The pandemic created chaos, wreaked havoc, and threw millions of people (back) into dire poverty. For those of us fortunate to live in countries where COVID-19 didn’t have quite as much of a life-threatening impact, there was no shortage of self-pitying or debauchery. Many, myself included, compensated for the imposed travel and socializing restrictions. Too much casual drinking and other less-life-preserving habits were invited and wholeheartedly embraced. Yeah, I was at that party for a couple of those pandemic years, and now I’m slowly working off some of that indulgence with a healthier lifestyle.

Here in the tiny alpine village of Bad Gastein, it’s not too difficult to lead a healthy life. The fresh air, long hikes, and delicious homemade, carb-free food is unequivocally conducive to my ambition of losing some weight and gaining some strength. The image above shows what I eat for breakfast at the hotel: a large bowl of tasty scrambled eggs, a smaller one with some pretty decent guacamole, and a simple, mixed salad.