An email from Tumblr reminds me that I launched my fitness blog Five for Fatting a year ago. I’m not using that platform anymore, for my own reasons, but it’s cool to think that I’ve been doing and writing about fitness and health-related stuff for a year. There was a time I despaired of ever really getting in shape or on track physically, and what a difference a year makes.

I don’t have anything particularly poignant or insightful to say today to mark the occasion, except to say that I’ve been back in the gym for almost a week now (you should totally join one if you’re still thinking about making a resolution for 2014) after not exercising for over a month while I allowed my ribs to heal, I’m very sore, and I’m back on my diet after the holidays, which has prompted something of a health emergency in my home.

https://twitter.com/stackiii/status/420988177441378304

So instead, here’s an interesting TED talk on the Paleo diet by archaeological scientist Christina Warinner, who studies ancient nutrition (hat tip: George Ou, an engineer who used to be a professional dancer, who has given me a wealth of fitness tips in the last year). The Paleo diet is something that’s a fad generally but, in my experience, particularly popular among American conservatives. Getting on the Paleo diet was suggested to me by a client last year, but I like bread, dairy, and candy too much to try it. There’s also that whole cavemen-had-life-expectancy-of-about-23-years thing, too, and I don’t want to eat like those people. (That’s not scientific at all.)

I eat more meat than I used to, but I don’t eat primarily meat, and I microwave my vegetables instead of pulling them out of my yard and eating them raw. Eating 2g of protein for every kg of bodyweight has served me well enough, and sometimes that protein comes from meat, and other times it comes from beans, shakes, nuts, or dairy. Eating less sugar, salt, and fat has also served me well, as each kicks off cravings for the other two.

If you don’t want to watch a 20-minute serious video, here’s a funny one about fitness neophytes that’s only really funny to people who have been at it awhile, complete with all the allure and charisma of the “My New Haircut” broski (hat tip: my longtime friend Allen Blankenship):

Happy Almost-Friday!