Updates, Experiments, and Misconceptions

So, I decided to run what I called the Primal experiment. For the last week, I ate as much as I wanted, frequently pushing over 3500 calories for about 7 days. The catch: It was all meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, and fruit. The result after 5 days: 1 lb lost. Well, last friday, anyway. I hit 249, and was ecstatic. This past weekend, I decided to push it further. I ate, honestly, what may have been in excess of 6000 calories during the weekend. Same deal. I also added the insult of alcohol to the mix. The end result: 3 lbs gained, glycogen stores replenished, and I just bench pressed 350 lbs for the first time ever! What was very interesting to me was that their were no hangovers, I was never bloated, or feeling sick, and my energy last week was (annoyingly to those around me) through the roof.

Why did I do it? Well, Mark Sisson claimed that when eating primal/paleo allows the body to deal with great amounts of excess as well as famine without crashing. Not sure if I approached it in the right way, and I wont do any control experiments of eating, sat over 3500 calories on a grain diet because I know the result… in fact, it was my life for probably 90% of my time alive and I do not want to go back to being fat and sick. Anyway, now its time et back on my diet horse and finish dropping weight. 240 is tantalizing close, and this latest “refeed” should last me quite a while.

Speaking of food, I had a very interesting conversation the other day. I routinely bring my own lunch to meetings, and someone jokingly asked me if that was my “thousands of calories” meal to fuel me. No, I rarely eat over 500 calories in a sitting, unless I’m experimenting. They seemed genuinely shocked. I was also asked how many hours I spend in the gym… Maybe one at most.. well, one in a half if you count all the time I spend dicking around with my friends or correcting the form of both people I know and don’t know. Again surprise. I was finally asked what supplements I take. Well, that’s easy, whey powder and Fish Oil. Shocking apparently. It was a conversation that made me realize just how much many people want a silver bullet to fix their ills or get stronger. How shocking it is that just eating well and having determination and passion for keeping yourself strong, fit, and healthy can really go to make you, well, strong, fit, and healthy. You really don’t need some super supplement, you don’t need (and I would actually never suggest) 3 hours of lifting to get stronger and tougher, you don’t need 2 hours of steady state cardio (or really any at all, unless you are a runner by trade), and you don’t need to consume 10,000 calories to build muscle. All the tools are right within reach and very affordable; all you have to do is reach out and and get a little uncomfortable, defy social norms, and work to your potential.

And with that, I bring on the latest creation. This one was alot simpler, because I only wanted to spend about 20 minutes doing real “cook” work. I like to call it Italian Bacon-wrapped Scallops over Rabe. And its Exactly what it sounds like. Whats more, I didn’t push past 500 calories on this one. I especially like it because the first time I tried Broccoli Rabe, I steamed it, hated it, and swore it off. Then I bought a bunch more, thinking it was spinach.

Can't stand Vegetables... Roast them under some bacon!

This is so simple, I don’t really need to outline the ingredients. Grease a pan with olive oil (get those good fats in) and spread the broccoli rabe over the bottom. Cover rabe in 1 – 2 tablespoons of parmesan/romano cheese and copious amount of Italian herb spices. Defrost Scallops, wrapped them in bacon (I used 4-6 strips to cover about 10 pieces), Cover them in italian herbs, garlic, and a bit of parmesan/romano cheese. Put it in the oven for like 20 minutes at 350 and you have a great tasting, low call, high protein meal. And the Rabe is delicious (just sucks up all that flavor from the herbs, oil, scallops, and bacon).