Thursday, December 23, 2010

Holidays and the Issues Involved

Eating and drinking. It is such a big part of my Holiday memories that it creates all sorts of challenges for me. I spent the whole year avoiding cookies and the like rather effortlessly, but now I find it next to impossible to avoid. I am not even trying to justify it, which seems so unlike me. Drinking is even a bigger issue for me. I found myself drinking often and a lot since Thanksgiving. Finally, two weeks ago I came to grips with this and essentially quit all together. When I say essentially, I mean that I have had just one 3 times and quit. Unheard of for me. I put these two issues in the same post because I do think the not drinking part is one of the contributing factors to my eating. It is not uncommon to replace one habit with another. I guess if I eat a little unhealthy for another week it is better than forgetting what happened and not enjoying time with the family. So I guess I just did try to justify it! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Joyous Kwanzaa (always in that order).

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Where To Begin

And How? I am inspired to write this after reading Girl Gone Primal explain how she got started. In many ways I have a similar concept as hers, less scientific and more practical. Don't get me wrong, I read all the scientific blogs, but they are experts in science. I have been constantly training, tweaking my diet and reading about training and diet for over 20 years. I watch the Colbert report on a regular basis and caught the episode with John Durant. Then I read Mark's and Ewan's blogs. Mark's book is a must read. It all started to come together. As a husband and Dad I had to make changes without disrupting the harmonious household.
     Of course, the Movnat stuff was great for my 7 year old daughter. I would chase her around the playground, found a tree we could climb, picked up heavy things on our hikes, etc. BTW, the tree climbing became such a hoot for the neighborhood kids, not so much for the parents. But I read a great article about playgrounds being made so safe kids don't even know how to get a little hurt. Then they grow up and break bones because they don't know how to fall or the ramifications of pushing limits. Yea, Haylee got hurt a few times, but it is all a learning process. I slowly incorporated these things into my workouts and began to change my workouts to sprinting and lifting heavier things. No more chronic cardio. This was actually the easiest. I no longer felt like I was dragging myself out to mindlessly put in the miles. I started going to the track, running barefoot, and keeping my warm up down to a fast mile. Then I did some all out 100 yard dashes and was done!
     Food was a different issue altogether. I had to make changes for me without making my wife and daughter pissed off. While I have not been completely successful at that I was able to make changes slowly. I cut out the carbs without much issue. If I make tacos, I eat a taco salad. If I make Asian dinners I limit my rice and give them more. Kristee says I make "a slab of meat and a bunch of vegetables". Well, that's what I would call a great dinner. For breakfast I make eggs and meat with the occasional hash browns. So, I simply started making her a breakfast burrito, like I used to eat, but put more eggs and meat on my plate, skip the wrap and give her most of the hashbrowns. As time has passed I have found I don't even care that I am not putting cheese on my salad or eggs, which was the hardest since I ate a lot of cheese. Now, the only cheese I will consume is the expensive stuff with a lot of Pancetta wrapped around it. I threw out all my breakfast cereal. Not at first, but after a month or two I realized I wouldn't eat it.
     Alcohol is another issue. I slowly cut out beer and moved to wine, hard cider and tequila for those days I really need the hard stuff. It makes for interesting social situations when someone says "want a cold one" and I have to decide if I want to get congested or just see what my other options are. Sure, it's a little awkward drinking wine at the bar when my friends are having a beer, but after two I don't care. I have started identifying bars that carry cider, but they are few and far between.
     So, to summarize, I am an experimenter and found that it is best to try eliminating or introducing things a little at a time in order to monitor your body's reaction to each change. I am now at the fine tuning stage. That is where I am reading the labels and making sure I am not consuming high fructose, which is in more stuff than I ever imagined, and other things on the "bad list". My recommendation is to cut the carbs and cut the chronic cardio. Eat more vegetables and have fun on your workouts. Stop the "weighwatchers mentality" of tracking all your intake and output. Have a routine, but not a regiment. Routines are flexible and that's what I love about the Primal lifestyle, it's flexible.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

I'm Tired After Lunch!

It's that feeling that most people have grown to expect. Thank goodness for their energy drinks or coffee. So, I was staring at my computer and feeling tired and it dawned on me that this is a strange feeling that I haven't had in a long time. Yes, I had a less than Primal Lunch. Not bad by most accounts, but the kind that I used to eat before going Primal. Now I have the after effects from it. Sure would be nice to take a nap. In case you are wondering, I had a burrito and an enchilada, so I had plenty of flour, corn, rice and cheese. I also used to stop for a gourmet coffee on the way back from lunch in order to offset the inevitable effects of the insulin crash. Of course, it's these moments the reinforce the feeling that I am doing the right thing for my body by following this lifestyle. I just can't get past how tired I feel...

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Mexican Lunch

As I mentioned before, I found a few lower cost lunches that I was going to document. Of course, I forgot to take the picture until after it was mostly eaten. Today I went to Sabor Latino and ordered two Steak Tacos and a Mexican Coke. While they do use corn tortillas, I figure that's the worst of the meal. No cheese, like they do in Mexico, but lot's of onion and cilantro. I ask for the "Trio", which is their 3 salsas at no charge. I just use the pico de gallo and the HOT sauce. I do not touch the chips, which I know is hard for most, but I remember someone calling them "chips of death" so i just think about that. Mexican Coke is different, notice the bottle, and it has sugar instead of HFCS. This is the only soda I will drink. 2nd one since going Primal and I shared this one. $1.99 per Taco and $2.00 for the coke, plus $2.00 for the cute waitress.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Weight Issues Updated

I am on track again. A few things I am changing are the size of my lunches. I found two lunches which are more Primal and less money. Westgate Thai, as we call it, has Tom Kha Gai (sic), which is a coconut milk soup with chicken and lime juice. It is about $5 and the tea is free. Sabor Latina has the tacos for $1.99 no cheese, but corn tortillas. I can eat two and be good. I have been working out with the increased weights doing lower reps and walking on the treadmill in between sets. I got my first morning run, for weeks, in yesterday. The temp was 40°, which really wasn't that bad in my VFFs. All this has kept the weight steady, but the waist shrinking. I think 175 is a reasonable goal for the end of the month. I will take some pictures and go further in depth on the food next week.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Weight Issues

I have been struggling, in my mind, with the fact that I have not been losing weight. I am doing pretty much the same things that got me to 180 from 200. That took 3 months, but I haven't lost any weight for the last 3 months. However, this morning I was getting dressed and realized I could not find any pants to wear because most were too loose at the waist. A while back I started labeling my pant hangers with the sizes, how anal I know, starting at 36 and working down in 1" increments to 33. Now the 33s don't fit. So I'm thinking that with the increased weights I'm working out with I must be gaining mass and still losing fat. I imagine I might be losing marbling in the muscles or eliminating the fat covering the muscles, since I don't appear to be bulking up much. The message here is that it is so easy to get caught up in the whole weight thing, I get on the scale almost daily, rather than trust in what the Paleo diet is doing for my body. While I am still not content with my body image, as I don't look like Brad Pitt in fight club yet, things are still going in the right direction.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Godaiko Again

I can give this one the best rating ever. It was excellent across the board. The soup was hot and spicy with a variety of meats. The teriyaki pork was so tender it melted in my mouth. The fried rice was not oily at all. The chicken Katsu was very good. Finally, the sushi roll...tuna and avocado lightly battered and fried with spicy sauce drizzled on top. I can't imagine it getting better than that! It is always hit or miss, but the ones that aren't great are worth it and the great ones are a steal. As a side note: I think I need some new restaurants to report on.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Godaiko Again

Godaiko is still one of my favorites, but I never have my camera for the best lunch specials. This one was still good. The soup was spicy with different meats, potato and carrots. The chicken had an Orange sauce and much better than any Chinese restaurant lunch special would make. The Lobster on lettuce was different, which is the reason I go there, but a little too much mayo or just not enough flavor. The last dish is a Tofu dish. I have been avoiding Tofu, but ate this anyways cause I was hungry. They do a warm Plum sauce with it, pretty tasty. I would give this an average rating-for them.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Barefootin'

Took my daughter to the track yesterday for some barefoot running. She and I both ran a mile. She is just seven. I told her to just do two laps, but she didn't heed my advice because she felt it was important to push herself. Mind you, she is pushing herself. I stubbed my toe on the second lap. I ran through it and also did my 100 yard sprints-4 of them. Then we did the bleachers together. Two sets! Back to the stubbed toe. It started hurting yesterday. I figure it will take a little time to heal but I am not too worried. I think stuff like this is natural and strengthens you in the long run. I seem to remember getting a few of these in my youth when I ran the neighborhood barefoot. It also reminded me of something I learned while doing my research. You must pay attention when barefootin. Of course, I have been running barefoot for six months now and got a little too comfortable, especially on the "safe" track. I guess a little throbbing in the big toe for a week should leave a lasting impression.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Training Philosophy

I just read a great blog on Primal Muse called Training Philosophy. It has motivated me to change my whole work out program. While this information is nothing new in the Primal world, it has a direct correlation to my triathlon training and bike riding specifically. Please go to his link for the scientific verbiage, but for the laymen I will spell out what I have done and will change. The CV has always been to put in the base miles during the winter and to train with light to medium weights with higher reps for us endurance athletes. I always considered myself an endurance athlete, but Olympic distance triathlons aren't really that long. Now that I have been reading Mark's blog and following Primal I have begun sprint workouts, lifting heavy things etc., but still worried about the distance. Jamie recommends getting the speed and the power base and throw in the endurance at the end. Naturally, the opposite of CV. But why should I be surprised? If I have learned one thing in the last 6 months, it's that everything I thought I knew, and was so smug about, was wrong. So, it's time to up the weights, shorten the distances, increase the sprints and plan on kicking some butt next year. I move into a new age group next year, 45-49, so I'm pretty excited about that. On the other hand, I have found that the guys my age doing triathlons tend to be pretty serious, so it's no easy task kicking their butts. I am going to set my goal of top 20% in my age group. That would differ from the usual middle of the pack.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Poo or No Poo

That's shampoo, of course. Over three months ago I quit using shampoo, lotion, shaving cream and chapstick. In all cases I believe we have been convinced by years of TV and magazine ads that we need these things. Shampoo-I don't have much hair so that one is a no-brainer, but other bloggers I have followed say that after about 30 days their hair actually gets thicker and more manageable than with shampoo. It just takes a little while for your body to acclimate to the change. Lotion-occasionally I get dry skin, but again my body recognizes this and fixes the situation. I use a loofah pad and scrub hard with just water, so don't think I am dirty or smelly. I think I am cleaner with no residue left over. Even my psoriasis is better, but that is also due to no longer eating grains which trigger my autoimmune disease, but more on that in another post. Shaving cream- I still use this on my head when I shave, but when I run out I will not buy anymore. Not sure what I will do then. Similarly, on my face I am using a non alkaline soap for shaving, can't remember what brand it is, it creates a little bit of a slicker surface but that is almost gone and I will go to just water. Chapstick-this was actually the hardest! I can't remember when I last went without Chapstick. I usually had at least three sticks in rotation at one time for at least the last 20 yrs. My lips cracked and hurt for about a week. Then all of a sudden they were fine and I haven't had chapped lips since. I am still finding old chapsticks in different places. For the record, I do use a crystal for my under arms, which is chemical free and quite effective. I also use cologne which I spray two shots on my bare stomach/chest area. That's something I read in a GQ once. When you get a little warm it increases the smell. Of course, I do that just for the ladies!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Barefoot Running

In honor of the first annual barefoot in NY City I went for a barefoot run yesterday. I love the freedom of just showing up to the park, taking off my shoes and going. I have started wearing regular shorts and t-shirts, just to be more anti-running gear. I especially enjoy passing someone in all their fancy running gear because it really reinforces the fact that the big money advertisers lead us to believe we need all this special gear to get in shape. Yes, I was one of those NIKE from head to toe guys. While I was running a girl, rather attractive I might add, caught up to me and asked if I ever step on pebbles etc. So, let me discuss what I have learned from barefootin. I started at the track. While the track feels like sandpaper, it is forgiving and it is usually around a football field. I started by running one mile, then sprinting 100 yd dashes on grass. I felt that my form came very naturally, meaning I landed on my front pads without thinking about it. I did already have my Vibram five fingers, but did not use then. I also never went back to running shoes, as I did not want to confuse my body or mind. After a month of exclusively running at the track I moved to the park paved trails. What I found was that I was so aware of the ground that even if I did step on something I was able to pull up and therefore did not hurt my feet at all. The only thing that has ever hurt, and in a good way, is my calves. I have always wanted those well formed calves and now I can feel them getting a better workout. The biggest irony, thanks to CW, is that I used to tell my brother-in-law he was landing wrong when all along he was the one running "naturally". I look forward to next spring and getting more mile in. However, now I have to start thinking about where to run in the winter. I think I will go to the indoor track at Whitmore Lake High School, but have to play around with barefoot vs Vibram's.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Cold or Allergies

I am just logging this in for the record. I am pretty sure it's allergies, since I have stuffiness and fatigue. This does seem a little different than last month. It didn't keep me from working out this morning, but it was hard to get out of bed. Of course it was 35° overnight, so that doesn't help either.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Football and Primal Snacks

 GO BLUE!!! I went over to a friends house to watch the Denard Robinson show. Man that guy is fast. Now if the Defense could just tighten up a bit. So I got into the game before I remembered I wanted to take these pictures, but did manage to get two before everything was gone. I made the chicken and Jalapeno slices wrapped in bacon. Pretty simple recipe. I cut the chicken in 1" cubes, add a jalapeno slice and wrap with 1/2 piece of bacon. I skewer these and cook for 30 min @ 300°. I don't think 30 min is necessary, but wanted to get the bacon nice and crispy. I also cut up some celery and broccoli and used ranch for dipping. Add a couple of hard ciders and enjoy the game.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Taco Omelet

This is by far my favorite breakfast. I start with sauteing Jalapenos in butter, then add three eggs and flip. One of the habits I am in lately is to save 1/4 cup taco meat from taco night and use that inside with 2% nonfat shredded Mexican cheese. I put most of the cheese on the 1/3 I am giving my wife. Then I used half an avocado, add a little salsa on the side and top with Chalula. We go through a bottle a week of Chalula at our house.

Pork Chops

More on the Primal meals. Last night was pork chops stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. I also made asparagus that I drizzle with olive oil and garlic, then bake for 10 minutes at 300°. It is my new favorite veggie. Of course, I would eat more, but my 7 yr old loves it too and I am just glad to see her eating her veggies, so I give her a lot of them. The potato salad I bought at Arbor Farms mostly for the wife and child, but I put a dollop on my plate too. Note the Strongbow cider!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Grocery Shopping

So...here is an issue that has been confounding me and I hope to either get input from readers or I may have to resort to my own investigation. Or Both. I shop at Walmart for the prices and try to limit the processed food I buy, but my wife and daughter are still insisting on some items so I have to buy them to keep from having a revolt. I do get some fruits and vegetables from there, but they don't always have the best selections. I have noticed the Organics have increased. Then there is the meat. I will not buy any meat from Walmart because I know they are getting it from the mass production corporations. They question I have is what are the differences between the market down the road that butchers their own meat, Marv's Meats, which is a very good (popular) butcher, and the stuff I get at Arbor Farms. I know Arbor Farms carries the grass fed meats and they also have great produce, but where do the other two fall in? I am under the impression that Marv's is the next best thing and local market is almost as bad as Walmart, Meijer and Kroger, but is this correct?

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Primal Breakfast

I realized I don't write enough about Breakfast and Dinner, so today I am showing my breakfast and included my wife's to show the difference. I had two eggs, two sausage and a touch of hash browns. I use Tabasco to give a little flavor. Compare that to her breakfast, which I used to eat also, one egg, one sausage, more hash browns and toast. She uses Ketchup and I think she only eats half the toast,  I won't eat toast anymore. I noticed we had a loaf and a half in the freezer, which I do to keep the bread from going bad. Pre-Primal I would have to buy a new loaf every other week. The eggs are Egglands, which I buy from Meijer. I also buy Cage Free Organic from Walmart, but now have a self imposed limit of $2.50 for a dozen, as I have read enough to convince me as long as I avoid the mass produced salmonella eggs I am okay. It's hard to see in this picture, but I also occasionally drink the Bolthouse Green Goodness which does not look too appealing, but tastes just like apple juice. in addition, it has a lot of vitamins and nutrients.

Japanese Lunch Special


Went to Godaiko again. I'd give this lunch special a "B" today. Fried mushrooms are a waste of a dish, as far as I'm concerned. The wonton soup had the usual carrots, potato and celery. Tasted great. The salmon dish is a little unusual for my tastes, but I don't get enough salmon so I'm always happy when they serve it. I leave most of the rice. The best part was the spicy tuna roll. I can't get enough of that. One of the things I have done in the past was to sub a salad in place of the fried mushrooms, but I got there before the special was presented so I was not able to make that request.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Ahmo's Deli

Went to Ahmo's for lunch and ordered the Hummus with Meat Plate. I get the combo meat with a fatoush salad, but ask them to hold the pita bread for the hummus and in the salad. They went a little heavy on the dressing this time, but the salad has so many good things in it I ate it most of it. I gave 75% of the rile pilaf to my lunch partner and ate all of the Hummus. I know beans aren't pure Primal, but Hummus really makes the meal. Make sure you get the combo meat because they give you more this way and don't charge any extra.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Benchmark Photo

I wanted to add this photo for future comparisons. I will say I am at 185 here. I should be at 180 to make my target of 175 by the end of September, but I am struggling with a need to snack or drink at the end of the night. I find it difficult not to consume something while watching the idiot box, as my father used to call it, and laying down on the couch. It is not a flattering look, but the before pictures are always that way. In addition the angle is low because my photographer was having a rough morning and didn't want to get out of bed to take the picture.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Alcohol Choices

None is not a choice. Real good beer makes me congested even more now that I have been avoiding grains. I can't drink the Bud Light and other watered down stuff because I spent the last 2 decades being a micro brew snob and my tastes just don't allow for the weak stuff. I tried to go with Tequila using the logic of Blue Agave not being a grain, but after a few shots it gets old and adding marg mix is bad since it is pure HFCS. I do like to drink wine, but it is a bit expensive and not always appropriate for the setting, as I can't picture Grok standing around with a glass of Cab holding a spear. So, now I am trying the hard cider. It seems to meet all of my Paleo requirements. A side benefit to drinking cider is that I am unlikely to drink a lot of these because they are tart and fizzy, yet it satisfies the need to drink a little alcohol while watching the Lions come close but fail, again. Anyone have other recommendations?

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Is it a Cold Or Allergies?

I think I have a cold. I half expected to never get sick again now that I am Primal, but that would be unrealistic I should imagine. Perhaps it isn't that I am sick, but the degree to which I am sick and how I am treating it. I have had a lingering sinus congestion, sneezing and all over tired. However, my wife had the same thing, and shared it with me, which kept her home Monday. Plus, aren't guys always considered wimpier than women anyways? So I followed some advice I think I received from Mark about how your body does certain things for a reason, like nasal drainage, and if you use decongestants it prolongs the healing process. I have not taken any medicine and continued to work out normally, with the exception of a little lighter weights since I didn't feel as strong. I took my daily vitamins and added some extra C. I tried to get a little extra sleep, but I already get 8, so there isn't time in the day for much more. Anyways, Allergies, Colds and Flu are often mentioned in Primal discussions as being non-existent and I think I have a cold. I am going to label this General Health so I can look back in a year to any illnesses I get and keep track. Too bad I don't have a baseline to compare against.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Pho for Hangovers

For those of you not familiar with this dish it is a Vietnamese soup made with beef and rice noodles in a broth containing Oxtails and other flavors. Note: the bone marrow soup was one of Mark's hangover recommendations. It is the perfect hangover dish and today I killed the whole bowl. I did not have breakfast so I had plenty of room in what has become a shrinking stomach. I also don't drink much, if any, water with my meals because I believe it hinders the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. Of course, the hangover itself is not living Primal, but it happens.

The 80/20 Rule-My Interpretation

Mark talks about the 80/20 rule on his site and in his book. I have seen some comments on his site that I think misinterprets the concept. Let me begin by saying I am not one of those all or nothing kind of guys. I would compare it to my practicing Buddhism. While it is the philosophy that I believe in I am not going to become a monk. Likewise, I am following the Primal lifestyle, but I work and live with people that are not following my lifestyle and I can't control some aspects of my life. So, to me the 80/20 rule is to do the best you can within the constraints of your situation. For instance, I make burritos for dinner and my wife and daughter like beans and corn in theirs. I just make mine mostly meat and add a touch of beans and corn, but then put it on a salad instead of using a tortilla. Where this differs from others is that they may say 80% of the time they are adhering to the Primal way, but then have a big dessert or something along those lines. How I think this is different is that I try to adhere 100% of the time, but the outside forces will only allow me to be 80% compliant.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Coffee-one cup a day

I used to live in Seattle, the home of Starbucks and the start of the gourmet coffee craze. I used to drink extra strong coffee all day long with the occasional espresso thrown in to give me a boost. While I still love a good cup of Joe I no longer have more than the one cup in the morning, unless it is a special circumstance. I use the K-cups now, which is rather expensive and is just above average. Before going Primal I had to have a couple of cups a day because I was going to fall asleep. I thought it was because I was addicted to the caffeine and my buzz was wearing off, but now I know the real cause. Now that I no longer eat my grains for breakfast and lunch I don't have insulin crashes. I now have so much energy in the afternoons it's a little scary, for others! So, the moral of the story is that not needing coffee in the afternoon to make it through is another advantage of going Primal. Sorry Starbucks.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Almost Barefoot Running

I have been trying to run exclusively barefoot, but woke up to 42° this morning. Looks like Fall has arrived in Michigan. So I put on my Vibram Five Fingers and headed out the door. One of my concerns, from what I read elsewhere, is that the Vibrams may not allow you to feel the forward landing that barefoot running forces you into. I think I have been barefooting long enough because I definitely had the proper technique. Instead of running two miles, today I did one mile as a warm up and then switched to 4 x 100m sprints. It felt great. It was cool to run in the dark and then have the sunrise start just as I was finishing! I also no longer run with my I-pod so that I can enjoy the sounds of nature. What a great way to start my Friday.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Lunch at Lotus Thai

My favorite lunch special at Lotus Thai is the Panang Chicken Curry. The first picture is the way it comes, with the fried spring roll and all the rice. The second picture is after I removed the spring roll and split the rice in half. I especially like the way they make this dish here because they add broccolli, carrots, red peppers and green peppers. My experience with other Thai restaurants is that they only use green peppers. Again, I think I still eat too much rice, but it is great for soaking up the spicey Curry.

Mark's 30 Day Challenge

I am beginning the 30 day challenge from http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ and will begin documenting each day's achievements towards the "mini challenges" he lists. Today's goal is to tell everyone I know. I will begin by handing out and e-mailing his flier "so you're new to the Primal Bluebrint" to at least 30 people. It is outside my comfort zone, but so is blogging! Not that I am not already following his blueprint, but it's equivalent to plateauing with weights or cardio...it's always good to get new motivation and push yourself over the plateau.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Haylee's First Day of School and Breakfast

I took Haylee to Barry's Bagels for breakfast before her first day of school. I no longer have bagels for breakfast and am positive that I have lost 5 lbs alone from avoiding them. I now get two slices of Lox. It tastes great, costs about the same as a bagel with cream cheese and I don't get hungry and tired an hour later. I struggle with feeding Haylee, since I don't want to impose my Primal eating on her 100% I will wait until she comes around to wanting to be healthier and stronger like her dad. Of course, I am still a bit of a food Nazi, but you can't really blame me after all I have read and experienced. The big corporations spend billions trying to influence her to eat processed food and I hope that I can offset that by giving her a consistent message of healthy eating while not forcing it down her throat, so to speak.

My Bike and the Ride


I used to have two bikes, a handbuilt roadbike from Davidson Bicycles in Seattle. I loved that thing, but it was getting over 20 years old. Then I bought a very high end mtn Bike, which used to be the spare bike for Ruthie Matthes when she competed in the 2000 Olympics,  but decided I didn't like the off road trails and triathlons as much. So I just recently sold the Davidson and upgraded the mtn bike with road tires. Got my first ride in this weekend and it was very nice. I took the Border to Border trail starting at Barton Park and I ended up in Ypsi at the Sidetrack Restaurant. The trail is a great way to stay off the roads, for the most part, and still get a good workout. Since it was a Holiday I decided to have a non-primal Oberon, along with a bunless burger topped with goat cheese. I don't think I will be drinking beer during bike rides again. I felt really sluggish on the way home.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Barefoot Running

Put in my two miles of barefoot running at the track this morning. Following the Primal Blueprint logic I now only run 2-3 miles. I used to think that I had to put in the miles. It was an obsession. I often did not go for a run because I didn't have the 45 minutes to run 5 miles. Now I can go to the track run 2 miles or do some sprints and get back to the house in time to make breakfast and get ready for work. For those that think following this lifestyle is difficult have no idea how simple things can become. Of course, barefoot running alone is not nearly as much fun as going to a busy paved trail. Last time I was at Kensington Park I was acknowledged at least 10 times including two girls on a bike that had to slow down to get the lowdown. If that isn't motivation I don't know what is. I even put in an extra mile just to keep the fun alive. FUN, when was the last time you went for a run and said "that was fun". I know the chronic cardio drones are not.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Lift Heavy Things

So far this week I have done arms on Monday, chest on Tuesday and legs today. My arm workout currently consists on 3 X 8 reps of dumbbells, chin ups, curl bar, and dumbbell triceps and wrist curls front and back. I also am starting doing pull ups the Mark Sisson way. The chest work out consists of 3 X 8 reps of push ups with my feet on the second stair, bench press, push ups using push up bars, incline dumbbell press with a band for extra difficulty and overhead press with dumbbells. I also began doing jack knifes the Sisson way. For legs I do 3 X 8 reps of leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, squats and finally step leaps, where I jump with both feet onto a stump about 1.5 feet high.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Japanese Lunch Special


Godaiko is one of my favorite places to eat lunch. Today's lunch special was a bit of a failure. I did ask them to substitute a salad for the noodles. Nothing but useless carbs there. The sushi, if you could call it that, was fake Krab and I know that's bad. The soup is always good and the entree was tempura chicken, which was only slightly better than chicken nuggets I'm sure. I am dying to know what kind of oil they use and perhaps in the future it will be my responsibility to the blog to ask. Of course, I don't know what I will do if I get an answer I don't want to hear!

Indian Buffet

Raja Rani for lunch. This is my best effort at eating out Indian while adhering to the Primal Diet. I put a small bit of rice, plenty of Butter chicken, some Tandori chicken, carrots and peas, plus the cheese curds and finally the creamed spinach. Note that I barely have any rice and I did not get the Naan. I don't have a problem eliminating bread, especially when it is an add on. I think Idid pretty good here, but I must admit that I went back for a tiny bit more rice, butter chicken and spinach. That is the biggest problem with the buffets, in my opinion, since I feel like I need to get my money's worth even though I know intellectually that I have consumed plenty of calories.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Intermittent Fasting/Weight Loss

Since going Primal I have been able to practice IF. Before I was always soooo hungry every couple hours I thought I was going to pass out. Now I can wake up, work out and still not need to eat a breakfast. I think I actually eat out of habit, rather than actually being hungry. Don't get me wrong, I can tell when I haven't had breakfast, but the hunger does go away after a couple of hours. So, I have just weighed in at 184. When I started this spring I was 202. I have been a little lazy at reaching my goal of 175, so I am going on record as making this a goal for the end of September.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Why Living Primal in Ann Arbor?

I have been following the Primal lifestyle for 6 months and have made great gains in conditioning and body composition, but have had many challenges trying to lead a Primal lifestyle amongst friends and family that have been continuosly bombarded with Conventional Wisdom. I plan to document the challenges and successes of living the Primal Lifestyle as a resident of Ann Arbor Michigan.