tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42086541218330160332024-02-06T21:30:34.174-08:00Living Primal in Ann ArborPrimal Living-eating and living naturally like our ancestors did over 10,000 years ago, but with modern conveniences.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-14510520287247517642013-09-16T06:37:00.000-07:002013-09-16T06:37:35.239-07:00September 2013 PHDI encourage everyone to look into the <a href="http://perfecthealthdiet.com/" target="_blank">Perfect Health Diet</a>. I think it is simply the next evolutionary step in the Paleo process. I am sure most of you that are going Paleo have had some issues with digestion, skin or energy levels. Remember, dropping grains and anything else you did to change your lifestyle effects the homeostasis your body has created. PHD simply and scientifically breaks down the different aspects of your diet as it relates to evolution and gives you the answers you are looking for. Such as, how much protein is too much, should I fast, can I eat rice or potatoes etc. My current status is; still at 175 lb., I rarely eat breakfast, I am rarely hungry, I do not do any endurance activity. I do work out 5 days a week consisting on 1-3 mile runs, lifting weights for 45 min., swimming and biking when I can.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-63592557957700961472012-09-11T08:33:00.003-07:002012-09-11T08:34:03.932-07:00170 lbs for over a month!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindM5JN0p6iJdfT2-TgY7qxXcHJOOZxUGP51RBDdirPc1_hSsydMC4zq_zchqtz0ENNU-TPboROLtYY0nZQkhnATXcAl83vGK-DdL4kKt_SL_z9pjcYMGeZhvTFndGz4W5iucX6WuJquk/s1600/didh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindM5JN0p6iJdfT2-TgY7qxXcHJOOZxUGP51RBDdirPc1_hSsydMC4zq_zchqtz0ENNU-TPboROLtYY0nZQkhnATXcAl83vGK-DdL4kKt_SL_z9pjcYMGeZhvTFndGz4W5iucX6WuJquk/s320/didh.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
So, I have not had a lot to say because nothing is changed. That is exactly what I want to talk about today. I have leveled out with my weight through work outs and diet. So, a normal day for me starts at 6 a.m. I go down to get a cup of coffee, then head to the basement for a workout. In my basement I have a universal machine, a bench, some dumbbells, a pull up bar, a treadmill and a heavy bag. This is a luxury, meaning I could and have done with less. I do Arms Monday, Chest Tuesday, Back Wednesday, Legs Thursday and a run Friday. If I miss a day for something I skip the run. Runs, bike rides, hikes etc are also done randomly in the evenings and weekends. I am only concerned with the morning base work out as a routine. Everything else is just letting life dictate. Currently, I do 2 sets of each routine. For example; 2 X 12 Curls, then 2 x 12 Pull Ups etc. as time permits. I also do sit ups and stretches as time permits. Personally, I record nothing. When I am done I take a shower and get dressed. NO Breakfast. I eat Breakfast about twice a week as life dictates, but never planned. I eat a big lunch every day and a small dinner. For lunch I go out to Primal friendly restaurants and/or pick at my plate to avoid the grains etc. I do not get hungry at all because I do not start on the Insulin roller coaster early in the morning, I eat a big lunch and rarely want dinner, but I do eat it for two reasons. I cook for the family and we will sit down as one and I know I will not eat until noon the next day. I do not worry about any consumption after dinner, meaning dessert of any kind or the CW rule of "No Eating After 8". So, what I am saying here is "It gets easier once it is a routine". I no longer desire bread or any of the crap I used to eat. I would say it took a year to make it a routine and now I just tweak it as I read something new. I highly recommend you fast one way or another. At first, when i started losing weight everyone asks what diet I was on and when I told them what I do the were hesitant. Now they see I have not gained any of the 30 lbs I lost and they are ready to reconsider. Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-62966965892440169862012-01-26T08:06:00.000-08:002012-01-26T08:06:09.485-08:00Low Impact WorkoutsSo...at 45 years old there are a lot of things to consider when working out. Part of me wants to get huge by lifting heavy weights and the other part wants to minimize the impact on my old bones. My chiro is a fan of the latter. Anyways, I put my weight bench away during the holidays and decided to try something different. My current work out strategy goes like this; Monday I do push ups, pull ups etc. a complete body workout with minimal weights for curls, flies, tris and forearms, using just barbells. I do two sets of 15 for each muscle group, but not in a row. Tuesday I do 30 min speed walking on the treadmill. Wednesday I do Wii Fit for 30 min. mostly core workouts and balance games. Thursday I do the treadmill again. Friday I do weights unless I had to take a day off and everything slid a day. On the weekends I try to do a swim, run and indoor bike. I don't know if it is better or worse, but I think you can see how each exercise is beneficial. I guess mixing it up occasionally is the best message here. Perhaps I will feel the need to bulk up once the sweaters come off, which is soon I hope.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-56855592150907838102011-12-12T07:06:00.000-08:002011-12-12T07:06:08.758-08:00Update TimeI am motivated to write because I don't feel comfortable with my picture being the first thing you see, regardless of how good I feel about it! I have been asked a lot lately about what I do. I still haven't figured out the best way to answer this, as what I do is not what a beginner should do. The most important thing is to find out what works for you, but you should start with Mark's Daily Apple. This helps you get rid of the REAL bad stuff and is a good starting point for all of the research each person needs to do on their own. I have said many times, I am not the expert here, but what I am doing is definitely working. However, to answer the original question, I eat Primal, lift heavy things and I do not use shampoo, soap (in the shower), shaving cream, lip balm, lotion (suntan or dry skin) and any of the other stuff I know our ancestors did not use. I do not eat breakfast very often, because I can't picture my ancestors eating a big breakfast before the hunt. I train for triathlons with sprint training, not chronic cardio. I have been alcohol free since Feb, but I consider that a personal choice as I think we have <u>always</u> tried to get wasted one way or another. I go to bed to read at 9 and wake up at 5:45 to work out every weekday. I eat more protein before dinner because it does not destabilize my insulin, but after dinner I don't worry about anything I eat. This means minimal carbs and fruit/fruit juices during the daytime. Please have a safe and enjoyable Holiday!Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-18904186242408029762011-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:002011-11-14T10:18:55.904-08:00New Benchmark Photo<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgZkCvS4jap07AXQNCIeSJCHrskpPWTmsmOlMz-ih2-f0KHS800S8jkGl_SOGSJxk4iDtKDbMr4mZaR7ilN43Yptar_d4NbOFWmYY0VyJbWtU35_4y-2cPTtfgfhMqVjy3Npw6L3eNxo/s1600/flexed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgZkCvS4jap07AXQNCIeSJCHrskpPWTmsmOlMz-ih2-f0KHS800S8jkGl_SOGSJxk4iDtKDbMr4mZaR7ilN43Yptar_d4NbOFWmYY0VyJbWtU35_4y-2cPTtfgfhMqVjy3Npw6L3eNxo/s320/flexed.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9KYsXG19IMmNAMwENIcbfnA2pumimFeYi9bWZV8uUmU18TGAXKlPoAqJEylUWCyhI_fqJKIrU_LBA1LQ8yc4Z41EfX8im2n3FzpnhjFz-QrMdtdYvtFfVbNH6dwVdCE50jbO3ZZ7a4c/s1600/Doug185%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I am in a groove now. I rarely feel hungry and certainly don't have to plan my life around food anymore. I usually gain weight in the Fall, but that is not the case this year. This is what 170 looks like on me. Comparatively, the <a href="http://livingprimalinannarbor.blogspot.com/2010/09/benchmark-photo.html"><strong><span style="color: red;">previous photo</span></strong></a> was about 185. What I am finding to be the most interesting/disturbing now is how many people are saying I should gain weight! Is this strictly an American standard I am breaking here? To me it seems that the 185 was not healthy and I am quite sure the ones "concerned" are not getting numbers like 111/80 and 55bpm resting.</div>Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-6413944256907172022011-08-15T07:03:00.000-07:002011-08-15T07:03:39.753-07:00Sylvania Triathlon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji10H0m9lW1RMRkVfqKtCHlL5s-H3VuOXi2Y6_8oqYIgnq08bBWZ4QL53fs53a2ajanouioIgvtuQJJnxf54QndlEyC300R6ZDex1YZ9Zo15z9OsXqaN1N8RqYj9DZNTLyZwWWi1nE9FY/s1600/swim+start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji10H0m9lW1RMRkVfqKtCHlL5s-H3VuOXi2Y6_8oqYIgnq08bBWZ4QL53fs53a2ajanouioIgvtuQJJnxf54QndlEyC300R6ZDex1YZ9Zo15z9OsXqaN1N8RqYj9DZNTLyZwWWi1nE9FY/s320/swim+start.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>I was 100 out of 300, give or take a few. It wasn't as good as my goal, top 20%, but it wasn't bad. I clearly need to work on my biking next year. My bike split was 200 out of 300. It was pretty nice weather for a tri, minus the drizzle on the bike. I'll take that over hot and humid any day. The thing I noticed the most, pertaining to primal living, is that I was able to train less but harder and get the same results. I also did not feel bad at the last mile, while others were dying out there! It also helps that I am down to 178, which is 10 less than previous events. Of course, my age group was pretty tough and I guess it's because the older guys don't just show up on a whim like a younger guy might. Not to mention they can afford the nice bikes and gym memberships.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-6318715470425747212011-06-21T11:14:00.000-07:002011-06-21T11:14:50.911-07:00Status UpdateI have been debating over whether to continue the blog or to quit. I go to the same restaurants and do the same workouts, Intermittent Fasting etc, so I am out of new stuff to talk about. All of my links say it so much better. I guess I figured it would write itself, but lately things are very stable and not much to discuss. I weighed in at 180 last week, down from 200! I think that Primal living will continue to become more mainstream. I believe that carb and sugar addicts are slowly killing themselves, but the special interest groups, especially the big food companies, are going to fight to the death (our death) to keep their crap on the shelves. That reminds me. Ever watch extreme couponing? Notice they buy loads of stuff for cheap, but it's all highly processed food type stuff. They always seem to be FAT. Hmmmmm. I guess it's best to just continue to do what feels right and hopefully the word gets out and changes are made for the better. In the meantime I will concentrate on my special project, Haylee, and hope I can make a difference in her life by leading by example. BTW, in 6 days I will be on dry for 4 months!Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-7995436686732733352011-05-18T15:37:00.000-07:002011-05-18T15:38:12.149-07:00UpdateI have been busy working on my Barefoot Run, living Primal and Intermittent Fasting. First, the run is now set for July 17th at Gallup Park. We are working on shirts, sponsors, advertising and volunteers. I am concentrating on eating more meat and vegetables, less rice and fruit and no carbs. My work outs are Mon-Arms, Tues-Chest, Wed-Legs and Thursday-back. I take Friday off. I try to swim bike and run on the weekends with a couple of runs during the week. The week runs are usually two miles for distance and the weekend runs are one mile warm ups and hard sprints. The philosophy is lift heavy things and sprint. In the past I usually worked on mileage, but now it's just speed. My eating routine is now Mon/Wed/Fri-Lunch and snacks at night, Tue/Thur-Breakfast, shake for lunch and Dinner. The weekends are not structured, but I try to eat brunch and Dinner. I weighed in at 186 today after being at 190 at the beginning of the month! I should be at 175 by August. I actually think 170 is ideal, but figure I will plateau once first.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-33684659893133181652011-04-20T07:42:00.000-07:002011-04-28T10:11:52.322-07:00Stand Up Desk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWfZ-wKOlCeIAsuUg2JiIVG0PHwzKmznljWK-jsCdULn28jttBCSWOgQ8Ahp_iWuhj0XZEyCeRf4HzpGudOQLEfmg_T66uSwLsz7RfnxI7QW25eScGjox7K1AfCUuUeytr2fMpNatelE/s1600/SU2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWfZ-wKOlCeIAsuUg2JiIVG0PHwzKmznljWK-jsCdULn28jttBCSWOgQ8Ahp_iWuhj0XZEyCeRf4HzpGudOQLEfmg_T66uSwLsz7RfnxI7QW25eScGjox7K1AfCUuUeytr2fMpNatelE/s320/SU2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So my feet are a little sore at the end of the day. I do like the fact that I don't have to get up out of my chair 100 times a day. I still have the opportunity to sit down if I have to do paperwork, etc. Plus all of the meetings. I decided to do this after reading several articles discussing all of the bad things that happen to you when you sit all day. They even go as far as saying it shaves years off of your lifespan. Well, as I have mentioned before, I don't get into the science of it all. You can do the research and I hear Men's Health has a recent article. It's nice to see this stuff hit some of the mainstream media, but that won't stop my wife and coworkers from making fun of me. GO BLUE!</div>Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-9664647870629589322011-03-23T06:13:00.000-07:002011-03-23T06:14:53.782-07:00My Barefoot Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjG3XT55VTM_WgIOCnVbEbkIhWtWMuWhVtaN3nzSUmjbw_OY6de7aI_rReOGIPt24JxJ7355PnEeiU5t1OZltCnkFGB5erPIPMmVl3B874mC-HseVKrz4mO8WVQJ-ssf9TGpzECjYc4TY/s1600/barefoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjG3XT55VTM_WgIOCnVbEbkIhWtWMuWhVtaN3nzSUmjbw_OY6de7aI_rReOGIPt24JxJ7355PnEeiU5t1OZltCnkFGB5erPIPMmVl3B874mC-HseVKrz4mO8WVQJ-ssf9TGpzECjYc4TY/s1600/barefoot.jpg" /></a></div>The plans are coming along nicely. I wasn't sure this would happen, but just recently I had two breakthroughs. I got in to see Steve at Running Fit. He has agreed to sponsor the event. This will open up the mailing list to a whole lot of runners in Michigan. He mentioned that they couldn't keep the Vibram Five Fingers in stock and that the Vibram rep might be interested in getting involved. The very next day my neighbor informed me that the U of M Police Benevolent Association is looking for a race to sponsor! It looks like things are moving forward now. The Race date is not set, but it will most likely be July 17th or 24th. Feel free to go to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ann-Arbor-Barefoot-Runners/170531699666078">facebook page</a>.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-3303428585364664622011-03-16T10:50:00.000-07:002011-03-16T10:50:19.298-07:00My Health AssessmentThis is my first real experience where my beliefs have posed a dilemna in the real world. I had to fill out a questionaire for my insurance company. It was upsetting for me to think that I had to lie in order to pass the "good health" test. Here are some of the questions that Primal Lifestyle conflicts with CV;<br />
1) When you are outside in the sun do you always wear sunscreen?<br />
2) Do you consume X number of Whole Grains?<br />
3) Do you salt your food?<br />
4) Do you consume bacon?<br />
As you can imagine, even after exagerating or outright fibbing I need to use sunscreen, eat more whole grains, stop using salt, cut down on animal fats and lose weight. Yea, I love the BMI calculations. So I guess I need to change my lifestyle back to a vegan with no muscle mass! I essentially feel powerless to challenge this because their guidelines are based on everything I know is wrong, but they can charge me more money every month if I don't conform.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-77577606680028070512011-03-09T09:49:00.000-08:002011-03-09T09:49:47.114-08:00Life's Benchmark MomentsI had my 45th Birthday on the 27th. I consider this the half way point in my life. It got me thinking about everything I have done, wished I'd done and could have done if I focused. I realized there is a lot more life ahead of me and I was going to figure out some new goals and work towards them. I also realized that I have been handicapped by being an addict of one kind or another. At this point alcohol was my only crutch and it was a problem, so I decided to quit. Not for a while, but forever. That is quite a goal. It has been my biggest roadblock for being truly Primal. Whether you think drinking is okay or not really depends on your disposition to being an addict. Some people, like myself, can't have just one. If you can't have just one then it is a problem. That goes for anything. I also lost my mother to old age this last weekend. I have been practicing the Primal Lifestyle for a year now. It all seems to point towards an opportunity to begin a new era in my life. I don't know what all 2011 has to hold, but it looks like it will be a significant year in my life.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-18689362950101456382011-02-24T05:31:00.000-08:002011-02-24T05:32:09.635-08:00Breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aBjKuYLrTHBK_cvClOmNFiMH-2G3RrDDSavvogSnJsiH_BCJkMyCLkTd4ofOGMITvEbh_7m82gYkg1_LvtsE0Uwr5istj_xYsRlnhVW73UkNrUtnbfAR2_v3JDj1TJec4NKDFQRhdno/s1600/Picture+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aBjKuYLrTHBK_cvClOmNFiMH-2G3RrDDSavvogSnJsiH_BCJkMyCLkTd4ofOGMITvEbh_7m82gYkg1_LvtsE0Uwr5istj_xYsRlnhVW73UkNrUtnbfAR2_v3JDj1TJec4NKDFQRhdno/s320/Picture+042.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> This is a great breakfast and everyone in my family seems to enjoy it. That is not always the case when it comes to Primal meals. Today I used Zingermann's Bacon. A bit pricey, but it helps to have the extra flavorful bacon. I but those around the outside, then put in chopped peppers, but any veggies will do. Next I scrambled 4 eggs, 1/2 per, with a little cheese scrambled into the eggs. No milk. I then bake it in the oven for 15 min at 450° to get the bacon crispy and 15 min at 300°. Take it out of the oven and let it cool before removing. Like I said, there are many variations on this and I would have put Portabellas in if I had any.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosAt41VRb7ysMmHMJfpMJb2nWaWHnU-W0cOa7VDPOCOgocEEpZixDbYMlq98ij0rLyFt91yZZWiles9yFr3B9r4C_rW7lhqhCOL4keqKheZ-7YXIBz6RycyDhJ8nba0avLhr84u2Mg0A/s1600/Picture+047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosAt41VRb7ysMmHMJfpMJb2nWaWHnU-W0cOa7VDPOCOgocEEpZixDbYMlq98ij0rLyFt91yZZWiles9yFr3B9r4C_rW7lhqhCOL4keqKheZ-7YXIBz6RycyDhJ8nba0avLhr84u2Mg0A/s400/Picture+047.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-39297977669494685912011-02-16T13:14:00.000-08:002011-02-16T13:14:29.335-08:00Update Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2qEyOq-mI_7TliMF1RZJRriXVFtyLqDaDGd9EmH0KUwYkDTWQ8QsCYxdsRDSCd66-0EMJI_X8RM3inhPEaC_0d5mJcFID_Q7kuID8aMWzZ8D4i-bXcq8aYRN_l7BF0kMR2jC5G_pqKA/s1600/Picture+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2qEyOq-mI_7TliMF1RZJRriXVFtyLqDaDGd9EmH0KUwYkDTWQ8QsCYxdsRDSCd66-0EMJI_X8RM3inhPEaC_0d5mJcFID_Q7kuID8aMWzZ8D4i-bXcq8aYRN_l7BF0kMR2jC5G_pqKA/s320/Picture+027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is the table of goodies from the party on Saturday. I am including this because it is the same stuff I have had at every party for years. This shows the difficulty of going Primal on your own. I made the Bruschetta so I had to eat a couple of the steak ones to make sure they were good, but mostly stuck to the good cheese, the meat tray and some sushi. I did eat quite a bit of the fatty steak pieces I trimmed off in order to curb my appetite before the party started. I drank hard cider, sake, tequila and wine, but no beer. While I had my own challenges I thought it rather ironic that the rest of the crowd was on weight watchers. The irony being that they brought desserts etc. On Sunday, with a slight hangover, I got out to Kensington for the first outdoor barefoot run of the year. The weather reached 40°, which was actually really nice after wind chills of -25° just a week earlier. I did wear my Vibrams and felt pretty comfortable during the run. However, once I put my socks and shoes back on my toes started to sting as they warmed up. It was worth it. As far as my weight is concerned, I am still at 190. Not sure how much of fat loss is being offset by increased weights, but probably not too much. I turn 45 in 11 days and wanted to be at 180. Guess 185 is going to be more realistic. I am getting pretty excited about Spring being just around the corner. We have a warm up coming and I hope to take advantage of that at least a little bit.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-39130477812885791512011-01-26T07:36:00.000-08:002011-01-26T07:36:20.066-08:00Not Feeling Well This WeekI can definitely confirm I have a cold. I am once again tracking this for the record. Also, I am following the philosophy that I should not take any medication, but just let my body do what comes naturally. I have been drinking plenty of fluids. Mostly in the form of tea, but also water and a little Sprite, but I only drank half because I can't get past the thought of the HFCS. My wife had it and gave it to me and Haylee. It's too bad we caught it 'cause I was just thinking how great it was that no one in my household had been sick this winter. I am laying off the exercise and getting a lot of sleep, but I am going to work even though I would love to just hang out at home.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-86726063256721682772011-01-10T12:35:00.000-08:002011-01-10T12:37:26.154-08:00Primal Snack W/ a Twist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-su7SiTvhNEtJ8g-cDxxMlk0NSAQ3i1E6TVR0nEqldN-71o3C_2W4XHqmiQNJX0ih4OKnBFXCkW5lS1Kog8iUK2tVuWHwodJRUl4S3wW0b76KEo9VccLHE9SzytifMsAnZYQlcqdkMc/s1600/Picture+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-su7SiTvhNEtJ8g-cDxxMlk0NSAQ3i1E6TVR0nEqldN-71o3C_2W4XHqmiQNJX0ih4OKnBFXCkW5lS1Kog8iUK2tVuWHwodJRUl4S3wW0b76KEo9VccLHE9SzytifMsAnZYQlcqdkMc/s320/Picture+018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I have already shown this before, but I came up with a new twist! First, I wrap the chicken square and Jalapeno in bacon, then skewer it. I then put it on a deep dished pan so the grease drips off. Next, I put it in the preheated 300° oven for 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes are up I add the asparagus to the bacon grease and add a little garlic to it and place it back in the oven for another 15 minutes. I recommend making a Primal dipping sauce. I used a BBQ sauce I found without HFCS, but it still had other ingredients we don't really want. I washed it down with a hard cider. BTW, I made a lot more than this, but forgot to take the picture until this point. I hate it when I do that.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-13176548387604360272011-01-03T09:39:00.000-08:002011-01-03T09:39:41.853-08:00New Years ResolutionsBe more Primal and fast more often. That's about it. I got back to 194 over the Holidays. I am going to get down to 180 by end of January. It helps that I am taking the <a href="http://hunter-gatherer.com/blog/get-ready-2011-paleo-challenge">Primal Challenge</a> from John Durant's site. I think that combined with some fasting will be sufficient. Especially knowing that 5 of those pounds are from this weekend and if I act right away they should drop quickly. I imagine they are water weight and cookie weight. I tried to stay away from non-primal foods, but I went to a few parties in the last few days and it was hard to avoid the carbs even though I was careful and not glutenous, but the alcohol definitely didn't help.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-46988000629035756632010-12-23T07:05:00.000-08:002010-12-23T07:05:06.229-08:00Holidays and the Issues InvolvedEating 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).Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-47607309861975898562010-12-09T06:22:00.000-08:002010-12-09T06:22:38.313-08:00Where To BeginAnd How? I am inspired to write this after reading <a href="http://girlgoneprimal.blogspot.com/">Girl Gone Primal</a> 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 <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/">Mark's</a> and <a href="http://movnat.com/">Ewan's</a> 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. <br />
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! <br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-22075265941285199572010-12-02T10:58:00.000-08:002010-12-02T10:58:43.423-08:00I'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...Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-25560339263353321062010-11-17T11:10:00.000-08:002010-11-17T11:13:20.648-08:00Mexican Lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVArkHZFEm8pNuXDLA_WQLh5pbWX27v8BqHwRqDb7pmWjaTC6r6VWm8CYJcUjt6vEy08smi0xuY7Vr-m1tVRBU-2EKm2NQH8CcE7CEp2YT319r0vFBPIqsXJP0zskAQ2elE2LE6IxmTE/s1600/Picture+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVArkHZFEm8pNuXDLA_WQLh5pbWX27v8BqHwRqDb7pmWjaTC6r6VWm8CYJcUjt6vEy08smi0xuY7Vr-m1tVRBU-2EKm2NQH8CcE7CEp2YT319r0vFBPIqsXJP0zskAQ2elE2LE6IxmTE/s320/Picture+024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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 <a href="http://www.annarborsabor.com/">Sabor Latino</a> 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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-43769024448431853292010-11-12T05:47:00.000-08:002010-11-12T05:47:02.062-08:00Weight Issues UpdatedI 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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-45133869625478579632010-11-04T07:33:00.000-07:002010-11-04T07:34:45.076-07:00Weight IssuesI 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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-60650186984657259862010-11-03T11:32:00.000-07:002010-11-03T11:32:20.772-07:00Godaiko Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMYcAAxUxEEA2ALx1WT5DoLe5OiSSaaxG5iqjkFxGTnFJO5I03YtYv_ZsKnqY3SNYKnSydBzXo2BC7z6HIcf-KvLYxPoIg0vivosT9gIBlhm2p0p2_zfWppbiI50ZEQWZzsNyJOupCcs/s1600/godaiko2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMYcAAxUxEEA2ALx1WT5DoLe5OiSSaaxG5iqjkFxGTnFJO5I03YtYv_ZsKnqY3SNYKnSydBzXo2BC7z6HIcf-KvLYxPoIg0vivosT9gIBlhm2p0p2_zfWppbiI50ZEQWZzsNyJOupCcs/s320/godaiko2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208654121833016033.post-73741932987039069742010-10-27T05:46:00.000-07:002010-10-27T05:46:45.895-07:00Godaiko Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSSFeyyLwl6JjEXsDcGRZbilyqDvn6lwrF4HVljpPGCBDHwySg_B8X-HCEWMkqCaxnUqDTzez9Xroj0QO1p1V4FF_gtpcT_JAk-7W9XjXC6GRTgT-A9ticd8HZfCFngyXG-u9p1uZ9Fc/s1600/Picture+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSSFeyyLwl6JjEXsDcGRZbilyqDvn6lwrF4HVljpPGCBDHwySg_B8X-HCEWMkqCaxnUqDTzez9Xroj0QO1p1V4FF_gtpcT_JAk-7W9XjXC6GRTgT-A9ticd8HZfCFngyXG-u9p1uZ9Fc/s320/Picture+016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.mygodaiko.com/">Godaiko</a> 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.Doug Hartmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192561751150970489noreply@blogger.com0