Pellets are the lifeblood of your home’s heating system when a pellet stove is your primary heat source. Most folks don’t even give the pick-up, transport, or storage of them a second thought. I didn’t, either. Not until we ended up using wet pellets because of transporting them in the rain. What a mess. Keeping your pellets dry is critical to the uninterrupted use of your pellet stove during cold weather months.

We usually have a full pallet (50 bags) delivered to our place in the later summer/early fall when our co-op runs specials on them. After our family chain-gangs them into the basement, we are ready to roll for the winter. Complementing the pellet stove is an oil furnace that we use sparingly during that time of the year. Combined, a pallet of pellets is usually enough to get us through winter with about ten bags leftover.

Not a Normal Year

Enter COVID-era destruction. One lay-off and school shutdown later, me and the Jo are home all day long. I’m writing, and he’s entering the 6^th grade as a remote student. We are now running our Quadrafire Mt Vernon AE hard, and already using at least twice the fuel we would normally use. As the temperatures dip into the 20s, our 106-year-old lathe and plaster walls simply can’t keep the heat in as well. We use even more.

Ripping through the dozen bags of pellets we had leftover from last year, plus the 50 bags we picked up in October, we also burned through 250 gallons of furnace oil. At $3 per gallon . . . well, you can do the math. $3 + 250 gallons = that shit ain’t getting refilled until the off-season. It is RIDICULOUSLY expensive to fill the tank, and it doesn’t last long. So, off we go to pick up a half-pallet of pellets. Mid-winter. In the pouring Washington rain.

Using Wet Mushy Pellets – Don’t Do It!

Ideally, you have your pellets delivered or pick them up when it’s fair weather. A truck with a canopy is helpful if you have to get them during bad weather. Unfortunately, we ran out during a stretch of rain, and we don’t have a canopy. That didn’t change the fact that we still had to pick some up!

Twenty-five bags of pellets were drenched after we got home. As if that wasn’t enough, I decided to throw a tarp over the load and leave them in the back of the truck overnight.

Don’t do this. Even with a tarp over them, moisture still managed to creep its way in after 10 hours. One of the bags of pellets had completely disintegrated and swelled up to the point of splitting the plastic bag open. Fifteen more bags got damp and had about 80% solid pellets. The other 20% was pure sawdust from the pellets breaking up. The last nine bags were varying degrees of mostly solid pellets.

More than likely, the solid pellets are okay to use. I recommend screening out the extra sawdust from the exploded pellets and using the pellets that are still whole. When you dump the whole mix in, that loose sawdust gets pulled up by the auger, accumulates, and gets caked inside the auger feed tube and drop tube.

Fixing your pellet stove and conducting maintenance periodically is a necessary evil. When you attempt to use wet pellets, your pellet stove will soon crunch, clunk, grind, and error out. You’ll be working on it much sooner than you anticipated.

Auger Jammed

If you went against sage advice or your inner voice telling you not to use wet pellets – you are now seeing the “auger jammed” message. You may have been cussing like a sailor while frantically searching Google, where you came across this article!

Typically, if it’s a simple pellet jam, you can “unstick it” by either cleaning out the hopper and/or using a tool up the drop tube to clear the jam.

With wet pellets that have turned partly into sawdust and are clogging the auger and auger feed tube, you will have repeated “auger jammed” errors. Basically, your auger is dead in its tracks. If you unplug and restart, it will try to clear itself, but you will see that annoying error message before it gets a chance to drop pellets into the firepot.

DON’T PANIC!

This is an easy fix. If you have a freestanding pellet stove it will be super easy to get in and clean out the auger jam. If you have an insert, like us, it is a little more challenging.

The Fix After Using Wet Pellets

I am not a fan of pellet stoves. Having a rocky past with them since 2010, time has not done much to quell my ambivalence towards them. Never mind the lack of romantic Norman Rockwell-ish atmosphere and that wonderfully infused smell of a wood stove that permeates every fiber of a home’s interior over the years – the kind that reminds you of Grandma and Grandpa’s farm.

However, the historic 1915 Craftsman we moved into had a Quadrafire Mt. Vernon AE insert. With all the other renovation work to be done, swapping it out for a wood stove was not in the cards. I have grown to like it when it’s working right. I can’t deny its convenience, even with its periodic bouts of petulance. I love chopping wood, but my old man back does not

So, owning a pellet stove over a wood-burning stove is just as well. Call it love/hate or a twisted relationship – whatever. They have delicate wiring systems, can be finicky, jam, and go down when you least expect it during the most inopportune time.

However, fixing your pellet stove after using wet pellets is simple. You will remove the auger and vacuum everything out until no damp, cakey, sawdust remains! I show you the work on our Quadrafire Mt. Vernon AE pellet stove in the video, but I will outline the basic steps here.

Instructions

Work is done on a Quadrafire Mt. Vernon AE model pellet stove insert. Yours may be slightly different and may not include an optical sensor.

Materials Needed

• #2 or #3 Philips head screwdriver
• Shop-Vac, preferably with micro cleaning tool attachment set

Steps

1. Unplug the stove from the power source.
2. Remove all unused pellets from the hopper.
3. Disconnect the hopper sensor wire connector and move out of the way.
4. Pull any wires running along the vacuum switch out of the white clasp and move them down out of the way. This is only to ensure you don’t press these wires against the edge of the vacuum switch while working, potentially breaking them.
5. Locate the auger feed motor. On the right side, there is a wiring harness connector for the optical sensor. It is difficult to see, but it needs to be disconnected before removing the auger. Depress the release clip on top and disconnect.
6. The auger feed system is held in place by two hooks at the top and one screw at the bottom. On the face of the auger feed motor assembly, there are four screws. A fifth screw lies below these. Loosen this screw, remove it, and push it up, releasing the whole auger feed assembly.
7. Pull the auger out partially. I recommend having the Shop-Vac hose in one hand, vacuuming falling sawdust, while pulling the auger out a little at a time. You can go ahead and just pull the whole thing out in one shot, but you’ll have a mess to clean up inside your unit. Your choice.
8. Completely remove the auger assembly and set it down to the side.
9. Thoroughly and deeply vacuum the auger feed tube and into the upper part of the drop tube, getting out all the sawdust and any remaining pellets in there. Remove the vacuum switch hose and blow it out with compressed air. Vacuum and/or wipe down the auger if needed.
10. Thoroughly vacuum out the hopper, and inside the stove where there is sure to be a lot of residue from burnt-up sawdust. Don’t forget to hit the firepot. Remove the baffle and vacuum the backside of it. Using the micro cleaning kit, vacuum the heat exchanger and exhaust exits.  

Finishing Up

Congrats, you have now fixed your pellet stove in the aftermath of using wet pellets! Once you carefully insert and screw the auger back into place, reconnect the optical and hopper sensors, then move the other wires back into their clasps. You are ready to fire it back up.

Plug your stove back in and do a test run with a small number of pellets, like 10 or 15% of the hopper capacity. Once your pellet stove is back up, fill the hopper with pellets.

Make sure to check out the video! As a bonus, I also attempt a temporary fix and show you how to replace the optical sensor after I destroy the wiring on it. You don’t wanna miss that!

Interested in adding a built-in, under-the-counter wine or beverage cooler to your kitchen? Check out How To Install a Phiestina Beverage Cooler

The post How To Fix Your Pellet Stove After Using Wet Pellets appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

If you are looking for an easy way to add a touch of class to your kitchen, why not consider installing a Phiestina beverage cooler?

Beverage cooler, wine cooler, wine fridge, chiller – call it what you will. Not only will you be adding an attractive piece to your existing kitchen appliances, but with a 96-can capacity (more with larger models), you will be opening-up room in your refrigerator too. If you have kids, you will really appreciate this.

The 15” Phiestina beverage cooler can be used as a built-in or stand-alone unit. We decided to install it as an under-the-counter built-in. The dimensions on this unit are 14.9” x 33.9” x 22.4”, and luckily for us, the space we are putting ours in is right in the pocket.

Replace Outdated Appliances with Something “Cooler”

In today’s video, we get rid of our derelict trash compactor and put our new beverage cooler in its place. Sure, it is stainless like most of our other appliances and looks okay, but the compactor is serving no useful function. Also, based-off Sara’s previous bad experiences with ghastly larvae, she is not a fan of garbage compactors in the home. We couldn’t get rid of this thing soon enough.

Last month we were sitting around contemplating what to do with that space. We took “quick and dirty” measurements of the compactor’s face and height – 15″ and 34″ respectively. Then we just measured the depth of the cabinet at one side of it – 24″ and some change.

Sara hunted around and found something that would work – the Phiestina beverage cooler. BOOM, perfect! The footprint of the cooler matched up with the garbage compactor which was helpful – that meant we didn’t have to do any cutting into the cabinetry to custom fit the unit.

She ordered the beverage cooler and it arrived last week. Time to get to work! This was super-easy since there was no cutting involved. Consider spaces that you already have that could use something different. You may only need to do minimal altering if any at all.

About the Phiestina Beverage Cooler

Phiestina is a top manufacturer of quality wine and beverage coolers. With 15 years of wine storage experience, along with developing and manufacturing refrigeration units, they are becoming a leader in wine and beverage storage.

Specs for the 15” Phiestina Beverage Cooler:

• Capacity: 90 L
• Voltage: 110-120V
• Rated Current: 1.2A
• Frequency: 60Hz
• Protection Class: I
• Climate Class: T/ST/N/SN
• Input Power: 90 W
• Power Consumption (KW.h/24h): 0.59 KW.h/24h
• Temperature Control Range: 38°F – 50°F
• Net Weight: 72.8 lbs
• Gross Weight: 88 lbs
• Product Size (WxHxD): 14.9” x 33.9” x 22.4”
• Package Size (WxHxD): 19.1” x 38” x 26.6”

With several units (ranging in size and style) to choose from in both the wine cooler AND beverage cooler class, Phiestina can transform your kitchen into something a little less ordinary.

Put it within your cabinetry, your kitchen island, or as a free-standing unit. However you do it, it’s going to look sweet. Check out my video of the easy “swap-out” installation!

The post [Video] How To Install a Phiestina Beverage Cooler appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

We use elk and turkey burger, but you can substitute with beef or whatever the mood calls for. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Shawn and Sara

P.S. Need more dinner ideas? Check out this primo white fish recipe.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Elk Burger

Recipe by Sara and Shawn LentzCourse: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• Meat

• 1 lb ground elk

• Produce
  

• 4 portobello mushroom caps

• 2 tomato slices

• 6 dill pickle slices

• 2-4 lettuce leaves

• Condiments
  

• 2 tsp spicy brown mustard
  2 tsp Best Foods Mayo
  

• Dairy
  

• 2 slices cheddar cheese

• Spices
  

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Fire up the grill, turn it to high, and let it warm up (15 minutes) while you prep.
• Clean and prep the mushroom caps by cutting off the stem, scooping out the gills, and rinsing off. Pat dry.
• Slice tomato.
• Either with a patty press or by hand, make patties with ground elk. We use a press similar to this with great results! Salt and pepper.
• Spray tops of mushroom caps with coconut oil spray and add to grill.
• Add elk patties to grill and cook 5 minutes per side. Add cheese slice to patty on the last minute of cook time.
• Pull mushroom caps and elk patties.
  
• Using the mushroom caps as buns, build your burger with elk patty, brown mustard, mayo, tomato, lettuce, and pickle slices.

Did you try the portobello mushroom elk burger? Tell us how it went below!

The post Grilled Portobello Mushroom Elk Burger appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

Friends, the latest worldwide stats regarding coronavirus deaths and people infected are becoming terrifying, quite frankly. It starts hitting home when people you know are dying from COVID-19.

Social distancing. Stay-at-home-orders. People shopping with gloves and masks on. Even Lowe’s and Haggen’s have the appearance of some post-apocalyptic action movie.

The shit appears to really be hitting the fan.

As of Thursday, 38 states have issued some form of shelter-in-place orders.

Now, home is where the heart is but when you’re ordered to stay there, our sanctuaries can start to feel a little like a prison – at least a juvey detention center.

But . . . life is better with a shelter-in-place situation when you have two bulldogs and a semi-deflated tetherball!

The thing is, we all need a laugh right now; to find pleasure in the simple things. It keeps us sane doesn’t it?

Bullies and a Ball

Sara and I were down in the basement with “sausage biscuit” and “cookie dough roll”. Sara was doing laundry, I was . . . I don’t know, “doing circles” as she likes to call it when I wander around aimlessly.

As I grabbed the old tetherball pole and asked, “Should we keep this thing?” She got that “light-bulb-moment” sparkle in her eye and bellowed, “The tetherball!”  

“Let’s put it up here for the dogs to play with,” pointing to the nail in the 2×4 in the basement ceiling.

Fiona LOVES balls and Sara knew she’d have a heyday. She was right! They started jumping at it almost immediately. Sara grabbed her phone and got them in action.

For us, they help with killing the coronavirus blues that seem to be hanging over all our heads.

We hope this little video brings a smile to your face too!

~Shawn and Sara

Need something to do to beat the boredom of sheltering-in-place? Expand your recipe toolbox and try this amazing grouper with cherry salsa recipe. Or feed that sweet tooth with this keto chocolate peanut butter truffles recipe!

What are you doing to keep yourself amused during this strange and uncertain time? Let us know below. Stay safe everyone . . .

The post [Video] Finley and Fiona Kill the Coronavirus Blues appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

UPDATED 5/13/2020 TO REFLECT PUBLIC LAND AND HUNTING SEASON OPENINGS, THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY CLOSED DUE TO WASHINGTON’S CORONAVIRUS SHELTER-IN-PLACE REQUIREMENTS.

With the 2020 Washington youth season just three weeks away, it is time to start rounding up the gear and getting your plans for a successful youth turkey hunt finalized!

This is going to be a special year for us because I get to take our boy on his first hunt. Not really his first, but it is in terms of him doing the shooting.

Unlike his Dad, he will not be waiting until he’s in his 30s to start hunting!

We’ve been doing prep-steps with him for the last 6 years; going to check cameras, scouting, going on family turkey hunts, and letting him do some calling. This year he will be in the driver’s seat with me calling for him.

We will, unfortunately, be missing the youth weekend. But we will be out there for the general season, thanks to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) hunter education deferral program.

WDFW’s hunter education deferral program lets the first-time hunter of any age “test drive” a full year’s worth of hunting seasons. I think this is a very cool, once-in-a-life-time, offering from the department – which allows people to try out hunting without having to commit to taking and passing the hunter ed course right away.

Whichever way you are getting your little jake or jenny out there, here are my 10 must-haves for making a memorable and successful youth turkey hunt.

1. License and Tags or Hunter Ed Deferral License

This probably goes without saying. But If your kid has taken and passed hunter education, make sure in the haste of getting ready you don’t forget one of the most important things to keep you legal – your hunter’s licenses and tags!

It’s been known to happen before.

Luckily, they are available over the counter at many outlets including Fred Meyer, Walmart, Cabela’s, and other retailers and smaller sporting goods stores.

If you, like us, are doing hunter ed deferral this year, permit applications are now available on WDFW’s site. Fill it out and email it back to the department. Lead time for the license is only 1-2 days if you do it through email. Otherwise, the wait is up to 10 days.

In Washington, you are allowed 3 total turkeys for the youth and general seasons.

2. Pre-Season Scouting or Previous History of an Area

For your kid, seeing is believing. Motivation quickly starts nose-diving if you are not seeing the animal you are there to hunt.

Granted, no one can completely guarantee there are going to be birds on a given day or weekend. It can be a tall order.

Ideally, you have an area you are already familiar with which holds good populations of turkey.

If not, then hopefully you’ve done your homework and either: 1.) Scouted within the weeks leading up to the opener or 2.) Obtained leads on places to go, where you can try and locate birds.

One of my favorite things is getting to a new area at 2 or 3 a.m., then go around listening for gobbles or getting roosted birds to shock-gobble.

Once you’ve located a gobbler, get in there – within 50 or 60 yards and get your blind set up. Wait for fly-down and get ready to start working that bird.

With a two-second attention span, it is important to go where there is a very good chance of seeing and hearing birds. Think about how hard it is for you to stay motivated when you aren’t seeing birds. It is 10 times as bad for your boy or girl!

3. Snacks and Drinks

Bring plenty. And then bring more.

This cannot be overstated enough. Nothing will kill a turkey hunt with your child faster than a grumbly belly and running out of food a couple of hours in.

When we took Jo the first time, we somehow ended up a little light on food. We had snapped family pics at the Jeep and were ready to head-out. We were all camoed up, with our decoys and chairs and headed into the woods to find a place to set up.

After a couple of call setups, we moved to another new location. That’s when the hunger fits started.

We finally had a bird coming in. We could hear it spitting and drumming but couldn’t see it. Sara and I were all excited, quietly reminding him, “Okay buddy, stay really still and quiet.”

Yeah right.

All he could think about was his growling gut. In protest, he stood up and cracked a branch across the trunk of one of the trees we were set up next to.

WHACK!!

Game over.

I sat there exasperated with rage building. I yelled under my breath “What the hell are you doing???”

Sara echoed my sentiments with a few more expletives.

As you can imagine – this was not a successful youth turkey hunt.

A pack full of granola bars, jerky, sandwiches, and gummy snacks is a powerful motivator. Even if you have a big lunch planned, don’t skimp here!

4. Extra Clothes

Mornings in early April can be cool. Especially, when you are leaving at or 3 or 4 a.m. in the dark to get into your site. So, make sure to put them in a good base-layer (top and bottom). Follow it up with a camo shirt (preferably not cotton), camo pants or even camo overalls, and a medium, breathable camo jacket.

Peel layers off as the heat of the day dictates. Don’t forget the rain gear, camo boots, gloves, ballcap, face, and headcover!

5. Comfortable Turkey Hunting Chair

A comfortable chair that you can quickly pack-up and deploy is a great thing to have for your youth hunter.

We love the Cabela’s brand Gobbler Lounger. But they seem to have been discontinued.

However, the Browning Strutter MC Chair or NWTF McChair will fit the bill nicely. They are low to the ground and have a perfect reclining profile.

Turkey vests are great but sitting on that pad after about 45 minutes gets pretty tough on the rear-end.

Although more cumbersome than just parking it on the ground, these hunting chairs are the ultimate in comfort and were made for extended sits.

The profiles of these chairs are too low to use in a ground blind. But if you couple it with a quick setup blind like this or make a natural blind; you’re golden.

6. Ground Blind

To not blow the hunt before it begins, do yourself a favor and opt for a ground blind for younger kids. It is nearly impossible to keep them still enough to avert the keen eyesight of a thunder chicken.

A ground blind can go a long way in ensuring a successful youth turkey hunt. Sure, it depends on how fidgety your little hunter is; but you will avoid some aggravation and blown opportunities this way.

Jo is now 11 and I’m still putting him in a blind this year! He just moves around so much. It takes about 3 minutes to set up and will allow them some “wiggle room” in the literal sense of the word.

7. Something Quiet to Play With

What better to do in the blind when boredom overtakes the chitlins? Bring a Rubix cube, coloring book, or the like for those inevitable moments.

Cell phone games are another option. Of course, those will eat up your battery.

 8. Shotgun Sight

When that fateful moment comes, you can make acquiring the turkey target a lot easier. Attach a red dot sight or the NWTF endorsed TruGlo Magnum Gobble-Dot, and even in lower-light, you will increase your little shooter’s accuracy.

Snap the two-piece Gobble-Dot on your vent-rib and for under $20, you’ll have an eye-popping targeting system. This is the one going on our Remington 870 Express this year.

9. Shooting Sticks

The benefit of using a set of shooting sticks is two-fold. First, stabilizing the shot from an unwieldy pump-action shotgun will be a tremendous help.

Second, adding a compatible 2-point gun rest to the shooting stick will reduce recoil. To go even further, stick a recoil pad on the end of the stock and it will improve the punch to the shoulder even more.

It won’t be as inoffensive as shooting a .22 LR, but it won’t be totally like getting kicked by a mule either.

10. Keep it Light

Things are going to happen during the hunt(s) and you have to know it isn’t going to be perfect. Go into it knowing that and you won’t set yourself up for aggravation by having unrealistic expectations.

My wife had to help teach me this after a few years of frustrating turkey hunts with Jordan. I was so focused on the mechanics and the how-to, that I forgot to make it fun.

Sure, you are trying to make it a successful youth turkey hunt and bring home a bird or two. But scoring a thunder chicken doesn’t have to be everything.

Don’t kill the vibe with a “bad dad attitude.” Make it a learning experience but make it fun! You are instilling memories (hopefully fond) that they will look back on for years to come.

These memories are the building blocks – the things that will serve as the early framework and what will help drive their passion to hunt year after year. With your guidance, let them find their way on their own terms.

Youth turkey hunting season is the weekend of April 4 – 5, 2020. Age 16 years old and younger. UPDATE: YOUTH SEASON IN WASHINGTON HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO SHELTER-IN-PLACE REQUIREMENTS

General Spring turkey season runs April 15 – May 31, 2020. UPDATE: STATEWIDE SHELTER-IN-PLACE REQUIREMENTS IN WASHINGTON HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO MAY 31. SOME PUBLIC LANDS AND HUNTING SEASONS REOPENED ON MAY 5.

TURKEY GENERAL SEASON IS OPEN UNDER RESTRICTED GUIDELINES, MAY 5 – MAY 31. HUNTERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO HUNT LOCALLY AND NOT TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES. PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR IMPACT TO THE RURAL TOWNS IN YOUR HUNTING AREA. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.

Is your state’s youth hunting seasons shut down due to coronavirus? Got a wee-one you are taking out for a first turkey hunt this year? Tell us about it below.

~Shawn

The post 10 Must-Haves for a Successful Youth Turkey Hunt appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

“I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it to be from an animal that has lived a pleasant, uncrowded life outdoors, on bountiful pasture, with good water nearby and trees for shade.” – Wendell Berry

Have you come down with the affliction known as “adult-onset hunter?” Ever thought about ditching the styrofoam and plastic-wrapped Angus, for fresh table-fare that you brought from field to the plate yourself?

I love beef as much as the next guy, but there’s something satisfying knowing the animal providing you with steaks and burger, was given its due respect.

For me, becoming a hunter later in life was a series of steps, realizations, and life experiences gained over many years. It was something I grew into due to the track my life was on.

The three main earliest drivers I can remember were: the desire to source my own meat, conservation and ethical considerations of being a meat-eater, and an outdoor career that lent itself to the former and latter.

“Adult-Onset Hunter,” a now widely used term, was coined by Tovar Cerulli, author of “The Mindful Carnivore: A Vegetarian’s Hunt for Sustenance.” Check out his hilarious and accurate description of this growing malady.

I am Shawn—a lifetime carnivore and self-diagnosed adult-onset hunter. The following is a true account of one man’s life-long transformation into a conscientious hunter.

Adult-Onset Hunters Don’t Typically Have Early Hunting Influences

With all the time I spent in the woods as a kid, swimming in creeks, camping, and fishing, hunting was something that never occurred to me. Dad had hunted a little earlier in life, but by the time my brother and I were born he had apparently given it up.

There is a rumor that mom made him feel bad about trying to shoot a deer once. This may have been the catalyst that caused him to quit. We can neither confirm nor deny.

Dad was a man’s, man—a tugboat skipper, who worked out of Alaska. He had grown up on a western Washington farm, was a backyard mechanic, and a handyman. Dad loved Canadian whiskey, Johnny Cash, Hot Rod, and Car and Driver magazines. Plus, he could fix just about anything you threw at him.

We fished, camped, and had guns in the house. We went on wilderness death marches and played in the mountains on family vacations.

However, chasing game through the woods was never a part of that. Without dad or any of the other men in the family being hunters, there was simply no one to introduce me or my brother to it.

Planting an Early Seed

In my mid-twenties, I had gone back to school to study wildlife biology. Nabbing a competitive volunteer position at Mt. Rainier National Park, set me up for the next five seasons working there as a plant and wildlife bio-tech. The first bug was put in my ear about hunting during my second season at MORA. 

Matt, a guy on the crew who had become a good friend, was an archer, big game hunter, and a 3D competition shooter. One day after work, he took me and some of the other guys to shoot his bows.

It was fun. But because none of us could really pull his bow back, the session was short-lived. Matt shot his compound, while the rest of us shot his lower poundage recurve.

The next day, we were at work yanking foxglove and ox-eye daisy out of the native vegetation. Our small crew had gotten on the topic of hunting. I joked that, “If I had to I could probably snipe a deer.”  

But putting that into action was still a long-way off.

Finding Hunting Inspiration

Years of school and contract wildlife work continued. In 2007 I moved to Utah and met some people who became good friends of mine. One of them, Derrick, was a bowhunter. I can’t remember what sparked it, but he showed me an impressive, burly ATA case that looked like it could fit a Volkswagen.  

Derrick opened it up and revealed a striking Bowtech compound bow. I knew next-to-nothing about modern compound bows at the time. With cool lines, strings, and accessories coming out every-which-way, here was my only question—was it Autobot or Decepticon? Did this thing transform?? I couldn’t be sure. Regardless, the Bowtech looked super cool.

Several months later, I took a job conducting owl surveys in northern California. I made a friend on the crew who was a bowhunter.

Josh from Colorado, by way of West Virginia. I believe in signs and they were starting to come with greater frequency. He had brought his bow, elk jerky, gear brochures, and magazines.

We talked about hunting gear and his hunts. Josh would shoot his bow in our little trailer compound. Then I’d drive off in my work rig and contemplate.

A Hunter Mindset Begins to Grow

Owl-work is a solitary job. You are out by yourself with a lot of time to think and dream. Not to mention you are out during the perfect times of day to see game. And I was seeing deer and other wildlife everywhere.

As a field biologist, I began thinking about my food, my inextricable connection to the natural world, and how we humans fit into the “circle of life.”

I started to think about the sentiments of Wendell Berry and the words of William Cronon.

What if I eliminated the supply chain and got back to basics providing meat for myself? As a kid, I had always done this with fishing. I don’t do catch and release. I always cleaned, gutted, and ate what I caught.

In lock-step with these musings, the primal urge to match wits with an animal that is faster and more cunning was also manifesting.

A change was happening. Mere thoughts were turning into daydreams. Daydreams were starting to grow into obsession. It was only a matter of time before obsession turned into action.

The next couple of months wore on. More elk jerky, more perusing the shiny bow and broadhead ads, more on-the-clock obsessing while driving through the beautiful Sierra Nevada.

Becoming an Adult-Onset Archer

Summer of 2008 I was back in Salt Lake. While waiting to hear if I’d be heading to the Uintah Basin oil fields for rare plant work, there was some business to tend to. Specifically, finding a bow.

I remembered a little archery shop I had lived close to in Murray. Dragging my friend Rachael along, we went in to check out the goods and get my draw length measured.

While there, I had a very awkward exchange with the staffer—we’ll call him ol’ Mr. Crabby. Ol’ Mr. Crabby was apparently having a difficult time understanding that I was new to archery.

He didn’t seem to get that I had never shot a compound bow. Ol’ Mr. Crabby also didn’t get that I couldn’t answer his questions about what my draw length or draw weight was. I didn’t friggin’ have either one.

Through his unpleasantness, sighs, grunts, and smart-ass back-talk, I managed to get my draw length measured. But my face was hot and I was mad as all hell.

Rachael was just laughing the whole time. One thing was for sure, he may have got me measured, but he would not be getting a bow sale from me.

Next stop; Sportsman’s Warehouse.

After arriving at Sportsman’s, the affable kid behind the counter helped me out. When asked about my draw length, I was able to give him the hard-earned knowledge gained from ol’ Mr. Crabby the previous day.

“Twenty-seven inches!” I proudly exclaimed.

He grabbed a few bows for me to shoot. Being a southpaw, I was limited to a small subset they had in stock. I shot them all and one definitely stood out amongst the rest.

The Bowtech, Vital Impact.

The Vital Impact was Bowtech’s re-tooled Tomkat, made for Sportsman’s—and made for lefties. A single-cam bow, the ease of shooting was astonishing. This thing practically shot itself.

A love affair was instantly formed. You know when you have the right bow because it feels like it was forged by the Gods for you, and only you. The staffer cut me a dozen arrows and off I went.

The next day I went back to ol’ Mr. Crabby’s place since they had a shooting range. I went there with my new bow and arrows—probably as much to gloat as I did to shoot.

Thwak! Stunned silence.

Thwak! Okay, this is pure awesomeness.

Thwak! BULLSEYE!

I was completely hooked.

I didn’t realize I needed a release to shoot my new compound bow. So, when I got to the range, I ended up shooting with my fingers. Derrick kindly let me know later that I would want to get a release. But it was already too late. After four hours, I had reduced my fingers to hot, tingly, little burger nubs.

The Perfect Grounds for Hunter Transformation

Utah is a magical land of bountiful wildlife, large dramatic landscapes, and outdoor recreation. So, when I got word I would be heading to the far east corner of the state? I was stoked.

Not only that, but I would only be an hour from the Wyoming border and about 30 minutes from Colorado. The work housing in Vernal didn’t have a backyard per se—rather a 10-foot wide strip between the duplex and the adjacent horse field. The strip would become my shooting range, where I could shoot out to about 70 yards.

My favorite option was the ability to drive 10 minutes out of town and be on vast, endless tracts of BLM land.

After buying a menagerie of 3D animal targets, I would take them out there and practice. I was working on my eventual, up close and personal confrontation with a deer, turkey, or rabbit.  

I practiced every day after work and amassed hunting gear from Cabela’s, Sportsman’s, and smaller local shops. The rise of online shopping was already underway in 2008. Living remotely, this served me well.

Gorging myself on YouTube hunting videos and gear, I blasted through arrows left and right, while becoming a regular at the local archery pro shop in Vernal.

After buying my first Mossy Oak ballcap, jacket, and pants at the local Basin Sports, there really wasn’t much more to do.

I only needed to get in on the next hunter’s ed course.

Luckily, there was a class that was starting soon in nearby Roosevelt. Without missing a beat, I got signed up for the three-week course.

At age 36, I was by far the oldest student in the class. I felt like Billy Madison going “baaaack to schooool.” The only other “old person” was a guy fifteen years younger than me. He was probably relieved I was there so that he wasn’t the old guy.

I aced the tests, rocked my shooting test, got my patches, and hunter ed cert. I was now licensed and ready to put meat on the table!

An Adult-Onset Hunter is Born

Utah spring turkey was the first game season open after completing hunter ed, and would be my first season hunting anything. Buzzing with excitement, it was hard to maintain.

Continuing with my archery practice, I also worked on my box and slate calls. With years of experience imitating owl and other bird calls with my voice, I figured it would be second nature.

I satiated my appetite with turkey, deer, and elk hunting videos from the good-natured Primos guys. I blazed roads and trails all over my little NE corner. Up and down and across the upper half of Utah, I scouted for the next few months.

This was proving to be challenging. In all my wildlife work, I had never even seen a damn turkey in the wild. How was I going to find one to hunt!?

I saw some gorgeous country but did not see much turkey sign or activity. With the season now looming just a week away, I finally got smart and called people who would know best—the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). A NWTF biologist from the region gave this first timer some great tips where to begin looking.

I took his advice to heart.

My First Hunt

Opening day, Derrick and I took off at 3 a.m. to hit some areas we identified. Man, the excitement was thick!

We spent the morning cruising around and scouting on the fly. We actually saw a couple of toms. However, they were in a large yard in a rural neighborhood and were basically un-huntable. Derrick even asked the guy that owned the place, but it was a no-go.

So, we headed off to one of the canyons I had gotten the NWTF intel on. We got into a major flock as we turned onto the road leading into the canyon. We were surrounded by about 75 birds of the white, domestic variety. Eh . . . a sign??

Just for fun, we busted out some sweet hen talk on the box call. They started talking just like their wild counter-parts. After that little bit of hilarity we headed into the main area. We spent a good chunk of time there and it ended up being a big, fat nothin’.

That was about to change.

And Then There Were Thunder-Chickens

Derrick had taken off, but I stayed behind to camp and scout more of the area the next day. There was a feeling about this canyon.

I headed down the gated-off road at first light. After getting about 200 yards down it, I caught movement out of the corner of my right eye. I came to a dead stop. It was so far up the semi-open hillside, I have no idea how I saw it.

Easily three-quarters of a mile from where I was on the gravel road, I saw the little black blobs. As my focus narrowed, more began to pop-out from the landscape from behind little shrubs and under spindly trees.

As I made a move for the binos around my neck, one of the black blobs began, a clumsy, funky-chicken run that was part flying, part running.  Then they all followed suit, running down the slope towards the creek into the cover of the dense shrubbery.

I was in shock that I was actually seeing turkeys in the wild! It took a minute for the realization to set in. Then a big smile broke across my face. I texted Derrick and let him know he better get back up there tomorrow.

Derrick arrived bright and early the next day. However, the birds did not. I had set up my blind across the creek, where I had found sign. We did some calling there for a couple of hours. After that failed to produce, we moved around to some other areas up and down the creek. Still nada.

I was beside myself. Derrick had to take off again, but not before ribbing and giving me a skeptical eye about whether I truly saw birds. I did, I swear!

A Second Chance

Luckily for me, the turkeys showed back up about 9 a.m. the next morning.

Sitting in my blind in a meadow glassing the hillside, the deer were starting to come out for their morning feeding. One jumped awkwardly to the side and I thought that was strange. Scanning further to the right I saw why.

Once again about mid-way up the hillside, fifteen birds came cruising in single file. They were on the same game trail the deer was on. Here comes the turkey train! The train consisted of 11 hens, 3 jakes, and a HUGE boss tom. Probably the biggest bird I’ve seen to date. He was enormous and beautiful.

If I knew then what I know now, I would’ve used the terrain and moved in on them much more aggressively. I probably could’ve sealed the deal. However, through my newbie eyes I was way too worried about blowing it and was way too conservative with my movements.

I spent another three days moving up the hillside and positioning my blind in different areas. If I could just intercept them along their general path, I would be close enough to call the tom in. I set my blind up in a new location and had bivvied out in it, ready for them to show up the next day.

On the last morning I would see them, I emerged from my blind an hour after first light. Calling had once again failed. I was moving slow on hands and knees, crawling with my bow. As I crested a small, grassy knoll, there they were about 80 yards from me. I stopped dead in my tracks and gasped. Shit!

The tom was strutting hard and they were paying me no mind. I backed down very, very slowly, waiting to move when it seemed like eyes were not on me.

I made my way to the blind which was only 30 or 40 yards from me and proceeded to throw every call at the big boy I could muster. Nothing. He was henned up and could care less about the “mouthy chick” just over the knoll.

I made one last move. Circling around wide and above their location, I stayed out of eye-shot. When I got to where they should’ve been, they were no longer there. That was it. I blew it. Game over man.

I spent two more days there. When it became obvious I blew my chance, I packed up and explored some new ground. The only thing that produced was more disappointment.

As it turns out, I did not bag a bird my first season. But man, it was a great first hunt. I had some great action and the experience was burned in me.

Reflecting on my first hunt, I recalled the biologist telling me it took him fifteen years to get his first turkey. I thought, “No way that will happen to me.”

Nope. Instead, it would take me eleven.

So Many Curves, So Little Time

When you take up hunting as an adult, the learning curve can be steep. From 1997 to 2012 my wildlife work took me all over the west.

It took me to the right kind of places and the exact types of situations to foster interest and give access to game. Total immersion. However, this isn’t everyone’s situation.

As we get older and become more entrenched in working a 9 to 5 and raising families—there just isn’t a lot of free time for all the hunting we’d like to do. When I started, I was still a single man with plenty of time to dedicate to learning and making mistakes. This is good, because I got through much of the beginner trial and error before my wife, Sara, and I got together.

I had taken plenty of small game; rabbits, grouse, etc. However, I didn’t get my first big game animal until the year we got together. That is five years after I started hunting.

Now, most years I put meat in the freezer for our family. It is a part of our lifestyle and Sara’s my good luck charm. I also get to pass that knowledge on to my son, now that he’s getting to the age where he can focus.

Depending on your situation, finding a mentor or even paying for some guided hunts can be very worthwhile. Your mentor or guide can teach you things that can shave years off of trial and error.

There are many resources out there to help the budding adult-onset hunter. One thing to remember in this digital age: Learning to hunt is an experiential activity. Videos, forums, and research are great.

But eventually, you must get out and feel the wind in your face, the crunch of the earth beneath your boots, and the sting of defeat after putting in everything you’ve got.

You must make your own mistakes and learn from them to improve and eventually be successful. There is no substitute for that. Persistence is essential!

Becoming an adult-onset hunter is a life journey and an extension of who I am. I can share that with my family and provide lean, healthy meat while creating memories around the campfire and dinner table.

Are you one of the thousands that are afflicted with AOH? Tell us what age and how you got started below!

The post Adult-Onset Hunter: The Quest for Lean Red Meat appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

Spencer Watts totally kicks it with this Fish the Dish gem. With his zany charisma, passion for culinary, and hilarious one-liners there isn’t a lot to NOT like about Spencer. The guy can make pouring milk into a bowl of Frosted Flakes look inspiring.

The mild and unique flavor of grouper (seriously my new favorite fish), complemented by a fruity, tart and moderately spicy salsa, with a hint of tarragon.

There are so many killer flavors and textures going on here, your taste buds won’t know what to do with themselves.

After we binged-watched some Fish the Dish on Zliving, Sara decided she was going to give it a go, and totally nailed this recipe. She’s a great cook and gets excited to experiment. I love it when she gets inspired and tries new things. Bonus!

She made one health-conscious tweak, substituting standard butter with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. Other than that, the recipe is as we saw it on the show.

Give it a try, you are gonna love it!

~Shawn

Grouper with Sour Cherry Salsa

Recipe by Spencer Watts, prepared by Sara Lentz Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Make an impression on friends or family with this mouth-watering, white fish recipe from Spencer Watts! Seared and baked grouper, topped with sour cherry salsa and served on a bed of mixed-color zucchini noodles.

Ingredients

• 4, 4-6 ounce grouper portions

• Produce

• 6 zucchini, mixed yellow and green

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp butter or butter subsitute

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely chopped

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

• 1 can sour cherries, pitted

• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped

• Condiments

• 1 tbsp lime juice, fresh

• Spices

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp dried chili flakes

• Oils

• 2 tbsp canola oil
  2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• ZUCCHINI NOODLES PREP
  Using a hand or table-top spiralizer, spiralize zucchinis into a bowl. Mix to distribute colors. Cover and place into refrigerator for later use.
• SOUR CHERRY SALSA
  Strain can of pitted sour cherries. Keep the juice and cherries separately.
  
  In a small sauce pan, heat the cherry juice over medium-high heat. Allow to reduce by half.
  
  Remove from heat and place in refrigerator to cool completely.
  
  In mixing bowl, combine lime juice, red onion, jalapeno, tarragon, salt and pepper.
  
  Roughly chop the cherries and add them to the bowl.
  
  Add the chilled and reduced cherry juice to the bowl, and mix well. Set aside for plating.
  
• ZUCCHINI NOODLES
  Heat butter or substitute in large skillet, over medium heat.
  
  Place zucchini noodles and garlic into skillet. Add dried chili flakes, salt and pepper, and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until desired texture is reached.
• GROUPER
  Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
  
  Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat.
  
  Season fish with salt and pepper.
  
  Place grouper in hot skillet, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
  
  Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  
  
• Remove from heat and set on top of zucchini noodles.
  
  Top fish with the sour cherry salsa you made in Step 2.

Did you give it a try? Let us know how it went and leave a comment below!

The post Grouper with Sour Cherry Salsa appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

With an industry market-value of around $72 billion dollars, there are many weight-loss companies out there vying for your attention and money. Some deliver on their promise of a smaller waistline, some do for a short-time, while others don’t even get started.

We discovered Xyngular. Xyngular is a wellness and weight-loss system that delivers on its promise. That is because it isn’t just a weight-loss system. It isn’t just a fad diet, but a complete body overhaul and lifestyle change. It has worked wonders for us.

You can read more about that here.

Whatever your purpose – whether you are looking to lose weight, boost your energy level, or just feel better overall, Xyngular’s systems come through for most people, with a boasted success rate of about 94%.

With natural fruit and plant-based products and a supportive network of like-minded people, Xyngular has changed many people’s lives, including our own.

Sara first heard about Xyngular from a friend that was using it. She talked with her friend about what she was doing. Then she began reading dozens of testimonials and success stories from others that were on the program.

Sara has tried many programs in the past, some with mixed results, and others with no results at all. She had a healthy dose of skepticism, but also couldn’t contain her excitement. Sara’s interest was definitely piqued! From that point forward, she was both feet in.

The Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart

Depending on your goals, you can buy complete kits or individual products. If weight-loss is your primary goal, especially for those like Sara, who is very short on time to spend in the gym and have had a difficult time dropping weight in general – you will want to consider the Ultimate or Ignite kit. These two systems are the kits that provide everything you need for the true, 8-Day jumpstart as it was intended.

So, why and what is the Xyngular 8-day Jumpstart? For many of us, our bodies are literally overloaded with low-value, mass-produced junk, added sugars, and processed foods that require more energy for our bodies to breakdown.

As a result, we feel run-down and pain. Our tissues suffer from inflammation and lack of nutrition. We start to experience headaches, body/joint aches and stiffness, and any number of ailments.

We then become more susceptible to injury from simple, everyday tasks or movements. If you are like Sara, you get the added bonus of barely being able to make it down the stairs. We also experience weight gain.

The Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart in effect, “wipes the slate clean.” The purpose is to get you detoxing and losing pounds and inches right away, while you build momentum and develop new healthy eating habits.

Lose you will! Sara lost 10.5 pounds and 6.5 inches in her first eight days.  

The jumpstart gets you set-up for the next phase of your journey, which will take you up through your next thirty days and beyond.

How the 8-Day Jumpstart Works

When you order the Ultimate or Ignite kit, it includes your first month of product, including everything you need for the 8-Day Jumpstart.

You will begin your 8-Day Jumpstart meal plan and supplements which are timed for specific times of the day and to the meal you are eating.

There is a meal guideline and a list of approved foods including lean proteins, vegetables, high protein snacks, and good fats. You are encouraged to, “Go shopping and have fun with it!”

For those not feeling particularly creative with their culinary skills, you can opt for Xyngular’s pre-designed meal plans or recipes as well. There are some great ones.

To help you along the way, you will get a virtual coach, Xander. Xander gives you friendly, motivational reminders for meals, snacks, and products. He’s a big help during those thirty days, while you are getting used to everything.

Post-Jumpstart and Beyond

You are now ready for the next phase! On your ninth day, you will move from the Jumpstart meal plan and choose between either a low-carb or keto meal plan to finish out your thirty days.

Your choice depends on how you want to derive your energy, and the particular types of foods you love.

If you go low-carb, you will opt for lean meats and veggies, eliminating most unhealthy complex and refined carbs. You will also get a few cheat meals.

If you go keto instead, you will be focused on meat, cheese, and healthy fats like avocado. High-fat, low-carbohydrate, and moderate-proteins like beef to keep your body in ketosis is the name of the game with this diet. For the sake of staying in ketosis, no cheats here.

For this phase, there are also guidelines and a list of approved foods for the low-carb and keto meal plans as well. Just like the Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart, supplementation is specific for certain times of the day and to the particular meal or snack you are eating.

You can also choose between your own recipes or using Xyngular’s recipes for the creatively impaired. Or mix it up, it is up to you!

Beyond . . .

So, after your thirty days what is next?? You’ve worked hard and you have done great. Celebrate your success for the love!

Depending on your goals, such as weight-loss, you may not be done yet.

At this point, you can keep ordering your same kit or pick and choose the products you feel work great for you. After four months Sara is down 38.5 pounds and has lost 30 overall inches. She is still working on her weight-loss goals and replenishes many of her items in the Ultimate kit.

For me, whose goals were not weight-loss (even though I’ve lost 23 pounds), I continue to take the five or six products that I’ve been using for the last three months.

Find inspiration for healthy meals and snacks everywhere! There are a lot of great resources out there to keep meals exciting: Pinterest, channels like Zliving, blogs like this one and many others. It is nearly endless. Like many things in life, a sure way to backslide is to stagnate. Don’t do that!

Since the end of Sara’s thirty days, we now love to mix it up. We draw from keto, low-carb, paleo, vegetarian, and even vegan sources. If a hunter can pull from vegan and vegetarian diets, so can you.

Keep eating clean and living healthy!

-Shawn

Let us know you stopped by and leave a comment below!

The post A Little Xyng in Your Xang Xang: The Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart & Beyond. appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

Nope.  Arman Liew over at The Big Man’s World, did all the hard-work creating. He delivers these quick and easy Keto/Low Carb/Paleo and Vegan-friendly, No-Bake Peanut Butter Truffle recipes. The version you make, will depend on the ingredient substitutions you use. Arman does a great job laying those out.

Sara decided to go with the keto, peanut butter version. However, she also made the chocolate almond butter (paleo/keto) truffles. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll just focus on the peanut butter version. This is how she did it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Smucker’s creamy organic peanut butter
• 1 cup raw blue agave syrup
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 2 cups Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate chips

What To Do:

• Combine peanut butter and maple syrup in a medium to large mixing bowl. Mix well. 

• Add in coconut flour and mix vigorously until you get an even, smooth consistency. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm. 

• Pull from refrigerator after dough has set and hand-form into balls. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place balls on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into freezer. We have chest freezers, which work great for tempering larger items.

• Add chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave in 10-15 second intervals to avoid burning. When chips are evenly melted, remove peanut butter balls from freezer. 

• Using two cocktail forks, dip peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate. Cover liberally and place back onto lined cookie sheet. You can refrigerate until the truffles are firm. Sara chose to put them back into the freezer.

• You can drizzle to beautify and add a small sprinkle of sea salt to accentuate the chocolate flavor. We neglected these steps because it was our first go at it and we just wanted to eat!

Voila, keto chocolate peanut butter truffles! Eat a couple and put the rest into a Tupperware container. Hold in the refrigerator for up to two months or at room temp for two weeks.

Sara loves her chocolate treats frozen, so we keep them in the freezer. This will gain you about six months of shelf-life according to Arman. 

There’s no way you are going to be able to hold onto these babies for six months, especially if you have kids.

Our son sneaks into the freezer and then off to his room chomping the whole way. He thinks he is being sneaky, until I point out the chocolatey ring of evidence that is surrounding his lips.

Thank you, Arman, for developing such a great, healthy treat recipe. And thank you to my wonderful wife for coming down with a sweet tooth and making these little drops of pure awesomeness!

~Shawn

Let us know you stopped by and leave a comment below!

The post No-Bake Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles! appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.

Updated 4/21/20

Sara and I have had many adventures in our seven years together. But none as profound as our decision to get out of the wellness rut we had been falling into for several years.

Hunting for lean meat. Growing our own vegetables. Canning our fruit and veggie bounties to supplement our store-bought groceries – we thought we were already living our journey to healthy living.

Of course, all the above apparently didn’t off-set the fast-food, soda, over-processed pastries, and numerous other boxed meals that are the hallmark of an overloaded family on the go. Meanwhile, the weight just kept packing on.

When life is circling around you like the proverbial water in the toilet bowl, it can be difficult to pay attention to your diet. You rationalize, “It is just one trip to Burger King. Tomorrow I’ll make up for it.” 

You don’t necessarily remember that this is already your third quick dinner-on-the-go for the week. And it is only Wednesday!

After moving north and tacking on an additional hour to our commute, this was becoming our life.

It was reaching critical mass.

The Cold Hard Truth

It came as a shock when we realized we had not been doing things as well as we thought.

Rolling out of bed (barely) with yet another new and exciting pain or five – I’ve started to realize some basic truths:

One. I am not 25 anymore. Hell, I am not even 35! My brain would have me believe that my memory of climbing at Smith Rock all weekend, then hiking 20 miles of the Wonderland Trail on the following day was just last week.

*Screeeech* Bad news . . . that was 1999 son!

Two. I cannot eat the same junk that I could eat back in the good ‘ole days without repercussions.

For sure, if you keep going at that rate your body will let it be known that you did not nail it. Sometimes, this is in the form of chronic upset stomach, headaches, and back pain. Other times it is intense joint pain, tendon and muscle strain, and severe late-night calf cramps (my fave) to name a few.

Three. Doing the same ‘ole, same ‘ole – the misery is sure to continue and will probably only get worse. Sara and I haven’t even hit our 50s yet. We shouldn’t be this broken!

Plenty of Pain and No Gain . . . Except Weight

While we had been living a semi-healthy existence for years, numerous health issues and a few surgeries have forced us to look deeper at the way we had been doing things. 

Me and Sara’s separate dramas had been playing out for too long. Our varying degrees of exhaustion and pain had become too much.

My Issues

I was a year or so post-op from my double microdiscectomy. After 5 months it had become a “failed back surgery.” My L4/L5 and L5/S1 discs were once again herniating and squeezing on my sciatic nerve.

Although better than before surgery, it would still become excruciating over the course of the day.

The level of pain depended on how much walking or standing I was doing. The only difference was I didn’t have to stop and rest every 10 minutes. At least not yet.

However, after another MRI and the way my back and leg were feeling – I was confident that in another year or so, I would be right back to where I was before surgery.

I was taking the maximum 1800 mg of Gabapentin per day for the atrocious nerve pain in my foot and leg, plus two muscle relaxers to help relieve my low back pain. Living in a sleepy fog was not enjoyable. I didn’t feel like me most of the time and I hated it.

Then there were my poor wife’s problems.

Sara’s Issues

Sara had her gall bladder taken out in 2014, after having some attacks that forced her to the urgent care room. She was getting referred pain into her back and trouble breathing. So, thinking it was a heart attack, we took off screaming down the roadway to the clinic!

Thank God it wasn’t that.

It was suggested by her doctor that we begin eating more real food, limiting our portions of meat, and cutting out the processed foods. Did we listen?

Let’s just say, perhaps, it wasn’t the right time.

A couple of years later, a two-inch tumor was discovered in the middle of her left kidney. There was a cancer scare that left us sick in the stomach for a few weeks.

Luckily, it turned out to be a very rare cyst – indicative of peri-menopausal women. Much better than the Stage 3 malignant tumor it appeared to be from the MRI.

However, this fact couldn’t stop them from having to remove her whole left kidney due to the cysts’ location. 

Compounded Problems

After the two surgeries, Sara gained 40+ pounds. Her energy returned for a short period after her kidney surgery, but then migraines, body/joint pain, and low energy started becoming her norm. 

Sara was constantly tired. She would sleep all the time on the way into work, while I drove. She’d sleep on the weekends and then get upset with herself because she wasn’t getting things done.

Every day was taking its toll. She got to the point where it would take her 3 minutes to get down the stairs because her knees hurt so bad. Slowly, one step at a time, while holding the rail. It was a never-ending, vicious cycle and it was difficult to watch her go through it.

Pain, medical conditions, and weight gain all make it difficult to do anything when you are consumed by it. This gives rise to anxiety and depression, which in-turn leads to even a very happy household becoming miserable.

Enough is Enough

Sara had been talking with a friend about a healthy living and wellness program through a company called Xyngular.

Sara had tried many programs in the past, but none had helped her long-term. After reading many testimonials this one seemed very promising.

The excitement was starting to build up and she was about to burst at the seams.

Sara turned to me and said, “I want to do this.”

“It’s going to cost some money but I want to do something for me,” she said starting to tear up.

That of course, got me emotional too because she always puts everyone before herself. 

The poor thing had been trying so hard to lose weight for the last few years and nothing seemed to be working.

I had watched her self-loathing and frustration with her body. It broke my heart. I think she’s beautiful regardless of what weight she’s at.

Sara decided to jump in with both feet. She ordered Xyngular’s, The Ultimate kit. We altered our diet according to the kit’s plan and away we went on our new adventure.

We have always done everything as a team, and this was no exception. Even our son was joining in!

The Journey to Healthy Living Begins

The first phase of the diet plan is called the 8-Day Jumpstart. The official 8-Day Jumpstart is part of the two big kits from Xyngular – the Ultimate and Ignite systems.

The Jumpstart gets your body detoxifying and “reset” for the lifestyle change you will be embarking on.

Only two days in with her 8-Day Jumpstart and Sara was springing out of bed and walking down the stairs in record time. You wouldn’t even know she was having issues before.

My jaw hit the floor. What was this sorcery!? She seemed well-rested and back to her old self. I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing. 

“Oh my God baby, look at you!” I said in disbelief. Big smiles from Sara. The difference was night and day and she was OWNING that flight of stairs.

My Turn to Step Up

I hadn’t started any products at this point. My plan was to start with the change-up in diet, then start weaning myself off all of my damn medications.

After seeing Sara’s progress in just a short couple of days, I was hoping that it might work for me too.

My goal was to drop my morning dose of three Gabapentin right out of the gate, get a week under me with our new diet, and then introduce the supplements once I received my order. This is exactly what I did.

By the second week, I had started with a couple of Xyngular Products: Global Blend and Xyng. I also dropped the last three Gabapentin.

I had heard so many things about the side effects when going off this medication, that I was waiting on bated breath. Waiting for nausea. Waiting to convulse . . . something. I waited, but still, no ill side-effects came.

Getting off the Meds

I was now taking six fewer pills a day and the muscle relaxers were going to be next. By week three, I had started taking three more products: Axion, Flex, and Lean Meal Shake.

Week four, after letting the nutrient-packed products build in my system, I dropped down to one muscle relaxer. I was still feeling good with no issues.

Moreover, Sara and I had been doing a lot of work outside putting in a patio, tearing down an old playset, and putting up a pool. In short, a ton of heavy lifting and bending at awkward angles. I was astonished at how well I was doing!

Finally, after week 5, I was off of all meds. Success!

It is now a year since I’ve dropped all the prescriptions and my back is still feeling great.

If I go a little hard with heavy lifting or projects where I’m bending a lot – I will get a bit taxed and out come the ice packs. So, I try not to overdo it.

Lifting right, being ergonomic, and working smarter are my mantras.

A New Way of Living

I can’t tell you what a life-changing system this has been for both Sara and I. Over the last year, Sara’s lost 40 pounds and 30 overall inches. I always tell her she is the incredible shrinking woman!

She is looking and feeling great.

I’ve lost 28 pounds. I know this is a significant amount of weight for many people. I feel kinda bad about this since it was totally unintentional.

My primary goal was to get off my meds and see if this lifestyle change would improve my back problems. The weight loss was a side benefit!

Our energy is up – the aches and pains are way down. Sara still sleeps on the way into work sometimes, but we get up ridiculously early! Once she’s up, she is raring to go and can keep up with our hectic schedules.

Putting it Together

There are several ways to go about getting where we are. For us, it is not about just supplements, exercise, or improving diet singularly. These things must work together to be effective.

The Xyngular products we take are PACKED with fruit and plant-based nutrients, vitamins, and probiotics.

Primarily developed for folks who have had a difficult time losing weight, these products can benefit anyone.

It doesn’t matter if you are trying to lose a hundred pounds or ten. Maybe you are just trying to improve the way you feel overall.

Most of the exercise we get is from renovating our old 1915 Craftsman and working on our property.

Throw in some swimming, hunting, and hikes – that is all we are doing. We do not hit the gym at all. If that is your thing, by all means. Weight-bearing exercise is a good thing. I am a reformed gym rat!

For the diet component, we draw from low-carb, Mediterranean, keto, vegetarian, and vegan sources. Cutting out refined grains, deep-fried, and highly processed foods – we opt for fruits and vegetables.

We have also got into alternatives to foods high in starch (cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles for example) and whole foods.

For our proteins, we stay to the lean ones such as chicken, fish, elk, or deer. We will throw in some beef burger or flank steak now and then for variety – staying to 6 ounce portions for all proteins.

Throw Yourself a Bone

I’m not gonna lie . . . we have our cheat days. But we keep it reasonable. There is absolutely nothing wrong with rewarding yourself. Just don’t let the reward become the norm and slip back into old routines!

We are a work in progress and I hope you continue to follow us on our journey.

If you are contemplating one of your own, stop hesitating and do it!

Consider Xyngular as a partner in your journey. You will be glad you did.

Ready to get going? Start your Xyngular journey here!

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.

– Unknown

Cheers!

~Shawn

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The post Green and Lean: Our Journey to Healthy Living appeared first on The Grubby Hubby.