I'm not fat, I have a highly evolved metabolic efficiency.

Last week we had a wellness panel at Geek Physique, involving several health and wellness professionals, covering a variety of topics relevant to the overall theme of developing a healthy lifestyle.  

One idea I found particularly thought-provoking was that of our metabolic efficiency, and how we think of it as a curse, to be able to store energy the way we do, because for some of us, it means we tend toward weight gain. The thing that struck me about that is not just that we have this amazingly evolved metabolic system that is geared toward making the most of the fuel we provide it... certainly, that's something worth examination, because it is a basic reality of our genetic inheritance as human beings.

But the question of why we evolved that way is one we should consider. Why would we need to store energy? Why is metabolic efficiency advantageous from an evolutionary perspective? And what does this mean for us now? Obviously, prior to industrialized society, even within an agrarian model, the fickleness of the seasons, and potential for famines and hard years provides some of that answer. Our ancestors needed to make the most of the food they consumed, because there was no guarantee tomorrow's hunt would be successful, or that the growing season would be ideal.

The trick for modern humans is that, for most of us, food is relatively easy to acquire. We don't work in the fields all day, we don't chase down our next meal, we don't hike out into the woods to forage for nuts and berries. We get in our cars, we sit at desks all day, we drive to a grocery store or restaurant, and there's all this amazing food for us to choose from.  We go home and spend the evening watching tv, or reading a book, or playing (mostly) sedentary video games.  Sometimes we get together with friends, but how much of that time is spent sitting around yakking?  (I know I can answer that with "endless hours.")

I like to think that all this evolutionary advantage is something we should embrace. One of the things I focus on here at Geek Physique is a mentality of "playing" with my friends. When I was a child, nobody had to persuade me to get up and chase my friends, or go out to explore the woods behind the house, or get on my bike and ride all over the place. I just did it. I had lots of energy to burn, and I made the most of it. That's the mentality I'm trying to cultivate in myself again. So this idea of our metabolic efficiency reinforces the model I've already been shaping for myself -- I have all this energy my body has stored up, and that means my body wants me to use it.

I don't have to perform manual labor to feed myself, so I need to playfully recreate some of the activity level of our amazingly adaptable ancestors. Those ancestors are the reason why I'm so darn good at storing excess caloric energy, and I imagine they would envy the amount of free time we enjoy.  I also wonder at how they might perceive our need to "schedule" time to burn the fuel we consume. I don't need to go out and hunt woolly mammoth, but I really ought to be preparing for the zombie apocalypse at foam dart tag (you know I'm right about this!). I don't need to forage in forests, but there are lands and frontiers to be explored in YogaQuest.  I'm unlikely to end up in many sword fights, but just in case some Highlander shows up at my door, I've learned some sweet Aikido Bokken moves, and I'm not afraid to use them.

Our genetic inheritance of metabolic efficiency is not a curse.  It's a bit of evolutionary insurance against starvation, which is most definitely a good thing.  This efficiency only becomes problematic in a culture with easy and abundant access to food, and an accompanying sedentary lifestyle.  There were several great messages at the wellness panel, but I found this particular subject particularly relevant to my current pursuits, as I continue my fitness journey. 

Floor Bow: Mission Accomplished

Just a quick post about an exciting milestone I achieved last night at YogaQuest.  I've been an active participant in YogaQuest for months now, and have noticed definite improvements in my flexibility, balance, and core strength.  Still, there are poses that have eluded me, and continue to do so.  I keep trying to push a little harder, and figure eventually I'll get there.  Last night, I managed one of those elusive poses... Dhanurasana, or floor bow, which resembles an archer's bow when performed correctly.  (See the video for a demonstration of the pose... no, that's not me.)

As a person who plays bow-wielding ranger-types in just about every RPG, I've really wanted to be able to do this pose.  (Yes, I know, I'm a giant nerd.  I'm blogging about my participation in a geek-oriented fitness club, and specifically about a roleplaying yoga class.  Seriously.  This should not come as a surprise.)   It should be my signature pose, man.  But no.  I haven't been able to use it as my signature pose, because I just couldn't freakin' do it. 

Anyway.  Every time we've tried it in the past, I've struggled to reach both my feet, and have ended up either contorting to just grab one foot, or have extended my arms backward in the general direction of my feet, and called it "close enough."  This time, however, I found that when I'd grabbed one foot, I was still able to grasp the other, and achieved the actual pose.  Exhilarating!  I couldn't help but declare, "Holy crap, this is the first time I've been able to do this!"  The group gave a round of "hoot hoots" of approval and congratulations, which was really very cool.  What a supportive, amazing group.  I love my YoGeeks!

Life is Fun.

"When you discard arrogance, complexity, and a few other things that get in the way, sooner or later you will discover that simple, childlike, and mysterious secret known to those of the Uncarved Block: Life is Fun." --Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

I'm in another one of those busy stretches of time.  So many things to do, and simply not enough time for it all.  All this activity translated to another good week of weight loss (3.5 lbs!), and continued gains in flexibility, balance, and an overall sense of well-being.  Woot.  Yay me.

Saturday was the Superhero 5k walk for charity.  We had a group of Geek Physiquers out there, all in costume, all walking to raise money to fight child abuse. It was a great day, and a wonderful excuse to spend time with some truly amazing people.  The weather was interesting, to say the least.  When we first arrived, there were clouds approaching, but it was still sunny and a bit muggy and warm.  Shortly after arrival, while some of us were registering for the walk, the clouds gathered, the wind picked up, and torrential rain began to pour down in sheets.  It was crazy.  We all remained under cover for a while, and the start of the walk was delayed by about half an hour, while we waited for the worst of the storm to blow over.  It rained while we walked, and it was a bit breezy, but not quite so... monsoon-like.  It was really kind of nice, and much more pleasant than if it had remained sunny and muggy.  We managed a decent walking pace, despite the inclement weather, and it felt great to be completing another charity walk.

I think this post's mostly filler...

Not really. 

Wednesday night was brilliant.  Simply brilliant.  YogaQuest has been a delight at every turn, but this week's class took us to a whole new level of cleverness and inventive fun.  As a special event, our fearless leader choreographed yoga moves to the Buffy musical episode, "Once More, With Feeling," and after she demonstrated a few poses and sequences for us, we dove right in.  The combinations of specific poses with certain songs was so right, so amusing, so much fun to witness, so delightful to perform.  I laughed so many times at the truly awesome choices in yogi-ography (for instance... the poses best described as "hip openers" were prominently featured during Spike's big song, "Rest in Peace").  Even people who had never watched Buffy before were drawn in and had a fantastic time.  We had several first-time YogaQuest attendees, which was exciting and gratifying.  It's neat seeing other people discover the fun we've been having these last few months with this!

This week's YogaQuest was a great example of something I've observed and enjoyed week after week at these events -- this isn't something I have to force myself to do.  This is exercise, and at times it is challenging -- I feel it the next day, let me tell you-- but it never feels like "bleh, off to workout now."  It's a workout, but it's genuinely fun, and I'm carried along by the story, and the camaraderie, and the ever-changing landscape of yoga poses, so I don't have time to wonder how much time is left.  When the end of the evening's session draws to a close, I'm always surprised that the time flew by so quickly.  I love that.  I love that I'm not even remotely tempted to check a clock while we're doing our quests.  It's that entertaining, and that great an exercise in truly being immersed in the moment. 

I can't wait to see what's next!  So many possibilities!  So many stories to tell, and poses to learn, and geeky things to explore!

"All right, Pooh, you're not Overstuffed. You're Physically Superfluous."

Things have been in a bit of a lull lately with Geek Physique.  We were one of the sponsors/coordinators for the Steampunk Ball and Fete at CONvergence 2011, so there was a lot of work to be done to prepare for that.  Fortunately, we got through that with flying colors, so we're ready to dive back into YogaQuest and other activities again.  Yay!

CONvergence was great.  I had a few goals for the week: stay active, don't eat too much garbage, and maintain my weight.  I managed the first two -- I definitely stayed active, and kept the junk food to a bare minimum.  I didn't maintain my weight this week, though.  I actually dropped 4.6 lbs.  WOOT.  That, my friends, is a successful week for me.  Add to that my participation in the Aikido demo at con (in my Renaissance Festival garb, no less!), which was just plain FUN, and my introduction to a few more members of the dojo, and I have to say, this was a really amazing experience.

Piglet's going to give us all a song...

"Let's find a Way
Today
That can take us to tomorrow--
Follow that Way,
A Way like flowing water.

Let's leave
Behind
The things that do not matter,
And turn
Our lives
To a more important chapter..."

I've found myself thinking lately about the things that matter, and about the things that don't.  I tend to do that from time to time.  The more I've explored new and challenging activities over these last several months, the more I find I'm enjoying what I'm doing.

"I'm still here," said Piglet.

"Wisdom, Happiness, and Courage are not waiting somewhere out beyond sight at the end of a straight line; they're part of a continuous cycle that begins right here. They're not only the ending, but the beginning as well."-- Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Last night, we concluded "Season Two" of YogaQuest, with a special "yoga in the park" outing.  Despite an extraordinary number of caterpillars creeping about, on and around our mats, it was a great experience.  The weather was perfect for spending some time outdoors, and the camaraderie in the group after two "seasons" of questing is a genuine pleasure.

One thing this "season" brought me was a much better sense of balance.  I'd struggled with that during the first season, but have begun to see some definite improvements in that area.  Much of that can be attributed to the frequent use of Half-Moon as our "space" pose (we were traveling in Time and Space, in a blue box... hee hee).  The first time we did it, I didn't think I'd manage to stay balanced in that pose, but we've done it so many times now, I'm able to do it without wobbling around all over the place.  It's nice to have appreciable gains to report!

I've been very focused lately, and have been making great progress on several fronts.  My evening bike rides with Xena are part of my daily routine, and I've actually been enjoying them again (for a while there, it was a struggle just to get on the bike -- the seasonal allergies threw me for a loop, and I just wasn't feeling it).  Even on the days when I have yoga or Aikido, I still make room in my day for that bike ride, because I know I feel so much better on the days when I do.  My sleep is much more productive, and restful, and I wake up ready to kick ass all over the place.  I've also dropped about 10 pounds in the last couple of weeks, and I'm sure the uptick in consistency in my physical activity has a great deal to do with that.  Here's to keeping that going...

A revelation this week: I am having a lot of fun right now.  My life is pretty great.  I think as adults, we get so focused on work, and serious things, and relationships, and divorces, and contemplating our mortality, and paying bills, and wrestling with whatever else life throws at us, we forget how to PLAY.  We lose sight of the tremendous fun there is to be had in goofing around, laughing with friends, moving our bodies, making the most of the whole experience of being human.  Tuesday night, I blew off a lot of steam at my Aikido Bokken class, swinging my bokken and hearing that satisfying clunk of one wooden sword on another.  I remembered the tricky cuts that have tended to trip me up, and was able to execute them with only a couple of minor flubs.  When I got home from class (the last in this series, waah), I couldn't help but have one of those moments of intense joy and contentment as I realized, "Whoa!  This is my life!  And I like it!"  And it isn't because of anyone other than me -- I'm simply BEING, and finding that tremendously satisfying.  My happiness isn't contingent on anything or anyone.  It just is.  And that's pretty cool.

“I’m still here;” said Piglet.
“Oh – so you are.” “I enjoyed the stories.” “That’s good:”
“They helped me to – reflect on things.”
“Things?” Such as “Fear.”

“Well, I’m going out on a walk, to do some thinking. I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Right you are. Have a pleasant time.”--Benjamin Hoff, The Te of Piglet