Ducati

Since I don't have really deep impressions from Krav Maga, I decided to watch a youtube video of it. I randomly watched Roy Elghanyan (no idea who he is or which branch of Krav Maga that is) but all of the grips/chokes/throws were Aikido/Ju Jutsu techniques. The guy looks pretty good too...in ju jutsu/aikido . That's modified Japanese techniques. No Zan Shin but it would be hard to keep Zan Shin and aim to escape anyway. Or maybe this was the commando thing? Ducati, from the way you described your idea about a self defense style, I'd recommend Muai Thai - it's a nice, tough style, which uses kicks, knees, elbows, etc. Still, the best street fighters I've seen are the judo fighters. Duncan, Krav Maga actually gets a lot of strikes from Muay Thai, and as you mentioned, Judo lineage as well. But, I don't have any of those options in my area. I might look into a different Kung Fu school and see what they offer.

Duncan, I haven't found any sparing partners here. Most of the martial arts schools I have looked into have a large number of kids, and very few if any adults. And the instructors all yell a lot like you are in the military. I really love Kung Fu because it teaches so many things. But it is too technical. Too precise. You have to really train like a monk, spending day in and day out developing those skills to become proficient at defense. I know over 25 forms, but out of them, the only things I would use to defend myself is maybe 5 or six moves. We also have 30 releases that are quite useful though. When I train purely for self defense, I focus on knees and elbows, open hand strikes, low kicks, grappling, arm and wrist breaks, and soft spots. Things that are simple and most effective without a lot of extra motion. I figure if someone has to think about a move, its too late to use it.

I think you are doing the right thing. Intense cardio is going to tell your body to keep the muscle and get rid of the fat. With long distance cardio, you will burn fat, but your body might also start to give up some muscle. I try and always eat before I workout. I don't think working out on an empty stomach will increase the fat burn as it will all even out over the course of the day.

Do you have a wheat free recipe?

I was overweight most of my life until my early 30's. My family used to tell me it is genetics and that I will be heavy my entire life and will constantly have to fight it. Now that I am thin, my family thinks I am unhealthy for being vegan. They don't want to stop eating meat, so the only way they can justify it is to criticize you. They are trying to satiate their own guilt.

You mean like the fact that milk is wholesome, healthy, good for bones and teeth? I can find thousands of studies that claim all of this, so this must be fact? The problem is the people that believe something and never challenge their own beliefs. Too many people believe that if something is written in a textbook, it is fact. Well, I wrote textbooks for a living for several years. When I first started, they asked me to review one of the textbooks for technical errors. Int he first chapter alone I found something like 68 technical errors in an 11 chapter book. Most were small, but a few were significant. They usually only change the significant ones to save money. We constantly have to ask ourselves. Is this a fact that can be consistently proven via science, or just a common way of thinking about something? Or is it a theory based on statistics? For most people, an old lie is easier to believe than a new truth. To consider the subject of health, a common belief is that to lose weight, you simply need to eat less than you burn. However, countless studies have shown this not to be true. Your metabolism changes depending on what and how much you eat as well as how much you exercise. The amount of calories our body uses from different food sources is not consistent among the food sources or even among individuals. The calories in vs calories burned statement has been repeated so many times that is has become a fact to most people. Even though there is no scientific opposite, but there is scientific studies to show the opposite. Questioning these "facts" is very important for us to grow as society. Unfortunately, few people do this which is why people still think milk is wholesome, healthy, etc.

Medman, Yes, since my first post I have uncovered some interesting things on CKM. I have definitely ruled them out. Duncan, I spent years years learning Kung Fu and before that Tang Soo Do. Problem is you have to spend many years and a lot of training to become even a quasi decent practitioner. Very few of the techniques I have learned in either art would I ever use in defense. They involve too much movement and technique. And I have been in life threatening situations in my job that I have spent a lot more time perfecting technique then my self defense skills, and I will be the first too admit, your technique goes out the window. I know martial arts practitioners who admit the same thing. They spent years studying a variety of techniques, but when they needed to defend themselves, they stuck to a small handful of very basic techniques. Even in MMA you see a very limited number of techniques and those guys practice a lot more than most martial artists. Krav Maga is suppose to be more to the point and focus on basics instead of a lot of "technical" skill. Also, I need to find schools that teach weekend boot camps because there is nothing in my area. At least nothing I have found in which I have an interest.

Yes, but nutritional yeast doesn't give me the cough. Sorry, I should have mentioned I tested the yeast theory as well.

I have yet to pinpoint what in wheat causes my persistent cough. I thought it was the gluten, but since I can eat seitan with no ill effects, it must be something else. If anyone comes across information concerning other types of wheat allergies other than gluten that lead to a persistent cough, I'd would appreciate it very much:)

In my opinion, you will turn more people vegan by showing them what is in it for them. I think protesting has its place, but it has to be peaceful. Standing in front a fur store or a KFC is a waste of time. I know because I did this and saw very little success. You might be there for months before you stop one person from buying a fur coat and save 50 animals over the course of their life, or they may decide to go to Arby's instead. If you spend that much time teaching people about the health benefits of a plant-based diet, you will have much greater success and save many more animals. If someone turns to a plant-based diet for health, will they stop exploiting animals in other ways? No always, but because you stopped them from eating animals, you are saving hundreds a year. They might go to a zoo or wear leather, but they might also open their mind to animal suffering. My sister who went on a plant-based diet about a year ago told me the other day that she understands the suffering of it now. Most people who consume animal products don't want to hear about it and want to remain ignorant. But, if they have no need to defend your actions, they become open to other ideas. They even seek out ideas that support their new decisions. Someone who switches to a plant-based diet and then learns about the animal suffering and becomes a vegan is easier then trying to guilt them into stop buying fur or buying from KFC. Guilt passes quickly, but selfishness is enduring. Exploit their selfishness. I think most the people here already understand the value of health and fitness, and for those of you, like me, who have lost a significant amount of weight, the people around you also see the value. I think the better shape we are in, the better example we are. Maybe even take it one step further and become a certified PT and nutritionist. People love to listen to people with certifications. Even if it only took you a week to get that certification. I would love to see a vegan with common sense take a position like Jillian Michaels. She drives me insane. Most PT would be sued for doing the things she is doing.

If you never eat on an empty stomach, then what do you do if you have an empty stomach?

I used to think this way. The more I ignored my gut and didn't pre-judge, the more I got screwed over. Now I keep my defenses up. If someone possesses certain traits that I have come across in people from my past who did me harm, I will be much more skeptical of them over someone without those traits. I believe everyone does this no matter what they may claim.

Yeah, he Rocks!

Does anyone have contact with aliens? I always felt that if an alien power came and threatened humans with the same "mercy" humans show to animals, maybe humans would wise up. Or, the aliens could just eat all the humans then leave. I would be happy with that option as well.

I eat chia pets! If you get a vita-mix, or other blender with a dry container, you can chop up the seeds into a dust and put them into a smoothie. Far more effective than eating them.

Have you started insanity yet? I am waiting for mine. I have heard it is a lot harder than the P90X plyo.

They have everything in common.

I need like 4,000 calories to stay in bed all day.

The more people, the more resources are needed, period. You also have to consider more waste, more pollution, more land, more energy, etc. All of that impacts the animals. Even if the world were 100% vegan, we would still be destroying animal habitat for an overpopulated species.

The same thing that is wrong with buying from a breeder. You could adopt a human or a puppy that is badly in need of a home. If you have a biological child, you are adding to the population which is too much as it is, and you are neglecting a child that could badly use your love.

Vegan implies ethics. Someone who eats no animal products, but still buys leather, wool, silk, etc. is not vegan. They would be a pure vegetarian. Even most vegans I know don't understand the whole ethics of it all. Many of them will still have biological children instead of adopting, but they criticize someone for buying a dog from a breeder.

I could only stand it for 12 seconds.

You get hungry during workouts? I completely lose my appetite when working out. Working out helps me to not eat.

Its hard to see muscle mass fading away unless you have a very low body fat %. I used to think the same think when I went vegan. My arms and legs all got a lot smaller. But I was well over 30% bodyfat, and a lot of fat can be in the muscle making it appear bigger. You need to have a body fat analysis done before and after weight loss to determine if you actually lost muscle or just fat.

I politely decline. If they ask, I tell them. The whole idea of taking what is front of you shows a lack of commitment. They won't respect or even listen to your message if they don't even think you are serious.