New Year, New Life

     This year is going to be amazing, it really is. It started with the birth of my 5th grandchild on January 3rd!!! She is perfect. The mother is perfect, everything was beyond perfect. I am not going to use names, except that the baby shares her middle name with her grandmother. Those who know the back story know that my beautiful wife Elaine lost her fight with cancer last August 30th. So it is with bittersweet tears that I announce that Elaine watched from heaven the birth of this sweet one. Now, Elaine's daughters are not mine by birth, but I couldn't love them more. We are family and we do life together. If children are arrows of Gods love straight into our hearts, then grandchildren are guided missiles.
    So, back to my wellness adventure! I created another batch of detox soup on January 4th, and I have been combining it with roasted chicken and brown rice. I have a protein shake made with frozen pineapple and strawberries for breakfast most mornings. Lunch is usually soup, dinner is more soup, chicken and rice in a bowl. Snacks are whole fruit or low glycemic protein bars. I have taken up roasting my own chickens as they are healthier and taste much better. I use fresh oranges, jalapeno, onion and garlic. I start with healthy fresh chicken, rinse and stuff with quartered orange and other ingredients. I like to roast vegetables in the same pan, usually sweet potatoes, carrots, onion and jalapeno. The juice from a few fresh oranges makes a great marinade. I bake at 375 for approximately an hour and fifteen minutes.
    I am still hiking around 16 to 20 miles each week, I am trying to pick up the pace, sorry Olga. I have now committed to participate in the "world famous mud run" at camp Pendleton. This event is in June, so it gives me some time to prepare. Which I need! I had cut my left hand in a serious accident back in 2010, severing tendons and muscle bellies. I have never really strength trained after that, life just happened. I now find myself unconditioned, unbalanced and weaker in upper body strength than anytime in the recent past.
    So, what to do?  For me the first thing is to continue to watch my food intake. This helps me feel motivated to continue on this journey, I know if I keep momentum I won't stall out. Secondly, I will increase duration and intensity of my cardio workout. I take stairs when possible and I park further out. Thirdly, I have started using light weights at home. I also use the sink for modified push ups, adding one rep each day until I can do multiple sets. I have a date set when I will begin taking exercise classes.
    It seams one trick for overcoming obstacles that is working for me, I am building on any past success. If I was able to walk a few steps yesterday, I'll walk a few more today. If I could curl 20lbs today, I'll curl 21lbs tomorrow. I keep moving toward a large goal by recognizing each small success. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time... I know that if I keep the vision of me reaching the goal in sight, I am less apt to stray of the path.
    So now my blog has been published publicly, I have been outed! This really works in my favor as I recognize my need for community. I can't reach my peak physical condition alone, I really need help. Just as I know I won't recover emotionally or spiritually from the loss of my wife alone.
I need you.
    It is hard the first time for some of us to say we need help. Especially those of us who are "fixers". Give me enough time and tools and I can solve most mechanical problems. Yet, I find myself resorting to professional help with tech issues more frequently now. So, you are helping me by reading this blog. Many of you have encouraged me to continue writing, so I will. I find it cathartic, almost spiritually cleansing to journal my experience. I hope my openness helps others on their path toward wholeness. I am not offended if you comment on my journey, you are even welcome to share some of yours with me. Maybe we can help each other reach the goal. At the least we can have some fun and get to know each  other on the way.

Thank you for taking the time to share in my journey. I will blog soon. Treat yourself well and do unto others...

In health,
Richard Gjonovich

On the trail...

     Well I am committed now.  Since I have started blogging again, I am catching all kinds of flack. So I had better follow through this time... So we step out on the trail together as I share my journey back from the land of BOB (belly over belt), as Elaine was so found of calling it. The truth is that the band of fat around the midsection represents a very unhealthy condition. This is the fat called "brown" or "acidic" fat, I understand that this fat is considered toxic to our body. This is why it can be difficult to lose, our bodies have a hard time burning it because it is so acidic.
     So I will share that what I had done in the past, I am doing again, because it works. The premiss is simple enough, neutralize the PH of the fat first. Then my body can burn it during exercise, rather than lose muscle mass. I have used two methods to do this. I have used a nutritional product called USANA, they make a reset program based on high fiber meal replacement shakes and bars. They taste good, and offer plenty of vitamins and minerals to keep one healthy. It seamed to work just fine, I pretty much just took this for five days then moved into a phase of eating one healthy meal daily then using the meal replacement for the rest of the day.
     The other method I have used is Elaine's detox soup diet, followed by better choices.  She suggested this to over a thousand people during past Fit Challenges. It is based on kale, cabbage, beets, turnips and several other veggies that are alkalizing to the body. After five days you transition to chicken, brown rice, protein powder and other healthy foods. One continues on this program of eliminating all processed foods, sugar, flour and  all bleached white, useless foods. One also eats food in the proper ratios of carbs, protein and healthy fats. The first few days can be hard as the body really does detox. After three to five days the cravings and general malaise go away, many report increased energy and mental  alertness.
    Yesterday I was supposed to fast for personal reasons, but I woke up not feeling well. A dear friend came out to visit me for lunch then other friends invited me to their home for dinner. Well, that part of the fast was out... Yet I made the best choices I could for both meals. I selected fish and salad for lunch, passing on the side dishes. Dinner was all homemade and again a salad, veggies, and pork tenderloin, followed by fresh fruit. It really isn't difficult to make better food choices once you are educated in what your body needs.
     Today I had a protein shake made with fresh squeezed orange juice and frozen mango and pineapple.
Lunch was from a fresh batch of detox soup, dinner will be chicken, more detox soup and brown rice. I have hiked three days so far this week, I am only missing strength training to complete the program.

Thank you for allowing me to share this journey with you.
Please comment as it helps me know I have accountability partners.

In Health,
Richard Gjonovich

Torrey Pines Hike Oct 30 09

Well, this time I missed the big hike, someone had to hold down the fort. If you did not join Outdoor Fitness Adventure Club yesterday, you missed one of the most picturesque locations to hike in all of California. Around thirty of our friends joined my beautiful wife, Elaine, as she led a hike along the coastline of Torrey Pines. Very rare trees, rugged coast, perfect weather, it all added up to what has become our yearly anniversary trek. Followed by a lunch at Los Olas, what's not to like.
Our club is seven years old this month, and we would like to thank everyone who has ever joined us for any class. Thank you for your support, and for helping us grow into the success we have become.

San Gorgonio summit, 10/10/2009 12:30 p.m.

This was the perfect day for our hike up " old gray back". It was very cool as we left San Clemente at 4:15 a.m. , after a short stop in Rancho to pick up Steve Carey, we made our way to trailhead for Vivian Creek. Six hardy souls left the parking lot at 6:30 just as the sun was breaking over the valley. Head lights and windbreakers only lasted a few moments as we quickly began climbing steeply uphill, as the vista's opened up below. The views were so beautiful, we just kept powering up for more. Each switchback bringing a new surprise as the sun came up and chased the shadows across the surrounding peaks. The weather held cool and crisp, ideal for a long hike. We held a fair pace for the first half of our accent, stopping occasionally for snacks, photos, and just to enjoy the changing views. Water was still flowing at all three water crossings, keeping everything nice and green.
Somewhere around mile six we were bless with a most excellent diversion from our grind. This guy came in from overhead moving fast toward the ridge, dropping down below our horizon. Someone declared " either he is really good, or he is in trouble." He was really good, catching air and shooting up above the ridge.  Passing directly over us, he made his way across the valley where he turned into another ridge. All this happening near 10,000 of elevation, fantastic!
Moving on we found the climbing steep again, which was taking it's toll on one of our crew. Splitting up, Steve Netherby and myself stayed back to help Al complete his dream of bagging Gorgy. I concocted a mixture of Camelback elixir and Usana Rev 3 energy drink, which Al drank right down. I also drank one up as well. I am proud to say the entire team made summit by 12:30 (some sooner). On the top we ran into Jeff Hester, a former member of the Outdoor Fitness Adventure Club as well. It is always good to have friends in high places.
I was determined to reach trailhead by sundown, not wishing to wear headlamps going steeply downward for safety reasons. We moved slower than I feared, at one point waiting 15 or 20 minutes for Al, my internal clock ticking away. I then positioned myself behind him and began gently pushing him. At one point we stopped to resupply water, Steve C pulled his boots off in record tome and jammed them into the ice cold stream, nice. With shadows growing longer, and a chill to the air we reached the last downhill. Still pushing for trails end, now from the front pulling the group along( really just Al ), we hit the riverbed at the valley bottom as the sun was starting it's final descent. Reaching the parking lot as darkness settled into Forest Home, we all thought of our own homes.  How blessed we are to live at the beach and still be able to summit a true challenge in our backyard.
 Thanks to Steve Netherby for the first three photos, thanks also to Terry and Diana, Steve Carey and Al for making this an unforgettable experience.
Lastly, I would like to share about Al. He was wanted to summit San G. for many years, and was turned back twice before. He could have done much more conditioning with us to prepare, as well as more with his nutrition. Yet he was able to realize one of his dreams. This hike was a huge success and we all have total respect for his abilities on the trail.
The Outdoor Fitness Adventure Club would like to invite anyone regardless of their fitness level to join us for a hike. One hour or twelve hours spent in nature, we all come away better for the experience.

Training for San Gorgonio

Well it is wednesday, only three days before the Gorgonio hike. And I woke up feeling like I have the flu, so I did not join Elaine on our South San Clemente hike. I missed a good workout this a.m., and some needed conditioning. Our group is coming together quite nicely, I have great confidence in most of the hikers. We have some tremendously experienced trekkers, and I am grateful for them all.

One a more personal note, my eating has not been what I would like it to be. We celebrated my mothers birthday on Sunday, she wanted Mexican food. I have a weakness for carnitas, so I broke down and ate a whole plate of the stuff. Guacamole, sour cream, salsa, chips, hey I think I may have even eaten the whole enchilada ( but I didn't order one). We did recover somewhat though, we picked up halve a sugar free apple pie. Of course it wasn't very good, so I only had a small slice, sans ice cream. I still really struggle with portion control, it seams easier with healthier food choices. Something about salty or sweet foods, I just want to keep eating.

My favorite club ever

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More training hikes

Nice shot of Billy Goat Trail, in Whiting Ranch. Many thanks to Steve Netherby for teaching the group the rest step, he gets the credit for this photo as well. We had near perfect weather for our 2 1/2 hour training hike, and six happy campers on the trail. I am so confident that our hikers are ready for the San Gorgonio hike!