I’m home from the gym and a quick nine-miler in the hills around the Rose Bowl. I’m happy to report my body has now adjusted to the vegan diet quite well; I’m grateful for all the wonderful recipes that a number of folks e-mailed me. Thank you!
I’m supplementing my diet with Vega, and it’s really helping. I’m eating the bars and drinking the meal replacement stuff, and it gives me the energy I need. My weight has stabilized in the high 160s (I’m guessing, because I’m sticking to my commitment not to weigh myself). That’s the lowest it’s been in years, and fifteen pounds below where I was when my father died. I’m still taking in the occasional non-vegan thing or two; I had some ice cream the other day and I had a few bites of a veggie lasagna last night at youth group. I’m not interested in being fanatical about avoiding all animal products when I’m out; I’m "vegan in the house, vegetarian in public", and that works for now.
Boxing is good. We’ve been doing tons of plyometrics lately. Plyometrics build power and explosiveness, and I can certainly use both. It’s a great supplement to my marathoning. All my long runs build lots of slow-twitch muscles; it’s nice to work on building up some speed and power. And if I keep doing enough squats, I might rebuild my now nearly non-existent backside. Still, it’s nice to have a much better body at 39 than I did at 19 or 29. How long I’ll keep it, I have no idea.
One long-term goal of mine: I want to help develop low or no-cost work-out programs to offer to working adults, stressed college students, etcetera. Really long-term goal: open a summer camp for teens — and adults. Teach fitness, teach basic life skills, spirituality, the whole thing. I’m just putting it out there… give me a few years, let me write a book or two, raise some chinchillas and human children, and raise the funds.
In the meantime, plenty of work to do.
On the topic of college students, Hugo, did this ever occur while you studied at UCLA? Or rather, any enclave of academia where you have immersed yourself?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=m3GstYOIc0I
I love your idea about the camp and the gym. That would be totally awesome!
Same old narcissism, different day. Ho-hum!
I like the fact that you’re not freaking out about being 100% vegan. Too many vegans I know, like I was when I first became vegan, are concerned about the tiniest amounts of animal products. Unfortunately, that becomes a personal purity issue and that’s not what’s veganism is about… in any case, it’s impossible to be completely vegan, and any amount of reduction of a. products from your diet helps the non-human animals’ suffering in the long term. Have you seen the “Even if you like meat” leaflet?
Pity all those poor animals that must go extinct now that we have no more use for them (by eating them).
Loki, that’s a whopper of a false dichotomy. Extinction is not the end result of the end of factory farming. True, there will be a huge reduction in farm animal population, but that will happen naturally and gradually as we stop over-breeding them frantically. Our bodies will get healthier, and the huge chemical problems created by feedlots and slaughterhouses will gradually disappear. Switching to a plant-based, soy-based diet will leave most people healthier — and allow for greater biodiversity to flourish.
Basic moral rule: you shouldn’t eat what you aren’t willing to kill. I have more respect for hunters and fishermen/women than for those who shudder at the idea of slaughterhouses but still want their burgers.
What about cannibals?
Hugo,
Hi, I’m a former student of yours (from 1997…and I was in ASB with Jackie Ordonez and Aaron Schaefer), and I stumbled upon your blog. Regarding the whole “vegan in the house, vegetarian in public thing”, I understand that it can be difficult to find places that cater to specific dietary wants and needs. So, here I am, like a miniature Zagat’s, to let you know about a few places. There’s a restaurant in the Topanga Canyon area called “Inn of the Seventh Ray.” It has numerous vegan and vegetarian items on its menu and is 90% organic. The food is at about a three-star (out of four) level and the dining area is lovely - dimly lit and augmented by table candles and a fireplace. If you Google the name, the first result should be their webpage, which includes some sample menus. At one point, they were even serving a vegan ice cream which was made from macadamias. If you are interested in raw foods, there’s small cafe-style eatery on Ventura in Sherman Oaks called “Leaf.” Finally, there’s another restaurant in Sherman Oaks (almost at Studio City) on Coldwater Canyon called “Hugo’s” (heh). They have an organic coffee and tea menu and focus on organic food. Enjoy!