Blogless in Big D
There…there was this large African spider…yeah. Spider. He managed to crawl into my…my…my brain last night. Yeah. Through the ear, uh-huh. And…he like ate the part that does my blogs. But only the part that does long blogs, clever blogs and informative blogs. Right…yeah. And…my doc says I’ll be fine in exactly 8 hours.
Oh, I can’t believe you doubt me! I’m…I’m hurt. Really. That stings. Ouch.
(Due to the M-Power facelift that’s still going on at 2:00am in the %&*$)# morning, and the fact that my brain does feel kinda like an egg that’s been put into a frying pan to give an analogy of a brain…er…no blog, no blog, no blog today-a-a. Tomorrow. TWO BLOGS. Two, count them…2!
Sorry faithful 10ers…duty called today. However, I’ve discarded over 3 pounds of pure fat and my muscles are starting to feel a bit on the happier side. Nutrition right on, and all is well. That’s the short version. Not very inspiring perhaps, but I’m going to blog daily even if I have to do it via smoke signals.
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Comments (17)
Jean said:
Way to go Jon, I am down 3 lbs as well…..even after the Halloween chocolate bars l got into!
Choc-a-holic I am..only human…..teehee!
I think the 8x8 sets are helping as well maybe the split cardio(i don’t go hard at all on it more like 60% of my RHR)
but something is working.
I do eat 5 meals a day and watch what they are….soon I should look into your MMplan for myself.
Keep up the goood work and if you need a blog off….then take it we will forgive you!
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 02:38 AM
Joe said:
Hi Jon, again thanks for the shoulder suggestions…feels better already!
Also, tried a variation on your tuna sandwich today..(I’m also a fan of coconut oil)..it was great!
..and one last comment for the day: like many here, I enjoy your humor. Today, the one: “The darn thing is more flexible than teenagers from Romania” had me laughing out loud. In my book, laughter is another essential ingredient to a healthy life. Thanks.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:28 AM
Timpa said:
Terve Jon
That means Hi Jon. I´m from Finland and writing in english is slowly, but I try. You say that subconscious mind will kick in strong when you keep saying something to it. I think you are right. I don´t call myself an f..king idiot any more, yeah right, tell that to my wife. Hi honey, you are an f..king idiot, ups and kloing, excuse me while I take that frying pan off my face. Now I think more positive things like, I will get it done…and so. I made new goal list and I´m kicking BUTT the heavy way. I tell you when I hit 120kg. I´m just so energetic and now this is fun again. I really love your stuff and the way you say things. You just keep telling things how they are and like they say: never give up. So, still, but only temporarily obese. Keep this up, you are the MAN.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:50 AM
Bonnie Sue said:
Good Morning Jon…and everybody listening,
I am also a huge fan of eating several small meals per day and portion control is absolutely essential as well as controlling the p/c/f ratios. I learned this last year when I became hooked on www.dietpower.com - I’m sorry, it’s not like I was cheating on you since I didn’t even know about you back then. I stopped my daily logging a while ago since my brain is already on autopilot when it comes to food choices, etc. I also want to share one of my favorite finds…foodwise, that is. They’re Tofu Shirataki noodles. They come in a plastic wrapper usually in the produce dept. (I find them at Whole Foods) One package says two servings but I eat the whole bag mixed with diced cooked chicken and veggies, sauteed with a little olive oil and garlic. The whole bag only has 40 calories, zero fat and 2 net carbs. For those of us watching our starchy carbs, it’s the next best thing to spaghetti. You just gotta rinse them before cooking because they are awfully tinky. Oh yeah…a little soy sauce too.
Bye from Cali!!!
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 10:09 AM
Ron Cahalan said:
I have been studying and reading about insulin levels abd fat loss. Can I get or see a sampling of the menu items from your master meal planning? I am curious to find out your perspective of grains and flours along with sugars and sweetners as they pertain to insulin levels etc. Thx, Ron
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 11:10 AM
Jon Benson said:
To Jean:
Jean, you’re a doll…and way to GO. Three pounds of…what…??
FAT GIRL, FAT.
Remember, you could lose three pounds right now by getting neekid. Then again, you’d be arrested.
We’re after fat, so I’m keeping all you10ers’ eyes on the target: F A T. Not weight. Not water, although you will all lose water and that’s okay if you’re hydrated. Not muscle, oh GOD no. FAT.
Keep it up!
To Joe:
Responded to this in another blog…you and your repetition fetish… : )
To Timpa:
Terve Nerve to you, Timpa. “Timpa” is a fish here in the States…wait…my staff is telling me that it’s “Salmon”, not “Timpa”. Sorry. Didn’t mean to call you a water-dweller.
I get “salmon” and words salmon…$^#*^$…that start with “T” confused.
God, I’m salmo….$&*#$…too strange.
Thank you! Welcome, and I’m flattered by your kind words. We’re here man! You keep that “temporarily” bit going and let’s get lean my man.
To Bonnie Sue:
DietPower.com sucks. MasterMeals, you know, like can kick its BUTT any day…and…and…so THERE.
No, NO…kidding. I’m sure it’s great. Just giving you a hard time.
( t r a i t o r )
We do appreciate the food plug ( b e n e d i c t a r n o l d ) Bonnie, so keep up the good work.
: )
We love ya. It’s cool.
Oh, about tofu: if you’re a vegetarian and/or vegan, you’re stuck with it. I hear it’s not bad, and the recipe Bonnie gave sounds interesting. Just bear in mind that no matter WHAT you hear from the Granola Camp, amino acid quality (for lack of a detailed, boring, biochemical explanation) in soy-based foods simply cannot compare to those in animal products. Then again, if you’re (a) genetically disposed to being a vegetarian; (b) have a religious or ethical reason for being a vegetarian or vegan; or (c) just love moo-cows too much to eat one for din-din, then tofu is your best bet. Also, you ‘can’ get plenty of protein as a vegetarian and vegan; it’s just not easy to do.
To Ron:
Great question Ron, and way to make me actually write something techie on 5 hours sleep. Appreciate it man!
If you want to see a menu of MasterMeals, go to a grocery store. Find any food not made by man. That’s it.
For some people, this means low carbs due to genetically poor insulin response (or merely the abuse of the pancreas over years and years and billions and billions of stars…) of eating poorly. For others, it’s isocaloric. For others, it’s vegan.
It’s not a meal plan…it’s a way of eating whatever meal plan works best for your body chemistry and personal preferences.
I researched grains until my eyes turned to millet. I was (and, yeah, still kinda am) a staunch lowered-carb guy if I had to say, across the board, how most people should eat. “Lowered” does not mean “NO”, although I thrived on a zero carb diet for months during my last peak. Seriously: 10 days on NO carbs (nada, zilch) and then I’d carb up on Satan Sugars (bad, but tasty) for several days. Got ripped. Wasn’t healthy, though. Not biologically, but mentally. I never broke the bad patterns of past bingeing when eating like this.
So, I find carbs a very pleasant necessary evil. I do not agree with Mercola, although I dig parts of his site. I mean, come on now: the Egyptians built the pyramids on GRAINS. How bad can they be?
For some people, grains can cause a large insulin spike. I had my cage rattled when, after eating tons of them and even a lot of sugar for months, I had my fasting insulin checked. I totally expected it to be, you know, 1x10/42 or something.
4.
Yep. 4.
So, I was ‘fat’ without insulin being an issue.
Could have bowled me over with a bowl of rice.
Others? Heck, I’ve seen fasting insulin levels of 18 on “moderate” carbs. Only high fats, medium proteins and virtually no carbs do the trick.
That’s why MasterMeals is designed the way it is: flexible. Just like Ahhnold on civll rights. (Hey, I voted for him in my heart. No one is above my scorn….ha…HA…HA HA HAHHAAAAAAAA….ohhhhh…pulled a muscle.)
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 11:55 AM
Bonnie Sue said:
…sticks and stones and all that - I’m here now and that’s all that matters, right?
Also, I don’t go to Granola Camp, I just enjoy a slab of tofu every now and again…to supplement the moo moo or bock bock (that would be a chicken)
Love ya too!
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 01:00 PM
Marloe said:
Hi Jon
I am from South Africa, 55, female, singer and artist - and I am just getting into this blog of yours. Very enjoyable and most enlightening. I started at the gym on January 15 this year. This was in order to get strong for a mile open water swim in March to which I challenged myself. (I made it, but missed the medals by 30 seconds. Next March I will get my medal.) I am large. 242 lbs and only 5 ft 6 inches. Endomorph big time. Apple shape, metabolically challenged, insulin resistant etc etc. I have been fighting this fat for a good 30 years and have probably pissed (is that swearing?) my body off big time with all the dieting I have done. A serious motorbike accident in 82 has left me with scars and broken bones, sore knees and hips that are now coming back to haunt me. Hence the swimming. Moreover, this body is no longer interested in diets and my brain is fried with all the internal dialogue going on about food. Then along came your book, Fit over 40, and it was a treat to get! It got my energy going a fair bit just looking at all those success stories, and I started getting really interested in training. Now I have a new programme with lighter weights and higher reps to compliment my swimming workouts and as an endomorph I now have more cardio to do than before. Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle was helpful in that department. Being an Endomorph is very hard though. It seems like I am destined to have to work harder than most to get to goal weight (158 lbs) and that is so depressing. All that extra cardio I have to do. It just makes me want to eat! There! - an emotional eater, me. I want to join in this 10 in 10 but I am a bit late for the start, so It will have to be 8 in 8. So can I jump in where I am? Somewhere something has to work!
Marloe
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 01:31 PM
Vickie said:
Hello Jon,
Thank you for these blogs and your commitment to losing UNWANTED FAT and not just “weight”! :)
As a current “curvy but muscular” single over-40 girl (who used to be athletic / lift weights) and chooses NOT to list my weight on internet dating profiles because most men would assume that I was a “Moo” instead of a “babe”, I appreciate that real men know the difference! LOL! ;)
This is in response to Ron’s question on grains and your comment regarding not being in agreement with Dr. Joseph Mercola’s views on grains…
I have also questioned the wisdom of totally cutting out all grains for those of us who do not do well on a diet that includes grains or starchy carbs…
I have often asked myself, “Why is it that people from various cultures all around the world and throughout history have thrived on grains? Is it genetics, blood type, metabolic type, genetic modification of the grains, modern day over-processing of the grains or a combination of the above?”
I have been reading more on the benefits of eating sprouted grains and received an article this morning which I have pasted below… I am hoping that this may shed some light on the subject.
========================================
Grains: Then and Now
Advice for Healthy Living From The Maker’s Diet Wellness Journal by Dr. Jordan Rubin
Here’s the link:
http://secure.agoramedia.com/newsletters/viewissue.asp?nlid=34&email=vpwillis1@HOTMAIL.COM&d=B6A1E9E2FC61556928BC
While modern techniques for harvesting crops have made food production much more efficient, they have also decreased the nutritional value of our food. Older harvesting techniques helped preserve and enhance the nutritional value of grain, for example. After cutting mature grains in the field, farmers would gather the stalks and loosely bind them upright in sheaves and let them stand overnight before threshing them (removing the actual grain from the grass stalks). This allowed the grains to germinate or sprout.
Germination initiates a chemical transformation in the seed grains that naturally neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors the Creator put on the seeds’ exterior. During this process, the seeds are activated and enriched, making all the nutrition within the seed available for digestion. These germinated seeds of wheat and barley and the bread made from them were extremely important in biblical times. This living “staff of life” supplied easily digestible, life-giving carbohydrates.
However, the people of the Bible ate significantly less food than we do today, and they ate far fewer carbohydrates. For example, it was common for people in biblical times to eat only one meal a day, and the grains they did eat were healthy, sprouted, or germinated grains with small amounts of hard-to-digest disaccharides and phytates. All the health benefits of sprouted grains are available to you, if you know where to look. Check your local health food store. Many carry sprouted-grain products.
======================================
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 01:44 PM
Jon Benson said:
Yeah, I know Rubin. “The Maker’s Diet” is good in places and highly flawed in others. I could go into many reasons why I feel this way, but like I said it’s got some nifty parts to it.
Probably the most “wha?” I have for Rubin is not his credentials, but his blending of poor theology with pretty darn good nutrition. There are four versions (that I know of) of “God’s Diet”…naturally, like faith itself, they all four say different things. Go figure.
One is totally veg; one is Rubin’s work; one is high on fish (The Mackerel Miracle….kidding); one is VEGAN, which makes the least sense theologically. So, you can see why theology and nutrition should keep the hell (ooops…er…Sheol? Gehenna? Whatever…) away from each other.
Had Jesus wanted to tell us ‘how’ to eat, I think he would have said, “Hey, here’s how you eat…” After all, he did say, “Hey, here’s how you pray…”. Then again, we ignore that and insist on praying in front of baseball games. (I could have SWORN a closet was mentioned…but hey, what do I know? I’m a freakin’ Deist…)
The Old Testament stuff got shifted around a lot. Pre-ark, post-ark, then Peter’s revelation…you know the story.
A little known fact about Jon: I have a degree in theology. I know, I know…strange and a long, long story. Don’t tell anyone. They’ll think I’m a hypocrite. (Oh, that’s really funny, at least to me… : )
I shifted to Philosophy later in my scholastic career. However, some of this stuff sticks with you, and for good reason: tons of truth there.
Just not tons of diet info, contrary to the beatings on swine and so-forth in the Levitical Law.
But hey, if you’re Jewish, go Kosher man. It’s cool…and actually, that makes a heck of a lot of sense as opposed to the “god wants you to only eat plants” theory, which makes no sense at all given the fact Jesus supposedly made fish from other fish, but in a non-fishy sorta way.
We’ll assume he didn’t do that just to tempt people, fair? Good.
Thanks Ron. Keep the alternative views coming. I’m wrong all the time, so I could be wrong about this.
Then again…I ‘could’ be wrong about being wrong all the time, which would make me RIGHT all the time. HA!
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 02:18 PM
anna said:
wow!! every day you learn something new.
very interesting discussion and informative (maybe somebody has an idea for a paper on professional ethics that i have to write :) )
I woke up this morning so extremely tired. Had my breakfast went to work and now after workout i am completely exhausted even though i ate my balanced meal. During workout i felt dizzy and overall not that great - which is unsual (and no i am not pregnant :) )I don’t understand this tiredness unless i can blame this on the weather, it is very gloomy and i have a feeling it will snow tonight - maybe weather has something to do with all this.
Overall it was a great effort on my part during workout.
Jon, do you eat any fruits? :)
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:18 PM
Elisa said:
OK, where can I find this 8X8 exercise stuff that everyone else has and I don’t? I want it, want it, want it! Jon, I have M-Power, where can I purchase just MasterMeals? I know this is redundant because someone asked already but I am cleary web challenged on your site and don’t see it all by itself for purchase.
Two rules of the 10 in 10 club… tell everyone about the 10 in 10 club and don’t read the blogs while drinking your afternoon tea……
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:21 PM
Tina said:
Hi Jon,
Great comments on little/not enough sleep. I was wondering if you knew Mercola and Rubin and I was so not disappointed you are the king and know all as I bow. I pinned up your picture in your size 40 pants in my office to remind me why I don’t want to put that piece of candy in my mouth. I work in a real estate office and none of the guys here could believe the before and after shots (I told them it was the real deal). I had been a size 4 pretty much forever and had a child at 39 and gained too much weight. Had it coming off and then 2 years ago got divorced and last year hurt my back. I am now 44 and have the slip from the doc saying go play but take it easy have about 20 to get off to be back where I started before child. So you have led me to think I can get a body like Madonna without surgery, just the mental, nutrition and workouts. I am very into the effects of NLP, EFT, Reikki, the subconcious mind and so on. You have so inspired me.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:43 PM
Bonnie Sue said:
Elisa,
I’m right there with you on the reading while drinking warning…unless, of course, you don’t mind green tea spouting our your nostrils.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 03:50 PM
Woody said:
Hello Jon & Everyone,
Started 17 days late, but I will go for 10 in 8. The 10 in 10 Challenge reminds me of something a Fishing Guide told me.
I told him I wanted to catch a big fish to fill my freezer and he said “it all looks the same in one pound packages”. So a pound a week down the road will look as good as a couple pounds a week ultimately. six meals a day. Lean protien and complex Carb at each meal. Gallon of water. 50% carbs, 30% protien 20% Fat works for me. Keeping track of everything on a spread sheet. After a while you will build up a menu and its cut and paste after that =)
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 06:52 PM
Jon Benson said:
To Marloe:
You are a stud! Hey, you’re doing it…and we’ll all help you do it 1 pound of fat at a time, injuries and all.
Yes, that’s swearing by the way, and you damn well better stop it. (heh)
Fit Over 40 has that effect on most people. Kinda cool to see what’s possible at 80, eh? My goodness…Len blows my mind. His resting hear rate is like 40 or something.
Very important for EVERYONE….LOOK HERE NOW….
10 in 10 is NOT 10 weeks long, and if you come in at week 7 you’re cramming for 10 in 3. No, no, NOOOO. nnnnooooo. You start at day one. This is YOUR 10 weeks, not mine. Mine just happens to be on the web for the world to see. Please, start at day one and start your ‘clock’ at day one as well.
Also, 10 never ends. This will go on for years (or as long as I can still type 80 wpm and have a social life.)
Cool??
Lastly…you’re not an emotional eater. You’re a human being who temporarily eats out of emotional reactions. Try that one on, mate.
Oh, yeah…you do have to work harder than most. (Have I lied to anyone yet? Good…)
Look Marloe, I write some pretty good sales copy (oh, okay…really good sales copy.) But I’m not much of a “salesman”. Ugh. I do what it takes to get the good stuff out there. It’s actually kinda fun writing that stuff. I mean every word, but about 2/3 of them could easily go the way of That 80s Show. Too bad it would kill sales.
Why am I saying this? Because I can say two things at once and be 100% truthful with both statements: you do have it harder than most, and you can achieve any goal that truly fulfills your Core Values that you put your mind to. M-Power is 100% major-out-the-wazoo Core-based. Everything starts and ends there.
So, while you may be climbing the tallest mountain, you’ll be the one with the greatest view. Got it?
To Vickie:
First, I’m sorry I called you Ron! Second, there’s a major difference in fat and muscular curves. Note the word “muscular.” Have your body fat tested and start in with a good knowledge of where you stand.
And yes, you can be a “babe” and be “large”…babe has more to do with the soul, now doesn’t it?
To Anna:
Here’s your paper on professional ethics:
“READ ARISTOTLE AND THEN STOP LYING.”
End of paper. You’ll get an “A”, or an “F” if your teacher is an idiot.
Now, this is important: dizzy and training do not go well together. You need to rule out blood sugar as a cause. However, since you ate, it’s doubtful. So, I’d like you to consider a check-up to make sure you’re okay. More than likely this is dehydration or not enough food at your prior meal, but this should always (repeat, always) be checked out by a GOOD (good luck) doctor and/or cardiologist just in case.
Not to scare you…but I’d be remiss not mentioning that.
I rarely eat fruit. Hardly ever. Most bodybuilders don’t eat a lot of fruit. Some do, but fructose is not the liver’s best friend. Sugar is sugar is sugar…sorta. Berries are great, and they can make a feast of breakfast when put in with healthy grains, fats and protein. Just go easy on fruit. It’s quite unnecessary if you take a simple multi and eat your veggies (not so unnecessary!)
To Elisa:
First of all, 8x8 is Vince Gironda’s (read: madman, genius, cankerous old fart) hallmark training protocol. Here’s a great link on it (I have one on my site, too, at AllYourStrength.com, but Tom’s article is even better:)
8 x 8 Article
Second, are you just testing my honesty? : ) If you “have M-Power” and do ‘not’ have MasterMeals, there’s something wrong girl.
M-Power Pro comes with MasterMeals.
What membership type do you have with M-Power? The LifeAssess tool at M-Power comes with a MasterMeals nutrition plan, training, cardio, and 40 pages of mind-numbing workout coolness.
Please email me (jon@mpowerseries.com) so I can figure this out.
If you’re not an M-Power Pro member, it’s probably just as good to upgrade and get all 48 audios and MasterMeals, LifeAssess, etc.
Yes, liquids and Jon can be a scary combination.
To Tina:
Don’t really know what to say other than “thank you”…very kind, and I’m really thrilled to have helped!
To Woody:
See my READ THIS EVERYONE bit… : )
Welcome! Just like fishing, except we will not skin you, eat you, or refer to you as “that smelly stuff in the trash can.”
Cut and paste away.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 10:55 PM
Jon Benson said:
To Tina:
Forgot some things:
No king, just the court jester. I know “of” Mercola (as in read his stuff for years) and Rubin. Should have been less “philo”. That’s a philsopher’s remark: “I know Byron, and…” Force of habit. Never met either man.
44s, actually. Size 44. Prior to that was 48. I tossed those jeans well before that shoot, and I wish I still had them.
Posted on Nov 02, 2005 11:48 PM
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