2017 Quick Update

Hey everyone, I haven’t posted here for over a year. I have been more active over at NewEthic.net which is the vegan gym in Oakland Holly and myself run. I just wanted to let people know I am signed on to compete with PlantBuilt 2017 and I am Olympic Weightlifting this time around. I am aiming for a 225 lb snatch and a 275 lb clean and jerk all on a natural, drug-free, vegan diet of course. I haven’t disappeared, I just have been under the radar for the last few years. I lost my dad to a heart attack the end of 2014 and that pushed me back pretty hard. I plan to make some noise in 2017! Thanks again everyone for following. Time seems to be flying by sometimes, and it’s good to reconnect with those around you.

Gym Name is now NewEthic!

Hey guys, I will still post on this site for my personal workouts and progress, but go to newethic.net for updates on our Oakland Based Vegan Gym that I own with my partner Holly. Be sure to follow over there to stay tuned for updates, nutrition tips, and new challenges. Thanks and keep pushing forward.

Ed-Bodybuilder44-web

Quick Update

Hey guys, sorry I ‘ve been MIA for a while. The 30 day challenge went good! I never retested my lifts but I did enjoy the challenge of going no soy and no wheat for that time. I did go back to having those foods in my diet though. Convenience is the biggest reason, and I do enjoy the taste of things like Tofurky, Field Roast, and Gardein products. Anyway, moving on.

I officially left Portland, Oregon after 5 years! The cloudy wet weather finally was enough. I moved down to (near) Berkeley, California! I found an apartment in North Oakland and now coach and do personal training at GrassRoots CrossFit in Berkeley. I officially sold my gym in Portland. It is still vegan owned and will be getting a name change very soon. PlantFit Training Studio simply morphed into PlantFit Strength & Conditioning, which will be my fitness business (CrossFit Classes, BootCamps around the bay area, personal training, and nutritional counseling). My website is now http://www.plantfitstrength.com I will be doing most of my updates and posting over there, so please follow along if you follow me here. Thanks guys. I look forward to breaking more stereotypes of what vegans can and can’t do as well as meeting more of you in this plant-based community. Keep rockin it!

405 DL PromoA quick 405 deadlift for a photo op.

Day 28 Update of the 30 Day Whole Food Challenge

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know how things are going so far. Originally I wanted to see how much mass I could put on while keeping my body fat down. In maintaining my second focus, it has prevented me from eating enough calories to put on more muscle during the 30 day run. I have been able to keep fat off though. I got measured on Thursday, August 29th and I was sitting at 4.94% Body Fat, 173.80 total lbs, 165.21 lean body mass, and 8.59 lbs of fat. On August 5th when I started, I was 174 lbs at 5.69% body fat. So I am keeping that tight, but also my strength is going up consistently. I will retest my snatch and clean the next few days. Here is a pic of me from Sunday:

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Only a few more days left, of completely soy free, gluten free, sugar free, and attempting to keep completely extracted oil free. It is a tricky one if you go out to eat at all. What do you think should be my first gluten or soy food back?

Day 4 Food Journal PBWF (Plant Based Whole Food)

Hey guys, I wanted to let you know how the 30 Day Whole Food Challenge is going so far and what I’ve been eating. My energy is good and I have been enjoying the minor challenge of not reaching for Tofurky Hickory Smoked Deli Slices. I typically eat a pack of that a day because it is so easy to open a pack, dip it in hummus and go. So anyway, I have to plan a little more to get a decent protein source without too excessive of carbs. The Trader Joes pack of steamed lentils is my go-to now. They taste fine right out of the pack, and are a great source of protein. One package is 5 servings, 45 total grams of protein, as well as 100% of the recommended iron intake. I slept in this morning, so first meal was a little late. Here we go:

11:30am – A big oatmeal bowl consisting of 1 cup dry oatmeal, 2 tbsp dried coconut, one banana, 3 tbsp homemade strawberry chia jam, 1/4 cup pecans, and cinnamon. Then I had one serving of PlantFusion protein mixed in water. I also had green tea shortly after.

2-3:15pm – Chest and Back Workout (non Outlaw Way programming)

3:30 – Shake consisting of a can of white beans, one banana, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, and 1/2 cup strawberries

3:45 – Homemade Chickpea and Fava Bean bread (socca) with peanut butter and strawberry chia jam
pb&j

4:30 – I was craving something chocolate and sweet so I made chocolate milk with homemade almond milk (unstrained, to keep more protein and fiber), cocoa powder, one date, a pinch of real vanilla bean, and one banana.
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5pm – French lentils, 1/2 cup sweet potato, green beans, and cashew cream sauce
Then I had three strawberries after.

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6pm – I had a little more of the same lentil, sweet potato, green bean, and cashew cream sauce dish.

9pm – Persian cucumbers, carrots, and tahini dip

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10pm – lentil walnut tacos with red pepper, avocado, and salsa on romaine leaves

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11pm – 8 oz almond milk and one serving of PlantFusion’s Phood

IMG_4908 This picture was taken yesterday, as a midday snack.

12pm – I had more of the lentil walnut mix and a few handfuls of Trader Joe’s Power Greens Mix. I love this stuff!
photo

Stay tuned for more updates soon. I need to re-test my 1 rep max for dead lifts real soon. My most ever was 410 lbs. Let’s see if I can pull that again or more!