One of my livestream friends remembered she always had a moose in her freezer, and of COURSE she lives in Alaska. I can almost hear Chris from KBHR right now.

Fun Fact: Did you know Cicily, AK was actually Roslyn, WA? I’ve been there and have a picture in front of that famous mural.

She remembers eating lots of moose, elk, deer, bear, halibut, and salmon - and said her favorite was Musk Ox. Growing up in Indiana, the closest “I” got to seafood was what we called a Fishwich Sandwich from McDonalds with lots of tartar sauce.

Nope. In Indiana we were corn fed with lots of ‘taters’ and ‘maters’ too.

My Kentucky Mom

I remember my mom’s favorite meal was Liver & Onions, and I remember it grossed me out just as much then as it does now. Ugh - I can still remember that smell! 🤢 Oh and chitlins too. No mom…. just….. NO!

Rhonda’s parents were from the Pacific Northwest, so she had lots of oysters, clams, mussels, and crab growing up. Now I could handle a little bit of Dungeness crab back in the day, but the rest of it they can keep.

The Green Grocer

While I was in high school, on of my first jobs was working in a little mom & pop grocery store called The Green Grocer. Yep, I had my very own apron (green) and a stamper! I stocked shelves, ran the old cash registers (before scanners), cashed checks, you name it.

My boss’s dad, Walt, worked the produce aisle and I can still remember him standing there peeling slices of an apple with that nasty old pocketknife of his - always offering me a slice. Nope! Hard pass!

But the thing I remember most was the day I walked into the meat department’s walk-in to grab some mayo for my lunch (we made our own ham salad) and sitting there on the shelf, staring at me with those big-ole eyes was an entire hog head 😳.

Apparently “head cheese” was a thing and even today I just …. can’t…..

And They Say I Eat Weird

If any of those people were still alive today, I’m sure they would think what my wife and I eat today is just as weird. (I still am accused of brainwashing my wife 🤣)

Whatever.

Our food is not made from parts, or innards, or anything gross. I LOVE the way I eat and it makes me feel good to eat it - both physically and mentally.

I have asked many of my family members if they have ever tried Tofu and judging from their expressions, you would think I just sprouted another head or something…..

That’s ok. That means lots more for me. It’s good, good FOR you, pretty inexpensive, and never once have I heard it scream when I slice into it.

On April 1st, I stepped on the scale at 201 lbs and my blood pressure was 149/82.

Not terrible… but not where I wanted to be either. So for the month, I focused on doing a few simple things consistently.

Here’s where I ended up

This morning I’m at 197 lbs and last night my blood pressure was 129/76.

Four pounds lost. Nothing dramatic - but definitely moving in the right direction.

And honestly… I’ll take that all day long.

What I actually did

No strict plan.
No “challenge rules.”
Just a handful of habits:

• Averaged about 7,500 steps a day

• About 4 minutes a day on my rebounder

• Around 36 minutes of total daily exercise

• Closed my Apple Watch rings most days (~638 move calories)

• Stood more (13.5 on average)

That’s it. Nothing I couldn’t repeat next month, and then the next…

What I ate

This might surprise some people…

I didn’t eat anything “special”… just simple, familiar foods:

• Toast with hummus for breakfast

• Avocado sandwiches & BBQ soy curls for lunch

• Stir fries & chili for dinner

• With lots of rice & potatoes

No complicated recipes.
No expensive ingredients.

Just food I actually enjoy eating.

What this reminded me

We make this way harder than it needs to be.

You don’t need a perfect plan.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire life.

You just need to:

• Move a little more

• Eat a little better

• Do it consistently

That’s it.

The real win

Honestly, the biggest win wasn’t the 4 pounds. It was proving (again) that:

simple works… if you stick with it

No starting over.
No all-or-nothing.

Just showing up each day and doing something.

If you’re struggling right now

Try this:

Don’t try to change everything… just pick ONE thing:

• Add a daily walk

• Swap one meal with a plant-based meal

• Stand a little more

And do that for a week, and then build from there.

Coming Up Next

Starting May 4 I will be hosting a “Better Than Takeout” Workshop - completely free with your paid membership to this Substack.

All month long I will show you simple takeout favorites you can make at home that taste better than any restaurant (without the restaurant price … or grease 🤣)

Each week I give you 3 recipes with downloadable recipe cards, shopping lists, and step-by-step videos.

Hope to see you there!

Subscribe now

If you want to follow along, I’ll keep sharing what I’m doing and if you’re looking for simple meals like the ones I mentioned, my cookbook is still available here ⬇️.

Comfort Food Classics

No promotion.
No launch.
No big announcement.

Just… people quietly deciding:

“Okay. I’m ready.”

And I think I know why

At some point, you just get tired of:

• overthinking food

• trying to eat “perfect”

• starting over… again

You don’t want another plan , you just want something that works.

That’s always been my approach

Take the foods you already love… and make them a little better.

Tacos
Chili
Takeout favorites
Comfort food

Same flavors.
Same satisfaction.

Just… easier on your body.

Which is exactly what we’re doing starting Monday

I’m calling it:

Better Than Takeout Month

Instead of grabbing food from a drive-thru or a box…

I’m going to show you how to make those same kinds of meals at home.

Simple
Familiar
But better

If that sounds like something you need right now…

I put together a quick post explaining what we’re doing:

And if you’ve been eyeing the cookbook…

That’s where all of this started.

Simple, familiar recipes you can actually stick with.

Grab one here 👉 Comfort Food Classics

Remember - you don’t need to change everything.

Just start with one meal.

Make it a little better.

People will read a book or watch a documentary and decide they want to “eat healthy”… so they start eating foods they don’t even like.

• What some people may call “rabbit food”

• Or “hippie food”

• Dry, bland, “this-is-good-for-me-so-I-guess-I’ll-eat-it”foods.

And they choke it down for a few days… maybe a few weeks… and then?

They quit 🛑.

Not because they’re lazy…
Not because they don’t care about their health…

But because deep down…

They don’t actually enjoy what they’re eating!

Here’s the truth nobody talks about

If you don’t like your food… you are NOT going to stick with it.

I don’t care how many documentaries you’ve watched.
I don’t care how many doctors say it’s good for you.

If every meal feels like a sacrifice…. you will eventually go back to what’s familiar.

This is where most people go wrong

They think eating healthy means:

• Giving up everything they love

• Starting from scratch

• Eating like a completely different person

So they try to become someone they’re not.

And that never lasts.

What actually works (and what I’ve been doing for years)

Instead of asking: “What healthy foods should I force myself to eat?”

Try asking: “What foods do I (or my spouse) already love… and how can I make them better?”

That’s the shift.

Real life examples

• You like tacos? Great—make them plant-based.

  • Cauliflower, soy curls, even tofu makes some awesome tacos!

• You like chili?

  • Perfect—load it up with beans, potatoes, spices… keep the flavor.

• You like burgers?

  • No problem—there are a hundred ways to make those better.

This is literally what I’ve built my entire blog and cookbook around!

• Comfort food

• Familiar food

• Food you actually want to eat

Just made a little healthier.

You can find my blog here, and my cookbook here.

And here’s the kicker

Even if your version isn’t “perfect”…

It’s still probably 10x better than what you were eating before!

And that’s what matters.

Because this isn’t about perfection

It’s about:

• Consistency

• Enjoyment

• Sustainability

The kind of eating you can actually stick with…

Not just for a few weeks… but for a lifetime.

So if you’ve struggled with “eating healthy”…

Maybe it’s not you… maybe it’s the approach.

You don’t have to eat foods you hate.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire life overnight.

Just start with what you already love…

…and make it better.

If this is the kind of approach that makes sense to you…

That’s exactly what I’ve been writing about over on Substack—
simple habits, real-life changes, and food you’ll actually enjoy eating.

And if you want a little more structure, I’ve also been sharing the exact system I’ve been using to lose weight and feel better—one small step at a time.

I’ve been eating the way I do since 2008, back when “plant-based” wasn’t a buzzword yet…. and most people had never even heard the term.

What got me started? A few things actually, including this book:

The China Study

I didn’t read it because I was ready to give up all of the food I loved…. trust me. I read it …. because I was curious.

Why were some populations around the world living with very low rates of chronic disease…. while here in the U.S., it just seemed normal to be on multiple medications by the time you hit 50 or 60?

And what I found wasn’t that complicated.

It wasn’t about some miracle food or some secret supplement.

It was about patterns.

Populations that ate mostly whole, plant-based foods tended to have lower rates of things like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Not zero. But lower.

And that made sense to me.

It still does.

Now here we are, 17 years later.

And I’ve seen a lot of diet trends come and go.

• Low-fat

• Low-carb

• Keto

• Carnivore

Every few years, something new comes along promising fast results, and look—I get it. People want results. So do I.

But here’s what 17 years has taught me:

It doesn’t have to be EXTREME to work

• You don’t have to be perfect

• You don’t have to throw out every single food you enjoy

• You don’t have to label yourself anything

What matters most… is what you do “most of the time”.

• When I eat mostly whole, plant-based foods… I feel better

• When I move more… I feel better

• When I keep things simple… I actually stick with it

And recently, when I lost about 20 pounds? It wasn’t from doing anything drastic. I just went back to the basics.

Those boring simple meals again
Getting off my butt and moving more
Less overthinking everything

That’s it.

So yeah…

After all this time…
after all the trends…
after all the noise…

I still believe in this.

• Not because it’s trendy

• Not because it’s perfect

• But because it’s sustainable.

Your turn

Have you ever read The China Study? Or was there something that first opened your eyes to all of this?

Hit reply and let me know—I read every one.

And if you’re trying to simplify all of this and just want a realistic, doable way to start…. That’s exactly what we’re doing inside the community.

No extremes. No perfection.

Just real life.

My wife is still out of town and won’t be home until tomorrow, so I have one more day to see what kind of trouble I can get into…😇

I finished this week’s YouTube video yesterday, so that is one item I can check off of my todo list. Here is that video if you want to check it out. Don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel if you haven’t already - it really helps me out.

Basically I just wanted to show people what a rebounder is and how it can help them “move more”. I’m upping my rebounding time to 10 min a day now.

I’m not sure I WANT to replace my walking, but it is nice to have options and it makes a great addition to my daily routine. Oh, and it’s fun!

Next Up: My Garden Beds

Here are 2 of my “square foot gardening” beds I built years ago. My plan today is to finish the weeding and add some compost so I can get them ready to plant.

I went out to the shed and found my old tiller - a VERY OLD Mantis tiller I think I bought some 30+ yrs ago. It hasn’t run in a very long time, and ironically - even though I worked on million-dollar machines at Intel my whole career - I was never into small-engine repair.

But thankfully today we have YouTube!

So after watching a few short videos, I managed to get the carburetor off and yeah - that explains why it’s never ran. It’s toast. I found a complete replacement kit on Amazon for less than $20 - delivery TODAY.

I’ll let you know if I get it running - because I also have another larger garden bed on the opposite side of the of my yard that REALLY needs some attention….

Yikes! Is that a TREE growing in the middle?!

I need to clean this bed and do some repairs on the woodwork - but it should be ready to plant soon (providing I can get my tiller running.)

Food and Exercise

As you can see, I won’t have any problem getting my exercise in today. I spend some time yesterday, pulling weeds mainly, but that counts as movement!

As long as you are NOT sitting on your butt all day (and I did my fair share of that too editing the YouTube video) you are getting movement - regardless of what your iPhone or Apple Watch says.

Food-wise I am set. Just finishing up the last of the BBQ Soy Curls as I type this and I have a whole pot of chili in the fridge - so I am good.

I’m probably not going to post any reset numbers today because honestly - nothing has changed. Weight is still steady - blood pressure is good - I’m moving my body in as many ways as I can think of.

I Think We Can Call the Reset Officially Done

I start at 201 and ended up at 197.5.
My BP started at 149/82 and now it is a consistent 120ish/70ish.

Remember, in 5 days we are starting our “Better than Takeout Workshop”, so this will give me a few days to get ready.

Here is some more info on THAT…

Hope you all have a relaxing Sunday and I will see you tomorrow morning in the livestream!

Chuck

And at 88 yrs old with advanced dementia - we’re at that stage where the conversations are starting to shift from “How’s she doing?” to “What do we do next?”

Her assisted living is already about $6,000 a month and now they’re suggesting we start looking into Memory Care.

So we’ve been looking.

One place near us was about $2,500/month…. and honestly—it felt exactly like you’d expect a $2,500 place to feel.

Drab. Dark. Quiet.

Honestly … it was the most depressing place I have ever seen. Not exactly what I would call a place to live. It was more like a place to… wait?! 😥

Then my wife toured another place near her mom.

Beautiful. Warm. Bright.

The kind of place you’d actually feel good about! But…

$12,000 a month. Yikes.

This Isn’t a Money Post

I mean… it is, a little.

Because those numbers are real, and they matter. But that’s not really what’s been on my mind. What’s been on my mind is this:

I’m watching, in real time, what aging can look like.

Because I Remember Her Differently

When I first met my mother-in-law almost 30 years ago…. she was active. I mean really active. Always the life of the party!

• She square danced

• She clogged

• She enjoyed entertaining people

• She sang, played her ukulele & accordion

• She was always moving!

And she’s a wonderful person!

But… like a lot of people from her generation… her meals ALWAYS centered around some kind of meat or seafood.

And over the years—especially as she got older— there was more fast food… more processed food…. more of what we’d call the “standard American diet.”

And I Catch Myself Wondering…

Did that matter?

Did the way she ate all those years play a role in where she is now?

And the honest answer is:

Probably - but also - it’s not that simple. And this is where I have to be careful - because it’s really easy to go down that road of:

“If only…”

If only she had eaten differently.
If only she had known.
If only things were different.

But that’s not fair.

She lived in a time when:

• Meat was the centerpiece of every meal

• Processed food was normal

• Nobody was talking about fiber, whole foods, or inflammation

She did what most people did. And she stayed active for a long time—which matters a lot.

But Here’s What I Can’t Ignore

There’s a reason you’re hearing more and more about things like brain health, inflammation, and lifestyle.

Because we’re learning that:

What we do, day after day, year after year… matters.

• What we eat

• How much we move

• How we handle stress

• Whether we stay connected to other people

It all adds up.

And this isn’t about blame. I’m not looking at her life and thinking she did anything wrong. I’m looking at it and thinking:

“I want to learn from this… while I still can.”

Because I’m not 30 anymore, and if you’re reading this… you probably aren’t either.

So What Do We Do With That?

1. Definitely not panic

2. Not overhaul everything overnight

3. And definitely not start choking down foods you hate “because they’re good for you.” (We’ve all tried that… it doesn’t last)

Instead, maybe it’s just this:

Keep what you enjoy… and look for ways to make it a little better?

• A little more whole food?

• A little less processed?

• A little more movement?

• A little more intention?

Because I’m Watching the Future

Not in a paranoid/scary kind of way… just… in a real way. And it’s making me appreciate something I say all the time a little more deeply:

It’s easier to keep what you have… than try to get it back later.

So if you’re taking a walk today…. or making a healthy meal…. or just trying to do a little better than you did yesterday…

That counts …. way more than you think.

If you want a little help getting started—or just want to be around other people doing the same thing—I share more of this kind of thing inside my community.

No pressure.

Just real people… figuring it out together.

Read more

On May 4, we’re starting our next workshop and I think this might be my favorite one yet! Instead of focusing on one type of meal like we did last time…

… we’re doing something a little different.

We’re doing a Better-Than-Takeout Month

Now before you think this means complicated recipes or a bunch of ingredients you’ve never heard of…

Nope. You know me better than that.

This is going to follow the same simple idea we’ve been building on:

• Keep it easy

• Keep it repeatable

• Make it taste really good

We’re going to take some of those meals people usually grab as takeout… and learn how to make simple, plant-based versions at home.

Nothing fancy. Just real food you can actually make on a regular weeknight.

What to Expect

Week 1 – Chinese takeout favorites (the kind most of us already love)
Week 2 – Korean-inspired flavors (a little bolder, but still simple)
Week 3 – Easy stir-fries and noodles (this is where it really gets flexible)
Week 4 – Putting it all together into simple, mix-and-match meals

And just like before, I’m not going to throw a bunch of random recipes at you. We’re going to build a system.

1. A base

2. Some veggies

3. A simple protein

4. And a sauce that pulls it all together

That’s it.

Same idea… just different flavors, because once you understand that part…

You won’t need recipes anymore

You’ll be able to just walk into your kitchen and make something that works. And maybe more importantly… something you actually enjoy eating.

• Each week, I’ll walk you through a few simple meals you can make at home—nothing complicated, nothing fancy.

• I’ll share the recipes, show you how I make them, and help you put it all together in a way that actually works during a normal week.

• You don’t need special equipment.

• And you definitely don’t need to be a great cook.

Just show up, follow along, and do what you can. That’s enough.

I’ll be sharing more details over the next few days, including a simple grocery list so you can be ready.

For now, just know this:

We start in one week

And if you’ve ever felt like eating better means giving up the foods you love…

This might change your mind.

If you’d like to be part of this one, the workshop is included with a paid subscription. That’s where I’ll be sharing the recipes, the videos, and walking you through everything step by step.

If you’ve been thinking about joining… this would be a great time.

We start in one week.

Read more

So I asked her what changed, and her answer was simple:

“My husband likes his bacon and eggs for breakfast… and hamburgers for dinner.”

And there it is.

It’s not always about you

A lot of times, it’s not just about what you want to eat.

• It’s about your environment

• Your habits

• Your routine

• The people you live with

If your spouse wants you to cook bacon and eggs every morning and burgers for dinner…it’s really hard to swim against that current every single day.

And most people don’t.

So what do you do?

Here’s where most advice falls apart.

Because the typical answer is:

• Just eat something different

• Make your own meals

• Make him cook

• Have more willpower

That might work for a few days, but long-term?

That’s exhausting. And honestly… a little lonely.

There’s a better way

Instead of fighting the foods in your house… work with them.

Don’t ask: “How do I avoid all of this?”

Ask: “How do I make this… better?”

Husband wants bacon and eggs?

• Maybe you make a tofu scramble instead of eggs

• Add potatoes, veggies, salsa—make it something you actually enjoy

• Sit down and eat together

Burgers for dinner?

• Great. Make plant-based burgers instead

• Load them up with onions, mushrooms, ketchup, mustard

• Pair them with oven fries

Same kind of meal.
Same shared experience.

Just… better.

Because this isn’t just about food

• It’s about staying connected

• It’s about not feeling like the “odd one out” in your own home

• It’s about building habits you can actually live with

Because if your plan requires you to constantly separate yourself from your family… it’s probably not going to last.

And here’s the bigger truth

You don’t have to be perfect to make progress.

Even small changes—done consistently—add up. That’s how I’ve done this for the past 17 years.

Not by giving up everything I love… but by learning how to make it differently.

Start here

If this sounds familiar, don’t try to overhaul your entire life overnight.

Just look at one meal you’re already eating this week.

And ask: “How can I make this just a little bit better?”

That’s where it starts.

If you want help with that, that’s exactly what I share—simple, familiar meals made in a healthier way. And if you want a step-by-step approach, my Reset walks you through it.

But for now, remember:

You don’t have to give up the foods you love—just find ways to make them better.

Read more

• The right clothing

• The right shoes

• The right weather

• The motivation

And even then… sometimes it still doesn’t happen.

These days, I walk almost every day.
Yesterday was nearly 2 miles in about 40 minutes.

I actually enjoy it—especially when it’s quiet, without the lawnmowers and leaf blowers blaring everywhere. Just me and mother nature.

But let’s be honest…

There are still days when:

• It’s too cold

• Or too hot

• Or raining, snowing, whatever

• Or I just don’t feel like going anywhere

And that’s where things usually start to fall apart.

Because the HARDER something is to start…the easier it is to SKIP.

So in February, I bought a rebounder

Yep. A little mini trampoline and no, I’m not trying to become some fitness guru…

Honestly? I just wanted something EASY. Something I could step onto for a few minutes… without having to think about it.

And here’s what surprised me.

It’s almost too easy.

No shoes
No planning
No leaving the house

I can just walk into the room, step on, and start bouncing. Even for a couple minutes. And that’s the part that made me realize….

Maybe after 60 - “easy” isn’t a weakness—it’s the strategy!

I think a lot of us have this idea that exercise has to be:

• intense

• structured

• or at least a little uncomfortable .. or it “doesn’t count.”

But the older I get, the more I’m starting to believe the opposite is true.

If it’s NOT easy…. we’re probably not going to keep doing it.

And if we don’t keep doing it… well, that’s where the real problems begin.

This made it super easy to start a new fitness habit

No big commitment
No hour-long workout

Just:

1. Step on

2. Bounce a little

3. Step off

That’s it.

So far, I have been using it nearly every day since I bought it.

Is this the “perfect workout”?

I’m still walking … mainly because I enjoy it. But I’m curious now…. could something this simple actually make a difference?

Could a few minutes here and there add up to something meaningful?

I don’t know if this is “ the perfect workout” - but it IS something I’ll actually do… even on the days I don’t feel like it.

And I feel that that … is the important part.

If you’ve ever tried a rebounder, I’d love to hear what you think. And if not…. I’ll keep experimenting with this and let you know what I find.

PS - you can find the exact model I bought with this link on Amazon - as an affiliate, I do earn a small commission with each purchase but at no extra cost to you…

https://amzn.to/41P4dMl

And if you’ve been following along…. you know I’m not trying to be perfect here. I’m just trying to figure out what actually works—and stick to it.

If that’s something you need too…. that’s exactly what this space is for. I share what I’m doing every day—the wins, the struggles, all of it.

And if you want to go deeper with me, that option’s there too.

(My latest reset numbers are below.)

Read more

Three little boys sitting around the breakfast table, staring at a bowl of something they clearly don’t trust.

“What’s this stuff?”
“Some cereal … supposed to be good for you…”
“I’m not gonna try it… you try it…”

And then they slide it over to their little brother Mikey—the kid who “hates everything.”

“He won’t eat it. He hates everything.”
“Hey Mikey!”

And then…Mikey takes a bite, and he LIKES it.

“He likes it! Hey Mikey!”

I’ve been thinking about that commercial a lot lately

Because honestly… that’s how a lot of us approach “healthy eating.” We look at a plate of kale, quinoa, broccoli, or something we don’t particularly enjoy and think:

“This is supposed to be good for me…”

So we try to choke it down…. not because we enjoy it… but because we think we should… because some book or YouTube video told us to.

Here’s the problem with that mindset:

If you don’t like your diet… you’re not going to stick with it!

Period.

You might force it for a few days, maybe even a few weeks. But eventually? You’re going right back to the foods you actually enjoy.

That’s why I’ve always said:

Don’t eat something just because it’s “healthy”

Eat what you like. Just find ways to make it better.

I mean that’s literally what my entire blog has been about from day one.

Just real food people already love…

• Chili

• Tacos

• Pizza

• Comfort food classics

…made in a way that actually supports your health.

And here’s something else I mentioned on my livestream this morning:

Even with the way I eat right now—and I’ll be the first to admit it’s not “perfect” in many people’s eyes… it’s still way better than what 99% of the US population is eating!

Like… not even close.

We get this idea that unless we’re eating perfectly clean, superfoods-only, textbook nutrition… …it doesn’t count.

• That’s just not true

• Progress counts

• Improvement counts

And enjoying your food? That might be the most important part of all.

Because if you actually like what you’re eating… you’ll keep doing it.

And that’s where the real change happens.

So maybe the goal isn’t to become someone who loves broccoli

Maybe the goal is just this:

Be your own version of Mikey.

• Try things

• Adjust things

• Make them your own

And when you find something you actually enjoy? Stick with that.

Because at the end of the day…. the best “diet” isn’t the one that looks the healthiest on paper.

It’s the one you’ll still be eating a year from now

If you want to actually SEE what I eat along with all of my reset stats, continue on below…

Read more

• Like losing a few pounds

• Getting back into a routine

• Even just finding the energy to move some days

There was a time when you could decide, “Alright, I’m getting back on track,”
and a week later you were already feeling better.

Now? You think about it. You plan it. You even start it. And somehow… it just doesn’t stick the same way.

I’ve been feeling that too. But here’s what I’m starting to realize.

It’s not that we’re failing… the rules have changed.

When we were younger, we could get away with more

Skip sleep (remember those all-nighters?)
Eat whatever
Feeling invincible

Our bodies were more forgiving
Our energy bounced back quicker
Consistency wasn’t as critical—because we had a LOT more wiggle room it seemed

Now? That margin is MUCH smaller.

And the same “all or nothing” approach we used back then…. just doesn’t work anymore.

So what does work?

Honestly? Less. And I don’t mean less effort.

I mean:

• Less pressure on yourself

• Less trying to fix everything at once

• Less expecting big, fast results

These days, I’m finding it’s the small, almost boring things that matter most.

• Going for a walk—even when I don’t feel like it

• Closing my rings on my iPhone

• Making a simple meal instead of overthinking it

Nothing impressive... but done consistently?

It starts to add up.

The other day I was walking around the hospital while my wife had an appointment. Nothing special. Just laps around the building. But by the time I left, I had closed my exercise ring.

And that one small decision… was the difference between sitting and moving that day.

That’s the shift

• Not trying to overhaul your life overnight

• Just choosing to move… instead of sit

• To show up… instead of wait

• To do something… instead of nothing

Because maybe it’s NOT harder now…. maybe it just needs a slightly different approach.

And maybe…. that’s not a bad thing.

If this is something you’re working through too, I share more of what I’m doing (and what’s actually working) inside my reset. You can see my latest numbers below.

Read more

Here’s part of what they said:

“The others make a compelling case for why you’d want to live this way. But you… YOU show us how realistic and approachable this lifestyle can be. You give us a path we can actually follow.”

That hit me, because there’s no shortage of information out there… books, doctors. courses, YouTube channels. podcasts…

We all know what we’re supposed to do.

Eat better. Move more. Stress less. Connect more.

But knowing… and doing… are two very different things.

For a long time, I thought my job was to teach

Share recipes
Explain things
Give people more information

But maybe that’s not it. Maybe my job is something a lot simpler than that.

Maybe my job is to make this doable??

That same email message talked about how they were closing their Apple Watch rings every day. Something they had built up in their mind as being hard… but once they actually started—found out it wasn’t.

That’s the part we don’t talk about enough.

The barrier is usually bigger in our head than it is in real life.

They also mentioned something about food that really stuck with me

They said they had shelves full of vegan cookbooks… saved recipes from all kinds of creators…

But every meal felt like a 2-hour project, and it was exhausting! No one is going to stick with something that feels like a chore every single day!

That’s why I’ve always leaned toward simple food.

Not because I don’t appreciate the fancy stuff… but because simple is what you can repeat.

And if you can repeat it… that’s where the real results come from.

But here’s the part that really matters

When things get simpler… something unexpected happens.

You get your time back.

Less time stressing over meals. Less time trying to “do it perfectly.”

Suddenly - there’s more time for the things that actually matter.

Time with your spouse
Your kids
Your grandkids
Your friends
Or my girl Vanilla here…. she ALWAYS wants my time 🤣

That’s the part no one really talks about. This isn’t just about food. Or steps. Or numbers on a scale.

It’s about building a life that you can actually live… without it feeling like work all the time.

So maybe that’s my role in all of this

I’m not here to show you the perfect version of a plant-based lifestyle.

I’m here to show you what it looks like… (as the email put it) “when the rubber meets the road.”

Real food
Real routines
Real life

Not perfect
Just doable

If you’re trying to figure this out too… you’re not alone.

And if you want to see exactly what I’m doing—what’s working, what’s not—I share my numbers and my progress below.

This is something we can figure out together.

Read more

Camera’s ready. Lights are on. Mic is dialed in.

And I just sat there. Stuck. 🤬

Not because I didn’t have anything to say (believe me I have PLENTY to say), but mainly because I didn’t know where to start, or how to say it, or whether it would even matter. And yeah… that other little voice usually shows up too:

“Who in the hell do you think you are?”

But here’s the strange part:

Put me on a livestream? I’m fine. I talk every morning for nearly an hour, 4 days a week. I answer questions, tell stories, basically just being myself. No script. No pressure.

So what’s the difference? I think it’s this:

When I’m live, I’m talking TO someone.
But when I hit record, it feels like I’m just talking at a camera.

I realize there are people on the other end, but it feels like I’m talking AT them, not TO them. Does that make sense?

And for whatever reason… that changes everything.

Lately I’ve been reading about how ADHD can show up later in life.

Things like:

• overthinking simple decisions

• putting things off (even when you want to do them)

• starting something… and immediately feeling stuck

• having good days… and then days where nothing clicks

That is SO me 😖 !!

For a lot of us, this isn’t new. It’s just more noticeable now.

And I’m not trying to label anything here. Aging, stress, sleep… all of that plays a role too. But when you start seeing a pattern, it does make you think.

• So instead of asking: “What’s wrong with me?”

• I’m trying to start asking a different question: “What helps my brain work better?”

Because when I feel stuck… it’s usually not random.

It’s usually something simple.

• I haven’t eaten well

• I haven’t moved that much yet

• My mind is overloaded

• Or I’ve been sitting alone too long

And when I shift those things—even a little—something changes - just enough to get moving.

I keep coming back to four simple ideas I learned from Dr. Ornish in his book Undo It:

Eat well. Move more. Stress less. Love more

They don’t fix everything, but they do make it easier to feel a little bit better, think a little clearer… and maybe actually start.

• A decent meal

• A short walk

• A few quiet minutes

• A conversation with another human being

Sometimes that’s the difference between:

“I can’t seem to get going…” and “Okay… I can do this.”

I’m still figuring this out.

But if you’ve ever sat there, ready to start something—and just couldn’t… you’re not alone. Not even close.

And maybe… there’s nothing wrong with you.

Maybe your brain just needs a little better support.

If this sounds familiar, hit reply and tell me— do you do better when you’re connecting with someone… or when you’re on your own?

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I started with a pot of my Potato Soup with green chiles—something I’ve made many times before, going all the way back to my first Mary’s Mini.

Simple, comforting, reliable.

But this time… it turned into what my father-in-law used to call a “kitchen-sink soup. You know the kind.

I found a small bag of frozen onions and peppers hiding in the freezer—no idea how long they’d been in there but in the pot they went.

Then I spotted a bag of chopped carrots in the fridge that were just about to cross that line. You know the one. A quick rinse, a smell test, a tiny taste… still good - in the pot they went.

Leftover green chiles? Check.

Half a can of tomato sauce? Check.

At that point, I just stood there for a second and laughed. Because this wasn’t a recipe anymore. This was me literally adding “everything but the kitchen sink”. 🤣

My wife’s dad used to do the same thing with a big pot of goulash. Anything that needed to be used up—he’d throw it in. No measuring. No overthinking. Just decades of knowing how food works.

And you know what? It always turned out good.

I think somewhere along the way, we’ve made cooking more complicated than it needs to be.

We’ve convinced ourselves we need:

• exact recipes

• perfectly stocked pantries

• expensive ingredients

• the “right” way to do things

But last night reminded me of something simple: Some of the best meals come from asking one question:

“What do I already have?”

That one question does a lot more than you might think.

• It saves money

• It reduces waste

• It takes the pressure off having to plan the “perfect” meal

• And maybe most importantly—it builds confidence

Because you stop depending on recipes…. and start trusting yourself.

A lot of people think the key to eating better is finding more recipes.

I don’t think that’s true. I think the real skill—the one nobody talks about—is learning how to improvise.

To look at a fridge full of odds and ends and say:

“Yeah… I can make something out of this.”

And here’s the best part. When you cook like that, something shifts. You’re not just following instructions anymore…

You’re cooking.

Last night’s soup? It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t perfect. But it was warm, filling, and honestly… really good. And I’d make it again in a heartbeat.

Even if I could never recreate it exactly the same way twice.

If you want something simple to try today:

1. Open your fridge.

2. Find 2 or 3 things that need to be used up.

3. And build a meal around them.

No pressure. No perfection.

Just see what happens.

And if you’re curious, I’ve shared my latest reset numbers below—weight, blood pressure, and what’s been working for me lately.

Read more

And that got me thinking…

If that’s true—

What’s one simple thing we can do TODAY… to hold on to what we’ve got?

• Now I’m not talking completely overhauling your diet…

• Or joining a gym…

• Or completely changing your lives overnight...

Just one thing we can all do TODAY.

For me, it’s walking.

Last weekend, while my wife was in the hospital for a procedure, I wasn’t allowed back there with her… so I did the only thing I could think of.

I walked around the building. Then I did it again. And again

Before I knew it, I had closed my exercise ring. Just walking.

But here’s the thing…. that one simple act? That’s the kind of habit that helps you keep what you still have.

• Your mobility

• Your endurance

• Your independence

Because aging doesn’t usually happen all at once. It’s the slow loss of things we stop using.

And walking is one of the easiest ways to push back against that. So if you’re wondering where to start…

Go for a 10 minute walk today.

Now, I know not everyone can go for a walk. And that’s okay. The goal isn’t just walking… the goal is movement.

So instead, just move your body for 10 minutes - however you can.

• Seated exercises

• Marching in place

• Stretching

• Light resistance bands

• Bounce on a rebounder

• Even just standing up and sitting down a few times counts.

Because remember: it’s easier to keep what you have… than try to get it back later.

If you want to see how this is playing out for me— my weight, blood pressure, and the small daily habits I’m tracking— I’ve shared my latest update below.

Read more

Watching people around me go through doctor visits… dealing with things that seem to come out of nowhere… needing more help than they used to.

And I keep coming back to this one simple thought:

It’s easier to keep what you have… than get it back later

My friend Joanne is a perfect example of this! She’s 94 years young and going strong!

The truth is, a lot of the things we struggle with as we get older don’t just suddenly show up one day. They’ve been quietly building for years.

• Strength

• Mobility

• Energy

• Balance

And by the time we notice something’s off… it’s usually been heading that direction for a while.

That’s not meant to scare anyone.

If anything, I find it kind of encouraging, because it means we have more control than we think.

For me right now, it’s nothing complicated.

• I’m not training for anything

• I’m not doing extreme workouts

• I’m just trying to not let things slide

• Getting my steps in (even if it’s on my walking pad)

• Eating food I know makes me feel good

• Showing up… even on the days I don’t feel like it

That’s it. Nothing fancy.

One thing I’ve learned—both from experience and from Atomic Habits—is that we don’t rise to the level of our goals…. we fall to the level of our systems.

And right now, I’m just trying to build simple systems that help me hold onto what I’ve got.

Because I’ve seen what happens when we don’t.

And I don’t mean that in a dramatic way… just an honest one.

My poor mother-in-law is going through quite a time right now. We actually went and toured a memory care facility nearby and oh…my.

Talk about depressing 🥺

So if you’re feeling stuck right now….

or like progress is slow… or like the scale isn’t moving….

Just remember— you’re not just trying to improve things.

You’re also protecting what you already have.

• Your strength

• Your mobility

• Your independence

And that’s worth showing up for.

• Even if it’s just a short walk

• Even if it’s just one good meal

• Even if it’s just not missing twice

You don’t have to fix everything today.

Just don’t wait until it’s too late.

👇 I’ll share my steps, weight, and BP from today’s reset below.

Read more

Because we’re now at the point where we may need to move my mother-in-law into memory care. Her dementia is progressing quickly, and the level of care she needs is increasing almost by the month.

Just the additional services where she’s at now? Around $6,000 a month. Let that sink in for a moment. And from what I’m hearing, memory care could push that to $10,000… even $12,000 a month.

It’s a lot to process.

Financially, yes—but even more than that, emotionally. Because when you see it up close like this, you can’t help but ask yourself a hard question:

Is this just how aging works?

At the same time, I’ve been noticing something else.

I’ve been seeing very different versions of what aging can look like.

Take someone like Ann Esselstyn.

• Ninety years old

• Strong

• Active

• Engaged with life

• I recently saw that she set a Guinness World Record for a dead hang at 90 years old. Way to go Ann!!

Now I know life isn’t always that simple. A lot of this is out of our control—genetics, life circumstances, things we never saw coming.

But I also don’t believe it’s entirely random either. Because when you look a little closer, you start to notice patterns.

People who seem to thrive as they get older tend to have a few things in common.

• They eat well

• They move—regularly

• They find ways to manage stress

• And maybe most importantly… they stay connected. They have people in their lives. They give and receive support.

Sound familiar? It should.

Those are the same four pillars Dr. Dean Ornish talks about:

Eat Well. Move More. Stress Less. Love More.

So maybe aging isn’t just something that happens to us? Maybe it’s something we influence—day by day, habit by habit?

I’ve been thinking about my own message lately—what I really want this blog, my videos, and this community to stand for.

And the more I sit with it, the clearer it becomes:

I want to help people age better

Not just with recipes. Not just with food. But with simple, practical habits that can improve how we feel now—and how we live later.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t really about food.

• It’s about independence

• It’s about quality of life

• It’s about being able to move, think clearly, stay connected, and enjoy the people around you for as long as possible.

I don’t think we get to control everything about how we age. But I do think we have more influence than we often realize.

And the small things we do today?

They add up.

If you’re trying to make even a few small changes—eating a little better, moving a little more, taking care of yourself—I just want you to know:

It matters. More than you probably realize.

And it’s never too late to start.

And for those of you keeping track with me, I’ve shared my latest reset numbers below.

Read more

One person said they feel like they’ve been left behind.

That so many of the creators they used to follow have moved into paid content, memberships, subscriptions… and somewhere along the way, that feeling of “we’re in this together” started to disappear.

Another person shared—very thoughtfully—that they enjoy reading what I write, but simply can’t afford another subscription right now.

Not because they don’t see the value… but because life is expensive, business is slow, and there are only so many things you can say yes to.

And I’ll be honest…. I get it. I really do.

When I started all of this—my blog, my videos, everything—it was never about building some kind of “paid wall” between me and the people I was trying to reach.

• It was about sharing what I had learned

• It was about figuring things out together

• It was about that feeling of “hey… if I can do this, maybe you can too.”

And somewhere along the way, as things grow and evolve and yes… as we try to make this sustainable… it’s really easy to lose sight of how it feels on the other side of the screen.

So let me just say this as clearly as I can:

I don’t want anyone to feel left behind here.

• Not because you can’t subscribe

• Not because you choose not to

• Not because life is just… life right now

Some of the most important people in this community may never pay me a dime. And that doesn’t make them any less a part of this.

Because support doesn’t just look like a subscription.

It looks like:

• Reading an email with your morning coffee

• Trying a recipe

• Going for a walk when you didn’t feel like it

• Leaving a comment

• Or even just quietly following along

That matters. It all matters.

If anything, this whole journey—at least the way I see it—is less about content and more about connection.

That idea of “we’re in this together”… I don’t want to lose that.

Not now. Not ever.

It’s actually one of the reasons I’ve been thinking so much about where to go next, what to focus on, and why I’m even doing this in the first place.

And I think the answer is still the same as it’s always been:

• To share

• To help

• To figure things out together

I also know this…

There has to be a balance.

Because creating content, running a site, hosting workshops, all of it—it takes time and energy. And yes, part of this is finding a way to make it sustainable.

But if that ever comes at the cost of community…

Then I’ve missed the point.

So maybe this is less of an answer and more of a promise.

I’m going to keep showing up. I’m going to keep sharing what I can—freely, openly, as much as possible.

And I’m going to keep trying to build something that feels like we’re still sitting at the same table… figuring this out together.

And I’d love to hear from you.

What do you need more of from me?

Not as a subscriber. But as someone on this same path.

I still share my daily numbers, meals, and behind-the-scenes details with my paid subscribers — that’s what helps support everything I’m building here.

But whether you ever choose to do that or not… you’re still part of this.

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My wife had a scheduled ultrasound at the hospital. Nothing urgent—just one more step in trying to figure out what’s been going on with her blood pressure.

Or maybe… making sure years of medication haven’t caused any damage???

We don’t really know yet and that’s the hard part, isn’t it?

Not always having answers.

I wasn’t allowed to go back with her so while she did her thing, I did what I’ve been trying to do more of lately… I moved.

I set my watch to Outdoor Walk and just started walking laps around the hospital.

And before I knew it, I had closed my exercise ring.

Just… walking.

And this morning?

The scale finally moved! Hoorah!

197 lbs.

After days (weeks?) of nothing. And if you’ve ever been stuck bouncing around the same pound or two…. you know exactly how good that feels.

Here’s the thing though.

That number didn’t drop because of anything I did yesterday.

It dropped because of everything I’ve been doing…. even when it felt like it wasn’t working.

That story from Atomic Habits about the rock splitter always comes to mind.

• You hit the rock 100 times… nothing happens

• Then on the 101st hit—it cracks

• But it wasn’t that one hit that did it…

It was all of them.

Right now, I’m sitting at 197. My lowest weight so far since I started that first reset in October has been 196.5.

That’s half a pound away and we still have two weeks left in April.

How LOW can I go 🤣

Meanwhile, life keeps moving forward

Looks like Asian Month is leading the poll for May’s workshop at 33%, with Potatoes right behind at 27%.

(If you haven’t voted yet—you’ve still got a couple days. You can vote here…)

And today?

I’ll be back in my office…. moving things around again…. trying to get this space ready so I can finally start filming YouTube videos again.

It’s funny when you step back and look at it.

• We don’t have all the answers yet with my wife’s health

• The scale just started moving

• The studio isn’t quite ready

• The next workshop isn’t finalized

And yet…. progress keeps happening everywhere.

Quietly. In the background.

That’s the lesson for today.

You don’t always see it right away … but if you keep showing up…

• keep walking…

• keep making the next small choice…

eventually— something gives.

If you want to follow along with my daily numbers, meals, and progress during this reset—and join us for the upcoming workshops—you can upgrade anytime.

We’re just getting started.

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