Honest Goals for Real Health

Model: Jim Newman

So, lets be honest. I'd LOVE to look like a fitness model who has spent his life eating right, exercising for 2+ hours a day, and makes kids 20 years younger than him turn their heads in awe. I'd LOVE that... if I could have it without having to work out 2+ hours a day, and have to calculate every nutritional value of anything going into my mouth, and not have to have a full time job that in no way supports the fitness lifestyle in order to keep a roof over my head. I like physical activity, I enjoy hiking and walking and bike riding and swimming and yoga. I don't like prolonged, intense, repetitive physical activity which serves no purpose beyond "shaping me to look good". I don't enjoy having to plan the other 22 hours of my day around the "gym".

Also, I'm not 29 anymore. I'm not even 39 anymore. I'm 49. The last gasp before I complete my first half-century. Though one can be healthy, strong, and happy at 50 (or 90 for that matter) it is delusional to think you can look, feel and be the same kind of healthy, strong and happy at age 50 that you had the ability to be at age 25. An extra 25 years of wear and tear and stress and LIFE will change body, mind and soul. This is not a BAD thing, it is "a thing". We can minimize the negative impacts of age and stay healthy, strong and happy for our entire lives... but even the fittest person of 50 would never claim they could look or feel the same as a fit person of 25. So why do we seem to think we can "go back to..." when the laws of biology, psychology and physics all claim otherwise?

What I NEED is to be healthy for my age... without excessive mass, with cardiovascular strength and endurance, with flexibility and muscular strength, with good bone density, with skin that doesn't tear or bruise from casual impacts. What I WANT is all of that, to be comfortable in my body and to look good too. But what that "looks like", what is a reasonable goal for a lifestyle that does not orbit my time at the gym and protein shakes? That is where a healthy outlook, honest goals, real achievable health, is important.

For me, I believe I can achieve something close to the physical appearance of actor/models like Jim Newman. Looking great, obviously healthy and fit, but also obviously doesn't spend his whole life involved in workouts and eating steamed chicken breasts. His hair is thinning, his skin has appropriate life marks, and his very appealing musculature shows that gravity does impact your body over time, and his core is solid without looking like he's starved himself. That is real. And, frankly, that is a physicality that is both incredibly attractive and approachable... even, dare I say it, Cuddly.

So, there it is... a visual representation of what I've striving to become. I think it is reasonable... save that I can't grow a full beard, never could... so goatee will have to do ;)

Yoga tells you the truths you try to ignore.

There is nothing like having your body announce, "Yo! Dude! You've got some serious shit you've been ignoring!"

That is what my body's been saying for the past two days as I've returned to the yoga mat. I am bound up from head to toe, which is not surprising considering the level of stress and lack of exercise I've lived with for the past couple years. What I hadn't realized was just how constricted, inflexible, and uncomfortable my pelvis has become.

So, what does that mean? Time for laxatives? In a sense, yes, but more of mental/emotional/spiritual flexibility exercises more than a need for a bowel movement. I've tightened up so badly that it is clear that it is a miracle I can still "manifest" ANYTHING in my life. From personal power, to creativity, to community, my ability to bring about change in the world has been pinched down to near nil.

The rule "as above, so below" applies here, in that the body reflects what is happening on a spiritual level. Fortunately, with mindful practice, yoga can invert that rule and influence what is above by working with what is below... i.e. if I work mindfully to open the physical areas of the chakras, the chakras will be positively influenced.

In truth, I probably need some help with this... an energy practitioner who can work on my chakras and meridians from "above" while I work on them from "below". I am always cautious about doing such things for a couple reasons... first, trust... not only trust of the intentions of the other (allowing myself to open to them) but also trust in the actual skill/ability/experience/wisdom of the other practitioner -- I find the average energy worker to be flakey mc snowflake. UGH! Second, determination... I've dealt with too many people who have used energy work/healing as an excuse not to do the physical work to solve their problems. I don't want to be one of those people who cast spells to lose weight while chowing down on box after box of krispy kremes. I MUST do the work, and I don't want to be lulled into complacency by the euphoria which can accompany powerful energy work.

So, my goal for the next 6 weeks for physical fitness? YOGA! I'm just going to do it morning and night, increasing the intensity and duration as my body/mind recovers/returns to health.

Aligning Goals with your true power

The first step in any successful attempt at conscious self-change (hopefully improvement) is the idea of change. This resides in the mind, empowered by the 6th chakra. Most people stop at this point, spending their time thinking about self-change but going no further.

The second step is to communicate that thought to yourself. Yes, that sounds weird, but it is important that we take the idea of change and communicate it effectively to ourselves if we are to succeed in manifesting change. In other words, we empower our desire with the 5th chakra in order to move forward.

We must then embrace change. Emotionally we must accept and empower the self-change. This is all about desire and acceptance and is the province of the 4th chakra.

We must empower change. This is the first time we must do something in the physical world about our self-change. We must find the time, the commitment, the effort, etc. to bring about change. This is where thought and desire is merged with action.

We must then manifest change. This is the hardest yet most natural aspect of self-change. We must CHANGE.

Finally, we must ground our change. We must turn our change from a temporary state to a long term state... we must make the change a part of our foundations.

Only by doing all of this can we bring about self-change... is it any wonder so many of us fail to do so?

Well, the plateau has shifted slightly... am now down to 250lbs and under 47" waist. Yay! That's about 12 lbs and 2 inches in about 7 weeks. I'd have preferred 14/3 but progress is progress. My wife is asking "so, how long are you going to keep wearing those oversized jeans?" (they are size 46) My response is, "Once I am under 46, I will swap down to my 44s. Once I'm under 44 I'll swap down to 42s, etc." I hate the fact that these days men's pants are no longer reliable as far as sizing is concerned. So annoying!

Stepping it up!

A week of solid Plateau. No weight loss, no fat loss, and no waist size reduction. My body has finished shifting to the changes of the previous month, and, ever efficient, it now requires but I increase intensity and change up my routine. So today I upped my game (a little). Instead of just walking the track, I did several sprints... OUCH... sprinting at 250lbs is shin-splint agony! I also swapped from doing machine (safe, stabilized weights) lifting to doing full body movements with dumbbells. Going from a push-up, to a squat, to bent-over-row, to bicep curls, to shoulder press, and cycle down. UGH... that's a quick full body flush, sweat pump.

Back to really being focused on my eating (no second helpings, no eating after 8pm, drink at least 64oz water). And YOGA! Really, I just gotta do it!

Everyone is telling me I look "lighter", which is sweet... and I'm sure I do look lighter than I did at the end of 2015... I'm about 10lbs lighter, etc. so YAY that it shows. I can also tell I can do more exercise at higher intensity that I could a month ago. I am improving, I am attaining goals... just have to keep going!

Recipes for Healthy Carbing!

High Protein Brown Bread

3 cups flour (1.5c unbleached bread, 1c heritage wheat, .5c teff flour)
.125 cup pecan meal
.125 cup almond meal
2 tbs benefiber
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
.125 cup powdered milk
.25 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbs active yeast
1 cup warm water
.25 cup rolled oats
.125 cup oil/butter
1 egg

Put dry ingredients from flour to salt into large food processor (have dough blade installed). Run processor for a few turns to mix the dry ingredients.

Wisp yeast, rolled oats and a spoon full of the mixed dry ingredients into the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.

Add oil/butter, egg and liquid mix to dry ingredients.

Run processor at dough speed until mixture forms sticky ball. If after 30 seconds ball doesn't form and dough is too sticky, add flour in 1/8 cup amounts until ball forms. Let dough circle the bowl 10 times after ball forms. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then run processor again so dough circles bowl 5 times. Let rest for 5 minutes, run processor again for 5 more circles of the bowl.

Oil a large mixing bowl. Remove dough from processor and shape into ball by hand. Roll the ball about the greased bowl surface to coat dough. Cover and set in a warm space. Leave for first rise.

When dough is about double size (45 min - 2 hrs), fold a few times and reshape into ball. Leave in bowl again for second rise.

When dough is about double size again (about an hour), fold and shape dough. Put into oiled bread pan(s). Leave in warm place to rise.

When loaf has risen sufficiently (depends upon size/shape of pan, but about 1 hr) preheat oven to 450F. Place a roasting pan or iron skillet on lower rack during preheat.

Put loaf into oven, toss half a cup of water into pan/skillet and close oven to trap in steam. Let bake for 5 minutes then turn oven down to 375F. Bake for 25 more minutes, then cover top of loaf with tin foil to prevent over browning. Bake another 15 minutes.

Finished bread should have a hollow sound when tapped.

Flax and Wheat Sandwich Bread

3 cups flour (1c unbleached bread, 1c heritage wheat, .5c oat flour, .5c barley flour)
.25 cup flax meal
1 tsp salt
1 tbs active yeast
.25 cup maple syrup
.75 cup warm milk
.125 cup oil/butter
1 egg

Put dry ingredients from flour to salt into large food processor (have dough blade installed). Run processor for a few turns to mix the dry ingredients.

Wisp yeast, maple syrup and a spoon full of the mixed dry ingredients into the warm milk and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.

Add oil/butter, egg and liquid mix to dry ingredients.

Run processor at dough speed until mixture forms sticky ball. If after 30 seconds ball doesn't form and dough is too sticky, add flour in 1/8 cup amounts until ball forms. Let dough circle the bowl 10 times after ball forms. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then run processor again so dough circles bowl 5 times. Let rest for 5 minutes, run processor again for 5 more circles of the bowl.

Oil a large mixing bowl. Remove dough from processor and shape into ball by hand. Roll the ball about the greased bowl surface to coat dough. Cover and set in a warm space. Leave for first rise.

When dough is about double size (45 min - 2 hrs), fold a few times and reshape into ball. Leave in bowl again for second rise.

When dough is about double size again (about an hour), fold and shape dough. Put into oiled bread pan(s). Leave in warm place to rise.

When loaf has risen sufficiently (depends upon size/shape of pan, but about 1 hr) preheat oven to 450F. Place a roasting pan or iron skillet on lower rack during preheat.

Put loaf into oven, toss half a cup of water into pan/skillet and close oven to trap in steam. Let bake for 5 minutes then turn oven down to 375F. Bake for 25 more minutes, then cover top of loaf with tin foil to prevent over browning. Bake another 15 minutes.

Finished bread should have a hollow sound when tapped.

Plateaus are a B*tch!

So, I wasn't as diligent with my eating this week. I admit it. I didn't make sure I ate BEFORE 8pm each day. I did good on my calories but was pushing 2000 a day instead of staying at 1500. I had more carbs than I should but most of those were complex so not as bad as they could have been. Still, I'd expected to lose A POUND... but no, not an ounce.

I could rant and rave and gnash my teeth and complain about the unfairness of life... that'd be fun, but not very productive. Instead, I can happily report that though I didn't drop any weight, my body composition shifted another 1% body fat (less), and my waistline reduced another 1/4-1/2". This is a familiar pattern from back in my 30s when I kept so much trimmer... I would have 2-3 weeks of weight loss, then it would pause as everything "shifts about", and then I'd drop weight again. So this isn't like I don't recognize the pattern... but I still want it all now, without the hard work, patience, and persistence it takes to change habits and health.

Okay, enough kvetching. I still have a few thousand steps to do today!