When Veggies Aren't Healthy

Yes, veggies are awesome for us.

But no, not all veggies make us look better and feel better!

The interesting thing is that sometimes, when folks startincreasing their veggie intake, they can actually feelworse.

Since I first adopted a paleo based diet, I got bloated, gassy, and flatulent. And there's nothing quite as frustrating as trying to eat better while being rewarded with a kick in the gut.

I found a cool article that explains why this happens, and what can be done about it:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/members/showthread.php?t=13514

Movie: "Wanted" 2008(inspirational shoot em up).

This movie spoke out to me... there was a not so subtle message in this movie. Wanted" tells the tale of one apathetic nobody's transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. He is a hero for a new generation: a 25 year old employed slacker, WESLEY GIBSON. Wes is the most disaffected, cube-dwelling, clock-punching drone this planet has ever known. His boss chews him out hourly, his girlfriend cheats on him & nags him, and his life plods on in interminable boredom and routine. Everyone knows this disengaged slacker will amount to absolutely nothing, and so does he, until he meets the sexy, foxy woman named FOX, and then everything changes. Wes' estranged father is murdered, and the deadly Fox recruits him into The Fraternity, a secret society that trains him to avenge his father's death, by unlocking his dormant skills. As she teaches Wes how to develop his lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, he discovers that The Fraternity lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: to carry out the death orders given by emotionless Fate itself. Wes, with his wickedly brilliant and sexy tutor, plus the paternal guidance of The Fraternity's enigmatic leader, SLOAN, young Wes grows to enjoy all the strength and success he ever wanted. But, slowly, he realizes there's more to his dangerous associates than meets the casual eye. And, as he wavers between new found heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one can ever teach him; that he alone controls his destiny.

Early on in the movie Sloan tells Wes: that he does not have to be lead through life like a sheep, but instead become a wolf, to stand on his own and hunt for what he wants "It a choice, Wesley, that each of us must face: to remain ordinary, pathetic, beat-down, coasting through a miserable existence, like sheep herded by fate, or you can take control of your own destiny and join us, releasing the caged wolf you have inside. Our purpose is to maintain stability in an unstable world - kill one, save a thousand. Within the fabric of this world, every life hangs by a thread. We are that thread - a fraternity of assassins with the weapons of fate. This is the decision that lies before you know: the sheep, or the wolf. The choice is yours."

Then as the movie ends and Wes, has had his eyes opened he gives a slight monologue to the audience. "Six weeks ago I was ordinary and pathetic, just like you. Who am I now? Account manager? Assassin? Just another tool who was mind f#$ked into killing his father. I am all of these. I am none of these. Who am I now? This is not me fulfilling my destiny. This not me following in my fathers footsteps. This is definitely not me saving the world. "

Then Sloan asks him "Still trying to figure out who you are? " and Sloan gets killed. Wesly goes on to complete his monologue; "This *is* me taking control, from Sloan, from the fraternity, from Janis, billing reports, ergonomic keyboards, from cheating girlfriends and sack of shit best friends. This is me taking back control of my life. What the fuck have you done lately? "

It was a great shoot em up action movie, if that is your cup of tea. In short this movie tells one to:

1. Find out who you are, good, bad, and ugly... accept it.
2. Find out what you want in life, and out of life.
3. Find out who you want to become, or what you want to do.
4. Take responsibility for your choices.
5. Take action towards your goals and desires.

Progress documented

Here is an earlier pic of my physique, this was taken a couple of months ago, and although my current progress picture does not show a great change in my physique, I am much slimmer around the waist, and physically stronger. I can do 13 chinups & Pullups, and possibly more if I only pushed myself a bit harder.

My abdominals are finally starting to show themselves... I just need to adhere more to my nutrition principals... and push myself a bit more in my workouts.

Here is where I am today, sure I still own some love handels, but I am working on it.

An exercise to increase my power and prescence with others

I am challenging myself to begin using my own authority for a week. That means I want to stop saying things such as, "I have to go now. My parents are making dinner." Instead I will say, "I want to go now because I want to eat dinner with the folks and I feel our friendship can use the time away so we can come back together with new stories and a fresh perspective."

Got it? That's right. I no longer have to do anything as if unseen puppeteers were pulling my strings. On my own f*cking authority from now on. That means I will say I am doing things because you want to. It's my choice.

Here are a few other examples:

"I need to get to work on time." change to: "I want to get to work on time."

"I am going to talk with you for five minutes then I have to get back to my friends." change to: "I am going to talk to you for five minutes then I am going to go back to my friends." (notice the missing 'have')

"I can't eat that because I need to lose five pounds for a wedding." change to: "I don't want to eat junk food. I have chosen to get into shape."

"The boss wants me to tell you to have the reports done on time." change to: "I want you to have the reports done on time."

Taking total responsibility. I will just do it for a week. Even when there is an outside authority dictating my actions, I will pretend there is only my will and desire when I talk with others. Who knows what will happen.

"The Easiest" area to start at.

I think starting with improving my health and fitness should be a no brainier. There are plenty of resources and stuff online. Since I have been working out, I will just step it up. I have committed to working out at home. I just purchased P90x, and a set of "x-vest turbo bells" adjustable dumbbells that go from 5-60 lbs, and some other fitness equipment.

As for nutrition I started taking the following supplements:

• Optimum nutrition Opti-Men Multivitamin (I actually feel different)
  
• NOW Whey Protein with No Artificial Ingredients!
• Sundown nutrition Salmon Oil 1000 mg Softgels

I personally like the nutrition advice on T-nation.com, especially from Dr. John Berardi. Here is what I will try eat, in plain language, a diet based on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts (excluding peanuts and cashews) and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as I can get. I notice that keeping my grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect my health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If I can follow these simple guidelines I should be able to benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.

Foods I will try to Avoid?
Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates, they include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbs. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.

When I get a bit braver, I will post pictures of my progress as others do on the p90x message boards.

Have you read "The Secret"?

Can a person really change their life for the better? Thats what this blog is all about... I have lived most of my life as a chump, with moments of brilliance. Someone passed the book, "The Secret" along to me, and it reminded me of another book.

It lit a fire under my arse, so starting Today July 1st, 2008 I want to see how much change I can make in one year for the better. There are three very measurable areas I will be working on:

• Health
• Relationships
• Wealth

I also have a small reading list for myself.

The Secret Workbook
-A daily how to, for the Secret.

Think and Grow Rich by: Napoleon Hill
- The original self help/improvement book. All others are a mere copy of this. A classic.

The Power of Now by: Eckhart Tolle
- A spiritual awakened book that redefines the way you look at your life and your self.

A New Earth by: Eckhart Tolle
- Takes many of the concept from ‘The Power of Now’ and applies them to society and how we are programmed by society and the false views and pitfalls that we become entrapped in.


Thats all for now.