Coconut Milk Protein Shake

I just got done drinking down my favorite protein shake mix and I thought I would share it with everyone else. It's very simple but so very tasty! I really think I could drink one of these every meal of every day.

Recipe: Coconut Milk Protein Shake

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk


• 1/2 Cup Water


• 2 Scoops Chocolate Protein Powder


• 1 T Cinnamon


• 1 Banana (Optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients into a blender or Magic Bullet (my mixer of choice)

Cooking time (duration): 5

Diet (other): High protein

Number of servings (yield): 1

Meal type: snack

My rating: 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Copyright © StartBeingFit.com.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 525
Fat: 25g
Carbs: 34g
Protein:  49g

Do you have a shake recipe that uses Coconut Milk? Leave it in the comments section below.

Workout Logs and Why You Should Have One

I am a huge proponent of workout logs and I always have been.  In fact, you will hardly ever find me at the gym without a workout log of some sort in tow.  There are several reasons why you should adopt a workout log. Here are just a few.

1. Increase efficiency - Everyone should go into the gym prepared. If your idea of working out is walking around and hopping onto whatever piece of equipment is available, then you are not going to get the type of results you are looking for. Go in with a workout plan written down and follow it. It will help you reach your goals faster and also help you get in and out of the gym that much faster.


2. Keep's you honest - If you write down everything you do, then there is no second guessing yourself. You won't find yourself cheating on a set because you don't "remember" the last weight you used.


3. Motivation - It's a very satisfying feeling to look at a log and see the progress right there in front of you. Whether it’s weight loss or strength gains; seeing it on paper will add some realism to what you are doing and make it that much more meaningful.


4. Obtain your goals – Let’s be honest. We all go to the gym because we want to achieve something.  But if you don’t keep track of your progress, how are you ever going to know that you reached your goals. Right your goals down in your workout log and then track your progress to it.

I have gone through many workout logs over the years. I have used everything from a notebook to a professional workout log that I purchased (and hated).  But the benefit of using so many different forms of tracking is that I know what I wanted from a workout log. I combined all of those features into a simple but effective sheet. I designed it to fit onto one of those small half sized clipboards. The small form factor allows it to easily fit into a duffel bag and its small enough not to take up a lot of room on the gym floor. They are cheap and easy to find (I bought mine at Wal-mart for 3 bucks). I put 2 logs on 1 sheet as to help save money on paper as well (because that’s the way I roll)

Below is a sample log that I filled out with some simple sample data. The key in that last sentence is “sample”. That was not a real workout so please don’t judge me based on it! :)

I have also provided a download link below should anyone want to adopt these workout logs for their own personal use. Enjoy and happy tracking!

[singlepic id=125 w=320 h=240 float=center]

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{filelink=5}

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Wordless Wednesday – New Gym at the Office

Gym Topic of The Day - Shoes

Had a short but interesting conversation with an older gentleman in the locker room today.

Him:  They sure are getting popular.

Me:  Uhmm. What is?

Him:  Those silly shoes you have on. A few months ago, you were the only one I would see wearing them. Now they are getting to be everywhere.

Me:  Well they are super comfortable and great to work out in.

Him:  Well I suppose so.

And that was the end of the conversation. If you haven't guessed it yet, the shoes he was referring to were my Vibrams Five Finger shoe that I wear everyday when I am at the YMCA.  Our conversation made me wonder where else he had seen people wearing VFF's. After all, I couldn't imagine him and I frequent the same circles.  It wasn't until a few minutes later when I was in the workout room that I noticed another guy wearing some Vibrams as well. I guess that answered my question!

Living Cookbook 2011 Review

For the last several months I have been scouring the Internet in search of a good recipe database tool. I am happy to report that I have finally found one that I am very happy with. Although its not the online accessible, anywhere tool I was looking for, it does have almost every other option that I wanted including a great interface and ease of use. The app I chose is called Living Cookbook 2011 and here are the features that won me over.

Pro's

• Easy to use - I was able to get up and running very quickly with this app which makes it a huge plus. I also want my entire family to be able to use it so a steep learning curve would have been a big turn off for them.


• Easy to add ingredients and directions - LC2011 has a great feature that allows me to copy and paste an entire recipe into it and then tag the the specific parts that make up the recipe. Some of the other programs I looked into required me to enter each ingredient manually. I don't have time for that!


• Nutritional data - Since I am huge fan of nutritional facts, it's only natural that I choose an app that has the ability to pull the nutritional data from any recipe within its database.


• Shopping list functionality - What is a great recipe database app without the ability to create shopping lists from the recipes you choose to make? Fortunately for me, Living Cookbook has this feature.


• Calendar functionality - Planning a week's worth of meals can be tough. The application makes it easy with its built in calendar that is capable of separating meals out for each day. Plan a week and then export those meals to your shopping lists.


• Huge database of recipes - Living Cookbook comes with a huge assortment of recipes already in its database.  Huge plus!

Cons

• Cost - Currently I am using a version which has a limited 30 day trial attached to it. Once the trial is over, I will need to spring the $34 dollars to actually obtain a license key to use it. $34 is actually pretty reasonable compared to some of the other apps I have seen out there. I also like the fact that I was able to try before I buy. Some other apps don't have that option. I don't know about most people, but I always like to test out software before I purchase it.

RecipFox

One of the coolest things I have found to help me import recipes into Living Cookbook is a FireFox extension called Recipfox. It allows me to export recipes I find on the Internet directly into Living Cookbook. For sites that recipefox recognizes, it can import the entire recipe with one click. That tool alone has made Living Cookbook something I cannot do without. I am constantly finding great recipes online and it was always a burden to try and copy and paste those recipes to a word doc or Onenote app. This little FireFox extension makes all the unnecessary work...well unnecessary.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a recipe database that can do it all, is easy to use, provides great nutritional stats, and is a lot of fun to use,  then look no further than Living Cookbook 2011.

Random Thursday - Today's Lunch

What? You want to know what  I had for lunch today? Well its your lucky day then! Here it is.

• 8oz thin sandwich steak


• 1.5 cups sweet potato (skin left on)


• 1 cup yellow onion


• 1 cup orange pepper


• 1 cup beef broth


• 2T tomato paste


• 1T coconut oil


• Various spices


• and a banana for dessert

I ate this after I got back from my lunch hour workout. Today was back and biceps and I really worked my muscles into the ground. The added carbs will help to fuel my recovery. My mid-day snack will be a protein shake made with coconut milk and for supper we are having chicken fajitas (minus the shells for me).

Wordless Wednesday - Grassfed Beef

[caption id="attachment_1929" align="aligncenter" width="459" caption="Freezer full of grassfed beef"][/caption]

Time to Hit It

I don't know about the rest of you but I really enjoyed Thanksgiving this year. I "really" enjoyed it. To the tune of 4 pieces of pie....in a row and that was just the start of it.  It's ok. I went into the holiday prepared by lowering my calorie intake before and after. I enjoyed the meal prepared and then I moved on and didn't dwell on it. Today I was back to my normal eating habits and workout routines. Did I weigh myself before, during, or after to verify the damage? Heck no! I ain't stupid! haha

Today started a new workout routine for me. I am still in Phase I which is the muscle building phase but I decided after 4 weeks of solid lifting combined with 1 week of "off" time for the holidays, I needed to switch it up a bit. After all, if there is one thing Tony Horton and P90x taught me, its muscle confusion. So I put together some new exercises and hit the gym. The muscle confusion really worked. After 4 weeks of feeling perfect after a workout, today I left with soar arms and back. I definitely got a good workout in.

Another 4 weeks will bring me to the Christmas holiday and another 1 week break to rest and recoup. After all, I am getting too old to be hitting it non-stop. After about 4 weeks of lifting, I begin to feel burnt out. This break allows me to rest and recoup a bit.

Did anyone else really "enjoy" their Thanksgiving meal or did you all play it safe?

Wordless Wednesday - It's a Boy

Biggest Loser Night!

I am excited to watch The Biggest Loser tonight. I know there are many people in the health and fitness world that do not like this show but I for one love watching it.  There is just something about watching people strive to lose the weight and solve the emotional aspects that got them to that dark place that I think makes for a great show. I understand that its not realistic to be able to lose such large amounts of weight in such a short time and I understand that there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes that we will never see but I don't really care. People's lives are changing and they are helping to change the lives of many more people that are watching the show. For that, I applaud them.

My favorite contestant Adam has already been kicked off the show but I love what he had done outside of The Biggest Loser. He has gone into his local YMCA in Kansas and is helping to motivate others to lose weight and become healthy. To me, this is what the show is all about. Motivating others.

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Weekly Link Love

I am going to start posting links to blogs and sites that I frequent and enjoy. I am hoping to spread the wealth of great sites out there for others to enjoy. For today I am going to start off with blogs that are for Dad's. Sometimes Dad's get forgotten about when it comes to caring for our kids. Below are two Dad's that have great involvement in their kid's lives. That is something I strive to do as well. I highly respect any father that goes above and beyond the normal "Dad" duties.

Websites for Dad's

Daddoes.com - The Place Where Dads Do Things and Review Things.

A great site that reviews all the latest and greatest toys. This is a great site for finding a great toy or game for your little guy or gal.

Daddysdown.com - A blog about life, kids and fatherhood. Has anyone seen my coffee mug.

I really enjoy this blog.  He has some great posts about what its like to be Dad along with some great examples of things not to do as a Dad. The think I like the best is his weekly Datificates. My kids love this idea and cannot wait to try them out.

Dads4life.org - Because They Follow Our Lead

This is a site that I follow on Twitter. They are a non-profit organization that exist to provide Fathers of all ages, races, religion or cultures the support, education and information to enhance their lives and change the future of our nation.

Healthy Eating Weekend It Was Not

So I have a confession to make. I ate off track this weekend. Not terrible but bad enough for me to get on here and write about it. Friday was family movie night and we enjoyed the usual snacks that come along with watching a movie. Popcorn, chocolate, soda, etc. It was a great time and I really enjoyed being able to let loose a bit and my family really enjoyed it as well. Saturday I was back on track and the same goes for most of Sunday. Then came the birthday cake the kids and I made for my wife. Since it was homemade, and the girls hand decorated it, I naturally wanted to partake in a piece or two. I kicked that back with some chips and cheese to complete the night. I know. Don't judge me.

One thing I have learned from this experience is my body doesn't do well when I go off track. Friday night, when I went to bed, I felt like I was going to thrown up. The same goes for tonight. I don't feel good. My body knows what I did to it and it's trying to get rid of the crap that I have put into it. My body hates me right now.

Truth is, I actually plan these events for every few months. It helps to get it out of my system and it reminds me very quickly, why I don't eat like that anymore. I would like to say that this probably wont happen again for quite a few months but with Thanksgiving coming up in 4 days, it doesnt look good. I am going to try and stay very low calorie for the next few days in hopes that it will counteract this weekend and the upcoming holiday's.

Wish me luck!

Thanksgiving Day Plan

My plan for Thanksgiving week is simple. No workouts (except for some ab work), eat light (except for Thursday of course), and don't worry about anything. The timing of this week is actually perfect. This week marks the 4th week of my new training program. I was suppose to start week 5 next week but I decided to take the week off and enjoy the holiday. Plus I am going out of town so hitting a gym would be even more difficult. What I didn't plan on was having a crazy week at work that would cause me to lose my last 2 days of training before the break. But that is life and I cannot worry about what I cannot change.

It's my plan to try and go into a calorie deficient starting tomorrow through Thanksgiving along with a calorie deficiet following Thanksgiving. I am hoping to use Thanksgiving as a bit of a refeed/cheat day. I say tomorrow because tonight is family movie night and we are going to enjoy some popcorn and candy. I know it's not primal but I really enjoy this time with the family and I truly believe in the 80/20 rule. Enjoy life!  Peace out.

Site Redesign

As anyone can clearly see, I have redesigned my blog.  A few days ago I was looking around the old site and noticed that I hadn't written much lately. It's not that I didn't have anything to write about, it's just that I am not that great of a writer. My old theme was a magazine style theme that tended to make the reader believe they were going to be reading something fantastic and mind blowing. That is not really me.  I would sit down at my computer and try to come up with a story or article that would really impress my readers. In the end, I usually had nothing that lived up to my own high standards.  So I started to think about why I started the blog in the first place. It originally came about as a place to place my thoughts about working out, nutrition, food, etc. It was never meant to be a place where I could single handily solve the world's obesity problems.  The old theme made me think that was what I needed to do.

I set out to modify the original theme into a more personal site.  I wanted full articles on the page with easy links for comments. I wanted some simple widgets on the side and a toned down advertising section. About an hour into my tinkering, I really managed to screw up the old theme and quickly realized it wasnt going to do what I wanted it to do. So I set out to find a new theme. If you visited the site the last few days you have probably noticed quite a few different looks as I messed around with different ideas and concepts.  Totally I finally settled on (for now) the theme you are seeing before your very eyes. It's clean, refreshing, simple, and loads pretty fast.

Most importantly,  I feel it really allows me to open myself up to start writing about more simple things. Things like the struggle I am having at the gym lately or my lack of motivation to eat right. The old theme didn't allow me to share that very well. This new theme is going to open up a a whole new world for me. Watch out!

With all that said, what do you think of the new theme? Do you see anything that could be different? Is it easy to read and follow? Is it easy on the eyes? Do you like it? I am open to opinions and thoughts. I really want to make it into a great site.

StrengthTime Gym Review

Last weekend, I was invited by owners Jason and Julie to try out their gym which is new to the Kansas City area. StrengthTime is located in Lenexa KS just off of K-7 and Woodland Road which is a nice 15 minute drive from my house. The day started out just like any other Saturday. I slept in and enjoyed my morning coffee but refrained from eating anything with substance. I practice the leangains approach to working out and almost always train in a fasted state. I had previously spoken to one of the owners regarding the gym and its ideal's so I knew that morning I was going to be getting an introduction to the concepts of the gym and then I would get a work out on their fitness machines.

Now fitness machines are not really my thing as they tend to be one size fits all and that size usually isn’t me. I tend to be able to lift close to the entire stack on most every machine I have ever tried and I figured these machines wouldn’t be much different. I was wrong. Upon first viewing, I could tell that the equipment StrengthTime uses isn't your typical run of the mill YMCA Precor machines but rather state of the art work out machines that can be moved and adjusted to fit any person perfectly; like a glove.

Any idea I had about stacking the weights and pumping out my 4 sets of 12,10,8, and 6 were quickly dissolved with the reintroduction of slow movement training by my trainer, Jacob. Being around fitness for years, I was familiar with the general concept and had even practiced it in its simplest form many years ago (slow movement on the last rep of each set) but I had never taken it to the extreme intensity that I was about to partake in.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of slow movement training, it is regarded as one of the most effective methods of resistance training to increase muscle mass and strength. In simplest terms, its essentially lifting and lowering a weight for x number of seconds in a slow controlled fashion with very minimal stopping. Obviously it's a bit more complicated than what I have explained here. I am definitely not an expert by any means. If you are interested in learning more, give one of the trainers at StrengthTime a call.

After Jacob’s introduction to the concepts of slow movement training, he took me into the weight room and over to my starting machine. A Leg Press of sorts. I was thinking at the time that I hoped he was prepared to be blown away by my awesomeness because my legs are massive and I can usually push some serious weight on this machine. I don't "recall" what weight he started at but I do remember it wasn’t anywhere near my personal best. I thought I would humor him and give it shot. What could it hurt? Well right out of the gate, I heaved the weight out in an explosive masculine manner. I may have even grunted. I could tell he was impressed. I mean he had to be impressed… right? Well, he may not have been but I surely was! “Ok” he said, "That was really good but now try it again but slower...slower....slower. Good, now bring the weight back at the same speed. OK, now without resting, do it again until I tell you to stop." Well after a few reps at that speed, he didn’t have to tell me to stop because I dropped the weights back into the starting position. I had finished that exercise and the smile on my face proved I was happy with my results. I don’t think he was as impressed with me as I was though. He said, "Next time, you push until you have nothing left in you, then you hold it, and then you release it." I knew he was right. I gave up on that last rep way to easily. I made a vow that I wouldn’t do that again...and I didn’t. He proceeded to take me through the rest of my workout routine that managed to hit every major part of my body. 30 minutes later and I was worn-out. I felt like I had just worked out harder than I had in a very long time.

After a few minutes of rest and gabbing I took off for my next appointment. But before I drove off, I sat in my car for a few minutes in such a state of pure exhilaration. I could not believe what had just happened. How could I feel like this in only 30 minutes and on machines!? It felt like I had used muscles that I didn’t even know I had!

So if you are like me and looking for a new challenge or someone just looking to get into shape and live a healthier lifestyle, give the trainers at StrengthTime a call. Trust me when I say you will be glad you did! (During their Grand Opening celebration, they are offering your first 3 workout sessions for FREE.) I would definitely take them up on that offer! You will not be disappointed.

(Disclaimer - I received no compensation for this review. I was just so impressed with the workout and staff that I wanted to spread the word.)

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StrengthTime

Hours
By appointment, not limited to the hours listed:
Mon - Thur: 5am - 7pm
Fri - Sat: 5am - 6pm
Address
10084 Woodland Rd.
Lenexa, KS
Phone
913-428-TIME (8463)
Emailinfo-lenexa@strengthtime.com

Website
http://strengthtime.com/locations/strengthtime-lenexa.php

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lenexa-KS/StrengthTime-of-Lenexa/146666232022637?ref=ts

Suspension Trainer Thoughts

I figured after owning my homemade suspension trainer for almost a year now, I probably should put it to good use...or any use. It was always my intent to blog about how I made it but I cannot seem to find the pictures of the work in progress so I am not sure if that post will ever happen. So the next best thing is to do a post about me using it.

A few weeks back I finished up a 12 week workout and was looking for something different. Something challenging that would keep me interested for a few weeks at least. Enter into the picture my suspension trainer. Now that I had it, I needed to know what to do with it. Off to the internet I went in search of a workout. It was tougher to find than I thought. Apparently those TRX guys don't believe in posting any workouts online. Sure there are a ton of how-to's for the exercises but I really wanted a full workout. I finally found something close to what I wanted on a forum and then adapted it for my needs. What you see below is my workout. If you have questions about the workouts or exercises, leave me a comment or drop me an email.

Monday: Chest and Arms

• Atomic Push-Ups - I loved this exercise as it really worked my abs.


• Single Arm Bicep Curl - I don't know if its just me but I tended to cheat a little bit when doing curls with the suspension trainer. I found it hard to keep my arm in one place.


• Tricep Press - Pretty simple exercise. I do something very similar using the cable machines in the weight room.


• Dips - These were awesome. I elevated my feet on a chair which made it quite a bit harder. This is definitely an exercise that I will continue to do.


• Steep Chest Press - Basically just an angled push-up. Nothing special about that.


• Suspended Push-Ups - I lowered the trainer until it was just a few inches off of the ground and then did push-ups. These were tough. My arms were shaking and I really had to engage my core in order to not wobble all over. I loved it though!


• Deltoid Y-Fly - I didn't really feel these while I was doing them but I sure felt the effects of them the next day!

Overall Impression of Chest and Arms:  I could really see the benefit of doing chest exercises with the suspension trainer. The constant balancing act really made my muscles work and my core was tight the entire time because of it. The arm exercises I felt really lacked though. The curls I felt were mediocre at best. The best arm exercise was definitely the Tricep Press.  I ended up hitting the real weight room to do some dumbbell curls and tricep push-downs when I was all done, just to feel like my arms really got a good workout. I will probably incorporate some of the chest exercises into my usual workout though.

Tuesday: Cardio

• I did 5 hill sprints then it started to rain so I ran back to the gym


• Proceeded to do about 5 intervals of some jumps where I had my hands on the bench and jumped over the bench from side to side. Does anyone know what that is called?


• Went into the gym and stacked up the blocks and did 10 high jumps.

Wednesday: Shoulders and Back

• Single Arm Row - I thought this was a good move. Overall it felt great.


• Back Extensions - I didn't really get this one. I looked it up on the internet before I left and performed it to the best of my ability but I felt stupid doing it and am pretty sure I got nothing out of it.


• Max Inverted Rows - These felt really good. I set the angle so that my body was almost parallel with the floor. I really felt the burn as I was performing it.


• Incline press - This is probably my favorite exercise. Its the one where you put your foot in the stirrup and swing around and do a handstand. Then press. It really works the core because you still have to balance yourself. Felt great when I was done.


• Pull Ups - I tightened up the handles all the way to the top and did some suspended pull-ups. I got a pretty good workout from this as well as I really needed to use all my muscles to stabilize myself.

Overall Impression of  Shoulders and Back:  I read online that there are not a lot of exercises that can be done with a suspension trainer that targets the shoulders. I found this to be very true today.  The Incline Press was the closest thing my shoulders got to a workout until I went into the weight room and did some military presses and lat. raises.  My back muscles fared pretty well with the rows though and I was feeling the effects of that workout throughout the day.

Thursday: Core and Cardio

• 5 x 25 yard sprints


• 5 x 50 yard sprints


• Box jumps - Went to the park and did 20 jumps up on the seat of a picnic table followed by 30 jumps to the table top.


• P90x Ab Ripper X - Its been awhile since I have done Ab Ripper X and it gave me a good run for my money. I must say that it probably wasn't smart to do it after the sprints and box jumps though. My legs where dead.


• Tried to do some core work with the suspension trainer buy my garage just isn't a good place to try and work out. I hung the trainer from the garage door track but I didn't feel that comfortable putting a lot of weight on it. I did manage to do some Pikes and some Max Body Saw's. Both felt pretty good.

Friday: Legs

• Hip press - This will felt a little awkward as you have to thrust your hips to the ceiling. It took a few reps before I really started get a burn from it. By the end of the cycle, my back hurt more than anything.


• Single Leg squat - This can really be done without the suspension trainer if you have good balance. I do not, so I used one of the handles to keep myself up. Simple squat down on one leg with the other out in front of you.


• Lunges(each side) - Tony Horten calls these Speed Skaters. It is essentially a lunge where you kick your back leg behind you and use the suspension trainer for balance.  It's another leg exercise that can be done without the suspension straps.


• Hamstring Curl - This exercise is quite similar to the Hip Press. You lie on your back and bring your feet to your butt. I really didn't feel anything on this one.


• Hip Abduction - The idea is you get into a plank position with your feet in the straps. You then spread eagle. The only thing I felt on this one was embarrassment.

Saturday: Core and Cardio

• 10 x 25 yard sprints


• Box jumps - Went to the park and did 60 jumps up on the seat of a picnic table followed by 20 jumps to the table top. Video of that workout can be seen here.

Sunday: Rest Day

My overall impression of the suspension trainer is pretty good. I really loved the workout that it gave my core. I could really feel it in just about every workout I did. Some of the exercises where quite a bit more challenging than others, and some just left me asking WTH??  I would have to say that the Chest exercises are probably my most favorite to do and most of those will find their way into my daily workouts back in the weight room. The least favorite body part to workout was Shoulders. Mainly because I just couldn't find more than one exercise for shoulders in all of the internet. To me shoulders are in integral part of working out. Hopefully someone somewhere can come up with a decent shoulder workout for suspension trainers.

The suspension trainers are a good tool for those that do not have access to a gym but I do not feel that they are a good replacement for a gym full of equipment. You won't get big doing these exercises but you will get toned.  After awhile, I could see this piece of equipment getting really boring. And at $200 dollars for the cheapest TRX kit, I think you would be better off spending that money on a gym membership. Or spend $30 dollars like I did and make your own.

With all that said, I am not giving up on it yet. I am going to go another 2 weeks with the above workout and see if I notice any results what-so-ever.

Park Cardio Workout 1

A short but intense cardio workout that I did at the park over the weekend. I also think I may have broken my finger doing it. Doh!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBE-cWeqa4g

Intense Cardio Workout

Lately I really despise cardio machines. I would almost rather not do cardio at all than spend an hour on an elliptical. I was faced with that decision tonight. Go to the gym and be a rat on a treadmill or brave the weather and head out into the rain for some good old fashioned sprints. I chose option number 2. I headed over to my local park and proceeded to do the following sprints:

• 5x25 yard sprints


• 5x50 yard sprints

I followed that up with some picnic table jumps.  I was a little hesitant at first so I begin with only jumping up onto the seat. I did that 20 times. I then grew some courage and made the leap up onto the table. I was amazed that  I could actually do it! I followed that jump with 29 more! I then took off for home and did a few core exercises with my homemade suspension trainer followed by a session of P90x Ab RipperX.

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When all the cardio was said and done, I cooked up a meal of ground beef, red pepper, white onion and tomato paste.  Mixed it into a bowl and scarfed it down.  And that was the end of that. Day 2 of the Primal September Challenge complete.

Letter from Congress

I received this letter from my Congressman today in regards to my concern over genetically modified foods. I am not really sure what to think about it.  I really didn't think that a congressman for a largely agricultural based state like Kansas would knock the hand that feeds him but it really appears that Congressman Moore is in favor of genetically modified foods.

What do you think?

Dear Tyson:

Thank you for sharing with me your concerns regarding genetically engineered crops and foods. I appreciate hearing from you.

Since the first genetically engineered (GE) crops became commercially available in the mid-1990s, U.S. soybean, cotton, and corn farmers have rapidly adopted them.  The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food, including that from biotechnology, primarily to ensure that it poses no human health risks, mainly under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) and the Public Health Service Act.  Under the FFDCA, all food and feed manufacturers must ensure that the domestic and imported products they market are safe and properly labeled.  All domestic and imported foods and feeds, whether or not they are derived from GE crops, must meet the same standards.

There are concerns that the GE foods include genes that could prove allergenic, introduce increased toxicity, or otherwise be harmful to human health.  Some critics contend that the FDA regulation process lacks transparency since the agency places all the responsibility to generate safety data on manufacturers instead of conducting its own tests.  Supporters of the current system, on the other hand, argue that additional testing and oversight are unnecessary because all foods currently must meet the same federal safety standards regardless of whether or not they are genetically engineered.

Stemming from some of these concerns regarding GE foods, Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D-OH] introduced H.R. 6636, the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act, on July 29, 2008. H.R. 6636 would have required that food manufactures provide labeling information informing the consumer if a product had been produced with a genetically engineered material.  Additionally, this measure would have subjected violators to civil monetary penalties.  This measure was referred to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for further consideration. Unfortunately, H.R. 6636 was not considered prior to the adjournment of the 110th Congress. It must be reintroduced in the 111th Congress before it can again receive consideration. Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on this bill or other legislation related to GE foods during the 111th Congress.

Thank you again for contacting me.  I hope you will continue to keep in touch and please feel free to let me know whenever I may be of assistance.

Very truly yours,
DENNIS MOORE
Member of Congress

Random Thought

After a repetitive workout of push-ups, pull-ups and listening to Tony Horton I sat in the locker room tired but bored and unfulfilled. Sure Tony gave me a run for my money on the push-ups but the repetitive nature of the workouts has really gotten to me. I sat there and thought about the enjoyable time I had over the weekend playing with my kids. On Saturday we went to the local middle school and played soccer and Frisbee. I hung up my suspension straps and we did pull ups and other various forms of upper body movements. To top it off we did sprints up and down the football field. On Monday, after a great walk we decided to let the kids play at the playground. I have never been one to sit buy and watch my kids have all the fun so I joined them. We did the monkey bars, climbed some poles and held onto the zip lines. Now that is working out should be about!

My point here is that you don't have to be at a gym to get a workout. By incorporating simple movies into daily activities, you can achieve your goals and not be subject to the monotonous nature of gyms or 60 minutes workout videos. Get out of the gym and enjoy life!