Update from my Desk...

When I started this blog, it was my hope that the discipline required to maintain the blog would also keep me disciplined in my preparation.

Well, I continue to struggle with the basic concept of exercise! I have yet to join the gym, though I have been more active with a camping trip to Bodega Dunes in California and another one this weekend at DL Bliss in South Lake Tahoe.

The DL Bliss trip will include some beautiful hiking and lots of great Kayaking.

Truly, I need to get my act together and get into the gym to help lose these extra 45 lbs I'm carrying.

That's all for now. Thank you for visiting.

The Matsonian Diet...

Well, it is now July 2nd. I promised this blog would officially start July 1, one year before our trek begins, and I already broke that promise by not posting yesterday. My bad.

Today was my official start day. I am reverting to diet that I created based on the understanding of three books: Eat Right for Your Type, Fit for Life, and Natural Cures by, yes, the infomercial guru himself, Kevin Trudeau.

A philosopher once said that if you take 100 books, you will find at least a grain of truth in each, read them all and you will have your own truth to work with.

In reading each book, I found that, yes, there were factors I could apply to my life. Eat Right for Your Type focuses on the blood type diet. Fit for Life is about food combining and daily cycles, and in Trudeaus book I found convenient information about eating habits.

The result is the following diet for me...

• Daily Breakfast... FRUIT ONLY - this is a nutritous way to start the day and helps to cleanse the body. I eat lots of fresh seasonal fruit -- after my morning workout.
• Daily Lunch... I do not regulate my lunch other than following the basics of the blood type diet. I am a A+, and per the book, I favor vegetarianism. Of course, I tend to be a big red meat eater, so it is difficult to drop red meat altogether. I do, however, take advantage of chicken and fish dishes for lunch, whenever possible. Today I had a chicken and shrip pho soup from our local Rice Noodle Vietnamese restaurant. YUM! Other key to lunch is eating big. This is the primary meal for my day and should be good!
• NOTE: As an A+, I am supposed to be a grazer, eating bits and pieces here and there, I am trying to work in that habit as it will work better for the hike.
• Dinner... None. Or better yet, nothing after 6pm. This is from Trudeau's book and it works for me. After 6 I have fruit juice, tea, or a protein shake if its been a long day. Otherwise I will have a light, healthy snack before 6 and not eat anything until breakfast the next morning.
• Additionally, I will cut out basic sugar candies and caffeine sodas. I will still drink root beer as my daily treat, but only one per day.

This "matsonian" diet helped me lose over 25 lbs when I first did it in January and February of 2007. In March I reverted back because of work stress and the need to drink Mtn Dew to keep going at all hours of the night. By the middle of May I gained back all the weight I lost.

Tomorrow morning I am going to join my local gym and start step two of the preparation for the Pacific Crest Trail.