21 Day Primal Challenge

It's a new year and you want to shape up, you say. Let's say you've put on some weight over the holidays. Not uncommon. Hit the gym harder? Eat less? Exercise more? That would be the standard advice. For years I did the same thing. I got stronger in the gym, but typically my weight was the same...until 2011, when my friend, Joe Bagg, introduced me to the Paleo Diet. He had done a nutritional certification with Robb Wolf, author of the Paleo Solution, through Crossfit. I had tried vegetarianism for mostly ethical reasons but it hadn't worked for me. I felt better about not eating animals, but had digestion issues with the emphasis on beans and tofu products. A few months later, I did Robb Wolf's 30 day challenge and it worked out well. By February of 2012, I was lean and my body had adjusted to burning fat over glucose. Joe was an important part of helping me stick to it and giving me some pointers (ex. Make sure you're eating enough fats- like avocados and olive oil). You can check out Joe's story here. I made this short documentary, Paleo Jazz, about him in 2013 (shot on 16mm b/w).



This January I'm starting Mark Sisson's 21 Day Primal Challenge. Sisson is the author of the Primal Blueprint and has started this challenge as a way to inspire others and connect those isolated Paleo folks with others around the world like them. The guidelines are simple. I've taken the basics Sisson's site, www.marksdailyapple.com:







If you're interested in joining me, drop a comment or email me at gabe.rosenn@gmail.com. I firmly believe that the Paleo or Primal diet is the key to health and longevity. I've also begun the Spartacus 3 workout...Spartacus 1 was a great fat-burning circuit, based on the workout that actors from the show used. Reprinted here from Men's Health:



Hope to hear from some of you.

Good luck out there! Happy 2015!
GPR

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