We did it! We actually made it through 1 full month of clean eating! I have to admit that when we started out with this little experiment, I was a bit skeptical of how I would feel and if I’d even be able to go through with it. The act of breaking routine can sometimes be a hard one, especially with food. Food is pretty habitual for my wife and I. We like what we like when we like it. Completely stepping out of our comfort zone was at times stressful, but ultimately enlightening when all said and done. So, what are my thoughts on this diet?
Man! Time has been flying by! I can’t believe I am already 2 weeks into this clean eating journey. It has been sort of refreshing to be forced to eat different foods than we are used to and in doing so, I believe that has given us(wifey and I) more appreciation for certain foods. It’s also been pretty eye opening as to how much sugar really is out there and in how many places. Things that you would never guess had sugar in them have it. Looking back on my diet before this, I realized that I was literally eating sugar every single meal and snack of the day! So, at 2 weeks clean, how’s it going?
Hey, everyone! I have officially been eating clean now for 1 week! In that time, I’ve already gotten 2 backcountry hunts under my belt as well. For the first 6 days I’ve gotta admit, things were sluggish. Really in terms of my energy levels. I felt so dragged down as my body went through sugar withdrawals. It’s pretty crazy, but my body had to essentially relearn how to harness energy that wasn’t coming from sugar. I never realized how dependent I was on it, until I took it away.
Hey, everyone! Hope everybody’s spring is treating them great and you are getting out in the hills on a more regular basis after the winter time. Some spring seasons are already upon us and I am as excited as ever to see what the coming months bring in terms of bears and turkey. Another thing that I am pretty stoked on at the moment is an experiment I have decided to do with dieting. There are 3 big diets that are being mentioned on a regular basis right now it seems. Folks are chatting about eating clean, keto, and paleo. Instead of picking one, I have decided to try them all.
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of FoodSaver®; however all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Some of my fondest memories are from my childhood. These special times are what shaped me into the person that I am today. We are so impressionable as youngsters, and I will forever be grateful to my Father for bestowing a life in the outdoors on me. As far back as I can remember, he was taking me fishing and hunting. It was here that I learned a great deal about what hard work gets you. In order to achieve great results, I needed to put in great effort. All the while, truly appreciating what was in front of me, and the landscapes that I called home. Preserving these memories has become something incredibly important to me over the years, as is preserving our riches from these trips. I’m not talking about money, no. I’m referring to that precious organic free range protein that we are so fortunate to acquire through our great efforts. I’ve been preserving said protein through vacuum sealing for years and have full faith in its effectiveness. The GameSaver® Big Game™ Vacuum Sealing System fits that bill and here’s why.
Over my years of black bear hunting there is a consistent theme that wafts its way past my ears every now and then. On multiple occasions, after posting a successful bear hunting photo, folks have asked me, “Why did you shoot a bear? You can’t eat bear.” This leaves me puzzled every time I hear it. Their surprise after I tell them I eat bear a few times a week never gets old though. So, with this piece, I want to lay that question to rest.
If you’ve spent any great deal of time looking into new gear for your backpack hunting endeavors, I’d be hard pressed if you didn’t cringe a little bit every now and again at the prices of some of these items. I know I used to do it a ton, when I was first looking into this stuff. Why in the world would someone spend $500 on a sleeping bag?! That’s more than my truck payment! $800 on a tent? “NO FRIGGIN WAY,” I’d tell myself. The fact of the matter is though, if you want to be an ultralight backpack hunter and have good reliable gear, you are eventually gonna pony up the dough here and there on certain items. The more we get into something, the more we care about the gear that goes along with said something. When I started, anything was “good enough.” Now, that I’ve had more experience, I care a lot more about the functionality of my gear, because of previous gear failures as well as knowing what I need out of that gear. I don’t want to be 5 miles + into a wilderness, only to realize that my tent broke or that my rain gear isn’t quite as “waterproof” as it was advertised to be. With that being said, I think that there are some areas where you can definitely avoid the huge price tags and still have an enjoyable experience, especially if you’re new to all of this.
Now, sure, some folks might think that all hunting gives us is big antlers, tanned hides, and the opportunity to kill, but we all know that is hogwash. We all know that this lifestyle is so much more than blood and bone. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this. If it weren’t, a grown man wouldn’t shed a tear at the sight of a downed animal. We wouldn’t put so much effort into getting in shape, studying maps, and making sure our equipment is as dialed in as it can be if hunting didn’t mean what it does to a lot of us. So, what has hunting given me personally?
The first word that comes to mind when I ask this to myself is, “tradition.” When I was younger, it was tradition for my dad and I to go on our annual rifle deer hunt. I looked forward to that every year and still do. From that, came the bond my dad and I shared through hunting and the outdoors in general. That’s really always been our thing, and that’s that. As we trickle down further through time, we come to my brother. If there is one thing that has brought my little brother and I closer, it is our love of hunting and bowhunting in particular. I’m not saying we wouldn’t be close without those things, but I question how our relationship would be if they were absent of it. It seems like every time we see one another, the upcoming seasons are brought up, and with it, everything that revolves around them. I look forward to those little chit chats and seem to engage in them every chance I get. Jake went from being my annoying little brother to my most loyal and driven hunting partner.
with great sacrifice, comes great reward
– Unknown
Aside from family, hunting has shined light on the quote “with great sacrifice, comes great reward.” I knew what that meant, but had never been slammed in the face with it until I started hunting. The more effort I put into a hunt, the more rewarding it is in the end. That doesn’t mean that as long as I put in hard work, I’m gonna fill my tag. For me, it means that I will come out of that experience with way more than I went in with. Not all rewards on a hunt have a trail of blood that is linked to them.
Lastly, I cannot ask myself this question without talking about the meat. The organic protein that we acquire in the field is what made me make the decision to really dive head first into hunting and look at it as more than the annual deer hunts I was going on. I had the goal of providing myself and future children, should they decide to eat meat, with the most free range, organic protein on the planet. For me, with age has come more concern for my overall health. Every year that goes by, I care more and more about what I put into my body and physical fitness. I am by no means a professional athlete, but am someone who has started to train regularly and cares more and more about nutrition. If you have never experienced what it’s like to sit down and eat something that you put so much effort into harvesting, you are indeed missing out. It really brings everything full circle and makes you appreciate that animal and those experiences even more.
Now, that I’ve gone through all of that, I want to change the first word that comes to my mind, when asked this question, from “tradition” to “GRATEFUL.” I am truly grateful for all of these things that hunting has given me to this point. From life lessons to a healthier lifestyle, I look forward to what the future holds. Remember though, that there is no future of hunting without us. Use the things that hunting has given you as a driving force to keep it alive and well. Speak out when needed, and educate others when you can. Now, it’s your turn. What has hunting given you?
If you are in the western hunting world and have not heard of Wilderness Athlete, you are missing out. They are the makers of high quality, field tested, sports performance products specifically for the outdoor athlete. Most notably, they are known for their superior Hydrate & Recover and their Energy & Focus drink mixes. I have been using these two products for the past 2 years and I don’t go into the mountains without them. Recently, I got the chance to test out their Ultimate Pre-Workout and Nighttime Optimizer supplements. I will admit, it was hard straying away from the first two products mentioned, BUT I have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
I remember when I first heard about people actually working out for hunting. I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. All I knew about hunting was that you sat in a tree or on the ground and waited for a deer to walk by. What is physically taxing about that and why in the world would anyone workout in preparation for it? My thoughts on the subject changed drastically after I really got into hunting out west though. The animals out here live in some rugged country and if you aren’t physically prepared to even get to where they live, let alone haul one out of the mountains, you are really in for it my friend. Don’t believe me? Have your luck at a spot and stalk western mule deer or black bear hunt. When you get back, you might think differently.
Copyright 2019 Dialed In Hunter
Design by NXNW.
