Fat Doesn't Make You Fat

In 2012, I decided to try the Paleo diet for 30 days, thinking I'd lean out. I'd heard about it through my friend who did Crossfit and I had Rob Wolf's Quickstart pdf as a guide. My weight went from 205 lbs to 185 lbs. I went from wearing large shirts to mediums. My waist size went from 34 to 31. There were other health benefits- better cholesterol and blood work, more energy, better sleep. Two years later, I still do a modified Paleo diet- which is more of a low-carb lifestyle. It seems like the mainstream media is catching on...I came across "Less Carbs, More Fat" in the new Men's Journal.



It lists in "A Better Way to Eat" the following:

1- Cut carbs

2- Eat your vegetables

3- Embrace fat

4- Redefine your version of "healthy fats"

5- Stop worrying about calorie counts

Additionally, it has an article "Do Athletes Need Carbs" that talks about how NBA players like LeBron James, Chris Kaman, and Kobe Bryant have started eating this way and are becoming leaner and have more energy.


I literally just sent someone an article by Gary Taubes- What if It's All A Big Fat Lie?" about whether the medical establishment has had it all wrong all these years (since the late 60's) about the calories in- calories out equation, fat making you fat, high carb diet it prescribes. And mainstream media has obviously caught onto gluten-free products...but what's missing is the research about sugar making us fat. It keeps insulin levels stoked (not in the surf sense), so cells hang onto fat...Stress can also trigger hormonal responses telling the body to hang onto fat...and one thing I've noticed is poor sleep can really make you crave sugar and carbohydrates. I'm just starting a new 10 week workout plan that emphasizes natural eating and in the gym a mix of dynamic warm-ups, big lifts (ex. bench, deadlift) with low reps, and smaller lifts with high rep work. I've been back to the gym 3x a week, and surfed a couple times since the Haunted Heats contest. My picture of me and Kelly Slater was featured in 90065 magazine in their Big Wednesday surf spread...but hahaha, I was cut out...



Was thinking though, I wonder if I'd be surfing at all if I hadn't switched to a low-carb lifestyle two years ago. I definitely am in better health, with more energy, a better blood profile, and fat to muscle ratio.

Halloween Heats 2

It's a costume ball...It's a surfing contest...It's the Haunted Heats Surf Competition held by ZJ's Boarding House. It was also my first time surfing since August and the rib injury. I went as Slash and it felt appropriate as I stumbled onto the beach, pretty much in character. 8 am on a Saturday is early to play dress-up, act out your character, and then surf in costume...but, I pushed through. Played Sweet Child of Mine with my Les Paul and a portable amp, and rocked the 60 people watching..



In the waves, I caught one good wave right off, and executed a nice bottom turn, playing some air guitar for style points, and holding up the sign of the devil. I almost had brought along a wine bottle for more style points but not really a great idea when you're surfing to have glass on you. Beyond that, I lost my aviator sunglasses in one wave, and got fairly nailed by many waves, though a lot of people congratulated me when the 15 min heat was over. Also in my heat btw were a pilot who had turned his surfboard into a plane, a mullet wearing redneck, Mrs Doubtfire, and a Hershey's kiss. Slash did not win- but it was still a good experience, and good to get back into the water (One of us has lost some speed and strength)



Then there was the raffle. Proceeds went to Boarding for Breast Cancer, and October is breast cancer awareness month. I didn't win that either and they gave out some nice Firewire boards. So, I actually did a Craigslist search when I got back to my apt for a board I've been aware of- Shaun Thomson's The Warp (2012). Designed by Ventura shaper, Al Merrick, The Warp is made for older surfers looking to shred on California waves. I met Shaun last year around this time and was inspired by him to go to the North Shore, Hawaii. He's a South African, Jewish surfer, now in his 50's, and produced the film, Bustin' Down the Door about the birth of pro surfing (narrated by Ed Norton), and beyond that, is a classy ambassador for surfing. He wrote the Code, which I covered in another blog entry. So I felt like, maybe this board, a 6'4 performance shortboard ($200), was a good reward for all my surf efforts of the past year- from Hawaii to the 50 year swell in Malibu, to competing in three surf competitions; it's been quite a year. I hope the board works out, and takes me to a true intermediate level.



Here's Shaun at Rincon in Ventura...notice the board...


Most of all, I hope I get back to that place of enjoying surfing and having fun with it. I get very competitive about it. It really is a privilege to be healthy and active and have the opportunity to get out into nature. When you do catch a wave, it's such a great feeling- and even when it doesn't- and you're out there with seals and dolphins, surfing at sunrise and sunset, it's a beautiful thing.

Daniel Craig's 007 workout

I'm back in LA and back at 24 Hr Fitness, still healing from the surf injury but doing much better. The important thing about an injury is to keep going. You can take a little time off and definitely you need to rest, but you ultimately, have to push on. That being said, it's been awesome to swim again. I've chosen to go back to a program that I tried in 2003, the Daniel Craig James Bond workout.



I did a modified version of this workout today- involving isometric lifts (ie. no weights- and subbed pull-ups for another back exercise)



The Daniel Craig 007 workout is tough. It's 5 days a week and heavy in volume- and very pull-up oriented. Pull-ups are great for building upper body strength, but they're difficult. It's a solid program with a power circuit of big lifts on Monday and Friday and some smaller workouts on T,W,R (groups of two body parts). The real key is finding the motivation and sticking to the program.

Happy Fall!
Gabe

Traveling in the NE

It's so hard to keep in a routine when you're traveling. But I was thinking about it....maybe that's the good thing about moving around. It makes you want to be settled someplace, and makes you want to make plans for when you get home. Even diverging from a set way of eating can have benefits if you reign it in. I find that about a month is the max I can go before I really notice weight gain. Of course, visiting Boston for my Dad's birthday and Rosh Hashanah has been challenging from the top. String cheese, beer, fruit, hummus, kugel, as well as Dunkin' Donuts, birthday cake....I didn't eat all of those things, but they're out there and tempting.

I've been rereading Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat back in LA and Art DeVany's New Evolution Diet, and been watching some videos of them online while here. Pretty interesting...and pretty amazing the mainstream media is so adverse to covering these guys. I've also been checking out Mark Sisson's blog- Mark's Daily Apple http://www.marksdailyapple.com and almost bought his Primal Blueprint for my Dad today...So many Paleo books at Barnes and Nobles now. Pretty amazing.

Here's a video with Mark Sisson:


Not too much to add. Been stretching and have been good overall with the diet. Had an amazing time kayaking with my Dad a few days ago on the Charles. It was really beautiful to get out on water in a different way from surfing. It was very placid and still but with a gentle current, and the scenery was like marshland- almost like the Everglades. Very peaceful- and quite a change from surfing. I find I'm drawn to water these days- so very cool to interact with it in new ways. I'd love to try windsurfing when I get back.





Happy New Year to anyone reading.

Cheers-
Gabe

24 Hr Fitness and Muhammed Ali

Yup....Rebooted my 24 Hr fitness membership today. Have been feeling much better with the prescription drugs. I think the anti-inflammatant has really worked, as I'm able to stretch again. It's felt so nice the past couple days to just move again. And it's been brutally hot in southern California, which was what brought me to Hollywood's 24 Hr Fitness....namely THE POOL!!!



Did about 20 laps on a kickboard which felt amazing. It's been a while since I swam in a pool. I used to do that regularly back in Brooklyn in 2004-2005 before the mini-triathlon. So it was nice, and good to beat the heat in the middle of the day. If you have a 24 Hr Fitness membership, you know it can be a drag at peak times- like 4pm -8pm on weekdays. Also, cleanliness can be an issue. But overall, for $50/mos, you get your money's worth- and can choose gyms all over LA and around CA. Unfortunately you have to pay a guest fee in NYC, though sometimes they'll let it slide. It can be particularly useful to have validated parking (like in Anaheim during NAMM in January).

I hit the jacuzzi too, which can be nice with the jets against your back. I've been chilling with some Hydrocodone tonight, so feeling pretty cozy, and discovering whole new meanings to Pink Floyd lyrics ("my hands felt just like two balloons"). Cheers, gentle reader. Here's to rocking out this Fall. Don't let anything hold you back...

Below is my favorite from Muhammed Ali:

Injuries and Keeping On

So I had an injury and it turned out to be not so good. I hurt my ribs surfing...I just came from the doctor's office and they did an X-ray. Apparently that shooting pain in my rib cage is a series of muscle contusions and bruises. People keep asking if I hit a rock or my board. They're not realizing the size and power of those waves. I basically just got rocked and I remember holding onto my board with my arm outstretched underwater. The doctor was very insightful and empathic and explained that the ribs stretch apart when they're being pulled like that and when they snap back in place, they can lead to bruising. I resisted going to a doctor figuring it was just bruised but it actually was helpful. Here's the X ray for any rib enthusiasts:



But the question is- Where do you go from here? The doctor said I can't lift weights or surf or swim until the ribs heal up- and guess what, they're slow to heal. Good news is he gave me an anti-inflammation drug prescription and a painkiller prescription. So that's cool- and should speed the healing process. My thinking is really that anyone who's testing their limits and trying to improve is going to get injured. This is my second big injury. My first was over a year ago with a shoulder/back injury...That's when I discovered Owen Mckibbin's book- which really helped me through that period. Owen, a fitness model and former athlete, has a lot of insight about injury which I've drawn from.

His thoughts are:

Injury is really an opportunity to grow.
It challenges you to stay positive and focus on what you can do.
You choose to focus on areas that are healthy.
You can feel lucky for the mobility you do have.
Appreciate that healing takes time.
Listen to your body- and respect it.

So along those lines, I've developed a little two week program for the rest of September, consisting of walking, a tightened Paleo diet, and arm and leg exercises. I've gained some weight in just two to three weeks from eating more carbs and drinking beer. I'm now clocking in at 195 vs. 185. My pre-Paleo weight was about 205-210. But beyond that, I feel like I'm losing muscle in my arms and shoulders, and gaining weight in my lower abdominals. So walking can aid metabolism and Owen recommends it first thing in the morning for 20- 30 mins, before breakfast. Leg exercises, like body-weight squats and lunges will work your mid-section and core. Beyond that, there are other things you can do to boost metabolism- namely cold baths; also chili powders. Caffeine has some known weight-loss effects also. The key is to be maintaining muscle while increasing metabolism. Muscles and feeding them proteins helps metabolism too. Additionally, rest and keeping stress levels low are important. (When I get stressed or sleep poorly, I often crave crabs and breads and sugars.)
So there you go...RICE is the recipe (from Bill Pearl's "Getting Stronger"). Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Hope this helps someone.

Cheers-
Gabe

Huge Surf in SoCal and Kelly Slater

My buddy from Hawaii is back from Bali, and hit me up about surfing. "A big south swell is coming in", he said. I didn't think anything much of it...and agreed to meet him at 10am this morning out in Malibu. I was coming form a friend's apartment so didn't have my board and didn't feel like braving Hollywood traffic to get it, so headed up the 101N to Kanan and out to Malibu. I checked out the surf before I went, and knew immediately this was a special swell. Dume was packed. "Everyone and their mother is here" I texted him. Cars were everywhere and surfers, like it was already Labor Day weekend. I went out to the cliffs that overlook this special spot. It was pumping and guys were getting rides all the way down.

I rented a board at Clout for $15 and headed back. My buddy hadn't shown up so I suited up and headed down the long path to the wiry staircase that leads down to the beach. It was really only then that I realized how big these waves were. They were huge and guys were watching them, people taking photos, the way they did at Sunset or Pipeline. It was crazy. Down below, on the beach, I watched the waves- trying to get a feel for the frequency of the sets. There was no way to paddle through any of these waves. You could be seriously hurt in the whitewater and one thing about Pt Dume are all the rock outcroppings by the shore. There's a cove off to the right (from the beach) that most people were launching out of. Some of the biggest waves were coming around that northern point. I watched for about 25 minutes before putting on my leash and making my move.



I haven't experienced anything like today since Hawaii- maybe the time in Haleiwa or Sunset Beach, when I got worked so hard I thought it might be game-over underwater. Paddling out was fine- and I hit a few snags but duckdived through them and carried on. There were a lot of guys in the water...and honestly, some of the waves coming around the point were behemoths, dwarfing the tiny riders- some of them sailing down the faces; others getting flipped around and going under or through the ferocious spray. The power of these waves was incredible- and I heard one guy say it was like Vietnam (the war, not surfing there). Sidenote- a guy drowned yesterday at Malibu pier. Luckily, I didn't know that going out- but I was aware of the conditions. Big and brutal.

In the line-up, you have to constantly reposition. The waves don't consistently break in one spot. Sometimes it'll break unpredicatbly 100 yard back form where you are. If you stay still, you'll be in the impact zone, where the wave will crash on top of you. (aka not cool). The goal, always, is to stay out of the impact zone- whether you're going for a wave or not. But more, the goal is to keep positioning yourself and reading the water, so you can grab a wave as it crashes, at its peak, and ride it, turning down the line, and surfing up and down its face. There were some good surfers out there today- and some less experienced ones too. Another note is that waves come in sets. Frequently guys skip the first wave of a set. If you miss it, you'll get worked by the 2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th wave of the set. That's what happened to me.

I went for the second wave of a large set- probably 10' face and double overhead. It was large, but I thought I had it. Also- oftentimes the waves don't seem as large as they are until they actually break- so it may have been larger. I didn't have it. The wave crashed over me, throwing me down its face, deep underwater, wrapping me up in my leash, diving for the surface, all at about 25mph. I coughed while grabbing my board just as I got nailed by another mammoth wave. I was in trouble and held onto my board- which must've bounced hard into my ribcage. I was going over and around and through the water- and worried about rocks, as I was closer to shore. ..before the next one nailed me. It's hard to explain how large these were- but I was seriously worried about drowning. I got on my board- and paddled towards shore. Normally you turn around and go back out..but this wasn't normal. On shore, a guy pointed to his buddy's board and told me the guy had gotten hit by the same...but hadn't come in. There are no lifeguards at Point Dume. It's pretty much you're on your own. Luckily, the guy swam in eventually. "I almost drowned", he said.

My ribs on my left side hurt badly and I wondered if I'd cracked one. I remembered a bigger guy in Hawaii at the hostel who spent his days on the couch watching sports and reading because he was waiting for his ribs to heal. I wasn't wheezing, but it hurt like a bitch. I waited about 45 minutes walking back to the staircase, and talking with some Peruvian guys. They said Peru pumps like that once a month. Meanwhile, the kid who I was with who had lost his board was getting ready to go back out. I had the rental board another two hours so I followed him out- and instantly got worked in the whitewater. The set had come quicker and my ribs were killing me. I turned and went back in to shore, watched a bit more, and decided to drive upthe coast to see if there were smaller waves there. There weren't.

All up the coast, it was banging. There were less surfers than in the morning and County Line was abandoned. Zuma was firing and closing out immediately. No one was attempting those. There were people just watching the waves, like they had the 3rd week in Hawaii. But overall, the best spot was Point Dume. I returned the board, changed, and went back to Point Dume to watch from the cliffs. This cool local guy named Mystic Pete was watching and telling me stories about the local spots and his time coming up, places he'd surfed in South America, and how certain big wave surfers that I've admired were total dickheads. It was a cool hang- and I offered to teach him guitar in return for surf lessons. No dice. But he did wax mystic on me and said this spot on the cliffs had a real special energy and the Chumash used to say it was a holy place. He took off and I watched the surfers way below in silence, hearing the wind, and watching the powerful waves. I looked over and, like a hallucination, there was Kelly Slater beside me, also watching. For a second, I actually did think maybe it was a daydream or a vision. But it was totally him, squatting down sizing up the waves. We were there in silence watching from the cliffs for about five minutes before I said something.

"You going in?" I said. He had sort of a Clint Eastwood-like presence.
"Not sure", he said. I looked out.
"It was huge this morning...I think I broke a rib"
His eyes didn't leave the ocean.
"Really?"
"Yeah, maybe."
"There's no shortage of swell out there," he said.

I watched the waves breaking in long lines and the wind swept through the grass near me. It was a peaceful and cool moment. I didn't want to be that fan-guy who bugs him. I know he gets mobbed for photos all the time. But I thought- when else are you going to meet him?

"You mind taking a photo?"
"Ok"

I stood up and went over. I took a selfie of us.
"I'm Gabe", I said and held out my hand.
"Kelly", he said.



Later, around 6pm, I saw him surf the Malibu pier- and he rocked it, gliding up and down the waves like a world champion. He even did (no joke) a 360 aerial. And he was a cool guy.

My ribs? Doing better....But I don't think I'll be out tomorrow. ;)

Anatomy of a Healthy Diet

So what should I eat, Gabe?

This is verbatim what I just bought at Trader Joe's. It's mostly Paleo. Some of the products have sugar in them or organic cane sugar. That's hard to avoid- though doable. If you've been doing Paleo for a while, you can tolerate some beers and some bread. I am guilty of both.

Here's what I just bought for the week for about $40.

Organic vegetarian fed eggs
Kerrygold unsalted butter
4% cottage cheese (dairy is not technically cool)
Organic ketchup
TJ's red salsa
Tj's vegetable tortilla chips (made form spinach and white corn- also not technically Paleo, but I'm eating a lot of straight up corn chips anyway these days)
2 bottled water jugs
bag of mixed greens- spinach and kale etc
individually packaged bags of nuts (includes cashews- also not Paleo because they are legumes, but they are de-lish)
1 lb turkey (for chili or burgers)
1 steak (also not grass-fed, but again, I'm eating alll this carne asada out and about that's like the lowest quality imaginable; figured what's the diff)
2 organic pears (ten cents more than regular- a real splurge)
1 box of TJ's organic tomato soup (also has some sugar)
1 can of stewed tomatoes (for chili)

That's about it. Might've missed something.

Main points here are:
1- It's not that pricey
2- It's protein based
3- There are carbs- veggies, fruits, and chips)
4- I cut corners but am overall 85% Paleo
5- Mix it up- try pears over apples, spinach chips, etc.
6- Be kind to yourself
7- Drink lots of water

Have a great week!
GPR

Veganism- Friend or Foe?

Spent some time at Barnes and Noble today in their Diet and Health section. It's an interesting place to visit- especially if you have a distinct view on nutrition. There are so many diet books out there and different ways of thinking. For me, it's almost unimaginable at this point to think that anyone still drinks soda and eats cheezits and expects to be thin. But moreover, I know people- specifically women- who are trying to be healthy and do the right thing by the planet and turn vegetarian or vegan. They eat fruit and vegetables- thinking they're equivalent; they eat a lot of soy products, eat "heart-healthy" wheat and oats; and a lot of dairy....and they're overweight.



I perused the book, Wheat Belly, which basically targets, yup, you guessed it, wheat as the culprit. Wheat has been grossly distorted and tampered with by modern geneticists and food labs and now our bodies can't process it. Cut wheat. Cut belly fat...says that author. Wheat is in way more products by the way than just bread, pasta, and beer. It's in everything from soups to sauces to... well, everything. If you cut wheat and you cut out products with added sugar or high fructose corn syrup (soda, even ketchup), you've eliminated 90% of processed American foods. Cut out hydrogenated oils and products with corn (or corn starch) and you basically have a Paleo diet. What do they eat? They shop around the perimeter of the supermarket- in the produce aisle, and the meats, eggs, and fish, and pick up a few staples like virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter, spices (need those spices), and maybe hit the middle for beef jerky, a pan, light bulbs (still need 'em), and nuts (though sometimes are in produce).



So is there a way to be Paleo and largely vegetarian? I went to the Diet and Health section to take a look if there were any books that adressed the issue. Nooop. I did see one about high-carb living (riiight), and also one about a vegan fireman who opposes meat consumption. But nothing on vegetarians who are Paleo. I tried vegetarianism btw for six months, and found myself eating a lot of beans, rice, quinoa, grains, and pre-made Indian curries. My friend, Joe, used to be a vegetarian for many years and found himself very overweight and not in good health. My little nephew who's five and being raised vegan had to see a GI about stomach issues. Apparently he has an occasional egg.

I would say it is possible to be Paleo and vegetarian if you include eggs, turkey, chicken, and fish. I think you could do it as a fish eater with bean based products (tofu, seitan, etc) but I don't think you'd see the benefits as much. The main thing, to my mind, is- As a vegetarian, couldyou live without bread and grain products? When you look at the back of those tofu and seitan products, many have wheat added. I'm not sure why- maybe to change the consistency? So if you actually based your diet on plants, could you survive and thrive and not be hungry. Also- plants are carbohydrates- which stoke your insulin levels and cause your body to retain weight. Could you do it with just eggs and no animals (fish, tukey, etc) killed? And what are these vegans eating that's fattening them up? I think gluten-free products have a lot of sugar and some starches like potato starch and corn starch...I know low-carb yogurts have a ton of sugar. I always check the back to see if carbs outweigh protein in grams. Typically they do unless there are no sweeteners.

Here's Primal Blueprint author, Mark Sisson, on Paleo...


It would be interesting to try a vegetarian version of Paleo. As is, I typically eat 3 eggs for breakfast, sometimes with spinach; 2 cans tuna and some salad for lunch, have a afternoon protein shake from Muscle Milk with water, and have a lb of lean turkey chili for dinner. I have been eating more burritos, more corn chips, and having more light beer. But overall, I've been good. Not sure. I remember when I became a vegetarian. I was shopping at Ralph's buying salmon and seeing it under the plastic wrap, just thought, man this is disgusting. All these fish are being killed and this doesn't even look like a fish. It's just some pink-orange material that I eat. Just gross. Slaughterhouses are horrible places. Cows are gentle creatures- totally innocent. Do they suffer? Do they feel pain? Yes. Is methane ruining the ozone layer? Yes. Are these beautiful yoga girls getting fat? Sometimes. Am I jerk for writing about this? Maybe.

This would be a good code to crack for them. Comments welcome oh ye silent reader.

GPR

Jiu Jitsu Intro

My two month Intro to MMA at Robot is in its 6th week as of today, and we have been working on takedowns and groundwork. I have about zero experience with wrestling of any kind- though I confess, I was into WWF as a 5th grader- like really into it. My friends and I used to have pillow fights and jump off the couch at each other. This is pretty much nothing like that. This is much more like learning chess moves, that you have to make with your body. They are precise moves and meant to be executed with force and quickness. Jiu Jitsu is not, however, a sport I'm familiar with. And there is no off the ropes action. Hitting someone with a steel chair is also not permitted.



So how does class go? I'm glad you asked....

We start with three 5 minute rounds of conditioning.
Round 1-
Shadow boxing (3min)
Mountain climbers (30 secs)
Sit ups (30 secs)
Squats (30 secs)
30 sec rest

Round 2-
Shadow boxing (combinations) (3min)
Push-ups (30 secs)
Jump Squat (30 sec)
Leg lifts (30 secs)
30 sec rest

Round 3-
Shadow boxing (boxing + kicks + blocks)
Mountain climbers (15 secs)
Push ups (15 secs)
Squat (15 sec)
Jump sqaut (15 sec)
Sit-ups/leg lifts (30 sec)

1 minute plank

Thia, for me, has been the best part of each class. I've definitely seen improvement in all these exercises- in capacity to do reps, in form, and in overall, strength.



Segment 2- Drills
Today we formed tow lines and worked on sort of a lunge attack that's meant to bridge Muay Thai boxing with Jiu Jitsu.
We followed that with a dive bomber type exercise called a sprawl in which you fall down to your stomach and spring back up.
After that we did some defensive maneuvers in which you are backing out of a hold or from a strike on your butt. You sort of slide back and can form an L- sort of hinge your way away from your oopnent.

Segment 3- One on One
We paired up and did two different holds that had about three parts each, sort of involving a slight choke, and a flip. It was a little weird at first grappling with guys you don't really know but you get used to it pretty quickly. It was definitely an intro, and I had some trouble with remembering the sequence of which knee goes where and when the leg comes over etc.



I thought back to my Dad though who used to wrestle in high school and college and was actually the captain of his teams. Our coach, Coach Robby, sort of has my dad's build from his college days- a smaller guy but in great shape. Wish there was a time machine to be able to see my Dad wrestle back then.

The Advanced guys came over to our class tonight and were saying they hoped some of the bigger guys kept going- as they need sparring partners. Oh boy...plot thickens.

Huntington Surf Session

I suppose I was inspired by the Vans US Open of Surfing...

I went down there on Sunday to check out the Men's Finals with my roommates. It was packed. Thousands of people crowded the pier and beach area. I got there just in time to see the two Brazilian finalists go head to head. When the guy in blue won (it was announced over the speakers), he put his hands to his head and his competitor in yellow pointed at him as they both caught a wave all the way into shore. Hundreds of people came into the water to congratulate him. He won a hundred thousand dollars. I think the other guy got some Vans. There were cool Vans too of every stripe- from high tops with Yodas to classic designs, a lot of hats and apparel. The surf industry almost seems more about style, fashion, and merch than surfing. It's sort of the bad boy, rebellious image that people relate to- and I think Dogtown and Z Boys showed that from the start, skating and surfing drew from that same well; guys that were rejected by society or from poor backgrounds, that devoted themselves to performing dangerous physical stunts. Guys like Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton, and Rob Machado have brought it to a class of professionalism and athleticism. But even still, in the US, surfing is often looked at as an escape and not a destination.



The waves have been small all summer, though Huntington usually has a significant size. I was down there mid-week two weeks ago to see a different bit of the competition and it was tiny. So going back yesterday, it wasn't clear what I'd find, besides serious traffic. I left at 3:30pm but it took until about 6pm to actually get there. It was windy driving down from the north and there were a lot of kitesurfers- always a bad sign if you want to surf. But beyond the pier there were a few guys in the water. I parked and changed into my wetsuit and hit the water. It was nice to be in again. I think it'd been a few weeks- possibly since the Ocean Park surfing competition on 7/15. it was already late by the time I got in the water but also, the wave formation wasn't great. Waves would crumble before getting to you or split in different directions. They had size but it dissipated. There were probably three fields of waves to get through before the line-up (though only about ten of us there). One of the nice things about Huntington is how broad the break is. Waves seem to be the most competitive to catch near the pier, but they break all over.

For more than an hour I sat out there on my board, bobbing around, waiting for something. There was a current drawing me south away from the pier but I kept trying to stay somewhat near the other surfers. I had only put two dollars in the meter. As the sun started to set behind the pier, I was getting bored and thought- this was a dud...when I saw a nice set roll in. It's weird but I knew I would catch the first one. Normally you skip the first one so you don't get caught in the impact zone of the second one. They usually come in 3-4 waves. But I grabbed the first and it was large. There was a big drop- felt like 5' but not really sure. I was riding a 7'8 board and caught it and stood, and it moves so quickly when you're riding them. But I was able to turn some and ride it into shore almost like the Brazilians had done a couple days before. I was so stoked and psyched about the drop. That's normally where I fall. But I think all the MMA conditioning has actually improved my balance a lot. We've also been doing a lot of squats and jump-squats and core work, so all of that seems to be helping. I paddled back out enthusiastically- and the next one I caught was stronger. It had already broken actually- but was so big it was still breaking, and it felt like I was going about 90mph. I wasn't able to stand in time and ended up bodyboarding it. But the final wave was cool and made me feel good. I stood again on a good size drop and bottom turned, which is the first step towards real surfing.



It's amazing how long it takes to learn to surf. It takes real dedication too- just to get out to the waves on a consistent basis. But as I was in the water out there yesterday watching the sun set behind the pier, and the moon is out, and it's just me on this frontier of nature and society, it felt really beautiful and good. I remembered what I loved about surfing- because I got pretty negative on it for a while. I kept cutting my feet open on rocks or wiping out or just not getting good rides. But for me, it's really about that sense of unity with other things and that sense of peace and relief you have when you're out. You're tired in a good way and sort of proud. Changing back into normal clothes you're grateful or basics like water and heat, or a good song on the radio. It's just such an awesome feeling... and so rare that people feel that way in regular society- maybe because it's such a physical activity, and so many of us are in our heads all day. Find me on Instagram at @devastrado1 if you want to see more photos.

Cheers-
GPR

MMA update- August

So it's been about a month of Intro MMA at Robot Fight and Fitness twice a week with a couple Crossfit style strength sessions thrown in and some surfing. I have to say- I'm feeling in pretty decent shape. I'm back on Paleo for the most part but have been eating more carbs- specifically rice, with sushi and with Mexican food. Corn chips and beer also sometimes make an appearance- but I have to say, overall, I'm doing pretty well with the course.



While the first four weeks focused on the basics of Muay Thai: punches, combos, blocks, and kicks- as well as overall conditioning; now the training has turned towards Braziian jiu jitsu- specifically take-downs. The conditioning is still a factor and I notice my abs are stronger and I have lost some size in my shoulders and arms. Legs are feeling strong and we've been doing ample jump squats and squats which I think has helped my pop-up in surfing.



I've lost touch with Joe for the most part- who's busy with teaching and gigging and doing Crossfit. Sounds like he's had some brutal workouts. I'd recommend Robot Fight and Fitness in West LA. Good people, facilities, and the Intro package is only $75 per month, which is a lot less than Krav Maga was.



Beyond MMA:
Drink water. Watch your posture. Smile. Get enough sleep. Breathe deeply. Spend time with friends. De-stress. Make money. Cultivate health.

Best,
Gabe

Robot Fight and Fitness- MMA in West LA

I joined Robot Fight and Fitness in West LA and froze my membership at 24 Hr Fitness.



So far it's been very cool. I've done three classes total- all Intro MMA. I took some boxing classes when I lived in Brooklyn and did Krav Maga a few summers ago- so this is similar to those. Honestly, it's been so nice just to wrap my hands again or pt on gloves and throw some punches.

It feels more like ballet class at this point- learning routines in slow motion, practicing things over and over so they're ingrained. Eventually, the idea is that you put these moves together in a sparring session...but that's at least 8 weeks from now. For now, you focus on form; you tap your motivation; you try to get back in shape- like real shape...which is good. And classes are good too, since there's a coach and a team and a purpose. Self defense skills are good to have and women like a guy with fight skills. They think it's sexy- which is good.

So here's what I've learned from Coach Robbie at Robot so far:

1- how to wrap your hands
2- to keep your right hand up to your brow to protect yourself; and to bring your left back after you throw it
3- footwork
4- dodge and pivot as a person charges at you
5- shadow boxing- keep it slow, focus on one thing
6- train in 3 min intervals
7- hold pads in front of you not out to the side, so your body can help absorb the hit
8- walk the red line between the mats when exiting
9- put shoes on as soon as you get off the mat
10- bow and shake before and after each session

It's been fun and different. I think that's important with fitness- finding new challenges and being open to new things. You bring certain things with you- pushing through pain (holding your hands up stresses your shoulders, similar to paddling through difficult waves), pacing yourself (if you're doing timed calisthenics- pick a number in your mind of reps- don't just go as hard as possible), and attitude (you have to be loose and have fun but strong and determined too. And it's fueled the old metabolism too... I can feel my body craving protein, among other things.

It's a two month summer membership- and the people there are all very cool...so seems like a great place for me- and a good outlet .

7/5



Just did a strength/conditioning course with Coach Andrew. 11-12pm. Crossfit style.
Stretching- 10 min
Metabolic Conditioning- 10 min- kettlebell swings to burpees (10 rounds x 1 min each)
Strength circuit- 30 minutes (6 exercises x 5 rounds)
- pullups- 5x
- pushups- 10x
- split squat (5s)
- back (x5)
- clean (3-2-1)
- lunge (16)

I thought it was only ok...granted I wasn't in a great mood and dehydrated from drinking last night.

7/8

Went to Robot yesterday for Fight class. It was crowded- their Mon night Intro class.
After basic conditioning- sets of timed push ups, air squats, mountain climbers, jump squats, shadow boxing, core work, we partnered up and did dodging drills and thengot gloves and practiced taking hits followed by jab hook cross blocking drills. It's tough to keep your hands up for that long and throwing punches you feel it in your lats...Also sidestepping and being on your feet is good general conditioning. It's a good workout- you sweat a ton and I feel it in my core right now and shoulders, and glutes are sore too.

Integrity, Owen 2, and Muhammed Ali

The other unique aspect of Owen's workouts are his Integrity days. Integrity is a word I've been thinking a lot about. A quick google search brings up this definition:

in·teg·ri·ty
inˈtegritē/
noun
1.
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
"he is known to be a man of integrity"
synonyms: honesty, probity, rectitude, honor, good character, principle(s), ethics, morals, righteousness, morality, virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness More
antonyms: dishonesty
2.
the state of being whole and undivided.
"upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty"
synonyms: unity, unification, coherence, cohesion, togetherness, solidarity

Muhammed Ali exemplified Integrity in and out of the ring:


The idea as it pertains to fitness has more to do with definition two. Owen's Wednesday workout focuses on smaller, more injury prone areas- specifically shoulders and knees. I've added PT exercises also. In November 2012, I injured my scapula, which is a back muscle behind the rhomboid. It wasn't a tear but some sort of nerve pinch involving dead lift to high pull and pull-ups, outlined in a hypertrophy workout from Alwyn Cosgrove's New Rules of Lifting. Joe and I had teamed up just before to start the podcast and had completed the entire book of New Rules of Lifting for Abs- which is another awesome book focusing on building core strength. I defintiely got stronger on that workout and we met 2x a week in Altadena at the 24 Hr Fitness there. We did lifts and metabolic conditioning, and it was cool to have a workout partner. Since the injury though we went our separate ways. Obviously, I've been surfing a lot and Joe has been doing Crossfit.

I really like Owen's Integrity workout though. Oddly the M, F workout is called the Core workout, so they don't quite match up. One theme through the book though is how Owen has gone straight from his party days in USC and after, and met his wife on the beach. She basically told him to clean up his act or they had no shot and he did. They got married and had a son, Blaze- and in the book, from 2003, the kid is a baby that Owen says he runs up the Stairs (a Santa Monica fitness mainstay) and up the Hill with. So maybe the Integrity workout was about that, and also strengthening some of his weaker areas to integrate fitness throughout (or make whole). He talks about how he views injury as an opportunity to concentrate on other areas- and also pool exercises he's done to improve, when injured. So this book was totally useful to me through that period- and even still (as in NOW), I use it to focus and get back on track, and use Owen as a role model.


Owen McKibbin with his family (How many workout books have a whole redemption story built in?)
(From The Cover Model Diet, by Owen McKibbin)

As far as the first definition of integrity- re: strong morals and being honest, standing up for your principles; that's a good one to work on too- though a little harder than a shoulder workout. So many amazing role models there- yeah, Muhammed Ali and also my grandfather, Judge Max Rosenn comes to mind.

Anyway here's today's workout. Been rope-skipping every morning (1000 skips) before coffee, reducing alcohol, etc.



Sample breakfast:


Love this. Thought of this while rope-skipping today:

Two Week Tweak

So it's a two week countdown to my birthday- and I'm trying to reign in my excesses. I always like to feel like I'm getting better with age. Every year, I try to get in "the best shape of my life" for my b-day. It's a little foolish since I end up partying that night usually anyway. But my long- term goal has been to stay in shape for life. Along those lines, one of the first fitness books I really dug was (wait for it) Staying Hard, by Charles Gaines.



Gaines was a writer in the 70'ss/80's and friend of Schwarzenegger and helped produce the film, Pumping Iron. Staying Hard (1980) is a total classic and is basically about not "losing your hard" over time. Gaines was not a bodybuilder but just a bad-ass writer who stayed in shape. He was lean and cut and his routines are still worthwhile. I once dated a personal trainer and brought the book along on a lunch date at the Grove to get her opinion. I think she thought it was endearing and cute in a dated way... One important tip Gaines recommended was "make water your beverage of choice". He also advocated chewing your food. It's a very cool book- though one I don't consult much anymore. (There's all kinds of esoteric advice for "keeping your hard" like studying the Plains Indians and eating butterscotch over other candies). Definitely worth the $1.99 or whatever on Amazon. (and for the longest time btw, I wanted white short shorts to work out in).



My current favorite book though is (gulp) Owen McKibbin's Cover Model Workout. It's a Men's Health publication from 2003 and McKibbin is one of MH's most used cover models (hence the name of the book). More than that, he's a pro personal trainer, former USC volleyball player, and soccer player. He's had a ton of injuries (which is how I discovered the book after my shoulder injury last year) and his book rocks for motivation. It even has a chapter: Family- Friend or Foe..(think I know the answer to that one).



Owen comes through as a guy that's been around (a former "party dog" as he says); the kind of guy you'd like to get a smoothie with (jk). He used to arrive hungover to modeling shoots, and somehow stumbled upon clean living. Most of my workouts these days are modified from that book. When you cut out the booze and get to bed at a decent hour, Owen's plans work. His version of the "Two Week Tweak" however is for real. It's only in the hardcover edition of the book, but it's basically doing morning interval training and ab work (empty stomach) and afternoon lifting. His lifts aren't easy and there's plenty of unusual rep schemes like doing 20 hammer curls. Many Crossfit people (I won't name names) look down on workouts like this thinking it's bodybuilding type stuff- but no joke, his workouts deliver (and fyi- guys like Mark Wahlberg and Hugh Jackman do high rep- arm workouts). His diet does allow for some "dry carbs"- mostly in the morning (toast or oatmeal)- and also the book recommends cutting egg yolks and chicken skin (along the conventional "fat makes you fat" line) but it's easy to just eat Paleo and train like Owen- who's in his 50's and still killing it.



Posted above is Owen's Fat Loss- Phase 4 workout which I'll be doing for the next two weeks while ditching all my vices (except Thai masages). I'd suggest buying the book off Amazon if you're into it and starting from the beginning. This workout is not one to just jump into (rope-skipping intervals are tough). So raise your protein shakes to following through...and to being fit for life, whatever route you want to take.

Paleo thoughts- Art De Vany's New Evolution Diet

"To call a diet on which humans lived for millenia a fad is just ignorance. In fact, it is the modern fad of eating a high-carb, high grain, high-sugar diet that is harmful." p50, The New Evolution Diet, Arthur De Vany



The New Evolution Diet continues to be the book that I come back to when I stray from "Paleo" eating. Art De Vany has a blog he maintains and is considered the grandfather of the Paleo movement- though he doesn't use that term. He simply began a personal study of what foods reduced insulin levels naturally in his diabetic son and wife in the 70's. He was an economics professor so studying data came naturally to him as did publishing papers. His first paper with his thoughts on Fitness and Diet was "Evolutionary Fitness". You can google it. His approach is very straight-forward and the book, the New Evolution Diet, expands upon it and makes it more palatable to general audiences.

I'm still sort of baffled by all the "conventional" thinking about health and nutrition. Specifically- the issue of calories. The mainstream thinking- which I see all the time in Men's Health publications has to do with the "Calories in, Calories out" equation. "Eat less and exercise more" is supposedly the recipe to losing weight. Gary Taubes addressed this extensively in his paper- What If It's All a Big, Fat Lie? and his book Why We Get Fat; and What We Can Do About It. That book is actually denser than DeVany's and more science-oriented, though less science-y than Taubes' tome- Good Calories, Bad Calories.

So calories are one issue that stick around....and another is about red meat. I know several people now who are moving forward with a vegetarian based diet- thinking it's healthier. I just got an invitation to a barbecue from my friend who's very overweight- and the main selling point was that they'd have grilled pineapple. Grilled pineapple is delicious, yes, but the sugar content is high- especially versus grilled steak or hamburger. The Nurse's study published by Harvard last year seems to have really hit the national media hard- and it's a drag.

I eat a lot of calories primarily from a high protein, low carb diet ( a lot of meats, eggs, and fish) and have very low cholesterol, low triglycerides, no diseases, more energy, strength, and stamina than ever. I credit the Paleo diet and my habit of 4-8 week weight lifting routines- as well as adopting sports I'm interested in (surfing, tennis). Getting adequate rest and drinking water have also been important.

There's a lot of temptation in our society. I don't watch tv so commercials don't get to me- but, just in shopping at grocery stores, there's always candy by the register, and happy hour specials, and yeah, it gets to be laborious explaining your dietary habits to incredulous people (often women). They often are freaked out that you're having a salad or think they're "foodies" by being into baked goods like pies and cakes. Friends too can sabotage you just by not understanding- just by being ignorant. They think you only eat meat.



The Paleo diet is about eating whole foods; nutrient-dense foods; not eating processed foods loaded with sugars or that trigger insulin spikes... The idea isn't to be a caveman. It's to eat foods that humans evolved on. This is a great a article on the subject from Nerd Fitness:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/

Paleo on the Cheap

A lot of friends have told me that they'd go Paleo but can't afford it. So here's a typical weekly shopping cart for me. Typically it costs around $40.

Eggland vegetarian-fed Eggs- $4.89 for 18 (scramble in pan in butter)

Jennie's Lean Ground Turkey- $4.89 (use for turkey burgers or chili)

Wild Caught salmon filet- $5 (wrap in tinfoil and put in the oven in butter for 30 min)

Grass-fed hamburger meat or steak- $6.99

Organic vegetarian-fed chicken drumsticks- $3

Tuna in cans- 2/$3

2 avocados- $3

2 tomatoes

scalllions

organic spinach- $2.99

blackberries or blueberries- $2.99

2 apples or pears- $2-3

Kerrygold grass-fed butter- $5

Coconut milk (I don't buy this often, but it's good in protein shakes)- $2.99

From time to time I get Chioban yogurts 2/$3 or 4% cottage cheese

Unsalted Pistachios or almonds- $4.99

I'll sometimes get some red wine or whiskey (Bushmill's is cheap and good) too- $10-12

Between meals I'll typically have a protein shake from Muscle Milk which I'll get once a month at the gym or GNC for about $20.

Typically I shop at Ralph's, Trader Joe's or Vons. Sprouts is good too.

Cheers-
Gabe

The Absolute Minimum

I haven't totally gotten back into the gym routine since coming back from Hawaii. I've gone swimming in the pool and I've developed a very difficult sauna to hot tub to steam room circuit, but not too much besides. I was thinking, I wonder what the minimum is one could do to stay in decent shape and retain my Derek Zoolander-like physique? This is what I came up with:

1- Eat a nutrient dense diet with an absence of sugars, grains, starches, that emphasizes naturally fed protein sources, have healthy fats (like avocados, coconut, etc). Stay away from processed foods and the middle of the supermarket no matter how appealing the packaging is. Drink less alcohol. (Drink no soda btw).

2- Do this workout 3x a week- (3 sets, 8-12 reps, 60-90 sec rest)
Push-ups (or sub a chest exercise)
Pull-ups (or sub a back exercise)
Squat (or sub a compund leg exercise)
Reverse Sit-up (or substitute core exercise...planks are popular now)

3- Walk 3x a week, 20- 30 min (or swim or surf or whatever feels good and gets you moving)

4- Do some stretches like:
Toe touch to sky
Arm circles
your basic gym class stretches

5- Watch your posture too...especially when sitting or driving. Art de Vany has an interesting posture suggetion in his book, New Evolution Diet. It's to walk with your head aligned over your stomach like you're wearing a cape. He calls it the abdominal brace. Whenever I do it, people think I look taller. GIve it a try.

There you have it...the Absolute Minimum. Actually, an Absolut Minimum sounds like a tasty drink...D'oh!

Best,
GPR

Drink Lots of Water

Sounds obvious, right...It's ridiculous how little most people drink. Many people want to lose weight or get in shape but miss the connection between drinking water and being fit.



Here's the connection as I see it:

1- 90% of hunger is actually dehydration. Having water satiates your appetite.

2- Water feeds the fascia in your muscles allowing them to operate smoothly.

3- According to trainer, Owen McKibbin, the more water you drink, the less your skin retains underneath. If your body is retaining water, it's because it needs it. If you have an abundance of water in your system, more is flushed out.

4- You function better, feel more awake with water. I actually find sometimes a cold water wakes me up more than coffee.

The FDA recommends 8 glasses a day...That's basically a glass every two hours. What if you try doubling it?

Best,
Gabe