The future starts now page

[superdeluxe]

While at PrimalCon, a friend and I were talking about what we had hoped to get out of going. He felt that the weekend was low on content and heavy on activity. I could see where he was coming from, but I couldn't think of anything additional that we needed to learn. The whole point of the Primal lifestyle is that it's simple. It's easy to spend a lot of time reading the forums on MDA or PrimalHacks trying to fine tune, but I think I have most of the knowledge at this point and just need to work on applying the information. I'm sure some people need to be thinking about what type of carbs they need for post-workout refueling, or whether body weight exercises are sufficient for building mass, but I really just need to figure out how to integrate the lifestyle with a busy practice, 2 hours subway commute, trying to go on dates with people who don't understand why meeting at a pastry shop is not appealing, etc.

So what did I get out of the weekend? Inspiration from being around a large group of positive, healthy, fit people of all ages, sizes and abilities. I saw superfit Tonice push herself to not only do the advanced fitness challenge but put on a massive burst of speed in the last sprint. Several people, men and women, did handstand pushups for the challenge, sacrificing speed for maximum difficulty. I saw how Timothy and his wife are already inspiring their son to be fit and healthy, helping him do assisted pullups at 1.5 years and giving him great healthy food. I didn't think I would learn much from the cooking demonstration looking at the recipes but I actually came away with great ideas about advanced food preparation and storage that will make it so much easier to be prepared when hunger strikes. Having struggled with chronic tailbone pain for 2 years, I plan to integrate the sitting and lying techniques I learned from Esther. Hopefully I'll be able to bike and kayak again in the future, favorite activities I've had to give up.

So I decided to start a new journal, because this is the beginning of a new process for me rather than a continuation of the old. Today is my recovery day (I'm sore from the activities and sunburn, and from sitting on the plane), with the exception of a long walk around my neighborhood to enjoy the flowering trees. Tomorrow I'm doing a big shop and preparing my vegetables for the rest of the week. I remember Michael Stember talked about not trying to gain speed by tensing up and trying harder but by relaxing, focusing on good form and increasing cadence, allowing you to use all the energy created instead of dissipating it into the environment. For me, I think that means taking the things I've learned at Primal Con and continuing them, letting momentum build rather than saying "I'm going to do the Whole 30 and cut out all these things so I get maximum results" and then getting burnt out, like I typically do!

[TigerLily]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything you just said, but most especially I LOVE the title of your journal. Very apropos to what is going on in my life right now, so thank you for that.

(And I am feeling what Esther knows could change my life. I've got to see her somehow.)

[TigerLily]

I remember Michael Stemper talked about not trying to gain speed by tensing up and trying harder but by relaxing, focusing on good form and increasing cadence, allowing you to use all the energy created instead of dissipating it into the environment.

This is beautiful.

[superdeluxe]

Thanks for your comments, Tiger Lily! I highly recommend Esther Gokhale's book, which is full of beautiful pictures of the natural posture of children and people in less industrialized countries. She teaches 6-session classes and says that people often gain one-third to three-quarters of an inch in height! If I were in CA, I would definitely try to work with her. She has now trained about 20 people worldwide in her techniques, so maybe you can find someone in your area now or in the future. I have so much learning to undo: No more tipping my pelvis and tucking my buttocks under me.

[Greensprout]

It was awesome to meet and get to know you at PrimalCon. I love your take home thoughts about the weekend, I'm pretty much on the same page...how do I really make this work to the best of my ability in my life to make the most out of primal living? What works best for ME?

I anticipate this to be a great year ahead. I want to continue the motivation from the weekend, and plan that whenever I start to get off track or less motivated, I'll look back to the photos and video of PrimalCon, which will bring that feeling right back...and I know it will.

Here's to the next chapter of the primal evolution!

[Pink Grokoddess]

I'm soo looking forward to going to PrimalCon Next year!!! and I look forward to hearing more of your journey

[superdeluxe]

MCW, definitely try to go next year! It was exhausting but relaxing at the same time.

Yesterday was so tiring that I slept all day and only had some scrambled eggs. This morning I was still dragging.

Breakfast: IF
Lunch: salad with goat cheese, balsamic, olive oil, chicken, a few grapes (all that fruit at PrimalCon sucked me in...I don't want to stop eating it now)
Dinner: A small steak, cauliflower, a few spoons of Chef Rachel's dip.
Snack: Iced coffe with cream

After work I went to Trader Joe's to pick up some vegetables and salad ingredients for the rest of the week. Spent the evening at the hospital with my stepfather, who is now in the rehab unit for 2 weeks, and my mother, catching up. My stepfather who has always been a grouch, and hates when any attention is directed away from him, told me that hearing about PrimalCon was boring. So it was back to discussing how disgusting hospital food is, and the various merits of different hospital rooms, as we had for the previous two hours. I must remember that I'm there to support my mother, so whatever it takes to get through an evening is worth it .

I'm working 11-7 tomorrow, my favorite shift, so I'll have time to workout before work. Whether I do sprints or sledgehammer/kettlebell tabata intervals will depend on how sore I am and whether it's still raining.

[superdeluxe]

Just had a handful of coconut flakes and had nearly a square of 99 percent chocolate chopped up. When I came back from another room, I caught Otto licking what was left in the bowl. I snatched it away and trashed it. Although chocolate is supposed to be poisonous for cats, he's purring madly next to me and seems totally fine. In the future, I will watch over my snacks more carefully. Just as well that he ruined the moment, a little bit of that chocolate goes a long way; it's very bitter. It's only 28 grams carbs with 14 grams fiber for the entire bar, and I had less than one piece. I think I could keep a bar in the house for about a month as it doesn't seem as tempting as something sweet like fruit.

[superdeluxe]

Didn't do any exercise today as I woke up feeling like absolute crap. I thought on Monday and Tuesday I was sore from Primal Con but I've been achy all over for the past 24 hours and have a bit of a sore throat. I'm hoping it's allergies rather than the start of a cold or the flu. The gorgeous flowering trees are out and they always kill me.

I've started reading Lights Out, which Robb Wolf frequently recommends. While I think the instructions for sleeping and eating are valid, I think it might be the most annoying book I've ever read. It actually made me grumble outloud on the subway. The author's tone is aggressive, patronizing, self-indulgent...I could go on. Some of it is just plain gibberish. I'm skimming it because I can't follow some of the convoluted metaphysical nonsense. Anyway, I am going to try to start going to bed earlier and I'm going to get blackout curtains for my bedroom.

breakfast: few slices steak, iced coffee, cream
lunch: salad with lamb, yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions
dinner: few slices steak, mushrooms sauteed in butter, asparagus

[superdeluxe]

Sick. Sore throat, sore everything. I swear, even my hair hurts. Fever, chills. No coughing or nasal congestion, just pain. Work was endless and sucky. Somehow, when I am under the weather, I attract complicated cases. I came home and ate some pre-cooked blanched cauliflower and Chef Rachel's dip. The blanched cauliflower was still excellent two days after cooking it, but a bit scratchy on my delicate flower throat. I'm too tired to heat up the pork shoulder that's in the refrigerator. You know you're done for the day when microwaving sounds impossible.

Breakfast: Iced coffee x2 (the only thing I felt like having with my throat...also, it cheers me up when my iced coffee guy says things like "I am so happy to see you again, my friend!")
Lunch: lamb, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, tsatsiki
Dinner: Cauliflower, sour cream (1 T)

Heavy on the dairy today, which is not ideal. I just want to eat ice cream or pudding or jello. Maybe all at once. Chased with some sort of prescription painkiller. Instead, I think I'll just have some ibuprofen and get under the covers. I used to stress about taking OTC painkillers, because they're so not primal. But you know, if Grok felt like hell and someone gave him some ibuprofen, he would be so psyched.

Excercise? I could barely lift my arms to wash my own hair this morning.