Crossfit Blog
2.11.13
by Bennett
All -
It was another great week of recipe sharing, story telling, and all out good Paleo fun. We had a robust discussion on the Facebook site regarding the peer pressure to consume foods that are less than optimal. This includes co-workers and friends that respond negatively to resisting an alcoholic beverage or skipping out on the pastries, bagels, and pizza in the break room at work. All these sacrifices are for a purpose, to demonstrate to each challenge participant what these processed foods do to our bodies and how we can feel optimal without them. That experience alone is worth the price of admission…with the added incentive of putting some cash in your pocket and picking up good habits along the way.
With that said, make sure you email in your Week 5 food logs. You have 10 days left and will not need to submit a Week 6 journal (just send your final journal) after Wednesday, February 20, but before February 25.
You will have until February 27, to complete your after pictures. For your after pictures, try to take them in exactly what you were wearing for your before photos. Also, if you took them in the locker room, then take them there again…as much of the same lighting, room, and clothing will aid in making the comparison shots.
The winners will be announced on March 4.
2.3.13
by Bennett
It’s Super Sunday, and you are on Day 28 of the challenge, so what should you eat today. Well, here are some of my favorites:
- Grilled Bacon Guacamole
- 3 C’s Chili
- Game Day Favorite: Paleo Deviled Eggs
- Bacon Wraps
- Yucca Fries
- Spicy Pineapple Chili
Don’t like any of those suggestions, then you could steal this Ultimate Paleo Super Bowl Menu.
It is still premature to bring the “cheats” and “treats,” but starting Wednesday, you can start working a “treat” here and there. If you have “plateaued,” then it probably isn’t the best idea; however, if you are going strong, then try a little cream in your coffee, have some yogurt, and eat some more fruit than you have been. Oh, and all those paleo recipe treats you have been posted on the Facebook page, you can eat some of those within reason. On the alcohol front, yes you can start drinking a little bit..just don’t pull a Brandon Doria…
What you might notice is that your body is now use to running on “clean” fuel and incorporating some of these “cheats” doesn’t make you feel good and some items won’t impact you that much. The whole idea is to get an idea of what you are most sensitive to and consider eliminating permanently from your diet post challenge.
Enjoy the game, the Seahawks are still the champions in my mind, and don’t forget to submit your food journal tomorrow.
1.27.13
by Bennett
All -
Wow! Reading your journals this weekend tugged at my heart strings. So many of you are changing your bodies and pushing the meter toward ultimate health and wellness. Here are some of the accomplishments achieved thus far:
- Eric Ramirez is down 11 pounds and got his first pull up!
- Andrew Harrison survived Walt Disney World and stayed on track!!
- Jeff and Tania both made it out of the dreaded Paleo detox!
- Melissa Lee has dropped 5 pounds!
- Clara dropped another 2 pounds in Week 2!
- Brandon Doria went out on a date and only had 2 drinks!
- JR Doria is down 10 pounds and might not fit into his Wedding Tux!!
- Joe Shackman is down 10 pounds!
So with all those positive results, keep up the good work. You have made it Day 21 and you have 9 more days of strict paleo: no drinking, no sugar, no cheats, etc..Stay strong and earn the fact that you can work some cheats in for the last 15 days. Your keys to success can boiled down to three things:
- Strict Paleo Diet (limit fruit as replacement for sugar, eliminate the alcohol)
- WOD 4-5 times a week (just keep moving!!)
- SLEEP (7.5+ of quality sleep)
1 – Eat Good 2 – WOD Smart 3 – Recover through Sleep
It’s as a easy as 1-2-3!
1.22.13
by Bennett
Adapted from The Paleo Plan’s Article “The Dreaded Detox”
So you’ve signed for the Paleo Challenge and you’re two week into it. You’re not feeling the amazing effects of the diet that so many others before you have, and in fact, you feel worse! Naturally you’re asking, “Is this really worth it?” Almost everyone who is on the Paleo Diet or similar plan has been right where you are – you are not alone. Let me explain what’s going on.
This way of eating is pretty different than a normal American diet, so there are a lot of changes you’ll be making. These changes will NOT go unnoticed by your body. What I mean is, you may experience some (or a lot of) detoxification symptoms, including intense cravings, headaches and fatigue.
Why? You took out a lot of toxins from your diet, in the form of phytic acid and lectins in grains and legumes, preservatives and other additives, refined flours and sweeteners, and dairy (which is more toxic to some than others). Since you’ve probably been eating these things your whole life, your body is going through some serious withdrawal. But it’s also finally getting a chance to clean out some built up toxins. Without all of the harmful foods constantly bombarding your liver and other organs, and with the addition of tons of nutrients and protein from the fruits, vegetables and meats you’re now eating, your body is going to take the opportunity to do some much needed cleaning. This purging is exactly what causes the symptoms you may be experiencing right now – the toxins are in your circulation being dealt with instead of being suppressed. It’s like when you do a good deep cleaning of your house – you turn it upside down before it looks immaculate. In the first 3 days to 3 weeks, you may (or may not) experience:
Headaches
Fatigue
Dizziness
Irritability
Mood swings
Nausea
Intense cravings
Sinus drainage
Diarrhea/Constipation
Flu-like symptoms
Brain fog
Increased urination
Increased appetite
Increased thirst
When I first went Paleo, I remember trying to deadlift and the bar felt like a million pounds. I didn’t have the clarity that I was used to and felt like I was in a total fog. Persisting through this based on the accounts of others, I finally hit “Paleo Euphoria” and never looked back. A lot of people only experience symptoms for a few days to a week, and there’s really no way of predicting how long your detoxification period will last.
For the coffee and/or tea drinker and you’re giving that up (not required on our challenge), you should almost undoubtedly expect some symptoms. Caffeine is an addictive substance, as you know, and your nervous and endocrine systems will need some time to re-boot. Maybe warn your significant other that you might not be the sweetest, most docile partner for a few days…
So during those difficult moments when you’re wondering whether or not this diet is in fact hurting you – not helping – remember that after the “storm of detoxification” subsides, you may very well experience:
More energy
Emotional Balance
Clarity of mind
Fat loss/Muscle gain
Strength gains
Fewer aches and pains
Less sinus congestion
Fewer seasonal allergy symptoms
Digestive ease
Clearer skin
Fewer colds
And that is why you’ve chosen to do this. Stay strong – it WILL be worth it.
What are your experiences with detoxification? Any words of wisdom for your fellow Paleo Challenge Participants?
1.20.13
by Bennett
Blair’s rib eye @ Dino’s and Harry’s
Wow!! Unbelievable the results we have been hearing about so far. As you guys know from the review of the Week 1 Journals, there are some overlapping themes that we want to address to drive success:
- Sleep More (like more than 7.5 hours each night in a dark room)
- Eat Enough (when I hear that you are eating 1300 calories and doing a 20 minute AMRAP, I worry about muscle wasting)
- Meal Consistency (eat breakfast, get protein at every meal)
- Bye, Bye Sugar (Watch the fruit intake and hidden sugars…error on the side of vegetables even at breakfast)
- Bye, Bye Drinkie Drinkie (It won’t kill you to go two more weeks without alcohol…I am talking to you Brandon)
Okay, so make sure you email your food journal to me sometime tomorrow…any time just make sure it is tomorrow. I got a lot of journals late this week. It should be really easy to email what you are already tracking daily for the previous the week.
Also, everyone should be on the Facebook page (excluding Donna who doesn’t have FB) or following the discussion on Twitter at #cfhpaleo.
Mailing List Signup
Join the CFH weekly mailing list to receive event notifications, training tips and recipes!
