Vegan Meat Substitutes vs. “The Real Thing” – A Nutritional Perspective

One of our blog regulars (Trevor) posed an excellent comment/observation to the last entry that I felt needed to be addressed on the main page here. He said: “From a purely nutritional (as opposed to ethical) point of view, I find it interesting that the meat substitute would always be advisable over the real thing.”

Here are a few thoughts:

The Big Picture First

My philosophy on eating is never “purely nutritional.”  It’s always mindful of the bigger picture…how our food choices affect animals, our fellow humans and the planet we all share.  As I’ve written about extensively, we can no longer afford NOT to look at the big picture consequences of animal agriculture. The exponential growth of our population is magnifying the damages at an alarming rate.  Our world population is expected to be 50% higher within the next 50 years, and we can barely sustain things now.

Likewise, the violence we are cultivating among the 50-plus-billion animals worldwide who are exploited and killed every year will increase commensurately to this population explosion.  And the misappropriation of our limited resources will continue to propagate world hunger, because we are feeding roughly five times the amount of our crops to farmed animals than to humans.  Simply put, animal agriculture is absolutely unsustainable on the long-term.

But as it turns out, the way of eating that’s most mindful of the big picture, is also the healthiest for us humans.  This is no accident, because Mother Nature is no idiot.

Nutritional Perspective

That said, let’s say that your concern happens to only be nutritional for now. One of the common misconceptions in this debate is that these “vegan meats” are more processed and less natural, whereas “real meat” is less processed and more natural, making it preferable (again, from a nutritional perspective). But such is not the case!  Over 95% of all animal products come from the world of industrialized farming (fish, too), where many of these animals have been subjected to varying degrees of bacterial contamination, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, and growth hormones.  Additionally, the amount of processing that goes on between when the animal is alive in confinement, and when their meat or milk winds up on your dinner table, is astounding.  And all this is to say nothing of some of the inherent dangers in these foods, even in scenarios where an animal or a fish has been raised “organically,” or killed in the wild.

So let’s get a perspective on exactly what all you’re potentially subjected to with “the real thing,” as opposed to vegan meat substitutes.

The Inherent Health Dangers of Animal Products

Show me an area of any country around the world where there is a high consumption of animal products, and I’ll show you commensurately high incidents of heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes and other diseases.  Across the board, animal products contribute to a wide range of health problems, both minor and major.  Let’s look at a few of the main reasons why:

1. Acidic blood: They create acidic conditions in the blood stream, which makes for a fertile environment for cancer and a long list of other ailments.

2. Unhealthy fats: They are typically dense with unhealthy fats, which are notoriously artery clogging.  For example, an Oscar Meyer beef frank has about three teaspoons of beef fat per serving, while your average hamburger patty carries about eight teaspoons.  Meanwhile, your typical breakfast link gets you about five teaspoons of lard.  So if you’re looking to increase your chances of heart failure and stroke, these are all excellent choices!

3. No fiber: All animal products are devoid of fiber, which means that they tend to accumulate in the intestines and colon, compromising the elimination system and emitting toxins.

4. Contaminants: Most animal products contain varying degrees of contaminants.  The Centers for Disease Control estimate that about one out of every four Americans will get food poisoning each year, with contaminated animal products heading the list of causes.  On the other side of this coin, we can’t forget about the quantifiable harm that’s caused by the ungodly amounts of drugs and antibiotics used in over 95% of all commercially sold animal products.  Many of these drugs are used to control bacterial-related infection.   But one of the many negative consequences this can have on humans is the proliferation of antibiotic resistant infections.

Additionally, most fish have such a high amount of mercury that even the most conservative of health agencies suggest either limited amounts or the outright omission of fish for both pregnant women and children.  You will often hear: “Fish is healthy for you, but because of all the mercury, limit yourself to only two servings a week.”  What the hell, people?  That would be like saying that tobacco has some kind of magical antioxidant in it, but only smoke five cigarettes per week to reduce your chances of lung cancer.

5. Compounded Toxins: Most animal products these days include factory farm related chemicals (like growth hormones and antibiotics), and environmental-related toxins (like mercury and a host of other toxins from fellow animals).  These toxins find a cozy home in the animal’s fatty tissue through a process known as bioaccumulation.  This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that animal foods are higher on the food chain.

Many of these toxins are then compounded because virtually every food animal these days has been fed other animals, most of whom were either sick to begin with and/or were subjected to an extreme amount of toxins themselves.  This is especially the case with fish, because they’ve eaten other smaller contaminated fish, who have eaten other still smaller contaminated fish, and so on.

6. Even More Toxins: Finally, depending on how this food is cooked, another level of toxicity presents itself.  When most any type of animal muscle is cooked at high temperatures, either through broiling, roasting or frying, this causes the production of powerful cancer-causing compounds like heterocyclic amines (HCAs).  These substances actually affect the cells on the DNA level, creating mutations in the blood and setting the stage for various forms of cancer, particularly of the prostate.

The Nutrient Density Criteria

Nutrient density is the evaluation of a food from the perspective of how many calories it has vs. how many nutrients it yields.  For example, an apple has a high nutrient density because it’s loaded with all kinds of good stuff like fiber, live enzymes, vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidant flavonoids, but only has 80 to 100 calories, so you are getting a lot of bang for your caloric buck.

When you look at the pros and cons of animal products from this standpoint, you will always see a glaring imbalance.  Even if we set aside the above downside points, you will still come to the conclusion that, for the amount of total calories and fat in animal products, you really aren’t getting much out of them beyond some protein and a limited number of other nutrients.

Consider this:

• All animal products have zero fiber, live enzymes, or phytonutrients.
• Most animal products have zero carbs and little, if any, antioxidants to speak of.
• Animal products, in general, have surprisingly limited amounts of the full range of nutrients we need.  Meanwhile, many of the nutrients they do have are negated on some level by the toxic effects inherent to eating these foods.
• The majority of fat in most animal products is the unhealthy kind.  (And remember, dietary cholesterol only exists in animal products.)

Vegan meat substitutes, on the other hand, are far more nutrient dense foods by comparison, largely because there is considerably less of a downside to them.  You get similar amounts of protein, B-12 and other nutrients that you get from animal products, but the “delivery system” usually includes some amount of fiber and, in the case of many soy products, anti-cancer plant compounds like isoflavones.

Granted, as mentioned in the last entry, these vegan substitutes (like soy-based chicken, burgers and cold cuts) are heavily processed foods that are typically high in sodium and sometimes high in fat, so you should use them sparingly.  (As opposed to edamame, which is the actual soybean, or even tofu, which tends to be less processed than these other items.) Also, we should point out that, the more a food has been processed, the fewer of these beneficial components they’ll have.

Still, the bottom line remains: when given the choice between a “real” burger and a veggie burger, you are always better off going the veggie route…for more reasons than one.

BR

Encore Question: Vegan Meat Substitutes

From Trevor: “I recently had a fairly lengthy look at the ingredients list on a few vegan meat substitute products, and was somewhat concerned at what I saw. I was wondering if there is a noticeable difference between brands when it comes to nutritional quality of vegan ‘meats’? What ingredients should I want both included in, and excluded from these products, and how often would you recommend their consumption?”

Trevor -

As you might imagine, there are a wide variety of vegan meat substitutes out there, so it would be hard to offer a concise evaluation across the board.  But here are a few things to consider:

1. In general, the fewer ingredients, the better.

2. In general, the more ingredients you can pronounce, the better!

3. I tend to gravitate toward the Gardenburger, Tofurkey and Boca brands.  However, you should always check ingredients on any “meat substitute” for dairy or eggs. ( Morningstar seems to be the worst offender of this, as egg whites are rampant throughout much of their line.)

4. Always lean toward organic ingredients.

5. Yes, it is always advisable to use vegan meat substitutes instead of real animal products.  HOWEVER, understand that these ARE highly processed foods and should always be used sparingly.

6. As for how many servings per day, I would say it gets down to two things: your total bodyweight/coloric requirement and your overall level of health. Obviously, a higher number of servings per day of these products (in the context of a stellar diet that includes plenty of fruit, veggies and whole grains) will mean something different to an athletic male who weights 200 pounds vs. a less active female who weights 110 pounds.

So, in very broad strokes here, I would limit the amount of servings to one or two per day, unless you’re over, say, 170 pounds, and then you could possibly add a third.  Again – this is broad strokes, and remember, a half-a-carton of soy milk doesn’t equate to just one serving!  At any rate, what you will want to avoid is this business of having some kind of refined soy product at every meal.

Health-wise, if you are overweight or dealing with any other serious health condition like high blood pressure, heart disease or cancer, then I would restrict these products even further and lean toward more natural protein sources like legumes, spirulina, nuts, seeds and a variety of whole grains, among other things.  This is mainly because many of the vegan meat substitutes will have a high degree of sodium or even fat, so you’ll want to focus on simpler, cleaner foods.

Taste Buds Transition

In the past century or so, the food and drink industry has been operating from a profitable and efficient model that typically removes most all that is inherently healthy from food (in its most natural state), and replaces it with cheaper ingredients that are inherently unhealthy. This is done so the products are more cost-effective to produce and so they can sit on a shelf somewhere for extended periods of time. So much of what gives this processed food its flavor has been unnaturally added back into it with ungodly amounts of refined sugar, sodium, cheap oils, beef fat, artificial flavorings, and any of literally hundreds of other chemicals meant to augment a product’s taste and aroma. And that’s before we get our hands on it and add more salt, sugar, flaming-hot pepper sauce (my personal downfall) or thick, creamy toppings.

As a result, our taste buds have adapted to these more extreme flavors, and this is reflected in all of our most popular high-fat, sodium-laden, sugar-riddled foods and drinks that we pound down in unprecedented, “Super-Size” amounts. One of the many consequences is that certain natural or “health foods” might taste bland by comparison, thereby creating a resistance to eating them for some folks.

The Art of Transitioning

Fortunately, your taste buds can and will revert back to their normal sensitivity…if you allow them to. And believe me, once they do, fresh strawberries or the occasional dairy-free, refined sugar-free vegan chocolate dessert will be as satisfying to your sweet tooth as any of this junk is now. I guarantee it. The key is, you must make the full transition into the new foods and away from the old ones to successfully experience this readjustment.

It’s just like when you go to the beach and you’re walking barefoot close to the rising tide. When the water first hits your feet, it might feel uncomfortably cold and you may wonder how those surfers and swimmers can stand it out there. But as you continue to walk in it and gradually go deeper, once you get past the initial breath-taking adjustment, you soon find yourself among the surfers and swimmers enjoying yourself with no discomfort, fully acclimated to the water temperature. It’s the same thing with your taste buds.

Once this adjustment happens (and it will not take long), you will also develop a renewed appreciation for simple foods, in their original forms. Plain ol’ corn-on-the-cob, lima beans with very little seasoning, and even baked yams will taste better than you remember, as you notice that your palate can more easily and sensitively discern the distinct flavors in simple food, the way it was originally created in the earth for us. And as for gourmet vegan meals…you will find them absolutely orgasmic.

Going on a three or four week, super clean, no frills “cleansing” diet is probably the most direct way to make the transition from all the bad stuff at once. However, this is also the most challenging and painstaking approach. The other option would be to replace certain bad “food groups,” one at a time. So you might start with sodas and refined sugar, opting instead for various health food alternatives. Or, you might start with cheese and dairy, checking out various soy alternatives.

The key is, once you transition into the alternative, do not keep switching back and forth, because your taste buds will never have a chance to adjust. Instead, make a strict commitment to only use the healthier “substitute” for a designated amount of time, convincing yourself that you can always go back at the end of the trial run. (30 days is always a good amount of time for this.) Chances are strong, though, that you will have successfully made the adjustment and will not feel a need to go back.

Be strong, and let the transition begin…

Are You Heart Attack Proof?

A total cholesterol reading under 150 could mean you are.

And yet, you will occasionally hear rumblings about how your cholesterol levels are ultimately not a reliable indication of your susceptibility to heart failure.  I beg to differ, as do a number of the most reliable, in-the-trenches authorities on the planet. Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Ornish, Robert Kowalski, and the authors of The Stanford Life Plan For a Healthy Heart have all made clear recommendations that your total cholesterol should be under 150.

Here are a few more who agree:

• “Regularly maintaining a cholesterol level of less than 150 mg/dl makes one practically heart attack proof and insures against further progression of the disease.”  Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn
• “Heart disease is virtually unknown in regions where cholesterol is under 150.” Colin Campbell
• “A reading below 150 gives the best assurance of protection against heart-related problems. A very important thing to note is that for every decrease of one percent in the cholesterol level, there is a 2% decrease in the risk of heart attack.”  Dr. Neal Bernard
• “Only a cholesterol level below 150 is satisfactory.”  Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• “We’ve never had a heart attack in Framingham in 35 years in anyone who had a cholesterol level under 150…Three-quarters of the people who live on the face of this Earth never have a heart attack. They live in Asia, Africa, and South America, and their cholesterols are all around 150.”  Dr. William Castelli, Medical Director of the Framingham Cardiovascular Institute in Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School
• “Heart disease is almost non-existent in places where blood cholesterol is very low. If your cholesterol is around 160 mg/dl or less, your risk of heart disease is virtually zero.”  Dr. Terry Shintani
• “There are few guarantees in life, but having a blood cholesterol level of less than 150 is probably the closest you can get to a guarantee that you will not be troubled with heart disease… If you can get your cholesterol under 150 you don’t even have to concern yourself with the further breakdown of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol analysis.” Kitty Gurkin Rosati, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.

Unfortunately, there are a number of other “expert” sources who haven’t quite put the math together on this one.

Example: The American Heart Association’s Step One Diet calls for a regimen that’s around 30% fat and a cholesterol level “below 200.”  Yet, around one-third of all first-time heart attack victims have cholesterol levels between 150 and 200!

How can this be?  Why would the AHA make such a recommendation?  It’s simple.  When you have medical authorities accepting money from food lobbies who are trying to promote high fat foods, guess what?  30% suddenly doesn’t seem too high.  And if you ask any of these “authorities” to quantify their recommendation with cases of heart disease reversal or even arrest, without the use of drugs or surgery, expect to wait a while for an answer.  We (of the holistic health community) are all still waiting to see or hear about even one case.  Check it out for yourself.

While this under-150 watermark might be next to impossible for certain folks (with a certain genetic predisposition), most people can achieve it by – you guessed it – eating foods devoid of cholesterol!  This means eating low on the food chain (non-animal sources), where cholesterol doesn’t exist.  That’s why doctors McDougall, Esselstyn, Campbell, Fuhrman, Barnard and others all advise eating minimally processed, high-fiber, nutrient dense plant-based foods, and avoiding animal products, fried foods, processed oils and refined sugars and flour.

Under 150, people!

Bob Barker is the Fucking Man!

For some months now, there’s been a pretty heavy scene playing out in the animal right’s landscape here in La-La land.  The LA Zoo has been in the middle of a 42 million dollar renovation of their elephant exhibit, while Billy, the zoo’s lone elephant, remains imprisoned in the typical fucked up zoo environment.

Of course, the zoo is no place for any animal.  But it seems that elephants, in particular, really suffer there, and Billy has been no exception.  Even with this new renovation, and in consideration of all the well-intentioned folks behind it, many of us believe this would be a sad, expensive, and futile new chapter to an already tragic story.  Simply put, every elephant who is still stuck in any zoo or circus environment should be the first in line for sanctuary life.

So as the renovation stalled recently, many in the community here have been lobbying to have the exhibit shut down and to have Billy sent up north to a sanctuary in San Andreas; a place much more suitable for him to live out his years with other elephants.  (He would also be rejoining Ruby, an African elephant who left the LA zoo in ’07.)

After a series of hearings, the renovation project was put on hold a month ago, giving all of us (and Billy) a glimmer.  And now, on the eve of a couple more decisive hearings this week, Bob Barker – the former host of The Price is Right who has also been a tireless spay/neuter advocate through the years – steps up to the plate with a 1.5 million dollar donation to have Billy relocated.  And that is why…

Bob Barker is the fucking man!

Now, whether or not his generous donation will be utilized remains to be seen, based on how things shake down this week.  But still.  1.5 mil is not exactly pocket change (especially in these times), and I just wanted to send a shout out to Big “B.”

Also, check out this short vid for an excellent overview on Billy’s plight and the overall situation with elephants in captivity:

Encore Question: On Weight Training Supplements

From CJ: “…I was wondering if you could talk about some of the weight training supplements on the market, such as creatine, protein powder, “muscle milk”, etc. Are these beneficial or harmful to take for a person who is trying to gain muscle mass? Thanks again for your insight!”

CJ -

Your question touches on two primary Rock-Solid principles:

1. For whatever good something might contain nutrient-wise, what’s the downside?

2. Is it sustainable? Is it something you can healthfully be ingesting at your 100th birthday party?

So in the case of “Muscle Milk” or some kind of whey-based protein powder, let’s assume that it’s a protein that is highly-absorbable. Okay…but what else does it have? What’s the total bang for the buck that you’re getting for those 200 or 300 or more calories? Not much. There’s little to no fiber, zero phytonutrients, very few non-synthetic vitamins and minerals, etc. Sure, these things can help you gain some muscle weight, but I maintain that it’s largely because of the extra calories, not because of some kind of magical protein assimilation that’s going on, as these manufacturers want you to believe. I would pass on all of that shit, opting instead for plenty of nutrient-dense whole foods for your protein like legumes, spirulina, The Ultimate Meal smoothie mix, nuts, whole grains, a few soy products and the occasional soy or rice-based protein shake that includes “real food” in it. More on this in the book and in future blogs.

As for creatine, this is one of the only over-the-counter products I’ve seen that quantifiably CAN build some extra muscle mass and increase strength. And yes, you’ll even find that most of it is pharmaceutical grade and, therefore, 100% “plant-based.” BUT, again, this is not a sustainable food item. You would not want to be running this shit through your kidneys year after year. So the ONLY way I would possibly recommend it is if you were a natural bodybuilder, football player, had some kind of important “shirt-off” photo session coming up, etc. and you needed to use it on the SHORT-TERM for a bit of an edge. And even then, you shouldn’t even think about it until you absolutely hit a wall with your progress. Personally, I would pass on that, as well.

The bottom line is, when your diet and exercise program is “Rock-Solid,” you should be able to reach all of your fitness goals, provided that they’re not too far outside of your natural genetic capability. More on this in the book and in future blogs, as well.

Special Mind/Body Wellness Hot Tip!

Friends -

From the Mind/Body Wellness department, let me share a quick tip that could prevent a lot of stress and anguish in your life:  Back up your hard drive right fucking now!

Seriously…if you haven’t already done this lately, stop reading this blog, pull out your external drive, hook that bitch up, and start saving!

As you may have gathered, this advice is fresh on my mind at the moment as I ponder that age old wisdom of, “It’s not a question of IF your drive will eventually fail, but WHEN it will eventually fail.”

Yes friends, the hard drive on my trusty Powerbook gave out the other night and the jury is still out as to what all the tech-heads will be able to recover from it.  Fortunately, I had just backed up my TWO latest books a day or two prior so, not much was lost there.  However, it had been a hot second since I backed up a number of other things so…let’s just say that I’ve been focusing on NOT focusing on the prospects of loss just yet.  Fingers are crossed…and a big lesson learned.

And yet, we ALL know this movie, don’t we?  If it hasn’t happened to you, it’s happened to someone close to you, right?  Something crashed on someone and something of extreme value was lost forever.  And in this day and age of writings, personal info, contact info, pics, programs, passwords, links, valued correspondence, music, and vids, all taking up residency on a spinning mechanism made by the kajillions in China somewhere…c’mon people!  How stupid are we to roll the dice and think that it won’t eventually happen to us?

So, please, for me – back up your shit!

BR

Cracking the Exercise Code – Part Two

In part one, I described the Exercise Code as your preferred combination of the various how, where and what options of your training regimen. Once you “crack” your personal Exercise Code, you have the best chance of sticking with your program for the long-term. So let’s take a closer look at the wide range of options available, then I’ll give you an idea of how I use it all.

1. Location – Where you work out can be a critical factor where the quality and consistency of your training is concerned. You basically have three choices of where you can train;
A) Home: Somewhere in the house or in your garage or basement.
B) On Location: This could be a health club, dojo, yoga studio, etc.
C) Outdoors: Either in your backyard, around your neighborhood, or at a park, beach, etc.

2. Listening – For many of us, certain kinds of music gets the blood pumping and helps to create an extra edge for our workouts. Unfortunately, most gyms (in my humble opinion) play the worst kind of schlock to train to, which is why I always have my trusty iPod handy. But whether it’s a portable MP3, CD or tape player, the controlled environs of your home gym where you can play whatever you want, or a tolerable music situation at your gym, consider how music might maximize your workout experience.

And speaking of listening, don’t forget about the endless array of audio books, lectures, teleclasses and podcasts now available that you can download directly to your iPod and listen to while you’re training. It is truly multitasking at its finest when you can feed your brain and train your body at the same time.

3. Distraction – This category includes any kind of additional activity you can engage in while training: reading, watching TV, talking on the phone, etc. These ideas really come into play for cardio work like the stationary bike, treadmill, mini-trampoline, cross-country elliptical, etc., or even with certain stretching routines. Many health clubs have TVs set up near the cardio gear. If you’re into watching TV, why not time your cardio work to coincide with your favorite program and watch it from the gym, as opposed to your couch? And many cardio machines – especially the various bikes – are conducive to reading books, magazines, newspapers, or whatever you want.

4. Training partner – This is where you hook up and train with a buddy. This works great for most aerobic activities like jogging or walking, sports like tennis or basketball and, of course, lifting weights. In fact, a training partner at the gym can play a practical function of spotting you on heavier lifts and actually inspire you to go heavier and train harder.

There is also an accountability factor to having a training partner. In certain cases, you might ordinarily have skipped a session but, because your pal is counting on you to show up, you’ll suck it up and make the session.

5. Interactive – Here is where you participate in a class setting like kickboxing, aerobics, yoga, martial arts, etc. Many people enjoy the camaraderie of the group energy and the interaction with a central teacher. Additionally, watching an exercise video would be considered interactive, because you are interacting with the instruction coming out of your TV!

Also, this category could include a personal trainer.  Many people find that this is the only way they can consistently show up and get a good workout in, be it at the gym or martial arts dojo.

6. Solitude – Then again, you might enjoy the solitude of going it alone and creating more of a meditative experience. As you lift weights, go for a vigorous walk or practice a few yoga postures, you can get lost in your thoughts while practicing mindfulness with your activity.

Mix and Match the Elements

Needless to say, there are no rules for how, when or if you implement these ideas. In fact, you might find that certain approaches work best with certain aspects of your training and decide to mix and match approaches, depending on what you’re working on that day.

So, to review the options…

Pick one of these:

• Train alone
• Training partner
• Interactive with a video, in a class, or with an instructor/personal trainer

Do it here:

• At home
• On location
• Outdoors

If applicable. combine with:

• Solitude
• Listening
• Distraction

For example, here’s how I personally use these concepts:

1. When it comes to Resistance Training, I like to train alone at a gym and opt for either the solitude or listening approach.

2. For Cardio work, if I’m outdoors for a walk or a jog, I like the solitude, but I also like to listen to a wide range of things on the ol’ iPod. However, if I’m training indoors on a machine, then I prefer the distraction of a book or TV.

3. For Flexibility training, it’s still another story. I’ve found that I make my best progress with my (flex-heavy) martial arts training when I go to the dojo, have a training partner or, best of all, study privately. At the same time, the distraction of the cell phone or TV works great for just straight-ahead stretching.

All of these, by the way, are just general preferences, depending on how I feel in the moment. But the point is, you should be aware of these options and be ready to bring them in as necessary.

If you’re just getting started (or re-started), pick the exercise modality that seems the most appealing, then choose your preferred options. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations until you find that perfect combination for you.

Cracking the Exercise Code – Part One

Although I’m personally not big on New Year’s resolutions, I do recognize the symbolic importance of beginning anew every January first.  For many folks, this means starting or restarting an exercise program and, hopefully, sustaining it throughout the year.  However – as we all have seen or even experienced firsthand – that promising early-January buzz usually wears off and, long before the birds are chirping again in the spring, you’ve fallen off the wagon.

Now, no doubt, there can be a myriad of mental obstacles contributing to this, including fundamental identity issues, lifestyle “addictions,” and a host of other things.  But these aside, I’ve noticed one often overlooked element to the whole process: if you don’t enjoy the exercise you’re doing AND some of the specific ways you’re doing it, you will not sustain it beyond the initial blast of New Year’s inspired self-talk.

When someone decides to start exercising again, they will usually do one of two things:
1) They resort to what they’ve done in the past and dust off that Total Gym down in the basement, lace up the ol’ running shoes or head into the health club where they’ve been an “absentee” member for the last year.
2) They do something that seems new, fresh and effective, like join a gym, sign up for a yoga class, or buy something from an infomercial.

Any of these things could work.  But there’s seldom much thought given to how much they will actually get off on doing the program. So it’s not so much about what’s the best exercise, as it is, what’s the best exercise for you?  Here’s where Cracking the Exercise Code comes into play.

In addition to the three basic exercise modalities – resistance, cardio and flexibility training – there are approximately nine other elements to consider that concern the how, where and what of working out.  These elements include details like whom (if anyone) you might be training with, if you’ll train indoors or outside, and whether you will listen to your iPod, watch the tube or just enjoy the solitude while you work out.

I call the specific, preferred combination of these elements your personal exercise code, and the importance of knowing it cannot be overstated.  Making one or two adjustments in your regimen based on understanding your personal code can mean the difference between giving up after three weeks and continuing exercise as part of an indefinite lifestyle component.

And now the good news: for just $29.95, I’ll give you all the specifics for …

JUST KIDDING!

Tomorrow, I’ll give you all the specifics for figuring out your personal Exercise Code.  Why?  Because I want all of you motherfuckers out there to engage in some kind of exercise in ‘09 if you’re not already.  Never mind that you’ll tighten up, look better and all of that.  This is a given.  More importantly, as you stay aboard the “Exercise Express,” you will also feel great, be infinitely healthier and enjoy a longer, better quality of life.  And that’s what it’s all about around here.

So, in the meantime, try thinking beyond the exercise activity itself, and more about what some of the ideal conditions and circumstances surrounding the activity might be.

Until tomorrow…

BR

Vegan Cheezecake!

Okay friends, as promised, here’s that killer cheesecake recipe.

This is based off of Lorri Bauston’s “Animal Acres” Cheezecake recipe, which is based of a Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook recipe by Tanya Petrovna.

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cup granola of choice
4 Tbsp. non-dairy margarine (like Earth Balance)
2 Tbsp. organic sugar

Filling:
8 oz. Tofutti Sour Supreme
16 oz. Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1 cup organic sugar
2 Tbsp. unbleached (whole wheat) flour
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sea salt

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grind up the granola in a blender to the consistency of a coarse flour. Transfer granola to a mixing bowl and add sugar, then mix all ingredients well. Melt margarine and add to the granola mixture and mix thoroughly. Press mixture into a 9″ deep dish pie pan.

With an electric mixer (or similar), blend all the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour into crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until just golden brown. Let cool and chill for 3 hours before serving.

Top with fresh berries of choice.  (Blueberries are my personal fave…)

Warning: While this cheesecake IS vegan, it should not be construed as health food! Organic sugar and whole wheat flour are still refined, and there’s a fair amount of fat in this cake. Also, this cheesecake can be severely addictive, as you may find that your life suddenly revolves around rushing home to the refrigerator for “just one more slice” before bedtime. The Bobby Rock Blog assumes no responsibility for such addictions. Please enjoy responsibly, and on special occasions only!