If ya haven’t noticed – I can be a little long winded! So in honor of my very dear friend Laurie Ann who has decided to “go paleo”, I’m going to keep this short. Laurie Ann is always very busy, likes to do things on her own (like me, she is a “CrossFit Loner”), and usually tells me to “just tell her what to do”. So without providing an overwhelming amount of information, I’m going to provide the following links and shopping guides to kick start her own private paleo adventure!
The long awaited, much anticipated, highly coveted book promised by (or coerced out of) Robb Wolf is finally available! Robb Wolf’s new book The Paleo Solution “...unearths the story of the original human diet by uniting the anthropological knowledge of our hunter-gatherer past with the latest, cutting edge discoveries from genetics, biochemistry, immunology, and life extension research.”
Not only does he have a new book, but he has also recently updated his website with easy to find links to his blog (very informative), podcast (I’m behind again), live events (hope I get to go again soon), tools (paleo man can never can have too many), etc. Everything is there to help you better understand and implement The Paleo Solution.
Just when I think I’m up to date, Robb Wolf and Andy Deas post yet another episode of theThe Paleolithic Solution. I’m currently listening to Episode 38, but already behind as they have recorded and posted Episode 39. For me, the “last podcast” is ever elusive, but in all honesty that’s actually a good thing. Besides presenting an incredible amount of applicable paleo “pseudo science” each week, these two guys are also very funny. I look forward to walking my dogs and laughing out loud in the middle of the street. Although the bio-chemistry of nutrition and fitness can be tedious and boring, Robb and Andy actually make the learning process fun. To quote one of their classic podcast comments - “It should be more like a birthday party than physics class” .
In Episode 26 of The Paleolithic Solution Robb and Andy were joined by Melissa Urban and Dallas Hartwig of the Whole9. Melissa and Dallas are on top of their game when it comes to nutrition, health and fitness (check out their Whole9 blog). During this interview Melissa shared her “fresh, natural foods your great grandmother would recognize” elevator “Paleo Pitch”. She responds with this “Paleo Pitch” when asked “what do you eat”? Robb comments that Melissa’s elevator pitch would need to be in a very tall building, like a [skyscraper] in Dubai. It may be a little long because she does do a very good job of explaining what one would eat when following The Paleo Diet.
Melissa and Dallas also have also developed the “Whole30″ and “Whole30 Version 2.0″, a program that will “change your life in 30 days” (links provided below). Melissa and Dallas give you all of the information and tools you’ll need to get started eating “paleo”. The testimonials have been incredible with many Continue reading
I awoke this morning surprised to find an article on The Paleo Diet in my small hometown Sunday newspaper. It would be nice to see The Paleo diet go a little more mainstream. Imagine the number of folks that stand to benefit significant improvements in overall health from following a diet of grass-fed meat, veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starches, no grains, and no sugar. Improvements in over all bio-markers of health that I know occur from my own personal experiences (see my blog post “Robb Wolf: Paleo Nutrition Guru” and “Large, Fluffy and Buoyant Can Be A Good Thing!” )!
More “Paleo Diet” articles showing up in common places:
The Paleo Diet recommends that all protein sources should come from “grass-fed” animals. “Grass-Fed” vs. “Grain-Fed”, what’s the big deal? You may be surprised to learn that grain-fed beef can be detrimental to your health.
I recently read an article in James Fitzgerald’s OPT on-line newsletterby Jeremy Gordon of CrossFit Hampton Roads. Jeremy does an excellent job of not only sharing the ill-effect grain has on protein quality, but also on his own personal, self-enlightening journey into health and wellness. Jeremy has kindly given fitfemaleforty permission to re-post his article below. written by
Grown-Up Thinking
Jeremy Gordon
One year ago, after viewing the movie, “Food, Inc.,” my family started a journey. This is a journey towards independence from an industrial food system. It is a journey vectored by critical thinking, fueled by a passion for wellness (self and earth) and the road is paved with “grown-up thinking.” (i) While we are still taking our first steps in this journey, the end-state (in my mind) is clear: we consume foods grown using sustainable, humane, local, organic methods; preferably raised by my family on our own property. Continue reading
Wanna “lean up”? Try hikin’ the Appalachian Trail!
I recently spent a couple of days hiking the Appalachian Trail (the “AT”) with my youngest son and a few friends. My biggest concern (in addition to the weight of my pack) was how to keep my diet clean by continuing to follow the paleo diet while on the trail. Most experienced hikers suggested oatmeal for breakfast and ramen noodles, Knorr pasta products or even worse, dehydrated meals for dinner. Although hikers swear by dehydrated meals claiming they are quite tasty, I was horrified to actually read the number of anti-nutrients listed on each package. Steve – “the original journey man” resolved my desire to eat healthy and pack light by providing “Paleokits” and “Paleo Krunch” products!
Each morning I started my day with “Paleo Krunch”, a grainless granola consisting of coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and honey. A calorie dense product that provided much needed energy for the long hike ahead. Breakfast literally became my favorite meal of the day!
For snacks, lunch and dinner I survived on Paleokits - small vacuum-packed portions of grass-fed beef jerky, macadamias, almonds, pecans and some dried berries. I also supplemented this with different dried fruits each day to spice up my meals and avoid getting tired of eating the same food day in and day out.
These products are not just for the trail – I ate a Paleokit for breakfast as I typed out this blog post! And one more added bonus? Profits made from the purchase of these products go directly to “Steve’s Club” – a national non-profit organization bringing CrossFit to underserved or at-risk youth populations. Check out Steve’s Club website here.
Steve’s Original Website for purchasing Paleo Friendly Products can be found by following this link.
Ancel Keys- where it all began and where it all went wrong!
Found a follow-up article to my previous post on Total Cholesterol not being a good indicator of Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD).
For years, we have been led to believe that dietary fat is evil. Walk down any grocery store aisle and observe shelves stocked with low-fat products or count the numerous health related books that recommend a low-fat diet. You’ll even witness physicians, nutritionists and even personal trainers advising their clients to reduce dietary fat to improve over-all health. Little did we know that these low-fat recommendations were actually making us sick!
Slowly, but surely, mainstream America is beginning to recognizing the role refined carbs, not dietary fat, plays in increasing your risk of many diseases – Type II Diabetes, CVD and obesity.
Follow the link below to read the Scientific American recent report on:
“…Now a spate of new research, including a meta-analysis of nearly two dozen studies, suggests a reason why: investigators may have picked the wrong culprit. Processed carbohydrates, which many Americans eat today in place of fat, may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease more than fat does—a finding that has serious implications for new dietary guidelines expected this year…”
I guess it’s the word “diet” in the “Paleo Diet” that concerns most parents. Diets are often associated with deprivation and unhealthy eating habits. But this is NOT the case when eating “paleo”. It’s a diet that’s been around for years – millions of years to be more exact. It’s a diet that mimics the way our ancestors evolved to eat over time. It wasn’t until the onset of the agricultural revolution and the introduction of grains some 15 – 20,000 years ago that we began to see evidence of the new “diseases of civilization“.
So, what about your kids on the Paleo Diet? Robb Wolf takes a look at the nutritional breakdown of the Paleo Diet in a recent blog post. If you don’t have time to read it, I can sum up it up with a quick quote :
“Kreiki! Look at that. If you consume a Paleo Diet it LOOKS like you are taking a nutritional supplement.”
ESPN reports on the success John Welbourn, a 10 year NFL veteran has had following Paleo Nutrition. To read more follow this link to the ESPN article titled “Caveman Diet – growing followers”.
John Welbourn is also the owner of CrossFit Balboa as well as the creat0r of CrossFit Football, a strength and conditioning program designed for football players.
Mark Rippetoe of Starting Strength recently interviewed Mr. Welbourn on strength training , injuries, and recruiting for football athletes. He also talks about playing in the NFL for 10 years as well as his reasons for starting Paleo Brands. You can watch this 4 part video interview on Coach Rippetoe’s Starting Strength Video Series.
Especially of late I’ve been getting a lot of questions on “how to go paleo”. I will often respond with the standard CrossFit nutrition statement : eat meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starches and no sugar. This statement is usually followed by a lengthy, possibly overwhelming, detailed-oriented conversation on paleo nutrition specifics:
There is a moment of silence as they realize I’ve just described what most folks eat on a regular basis. Slowly a look of shock and disbelief spreads across their faces as they realize they should not be eating whole wheat toast at breakfast, chicken pasta with veggies for lunch, and even the sacred brown rice for dinner. Before they can justify their dietary habits with the usual response of “everything in moderation”, I begin to explain the science behind foods not permitted on The Paleo Diet: hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, skewed omega 3 to omega 6 ratios, lipid profiles, ph acid – base balance, phytates, lectins, gluten, leaky gut, metabolic syndrome, silent inflammation, CVD, auto-immune issues, diseases of modern civilization, etc.
I summarize by explaining that The Paleo diet is the oldest diet around. For millions of years we were hunter- gatherers eating what nature provided. Our bodies evolved to process these natural foods, unlike the foods that were first introduced 15,000 to 20,000 years ago during the agricultural revolution. So, how do you go paleo? What can you eat? Paleo friendly foods include:
grass-fed meats
wild caught fish and seafood
organic fowl
eggs high in omega 3’s
a variety of veggies
a variety of fruits
a variety of nuts and seeds
a variety of good fats (olive, coconut, almond, walnut, etc)
avocados
coconut milk
and coffee is allowed (yep, I drink mine black)
At each meal (and snack) I’m combining a protein, some veggies (sometimes a little fruit) and a healthy fat. It’s that easy. Yet, it’s important to understand that there is a “method to the madness” – there is science and research (and my own personal experiences) that link this diet to a healthier body. To help you jump start your journey into paleo nutrition, I’ve added a new “Paleo Tools” resource tab. Click on the ‘Paleo Tools” tab at the top of this page to find:
Videos on Paleo Nutrition
Paleo Shopping List and Guides
The BEST Paleo Cookbook
Leading Paleo Nutrition Experts
Paleo Reading Recommendations
Free Paleo Recipes
Additional Paleo Resources and Blogs I Follow
One last thing. Don’t believe everything I write or say. I’m not a dietitian providing nutrition counseling or nutrition management programs. Doubt me. I’m a skeptic by heart myself. I never accept what others say, especially those practicing and preaching conventional wisdom with little results. I’m interested in not only how fit you appear to be on the outside, but also how fit you are on the inside with excellent bio-markers of health. I search for the latest, cutting-edge information and research. I spend a great deal of time reading and reviewing abstracts, books, and other websites. I suggest you begin this journey by doing the same. Do your own research, find your own answers, become your own expert. In addition to the resources listed in the “Paleo Tools” tab, I also use the following unbiased internet resources on a daily basis:
PubMed is a free database accessing online medical literature (citations, abstracts and some full text articles)
Google scholar allows you to search scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles
Google Books is a collection of digitized books which allows you to view limited previews portions of most books as well as do “text searches” within the book to locate specific information.
Consult with a physician before beginning in new exercise or fitness program
I am glad to find that you have your website up, and that you continue to take your knowledge, training and overall expertise to yet another level.
During the 6 weeks that I worked with you last summer, I lost 14 pounds and improved my diet and lifestyle as well as my ability to adequately perform different exercise routines. My fasting insulin decreased by half. For the first time in 2 years my lipid profile normalized - even increased the HDL without the need for statin therapy!
I am now using much of your advice and your recommendations with my patients.
Thanks so much. I am looking forward to working with you again soon.
Jose A Gaudier, MD, Neurologist
It says here that Cheryl has a new blog. I say, it's about damn time. Cheryl has been accumulating knowledge and experience about the serious side of exercise for a while now, and I can't think of a better ambassador for barbell training to women who typically refuse to consider its benefits. One look at Cheryl dispells any apprehensions they may have regarding the aesthetic effects, and she is quite capable of explaining the health and fitness advantages to this group of folks in desparate need of a better way to approach their exercise prescription.
Cheryl, I hope this message finds you well. I think we all at one point had an aha moment about why we do the things we love to do. When I first came upon CrossFit I knew that my world would be turned upside down. I’ve learned so much and am so grateful for the people like you that make my fitness journey such an exciting one. I honestly do what I do and strive to become better at what I do because of genuine people like yourself. Take pride and be passionate about what you do and how you do it. Get comfortable with uncomfortable is a theme we’ve chosen here at OPT, because we believe that getting into this uncomfortable zone unfolds many life lessons. Here’s hoping you teach others about this, make it happen, all the best.
Cheryl,
It says here that Cheryl has a new blog. I say, it's about damn time. Cheryl has been accumulating knowledge and experience about the serious side of exercise for a while now, and I can't think of a better ambassador for barbell training to women who typically refuse to consider its benefits. One look at Cheryl dispells any apprehensions they may have regarding the aesthetic effects, and she is quite capable of explaining the health and fitness advantages to this group of folks in desparate need of a better way to approach their exercise prescription.
Cheryl, I hope this message finds you well. I think we all at one point had an aha moment about why we do the things we love to do. When I first came upon CrossFit I knew that my world would be turned upside down. I’ve learned so much and am so grateful for the people like you that make my fitness journey such an exciting one. I honestly do what I do and strive to become better at what I do because of genuine people like yourself. Take pride and be passionate about what you do and how you do it. Get comfortable with uncomfortable is a theme we’ve chosen here at OPT, because we believe that getting into this uncomfortable zone unfolds many life lessons. Here’s hoping you teach others about this, make it happen, all the best.