Blake Jennings
šGreensboro, NC | Chief Development Officer for Biscuitville, Inc.
š Editorās Note
A few weeks ago I wrote about doing an elimination diet. The goal was to see if a food allergy was causing dry skin challenges plaguing myself and my two boys.
Fast forward 5 weeks of eating vegan and gluten/dairy/soy/egg/corn/peanut free, daily probiotics, and individually re-introducing each potential allergen andā¦..nothing. Part of me was hoping that a minute after drinking milk, I would throw-up but the other half of me dreaded having to avoid dairy in the future.
I guess I justā¦.genetically have dry skin. However, I have been tracking my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) via an Eight Sleep mattress (expensive but recommend). My HRV baseline was much better during the diet than the period when I started reintroducing foods. I also lost ~10-15 pounds, probably from cutting out things like beer and pizza.
Conclusion: While I wish I could pinpoint a cause for skin issues, I do firmly believe in the impact of a healthy diet. I also found these Ranch Cauliflower Wings, which are shockingly good. My unscientific read is that the diet led to a ~10% improvement on my baselines for health, sleep, and energy. However, old habits die hard and I did treat myself to a Burial beer last night, a helpful remedy for trying to watch the āHoos score points...
Without further adoā¦.
Why Blake?
Iāve gotten to know Blake well since moving to Greensboro, NC about a year ago. Blake is a very interesting and smart guy and therefore, I appreciate that I can ask him about anything from family life to family business and I usually get a very candid and authentic answer. Blake is also a great golfer, a skill I am very envious of at this stage of life.
Follow Blake on Instagram, @blakewjennings
Self-Description
Husband and father of two (with one more coming in June). Proud Greensboro, NC native who loves new travelling adventures and never turns down a nice afternoon on the golf course.
Blakeās Recommendations
Written in his own wordsā¦
Food & Drink
Perini Ranch Steakhouse Delivery
Anytime you are hosting a special dinner and want to make it much easier on you and impress your guests, order a Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin from Perini Ranch. Comes fully cooked and frozen. Thaw to room temperature and serve on Hawaiian Rolls with a simple Sour Cream & Horseradish sauce. It's worth the expense.
Brand
On! Running - Roger Federer Shoes
I used to wear Peter Millar loafers with no socks and needed something more comfortable with great support that look good in all settings. I go through a few pairs every year. Their running shoes are great too.
Digital Tools
This is geared towards anyone with a career in Real Estate. In a matter of seconds, you can drag over any lot in all 50 states of the USA and instantly see who owns it, size of the lot, what they paid, what the tax value and bill currently is, and many other important pieces of information.
As a complete aviation nut, the annual subscription of this app lets you track all civilian aircraft in the air around the world at any given time. I would rather get lost exploring the live aviation world than the reels of Instagram.
Content
Morgan Housel is a fantastic author who gets his message across through sharing 20+ short stories of real events and people. While the world changes around us each and every day, this book helps people us understand what has stayed the same time and time again. It provides clarity and understanding that while things do change, big picture, many things have never changed.
Well-Being
Enjoy the outdoors
Golf: Outside of my family, friends, and career, the game of golf is one of my main passions. I love being outdoors and sharing the love of golf with anyone who wants to enjoy it with me.
Running: I run 4-5 miles many times a week. It runs in the Jennings family but it is a great way to completely disconnect and lets me get into a healthy state of thought. Anytime I am having a stressful day, running helps me completely reset, and its healthy.
Watch
Trailer Park Boys - TV Show
Yes my wife will cringe that she is reading I put that on here. A Canadian masterpiece of which I have watched over and over again. Low budget, stupid humor, and great acting. I have even seen them live at Georgetown University in DC.
The Guard - Movie
A hidden gem of a movie. Story of a vulgar Irish Cop who partners with a US FBI agent to seize a shipment of drugs. Old school comedy.
Plug
Real Estate Plug
If you live in the southeast and see a potential area where a Biscuitville should go, feel free to reach out to me directly and I would be happy to check it out.
Want to get in touch with Blake? Email him, blakewjennings@gmail.com
P.S. Does anyone have a colleague that uses a walking pad? Maybe this was a popular Christmas gift or a new years resolution but I swear I am seeing more people use it on Zoom calls. I want to hate on it but Iāll keep an open mind if there is anyone that wants to vouch for it?
Which specific diet element do you think is the most disruptive?