Ready to Rock... And get in shape

Everyone knows about the Wii with its “Fit”, “Sports” and “Resort” games. Xbox and Playstation are each coming out with their own versions of body mechanics controllers and games as well. Its obvious that this is a definite trend in the video gaming world and it is here to stay.

The question is… “Is there really any validity to exercising with a TV and a video game console or is it all just a joke?”. “Does fitness gaming have any true business claiming itself in the fitness world?”.

My answer may surprise you…

YES

I say “Yes” these games and this movement absolutely have a PLACE in fitness and staying healthy. Anyone that goes out and buys a Wii Fit and expects to instantly lose 200 pounds is an absolute idiot but that does not mean that it is not exercise and that it isn’t good for you at all. I used to scoff at these type of video games and laugh them off as a complete joke. As I am getting older though and care less about my dignity and image I am much more open to trying new things even if they may make me look like an idiot. I have actually tried most of these new body movement and fitness related video games and straight up… they are not only exceptionally fun but you can work up a mean sweat in the process!

I don’t think that a fitness program can or should be based on any of these activities but they make a great supplement to or part of any healthy lifestyle or fitness routine.

One of the most important aspects of these types games is that they are fun. I am a firm believer that getting your exercise through fun activities kicks the crap out of planned, scheduled, repetitive workouts anytime.

I recently picked up a couple of Dance Dance Revolution games and pads for my xbox and am absolutely hooked. I used to make fun of the kids that played DDR but it is SO much fun now that I gave it a fair shot. I play this game until I am pouring sweat, exhausted and about to collapse. My main regret is that I can’t play it more often because it IS truly hard and it IS truly a work out so I actually need recovery time between marathon sessions!

I haven’t stopped working out because I am getting exercise by playing this game but it has offered me unbelievable fitnes related benefits. I can tell you that because of these DDR sessions, my stamina is on a level I have not experienced in an extremely long time.

So my advice is to embrace these new activities and this movement and to enjoy it and reap the benefits and the entertainment. Just don’t expect a miracle as you shouldn’t with anything these days. If you have scoffed these types of activities I challenge you to at least give them a try.. you may find them more challenging, and heck more fun than you ever expected. When you are ready to challenge the SoG in a DDR dance off… you let me know!

- The SoG

Cable television channels have several shows where celebrity hosts travel the globe in an effort to educate the viewers on the culture and lifestyles of people who live in other countries (it’s obvious this is targeted for American viewers).  I think one thing that makes these shows so appealing is the “weird” and “gross out” factor some of the foods of other cultures can have on the average viewer. However, we must think a little more open minded and realize that what may be “bizarre foods” to us, may be part of an ordinary and common menu to another group of people.  Whenever I watch these shows I actually end up having the desire to travel and try new foods that I have never been exposed to.

So why is it that we are so nervous when it comes to trying new things? Most of us have no problem frequently eating conventional meats such as beef, pork, chicken, and fish. Most of us do it without hesitation or thought about what it is and where it came from. So what is the difference between eating the meat from a cow and the meat from a bovine and the meat of an amphibian? Not much. Even when it comes to some of the more common unconventional meats (rabbit, ostrich, bison), I am surprised at how many people have never tried them. I challenge everyone to try something new and let others know what your reaction is to it and encourage them to do the same if your experience was good. 

The picture at the top of this post was taken several months ago from when I tried frog legs for the first time. I simply seasoned them and pan fried them in olive oil and garlic.  They actually sat in my freezer for a couple months before I was brave enough to try them one night, so I’m guilty of the nervousness to try new things as well. My point? I should’ve had nothing to be afraid of, they were delicious! Try something new and be brave about it because you never know, you may discover a new favorite food.

My father recently gave me some escargot that I am eager to try, so that is next on my list. Other animals on my “primal BBQ wish list” are  kangaroo, alligator, rattlesnake, cuy, mealworms and other various insects.

What unconventional meats do you like or dislike? What would you like to try, and what have you tried?

-Roger De Rok

Volcano in the distance

I live on the edge of town in a High Desert Plateau. It is about 6,500 feet above sea level and there is not a tree in sight. It is a barren windy, sandy plain and it is where Roger De Rok and I like to hike, explore and do arroyo sprints. It is pretty brutal… rarely is there a cloud in the sky, as mentioned earlier there are NO trees and literally NO shade. There is typically a stead state wind of 25-30 miles per hour with gusts usually of around 45. Temperatures average anywhere from 90 to 110 and the dryness and the altitude just add to the brutality. I would equate each mile you travel out here to about 3 miles anywhere else as far as how taxing it is on your body.

Anyways, about 6 miles from my house across these high desert plains and mesas are a series of old volcanoes. I have always wanted to go out and climb around on them but just never got around to doing it. For the last year or so Roger and I have talked about bushwhacking out there and we finally decided to do it yesterday. Fortunately the temperature was only about 90 degrees but the sun was unrelenting and the wind was punishing.

I was prepared with my vibrams, light clothing, a light long sleeve shirt (Believe it or not cooler in these conditions), a boony cap and a pack full of water and lunch food:

Me

Roger on the other hand does not own a single piece of clothing that is not black! (even his vibrams are black lol).

Roger De Rok

Ultimately when we got out to the base of the first volcano, we ran into a vicious barbed wire fence that ran as far as the eye can see which is why I say that the government won in the end. Still we had a good adventure, good exercise and we never would have known if we hadn’t done it.

So Close

Along the way we did find this little basalt pit that was pretty neat. Walking on these rocks in vibrams though was killer on the feet!

Basalt Pit

In a world where hardly an inch is left unexplored, most people don’t even think about unleashing their inner explorer. As man, we have this inherent desire to see and conquer new places that is a very basic primal urge. I urge and challenge everyone to get out there and explore something new to you know. It doesn’t matter if you live in the middle of a big city or out in the middle of nowhere. Pick something that you have been wanting to explore for a long time but haven’t done it yet (It could even be a museum). If possible make the journey on foot and get some good exercise along the way!

Do you have place that  you have been wanting to “explore” or an adventure that you have yet to embark on?

-The SoG

Manit loved the Monks and the Temple

Who is Manit you may ask?

Manit is my brother in law (pictured above). Manit was an amazing person. He at a very young age (about 13) became addicted to crack cocaine and ran away to become a male prostitute. In his adult years, he overcame all this adversity. He managed to kick the drugs and became a contributing member of society. He worked as hard as I have ever seen anyone work. He became a cook and worked tirelessly to feed our soldiers at both the VA and the air force mess hall for years and years. He bought a house and worked hard to pay for it. He was never late on a mortgage and worked hard at loving his family. During his harder years, he had contracted HIV but he did not let this get in his way. He worked hard and had a life, a car, got himself new teeth (He had lost his due to his early crack addiction) and got himself citizenship. Citizenship was something that the rest of the family had but he had to work hard on his own to get. I had a lot of respect for Manit and I loved him dearly. Manit would always call us almost daily just to talk and check in on us and was always the first person to support everyone during family struggles and hard times.

Manit was found yesterday at his house by my father in law. He was sitting on his couch staring at the TV, only Manits soul was no longer with him. For the last 2 weeks, Manit had been experiencing extreme back pain and my mother in law finally convinced him to go to the emergency room were a doctor quickly wrote him a prescription and sent him home with minimal investigation. It was this prescription that Manit overdosed on and left this world before his time.

Prescriptions, particularly pain killers are up tremendously over the past 20 years. Home deaths related to prescription drugs are up around 3,000% since 1983. “Medicine” by definition is supposed to help people and so not enough people stop to look at it and deem weather they really need it and that includes doctors. I am not going to sit here and say that no medicine helps anyone and that no medicine has ever helped anyone but we live in a pill culture. We have the Pharmaceutical drug lobby and we have doctors getting kickback from prescribing certain drugs. We live in a culture giving Lipitor to 16 year old for crying out loud.

The mixed medicine message even applies to over the counter drugs. Several months ago I was stricken with a nasty nasty cold. I actually needed medicine but in order to get the medicine, I had to take it with corn syrup. Medicine is flavored to make it easier to take down. Good luck finding over the counter medicine with without corn syrup or flavoring in it these days. In the 40′s and 50′s medicine was viewed as gross and you would only take it if you really needed it but nowadays the stuff actually tastes good! What kind of message is that sending to our kids.

I would go on but I don’t think I can right now and hopefully you get my message. Medicine is a double edged sword. It can harm as easily as it helps and this sword needs to be responsibly wielded by people, parent and doctors everywhere. Think of doctors and drug makers as knights in the fight against disease and ailment. These knights need to fight with honor that can be too easily corrupted.

Manit, you loved everyone and we loved you back. This love will live on in our hearts.

Manit will be cremated and placed with the Monks and the temple that he loved so dearly. He loved Madonna and I ask that if you hear a Madonna song you dedicate it in Manit’s memory. Manit, you were like a little prayer…
You must be my Lucky Star
‘Cause you shine on me wherever you are
I just think of you and I start to glow

Seems like I say that a lot. The computer has been fixed for quite some time but I have been working like a madman and neglecting the site (yes again). It is almost time for renewal on my domain and it isn’t free which means I am considering killing the site but I have not yet made up my mind on that one.

Anyways… several people have expressed interest in Roger De Rok (my highschool friend that followed my example and went from 320#s down to 180#s by being primal for just a year) starting his own blog. I figured… why not get the best of both worlds and just make him a writer on sonofgrok.com

This way you will get more frequent updates and I also wont feel so pressured to get content on here and also do guilty for not doing it!

Welcome Roger. We are eager for your first post and your primal experience!

Until then though, the site will probably go neglected… again.

It is confession time.

I have been slacking. I could make a million excuses (which I have), but fact of the matter is that I have been lazy. I have not fallen of the primal wagon per say but I have not been doing everything I could/should.

I have been eating healthy, but not with my same primal intensity and attention to detail fitting to the SoG and I have only been averaging one, yes one 30 minute workout a week. This has been going on for the past 3 months now since I left for work travel.

The result is that I am not out of shape (its is hard to get out of shape even when slacking and living primal), but I am not in the shape or the health that I truly want to be in and that I know I can be in.

It is time for a resolution of sorts. Time to get back to what makes me the SoG… not the Slack-o-G. So here, I say to you… I am going to get Primal. I am going to get dirty, hardcore and happy Primal and I want you to join me.

If you are interested, post your own confessional if you have one and post your dedication to the most important cause their is… your own health and well being. Not doing everything you know you could/should? For the next 4 weeks lets dedicated ourselves to kicking our own buts in gear. You could call this a challenge of sorts but I am not going to bait you with crappy prizes. Our rewards will be our results.

Here is how I am going to help:

1. You may notice 2 new tabs at the top of the page. Back when I actually had more time I started putting together some fitness plans. I almost completed the first of these but never got around to adding the polish and posting. I will make this available over the next couple days… polished or not. I have also had enough interest in an SoG cookbook that I am going to start putting one together… for free. I don’t have an ETA on the cookbook yet but it will be a mash-up of basic Primal cooking advice, my favorite recipes and some new recipes.

2. Email me. If you fall off the wagon, feel free to email me your woes and I will be happy to help you get back on track. Need some help or advice? Or do you just have an inspirational post for yourself or your primal compadres that you would like to see me post? E-mail me. SoG@sonofgrok.com

To kick this off right, Wednesday will be official Primal Enchiladas day. I really promise this time…

Now I better get to work on the Fitness Programs and Cookbooks!

Lean in that the portions are so small?
Lean in taste and flavor?
Lean as in lean forward as your gut drags you around?

Whatever the reason, the Lean Cuisine name makes it sell. It is crazy how well these things sell.

I brown bag my lunch most days. I bring an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep my lunch cold. It isn’t that we don’t have a fridge at work…. Its just that there is no room in it. The fridge AND the freezer are literally packed to the brim with Lean Cuisines. This is not an exaggeration… they are completely full with the little cardboard boxes. With the exception of an occasional egg-o waffle box or Marie Calendar pot pie, 90% of these cardboard boxes say “Lean Cuisine”. It is crazy.

Now I am not going to lie. There have been times in my life where I lived off little freezer boxes. Michellina’s and the generic cheapies were sometimes all I at 3 meals per day. They were cheap and easy to make. They were VERY cheap and VERY easy to throw in the microwave.

Occasionally when they were on sale I got the Lean Cuisines too. You know what? They were terrible! I think I once ate the cardboard box that it was in on accident because it indeed did taste as good as the meal. That and it doesn’t really matter how many of these gross little meals I ate, I was inevitably still starving afterwards.

Now on to the speed and convenience of Lean Cuisines. The simplicity of opening the box and tossing it in the microwave is completely negated at my work. Come lunch time, there is actually a line the forms at the microwave. People queue their food up and actually tell each other “Your turn” as they retrieve their heated plasticy cardboard contraptions. Considering that each meal takes 3-5 minutes or so to heat up, it can easily be 20-30 minutes before it is your frozen cuisines “turn” to get fried. Me? I whip out my lunch bag and dive into some delicious egg salad, nuts, pork rinds, veggies. No wait… instant delicious gratification.

Ugh and the smell of these things. It doesn’t even smell like food. During the Lean Cuisine Queue at lunch, an awful aroma fills the office. It is funny because sometimes I do bring leftovers that need reheated. Once I heat up my meatloaf etc., I usually get quite a few people coming by my desk asking what that “Delicious smell” is and also frequently get told “did you bring enough for me?” Funny, though Lean Cuisine appears to be bountiful enough for all, no one really seems to enjoy eating it.

Usually by the time I drive to a restaurant, get seated, order, wait for my order, eat, wait for the check and pay… I could have whipped up an amazing meal and enjoyed myself more in the process.

Then there is the issue of food quality. Cooks at 90% of restaurants really don’t give a damn about how much effort they put into your meal. Its just the facts. They are pressed for time, limited to crappy ingredients and most of them are paid like poop. I realized something interesting the other day when I had to go to a business meeting over lunch at a restaurant. How often have you gone out to eat with someone and heard the question asked “How is yours?” How often has the response been “Its ok” or “its alright” or its “so so”? This just isn’t something that has happened to me since not eating out anymore. The food is always excellent or phenomenal and if it isn’t… its my own darn fault.

Then there is the issue of cost. A meal at a half decent restaurant for just the wife and I always seems to put me back at least $30. I can cook whatever I want, grass fed, top shelf and organic for way less than that! I always leave a restaurant feeling a little like I just got robbed.

Kind of tying in with that is the issue of service. How often do you really get good service anymore. Admitted I do get better service when traveling than I do here locally (you other Albuquerque locals can probably vouch for this as well) but you just don’t get decent service anymore. It seems tipping has become a given requirement now and no one feels that they should have to work for it. I am not kidding… the last 3 times I have gone to a restaurant, I have had to stand up, track down my waiter/waitress and demand a refill on my water. When I get good service, I am a generous 20% tipper but it seems that never happens anymore. It is a “gratuity”… it iss meant as a gracious gesture for me to show my gratitude for being taken well care of during my meal. A lot of restaurants these days have even started automatically adding the gratuity to your bill for you thereby deciding for you exactly how much gratitude you posses for your meal.

And then there is… you know what? Never mind. I am just getting myself aggravated. 

- No, I am not dead.
- No, I did not get trampled by a mastodon.
- No, I did not shed human life and go to the woods to live with the wolves.
- No, I did not leave my wife and run away with Rick Martin…
- I didn’t give up primal.
- I didn’t give up blogging
- And I didn’t give up on all of you!

I have simply been very very busy. A month of travelling for work in November turned into a month of a ton of extra work in December which turned into a ton of work in January from making corrections for fallout from work in December.

Yes, I have received everyone’s emails. No, I am not trying to be a jerk and ignore them. It is my intention to go back all the way to November and start responding to them.

I am also somewhat suffering from blog topicitus. Primal is pretty simple and honestly… there are really only so many ways that you can say the exact same thing. I wont say any names but some of the other “major” primal blogs have really gotten in the habit of reposting the exact same information with a new shiny wrapper… and you know what? I am not about that.

I don’t want to say that I don’t have ANY content for you… I really do. In fact I have been sitting on the Primal Enchilada recipe for quite a while now just because I haven’t had a chance to post it.

Anyways, I am going to try to start getting to those emails and getting some posts up as soon as possible.