It has come to my attention that my physical development over the last 10 years may be of interest to the steemit community.  Thanks to @halcyondaze for the idea.

## So, let's cut to the chase!

I have gone from this...

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmf4FxMmLRcFCZXxTF44vHN8dxDgaudW4Zpx9mAbXkqaXr/fat%20sam%2010%20years%20ago.jpg

to this...

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmf6vRD4PnWu3QFRNfZ5aghyCGnUJbmxVBVgv85fD2PpRG/sexysammy!.jpg

## What has been the most important factor?

There are many factors involved which I will list for you in this post, but one factor has unquestionably made the biggest impact... and that is DIET.

I went from living with a sausage maker, eating meat three times a day... to a raw vegan diet.  

And in just a few months I experienced a dramatic loss of weight.  It was so dramatic that my family freaked out and sent me to see a food specialist who confirmed everything I already knew and told me that it was them who should be seeking the advice.

Drinking more water and eating more foods that are high in water content is also very important and will surprisingly help burn off that fat at a faster rate.

##  Why did I go raw vegan?
To put it in simple terms I discovered that we are HERBIVORES and not OMNIVORES.  Before your programming kicks in, demanding that you respond against this statement, please review the chart below.

<center>![1248_316425181790985_1756715424_n_1.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPUfYjAtGcnJbyjLkphiiR4aVYMDydmFWGFYiBwRUR3CZ/1248_316425181790985_1756715424_n_1.jpg)</center>
<center>[Source](https://www.pinterest.fr/greentidings/green-tidings-natural-remedies-nutrition-the-envir/)</center>

Yes, we do have the ability to eat meat, but that does not mean it should be such a prominent part of our diet. 

## What do herbivores eat?

The best way to establish what humans should be eating is to look at our closest relative the primate. 

<div class=pull-right>

![gorilla-image-from-peta.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmaUszxBo1wVxUDJiSwRPNACuBwG4SHpzY3RT1zACApw6V/gorilla-image-from-peta.png)
[Source](https://mothernaturesdiet.me/2016/04/29/myth-busting-part-5/)

</div>


Gorillas are often used as an example by vegans of how muscle mass can be formed without eating meat, and indeed gorillas are mostly herbivores.  But it is worth noting they are not strict about their vegan diet!  And they don't go about labelling themselves as we do.

At times they are instinctively drawn towards eating insects.  And of course there will be insects on the food they eat, which get swallowed down whole without a thought.

So, meat actually represents between 3-5% of a primate's diet. Here are some examples of their food sources:

- bark
- stems
- roots
- thistles
- young shoots
- fruits
- seeds
- leaves
- raw eggs (sometimes when they get lucky!)

## Obsession with taste
We are much more obsessed with taste & flavour than our instinctive relatives the primates.  As such, you probably won't find yourself drawn towards munching on a piece of bark or a leaf...  

But it is worth noting that having nothing to compare it too, they are not thinking about taste or flavour. They are simply putting fuel in their bodies.

## The cooking paradigm
I went raw because when foods are cooked at a temperature above that of the human body, the overall nutritional value is reduced and the enzymes are killed.

We have become obsessed with cooking as a means of enhancing our eating experience, but we appear to have forgotten WHY we eat!  To FUEL our bodies.

Smoothies are a great way to get a high nutrition blast, which as a liquid assimilates into the bloodstream quickly and bypasses the need for chewing.

I start every day with a fruit smoothie now.  Thank you Sabrina (my wonderful partner) for being the one who makes this for us 🙏🏻

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmXDkc7ky4jH4Kom2DtkstFs8Bc56a9vJ8N1s9831UiqgG/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-05%20at%2019.59.42.png

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## Body Movement

I said that I don't go to the gym.  What I mean by this is that I don't do traditional exercise.  I have developed my own way of getting essential body movement into my life without having to label it as exercise.  Because I absolutely love it and there are no rules involved.

![Don't mess with the staff!.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPdL47bYTe9p52QrJH9Ukruxk6b7k1ZjWUtGPic7SScqB/Don't%20mess%20with%20the%20staff!.jpg)

<div class=pull-right>

![Screen Shot 2017-08-30 at 06.18.33.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcjsDaB4pnHbPADF1bj38uonAKjiRnkiwqYpcNQHkdiJD/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-30%20at%2006.18.33.png)

</div>

So, I spin a fire staff and I do it in my own way.

I don't watch tutorials or follow the advice of others.

I feel out the movements, always seeking to improve my overall skills with the staff.

I have chosen a particularly heavy staff to travel with knowing that I am pushing my body harder this way.  It breaks into three pieces in order to avoid having it confiscated at airports.  Having experienced this once, I won't make the same mistake again!

I have turned it into a contact staff by covering it with the grippy material used on the handles of bicycles.  

This way I can develop my skills further using my skin to grip the staff as it rolls around my body.

It can also be used as a weapon. Here in Bali it is used to deal with the cheeky monkeys! 
![contact.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmS62WbAtsLrE9HgnZ4UhYYkVZ2qhvQkfeZY9PzsWxceho/contact.jpg)

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## I don't wear shoes
That's right...NEVER.  

It has been this way for over three years now.  We were not born with shoes on, so it is logical to assume that the body will function best in this state.

The plastic soles of shoes not only force the body into unnatural positions, but they also insulate you from the natural voltage of this great playground upon which we stand.

As bioelectric creatures we also have a natural voltage, which no big surprise is the same as the Earth.  

When we are barefoot, we are grounded and the perfect voltage for optimum body development is retained.

 ![Foot montage.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZDwRKdWuemdyUmugqKwJafV8BqCxLQwN8jvTiWUnoST4/Foot%20montage.jpg)

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## Sungazing

Every morning when the sun first rises above the horizon line I am there ready and waiting.  I stare directly at it for as long as time will permit.  I enter a euphoric meditative state after which I feel immensely energised and will usually spin my staff in this moment.

This is a very big subject and I strongly suggest you do further research if it interests you.

To to learn about these things RIGHT NOW, I suggest you watch these two episodes from my Sammy's Simple Solutions Series:

## Why do I stare at the sun?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5IanwFyRJc

## My morning routine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv7NdG5r69A

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## The way I think
After reading the words of Abraham every day for around five years now I have become conscious that there is far less stress in my life.

Stress can be a factor in leading to the build up of fat, so naturally if you are able to look at the world in such a way that no matter what happens you are always at peace, well then... you are onto a winner.

Follow my daily quotes from Abraham if you are interested to learn more about the awesome power behind these words.

Here is the one I posted yesterday: https://steemit.com/dailyquotes/@samstonehill/abraham-of-the-day-wherever-we-re-giving-our-attention-is-our-vibration-and-the-universe-is-matching-it

![Abraham on Money.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbxJJ33ENy6euHeA6qLQ4AndXAJhueMFBpkcCiB5Z3ZPu/Abraham%20on%20Money.jpg)

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## In Conclusion

I feel blessed to have had the time to research all of these subjects at length and it is my great pleasure to share them with you now.  

I will do my best to answer any questions & offer guidance  if this is what you seek.

Know that EVERYTHING has changed for me in such a wonderful way since I adopted the above practices in my life.

On a physical level, now that I am 41 years old, it appears to me as if my body just keeps on getting better and better 💪🏼

I was recently challenged to an arm wrestle by @jockey who informed me that he had beaten every single person he had ever challenged.  And with his large frame & fiery determination I did not doubt this to be the truth.

And yet... he was unable to beat me ;)

![arm wrestle.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYXBFSX22uTQwsJ3BSKypTES2NqEiFRaTCuoLKVPGSBFJ/arm%20wrestle.png)

To learn more about where strength actually comes from check my article here:
https://steemit.com/health/@samstonehill/where-does-strength-really-come-from

![banner surf blessing.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmeaGkR6zVWxYS5ZpvH9mmeYz3GqXBXKAjW2cebkdGur61/banner%20surf%20blessing.jpg)