Dan's Plan

(View from Pinnacle Mountain last Saturday)

Alas, today seems to be a poor day for weather across the country. Here in Arkansas we have pouring rain and up in Indiana I am told that the ice storms have taken down a tree in my backyard. Days like these make me appreciate those when the weather is beautiful and conducive to outdoor activities. We had a couple of those days this past weekend in Little Rock, which encouraged me to spend some quality time outside.

We have previously talked about the “Ikea effect” and how investing in the creation of something can increase the personal value that one holds for that object (and specifically how this might apply to cooking your own meals). I was thinking about this idea over the weekend and how with certain activities both the process and the end product (i.e., the journey and the destination) can be enjoyable and rewarding. Two quick examples:

Example 1 – movement

Pinnacle mountain is a peak of about 1,000 ft (300 m) just outside of Little Rock in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. There are two main trails up the mountain, each of which require crossing a few boulder fields. The East trail is a bit more strenuous than the West trail, offering a 700 ft change in elevation over 3/4 of a mile, but both trails get you to the top and no specialized equipment is required.

I use the East trail as a benchmark or test of my metabolic conditioning – that is to say that I like to hike it to see how in or out of shape I feel based on how quickly I can climb it and how much wind I’m sucking when I get to the top. Let’s just say that on Saturday I was sucking a lot of wind. Nonetheless, the climb was great. Being outdoors, getting some good exercise, and even stopping to take in the views and take a few pictures (i.e., to catch my breath), was exhilarating. The journey was rewarding.

Then you get to the top and take in the view for miles and miles around. This picture (taken with my phone) doesn’t do the view justice. The destination, the view of the Arkansas River Valley, is also a reward itself.

Example 2 – food

After making the climb, it was time for chow. I love to grill and BBQ, so with the nice weather, there was no doubt that I was busting out the grill. I had found large Steelhead filets on sale (a trout that is similar to Salmon and lives in fresh and salt water) and I decided that the one that I had purchased was going on the grill. Here is the process, which was really easy and incredibly rewarding. 

1) I like using wood planks to grill fish. They provide a nice platform for fish that might have a tendency to fall apart on the grill and they impart a delicious smoky flavor to the fish. In this case, I bought a couple of planks made from Red Oak. Note: like wood skewers for kabobs, you want to soak the wood in water for at least an hour so it doesn’t burn right up when you put it over the coals (or gas, if you must).

2) Meanwhile, take the fish out of the fridge to let it start to come to room temperature. Apply a few herbs or spices to one or both sides of the filet. In this case, I used cracked black pepper and smoked paprika because I had those on hand. Get creative and use what you like – thyme, rosemary, chipolte, citrus zest, whatever you like – go nuts. You should also get the coals going or warn up the gas grill at this point.

3) Ok, ready for the next step? Put fish on plank, put plank on grill. Check. If you’ve soaked your board well, it shouldn’t burn up or bother your fish on top, so don’t be a looky loo and sneak a peek every 10 min or so. Let the smoke do its business. I check for doneness every so often (20 min?) by sticking a fork into the thickest part of the filet. If the meat is flaky and lighter in color, it is done; if it is darker and still fleshy, close the lid and let it go for a while longer.

4) Carefully, remove the plank from the grill (e.g., onto a cookie sheet as shown above) and it the coals or grill still have some life left in them, grill off a healthy side of vegetables. Particularly good choices are thickly sliced zucchini or asparagus (I don’t think there is a better way to cook asparagus). Simply toss the veggies with some olive oil, salt, and pepper (or other seasonings of your choice) and lay them right on the grill at high heat for a relatively short period of time.

In the end, you might get something like this (above). I truly enjoyed both the journey (spending time outside grilling) and the destination (delicious lean protein and vegetables). Let’s hope we get some more good weather soon… 

During cold and rainy months, many people have a hard time finding a variety of options for physical activity. You might have a gym membership or some exercise equipment in your home. You might develop ways to adapt your fair-weather activities to poor-weather conditions like the folks over at BikeWinter.org. Or, you might think outside of the box and come up with new activities altogether.

Sex is not a new activity, but it is probably one that most people overlook when they think of exercise or physical activity. Below, we share with you 10 reasons for why you should consider sex to be among your repertoire of physical activity options, especially in poor weather. The first eight points are taken directly from a recent paper by Loren Cordain and colleagues. We have added the last two points.

1. Sexual activity has always been an integral aspect of human existence and qualifies as a prototypical component of an organic fitness program.

2. Large, long-term, epidemiological studies consistently indicate that engaging in regular sexual activities confers a multitude of quantifiable benefits to health, well-being, and improved longevity for both men and women (assuming that safe sex practices are followed so as to minimize the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections).

3. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, such as age and cardiovascular risk factors, men and women who report the highest frequency of sexual relations have lower mortality rates, improved immune system function, lower risk of prostate cancer, and reduced risks for cardiovascular disease.

4. Sex, at the very least, requires physical exertion. A vigorous 30-minute session of sexual activity will burn up to 200 calories—about the same as walking 2 miles, or running 15 minutes on a treadmill.

5. At orgasm, the peak heart rate is typically 120 to150 bpm, and systolic blood pressure can reach 200 mm Hg, resulting in a cardiac workload similar to that produced by moderate physical exertion.

6. Intercourse exercises the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck, and thorax muscles.

7. Sexual activity and orgasm also boost production of testosterone, which promotes improved bone and muscle strength.

8. Sexual intercourse stimulates the production of prolactin, which has been linked to improvements in mood, psychological bonding, and sense of smell.

9. Sex is a good indoor activity. It can be practiced in all types of weather.

10. Sex is fun.

(Jack LaLanne at age 71)

Jack LaLanne, a fitness icon, passed away on Sunday at the age of 96. LaLanne was born on September 26, 1914. If you remember your world history, you know that 1914 marked the beginning of World War I. Now think about that for a minute – this man has been on the fitness scene for a long, long time. LaLanne was born before women had the right to vote, he was born before the US Coast Guard was established, he was born before a single stone for the Lincoln Memorial had been laid, he was born before Babe Ruth hit his first home run, he was born before there was a single stop sign in Detroit.

Jack LaLanne was an innovator in the world of fitness encouraging everyone to engage in movement and exercise, breaking barriers by opening the first modern health spa and the first coed health club in addition to having the first nationally syndicated exercise show on television. LaLanne encouraged women, the elderly, and those with physical disabilities to work out with weights – something that was discouraged at the time. LaLanne was also a pioneer in drawing the connections between diet and exercise – he combined instruction on weight training with instruction on nutrition and opened the first combination Health Food Bar and Gym. LaLanne was a founding member of President’s Council on Physical Fitness under President Kennedy and in 2007 received the President’s Council on Physical Fitness Lifetime Achievement Award.

LaLanne was also known to engage in feats of strength to mark special occasions and to show people that amazing accomplishments could be achieved with good diet and exercise. For example:

• In 1954 at age 40 he swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge underwater with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks… an undisputed world record. In 1975 at age 61 he did it again handcuffed, shackled, and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
• In 1955 at age 41 he swam, handcuffed, from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, CA. In 1974 at age 60 he did it again – this time handcuffed, shackled, and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
• In 1956 at age 42 he set a world record of 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on television. In 1959 at age 45 he completed 1,000 pushups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hours and 22 minutes.
• In 1976 at age 62 he commemorated the bicentennial of 1976 by swimming 1 mile in Long Beach Harbor, handcuffed, shackled, and towing 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people.

Surely, one did not want to be a guest at the LaLanne household during Festivus.

So, today we honor and remember Jack LaLanne for his tremendous contributions to the world in the areas of fitness and nutrition.