Man, we truly live - and LEARN - dont we!
I certainly do, have been all my life, still do even in areas where people rightly call me an "expert".
Like pull-ups, for instance, last night I popped off a set of one arm pull-ups which amazed even me - I haven't done these in a while!
Then again, with my monkey bar work etc being as "pristine" as it was months back when I last did it - oh, and I seem to have been finally upgraded to the data plan I wanted which ran out on Thursday - so expect a lot more videos, heat notwithstanding, hehe outdoors ... and thick bar work etc, it just goes to show you, pushups and squats - and pull-ups at HOME - do a fine job of keeping you in shape and you literally need nothing else at all.
Cut out the beer, the carbs, eat well - and healthy - and thats all you really need.
Growing up, a lot of fuss was made over eating with things like "butter", or - especially - clarified butter, which gets a bad rap in India, if just because of the less than sleek physiques a lot of the Indian wrestlers present.
Admittedly the traditional "pehelwans" that consume liters upon liters of this magnificent potion I learned about way too late in life - better late than never though - dont exactly have corrugated core.
The Olympic wrestlers in India, now them men and women - man, they're in shape !!
But they're both in shape - the traditional wrestlers aren't "fat" in the traditional sense of the word. Much like sumos are amazingly healthy "inside" - and need that fat to knock opponents off base, a little weight helps these Indian -and Iranian wrestlers as well.
Thats not to say a corrugated core is not required.
It is.
And later on in life, a lot of these same wrasslers suffer from debilitating injuries etc that stay away till they keep training hard and intense, but with that excess weight, it "tells" on you down the line. Ask any pehelwan that, they'll tell you the importance of core conditioning - even the modern day "traditional" Indian wrestlers are no longer what you might expect "core wise".
Anyway - growing up "ghee" was a no no. Thick flatbread like parathas smothered in the stuff was a no- no.
When I got married (ugh) I remember mom cattily telling me "she cooks way better parathas than me, shes from North India!"
(Mom's from the East).
Whatever. I love good food everywhere!
But anyway, I often saw these wrasslers, and indeed, to this date they do it (see the movie "Milka Singh" - heh) literally DRINKING vats of clarified butter - and milk - and I often went "ewwww".
People told me it would add the calories on.
Well my friend, like so much of the bullshit the so called experts spread, they were WRONG.
Even women aren't always right - such as my ex - who kept telling me "dont cook with anything other than olive oil in the oven".
HA!
I've been cooking with layers upon layers of clarified butter as of late when roasting stuff - medley of vegetables, or whatever I roast, and man, the way it sizzles, and the RESIDUE it leaves on the bottom of the pan - I was literally drinking it up last night.
Fills you up.
Gives you energy.
And it's HEALTHY, unlike the "yellow butter" most people seem to prefer.
If you cannot find that around you, try cottage cheese. Or, "white" butter.
But really clarified butter is highly underrated, and as the old time Indian wrestlers used to do - YOU can take you a mortar and pestle and hammer in some cashewnuts, almonds etc into ghee and make a delicious healthy paste which you can store - eat - and build plenty of muscle on a diet like that.
Lots of folks think "grilled meats" are the only way to get your protein.
No.
Those are great yes. I plan on showing you a lot with meat down the line, but ... in the meantime?
Peas.
Mushrooms.
All of these are GREAT my friend, and cooked in enough quantity in the oven or however you choose - I've literally not (other than two cheat days this month - one was a pasta lunch, the other sphagetti - well, three cheat days) - had a single bit of "grain" (ok, the last thing was half a pack of white bread which messed me up for two days, and I swore off it instantly).
I had meat at the start of the month.
But I'm here to tell you something most people will ignore as usual - one, reducing carb intake or eliminating almost entirely is key to losing weight right.
Two, the SPLITS. Get good at them, damn good at 'em. Stretch out the hamstrings, stretch the entire body, the insides, all of it ...
And three - well, embrace the difference. The non "normal" often works the best my friend, and here's living proof of it - yours truly.
Thats that.
Remember to place the -pre-order for Lumberjack Lodestone Fitness while it's still at the price it is...
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee