office workout schedule (Sun-Thu week, Dubai)

Integrating productivity AND wellbeing is possible

After having played with numerous tools, gadgets, mobile apps and “systems” I have been still struggling with too many products and applications on “Productivity”, including “To-do lists in all sauces” or “Fitness” and “Workout” or “Mindfulness Meditation” apps, finding myself immersed into a sort of “Youtube Rabbit Hole” for geeks, switching apps on my phone (and eventually stopping to check my social account, watching videos etc..).

Then I said to myself: “Let’s create a single, unique, simple system merging only the best stuff I’ve learned from the biohacking community, the self-help books I read, the courses I’ve taken (I’m a certified Human Potential Development coach), the 200+ studies and articles about sitting and its effects on health, together with the WHO official guidelines on physical activity”. And so my journey has started.

I originally used a timer (using my mobile phone or a kitchen timer) and a piece of paper, listing on it a few simple exercises and physical movements I was aiming to complete in between my daily activities (for that I was still using the evergreen to-do list). I’ve completed my homework, and soon I’ve started feeling the benefits. After just the first week of this new approach to my daily routines. It sounds easy and not really a “eureka” moment, doesn’t it?

Only with the consistent implementation of this daily pattern, alternating periods of focus with physical movement, stretching and mindful recovery, I started feeling “more accomplished”, with less back (and shoulder) pain than ever. Coming back home after work with more energy and a sense of gratitude (and my family appreciated too). Was all of that only the consequence of these “minor” adjustments in my routines? Nobody can say “yes” or “no”, but it surely helped me and I do invite you giving a try.

I then wanted to improve the system and after a few tweaks, I was then ready to share it with others, starting from my colleagues at work. With those small victories staking, the idea of creating an app pop up. I had (just) start learning how to do it.

Fast forward to today: ThinkFit (this the name of my first app) will be launched for a restricted number of testers in January 2021 and hopefully released to the public after a few weeks.

I am fully aware that my personal path is still full of problems and issues to be sorted out, and that ThinkFit is not the solution to all problems. But still, 2020 will mark for me the (formal) beginning of a journey as an entrepreneur.

I’ll be working on my other projects too, so feel free to follow me here if interested: I’m going to share more struggles and lesson learnt to save other potential entrepreneurs and founders an extra bunch of time and money.

Although the original idea of ThinkFit came up a few years ago, its application is more actual than ever. During this crazy 2020, we did confirm worldwide that remote working is indeed feasible but among the consequences, many issues related to sedentary jobs, weight gain and poor self-care came to the surface. I really hope ThinkFit will help people to improve their overall wellness during 2021 and beyond.

I wanted to share and celebrate with you this personal success story, together with the end of this peculiar year, wishing you a happy New Year.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

Your Truly Alchemist