Meat Raised Right, and Finding Excuses to Exercise

Sisu Farms Show and Tell

For the past few weeks, I’ve been ordering chicken and eggs from Sisu Farms. They’re a local farm located about 2 hours outside of Denver run by a native Colorado family. I found them on eatwild.com. All their meat is pasture raised and fed only organic non-GMO grains. Pictured above are 3 whole chickens, a dozen eggs, and a package of bacon (it was on sale and I couldn’t resist). My largest order to date.

The chicken is more expensive than what you’d get in the store, but that’s because they’re two different chickens. An industrial raised chicken might be as cheap as $3.50 per lb, while an industrial raised organic chicken will be closer to $5 per lb. Pasture raised organic chickens, like the ones shown here from Sisu Farms, are closer to $9 per lb or more. Yes, almost double the price.

So, what’s the difference?

Industrial raised chickens live their entire lives indoors, never seeing sunlight or feeling a breeze. They’re fed cheap commodity grains grown with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Their feed is laced with antibiotics meant to ward off infections caused by weak immune systems from the inhumane way they’re forced to live. Antibiotics also accelerate their growth to otherwise abnormal levels, making some chickens so heavy their legs can’t even support their weight. And with no room to move they’re forced to live “knee” deep in their own waste.

“Free range” chickens have access to the outdoors for 51 percent of their life, but that says nothing of how much time that they actually do spend outside the coop or what the quality of that outdoor environment is. “Cage free” hens can move “freely” within their hen house, assuming they have the space to do so amongst the thousands of other chickens. And an “organic” industrially raised chicken is given organic feed, but it’s typically of low quality and no variety.

It’s for all these reasons that industrial farmers are able to produce birds, and other animals such as hogs and cattle, so cheaply. But this method of raising animals has other more costly downstream effects. Mainly to our health in the form of antibiotic resistant strains of infection and chronic diseases, and to the environment in the form of natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, and rising water levels. The cost to remedy our health epidemic and the growing number of disasters is borne by us and is in the trillions of dollars. When you include those costs, it becomes clear what the cheaper option is.

In stark contrast to this method of farming lies Sisu Farms and a growing number of other farmers around the country who are raising their animals the right way. Sisu raises their chickens and hogs out on pasture, allowing them to exhibit natural instincts to peck, scratch, and root. Creating a healthier and more resilient animal.

The recent bird flu outbreak in 2022 in which over 50 million chickens, most of which were on large scale commercial farms, had to be slaughtered to try and contain the spread of the virus is the perfect example. The flu spread through these chickens like wildfire because of the artificial and inhumane way in which they were raised. As a result, the USDA had to reimburse farmers more than $140 million dollars for the lost fowl. Funded by taxpayers.

So, the question isn’t “why are pasture raised chickens so expensive,” its “why are commodity chickens so damn cheap!” And, moreover, “what is the true cost to society of raising chickens in an industrialized manner?”

I don’t like thinking I’m paying double for meat when I don’t have to, but it’s become abundantly clear to me that I have to. If I want to stay healthy, consume humanely raised animals, and contribute to healing the planet, then I don’t have a choice. I must be willing to put my dollars behind my beliefs.

One way I’ve tried to offset the cost is by buying and cooking whole chickens. Organic chicken ranges in price from $7 per lb for chicken thighs, up to $10 per lb for chicken breasts. So if you’re used to buying individual cuts, then you’re already paying close to the same price as you would for an organic pasture raised chicken. But with a whole chicken you’ll get more meat, tasty skin, a carcass for delicious bone broth, and organs (if you or your dog are into that).

For those of us with a choice it’s not a question but a matter of fact. Anyone that can afford to, must. And the more of us that do, the more accessible and affordable raising food the right way will become. Think of every dollar you spend as a vote. I’ve been using my dollars to vote for local food and businesses as much as I can, because it’s been my experience that those are the people that care.

Check out eatwild.com to find a farm that will deliver near you.

Science Says We Don’t Want to Exercise.

Two articles slid into my feed recently that piqued my interest. Both were detailing the science behind why we don’t want to exercise. The theory goes something like this. While humans developed a large capacity for physical activity, born out of our need to hunt and gather food, our brains also evolved to favor the conservation of energy.

From an evolutionary perspective this made sense. Save your energy (calories) for finding food and fighting off predators. But we no longer must search for food, and the only real predators we face are ourselves. Since food is easily accessible and abundant (for most) we no longer burn calories hunting and gathering, and we end up doing too much conserving.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over 70 percent of people fail to get the recommended 150 minutes (about 20 minutes per day) of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and two resistance training sessions per week prescribed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Various surveys suggest that the reasons why so many people are missing the mark isn’t exclusive to our evolutionary tendency towards rest.

At least 50 percent of people report having a chronic condition that prevents them from exercising. Others report lacking the confidence to step into a gym and workout. And for a lot of people, it’s simply a matter of avoiding what they view as an unpleasant and uncomfortable act with uncertain rewards.

I can’t disagree. I’ve been walking into gyms for over 20 years and despite what it seems, it never gets easier. The habit I’ve developed makes it harder to skip a day (see quote above), but it doesn’t make it easier. Most days I still dread walking through those gym doors or driving to a trailhead.

But one of the things that has kept me coming back is the feeling I always leave with. A sense of accomplishment and a clear mind. In all my years of exercise there’s never been a workout I’ve regretted. So, in order to stay consistent and keep those good feelings coming, I’ve developed a number of techniques and mental tricks to keep showing up.

Think About Your Ideal Self

Self-discrepancy theory describes three selves we all possess.

Actual self - your current state

Ideal self - what you want to be

Ought self - the self that does all the stuff required to become your ideal self

I wrote a post recently titled Who Are You Becoming? that speaks to this theory (although I hadn’t heard of it at the time). Essentially, think about the person you want to become and then match your daily actions to those that would be required to become that person. If you want to feel better and exercise, then talk to your ought self and get a workout in. We become our ideal self through the accumulation of small actions each day.

Think About the Reward

Both articles cite “uncertain rewards” as a reason people avoid working out. But I think it’s a misunderstanding of what rewards to expect. Physical rewards might take time to appear, but the mental benefits are always immediate as exercise is the most effective mood booster on the market, the result of a handful of hormones that are released when you exert yourself physically. In addition, a good workout serves as a distraction from stress and anxiety in your normal life, providing you with a muchneeded break and reset. So, think about what a good workout is going to do for your mood.

Break It Down

The hardest part of a workout is (like most of life) showing up for it. When we think about a workout, all we focus on is the 45 - 60 minutes of getting our ass kicked, ending up in a pool of our own sweat. Instead, focus on each step on the way to that workout. When I’m struggling to get out the door, I have a conversation with myself. “Well, just change into your gym clothes, then see how you feel. Ok good, now get your bag ready. Great. How about filling up your water.” I have this conversation to distract myself from the workout I’m dreading and to inch my way out the door.

Lie To Yourself And Commit To A Shorter Workout

This was particularly useful when I was training for triathlons. I would convince myself to get out for my run or bike sessions by lying. I’d commit to half the prescribed miles and then agree to reassess. Nine out of 10 times I’d complete the whole workout. It was just a matter of getting going.

Now that I’m strength training the conversation sounds different, but the intent is the same. Some days all I commit to is a stretch and foam roll session, or 20 minutes in the sauna, or 10 minutes on the treadmill. But once I’m in the gym and the blood starts pumping, I find the motivation to get my workout done.

Be Realistic About The Commitment

An hour at the gym, on your Peloton bike, or out hiking, sounds like a long and dreadful time! But it’s only one hour or 6 percent of your day. It’s one episode of your favorite show. It’s one meeting at work. It’s a chance to do something for yourself that will make you feel good the rest of the day.

Know That You’re Not Alone In Feeling Out Of Place

I’ve been working out in gyms for 20+ years, and I still feel uncomfortable whenever I’m in a new setting. It happened to me recently after moving to Colorado (read New Gym Jitters). So, know that you’re not alone. And while avid gym goers seem intimidating, I’m here to tell you that they are anything but. They are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Also, and this is important, most avid gym goers (me included) are too self-absorbed to care about what you’re doing.

Try Something New

After a few years of endurance racing, I’ve finally gotten back into strength training (my first love). But after a year of consistently hitting the weights, I’ve been feeling burnt out and lacking motivation. So this past week I tried something new. I took a movement class where we did things like bear crawl forwards, backwards, and sideways. We played a game of “catch,” and we practiced moves like cartwheels, the crab, and (my favorite) the slippery pickle. It was a blast and it provided enough of a shakeup in my routine to get me excited to exercise.

Physical Activity Doesn’t Have To Be Formal

Spend time in your garden if you have one. Spend time in the kitchen cooking, whether that’s big meal preps or preparing individual meals. Clean up and organize your house. Volunteer in your community. Anything to get moving.

The science says we don’t want to exercise but every study in the world comes to the same conclusion. That exercise is by and large the best way to improve your physical and mental health. We don’t have to forage for food anymore or hunt big game, what a relief. Instead use that energy to do something fun and active!

Cheers to your practice.

James.