I have just finished a fascinating book by Dr. Jason Fung, and he is a proponent of intermittent fasting as a health lifestyle. I have tried this on quite a few occasions, and I admit, it seems to make me feel better to go extended periods without food intake. I haven't tried long fasts, although I don't think they are a problem. I have done some 24 hour and near 24 hour fasts, and to me, they seem like a great way of weight control. My favorite length, of those I have tried, is about 16 hours. If you eat dinner and skip breakfast, you are there. To me, it is effortless, and the resulting reduction of food intake, along with the extended period of time for your body to use up glucose, is a great combination. I exercise during this period, and have never noticed a drop in energy levels. Your body is an amazing machine. Once the glucose is used, it just switches over to fat burning for fuel. That, of course, is a simplistic view, but it is essentially what happens. Check with your health care professional, of course, as fasting does not seem to be recommended for some people, such as women who are pregnant, children, and those with other conditions for which it could be detrimental. I am just trying to continually share what I encounter on this journey......
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Ok, Off your duff
Well, the holidays are here, and it's REALLY easy to get complacent, overeat, put off training, etc. You need to resist it, though. Resting for an extended period of time is a trap. Never put off training until "tomorrow". The negative effects are cumulative. You need to make a choice. You owe it to yourself and your family, as well as the rest of society to be as fit and capable as possible. If, heaven forbid, a disaster happens, you need to be fit to react as effectively as possible. Whether it is getting your family out of a car that is trapped in high water, running up or down stairs in a building during an emergency, or any number of things, you need to have the ability. If you sit and eat junk all day, you are deferring your responsibility to someone else to help you out. If we are capable, we can not only help ourselves and our family, but someone else who is less capable, to get out of a dire situation. Be the person who can do it.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
I'm BACK!
Well, it's been a bit of a hiatus, but life just kind of got in the way, with lots of family, work, and other commitments that necessarily pulled my attention away from here for a while. Throughout everything, I have continued to train, adding in some Mountain Biking, as well as working on our organic orchard most evenings and weekends! I plan to have some more reviews coming up, so please check back.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
LIFE DIDN'T CHANGE IN AN INSTANT LAST SUNDAY....LIFE PERCEPTION, HOWEVER, DID
Easy trail ride on our mountain bikes. My 13 year old son and I hit some trails in a local preserve just a couple of miles from home. Nice little wooded area with good trails, some hills, and set up primarily for pedestrians, but bike-friendly, as well. We had ridden it before. About 15 minutes into the ride, and about a mile from where we had parked, he was riding ahead of me about 50 yards. There was a little footbridge that was designed with an access ramp, followed by a 45 degree turn to the left. He went up the ramp at a moderate speed, didn't make the turn in time, and as I watched, he went off the side of the footbridge an instantly disappeared. I heard him yell once, and then nothing as I frantically rode up to where he went off.
I dropped my bike and saw him down, thankfully only about 8 feet at the bottom of a dry creek bed. He had crashed through undergrowth and was still astride his bike, leaning against the bank, trying to unbuckle his full-faced helmet. I went down the embankment and reached him after banging up and scraping my arm in the process. He was conscious and alert, but in a lot of pain. When he hit, the pedal and crank arm had slammed into his inside calf/shin. He couldn't put any weight on one leg, his elbow was cut up and bruised, he had scratches and welts from the brush all over him, and he was complaining of pain in his hip and ribs. I was able to get him off of his bike, after we had checked for any spinal injuries, as best we could. Pushing the bike up the bank and depositing it on the bridge to get it out of the way, I went back down to him and he was able to put weight on one leg. I straddled the creek bed and got him up on the opposite bank high enough that I could lift him up onto the bridge. I sat him down, did further assessment, and determined that he wasn't going into shock. I gave him my cell phone, then biked like a maniac back to the parking lot. Throwing my bike into the back of the truck, I drove it to a location about 100 yards from where he was. He tried to hop, but I ended up carrying him back to the truck. We stopped by our local fire dept where he was checked out thoroughly. A later appointment with his Dr. and full x-rays confirmed he had suffered only bruises and scrapes.
The moral to this story is two-fold. Had that ravine been 30 feet deep instead of 8, or filled with rocks and/or rattlesnakes instead of bushes, or had there been debris or old pipes, etc sticking up, this would have been an entirely different outcome. Call it whatever your belief system demands. He had good fortune that day. When you are going through life, keep in mind how quickly things can change. Don't leave the house angry at your loved ones, hug your kids, appreciate what you have. It could all go away and then you would realize what is important. I realize that now. That instant of horror, seeing him plunge off of that bridge to an unknown fate changed how I look at life. Little highs and lows are now meaningless.
I said two-fold. I am 65 years old. I have been fortunate enough to be healthy. I run, I bike, I work out. Sometimes I fall off the wagon and eat what I shouldn't. I've been on every one of my son's Cub Scout and Boy Scout camp-outs since he was in 1st grade, to include whitewater rafting on the Kern River in the Southern Sierras last summer, where we were both tossed out of the rafts numerous times in class 3 [4?] rapids. I intend for this to continue. Fortunately, I had the physical abilities to extricate him from that ravine on Sunday. Absent a level of fitness, I wouldn't have been able to do that, let alone carry him 100 yards to the truck. This isn't about my physical abilities. This is about OUR abilities. You don't know when life will begin to smack you around. It could be on the freeway, at home in bed, in the wilds, or on an "uneventful" Sunday bike ride. You..........WE have a DUTY to ourselves, our families, and everyone else to train our bodies and minds to have the ability to ACT in such situations. I made a commitment, as soon as the shock of seeing my son go off that bridge into the unknown, that I will train myself EVERY SINGLE DAY, to enhance my ability to deal with situations that arise. You must do this, too. Each minute that you put it off, you inch closer to being unable to rely on your body, mind, and spirit. Each must be trained. No days off. Find SOME way to train, everyday. It is my obligation to society, and yours...........
I dropped my bike and saw him down, thankfully only about 8 feet at the bottom of a dry creek bed. He had crashed through undergrowth and was still astride his bike, leaning against the bank, trying to unbuckle his full-faced helmet. I went down the embankment and reached him after banging up and scraping my arm in the process. He was conscious and alert, but in a lot of pain. When he hit, the pedal and crank arm had slammed into his inside calf/shin. He couldn't put any weight on one leg, his elbow was cut up and bruised, he had scratches and welts from the brush all over him, and he was complaining of pain in his hip and ribs. I was able to get him off of his bike, after we had checked for any spinal injuries, as best we could. Pushing the bike up the bank and depositing it on the bridge to get it out of the way, I went back down to him and he was able to put weight on one leg. I straddled the creek bed and got him up on the opposite bank high enough that I could lift him up onto the bridge. I sat him down, did further assessment, and determined that he wasn't going into shock. I gave him my cell phone, then biked like a maniac back to the parking lot. Throwing my bike into the back of the truck, I drove it to a location about 100 yards from where he was. He tried to hop, but I ended up carrying him back to the truck. We stopped by our local fire dept where he was checked out thoroughly. A later appointment with his Dr. and full x-rays confirmed he had suffered only bruises and scrapes.
The moral to this story is two-fold. Had that ravine been 30 feet deep instead of 8, or filled with rocks and/or rattlesnakes instead of bushes, or had there been debris or old pipes, etc sticking up, this would have been an entirely different outcome. Call it whatever your belief system demands. He had good fortune that day. When you are going through life, keep in mind how quickly things can change. Don't leave the house angry at your loved ones, hug your kids, appreciate what you have. It could all go away and then you would realize what is important. I realize that now. That instant of horror, seeing him plunge off of that bridge to an unknown fate changed how I look at life. Little highs and lows are now meaningless.
I said two-fold. I am 65 years old. I have been fortunate enough to be healthy. I run, I bike, I work out. Sometimes I fall off the wagon and eat what I shouldn't. I've been on every one of my son's Cub Scout and Boy Scout camp-outs since he was in 1st grade, to include whitewater rafting on the Kern River in the Southern Sierras last summer, where we were both tossed out of the rafts numerous times in class 3 [4?] rapids. I intend for this to continue. Fortunately, I had the physical abilities to extricate him from that ravine on Sunday. Absent a level of fitness, I wouldn't have been able to do that, let alone carry him 100 yards to the truck. This isn't about my physical abilities. This is about OUR abilities. You don't know when life will begin to smack you around. It could be on the freeway, at home in bed, in the wilds, or on an "uneventful" Sunday bike ride. You..........WE have a DUTY to ourselves, our families, and everyone else to train our bodies and minds to have the ability to ACT in such situations. I made a commitment, as soon as the shock of seeing my son go off that bridge into the unknown, that I will train myself EVERY SINGLE DAY, to enhance my ability to deal with situations that arise. You must do this, too. Each minute that you put it off, you inch closer to being unable to rely on your body, mind, and spirit. Each must be trained. No days off. Find SOME way to train, everyday. It is my obligation to society, and yours...........
Friday, June 1, 2018
BARE BONES "PALEO"
There is SO MUCH literature, both online and in print about paleo eating and lifestyle. Th ere are multiple "studies" both pro and con. [Watch for the sponsors of the "con" studies]. I have seen, [and belong to] some Facebook groups about beginning or continuing on the "paleo" manner of eating and living. So many seem to be just coming up with ideas about making "paleo" foods that look and taste like the old high-carb stuff that we are trying to get away from. Paleo cookies, pancakes, crackers, cakes, pies, pizza, etc. etc.
I think this is a bit of a trap. Our ancient ancestors didn't necessarily have so much the luxury of which foods were the tastiest. They ate what they found, picked, or killed. If we are going to try to at least somewhat mimic that, I think we need to stay closer to that basic premise. I understand what people are doing, and why they take that approach. It is difficult to change a lifetime of habits. My personal opinion is that, in order to really make such a change, we have to change the way we look at food. The human animal is so bright and innovative that we have taken what was once mere sustenance and turned it into the center of most social interaction. From the time our ancestors gathered after a successful hunt to fill their empty bellies with much deserved meat, our very connection with our peers has largely revolved around the food that we eat. Countless billions of dollars are spent each year convincing people to consume different foods. Social scientists, chemists, advertising and marketing specialists collaborate on how much sugar, fat, or caffeine to put into food, and how and where to market it to get the most bang for the buck. Brightly colored boxes sporting popular cartoon characters line the lower aisles of the grocery store where they will be seen [and hopefully demanded] by little ones. Prizes are inserted into boxes. Industry lobbyists swarm our politicians to curry favor for their products.
Generally, my point is that, if food has been "marketed" to you, you probably shouldn't eat it. Meat should have one ingredient: meat. Vegetables and fruits don't need ingredient labels.
This isn't easy. Sugar, in particular, is at the very least, habit forming, and some studies have likened cravings to those for other, more sinister sounding substances.
You won't get this done all at once, or cold-turkey. Our ancient, pre-agricultural era ancestors didn't need bread or cereal, or milk, or cheese, or chips. We don't "NEED" those either. We "need" nourishment. That is meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and maybe some tubers or roots. All things similar [not the same, but similar] to what our ancestors lived on. Our bodies haven't evolved much in the past 25k years, but our diet has changed COMPLETELY. Most quickly accessible and cheap food now seems to be grain and sugar based now. Combine this with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and we have a recipe for illness and a lack of ability to accomplish much of anything that has physical demands.
I know that of which I speak. I'm not here to preach. I've eaten my share of sugary foods in the past, and they taste good, for certain. I notice personally, though, when I eat more carbohydrates, I crave more. When I eat lots of things that contain sugar, I am achy all over the following day or two. Our bodies simply can't cope with what we are consuming, and continue to stay healthy. We need to be outside, get exercise, get some sun, drink clear water and eat as much REAL food as we need, when we need it, not because it is 12:00 and "time" for lunch, or 6:00 and "time" for dinner. Eat irregularly, fast for a few hours, change it up a bit. I like to fast from sometime in the evening, through "breakfast time", into late morning. That gives my body a solid 12+ hours without food. I think that affects my metabolism.
I think this is a bit of a trap. Our ancient ancestors didn't necessarily have so much the luxury of which foods were the tastiest. They ate what they found, picked, or killed. If we are going to try to at least somewhat mimic that, I think we need to stay closer to that basic premise. I understand what people are doing, and why they take that approach. It is difficult to change a lifetime of habits. My personal opinion is that, in order to really make such a change, we have to change the way we look at food. The human animal is so bright and innovative that we have taken what was once mere sustenance and turned it into the center of most social interaction. From the time our ancestors gathered after a successful hunt to fill their empty bellies with much deserved meat, our very connection with our peers has largely revolved around the food that we eat. Countless billions of dollars are spent each year convincing people to consume different foods. Social scientists, chemists, advertising and marketing specialists collaborate on how much sugar, fat, or caffeine to put into food, and how and where to market it to get the most bang for the buck. Brightly colored boxes sporting popular cartoon characters line the lower aisles of the grocery store where they will be seen [and hopefully demanded] by little ones. Prizes are inserted into boxes. Industry lobbyists swarm our politicians to curry favor for their products.
Generally, my point is that, if food has been "marketed" to you, you probably shouldn't eat it. Meat should have one ingredient: meat. Vegetables and fruits don't need ingredient labels.
This isn't easy. Sugar, in particular, is at the very least, habit forming, and some studies have likened cravings to those for other, more sinister sounding substances.
You won't get this done all at once, or cold-turkey. Our ancient, pre-agricultural era ancestors didn't need bread or cereal, or milk, or cheese, or chips. We don't "NEED" those either. We "need" nourishment. That is meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and maybe some tubers or roots. All things similar [not the same, but similar] to what our ancestors lived on. Our bodies haven't evolved much in the past 25k years, but our diet has changed COMPLETELY. Most quickly accessible and cheap food now seems to be grain and sugar based now. Combine this with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and we have a recipe for illness and a lack of ability to accomplish much of anything that has physical demands.
I know that of which I speak. I'm not here to preach. I've eaten my share of sugary foods in the past, and they taste good, for certain. I notice personally, though, when I eat more carbohydrates, I crave more. When I eat lots of things that contain sugar, I am achy all over the following day or two. Our bodies simply can't cope with what we are consuming, and continue to stay healthy. We need to be outside, get exercise, get some sun, drink clear water and eat as much REAL food as we need, when we need it, not because it is 12:00 and "time" for lunch, or 6:00 and "time" for dinner. Eat irregularly, fast for a few hours, change it up a bit. I like to fast from sometime in the evening, through "breakfast time", into late morning. That gives my body a solid 12+ hours without food. I think that affects my metabolism.
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