In my next post I will be detailing my recovery from triceps distal reattachment surgery. For context, I wanted to give you some background on the road traveled thus far. Some of you may be able to relate.

I have been lifting since I was 14. When I was 11 my left eye was poked out with a stick. Yes, it is true we were all having fun until someone had their eye poked out. I did not see the stick coming. I reached over with my right arm and pulled it out. The eye was profusely squirting blood! After they removed all of the splinters I was blind in the left eye. I had to have a glass eye. You can imagine the bullies teasing the crap out me! At 14 I had enough. I began lifting, letting anger drive me. Soon the bullies had more than they bargained for. About a year later I was benching 160lbs and squatting almost 180lbs. By the time I was 16 I had been in dozens of fights but NO MORE bullies teased me! Drove my dad crazy. Calls from the school, coming home with blood all over my shirt, busted lips, black eyes. You get the idea. At this point I weighed about 150lbs with a 28" waist.

I always had excellent gains as far as I was concerned. I have never had a maximum HUGE goal. However, I always wanted to be in the top 5% of my age group in everything! Physically, mentally and financially for as long as I live. To be in the top 5% in all three meant that I had to spread my time between all three. At 35 my top bench was at 325lbs x 5 reps and squats were at 475lbs x 10 reps. Genetics had been helpful. Over the years I have sported 8% body fat to 32% body fat. I am comfortable at about 15%. It is REALLY difficult to arrive at and maintain 8% for any length of time. And 32% was simply too much for me. I mean I looked like a freekin BEAST but that meant little to me.

A 32% body fat story for you. I am 5' 10" and weighed 215lbs at the time. From time to time me and the buds would visit a bar. During one visit we were walking out, I was in front. I noticed a guys beer, grabbed it, drank it, put the mug down and continued to walk out the door. A friend behind me heard the guy's buddy ask him if he was going to let me do that. The guy simply said, 'Look at him!'. I thought I was over that kind of behavior! Guess I felt like a trouble maker that night. I DO NOT recommend that but then hey a little fighting on a Saturday used to be a weekly occurrence. You would not know that about me because I have not filled out my profile yet.

I started with gear in 2003, at 43, because I could see that age was going to be something to deal with. I had a trustworthy source however that source
became sketchy in 2011. I found a couple of online sources that were OK but I was not 100% positive about the source or the juice. In 2011 I discovered
GBN. After checking them out I became a customer and have been since 2012. They introduced me to Kalpa. At 52 I was cycling with excellent results. The integrity of GBN and the quality of Kalpa are the BEST I have experienced!

At my age I am not looking for a bench at 325x5 and squats at 475x10. There is logic in maintaining a level that the body can reasonably deliver in order to stay in the game. More on that in a future post. Wherever I go people treat me different because I am in shape. I do not flaunt it or act like an arrogant pig. Most men could never get to this level especially at 58. It's not just the juice. It is a deliberate, dedicated effort - pounding the stack!

THEN in June of 2017 - it happened. Sure there have been some joint issues, tendinitis from time to time, shoulder bursa shaving operation, cortisone shots
and blah blah blah. Nothing serious. Always easily overcame with some attention and at times a hell-of-a-lot-of-ice!

On June 3rd, 2017 I was lifting. Chest was the muscle group of the day. Flat benching using my Iron Master going to 280lbs x 10 for 3-4 sets. At 180lbs I
felt something tear in my right elbow. Kind of like a band aid or tape ripped off your skin only this was on the inside. There was no pain to speak of and
after 40+ years of serious lifting I know - just like you - what serious pain is like! I took all of the weights off of the Olympic bar. Benching with only the bar it was obvious this was an injury that was new to me. I had very little strength in the right arm. No pain to speak of, just a dangling hunk of meat compared to my usual 160lb triceps pull down!

75% of my right triceps had torn from the elbow according to the MRI!

More to come. Including full recovery protocol and the numbers. Maybe a pic of my motorcycle vest that I sport these days. Reworked from my younger
days of mayhem.

That was a very interesting read. Like and subscribed

Based on the writer's verbiage I would say he is definitely an American.
I'm not saying this to be negative so don't misunderstand my comment.

Throughout the 40+ years of lifting I took what I considered reasonable precautions. I wanted to do whatever I could to ensure that I would be able to lift into my 80s, leaving Providence to the rest. In my 20s I simply lifted HARD! My gains where more than acceptable. When I turned 30 I made it a point to have a physical once a year. Not from a family type doctor but from the Orthopedic surgeons at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. I knew my body well
enough to realize when I would have to visit a family type doc. I saw a family type doc three times since I was 15yo. Why an orthopedic? With only one
eye I had no depth perception. This is considered a handicap. The staff at Mayo accepted this and granted their ortho staff permission to help me balance.

- Stretching techniques unique to muscle build and thickness
- Muscle building for the rotator cuff and shoulder area
- Joint x-rays / analysis
- Posture analysis / adjustment
- Strength analysis left/right
- Muscle density tests
- Nerve testing to determine any damage
- Reading materials

You get the idea. One of the Orthos recommended Master Trainer. This was a periodical, not really a flashy magazine, that concentrated on what to do to
lift into your 80s and beyond! These were a group of guys that were themselves into their 60s, 70s and a couple in their 80s. They were accomplished lifters. Some power lifters others were body builders. I preferred both styles of lifting although I lean to body building. I have used many sources, searching for the best recipe for me to outlast the body.

Lifting for over 40 years. Then 1.5 hours of surgery on my right arm. I am right handed. I told the orthopedic what I wanted out of this surgery - to come back to at least 90%. I asked him to sew it up 'good'! Then came the cast. The elbow has held nearly straight to minimize bending. Not that it could. This cast was BIG. Bigger than normal to keep me from tweaking the tendon. It was FREEKIN HUGE. Look, I was used to lifting 4-6 times per week, 1-2 hours at a time. I was used to 180lbs, about 15% body fat. NOW ZERO! The first few nights there was sheer panic. I could not sit, stand, lay down - nothing. I was pathetic! The first night I had no relaxant, only whiskey. At least I slept for a couple of hours. The next few days Hydroxyzine and a few shots of whiskey. Hey it got me through until I calmed down.

I had taken over all of the cooking from Christine years ago. Christine is a fine cook however I preferred dishes that were acclimated to the lifting life style and I prefer a wide variety. Appetite fatigue is nothing to mess with. Been there. Before the surgery I cooked a number of things that could be frozen. The rest of the time I directed Christine how to make the food that would deter weight gain. I still gained 20+lbs by the time I could lift again. After 6 weeks came the next cast. This one was smaller and changed the bend or flex of the elbow closer to the body. 6 weeks later came the flexion cast. This one brought the flex even closer to the body and allowed a little flex of the elbow. 6 weeks later came the physical therapy.

Starting with massaging the scar tissue, slight bending. NO pressure. I still wore the flexion for 6 more weeks. After that I took it off even though the
physical therapist was concerned he agreed. At this time I was on to exercises to improve the quick reflex of the arm. Catching a ball or items thrown to me without my knowledge, simply a 'Heads Up' or 'Look Out'! This was to improve the quick response for the tendon. Christine had fun with that one!

Massive stretching and posture work. I really do not understand why more lifters do not concentrate on these two areas! Finally in late November 2017, it was on to the rubber bands. 2lb, 7lb, 15lb test. By the end of December 2017 I was finished with the physical therapy and back at my home gym. In
November I began a low level cycle (1 and 1) of Sustaxyl and Deca. At my age I also picked up a cycle of KalpaTropin HGH. All from GBN and Kalpa.


It has been slow on purpose. It has now been 14+ months. I have:

- lost 10 of the 20lbs
- Bench was 280 x 10, now 200 x 10
- Triceps pull down was 160, now 110 x 15
- Curls are back to 140 x 15
- Squats 350 x 10
- Stamina about 80% of before surgery
- 32" waist jeans are loose and am almost back into 31" waist jeans. That is my version of the Body Mass Index (BMI). What is the waist and shirt size? Or to be to the point, are your jeans telling you that you are overweight? If so, there is an issue with your BMI!
- Back into large shirts that are fitting tighter in the right places

Overall I continue to make gains. I am now moving into my spring diet. The most difficult time of dieting, at least for me, de-carbing! Freekin OUCH! I
expect to have the last of the weight lost and head to a more realistic body fat % of about 12-15%.

Regarding the juice. I have friends that take therapy for low testosterone. They are administered the same stuff that Kalpa sells. Of course the pharma
brands have different names. I saw the prescriptions of my friends. The quantity is roughly the same give or take. I use the same methods to monitor as their doctors do. I have a blood test once a year since I started the gear in 2003. Always perfect. This summer I will kick it up a little bit to be closer to a gaining cycle and hopefully this winter a true gain cycle. I have one more round of HGH however I do not need it at this time.

Years ago I decided that I did not care for the gym crowd. Sure there were serious lifters but most of the people were simply not that serious and wanted to be buddies. I can be your friend outside of the gym. Then there is the waiting for equipment during busy times. Then as the years went by the gym crowed began to reflect a meat market. Again, no thanks. Instead of paying dues I saved $100-$150 /month and began buying my own equipment. My gym is complete and rivals any typical gym.

A short story about the meat market. When I am out of town on business I find a gym. I was in Boston. After work I headed to the hotel to gather my gym bag and change clothes. I noticed this guy watching me walk from the door to the elevator. No big deal except that I saw him in that morning as well - watching me. He was in the lobby area, rather large since this was a luxury hotel, when I came down and headed for the gym. After a couple of hours I returned. This guy was in the lobby again only this time he was kind of hovering near the elevators. The elevator opened and there was no one else getting on except for me. This guy slipped in right as the doors were closing. I looked at him, not angry or shocked. More like ok, what do you want? He said,

'You sure have a nice body.'. I said thanks and then explained, in a matter of fact pleasant tone, that I had been lifting for over 30 years. That is started out as rage management which turned into anger management and now it is simply a habit. Now I do not know what the fellow actually wanted. I was hoping that he would have commented on my statement to start a conversation. However he did not. I would have even had dinner had he simply wanted to talk.

Next time I will discuss my typical workout, diet and method to achieving the elusive 5% in body.

I figured I should add some detail. These are just the facts. This is really about motivation.

My mother was pregnant with me when she was 16. I was born when she was 17. This was the early 60s in the US. The poor dear was shamed and ridiculed. My dad, slight blood pressure rise here, was/is not a nice guy. When I was 3 months old she dropped me off at my grandmothers, my dad's mother, and left to be a stripper in New Orleans. My dad was 29 at the time, married to this 16yo. Yup, a real nice guy. I lived with my grandmother, who was the kindest person I have ever known, until I was 3+yo. Then surprise! My dad remarried. He took my from the only mother I had known. I went to live with him, his new wife and her son who was 1 year older than me. My new brother and I got along for the most part. There were the normal fist fights, rock throwing fights and such. One particular incident is actually kind of funny now. My brother and I were standing at the apex of our barn. Yup, he pushed me off! Thankfully I landed on top of a horse manure pile. It only knocked the wind out of me. Of course I went to tell his mother, talk about a stacked court!

One day, when I was 11, my brother and I had built a stick fort type structure. The old man did not like it and, in so many foul words, told us to tear it down. We proceeded to throw the sticks down to the railroad tracks. I was about 15 yards from my brother, between him and tracks. I was bent down picking up sticks. He threw one and thought it was going to hit me. He yelled my name and I stood up. BAM! The stick stuck directly in my left eye! I reached over with my right hand, pulling it out. Of course everyone was beside themselves except for me. I was on vacation - in shock. The ambulance took me away.

He divorced that woman within a month. We never lived together again. I went to live with my aunt for almost 2 years. She was nice enough. She was a widower with a 10yo daughter. The three of us got on splendidly. To my knowledge this was my third 'mother' type.

So there I was. 12 years old, one eye, funky protective glasses, over weight, certainly not cute or handsome. The kids in the neighborhood called me Pugsley - of the Adam's family. Look it up. I recall the occularist saying
that I was such a handsome young man as she was painting my first fake eye. Foreign words to me that I would treasure even to this day. It is actually a shell that covers the eye. If you recall the Ophthalmologist had to remove so many splinters there was no way the eye would be functional however it did not have to be removed. At least the patch and metal cover over the left eye could now be removed.

When I was about 14 my dad 'found the perfect one' - again. Before they were married we were at her house with her 4 children for a Thanksgiving Day dinner. The old man commented on her gravy and next thing you know, she has a freekin butcher knife, chasing him around the house! He went out the front door. I had already snuck out the back door! As far as I knew I would be carved up next! They patched things up and surprise of surprises I was one of 4 kids living with him and her. Her oldest went to live with his father. What a joke. There were two boys, 10 and 12, and a girl 14. The 14yo always wanted to make out. No thanks I had enough of women by that time. The younger one was a nasty tattle tale. I was always being tagged as doing something by this kid. Having had enough of his mother on my a** I discovered my inner anger. I told the kid that the next time he ratted me out I would punch him in the gut. Sure enough he told and his mother came right over to threaten my life (HAHAHAHA!). So I kept my word and punched this kid as hard as I could in the gut. While he was bent over I whispered in his ear, you tell anyone and I will punch you twice. That was the end of that! They were divorced within shortly after a year. Go figure.

I learned something that day. I learned that I could be mean without remorse. I learned that force could be deployed to change the circumstances around me. I learned that I could protect myself physically and personally.

Then it started. Junior high brought out all the bullies. That first year was hell. Remember I still had these funky glasses (to protect my good eye) and I was overweight. During that summer I started lifting. I had a few dollars and stole the rest of the money from the old man (yeah, we had that kind of relationship) to pick up some weights. The plastic kind filled with cement. I began lifting. By the end of that summer I had lost so much weight people around me thought that I was sick. They were correct, I was sick of it all! I was absolutely fed fu****g up! When I went back to school I started dishing out the buck wheats! Mess with me, regardless of your size, you would have a furl of fists reigning down on you! At the beginning I lost a bunch of fights. I continued to lift and practiced some boxing. The next year came around and there was a change of wind. I started to win
every fight. That made 9th and 10th grades victorious. All bullies were challenged and beaten. Sometimes without mercy. If you looked at me with a hint of menace it was 'go time'. I graduated in 11th grade and moved on with life.

I was 16+ when the old man came to me and said, 'I am moving to California. Are you going to be ok?'. What glorious words! At this point living with him alone, it was kill or be killed. We are talking about having a body bag handy! During the time of living with him I did not say a word. It was all internal. I knew that I was thoroughly violent. I was enraged and worked out my aggression at that time by lifting and lighting fires. What can I say? These were field fires. No house was burnt only a shed and a lot grass/trees. Well he left and I lived on the porch of one of his girlfriends. It did not take long to find others that were like me. Young men of rage with a death wish. Well I had some $$$ from an insurance settlement for the eye. I had my first scoot and a Trans Am by the time I was 17. By default I linked up with the lawless crowd and proceeded to exercise full authority of one that is in control. I picked up a 30lb bale of good weed. I packaged it up in small bags and gave every bit away. That was the beginning of my business and Satan's Playmates.

A group of 15-20 guys depending on jail, cowardice or a rescuing dad or mom. We were lords of the street. While I was the leader, guys would take charge of side jobs or efforts on their own. Good enough. One rule, no
involvement of women. No offense, I was just not OK with prostitution, abuse, strippers, etc. You want to do that, you are on your own. A few did leave because of my preferences however our reputation spoke for itself and
replacement thugs were easy to come by! Most were already friends of mine. 100s of fights, brawls, lawless acts. You get the idea. Of course girls still hung around. Some are attracted to that type of behavior. Like my half
sister explaining to Christine a few years into our relationship. She explained that there was not a time she was with me where she was not in fear for her life.

All of sudden - everything changed! More on that some other time.

Point is this, what motivates you? You have a hint of how mine began. You see what I told that fellow in the Boston hotel elevator was true. Now my motivation is body control, self image, self esteem, sense of accomplishment,
the thrill of being a small part of the population, feeling of overall health and well being and of course a habit. Is there ego involved? Of course. I think one the goals in life is to finally have the ego in it's proper place - serving you rather that being served. Your body will change over time - duh! If you begin as a beast will your goal morph into a bow-flex body like mine did? Or will you be an older lifter with plenty of strength but additional girth as well? Sorry ladies I do not know how to address a woman's body progression. Motivation will change over time and you must as well. If you have no motivation, start small. One day per week. One body part.

Perhaps the noticeable changes will help your motivation. Perhaps a small - I MEAN FREEKIN SMALL - cycle will help you begin. Remember my caveat, if you burn up your body when you are young what will you have? Do not be too reckless. If you choose a cycle go with GBN and Kalpa. Or at lease stick with GBN, their stuff is real.

Last year I had a gym membership for the summer. I like to change location from time to time to avoid growing stale. A middle aged guy asked me about my routine. In turn I asked him about his routine. He described following
someone he had heard on the web. He begins lifting hard, at his personal peaks, with few reps, heavy pounds and then finishes with sets of lower weights and higher reps. I explained that a routine like that may work for a
younger person but when one is older all of the body pieces and parts are not the same. Starting with heavy can tax the ligaments, joints, sinews, etc. to the point of failure or extreme wear. I explained that if you are going
to lift in that manner at the minimum be aerobically warmed up to the point of a real sweat. At least the body will be primed for heavier lifting at the start.

Personally, I stretch first. This can take 20 minutes. Then I treadmill until I start a sweat. It could be jumping rope, etc. I prefer jumping rope myself. This is really all about preparing to lift while burning the most calories possible. The sets are designed to move the body into the heavier lifts. For example:

1 set x 20 reps
2 sets x 15 reps
3 sets x 10 reps
4 sets x 5 reps
5 sets x 2-3 reps
1-2 sets x 1-2 reps (if you are building - which I always am)

Monday Legs
- Squats
- Vertical Leg Press
- Calves
- Situps
* Roman chair
* Core pull down (using a triceps or lat pull down apparatus)

Tuesday Arms
- Triceps pull down, rope
- Triceps pull down, handle
- Dips
- Bicep dumbbell curls
- Bicep straight bar curl
- Bicep angle bar curls

Wednesday Chest group one (these alternate every chest workout. This week group one, next week group two. Then repeat.)
- Flat bench
- Incline flat bench
- Decline flat bench

Wednesday Chest group two
- Dumbbell flat bench
- Dumbbell incline bench
- Dumbbell decline bench

Thursday Back
* Some trainers suggest exhausting the biceps before beginning the back. I practice this every other week.
- Bent row
- Lat pull down
- Seated row
- Light dead lift
- Situps
* Roman chair
* Core pull down (using a triceps or lat pull down apparatus)


Friday Body
- Dead lift
- Clean lift
- Shrugs
- Hands / Wrists

After a month I alter the order of each day, for each group. (Seems to complicated? Put it on paper for easy tracking). For example:

Week One:
Monday Legs
1. Squats
2. Leg Press
3. Calves

Week Two:
Monday Legs
1. Leg Press
2. Calves
3. Squats

Week Three:
Monday Legs
1. Calves
2. Squats
3. Leg Press

Week Four:
Monday Legs
1. Leg Press
2. Calves
3. Squats


It is 5:10am on Sunday. I had to prepare the breakfast bars which takes about 45 minutes. Christine? She will be up in about 3 hours. This is the life of what I perceive to be a serious lifter. Unfiltered raw honey. Almost white in color. 9-10 egg whites and maybe 3-4 whole eggs depending upon how many fail the egg white extraction process. About 12 eggs total. Thick rolled oats, wheat gluten for extra protein (use the non GMO, organic if you are sensitive), 1/2 cup flour, 1/4-1/3 cup safflower oil, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, walnut halves and pieces and a fruit of choice. Today was blue berries. It could have been cran berries, dates, peaches, etc. Pressed into a flat pan and baked for 32 minutes. There will be enough for about 2 weeks. You see, when you lift you eat like you lift. For example last night dinner was an Asian dish, Thai basil chicken. Tonight will be fajitas, optionally using egg instead of meat for protein. I never use packaged spices. Taco or fajita mix for example. It is 100% better to learn how to mix oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper, basil, rosemary and salt together to achieve a better taste without the crap from a package. Nevertheless. Christine has been eating like me for years now. She is 5'8" 120lbs blondish, grayish, whiteish hair. She is 56yo after all. She runs, does body pump - you get the idea. I did not force her or coerce her into this. She simply saw the result in me.

Back to, whoops - the timer just began beeping. I have to get the bars out of the oven.

Ok, look the above lift routine is really about two things: increase the lift, remain in the game and manage the body. The body is 100% against these goals. Don't believe me? Try changing any physical habit that is unhealthy
into a healthy one. One of the goals is to continually shock the muscles. Otherwise they grow accustomed to the lift and will cease to grow. I had a friend that received a recliner for his birthday. Here they call them 'lazy
boys'. I have one as well. I sat in mine twice and the second time was because Christine was sitting in my lap! Well he may as well have received a coffin at the same time. He was a lifter like me. Over time the recliner
'cozied' up to him and 3 years later we had a discussion. End result? I advised him to take his name off of that 'fat trap' and start sitting or laying on the floor. Use the recliner on designated days/times. Seems harsh but
not really. Of course his body complained and those around him thought he was crazy. 'Laying on the floor when he has such a nice recliner!'. Yeah.... Six months later he was back in game!

The above routine needs to be adjusted and tracked so that you cover all combinations. For example after 6 months arms have a complete cycle going from - Triceps pull down, rope - being first to last and then first again. While
other groups like - Leg Press - have cycled twice. The weights amounts, pounds, are yours to consider. If I am off lifting because of injury or life circumstances I am back to freekin square one!! Let me share. During the
recovery from triceps distal repair I wasted away. The atrophy was mind numbing. Or it could be that you are traveling heavy for a job, or family circumstances, personal illness, cannot afford a gym, hooked on drugs/booze or just being a lazy a**. Whatever keeps you from lifting, get back to it and be smart. Start at low pounds for several weeks and move up. While the body will quickly catch up to former levels - take the time. If you are moving
back to your 300lbs bench and 450lbs squat it will take a little longer. If you are 35yo+ and push it, you may be sorry that you did.

Remember I started as a fat kid called Pugsley. 150+lbs at 12yo. Today I am 58yo, 185lbs, heading down to 175lbs. That will be about 15%-20% body fat. My BMI will be revealed shortly as it is almost spring here.

I knew this guy for several years. We attended the same weekly functions, went on weekend group retreats, picnics, etc. One day, in a group setting, we were discussing the intricacies of processing your personal 'inner thoughts', your inner voice. The voice that I should have used many more times in the past. Waiting to add my ideas, the group exhausted their pool of strategies. I explained mine. My friend blurted out, 'You are a freak of nature!'. The lift life style can be that way as well. Once people know how you process the minutes of each day, the calories of each bite and the 24 hours of energy they may well (hopefully) say the same about you!

To comment on my de-carb spring diet. There is really no such thing as eliminating all carbs. Everything has carbs. The point is eating purposeful carbs only and reducing to zero carbs from breads, pasta, rice, cheese, sweets of any kind, most fruits, some vegetables, some meats, some fluids. To minimize carbs means the war in on. The body will fight! It will put up such a resistance you would think that you are dying. Begin with intermittent fasting. This will bring you to the base of the ramp. Now the climb.
Plan meals before the beginning of the week. When you have done this several times you will graduate to your month 'meal view'. Meaning you will have your meals planned for an entire month. I cannot comment on vegans. I can comment on vegetarians that allow eggs. Find a dozen way to prepare eggs and choose legumes high in protein. A vegetarian will have to be calculating in their menu prep. I go vegetarian, when I am not dieting to loose weight, 2-3 times a year for 4-6 weeks at a time to eliminate all meat - not eggs. Learn to create a dozen different types of omelets. Prep the vegetables before hand. For example caramelized onions prepared with minimal olive oil instead of butter.

One of the main ideas is to have ingredients at hand to prepare a quick meal. This will help you to avoid snacking on junk. If you live with others chances are their 'junk food' is everywhere in the kitchen area and probably the entire home! You will have to learn how to simply avoid these items. THEY ARE NOT FOR YOU! PERIOD! No Deals! Right now Christine has chocolate in at least 6 different forms - pecans, raisins, etc. She also has various chips. These are hers and not for ME!

While you are de-carbing eat raw or slightly steamed vegetables (tender but crisp). For example, once you become familiar with the taste of carrots you will discover that some carrots are sweet in taste. You will learn to
recognize these by sight. I combine a dish of sliced young carrots, celery, asparagus tips, green pepper and sweet vidalia onion. I steam these, to a tender crunch. Top with reduced balsamic vinegar or a super low fat - no
sugar - balsamic vinegar dressing. Prepare plenty of vegetables to snack. Grow accustomed to the taste of raw vegetables. Use a mustard on the meat. Keep plenty of pickles etc on hand. Remember that there are two things happening here. You are eliminating carbs and shrinking your stomach. Both of these are difficult. A supreme battle of the flesh's will.

Here is a healthy alkaline cheat: Cut carrots, celery, cucumber, kale and green onion stalk (the green part) into long strips. Using a low carb tortilla create several burritos, lightly salted. Wrap these in a 'cling wrap', or
whatever you have, to be on the go. When you are starving, these will taste fantastic. NO DIPPING sauce! The only sacrifice of this idea is the low carb tortilla. The light salt begins to break down the vegetables. You could
also us light lime or lemon etc. The idea here is to eat something that will help your alkaline ph balance and fill you with minimal fat friendliness. The body alkaline level should be at ph 7.4, 7.5, 7.6. Get yours checked.
Don't know anything about a ph balance in the body? Read and discover.

During this time I will trim 10 skinless chicken breasts. Brown them and cook them, for 6 hours, in a slow cooker with approximately 4 cups of low sodium chicken bone broth. Now I have a protein option and with a dipping sauce
it will be fantastic! I will create a sauce of olive oil, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice and salt. Combine all in a food processor and mix. Supreme! Watch the peppers though unless you can tolerate the
heat. I press the can of chipotle peppers in adobo with the can lid to squeeze the sauce into the processor. I use only one of the chipotle peppers from the can. This can be used with chicken, beef, vegetables, etc. I will do the same with beef brisket using low sodium beef broth. Afterwards use the juice in the slow cooker as your dipping sauce. Yes, Au Jus

Make your own BBQ sauce, taco mix, rubs for grilling, chipotle dipping sauce (above). I have no packaged spice mixes. No bottled sauces aside from mustard and Asian. Christine keeps a jar of sweet sour. I never touch it.
Supplements may be required during the de-carb. That is up to each individual. Remember there are so many options that do not have any positive impact or the impact is minimal. Keep everything non GMO, organic, free range, grass fed - if possible. Look, there is no possible way of knowing if the item is non GMO or organic unless you know or are the producer. Do the best you can. Use protein powder - no soy - at times. I have in the past and will do so in the future. If you are too crabby during this process apologize to those around you and go slower.

Eating Well - Where good taste meets good health March 2019

I am in the dentist office and saw a magazine titled Eating Well with a tag line 'Where good taste meets good health'. I am always on the hunt for new recipes or tips to improve my menu. Ok, we have:

- Barbecue Chicken Smothered Baked Potatoes
(aside from the potato I think the 1/4 cup of sour cream seals the deal - no way. I ate a baked potato about 25 years ago. I do not miss it at all!)

- Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions
(Not really a pork fan however I could slice pork loin in 3/4" cutlets. The balsamic is added last and then reduced. This is doable. The recipe calls for raisins, out; 1 tablespoon butter, out; 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon will work)

- Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole
(Various peppers, cumin, garlic, chicken. 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese. 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Not a chance. Taking out the cream cheese would make this dish nothing more than a baked fajita)

- Asparagus and Smoked Mozzarella Pizzettes
(Not sure why I bothered with this one. Perhaps to prove a point. They are recommending three with a cup of shredded cheese to be split between them - no way)

- Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Soup
(Chicken thighs and 1 1-ounce can of artichoke hearts. I would sub skinless chicken breast and cut the hearts out. The chick peas are barely passable but ok. I will make this soup.)

- Oh wait, here is a life style related article: Best Ways to Burn Body Fat
(1. Pump some iron
2. Move more. Period.
3. Go with Mediterranean cooking - I suppose, but with some modifications like we did with the soup above)

- Grilled Herb-Fennel Pork Loin and Grill-fried Potatoes
(I would try the loin or perhaps the same herb-fennel rub on chicken breast. The fried potatoes, no chance)

- A bunch of avocado recipes, no way.

- The rest were salads, sides and deserts or items that do not interest me. Like scallion pancakes, pot stickers, etc.

A friend of mind at work is an avid lifter every much as I. We had the opportunity to work together on a rather sophisticated project for our world wide audience. I told him that I would like to meet him for lunch the next time that I am in his town. He told me that we already met years ago. I was surprised to learn that I had actually been at the same group table with him for a work function 5 years ago. He explained to me that he commented to his wife that there was this older guy that was really in great shape - me! At the time he was over 310lbs. He is 5'10", my height. He told me that he went on a diet and began light lifting from that day! He lost 100lbs and
increased his lift in every area. I was humbled and told him that I was proud of him for his choices!

About 3 years ago Christine and I were walking through the produce section of one of the local markets. Selecting carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, peppers, onions, etc. These are the guilt free filler foods that I use to avoid
carbs and processed crap food. Minding our own business, yet aware of those around us, when suddenly there was a horn beeping just behind my back. I turned around and there was a tubby fellow in a motorized shopping cart. I thought where the hell did this guy come from? As I turned around he said, 'You should be talking to people!'. I asked him what he meant. He went on to explain that given my age and appearance people would listen to what I have to say. I introduced myself and Dave went on to explain that he had both knees replaced and arthritis had been giving him problems - justifying the cart. The real problem, I believe, was a sedentary life style perhaps caused by the shock of both knees. Now I have no idea if arthritis would have been in Dave's future regardless, however a sedentary life style does not help! The fact is 'knee replacement' or any type of surgical repair requires special
attention. Stretching, massive massaging, light - progressive work. Over and over, day after day until finally one day you look back and you are lifting light, on the path to life. The facts are the facts, accept them and
freekin move forward. I thanked him and bid him God's speed.

The point is this, those of us that have a life style of eating to lift and lifting for life are different than 95% of the public. We are in a unique category. Kind of like an exclusive club. I was a leader of a biker gang for over 5 years. When I was part of a that group we were different than everyone around us. Normal people were indeed 'citizens'. The reputation and presentation of gang members opened many doors of opportunity however those doors delivered negativity or dark matter. However, the seas parted everywhere we went. The doors opened by a lifestyle of lifting are beneficial to life, family and society. Now I purposely remember peoples names, ask them about themselves and encourage them for life. About 25% are interested, some are not, some are jealous - in a nasty way. For the jealous, mean ones, what are they going to do? Take a swing at you? Sure. Concerning Dave's comment regarding talking to people. He was right. When I talk to people they are peaked. Some are noticeably intimidated. Some completely misinterpret friendliness as a sexual advance. Others engage. Nonetheless the seas still part and BAM, people are engaged.
When I wear my biker vest it opens a new world. Astonishing, actually. The 'bad' girls and guys are attracted as well as the curious. One fellow asked me where I got my patches. I told him that I stripped them from a gang member after I knocked him out. He exclaimed, 'REALLY!'. I said no and we both had a good laugh. And just like that we engaged in conversation!

When I am not de-carbing I begin each morning with a deck of cards size piece of the breakfast bar described earlier. Then three eggs or a deck size piece of meat. This will be one of two carbs for the day. The walnuts, honey, thick rolled oats and blue berries. Nutrition that justifies the complex carbs. This will be 1 of 3, 4 or 5 meals depending on meal size and extreme hunger level.

Lunch options:
2 chicken breasts plain. Deck of cards portioned size of smoked turkey breast. Smoked or slow cooker beef brisket.
Optionally slightly dipped in :
- balsamic vinegar
- grey poupon mustard
- chipotle pepper sauce
- au jus

3 scrambled eggs or omelet
- tomatoes
- sweet onion
- shallots
- green onion

Salad with vegetables and SUGAR free balsamic vinaigrette. If you do not have SUGAR free balsamic vinaigrette in your area find a recipe and make enough for a month at a time.

Dinner options. Asian, Indian, Fried rice with Canadian wild rice. Italian dishes where the pasta intake can be closely regulated. For example, I have not eaten lasagna in years. A hearty soup. I have a list of recipes that I
have collected and perfected over the years. One such recipe is Sicilian Chicken. It is supposed to be shrimp based however finding clean shrimp is difficult. I will post a few recipes soon. The point of this forum entry is
several fold. First people can change. It may take time to practice behaviors that are beneficial. Slowly replacing the synapsis that formerly made dangerous or potentially harmful diet choices easy.

A couple years ago Christine and I were in a 'big box' store poking around. This big dude and his wife were right next to us looking at the same item. All of a sudden this guy said in a booming voice, 'Man, your body don't match
your hair!'. Christine burst out laughing. The guys wife was simply nodding. Smiling, actually half giggling, I looked up at the guy and said that is what happens when you lift for 40+ years. I shook his hand.

Look here. The only experts at this are those that have been practicing for years and those that are naturally inclined. The rest of us will struggle, we will have some failures, some setbacks. Keep these isolated to a single
meal/workout incident and MOVE ON! Reject negative self comments and move to improve! IF you 'come to' with an empty ice cream container on your lap or a mound of empty kit-kat wrappers all around you DO NOT despair! The body can only absorb so much fat in any given 24 hour period. Do not purge. Do not go negative. Get up, throw the reset of the ice cream away. Unwrap the rest of the kit-kats and throw them in the trash. You may be tempted to retrieve one from the trash the next day! If you do, talk to someone. Ask them to talk you off of the ledge next time. Thus the problem with the body. For most everyone IT WILL put up a fight!

As a customer at GBN I have access to the best products however if my diet is not in order the results will not be to my satisfaction. At the least make minor diet modifications and your results using GBN products and lifting
will astound you!