CF Bolling Nutrition

Paleolithic Solution from Robb Wolf

2010-01-21T17:20:00.005-05:00

I spent an hour the other day listening to Robb Wolf's podcast, here

Ideally when I listen to podcasts, read articles/books, watch lectures I would like to take notes. Well, since I am officially unemployed! this time I was able to multi-task and jot down some highlights.

I tried to clean them up best I could but I apologize if the stream-of-consciencesness get a bit tiresome to decipher ;)

#1 Topic: Paleo nutrition counter arguments:
There is a paper on common counter arguments to Paleo diets on Cordain's website

For example:

One Argument: cavemen didn't live long enough to get disease. This is not true; there have been numerous research projects done on older hunter gather populations that showed: at 100years of age no cancer, diabetes, heart disease in hunter gatherer groups

Second Argument: is this a high protein diet which may bring on kidney disease, renal failure? A kidney problem/renal issue must be preexisting. If there is not a preexisting problem then this diet might even improve kidney function (performance menu: Protein Debate)

Third Argument: Asian diets are famous for being healthy, lean diets and they eat rice. Actually, if you compare the Japanese to the Okinawan people, who get more protein, yam and sweet potatoes, but less rice, the Okinawan people are 6-8 inches taller, live longer.

#2 Topic: Cortisol
Can you reduce Cortisol with diet? excess to get rid of gut...protein, veggies, fats with yam/sweet potatoes PWO (not fructose into liver but glucose into blood) consistent eating, sleep, over training, control stress levels, gram of vitamin C will help

#3 Topic: Fasting/ Hemp Hearts
As far as fasting is concerned, the most you should fast is about 16-17 hour

whey powder substitute (its fine PWO) because it enhances recovery, however the growth hormone hemp is not good for that.

"Hemp Hearts turn Andy Deas into Super Mario"

#4 Topic: Workout intensity suffering/ Game Day Eating
PWO nutrition? carbs? may be really really important for some people
Rest? Take a back off week? never periodizing (which means tapering off, ramping up changing up your workload periodicaly), bad.
Calorie intake? Are ou getting enough calories?
Pre-workout nutrition depends on the WOD: strength: protein only/ metabolic: digestion depending-orange, 2 oz turkey? maybe need to be a little hungry? its all about the stomach digestion...very variation. (note: no fat)

#5 Topic: LDL
What matters for your overall cholesterol risk? particle size or particle count? Particle size matters. The smaller and denser particles are the worst LDL particles (found in dieters of high carbs)

What do the high profile researchers say?

Dr. Cordain: global cardiovascular approach is the size is the problem (bigger fluffier the better so that they break down and aren't small and dense, bad)
decrease in triglycerides, good

Dr. Eades: can have a low count but if that low count is made up of small dense and are highly oxidizable, oxidized molecules are more easily retained by the proteoglycan, clogging arteries
cardiovascular risk factor is lowered

Dr. Gary Taubes
carbs main cause of fat gain
low carbs but caloric restriction still not hungry (what kind of calories matter)

#6 Topic: Coconut
fat source? cordain just posted on coconut doesn't produce insulin resistance
olive oil wasn't used a lot in paleolithic times (like coconut) but its great for you

#7 Topic: Endurance athlete nutrition
high fat leading up to your race, then during your race eat high carb...no gels (acid forming, need too much water, might want to try: cytomax? (lactate buffer, fructose to fill up liver glycogen) the whey protein is legit, or try: pemican (coconut, dried fruit, ??)...amount of fat needed during a race is less, protein is needed when the branch chain amino acids (protein) start to get eaten for fuel when carbs are gone...protein/carb combo (BMack: pizza, cheesecake- starchy carbs and calories) but you must keep this abnormal food in your system a little bit so that its not a shock
staying below your lactate threshold, gastric emptying is usually not a problem...and the blood might be taken away from your digestion and not let you digest.

#8 Topic: Paleo pregnancy
Would it be OK to stay paleo during a pregnancy? YES. Baby turns out healthier, mom performs better, less autoimmune issues, more nutrients, need protein (might not want to eat it), fish oil

#9 Topic: metabolic typing
Makes no sense, voodoo

#10 Topic: paleo diet vs. paleo diet for athletes
zone: quantity for macronutrients
paleo zone: best quality and 40-30-30
paleo athlete zone: increase in fat, increase calories to long term sustainable, sub zone level of dietary carbs operate better
unweighed, unmeasured

Why You Got Fat

2010-01-21T12:39:00.000-05:00

Cavemen in the Limelight

2010-01-18T20:33:00.002-05:00

I'm sure that, by now, everyone has read the recent articles published in the New York Times and Washington Post. But just in case, I wanted to provide the two links here on the blog.

The Washington Post article came out the first of the year and the NY Times article followed 10 days later.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/01/AR2010010101611.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/fashion/10caveman.html?pagewanted=1

Low Carb...NO CARB?

2010-01-13T20:13:00.005-05:00

I'm always tweaking my diet and have, for the past couple weeks, mostly eating vegetables for my carbohydrates (little to no fruit) and been feeling great.

Until Sunday when I got that flu bug...so I thought I would reevaluate and go back to eating about 1-2 pieces of fruit a day. Grapefruits are super tasty this time of year as are oranges. Now with eating paleo I have to do a lot of chopping, prep and shopping if I am going to get enough carbs from veggies. But how much does one really need? Todays posting on Mark's Daily Apple was very timely so if you get a second and are curious about carb intake (like I am) take a look-see at the following link(s).

Tonight I made wild sea scallops on angel hair pasta, just kidding it was spaghetti squash but we pretended. The picture just didn't look right and the meal was very self explanatory so no more details to follow...just check out the links from Mark's Daily Apple on carb consumption

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/unrestricted-low-carb-diet-wins-hands-down/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/low-carb-diets-affect-short-term-memory/

Carrot, Leek, Turnip Sautee

2010-01-12T19:30:00.004-05:00

Sandy, dirty leeks are such a pain but I feel like some sort of giant dealing with green onions when cutting them... so thats pretty cool ;)

I did find a easy way to clean them so if you are brave enough to try this recipe, clean your leeks like this:

cut the root off and the last 4-5 inches (down until the rough green turns into the lighter green on the stalk)
slice into 1/2 inch rings
spread all the inset pieces out like a telescope
dip and rustle around in a bowl of water until all pieces are washed in the bowl
let the sand/dirt settle to the bottom of the bowl
take out all the leek pieces and put them in a colander to rinse once more.

Ok, your leeks are ready for business.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 leeks, 1/2 inch rings

6 carrots 1/4 inch slices on the bias

2 turnips, cut into 1/2 inch wedges

3 shallots (minced)

2 TBS of coconut oil

1/2 tsp caraway seed

2 tsp parsley

2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp dry mustard

Create:

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet for a couple minutes on medium

Throw all the veggies in and cook them covered for 1 minute add sea salt and pepper to taste

Cover and cook on medium low for 5 minutes stirring occasionally

Uncover and continue to cook for 25 minutes until veggies are softer--during this time add your spices (caraway is what is used in rye bread so if you don't like that taste beware)

Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more mintues

"Creatively" Stuffed Peppers

2010-01-11T20:07:00.007-05:00

OSTRICH.

Do I have your attention?

I went to Giant today to pick up a few things that we couldn't get at Costco on Sunday (garlic, eggs (they were out of the good ones), leeks, and cauliflower...) and I found myself digging in the meat section.

I found OSTRICH. So good for you and I love changing it up with meat choices.

So tonight I wanted to use some of the peppers we bought at Costco and my new ostrich meat.

Ingredients:

one head of organic cauliflower (giant grocery store)

8 oz ostrich (cut into tiny pieces) or just buy ground ostrich

3 TBS sundried tomatoes chopped really finely

1 TBS organic tomato paste

1 TBS lemon

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

10 olives ( i used green olives stuffed with garlic that I got from costco)

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of pinenuts

Create:

In a mixing bowl mash all the ingredients except for the pinenuts, cauliflower and ostrich so that its like a sort of paste then use that paste to cook up the ostrich.

throw the pinenuts in a skillet and roast them on medium (they will start to smell kind of like popcorn but be careful they don't burn) set aside

then cut the leafy stem off then dig out the core a little bit and start breaking off the cauliflower into little pieces. With 1/4 cup of olive oil (i used the rest of our almond oil) and sea salt and pepper toss the cauliflower to get it lightly coated with the oil before putting it on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. set aside.

Once you have the pinenuts toasted, the cauliflower roasted and the ostrich+tomato/olive paste sauteed you can chop up the pinenuts and cauliflower (I only used about 2/3 of the cauliflower actually) and throw it in with the meat mixture. This is the filling for your peppers.

Then cut the tops of your peppers off (like you would to carve a pumpkin and save the tops). Hollowed the peppers out (I used orange peppers). Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture and place in a crock pot on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

I think I got all the steps...Enjoy!

FIRST WEEK SUCCESS

2010-01-10T17:07:00.003-05:00

Great, great job everyone! I know how hard it is to make this work with our busy schedules, limited $$$, and huge appetites (we won't mention anything about hurdles in the creativity department ;) )

Since we are embarking on Week Numero Dos, I wanted to post another primer on this crazy Paleo thing just to keep the motivation and stuff rolling along.

I have some people emailing me outside of this blog forum so, remember if you have a specific question don't be afraid to ask : paleomac@gmail.com

Ready for your Second Week on the path to a new healthy, quicker, happier you??!!

Chicken MacNuggets

2010-01-10T13:28:00.005-05:00

Get it, MacNuggets? Ok, maybe a tad cheesy, or not cheesy bc this is paleo but a little silly. ok, i'll stop and get on with posting another convenient recipe for a hassle-free week of leftovers.

Ingredients:

(1.5 lbs?) 6 chicken breasts, sliced in half to make them thinner and then sliced again into strips

(2 cups?) enough almond meal to coat the chicken pieces. You my need more or less depending on the thickness of your "breading".

(2?) enough egg to dip your chicken in and have the almond meal stick.

spices: italian seasonings like parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, tarragon, etc.

garlic powder/onion powder

sea salt and pepper

optional variations:

1. hot sauce in the egg goop for a little bit of a kick

2. use homemade mayonnaise instead of plain old eggs for the pre almond dip. very tasty.

Create:

Preheat the oven to 375

Tin foil wrap your cookie sheets for easy clean up (and you may have leftovers and can reuse the tin foil when you freeze these suckers.

Smear coconut oil or olive oil on the tin foiled cookie sheets so that the chicken strip's almond coating won't get pulled off after they are done. The tin foil does need the "breading" you do!

Pat dry your chicken strips so that the egg/almond will stick the best

Mix almond meal with your seasonings

Dip chicken in egg (or now would be the time to dip in mayo if you are going that route) then almond meal (you can put the almond meal in a large ziploc bag and drop a bunch of the egg dipped strips in at one time to minimize on mess).

Line 'em up on the cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes

We made about 8 chicken breasts for our five nieces and nephews over Thanksgiving (actually I had nothing to do with it!) and had to turn them away empty handed when they gobbled them all up! They were a hit and super easy.

**Dipping sauces** are not paleo but we can make them

Really miss ketchup?

Here is another one for mayo...

How about barbeque sauce?

Beware, Honey mustard, in extreme moderation!!

(substitute olive oil or some other oil for corn oil in the recipe link above

Enjoy!

Mini Meatloaves

2010-01-09T20:48:00.006-05:00

Ground beef is cheap and there are always bits of random veggies to use up in the fridge. Meatloaf freezes really well. This recipe makes bite-sized meatloaves, great for leftovers. Make a couple dozen at a time on a Sunday afternoon! Ok, no more attempts at convincing, just try 'em, they're really easy.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Costco organic ground beef (comes in three square packs)

1/4 red onion

2 cloves minced garlic

2 TBS sun dried tomatoes, chopped (you can leave this out and just add more tomato paste)

3 TBS organic tomato paste (Trader Joes)

1+ cup almond meal or walnut meal (again, just threw whole nuts in the blender)

3 TBS horseradish

1 TBS worchester sauce

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

2 green onions (optional)

1 TBS parsley

1 TBS thyme

salt and pepper

optional additions:

red pepper

mushroom

carrots

Create:

Preheat oven to 350.

Saute starting with the red onion, then add the sun dried tomato, garlic, horseradish, worschester, and any other veggies(green onion, mushrooms, etc.) you want to throw in there.

Mix ground beef with the almond meal, tomato paste and spices (cumin, onion powder, thyme, basil, parsley, etc.)

Mini-muffin tins are what I used because you get about an ounce of meat at the end (like a meatball, perfect for a quick snack). Fill up mini-muffin tin and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes?? Just watch them so they don't get to done and dry out.

You'll end up with a bunch of these suckers so freeze them and use them for protein emergencies. =)

Notice no egg...I ran out and still haven't gotten to the store.

Celiac Disease??

2010-01-09T16:06:00.002-05:00

I found this video on the FAQs of Robb Wolf's site. Its a little long and basic but good. Also, take a gander at the FAQs on Robb's site too...a wealth of information.

Beans, beans the magical fruit. The more you eat...

2010-01-09T15:08:00.013-05:00

DISGUSTING!!

Yuki asked a question about legumes so I thought that I would try and post some links and medical information concerning the issue.

Guess what the first article was about when I googled lectins here (found in legumes)

Hint: Its about food poisoning!

Dr. Loren Cordain answered the question about legumes like this:

Legumes contain saponins (solanine and chaconine) which can't be degraded by digestion or cooking. They can contribut to an increase in intestinal permeability which is associated to many chronic diseases. They are also a source of lectins which are also toxic substances for the intestinal barrier and can adversely stimulate the immune system.

Dr. Mike Eades blog had a couple references that might be helpful too

(1) http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz

(2) http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/03/margarine-and-phytosterolemia.html

Dr. Kurt Harris from PaNu responded to a comment on his blog with the following:

Soy is a legume that in my opinion is unfit for human consumption.

Soy contains antinutrients and phytoestrogens that affect thyroid function and you don't need it.

Soy protein is just another industrial artificial food product pushed on us by big Agriculture.

It is no substitute for far superior animal protein.

Fermented soy products (miso, natto, soy sauce) are acceptable as a condiment.

Mark Sisson wrote a posting titled Scrutinizing Soy where he basically comes away undecided about the real harmful effects of soy if eaten in whole qualities vs. processed. He eats edamame from time to time but stays away from soy protein as a general rule...read the post.

No egg Banana Coconut pancakes

2010-01-09T07:24:00.008-05:00

Dreaming about coconut pancakes is a sure sign that you are supposed to wake up and make them. Breakfast this morning:

Banana Coconut Pancakes

turkey bacon

hard boiled egg

Protein, Fats, Carbs (PFC): Pancakes are basically all fat with 4 blocks (~35g) of carbs spread throughout from the bananas. I included 4 pieces of turkey bacon (>1P) and 1 hard boiled egg (1P)

PFC=2+P, ?!?!F, 4C (divvy up total depending on number of pancakes)

Mark's Daily Apple

Ingredients:

bananas

almond meal

walnut meal

shredded coconut

coconut milk

sea salt

baking powder

cinnamon

vanilla

organic coconut

Create:

Ok, guys you are going to have to be gentle, patient and forgiving with these fragile, sticky pancakes. You will be smart to use oil liberally between rounds so that the cakes don't stick to the pan...but don't flip to soon cause then you'll have pieces everywhere and be really annoyed. Guys, think about hamburgers on the grill...you have to wait and only flip once, right?

Without eggs, the cakes are super dense but we liked them like that. Let me know what you think. I'll do them with eggs at some point and post. For now, try these out.

Heat skillet first with coconut oil or almond oil is yummy too (several drips should do it)

Drop batter onto skillet for 4 inch pancakes because they are easier to flip at this size.

Wait 3-4 minutes and then check to see if they are ready to be flipped.

Enjoy!

Ohhhhh Honey? We've got Questions!!

2010-01-08T19:59:00.010-05:00

I guess I shouldn't be this excited for questions ;) but what it means is that I am not totally wasting my time writing posts that disappear into the ether...people are reading!!

I wanted to write a quick post to address Adrienne's comment about honey. Is it Paleo??

Quick answer: Yes. But its sweeter than sugar so only consume in extreme moderation, please read on...

Dr. Eades writes in his book Protein Power about how the ancient Egyptians had "no sugar – it wouldn’t be produced for another thousand or more years. The only sweet was honey, which was consumed in limited amounts."

Dr. Eades also answers a question about honey with this explanation, "there is very little difference metabolically between honey and sugar. I’m sure Paleolithic man enjoyed honey when he could, but getting honey in the wild is not done without peril, so I doubt he made a steady diet of it."

Here are some other link from Dr. Mike Eades about a paleo study in San Francisco:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/rapid-health-improvements-with-a-paleolithic-diet/

Don from Primal Wisdom wrote that, "Honey consumed occasionally by hunter-gatherers has less fructose, at about 39%"

Dr. Kurt Harris from Panu points out that, "Eating raw honey is biochemically indistinguishable from equicaloric amounts of sucrose refined from cane sugar or beets or high fructose corn syrup from an archer-daniels-midland tank car. It is absolutely certified historically paleolithic as it is as old as bees and the plants they pollinate. Contemporary HGs eat it every chance they get. That it was devoured with relish by any hominid who could find it historically is as reasonable a an assumption as one could make.

It is also just as metabolically poisonous to eat pounds of raw honey as an equicaloric amount of mountain dew or coke classic. It will have exactly the same effect on your insulin sensitivity, your liver and your weight."

Mark's Daily Apple, in passing, mentions that honey is basically pure sugar. The link is for a page on his blog including great snack recipes!

So the takeaway? Well, honey was "hunted" by cavemen but on a very limited seasonal basis...its extremely high in fructose and when used in baked goods actually should be substituted in less quantities than real sugar (that potent). But when you are making 50 bite-sized brownies who keeps track of trace amounts of honey anyway, right ;)

Root Vegetable Pancakes

2010-01-05T20:11:00.006-05:00

Ever heard of potato pancakes?
Well, I was craving that texture but with something more flavorful than a dumb white potato (not encouraged on paleo anyway)
potato texture+carrot flavor=PARSNIP

oh and I found this really weird thing called a celery root and had to include it in my creation...this is what happened. BTW, this is a pretty good arm workout from all the grating involved! Kept distracted by watching an episode of LOST from my lastest Netflix delivery.

Root Vegetable Pancakes

1/2 celery root peeled, grated
4 parsnips peeled, grated
1/4 purple onion totally minced to a pulp
1 1/2 cups almond meal (poured a bunch of almonds in my vita-mix and let 'er rip- much cheaper than buying it but the cheapest place is Trader Joes)
4 eggs
2 tsp turmeric (these spices are a tad obscure...add whatever spices you have in your cabinet)
2 tsp ground coriander (see comment above)
1/4 cup hot horseradish
couple squirts of hot sauce and sea salt to taste

Create:
Mix everything together
Medium Heat use coconut oil and make pancakes like normal (4inch diameter 1/2 inch thick)
Cook for about 5 minutes each side

Enjoy!

Bribery

2010-01-05T19:44:00.005-05:00

Some of you have asked for the recipe for the recent Paleo bribe.

I used a couple different recipes, here and here, but finally this is what I included:

Ingredients
1 (16 oz) jar of almond butter, creamy and toasted (COSTCO sells huge 26ouncers for 5 bucks and some change! A Steal)
2 eggs
1/2 cup date puree (see my previous post to make your own- COSTCO sells great Mehjool dates) If you don't want to use dates use a full cup of honey instead of the 1/4 cup.
1/4 cup raw honey (I got mine at the commissary for you military folks)
1 TBS vanilla (again...COSTCO sells Madagascar Pure Vanilla which rocks)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (any grocery store carries this)
1/2 tsp sea salt (COSTCO also sells a grinder version of this in their spices section for cheap)
1 tsp baking soda

Create:

In a large bowl mix ingredients with the cocoa sea salt and baking soda being the last things.
Use coconut oil to grease a 9x13 baking dish
Bake @ 325F for about 20 minutes (I don't know why mine took such a short time to bake- I thought they would take 30-40 minutes...watch them so they don't burn!)

SIMPLE INTRODUCTION...Again.

2010-01-05T19:41:00.001-05:00

The Challenge...We need all the help we can get

2010-01-05T19:35:00.002-05:00

Hopefully at this point a good amount of you have dove head first and accepted this challenge.

Today is DAY 2 and this is what I would suggest:

1. Take and front view and back view Picture of yourself (set the timer, put the camera on a table...no excuses)

2. Start a Food Log (not to get wrapped around the axle but to make sure that you are getting enough food, namely protein)

3. Sleep (try for 8 hours- I know for the 0600ers its really hard to fit it in but keep on reading and you'll see the importance)

4. Prepare (if you haven't already go grocery shopping tonight, pack a lunch, boil some eggs, slow cook a chicken, cut up some broccoli/cucumbers/red peppers etc.-- get some easy food prepped to grab-and go)

5. Get Excited, whatever your reason, motivate yourself and anticipate the success and benefits of 30 days of discipline!!

Ok, so you took the pictures, started a food log... now go get ready for bed ;)

TIP #1 Sleep: Appetite

Briefly, I wanted to touch on the topic of sleep. Starting this Paleo Challenge we will need all the help we can get and that includes not being artifically hungry throughout the day. Adequate sleep will be one of your best resources for keeping that appetite true.

Below, I included some articles that come from sciency-people (one of whom I am definitely not).

We have to "listen to our bodies" but when sleep deprevation registers our homones and appetite get all thrown out of wack (read articles). I'm not going to speak to the science part but I can shed some light on the subject through...

My Personal Experience:

I had a hard week last week...Filthy Fifty, Fran and 12 days of Crossfit...plus two CrossFit Endurance workouts (tabata and 6x400m). Come Jan 02, I was BEAT...and it was supposed to be a double day. I ended up not able to fit in the workouts (due to my better half returning from Thailand and blustering artic-tundra-like winds) so I rested. What? Rest? Yes, I needed it.

Friday, I got something like 9+ hours of sleep (is that a record?)

and then Saturday, I wasn't planning on it but I slept for 10.5 hours

This is absurd for me. Usually I am trying to fit in between 7-8 hours. When I get those 4 hour nights I can turn off the appetite the next day. I could have done no physical activity and I am ravenous, no fair!

I know some of you are rolling your eyes because this is way more sleep than you can fit in your schedules but its important.

So with this sleep behind me, yesterday I showed up at the 0600 and had one of my better workouts yet.

I attribute it to the sleep and rest!

Read the articles and post comments.

GOOD LUCK!!

Lets get this show on the road...

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20041206/sleep-loss-feeds-appetite

http://www.sleepdex.org/appetite2.htm

http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2004/20041206-sleep.html

EDIT (10 Jan 10) I recently found this posting on Paleo Diet Online and wanted to retroactively include it on this post. The title is Stress, Cortisol, Sleep and Their Effect on Health.

Tomorrow it Begins

2010-01-03T18:05:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the start of our 30 day Paleo Challenge. If you’re still on the fence at this point, I suggest you jump down off the fence and start Paleo with everyone starting the challenge tomorrow. It is not just CF Bolling doing a Paleo challenge; there are hundreds of CrossFit affiliates across the country starting Paleo challenges tomorrow, including CF Alexandria.

Before we kick off tomorrow, I want to state something. Some of you doing this challenge will not lose a ton of weight. But you will see your body composition change pretty dramatically. This is not a fad diet that is built to have you shed water weight and make you feel better about your progress. This is a diet that if you buy into it completely will fundamentally alter the way you look at food and what it does to your body. I know personally I feel better, I sleep better, and my CrossFit performances have taken huge leaps since I have been on the Paleo diet. Since I started doing Paleo 4 months ago I have taken a minute off my Fran time. I know the Paleo diet is not solely responsible for that, I credit Casey and Rudy's programming as well but I do not think it would have made that big of a jump if not for the Paleo Diet.

So tomorrow is the big day, I hope that you have enjoyed the blog so far. Mac and I have worked hard on getting a lot of information out quickly so everyone can jump on the Paleo bandwagon 4 January. Yuki will be bringing her scale tomorrow so everyone can have a solid starting point.

P.S. We are not doing before and after pictures for the challenge, but I encourage everyone participating to take a picture of themselves (men: shorts no shirt. women: shorts, sports bra) tomorrow so you can have a before and after picture. This is something I wish I would have done.

Paleo Beef Stew

2010-01-03T16:28:00.001-05:00

On cold windy days like this, I like to have to have something warm and hearty to eat. I found this recipe for Paleo Beef Stew on the CFSCC Eat This website. I have made it three or four times in the last few months and it never fails to disappoint.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean stew meat, left in big chunks!

about 3 T olive oil

32 oz. low sodium beef stock

1 -14 oz. can stewed tomatoes, no added salt

1/4 C almond flour

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

veggies:

1 large rutabaga, cut into big chunks

1 large parsnip, cut into large chunks

1 large turnip, big chunks

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 C baby carrots, whole

1 C pearl onions, pealed and left whole (added in the last 1/2 hour of cooking)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

In a plastic bag, combine almond flour and spices. Add stew meat to plastic bag and shake until meat is well coated. Heat about 2 tsp olive oil in pan (I used my favorite cast iron pan). Brown meat in pan... this may take two batches. Add a little more olive oil if needed. When browned, put stew meat in crock pot and add everything else (except pearl onions). I cooked this on high for about 3 hours, then turned in down low for another 2 hours. Add the pearl onion about 1/2 hour before serving. If they are added too soon, they break down too much.

This is total paleo, and 1 C is about a 4 block meal (for those who might be zoneing).

Break-Fast

2009-12-30T20:23:00.010-05:00

Imagine going through your day, maybe just sitting at your desk...for eight long hours...without eating. I would be Miserable. Starving. Grumpy. In dire need of a snack. Well, you do this EVERYDAY (give or take a couple hours) except its nighttime. What I'm getting at here is you guys have to break this overnight fast in the morning! I'm not necessarily saying to eat before you workout, except that I have been eating a little applesauce lately with protein powder and loving the results. You guys do need to eat in the morning, preferrably as close to the workout as possible (again, a whole other topic). This blog is about eating Paleo so I wanted to post some really simple breakfast options:

Smoothie
Time: 30 seconds in my Vita-Mix
Ingredients:
CARB 2-4 cups frozen fruit from costco, mix berries and strawberries
PROTEIN 2-4 TBS protein powder ( I use Hemp Protein from Trader Joes...its doesn't taste bad and no it doesn't make me high)
water
FAT I bring along almonds in a ziploc and munch on those throughout the day

Leftover Meat and Butternut Squash
Time: 2 seconds to grab the leftovers and about 30 mins for the butternut squash @350F
Ingredients:
CARB about 2 cups of butternut squash (if you follow zone portions 3/4 cup is one block)
PROTEIN a piece of meat the size of the palm of your hand (in thickness and diameter)
FAT later on I will eat an avocado or more nuts as I get hungry...

Egg Muffins
Courtesy of Performance Menu

Make these in muffin cups and they are easy to grab and go for breakfast—either hot or cold. This is the doubled version, which makes about 16 muffin cups.

· 1 whole package of ground turkey or turkey sausage, over 1 lb.
· 1 yellow, red or orange bell pepper, chopped
· 1 whole medium onion, chopped
· 1 package of sliced white mushrooms
· Salt and pepper
· 10 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup (or two 6-cup) muffin pan with paper baking cups. Using only one paper baking cup per muffin is best.

In a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the turkey, pepper, onion and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. Add salt and pepper (a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper is fine). Spoon this mixture into a larger bowl and cool slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes (if the turkey is not cooled it will cook the egg, which is bad). Stir in the eggs. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the egg is set.

Remove from oven. Let the egg cups cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Remove the egg cups and place them in a Tupperware container and refrigerate. The egg cups will last for up to a week.

Reheating instruction: Leave the egg “muffin” in the paper cup. Heat in the microwave loosely wrapped in a paper towel for 25 to 30 seconds. Peel off the paper cup and enjoy! Two egg cups makes a great breakfast.

Pumpkin Paleo Pancakes
(2) 5 block meals (approx 35 gm P, 45 gm C, 45 gm F /person)

Courtesy of Steve "Paleo" who has the most delicious recipes EVER!!

2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves (my addition- remember, I love spice!)
1 tablespoon honey (Steve's recipe called for agave but I like honey better)

2 tablespoons chopped pecans - topping
2 tablespoon real maple syrup - topping

Coconut oil - for the pan

Mix everything up real good - sometimes that nut butter is clumpy - and make pancakes as usual (except you're gonna use the coconut oil in the pan) and add the pecans and maple syrup at the end. The recipe above makes 2 good size pancakes.

On the side you can up the protein and the carbs by:
12 extra egg whites to bring the protein up 35 gms/person
~ 4 oz of berries to bring the carbs up to ~45 gms/person

Watch This / Read This

2009-12-29T20:40:00.005-05:00

One of the things I wanted to do with this blog is give people suggestions on movies to watch and books to read that might change the way you look and think about food. The first movie I would like to suggest is Food Inc., this movie was given a nationwide release earlier this year but I have not run into many people that have actually seen it. This is the movie that pushed me into eating Paleo and I think it might have the same effect on other people. Below is a synopsis from IMDB.

"The current method of raw food production is largely a response to the growth of the fast food industry since the 1950s. The production of food overall has more drastically changed since that time than the several thousand years prior. Controlled primarily by a handful of multinational corporations, the global food production business - with an emphasis on the business - has as its unwritten goals production of large quantities of food at low direct inputs (most often subsidized) resulting in enormous profits, which in turn results in greater control of the global supply of food sources within these few companies. Health and safety (of the food itself, of the animals produced themselves, of the workers on the assembly lines, and of the consumers actually eating the food) are often overlooked by the companies, and are often overlooked by government in an effort to provide cheap food regardless of these negative consequences. Many of the changes are based on advancements in science and technology, but often have negative side effects. The answer that the companies have come up with is to throw more science at the problems to bandage the issues but not the root causes. The global food supply may be in crisis with lack of biodiversity, but can be changed on the demand side of the equation"

Like I said at the top this movie completely changed the way I looked at food. I switched the grass fed beef and bison as my main sources of protein and adopted the Paleo way of eating. In a later post I will supply links to the farm where I order my meet from, they deliver to many locations in the National Capitol Region, so you do not have to worry about driving to far to pick up orders.

If you have seen this movie please share your thoughts in the comments section.

If you have Netflix this movie is available for streaming on your PC, XBOX360, Blu-ray player, etc.

Food, Inc. Trailer from TakePart on Vimeo.

WHY MEEEEE???

2009-12-28T18:03:00.010-05:00

Ok, people keep asking me to post a simple blurb on WHY?

Now, everyone has their unique motivations and that is exactly why we are curious, there are so many different reasons...why deprive yourself of steaming, sticky cinnamon buns and that ever-present cheese and crackers? Maybe because it just makes me more hungry (among other things)...and I HATE being hungry.

In an effort to organize this posting, I have come up with my top five reasons (not in any particular order) why I eat paleo:

1. Athletic Performance; WHY IS THE PALEO DIET ERGOGENIC?

Source: The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain and Joe Friel

Increased intake of branched chain amino acids (BCAA). Benefits muscle development and anabolic function. Also counteracts immunosuppression common in endurance athletes following extensive exercise.
Decreased omega-6:omega-3 ratio. Reduces tissue inflammation common to athletes while promoting healing.
Alkaline enhancing. Reduces catabolic (breakdown) effect of acidosis on bone and muscle while stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
High in trace nutrients. Trace nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are necessary for long-term recovery from exercise and for health. The most nutrient-dense foods are vegetables and seafood. On average, vegetables have nearly twice the nutrient density of grains.

2. Ideal Body Compostion

Initial weight loss (I was 150lbs since age 16; now I have weighed around 135lbs for almost a year)
Lean muscle, loss of body fat (last time I checked I was at 14 %)
Actually, had to go out and buy a bunch of new clothes ($$$ ugh)

3. Sleep, Energy (I lumped these together because they may be interrelated??)

Sound, continuous sleep that happens right after my head hits the pillow
Alert, energetic mood from the start of my morning...it can be very obnoxious! haha
Naturally my body sleeps for 7.5 hours -8.5 hours, I really have to force myself to stay in bed longer.

Straight to the Bar's Scott Bird also had this unexpected benefit:

"After only a few days of Paleo eating, I noted that I was getting markedly better sleep. Factors such as a constant loud noise or a particularly hectic day were having less of an impact, and I awoke feeling refreshed regardless of the starting point. This change alone has major carry-over benefits to other activities throughout the day.

4. Food Choices

Believe it or not, I LOVE the unique, crazy combinations I find using paleo only ingredients
I am confident that I take in far more nutrients than pre-paleo
Never have that insulin spike, sugar craving, hunger feeling! I can't tell you how much I hate that feeling

5. Comfort that I am eating the way I should be eating

This is probably the most personal reason. By eating paleo, I know that I am naturally fueling myself.
There is something to be said about quantity but I think this should be addressed in another post.
I love that it is a lifestyle not a discipline thing...I eat what I need and I am satisfied!

I hope that this post spoke to some people...Your reasons might be completely different. You may want to

1. lower your blood pressure

2. clear up acne.

3. work on your focus/concentration

4. joining the challenge in morale support for a loved one!

Please,

if you have any thoughts about it, suggestions for the blog or questions that need answering...LEAVE A COMMENT :)

Are We Crazy??

2009-12-28T17:11:00.006-05:00

To a lot of people the Paleo diet is the complete opposite of everything they have been taught about dieting and nutrition. This is especially true of someone has been trying to follow the misguided nutrition advice of the government approved Food Pyramid.

According to Harvard scientist Dr. Walter Willett, the food pyramid is not up-to-date with current nutritional research. He states six faults of the food pyramid that are misleading American people, and adding to the growing epidemic of obesity:

1. All fats are bad.

2. All complex carbohydrates are good.

3. Protein is protein.

4. Dairy products are essential.

5. Eat your potatoes.

Do you really want these people guiding your nutritional future? Remember these are the same government agencies that did nothing but send a letter that threatened an investigation to the food industry when the food industry was trying to implement their "Smart Choices" program. If you have not seen this program; the program is a way the food industry is trying to help consumers make bettter choices when it comes to food.

This all sounds noble, but when you see that sugary cereals and heavily salted packaged meals receive the smart choices check mark, it should really make you question what the food industry is trying to do to you. If you would like more information on this you can check out this piece in the New York Times.

Smart Choices?

If you still need convincing about the Paleo Diet, please read the below article by Robb Wolf that was posted on the NorCal Nutrition site. Please ask Mac and me quesitons about the Paleo diet. Leave your comments below.

Are We Crazy?

Paleo Grocery Store Survival

2009-12-23T14:58:00.001-05:00

One of the hardest parts of going Paleo is heading to the grocery store. Below are a few tips from my experience that will help you get in and out of the grocery store with out falling off the Paleo Wagon

1. Shop the perimeter. They say this is a good strategy if you want to save money on your grocery bill, but it also works as a clean eating strategy. The processed foods are found in the center isles. The unprocessed foods, for the most part, are found on perimeter. I usually start in the produce section, work my way to the meat section in the back, and then find the natural foods section where I search for almonds, jerky, and dried fruit. I do venture into the middle isles if I need mustard, olive oil, tuna, etc.

2. Use a hand basket. I am lucky enough to be in walking distance to a grocery store, but nevertheless I think it’s a smart idea to shop often and fill your basket with fresh produce and meats. I go shopping about once every two days; doing this forces me to buy fresh produce and meats. Not having processed food in my house ensures that I have to go to the store or I won't have food.

3. Stay away from things with more than three ingredients, I will piggy back this rule with another, if it has ingredients in it that you can not pronounce it is a good bet that you shouldn't eat it.

4. Take a chance. Following rules one through three, pick up an item that you normally wouldn’t purchase. This is a great way to experiment and I’ve tried some funky things I would have never even considered: dandelion greens, almond butter, weird yellow squashes that look like UFOs.

I'm listening...keep telling me what you want...

2009-12-22T21:51:00.007-05:00

Do I have to tempt you guys with more paleo treats??? Did you like the creation? For those of you at the 0600 "class" this morning, thanks for hearing my passionate soap box pitch for eating paleo. I am listening to your questions, concerns and doubts and what I am hearing really is how do you do this and why??? First off, it will be easy enough to give you guys all access to my Personal Log. When I figure out how to post it more permanently on the left hand side I will do that...but for right now just click on the link above and you should get to my personal google document.

For all of you up for the challenge, I highly recommend you do something similar. To be honest, usually it would be a requirement to join the 30-day paleo adventure but I don't want to put a ton of parameters on this thing.

As you will see in my Personal Log
I like to keep track of the following categories for the following reasons:

sleep; will I see an immediate dip in performance due to lack of sleep...is it delayed?
(yellow) CrossFit (CF) workout of the day (WOD) and time; track improvement and does my body perform better at morning WODs vs. aftenoon WODs?
(orange) CrossFit Endurance (CFE) WOD; same reason as CF WODs
(green) double days CF and CFE
(blue) rest days
menu; make sure I get enough food- mainly focus on maintain a healthy protein and fat intake. The numbers beside the food items are quantity calculations based on the ZONE. Please, if you want to know more, ask me questions.
questions I want to look up
research I've done

You guys will see your body's potential in giving this paleo thing a chance...time to try for a change!

Part Two: Leftover Pumpkin Puree

2009-12-21T20:12:00.003-05:00

So I lied, sometimes good things come to those who wait... Here is the second Pumpkin recipe, again changed a bit from what I first found at the Heal Balance Live Website.

I love to bake but most of the time I do it just to give away the goodies to my co-workers. This time those of you that will be at the 0600 will get to taste test! The brownies didn't turn out exactly as I imagined but that seems like the status quo with my "creations" :)

Pumpkin Almond Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup almond butter (I get mine at Trader Joes TJs- chunky, raw)

1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (fancy word for canned pumpkin- used up the rest of my pumpkin but the recipe originally called for only 1 cup)

2 eggs plus one yolk (added the extra yolk because of the extra pumpkin but the recipe originaly called for only 2 eggs)

1/3 cup of date syrup, click on 'date syrup' to see how easy it is to make! (original recipe: honey)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon cinnamon (and I love spice so only use 1 teaspoon if you want)

1 cup carob chips (original recipe: semi-sweet chocolate chips) neither carob nor chocolate is paleo but carob is definitely healthier, click on 'carob' to see what it is made of...)

CREATE:

Mix almond butter and pumpkin together until smooth

Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix

Pour into a GREASED (coconut oil or just go ahead and use some of that leftover butter I know most of you have ;) 8x8 brownie pan

(I used 9x9 and even that made the brownies thick enough, read: hard to cook all the way through)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes the middle should be set so just check it with a toothpick. I had to keep mine in for almost 45 minutes until the middle was cooked.

Cool all the way down or even refrigerate...I stuck mine in the freezer to save for you guys...Yum!

Hidden Pounds?

2009-12-20T23:04:00.004-05:00

I want to be upfront I used to drink soda, a lot of soda. Then one day I thought all this sugar might be bad for me so I switched to Diet Soda and then Coke Zero, because “it was healthier”. Needless to say neither soda nor diet soda is healthy for you. Besides the sugar that the soda is loaded with there are the wonderful man made sugars in soda that your body doesn’t know how to break down. The prime culprit that I want to talk about is high fructose corn syrup.

Exactly what is high-fructose corn syrup? Well, it's not the same thing at all as the natural, healthy fructose in honey and fruit. High-fructose corn syrup is a highly refined, artificial product. It is created through an intricate process that transforms cornstarch into a thick, clear liquid. White sugar and "high-fructose corn syrup" are not the same. Industry advocates for corn growers say that they are the same. But nutritional science studies say that there is a big difference between the two. They say that "high-fructose corn syrup" is worse than sugar.

Not to get too into the science but, manufactured fructose is sweeter than sugar in an unhealthy way, and is digested differently in a bad way. Research has shown that high-fructose corn syrup goes directly to the liver, releasing enzymes that instruct the body to then store fat! This may elevate triglyceride (fat in blood) levels and elevate cholesterol levels. This fake fructose may slow fat burning and cause weight gain. Other research indicates that it does not stimulate insulin production, which usually creates a sense of being full. Therefore, people may eat more than they should. Indications also are that the important chromium levels are lowered by this sweetener which may then contribute to type 2 diabetes.

Here is a video put out by New York City Health Department in an effort to deter people from drinking sugary drinks. Just a warning some people might find it a bit gross

I think for optimal health you should stick to drinking lots of water and eat your calories don’t drink them.

What do you think about the video? Good way to get the message out or too over the top? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

P.S. I count Vitamin Water as don’t drink as well. To me it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Extra Canned Pumpkin??

2009-12-20T18:36:00.008-05:00

Thanksgiving always involves pumpkin pie. I stocked up for our 10 guests and now find myself with more pumpkin then I know what to do with....until I got snowed in this weekend :)

I wouldn't call myself a cook. I think creator would be more apropos. I like to follow instruction but when it comes to cooking, baking and anything in the kitchen I tend to have use a little "creative license".

Below are two yummy paleo recipes that I made today, in between shoveling the snow off my car and walkways (really good workout by the way!). The link is the inspiration and the recipe is my creation.

http://cavemanfood.blogspot.com/2009/10/pumpkin-sausage-soup.html

Pumpkin and Chicken Andouille Sausage Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 lbs of sausage ( I used Spicy Chicken Andouille Sausage from Costco http://atkfoods.com/)

1 medium onion, minced to oblivion (I used yellow)

1.5-2 cups mushrooms ( I really like mushrooms but I diced them up pretty good (used:mini portabella) so that it wouldn't turn out too stew-like)

1 15ounce can of pumpkin puree (make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling, nasty.)

4 cups chicken broth (I have tons of homemade chicken broth on hand from when I roast whole chickens in the crock-pot...another post but seriously easy and all paleors should get comfy with the naked chicken!)

several shakes of: oregano, thyme, paprika, sea salt

a couple shakes of:

red chili flakes (I used thai red chili spice but I like my food with a kick), rosemary, cinnamon

dash of nutmeg and cloves (totally optional...I always go crazy with the spices)

2 TBS of cooking fat ( I used the top layer of fat that had solidified on my chicken broth but you can use olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, etc.) BUTTER is NOT paleo.

1/2 cup coconut milk (make sure when you first open the can to stir it, it separates)

CREATE:

Get a big soup pot (eventually you can use a crock pot to let all the flavors mix but for now you need the immediate heat that you won't get using a crock-pot)

Saute the mushrooms, onions and sausage together over med-high until golden

Remove the mushrooms, onions and sausage from the soup pot

Add the pumpkin to the soup pot, stirring in the chicken broth

Add back in the mushrooms, onions and sausage to the pumpkin/chicken broth soup, simmer for 10 minutes.

Add all the spices (remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the coconut milk)

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes (during this time I mashed all the chunks to get the flavors going...)

Add coconut milk.

Yum!

Testing the Waters

2009-12-19T22:21:00.005-05:00

When I first started eating Paleo, the hardest thing was to keep a well-stocked kitchen. On average you will be grocery shopping 1-2x times a week (and thats if you can buy in bulk most of the time). Without grains, dairy and legumes in your diet, you will be needing to consume a ton more vegetables, protein only in meat and egg form and ideally the same amount of fruit. So I am going to post a sample grocery list as a starting point for those of you up for the challenge. Don't be alarmed! Plan a little bit and your body/performance will thank you :)

Have you eaten at McDonald's lately?

2009-12-18T19:38:00.006-05:00

Here is a disturbing video on fast "food". You can pretty much get the idea from the first 40 seconds. Takeaway: 4 year-old burger looks like a day old burger; no decomposition. What does your body do with this brick of ???, store it, stick it to your waist/legs/arms...disgusting.

Source: http://weightoftheevidence.wordpress.com/

Paleo Challenge begins 4 January

2009-12-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

The CrossFit Bolling 30 day Paleo Challenge is set to begin on 4 January. For those of you who were at the gym this morning and might have missed it Casey announced it this morning. For those who might have missed this morning, this is your official announcement.

As someone who has been Paleo diet for several months, I can tell you that the hardest thing to overcome while starting the diet was the complete elimination of all grains and beans. It’s important to remember however that just because you are eliminating grains and refined sugar does not mean this is a low carb diet, because it’s not. The idea is just to get all your carbs from fruits and vegetables instead; which means eating a ton of salad. While on this diet, I basically eat what my body is craving, as long as it was acceptable for the diet.

There is much more to come on this blog as we get closer to 4 January. We will have someone else posting on the blog with me. If you have been coming to CrossFit Bolling for awhile I’m sure you all know Mac. She will also be posting on the site.

Below is a link to a paper the Robb Wolf recommends on the nutritional characteristics of a contemporary diet based upon Paleolithic food groups, It is a pretty quick read:

Paleo Nutrition Paper

What is the Paleo Diet

2009-12-16T15:35:00.008-05:00

For many people new to CrossFit the Paleo diet is a new term, quite simply it is a way of eating that closely mimics the way our Paleolithic ancestors ate. This quote taken from The Paleo Diet Website gives you a good quick introduction to the Paleo Diet.

The Paleo Diet is a way of eating in the modern age that best mimics diets of our hunter-gatherer ancestors - combinations of lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

Notice anything that the above quote left out? For many people this is where the Paleo Diet seems impossible, you do not eat grains and you do not consume dairy. Now before you shut down your browser and think the diet is too hard and you will never be able to stick with it let me reassure you from my personal experience with this diet that you can start this diet, you can stick to this diet, and it will completely change your life.

The first part of this diet is the hardest part; I talked to Casey about this and I would like for CrossFit Bolling to do a 30 day Paleo challenge to start off the New Year. So the question, would you give up 30 days to completely change your life and the way you look at food? On this blog I will post recipes and links to help keep people motivated. If you have Paleo questions just ask and I will get you the answer.

I hope that this can become a place for us to ask nutrition questions and help each other stay on track when it comes to nutrition, because I don't think any of us have the time to ask these questions while we are there with Casey. There is much more to come on this blog I just wanted to get this quick post out because I talked about the site (and wrote it on the white board) at the noon class.