the veil of ignorance

I was driving by the park last night. A large pickup truck was stopped at the light, two cars in from of me. The light changed and the truck did not move. The car in front of me began to beep it’s horn, then he laid on it and angrily sped by. At this point, the driver, an older woman, was getting out of the vehicle. She walked around to the front of the truck, bent down and picked up an injured duck.

My mind flashed back to a Moral Philosophy class I had taken over twenty years ago. I remember studying John Rawls and Social Contract Theory. And, while this thought isn’t exactly what he meant by the Original Position, I couldn’t help but wonder if the impatient driver would have reacted in a similar fashion if he had known that, on the other side of the truck was not a an injured duck, but an injured person...and to take it a step further, what if that injured person was a member of his family.

verdict: the april experiment

I started intermittent fasting five weeks ago. The transition never seemed difficult. Aside from a few social occasions I was able to stay on course and hit the macronutrient goals which were prescribed for me in March.

When I made the decision to consult with someone regarding macronutrient intake she requested some current photos. Viewing them gave me a much needed kick in the ass. After two months I am pleased with the progress I have made. My goal is not weight loss, but rather to increase strength and muscle tone. 

I am only two pounds lighter, but the difference is noticeable. The verdict is intermittent fasting works for me.

the third month

March was a month full of sadness and it passed quickly. Usually, those days drag on without end. It is nearly the end of April and I find myself looking back, wondering where the time went.

My mom lost her best friend to pancreatic cancer. On weekends, I drove her to the hospital in Philadelphia so she could visit with her before she passed. 

She also learned that her sister’s fiancé has stage three bone cancer. Cancer is never an easy diagnosis to process, but this is the second time my aunt will have to do so. She lost her first husband to cancer several years ago.

These things are weighing heavy on my mom’s heart. I can feel it.

A few days of rain can make it seem like the sun is never going to shine again. It was late in the day when the clouds finally broke so I decided to take the long way home. Turning off of Route 70, I noticed a big ass bird (yes, that is the technical name) in the sky. It continued to fly West, the same direction I was traveling, until I lost it in the sunset.

Even though you're not here with me, you are still all around. You are in the sun, the moon and the stars at night. Thank you for letting me know that. It helped me to make it through the third month.

update: the april experiment

I am writing this mostly to give insight to anyone who is curious about intermittent fasting. When I started this experiment at the beginning of the month my only knowledge on intermittent fasting came from the internet. I had no idea if it would fit into my life. 

Some of the variables to be considered are work, exercise patterns and social outings. For instance, on Easter Sunday my parents wanted to go out to brunch. I have been breaking my fast at Noon. Fortunately, they were willing to accommodate. 

Exercising has not been an issue because I was already accustomed to doing cardio in a fasted state in the morning. Weight training has proven to be somewhat of a challenge. Lifting in a fasted state doesn’t feel right for me so it has been moved until after I have had my second meal in the early evening. 

The only problematic aspect involving work is that I cannot commute (by bike) on the day that I am with clients until 12:30pm because I don’t have the strength (mentally or physically) to ride home. 

Some of the observations I have made over the past two weeks:

• The urge to snack has diminished. 
• I do better at tracking my macros.
• I give myself less “free passes” because I am usually full by the end of the meal.
• I eat slower (meals now take up to 40 minutes).
• It’s still possible to eat out, but knowing when and where in advance makes it easier.
• I’ve lost two pounds. 

As long as it fits, I will continue with intermittent fasting next month...although I won’t allow it to come between me and Mr. Softee when he comes around on summer afternoons.

The April Experiment

After reading about the benefits of cold showers I took the leap on January 1st. Three months have passed, unwavered...I still use nothing but cold water.

This month I decided to try intermittent fasting. My morning cardio is done in a fasted state so all I had to do was extend that a few more hours. How difficult could it be? Plenty difficult when your gym buddy shows up with a bakery bag containing a gorgeous Bismarck!

Yesterday was day one. Friday tends to be a busy day for me so the morning went by without a hitch. It was Noon before I knew it and the “feeding window” had opened. My initial game plan is to eat three meals (Noon, 4pm and 8pm) of equal caloric value. At 8pm the window closes.

There is a clear link between these two experiments. For most people reading this, your lives are filled with an abundance of choices...everything from what you watch, to where you go, what you eat and when you eat it...easily accessible...convenient.

This experiment is not rooted in deprivation, but rather discipline. Only time will tell if it ends or becomes a new way of doing things.

Stay tuned for an update...

shoestring

I love my job. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay that well. There have been times when I’ve considered looking for something else, but the costs far outweigh the benefits. I cannot put a price tag on my freedom (and the ability to ride my bike to work).

Life has become a series of compromises...learning new ways to get by with less...giving thoughtful consideration to the things I need vs the things I want.

A couple weeks ago my coffee grinder broke. I wanted to buy a fancy new one. Doing so wouldn’t afford me much wiggle room for the remainder of the month, but I went ahead and ordered it anyway. Then, I remembered my Father’s birthday and it was promptly returned. Thankfully, one of my clients at the gym had a used one she no longer needed. That will suit me just fine

I wish I could say that good coffee if overrated, but the truth is that it isn’t.

Maybe next month...

a difficult conversation

Since the beginning of the year I have made a concerted effort to provide better services to my training clients. Part of this involves bi-weekly weigh-ins and monthly body composition testing.

There was one evaluation that I was dreading. It was with a young woman who had gained thirteen pounds in the last ten months. This was mostly the result of a poor diet, but her exercise habits(only coming to the gym once a week for our thirty minute training session) did nothing to help the cause.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the scale. She knew she had gained weight, but didn’t realize how much. Initially, she tried to rationalize it, telling me that she ate a big breakfast. Unfortunately, the last weigh in we conducted was in the evening, after she had eaten all three meals. There was no excuse. 

She admitted that she needed to start eating better and coming to the gym more frequently...but in a way I felt like I had heard this before...so I spent a little extra time with her that day. I let her know that things had to change. It was a difficult conversation to have with someone you don’t know too well.

I saw her last night. She was there to take a group class. I realize that change has to come from within, but it feels good knowing that I might have provided a little spark.