Justin Wright » Experiments

Switching to a Natural Foods Diet

Justin Wright — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:48:11 +0000

This post is the final part of my natural foods diet series. If you missed the beginning sections, I talked about the importance of natural foods as well as what I consider to be “real” food.

Below I’m going to share my experience with switching over to the diet, a few tips to help you out, as well as the results I have experienced from eating real food.

The Transition Phase

Just like with any diet, there is definitely a transition phase that you need to make it through. Your body will take its time getting used to real foods, especially fruits and vegetables. I can tell you right now that eating tons of vegetables is difficult in the beginning. I’m not even going to explain why…

Besides your body getting used to the foods, you also have to get your mind used to it. For me, the hardest part was fighting through the cravings for junk food. I’ve gone so long eating different foods that it was really hard to say goodbye to some of them.

Below are the foods that were the hardest for me to give up along with some useful tips I used to beat my cravings:

Soda

I’ve been kicking back soda since middle school. I still remember late nights where I would consume an entire 12 pack of Sundrop (it’s a delicious soda). That’s well over a thousand calories worth of sugar alone. Not to mention a huge amount of preservatives and caffeine.

So how did I kick the habit? I started drinking seltzer water. The only ingredient is carbonated water and it’s also much cheaper than soda. I usually add a dash of lemon or lime juice and a little stevia to sweeten it. It tastes just like a citrus type soda and never fails to satisfy my soda craving.

It also works for mix drinks and it helped me kick my rum and Coke habit.

Margaritas

I’m not going to lie, I love margaritas. They are my favorite drink on the planet, especially when summer rolls around. However, the store bought mixes are packed with sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Instead of using the mix, I have started using pure lime juice, stevia, and a dash of agave nectar. With a good tequila the margaritas taste amazing. Far better than the mix type ones and I do not feel guilty about them at all.

Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and something that I could never give up. Luckily all-natural pizzas are not that bad for you. The key is to avoid frozen ones that use a lot of artificial ingredients.

A few times a month my girlfriend and I make a delicious pizza at home using whole wheat crust, marinara sauce, and a variety of toppings including spinach, garlic, and basic. I don’t miss the cheese at all.

Transition Tips To Help You Out

As you can see, adapting to the diet does take some time and effort. Here are a few tips to help make it as easy as possible for you:

Transition Slowly

In other words, don’t toss out every bad food you have in the house right now. Instead, slowly eat them and get rid of them. Start implementing healthy foods into your diet and replace the bad ones. Over time, you will get used to the non-processed foods and learn to love them.

Find Healthy Alternatives

As I mentioned above, I had a hard time with a few foods. Instead of banishing them from your diet forever, find some healthy alternatives. That way you can still enjoy it and not feel guilty about it once you are finished. This works wonders and will make sticking with your healthy eating plan much, much easier.

Cook At Home

This one is a life-saver. Cooking at home is the easiest solution of all to eating healthy. When you go out to a restaurant, you really have no clue what they use to prepare your food. They might be marinating your steak in MSG and frying it with hydrogenated oils. Who knows what happens behind the kitchen doors.

Instead, try to make the majority of your meals at home. You’ll start to notice it is a hell of a lot cheaper as well, which allows you to spend a little more on groceries.

Make Stuff From Scratch

One of the most powerful changes you can make to your diet is to start making everything from scratch. A great example is making your own hummus and crackers. Both foods require only a handful of ingredients and are much easier to make than you would think.

You’ll also start to notice how little ingredients you actually need to make stuff. It’s crazy when you make something yourself and realize you used 20 less ingredients than the store bought version. Plus you can save a lot of money since both raw ingredients are super cheap.

Stop Impulse Buying

It’s really easy to grab a package of cookies off the shelf and throw them in the cart. I know this from a personal experience involving monkey bread from the grocery store bakery. Before I knew it, my girlfriend and I had consumed the entire thing.

The key to stopping the impulse buys is to force yourself to leave the grocery store and go home. If you really want something, you will get back in the car and drive right back to the grocery store to get it. However, I have found that this almost never happens because your cravings disappear once you get out of the store.

The Results

As far as results go, I must say that I am very impressed with the changes I have seen. I have lost around 15 pounds by simply eating healthy and running 4 days a week. My body-fat has hit an all-time low and I feel great.

And added bonus is that I haven’t been sick in what seems like forever. I guess eating healthy really does boost your immune system.

***
After going through the entire process, I would highly recommend making the switch to real, unprocessed foods. The results are well worth the effort and you will feel great knowing you are eating foods the way they were meant to be consumed.

Photo: slynndesign’s

What Are Real Foods?

Justin Wright — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:56:47 +0000

This post is the second part of my natural foods diet series. If you missed the first post, I talked about the importance of natural foods and why I made the switch.

In this part of the series, I’m going to give you an overview of what I consider “real food” and will breakdown some of the most common foods I consume on a daily basis.

My Take On Natural Foods

Determining what is real and what is not is a very difficult task. I think the meaning of “real food” can vary depending on the person. Some people would argue that food like milk and cheese is real, while others would say it is highly processed. Therefore it is important to determine what “real food” means to you and adjust your diet accordingly.

I’ve personally decided that I am going to stick with eating food that comes in a natural (or as close to natural) state. I am trying my best to avoid any ” highly processed” foods that are full of artificial ingredients and preservatives. I also buy organic and local foods as often as I can.

For the most part, I am avoiding any boxed or packaged foods. Anything that comes in fancy packaging with celebrities on it, crazy health claims, or “new and improved” labels telling me how the new recipe is better (like Domino’s new pizza). Soda has been completely removed from my diet, as well as frozen pizzas, lean pockets, deli meats, and most bread products.

What I Eat

So what do I eat now that I’ve removed a lot of processed foods? Below are the foods I eat on a daily basis in order based on how much I consume:

Vegetables

I’m sure it’s no surprise that vegetables are at the top of my list. Since removing the bad foods from my diet, I have drastically increased the amount of veggies I eat everyday. They work wonders for feeling full and actually taste amazing once you get used to eating non-processed foods.

Some of my favorites include spinach, carrots, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and sweet potatoes.

Fruit

Just like vegetables, fruit intake has also increased with my new diet. I try to eat 2 – 3 servings a day and love it. When you cut out processed foods, fruit tastes amazing. It’s crazy how much different it tastes once your body is not hooked on fake food.

My favorite fruits include bananas, apples, pineapple, blueberries, and strawberries.

Grains

When I first started this diet, I was having a hard time debating if I should consume grains. I’m a big fan of Mark’s Daily Apple and one of the things he often talks about is the negatives to eating grains. It’s been shown that the human body can survive just fine without them. But it turns out I love them to much to give up.

However, I have cut back on the amount of grains I eat as well as the types. Oatmeal is the main grain I eat. I tend to eat it every morning for breakfast and often use it to make pancakes.

I also consume quinoa, brown rice, and homemade pita bread made with oat flour.

Meat

Meat is another touchy subject. I’ve tried going without in the past but always came back to eating it. I am too picky of an eater to survive without meat and enjoy the taste of it. So instead of cutting it out of my diet, I’ve just made it a side portion of my meals instead of the main entree.

As far as the type goes, I tend to eat chicken the most often. It’s somewhat cheap and very versatile. I also mix in a variety of fish and beef as well each week.

Dairy

While some people may argue that dairy is bad, I feel that dairy is fine in moderation. It’s a good course of protein as well as calcium. Eggs and greek style yogurt are the main types of dairy I consume.

Eggs are one of those items that people seem to be pretty skeptical about. One week they’re a superfood, the next they will kill you of a heart attack. However, I honestly feel that eggs are not a problem. They are a well balanced food and one of the things I consume daily. The key is to find quality eggs from a local or organic farm.

Just like eggs, milk is another one of the foods that people tend to debate about. For the most part, I only use it in my coffee and oatmeal. I don’t even drink a cup a day since it does have a good amount of sugar in it.

Miscellaneous Items

Besides the foods above, I also eat/use a few other items frequently. One thing I am not afraid to use a lot of is spices. I eat a ton of cinnamon, jerk seasoning, and crushed red peppers. I also use salt and pepper from time to time.

For sweetening, I use pure stevia extract that doesn’t have any fillers added to it. It’s super potent and can sweeten just about anything. It’s a tad expensive, but once you buy some and see the size of the scoop you will realize how long a little powder will last. I also eat raw honey from time to time, which you can find at most health food stores.

I eat 100% cocoa powder in my oatmeal, which is full of fiber and contains no sugar. I also drink a lot of tea and coffee every day, two things I could not live without. I also consume a lot of wine, specifically red wines.

When it comes to snacks, hummus is one of the foods I have grown to love. It tastes great, especially with homemade pita bread. I still can’t believe I eat the stuff, I used to be the pickiest eater in the world.

So there is a breakdown of most of the food I eat on a daily basis.

***

In the final post of the series, I talk about the transition phase and share some tips on switching to a natural foods diet.

Photo: Augapfel

The Importance of Natural Foods

Justin Wright — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:15:56 +0000

After attempting to eat as healthy as possible for the past few years, I have finally managed to make the switch to an all natural diet that consists of “real food.” This post is the first one of my natural foods diet series where I will explain the diet and the process I went through to make the switch.

When it comes to eating healthy, it has been one of my main goals since I graduated high school. It all started when I wanted to bulk up and gain some weight and has since become part of my daily life.

When I started P90X awhile back, I really cleaned up my diet and ate better than I ever have before. However, I ended up quitting the program after Phase 1 because I really hated working out inside. Luckily I managed to keep my motivation to eat healthy and completely switched over to a natural food diet six months ago.

Why Follow This Diet?

There are many reasons why someone would make the switch to an all natural food diet. Eating processed foods that contain high amounts of sugar, preservatives, and artificial ingredients is not a good lifestyle decision.

Not only do these foods cause a variety of health issues, but they also affect your mood, your fitness levels, and your overall well-being. The old saying of “you are what you eat” is about as true as it gets. If you eat natural, healthy food you will more than likely be a healthy individual.

I personally made the change to a real food diet because I want to eat as healthy as possible. I love being in shape and do not want to suffer any illnesses as a result of what I eat. For the most part, I do not consider it a diet but instead a lifestyle. Eating healthy is something that needs to be done long-term.

Besides the health factors, I also love the idea of eating natural foods that actually come from Mother Nature herself. Not weird concoctions that were created in a science lab somewhere. I remember high school chemistry class pretty well and would never think of eating anything I made as a result of one of my experiments.

I also try to buy organic and locally grown food as often as possible. In the movie Food, Inc., they hit the nail on the head when they said that every purchase we make is like voting. Buying from organic and local farmers is a great way to support the people who care about the environment and treat their employees with respect.

6 More Reasons To Make The Switch

Still not sold on the idea of eating real food? Here are six common food additives that are found in processed foods and why they are bad news for your health:

High Fructose Corn Syrup

It seems like high fructose corn syrup is added to everything these days. Even a lot of wheat breads contain it despite the fact that they are marketed as “health food.” It has been linked to increased obesity levels, heart disease, diabetes, and has been known to cause overeating in some individuals. It may even contain mercury. Talk about delicious…

Aspartame

In order to avoid high fructose corn syrup, many people make the switch to diet soda and other sugar-free alternatives. Unfortunately, aspartame is one of the main ingredients used to sweeten sugar-free products. I can still remember the days of drinking a few cans of diet soda every day. Man am I glad those days are behind me.

Aspartame produces an excessive amount of formaldehyde in the human body, even in small amounts found in a typical can of diet soda. When consumed, it breaks down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Not good.

Hydrogenated Oils

Believe it or not, as much as 40 percent of the food at the grocery store is made up of hydrogenated oils. They are commonly found in packaged cereals, cookies, crackers, chips, pizzas, and candy. Why are they used? Because they are cheaper than butter.

Unfortunately, these oils are made up of trans fat (and not the good kind). The oils do not occur normally in nature and are produced using harsh chemicals and heat. They can mess with your cholesterol levels and cause a variety of health issues.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG is yet another ingredient that seems to pop up everywhere. It also shows up with different names depending on the product it’s in. More or less, it takes the flavor of any food and makes it better. That’s why it’s added to everything including spices, chips, salad dressings, meats, and fast food.

While MSG does not cause problems for everyone, it has been known to cause issues including diabetes, migraines and headaches, and obesity.

Artificial Colorings

Ever eat something that looked really colorful but wasn’t a fruit or vegetable? If so, it probably contained at least one artificial coloring. Colorings are added to tons of different products including candy, meats, baked goods, and drinks.

Some of the worst include Yellow 6, Blue 1 and 2, and Red 3. All of these may increase the chances of tumors and other diseases in the human body. Bad I tell you.

Potassium Bromate

Last but not least, we have potassium bromate. This substance is typically added to bread products to increase their volume and make the crumbs look better (I think). It’s been shown that most of the bromate breaks down in the body, but the little that remains can cause cancer in animals.

It’s also worth mentioning that potassium bromate has been banned in almost every country except for the United States and Japan.

***

In the next post of the series, I’ll talk about what I consider to be “real food.”

Photo: mckaysavage

5 Steps to Become an Early Riser

Justin Wright — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:45:35 +0000

I’ve been a night owl my entire life, even when I had to get up early to head off to work. Funny thing is, I really enjoy getting up early in the morning. I just never could figure out how to do it without dragging myself out of the bed or wishing I had a syringe full of espresso.

However, for the first time in my life I have established a routine in which I wake up at 6:30 every morning. Crazy huh? I never would have thought I would be the type of person to willingly wake up early each day.

Why Did I Become An Early Riser?

So you are probably wondering, why the change? The main reason was because I decided I wanted to get a steady sleep schedule going. It sure beats going to sleep at different times everyday and never knowing when you are going to wake up.

Here are some other reasons why I decided to start waking up early:

To Watch The Sunrise

As I mentioned yesterday in my post about the perfect morning, I have gone for a morning run each day and love watching the sun come up. The picture above is yet another amazing example of a sunrise. Besides the sun coming up, there is also something about the morning air that I really enjoy. It sure beats running at 1 in afternoon.

To Sleep Less

Believe it or not, another main reason I decided to start waking up early is because I wanted to spend less time sleeping. Prior to making the switch, I would go to bed around 4 in the morning and easily sleep until one or two in the afternoon. That’s over nine hours of sleep. Plus I constantly felt tired when I woke up, which was most likely due to the over sleeping.

Now that I get up early every morning, I get somewhere between six and seven hours of sleep each night. I even feel more awake now when I wake up than I ever did before.

To Beat Insomnia

I have never been the type of person to fall asleep as soon as I go to bed. I remember nights where I sit in bed staring at the ceiling for hours before I drift off. Usually I would just sit there and think about things I need to do, or better yet what I could be doing instead of lying there in bed.

Now that I get up early I have finally hit a point where I can go to bed, read for a little bit, and pass out really quickly. Talk about a time saver! Now I no longer waste those couple hours lying in bed waiting to fall asleep.

To Exercise Daily

Last but not least, I made the switch to waking up early to make sure that I go outside and exercise everyday. Now that running is the first thing in my schedule, it is very difficult for me to bail on it. Prior to waking up early, I would always make up excuses such as it’s already 2PM, I need to work, or I feel tired today. Those excuses no longer work.

How Did I Do it?

So the real question is how did I manage to alter my sleep schedule so much? Believe it or not, it was actually a lot easier than you think. However, the hard part is fighting through the transition phase without giving up.

Here is a step by step guide on what I did, along with some tips to make it easier for you:

1. Decide When To Get Up

The first step in the transition is deciding when you actually want to wake up. For me, I decided that 6:30 is the perfect time for me because the sun starts to rise and running is perfect at that time. Regardless of what time you choose, make it a plan to stick to it no matter what.

2. Create A Reason To Get Out Of Bed

Once you have the time set in stone, it helps to give yourself a reason to wake up. Going for a morning run is my reason, as well as having more time in the morning to read. It does not need to be a major project or task, the key is to just give yourself a little motivation to want to crawl out of bed.

A few other reasons you could use would be to have time to think to yourself, catch up on your to do list, or to sit down and drink a cup of coffee.

3. Get Up!

This is the difficult part, especially in the beginning. The important thing is to set your alarm for the exact time you want to get up. When it goes off, get up instantly. Literally jump out of bed and do push ups if you have to! There is no time for the snooze button or lying around pretending to wake up. Instead, it is all about getting up as quickly as possible.

Getting up right away will make the transition a hell of a lot easier for you, trust me. This was the only way I was able to stick to it and actually alter my night owl sleep schedule. By doing this for a week straight, I was able to get my body used to waking up. Once you make it past the transition phase, it becomes much easier.

4. Sleep When You’re Tired

When it comes to being a night owl, one of the things that can be tricky is going to bed at a certain time. My whole life I have never been able to set a specific time to go to bed. It is far easier to wake up at a certain time than it is to go to bed.

So what I have done lately is go to sleep whenever I feel tired. Some nights it might be 10, other nights it might be 12 or 1 in the morning. The thing is, as long as I wake up at my scheduled time, my body tends to adapt. If I stay up late one night, I tend to fall asleep earlier the next. So far, this schedule has worked a lot better than my chaotic one I had before switching.

5. Make It A Routine

Last but not least, it is important (and very helpful) to create a morning routine. For me, every morning I hop out of bed and have a cup of coffee. I then throw on my workout clothes and head out the door for my jog. By doing this on a repeated basis, it makes getting up so much easier since my body (and mind) know what to expect.

If you can set up a routine, you will be much more inclined to stick to it.

So there you have it, a few tips on how to start waking up early. Remember, it does take some time to get used to so I would try out a new schedule for a few weeks before making a final decision. The worse case scenario is you decide waking up early is not for you. It’s fairly easy to go back to your normal sleeping habits as I have done it many times in the past.

Which do you prefer: waking up early or sleeping in?

Photo Credit: *clairity*

Vibram Five Fingers: 4 Months Later

Justin Wright — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:52:53 +0000

Just over four months ago, I wrote a detailed review of the Vibram Five Finger shoes I purchased. I must say, the post ended up being a lot more popular than I anticipated. As soon as people started finding it via Google and YouTube, I started receiving questions and feedback about them. It’s amazing how many people are interested in these wacky looking shoes!

One of the common requests I got was to do another post about them and explain how I feel about them after owning them for a few months. So I’ve decided to do just that.

The Pros

First and foremost, I’ll take a look at the positives to the shoes:

Usability

One of my favorite things about the shoes is how usable they are. They can be used for basically anything. I’ve worn them to the beach, in the water, hiking, playing tennis, and riding my bike. I also use them for basic things like running to the grocery store.

They really are an all-around shoe that adapts to whatever it is you are doing.

Durability

Another positive to the Five Fingers is the durability. I’ve worn them quite a bit over the last 4 months but they seem to be holding up just fine. I’ve washed them a few times after hiking and they look as new as the first day I bought them.

They still fit like a glove and I haven’t experienced any shrinking or stretching, which was something I was worried about. I’m anticipating that shoes will easily last another year or two based on how often I use them. Who knows, they might even last longer than that.

Comfort

The main reason I bought the shoes is because I love to be barefoot all the time. Problem is, when you live in a city it can be pretty dangerous considering there is glass and other sharp objects lying around. These shoes do an AMAZING job at protecting your feet while still being lightweight. They really fit to your feet and after a while you forget you are wearing them.

These are honestly the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. I’ve owned a ton of fancy shoes with air pocket, shocks, and all sorts of “comfort” features but none of them compare.

Reaction Factor

When I first purchased the shoes, I was a tad worried about what people would say. Turns out it’s pretty fun to wear these things around. I constantly get people who come up to me and ask questions about the shoes. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been asked if I’ve ever read the book “Born to Run.”

The shoes are an excellent way to get people to come up and start a conversation. Especially if you wear them out to the bar. However, from time to time I do get some fairly odd looks from people. This is especially true when going to the store. I’ve grown used to it though and no longer notice the looks I get.

Word of advice: If you don’t like being approached by strangers, you might want to think about getting a different pair of shoes.

The Cons

Now it’s time to look at the cons of the Vibram Five Fingers:

Cold Weather

So far, the biggest drawback to the shoes is that they are uncomfortable to wear if the weather is cold. My feet freeze if the temperature gets below 50 degrees. I especially noticed this in Austin when the temperatures were in the 30’s and 40’s. Even in Florida the last few days it’s been too cold for me to wear them outside.

However, there are a few different models available that work much better in cold weather. I happen to have the sprint model, which doesn’t cover much of your foot. If you do want some for cold weather, check out the KSO Trek model.

Putting Them On

Other than being cold, the only other con to wearing these shoes is they can sometimes be a tad tough to get on. They take a few seconds to get situated correctly on your foot, especially if you are just getting used to them.

I especially notice this whenever I’m feeling lazy and need to run outside to the car to grab something. I end up throwing on my slippers since they take far less time.

I Still Recommend Them

Other than the two small things I pointed out, I have absolutely no complains about the shoes. After wearing them consistently for four months, I still highly recommend them to anyone looking for some new shoes.

Best of all, they sell fairly well on eBay and Craigslist. So if you buy a pair and end up not liking them, you can always sell them off and get most of your money back.

Have a pair of Vibram Five Fingers? I’d love to hear how you feel about them.

Photo Credit: TheNickster | CC

An Experiment in Sleep deprivation

Justin Wright — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:05:44 +0000

Want to catch up on work? I think I’ve found the solution. Don’t sleep. Ever.

Just kidding, that’s a horrible idea. However, I did stay up for over 35 hours straight over the last two days and managed to get a TON done. Not only did I build two websites from scratch, but I also managed to do some design modifications to a bunch of my websites and blogs. If you’ve been there before, you’ve probably noticed the changes I made to this one. Anyways, I wanted to write a little bit about what it was like staying up so long.

The First Question Is Why?

No I’m not psychic, but I do know that most of you are wondering why someone would go without sleep. Was it work? Sleep? Combination of the two? Well it’s true that I’ve been working a lot lately and have a lot of projects to get done. However, this was not the only reason why I went so long without sleep.

The main reason why I went so long without sleep is because I completely forgot to go to sleep. It’s that simple. I sat down to work and the next thing I knew it was the next day. Which leads us to the next section…

The Concept of Time

(Photo credit: Brandie!)

Believe it or not, ever since I started working for myself I have completely forgotten about the concept of time. Huh? In other words, I’ve stopped following any sort of schedule. I wake up when I wake up and go to sleep when I’m tired. I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be but who knows.

Anyways, this is the main reason why I went so long without sleep. I got in a groove of working and didn’t feel tired so I chose not to sleep.

It’s amazing how easy it is to lose track of time when you work a lot it’s not that relevant. One of my good friends who runs a business could not have summed it any better than this:

Time is just kind of a fuzzy concept right now.

If you couldn’t tell, he’s also someone who likes what he does and spends a lot of time working.

When it comes to a normal day, I would guess that I glance at a clock only once or twice. And that’s only when I know I have to do something. I’ve gone days where I didn’t even look at a clock, let alone a calendar. Heck, even months don’t mean much unless you live somewhere where it’s going to get cold. Thank goodness for Texas weather.

The concept of time becomes even more weird when you go so long without sleep. It felt like a week went by when in reality only 35 hours passed. The sun literally went down, came back up, and then went back down again. Crazy.

The Side Effects

I did a lot of reading this morning on sleep deprivation. I know it’s by no means healthy, which is why I would never recommend it. However, I feel that if you naturally stay up and don’t feel tired then there’s no reason to force yourself to sleep. I eventually crashed and slept like a baby anyway.

Here’s some interesting information from Wikipedia:

According to a 2000 study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers in Australia and New Zealand reported that sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as being drunk.^[20] People who drove after being awake for 17–19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol level of .05 percent, which is the legal limit for drunk driving in most western European countries (Canada, the U.S. and U.K. set their blood alcohol limits at .08 percent).

It’s interesting to read that considering I felt anything but drunk. I got a ton of work done, though it might have to do with the fact I didn’t try anything difficult like physical activity or driving. As far as brain function goes, I felt as normal as ever. I actually feel less productive immediately after waking up for some reason. Probably because I’m a night owl.

The After Effects

Like mentioned above, I ended up crashing last night and slept for 9 and a half hours. So how did I feel upon waking? Tired as hell that’s for sure. Had I not had a meeting, I would probably of slept for 2 or 3 more hours (possibly more). So I can guess it’s safe to say that you won’t feel that great after sleeping off a long night. 1 point for sleep.

Will I Do It Again?

Not on purpose. I’ll probably never try and stay up strictly to beat my hours awake record. I wouldn’t even use a bunch of caffeine to stay up, since I know that can cause all sorts of issues. I did that back in middle school but we’re grownups now.

Either way, I definitely recommend living on your own schedule if it’s feasible. It’s so great to be free of alarm clocks!

Vibram Five Fingers: Not Your Average Shoe

Justin Wright — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:40:29 +0000

What in the hell are those? That’s what most people seem to think (and say) when they see the Vibram Five Fingers. So I decided it was time to grab a pair and see what they are all about. As it turns out, they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn in my entire life.

Quick Introduction

If you’ve never seen these before, they are a unique shoe made by Vibram. Vibram is most known for making the soles of popular hiking shoes. The reason they are so unique is because they feature five toe sections and fit much like a glove.

Here’s a quick video I put together about the shoes:

As you can see, they are MUCH different than typical shoes.

First Impression

About 6 months ago I first saw these shoes on a few websites. I immediately thought they looked cool but never really thought much about them. I think I was scared off by the $85 price tag.

However, I’ve come to learn that paying a decent amount for shoes is WELL worth it. Life basically sucks when you don’t have comfortable shoes to wear around. Just think of that one beach vacation you took where to took some brand new flip flops, only to be left with blisters on your feet from walking so much. Exactly.

Anyways, when I first saw these shoes at the store, I was pretty impressed with the build. They are super lightweight but still feel like they are well made. The material they are made out of sort of reminds me of a pair of cycling shorts I own (yes, the funny looking ones with a butt pad in them).

They do offer a few models, some feature a velcro strap while others do not. I went with the sprint model since the velcro strap comes in handy if you run a lot.

Here’s a few photos of the shoes, including one of me wearing them:

As you can see, they fit like a glove. Which is great because after awhile you forget you’re even wearing them. It’s hard to say that about a pair of uncomfortable shoes.

One Week Later

It’s been a week now since I bought a pair and I’ve been wearing them every single day. I’ve literally worn them for at least 4 hours a day. The first two days I wore them the entire time I was awake to try and get used to them.

Besides wearing them to the grocery store, I’ve also used them to play tennis, hike, play football, and walk around town. I can honestly they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. They really do remind me of being barefoot as a kid, but without any of the cuts or scrapes.

It’s amazing how much different the ground feels when you are wearing these. You really notice the terrain more. When I’m walking on grass, it feels like I’m walking on grass. The same goes for dirt, concrete, and so on. It seems to bring you closer to nature, which is an amazing feeling.

I plan on wearing these as my every day shoes due to how comfortable they are. I’m now used to getting a few weird looks and an occasional question from a stranger so I’m no longer worried about that.

Health Benefits

Besides being comfortable, the Vibram Five Fingers are also good for your health. I’ve read time and time again that your feet tend to morph into the shape of your shoes. This is bad for a few reasons, mainly because it changes the way you stand (and walk).

The best option is to go barefoot. Unfortunately, it’s hard when you live in a city full of concrete, glass, and a whole bunch of other random stuff laying on the ground. These shoes are a great alternative.

Awesome Shoes

Overall, these shoes are a great investment. Especially if you do a lot of outdoor activities like walking, running, or hiking. I’m going to continue to wear these every day and see what happens over the long term.

I’ll be putting together a followup post a month or so from now to summarize how they shoes are doing (you can view it here). If you’re interested in these shoes, you can learn more about them on the Vibram Five Fingers website.

P90X: Phase 1 Completed

Justin Wright — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:53:32 +0000

A little over 4 weeks ago, I wrote a post about starting P90X. It’s an intense workout program that last 90 days and is made up of 3 separate phases. I also did a recap of week 1 and summarized the workouts and how hard they were at first.

Yesterday was officially the last day of phase 4 for me. I ended up being a few days late due to the move to Austin but I still made it. And I can honestly say I feel in great shape. The 3 weeks of workouts followed by the recovery week were intense and kicked my ass far more than anything else I’ve ever done. It’s crazy how much of a workout you can get in your living room.

Phase 1 Stats

If you missed my first post, here are my stats prior to starting the program on 5/18/09:

Weight: 173.8 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 15.0%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 84 cm

And here is where I am today (6/16/09) :

Weight: 173 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 13.1%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 81 cm

The bold stats are the ones that I think made the biggest difference. I lost some bodyfat and waist size while staying pretty close to the same weight I was before.

Phase 1 Pictures

As promised, I also wanted to show the before and after pictures so you can get an idea of what to expect after doing the program for 4 weeks. Keep in mind, this is NOT a beauty pageant so I did not bring my A game in the appearance category…

The left pictures are from before starting P90X and the right pictures were taken this morning:

I Feel Great So Far

So far, I feel really good where I am at. I feel like I am in much better shape than I was before, especially on the cardiovascular side. The crazy thing is I used to workout before the program as well, but it just proves I was not going as hard as I should have been. I never felt the way I do after the P90X workouts. Sore, sweaty, and on the verge of tipping over.

The good news is I made it through the first phase of the program and now have 28 days of the program under my belt. The bad news is I still have two more phases I need to survive before I am finally finished.

So wish me luck on my journey and I plan on posting a recap of week 5 since the workouts are a little bit different than the first round. I will also put up new pictures once I get to the end of phase 2.

P90X: Week 1 Recap

Justin Wright — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:05:07 +0000

My first week of the P90X program is officially in the books. I can honestly say it was one of the most intense weeks of workouts I have done in my life. It sort of reminded me of football practice back in high school. My entire body felt sore at some point throughout the week. I had sore muscles that I didn’t even know I had.

For all those who are thinking about doing this program, I highly recommend it. Here is a breakdown of the first seven days and what you can expect from the program. I also included the soreness level for the day after on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the most sore.

Day 1: Chest & Back

The P90X program starts out with a bang. The chest and back workout forces you to do a bunch of push-ups and pull-ups with a ton of variations. I barely made it through the workout and felt super pumped up (and exhausted) by the time it was done. I was sweating more than I have in the last 6 months of workouts combined.

My first thought was I hope everyday isn’t like this…

Soreness the day after: 6/10

Day 2: Plyometrics

Just when I thought the first day had to be the hardest, this workout comes up. The plyometrics DVD basically has you jump for 60 minutes straight. I was sweating twice as much as the first day and could barely stand up when I finally finished.

The next morning, I could barely get out of bed. My quads were on fire along with my hamstrings, calves, and every other part of my body.

Soreness the day after: 10/10

Day 3: Shoulders & Arms

The shoulders and arms workout was the first one that I didn’t feel completely exhausted at the end. It goes through and has you do a bunch of different shoulder and arm exercises using dumbbells (or bands). However, it was much more intense than the old shoulder routine I was doing in the gym. I really enjoyed this DVD and all the different exercises involved in it.

Soreness the day after: 3/10

Day 4: Yoga

As soon as I saw yoga on the agenda, I figured day 4 would be an easy off day to stretch and get ready for the rest of the week. Wow was I wrong! Instead, I got my ass kicked for an hour and a half and could barely move. This is some pretty intense yoga that really pushes your body’s limits. I was not only sweating, but struggling to do some of the moves included in the DVD.

The day after yoga, I was once again sore all over my entire body. However, I did realize that yoga is a great thing to do and highly recommend not skipping this DVD if you do the program. I have a feeling I will get better at it as I do the DVD more and more.

Soreness the day after: 8/10

Day 5: Legs & Back

I was a little worried about the legs and back DVD, mostly because my body was sore from doing yoga the day before. Luckily, this DVD was not too bad. It involves a lot of lunges and squats but it actually made my legs feel better after I finished. A lot of the exercises can be done with body weight only, while a few require dumbbells or bands.

Soreness the day after: 5/10

Day 6: Kempo

This DVD was the only one that I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew kempo was some sort of kicking or karate but had no idea what it involved. As it turns out, it’s a bunch of different kicks, blocks. and punches. More or less, it is a great cardio workout. I was sweating buckets from this workout as well, even though I didn’t feel like I was working that hard. Some of the moves are actually fun, which takes your mind off the fact that you are exercising.

What I did not expect was my calves being dead the next morning…

Soreness the day after: 8/10

Day 7: Stretch/Rest

Finally…a day to rest and let my body rebuild itself. The program gives you the option of taking the whole day off or doing the Stretch X DVD. I chose to do the DVD since I figured it would help me loosen up and relax a little bit. It’s still a 50 minute workout but all it focuses on is stretching. I felt pretty good after doing it and am pretty sure I’ll be ready to roll for tomorrow’s chest and back workout.

Soreness the day after: 0/10

Looking Ahead

Over the next two weeks, I will continue the exact same schedule above. Once those two weeks are complete, I will have a recovery week which consists of yoga, cardio, and stretching. After the recovery week is over I will be done with Phase 1 of the P90X program. From there, I will have 2 more phases to complete before I am done with the whole thing.

I’m feeling really good so far. Besides kicking my own ass, I am also eating as healthy as I ever have. I already feel leaner and stronger which is always a good thing after one week of something. In the upcoming weeks, I will do another recap and will post my photos after I am done with Phase 1.

***
Update: I managed to finish Phase 1, which you can read about here.

Starting P90X Today

Justin Wright — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:49:15 +0000

Two months ago I wrote a post about packing on a few pounds and said I would share my results. Well I managed to gain about 6 pounds and increased my lifts in every single exercise which is always good. An example is the machine bench press, which I did 5 reps of 135 on Day 1. The other day, I pumped out 10 reps of 175. Big difference!

Now that I am moving and will no longer have a gym, I have decided to start the P90X program today. If you have never heard of it, you can check out the website here. Basically, it’s a 90 day fitness program that has helped tons of people transform themselves. The program includes 12 workout DVD’s along with a meal plan to go along with the program. Best part of all, it can be done at home with only a few pieces of equipment (dumbbells, chin-up bar, push-up handles, etc.)

If all goes as planned, I will have my last day on August 15th. I will be posting my pictures and progress after each phase of the workout (3 phases total), along with my before pictures below.

Before Stats

Here is a breakdown of my stats prior to starting the program:

Weight: 173.8 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 15.0%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 84 cm

Before Pictures

The first phase is 4 weeks along, so I will post some new pictures along with my stats when I get to the end of it. I also plan on putting up weekly recaps just to keep track of where I am and how it is going.

Wish Me Luck!