Dehydration had set in a couple hours earlier, but I wasn’t counting the time, nor did I have any idea what the real time actually was. My mouth was past the point of dry, and had developed a sticky film that sealed my lips shut, smacked against my teeth. My tongue was stuck to the top of my mouth until I forcibly unhinged my jaw to take a deep breath. I could feel the slime stringing between my lips as I wiped my mouth. Probably afternoon, I muttered. I’ve been dehydrated before, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been this dry on such a hot day.
The sun was directly overhead, making it impossible to tell which direction was north, and we were forced to rely on our intuition, which was truly more of a guess. We could be anywhere and heading in any direction, but we weren’t too worried. This particular forest isn’t too big. Walk in a straight line long enough and we were bound to hit a road eventually. Still, it didn’t help that we had no map and no compass. The trail system looked simple enough from the map we had looked at before departing. Follow red trail to blue trail to yellow, which brings us back to red. Simple enough, but it wasn’t so simple. Either we’re terrible map readers, or the map was too far outdated. Somehow, we managed to get lost in the woods, but you never say “we’re lost” when you’re out in the bush.
The bugs were swarming around us like a black cloud, and I gave up whacking mosquitoes a long time ago. I resolved to allow the hitch-hikers a warm drink as long as they didn’t take more than they needed. Some ended up mangled into my arm hair in a splash of blood – reminding me of a painting by Claude Monet. Your mind wanders when you’re approaching heat stroke.
My dog, Ronin, had disappeared into the dense brush a few minutes ago as he usually does when he catches a scent, only this time he hadn’t returned. I had noticed earlier that he was getting hot and nearing heat exhaustion, so I was worried he may have layed down somewhere to rest. We slowed our trot to a halt and began wandering back to find him. After a minute or two of calling for him, he emerges in a crashing wave of brush and leaves – dripping wet from a nearby swamp that he used to cool off and rehydrate. His tank was full, but we were approaching empty.
You know you’re dehydrated when your eyes start drying out.
Continue reading A twisted ankle, questionable bullfrog hallucinations, a swamp beaver rescue squad, and how it relates to your health and fitness
Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton about barefoot running, but also about all aspects of going barefoot. To say I was surprised by the sheer volume of wisdom he shared in our 1+ hour conversation would be an understatement. My expectations were blown out of the water as [...]
 Fiddlhead ferns in their natural habitat. I wouldn’t be a true New Englander if I didn’t have a fond appreciation of the local cuisine, and fiddlehead ferns are a Northeastern luxury that is only available for a short window of time every year (usually 2-3 weeks). The fiddlehead fern is a young, unfurled fern that resembles the curled end of the fiddle and is foraged for food annually. I’ve enjoyed two meals that have included fiddleheads this past week. My first experience was a fiddlehead and mushroom salad in a sweet vinaigrette (not pictured) for a Sunday lunch that my father-in-law made. The other we enjoyed last night as an appetizer (recipe below). We’ve been loving it so much, we’re going to get another pound of fiddlehead ferns tonight to try another recipe. It’s only $4.99 per pound at our local supermarket, but I’ve heard of people paying upwards of $20 and $30 per pound in other parts of the country.
Rumor has it that fiddlehead ferns are absolutely jam-packed with nutrition, containing twice as many anti-oxidants as blueberries. They are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber, along with several vitamins and minerals. Some ferns do contain carcinogens that have been linked with cancer – the bracken fern being the worst offender. The ostrich fern is the one that you’ll want to look for. There have also been some cases of food poisoning from fiddlehead ferns that were eaten raw or not cooked well enough. So, it’s important to make sure you cook them thoroughly before eating them. We like eating them because they’re delicious, nutritious, local, seasonal, and wild!
Continue reading Fiddlehead Ferns Recipe With Bacon, Onions and Garlic
Note: this is a guest article by my friend and colleague, Tom Venuto.
“How can I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?” That’s right up there with “How do I get six pack abs” as one of the most frequently asked fitness questions of all time. The problem is, when you ask it, you get all kinds of conflicting answers – even from experts who are supposed to know these things. So what’s the deal? Is it really possible to lose fat and build muscle simultaneously?
Short answer: Yes, you can gain muscle and lose fat at the “same time.”
Long answer: It’s difficult and it’s complicated. Allow me to explain….
First we have the issue of whether you really lose fat and gain muscle at the “same time.”
Well, yes, if your definition of the “same time” is say, a month or 12 weeks. But in that case, you’re probably not gaining muscle at the “same time” literally speaking, as in, right now this very moment you are reading this, or 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for months in a row.
The best explanation for what’s really happening is that you alternate between periods of caloric surplus (anabolism) and caloric deficit (catabolism) and the net result is a gain in muscle and a loss in body fat.
You see, if you stay in a calorie surplus, it’s the body’s natural tendency for body fat and lean body mass to go up together. And if you stay in a calorie deficit, it’s your body’s natural tendency for body fat and lean body mass to go down together.
There may be exceptions, but the general rule is that it is very difficult to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time – the mechanisms are mostly antagonistic to one another. When it does happen, it’s almost always the result of “unusual conditions” – I call them X factors. Continue reading How To Gain Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time
It has now been more than 1 month since I’ve updated this site. My apologies for the inconsistency. I do love writing, sharing, and discussing on Physical Living, but it takes a back seat when other life priorities take over. I’m going to try and change that over the next several weeks and months which have a new theme for my life: CHANGE.
For those who don’t yet know, my wife and I are expecting our first child this summer – a son. Conversations have shifted, people are full of advice and encouragement, and I have an ever-growing mass of baby items stealthily infiltrating my home. They do seem to be appearing at random, but I’m pretty sure my wife is running night-ops to secure their arrival in our armory/living room in time for Mission Siffer-baby. Amidst all the newness of this experience, there is one thing I’ve realized that every parent has in common – the acceptance of change. Just about everyone we talk to who has a word of advice says that life will never be the same again. Some are very positive about the changes they’ve experienced, and others are not, but EVERYONE says that life is going to change big time. Regardless, it’s true that everything is already changing in our lives even before the baby is born.
I think a major contributor to success in general is the acceptance of change and not just that, but actually leveraging changes in your life to help you reach your goals.
Continue reading Turn Disaster Into Opportunity And Create a Sustainable Physical Lifestyle
|
|
