The "Starting Monday" Project: A Personal Case Study in Clarity

Kevin Moore
Jan 19
4 min read

For a long time, "Starting Monday" was a running joke I told at track meets. Whenever an athlete caught me with a coffee and a cookie, that phrase was my shield. It became such a recurring theme that one of my athletes eventually handed me a Tim Hortons receipt with those words written on it.

It was a lighthearted jab, but it hit closer to home than I wanted to admit.

The reality was that I had drifted away from my own standards. I started this journey at 195.3 lbs. My metabolic age was 38, which was older than my actual age, and my visceral fat was at a level 10. I realized that if I wanted my children (now 5, 3, and 16 weeks old) to know "Kevin the Runner," I had to stop being a spectator in my own health. I wanted to show them that their Dad can do hard things.

The Turning Point: Facing the Data

I’ll be honest: I used to hate the idea of calorie tracking. I neglected it or flat-out refused to do it, convinced it was too tedious or restrictive. But I realized that guessing was the trap. I was working hard, but because I wasn't tracking, I was "guesstimating" my progress. That lack of precision kept me stuck.

Once I embraced the tracking app, it stopped being a chore and became my "missing piece." It provided the clarity I needed to turn effort into results. I even noted in my log that those who food log typically reduce their calorie intake by 20% simply through awareness. I didn't need a new "hack." I needed to apply the Kinplus philosophy to myself and finally become my own client.

Measuring the System, Not Just the Scale

There is a quote I often share:

"The great coach is like a great tailor. He needs to measure the client and arrange on his body the best solution."

I had to tailor the work and the nutrition to my current reality. Here is how I arranged the solution on my own body:

Run/Walk Intervals: I used 20/40 and 40/40 run-walk intervals. This allowed my tissues to adapt and spiced up my walks so I could stay consistent without re-injury. I have this Ferrari engine but the body and is a bit beat up and unreliable.
The Workplace Environment: I stopped relying on willpower. I stocked my workspace with a few staples: portioned tuna, Greek yogurt, boiled eggs, fruit, and rye crackers.
Intentional Fasting: With 5:00 AM wake-ups, I found I wasn't naturally hungry. I leaned into a 12 to 14-hour fast, usually eating my first meal mid-morning.

Validity vs. Reliability

To track my progress, I used a basic scale that measures body composition. People often ask if these scales are "super accurate." The honest answer is its hard to know.

While a home scale might not be perfectly valid compared to a medical-grade MRI, it is reliable. It gave me a consistent measurement in the same state, same time each week. It was a tool that allowed me to visualize progress over nine weeks.

The Data of 9 Weeks

By focusing on these trends and treating myself with the same clarity I provide my clients, the results became objective. I wasn't just losing weight; I was changing my composition:

Total Weight: Dropped from 195.3 lbs to 171.5 lbs
Body Fat Percentage: Reduced from 15.9% to 13.3%.
Visceral Fat: Improved from a high of 10 down to a 7 (standard range).
Metabolic Age: Dropped from 38 down to 36.
Muscle Mass: Despite the weight loss, I maintained an "Excellent" rating throughout the entire process.

Why Clarity Matters

The true value of this project went beyond the 24-pound drop. It was the structure that kept me accountable. By treating myself as a client, I had a plan that held me to a standard, ensuring I stayed on track even when life got busy or motivation waned. This project was simply me proving that the system works even when the client is the coach.

The Lesson: GPS (Goal, Plan, System)

You don't need to be perfect to start. You just need to stop waiting for a Monday that never comes. I have had these moments before, wanting to get started and even starting, but never sticking.

The difference this time was how I approached it. I followed the GPS method:

Goal: I set clear objectives for my body composition, lifestyle, and running outcomes.
Plan: I created a manageable weekly training schedule (literally a doc called "Starting Monday Project" with tabs for schedule, progress, and workouts).
System: I built a daily routine that automated my nutrition and recovery, like stocking my workplace every Monday to remove decision fatigue.

Research suggests that while a Goal provides direction, the System reduces "decision fatigue." By focusing on a manageable process each week, I saved my willpower to say "no" when it actually counted, like during social events or late-night cravings.

Final Thought

If you have been telling yourself a version of my "Starting Monday" joke, consider this your invitation to change the narrative. You don't need to overhaul your entire life overnight. You just need to identify your goal, build a realistic plan, and trust a system that keeps you moving forward. Let’s make this the Monday that actually counts.

Check the PDFs below to see my basic workout log and the scale progressions from each Monday morning. I’ll share more specifics later, but here is a hint: it is the same programming we use in small group personal training and one-on-one sessions.