Until recently, these creatures were fabled myths: Oft talked about, often suspected and occasionally proven to exist through minimal evidence.Yet, we're a global society of fact-mongers requiring hard evidence that extends far beyond a reasonable doubt usually depending on at least six of the five senses to convince us.
There is no such thing as Santa. Neither sasquatch, nor yeti hide behind trees. The Grinch is merely a cartoon. The Kraken was folklore. Until now. These scientists have finally proven it.
Similarly, the idea of living a healthy athletic lifestyle was something of imaginary conjurations to me as well. That's a story that neither Lucas nor Spielberg could make happen even with all the creative talent at Skywalker Ranch. Well, perhaps they could superimpose my face on Dwayne Johnson's body, but it wouldn't be real. Again, a story.
Partly because I've spent far too much time working rather than living, and partly because of aforementioned work etiquette I've spent far too much time (and money) invested in convenience foods, I've denied myself a healthy lifestyle. From time to time, I would get the urge (and never around January, I refuse) to get back into the gym routine. Every time I did, I would spend countless hours researching and investigating the latest in whey isolate protein powders. Every single on of them would disappoint.
It just seemed to me that protein drinks required milk, and milk had fat in it, and even more complicating for me was the lactose. So naturally, when I came into this latest evolution of my life, I decided to forgo the protein shake effort and simply stick to "healthy food". That is, until my uncle, a seasoned runner for as long as I've been on this earth, introduced me to +Brendan Brazier and the Thrive series that I've mentioned a few times.
Now, I won't lie. I was skeptical that Vega One, the plant-based protein shake formula would truly be consumable without a lot of effort. However, to think that I am even drinking kale these days is miraculous. In fact, over the last year or two I declined any time my sister offered me a sample of her morning shake, while I was visiting her, and to think that my skepticism delayed the inevitable epiphany is frustrating, but I digress; the kale, peanut butter, banana, ice and unsweetened almond milk beverage I now consume daily required protein to truly balance my nutritional income.
Initially, for my daily morning shake, I was using pumpkin powder that I absconded from a friend. I found it gritty and displeasing, but it did the trick. Later, I received a package of delightful hemp protein powder as well, that I enjoyed, and still do. Finally, having spent enough time following the Thrive books, and reading about MyVega products, I decided to splurge and purchase a tub of Vega One Nutritional Shake powder after seeing an advertisement for it in a local grocer's weekly flyer.
My flavor selection was one of a Disqualification process. The choices, French Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, Berry and Natural flavor were lined up in front of me at the point-of-sale display. Eventually, I settled on the Natural flavor suspecting that as a neutral flavor it would be most easily concealed and would be most versatile in the different Blended Recipes I choose.And so it has been, as I've included it in each drink every day since purchase.
Yet, the full irony lies in my random, ok-i'll-do-it-to-prove-you-wrong decision this morning, while talking to aforementioned running man, Uncle H, who advised me that filtered water is his preferred selection of fluid delivery mediums for said protein powder.
I had doubts. My senses screamed in agony in anticipation of a foul, stomach-turning experience much like I've endured in the whey isolate days of water-fountain torture.
Having purchased the single-serving packages of Vega One in three flavors - Chocolate, Vanilla and Berry - I lined up my three powder pouches and spun my tumbler in true Russian Roulette a la Deer Hunter style, and death by Chocolate it was.
I carefully added the dark, chocolatey brown powder to my beloved tumbler, and slowly - more so somewhat reluctantly - I started to pour a cup of filtered water into the plastic vessel of pending doom.
The fires of Mordor seemed more inviting to a Hobbit than this appealed to me.
Believe that I shook that tumbler for all it was worth, as if to exorcise a demon of biblical proportions from within it. That, and I was procrastinating. I'm not sure which was expected to leave a more bitter taste in my mouth: the powdered, plant-based contents with lukewarm water, or the idea that I just wasted a $5 pouch of protein shake with water instead of a dairy alternative.
Surprisingly, giant tentacles didn't pull me under. There was no giant beak biting back. I lived.
Later in the day I went back and read more about the shake development. The Vega One series was developed over roughly a year's span, and was specifically designed by Brendan to use water as the fluid mixing agent. It has everything you need before it even gets wet.
That said, as of roughly 12 hours before this blog entry, I was still a skeptic. I still didn't believe. My five senses were already insistent that this Vega One needed to be hidden. Fortunately someone (slightly) older and wiser had a good tip.
Same goes for my sister, only younger (slightly) and wiser, to whom I should thank for eventually, albeit passively, converting me to kale lover and inspired me to give blending a whirl.
For their contribution to my betterment, each of them has a delivery en route. To my uncle, there is a package of an alternate plant-based protein powder that we spoke about this morning, made by Genuine Health out of Toronto, ON. The least I could do was introduce him to an alternative brand of a similar product, albeit we'll both likely remain loyal to MyVega. And secondly, to my sister, a flavor sample pack of each of the Vega One flavors with hopes that she'll enjoy the MyVega products as much as her uncle and I do.
It was the least I could do: Tit for tat, one good turn deserves another. As long as it doesn't bite back.
Without them, this might have been the one that got away.
FG
