9.20.2010

Gordon Avenue Show last night



What a show!

If you've not been to a Gordon Avenue show you've got to make it part of your 6 month Bucket list! Found some great new places to eat - the Hawthorne is a great place to hangout!

This video clip was shot with my Blackberry (turn the sound down) and enjoy the visual! Imagine rocking out with us at the next show!


9.19.2010

More from Blackrock

So we didn't do any Black Diamond at Black Rock but here's the closest I got:


Here's a video from some guys riding some jumps and tec. rides:

9.12.2010

Day with the Guys!


"Give up what you love for something you love MORE!"

Those are the words Jim Brownlee and I were discussing as we began our "suicide mission." It was the celebration of Steven Brownlee's birthday and he had invited Matt to join us -four guys on a road trip to one of the top 5 Mt. Biking parks in the NW.

Both Jim and I have been "giving up" (I like the word "exchanging" better.) "it-looks-like-food" for REAL FOOD! Jim is doing fantastic; I made it all day with my Cardio holding on strong!

Here are a few pics and videos from my phone (Anyone want to join us on our next adventure?):
This jump requires about 10' to hit the landing ramp and throws you about 8-10' up in the air - None of us attempted these jumps (there are more difficult ones)! We actually took the easiest trails and they were very fun, adrenaline charged, and challenging (there is a gravel road that families with small children were taking (very pretty).


Here's a pic of me trying to do the balance beam - Check my next blog for my "win" and Matt showing us how on the "real deal!"


9.08.2010

STOP ASKING "WHAT SHOULD I EAT?"


200 years ago people died from childbirth, poor medical practices, and a lack of antibiotics! If you factor out these variables, people were much healthier than we are today. Try Googling "French Paradox" and you might discover some interesting, simple ways to boost your physical health (60 minutes aired it with a focus red wine being the secret to better health. Red wine consumption jumped 44%). HERE'S A SIMPLE FACT!

Our obsession with "What" we should eat has added to our very unhealthy relationships with food (We have more obesity, overweight, diabetic, cardio-time-bombs, and anorexic people than every before). For every child born after 2000, one out of every 3 will have diabetes in their lifetime! The more we focus on RIGHT EATING the sicker we get!

Three short sentences can set us free: "Eat food. Not to much. Mostly plants."
These amazing three sentences can be explored in a "very small" but BIG impact book, Food Rules, an eater's manual by Michael Pollan.

MY FOUR SIMPLE RULES (Thank you Jillian Michaels):

1. Eat Breakfast (within 1 hour of getting up): Your brain WILL eat if you don't (If you don't feed it, it will eat away at your muscles). Why not feed your body real food
; i.e. Steel Cut Oat and Yogurt w Frozen Blueberries!

2. Never go more than 4 hours w/o eating: Don't go by your hunger gauge, it's meant for something completely different. I eat every 3-4 hrs. and it's amazing how much this will burn off fat in your body.

3. Cut out ALL HFCS: High Fructose Corn Syrup is SO harmful is a number of ways; but it increases your appetite for food that is harmful. You will gain more weight and have more cravings by using HFCS (Note: Never say Never; Never :). I may have a treat with HFCS in it when I'm at someone's house (people matter more), but the best Chocolates, most amazing foods use real sugar, not a cheap substance that helps giant corporations make even bigger profit.

4. No carbohydrates after 9 p.m.: This is hard, so on my "date nights" I may have a homemade Margarita (no HFCS in the one's I make), but I try to really follow the rule, "Treat Treats as Treats."

(Hey: Don't forget to drink 3/4 of a gallon of water every day!
).

Even without exercise YOU WILL LOSE FAT if you add these four simply powerful rules to your life. Remember: Giving up what we love for what we love MORE is a great way to do life.

We can learn from the French: They ask "Why?" and "How?" much more and always BEFORE asking "What?" when it comes to food.

Why should I eat? Pleasure and the celebration of life (Re-read Genesis 2. We were physically made for pleasure. When I realize that food should be eaten with friends, then food becomes a fantastic gift. Food can be us
ed to make very strong memories and keep us "loving people and using things, not loving things and using people." This sets us up for the "How" question.

How should I eat? I should try not to eat alone (especially treats)! I should eat slowly and luxuriously with friends. I will stop buying cheap, food-like-substances, that don't taste as good as real food. I will take time to prepare it artistically and with great flair.

Last night was my pre B. Day dinner (I had an appointment cancel last night so . . .)! I prepared pizza (real dough that took 15 min to kneed; and 1.5 before baking). I used a real pizza stone, the best cheeses (5 kinds). Use Fennel, Rosemary, freshly cracked White Pepper, and other fresh herbs. The Chicken was made on Monday - 1.5 hr slow cooked Beer Can Chicken w Cajan spices. These pizzas were to die for (they were healthy, made an eaten with love). We had a salad, fantastic wine, and lots of laughter. My weight we down this a.m. but my lean muscle mass was up! What a way to live (the old fashion way). It's simple, fun, and I spend so much LESS time asking "What should I eat." I look for real food, the best quality, and lots of variety. My 15 + diet books are going to Good Will! Good luck on a fun, healthy relationship with food - it's a gift from God; let's treat it that way.

OH WOW: I almost forgot, Sep 19 at 7 p.m. is Gordon's
Newest Show at the Hawthorne Theater. If you've been saying your going to come and haven't this is your date! There's a fun crazy theme: Mustache Madness! Gordon will have a raffle for all who sport a mustache (real, fake, painted, ect).

New songs and a show you'll not forget for a long time. Come join Laura and I (call us and we'll do dinner early:)!