paulcats02

Veggie: Pure Advantage Chocolate Mint Pea Protein is what i got and it'd be a dang shame if it's going away ; ya know i wonder if that's the case with the Kemistry Pro Core Buckwheat Protein, too (it seems like its "out of stock" from everywhere i looked? ). Fallen Horse: your "butt in" is perfectly acceptable to me , this is a forum after all... it makes sense and probably could work well. i have cocoa powder, stevia, and other flavors... perhaps adding these to a vanilla or unflavored could work. Jon: i haven't tried the gemma yet but i heard it's good so i may have to try it, do you recommend the vanilla?

there is all kinds of info out there both pro and con but here's a great site: http://www.russianmartialart.com/ to get you started i'm not sure where you're at, but there are classes and seminars all around the world and mostly all the "comrades" i met are very open and friendly and all around good people. there is a great place here in NYC (i used to train there) that is great to check out martial arts in general; on any given night they may have a dozen different styles training: http://www.fighthouse.com/ there are videos on line that are showing it in a positive as well as negative light, but i recommend to experience it first hand in person. the core principles of relaxation, breathing, posture, and movement are the same core of tai chi, akido and just about everything else that transcends time and generations. what also attracted me to it is the "no memorization needed"; it's like jazz as opposed to classical. and when it comes to feeling safe, that's the idea; you face your fears so they are diffused or greatly reduced at the least...

first off, i LOVE oatmeal, too, as mentioned above with cinnamon and almonds (i also throw in stevia as well as on occasion cacoa nibs, goji berries, hemp protein or seeds, banana, strawberries....). as mentioned above i, too, have it in a shake form, which is really good, kinda like a horchata? lately i been eating other grains in the above fashion, too, like barley and rye. but on to throat irritation, perhaps this could be an indication of a food intolerance or allergy? don't wanna burst your balloon i believe that among the most intolerated/allegen-forming foods are soy, citrus, nuts, wheat and gasp... gluten (which is in oats)? now i am fortunate in that i eat all the above and haven't experienced any ill symptoms or effects that i know of or noticed but maybe it's not the case for y'all that have the probs with it... just an idea to try on...

first with the BPP (buckwheat protein powder) and now this the PPP (pea protein powder). i froogled it and got some and it is... delicious! plain with a lil' (hot or cold) water, or throw it over a frozen banana or add in some bittersweet chocolate or almonds, this stuff rocks (plus i'm all out of BPP)!

interesting post ; i've also trained in a lot of styles (wrestling, tai chi, reality fighting, kickboxing, shaolin kung fu, combat sambo, systema) and i believe the best style is no style. the best move you use, may not be memorized, planned or choreographed, because you'll never know the circumstances and conditions... until it happens! now, systema (which i trained in) has many skeptics and just as many proponents; in my experience, it was as close as i ever got to real world (short of being jumped). i do remember talking with my teacher though and he said that all styles, irregardless of what they are, are hypothetical at best and that there was/is no best style. because if you really trained with deadly intent and force, you or your training partners may not survive the training session... i do like the above poster that mentioned running; sprinting is one of my top activities and i tell you what when you're talkin multiple attackers and weapons, i'll bust out right quick in fact in any confrontation i'd prefer to be out before having to do battle unless it's my only choice (maybe all the yoga i've done is getting to me?) that being said many martial arts are not defined as self-defense or fighting per se they are more survival systems and ways of life. i resemble that; in other words, i want to go home at the end of the day and i want to live to see tomorrow

calorically, bananas are a pretty good value, at between 80 to 120 calories a pop you can't go wrong (good source of natural fiber and potassium, too). i love to freeze them, too, and eat them with protein powder puddings, nut butters, chocolate syrup, etc... does that still count as raw? cos i know if food's heated above 120 degrees (?), that is no longer considered raw but how does freezing and or blending food fit in? and this may be sacrilege (since it is raw food nutrition & lifestyle), but baked plantains (yellow bananas) rock big time! my two cents on eating locally: ideally, i'd eat only local and organic but the reality of it is i am not at this time; i try my best to buy in season and local but my top priority is adhering to a vegan eating style which means i do eat bananas, mango, and other stuff like foodswings (at least 1x a week or month for the best vegan grease eva!) as for eating ancestral, i believe that our DNA and cellular selves appreciate and thrive on this. somehow when i (and all the i's that came before me to become me) eat foods like kasha, pickles, dill, parsnips, cabbage, sauerkraut, falafel, hummus, and tabouleh; i feel so right! maybe this is psychosomatic, dunno. by the same token, when i eat foods that my ancestors haven't eaten for generations upon generations (like bananas, for example), i feel really good, too...

exactly, your trainer hit the nail on the head! the amount of bodyfat you carry relative to your lean muscle mass is the equivalent to the amount & type of layers of clothing you wear above your birthday suit; so having higher bodyfat % doesn't mean lack of strength, it just means you're wearing a heavy coat and pants, where low bodyfat % can be akin to prancing about in your tights and a tanktop. the type of diet you eat can be the difference between a clear and a cloudy day (where your muscles are the Sun); diet can surely obscure. even too many calories of healthy vegan food and not enough activity... can result in weight gain. to a certain degree on a simplistic level, it's mathematics: no change: calories in equal calories out weight loss: calories in less than calories out weight gain: calories in greater than calories out personally, i have six pack abs... they are just buried under a pile of chips & dip!

here is a short answer to your question as opposed to the long one i posted yesterday followed by a whole lotta of then some. please note i am not an expert either (that'd be a nod to Richard) per se just another traveler on the road. Q: Is Yoga enough? A: Yes here's why: if you can lower your BF% slowly and steadily through a modest decrease of caloric input coupled with the physically active yoga lifestyle you already are living, then you most likely will be able to see what existing definition you have (this phase would be known as "cutting"; when your BF% is low & you're muscularity is high you'd be "cut up" aka "ripped" or "shredded" where if you're "tone" then you are lean but not too muscular). at that point, if you want to stay the same then you "maintain" (calories in = calories out); on the other hand, if you want more muscle then you introduce weights into your life (come to think of it, you can even do some yoga with weights albeit lighter weights) coupled with a slight increase of caloric input (this phase would be "bulking" to get "mass", be "bulked up" "big" "huge" or an "animal"). NOTE: it is near impossible to cut and bulk at the same time. the rub being that when you cut usually you will lose some lean muscle mass along with the fat while when you gain inadvertantly there will be some fat put on along with muscle. it's like the miracle weight loss products and plans that say eat whatever you want, don't exercise, and the fat will just melt off. or the ones that say turn fat into muscle... biologically possible? how? well, maybe you can burn the fat off by using it as energy and then put on muscle but most likely any magical pill is either something like speed, a laxative, or an appetite supressant, or in small print they say to exercise and follow a sensible diet based on fruits, veggies, grains, & beans...

first off, you are doing great! it's really gutsy to show your pic like that, too. "love yourself, at whatever shape you're in", imho, is easier said then done; i suffered for years from poor body self-image. you have come a long way in the past year or so and your story is an inspiration that we can all be motivated by to be the best we can be, and really live life. anyway, i definitely agree with above posters in that the body needs change and challenge. otherwise the efficiency will stay the same, most likely. this is why, in addition to practicing yoga, i also use weights, run, do martial arts, and walk (i.e. extra walking, as opposed to everyday regular walking). basically i change up my routine so that my body is always guessing. i recommend you try some other activities, too. main thing: have fun! otherwise it will be hard to come back to it. and you can alter your routines slightly to challenge yourself and get more results. yoga: you could do poses longer or deeper (which may be hard if you are in a group class but can be easier if you practice alone or take private lessons); weights: it means either using heavier weights or increasing the amount of sets or reps each workout, week, month; running: going further each time or faster... this is why it can be advantageous to document what you do to chart your course. then when you hit the peak of what you can do, start a totally new workout. for me, that keeps it interesting for me mentally and physically. personally, i don't periodize my yoga, i do that more with weights and running. when i practice yoga, i just let how i feel physically, mentally and emotionally right then and there dictate how and where i am going; it can be many things which i usually don't find out til i get there... it can be a spiritual experience, a therapy of sorts, an altered state, an escape, a retreat, and or communion with my self, Self, and others. sure it is physical, too, that is the gateway to inside. but, imho, the physical asanas (poses and movements) are part of but not the whole of yoga. in any event, all the physical stuff be it asanas, weights, running, etc. that's only one half of the whole enchilada (some may even say 10% or less). i remember a personal trainer (can't remember exactly who though) saying that even though working out and being active plays a part in tone and definition, the real contributing factor is what we are eating. . you can workout like a maniac but if you eat like a maniac and your bf% is high, there will be little definition. look at the strongman competitions or football linemen. if you can can get your bodyfat down to a lower percentage than it is now than you will see how much muscularity you have. sure if you build muscle that will boost your metabolism and you'll be burning calories even while you sleep... but imho there is no substitute for a) reducing caloric input or b) reducing caloric input while increasing caloric output. imagine wearing a sweatshirt or a heavy coat and pants. well how can you tell what's underneath? you can only guess, unless you strip down to a t-shirt or spandex. no one can or will say it's easy though; it takes patience, persistence, consistence, dedication, and will power. i think the trick is to not eat less volume food but less calorically dense foods and also to go with a slight decrease as opposed to a drastic amount of calories cut. don't forget to make sure that you keep your blood sugar at normal, too. anyway that's my 2 cents, hope it is insightful and helpful for you; it actually has made me realize that my diet (calories input) is the hole in my game, so to speak. as one poster mentioned above 1-2 bad snacks can undo whatever caloric burn you accomplished. i have worked out like a crazy person over the past 10 years (i just love the high from it) and eaten whatever i wanted to in any amount and although i did drop and keep off about 50 lbs i wasn't disciplined enough to get past the plateau because of it. after being mindful and aware of my eating input i have now got down 10-15lbs and kept that off and i'm inching up to the summit losing my footing every so often but at this time unable to get to the peak. which is my goal. it's really an undertaking and i'd imagine it is for other people who tend to be heavy due to genetics, metabolic type, and or a voracious appetite and love of food (most of the members of this forum?). this is why it's dangerous to dramatically cut calories or forbid foods because you may set yourself up for overeating. alright well i'm going to hit the hay, namaste

been eating "veggie princess pudding"; sometimes using ricemilk, soymilk or hempmilk but most times just good old water. i love it! my coworkers say it looks like spackle and my son said it looks like cement... but it's so good! using any and all of the protein powders i have kemistry procore buckwheat protein, vega, soy protein powder, whole soybean powder or non-soy veg protein booster, plus mixing it with cocoa powder, too. do want to try the gemma but fundsarelow rite now (NOTE did get some vega thru rob on a good deal and i did find procore at about 50% on closeout from worldclassnutrition.com) the procore's like frosting or cookie dough (maybe throw in some vegan chocolate or carob chips?). have to give a real big shout out to veggie princess because when first read the recipe was thinking what the heck is she talking bout... but it works! been doing all kinds of puddings now. i am a pudding freak! am going to eat some right now...

love this stuff, too! been eating it "veggie princess pudding"-style; sometimes using ricemilk, soymilk or hempmilk but most times just good old water. my coworkers say it looks like spackle and my son said it looks like cement... but it's so good! and mixing it with other powders is especially good to cut it from a financial standpoint and taste-wise (been using soy protein powder, whole soybean powder or non-soy veg protein booster, and eating it by itself plus mixing it with cocoa powder, too). do want to try the gemma but fundsarelow rite now (NOTE did find procore at about 50% off by froogling it; got it on closeout from worldclassnutrition.com) it's like frosting or cookie dough (maybe throw in some vegan chocolate or carob chips?). have to give a real big shout out to veggie princess because when first read the pudding recipe was thinking what the heck is she talking bout... but it works! been doing all kinds of puddings now. i am a pudding freak! will post this to the other pudding post, too, cos it's so delicious and nutritious! am going to eat some right now...

Robert Cheeke is a great inspiration to and a positive influence on me. I really enjoy his open mind & attitude and appreciate his down to earth presence; never judgemental (not that I have seen) and ever the diplomat, he is also an excellent example of the rewards of the lifestyle we lead. I'll never forget when surfing the web, on a lark, for vegan and bodybuilding; the suprise and delight when i stumbled on this forum, site, and community! Hail to Rob!

What I like about Mike is: he says what he means and means what he says... imho, that's vital; to be true and keep to your word(s). That being said, if we stay open to adapting our mind & being to the changing landscape & circumstances of life (which may be key to our survival & growth) could mean that our words may change; hopefully we still say what we mean and mean what we say...

gives vegan bodybuilding hugs

i like mike's open mind and forthrightness; in his posts he's open to suggestions, doesn't hold back, and even questions himself (me, too!). plus he's a comrade (me like Pavel, too!).

This a very good point you bring up, Neven. And let us all agree on this: agreements come in all different flavors... and then there's agreeing to disagree, too. personally, if i don't agree with someone i still try to see it their way or from their angle, and even if i don't get it, i let i be. i feel like trying to win an argument or convince someone of something takes a lot of energy so i try to let go of that. i do my part in my relationships to people places and things and hopefully influence and inspire those who are open to it.

We dare because in a word (well actually 3 words), we are human! And being human means that, at times, we are selfish, lazy, judgmental, hypocritical, short sighted, foolish, self righteous along with many other things, ways, and acts; some of which are the flip side: compassionate, loving, forgiving, patient... Rob and my fellow forum friends, you asks "how dare we...?" Let us dare to be human; accepting and tolerating our own and others imperfections, then, if and when possible, growing, improving, sharing and caring! To me, this is what life is all about: this forum, my friends, family, neighbors, workplace, the world... it gives meaning, understanding, approval, liberation, surrender, peace, and substance and essence; all of which won't exist without their opposites (meaninglessness, misunderstanding, rejection, enslavement, capture, struggle, emptiness and superficiality). Let's not give up on working things out, let's give whatever we can to make it work. Potter, Zack, Rob, Mike, and everybody out there including myself (there i go talking to myself again...): there is nothing wrong with who and how you are. That is why you are you; if you acted any differently then you'd be someone else. People'd say hey that person is not acting normal, that person is not themselves... be who you are and realize that change is part of the plan. Peas.

I hear you but as was said in previous posts Tony never claimed to be Vegan in any percent; he just said he was trying the diet. I think it was the author who decided to come up with a catchy headline that was misleading (247lb Vegan*; *80%). Anyway, people can say anything; it's what they do that counts. And I think the fact the Mac and Salim (who are full Vegans) are in the article, that exposes people to 2 guys that live the lifestyle completely; I never knew of Salim prior to the article but I definitely knew of Mac and he is an inspiration to many including me. I totally agree with you that depending on who is funding or writing studies or articles, it is skewed toward a certain side but that's corporate & big business and goes beyond Vegan, it's about world domination and control.

Rob, I agree with you regarding the positivity. And maybe a more neutral outlook is more appropriate? Neutrality is something I try to practice: of course I get angry, sad, mad, happy, delighted, etc. in the play of life but I try to bring myself back to a neutral state thereafter. Another words, I try to move beyond duality (instead of "this or that" i choose "this and that"). I read a great quote in a book Tai Chi the Supreme Ultimate by Lawrence Galante: "Dualities are a product of "Maya" (illusion caused by the mind's preferences, and prejudices). The mind sees the division but fails to see the unity... penetrate the veil of Maya and realize the Unity within the diversity." What I really enjoy about this forum is that, for the most part, there is much tolerance; everybody doesn't always agree or approve but they do their best to understand. When it comes to being Vegan, it's the best thing for me and perhaps anybody that is whole heartedly committed to the lifestyle... but for people who aren't ready for it spiritually, mentally or physically, it may not be the best thing. I don't consider myself better than them (non-Vegans), I just consider being Vegan a better version of myself than the non-Vegan me.

true but lemme give ya an example: my mom brought me a hard copy of the article, her boyfriend clipped it for me... and she says to me i just wish you and your brother (who is also Vegan) would eat dairy and fish. well there's 2 people who read the article.. yet the main thing they take away is hope to persuade Vegans to concede or compromise their beliefs and lifestyle (with good intentions?). on the other hand, if our family, friends, and acquaintenances read the full article (including the success of Mac and Salim) at least that gives us some respect, recognition and credibilty.

actually that's what made me think of that term when reading the article; it seemed contradictory that a Vegan would recommend Fish Oil. But hey who am I to judge? On another note, I don't believe Tony ever claims to be Vegan in the article. He just talks about how he tried it (albeit maybe not hard enough?) and then what adjustments he made to what he is comfortable with doing as a regular lifestyle. I still think and feel the article was a positive thing, they did show 1 person who at least has shifted towards a more plant less animal diet and 2 people who are completely plant-based with success. I guess the title is what intrigues people (it did to me) and it is misleadng because it's not true (although technically for a small period of time he was the 247 vegan while he was trying it out). Like I said earlier it ticked me off at first but it's the main jist of writing articles and ads, eye catching headlines; it's what sells...

yes that is true, i agree with you 110% (if that's mathematically possible)... but just the mere fact that all the people that read the article at least now know what Vegan is, is the positive side of it. It's like the "everything you wanted to know about sex* *but were afraid to ask books... Anyone who read the fine print of the article will clearly see that that Tony is not a full fledged Vegan but he has shifted to a majority Plant-based diet which is a positive step while Mac Danzig and Salim Stoudamire are full fledged Vegans. Not everybody is Vegan for ethics and beliefs (although for me personally that's why I am), many like Tony are trying it or shifting towards it for health, which still cultivates awareness. My question is if Jon Hinds, Vegan himself, "showed him (Tony) nutritious fish oils" does that make him fish-friendly? And if so, is this ok? With him it must be because it appears he did it. How does that sit with fellow Vegans? I think it's an individual preference and if he's ok with it that's his right to be. Maybe I'll get flamed on this but it's like back when Mike Mahler experimented with Dairy for health reasons and caught hell from Vegans (which I felt was mean). I think he's given so much to the community that that was his personal choice and should be respected (not that anyone had to follow suit, he never asked anyone to). Someone like Bill "Mr Universe" Pearl who although not Vegan he's lacto-ovarian Vegetarian, is still a great influence and inspiration to the masses. IMHO, the more Vegan-aware, Vegan-friendly, and Cruelty-free the world becomes, the better; at any level. And we all have opinions...

I think the asterik meant that he was Vegan but only 80% of the time, which I was disappointed with when I first read the article; kind of misleading and decieving. Not that I wanna take sides on the pro's and con's of the issue but if i did, i'd lean more towards the side that says any news is good news; exposure of any kind is going to raise awareness, imho. If people at least know what Vegan is and how it's done then the world may become more Vegan-friendly with more Vegan options. Plus even if omnivores don't go completely vegetarian or vegan, if at the least they ate less animals & animal based and more plant-based, this is good for their health and more importantly will reduce the suffering of animals in the world, and the health of the planet. For example, Clarence "Ripped" Bass is another near-vegan, in the sense that the bulk of his diet is plant-based (i believe he calls himself a flexitarian). Is this ideal? No but for him it is and if it helps cultivate awareness mainstream. Just my 2 cents.

Having the files on my computer isn't the problem, it's my computer not being good enough to edit large vids, as it slows right down when doing heavy operations like that. When dealing with smaller vids for the internet, at only like 500 x 350 or something, then it's fine. If the vid is to be designed for the internet, then the final thing will only be a few MB in total, he said it's only going to be like 1 or 2 minutes long. your computer may be slowing down because the program your editing is on the same drive as your software (OS, editing program) because of the data sector hiearchy. like you said in earlier post when it's a smaller file (shorter time, lower resolution) then it's okay but otherwise you run into problems it's recommended that you partition your hard drive to have one chunk for software and one for content (although i believe this can only be done when the drive is brand new or when you are reformatting?). what kind of computer do you have, what OS are you runnin, what processor is in the computer, what's the hard drive size & RPM, and how much RAM do you have? my guess is that if it isn't the first thing i mentioned with the real estate either your processor is not fast enough, your hard drive isn't spinning at a high enough RPM (optimally it should be 5400-7200 RPM) or you need more RAM (at least 1GB) the above numbers are also dependent on what editing software you are using and whether you are mac or pc. like i said before i'm no expert but there is a wealth of info here on the net and communities of video editors from entry level to journey to expert level... now the question is just like there is vegan bodybuilding and fitness (which i never thought could exist until i searched on a whim for the heck of it), is there a vegan video production and editing community? Smile

why not use an external hard drive? they're pretty inexpensive nowadays i mean you can get a TB (terrabyte) for like $4-500 so something like 250-500GB for $1-200. video is a bandwidth hog. uncompressed video eats up a lot of space, and even compressed file formats like .avi, quicktime, mpeg-4 do, too. i try and use an external drive always for any audio or video recording editing encoding etc although with todays computers the internal drives are pretty big so i've gone that route, too plus what a friend of mine who is a pro video editor/producer recommends is always shooting, importing and editing the video at the highest quality possible (ie HDV or DV) then you can encode that down to a smaller size which can then be burned to DVD or put on a server as a file. also always remember (as a computer guru of mine told me) that if it's digital and it doesn't exist in more than 1 place, then it doesn't exist; anotherwords don't forget to back up lest all your hard work will vanish if you are unable to get all the help you need let me know; i can do editing, file encoding, etc... but i am no expert at these things and i don't do them regularly so i'm not fast or good, cos have to struggle thru it...