Walking

Soul-full Sunday

When I was a kid my Grandmother use to send me to this great summer camp for a week. It was nestled in the hills outside of Prescott Arizona. We stayed in these cool old log cabins with bunk beds, played in the fields, had dances and talent shows in the old hall, and great meals in the mess all. And the best part of the camp was the chapel. It was an outdoor chapel, made of stone, and it had this cool stone and boulder mound flanking it’s side. When the pews were filled, us older campers got to sit on the boulders. I can honestly say, I use to love going to church in that stone chapel. Being in the wilderness, the fresh air and cool breeze blowing through the ponderosa pines, it was the closest I think I have felt to God.

And now that I’m older, I still get that same feeling when I’m out in the wilderness. Far away from the City and droves of people. The feel of the cool wind on my face through the trees. There is a sense of peace that surrounds me like a warm blanket swaddling me. As if God is there with me in those moments.

I’m not always the most religious of men, but I understand the role of faith in my life and the importance of trusting in a higher power. Sunday is my day of reflection. To think about all that I have been blessed with. To be grateful. To remember those in my life that can get forgotten during the rush of the day-to-day.

Today was no different.

Sitting in a hot tub with my beautiful wife, enjoying coffee, the sounds of nature around us and quiet conversation. A chance for she and I to reconnect. I love my wife. She is one of the true blessing in my life, and I am grateful every day for her. Those brief moments of quiet together keep us centered and connected.

And then a walk with the boys and Dyann in the wilderness of north-eastern Idaho. The beauty surrounding us. I feel that warm blanket wrapping around me. We walked played in the snow, explored, took pictures and lived life. Living with a purpose to enjoy. The wilderness is my church. God talks to me through the wind in the trees. I feel his presence in the beauty of the nature around me and try to capture his image in my photography. I owe this all to my Grandmother, for sending me to camp. To live those experiences in the Prescott summers during monsoon season. I found God and he has always been there with me.

Blessing to you all. May you find your peace and harmony in the world.

Play Day

Satiating Saturday

One of the most important pieces of life, that we often forget is to play. To relax and have fun. To cut loose.  Play is a key element in lifelong health and wellness, and I try to never miss an opportunity to have fun. I use to think that once I became an adult playtime was over; that life had to be serious and about accomplishing goals, meeting deadlines and being responsible. My kids must have hated that about me. I was quite a serious jerk, or better, an asshole.

Times have changed. I’ve seen the error of my thinking, and the effect of my actions.  I’ve changed my hard ass ways. I cut loose a little now and have some fun, and on some days a little too much fun. But hey, I need to make up for a little lost time.

So enjoy your Saturday. Don’t work too hard. I know that the yard needs taken care of, and the house cleaned, and the errands run, and the deck stained, and the fence mended, and the laundry needs washed, but remember, your body and soul need something too. It needs to relax and play and have fun. You need to reboot. Go play!

So we played today. Spent the day in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Celebrating Dilon's 8th birthday strolling through town Did a little window shopping, walked the main square, bought some trinkets with the kids, and took in the beauty of the Grand Tetons. It was a great day. 

Until tomorrow…

Do It Anywhere!

Fitness Friday

I have spent the entire day, beginning at 4am sitting in a large SUV traversing the Pacific Northwest to get to the gateway to Yellowstone National Park for some Spring Break fun with the family. So how can I promote fitness today if I was sitting on my ass all day? How can I get a workout in?

You would be surprised!

We travel, a lot. And there are entire days, if not more that are devoted to flying, or driving, or sitting on a train getting to where we need/want to be, but I still need to get some sort of workout in. Airplanes and trains are easy, but sitting in a car is much more difficult, but it can be done. You just need to choose the right area to focus on, and those are ABS. Yes, abs. And you can get a tougher workout for your abs sitting on your ass any day over killing yourself with endless crunches or sit-ups.

Abs muscles are a curious beast. They respond much differently than other muscle groups to effort. The endless litany of repetitive motion such as crunches are actually not effective. Your abdominal muscles strengthen more effectively through long durations of contraction, so if you want those six-pack abs, or even better, that ‘V’ you need to do two things:

1)   Loose the fat layer

2)   Strengthen your core through long contraction workouts

So how do I do it?

It’s just like Kegels, but with your abs (do your Kegels too, girls and boys!). Lean forward slightly, contract your abs and hold your core tight with perfect posture, now count to 10. Relax for 30 seconds. Do it again, but this time count to 15. Relax. Do it again, but count to 20… See the pattern? Try to get to 60. If you get to 60, do it again, but start at 60 and work backwards. This hurts, and you’ll feel it tomorrow. And you can do it anywhere. Even at work.

Give it a try this week, at least twice. It works. And once you jump on the Paleo/Primal band wagon, you’ll start loosing that fat too.

Here comes the six-pack!

It's time for a Whiskey

Thirsty Thursday

There is just something about cocktails and drinks on Thursdays that are a perfect fit. The week is almost over. It's time to start celebrating the weekend. Relax after a hard work week and just unwind.

I like craft cocktails. Especially when my beautiful wife is mixing them.

Red wine is always a hit. Good red wine that is. I'm not much into drinking crap wine. I'm kind of a snob and I admit it.

And then there is Hard Cider. Adult apple juice.

Even when you're Paleo or Primal you can still enjoy a drink or two. Remember the 80/20 rule. And leave out the sugar and syrups, substituting agave.

After sitting in a rental car, driving all over the Portland metro area for almost 4 hours today, a good whiskey drink was in order. And my beautiful bride hit a home run with a perfect Mint Julep. A blend of Basil Hayden whiskey, fresh mint, crushed ice, agave syrup and a little lemon juice, nothing is better.

So raise a glass. Enjoy a drink. Just know that tomorrow is Friday. And then the weekend. For us, it’s the beginning of Spring Break. We are off to Yellowstone National Park for a family adventure. I’ll be writing remotely. Collecting memories. And seeing one of the greatest parks in the US. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Have a great Thirsty Thursday. Drink responsibly. And live your life. Enjoy your life. 

The first step is the hardest

Wellness Wednesday

Becoming healthy is a personal journey that I started the day I realized I’d gotten fat. Becoming fat takes a long time to happen, and you don’t always notice as it does. Clothes get a little tighter, so you buy a few new pants, stretchy chef pants. It’s amazing what you can hide behind a chef’s coat. I went from a solid 185lbs coming out of the Army to a squishy, flabby 265lbs at my heaviest. I was not healthy. I was fat. But the scary thing was that I didn’t notice it happening and no one was telling me. Maybe everyone was just being polite. They didn’t want to hurt my feelings.

So, what was that day like when I realized I was fat? It was when I could no longer hide behind a chef coat. When I had to wear ‘professional’ clothes to work, a shirt, slacks and a tie. I went out shopping and was horrified. Now, granted I had been buying and wearing stretchy pants for quite some time, but now I had to buy clothes with numbered waist sizes on them. I figured I was just a little bigger than I use to be, so a size 34 should do it. NOT A CHANCE! I couldn’t even get those pants over my thighs. I ended up in a size 38, and even those felt tight. I knew right then I had to make a change. I had lost control, and lived in excess, and now it showed. And soon, if I didn’t stop, I would be paying an even bigger price with my health.

I made a decision that day, in that moment to make a change; to not be fat any more. It’s been a long road to get where I am today. I have fallen off the wagon countless times, but I kept at it.  It all started with that day in the dressing room for me.

Wellness Wednesday’s are going to be about my journey to health and fitness. I’m going to tell you how I did it. Where I failed and where I succeeded. I’m going to tell you about the science behind things, and how foods react within our bodies. I’m going to talk about Primal diets and Paleo diets. I’m going to give you the knowledge to make the changes in your life to be the best version of yourself. I have faith in you. I know that you can do it. Let’s keep doing it together. Let’s take this journey of health and wellness together.

Start right now. Take one small step to improving your health. I challenge you to commit to a healthy lifestyle starting today. For the next seven days write down in a journal everything you eat each day. Be as precise as possible. Just knowing what you’re eating is the first step. You have to be aware before you can change. I know you can do this one step. I cannot wait to hear about it. Write me. Comment. I’m here to support you.