Kettlebell Getups - 2 x 12 kg bell, 16 x 1, 24 x 4
Swing Practice - 20 sets of 7-8 reps, no limit on rests between sets using 12 kg bell x 5 sets, 16 x 5, 18 x 5, 24 x 5
Farmers Walk - 24 kg x 2 - 300 paces, 1 stop halfway.
I teach Yoga, Hardstyle Kettlebells and barbells.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
more variety week
20 sets 5/5 Military Press, 10 2-hand swings. 1st 5 rounds with 12 kg bell, last 15 rounds with 16 kg bell.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Intermittent Fasting (IF)
Finishing up 2 weeks of Intermittent Fasting (IF). IF is a method of eating where you eat during a fixed 8-hour time period and fast the other 16 hours of the day. You can chose any 8-hour stretch, I chose 11am-7pm since it was close to the way I was naturally eating.
Benefits of IF (Dr. Mercola) are:
Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity - an important factor in creating optimal health
Increased Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production. " HGH plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism."
Normalizing ghrelin levels - also known as "the hunger hormone" - this helps to reduce sugar cravings.
Lowering triglyceride levels - Preserving memory functioning and learning
My personal experience pretty much validates everything written above. By the 3rd day of IF my appetite was severely diminished, almost non-existent. I didn't even realize it but as the days flew by I was eating less and less. After 2 weeks of IF I had to tell myself what I tell a lot of people who contact me about their diet, I was under-eating! I knew I was under-eating because by the 10th day of IF I started waking up in the middle of the night with moderate to severe hunger! One thing is for sure, if I am hungry in the middle of the night it means I am not eating enough during the day. I believe it is a good thing to feel hunger on a regular basis but not if it disrupts my sleep. I've always had a good appetite and never had to worry about under-eating, it was over-eating that I struggled with. I was surprised to find myself having to force down food just so I could get at least 2000 calories a day of nutrient dense foods. I think my daily intake got as low as 1500-1800 calories which is way too low for my lean bodyweight and is counter to my main training goal which is to constantly get stronger.
Interesting thing is that I think I actually gained muscle and lost fat while practicing IF with a reduced calorie load! I don't weigh myself very regularly but I am currently 160 lbs and I believe leaner than I have been in my entire life. I was hovering around 152-155 in the weeks following the 2 weeks of IF but am not totally sure of my weight from that time period. I do remember weighing myself about a month ago and I was worried that I would drop below 155. If I am 160 after 2 weeks of IF something very interesting must of happened within my body. I do think there is something to the idea that IF improves HGH production, I can think of no other reason why I didn't lose weight and strength while unintentionally eating a reduced calorie load.
If you are going to practice IF as a method of weight loss it is very important to know when you are going to eat and stick to that schedule. If you are eating 11am -7pm like I did it is important to get that first meal in at 11am sharp and eat that last meal at 7pm sharp as well. You should try to get at least 2 more meals in during the 8-hour eating period even if they are just moderately sized snacks although a full sized meal is best. I think it is a bad idea to eat only at 11am and 7pm, this can easily lead to over-eating when it comes time to eat which is what we are trying to conquer when practicing IF. You don't need to perfectly schedule your meals but a good schedule looks like this:
11am - Meal #1 - make this a full-sized meal, with a fatty/protein source as the base of the meal
1-2pm Meal #2 - full meal or snack.
4-5pm Meal #3 - full meal or snack
7pm Meal #4 full-sized meal, the bigger the better. Again focusing on nutrient dense foods.
I am going to continue practicing IF, it seems like a natural way to eat for me. I am going to go off of the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet. My health has improved greatly after doing a month of 50/50 but such a low carbohydrate intake is killing my appetite and the last thing I want to do is find myself eating any less than I was during the end period of IF. I am going to start adding in safe-starches to my diet, about 300-400 calories a day of rice or potatoes.
Summarizing, I recommend IF for people who are
1) overweight
2) dealing with insulin/leptin related health isses
3) overcoming sugar addiction
I can not recommend IF for anybody who has under-eating issues. IF severely affects your appetite and if an under-eater finds themselves hungry in the middle of the night they should wake up and eat! The last thing I want is an under-eater to find themselves eating even less. If you are as lean as you want and have your sugar-cravings under control it is probably best to stick with a traditional eating schedule, simply eating when hungry works great.
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx
Benefits of IF (Dr. Mercola) are:
Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity - an important factor in creating optimal health
Increased Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production. " HGH plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism."
Normalizing ghrelin levels - also known as "the hunger hormone" - this helps to reduce sugar cravings.
Lowering triglyceride levels - Preserving memory functioning and learning
My personal experience pretty much validates everything written above. By the 3rd day of IF my appetite was severely diminished, almost non-existent. I didn't even realize it but as the days flew by I was eating less and less. After 2 weeks of IF I had to tell myself what I tell a lot of people who contact me about their diet, I was under-eating! I knew I was under-eating because by the 10th day of IF I started waking up in the middle of the night with moderate to severe hunger! One thing is for sure, if I am hungry in the middle of the night it means I am not eating enough during the day. I believe it is a good thing to feel hunger on a regular basis but not if it disrupts my sleep. I've always had a good appetite and never had to worry about under-eating, it was over-eating that I struggled with. I was surprised to find myself having to force down food just so I could get at least 2000 calories a day of nutrient dense foods. I think my daily intake got as low as 1500-1800 calories which is way too low for my lean bodyweight and is counter to my main training goal which is to constantly get stronger.
Interesting thing is that I think I actually gained muscle and lost fat while practicing IF with a reduced calorie load! I don't weigh myself very regularly but I am currently 160 lbs and I believe leaner than I have been in my entire life. I was hovering around 152-155 in the weeks following the 2 weeks of IF but am not totally sure of my weight from that time period. I do remember weighing myself about a month ago and I was worried that I would drop below 155. If I am 160 after 2 weeks of IF something very interesting must of happened within my body. I do think there is something to the idea that IF improves HGH production, I can think of no other reason why I didn't lose weight and strength while unintentionally eating a reduced calorie load.
If you are going to practice IF as a method of weight loss it is very important to know when you are going to eat and stick to that schedule. If you are eating 11am -7pm like I did it is important to get that first meal in at 11am sharp and eat that last meal at 7pm sharp as well. You should try to get at least 2 more meals in during the 8-hour eating period even if they are just moderately sized snacks although a full sized meal is best. I think it is a bad idea to eat only at 11am and 7pm, this can easily lead to over-eating when it comes time to eat which is what we are trying to conquer when practicing IF. You don't need to perfectly schedule your meals but a good schedule looks like this:
11am - Meal #1 - make this a full-sized meal, with a fatty/protein source as the base of the meal
1-2pm Meal #2 - full meal or snack.
4-5pm Meal #3 - full meal or snack
7pm Meal #4 full-sized meal, the bigger the better. Again focusing on nutrient dense foods.
I am going to continue practicing IF, it seems like a natural way to eat for me. I am going to go off of the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet. My health has improved greatly after doing a month of 50/50 but such a low carbohydrate intake is killing my appetite and the last thing I want to do is find myself eating any less than I was during the end period of IF. I am going to start adding in safe-starches to my diet, about 300-400 calories a day of rice or potatoes.
Summarizing, I recommend IF for people who are
1) overweight
2) dealing with insulin/leptin related health isses
3) overcoming sugar addiction
I can not recommend IF for anybody who has under-eating issues. IF severely affects your appetite and if an under-eater finds themselves hungry in the middle of the night they should wake up and eat! The last thing I want is an under-eater to find themselves eating even less. If you are as lean as you want and have your sugar-cravings under control it is probably best to stick with a traditional eating schedule, simply eating when hungry works great.
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Variety week
Every 4th week of my training I like to mix it up and back off on the intensity a little bit. This minimizes the chance of injuries and allows the body to fully recover from all the work done during weeks 1-3.
200 kettlebell snatches, 20 sets of 5/5 reps with the following bells: 12kg x 4 sets, 16kg x 4, 18 kg x 4, 24 kg x 4, finishing with 1 set each of 12kg, 16, 18 and 24.
Military Press - 10 sets of 5/5 using 12kg x 1, 16kg x 3, 18 kg x 4 + 2 sets with the 24 kg, 3/3 reps + 2/1 reps
Farmers Walk - 24 kg left hand , 28 kg right hand - 300 paces, stopping 2x.
200 kettlebell snatches, 20 sets of 5/5 reps with the following bells: 12kg x 4 sets, 16kg x 4, 18 kg x 4, 24 kg x 4, finishing with 1 set each of 12kg, 16, 18 and 24.
Military Press - 10 sets of 5/5 using 12kg x 1, 16kg x 3, 18 kg x 4 + 2 sets with the 24 kg, 3/3 reps + 2/1 reps
Farmers Walk - 24 kg left hand , 28 kg right hand - 300 paces, stopping 2x.
A macro breakdown of ZenKahunas lunch. A superior Vegan!
ZenKahuna shares his typical lunch in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MOHKpxwHQ
Greens - 25 calories - 15 calories complex carbs, 10 calories protein, 0 calories fat
Water-sautéed vegetables - 75 calories - 50 calories complex carbs, 25 cals protein
Green/white beans 100 calories - complex carbs 75 calories complex carbs, 25 calories protein
1.5 ounce raw nuts - 200 calories - 140 calories fats, 30 calories complex carbs, 30 calories protein
ZenKahuna recommends adding nuts to every salad to help increase micronutrient absorption. I think this is a solid recommendation as the fats will cause the body to release more digestive enzymes when compared to eating the salad by itself.
400 total calories
140 calories from fats
170 calories from complex carbs
90 calories from protein
35% fats
42.5 complex carbs (low glycemic index!)
22.5% protein
I prefer to get closer to 50% of my daily energy needs from fats but if a person is going to eat lower fat than this they must derive their carbohydrates from true complex carbs like ZenKahuna does! This minimizes the blood-sugar roller-coaster caused by a high-starch/sugar diet.
It should be noted that there is a big difference between green/white beans and the typical beans people are attracted to such as black/lentil/kidney beans. An ounce of raw green beans can be as low as 10 calories, an ounce of white beans, 20 calories/ounce. An ounce of black beans can have as much as 100 calories per ounce. This is what makes the difference between a complex and simple carbohydrate, the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MOHKpxwHQ
Greens - 25 calories - 15 calories complex carbs, 10 calories protein, 0 calories fat
Water-sautéed vegetables - 75 calories - 50 calories complex carbs, 25 cals protein
Green/white beans 100 calories - complex carbs 75 calories complex carbs, 25 calories protein
1.5 ounce raw nuts - 200 calories - 140 calories fats, 30 calories complex carbs, 30 calories protein
ZenKahuna recommends adding nuts to every salad to help increase micronutrient absorption. I think this is a solid recommendation as the fats will cause the body to release more digestive enzymes when compared to eating the salad by itself.
400 total calories
140 calories from fats
170 calories from complex carbs
90 calories from protein
35% fats
42.5 complex carbs (low glycemic index!)
22.5% protein
I prefer to get closer to 50% of my daily energy needs from fats but if a person is going to eat lower fat than this they must derive their carbohydrates from true complex carbs like ZenKahuna does! This minimizes the blood-sugar roller-coaster caused by a high-starch/sugar diet.
It should be noted that there is a big difference between green/white beans and the typical beans people are attracted to such as black/lentil/kidney beans. An ounce of raw green beans can be as low as 10 calories, an ounce of white beans, 20 calories/ounce. An ounce of black beans can have as much as 100 calories per ounce. This is what makes the difference between a complex and simple carbohydrate, the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Getups, swing practice and awkward Farmer Walks
Kettlebell Getups - 9 rounds each side - 12kg, 16kg, 18kg, 24kg, 28kg , 12kg, 16kg, 24kg, 28kg
2-hand Swing drill - 3 deadlifts, 2 pendulum swings + 1 full swing, 5 power-swing, 5 consecutive swings 6 rounds with - 12 kg, 16kg, 24kg, 12kg, 16kg, 24kg
Awkward Farmer Walk (uneven weight) 300 paces with 24 kg left hand, 28 kg right side, stopping to rest 3 times.
2-hand Swing drill - 3 deadlifts, 2 pendulum swings + 1 full swing, 5 power-swing, 5 consecutive swings 6 rounds with - 12 kg, 16kg, 24kg, 12kg, 16kg, 24kg
Awkward Farmer Walk (uneven weight) 300 paces with 24 kg left hand, 28 kg right side, stopping to rest 3 times.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Wave-loading getups, swing practice and Farmer Walks
Feeling good!
Getups 12 kg, 16, 18, 24, 12, 16, 24, 28 (right side only), 24, 28 (right side only)
Swing practice - 3 deadlifts, 3 pendulum swings + 1 full swing x 3, 5 power swings, 5 consecutive swings for 6 rounds with 12kg, 16, 18, 24, 24, 24kg bell
Farmer Walks 300 consecutive paces with 24kgx2, 100 paces with 24-left/28-right.
Getups 12 kg, 16, 18, 24, 12, 16, 24, 28 (right side only), 24, 28 (right side only)
Swing practice - 3 deadlifts, 3 pendulum swings + 1 full swing x 3, 5 power swings, 5 consecutive swings for 6 rounds with 12kg, 16, 18, 24, 24, 24kg bell
Farmer Walks 300 consecutive paces with 24kgx2, 100 paces with 24-left/28-right.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
How sugar, fructose and carbs in general speed up the aging process.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/06/cutting-carbohydrates-from-your-diet-can-make-you-live-longer.aspx
"New research on aging suggests that carbohydrates influence two key genes that directly affect longevity and youthfulness"
http://www.lewrockwell.com/2011/05/joseph-mercola/to-switch-on-your-youth-gene-avoid-carbs/
"Carbohydrates (glucose) directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity! So, you may actually be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple dietary change that switches on your “youth” gene."
http://www.ergo-log.com/lowcarbhealth.html
"Animal studies have shown a relationship between carbohydrate intake and aging, or more precisely, a relationship between the hormones that are activated by carbohydrates and aging."
http://www.rajeun.net/aadiet.html
"How Carbohydrates (Sugar), Proteins, Fat, Fiber, and Water in Your Food affect Growth Hormone, Insulin, Cortisol, Cholesterol, and Oxygen in Your Blood and Determine Your State of Health, How Fast You Will Age, and When You Will Die"
http://holdthetoast.com/content/the_unsung_benefit_of_avoiding_carbs
"A low carb diet is likely to be very, very good for you if:
* You carry your fat disproportionately on your abdomen
* You are hungry within 60 - 90 minutes of eating carbs
* You have serious energy slumps -- especially slumps that happen at a predictable time every day"
http://saludify.com/ketogenic-diet-aging/
"Over the years, studies have found that restricting calories slows aging and increases longevity—however the mechanism of this effect has remained elusive,” Verdin said in a statement. “Here, we find that βOHB—the body’s major source of energy during exercise or fasting—blocks a class of enzymes that would otherwise promote oxidative stress, thus protecting cells from aging.”
http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/1/post/2013/05/aging-gracefully-with-carbohydrate-restriction-and-mind-body-exercise.html
"Menopause and perimenopause, the 5-10 year period preceding it, often result in decreased insulin sensitivity, particularly in those predisposed to endocrine imbalances. Recent research indicates that decreasing levels of estrogen lead to insulin resistance and impaired carbohydrate tolerance even among nonobese menopausal women. Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is an obvious result; it's difficult to ignore your pants getting tighter even if you're not weighing yourself regularly. What many women are less aware of (unless they're testing with a glucometer) are elevated blood sugar levels after eating."
http://voices.yahoo.com/nutrition-foods-anti-aging-health-benefits-8590947.html
"First, to get any anti-aging properties from our diet, we must know what food to avoid. The single biggest culprit that causes aging and the appearance of aging is sugar. This doesn't mean just the white granulated stuff in your canister on the counter either. High fructose corn syrup is even worse for the body than sugar, because it has the same negative effect on insulin in the body as well as having the negative effects that corn itself can cause for aging the body."
http://jerrymondo.tripod.com/lgev/id15.html
"Fructose has been hypothesized to cause obesity [2], elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, leading to metabolic syndrome. Unlike animal experiments, some human experiments have failed to show a correlation between fructose consumption and obesity. Short term tests, lack of dietary control, and lack of a non-fructose consuming control group are all confounding factors in human experiments. However, there are now a number of reports showing correlation of fructose consumption to obesity, especially central obesity which is generally regarded as the most dangerous type."
http://www.alternative-doctor.com/anti-ageing/carbocontrol.html
"Carbohydrate is the main killer in the average Western diet, not fat. Eskimos and other aboriginal people with very high fat levels in their diet do not suffer degenerative artery disease in the way we do in the civilized world. However misinformation and ignorance abounds. Whatever science you read extolling the supposed benefits of carbohydrates, this will always refer to complex carbohydrates (meaning whole grains). This also overlooks the fact that many people are intolerant to grains. Despite all the propaganda, even whole grains are not “natural” foods at all. Man evolved as a hunter gatherer and grains have only been in our diet for the last 10,000 years or so. Many people cannot digest grains but get unpleasant reactions."
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/4/1210.abstract
Cross-sectional studies indicate that diets that provide a higher dietary glycemic index (dGI) are associated with a greater risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
"New research on aging suggests that carbohydrates influence two key genes that directly affect longevity and youthfulness"
http://www.lewrockwell.com/2011/05/joseph-mercola/to-switch-on-your-youth-gene-avoid-carbs/
"Carbohydrates (glucose) directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity! So, you may actually be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple dietary change that switches on your “youth” gene."
http://www.ergo-log.com/lowcarbhealth.html
"Animal studies have shown a relationship between carbohydrate intake and aging, or more precisely, a relationship between the hormones that are activated by carbohydrates and aging."
http://www.rajeun.net/aadiet.html
"How Carbohydrates (Sugar), Proteins, Fat, Fiber, and Water in Your Food affect Growth Hormone, Insulin, Cortisol, Cholesterol, and Oxygen in Your Blood and Determine Your State of Health, How Fast You Will Age, and When You Will Die"
http://holdthetoast.com/content/the_unsung_benefit_of_avoiding_carbs
"A low carb diet is likely to be very, very good for you if:
* You carry your fat disproportionately on your abdomen
* You are hungry within 60 - 90 minutes of eating carbs
* You have serious energy slumps -- especially slumps that happen at a predictable time every day"
http://saludify.com/ketogenic-diet-aging/
"Over the years, studies have found that restricting calories slows aging and increases longevity—however the mechanism of this effect has remained elusive,” Verdin said in a statement. “Here, we find that βOHB—the body’s major source of energy during exercise or fasting—blocks a class of enzymes that would otherwise promote oxidative stress, thus protecting cells from aging.”
http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/1/post/2013/05/aging-gracefully-with-carbohydrate-restriction-and-mind-body-exercise.html
"Menopause and perimenopause, the 5-10 year period preceding it, often result in decreased insulin sensitivity, particularly in those predisposed to endocrine imbalances. Recent research indicates that decreasing levels of estrogen lead to insulin resistance and impaired carbohydrate tolerance even among nonobese menopausal women. Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is an obvious result; it's difficult to ignore your pants getting tighter even if you're not weighing yourself regularly. What many women are less aware of (unless they're testing with a glucometer) are elevated blood sugar levels after eating."
http://voices.yahoo.com/nutrition-foods-anti-aging-health-benefits-8590947.html
"First, to get any anti-aging properties from our diet, we must know what food to avoid. The single biggest culprit that causes aging and the appearance of aging is sugar. This doesn't mean just the white granulated stuff in your canister on the counter either. High fructose corn syrup is even worse for the body than sugar, because it has the same negative effect on insulin in the body as well as having the negative effects that corn itself can cause for aging the body."
http://jerrymondo.tripod.com/lgev/id15.html
"Fructose has been hypothesized to cause obesity [2], elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, leading to metabolic syndrome. Unlike animal experiments, some human experiments have failed to show a correlation between fructose consumption and obesity. Short term tests, lack of dietary control, and lack of a non-fructose consuming control group are all confounding factors in human experiments. However, there are now a number of reports showing correlation of fructose consumption to obesity, especially central obesity which is generally regarded as the most dangerous type."
http://www.alternative-doctor.com/anti-ageing/carbocontrol.html
"Carbohydrate is the main killer in the average Western diet, not fat. Eskimos and other aboriginal people with very high fat levels in their diet do not suffer degenerative artery disease in the way we do in the civilized world. However misinformation and ignorance abounds. Whatever science you read extolling the supposed benefits of carbohydrates, this will always refer to complex carbohydrates (meaning whole grains). This also overlooks the fact that many people are intolerant to grains. Despite all the propaganda, even whole grains are not “natural” foods at all. Man evolved as a hunter gatherer and grains have only been in our diet for the last 10,000 years or so. Many people cannot digest grains but get unpleasant reactions."
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/4/1210.abstract
Cross-sectional studies indicate that diets that provide a higher dietary glycemic index (dGI) are associated with a greater risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
What hatha yoga is and is not.
What I am going to say here about hatha Yoga goes against what most yoga teachers teach. You will not meet many people who know the sheer volume of yoga teachers and students that I have met. I think my opinion is valid and based on experience.
Hatha Yoga should not be used as a massage or a method of self-stimulation. Your yoga class should not be your hiding place. A yoga class is a place to practice yoga, connect with friends and then move on with your day. You should practice your yoga and then put it down until the next class. If you are showing up to yoga class an hour early, practicing for 90 minutes and then floating around the yoga school for another hour you have a problem that is of an addictive nature.
When you practice yoga you should not be attempting to reach some sort of altered state, you should be reaching for your natural state. The natural state is a combination of tension and relaxation, not just relaxation! A hatha yoga practice is a strong practice, it turns weak people into strong people. It takes discipline and effort!
The benefits of a dedicated yoga practice lie in its progressive nature. If you are coming to class day after day and not seeing improvements in technique or body you need to take a serious look at your practice and make some changes. You could argue that you are making powerful changes to your mind but I have yet to meet a yogi who uses yoga as therapeutic tool that does not still need to see a therapist! Yoga is therapeutic but should not be used as a substitute for therapy with a professional.
If there is any therapeutic value in a yoga class it lies in the relationships you make with other students. There is nothing more powerful than realizing that your problems are almost always shared and universal.
Hatha Yoga should not be used as a massage or a method of self-stimulation. Your yoga class should not be your hiding place. A yoga class is a place to practice yoga, connect with friends and then move on with your day. You should practice your yoga and then put it down until the next class. If you are showing up to yoga class an hour early, practicing for 90 minutes and then floating around the yoga school for another hour you have a problem that is of an addictive nature.
When you practice yoga you should not be attempting to reach some sort of altered state, you should be reaching for your natural state. The natural state is a combination of tension and relaxation, not just relaxation! A hatha yoga practice is a strong practice, it turns weak people into strong people. It takes discipline and effort!
The benefits of a dedicated yoga practice lie in its progressive nature. If you are coming to class day after day and not seeing improvements in technique or body you need to take a serious look at your practice and make some changes. You could argue that you are making powerful changes to your mind but I have yet to meet a yogi who uses yoga as therapeutic tool that does not still need to see a therapist! Yoga is therapeutic but should not be used as a substitute for therapy with a professional.
If there is any therapeutic value in a yoga class it lies in the relationships you make with other students. There is nothing more powerful than realizing that your problems are almost always shared and universal.
Raw Milk
The one food I eat regularly but am still somewhat on the fence about is raw milk. About 80% of the experts I follow recommend drinking raw, unpasteurized milk but the other 20% are insistent that it should be avoided. The argument is that no other animal in nature drinks another animals milk! Almost all carnivores will eat another animals eggs if they get lucky enough to find them but these same animals only drink their mothers milk, not the milk of another animal. This is a solid argument against raw milk but I have decided to continue drinking it. If I had any pro-raw-milk arguments it would lie in the fact that as the worlds top predator we get certain benefits that other animals do not get. Yes, I am against almost all man-made agricultural products but I consider raw milk to be a product of nature.
Benefits of raw milk
Digests easily
High amounts of fats and protein
Great source of probiotics.
If you have been following what I write you will know I put much more value into eating probiotic foods than most people. I consider raw milk and raw eggs to be my main source of probiotics. I guess I am attracted to foods you can just gulp down easily and get a giant dose of macro and micronutrients.
If I did decide to transition off of raw milk I would start eating more fermented dairy products, particularly organic full-fat plain yogurt. The same experts that are against drinking raw milk tend to be very pro-fermented dairy. Yogurt is great but it takes some effort to eat what I consider a serving, about 16 ounces. (less than 300 calories) Nothing compares to the ease of drinking a few glasses of raw milk!
Benefits of raw milk
Digests easily
High amounts of fats and protein
Great source of probiotics.
If you have been following what I write you will know I put much more value into eating probiotic foods than most people. I consider raw milk and raw eggs to be my main source of probiotics. I guess I am attracted to foods you can just gulp down easily and get a giant dose of macro and micronutrients.
If I did decide to transition off of raw milk I would start eating more fermented dairy products, particularly organic full-fat plain yogurt. The same experts that are against drinking raw milk tend to be very pro-fermented dairy. Yogurt is great but it takes some effort to eat what I consider a serving, about 16 ounces. (less than 300 calories) Nothing compares to the ease of drinking a few glasses of raw milk!
Intermittent fasting (IF) experiment day #2.
Feeling good overall, not as hungry as I would of thought during the evening and morning fasting hours. I'm sure a person on the standard American diet, with plenty of the typical night-time eating, would find themselves very hungry these first few nights w/o food. Lucky for me I stopped night-time eating a few months ago so the transition was easy.
I'm going to schedule my meals today to make sure I get enough energy (calories). I don't think I ate enough volume yesterday and I am definitely not experimenting with IF to lose weight. Basing most of my diet on big green salads, grass-fed beef and organic raw eggs. The eggs are quite important on this plan because they are so easy to consume and have a good amount of healthy fats and protein.
Diet looks pretty much like this on both days. The Sat/Sun yoga classes I teach conflict with my 11am break-fast so that is why I started with eggs a little earlier than planned.
10am 4 raw eggs, green tea
12am 4 raw eggs
2:30pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass-fed carne asada
430pm 4 strips uncured bacon
6pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass fed carne asada
6:30pm small handful of raw nuts/seeds with a few raisins and a couple dried apricots.
7pm + 3 glasses raw milk on Day #2.
Yesterday morning , after just 1 16-hour fasting period and a very low sugar intake I went into a state of 100% ketosis according to the keto-stix. I drank about 3 glasses of raw milk last night, mostly as a method to get more fat and protein into my body before the 7pm fasting period started. This morning there was just a little color on the keto-stix which I am sure is from the sugar in the milk. The one thing I miss the most when following the 50/50 meat-vegetable diet is raw milk! How crazy is that? A lifetime of Ben & Jerrys consumption has been replaced by a low-grade milk addiction.
I'm going to schedule my meals today to make sure I get enough energy (calories). I don't think I ate enough volume yesterday and I am definitely not experimenting with IF to lose weight. Basing most of my diet on big green salads, grass-fed beef and organic raw eggs. The eggs are quite important on this plan because they are so easy to consume and have a good amount of healthy fats and protein.
Diet looks pretty much like this on both days. The Sat/Sun yoga classes I teach conflict with my 11am break-fast so that is why I started with eggs a little earlier than planned.
10am 4 raw eggs, green tea
12am 4 raw eggs
2:30pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass-fed carne asada
430pm 4 strips uncured bacon
6pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass fed carne asada
6:30pm small handful of raw nuts/seeds with a few raisins and a couple dried apricots.
7pm + 3 glasses raw milk on Day #2.
Yesterday morning , after just 1 16-hour fasting period and a very low sugar intake I went into a state of 100% ketosis according to the keto-stix. I drank about 3 glasses of raw milk last night, mostly as a method to get more fat and protein into my body before the 7pm fasting period started. This morning there was just a little color on the keto-stix which I am sure is from the sugar in the milk. The one thing I miss the most when following the 50/50 meat-vegetable diet is raw milk! How crazy is that? A lifetime of Ben & Jerrys consumption has been replaced by a low-grade milk addiction.
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| Whatever systemic inflammation I had by following a sugar-based diet my entire life is gone. You know that burst of energy and lightness you get on the 3rd of 4th day of dieting? I feel that way pretty much all the time! Strong, light and energized. :) |
Thursday, August 8, 2013
14th day 50/50 meat and vegetable diet
Time is just flying by for me recently. My mother was right, the older you get the faster time passes. I'm trying to keep my head in the moment as much as possible. Hard to believe it is already 14 days on the meat and vegetable diet. Other than that one big cheat day last week I've had 2 cups of coffee with honey, 1 peach and about 1 ounce of raw nuts as minor cheats on the plan.
The most powerful feeling I have since cleaning up my diet is that I am no longer dreaming about the next meal, the next sugar fix. I'm not hungry until I'm actually hungry if that makes any sense. Once I am hungry I simply eat as much as I want with no restrictions. I'm not trying to lose bodyfat but I have a feeling there is no way to stop bodyfat loss while eating like this. Still avoiding the scale, guessing I am in the low 150's.
If I miss anything it's coffee. I've been making this delicious espresso for the past year and I think I miss this more than junk food. Hopefully I am not messing with my insulin response too much by drinking 4-5 cups of unsweetened green tea every day.
I plan on sticking to the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet until the end of the week. Next Monday I am going to start experimenting with some intermittent fasting (IF). IF is not actually a fast since I will eat plenty of food while experimenting with it. The foundation of my IF plan is to eat between the hours of 11am-7pm and fast from 7pm until 11am. This would of been an impossible task while under the influence of my old eating habits, I can be a terrible night-time eater! Since I no longer go to bed with any feelings of hunger and stop eating at about 9pm recently I think the shift to IF will be easy.
The most powerful feeling I have since cleaning up my diet is that I am no longer dreaming about the next meal, the next sugar fix. I'm not hungry until I'm actually hungry if that makes any sense. Once I am hungry I simply eat as much as I want with no restrictions. I'm not trying to lose bodyfat but I have a feeling there is no way to stop bodyfat loss while eating like this. Still avoiding the scale, guessing I am in the low 150's.
If I miss anything it's coffee. I've been making this delicious espresso for the past year and I think I miss this more than junk food. Hopefully I am not messing with my insulin response too much by drinking 4-5 cups of unsweetened green tea every day.
I plan on sticking to the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet until the end of the week. Next Monday I am going to start experimenting with some intermittent fasting (IF). IF is not actually a fast since I will eat plenty of food while experimenting with it. The foundation of my IF plan is to eat between the hours of 11am-7pm and fast from 7pm until 11am. This would of been an impossible task while under the influence of my old eating habits, I can be a terrible night-time eater! Since I no longer go to bed with any feelings of hunger and stop eating at about 9pm recently I think the shift to IF will be easy.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Getups, swing practice and Farmer Walks
Getups - did some wave-loading - 12 kg, 16, kg, 18kg, 12 kg, 16 kg 18 kg, 12 kg, 16 kg, 18 kg, 24 kg
Swing practice - practicing off the clock, no rushing:
7- 8 swings followed by 15 seconds in the hard style plank using the 12 kg x 3, 16 kg x 3, 18 kg x 3, 24 kg x 3
Farmer Walks - 300 paces (3x around courtyard) with pair of 24 kg bells, stopping twice.
feeling strong today!
Swing practice - practicing off the clock, no rushing:
7- 8 swings followed by 15 seconds in the hard style plank using the 12 kg x 3, 16 kg x 3, 18 kg x 3, 24 kg x 3
Farmer Walks - 300 paces (3x around courtyard) with pair of 24 kg bells, stopping twice.
feeling strong today!
How to transition off the 14-day sugar detox diet.
Now that I have a few clients finishing the sugar-detox diet I figure I better explain how to add back "safe" starches to the diet.
First off you should understand my thoughts on this are basically the thoughts of an enthusiastic hobbyist. I know everything I am writing is not 100% right-on but I believe the general principles will work for the average citizen coming off the standard American diet.
What is a safe starch? A safe starch is a carbohydrate based food that has very low toxicity levels after cooking. Plants develop toxicity as a defense mechanism. When attacked (grazed on) the plant can not run away or fist-fight so it had to develop another defense, namely low-level toxicity. When you eat modern bread or flours you are eating starches loaded with toxicity. Pretty much all modern grains (including whole grains) have high levels of toxicity because they were frequently grazed on by all different kind of animals. Wheat is grass, a totally unnatural food for humans. Any food produced by modern agriculture is going to be toxic to a certain degree. This was a trade-off humans unknowingly made when we created modern agriculture. We increased our ability to feed a larger volume of people but at the same time decreased the nutritional value of our food.
Animals did not readily graze on below-ground vegetables like potatoes. Potatoes have very low toxicity for this reason alone. Rice is a little different because it does have some toxicity in the bran. Rice bran, the outer layer of whole grain rice, is a source of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are natural plant-based compounds and the verdict is still out as to whether or not they are good or bad for human health. Some studies show that moderate amounts of phytochemicals are beneficial for health and other studies say the opposite. I recommend people eat white rice over brown rice because the white rice is "washed" of its bran, the place where phytochemicals are stored. We are eating rice and potatoes as a source of starch/sugar, not a source of fiber/vitamins/minerals. If you are eating a solid omnivores diet of meat, eggs, vegetables, raw nuts and possibly some raw dairy you will be getting way more micronutrients than you could ever need.
Since potatoes and rice are sugar based it is important that we limit the amount we eat if we are trying to lose bodyfat or deal with diabetic symptoms. It is very easy to figure out how much of these foods to eat because almost everybody will fall into the same range, 400-600 calories of starch a day. You will want to spread these foods throughout the day but the best time to eat them is the later meals of the day. This will decrease their effect on blood sugar because our insulin sensitivity is lower in the evening. This means the muscles are more readily available to absorb the sugars as opposed to the sugar pouring into the blood stream which is what causes diabetic symptoms.
If your lean body mass is 150 lbs or less you will want to eat the lower end of the range, 400 calories. If you are a more muscular person, over 150 lbs of lean bodyweight, you can eat up to 600 calories of starch. Do not try to eat these starches all at once! It is best to eat them in at least 3 different portions with your regular meals which should be based on fats and protein.
You should also add some sort of fat source to your rice and potatoes. Grass-fed butter is my favorite choice but you can also use coconut or olive oil. The fat will slow down the simple sugars found in these starches, minimizing the effects on blood sugar.
First off you should understand my thoughts on this are basically the thoughts of an enthusiastic hobbyist. I know everything I am writing is not 100% right-on but I believe the general principles will work for the average citizen coming off the standard American diet.
What is a safe starch? A safe starch is a carbohydrate based food that has very low toxicity levels after cooking. Plants develop toxicity as a defense mechanism. When attacked (grazed on) the plant can not run away or fist-fight so it had to develop another defense, namely low-level toxicity. When you eat modern bread or flours you are eating starches loaded with toxicity. Pretty much all modern grains (including whole grains) have high levels of toxicity because they were frequently grazed on by all different kind of animals. Wheat is grass, a totally unnatural food for humans. Any food produced by modern agriculture is going to be toxic to a certain degree. This was a trade-off humans unknowingly made when we created modern agriculture. We increased our ability to feed a larger volume of people but at the same time decreased the nutritional value of our food.
Animals did not readily graze on below-ground vegetables like potatoes. Potatoes have very low toxicity for this reason alone. Rice is a little different because it does have some toxicity in the bran. Rice bran, the outer layer of whole grain rice, is a source of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are natural plant-based compounds and the verdict is still out as to whether or not they are good or bad for human health. Some studies show that moderate amounts of phytochemicals are beneficial for health and other studies say the opposite. I recommend people eat white rice over brown rice because the white rice is "washed" of its bran, the place where phytochemicals are stored. We are eating rice and potatoes as a source of starch/sugar, not a source of fiber/vitamins/minerals. If you are eating a solid omnivores diet of meat, eggs, vegetables, raw nuts and possibly some raw dairy you will be getting way more micronutrients than you could ever need.
Since potatoes and rice are sugar based it is important that we limit the amount we eat if we are trying to lose bodyfat or deal with diabetic symptoms. It is very easy to figure out how much of these foods to eat because almost everybody will fall into the same range, 400-600 calories of starch a day. You will want to spread these foods throughout the day but the best time to eat them is the later meals of the day. This will decrease their effect on blood sugar because our insulin sensitivity is lower in the evening. This means the muscles are more readily available to absorb the sugars as opposed to the sugar pouring into the blood stream which is what causes diabetic symptoms.
If your lean body mass is 150 lbs or less you will want to eat the lower end of the range, 400 calories. If you are a more muscular person, over 150 lbs of lean bodyweight, you can eat up to 600 calories of starch. Do not try to eat these starches all at once! It is best to eat them in at least 3 different portions with your regular meals which should be based on fats and protein.
You should also add some sort of fat source to your rice and potatoes. Grass-fed butter is my favorite choice but you can also use coconut or olive oil. The fat will slow down the simple sugars found in these starches, minimizing the effects on blood sugar.
Monday, August 5, 2013
A serious cheat-day
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| Manly Burger from Umami with beef, bacon lardons and fried onion strings. I also at all the fries and onion rings! |
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| After 8 days no fruit this peach tasted like caramel candy. |
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| The fruit set off instant cravings for more sugar. I ate about half this container of dried apples, apricots, raisins and a nice selection of raw nuts and seeds. |
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| Waiting for my chicken at the Farmers Market in Hollywood. |
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| I never ate all of the potatoes that this guy give me but on this day I could not get enough! I ate every potato and ate every piece of meat on the chicken. |
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| OK, so maybe this is a little caveman-ish. |
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| Left over carne asada with some forbidden rosemary bread and white rice. The white rice is a staple in my diet when I am not restricting sugars. |
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| Went nuts at Coldstone Creamery. 2 out of thee 3 items are mine, just sampling the coffee ice cream float which was amazing. Even after all of this food I still had sugar cravings at night! I ate a big bunch of grapes and more dried fruit. Being hungry after eating all of this food only confirms my thoughts on sugar and cravings. Most people are confusing sugar withdrawal with actual hunger. How else could I feel "hungry" after all of this food? It is a trick of our blood sugar. |
Sunday, August 4, 2013
9th day 50/50 meat and vegetable diet
I have been following the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet for 9 days. I am practicing this diet to heal what I consider pre-diabetic or Type 2 diabetic symptoms. This is not a weight-loss diet although it is very hard to keep bodyfat on the body when you eat this way. For the first time in my life I am a little concerned about becoming too small. I'm avoiding the scale as much as possible because I have a feeling in am in the low 150's which is a weight I have not been close to since freshman year of college.
The first 2 days on this diet were very rough. Don't forget that I did a full 2-week ketogenic diet followed by a 1-week natural vegetarian diet before this 50/50 diet. This is why I had such a strong reaction (hunger!) when I was on the vegetarian diet. The natural vegatarian diet is way too high in sugar for me or anybody wanting to have a strong and lean body. When I started this 50/50 diet I was sugar-addicted like anybody else and was setting myself up for some bad withdrawal symptoms.
On the 2nd night of 50/50 I had one of the worse headaches of my life. At about 8pm I felt extremely tired and that tiredness quickly turned into a very bad headache. I've had these headaches on and off for about 4-5 years. I thought they were sinus related because they seemed to be located between my eyes and I was also getting a runny, but not stuffed up nose. For years I couldn't not figure out what was causing these symptoms. I saw an ear, nose and throat doctor about 5 years ago and was diagnosed with non-allergenic rhinitis. Non-allergenic rhinitis is a terrible bullshit diagnoses given by the doctor when they can not find the cause of allergy-like symptoms. The doctor did not ask one single question about my lifestyle, there was no chance of getting a proper diagnosis in my case. I had to figure out for myself that I was getting these headaches when I would overload on sugar or on the first few days of abstaining from sugar. I now consider these headaches to be one of the more obvious signs that I have been struggling with insulin related illness for years.
On the 3rd night of 50/50 I felt much better, as if I survived some horrible drug-detox. I slept great, only waking up 1x to use the bathroom, as opposed to my usual 2-3x. By the 4th night forward I was able to get 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep which is a miracle for me. Each day I woke up fresher and fresher and now by the 9th day I sleep through the night and wake up as fresh as can be. No headaches for over a week and my sinuses have been very clear.
What this diet is teaching me is that fruit is a sugar. If you are pre-diabetic or have full-on Type 2 diabetes there is no way fruit can be a part of your diet. My friend Vladimir who got extremely sick years ago form Type 2 diabetes eats exactly 1 piece of fruit a day or less and is an incredible specimen of health. There are so many myths around fruits, for some reason people think they are superfoods or something. Fruits are just sugar with fiber and some vitamins and minerals. Fruits spike you blood sugar just as much as pure white table sugar. If you have diabetic symptoms you need to stop kidding yourself with the fruit.
Here I am on the 9th day of 50/50. I spent an incredible amount of energy yesterday hosting my all-day party but still managed to eat only meat and vegetables. I was active and fresh the entire party, teaching and cooking for about 12 hours straight. I had incredible energy! I know I am a fat-burner now because I had no sugar cravings and when I got hungry I just ate my grass-beef and salad. I had too many tempting foods in the house and managed to eat a few raw nuts which tasted like candy to my palate. I am planning on taking a little break today from the 50/50. I have been abstaining from coffee all this time and decided to have a cup this morning which feels a lot like hard drugs :). I think I am also going to get a burger, fries and ice cream for dinner tonite. My cravings are not bad at all but I feel like I should "cheat" now so I don't get too psychologically depleted from this plan. I still have connections to my old childhood foods and don't want to battle myself too much when it comes to an occasional treat. I am lucky I figured out I was sick at this stage in my life. If I left it unchecked there is a good chance I could of gotten much sicker and damaged my body enough that I couldn't handle the occasional burger, fries and ice cream. I think pleasure-foods can still be a part of my life, just not 24/7 365!!!
The first 2 days on this diet were very rough. Don't forget that I did a full 2-week ketogenic diet followed by a 1-week natural vegetarian diet before this 50/50 diet. This is why I had such a strong reaction (hunger!) when I was on the vegetarian diet. The natural vegatarian diet is way too high in sugar for me or anybody wanting to have a strong and lean body. When I started this 50/50 diet I was sugar-addicted like anybody else and was setting myself up for some bad withdrawal symptoms.
On the 2nd night of 50/50 I had one of the worse headaches of my life. At about 8pm I felt extremely tired and that tiredness quickly turned into a very bad headache. I've had these headaches on and off for about 4-5 years. I thought they were sinus related because they seemed to be located between my eyes and I was also getting a runny, but not stuffed up nose. For years I couldn't not figure out what was causing these symptoms. I saw an ear, nose and throat doctor about 5 years ago and was diagnosed with non-allergenic rhinitis. Non-allergenic rhinitis is a terrible bullshit diagnoses given by the doctor when they can not find the cause of allergy-like symptoms. The doctor did not ask one single question about my lifestyle, there was no chance of getting a proper diagnosis in my case. I had to figure out for myself that I was getting these headaches when I would overload on sugar or on the first few days of abstaining from sugar. I now consider these headaches to be one of the more obvious signs that I have been struggling with insulin related illness for years.
On the 3rd night of 50/50 I felt much better, as if I survived some horrible drug-detox. I slept great, only waking up 1x to use the bathroom, as opposed to my usual 2-3x. By the 4th night forward I was able to get 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep which is a miracle for me. Each day I woke up fresher and fresher and now by the 9th day I sleep through the night and wake up as fresh as can be. No headaches for over a week and my sinuses have been very clear.
What this diet is teaching me is that fruit is a sugar. If you are pre-diabetic or have full-on Type 2 diabetes there is no way fruit can be a part of your diet. My friend Vladimir who got extremely sick years ago form Type 2 diabetes eats exactly 1 piece of fruit a day or less and is an incredible specimen of health. There are so many myths around fruits, for some reason people think they are superfoods or something. Fruits are just sugar with fiber and some vitamins and minerals. Fruits spike you blood sugar just as much as pure white table sugar. If you have diabetic symptoms you need to stop kidding yourself with the fruit.
Here I am on the 9th day of 50/50. I spent an incredible amount of energy yesterday hosting my all-day party but still managed to eat only meat and vegetables. I was active and fresh the entire party, teaching and cooking for about 12 hours straight. I had incredible energy! I know I am a fat-burner now because I had no sugar cravings and when I got hungry I just ate my grass-beef and salad. I had too many tempting foods in the house and managed to eat a few raw nuts which tasted like candy to my palate. I am planning on taking a little break today from the 50/50. I have been abstaining from coffee all this time and decided to have a cup this morning which feels a lot like hard drugs :). I think I am also going to get a burger, fries and ice cream for dinner tonite. My cravings are not bad at all but I feel like I should "cheat" now so I don't get too psychologically depleted from this plan. I still have connections to my old childhood foods and don't want to battle myself too much when it comes to an occasional treat. I am lucky I figured out I was sick at this stage in my life. If I left it unchecked there is a good chance I could of gotten much sicker and damaged my body enough that I couldn't handle the occasional burger, fries and ice cream. I think pleasure-foods can still be a part of my life, just not 24/7 365!!!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Program Minimum
Feels pretty good getting back to swings and getups!
Getups - BW x 1 rep each side, 8kg x 1, 12kg x 1, 16kg x 2, 18kg x 3
Swings, 7 reps on every 1.5 minute - 12kg x 3 sets, 16 kg x 2, 18 kg x 2, 24kg x 3, 28 kg x 4 sets
Getups - BW x 1 rep each side, 8kg x 1, 12kg x 1, 16kg x 2, 18kg x 3
Swings, 7 reps on every 1.5 minute - 12kg x 3 sets, 16 kg x 2, 18 kg x 2, 24kg x 3, 28 kg x 4 sets
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