Meet what you Eat - Don't eat Meat

My friend Randy asked me to watch the documentary Forks over Knives and offer my thoughts. The movie advocated for a plant based diet citing evidence that as we migrate toward processed foods and animal based foods, health has declined and obesity and obesity related illnesses have skyrocketed.

I'm not sure what his motivations for asking me about this were, but I was a 19 and 1/2 year vegetarian who recently incorporated meat back into my diet. At a high level, Forks over Knives was a wake-up call to me. Not necessarily to go back to vegetarianism but to pay attention to what I eat and how my body feels as a result.

Overall, I feel the movie overhyped nutrition and and underhyped calorie restriction. I do believe that a plant based diet is healthier than a meat and junk food centric diet and science supports this as well. However, there are dangers in vegetarian lifestyles especially vegan. It is difficult to get all of the amino acids your body needs from a strict plant based diet. It can be done, but only with more work than most people are willing to put into their diet. I think restricting calories is the better approach. If you base what you eat on a calorie limit, you are less restricted on what you can eat, you just need to ration how much. This way you are free to listen to your cravings, which is your brain's interpretation of what your body is screaming for (your body wants salt and your brain gives you a picture of pickles or potato chips). You are also more likely to balance your desire for sugar and fat with your need to feel satisfied by opting for lower calorie foods with more protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber. Unfortunately, portion control is also work, mainly logging everything you eat, but with the freedom of full choice rather than full exclusion of entire food categories, I believe the long term success goes up (e.g. Atkins was the meat lover's veganism and look what happened to that fad).

Forks over Knives cited scientific studies with fun graphics and charts. It also personalized the message by spotlighting individual success stories. Finally, it juxtaposed irony like the former farmer turned scientist advocating against dairy and livestock consumption or fire fighters from Texas moving off of meat for their meals at the fire house. I think the movie tried to oversell the lifestyle by overpromising an end to cancer and heart disease and understating the role of genetic markers, exercise and primary and secondary environmental factors in health and wellness.

Despite these drawbacks and my own personal skepticism this movie was motivational in making me rethink the attitudes and behaviors I exhibit with respect to the number one factor under my control - what I eat. I need to challenge my lazy notion that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. It's time for me to meet what I eat.

Randy, now I have a Netflix recommendation for you - Fat Sick & Nearly Dead.

Family Funeral

Tomorrow I will be getting up at 4:00 am to drive to my Grandfather's funeral. I was lucky in that I had both of my grandfathers into my mid thirties. One I am close to and one I was not. This is the grandfather I was not close to. Hopefully my mom, grandmother and others close to him will get the closure they need from this. I am going for them.

Not Being Crazy. It's Not a Small Thing.

Yesterday I told Stephanie that some chick at the store was hitting on me. However, she was totally messed up in the head. When Steph asked how I knew, I said because she was hitting on me! I do not have a track record of attracting socially functioning women. But that's probably my own fault for projecting a false image of stability in all the wrong places. Kind of like taking a keg to an AA meeting. Well, that and the fact that I am really not flirt worthy. But I prefer not to dwell on that.

Paradoxically, my wife is not crazy. But come to think of it, she never really hit on me either. She just sort of stuck around, and put up with my sexual innuendos. So I hugged her and thanked her for not being crazy. After all, that was one of the reasons I married her. Well, that and the whole love thing.

Another Christmas Season - Heavier and Lighter

Today we go to the in-laws for Christmas Eve Day, followed by late night mass, spend the night and get up and go to my parents. This is our first holiday with Caleb, so it's going to be challenging caring for him while on the run, but at least we agreed with our family to keep everything very low budget this year, which lightens the burden of carrying gifts. It's going to be a busy two days!

A Prisoner in my own Home

Today while Stephanie was away at doctor appointments and shopping, I stayed home to watch Caleb. While having a sudden attack of cabin fever, I realized the frame for the baby carrier (a minimal stroller less bulky than a travel system) was in Steph's car, so I couldn't take Caleb out for a walk. I was frustrated and called Steph asking her if she could buy an extra frame so we don't have to worry about which one of us has it. While she did that, I cured my cabin fever by clipping on the baby monitor and setting up more Christmas lights outside.

work those muscles!

I've been working out for 20 days in a row now, and I feel like I'm going to explode. Unfortunately my weight loss isn't matching my muscle gain so that beach body will have to wait. I'll keep you posted with the 30, 60 and 90 day progress. Hopefully, the pics will show progress as well. If they don't I won't gross you out by posting them.

I need some Readers, yo!

Maybe I'll start updating this stuff more. Not that anyone cares about my shit, but maybe you could share your thoughts?

Had dinner at Di Carlo's in Franklin, WI last Friday with Rook & Rachel, Tom & Renee, and Kim. The Pino Grigio was okay.

On an unrelated note, I think MGD Light 64 tastes like crap.