Hello, my poor neglected blog.

I have put a lot of thought into this blog, and although my experience is severely lacking, I haven't fully decided what I want to do. I want to help people, learn and discover the Paleo/Keto lifestyle, as I have and what it has done for me. I want people to learn about running, and swimming, and to be excited for every day's new possibilities. It has been a almost 2 months to the day since my last update. I have been working, running, eating, learning, loving. I got married, trained for a marathon, and continued being healthy, maintaining my weight loss. Soon my future will continue to even be more, as my future expands. So, for those that read, I want to share more. Time is the problem, and in June I am going into the Army. 

Meal: Pork Chop, Mushroom, Bok Choy

Another whole meal that is both easy and cheap. Simple pork chop cooked in a little oil (coconut, or olive), removed from heat and allowed to cool for a minute, while other parts being cooked.


1. Cook pork chop to taste, sprinkled with salt and pepper. When done, remove, and set aside.
2. Add aromatics, garlic, and herbs. Add vegetables (mushrooms and bok choy). Cook for a short time, a few minutes (it doesn't take long), then add to pork plate.
3. If desired, fry an egg in oil, until desired texture. Place on top, and and serve.

Meal: Chicken Stir-fry

Some ingredients are cheaper than others, but one thing I have been focusing on, is not on premium cuts, or expensive rare vegetables, but rather on making a meal; good, delicious, cheap, and fast.

A chicken stir-fry (or beef for that matter), is like a white canvas ready for some art. You can choose your vegetables, your aromatics, and your proteins, and typically ending with something that is just delicious.

Featured in this stir-fry: Garlic, Bacon, Scallions, Zucchini, Orange Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms, and a Chicken Breast

1. I like bacon. So, I start by cutting up bacon, and frying that (a wok works best for stir-frys, but use what you have!), and then removing the bacon, but using that fat to cut up chicken pieces.
2. Make sure you cook chicken until they are close to done (vegetables will cook much faster), and add your aromatics: garlic, scallions, onions.
3. Add your vegetables, I recommend at least 3 varieties, but more or less is often considered. Add your bacon back in after a minute, then add salt (or soy sauce), pepper, and any heat you might want (sriracha, cayanne pepper, jalepenos, etc).
4. Cook until vegetables start getting tender, and then serve hot. The entire dish costs under a few bucks for 3-4 helpings, and tastes great.

Recipe: Bacon Fried "Rice"

 

I like this recipe, because I consider it a kitchen sink option. What I mean by that is, any leftover vegetables, or ingredients you might have, you can toss into this, and it will still taste great. Additionally, while these pictures show rice, grated cauliflower (fake rice) works exactly the same, and so the recipe is great for Primal (rice, is okay after a big workout), and keto/paleo just by substituting cauliflower.

Recipe:

Bacon Fried "Rice"

4 ounces of mushrooms
2 eggs
4-6 slices of bacon (cut into pieces)
2 cups of  "rice"
2 Tbsp of soy sauce
Scallions to taste

Any other ingredient can be added in. Broccoli, zucchini, etc, just avoid very "wet" vegetables, like tomatoes.

1. Cook bacon, about 90% done in a pan. After done, separate bacon fat, and bacon, and leave half the fat in the pan to cook the eggs. Save the other half for the "rice" later.
2. Cook the eggs, but barely. You want them to still be wet and mushy, but not completely liquid. Separate eggs, and then add the bacon fat back to the pan.


3. Cook the "rice" in the bacon fat, for 5-7 minutes. Stir often.








4. Add back other ingredients to the "rice" and continue to cook for 7-8 minutes.

Recipe: Slow Baked Beef Ribs

Most rib recipes use a dry rub and/or  a barbeque sauce. Rather than create a barbeque sauce right now, i decided to use a more basting technique to infuse some more fatty flavors.

Recipe:

Slow Baked Beef Ribs

4-6 Beef Ribs
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3 Tbsp Bacon fat (or butter)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp minced garlic


1. Combine dry ingredients together. Line baking pan with aluminum to wrap ribs after they have been spiced. Liberally use dry spice rub on the ribs, then fold aluminum foil around ribs to ensure they are completely covered.

2. Set oven to 250 degrees, place in wrapped ribs and forget about them for 2 hours.

3. After two hours combine fat or butter, soy sauce and garlic. Spoon mixture over ribs.
4. Place ribs back in oven covered for another hour. After that, remove aluminum foil cover, re-spoon mixture over ribs, turn oven up to 350, and place back in oven for 15 minutes.
5. Ready to serve.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake

Recipes seem to be getting popular, so updating how many are posted to three days a week. Hopefully everyone can find something they like. Today, is something a little different.


Recipe:

Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake





3 ounces chocolate (I used 82% Dark)
1 medium Haas Avocado
2 cups half/half, or light cream (You can use heavy cream for a heavier mousse, but it is a lot more calories)
16 ounces cream cheese
4 eggs (exclude egg whites if you want the mousse to be more dense)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Sweetener if desired of your choice (Without a sweetener it isn't bad, but traditional mousse usually has sugar, so I would recommend some, to taste of course)

Optional Topping:
Fruit of choice (I chose an orange)
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg


1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Allow cream cheese to soften by leaving it out while preparing other ingredients.
2. Prepare avocado by removing seed and scooping out inside, whisk until all lumps are gone.
3. Melt chocolate, with your preferred method. (Microwave on low power, double boiler, or slow cooker).
4. Whip cream, adding vanilla, and sweetener, until it starts to thicken, (it will take longer with light cream).

5. Add avocado, cream cheese, eggs, chocolate, and salt to cream. Continue whipping for approximately five minutes.
6. Pour in spring form pan, and place in water bath, in oven for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, open oven, turn off heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Then place in refrigerator, for final cooling, at least 30 minutes.
7. Optional: Segment an orange, making sure to squeeze the orange into a bowl with the segments. Add nutmeg and ginger, stirring. Pour liquid over mousse, and decorate as desired.

Recipe Thursday: Chocolate Covered Bacon-Roses

Less of a recipe, and more of an attempt to do something different that others have started online. I wanted to take it a step further though, and you can't go too wrong with dark chocolate for valentine's day.  A few hours early, but I wanted people to have the chance to replicate this if they felt like it.

Thursday Recipe:

Chocolate Covered Bacon Roses

The ingredient list is very short, and it actually only consists of two food items. Chocolate and Bacon, and both of those are the choice of the maker. I chose a 82% dark chocolate and regular bacon, though you can use thick bacon, darker, or more sweet chocolate. The process would still be the same.

1. Get the tools needed. There is several ways to do this, but the bacon needs a way to drain while cooking. You can get a pan like I did, or drill holes in a cheap pan, or possibly make some aluminum foil molds with holes to drain. I also used wooden skewers to make sure the bacon was clear in the center, to better facilitate staying on the stems.

 

2. Wrap the bacon around the skewers. To get the right look it might take some practice, but make sure you wrap more near the top, and have it taper down. To keep it together, I tied one end with butchers twine, to allow it to seem more flared when cooked. Important to make sure you don't wrap it too tightly, or too lose.

 3. Let the Bacon cook. It took mine about 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees, before I was comfortable with how it looked. I removed from the oven, let cool for a few minutes then transferred to the refrigerator wrapped in paper towels to absorb extra grease.

4. After cooled, i made sure that the wooden skewer ends were the right lengths, and the bacon was well cooked.


5. Use your preferred method for melting chocolate, (double boiler, slow cooker, low power microwave) until the chocolate is creamy. Once it is, dip and swirl the bacon in the chocolate until it is well covered.  Place on a piece of parchment, or wax paper so it doesn't stick. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, before moving to a different spot on the paper (to avoid pooling) and then place in the refrigerator for chocolate to harden.





6. Disassemble flowers, keeping the important stems. (I got the flowers from Walmart for $3.00) Clean and wash before attaching cooled and chocolate covered flowers to your nice stems.

Tuesday Recipe: Orange Pecan Chicken

I love the flavor of pecans and walnuts, especially when roasted, or cooked with other foods. Another very simple recipe, without having to utilize a lot.


Chicken breasts, or thighs. Preference to taste/how many people you are feeding. This picture 2 large, and one small breast pieces.

Tuesday Recipe: Orange Pecan Chicken

Chicken
1/2 cup pecans
2 oranges
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp salt
2-3 tabs of butter


1. You can cut up the chicken into medallions, or leave whole, if you cut it up though, it will require half the time to cook. Turn oven to 350 degrees.
2. In stove top pan combine zest from oranges and then squeeze juice. Add rest of the ingredients and allow to warm over low heat and flavors to mix.
3. If chicken is in medallions, add to mixture, and then transfer to an oven safe dish. If not pour pecan/orange sauce mixture over chicken in an oven safe container. Place in oven and let cook for 10 minute windows. After 10 minutes, spoon liquid mixture and pecans onto chicken (or mix medallions up with sauce). Continue to do this for 30 minutes for medallions and small/medium breasts, or 40 minutes for larger breasts.
4. Options exist. You can add scallions, garlic for a more traditional "orange chicken" flavor, or pepper, sriracha for a spicier pepper flavor, or a little maple syrup/honey for a sweeter nutty flavor.

Recipe Thursday: Crepe style Omelettes

I know, there are many ways to prepare eggs. People disagree on the best way, and probably always will. Today rather than a recipe, I have decided to share (what I started a few weeks ago), is a almost crepe style omelet.


There aren't many ingredients, in fact the list is almost wholly up to you. I recommend that you always cook something in the pan beforehand... something like bacon. :)

Thursday Recipe:

Crepe style Omelet


2 eggs per omelete
2-3 ounces of cheese per omelete
dash of kosher salt
dash of pepper
Any ingredients you feel you want to put in the omelet (Spinach, peppers, mushrooms, etc)


1. Make sure you have adequate pan lubrication. Coconut oil, or animal fats work best and impart the most flavor.
2. Whisk eggs, cut cheese (haha). Make sure pan is not smoking the oil, you never want to cook eggs on full temperature, instead cook at about 1/2 or less what your stove top can do. Use a large size pan so the eggs have space to spread out, and become thin.
3. Pour eggs into pan, and rotate at an angle until eggs fill all portions of the pan evenly.

4. When eggs are mostly cooked (Very fast, less than 2 minutes typically), then add your extras, including salt, pepper, and cheese to one half.

5. Lightly using a silicon spatula to lightly fold over the egg half that has no extra ingredients. Let cheese melt for 30 seconds.

6. Flip omelet, and remove from heat. Allow cheese to continue to melt for 30 seconds, and then serve.

Recipe Tuesday: Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake

I have, an obsession with pumpkin. Everyone around me knows it, and when I suggest I came up with a new recipe, they ask if it has pumpkin in it. This weekend I tried a different type, but because I forgot eggs (no one is perfect), it came out, like something I didn't want. So, I instead will share my Pumpkin cheesecake recipe.

Tuesday Recipe:

Crustless Pumpkin Cheesecake


1 can (8 oz) of pumpkin puree (not pie filling, which is sweetened)
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each)
4-6 oz of Heavy cream (a little over 1/2 cup)
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin spice (amounts vary on your taste), or ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice (easier to just get pumpkin spice)
8 oz of sour cream ( about 1 cup)
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Liquid Stevia or Sweetner of choice (Not much though, it doesn't need a lot)

Optional Topping:
Low Carb Dulce De Leche Glaze

2 cups Almond milk (unsweetened Vanilla)
1 cup Heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Liquid Stevia

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Let cream cheese warm so it softens. When softened, mix pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and sour cream on a low setting (try to not whip the ingredients).
3. Separately combine eggs, heavy cream, sweetener, vanilla, and pumpkin spice.
4. Slowly add together, making sure to scrape sides so mixture is fully mixed. Again mix on low settings to avoid whipping the mixture.
5. Use butter/oil of choice and prepare a 9x3 spring form pan. When prepared pour mixture into the spring form pan, and nestle in a water bath (like a custard) before placing in the oven.
6. After 10  minutes lower temperature on oven to 250 degrees, and let bake for 45 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, place on counter for 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.

Easy Optional Topping:

Do not start this part until the cheesecake has been cooling for at least an hour.

1. Combine all ingredients in a pan and heat on low heat until reduced to desired thickness. (This amount on low heat could/should take over an hour to reduce).
2. Pour on cheesecake after it has properly cooled, but while topping is still warm and malleable.

Myself, Experience, Credentials

My name is Kenny. A little over two years ago I decided to make a change in my life, because I was depressed and unhappy. I did not know at that time that the changes in my life would lead to where I am now, and my desire to continue the path and goal to grow stronger, bother mentally and physically. I had two major problems. One, I hated myself because of where I was economically, and mentally. The second is I hated myself because I was over 400 pounds (6'6", 427 pounds). I remember when realizing how big I had gotten when I was at the doctor's office and they had to weigh me. I had avoided scales, most mirrors, and wore clothes that were excessively large and baggy, to easier hide the fact that I was big, bigger than I had ever wanted to be. In fact I had made myself a promise that if I was ever as big as I got that, I didn't want to live. I wasn't suicidal, but it made me more depressed.

I waged mental war with myself (I actually made a written promise to myself on January 1st to change things, to make myself better), for several months I struggled to make myself feel better, but I couldn't. I didn't know why then, but I do now. In April, I decided to lose weight. I quit drinking soda, and for my first step, it was the biggest for me to overcome. I was drinking soda, by the liter daily, excessively, and slowly killing myself. Then I started browsing the internet, finding information, on dieting. I was a beginner, but my mom had struggled with every diet, that can be imagined under the sun. Cabbage diet, lemonade diet, low fat diet, calorie counting, if it existed she tried it. So everything I read I was dubious about, and very skeptical. I latched onto the idea that I needed to stop eating sugar, and that was what caused my weight gain. I found the Keto diet, and it fit, and almost instantly I felt that this was the thing that would work for me. It wasn't late until I found out about the Paleo diet. I did come to learn a lot in the last two years, but it has become important to me... Keto to lose, Paleo to maintain.

I ate, no bread, almost no fruit (avocados, and a very rare berry occasionally), cut starches, rice, cereals and sugars. I started losing weight, faster in the beginning, and it slowed down eventually reaching plateaus. I cut calories as well, and lost more weight, but every time I cut my calorie intake, in the long run it made me more tired, and less wanting to do any kind of physical activity, and so my metabolism got lowered. Before this started happening, when I was at about 325 pounds, (or 100 lost), I went in for a activity test by the Melbourne Police Academy. I was last in every test. I did just over 20 situps, 2 pushups, ran 1.5 miles in over 24 minutes (which ended up me walking 80% of the time, and even that was a miracle at the time). Despite that I had lost a lot of weight, and still continued, I lost muscle too, but it was part of my bargain with myself, and I made myself promise that I would work back muscle after I lost most of the extra fat weight.

About 5 months ago, September of 2012, I started working out, instead of just dieting (after I tried a extremely low calorie diet (1000 calories a day), and I started feeling dizzy and light headed, and was not losing weight anymore. I started training pushups, situps, walking, and running in very short intervals. It was very hard, but I kept at it. As time went on I worked out more and more. Before I left Virginia for New york, I was walking 4+ miles a day, doing 8-12 pushups and 25-30 situps a session. It may seem like not a lot at the time, but it was a big improvement and it was only getting better. In New York, i continued. I run almost every day now, I can do 25-30 pushups, 50-60 situps, run 1-2 miles on the street and 4-5 on the treadmill. I have lost 190 pounds, and continuing. I am building muscle, and I want to keep feeling stronger.

Recipe Thursday: Coffee Rubbed Beef Brisket

One of the best things I have ever made, and amazingly perfect for special events, is a coffee and spiced rubbed beef brisket. It sometimes can be a little pricey, but the first bite you have will have you wanting more and more.

Thursday Recipe:

Coffee Rubbed Long Roasted Beef Brisket

Pick a beef brisket of your choice, size doesn't matter much unless you are trying to feed a larger crowd. Since we aren't grilling this, there is no sauce that will be needed, just your oven.

1 Tbsp Garlic
3 Tbsp Coffee grounds
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 Tsp Paprika
2 Tsp Onion powder
1 Beef brisket (7-15 lbs)
2 Tbsp Oil of choice (Olive, coconut, lard, bacon fat)


1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, making sure there are no lumps.
2. Set the oven for 250 degrees.
3. Heat the oil in a pan that the brisket will fit in on the oven top. Once it is warmed up, cook brisket on all sides for 1 minute each. After each side has been seared remove from the pan, and let cool for 5 minutes.
4. Once the brisket has cooled enough to handle, generously pat the rub into all sides of the brisket making sure to cover it fully.
5. Place brisket in preferred roasting pan, and then place in oven.
6.  Cook for approximately an hour per pound, and allow your home to fill with the delicious smell.

Changing to Keto/Paleo for Beginners

The biggest challenge that most people may have while learning and adapting to Keto or Paleo, is that carbohydrates aren't necessarily the enemy. It is very important to watch your intake, but even if you change your diet, you still won't lose weight if you eat an excessively high calorie count. Highly processed carbohydrates (sugars, grains, etc) can be very addicting and have a hard time breaking the habit, not only chemically but also because everywhere we go, it is considered normal to consume them. Nearly every restaurant I visit insist on placing rolls, bread, or some other product on my table before I even get my meal.

Just like quitting cigarettes, when quitting processed carbohydrates, often times we compensate by eating large quantities of food. Our bodies go through cravings, and it seems like we can satiate those cravings with more food, more meat, more cheese, more butter, more fat. This often times has us crossing a threshold of what our body uses, and then we don't lose weight, (or possibly gain weight). This is a hard part on most beginners, because they also don't realize how small serving sizes are (on the package information), and often consume far more than they believe they do. I know I had this problem, as my first two weeks looking back on what I ate, I probably ate 4000 or more calories a day, and was fairly sedentary.

Eat your vegetables (especially the green ones, those are usually best for you), as they are much more filling, and make sure to eat healthy portions of fat and protein to keep you satiated for longer time. Drink your water, as that helps your body transition and keeps your body well hydrated. Avoiding grains (rye, wheat, oats), corn, rice, and sugars will take you 90-95% of the way to your goal, but remember there is no magic to this lifestyle, it is how the human body works, eating too much will always be a problem, with or without bread.

Recipe Tuesday: Parsnip, Herb and Sun-dried Tomato Salad

I experiment with new foods all the time. I will habitually buy something in the store that I have not tried before just for the chance to experience what it might be like. I made this recipe before and it was loved by it's audience. This recipe is more geared towards a Paleo recipe, but it can be modified very simply.


Tuesday Recipe:

Parsnip, Herb and Sun-dried Tomato Salad

4-6 medium sized parsnips
4-6 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (your brand of choice)
4-6 oz of feta cheese
8 oz of low-carb beef broth (your brand of choice)
2-3 tbsp Avocado or Extra Virgin Olive oil
Herb of choice (I used mint, but basil would probably be as good)
Pepper/Kosher Salt to taste
Optional: Pepperoni slices to add more protein to the mix

For my taste I found that using equal parts of ingredients allowed it to mix very well. (4 parsnips, 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, 4 oz of feta cheese, but everyone's taste is different)

1. Peel parsnips much like a carrot or potato. Once complete cut into small 1/2"-1" squares. Place in a pot, with the broth, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until parsnips start to become soft.
2. Dice sun-dried tomatoes and herbs adding as much as you would like for your taste, and then put in a bowl.
3. Once parsnips are done, remove, strain and let cool for 5 minutes, before adding them to the bowl with the sun-dried tomatoes.
4. If adding pepperoni, add now, and oil of choice, and then salt and pepper to taste.
5. Crumble feta cheese into mix, and fold with a mixing spoon, be sure not to stir, and crush the parsnips as they will be relatively soft.

Ready to serve. No additional baking, or cooking needed.

Science Monday - Cholesterol and Insulin

One of the biggest arguments against this diet or lifestyle by most people are of two points. One, and first that eating such large amounts of meat, and other fatty products must raise your cholesterol to dangerous levels, will cause heart attacks and is very unhealthy. The second is that there is little chance you can lose fat while eating fat, and that any weight lost would most likely be attributed to a calorie shortfall, and so any low-calorie diet would work just as well.

The body produces cholesterol, and it is a needed requirement for the body to operate properly. Cholesterol has several uses, including having a high concentration in cell membranes, necessity for bile production, and is a hormone precursor. With that in mind, an abnormal level of any substance in the body whether produced or not is typically going to be bad, but diet has less of an effect on cholesterol production, and more of an effect on how that cholesterol affects us.

The danger with cholesterol lies with inflammation, which causes cholesterol to accumulate on the walls of blood vessels. The key here is to understand what causes the inflammation. This inflammation is caused by "the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods." Dr. Dwight Lundell

To defend the second point, the key here is to understand how insulin mechanisms work in our body. When insulin is released it is a trigger to store fat, rather than use it, to try and lower the blood sugar levels by having your body burn  carbohydrates for energy primarily. If you do not trigger a significant insulin response your body will have a harder time storing that fat, and will need to use that energy instead. Insulin release is the result of high blood sugars (or excess amounts of carbohydrates, especially simple, highly processed carbohydrates), though it can also be triggered by very high levels of proteins.

The point here is to realize that if we have low levels of insulin in our blood, our bodies cannot effectively store fat. This means eating a food or meal with high levels of carbohydrates, and fats is a very dangerous combination. Eating low carbohydrates every day will allow your body to more efficiently burn fats for energy (a longer burning energy source), and will help prevent inflammation in the blood vessels. Low carbohydrates does not mean you should ignore healthy sources, from fruits and vegetables, but rather to keep a watchful eye on where your sources are coming from  and to be vigilant on levels you are trying to maintain. (Keto - 20g, Keleo - 50g, Paleo - 100g)

Ketosis, Pictures, and a Challenge

The real question is what would make people understand how to lose weight, feel healthier, and want to experience something better. Some pictures maybe of my transformation? http://imgur.com/a/9UqMy#4

This isn't the end, as my energy rises, my fitness increases I find more enjoyment out of things both big and small in my everyday life. For some people this change won't be about losing weight, but more about being healthier in general, and having more energy.

Ketosis is a state in which your body converts from burning sugars, or carbohydrates to a primarily fat burning system. This method breaks down fat into ketones, a more long term better supply of energy. It can take days to adjust, and this is often known as Keto Flu, for it's similar symptoms. It can take several weeks to become fully adapted, and it is usually recommended to avoid strenuous exercising until after the first month after the diet change, but that doesn't mean you won't lose weight!

Some might think, I have heard of this before. Meat, bacon, nuts, cheese. That is the Atkin's diet. The truth is that this diet has been around long before, and will be long after, and it is not a fad, it is just not widely accepted as general practice because it is hard to imagine that EATING FAT, makes you skinny. Giving up bread, pasta, rice, corn, sugars is hard as well, because they become addictive. I know, because I had to stop eating/drinking most of what I had before.

If you do nothing else, try cutting down on those items, instead of eating bread everyday, try every other day, or less. Try having more green vegetables instead of starches, and cut down on the sweets. I honestly challenge everyone to try for 30 days, and see how you feel after, and I can almost guarantee you will feel stronger and better than ever before.

Recipe Thursday: Bacon wrapped Jalapenos

Thursday Recipe:

Bacon wrapped Jalapenos Stuffed with Cream Cheese


1 lb of bacon, (approximately 10-12 slices of normal cut bacon)
10 Jalapenos
1 - 8 oz package of cream cheese
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 Cored pineapple, fresh (optional)

A nearly perfect snack.

1. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise, making sure to clean out seeds and membranes. This will be plenty spicy for most people, and if you prefer more spice you can always add a little extra cayenne pepper.
2. Let cream cheese rest at room temperature, until it is softer. Placing it in a bowl, add a couple dashes of kosher salt and black pepper until it looks creamy.
3. If you plan on using the pineapple, cut into thin strips just shorter than the jalapenos and make sure they can fit inside.
4. Cut the bacon strips in 1/2 width-wise doubling how many strips you have.
5. Assembly: Place about a tablespoon of cream cheese inside the jalapeno and lay a slice of pineapple on top (pineapple is optional, and not recommend if you are in full keto). Then take a strip of bacon and wrap it around the jalapeno, pulling it a little tight, but be careful not to rip it. Once the bacon is wrapped around most of the jalapeno, place on a cooking sheet. Repeat the process for as much jalapenos and bacon that you have.
6. Place in oven at 350 degrees, and bake for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crispy. 
 

Lifestyle Information on Eating

Normally on Tuesdays and Thursdays I would post a recipe, (and still will today) but I wanted to go over more of the specifics of my diet (and by diet, I mean lifestyle change, and not a temporary idea).

There are two specifics types of diets that I have incorporated into my life. The first is named Keto (short for Ketosis), and Paleo (Short for Paleolithic). Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I try to strive for a middle ground what I consider to be Keleo (Yes, a made up word, but it is mine!).

Keto - Eat a diet consisting of 60-65% fat, 30% protein and 5% carbohydrates. For most people this is a hard limit of under 20g of carbohydrates a day, regardless if your calorie intake is much higher or not. Restriction of foods, generally includes starchy vegetables, most fruits, higher carbohydrate nuts, all wheat, sugar, rice, and corn. Dairy, meat, and mostly green vegetables are huge staples of this diet. (Green vegetables: Broccoli, Zucchini, Asparagus, Spinach, Lettuce, etc)

Paleo - Very similar to Keto, it has a higher carbohydrate limit, and incorporates more fruit, and starchy vegetables. With Paleo you strive to keep your carbohydrates under 100g a day, and generally is for more active people who aren't trying to lose as much weight, but just have more energy and feel healthier. The goal here is to eat as a "Paleolithic" man might have ate, avoiding processed foods, including sources of legumes as well (peanuts, peas, etc), as dairy products. Fruits, and vegetables, especially higher starch sources (sweet potatoes, carrots) are acceptable and even encouraged.

Keleo - A combination of both. Still we avoid legumes, and still limit some sources of dairy, focusing on creams (Heavy, Light), and dryer cheeses. In this we try to keep our carbohydrates under 50g a day, to try and focus on remaining well into ketosis, but allowing some freedoms in our diet.

Whichever form you are most comfortable with, the most important aspect is to avoid wheat, corn and rice. Those sources are very rich in dense processed carbohydrates which are typically not healthy for your system, or for your digestion.

Learning Life Part 2

Two years later.

I am still learning, and have found a sly happiness.  One that you can feel, but still creeps up on you and plants a smile when you least expect it. I have found further passions in my life, intensified my experiences and found new avenues of expression.

I want to help other people, not only accomplish what I have, but to forge their own paths to make themselves happy. Food, Travel, Reading, Games, whatever it is, I am positive there is a way to get enjoyment and realize a level of happiness.

In the two years since I started this blog, I had only ever made one post. Just one. It was almost a mission statement to myself, to bring me out of my slump, drive me to a precipice, and then push me over. It worked. I have lost 190 or so pounds and counting. I am stronger emotionally, physically and mentally than ever before.

If you want to know my weight loss secrets, they aren't hidden. I would love to share them with everyone and anyone willing to read;


Rule #1 Understand any dietary changes you make can be disconcerting, and uncomfortable, not only to you, but to those that think they know best for you.

Rule #2 I recommend this dietary course, not because I am a doctor, but because I have experienced it first hand, and have succeeded dramatically.

Rule #3 Wheat products, Corn products, Rice products, and Sugar is not allowed. This includes most oats, and similar products (rye, quinoa, couscous).

Rule #4 Saturated fat is not bad for you. Carbohydrates (especially from sources mentioned above) are a large culprit in many, if not most cases of type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Rule #5 Drink plenty of water. Yes, tea, coffee, and such is good, but you should still be drinking lots of water.

Rule #6 Your plates should include hearty portions of vegetables, especially non-starchy varieties.

I cannot possibly post an exhaustive guide in one day, but with regularity I intend to update, with recipes, article reviews, and training/diet updates.

A Beginning

It has to start somewhere. There is always a beginning, regardless of an end.

In my case I have never understood why at an early age we are told to find what we want to do. As if there is an absolutely finite number of interests that humans have and we better grasp onto one of them and focus on that for our careers. I can say without hesitation that my life to this point has not been a success. As I am still alive, (at least I believe I am) my life hasn't been a failure yet. I have never been able to find one thing that I want to do though. My interests are varied and eclectic. Cooking, writing, designing, building, reviewing, and on, and on are just listing some of my interests. The biggest things I have learned though as through life the only thing that continues to interest me is learning. So Learning life, is my way of discovery to find my place, and to keep myself learning, in life.