How to Fail at a diet

STEEL cut oats, not STEAL cut oats.

I was forwarded this picture by a buddy and it made me think about how people take diets to extremes, causing some pretty epic fails.

Even though dieting might seem simple, there's a lot more to it than you'd think.  It's a whole study of psychology and sociology that we are not even close to figuring out.  Still, there are some basic truths that experienced dieters can tell you:

1. Don't take it too seriously. 

Look, there's a lot more to life than just what you put in your mouth. The point is to eat to fuel a great life and get out there and live it, not just focus 100% on food all the time. If you're living for food, then you've got things a little backwards.

2. Don't try to convince everyone around you.

The best way to get others to follow you is to lead by example. Not everybody is as interested in the same things you are, or should they be.   You will drive people away by being all preachy about things. When you demonstrate success, people will come to you for advice.  When they come to you, they are actually listening. 

3. Don't diet for the wrong reasons.

The way you eat has to ring true with your inner vision of how you see yourself. Do it for superficial reasons or to impress others and you will run out of motivation quickly.

4. Don't think that what you are trying is the last way you will ever need to try.

Did you know that eggs are bad for you? Wait, they're good for you, just like chocolate. Hold on, chocolate is bad for you.  Crap, where were we again?  If you think the current knowledge on diet and nutrition is the final word, you're smoking kale. Don't be absolutely rigid about a certain way to eat and be open to learn from others.  We are only just beginning to understand how the human body really works.

Podcast - Training with Zombies

Click here to listen!

Join in as training for the Ironbaby heats up and we start looking at the Rocky Raccoon 100 on the horizon.  Plenty of cool announcements in this episode, so check it out!

Click here to download or listen... because you know you want to.

12 Simple Steps to Enlightenment

After lots of listening to podcasts on the interwebs "studying", I've pretty much concluded that being profoundly happy most of the time can be found by using the following technique:

1. Sit and be still... some hippies call this "meditating." :)
2. Try not to think of anything.
3. Realize you can't do it.  Stuff will always pop into your head.
4. Realize you're not in control of your mind.  If you can't make it stop, it's got it's own agenda.
5. Realize that your mind has it's own agenda and makes up stuff just to keep itself entertained.
6. Realize that if your mind makes up stuff, most of it is not real.
7. Freak out.
8. Realize that if nothing is really real, YOU'RE mental image of yourself is not real.
9. REALLY FREAK OUT.
10. Realize if you're not really real, your freaking out is fabricated as well and stupid.
11. Realize everything is actually the way it's supposed to be.  Everything is "normal" and it has been your brain's fabricated image of how the world should be that has been making your life difficult.
12. Never freak out again.  (= enlightenment and/or happiness).

Most of these steps can take minutes/hours/days/years to finally come to terms with.  Enjoy!

"A snake has no idea how much it wants to wiggle until it's put in a bamboo tube."  (A phrase describing watching the brain freak out when you try to tell it to do nothing and sit still.  Basically, proof that it's on it's own agenda.  Try to stop it.  You can't.  Just like you can't stop your heart from beating or your skin from aging.)

Or, just go run an ultramarathon.  100 miles of prancing around in the cold woods for a day straight might give you the same results.

VIDEO - Start and Finish of Third Freebirds Burrito Run

Check it out!  We filmed the beginning and end of Brandon and I running the 8.1 miles between all the Freebirds locations in town.  I'll buy a burrito for the winner if I get beat.

Here's the start:

And the finish:

My burrito money is safe for now, but Brandon is getting faster.  He shaved two whole minutes off his time from last week!  And look at that smile.  Running truly is happiness. :)

The challenge isn't just for Brandon; it goes for you, too!  Show up for the next one and I just might be buying you a burrito if you can take me down.  See you there!

Video - Cycling Training and Nutrition Tips