Alpha personal trainer devulges secrets of fast results

I can't seem to get enough online videos. I find television, and even cable, so 20th century. Even mainstream documentaries, such as Michael Moore's recent: Capitalism, A Love Story leave me yawning. Moore thought he was so smart, and he is funny and smart. But frankly, Michael, no offense, you're not at the cutting edge as all that. You may never have been; people just thought you were, because they (or should I say: I) weren't aware of the real cutting edge. The real cutting edge is online, just like everything else. I'm no different from anyone else, or am I? Anyway, I go by the words: "Tell me something I don't know." And if you hang out on YouTube or Google video, and you know how to search, you can find yourself at that cutting edge, hearing, alas, something you didn't know. Ahhh. That feels good. At present, this be where I dwell online in videoland. My favorite searches? Here are my currents I do at YouTube.com and http://video.google.com:

• talkingsticktv
• author@google
• CSPAN book tv

So far, these have held me. I'm sure there are tons more. By the way: Go to: http://www.vivavegie.org/vid/ for a lovely links page of my favorites. It's quite a compilation, if I say so myself. In any case, above search terms are where I hear from today's authors, the people who, god bless 'em, obsess on a subject so as to maroon themselves in front of a keyboard (so I don't have to) long enough to tell you page-upon-page of truths you never knew before. And in these videos they often give listeners a so-thorough rundown of their book you may not have to read it. The audio Cliff Notes of author-ity. I'm a junkie for new truths, thank you authors & writers; I'm funny that way. Funny, yes, because I notice that my fellow man too often tends to prefer avoidance of said truth, y'savvy? Truth in the offing: painful or liberating? Ah, knowledge is power; but knowledge is searingly depressing sometimes. Next thing... Anyway, let me get to the point of this, my morning's digital soliloquy: Steve Zim, pictured above with link. He spoke to Google in it's Santa Monica offices on fitness training, which is a subject of interest here at the Spartanista Vegan blog. What he imparts is not searingly depressing, truth or not; his knowledge is power, in more ways than one. Personal-trainer-to-the-stars Mr. Zim (some name!) is a friggin' meat eater. I assume as much, since he freely and thoughtlessly prescribes meat-filled diets to his charges. So it's hard for me to take everything he says as gospel... Still, there may be things to learn from him. Click on the link above to learn such things as:

• when to eat
• when to eat protein
• how long the stomach should rest before exercise
• how to implement optimal gains from aerobic and anaerobic exercise
• and, most importantly, how to pump iron with low weight but maximum effect

This last thing on the list is where Zim wants you to know he shines. He's taken it upon himself to measure blood flow in muscles after various iron-pumping exercises. Ever notice how each machine at the gym illustrates where working it affects what part of the body? Apparently, the pictures are all off. Fancy that! So, using data from an infrared device, Zim re-concocted a huge host of exercises that truly target specific muscles for apparently super efficient training. And the new exercises employ low weight. Nice. I fell for it. I've just ordered his latest book. Search amazon.com: Steve Zim. So, I'm going to try it... And I'm going to do all the other things he suggests, too: Most importantly, I'm going to eat pure protein, vegan, of course (hemp, pea powder, rice protein), first thing in the morning, not eggs or whey powder as Zim might suggest. I'll keep folks posted.

Hudson River Park: Zen environment of choice

I love Hudson River Park. Do you know it? It's New York City's little secret. It's the Big Apple place to go away from cityness. It's a place to go if you seek a horizontal refuge from Manhattan's vertical forest.

I discovered it only a couple of years ago, but knowing of it improved my life ten-fold in an instant.

I live on Mulberry Street, roughly where Houston Street bisects Manhattan Island. It's nothing for me—an almost daily bicycle commuter—to get over to this park, which runs just about the full extent of Manhattan Island along the eastern side of the Hudson River.

At about Christopher Street, there's a long pier (PIER 45) that has been brilliantly landscaped. Serene, uncluttered, soft, quiet; these are the words that describe this pier. I call it my pier. It's my place to re-group.

Often, I just go over there to put myself in a different state of mind away from the pressures of my life. I can focus and plan and sort and think creatively. I usually have my Olympus voice recorder with me, so I can, if I choose, to make a diary entry/sound file. More than a few times much of my sound file ends up being a soliloquy on the beautiful expansive view before me. It's so inspiring.

I particularly like going to this pier when there are only a few people on it: This means going either very early in the morning or during inclement weather. I remember more than once being out in the rain or snow or cold and having the entire pier to myself.

For someone who has lived in big cities for nearly 35 years, I suppose it is somewhat of a confession when I say that I like to get away from it all at times. Suburbanites who hear me complain about the noise and congestion of city life just look at me and say, So, why do you live in the city if these things bother you? Unfair, I say.

Anyway, I write about Hudson River Park—and Pier 45 in particular—in this blog because I believe it is a perfect place for Spartanista Vegans to meet.

Today's rollerblading workout on the Hudson River Park bikeway....

Now, I like to consider myself a supremo Spartanista Vegan—prepared for any adversity that comes my way. But today I was just a wuss all around. I hate myself.... I got a blister (the wrong socks) and so I cut my scheduled Endomondo workout (http://www.endomondo.com/event/kzHazPCJOU0) short. I wanted to go at least 8 miles today, but I just barely cleared four (http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/2657389). I also fell and scraped by knee, which was more discouraging than it should have been. And when I got home, I felt so exhausted I crashed for the rest of the afternoon. Lastly, the fact that my rollerblades are in sore need of maintenance seemed to make a lot more difference than before...

Everything, in other words, was going against me for this workout. The only thing that keeps me from browbeating myself to a pulp is the knowledge that I rollerbladed over 10 miles without trouble just two weeks ago. Why was this workout such a bomb and the one earlier a success?

Answer: I think it was all about the weather (and the socks) this time. For today's workout, the weather was gorgeous, so, there were many more people out and in my way than to my liking. The excess humans—lots of weekend warriors who don't know the rules of the road on the Hudson River Park bikeway—proved especially frustrating...

Two weeks ago, the weather was generally inclement—hot, humid, & rainy. Not that many people wanted to deal with it, so I had the bike path to myself to a great extent... as I like it.
All together, today's rollerblade workout was a thoroughly unsuccessful outing.

Lesson learned; next rollerblading workout will be perfect again.

Sun., Sept. 5: New Endomondo event

All info at:

http://www.endomondo.com/event/kzHazPCJOU0

Rollerblade, roller skate, or skateboard with us along Hudson River Park bike-way/skate-way (Manhattan, New York City)

We will be on bicycle/skating designated concrete trails the whole time.

We will stop upon consensus as many times at we like.

DATE: Sunday, September 5, 2010.

START TIME: 11 a.m.

END TIME: 2:00 p.m.

Start: Pier 45 at Christopher Street, Manhattan, New York City

ROUTE: Head downtown to approximately Chambers Street, then back up to 59th Street, then back down to Christopher Street.

Call to join/rejoin the group if you get separated from us: 212-966-2060, cell.

See you there!

... Pamela R.

Sun., Aug. 22: Rollerblading or skating or skateboarding

ALL INFO AT:
http://www.endomondo.com/event?e=tJj1VGT61Rw

Rollerblade, roller skate, or skateboard with us along Hudson River Park bike-way/skate-way (Manhattan, New York City)

We will be on bicycle/skating designated concrete trails the whole time.

We will stop upon consensus as many times at we like.

DATE: Sunday, August 22, 2010.

START TIME: 11 a.m.

END TIME: 3:00 p.m.

Start: Pier 45 at Christopher Street, Manhattan, New York City

ROUTE: Head uptown to 120th Street and then back down to Pier 45. If we have not gotten enough by then, we can go down to Battery Park City and back.

Call to join/rejoin the group if you get separated from us: 212-966-2060, cell.

I did much of this route about a while ago. With my GPS-enabled smart phone, I tracked my ride with Endomondo, and I listened to a fascinating YouTube interview at the same time. If you can do it, at least track with Endomondo. It's fun to hear the voice come in to tell you how far you've gone so far, how long the ride is estimated to take, given your mileage goal, and what your lap time average is. Lap time, I assume is the time it takes you to ride a mile.

See you there!

... Pamela R.

Sun., Aug. 15, 2010: Eleven-mile bike ride along Hudson River Parkway (bikeway)

My hope is to connect with other Spartanista Vegans in a spirit of self improvement.

In my personal life, I try to schedule time for regeneration. Nearly always, those times take place at Hudson River Park, witch includes a bike trail all along the Hudson. Discovering this place was a great day in my life. I even marked the day with an exuberant entry to my voice-recorder diary I keep (more on that later).

I love to hang out at Pier 45. Lately, I've discovered bike paths (concrete) higher up on the island's (Manhatan's) west-side bikeway.

Two hi-tech gadgets/programs have come into my life recently: One, a Blackberry smart phone; Two, Endomondo.com. The first allows me to listen to TalkingStickTV.com on YouTube while I'm out at about (riding my bike). The second allows me to plot my bike rides and even schedule events with which others can join me.

I just scheduled my first event at:
http://www.endomondo.com/event?e=tfn32ZXRyNQ

TITLE:
Cycling along Hudson River Park—Aug 15, 2010 | 11:00 AM | 11.61 miles

DESCRIPTION:
Easy biking along Hudson River Park, from the Staten Island Ferry to George Washington Bridge.

We will be on bicycle-designated concrete trails practically the whole time.

We will stop upon consensus as many times at we like.

DATE: Sunday, August 15, 2010.

START TIME: 11 a.m.

END TIME: 5:00 p.m.

MEET AT: Staten Island Ferry entrance, Lower Manhattan

Call join/rejoin the group if you get separated from us: 212-966-2060, cell.

I did much of this route on Monday evening (Aug. 9, 2010). I tracked my ride with Endomondo, and I listened to a fascinating YouTube interview at the same time. If you can do it, at least track your ride with Endomondo. You'll need a smart phone (w/GPS) for that... It's fun to hear the voice come in to tell you (1) how far you've gone so far, (2) how long the ride is estimated to take (given your mileage goal), and (3) what your lap time average is. (Lap time, I assume is the time it takes you to ride a mile.)

... Pamela R.

Down with addictions

What is an addiction? Gabor Mate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-APGWvYupU) defines addiction as something that causes a person harm for which that person has a compulsion to continue doing even though he or she knows it causes harm. A victim of an addition has almost no control over it and usually needs help from an outside source to overcome it. Mate says it is something that gives a person temporary solace or alleviates stress. People have propensities for addictions, Mate notes, to varying degrees. These propensities get their impetus from abuse and insecurities experienced early in life. It's been proven that those who are victims of sexual, mental, or violent abuse in infancy and/or childhood are the most at risk of addictions later in life. But many people who who never experience these more blatant assaults, can still have propensities for addictions. Gabor Mate attributes these to the very makeup of modern society. He blames the nuclear family that is incapable of giving us, one and all, adequately nurturing environments in which to grow. Children need elders in their midst, many elders. Young persons need constant direction, sanctions, admonishment, interaction and intervention from adults. A two-parent household doesn't cut it; it isn't enough of what a child needs, Mate posits. Today, children are more likely to be motivated by the immature pressures from peers, sending the general message all around of insecurity and stress—again, a non-nurturing environment to be raise within.

I am paraphrasing and generalizing. I suggest people read Gabor Mate's books, which can easily be found with a Google search.

Everyone needs to ferret out their addictions. Even a person raised under the best of circumstances (or seemingly so) where abuse was absent; addictions can result.

Ultimately, once we start understanding the causes of our addictions, we can perhaps circumvent them. We are, each of us, the masters of our own fate.

Start with a plan: First, admit to your addictions, then connect to other fellow Spartanista Vegans, then go for the hard work. We have a goal here. We have a cause. We have motivation. It's a start.

Our higher power is a great cause, that is, to take down the forces that are wrecking our world.

Let's get started.

Step #1: List your cravings & addictions

People who want to make money, love addicted and/or obsessed customers. McDonald's calls them "heavy users." Do a Google search on the words: "temptation in every bite," and you will see, for example, that Garden of Eden, the NYC "gourmet" grocery store, has legally designated the phrase a registered trademark. Other corporations use similar phrases to assuage your guilt, meanwhile padding their coffers.

But, just imagine: having a life free from such manipulating forces. This is what a Spartanista Vegan seeks. We are vegans so we've already taken a huge step toward personal liberty. We've pealed away quite a few layers of the onion by now; we've decided, we can think for ourselves! We're willing to believe—and most people are in denial about this—that someone or something out there is trying to feed us a pack of lies, and we're not going to buy it.

Indeed, we've given up meat. But many of us are still encumbered with the self-inflicted wounds of cravings and addictions, which drag us down, way down.

We are here together to support one another, so we can cast off those demons. Ultimately, we seek a Zen state of un-need. And here at the Spartanista Vegans blog we are ultimately here to come together, one by one, to achieve that goal.

For starters, each of us needs to ask: what are our encumbrances? They may have been fostered by corporate (commercial) forces, but in the end it is up to each one of us to shed the power of those forces. For each Spartanista Vegan the answer is different. Are bready, fatty, salty, sugary, savory, caffeinated drinks and foods a problem? Are we in love with our collections (books, shoes, beer glasses)? Do we gain comfort from our archives (papers, CDs, greeting cards)? Are we literally dependent on addictive drink, drugs, sex, or gambling? What about the guy who was addicted to Red Cross rescue missions. He volunteered regularly to be flown from one to the next, essentially completely abandoning his family responsibilities. Some obsessions appear to be good ones but are just manifestations of a workaholic. In any case all addictions, cravings, and obsessions are "crutches" that harmful though they may give us momentary comfort. But each drags us down and keeps us from the job at hand: to discover a new strategy for transforming ourselves so we can transform the world for the better.

Let me say it again: the people who want to take us for all we've got love us to have us debilitated by our cravings and addictions.

Intellectually, each of us knows what is most important. A clear mind and a healthy body. So, first things first. Clean up your own mess (your cluttered, flabby, undisciplined self) before telling the world what it needs to do.

Assignment: Each Spartanista Vegan must today make a list of what he or she must do to free up. What are your addictions? Oh, yes, be honest. The first step is acknowledgment.

Spartanista Vegans: Simplicity, then strength, then power, then control.

The best resource, so far: TalkingStickTV.org

Our Spartanista Vegans blog is here to inspire. It is here to offer a framework, a plan, a campaign. But before we get to that, we need to spell out our goals. This blog will do that in great detail in posts to come. For now, and in fact in the spirit of simplicity—a virtue for which we hold in highest regard—we offer one single Web address. It will forever be a guiding light:

Talking Stick TV

We hope to add other Web sites to our list to spur us to transformation. For now, this one acts as the most complete. Talking Stick TV best describes the most important issues of our day, brought to us by a vast array of primary-source reporters and actvists. The Web site is massive collection of YouTube videos of people giving lectures and interviews from a boots-on-the ground perspective. The owner of Spartanista Vegans (blog), Pamela Rice, considers Talking Stick TV to be the most comprehensive Web site on the Internet. It is comprehensive in its scope: that is, types of issues. And it is comprehensive in presentation: each linked video is at least a half-hour long, giving the presenter more than half a chance to properly give his or her point of view.

There are over 500 YouTube videos in the Talking Stick TV collection, and Pamela Rice has watched nearly all of them! And because of this effort, Pamela is fond of saying that she possesses the equivalent of a Ph.D. in political science. Pamela could have gone to college for for a "real" Ph.D. But, without augmenting that tour of study with sojourns to the Talking Stick TV Web site, she would contend, she probably would not be as smart—or smart at all.

So, Spartanista Vegans blog subscribers: Share Pamela's passion for Talking Stick TV. Go there. And bathe yourself in knowledge and understanding. Follow Pamela's lead: deeply familiarize yourself with Talking Stick TV. If you retain any addiction at all (and we don't like addictions here at the Spartanista Vegans blog), regularly visit and view the videos at the Talking Stick TV Web site.

Spartanisa Vegans launches

Who out there is deeply saddened by the greed and injustice all around us? Who out there laments the rape of our natural world? Who out there abhors the chronic cruelty perpetrated against animals in the name of commerce? Who out there is essentially tortured daily by the way the news media cover, rather ignore, the truly important issues of our day? Who out there is confounded by the grid lock in Washington? Why is it that perpetual war is tolerated by us citizens—we, the people? How is it that the crooks, thieves, and bad guys of all stripes have the upper hand in everything there is? Did Obama, our president, actually offer us hope and change and then bring us more of the George W. same old same old?

Why is it that so many people these days (our youth, most perplexingly) are so oblivious and accepting of the corporatocracy that rules our lives? Why are giant billboards advertising national brands in our neighborhoods not regularly defaced with paint?

It's time for a paradigm transformation, people. It's time to look back into history for guidance. Help me out here. The time to capitulate is not now...not now, my friends. It's time for the long view. Time for an overhaul.

If you can count yourself, as I do, as a student of history, you know that terrible eras—such as the one in which we are now yoked—do not last forever. There is hope. But, in order to turn this ugly state of affairs around, we do have work to do...Are you ready? Kiss that lazy ass good-bye. No more hiding in the fox hole.

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."—Thomas Edison

"The good Earth, we could have saved it, but we were too damn cheap and lazy."—Kurt Vonnegut

Are you with me? Are we going to raise "honor" to its rightful place again? Are you ready to join our fighting force—the Spartanista Vegan Army?

Which side of the barricade will you be on?

Pamela Rice
Spartanista Vegan #1