Nutrition Blog

What You Know About Nutrition Is a Lie

Posted by on Sep 20, 2015 in Nutrition | 0 comments

Everything you know about nutrition is probably a lie. Dropping calories and doing more may just be what’s preventing you from losing weight. The more times you have tried to eat less and do more the harder it is to lose weight. I explain this often to women. They have been most affected by the diet industry lies. Train with a barbell and eat more to lose weight? For those who have been told for years to eat less and do more the struggle is real. The solution is not easy and for those who have heard the wrong message for most of their life it can be difficult to change.

After explaining this hundreds of times I have decided to put it on paper. A simplified version but hopefully it helps you better understand why you may struggle with weight loss.



Share[/facebook]

2015 Be Strong Challenge

Posted by on Jan 12, 2015 in Nutrition | 0 comments

It is time! CFR will once again run our annual Paleo Challenge. This year there have been a couple changes as we continue to make the challenge better each year. For those that have participated in former challenges there have been a few minor changes so please read the post carefully. I would print or bookmark the post to pull up useful dates and information should you have any questions throughout the challenge.
We will be giving a free one month membership to the winner and a cash prize. The last challenge totaled around $600.00 in prize money. You will have this week to begin to prepare for the challenge. Go to the store, rid your house of crappy food, explain to your loved ones what will be happening for the next 5 weeks (you will need their help), and prepare for the awesome changes that await you.
We will hold a Q&A for all participants on Wednesday, January 14th at 6:45. If you can make it this will be a good time to ask your questions, meet new members, pick the brains of the Paleo pros,and learn something new from those that have been doing this for a while.We couldn’t be more excited to see the changes. Good luck to all of our CFR family!

 
Important dates to remember:
1. January 14th, 6:45pm – We will host a Be Strong Challenge kick off question and answer. Our 6:45pm class will be cancelled. Beau will explain the rules and answer any rule questions you may have. We will answer additional questions you may have about how to get started, what to eat, where to get it, how to make an easier transition, why we avoid the foods we do, and just helpful tips and pointers to make you successful. Bring your favorite beverage and we will plan on a nice Wednesday evening social gathering to have a chance to meet new members, help those new to Paleo and spend a great evening with friends. We will wrap it up by 8:30pm depending on your questions.
2. January 19th – start date. $20.00 must be turned in to start the challenge no later than Monday the 19th. There will be an envelope on the stereo, place your money inside and write your name on the envelope. Before photos must be taken BY THE PARTICIPANT. Before and after photos are critical. Here is a great example of what the before and after photos should look like. Email the photos to Beau. Photos must be sent to beau82nd at gmail.com.
3. January 24th – The before Paleo challenge workout must be completed. The workout can be completed any time that week. Just tell the trainer you are doing the Be Strong WOD. There will be a book by the stereo to record your WOD time.
4. February 28th – Be Strong Challenge ends on the morning of the 28th. The last day to collect points is the 27th of February. After photos must taken BY THE PARTICIPANT no later than the 28th.

 
By midnight on March 1st participants must send an email to beau82nd at gmail.com which includes the following:
– After Pics
– Pre and Post WOD challenge times
– Total Food points


Here is how the winner will be decided:
1. You will all start with 260 points. 5 points are given for eating paleo foods for that day (possible 200 points) and if you attend a CFR class at least 3 days during a week you receive 10 points (possible 60 points collected for the 5 week challenge). If you eat a food that is not allowed during the challenge you will lose ALL 5 POINTS FOR THAT DAY. If you do not make it to CFR at least 3 days for any given week you will lose ALL 10 possible gym points for that week. So, if you eat a piece of cake on day two of the challenge you will now only be able to collect 255 possible points at the end of the challenge. Those that eat 100% paleo for the entire 40 days will collect all  food points. Those that make it to CFR at least 3 times a week for the entire challenge will collect all 60 gym points. You will keep track of your own points daily and turn them in at the end in the final email to Beau.
2. The person with the most improvement in the before and after challenge workout will receive 50 points. Second place will receive 40 points, third place 30, fourth place 20 and 5th place 10 points.
3. The before and after pictures will be judged by disinterested third party strangers who know none of you. They will be ranked in order from first to fifth. The same points will be awarded for each place as above.
4. The person who collects the most points will be declared the 2015 CFR Be Strong winner.

 
Food choices, what’s allowed, what’s not?
1. NO SUGAR. I don’t care if it’s super natural 100% raw organic made by bees that eat only grass fed flowers. It’s still sugar and it’s not allowed. Here are a few more ways sugar can be hidden in your foods by an alias name. If you see things like this written on your package it really is just plain old sugar. This includes ALL forms of artificial sweeteners. Sugar from fruit is allowed (an actual piece of fresh fruit).
2. NO GRAINS. This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn, and every other pseudo grain like quinoa, even if they are gluten free. Beware sneaky ingredients like dextrin and maltodextrin that isn’t made in the USA.
3. NO DAIRY. NO Milk, cheese, yogurt…Butter IS ALLOWED.
4. NO LEGUMES. This includes peanuts, peanut butter, beans, peas, and lentils to name a few.
5. ONE GLASS OF WINE or gluten free alcoholic beverage per day is allowed.
6. Because we are a strength focused gym and I make the rules, you are permitted to use protein powder. But your protein powder must not have any of the above banned substances in it. So 100% pure unflavored whey protein is allowed. Mix in water, of course.
Remember; eat meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds, good fats from animals, Olive oil or coconut oil, some fruit and no dairy or sugar. Drink plenty of water. If you have a question about whether a food is allowed or not chances are it’s not allowed, so don’t eat it.

 
The before and after workout will be:
1 round for time of:
500m row
30 push-ups
40 sit-ups
50 air squats
400m run (flat side)

You can complete the WOD any time during the week, just tell the trainer. They will time your WOD and judge the movement standards.

 
What you need to do:

Take your before pictures and send to Beau’s email (by January 19th)
Start “being strong” by eating correctly and logging your daily food points
Complete the before Paleo challenge workout (again by January 24th)
Continue logging daily food points and weekly CFR attendance points
Complete post Paleo challenge workout (by February 28th)
Turn in before and after photo, food points, weekly gym points, and pre workout and post workout times in an email to Beau by the midnight on March 1st.
Collect the winning purse!

 

This brings us to what the winner gets:
The CFR 2015 Be Strong winner will receive a cash prize and one free month membership to CFR. Of course you will become a CFR legend and people will turn to you for help and guidance on their journey. You will also start the spring healthier and feeling great with awesome habits that will allow you to continue this journey for the rest of your life. This is true for all participants so really you have nothing to lose!  To get you motivated here is a link to some past winners!
Please bookmark this post to return to for important dates. Everything you need to know is in this post. Any specific questions you can post them up in the comments section or ask them at the Q&A Wednesday Jan 14th.
Share[/facebook]

MACRO 101

Posted by on Jan 8, 2015 in Nutrition | 0 comments

No, Sons of Anarchy fans, this has nothing to do with SAMCRO- sorry. 

Maybe you have heard a little banter around the gym about MACROS. (I don’t know why I am capitalizing it, because it is not an acronym for anything.) Said banter is about MACROnutrients. Nutrients are substances needed for growth (a.k.a gainz), metabolism, and for other body functions. We homo sapiens require a lot of some nutrients, and less of others.  

Macronutrients are the nutrients which provide calories or energy. We call them MACRO because they are needed by the body in LARGE amounts. The three major macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

MICROnutrients, or nutrients required in much SMALLer amounts, are the vitamins and minerals required to orchestrate a range of functions essential to our health, development, and growth. We aren’t talking about them today. Deal with it. 

Back to macros.

Since attending a lecture held in August at CFR by Jordan Feigenbaum, a M.D., nutrition guru, and Starting Strength Coach, (we’ll call him Dr. Gainz,)  many attendees have been learning more about and implementing a more direct, data-driven way of eating. Said style is centered around consuming a certain macronutrient profile: fitting a specific amount of protein, carbohydrate, and fat into your calorie allotment each day, not through simply guessing, but by measuring and logging foods using scales and some sort of tool like My Fitness Pal. 

Many of you are going to be frustrated that this post will not tell you exactly what and when to eat. Let’s immediatly sidebar these frustrations aside with this imaginary scenario:

It is your first day at CFR or WS&C. You walk in, and some big guy with a beard and Chuck Taylors named Beau (not imaginary) tells you that whatever your goal in life is; you need to be strong. And to get strong, you are going to learn to Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Press using the most technical and proficient way possible. This will help you avoid injury and keep you gaining strength for countless years to come. Then he puts on his hoodie, picks up his coffee mug (also not imaginary) tells you it should take you about an hour, says good luck, and walks out the back door. You look around at all the weights, wait- are those monkey bars hanging on the wall? Is that a giant tire?! What are those stands of huge metal Qtip-shaped things?!!a Why are there so many benches? Do you sit around a lot to get stronger? You scratch your head…Where do you start?

How much success would each of you have had in getting stronger without first being taught what the lifts were and how to perform each lift correctly? Have you not been learning and perfecting since day one? Does Beau adjust your squat form and weight in the same way he does the person squatting in front of you? No. The lifts may be the same, but they fit a little different on every body, and everybody. 

Counting macros is very similar. Today, we lay out the basics. Then it will be a work in progress. What works for one body, may not work for yours. You will have to TRACK YOUR FOOD. 

And I mean, for real. No guesstimates.

Tracking macronutrients allows you to successfully lose body weight ( in the strength-athlete’s case, without seeing loss of strength often associated with more rapid weight loss) or gain muscle mass at a steady and predictable rate. When your results stall, small shifts are made to your macros until you begin to see results again. If you want to be successful, and find out what macros fit YOU best, then patience and diligence will be required. As Dr. Gainz explains, tracking your macros is a data driven intervention which requires daily accountability. Daily accountability will drive long-term success. Kinda like adding weight to the bar in the gym, eh? On we go.

 

The Rules of Thumb

You will eat a specified number of calories each day. These calories will be broken into a specific amount (in grams) of Protein/Carbohydrate/Fat. 

Protein. **4 calories per 1 gram** You will eat 20-30 grams of protein every 3-5 hours. Doing so means that you will maximize Muscle Protein Synthesis-MPS (this is good.) Going longer than 5 hours  means your body begins to enter protein breakdown. (This is not good.) More synthesis means more muscle. Which means the ability to be more thermogenic; or burn calories. (This is also good.)

Don’t get greedy and think that eating every 25 minutes is going to maximize MPS. This is like putting gas in a full tank-you have to drive a little before you can add more, or the gas simply will not fit. And by little, I mean you have to drive for 3 hours. (That’s a terrible example. Deal with it.) Just remember; 3-5 hours. Daily protein will be around 1g per pound of body weight. 

Carbohydrates. **4 calories per 1 gram**  This will vary some based on your goals, however, if you have been eating steak and greens for the last 2 years, I can tell you it will be more than you think is possible, even if a major goal is body recomposition (losing weight while maintaining  and building strength).

Starchy vegetables, rice,  oats,  and other vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc), are great sources of carbohydrates. Milk is also a decent option if muscle gain is your goal, (and you can tolerate milk. Obviously). All my paleo people may blow a gasket when they see their carb number. Trust the process. You CAN count macros and eat real food.  Potatoes of all colors and white rice are real food. See? Easy. Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Repeat after me. 

Fats. **9 calories per 1 gram** This will round out the remainder of your calories. It will be less than you probably expect, (since it has more than 2x the calories per gram as our other macros, and is the least thermogenic.)  Again, this number will depend on your goal. BUT, regardless of your goal, no more daily mainlining of t-bones and freebasing kerrygold if you are counting your macros. It’s true; all my paleo people will likely have to go easy on the bacon. (Can you believe I said that. Now you see why it has taken since August to write this dang thing!) Lean cuts of meat are on the macro menu.

Fiber is the last main component in learning the art of counting your macros. Assuring that you get at least 25 grams of fiber a day will help clean up your carbohydrate sources. 100g of toast has ~2g fiber. 100g of broccoli has ~35g. Get it? Food choice still matters, even if you are being flexible.

What are MY macros?

I guarantee this will be easier to figure out than you expected. Just hop on over to this website, plug in all of your information into 4 easy steps, and take a look at what your macros would look like. http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

 

 

 

 

Our Average Joe Macro -who wants to see gains in the gym, and in the mirrior- plugs in his info, selects IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) as his nutrition plan, and, voila! MACROS!
 

 

 

 

 

 

He should be eating just about 3000 calories a day.

190 grams from Protein/397 grams from Carbohydrates/67 grams from Fat.

 

 

  

If serious about hitting these macros on the head every day, eyeballing portion sizes and reading labels is not going to do it. Mr. Joe Macro needs to buy a scale, preferably a digital one which weighs in grams (less than $15 at WalMart or similar stores), and create an account for daily tracking on My Fitness Pal (free), or some similar website. Then, he needs to hit the grocery store, start prepping, and start eating. And, of course, tracking. 

Interested? Intrigued? Want to figure out how your body really runs? 

This is where you begin.

Take a picture, write down your weight, plug in your numbers into the above calculator, and give it a whirl. Let us know what has happened after the first 7-10 days of counting your macros and training like usual. 

Daily accountability. Join the Dr. Gainz train to long term success. 

More Macro Fun to come in the near future. This was more than enough to digest!

Until Next Time…

Mallory

Share[/facebook]

 

Buffaloes and Goats and Sauce…Oh My!

Posted by on Aug 19, 2014 in Nutrition | 0 comments

You all probably thought I broke both hands whilst fighting a lion, cavegirl style; or perhaps- simply just forgot how to type.

Thankfully, all 10 digits are alive and well. Truth be told- I think about articles all of the time. I have crafted several; one on white potatoes, another on eggs, one on how much I sometimes hate paleo, and approximately 57 recipes with witty titles…one day they will get out of their fragmented form -part draft, part scribbled notes,  part inside my head- and onto a screen near you. I digress. Excuse me with my excuses.

Today, we are talking about how to be a lazy-a$$ cook with bad-a$$ food.

Seriously. Who out there doesn’t want to be just that, at least some of the time? Like on a Tuesday night, when none of your three children have had baths (in 48 hours), your dog just rolled in a fresh pile o’dung, you have completely run out of wine, and your significant other got stuck at work late. I bet being a lazy-a$$ cook with bad-a$$ food sounds pretty darn good to you right about now.

Enter: one tool, one sauce…and endless, expedient, excellent meals.

First: the tool. For $9.95, this bad boy will arrive at your door in approx. 2 days. (Click on picture for link. I love Amazon Prime.)

It is a sharp little bugger, so fingers beware. I have had mine for a little over a week and have used it already 4 or 5 times. It works like a champ on squash and zucchini, creating quickly julienned strips that serve as noodles.

It is more work on harder veggies like sweet potatoes and beets. But, lets be honest. You guys are strong. And the end result is delicious. So quit whining. Or buy something that costs more than $10. (Like this guy, which I plan to get one day. I accept gifts, by the way. Just kidding….or am I?)

 

Next up: the sauce. WARNING: I am stepping firmly into the grey zone with this, because it uses goat yogurt. (Fear not- I also will include the paleo option for you those who are intolerant to dairy in any form.)

OR

Yup. That’s all.

Buffalo Goat Sauce
Goat’s milk is naturally lower in lactose than cow’s milk, making it easier to digest. Furthermore, yogurt cultures convert lactose into lactic acid, making yogurt easier to digest than milk. If you know that any amount of dairy will make you miserable, see notes for an equally easy and delicious non-dairy version using coconut milk.
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
3 min
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
3 min
For a mild heat
  1. 1 cup goat's milk yogurt
  2. 1/4 cup Frank's RedHot Original
  3. 1t. pepper
For a medium heat
  1. 1 cup goat's milk yogurt
  2. 1/3 cup Frank's
  3. 1t. pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan: Whisk until well combined.
  2. Heat over medium-high heat until sauce reaches a heavy simmer.
  3. Slow-simmer on low while you prepare dinner, or cool and store in a sealed container for later use.
NON-DAIRY/PALEO VERSION
  1. choose your desired heat and substitute 1 cup full-fat coconut milk. (From a can.) Look for a brand with no stabilizers, such as the Golden Star brand pictured above; available at Safeway for less than $2.
  2. Adjust the heat to your family's liking by adding more or less Frank's. Heat shy? Start with less and add more after your sauce reaches a simmer.
  3. I used full-fat Redwood Hill Farm Plain Goat Yogurt from Safeway. Trader Joe's also carries their own brand.
CrossFit Retribution http://crossfitretribution.com/_wp/

Put it all together with protein like the recipe below.

 

 

Sham-burger Helper
Serves 2
A quick, easy, #eatrealfood take on the hamburger helper you used to know and love.
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1T. coconut oil or butter
  2. 1lb ground meat
  3. Medium onion, sliced
  4. 2.5 cup 'noodles' (julienned zucchini or summer squash; no seeds)
  5. 3/4 cup Buffalo Goat Sauce or (see recipe)
  6. 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
Instructions
  1. In a large covered pot or pan, melt oil on medium-high heat.
  2. Sautee sliced onions in oil until soft.
  3. Add ground meat, brown until cooked thoroughly.
  4. While meat is browning: julienne zucchini or squash.
  5. Once meat is cooked, reduce heat to medium-low. Add Buffalo Goat Sauce, cover pan, and heat until simmering.
  6. Add 'noodles', stir until coated with sauce.
  7. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
  8. Serve immediately over bed of chopped baby spinach.
Notes
  1. If desired; heat additional sauce in a separate pot, serve along with finished dish.
  2. Substitute noodles for whatever julienned vegetable you choose: F or firmer vegetables, increase cooking time until soft. .
CrossFit Retribution http://crossfitretribution.com/_wp/
Try substituting chicken tenders and sweet potatoes in the recipe above. You won’t be sorry. The possibilities are endless. I even poured a little of the non-dairy version on pan seared flounder last night. Easy.

Less time in the kitchen means more time for GAINZ. Now THAT is bad-a$$. 

Until Next Time…

Mallory

 

Share[/facebook]

The Proposterous Paleo Paradigm

Posted by on May 16, 2014 in Nutrition | 0 comments

The Proposterous Paleo Paradigm

par·a·digm

 noun \ˈper-ə-ˌdīm, ˈpa-rə- also -ˌdim\

: a model or pattern for something that may be copied

: a theory or a group of ideas about how something should be done, made, or thought about

Eating real food

has somehow turned into a runaway reality show. Maybe you recall when The Real World first came out. It was 1992. Reality tv was a novel idea.   Now, in 2014, I dare say that the number of reality shows far outweighs traditional shows. If nothing else, it seems their popularity does.  And, holy moly, are these reality shows BAD. Bad on so many levels. Toddlers and Tiaras? My 600lb Life? The Bachelor #4,875?  16 & Pregnant?

SERIOUSLY. It’s BAD.

A novel concept 20yrs ago - reality tv- got so morphed, re-conceptualized,  tweaked, and ‘perfected’; that a gargantuan, convoluted, money-making, monster now exists today. With no end in sight.

Sort of like paleo (aka EATING REAL FOOD) has been Frankensteined into a paleo-pancake-pumpkin bread-pasta-wrap-muffin-cupcake Google Search disaster.

A paleo cupcake is a cupcake…A bowl of berries is real food.

 Most parents censor what their children watch on TV, especially during  their young, formative years. 

 A newbie learning how to eat a diet centered around meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and berries should not be wandering around the world wide web.  A great deal of the recipes labeled as paleo are preposterous…It’s like a preschooler watching reality TV. The kid knows just enough to laugh when it is funny, but has no clue that repeating things when she gets to school are going to land her in time-out.

Don’t get me wrong , I love many of these ‘paleo’ websites. BUT.  If you’re just learning how to eat and cook real food, and you stumble across a paleo chocolate covered donut….do you know what happens? You get really excited. And you buy $57 worth of ‘paleo’ baking goods to make said donut. You get less concerned about how to eat differently and more focused on how to find the right substitution. You know what does not happen?

You do not learn how to eat real food.

PHALEO.

 

Those of you who are learning to eat real food (whether it is for the first or fiftieth time) need to consider quitting reality TV. Many of these sites have taken paleo…eating meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and berries…so far from what it is intended to be that you’ll be hard-pressed to find yourself on the path that leads to fueling a healthy body with real food.

Will there come a day when you can eat a baked treat that’s made of ingredients that could possibly construed as paleo? Perhaps. But until you’ve learned to eat real food, you aren’t truly giving yourself the opportunity to decide whether or not you even want to.

How will you know?

If you’re still wondering “is that paleo?” …you are not there yet. Because cupcakes are not paleo. Cookies are not paleo. I don’t care what they’re made of. Quit watching The Voice and start singing on your own.

Shift the paradigm. Don’t be phaleo.

Here are some great go-to sites for eating real food:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com

http://robbwolf.com/

http://chriskresser.com/

http://balancedbites.com/

http://whole9life.com/

Until Next Time…

Mallory

 

Share[/facebook]