The memory Body

puppies

My sons were given three 8 day old puppies.  The animals were far too young to be taken away from their mother but she had no milk and was rejecting them.  The first thing we did when the pups arrived was make a soft, warm bed for them.  Today the two surviving puppies are 18 weeks old and have chosen a sofa as their night time bed.  My wife is not happy with the animal’s choice.  I explained to her that they prefer a soft, warm, cushion; the same as we provided when they first arrived to the cold hard tile we are now offering them.

my puppies

Five bodies in perpetual motion:

1.       Physical

The Vessel we see when we look in the mirror

2.       Emotional

The feelings that lead us into action

3.       Spiritual

The element that gives us peace, guidance and serenity

4.       Energetic

The Aura of light that encircles our physical being

                                    

5.       Memory

The Molds of life, cast through life experience.

These five essentials can also be considered five elements of life, if the lights not shining we are not breathing and nothing else matters. All five bodies interact with one another and are intricate parts of what makes us who we are.

The memory body is like a foot print in the sand, it is a mold that is formed and cast with every effort and lives deep within our psychic.  Many times it is the subconscious memories that propel us to behave the way we do.  Our past is always with us, and everything we do today will be tomorrows memory of yesterday, the key is to fill the memory body with more positive actions and results than negatives.

Ready to start making history

 I am writing about this because I returned to the gym after an extended lay off.   I resumed my training on the free weights with great caution and for ten days I did a routine of cross cardio and upper body lifts. I was resting my legs because I had tweaked one of my knees while I was traveling and it was giving me pain.

As I have stated before I believe if we listen to our bodies we will be lead through a good physical training routine.  After each session I would feel stronger and buffed and my muscles were popping (pumped.) I kept having the impulse to work my legs but I over road the craving. I was confused and upset because I was doing everything I could think of to relieve stress to the knees; I was wearing braces, using a sauna and having massage therapy yet both knees felt very unstable and were in nagging pain. 

As it turned out, the craving was my body asking for more. My body had used pain, impulse and cravings to communicate; work the legs but I resisted.  On this day I went to the machines and did a full conditioning on my knees, and legs.  I started very slow, with almost no weight resistance and by the end of the 90 minutes session I was extending and curling 2/3 of the weight on the rack.

looking back is not all bad

 

The Memory and Physical body lead me to recovery.  When I left the gym that day I was walking without braces for the first time in 3 weeks and my legs felt stronger then they had in more than two months. 

old gams

Trust your voices, listen to your body and when you find yourself resisting good advice ask yourself why.  The things that made you feel good and great are still within you. That which is great is you and yours to own. I suggest we live like puppies and let our memory body lead us to peace, joy and happiness.

Go have some fun,

Geo 

Ja ist es alle gute

  

When is it time to reassess?

Pure sugar baby, pure sugar!

One definition of insanity: doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results.

In my opinion the complication in tracking weight loss is found when I am not able to do the same things the same way for an extended period of time and then when I am doing the same things the same way and producing different results. 

My body and the way it functions never fails to amaze and confuse me.  I have been on a low fat high protein meal plan for six months however during this time I have not been able to put a full uninterrupted 30 days of consistent behavior together.

During the last half year I have continued to see positive and negative change.  With each set back I have assumed it was due to the interruption in gym time.   One critical observation about this new program was,  the fact that weight never came off with the same consistency as prior to the high protein meal plan; some weeks 200 grams and other weeks as much as 3kg.  Mentally, I could accept the inconsistency as long as the drops continued even if it there was yo-yoing along the way. 

Measuring my 15 body points every month showed an overall reduction in size or a push 95% of the time. This added to my confusion regarding weight gain; was it increased muscle mass or fat? 

 I had my doubts and considered changing my food to a more vegetarian style menu but I continued with my high protein meals and time passed.  This week I did my weigh in and I was up 2.5kg a more bothersome number than a push but not as worrisome as the realization that I have been yo-yoing for the last 6 months.  I am not dropping weight and keeping it off.

Home gym

My program has made me insane; I have been doing the same things the same way and been expecting different results!  It is time to reassess my routine and meal plan.

When I re-examine a work in progress I look at the hard facts broken into average total minutes spent in the gym and my food intake:

·         per month

·         per week

·         per day

·         Total weight dropped per month.

Gym time

Since June, I averaged 2,348 minutes of gym time per month, 542 minutes per week, and 77 minutes per day.  Keep in mind this includes the time I spent traveling in the USA and other road trips.  IMO one hour per day of gym time is a reasonable target number that anyone should be able to fit into their daily schedule and fitness routine.  One hour per day has proven to be an ideal weight maintenance number. 

 Time in the gym is directly related to my weight control, in June and July I averaged 99 minutes per day of gym time and dropped 7kg/15.4lb, while in October and November I averaged 55minutes per day and gained 6kg/13.2lb.

Food Intake for the past six months: 1,782 calories per day (<813>) BMR 2,595

                                                                                Target

·         Carbohydrates  47%         Carbohydrates  45%,  

·         Proteins            25%          Proteins            30%,  

·         Fat                    28%          Fats                    25%

During October I visited the Pritikins wellness centre in Florida and was given a Pritikin Eating Plan.   This is a rough outline of the system:

Eat

·         5 servings of unrefined complex carbohydrates per day

·         5 vegetable per day

·         4 fruits per day minimum

·         2 calcium rich foods per day

·         1 animal protein per day Maximum

·         1 to 2 tables spoons of fresh herbs daily

In Moderation

·         1 to 2 egg whites per day

·         Artificial sweeteners 3 to 6 packets per day

·         3 cups of caffeinated drinks per day maximum

Not Recommended

·         Alcoholic beverages

·         Refined or Concentrated sweeteners

·         Salt and high-sodium foods and condiments

·         Refined grains

Avoid

·         Animal fats, tropical oil, and processed refined oil

·         Meats

·         Whole and low-fat dairy

·         Coconuts

·         Potassium chloride

·         Egg yolk, deep fried foods, non dairy whipped toppings, rich desserts and pastries and salty snack foods.

This list may need a bit of explaining, use Google search engine if you are not sure about something the information is there to be found. 

I can see my current program has been relying too much on burning calories and not enough on smart food choices.  My issue is not in how much I eat but what I am eating.  This new  adjustment to the Pritikin like plan should prove interesting and I am looking forward to reporting the positive results, stay tuned for the updates.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Know Thyself

ready to fly

The other day I was out and about running errands and shopping with my youngest.  When we were returning home he asked: “Papa, why do you tell all the ladies they are lovely and sweet?”  He had a bit of a protective tone in his voice and in my opinion; his query was actually, why was I nice to women other than his mother.   I laughed and said:  “because I am a nice guy.”

I spent a life time in direct sales and in the early years I would sit in trainings where professionals would share their words of wisdom.

 I tried to interpret the pearls of wisdom to the best of my ability:

Hmmm

“The buyer wants to be shown how to buy.”    Show them an easy payment plan.

 “The question is not who is selling, the question is who is buying.”   What ????

“Everyone is selling their story, is yours more believable?”   Talk more about the product features.

With the help of management, hard work and luck, I managed to feed myself but I knew it was more because of luck than skill that I was eating.  

When I had the good fortune of meeting the man who would turn me into a Closer, my life changed for the better.   Dave was a Master Closer like no other salesman I had ever seen.  Dave knew exactly who he was, and what his purpose in life was.  He had a tremendous work ethic and getting him to quit was almost impossible, he was tough minded and would not stop until people saw the world the same way as him. This may seem harsh to some but as they say:  a sale is always being made; the question is who is buying.   A Master Closer knows when there is a possibility to persuade, reframe and define others perception.

what do you see?

Communicating a perception is the basis of closing.  While my son and I were out doing business, he heard me telling the clerks and staff that they were “Smart”, “Friendly”, “Lovely”, and the “Best” I was telling them how I wanted them to treat me.  In essence I was defining who they are when dealing with me.

 When it concerns health and fitness who is defining you?  What is your perception of you in a healthy, balanced lifestyle? Typically life begins as a buyer.  Our loved ones told us how they perceived us and we behaved accordingly.  Eventually we mature and begin perceiving and selling ourselves on what is best for us.  We need to have a vision of where we fit in our perception of a healthy world before it will actualize.

all pumped up to hit the mall

“Know thyself” has been the subject of Socrates, Poets, Philosophers and Scholars alike.  Why has such a simple concept remained a relevant subject for centuries?   Far too great a percentage of people have no idea who they are or why they are doing the things they do.  If you are waiting to be defined then you are waiting for someone else to help you and trust me this does not happen for free.

When our Declaration Rock is anchored to a ball of confusion, it is difficult to stand on it and shout; “On this rock I stand and this is who I am.”    If you do not know what you want you cannot say who you are.

GM concept car

After 30 days of traveling; the hard facts, state I gained weight, increased my fat intake and added size to my belly.  If you read my blog and look at the foods eaten, you will see that I consumed many fats I could have done without and you will see that I made the conscious decision to be who I am; A Fat man in Paradise.  I know and accept who I am and I wish the same good fortune to everyone.  

“Know thyself”

Go have some fun,

Geo

masked

Good Food and Great Times

D's lunch at JFK



 prime rib at Irish pub

For me, good meals remind me of great times with wonderful friends.

When I review my photos from The Great American Tour, the pictures of the meals I had along the way, open a flood gate to positive emotions with memories of bright days, in beautiful places and very special people that fill my heart with peace, love and joy.

Last meal with Donya




Final Burger at JFK


 

NYC gym at day break



food cart notice calorie count



i like this

lunch break with D and Bonnie

a gift from the frogs

                                                

taste better than it looks

snack from the corner store

The king of candy

Turkey loaf Dinner with Bobbie and Bonnie



Fresh fish with tomato base Donya's mishap



GO BRONCOS!

There is no place like home and home is always a wonderful place to be. 

 I have been in Asia for much of my adult life and if I have learned anything it would be; anywhere can be paradise, if you can afford to leave it.

Go have some fun,

geo

Phase V the Final leg State Side

The best way to sum up leg V is “whirl wind”

Thirty days away from home is always an adventure, traveling to the other side of the planet with a predetermined travel itinerary is time effective and trends to blur mental and visual clarity.

We departed JFK on Tuesday morning and by Thursday morning when I arrived on Samui I  knew I had underestimated  the time needed in the USA and could have used another 2 weeks on the ground to insure a satisfactory conclusion to an ambitious plan.



D at the falls.



The perfect song for the USA in my opinion is “America the Beautiful”.  The Lyrics seem to say it all; “O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain”.

got some new gloves

looking for the pot of gold 

Leg four was me returning to my roots with dear friends and family.  Phase V had me returning to New York and the North East.

I felt that it would be unacceptable to not share the beauty of Niagara Falls and Washington DC with my wife consequently I was set for a long haul and hard run.  Departure day from KC began at 3:30 a.m.,  and ended in Auburn NY at 10:30 p.m.,  a 2 hr drive from Niagara.  The next morning we toured the Falls and were on the road to DC by mid day.  We were enjoying a walking tour of the Washington monument, the Lincoln memorial and other sights by 8:30 p.m. eventually bedding down by 11:30 p.m. in Maryland.  

Niagara Falls

The following day we got an early start and decided to return the rental car in NJ a day early so we could enjoy 2 final nights in Manhattan where we arrived around 10:30 p.m., with NYC being a place that never sleeps we were on the streets for a late night meal and cocktail. The following day we did a walking tour that took us to Central park, Times Square, and many points of interest between with one final meal. 



Washington Monument





Lincoln



In previous blogs I wrote about setting one’s own standard and what I believe being healthy means.

 “My view of being healthy is defined in being fit and agile.  When I am able to do and go to all the places that I dream of going, having all the fun I want to have, I am healthy, happy and fit.  To me being healthy and fit means; I am agile enough to walk long distances 5 to 10 miles, climb 150 stairs, sit for long periods of time 5 to 24 hrs, and go sleepless for 24 hrs without severe fatigue setting in”.  

I could have focused more on eating health foods and stayed away from many of the Trans fats I consumed and I could have avoided many of the sweets I enjoyed.  Having said that, if my training program is not solid enough to remove a few extra pounds I gain from enjoying life’s little pleasures, what’s the point of spending my time in the gym?

This journey put my fitness, beliefs, and resolve to the test.  I am pleased to report, I would not change anything I did on this excursion.  I entered the belly of the beast and walked away enriched, enlightened and fulfilled.

Without question the United States of America is a special place and worth the effort and expense to visit.   Wherever you choose to travel, make sure to indulge in the local sights, sounds and cuisine.

Go have some fun,

Geo.

Great American Tour Leg IV Kansas City

Mr Benz buying me lunch at Bryants BBQ

The best word to describe the return home to my roots is “Reunion”.    As I grow in age and reduce in size I realize that there is soulfulness in remaining in contact with the people who know me for where I come from. 

Dave took me to eat Persian

Mike and Bonnie eating Greek

KC has changed in the last 16 yrs. yet it has remained much the same; my favorite Steak House the Golden Ox in the KC stock yards is no longer but the Steak Houses remain plentiful and the corn fed beef is deserving of world recognition.  

The famous Jazz is no more but there is now a Base Ball hall of fame and a Jazz district dedicated to the memory of Negro league greats such as Satchel Page and Charlie Parker.  BAR B. Q. is still as it has always been tasty, tender, plentiful and a KC staple.

Health awareness can be found in most large businesses with incentives directly related to using the company fitness facilities.  The Johnson County Kansas Community Center I visited was well equipped, offering a heated indoor swimming pool, well trained personal trainers, indoor basketball courts and padded jogging track.  I was most impressed with the professionalism of the rehabilitation trainers working with degenerated senior citizens.

                                                            Lil John all grown up

Quality International cuisine is readily available; during my short 5 day stay I enjoyed eating Persian, Greek, Mediterranean and Mexican.    

Eating healthy was a bit of an issue for me in KC, as the end of my time in the USA was near and there were foods, mostly desserts that I cannot get in Thailand. I decided to indulge my sweet tooth and visited Pie Houses, which by the way was the only place I noticed grossly obese people.  Chocolate cream Pie, Peanut Butter Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Banana cream Pie, Blue Berry Pie, and Coconut cream Pie were all on the tasting menu and delicious.



Persian Salad



Greek salad



Persian Rice



Persian Mix grill chicken, beef and veg



prime rib end cut



Grilled chicken



Greek Mix platter lamb, beef, yogurt, veg and chicken



FYI Europe this is a proper pour of whiskey

When summarizing my daily diary, the conclusion is Italian sausages, cream pies, red meat and cheeses resulted in my protein, fats and carbohydrates all reversing in my scheduled dietary plan.  Instead of being on a high protein diet, I was eating more fat than carbohydrates and proteins combined.   I was unable to weigh myself but I am sure the high fat menu resulted in weight gain.    

Visiting K.C, allowed me to reconnect with some of my oldest and dearest friends and family. I toured the city, reminisced about school days and school girls, strolled down memory lane and shared some good heartfelt laughs.

Carrot cake



Pumpkin Pie



At the end of the day, there is no place like Home and when relationships are close we are always near. 

Go Have some Fun,

Geo

KC Fall

     

i