Older Bolder Life

Stronger | Leaner | Sharper | Longer - From Older Bolder Fitness

Intro to My Personal Keto Journey

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My Primal, Pre-Ketosis World (and a Weight Loss Stall)

Like many of you, I’ve been intrigued for several years by what I’ve read and heard about the benefits of spending time in a true state of nutritional ketosis.

My wife and I, both in our late 50s, have been for the most part eating been eating a Primal aligned diet since mid-2016, and since July of 2017 have been diligently compliant, with daily carb intake for her ranging in the 60-80 gm/day range, and me running in the 40-60 gm/day range.

We’d both noted significant weight loss, improved mental clarity, much more consistent energy throughout the day, better sleep (including resolution of nighttime heartburn), and a host of other “hey, this is really working” benefits along the way.

Personally I’d lost 100 pounds during the 15 months leading up to January 2018 (somewhat ironically exactly that amount on 31 December), though found further weight loss stalled for the first quarter of 2018, something I found incredibly frustrating.

Reflexly reaching back into my conventional wisdom / traditional medicine bag of tricks, I assumed that I just needed to up my workouts to burn more calories, no doubt entering into a pattern of chronic cardio, generating more stress (read cortisol release), in fact furthering hampering weight loss efforts, and self-inflicting a workout related back injury along the way (dammit).

A mentor suggested taking a step back, honestly and objectively taking stock of where I was with my food plan and activity approach to things; he at one point suggested taking a realistic look at my macronutrients and tweaking things a bit to enter a legitimate nutritional ketosis for at least 6 weeks, and probably longer pending my results.

Nutritional Ketosis, Where Have You Been All My Life?

I’ll share more of the nitty-gritty details next week, but the past six weeks in nutritional ketosis have been nothing short of astounding.

I’ve noted profound improvements in mental acuity and endurance, creativity, overall energy, workout performance (HIT resistance 2-3 days per week, extended walking/hikes 5-6 days per week, limited sprint sessions every 7-10 days), virtual absence of hunger, increased satiety, and perhaps most astoundingly, my weight loss stall has been overcome with an effortless 14 lb drop in these 6 weeks.

This N=1 account is anecdotal to be sure, but yet another account that supports the claims that we’re designed to be fat burning machines. I’ll share more details about my personal keto journey now and then, with another post next week detailing a closer look at my macros, using a compressed eating window/ intermittent fasting, and more.

the Older Bolder Life Foundation Recipes 30 May 2018: Olive Oil (or Avocado Oil) Mayo

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There are times when you just need a great mayo on hand to pull a recipe together – as in tuna or chicken salads, deviled eggs, and even a few salad dressings – as we head into the summer season.

With just about every mass-produced, commercially-available mayo (in the US at least) made with soybean oil (or canola / another of the franken-oils we’ve all forever abandoned), it’s crazy not to make a quick batch of great tasting mayo at home using olive or avocado oil.

I know this is not news to those of you who consider yourselves pretty handy in the kitchen, though we continue to be amazed at how many folks don’t use this simple technique featuring an immersion blender demonstrated so ably below by Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats.

Two things of note: One, KLA mentions in the video using canola or another vegetable oil – of course you’ll want to use avocado or a good (but not extra virgin) olive oil in your batch at home. (Using EVOO can produce bitterness for reasons covered in detail here.)

Two, the options for tweaking the flavor of your mayo to suit your palate or recipe are basically endless. We like to add a bit of finely grated garlic and use ACV instead of fresh lemon juice in our basic recipe for a bit more acidity and bite, and often use a grainy, creole mustard (try Zatarain’s version).

Tossing in a chipotle pepper (or two) with their clinging adobo sauce makes for a wonderful spiced-up version (your chicken salad just got more interesting); even better, consider whisking in a bit of lime juice after it’s emulsified to taste.

Enjoy.

Getting Started: Taking That First Step to a Healthier You

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For literally years during the time I was involved in the patient-oriented study and practice of medicine (twenty-five years and change), one of the most challenging tasks I faced was encouraging (if not mandating) that patients under my care commit to a healthier lifestyle.

For so many of those patients, getting to the metaphorical (and literal) first step in their personal journey to better health was deemed dauntingly complex and a huge hurdle to overcome, even though it was as simple as barefoot wading the shallows of Montana’s Gallatin River (my daughter Jess’ image above).

Details of my own story will be coming shortly as we launch Older Bolder Fitness’ more expansive website, though to share the Cliff Notes version, after finishing medical school I completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Utah, later spending a bit of time on faculty there before heading off into private practice.

My teams cared for patients who had suffered medical catastrophes of all sorts – including spinal cord injuries, ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accidents (strokes), traumatic brain injuries, various orthopaedic injuries and cases requiring a comprehensive rehabilitative effort after joint replacements or unusually complex fractures, and all sorts and manners of neurologic and neurodegenerative diseases.

One glaringly common thread of all the non-traumatic pathologies we dealt with was that most were caused by or significantly worsened by what was called then (and still is today) lifestyle diseases – ranging from being “just a tiny bit” overweight to suffering the ravages of full-blown metabolic syndrome, morbid obesity, profound deconditioning (being really, really out of shape) , and including the devastating, whole body disaster that is wrought by the chronic process of excessive inflammation.

Getting to the First Step in a Healthier You

The team approach we used back in the day taught me a host of invaluable lessons, one of which was the critical necessity of taking a moment to take stock to fully understand where you (or the patient in our analogy above) stand, defining a reasonable set of incremental goals to attain, and then outlining a plan to get from Point A (you are here today) to Point B (where you want to be someday).

We stressed, even with severely challenged patients, that even though “recovery” seemed a long way off, if not impossibly far from where they sat that particular day, the road to recovery most often starts with the simplest of tasks.

Obviously one of the biggest obstacles my teams faced in guiding patients down this recovery pathway was getting them on board – they had to truly decide on some level that the investment of effort was worth at least a try; most, encouraged by a bit of early success, went on to significant gains and restoration.

The point: No matter what your objective – be it weight loss, overall better health, improved fitness and function, looking better naked, longevity, athletic performance pursuits, or whatever else – at some point you must decide to engage and start reshaping your world.

For many of us, that journey is best made with a team of sorts, whether that’s family, friends, a trainer or coach, even an online community, but you have to decide to engage and take the first step.

It’s time.

Memorial Day 2018: A Pause to Remember

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“…that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 19 November, 1863

We’d humbly remind our friends to take a moment today to quietly reflect on the sacrifice made by those who have lost their lives in service to our country.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Sunday 27 May: South Fork Salsa No. 2

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This being a holiday weekend and all, and with great fresh produce beginning to come in now, here’s a truly delectable, quick, and easy table salsa to whip up for your shindig tomorrow.

My wife and I are part of the generation (and geography) that came of age watching Pace Picante Sauce ads on the TV (“get a rope”), seeing salsa offerings multiply like a prairie wildfire at the local grocery during the past decade, and learning to savor local salsa treasures at every hole in the wall taco stand and Tex Mex joint we’ve wandered into over the years.

We still eat a lot of salsa around our camp, and while up until a few years ago during the past thirty years (give or take a few) there’s always been a partially-consumed jar of commercially-prepared salsa in our fridge, now we stir one of our favorites up every week or so (they never really last that long…).

We’ve come to call this one – a perennial favorite – our South Fork Salsa No. 2 given its utility a few years back getting us out of a little scrape with a campground operator on the South Fork of the Snake (Idaho) during a family fly fishing, river run, and camping trip.

There are probably a billion (really) versions of commercially-prepared salsa out there, and yet, we’ve never tasted one that could come close to any number that we cobble together at home (with relative ease, too).

During the winter when decent tomatoes are hard to come by, a 28-ounce can of good tomatoes will suffice here (drain most of the liquid), though vine-ripened, garden-fresh (or farmers’ market) tomatoes make this very nearly a religious experience. The spices, lime juice, and those tender inner celery stalks (and leaves!) really make this one sing.

Salsas are really all about using what produce is fresh, vibrant, and handy – but try this one as written before venturing too far afield…

1 lb fresh roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
2-4 serrano peppers, stemmed, roughly chopped, seeds in for more heat
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
2-3 of the small, tender inner stalks of a celery bunch, with leaves, trimmed
2-4 tbsp chile powder (use the good stuff)
1 tsp ground cumin, more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
Juice from 1/2 lime, more to taste

Toss everything into your trusty food processor (large blender in a pinch) and process to your desired consistency, my lovely wife likes it better with some texture.

Taste for salt, chile powder, cumin and lime; adjust to suit.

Serve it up chilled or room temperature; will keep (sealed tightly) in the fridge for up 2-3 weeks, but it’ll never last that long.

Enjoy.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know (Links) 26 May 2018

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Links and News That Caught Our Eye

An egg a day lowered cardiovascular disease (and other) risks in a study of half a million Chinese.

Canadians are happier living the rural life; it appears they’re not alone.

You’ve seen probably this by now, but a VLC diet improving control in T1DM shouldn’t really be all that surprising.

In response to a question about gut microbiota and obesity, we referred a friend to this post by Dr. Guyenet this week.

Playing with the Idea of Giving Keto a Try?

If so, consider taking a hard look at The Keto Reset Course multimedia package put out by Mark Sisson and Brad Kearns; I’ve been going though it on the recommendation of a friend who said it was worth every penny just for the interviews they did with thought leaders, researchers, scientists, and athletes (not just the endurance folks either). She was right.

Books (and Courses) We’re Reading This Week

We’re of the mindset here at Older Bolder Fitness / the Older Bolder Life that you never ever ( and I mean ever) stop learning in life, and with the explosion of great books and courses out there in the ancestral nutrition and lifestyle arena over the past decade, there’s a plethora of wonderful books worth reading (and re-reading down the road again).

For probably the next year, we’ll be reminding you of some of the critically important books that have been published in this arena, books that you’ll likely want to keep on your bookshelf, or at least borrow to plow through and soak up all you can.

That said, I’m really enjoying Jimmy Moore’s Keto Clarity this week, so much in fact we’ll likely post a fairly detailed review in the next few weeks.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 25 May: Coffee Paprika Pork Chops

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Back about ten years ago, when we were living in Montana’s Flathead region and running a horse operation (along with my medical practice), we let a friend talk us into seriously considering a dalliance with the competition barbeque circuit.

It happened to be during one of those long, dark, cold winters Northwest Montana experiences now and again (weeks without seeing the sun), and we spent far more time than we should have experimenting with coffee-based rubs for ribs and chops.

Despite slogging through a minor in chemistry during my undergrad studies, for reasons that I still don’t quite understand, there’s just something very special about the earthy flavor of coffee combined with the sweet undertones of good pork slow cooked in the smoker or on the grill.

Putting this one together, grind your coffee as finely as you can, and make the effort to track down fresh paprika – both kinds – as the smoked paprika adds quite a bit to the overall finish but can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t balance the rub with the sweet paprika as well.

Some might argue these chops need a touch of sweet (use a bit of brown sugar if you must), though with the natural sweetness of good pork we prefer these Coffee Paprika Pork Chops as written.

2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. very finely ground, dark roast coffee
2 tsp. good sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. finely ground fresh pepper
Optional: 1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh lemon zest

8 to 10 – 1 1/4 inch thick center cut, bone-in pork chops
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Stir together the seven rub ingredients, mix well.

Rinse the bone dust from the chops then pat dry. Paint with the vinegar and coat both sides of each chop liberally with the rub. Set aside at room temp for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, fire the grill; these are best over hardwood (try mesquite and oak) charcoal, aim for medium-high setting on a gas grill if that’s your preferred fire.

Lightly oil the grate and grill your chops for 3-4 minutes per side, which should leave them perfectly done, pink and juicy in the middle. Pull from the grill and let rest , covered, for 4 to 5 minutes.

Best served warm with your favorite coffee-based sauce, though chilled and sliced thinly these are amazing on your favorite monster salad.

Enjoy.

Opening the Book on the Older Bolder Life

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One of my most treasured mentors, Earl Nightingale, a man whom I never had the pleasure of meeting in person though count myself among thousands (probably hundreds of thousands) he’s influenced, famously said (in several iterations) –

“You become what you think about.”

Echoing that principle, I’d like to invite you to join our team as we open the book on, and think long and deeply about, living a bolder, more productive, more functional, and the absolutely most healthy life possible for each of us.

As of today (and of course the best laid plans of mice and men do change) we’ll be opening the metaphorical doors on Older Bolder Fitness on or about 1 October, 2018, though we thought it would be helpful to begin a dialogue through this blog with friends and family interested in our journey, and perhaps make some new friends along the way.

We’ll be covering a host of topics, in particular focusing on functional fitness and optimizing health for “the rest of us” – those of us who aren’t in the kind of shape to grace the cover of any fitness magazine (yet, anyway),  the science behind how our bodies work, changing body composition and weight loss, and rational, targeted exercise of both muscle and mind.

That said, we also love to eat and prepare tasty, and for the most part fairly simple, straightforward food; we’ve been most aligned with the Primal camp in our kitchen and at our table for the past three years, though I’m personally now in my sixth week of a keto run that’s been nothing but extraordinary (we’ll be talking a fair amount about “going keto” along the way). That said, recipes featuring ancestral food will be a big part of what we share here.

Thanks for stopping by.