Shef Reynolds

Somehow, we’re back with another round of Everyday Carry - Quarantine edition. You can see last year’s list here

Just like last year, I fully acknowledge the absurdity of having an EDC when my most adventurous days rely on rolling the trash bin out for collection. However, having a small bag that I pack scratches the OCD itch in my brain and provides a sense of normalcy in a time where normal is a commodity.

Things that actually live with me throughout the day.

Tom Bihn Daylight Briefcase

I swapped out the Extra Small Timbuk2 Messenger for the Daylight Briefcase for no real reason, aside from its ability to fit a 13” laptop, as I’ve been using that to get away from the desk during office hours lately. I’ve had this bag for a few years now and it remains great as ever. It offers enough organization to store everything I’d like, and just like last year, any EDC bag is overkill as we remain firmly locked down, but it totes things up and down the stairs admirably.

Like most Tom Bihn bags, design and construction are top-notch, and the bag can’t help but ooze a dorky vibe. A dedicated space for a water bottle would be great, but otherwise no qualms.

iPad 11” with Magic Keyboard & Pencil

My non-day job daily driver continues to be the 2018 edition of the iPad Pro. Since the Magic Keyboard released, the iPad is my default device for email, texting, web browsing, and writing. To start 2021 I also moved my journaling practice over to the iPad.

The tablet remains my preferred method for light photo and video editing. From an audio lens, it performs double duty as a portable DAW machine, and as a soundboard that feeds into a proper mixer for podcasts. I’ll switch to Adobe Creative Cloud programs on desktop for bigger jobs, but more often than not, I just get it done with the iPad instead

The top 10 most commonly used apps are GoodNotes, DayOne, Ulysses, Lightroom, Insta 360, LumaFusion, Procreate, Reminders, Ferrite, and good old Safari.

AirPods Pro

Love them. Still use them more than I should. Like when cooking, running, and staring at the wall in existential dread. I’ve given up on the PXC-500s completely, not because they’re bad headphones, but because these are so damn good.

Kindle

In 2020 I read 52 books. 40 of those were on the Kindle. I have a far less ambitious goal of 24 books for 2021, but the Kindle Paperlite remains my e-reader of choice.

Anker 10k battery pack

Along with USB C to C and USB A to Everything cables, this slim battery stays in the bag because there is room, and sometimes my laziness is truly boundless. Why move to a wall outlet if there is a charger at hand?

Apple Watch Series 6 with Cellular

A late addition in 2020, I replaced the Fitbit Versa with an Apple Watch. One of my main goals over the past year has been getting fit, and the watch has been hugely helpful. Runs and walks without my phone are freeing, and Apple’s gamification of active calories, exercise minutes, and stand goals is way more edifying than the step-based Fitbit system. It hooks up seamlessly to the Peloton Bike to track rides and give heart rate metrics, and I also use it for literally every other workout like the 100 Push-up challenge.

This was absolutely a luxury purchase, but I find myself using it constantly. Laura and I even use the walkie-talkie feature, most often when we call in for backup with the kids during bathtime. Buying into the Cupertino ecosystem means that everything pairs and syncs easily. A typical day is routed through the watch and only addressed on another device when necessary.

iPhone 12 Pro w/ MagSafe Wallet

Last year’s iPhone season meant a new iPhone upgrade. I use the portrait lens a ton on this phone, and the industrial design is far more appealing than the iPhone 11.

The MagSafe wallet is a revelation, and I keep the 3 cards in there that I invariably need to use. Again, not so valuable in the pandemic, but helpful on coffee and beer runs.

When I leave the house, and honestly, usually when I’m in the house too.

PocKit

I recently picked up the Yellowbirch PocKit Pro, and while it definitely won’t fit in anything but a jacket pocket, it’s a great pouch for all the on-the-go and nice to have accessories. Honestly, it feels like a fanny pack or miniature sling without the easy carry of either, but it slips well enough into a coat pocket, messenger bag or diaper bag. The below items fit within the PocKit.

Fisher Space Pen

This is a full-size pen, same less than stellar writing experience as any Space Pen, but its bulletproof reliability outweighs that drawback. The PocKit accommodates the bigger size, which I find more comfortable to hold than the bullet.

Leatherman Skeletool

I had a much loved Leatherman Wave that I lost on a shoot a few years ago. I used it constantly but didn’t want to spend the money to buy another. This is a simpler replacement, and honestly, I use it ALL THE TIME. There are always a million little quick fix tasks around the house, and rather than grabbing the dedicated tool, I just use the screwdriver bit, pliers or blade found here. Easily my favorite addition to my EDC. It lives in my pocket more often than in the PocKit, and the only thing I miss from the Wave is the scissor set.

Olight S1

A close second favorite in 2021 EDC. This miniature flashlight is incredible. I’ve always used budget flashlights and wanted to see what a “proper” light can do. With rechargeable batteries, this thumb-sized torch can put out as much as 1,200 lumens and is the perfect check the sump, walk the dog, read spooky stories with the kids flashlight.

Field Notes

Jot down notes. I’ve shifted most of my journaling to digital thanks to the iPad, but pen and paper is still great to have on hand.

Roav Balto Sunglasses

These continue to be my favorite sunglasses. They fold down to the thickness of a couple of credit cards and over 3+ years of constant abuse they snap open, look good, and keep working.

Uniqlo Airism Mask

We’ve all gotten well versed in masks these days huh? I’ve found these fit my face best, and are affordable and easy to clean. A backup mask lives in the zippered area of the PocKit.

Ridge Wallet

I stash a bit of cash, along with additional cards here, typically a backup credit card and insurance cards.

Light Filmmaking

Osmo Pocket 2

A substantial upgrade to the original, this lives in the bag, and the wider lens and quality of life improvements make this a cool little device. Great for impromptu vlogging and capturing moments with the kids. I keep the do it all handle on at all times, and the little lav mic works fairly well. If this worked as a webcam it would be even better.

Insta360 OneX2

A 360 cam! This injects pure joy into my gadget nerd heart and I break it out on runs, Onewheel trips, and walks with the boys. The footage is unique, if not spectacular and it is just so damn fun to use.

Audio

I’ve been working to up my audio production game. I’ve always used a field recorder and dynamic mic in the past, but I picked up the Rode NT-Mini as a replacement condenser mic for my daily zoom meetings. It’s so damn portable I sometimes pack it up to use as a voiceover mic with the iPad as well. This is rare, but the small form factor of the two devices is great to use together, even if it requires wired headphones for monitoring.

The bag is big enough to throw in a Fuji X100 or XT series with a lens or two. It’ll even fit the Mavic Air 2 or Mini with some clever packing. I honestly, haven’t felt the need to do that, and would probably just use a more camera gear-oriented bag instead, but this little bag can fit a surprising amount of gear if you want it to.

Between January 1st and March 4th, I counted every calorie I ate or drank.

The mental results:

A fully formed habit of more conscientious eating, and a better understanding of eating for sustenance versus pleasure or boredom.

The physical stats:

Starting Weight: 205.5 lbs

End Weight: 187.9 lbs

Net Loss: 17.6 lbs

After 7+ months of taking my fitness seriously, and 60+ days of calorie counting here’s what I’ve learned.

Counting Calories is work. At least to start

Forming the habit of calorie counting is a massive pain. Apps like Noom, MyFitnessPal, and Fitbit make it easier, but it’s still a chore to scan packages, log individual ingredients, and spot-check the database calories against the nutrition facts from restaurant websites. The meals I eat by myself, breakfast and lunch, became more consistent by sticking to the same staples and formalizing salad and smoothie recipes. This not only allows me to log food faster but drives simpler, healthier, meals. After about two weeks of consistent logging, I settled into a groove of tracking the meals as I go, and while I occasionally need to fetch a nutrition label from the recycling bin, the process is now mostly automatic.

The food database you use really matters.

I started the year using Noom as my tracker of choice. I loved the lessons and gamification of the process, but opted out after the first week, and turned to the classic MyFitnessPal app. Why? The Noom database was not nearly up to par. I’m fine with manually entering the occasional meal, but almost everything I logged in Noom had to be entered by hand either because the food wasn’t listed, or worse, the identified items were wildly inaccurate. The MyFitnessPal database is far more comprehensive and cut down on the logging friction.

Hitting your calorie goal is not as important as logging the food.

I set a 1.5-pound weekly weight loss goal in MyFitnessPal, which allots 1,620 daily calories. Rarely do I stay under this count. Instead, I use the number as a guideline and try to make the best choices possible throughout the day. Sure, if I’m already at or over the goal at the end of the night I’ll typically turn down the beer or ice cream sandwich. But sometimes I don’t, and that’s okay. In the past, I would so strictly adhere to the calorie goals set that life lost its flavor. Meals and snacks were no fun.

Now, while I log everything and work to make smart choices, I’m not beholden to the number. Every week I have a day or two where I’m well over 2300 hundred calories, sometimes over 3000! Those aren’t the norm, but I don’t beat myself up when they happen.

Exercise matters

“You can’t outrun a bad diet.” The adage is overused, but there is truth to it. If you’re routinely overeating no amount of exercise is going to compensate. However, regular exercise goes a long way to ensuring you won’t forget the taste of mint chocolate chip ice cream. This philosophy won’t help you cultivate six-pack abs, but in my experience, a mid to heavy regimen of cardio and strength training will accelerate your weight loss and help reconfigure your body shape. All while still enjoying food that tastes good.

I do 20-60 minutes of cardio 5-7 days a week, and strength train three days a week. According to the Apple Watch and Fitbit, my cardio workouts burn between 100 and 140 calories every ten minutes. Therefore, if I workout for 20 minutes, I don’t hesitate to have that 160 calorie ice cream sandwich after. Instead, I luxuriate in it as a reward, and I still burned a few dozen bonus calories to boot. The calories burned in strength training are far lower, but in doing workouts like the 100 Push-Up challenge, I found my metabolism fires a little cleaner, and the physical changes in my body make the weight I am carrying look a bit more appealing.

Not every day is the same.

I weigh myself every morning right after waking up. Some days I’m a pound or two heavier. Others a pound or two lighter. Though the scale vacillates each day, my overall weight continues to trend down. There’s no reason to beat yourself up over a weight fluctuation. Although I typically exceed my aggressive calorie goal, I more often than not eat below my maintenance level. In doing so, I continue to lose weight over time. Just trust the process and you’ll get there.

Eating out of hunger vs boredom

Tracking calories raised the question early on, do I want to eat right now because I’m hungry? Or just because of habit or boredom? More often not, it turned out to be the latter. Drinking a lot of water and eating high volume, low-calorie meals like salad helps a ton. Social eating and drinking is the next level of this challenge, but the ongoing pandemic has curbed those tendencies almost entirely.

Be kind to yourself

Sometimes the meal I log is just close enough. I eyeball it rather than dissect my deli sandwich for ingredient weights. I recently had eye surgery and didn’t track my weight or calories for 5 days. That’s okay too. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is being kind to yourself pays dividends. Don’t lash yourselves for your failures, and over time, you may appreciate saying no to that snack or extra helping, as you learn to treat your body kindly.

Hostel life in Montanita

Kendall through the years

2021 EDC Carry Update