Friday, August 31, 2012

I, who does not laugh at Isaac

What a crazy weekend for us Louisianians. This is my last day at work before I go on vacation for a week. By vacation I mean going home to my new place and hoping that it doesn't flood. I have the little bit of expensive music equipment I own in my car. My dog is on a leash in my backyard with some water. My neighbor already admires Pete and has a boat so I'm pretty sure my neighbor (good guy mike) would throw  Pete in his boat if things got bad. I'm so tired as I am sure most of my coworkers without power are. I was really counting on getting a shower (a hot one at that) in the gym at work. Gym at work is closed today, hopefully Lori's (gym manager) family is ok. Most of the roads leaving Loranger were blocked by water. Hopefully I can get back in the way I came out.
Lets hope the worst is over. I just moved to Loranger this last weekend, how very ironic.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Cool Zoo in New Orleans

Lotsa fun at cool zoo a few weeks back. Luckily my g/f twisted my arm
to get me to go.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Alien nation


I'm starting to understand that when you take on any diet, you should be prepared to go it alone. It's very possible no one will support you and some friends may down right think you are crazy. I've been on a Paleo diet for maybe a little over 2 weeks and haven't gained a pound, in fact I have lost 1 pound. I have been eating organic beef, pork (i don't cut the fat off either), fruits and vegetables and a sweet potato or two. I feel much better than I did on my Vegan diet. On the vegan diet I lost 50 lbs, which is great but I did not have the energy to work out, which I do not think is healthy.
I listen to Latest in Paleo with Angelo Coppola and find it very informative with a little bias towards the Paleo lifestyle naturally. This Paleo movement is something I'm very passionate about and unlike when I was living Vegan, I don't feel morally superior to others, especially because of what I eat. I'm not saying all vegans feel morally superior to people who don't maintain a healthy diet, just that I did. Since I've started Paleo I just want to tell everyone about it. That gets me back to my point that everyone you tell about your diet might think that you have lost your marbles. My body works sooooo much better since I have lost my marbles  and stopped eating things such as Little Debbie cakes and other grains.
Latest in Paleo's mantra...."We are not broken by default." I feel like my church tried to tell me the same thing. I believe this statement. God made us in his likeness and that design is not flawed. Even if you believe in evolution, do believe nature in all of it's splendor, rounded us into this package doomed for asthma, cancer, allergies and diabetes? If so, nature sucks. God does not make mistakes so to me Paleo makes since. I'm sure your probably thinking, doesn't the Caveman approach go more in line with evolution? Maybe  most things that you and I read are not 100% correct, even stories passed down. Do some research on how memories are recalled in the brain, it will blow your mind.
What I do know beyond doubt is that Paleo is producing very noticeable results for me. I've done a few "healthy" diets with a little success here and there but nothing like this. It's all these other diets I have tried and gained very few results that convince people to dismiss my claims. When I think deep down they might be too afraid to quit sugar and grains. It's much easier to think that I am crazy than to face the idea that grains and refined sugar might be very bad for you.  I wish you all health and happiness in whatever you choose to do.

Sources: "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf and "Latest in Paleo" podcasts by Angelo Coppola available for free in the iTunes store.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Going Encino Man

I'll try and make this short and sweet sine I gotta run in a minute.
2 posts back I posted on Allergen avoidance. I think I had some good advice in there but like most people I wasn't completely informed. More on specifics later, maybe after I educate myself a little more. So I have pretty much been vegan for 3-4 months. I was not eating ANY animal products in my daily diet. I'll admit I did have pizza every now and then but I started to enjoy pizza a lot less. I feel like my vegan diet was only half right because I couldn't workout. It's a good thing I don't really have to physically fight for my life because I think I would have been dead.
So I have heard the word Paleo thrown around a lot lately in the exercise and health communities in podcasts. So I recently bought The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. I'll give you a rough outline of what I know so far
1. Eat meat, nuts fruits and vegetables in season.
2. Eat ORGANIC foods.
3. Do your best to avoid packaged foods. (Look at the nutrient label, seriously)
4. Exercise.

I have been eating better foods for about a week now and you wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell you the difference it has made in the way I feel. Stop eating grains and most of the starchy vegetables. Most potato farmers won't even eat the potatoes they grow for the US. They have a separate plot they grow for their families.
I'm going to give this diet and exercise lifestyle everything I can. So much of what I am learning about Paleo sounds so right that I'm still stunned that it could have been kept from us for so long.
I will try to keep you up to date on my progress as it comes. Please read a little bit on Paleo, both negative and positive and let me know what you think. I don't expect my humble blog to convince you of much.See ya later.