Instead of chasing resolutions, I’m carrying forward hard won health, steady habits, and a renewed focus on relationships, presence, and long-term consistency.

It’s that time of year when many of us set goals or make resolutions for the New Year.

This year, I didn’t do that for my health.

Last year, I put real work into getting my health in order. I dialed in biomarkers, cleaned up my nutrition, fixed my sleep habits, and built routines I could actually sustain. The result is simple and hard to overstate. I feel better than I have since my early twenties.

Because of that, 2026 does not feel like a reset. It feels like momentum.

I can already tell this year will be filled with a lot of running and other fitness-driven days. Oddly enough, I saw two back to back 87% recoveries on my WHOOP between yesterday and today, so I decided to lean into it.

Yesterday started gray and rainy. By early afternoon the clouds cleared, and I headed out for a 10-mile run along the coast. I kept the pace intentionally relaxed. Slower than usual, but still under 8 minutes per mile on average. Most of the run stayed comfortably in Zone 2 with some drift into Zone 3. It felt effortless in the best way.

What stood out most was not the pace or the distance. It was the number of people outside. Walkers, runners, cyclists. A quiet, collective energy that always seems to show up at the start of a new year.

Today was even better.

I just got home from one of my favorite routes, a 12-mile round trip run to the top of Torrey Pines State Park along Highway 101. Even with the climb pushing me briefly into Zone 4, my average pace landed just over 8 minutes per mile. It was one of those runs where everything feels aligned. Legs strong. Breathing steady. Mind clear.

Last year, the real work happened off the road.

I spent time understanding my biomarkers and what actually moved them such as improved nutrition without being extreme. I also fixed my sleep hygiene and watched sleep quality follow. Toward the end of the year, I deleted the last remaining social media apps from my phone and replaced them with reading and audio book apps. That change alone has already paid dividends heading into January.

In 2026, I will continue to test biomarkers, but at longer intervals. The goal now is not aggressive optimization. It is consistency. I’m staying on the same disciplined path and measuring just enough to stay honest.

To kick off the year, I purchased a 12 month membership to Function Health (referral link) and plan to complete my first round of tests later this month. I also ordered a Blueprint Speed of Aging test to establish a baseline for the year, and to see if anything improved since a year ago. I will share what I learn once the kits arrive and the results are in.

Health is still part of the picture, but it’s no longer the headline.

My main focus this year is personal development, especially relationships. Making new connections. Strengthening existing ones. Showing up more fully for the people already in my life. That’s where the real compounding happens now.

For everyone who reads this, I wish you a happy New Year filled with health, clarity, and steady progress.

No rush. No reset. Just forward.

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

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How rhythm, discipline, and data turned consistency into compounding health in 2025.

Today, I received my WHOOP Year in Review and it stopped me in a way I did not expect.

Not because of a single flashy metric, but because the data told a calm, coherent story. A year long story about rhythm, restraint, and quiet consistency. When I stepped back and looked at the full picture, it became clear that 2025 was the year my health crossed a line.

From good to grounded, and into a place that feels steady and strong.

Not through hacks. Not through extremes. Through daily repetition.

Here are the biggest lessons I am carrying forward, supported by the data that kept me honest all year.

Consistency Was the Advantage

According to WHOOP, I logged 586 total activities in 2025. That works out to more than one and a half training sessions per day on average.

My average daily strain landed at 14.6, well above the platform average of 11.5. My highest activity strain reached 18.4.

What mattered more than the headline numbers was how that strain was distributed.

97% of my total activity time lived in heart rate zones 1 through 3. Very light, light, and moderate effort. The zones where aerobic capacity, metabolic health, and long-term endurance are built.

This was intentional.

By keeping most training below maximal, I was able to train almost every day, accumulate massive volume, and still recover well enough to do it again tomorrow.

The lesson was simple. Consistency beats intensity when the goal is longevity.

Running Was the Anchor

Running led everything else.

Since getting my WHOOP earlier this year, I logged 330 runs totaling more than 308 hours, which averaged out to just under 7 miles per day.

Running gave my days structure. It was predictable. Measurable. Reliable.

But I did not rely on running alone.

I layered in 130 weightlifting sessions totaling more than 118 hours. I added structured walking sessions, golf, and pickleball to keep things dynamic and enjoyable.

Movement was daily, but it was never monotonous.

That blend allowed me to stay injury resistant, mentally engaged, and physically durable.

Walking Was the Secret Weapon

Running built fitness. Walking built sustainability.

WHOOP reported more than 6,100,000 steps logged across the year. The app translated that into the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest 68 times.

Most of those steps came from intentional evening walks. There was nothing rushed or optimized about it, just steady, consistent movement.

Those walks lowered stress, improved sleep quality, supported recovery, and helped push my daily step average beyond 20,000.

Walking turned out to be one of the highest leverage habits of the year.

Sleep Was the Foundation

If there was one habit that amplified everything else, it was sleep.

I averaged nearly 8 hours of sleep per night across the year. My longest single night reached just under 10 hours.

More important than duration was consistency.

WHOOP recorded more than 320 days in green or yellow recovery. That level of recovery stability does not happen accidentally.

A consistent bedtime changed everything. Recovery smoothed out. Training felt easier. Mood stabilized. Energy stopped swinging.

Sleep was no longer something I earned. It became something I protected.

Eating Earlier and Simpler Reduced Inflammation

Food timing mattered more than I expected.

I made a conscious decision to finish eating roughly four hours before bed and stick to a Mediterranean style diet centered on whole foods.

Vegetables. Healthy fats. Lean protein. Minimal processing.

Somewhere along the way I realized I genuinely love eating broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots every single day. No willpower required. No boredom.

That consistency showed up internally.

Inflammation markers improved. Resting heart rate stabilized. Recovery scores remained high even during heavy training blocks.

When digestion improved, everything downstream improved.

Data Creates Direction

Routine blood work paired with wearable data gave me clarity.

I always knew where I stood. I could see when something worked and when it did not. That feedback loop removed guesswork and replaced it with intention.

The result was a WHOOP Age just over 30, more than 15 years younger than my chronological age.

That number is not a trophy. It is a signal.

It tells me the system is working.

Health Is How You Show Up

The most meaningful outcome of this year has nothing to do with charts or dashboards.

Better recovery made me more patient.
Stable energy made me more present.
Lower inflammation made me calmer and more resilient.

I showed up better for my daughter, my work, my relationships, and myself.

That is the metric that matters most.

The Real Lesson From 2025

This year taught me that great health is not built through extremes.

It is built through rhythm.
Through honesty.
Through boring daily decisions repeated long enough to matter.

Know where you are.
Know where you want to go.
Then align your habits until the data tells a different story.

Good health is achievable.

Great health is earned quietly.

And once you feel it, you never want to give it back.

Whoop 2025 Review

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

📲 Download the I Won’t Die App

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A look at what is working, what still needs improvement, and how steady discipline is shaping my long-term health.

I went to Quest Labs earlier this month for a full WHOOP Advanced Labs panel.
Eight vials of blood. Ten minutes in the chair.

Within twenty four hours the first results appeared. By day five, sixty three of sixty five biomarkers were complete. The last two, testosterone and free testosterone, took almost ten days, and once they arrived WHOOP’s clinical team reviewed everything and sent a personalized Action Plan into my app.

This is my follow up to the January and September labs.
It shows what has improved, what still needs work, and what eleven months of intention and daily discipline have created.

I share this because consistency is powerful. This year has shown me what steady daily effort can create.

Big Picture

WHOOP analyzed sixty five biomarkers.
Forty seven are optimal. Twelve are sufficient. Six are out of range.

The story is clear. My cardiometabolic system is strong. Inflammation is extremely low. Sleep is doing exactly what it should. The few areas that need work relate to iron stores, immune cell counts, and adrenal and androgen reserve. These are the same patterns often seen in endurance athletes who train every day with purpose.

Where the Data Shows Real Progress

The shift in my cardiometabolic markers is the strongest sign of how much my health has changed since January.

Cardiometabolic Health

These are athlete level numbers, and they match the way my body has been feeling.
They match what the research describes as a low risk, longevity friendly profile. I feel that in my runs. I feel it in my breathing. I feel it in my recovery.

WHOOP labeled this an elite engine, and it remains the clearest transformation of the year.

Here is the comparison (swipe chart to see more).

Inflammation and Recovery

You can look healthy on the outside, but it is what you cannot see that shapes long-term health.
Inflammation is quiet. It builds slowly. It hides until something breaks.

My CRP returned at 0.2 mg per L. WHOOP ties this to sleep consistency, and that has been one of my most important improvements. I now go to bed and wake up at consistent times. Even though I am not the most efficient sleeper, I give my body the time it needs to reach eight hours a night.

Diet and training matter too. Clean food and steady running help, but sleep is the backbone. It is the clearest cause and effect pattern in my entire year of data.

Earlier this year my nights were inconsistent. Now they support everything I am building.

Metabolic Stability and the Quiet Systems That Hold Everything Together

Some biomarkers shout when something is wrong. Others whisper when things are going right. WHOOP highlighted two quiet categories that form the foundation behind everything I have done this year.

Glucose and Insulin

This system runs clean.

Fasting glucose: 91
Insulin: 2.7
HOMA IR: 0.6
A1C: 5.1 percent

WHOOP calls this highly insulin sensitive and metabolically flexible. That is exactly what you want for performance and long-term health. It reflects endurance work, strength training, intentional food choices, and a sleep schedule I have taken seriously since spring.

These numbers were good in September. They are even better now.

Thyroid and Vitamin D

These two markers rarely get spotlight attention, but they shape daily experience. They influence mood, muscle function, immune strength, and depth of sleep.

TSH: 1.5
Vitamin D: 65

WHOOP calls this a strong endocrine foundation. I feel that stability throughout the day. This consistency has held since September and is improved from January.

Together, these markers explain why my energy feels steady, why recovery feels predictable, and why training responds the way it does. They are quiet markers, but they have been crucial.

Where I Need to Improve

This is the honest part of the panel. Nothing here is concerning, but everything here matters for performance and long-term health. These are the levers that will shape the next chapter of progress.

And if this year has shown anything, it is that when I choose to improve something, I follow through fully.

Iron Stores

Ferritin: 18

My iron storage is low. Not anemic, but not where it should be. Endurance athletes see this pattern often. Long miles and consistent sweat loss slowly reduce stored iron over time.

Hemoglobin and hematocrit are excellent, which means oxygen carrying capacity is strong. Ferritin reflects reserves. That reserve supports intensity, HRV stability, and energy between sessions.

It also explains a subtle pattern in my WHOOP data. HRV in the low 30’s, which has improved since the beginning of the year but still sits without much extra margin.

Early this year I shifted fully into the Don’t Die Food Guide and removed red meat. That played a significant role in lowering saturated fat and transforming my cardiovascular health. The tradeoff is that I now need to be deliberate about restoring heme iron.

The plan is simple.
Four days per week with heme iron.
No dairy near those meals.
Pair meals with vitamin C.
Retest and rebuild.

January was higher.
September was lower.
Now the direction is clear.

Hydration and Nitrogen Load

My BUN and BUN creatinine ratio were at the high side of normal. This often appears when hydration is a little low at the time of the draw or when protein intake is elevated.

I already drink more than one hundred ounces of water a day, usually closer to one hundred twenty, and I track it. Hydration is one of my strongest habits. Even so, a single test can reflect timing, food choices, or sweat loss from earlier that morning.

This is not a major change. It is a small dial.
Electrolytes on longer or hotter run days.
More water around higher protein meals.

Hydration supports HRV and morning readiness, so this lever responds quickly.

The Bigger Picture

None of this discourages me. It encourages me.

A year ago I was solving cholesterol, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
Today those markers fall into athlete ranges.

Now the work shifts to iron reserve, hydration precision, and giving my system more margin for the training load I live with every day.

I am committed to the process.
The process works when you stay consistent.

What This Year Has Shown Me

January was the wake up call.
September showed momentum.
November confirms that intention works when you practice it daily.

I am not chasing perfection.
I am chasing improvement.

Every run.
Every meal.
Every night of sleep.
Each is a vote for the future I want.

This panel shows that my heart, metabolism, sleep, and recovery systems are thriving. The areas that need work are manageable, expected, and well within reach.

The biggest lesson remains the same.
Consistency is the strongest force in health.

Final Thoughts

The journey to better health is built on quiet choices.
Small improvements.
Ordinary days that compound over time.

I care about this because the people in my life deserve the best version of me.
That is what drives this work.
That is what keeps me steady.
That is what keeps me improving.

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

📲 Download the I Won’t Die App

Stay ahead with the latest news, updates, and insights. Download the I Won’t Die app now on the Apple App Store and Google Play!

📩 Contact Us

Have tips, photos, or questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!

🔗 Stay Connected

Follow us on Don't Die, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn for Blueprint longevity and Bryan Johnson updates.

📬 Subscribe to I Won’t Die Newsletter

Get the latest longevity breakthroughs, Blueprint updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox — sign up now!