Recipes

I've received several positive comments on Jim's granola recipe. If anybody has any healthful recipes, please send them. By the way, I'm not sure that healthful is a proper word. If there are any professional writers reading this let me know.
My wife and I plan on making granola this weekend. We are going to follow Jim's recipe exactly except we might add some walnuts. I've read quite a few articles in the past year about the health benefits of walnuts so we will probably throw some in.
We are both partial to pecans and the fact that we own a pecan farm has nothing to do with it. Well it might. Good thing I'm not a politition, I tell the truth, every now and then.
I'm very worried about the use of insulin in sports. More people are using it all the time. It is so dangerous that the press won't even mention it. Right now insulin is the most used drug used in sports and it is used in both endurance and strength activities. The newspapers are still talking about steroids and growth hormone, won't even mention insulin. Let me tell you, steroids and growth hormone might kill you in 30 0r 40 years. Insulin can kill you in about in hour.
My advice, don't do it.

Sincerely,
Ben Voiles

Jungle Jim's Honey Nut Granola

This is a recipe I received from my good friend Jungle Jim Holmes.
Legend has it that he discovered this formula while on a mission trip deep in the jungle. I don't have anyway of verifying the story so for now I'll just publish the recipe. When I get more time, I'll write out one of the many versions of the story, if anybody is interested. I do have to caution you. I have not yet tried this concoction. So I can't be responsible for any side effects but I do know that Jungle Jim and him family have been eating it for several years and the last time I saw them, they all had the correct number of eyes, ears, arms, etc. I plan on trying it myself this week. this looks like it will make a lot. You can easily half the quantities if you prefer.

So here goes: Jungle Jim's Moon Drop and River's Honey Nut Granola
Ingredients : 4 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of sliced almonds
1 cup of sliced pecans
1 cup of raw sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of honey
1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions : Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
In large bowl, mix oats, nuts and sunflower seeds
In separate bowl mix oil, honey, cinnamon and vanilla
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well
Spread onto baking pans
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned
You may want to mix after 10 minutes
Add raisins after thoroughly cooled

First Workout

Did I very light leg workout today and a medium light push workout. It was warm enough to workout at home. Doubt if I'll be able to do that many more times before spring gets here. My wife wants to start going to the YMCA in downtown Chattanooga, so she can swim. Maybe we will start that tomorrow.
I'm listing my official starting weight at 214 pounds. I'd like to lose at least 25 pounds over that next three months. Thirty would be even better. Last June 1st I weighed around 194 and looked pretty good even though I would have liked to have been at least five pounds lighter. I'm pretty sure if I get to around 190 I can easily win the Roman Classic and the Chattanooga classic, so that will be my goal.
At the Nationals, they have weight classes. I'm not sure if I'll be better off competing as a middle weight or a light heavy. I'll just have to see how things go.

Sincerely,
Benjamin Voiles

Starting the New Year

Starting the new year and I have already started dieting. Trying to get some other people interested in doing it with me. I've posted on my Facebook page but so far I haven't had much interest. Besides my wife, just one woman I went to high school with has expressed any interest. I just think it would be fun to share our goals and experiences as a group.
I've had bronchitis since Christmas Eve. I'm still not feeling 100 percent.
I'm hoping to start working out tomorrow but I'll have to feel better than I do now.
I'm glad its 2011. In many ways 2010 was a very bad year, especially for my wife.
Hopefully all that stuff is behind us now.
If anybody likes my blog, please drop me an Email. It is hard to get motivated to write it when I don't even know if a single person is reading it. For now I plan on posting every few days at least and I hope to get some feedback.

Sincerely,
Benjamin Voiles