This morning sucked.
Not in a catastrophic, everything-is-burning way—but in that silent, sneaky way where your bed feels like a warm coffin and your brain feeds you excuses like,
“Just one more hour, then you’ll feel better.”
I didn’t want to get up. I hit snooze. I stared at the ceiling. But the truth is, I had already posted my before photos the last night—and that did something. It cut off my escape route. If I bailed now, I’d have to tell the world I quit on Day 1. And not just any world—the people I love, respect, and want to inspire.
So I got up.
I dragged myself to the garage. I didn’t want to work out. But I loaded the bar anyway and followed the plan:
- 30 Minutes of Eliptical
- Incline Barbell Bench Press
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Bicep Cable Curls
- Tricep Push Downs
- Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises
By the time I finished, I didn’t feel like death. I felt decent. And then something interesting happened.
I jumped back into my Japanese lessons—still feeling a bit groggy—but noticed I wasn’t thinking about the pain, or the doubt, or the fact that I didn’t want to start this day. I was locked in.
Another thing I noticed? I’m always cold. I have a space heater in my office set to 90 degrees, placed maybe 3 feet from me just to warm me up while I work. But today—after exercising—my blood was flowing, and I didn’t need it. That internal furnace flipped on. That’s a win.
Side Note: First Semaglutide Dose
I also took my first GLP-1 injection (semaglutide) last night. Audrey administered it like a pro—I didn’t even feel the needle. Honestly, I braced for nausea, gut weirdness, or some kind of internal protest, but… nothing. I woke up feeling totally normal.
No trouble downing my protein shake and supplements. My stomach didn’t argue. No cravings yet either, which is exactly what I’m hoping for long term.
It’s too early to judge, but if this can help me stay consistent with my nutrition, that’s a win. I don’t expect magic. I expect momentum.
The Science: Why Exercise Literally Rewires You
I want to make these posts useful, not just diary entries. So here’s something that kept me going today—something I picked up from a book called Spark by Dr. John Ratey.
Dr. Ratey, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard, lays out a case that exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for mental health and cognitive function. Here’s why that matters:
💥 1. Exercise boosts BDNF — aka Brain Fertilizer
When you work out, your brain releases a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. BDNF helps neurons grow, strengthens synapses, and improves learning and memory. That “cleared-up” feeling after a workout? That’s your brain literally rewiring itself to be more efficient.
⚡ 2. It balances neurotransmitters
Struggling with anxiety, depression, or ADHD? Exercise increases dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine—the chemicals responsible for attention, motivation, and mood regulation. No pill required.
🧠 3. It enhances focus and learning
Schools that added morning fitness programs saw test scores and student behavior improve drastically. Spark opens with the story of Naperville, IL—whose students beat every other country in science literacy after adopting daily physical activity. Why? Because moving your body primes your brain for learning.
So no, it’s not a coincidence that I could focus better on Japanese vocab after lifting “heavy stuff”. That’s the brain doing its thing.
This is why I’m doing a physical and a mental challenge at the same time.
What Today Taught Me
You don’t need to feel good to get started. But if you start, you will feel better.
The workout wasn’t perfect. I didn’t hit any PRs. I didn’t emerge from the garage shredded and enlightened. But I did something I said I would do. And that’s how you build self-trust.
Same with sharing those Day 0 photos. I was terrified people would judge me, or worse—just stop caring. Maybe some did. But the people who stayed? They’re my audience. They’re my tribe.
This journey isn’t just about fat loss. It’s about rewiring every part of me—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. It’s about fighting back against the version of myself that gave up too many times.
And if this helped you—even a little—I’m glad I hit publish.
If you started your challenge today, share about it in the Discord community channels. We’re in this together.
Quick Stats (for accountability)
- ✅ Workout completed
- 💉 First semaglutide dose taken (no side effects so far)
- 🧠 Japanese lessons completed: Pimsleur + Duolingo
- 🔥 Calories burned: 460
- 🚶 Steps: 2,256
- 🕒 Exercise: 53 min
See you tomorrow. Even if I don’t want to show up—I will.
Drew Karriker is a self-proclaimed professional tinkerer, self-experimentation enthusiast, and lifelong learner with an inability to sit still. A former nuclear engineer turned DevOps architect, he’s built a career (and a life) out of breaking things, fixing them, and then making them better.
Despite wrestling with ADHD, anxiety, and an unrelenting need to optimize everything, he transformed his career and life in just a few years—not because he’s special, but because he figured out how to turn obsession into execution. Now, he’s doing it again—publicly—one 100-day challenge at a time.
His past projects? Some were successes. Some flopped spectacularly. Each one left him a little wiser (and probably a little more caffeinated). Now, he’s on a mission to document his transformation—mind, body, career, and everything in between—so that others might pick up a thing or two along the way. Or at the very least, be entertained by the chaos.
Follow along at RewiredWithDrew.com and get inspired, get motivated, or just grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride.