Ian began tracking his health in 1974, initially by recording exercise and weight along with occasional health checks. This all changed in 2007 when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only weeks to live. His tracking went into overdrive, expanding both what was tracked and its frequency. Ian now records over 200 areas of his daily life including body composition using the Tanita monitor seen here, for such things as weight, muscle, fat, water and left/right amounts for each. From this information he deduces what is helping or harming his healthiness. To enable comparison, Ian records a long list of variables that includes exercise, alternative therapies, supplements taken, liquid intake, food, prescription drugs and biochemical measures (cancer markers, blood pressure, urine and blood metrics). His routine of tracking and analysing data means his spreadsheet now measures over 400 columns and 2,400 daily records. “I do many different statistical techniques to extract meaning, alas falling short of what I hoped for, due to my own mathematical limitations. Attempts to get help have so far failed, so I struggle on as best I can.” This focus and ‘struggle’ seems to be as influential a factor to his longevity as any of his tracked variables.
Ian began tracking his health in 1974, initially by recording exercise and weight along with occasional health checks. This all changed in 2007 when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only weeks to live. His tracking went into overdrive, expanding both what was tracked and its frequency.
Ian now records over 200 areas of his daily life including body composition using the Tanita monitor seen here, for such things as weight, muscle, fat, water and left/right amounts for each. From this information he deduces what is helping or harming his healthiness. To enable comparison, Ian records a long list of variables that includes exercise, alternative therapies, supplements taken, liquid intake, food, prescription drugs and biochemical measures (cancer markers, blood pressure, urine and blood metrics).
His routine of tracking and analysing data means his spreadsheet now measures over 400 columns and 2,400 daily records. “I do many different statistical techniques to extract meaning, alas falling short of what I hoped for, due to my own mathematical limitations. Attempts to get help have so far failed, so I struggle on as best I can.” This focus and ‘struggle’ seems to be as influential a factor to his longevity as any of his tracked variables.