Okay, so I am not perfect. I splurged a lot yesterday. A full day of old eating habits. 2 1/2 Mountain Dews, some Frito's and vending machine doughnuts. The only meal that was primal was my breakfast. Needless to say, I felt like crap at night.
I know exactly where I went wrong. Since it is getting near payday I was down to my last $11 dollars of discretionary cash and I opted for quick and easy instead of good and notorious. My food budget has to be increased to be able to maintain enough cash flow to cover the entire two week between paychecks.
Although I gave in yesterday, today is a new day and I am not letting a one day slip up from causing me to slip back into old habits. So, it was a good breakfast, a good lunch and tonight I will start a 24 hour fast.
There was also a positive side to yesterday. Those bad foods gave me little satisfaction and the dews tasted far too sweet and were actually a little unpleasant. I had 1/2 a glass of Dew on Saturday also and noticed the same thing. It tasted so sweet then that I could only drink 1/2 of it.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What Type of Excercise?
I attempt to get a walk in every day. Does not always work out of course. Along with that I throw in some P90 routines. Not the P90X, as I tried that and injured myself repeatedly.
Two days of light cardio, two days of heavy lifting and a day a plyometrics. I love plyo. Many times I will use that for the Play Hard rule.
I am still holding steady at 233 pounds. But I am on the last hole in my belt now which might mean my waist size might have dropped. Can't wait to see what the scale says on Friday.
Two days of light cardio, two days of heavy lifting and a day a plyometrics. I love plyo. Many times I will use that for the Play Hard rule.
I am still holding steady at 233 pounds. But I am on the last hole in my belt now which might mean my waist size might have dropped. Can't wait to see what the scale says on Friday.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Typical Sunday
Up at 6 or 7. Grab bacon and eggs. Two eggs, 7 slices of uncured apple bacon. A glass of water with some lemon juice squeezed in for flavor.
Walked the dogs in the big desolate area near my house for roughly an hour and half. Good walk, lots of hills and I get in lots of spear thrusts (lunges) in on the flatter areas.
Got back home, let the dogs rest and get a drink of water for about half an hour. We tend to play an easy game of fetch with the ball during this time. I take off my "Get Primal - Grok On" shirt and get some sun in while in the back yard.
Then it is off on the bike. The dogs go in pairs and run either 2 or 4 miles depending on the route I take. So, I get 4 or 8. Granted, primal man did not have bicycles but Jack Russells are very hard to tire out and they love sprinting along side the pack leader.
Back home and more intense game of fetch. More sun for me. Dang dogs wont drop the ball right in front of my feet so a little walking and bending thrown in.
For lunch, a slab of meat (NY steak today!) and veggies. Bake my egg bake (eggs, bacon bits, ground bison and shredded zucchini) for the next couple of breakfasts. About Wednesday I will bake up the egg and Swiss chard fajitas. Both are easy and quick for breakfast. Also, hard boil some eggs for quick snacks during the week. All eggs and veggies are organic of course.
At about 4 O'clock the dogs and I will be out on the bike again doing the other route I did not take in the morning run. So, the for the day, the dogs get 6 miles and I get 12 miles on Sundays. During the week there is not enough time for both routes.
If hungry during the evening I snack on unsalted nuts of various kinds.
Walked the dogs in the big desolate area near my house for roughly an hour and half. Good walk, lots of hills and I get in lots of spear thrusts (lunges) in on the flatter areas.
Got back home, let the dogs rest and get a drink of water for about half an hour. We tend to play an easy game of fetch with the ball during this time. I take off my "Get Primal - Grok On" shirt and get some sun in while in the back yard.
Then it is off on the bike. The dogs go in pairs and run either 2 or 4 miles depending on the route I take. So, I get 4 or 8. Granted, primal man did not have bicycles but Jack Russells are very hard to tire out and they love sprinting along side the pack leader.
Back home and more intense game of fetch. More sun for me. Dang dogs wont drop the ball right in front of my feet so a little walking and bending thrown in.
For lunch, a slab of meat (NY steak today!) and veggies. Bake my egg bake (eggs, bacon bits, ground bison and shredded zucchini) for the next couple of breakfasts. About Wednesday I will bake up the egg and Swiss chard fajitas. Both are easy and quick for breakfast. Also, hard boil some eggs for quick snacks during the week. All eggs and veggies are organic of course.
At about 4 O'clock the dogs and I will be out on the bike again doing the other route I did not take in the morning run. So, the for the day, the dogs get 6 miles and I get 12 miles on Sundays. During the week there is not enough time for both routes.
If hungry during the evening I snack on unsalted nuts of various kinds.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Record of Where I am Starting From
As embarrassing as this is going to be, I must make a record of where I am starting from. The following pictures were taken in mid December of 2010. Thankfully, I have lost some weight since. Around 23 pounds. These are a good starting point as this was the heaviest I have ever been, at a whooping 260 pounds. Here goes.
As everyone can see I was unable to button the button on the shorts. Also, my posture is completely out of whack. I have a feeling I was tilted like this for years. For some reason no one told me.
Time to Talk About Goals
Okay, that is enough space devoted to what the Primal Lifestyle is. Plus, Mark Sisson does a far better job at explaining it on his blog.
Now it the time to get done to the nitty gritty and lay out my goals.
1. Optimize my physical condition. This does not mean looking like a muscle head body builder that needs to special order his clothing. It means being lean and fit. Some muscle but with the flexibility of a gymnast. What I envision is something along the lines of the 300 actors.
Since the movie 300 is the new Ben Hur to those that are also huge fans of musicals and everything Barbra Streisand, achieving this goal will bring along with it some unwanted attention. Sort of proves that for every action there is a equal and opposite reaction. I will have to deal with this negative aspect when it arises.
2. Reduction of doctor visits. While modern medicine is great for actual trauma it is a little less so for diseases and chronic conditions. There is a reason for this that I will get into in a future post. Sure, a doctor's advice on areas outside of trauma is still good it is not above question. For instance, instead of informing a diabetic patient about the cure for diabetes they prescribe pills that will have to taken for an entire life time. (Yes, there is a cure for diabetes) Or, for my facial condition I was told there was no cure and I would have to fill a prescription for the rest of my life. Well, that was just wrong. But, for the most part a doctor's advice is solid. It is easy to just take that advice and never look further. To avoid that trap, it is better to reduce the reasons to visit one to begin with. Limit my exposure to faulty data. As the database administrator in me would say, garbage in, garbage out.
3. Enjoy life to the fullest. This of course is easier accomplished by fulfilling goals 1 and 2.
Now it the time to get done to the nitty gritty and lay out my goals.
1. Optimize my physical condition. This does not mean looking like a muscle head body builder that needs to special order his clothing. It means being lean and fit. Some muscle but with the flexibility of a gymnast. What I envision is something along the lines of the 300 actors.
2. Reduction of doctor visits. While modern medicine is great for actual trauma it is a little less so for diseases and chronic conditions. There is a reason for this that I will get into in a future post. Sure, a doctor's advice on areas outside of trauma is still good it is not above question. For instance, instead of informing a diabetic patient about the cure for diabetes they prescribe pills that will have to taken for an entire life time. (Yes, there is a cure for diabetes) Or, for my facial condition I was told there was no cure and I would have to fill a prescription for the rest of my life. Well, that was just wrong. But, for the most part a doctor's advice is solid. It is easy to just take that advice and never look further. To avoid that trap, it is better to reduce the reasons to visit one to begin with. Limit my exposure to faulty data. As the database administrator in me would say, garbage in, garbage out.
3. Enjoy life to the fullest. This of course is easier accomplished by fulfilling goals 1 and 2.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ten Rules Continued.
6. Play often and long.
Remember when you rushed to finish your chores so you could get outside that much faster to play in the street? It did not matter what game it was, just that you were out there playing it. Find that passion for play again. This is easier to do with young children around. If you don't have any of your own don't go join the local neighborhood kids in their activities. Parents of the Boobus Americanus variety have been conditioned by government's mouth piece, main stream media, to believe there is a pedophile behind every bush. Plus, you are already doing far more than you should with all those other people's little shits by being forced to pay for their schooling. Just get a dog instead and save yourself the trouble and dogs are faster. Play a game of chase with your dog. You will be worn out in no time and the dog will appreciate it more than welfare queen, middle class parents pretend they can not afford to pay for his schooling on their own so they get government to steal the difference from you, little Johnny up the street. Screw little Johnny and his welfare queen, overly paranoid of pedophiles parents. Incorporate play into your weekly routine. Make time for it.
7. Get some sun.
Forget all that conventional wisdom about the harmful effects of sunlight. It is good for you. The body does not process vitamin C well without ample amounts of vitamin D. I will get into where modern medicine went off track in a later post. If rule 6 is done outdoors 6 & 7 can be done at the same time. Just be sure to expose as much skin as possible without getting arrested. Face it, the picture above shows a very healthy and attractive woman. If her skin was pale white she would still be attractive but a little less so. Truth by observing the natural world around us is what it is all about.
8. Avoid getting injured.
Be aware of your surroundings. Listen to what your body is telling you. If a particular exercise or movement is causing pain, don't ignore it. Stop doing it and find a way to alleviate that pain.
9. Avoid poisons.
While I am fairly certain Bret Michaels has numerous STDs and should be avoided this is more about avoiding things that can harm you. Well, I guess the band Poison falls into this category too. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you notice a negative reaction to certain foods, don't eat them. Also, of course, avoid things marked with the skull and cross bones. That should go without saying.
10. Exercise your brain.
Don't just sit and veg out in front of the TV or computer in your free time. Play a mind stimulation game with a family member. Do a crossword puzzle. Exercise your brain right now and come up with your own ideas.
Okay, those are Sisson's 10 rules. I would add number 11.
11. Inject randomness into your life.
Primal man lived and died by the randomness in nature. Randomness was at the center of everything he did. Modern life is very structured and we follow very specific patterns in our daily lives. Try and break that mold. Push against those real or imaginary boundaries your life is caught in.For instance, go without eating for a day, don't follow a regimented exercise routine, opt for a nature walk on uneven ground instead of walking around the block on level concrete and so on. No part of our lives should be allowed to fall into predictable pattern. Do not go gently into the monotonous night, instead rage, rage against the dying of the random. Embrace chaos.
Remember when you rushed to finish your chores so you could get outside that much faster to play in the street? It did not matter what game it was, just that you were out there playing it. Find that passion for play again. This is easier to do with young children around. If you don't have any of your own don't go join the local neighborhood kids in their activities. Parents of the Boobus Americanus variety have been conditioned by government's mouth piece, main stream media, to believe there is a pedophile behind every bush. Plus, you are already doing far more than you should with all those other people's little shits by being forced to pay for their schooling. Just get a dog instead and save yourself the trouble and dogs are faster. Play a game of chase with your dog. You will be worn out in no time and the dog will appreciate it more than welfare queen, middle class parents pretend they can not afford to pay for his schooling on their own so they get government to steal the difference from you, little Johnny up the street. Screw little Johnny and his welfare queen, overly paranoid of pedophiles parents. Incorporate play into your weekly routine. Make time for it.
7. Get some sun.
Forget all that conventional wisdom about the harmful effects of sunlight. It is good for you. The body does not process vitamin C well without ample amounts of vitamin D. I will get into where modern medicine went off track in a later post. If rule 6 is done outdoors 6 & 7 can be done at the same time. Just be sure to expose as much skin as possible without getting arrested. Face it, the picture above shows a very healthy and attractive woman. If her skin was pale white she would still be attractive but a little less so. Truth by observing the natural world around us is what it is all about.
8. Avoid getting injured.
Be aware of your surroundings. Listen to what your body is telling you. If a particular exercise or movement is causing pain, don't ignore it. Stop doing it and find a way to alleviate that pain.
9. Avoid poisons.
While I am fairly certain Bret Michaels has numerous STDs and should be avoided this is more about avoiding things that can harm you. Well, I guess the band Poison falls into this category too. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you notice a negative reaction to certain foods, don't eat them. Also, of course, avoid things marked with the skull and cross bones. That should go without saying.
10. Exercise your brain.
Don't just sit and veg out in front of the TV or computer in your free time. Play a mind stimulation game with a family member. Do a crossword puzzle. Exercise your brain right now and come up with your own ideas.
Okay, those are Sisson's 10 rules. I would add number 11.
11. Inject randomness into your life.
Primal man lived and died by the randomness in nature. Randomness was at the center of everything he did. Modern life is very structured and we follow very specific patterns in our daily lives. Try and break that mold. Push against those real or imaginary boundaries your life is caught in.For instance, go without eating for a day, don't follow a regimented exercise routine, opt for a nature walk on uneven ground instead of walking around the block on level concrete and so on. No part of our lives should be allowed to fall into predictable pattern. Do not go gently into the monotonous night, instead rage, rage against the dying of the random. Embrace chaos.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Ten Simple Primal Rules
Mark Sisson developed ten simple rules to living primal. These rules can be found at Mark's Daily Apple or in his book The Primal Blueprint. I am going to list the rules here too.
1. Eat lots of animal flesh, insects and plants.
Preferably from sources you hunted, caught or harvested yourself. Hard to do in modern society. So, getting fresh organic options can substitute. Be careful though and do the research into if what you are buying is truly organic/grass fed/fresh. Most of claims can be made using Federal guidelines of what can qualify with these labels. We all know how well government does things so do your own research. Do not rely on silly government approval.
2. Move around at a slow pace.
Simple enough. Get out and walk once a day. An hour a day is best but do what you have time for.
3. Lift Heavy Things.
At least twice a week. Primal man lifted heavy objects on a regular basis. Remember, he lived prior to the industrial revolution.
4. Sprint every now and then.
Do this once, maybe twice, a week. Simulates running away from predators. In fact, the simple act of sprinting releases adrenaline. A little adrenaline every now and then is really good for the body.
5. Get your sleep.
Get a least 8 hours a night. Take a nap in the afternoon if you feel you need it.
Okay, that is all for now. The next 5 in the next post.
1. Eat lots of animal flesh, insects and plants.
Preferably from sources you hunted, caught or harvested yourself. Hard to do in modern society. So, getting fresh organic options can substitute. Be careful though and do the research into if what you are buying is truly organic/grass fed/fresh. Most of claims can be made using Federal guidelines of what can qualify with these labels. We all know how well government does things so do your own research. Do not rely on silly government approval.
2. Move around at a slow pace.
3. Lift Heavy Things.
4. Sprint every now and then.
Do this once, maybe twice, a week. Simulates running away from predators. In fact, the simple act of sprinting releases adrenaline. A little adrenaline every now and then is really good for the body.
5. Get your sleep.
Get a least 8 hours a night. Take a nap in the afternoon if you feel you need it.
Okay, that is all for now. The next 5 in the next post.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Message to Blood Line Family Members
As you all know (or maybe you don't), I've lived with seborrheic dermatitis since my teens years. Over the years every dermatologist has told me it is a life long condition with no cure. In the past 10 years it has gotten really bad, no longer affecting just my eye brow region but my entire Nicolas Cage looking face.
Well, guess what. I pushed against the boundary those doctors put me in and found out it is not a life long condition. A change in diet has cured it. After some completely scientific research and testing on myself I have discovered it was caused by ingesting gluten. It was an allergic reaction.
I believe Ted experiences an allergic reaction to gluten as well. His takes a different form but it seems to be caused by the same thing.
While very few people are ever diagnosed with Celiac disease, it appears a large percentage of people, 60%-70%, have less intense reactions to gluten. Reactions non the less.
It is my belief our family genetic make up leaves us prone to stronger reactions to gluten. Do yourselves a favor and test yourself by restricting you gluten intake for two weeks and see how you feel or if anything noticeable changes. After the two weeks, introduce gluten back into your diet and note how you feel.
Remember, both dad (grandpa) and (great) grandma Heleckson have a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. I'd lay money that most of us are gluten intolerant to some degree or another. Plus, Aunt Karen is terribly allergic.
Sadly, if I don't want to look like a lizard face I must give up beer. The horror! Maybe a lizard face just once in awhile then.
Well, guess what. I pushed against the boundary those doctors put me in and found out it is not a life long condition. A change in diet has cured it. After some completely scientific research and testing on myself I have discovered it was caused by ingesting gluten. It was an allergic reaction.
I believe Ted experiences an allergic reaction to gluten as well. His takes a different form but it seems to be caused by the same thing.
While very few people are ever diagnosed with Celiac disease, it appears a large percentage of people, 60%-70%, have less intense reactions to gluten. Reactions non the less.
It is my belief our family genetic make up leaves us prone to stronger reactions to gluten. Do yourselves a favor and test yourself by restricting you gluten intake for two weeks and see how you feel or if anything noticeable changes. After the two weeks, introduce gluten back into your diet and note how you feel.
Remember, both dad (grandpa) and (great) grandma Heleckson have a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. I'd lay money that most of us are gluten intolerant to some degree or another. Plus, Aunt Karen is terribly allergic.
Sadly, if I don't want to look like a lizard face I must give up beer. The horror! Maybe a lizard face just once in awhile then.
Why Primal?
In the mid to late 90's my friend Mark from Wisconsin came out to Vegas for a visit. Since I had last seen him he had put on a lot of weight and was in terrible shape. During this time I was either inline skating of biking to work and walking every where else. My eating habits were not that great but I did only eat small meals only when I was hungry. That translated into once maybe twice a day. I was in fantastic shape. At the apartment complex I was living in it had the typical wall one can see everywhere in Vegas. It was about 6 feet high. On one particular outing Mark and I were going to walk to the nearest bar and call a cab to head to the strip. I went my usual way, over the wall in one swift motion as only an in shape mid 20 year old can do. Which I found out was not Mark. He could not get over. We had to walk to the main entrance to get out of the complex which I thought was just hilarious.
This past December, Mark came out to run the Las Vegas Marathon. I met up with him a day after the race. I was not laughing any more. We had completely switched places in terms of in shape-ness. I had to do something.
After some research I discovered Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint. I quickly identified with how he was going against most conventional wisdom. Pushing the boundaries if you will.
While I am no dietitian or scientist, I do follow Da Vinci's advice of observing the natural world around you to discover truths. So, I set about verifying Sisson's ideas of Primal living. A truth I discovered is modern day hunter gathers, yes some still exist, do not get certain diseases such as obesity, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes while people living in modern civilization do. The difference appears to be related to agriculture.
I can only conclude that our modern lifestyle and diet is slowing poisoning us. So, it is Primal for me from here on out.
If all goes well, I will be running half* that marathon with Mark this coming December.
* Only half as the human body did not evolve to run these long distances. Short quick sprints, like one would do to escape a predator, are what we are designed for. That is why long distance runners always end up with knee or ankle injuries. Plus, have you seen these runners shortly after the race? They look like shit. Half a marathon is actually too much but it is a goal of mine to keep up with Mark.
This past December, Mark came out to run the Las Vegas Marathon. I met up with him a day after the race. I was not laughing any more. We had completely switched places in terms of in shape-ness. I had to do something.
After some research I discovered Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint. I quickly identified with how he was going against most conventional wisdom. Pushing the boundaries if you will.
While I am no dietitian or scientist, I do follow Da Vinci's advice of observing the natural world around you to discover truths. So, I set about verifying Sisson's ideas of Primal living. A truth I discovered is modern day hunter gathers, yes some still exist, do not get certain diseases such as obesity, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes while people living in modern civilization do. The difference appears to be related to agriculture.
I can only conclude that our modern lifestyle and diet is slowing poisoning us. So, it is Primal for me from here on out.
If all goes well, I will be running half* that marathon with Mark this coming December.
* Only half as the human body did not evolve to run these long distances. Short quick sprints, like one would do to escape a predator, are what we are designed for. That is why long distance runners always end up with knee or ankle injuries. Plus, have you seen these runners shortly after the race? They look like shit. Half a marathon is actually too much but it is a goal of mine to keep up with Mark.
Daily Temptation for April 6, 2011
Okay, so nearly everyday I have been tempted to eat or drink something that is not what my ancient ancestors would have eaten. My normal self created boundary, or a habit box I put myself in if you prefer, I had when it came to these was to simply partake of them and enjoy while never considering the damage I was doing to myself by ingesting something my body had not evolved to process. Today it was this:
A coworker brought this in to share with the office. I had been introduced to this particular delicious brand of poison about a year ago. I love 'em and can't eat just one. The problem is, spuds are converted into sugar once ingested. This causes a major spike in insulin. Eat enough of them over time and the body becomes insulin resistant. So, just like smoking cigarettes, damage is done to your body over time and eventually that damage causes something to break down that you don't want or can afford to have breaking down.
I am happy to say I pushed passed this boundary, or got out of my habit box, today and did not even have one chip! But I have a feeling a "Daily Temptation" might be a regular blog post subject. I hope each one will end with the same result as this one did.
I am happy to say I pushed passed this boundary, or got out of my habit box, today and did not even have one chip! But I have a feeling a "Daily Temptation" might be a regular blog post subject. I hope each one will end with the same result as this one did.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Greetings
Greetings fellow travelers. So, I've decided to blog about the Primal Lifestyle and my own personal journey living it. What is the Primal Lifestyle you ask? Well, a very smart man named Mark Sisson developed it. His own site can be found at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/. I should get a link to it setup eventually. Basically, Living Primal means living as our ancestors did prior to the advent of agriculture. Eating and moving as they did.
It is my hope to share my experience and eventually pass on tips I've picked up along with tracking my progress in Primal.
It is my hope to share my experience and eventually pass on tips I've picked up along with tracking my progress in Primal.
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