CrossFit Chicago Goes Paleo

T-30!!!!

2011-10-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Okay so I changed yesterday's post name. So when did you start your paleo challenge? Did you do something (good/bad) to kick it off? Shop and prep? Eating everything in site that you can't have for 30 days? What are you scared of most in the next 30?

T-31!!!!

2011-10-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

I've used the count up method on this blog many times and think the countdown will work much better. Getting nervous about ramping up to the Thanksgiving holiday going Paleo but it's only 30 days. Looking forward to hearing how everyone is doing and methods to cope around Halloween candy! Weigh-in and pics are going to be sooooo fun tomorrow!

Ratios

2011-05-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm not big on macro-nutrient ratios, just focus on eating clean first. I have received a couple question on it though, so in general for shedding a few pounds you're probably shooting for less than 50g of carbs per day, around a .75 - 1.0 g of protein per pound of bw and the rest good fats. You'll find this comes to around 10%-15% Carb, 30% Protein, and 55%-60% Fat. Probably looking at around 1800 - 2400 calories depending on activity level that day. There are plenty of total calorie need calculators you can find online, which are a good starting point for about how many calories you should be eating. Typically when people try low carbing, they end up shorting their total calories, make sure you're eating enough. If you're eating clean, no need to restrict calories.

It's arrived!

2011-05-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

So I'm just passing Day9 and the cravings haven't been that bad but I'm very moody. I can be set off at the drop of a dime. I'm going to try and drive as little as possible (because I have the worst case of road rage) and eat as much good food that I can at this time. Please pick up the phone if I ask you to bail me out of jail!

1 Week In

2011-05-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Alright now is the time to get yourself ready. Make sure you have plenty of water and meat and veggies in the house. Have a decent supply of acceptable fruits and make sure there is no crap in your house if you have weak will power! For the next 5-7 days you will have to fight to keep your sanity. Have your sonsors number ready and let's walk through this together.

GET A SPONSOR!!!

2011-05-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

I told everyone about it at both Paleo meetings to get a sponsor and have their cell number. When days 7-10 roll around and you have a cheese danish roll in your hand and are about to throw 7-10 days of work down the drain, your sponsor will save you. I promise!!!

I honestly have 2 sponsors. Scott and JohnK. They both have been a ton supportive and as much of an a-hole I can be I hope that I help them stay on track here and there.

I promise you somewhere in your 30 days you are going to wish you had that damn number! Get it now!!!

Goal #1 - Kick the grains, legumes, dairy (GLD)

2011-05-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

I wasn't at Bryce's Friday session, but looking back on Saturday's session fruit came out of the conversation fairly bruised. Just to clarify, that's because eating only real food and removing the GLD was taken as a given.

If you already had most grains out of your diet, then by all means jump right in to cutting back on some of the fruit to achieve your weight loss goals. If your typical day was oatmeal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner, then clean that up first. Of course we'd suggest replacing those meals with one's composed primarily of meat and veggies, but adding in fruit to those meals is a far better option than just cutting back on the GLD.

If you're losing a will power battle with curing a sugar fix and choosing between an apple turnover and a banana. We'd be all for the banana! Heck, chop it up and poor a little coconut milk over it and you've got a decent desert.

Day 1

2011-05-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

Day 1 is in the books for everyone. What questions/concerns do you have? What have you noticed? Are we angry yet? I know, I know, it's not positive but just keeping it real. Please comment with any questions, anything we or the community can help with!!!

Welcome Back!!!

2011-05-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome for your first time or welcome back. I highly you suggest looking back through previous posts. This will be a great place to ask all paleo questions and get some support from the community!!!

Remember:

IT'S ONLY 30 DAYS! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING FOR 30 DAYS!!!

Finals!

2010-11-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

Attention all weight loss division paleo challengers!!

Don’t forget to weigh-in with one of the coaches before the end of the week. If you are not in the box, email me your weight.

Also, make sure you get in any scored workouts from the challenge you missed, and send me your food logs from the challenge. The sooner you all do this, the sooner we’ll be able to get prizes to the winners!

Thanks, and have a great Thanksgiving break!

A Paleo Thanksgiving

2010-11-21T06:37:00.000-08:00

Most of us will be going to visit or hosting friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a day centered on many food traditions. For most people this will also be a cheat, treat, variety or whatever term you’ve chosen to describe a good carb binder. At the same time, if you are bringing a dish and want to show off your new diet here are some links to some good recipes to give a try to.

A couple of entire menus can be found at:

Everyday Paleo

http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/11/15/thanksgiving-recipes-and-everyday-paleo-pumpkin-pie-cooking-demo/#more-584

Rob Wolf

http://robbwolf.com/2010/11/20/the-paleo-table-grain-free-dressing-stuffin-recipe-plus-a-thanksgiving-links/

Appetizers

Deviled Eggs, err, Fat Guacamole Devils…

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fat-guacamole-devils/

Multiple options - BTB Fitness

http://www.btbfitness.com/nutrition-and-performance/2010/11/11/thanksgiving-is-just-around-the-cornerpart-one-appetizers.html

Soup

Pumpkin Sausage Soup – This is outstanding, Jess modified it from some recipe she found and knocked it out of the park.

http://jessicaotte.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-soup.html#comments

Stuffing

You might see this as the hardest obstacle, but aside from the bread or rice component of most stuffing recipes, they're pretty easy to modify. Rather than simply removing the bread, which actually works pretty well with most sausage stuffing’s, you can swap out the bread or rice for cauliflower, yes cauliflower! Here’s how:

Preheat your oven to 450 and roughly chop the cauliflower and throw them in the food processor in batches until it is about the consistency of rice. Place on a baking sheet and toss with butter and some salt and pepper and roast for about 25 minutes until golden. You’ll want to check in on them once or twice and give them a little shake, just make sure they’re not getting burnt.

There are also a couple of options in the Everyday Paleo and Robb Wolf menus above.

Mashed Potatoes

Cauliflower Puree – This is a pretty basic recipe, but feel free to add all of your typical mashed potato seasonings, garlic powder, onion powder, horseradish, etc. As noted, watch how much liquid you use, you don’t want this to get too soupy or you’ll be running out for another head of cauliflower.

http://www.pragmaticpaleo.com/2010/03/24/cauliflower-puree/

Deserts

I admit, on my treat days deserts are always included. I now just try and keep it gluten free, I’ve found I don’t feel as wrecked the next day. There are reasons not to use almond flour on a regular basis, due to the oxidation of the unsaturated fats when heated, but for a one time thing and to show off your baking abilities, here are some good choices:

Apple Cinnamon Tart

http://cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/primal-apple-cinnamon-tart/

Paleo Pumpkin Pie – Actually it’s their whole menu, which includes a stuffing recipe. The pie is all the way at the bottom and includes a video.

http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/11/15/thanksgiving-recipes-and-everyday-paleo-pumpkin-pie-cooking-demo/#more-584

Team Standings

2010-11-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple people ask me about standings on the workouts. I'm still waiting on a few people to finish the two workouts so far to finish them. They'll be up as soon as I get all the data.

So, make sure you get your Paleo Challenge workouts done as soon as you can!

My Easy Paleo Diet

2010-10-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

I've had a few people inquire what my daily diet looks like. I like to keep things as simple as possible. I work from home when I'm not at CFC, but this could be easily prepped in less than 20 minutes if I needed to have it ready to go. I honestly enjoy eating every meal. I don't ever look at my food, and go F! I have to eat this again!

So, here are two average days of eating with CrossFit. If I don't do CrossFit, I would take out the apple and post workout shake. I usually eat 4-5 times/day depending on when I wake up and when I get home from CFC.

Day 1 w/ workout

1. 6 oz of chicken sausage, 1 apple, small handful of cashews and pecans
Activity - CrossFit
2. Post WOD shake, 40g of whey protein
3. 8 oz of ground beef w/ salsa, 10 baby carrots, small handful of cashews and pecans
4. 6 oz of grilled chicken w/ salsa, 10 baby carrots, small handful of cashews and pecans

Approximate Breakdown - 180 grams of protein, 40 grams of carbs, 50 grams of fat

Day 2 w/ workout

1. 8 oz ground beef with salsa, 6 baby carrots, small handful of pecans and almonds
2. 6 oz chicken sausage, 1 apple, small handful of pecans and almonds
Activity - CrossFit
3. Post WOD shake, 40g of whey protein
4. 8 oz ground beef with salsa, 8 baby carrots, small handful of pecans and almonds
5. 6 oz grilled chicken with salsa, 8 baby carrots, small handful of pecans and almonds

Approximate Breakdown - 240 grams of protein, 45 grams of carbs, 65 grams of fat

Day 3 w/o workout

1. 6 oz of grilled chicken w/ salsa, 10 baby carrots, small handful of cashews and pecans
2. 3.5 oz of beef jerky, small handful of cashews and pecans
3. 8 oz of ground beef w/ salsa, 10 baby carrots, small handful of cashews and pecans
4. 6 oz of chicken sausage, 10 baby carrots, small handful of cashews and pecans

Approximate breakdown - 165 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbs, 50 grams of fat

It may look miserable to some of you, but my food prep/day is less than 30 minutes. I like how my food tastes, and it keeps me moving with high energy. I'm down around 12 pounds eating this diet since I've started. Today is day 20 on this for me.

Are you eating enough protein

2010-10-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

A common recommendation for people trying to both lose weight as well as those looking for lean gains is to consume 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight. What does that look like? You can assume most of your lean meats will be around 7 grams of protein. Are you getting enough protein?

Attention Performance Challenge Athletes

2010-10-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

You must complete Monday's metcon. Please record your time on the board at the weight you completed the workout. This is the first scored workout for the Paleo Challenge. Failure to complete the workout will be punishment for your team's score. Let me know if you have any questions. Scale intelligently and work hard!

How was your pre and post workout nutrition? Do you feel like it worked?

Week 1 Question Roundup

2010-10-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

This is the first installment of questions some of your follow challengers have asked. They all agreed to have these posted as, hoping they may help the entire community. Keep up the good work. Many of you probably have started see some changes at least in the mirror and probably on the scale. Be proud of your accomplishments, let us know how you're doing and and keep the questions coming. If it's been a rough start let us know that too, we want to help you succeed.    -Zack

Can I cook with chicken broth (low sodium)? Either poaching chicken or "sautéing veggies, it just adds flavor. Do I count it toward protein?
Yep, we use the Trader Joe's low sodium, when we don't have any homemade, which is really easy to make as well. Not a significant protein. Also unless your zoning, we're not counting. On the store bought stuff, just note the ingredients, some will use added sugar, so not as ideal. Homemade is really easy. We actually had chicken tonight, so are making some stock tonight. Just threw all the bones, innards, and scraps along with an onion, garlic, celery, a few peppercorns and water to cover and will cook it over night on low in the crock pot. Then will strain it in the morning and put it in some canning jars and in the freezer for later.

Can I lightly brush olive oil on things like zucchini, eggplant, onions etc & bake at low temp (250 degrees) so they are softer/easier to chew? Or is baking with evoo a no-no?
EVOO is great, just keep it at a low temp as you noted, as with any unsaturated fat it oxidizes pretty easy under to high a heat, try and keep it below 275-300.

If I am cooking spinach, do I pre-measure out the bag, and then cook it down, or am I measuring out the cooked portion?
Don't worry about measuring too much with anything, from a diet perspective, especially if you're on the low end of fruit. If you're following a recipe though, spinach is typically noted pre-cooked and packed, so pressed down into the measuring cup.

I'm okay with knowing what to eat, but getting all meals in is my problem area.
If you're not overstressed, don't get too worked up about 3 meals. If you can get two good sized meals in and a decent snack then you should be fine. Take it easy on the carbs during the first larger meal that I assume you'll have to go back to work after or you may get a little sleepy still. Protein and fats do still cause an insulin release, just not as high as carbs, so if you overdo it you still may have a bit a crash. You'll need to play with that and just listen to your body, if you crash one day, make a few tweaks the next and see if things work better.

Elevated cortisol is your concern with stress, which can obviously be caused by many things including too few of meals / too much intermittent fasting. Your tell tale sign on high cortisol is accumulating fat around your belly button area.

The 5 small meal thing is more of a crutch for people coming off of being drowned in insulin all day everyday or for a high level athlete working on multiple workouts over multiple hours who legitimately can't consume enough in 3 sittings. For the athlete it's fine, for the rest of us, it's tough because it really just encourages overeating. Portion control is a struggle for most people including me, so why fight it, enjoy your meals, just don't force feed yourself extra meals. This is also why Bryce was noting, if you're cooking for multiple meals you want to try and portion things out at least in your head, so you know how much is for dinner, otherwise you'll find yourself grazing through tomorrow's lunch as your packing them up.

One more related item is the hormone Leptin, which controls your feeling of satiety, really does work will with Proteins and Fats, as we discussed, Carbs messes it up and blocks its signals to the brain that you're full. This goes back to the analogy that it's a whole lot easier to sit in front of 1000 calories worth of brownies (about 4 squares) and plow through it, versus 1000 calorie beef fillet (about 16 oz) and not be able to finish 3/4 of it. Part of it is the ease of digestion and part of it is the leptin signaling.

What are your suggestions for snacks? I like beef/turkey jerky but it's so salty. I'm trying out going little/no fruit.
The general answer on snacks is not to over think them. They should be a meal just like any other, just smaller. There's no reason that nuts should instantly become the cornerstone, other than they're portable. Nuts tend to be high in Omega-6, so can prove to be pro-inflammatory if you're getting too much of them. Jerky, also is nice because it's portable, but high in salt and typically has soy and sugar in the seasoning mix. If you don't have access to a fridge or cooler, then these work in a pinch. If you do though, cooked chicken and shrimp are better choices since they are less processed and you control the added ingredients and both are still tasty cold. With neither of these having a very strong flavor you can also vary the cooking techniques seasonings to vary the taste quite a bit and not let them get overly boring. Add in some guacamole or drizzle with olive oil or cook them in coconut oil and you get some different flavors as well through some good fat choices.

Ideally the snacks will disappear and meals may just become slightly larger.

Should I be limiting the amount of avocado I eat per week for weight loss?
No, when in season, I eat about a 1/2 of one per day. On the fat side, I'm most concerned that you are eliminating the high n-6 and trans fats, such as vegetable oils, spreads, margarine, canola, soybean, corn, etc. Good fats on their own do not make you fat. Carbs and overeating encourage the body to store energy as body fat for later use, dietary fat is not the culprit in this that it is made out to be. I'll throw a post on the site walking through digestion that will explain this a bit further. In general if you're sticking to tropical fats (avocado, coconut, olive, palm) and animal fats you should be fine.   I'm not too concerned with your saturated fats as long as they are coming from animal fats or coconut. These may still raise your LDL, but there's mounting evidence that these raise the type of LDL that is non-atherogenic. They're also much more heat stable and therefore don't oxidize under heat, so better to cook with. On the unsaturated fats, we're concerned with the omega-3 to omega-6 balance, which we want to get to 1:1 or as close to that as possible. These are highly heat sensitive, some more than others, but in general, you shouldn't cook with them at high heats.   What fat can and does effect is inflammation, which is where the n-3 to n-6 ratio comes in, the more skewed toward n-6 you are the more inflammation is being caused.

Are some squashes higher in carbs than others--mixed results from what I researched. I also read they should be limited for weight loss b/c they are higher in carbs than other veggies on some sites, but no mention of it on others.Yes. In general I like this site: www.nutritiondata.self.com/. Just type in the food and you can get a good idea your relative carb numbers. Summer squashes are all pretty low carb. Of the winter squashes, spaghetti squash is the lowest carb and you can really treat it like a grain for prep purposes. You can put meat sauce over it, mix it into stuffed peppers, hardy up a soup. At the same time, even it is going to fall a little bit closer to energy dense (high calorie) versus nutrient dense. When compared to grains they're a better option, but when compared to spinach, not so much. Just mix it in and in general vary your vegetables and think of winter squashes as more of a small side, not the cornerstone of the meal and you'll be fine.

What's the deal with tomatoes? I've read that some people on Paleo limit them since they are "technically a fruit"
It's not the fruit issue, it's the nightshade issue. Nightshades, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, are pro-inflammatory in many people. Dr. Cordain did a pretty in depth multi-part series on them in his newsletter. The gist as I recall on the tomatoes was that the closer to ripe they were the lower in inflammation causing agents. I'll post a little more on this to the blog. It's one I need to play with myself. I enjoy tomatoes and grow hot peppers and make homemade hot sauce. I should probably do an elimination for a few weeks and see what I notice upon re-intro.

I'm trying to go black or cream only in my coffee but can't do it yet! What should I be sweetening it with?
-almond milk vs. heavy cream for coffee?
See what you think of almond milk in general. I know a lot of people don't care for the taste, I believe it has been compared to play-dough. Jess really likes coconut milk. That would be my first choice. If you try either of these, just make sure they're additive free, not flavored or sugared up. Heavy whipping cream is also fine overall. It is 100% fat, so the irritants that come from the milk sugar are removed. Back to the almond milk, there are very few nuts I like, I'll send a table out from Mat Lalonde on this, but most of them are high in Omega-6's and depending on the rest of your diet may get in the way of your goals more than being a good fat. They're also a source of sneaky carbs. Thanks to zone land we have a bad habit of classifying things as one macro-nutrient, though nuts are primarily a fat, they also have poor quality protein and some fairly high carb counts that can add up and also energy dense vs nutrient dense. So, these are fine for a handful, but could be a counterproductive if you're taking down much more than that.

I know we talked a little about it after a WOD, but how detrimental will full fat greek yogurt be for weight loss? Can I eat it post-WOD at least?
How detrimental is going to be person to person, there are far worse things you could take and worse times you could incorporate them. It really depends on how lactose intolerant you are. I didn't even realize I was, until I cut it out and then brought it back.    Yogurt is better for most people because in the fermentation process the lactose is eaten up by the enzymes. Fermination does not however change the fact that dairy is still a serious growth promoter, for weight gain this is great, for weight loss it's not so great. This challenge is a great time to encourage some self experimenting. Remove items for 2-3 and reintroduce them. If you go really clean for 3 weeks, meat and veggies, good fat/oils and some fruits, and then bring certain borderline items in one at a time, you will have a pretty good awareness from your body on what works and what doesn't. For example, if nightshades are an issue, then reintroducing them may bring on some inflammation or localized pain in prior injuries/joints, if dairy is a problem then you may notice some bloating, cramps, rumbling in your gut.

I'm eating a little bit more meat per meal when I have only three a day, but I'm cool with the 4 oz when I'm doing the five.
I wouldn't get to hung up on keeping your portion size down for protein. Meat protein is highly satiating, so adding even a little more in my help with that late night craving as well.

I did have a question about the sugar cravings. I'm coming home at night and I'm generally satiated. But by the time 11 comes around, I'm ravenous and I want all sorts of food. I'm supposing that this is probably normal, but what is it? And when (if ever) does it abate?
On the craving, is it a craving first? Meaning do you still feel kind of full, but yet your brain is telling you it really wants food. Or do you actually feel hungry and late at night had typically been a sugar snack.

If it's truly a craving then it's typically best to really try and push through it for the next couple of weeks. If you're hungry, then we need to look at your food log and see why it is you're burning through your dinner so quick. I small fat/protein snack here isn’t going to screw things up, but like mentioned at the seminar, you don’t want to go to be too full because once you go to bed your body has to deal with finishing the digestion first before moving on to the restorative, fat loss, recovery functions that occur during sleep.

The cravings do abate significantly as time goes on. Your sensation of sweet will also become a whole lot more sensitive, so things that you never would have thought of in the past to use, like coconut cream with a dash of cinnamon will hit the spot. We'll talk about "where do I go from here" as the 6 weeks wraps up.

Your Paleo Team

2010-10-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Teams are out. Please contact myself or Rudy if you need to know how to get in touch with your teammates. I want this to be a true team challenge where you can motivate and share your tips, diet, and anything else that's happening. The competition itself for the performance side will be based off performance, diet adherence/accountability (track this somehow), and teamwork. The weight loss side will be based off percentage change for your team. So, if you haven't weighed in with anyone do so now! There will also be a handful of performance challenges throughout the workout.

Performance
Rudy, Amy A, Billy Q
Glenn, Mark B, Heather
EricKM, Bryce, Joy
Jonny, Erin C, Erika
Nate, Ben, Carlo
Matt W, Todd, Bowen
Tara, Anthony D, Abbey
Zack, John K, Erin A
Scott, Emi, Emily E
WIll, Cameron, Anjali

Weight Loss
Mia, Terry L, Karen
Akeshia, Dan L
Dina, Sarah WP, Tina
Alison G, Gina, Julie
Tannia, SarahW, Adam
Andrea, Danny
Jeni, Megan T
Suzanne, Holly, Kori
Jen K, Lindsey, Beth
Mandie, Molik, Carp
Mike D, Christina K

If your name is not on the list and you want to participate, please get in contact with me!

Unhappy Meal

2010-10-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

So I was up late and they had this thing on The Tonight Show that I had to Google.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319562/McDonalds-Happy-Meal-bought-Sally-Davies-shows-sign-mould-6-months.html

Thoughts???

It's not too late!!

2010-10-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Teams will be announced tomorrow for the Paleo Challenge. So, if you know of anyone who is still on the fence, talk them into, and let's get this going.

If you haven't weighed in yet, please do so, and record your number with me. Use the blog to ask any questions, post results, and relevant articles. This is a team event for CFC not just your team of three.

Do you got LAN???

2010-10-12T19:28:00.001-07:00

Thoughts on this?
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/204236.php

Superfood and food?

2010-10-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

Alright, paleo pros, novices, and lurkers.

What are your thoughts on superfood?

Secondly, Advice and consequences on missing a meal rather than eating something you shouldn't?

(If you have any food questions you want answered feel free to email me!)

Paleo Challenge

2010-10-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

I've been on the fence on how exactly I want this challenge to be done. In my opinion, it is much more powerful for you to make this YOUR challenge. I do want everyone who is participating to weigh-in with myself, Rudy, or Zack, and Rudy has been kind enough to offer body fat tests for those competing in the Weight Loss Division. However, as far as the pictures go, I want you to do this on your own. If you want us to do this I'm happy to help, but the more responsibility you take the more likely you'll be to succeed. The more you document your results and journey the more powerful this is for yourself and helping others.

This can be a life changing challenge. It WILL improve your health and CrossFitting abilities. I would like to think that this is something everyone would be interested in doing. Have fun with it. Feel free to contact me, Bryce, with any questions at all throughout the challenge.

Welcome or welcome back!!!

2010-10-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome or welcome back to the nutrition blog. This page will be used for those who decide to accept the challenge to change their dietary ways for the next 45 days. We will answer question/concerns in the comments and also post information for your support. If you are new or old look back at some of the archived posts as they have some great info.

All weight loss team members are required to do a 3 site measurement to test body comp. Ladies at the tricep, the iliac (the lovehandle) and the thigh. Fellas at the chest, abd, and thigh. Please contact Bryce or Rudy to set up a time. This needs to be done preworkout/presweating. Your skin composition changes as it starts to exert sweat. (For those in either category that want a really in-depth assessment see the post below.)

First 20!!!!!

2010-10-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

For everyone who is interested I am offering a complete assessment to the first 20 people that contact me. This will include a BF% measurement and analysis, a physical test, and a functional movement screen. Stipulations are that you need to schedule an hour of time with me, be okay with me pinching and measuring 10 points on your body, and lastly do the all of the movement screens and physical tests. This needs to be done pre-workout or on an off day.

Espresso Machine

2010-02-26T21:56:00.000-08:00

So who wants to tell me what is the biggest differences in a espresso machine and a coffee maker? We have a coffee maker at the box currently but should we get an espresso machine? I love me some Americanos but I am no barista. I also love my plain-jane DD coffee.

GET BACK ON IT!

2010-02-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

We are in the final couple weeks of the Paleo Challenge+!!! What are you doing to make the most of this final home stretch? Have you given up? It is not too late to pick things up and get back on track to have a good run on having the best results. GET BACK TO WORK NOW!!!!

I"M BACK!

2010-02-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Alright, Sorry about the crazy long time without posting. For those of you that are still alive and lurking... and or participating. What do you do when you have family get togethers or go on vacation??? You really want to stay clean but you definitely can shun off the family cooked meal correct? What's your strategy?

What's up? Your weight

2010-01-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

Last one from the Daily Apple I swear:

17 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

Effective, healthy weight loss isn’t only due to the simplistic calories in, calories out paradigm. Nor is it solely reliant on diet and exercise. It’s everything – it’s all the various signals our body receives from the environment that affect how our genes express themselves and thrive. How we approach the subject matters, too. Our mood, our methods, our temperament. Our conscious decisions and our willpower. It’s setting good habits and expunging bad ones. Most of all, it comes down to keeping our genes happy by providing an environment that approximates evolutionary precedent.

Click here to read the 17 reasons.

More Daily Apple

2010-01-30T18:48:00.000-08:00

Again from Mark's Daily Apple:

Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods

It’s perhaps the most commonly asked question, both here in the forums and around the Primal/paleo blogosphere: what about bread/rice/grains/mashed potatoes/fish-and-chips/sweets? That is, what Primal foods can I eat that will satisfy my nascent urges for conventional “comfort foods”? In a perfect fat-adapted world, these urges would be non-existent. We would all be sated on nothing but meat, fat, vegetables, and a bit of fruit, and on a normal day I would stress the importance of desiring truly Primal foods rather than Primal approximations of high-carb, conventional fare.

Today isn’t a normal day, though. We’re in the middle of a particularly intensive Health Challenge, one that centers around making small (but doable) positive changes. For all our new members, finding alternate low-carb versions of the classic high-carb foods can be just the ticket to maintaining their personal health commitments under duress – and for that reason, I rounded up every low-carb food alternative source I could find. Strict PB pros and Primal stalwarts, forgive me, but I’m doing it for everyone’s collective good. Consider this my 80/20 moment. (wink)

Click here to links to the recipes.

Mark on Dairy

2010-01-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

From Mark's Daily Apple:

The Definitive Guide to Dairy

I knew going in this was going to be a tricky one, because dairy, especially raw and/or fermented full-fat dairy, resides in a Primal gray area. The literature, the evolutionary reasoning, and the anecdotal reports all unanimously point to sugar, cereal grains and legumes, processed foods, and industrial vegetable oils as being net negatives on the human metabolic spectrum, but dairy is somewhat different. The other Neolithic foodstuffs we can rule out because the science condemning them is fairly concrete and they weren’t on the menu 20,000 years ago. Heck, they weren’t just off the menu; they were basically unrecognizable as food in the raw state. Dairy, on the other hand, is a relatively recent food chronologically, but it is most assuredly and obviously a viable nutritive source in its raw form. It’s full of highly bioavailable saturated fat, protein, and carbs – in equal portions. You could conceivably survive on milk alone (I wouldn’t recommend it, but you could technically do it; try doing the same with honey or raw millet). Milk is baby fuel. It’s literally meant to spur growth and enable a growing body. Our bodies definitely recognize dairy as food, even foreign bovine dairy. But is it good nutrition?

Click here to read more.

Pants on the ground

2010-01-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was singing this the other day and Mandie had no idea what the hell I was talking about.

Why You Got Fat

2010-01-27T20:39:00.001-08:00

Gluten

2010-01-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

From the Huffington Post:

GLUTEN: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, MIGHT KILL YOU.

Something you're eating may be killing you, and you probably don't even know it!

If you eat cheeseburgers or French fries all the time or drink six sodas a day, you likely know you are shortening your life. But eating a nice dark, crunchy slice of whole wheat bread--how could that be bad for you?

Well, bread contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is hidden in pizza, pasta, bread, wraps, rolls, and most processed foods. Clearly, gluten is a staple of the American diet.

What most people don't know is that gluten can cause serious health complications for many. You may be at risk even if you don't have full blown celiac disease.

In today's blog I want to reveal the truth about gluten, explain the dangers, and provide you with a simple system that will help you determine whether or not gluten is a problem for you.

The Dangers of Gluten

A recent large study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and "latent" celiac disease or gluten sensitivity had a higher risk of death, mostly from heart disease and cancer. (i)

This study looked at almost 30,00 patients from 1969 to 2008 and examined deaths in three groups: Those with full-blown celiac disease, those with inflammation of their intestine but not full-blown celiac disease, and those with latent celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (elevated gluten antibodies but negative intestinal biopsy).

The findings were dramatic. There was a 39 percent increased risk of death in those with celiac disease, 72 percent increased risk in those with gut inflammation related to gluten, and 35 percent increased risk in those with gluten sensitivity but no celiac disease.

This is ground-breaking research that proves you don't have to have full-blown celiac disease with a positive intestinal biopsy (which is what conventional thinking tells us) to have serious health problems and complications--even death--from eating gluten.

Yet an estimated 99 percent of people who have a problem with eating gluten don't even know it. They ascribe their ill health or symptoms to something else--not gluten sensitivity, which is 100 percent curable.

And here's some more shocking news ...

Another study comparing the blood of 10,000 people from 50 years ago to 10,000 people today found that the incidences of full-blown celiac disease increased by 400 percent (elevated TTG antibodies) during that time period. (ii) If we saw a 400 percent increase in heart disease or cancer, this would be headline news. But we hear almost nothing about this. I will explain why I think that increase has occurred in a moment. First, let's explore the economic cost of this hidden epidemic.

Undiagnosed gluten problems cost the American healthcare system oodles of money. Dr. Peter Green, Professor of Clinical Medicine for the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University studied all 10 million subscribers to CIGNA and found those who were correctly diagnosed with celiac disease used fewer medical services and reduced their healthcare costs by more than 30 perecnt. (iii) The problem is that only one percent of those with the problem were actually diagnosed. That means 99 percent are walking around suffering without knowing it, costing the healthcare system millions of dollars.

And it's not just a few who suffer, but millions. Far more people have gluten sensitivity than you think--especially those who are chronically ill. The most serious form of allergy to gluten, celiac disease, affects one in 100 people, or three million Americans, most of who don't know they have it. But milder forms of gluten sensitivity are even more common and may affect up to one-third of the American population.

Why haven't you heard much about this?

Well, actually you have, but you just don't realize it. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity masquerade as dozens and dozens of other diseases with different names.

Gluten Sensitivity: One Cause, Many Diseases

A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 "diseases" that can be caused by eating gluten. (iv) These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, (v) and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric (vi) and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, (vii) schizophrenia, (viii) dementia, (ix) migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). (x) It has also been linked to autism.(ix)

We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Gluten sensitivity is actually an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation throughout the body, with wide-ranging effects across all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints, digestive tract, and more. It can be the single cause behind many different "diseases." To correct these diseases, you need to treat the cause--which is often gluten sensitivity--not just the symptoms.

Of course, that doesn't mean that ALL cases of depression or autoimmune disease or any of these other problems are caused by gluten in everyone--but it is important to look for it if you have any chronic illness.

By failing to identify gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, we create needless suffering and death for millions of Americans. Health problems caused by gluten sensitivity cannot be treated with better medication. They can only be resolved by eliminating 100 percent of the gluten from your diet.

The question that remains is: Why are we so sensitive to this "staff of life," the staple of our diet?

There are many reasons ...

They include our lack of genetic adaptation to grasses, and particularly gluten, in our diet. Wheat was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, and 30 percent of people of European descent carry the gene for celiac disease (HLA DQ2 or HLA DQ8), (xii) which increases susceptibility to health problems from eating gluten.

American strains of wheat have a much higher gluten content (which is needed to make light, fluffy Wonder Bread and giant bagels) than those traditionally found in Europe. This super-gluten was recently introduced into our agricultural food supply and now has "infected" nearly all wheat strains in America.

To find out if you are one of the millions of people suffering from an unidentified gluten sensitivity, just follow this simple procedure.

The Elimination/Reintegration Diet

While testing can help identify gluten sensivity, the only way you will know if this is really a problem for you is to eliminate all gluten for a short period of time (2 to 4 weeks) and see how you feel. Get rid of the following foods:

• Gluten (barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat, triticale--see www.celiac.com for a complete list of foods that contain gluten, as well as often surprising and hidden sources of gluten.)

• Hidden sources (soup mixes, salad dressings, sauces, as well as lipstick, certain vitamins, medications, stamps and envelopes you have to lick, and even Play-Doh.)

For this test to work you MUST eliminate 100 percent of the gluten from your diet--no exceptions, no hidden gluten, and not a single crumb of bread.

Then eat it again and see what happens. If you feel bad at all, you need to stay off gluten permanently. This will teach you better than any test about the impact gluten has on your body.

But if you are still interested in testing, here are some things to keep in mind.

Testing for Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease

There are gluten allergy/celiac disease tests that are available through Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics. All these tests help identify various forms of allergy or sensitivity to gluten or wheat. They will look for:

• IgA anti-gliadin antibodies

• IgG anti-gliadin antibodies

• IgA anti-endomysial antibodies

• Tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA and IgG in questionable cases)

• Total IgA antibodies

• HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genotyping for celiac disease (used occasionally to detect genetic suspectibility).

• Intestinal biopsy (rarely needed if gluten antibodies are positive--based on my interpretation of the recent study)

When you get these tests, there are a few things to keep in mind.

In light of the new research on the dangers of gluten sensitivity without full blown celiac disease, I consider any elevation of antibodies significant and worthy of a trial of gluten elimination. Many doctors consider elevated anti-gliadin antibodies in the absence of a positive intestinal biopsy showing damage to be "false positives." That means the test looks positive but really isn't significant.

We can no longer say that. Positive is positive and, as with all illness, there is a continuum of disease, from mild gluten sensitivity to full-blown celiac disease. If your antibodies are elevated, you should go off gluten and test to see if it is leading to your health problems.

So now you see--that piece of bread may not be so wholesome after all! Follow the advice I've shared with you today to find out if gluten may be the hidden cause of your health problems. Simply eliminating this insidious substnace from your diet, may help you achieve lifelong vibrant health.

That's all for today. Now I'd like to hear from you ...

Are you one of the millions that have been lead to believe gluten is perfectly safe to eat?

How do foods that contain gluten seem to affect you?

What tips can you share with others about eliminating gluten from your diet?

Please let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, MD

Pull ups

2010-01-25T23:32:00.001-08:00

Day16

Alright, since we are getting deadheads and everyone is a little burnt out on Paleo and breaking to 1st and 2nd cheats, let's shoot off topic. This is a good read from Gillian Mounsey's blog (http://www.gillianmounsey.com/blog/) :

This week’s question concerns pull ups.

“I have been crossfitting for 4 months and am still working on getting a pull-up. I have seen it come faster for some of the other women in class. I can almost kip my chin over the bar once but I am no where close to having a dead hang pull-up. How can I improve my pull-ups? Also, is it bad to start kipping pull-ups before being able to do a strict one?”

The answer to this question is simple in response but requires effort on your part. To get better at pull-ups you must do pull-ups. The best way to attack this skill is to address it in a variety of ways depending on the workout.

1. If the workout mandates high volume pull-ups, consider using a band for assistance. The band allows you to develop strength through a full range of motion. Once you can string 10 or more pull-ups together in the band, opt for a lighter band. Jumping pull-ups are great as a metabolic and functional movement but they do not develop strength at the bottom range (the part where you jump through).

2. Incorporate pull-ups into your workout as a skill in the warm-up when your body is fresh. Additionally, incorporate pull-ups after the workout. Sometimes when you are fatigued, your body becomes efficient at the kip to save energy.

3. Make a habit of jumping up on every pull-up bar that you pass by and giving it a shot. Hang one in a doorway at home and try one everytime you walk in and out of the room (I’m serious, this is how I got good at pull-ups as a kid).

4. Practice negatives. Either jump your chin over the bar or have a partner assist you to get your chin over the bar. Lower yourself slowly till you achieve full elbow lockout. 3 sets of 3 to 5 consecutive reps is a great place to start.

5. Partner assisted pull ups is one of the best ways to learn a dead-hang pull-up. Hang with your ankles crossed behind you and have a partner cup your feet and assist you – ensure that you do as much of the work as possible. The partner should allow you to do the negative on your own.

6. Play a game. Make pull-ups fun by turning them into a challenge. A good example is to grab a deck of cards with another 2-3 people. Go through the deck doing the number that you draw on the card. Let all of the face cards represent a single pull-up. Let the red cards represent kipping pull-ups and the black cards dead hangs. Have a friend spot you if you need it on the dead hangs and use a band for the kipping pull-ups.

To answer the second question, no , kipping pull-ups are not “bad” or dangerous before you have a dead-hang pull-up. The beauty of a functional movement such as a pull-up is that if you are not ready or strong enough to do one, you simply won’t be able to. Practice both as they will mutually help one another. It is imperative to understand that one is a strict upper body strength movement and the other uses momentum and timing.

My best advice is to practice as many types of pull-ups as possible. You will be less likely to develop overuse injuries and you will continue to grow as an athlete.

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

2010-01-24T22:00:00.000-08:00

Forwarded from TomW:

PALEO SHEPHERD’S PIE
A yummy, winter meal that is great as leftovers!

Make’s 4 servings (which means we’ll be using 2 now and 2 for
leftovers. So plan accordingly if you’re adjusting).

INGREDIENTS

20 oz Ground Turkey 110 P 35 F
12 oz Parsnnips - pealed and grated - 63 C
8 oz Zucchini - sliced - 8 C
3 oz mushrooms (i used shitake) - sliced - 3 C
1/2 C Red Onion - 5 C
1/2 C Cilantro - negligible C
2 Green Onions - chopped - 4 C
1/2 Cup Celery - sliced - negligible C
1 Slice Bacon - 15F 3P
8 egg whites - 24 P
1 Tbl Spoon Olive Oil - 14 F
1 Teaspoon Onion Salt
1 Teaspoon Celery Salt
1 Tablespoon Seasoning (I used Italian Seasoning. Costco Rustic Tuscan
Seasoning would also work well)
INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450F.
Peal and grate the parsnips with a cheese grater. Mix with onion salt
and olive oil and set aside.
Cook the bacon slice . DO NOT throw out the bacon fat. Leave it in the
pan.
Pan fry the onions, turkey, Italian Seasoning, and onion salt .Pepper
to taste.
Saute in the bacon fat the zucchini, mushrooms, and celery.
Combine meat and veggies in one pan and mix thoroughly. Then let cool
down a couple minutes.
Take 4 egg whites and the cilantro and mix them into the meat/veggies.
Take other 4 egg whites and mix with parsnips.
Coat an 8X8 pan with olive oil.
Add meat and veggies then cover with parsnip mixture.
Cook in oven at 450F for about 25 minutes or until top start to brown.

Stolen From Zack's Blog

2010-01-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

Day14

The following has been taken from Zack's blog! Good read!

Supplements - What I'm taking and a little research

Insert all legal disclaimers that this is not meant to be medical advice; I'm not a nutritionist/dietitian, etc., etc. But, I dug in and did quite a bit of supplement research right around the end of last year. These are the 4 that I decided my diet was lacking and have been happy with the results on each. One reason we've all decided to do this diet is because we have taken a greater interest with what we're putting in our bodies, so make sure to do your own research as well and get a good idea of what you're getting naturally before any supplementation. This is what I've got:

1. Vitamin D: Being on Paleo, due to no dairy, and the fact we live in the Midwest and won't see the sun again until June, vitamin D was the first thing I picked up. Here's a great article on the ins and outs of D from EatMoveImprove: http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/10/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-d/

So far I’ve noticed a great improvement in overall stress levels, this with a little bit more demanding period right now at work. Some of the athletic performance increases noted in the article are tougher to opine on , I’m moving up in all ways right now, but it’s hard to pinpoint a cause since this isn’t the only thing I’ve changed in my diet and workout philosophy.

2. Magnesium: There's plenty out there on most of us being Magnesium deficient. Spinach is a pretty good natural source, but no food seems to have it in great supply, so like vit D, tough to get naturally. I know there's a whole book called the Magnesium Miracle, I've heard referenced often on Robb Wolf's podcast, a chapter in Protein Power Life Plan and on Mark Sisson has a couple blog posts on its benefits, here's one: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/magnesium-and-butterbur/. Basically it is the ying if you think of calcium as the yang.

Robb Wolf recommends the Natural Calm, but I just found a Magnesium Citrate powder on Amazon (Subscribe and Save is a wonderful thing). Everything I read said do the citrate because it is more usable by your body and if you can handle powder do powder again because of ease of absorption and use by your body. Do the powder in hot water, you want it to dissolve in the water before taking it. I did it once in cold water, just stirring it up and got a little bit bloated. It went right away, but hot water avoids this issue. I’ve noticed much better sleep since starting this.

3. Probiotics: Just got rolling with these. These are the good bacteria that are supposed to line your gut. When sick, especially when on antibiotics, the body doesn't discriminate, it flushes everything. So, the idea of probiotics is to reseed your gut. My main reason for taking them has been that I've upped my protein and want to make sure my body is absorbing as much as possible. Here's two good links: http://paynowlivelater.blogspot.com/2009/11/supplements-what-i-take-and-why.html and http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-primal-supplementation/
So most bottles you'll pick up say to work your way up to 1/meal. These two blogs and others I found say it doesn't need to be daily. For people of have used these in the past let me know your thoughts. Here's the plan I'm using. 2 weeks at 1/day, then back off to every other day, then to once a week and keeping with that unless I get sick, then I'll start this routine over. The thought here is that these guys multiply on their own, so once I'm set up, I should be fine to back off to more of a maintenance deal. I could be off base here and would love to here other people's thoughts.

4. Fish Oil: See some of the above links and the Paleo hand book Bryce handed out. Great anti-inflammation qualities (good for leaning out) and helps get your Omega 3's and 6's back in balance. Probably most are taking some amount of fish oil already, seems to pretty much be the official Crossfit supplement. Meals where I’m eating fish or grassfed meat, I usually skip the pills. All other meals I throw back a pretty good handful.

That’s what I’m up to supplement wise. Hopefully it’s somewhat helpful. None of these are too far out there. There’s info on all of them on WebMd and the Mayo Clinc’s sites as well, so pretty mainstream. I’m monitoring everything the best I can. It is of course tough since we don’t live in a vacuum and rarely can single out direct cause and effect, but I’m happy so far with these.

I’m looking forward to hearing from others on this topic as well.

Your turn

2010-01-22T22:11:00.001-08:00

Day13

Alright I'm done blabbing for now. What topics are you interested in? Or what can the community help you with? Is there anything you want to know more about? Post and let us know.

Crock pottage

2010-01-21T20:11:00.000-08:00

Day12

Wow! That was some awesome stuff on pancakes. Now, if you haven't figured by now I only cook the things that are really easy. For example 80% of the meals I make myself involve me shaking rub or spice (occasionally salt) on a piece of meat and throwing it in the toaster oven (man, I love that thing). If it wasn't so cold out I'd just grill.

What recipes do you have (that are not difficult) for the good ole crock pot???

Pancakes!

2010-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

Day11

I just seen the commercial for all-you-can-eat pancakes. Mmm pancakes. So I've seen a couple of different recipes. Who has had the best paleo pancakes? Mandie made some with sun butter and applesauce. I didn't get any but she said they were good. I can't imagine the texture being anything like pancakes. Anyways, recipes?

Milk does a body...

2010-01-19T20:08:00.001-08:00

Day10

Alright that was some good input on nightshades. Now, for all you guys/gals trying to pick up size... What do we know about milk??? A gallon a day? Post wod? Whatcha got?

Nightshades

2010-01-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

Day9

I intentionally left up the nightshades post for almost two day. Just wanted to see if anyone knew more than Google. Ha!

Nightshades

2010-01-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Day8

The conversation:
Me: "What do you know about nightshades?"
Mandie: "Nitrates?"
Me: "Nightshades."
Mandie: "Like nitrate free bacon?"
Me: "No, nightshades?"
Mandie: "Not nitrates?"
Me: "No, nightshades, like tomatoes."

We could have done this back-and-forth a while before getting no where quick.

So what do you know about NIGHTSHADES?

1 Week down!

2010-01-16T22:52:00.000-08:00

Day7

The conclusion of today will be 1 complete week for the Paleo+ Challenge. What do you think so far? Easier then you thought? Harder then you thought? Results so far? How is your logging going?

The Farmer's Market

2010-01-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

Day6

The Chicago Green City Market!
OPEN TODAY! CASH ONLY!

Pre-workout

2010-01-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

Day 5
Alright, Thanks for the snack ideas. I think everyone has a much better grasp on it now. Questions. What do you now about pre-workout nutrition? Why? When? What? If you have no clue respond with a "?" and I'll go through the ins and the outs. If I see nothing I'm assuming all the posters and the lurkers here know what they need for pre-workout nutrition. Post 'em up.

More snack ideas

2010-01-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Day4

Alright, I got a few ideas, but not nearly enough. I want you guys to help me out a little here and give me a couple more snack ideas that are realistic on a daily basis. I really like JJ's self-prepped/sealed paleo kits. When you have a chance check out his page. I swear he must have a personal chef or his camera does wonders, but his food looks amazing. http://whatisjjeating.blogspot.com/

More snack ideas please....

Packable snacks

2010-01-12T21:20:00.000-08:00

Day 3

Alright, great suggestions on the breakfast side of things. Now to the big challenge... packable snacks. I know many of these things are going to require a bit more prep and everyone doesn't have the flexibility to snack in-front of there clients/members as I do. So let's hear what you guys got. Also, Erin O' might have to get on here about food packing/storage... I'm sure it isn't too sanitary for me to leave a chicken breast in my bag at room temp for over 4 hours (don't worry Erin, I didn't eat it). Let's continue. I love the input from the extended community (Ashley)! The community does extend beyond our walls so it's always great to hear from CrossFitters outside our box also.

Breakfast first

2010-01-11T21:48:00.001-08:00

Day 2

First things first. Everyone wants to know when and what are you doing for breakfast???

The easiest way to slide into this paleo thing is do a meat and nuts. This may be the only thing you do if you are trying to lean out, but start there.

What creative things have you done? Is it a time issue? Is it a prep issue? Is it a digestion issue? Let us know!

WOW!!!

2010-01-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

Day 1

I'm very, very impressed with how many people came out today to participate in the Paleo+ Challenge (almost 50). I know there are tons of lurkers that visit this page but remember the more you participate with questions, concerns, answers, suggestions...the stronger you build the community! Help each other out and you'll receive more help than you ever thought that you needed. Think about it!

Still sleeping

2010-01-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone, I've mentioned this to most of you in person but this blog is going to stay off-line until the Paleo+ Challenge begins! For all you lurkers I'll give you a hint on the strength portion of the workout. It's three things, really, really heavy.

For now, if you are bored you can catch me at: http://www.rudytapalla.blogspot.com/

Science Projects

2009-12-17T10:38:00.001-08:00

With dieting, we are continually our own science project. I know there are a ton of lurkers so what are the things that we need for a Science Project? Let's see who was awake in Science classes.

The wagon

2009-12-14T20:40:00.000-08:00

I fell off the wagon again! Not because I'm eating shit, but because I'm missing meals! I have had two meals today and zero snacks. No excuses, just tomorrow's another day. I really do think that missing meals is as bad, if not worse than eating crap. Anyways, tomorrow's another day.

Nailed it!

2009-12-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Ha! Fatty made weight. A bunch of us had the Weightlifting Meet at Windy City. It was a great time! Ask everyone. Next time we'll have to bring a shit load of people. Now fatty has to lose the 7lbs of McDonald's weight. Scoot over and make some room for me to jump back on the Paleo wagon.

Last day

2009-12-11T18:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry been slacking. This is the last day of my heart-attack diet. This will be my last post of what not to do. Back on the wagon tomorrow!

Great feedback

2009-12-08T20:41:00.001-08:00

I loved the suggestions you all gave for the hoilday parties. You guys are pros! Now what you got for getting in Meat and nuts for breakfast and another dose of meat and nuts for lunch?

Survival

2009-12-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

"Anybody got any good holiday party survival strategies short of standing around with a glass of water and my tupperware of mixed nuts?"

So today's question. How do I survive holiday parties without looking like a crazy person? What you guys/gals got?

Stock up day

2009-12-06T05:53:00.000-08:00

I think I'm going to start just posting one day for the weekend. So, consider this the Saturday/Sunday post. Today is the day to stock up your fridge and get a ton of groceries in for the week. Make it happen before you get your cheat meal in!

The Anti-paleo

2009-12-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

My goal for the next 7 days has changed a bit so I'm going to be on the anti-paleo for a bit. I'm going to keep posting so everyone can see exactly what not to do. I'm going to destroy my body for a week and try to gain 7lbs in 7days. This is gonna get frightful!

Sorry

2009-12-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

I know I have been slacking on the posting but wasn't that WGN shit pretty cool! Stay tuned for next week (hopefully) we'll be in the Red Eye. Anyways...back to the nutrition side of things.

AH HA!!!

2009-12-01T19:42:00.001-08:00

I have just learned today that there are many more lurkers than posters on this site! This page is really here for us that struggle (me especially) find ways to work around the difficult parts of sticking to your diet plan. You don't have to post your daily meals if you don't want to (but it will really help you out). Post what you need help with. Do you have a problem getting some kind of meat in for breakfast??? Post it and some other lurker will throw out a solution that has helped them. Do you prefer eggs over meat? It's not the best but it's better than not eating a protein! You can't stand nut's in the morning? How about subbing for a good fat (avocado, sun butter...) This is here to help. Use it!

Really starting

2009-11-30T20:57:00.000-08:00

There's never a good time to start dieting. It's never convenient. It's never easy. We're always too busy. So I'm guilty and I'm ready to have a better day today!

Starting all over

2009-11-30T07:57:00.001-08:00

Alright, The Thanksgiving Holiday is over and we have a good 20 day stretch before the next stretch of holidays. Let's give it our all and see how it goes. Feel free to post more than once as I'm going to have to do because I can't remember what I ate. Day #1 again.

Day #15

2009-11-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

Did anyone out there make strict Paleo or Zone for 15 straight days?

Day #14

2009-11-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

Post Thanksgiving. Is anyone who started "15 days of paleo" going to make it? I didn't. We'll start again after these 15 days are up.

Day #12

2009-11-26T05:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving.
Cheat day? How much will you cheat? I plan on cheating...a lot.

Day #11

2009-11-26T04:59:00.001-08:00

Is anyone surviving out there?

Day #10

2009-11-24T22:07:00.000-08:00

Last day to eat well before you cheat...or not for Thanksgiving.

Day #9

2009-11-23T19:55:00.002-08:00

Woof! Sometimes we fall off track but what matters the most is how fast you can jump back on.

Day #8

2009-11-23T19:55:00.001-08:00

Sorry travel backed me up a bit.

Day #7

2009-11-21T23:34:00.000-08:00

Take a day off from hearing me bitch about your diet. I'll have a good one up tomorrow. Enjoy!

Day #6

2009-11-21T00:32:00.001-08:00

Thanks for stepping up to the challenge and publicly posting your diet logs and goals. Stay the path and eventually we'll get there.

Day #5

2009-11-19T20:34:00.000-08:00

Let's be warriors!

Just read/listened to The E-myth by Gerber for the 4th or 5th time. Listen to this great quote:
by Don Juan in Carlos Castanda's A Separate Peace: "The difference between a warrior and an ordinary man is that a warrior sees everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man sees everything as either a blessing or a curse."

Day #4

2009-11-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

Diversity.

There are always going to be situations that test you and your dieting ability. Travel, busy day at work, stress... What kind of things do you do when you have failed to prep? Do you have a back up plan? A paleo/Zone snack? Or do we just use it as an excuse and hit a fast food joint and say I "was starving and had no other options"?

Day #3

2009-11-18T06:09:00.000-08:00

A whole lotta...
Action. Everyone has talked a whole lot about getting better, being stronger, getting healthier, getting better at their diet. What actions have you taken to get towards that goal. Are you all talk? Maybe your goal just doesn't mean that much to you? Really think about it.

Day #2

2009-11-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

The crew diligently reading up on "Dirty Grains" at Bryce's Nutrition Seminar.

Let's help each other out. Anytime you find great deals on produce, meats, or just great places to go eat, post it!

Day #1

2009-11-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

What is your goal?
We need a destination (or goal). If you have no end point, you have no route on how to get there. Your just wandering. Yes, you can still be headed in the right general direction, but if you know exactly where your going, you can get there faster.

Know where you are starting from.
Depending on what you goal is, benchmark something. A workout time, weigh yourself, take a picture, do all-of-the-above... You have no idea how far you have come if you have no clue where you started at.

What is your goal/destination? And what is your starting point/benchmark?

Welcome!

2009-11-15T15:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the nutrition blog. This page will be used for those who decide to accept the challenge to change their dietary ways for the next 15 days. We will answer question/concerns in the comments and also post information for your support.

Please let us know in the comments if you are up for the challenge!

You are welcome to start early but tomorrow mark DAY 1.