Primal Journal **Greensprout** page 176

[winencandy]

Ooooh, I must do that. Do you add it while roasting? Minced fresh garlic or powder?

I mix the Balsamic vinegar, fresh minced garlic and melted bacon fat (or coconut/olive oil) and toss the brussel sprouts (which I've cut in half lengthwise) with the mixture before putting them in a 9 x 13 glass pan to roast.

[Greensprout]

Will give that a go next time, thanks!

Still very cold today, though a tad less than yesterday. And less icy. There were 1200 accident damage claims reported yesterday just within the city, which speaks volumes of just how bad it was.

Got to the gym for a decent 3 mile treadmill walk. I always set the incline at 2%, which I recall from my regular running days is closer to the effort required for outdoor movement. Planning for LHT tomorrow.

Quite bloated today, which puzzled me, until mild cramps started up and I remembered I'm 5 days away from expected TOM, which means it could be any day. That might explain the handful of potato chips I seemed to have eaten before bed last night.

Eats:
coffee
green tea
L: pate, cream cheese, celery, dill pickles. Still just as wonderful after 4 days in a row!
D: browned ground beef and pork (the last of my good local stuff) with mushrooms, garlic, onion, broccoli, bacon ends, beef broth, with a fried egg on top. Yum.

Ack, it's already nearly 9pm, I really do need more sleep tonight. Mornings this week have been rather sluggish.

[Greensprout]

Didn't get LHT done as planned yesterday, there was a unit group PT class arranged, which was actually a decent workout. Sort of a circuit thing in pairs, including some kicking and punching, burpees, sprint intervals, jumping, lunges, and core stuff. I was too done in for lifting heavy things over my head by the end of the 40 min class, so did 2 miles on the treadmill walking afterwards.

Friday eats included bone broth, leftover hash stuff with squash, then a late steak dinner. The rib steak was huge, so lots was leftover for later, which is always good.

Slept about 10 hours last night, which speaks volumes about needing to make up lack of adequate sleep during the week. I'll do better with this for the coming week. Really, that's my plan.

Groceries and errands today, including a stop at the butcher for more pork butt for carnitas for tomorrow. Went to the gym for LHT late afternoon, which was the same time as son #1 was there with his buddies. Son was very pleased that he benched 265 x 1 for a new personal best. I had him watch my deadlift form, he gave me a few hints, but otherwise said my form was great. I just need to make sure I look way up when lifting. A great workout: assisted pullups, OHP squats, bench press, deadlifts of 95 lbs for 3 sets, planks. Feeling it very well afterwards, so a nice hot bath was a good treatment tonight for post workout.

Today's eats:
coffee
2 fried eggs plus some leftover steak and mushrooms
couple of berries, 2 walnut halves
D: salmon fried in butter, buttered rice, broccoli. Yum.
a hard cider, a rum & zevia.

I was reading a book in the bath that was with my Christmas stuff. Titled "No Happy Cows: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Food Revolution", basically a compilation of blog posts from a Huffington Post writer. Interestingly, the author is a vegetarian, which is obviously his agenda with his articles, although not militant and open to other perspectives. Interesting, nonetheless. Of course I had a good laugh at his pro soy article, allegedly debunking the perspective of Mary Enig and Sally Fallon, but I will keep reading. Looking forward to the chapter of "the skinny on grass fed beef".

[winencandy]

Your exercise routines always leave me thinking "Wow!"

[Greensprout]

Despite the bath, I'm definitely feeling stiff today. Should do some walking or something later, inside for sure, as it's still ridiculously cold outside.

Laundry started, picked up local eggs and browsed a specialty market, considered triple cream brie but gave it a miss for today. Just over 6 lbs of pork butt in the oven simmering deliciously to be carnitas later.

[Siobhan]

I passed up the brie but some kind of blue at the specialty place yesterday. I asked them to cut me a very small piece and of course I ended up with a huge hunk. I like it but really, that much blue cheese for one person...I should have gone with the brie.

I will think of you when I eat my carnitas later today.

[Greensprout]

I will think of you when I eat my carnitas later today.

And I you.

The carnitas were better than the first batch. I increased the spices, and added smoked paprika. And did the crisping up oven stage for longer, about 2 hours with occasional stirring after shredding. Hubby agreed this lot was tastier.

Winter deep freeze is expected to continue all week. Daytime temps after windchill mid -30s to -40. And I live here why? Oh yeah, that employment thing. Ah well, only 2 or 3 more winters on the prairies for me, at least I hope.

Bailed on a walk for today, but lots of moving about with laundry and kitchen stuff. Debating lifting or just a walk for tomorrow, I have my annual fitness test on Tues, no big deal, as the minimum standard is what I consider oddly low, so it's pretty easy to get the "exempt" standard, which means you can skip the next year and thus do it only every 2 years.

Sleep last night was close to 8 1/2 hours. I'm pretty sure tonight will actually be early. My legs and shoulders are feeling supremely heavy, and I'm already feeling rather done in.

Randomish eats for today. Coffee, last little bit of steak & mushrooms, a grapefruit (most tasty, haven't had one in maybe 2 years?) pistachios, couple of potato chips, carnitas. Hard cider.

[Siobhan]

My annual work fitness and health exam last fall was hilarious. I aced everything (the standards are very, very low) and got 50 bonus points. Then I actually admitted to eating a high-fat diet and all these warnings went off (it was on a computer.) One of those times where I very badly want to point out that I must be doing something right! Despite my admission, I got the maximum discount on insurance and am eligible for the ultra-saver plan. Yes, our health insurance in this country is effed up, why do you ask?

[Greensprout]

Hooray for insurance discounts for being healthy, despite not adhering to CW nonsense.

Still feeling pretty stiff all over today, so decided to wait another day or 2 for LHT. 4 miles on the elliptical instead. Rather boring, but listened to another Balanced Bites podcast. I really like their approach. I'm caught up to early Nov, when I get up to date I'll resume the Robb Wolf podcasts, of which I left off in about May.

Things are looking promising at work that my promotion may be in early March, woohoo. Back into the job I was doing last year, but with more money, which is always a good thing. Pretty great when things work out the way you hope once in a while.

Eats:
coffee
bone broth
tin of salmon with homemade mayo, pickles, red onion
D: loaded carnitas on romaine leaves, strawberries & blueberries with coconut milk
glass of wine.

Still somewhat bloaty and awaiting the imminent arrival of womanly woes. Ugh. Just what I need for the fitness test tomorrow, though it won't impact how I do. Will probably lift again on Wed.

Oh, and I did get almost 8 hours of sleep last night. Yay.

[Siobhan]

Congrats on the job!

Thanks for reminding me about Robb Wolf, I have gotten behind on listening to his stuff. Lots of good there! I think Mark just did an interview, must go check it out -