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Summary

The title pretty much says it all. This blog is dedicated to what I consider the three basic elements of human action; eating, moving, and thinking. The intent is to encourage to people to discuss not only how we eat and move but also to really think about the ways we go about doing them. Through joint discussion and the use of reason objective truths can be discovered to benefit all.

I also believe in maximizing efficiency whenever possible. If I find an article that I find valuable then I will simply post a link to it with a brief summary of the key points. Why rewrite something that's already well-written?

In the near future I will start a Services page which will include pricing for various services that I will offer such as; nutritional counseling, fitness coaching, and private and group ballroom dance lessons. I would like to state that I'm not certified by any authority in these areas. I view this as a positive in that; 1) I will be able to charge significantly lower rates and 2) I'm not bound by false paradigms that dominate mainstream thinking in these areas.

Motto

Tu ne cede malis is the motto that I adopted from the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises. It means simply, do not give into evil, and comes from Virgil's longer saying, "do not give into evil but proceed ever more boldly against it."

To not give into evil one must first define evil and that requires from thinking. I consider "evil" to be any act that uses force, or coercion (the threat of force), against any other individual (this includes fraud...think about it!). This stems from the fact that there are two, and only two, methods two actors can engage one another; voluntarily or involuntarily. If society is a set of a group of people exchanging with one another then society can only be purely voluntary or involuntary. In the purely voluntary society (i.e. the free-market) everyone is free. Each person is a self-owner of their person and is therefore a self-ruler. The involuntary society, on the other hand, consists of a group of people who are free (the rulers) and another group that are not (the ruled).

Despite popular opinion, it is clear to see that it is in the free-market that all are allowed to exist in complete freedom absent any violence from others. It is in the hampered market where others are allowed to oppose their will on others through the use or threat of force.

This blog is dedicated to the principle that all people should be free and therefore persuasion and reason are the only tools to be used to achieve desired ends. Those that wish to use violence (i.e. the State*) to achieve ends are not welcome.

*the State consists of politicians, bureaucrats, and any other individual that receives income from the theft of another's property.

Eat

I'm often asked about my diet and how I maintain my weight. My response is always this, "I eat a lot of fat, especially saturated fat." I usually follow this by stating that I do my best to remove grains and rancid fats from diet as much as possible. After the shock wears off the response is either one of anger/disbelief or intrigue. The eating section of this blog is for the latter.

I will use this section of the site to provide viewers with recipes and meal plans that I regularly follow. My approach to cooking and nutrition is to find meals I really enjoy and are easy to cook and stick to them. I save the complicated stuff for special occasions and rain/snow days. I try to purchase organic, local produce whenever possible and stick to meat/dairy that has been raised in its natural environment and fed its natural diet (i.e. grass-fed, pasture raised, etc). Yes, this is expensive, but I find it to be nothing when compared to the potential cost and pain of not doing so. An added benefit to turning your body into a fat burning machine, versus the typical sugar burner, is that over time you will find that you do not need to eat as much, which will help to offset the increased cost of organic.

In addition to recipes I will also do my best to explain why I eat the way I do. My introduction to this way of living life comes from Mark Sisson and most of my information comes by way of his website.

My principles of eating:

• The human body is meant to burn fat for daily activity and low-intensity (aerobic) exercise.
• The human body is meant to burn glucose (sugar) for high-intensity (anaerobic) exercise as well as some brain function.
• Insulin is the storage hormone. Glucagon is the hormone that moves nutrients out of storage.
• When you eat carbohydrates your body produces insulin.
• If insulin is present in your system you cannot burn stored fat.
• If insulin is not present then you can burn fat.
• If you eat less carbohydrates your body will be able to burn fat. 

My advice for others:

• While the metabolic principles listed above are the same for all humans the gut microbes that live in each individual are different.
• Some people thrive off all animal-based food.
• Some people thrive off all plant-based food.
• Some people are in between.
• Try each one above and see how you feel.
• Experiment until you find a diet that is successful for you. 

#1 Eating Rule:

• Use your diet to get to your target body weight. 

Move 

Once you accept the truth that weight loss is determined by diet, working out becomes a lot more fun. If you eat properly you don't have to worry about missing a gym session or spending 1hr X 5 days per week at the gym. Personally I've been able to reduce my body fat while spending less time in the gym (from 1hr X 5 days to 1hr X 3 days). The hour that I'm at the gym has also changed entirely as it now consists of 15mins of mobility exercises, 30mins weight lifting, and 15mins stretching. So not only am I working out less but I'm working out safer, with increased emphasis on longevity.

Just as in the Eat section, I will provide readers with a list of exercises that I do regularly and more importantly why I do them. I will also attempt to show that seemingly unrelated activities, such as ballroom dancing and olympic/power lifting, require the exact same skills and techniques. This is all based on the concept of movement patterns and understanding the importance of mobility, most of which I have learned through Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD as well as Eddie Simon.

My principles of movement:

• Bicep curls and bench-pressing will not help to undo all the damage from sitting at a desk all day. A good guide; LeanGains.
• Before strength comes stability. Before stability comes mobility. Combine them and you have power.
• If you aren't taking the steps to correct an injury, are you really injured?
• Lift heavy things. Sprint. Get outside and go for a walk.
• You are not a duck, so don't walk one (i.e. keep your toes pointed forward). 

#1 Movement Rule:

• Use your training program to get your desired body composition.

 
Think

Sadly, thinking has become a lost art. Can you honestly remember when you were ever asked during your education to think critically? Did you ever have a course in logic? The aim of this section, and I believe it to be the most important, is to share thought-provoking articles that challenge accepted opinion.

What passes today for science is not science. Science is not numbers. Something is not more "scientific" because it uses numbers versus words. Science is the discovery of truth, to explain the "why". A study can never prove anything, only theory can. Studies are nothing more than a collection of historical facts to help us form hypothesis of which to test through the scientific method of reason. For further reading, please see here.

The disciplines that most seriously suffer from this misunderstanding are the social sciences (especially economics) and nutrition/medicine. If people thought critically about these subjects there would be far less war, financial collapses, obesity, and disease. These subjects, as presently taught, cling to paradigms that are false. It is inevitable that negative consequences result.

My principles of thought:

• Before you argue about means, make sure you agree on the ends
• Rely on principles and logic, not passion. Passion leads to the dark side.

#1 Thinking Rule:

• You believe everyone should be free or that some should rule over others.