The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » Health

Shred the Streets Green

JohnHolden — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:41:37 +0000

by contributor John Holden Since 1986 Etnies has been manufacturing some of the most cutting edge skateboard shoes on the market. Now celebrating their 25th year anniversary they are continuing on that path with a new campaign BUY A SHOE PLANT A TREE. For every pair of Jamieson 2 Eco shoes sold Etnies will plant a tree in the rain forests of Costa Rica. The Jameson Eco 2 is not only a stylish pair of shoes but the out soles are made from recycled bike tires and plastic gloves while the laces are made from Pet recycled plastic bottles.

Living Lean & Green in the New Year

JohnHolden — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:00:45 +0000

If your New Year's resolution is to be more conscious of your health, consider what you will wear when hitting the gym or yoga mat. "Satori" is a Japanese term for enlightenment. Make this the year of understanding and becoming aware of where and what your clothing is made from. The following eco-friendly designs are from the Satori Movement label. Full Spectrum Shorts: Laid-back Twill Short w/ Asymmetrical Side Zip Pockets, Built in Belt, and Satori Woven Label: 55% Hemp/ 45% Recycled PET, Conscious Yoga Bag: Canvas-100% Hemp, Mecca Pants: Fleece-55% Hemp/ 45% Organic Cotton-Sage, Chocolate, Black

Smells Like Crap & Tastes Like Coffee

joshuakatcher — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 08:42:14 +0000

The Civet Cat is a rather cute animal. Sort of cat-like, but actually from the Viverridae family - the animal is native to Africa, Madagascar, the Iberian Peninsula, southern China, and Southeast Asia. Strangely, we humans have taken a liking to this fuzzy critters poop and anal gland secretions. We've been wearing it in our fragrances and drinking coffee beans that pass through (if you know what I mean). The smelly stuff, which is also called civet, that comes out of the perineal glands (near the anus) is quite musky and acts as a stabilizing agent in fragrances - it extends the life of the overall smell, their olfactory duration, if you will. Left to itself in nature, the musk is very offensive, has been known to induce vomiting in humans, and can smell for up to four months. In order to harvest the secretion, the civet must be killed or have the thick, yellow grease painfully scraped from the gland's anal sac. The civet’s secretions must be combined with alcohol and other chemicals to bring out its “pleasant musky odor". It is rumored that civet cats produce more secretions when they are under stress, so many of the farmers hit their cages to keep them scared. Fortunately, synthetic civetone has been synthesized from precursor chemicals found in palm oil, but many supposed “high-quality” perfume manufacturers still prefer torturing these unfortunate and smelly animals. There are other animals also used for their smells. And if you didn't think this poor animal already had it tough, people have been drinking incredibly expensive coffee that has been shat out after these guys eat the coffee cherries. It sorta looks like a Babe Ruth bar, no? At first, people collected the wild droppings, but now they've realized that farming the civets yields greater revenue. The whole demand for the crappuccino comes from the distinct and rare flavor that occurs from the fermentation process inside the civets stomach. Now, I know there are people out there who are scientists. Can't you think of more intelligent way to ferment coffee cherries? Fortunately, someone has done just that. According to poopcoffee.com, "The Trung Nguyen Coffee Company hired a German scientist to research the chemical processes that occur in the Civet’s stomach, and in 1996 scientists were able to isolate six specific digestive enzymes and then use these enzymes to create a synthetic soak known as Legendee, which they patented. " When you cage a wild animal, you prevent it from doing anything that nature intended it to do. It is emotional and physical torture for wild animals to be locked up - and this is no exception, no matter how delicious the coffee tastes, it's still shitty. No matter how amazing the fragrance smells, it's still shitty. Free the civet cats!

New York Times: A civet farm in Liwa, a town in Sumatra, where the catlike animals eat coffee cherries. Their droppings contain coffee beans fermented in their stomachs.

Running With Russell, Vegetable Frenzy & Rise of the Power Vegans

joshuakatcher — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:58:44 +0000

Ryan Olbrysh,  www.lasvegassun.com

• Power Vegan. What does this phase connote? According to the Business Week article from Nov. 4th, The Rise of the Power Vegan is an interesting turn of events for a culture of executives and power-players who want to take control of their own health, and thrive for as long as possible.

...a growing number of America's most powerful bosses have become vegan. Steve Wynn, Mort Zuckerman, Russell Simmons, and Bill Clinton are now using tempeh to assert their superiority. As are Ford Executive Chairman of the Board Bill Ford (F), Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, venture capitalist Joi Ito, Whole Foods Market (WFMI) Chief Executive Officer John Mackey, and Mike Tyson. Yes, Mike Tyson, a man who once chewed on human ear, is now vegan

• A new, slightly controversial article in New York Magazine explores why vegetables are the new meat, becoming the focus of entrees at unlikely restaurants throughout cities famous for fervent foodies. Vegetables Are the New Meat, they say - but they make sure to distinguish themselves from vegetarians, still calling on meat, butter, and cheese for flavor. What do you think about the "vegivore" trend? Leave a comment!

“Sales are up 15 to 20 percent,” says Mountain Sweet Berry Farm’s Rick Bishop, whose spigarello broccoli and spring-ushering ramps have cult followings at Union Square. “You see lines at the market now for vegetables. People used to only line up for eggs and fish.”

• If you like football, but hate the stereotype of the meat-maniacs that fill the parking lots, you'll love Peta's list of the Top 5 Vegetarian-Friendly NFL Stadiums:

1. Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Eagles), where protein-packed mock-steak sandwiches, faux-chicken sandwiches, veggie dogs, and veggie burgers are coming off the grill faster than DeSean Jackson in the open field.
2. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland Raiders)
3. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)
4. Georgia Dome (Atlanta Falcons)
5. (Tie) Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs) & Ford Field (Detroit Lions)

• I made my debut on Oxygen Network's Running Russell Simmons last night, where I was drenched in fake blood and wrapped up in a meat tray in times square! So may people have been Tweeting that they are considering going veg! Thanks to the amazing Simone for asking me to join her at this event! Watch the full episode (the PETA demo starts at about 36 min. in): • Win a Gardein Stuffed Turk'y Thanksgiving Meal from Mercy For Animals! Gardein has provided MFA with five coupons for free Savory Stuffed Turk'y products to give away to our supporters. All you have to do is enter MFA's Savory Stuffed Turk'y contest for your chance to win a free coupon. So, what are you waiting for? Enter to win today! Five lucky winners will be randomly selected on November 15.

Biggest Loser Unleashes Vegan Recipes!

joshuakatcher — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:06:51 +0000

Fitness and nutrition expert, handsome hottie, and host of NBC's Biggest Loser, Bob Harper unleashed some vegan recipes on the entertainment industry last night. You can see all these healthy, scrumptious recipes HERE, including: •Roasted Cauliflower • Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Shaved Fennel Salad • Chopped Broccoli with Pine Nuts

Bob Harper Video Interview

joshuakatcher — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:55:54 +0000

Being a loser was never so cool. When I was in Los Angeles a few weeks ago I sat down with Bob Harper, host of NBC's Biggest Loser to discuss his role as the 2010 National Spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals. We discussed his recent evolution to a vegan diet, how he grew up on a cattle farm, and or course, food and nutrition! Check out the full interview, and sign up for the Walk for Farm Animals in your town! The new season of NBC's Biggest Loser premieres tonight.

MIKE MAHLER: Not TOFU-k With

joshuakatcher — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:57:18 +0000

Some people argue that Mike Mahler is the exception to the rule; he's huge, powerful, and thrives on a vegetable-based diet. As a respected member of the fitness community, he's got the strength to challenge stereotypes and prove that you can get big and strong without eating any animal products (Paleo what?). He has built an empire as impressive as his quads, with DVDs, books, and a voracious following. He has trained some of the most impressive athletes like five-time UFC Middleweight Champion, Frank Shamrock and helps form routines for military and contact sports trainers and coaches. Mike answered a few question I threw at him last week: The Discerning Brute: What the hell is a Kettlebell, why have some of us not heard of it, and why should we get down with it? Mike Mahler: Glad that you asked. Imagine a black bowling ball with a suitcase handle on it and you have an idea of what a kettlebell looks like. A kettlebell is a big hunk of iron that comes in several sizes: 8lbs, 12lbs, 18lbs, 26lbs, 35lbs,44lbs, 53lbs, 70lbs, 80lbs, 88lbs, 97lbs and for super strong men and women 105lbs! You can do standard weight training exercises with kettlebells such as: bench presses, curls, and rows. However, the unique value of kettlebells is derived from ballistic (fast exercise) work such as: snatches, swings, cleans, and jerks. In addition to giving you incredible muscular endurance when done in high repetitions, with a proper nutrition plan any excess fat that you have will melt off rapidly. Ballistic exercises are not the only exercises that you can benefit from, kettlebell exercises such as: the Turkish get-up, Bent Press, and Windmill will develop a rock-hard midsection and increase shoulder flexibility and stability. As a result many chiropractors are using kettlebells with their patients for rehab. If you are a man or woman that wants to increase size and strength, try doing some of my favorite kettlebell exercises: Double Clean and Press, Double Front Squat, Renegade Row, Double Swing, and the Double Clean. If you are a man or woman that wants to lose weight and tighten up your glutes, quads, abs, and arms, apply a steady diet of kettlebell training ballistic work with some low rep kettlebell training strength work and you are all set.

DB: You're huge and ripped... what is the general reaction you get when people find out you don't eat animals? MM: People are very surprised to say the least. Most people respond by saying most vegans they meet are small and skinny. This stereotype is often true. However, there are many high-level strength coaches such as Jon Hinds of Monkey Bar Gym and Ory Ortega of Briga Training that thrive on a plant-based diet. Both have told me that they have never felt better. Many athletes also excel on a plant-based diet such as MMA superstars Jake Shields and Mac Danzig. Both look great and display incredible athleticism. As more athletes and physical culture experts show that one can thrive on a plant-based diet, more people will realize that they can make it work as well.

Animal protein is directly correlated with being big and strong and that message is sold to the public very effectively.

DB: You've been called "one of the premier strength trainers in the world " by mainstream fitness experts. Why do you think so few people in the fitness world take plant-based nutrition seriously? MM: People often feel that I am the exception to the rule. This is a clever way to justify avoiding change in life. Just say someone is special and that others will not get the same results, and you can stay where you are in life. People do this everyday in a multitude of contexts. Animal protein is directly correlated with being big and strong and that message is sold to the public very effectively. Most people take the path of least resistance. In addition, there is social pressure to eat meat especially in the fitness industry. If you try a plant-based diet and tell anyone, just about everyone you know that eats meat will try to talk you out of it. Very few people have the backbone to handle peer pressure and cave very easily. I met a guy at a party one time that used to be a vegan but gave it up. I asked him why and he stated that he was tired of feeling out of the loop at social functions. This was a grown man by the way not a teenager. Eric Hoffer has a great book on mass movements and how people will do anything to be part of the group. Very few people like to stick out and are willing to go out of their way to accommodate others. This is why our country and world is in the shape that it is in. No one wants to say what needs to be said and instead just want to go with the flow. At the same time, there are a lot more trainers that are trying plant based diets these days and people are much more open to it then they used to be. This does not mean that they will give up meat completely, but it does mean that they are adding more plant based food to their diets.

DB: You've said that strength training is about more than just physique. It's also about mental strength and character. Can you explain why this concept is important? MM: It is not enough to just have a strong body. That is not real strength in my opinion. I see big and physically strong men and women frequently that cannot think for themselves and are at the mercy of the people around them. On the other hand, I know many intelligent people that excel in academia and in the business world. Yet, physically, many of them are weak and would be in serious trouble in any situation that required physical strength. They may be mentally strong, but overall they are weak. For real strength and vitality a multifaceted approach is crucial. Eating right and training properly are both of course very important but we need to go beyond that. If you do not have a career that gets you excited and friends that hold you accountable to be your best, then you are really missing out. When you take charge of your life on multiple fronts, you realize how exciting and fulfilling life can be. That does not mean it all needs to be done at the same time. Focus on one component at a time. Perhaps you are out of shape and starting a solid training program and nutrition plan is the best move to make. Once you start losing fat and feeling better you will automatically start thinking about other areas of your life to improve. Never get complacent and always work on taking it to the next level. Maintenance is an illusion as we are either getting better or worse. DB: Sometimes I feel like a broken record when people ask me about my lifestyle. Are there any misconceptions you continuously have to dispel again and again? MM: There are several that I have to dispel often:

1. Getting enough protein on a vegan diet.
2. The myth of the benefits of cardio for fat loss. Fat loss is about hormone optimization not burning a few calories. The best way to win the war on fat is too build as much lean muscle as possible. Hormone optimization is a crucial component of physique composition goals and over all well-being.
3. The fact that focusing on isolation training such as curls is the way to build a strong and muscular physique. The reality is compound exercises such as deadlifts, squats, and military presses, provide the most bang for the buck.

DB: I often say that mainstream male identity is a roadblock to sustainability. Do you see any problems with mainstream machismo culture or male-identity in general when it comes to ideas about strength and power? MM: I think men and women have an identity crisis right now. We have differences for a reason and these are things we should embrace not try to suppress. I am not trying to say that women should cook and clean at home and that men should dominate. However, men should not be afraid to embrace their masculinity and women should not be afraid to embrace being feminine. Masculinity is often associated with being sexist, physically aggressive, mean spirited, and acting like a moron. Thus many men feel they need to put on a face of being a jerk in order to be a man. Being compassionate is not often associated with masculinity even though it takes great courage and inner strength to be compassionate. Being masculine is not about being a jerk that lets others define what being a man is. It is about taking charge of your life and having the courage to express your beliefs and stand up for what you believe in. It is about being able to make your own decisions and not be a pinball in the game of life. Real masculinity is strength of character and being a courageous member of society. Unfortunately our society these days has a lack of real role models and also rites of passage into manhood. As a result we have a lot of lost souls that do not know how to be real.

DB: Let's say I'm Joe Shmo... the only exercise I do is walking to and from my house, office, and car, but I have dreams of being in good shape. What is the first thing I need to do to set me on course? MM: Increase the intensity in a gradual and systemic manner. Incorporate strength training into your routine with a focus on compound exercises such as the military press, bench press, squat, deadlift, pull-up, and bent over row. These exercises work multiple muscle groups and provide the most bang for your buck. Try doing 2-3 full body workouts to get started. Three sets of each exercise in the 8-12 rep range is a good starting point. In addition to strength training, incorporate some high intensity cardio such as sprinting, kettlebell ballistic work, sledgehammer tire strikes, jump rope interval work etc. Clean up your diet by focusing on organic real food. Get all carbohydrates from fruits and veggies and load up on nuts and seeds, which are great for energy, hormone optimization, and recovery. DB: What's next for Mike Mahler? MM: I have several projects in the works. One I am doing a joint venture with strongman competitor and top strength coach Mark Philippi. The project is a DVD that shows how to get super strong and fit with barbells, dumbbells, and body-weight exercises. This will be a great DVD for all levels. Next, I have another kettlebell DVD in the works, which will be for advanced trainees that want to take their training to the next level. Finally, I am putting out a book soon on my life philosophy called “Live Life Aggressively! What self help gurus should be telling you.” It is a hardcore approach on how to take charge of your life and the importance of brutal self inventory in order to evolve and thrive.

VEGAN TANK: Not TOFU-K With

joshuakatcher — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:13:01 +0000

Noah Hannibal, AKA Vegan Tank, is one tough Aussie. That's right, not every dude down-under is clogging up all their plumbing at Outback Steak House, or hunting crocks and kangaroos with boomerangs and giant knives, or any number of other ridiculous stereotypes that most Americans think about Hollywood's Australia. Competitive powerlifter, hero to animals, photographer, designer, and all-around gentleman, Vegan Tank is a true 21st century man, blazing a trail that redefines masculinity and stands proudly by conscientious machismo. Vegan Tank and I spoke recently, and here is his interview: The Discerning Brute: When did you start lifting, how serious are you about it, and what are your current stats? Vegan Tank: I first started lifting around maybe six or so years ago when a bodybuilder I knew was mocking vegans saying we were all weaklings and it was impossible to get strong without meat. The guy was built like a semi truck, juiced up to his eyeballs and had arms like logs. I was outraged by what he was saying and challenged him to an arm wrestle, which was the source of much derision at the time. I was given three months to train and, having thrown myself in at the deep end with concrete blocks chained to my ankles, got straight into some serious arm training. On the day of the arm wrestle everyone laughed and said I had no hope in hell and my enemies showed up to see me humiliated. To the surprise of everyone, myself included, I slammed his hand to the table and he had to eat his words that vegans can’t be strong. Since that introduction to strength training I've slowly become more and more serious about the iron game, receiving a lot of help along the way from the vegan fitness ( http://www.veganfitness.net) forums where many of the strongest vegans from around the world hang out. For the last two years I've been competing as part of Powerlifting Australia (IPF affiliated) and in competition have squatted over 460 pounds, bench pressed over 400 pounds and deadlifted over 500 pounds. This year I was lucky to win gold in the heavyweight division of the Australian National Bench Press Championships.

DB: Tell me about MVS (Melbourne Vegan Strength). Are you one of the founders? How long have you been involved, and do you rule the night? VT: There is this ridiculous stereotype that vegans are all pale wasting away weaklings. MVS (http://www.veganstrength.org) started as a few guys training in my back yard to show how easy it is for vegans to get monster strong, and to smash those stereotypes. Since we started training about four years ago many of the participants have gained massive amounts of strength and gone on to compete in all sorts of strength competitions, from powerlifting to bodybuilding, strongman and arm wrestling, and done really well in many instances. For example Joel Kirkilis (http://www.treehugger.uproar.org.au/joel-kirkilis/) has recently won some big bodybuilding titles against tough competition. DB: You and your crew have proven that one can be a successful vegan power-lifter. What is it like to see a skeptic disproved? How do mainstream people react to you and your friends? VT: The first time I trained at the Powerlifting Club I told the Coach I didn’t eat meat and he told me to get out as I would never make any progress unless I ate animals. I stayed anyway and have had a great time showing that you can make progress as a vegan. We get random drug tests and the first time the testers came in someone said don't bother ever testing that guy he's a vegan. Now I get drug tested all the time! It's a gym and there are some pretty funny attitudes, one guy thinks I'm a born again Christian because he doesn't realize there's a difference between born again Christians and vegans. But on the whole everyone has been fantastic to the point where they now go out of their way to make sure there are vegan options at Club dinners, and I think even the Coach has warmed to me now! Many people that we meet are surprised because we don’t fit their (incorrect) pre conceived notion of what they think a vegan is. One person flat out refused to believe it and said that we must secretly eat meat. Often people are just curious and have questions such as ‘where do you get your protein?’. The thing is our results directly challenge anyone who thinks that vegans are emaciated weaklings. When people see strong vegans smashing heavy weights it causes them to see veganism in a whole new light. It's great. DB: The weightlifting world seems very full of machismo. Meat-eating goes hand-in-hand with manliness in our culture. How do you keep your manhood while bottle-feeding lambs? VT: It's funny because I can't think of anything more cowardly than causing the killing of an innocent animal for some food you don't need. To me 'manhood' is about standing up for what you believe in no matter how inconvenient or unpopular, and I think it takes a lot of guts in our culture for people to say I'm not going to support animal abuse. I also think a lot of good hearted people continue to eat meat, eggs and dairy because their mind somehow blocks out the fact that animals are suffering as a direct result of what they put in their mouth. All you have to do is look at some of the vegan gorillas out there like wrestler Mountain Mike , strongman Joni Purmonen, arm wrestler Rob Bigwood, the original vegan tower of power Ryan Wilson , or some of the monster vegans in Germany who deadlift cars as they walk down the street, and you'll quickly disabuse yourself of the notion that there is any connection between meat-eating and macho. It's true what they say, real men are kind to animals. DB: What do you eat on a typical day that you are working out? What do you indulge in? VT: I'm not what you'd call a fussy eater, if it's vegan and not nailed down I'll eat it (I'll probably eat it even if it is nailed down. If the nail is vegan I'll eat that too). On training days I always try to get big feeds in. Breakfast is a huge bowl of oats with blueberries, sultanas and soya milk. Right after training i have a pea protein shake and about an hour or so later a big protein heavy meal. Throughout the day I'll eat things like tofu burgers, mock meat curries, tempeh stir fries, satay seitan wraps, and chomp on nuts for snacks. I try to eat as clean as possible but don't always succeed, I'm a bit of a sucker for vegan heart attack food. DB: Why do you think so many men think that caring about animals or the environment is for sissies? VT: Just like some of the worst homophobes are repressed homosexuals, I think maybe a lot of guys who think giving a fuck about animals and the environment is for sissies are really repressed animal loving treehuggers who are too afraid to show their real feelings. Hugs for them from me. DB: Has anyone around you unexpectedly been influenced by your lifestyle? if so, tell me what happened. VT: I hope so, I think if you do your best to be a good example of how easy and healthy it is to live as a vegan, and let people come to you with their questions, they will be a lot more receptive. It's always a great feeling when someone comes up to tell you that you've helped them make their decision to go vegan. DB: What else do you do aside from weightlifting, both professionally and socially? VT: I'm heavily involved with a new animal rights group www.uproar.org.au - working on factory farm animal rescues and campaigns to promote veganism like Not Your Typical Treehugger (http://treehugger.uproar.org.au/). For a job I run a web and print design company with my friend Erik Gorton, we set up www.ethicaldesign.com.au basically as a way to fund our activism and ensure we wouldn't have to take on any clients that would make us want to shower six times after meeting with them. In the very ancient past I was an aspiring academic philosopher doing post-grad research on the moral status of animals, which is something I may return to at some stage if I ever burn out on activism. I don't really have much of a life outside of all that but I do love discovering amazing new vegan foods and traveling to the remote reaches of the world, when I can. DB: What advice do you have for a scrawny dudes to want to get big and strong? VT: In the words of someone much wiser than me, SFW! The main thing is to cover the basics - train intelligently and consistently, eat properly for your goals, drink lots of water and get plenty of rest. This is an article I've written with some information on how to gain mass and strength on a vegan diet: http://www.veganstrength.org/veganstrength.pdf. The veganfitness.net forums are a great resource as well. DB: What is the next big event your are preparing for? VT: Training wise my short term goal is to compete and do well in next year's Australian Powerlifting Championships. Long term I want to nail an 800kg powerlifting total and the really long term goal is to compete in the World Bench Press Championships. Personally I hope to contribute in some small way to making the world a kinder place for all animals.