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Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook

by on October 8, 2012 in Fat Loss, nutrition, Paleo Resolution, Transformation Success

My inbox runithover, so when I received a copy of Sarah’s latest release I gave it one of my favorite Paleo cooks, coach and head of the household Kelley Colby.  

Kelley leads one of my groups 5 times a week at 5:00 am and still manages to prepare healthy meals for her family.  I knew I would like the book but I wanted a review from a mom working the frontline.  Thanks Kelley !

by Kelley Colby

I have both of Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo cookbooks. She has tackled the somewhat overwhelming idea of changing your family’s eating habits. She is living it and now shares her experience in a simple and straight forward plan for families.

Both Everyday Paleo books are great but the second book, Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook, is definitely more attractive and interesting. The table of contents is illustrated with photos which entices the reader to dig right in and find a recipe for tonight!

Sarah begins with The Basics explaining Paleo eating and follows up with Getting Started. The Getting Started section is my favorite for families. I think it is always helpful to be reminded to slow down and simplify. We all go go go and what many young families need is time together.

The next few chapters from Understanding Kids to the One-Week Meal Plan and Budget Guide make eating Paleo a reality for any family determined to live a healthier lifestyle. This book is an amazing resource and inspiration.

I have tried several recipes and can’t wait to try more. The sauce section alone is a reason to buy this book! The recipes are easy to follow and modify if needed…I usually leave some particular spice out for a picky kid. Each page offers insightful tips in the Something Extra box with suggestions for meal planning or recipe variations.

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The Education of Zach Fletcher

by on March 15, 2012 in Advanced Class, Boot Camp Fitness / CrossFit Kansas City Weightlifting, Boot Camp Fitness Kansas City, Coachable, Fat Loss, Paleo Resolution, Weightlifting Team

I was so hoping that I could help pen this post but the guy just likes to type. Enjoy this story because it’s so heartfelt and he is such a great guy.  I call him “2 Tech” because he reminded me of a space eater from my football coaching days… but far more athletic.  I know you will enjoy his transformation story.

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Weightlifting, Supplementation & Life With Dr. Brian

by on March 13, 2012 in Boot Camp Fitness / CrossFit Kansas City Weightlifting, Boot Camp Fitness Kansas City, Fat Loss, Max Effort Black Box, Uncategorized, Weightlifting Team

Dr. Brian Works On His Deck Clean

Dr. Brian Petroff is a gym member you rarely see unless you are in the gym at an off hour.  Brian is a research physician currently looking at cancer and how different variables impact it’s growth or recession. This includes various lifestyle and supplement routines.

As a boy scientist, I bend his ear whenever I can to learn more.  I got Brian to answer a few questions on current items of interest.

Q: Tell our readers about your current role ? 

I’m a translational scientist in breast and ovarian cancer research, shuttling back and forth between promising basic science and human cancer prevention trials trying to identify new and improved ways to prevent cancer in women.  I’m exposed to a fair bit of nutrition as a cancer prevention strategy, but my main specialty is hormonal effects on cancer risk.
Q: I am a believer in supplementation. I take a multi product, Omega 3, Vitamin D and some spices like cinnamon and turmeric Do you take any supplements?  
I’m a big believer in fish oil and vitamin D as well as multivitamin to cover the bases, both from personal experience and the work I’ve seen in cancer prevention.   Curcumin (tumeric) is another up and coming natural product for cancer prevention  as well as green tea and flaxseed.
Q:Green tea is showing up in a number of nutraceuticals. Beside a potential link to cancer prevention are you aware of any fat cell apoptosis findings?
I know that work is out there – my overall impression is that green tea can be helpful for fat loss in a very modest way, but then again, every little bit helps when you’re fighting body fat.
Q: Is there a blanket recommendation for supplements at this point and what do we know specifically about Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Omega 3 (Fish Oil). 
 Even the experts hesitate to make blanket recommendations, but my response would be that most people need more of all of those.  We know pretty definitively that vitamin D levels are often too low with decreased sun exposure and increased sunscreen use, although this has improved as more people supplement.  For fish oil, we know that western diets typically skew the omega 3:omega 5 ratio and fish oil can help to correct this resulting in a number of health benefits.
Q: What is your position on dietary practice? Paleo, Zone, SAD ?
I personally am a lowish carb/high protein guy, but have always been more focused on my workout than my diet.  I know this is mistaken, but then again my goals have always been strength rather than body composition.
Q: T.S. Wiley penned a book called LIGHTS OUT and drew links with the advent of the light bulb and cancer. Has your work found any link between disturbed (shortened) sleep and malignant tumors ?
I’m not familiar with that one but have seen some basic studies showing impact of altered circadian rhythmicity on carcinogenesis.
Q:So a shift worker (24 on / 24 off) is going to pay a price with their health ? 
It’s possible.  I am aware of several studies showing a slight increase in cancer incidence (and several other diseases) when you look at night shift workers vs. daytime workers as populations.  However, these studies are generally confounded, making it difficult to dissect the effect of photoperiod from other things that are different about night shift workers.  Personally, I have worked both shifts and feel much healthier on day shift, like most people.  I think a big problem with night shift work is the inability to get good quality sleep.  It sounds simple but we know that is very important.
Q: Do people over due monostructural cardio routines like running and cycling?
That’s an easy one for me.  Yes.  I think everyone benefits from strength training, almost regardless of your goals.
Q:Is there a mortality link with excessive monostructural cardio plans? 
I’m not aware of specific mortality data on that issue – you probably know that area better than me.  What I can say is that the trend for weight loss interventions for cancer prevention studies is away from relying on one exercise or just dietary intervention.  Like everyone else, people in the cancer prevention arena are finding that getting the weight (i.e. fat) off, while not easy, is not so difficult as keeping it off.  So we’re moving to multifactorial and even changing regimens for diet and exercise studies.  I like the idea (I think it I heard it from Dan John) that weightlifting increases the “size of your glass” (i.e. your total metabolic capacity or degree of flux) making fat loss goals easier.  Fat loss, of course, would benefit mortality.
Q: What about alcohol consumption? Is it generally safe?
Alcohol consumption is a dose dependent minor risk factor for breast and ovarian cancer (and lots of others).  However, resveratrol (a main pigment in red wine) is being actively studied for its beneficial impact on cardiovascular health and cancer risk.
Q:Do we know at this point how much wine (resveratrol) we need to consume to get the benefit ? 
Well, I don’t want to oversell it.  1-2 glasses per day is the usual figure given for the health benefits.  We haven’t established that for cancer yet.
Q: What have you unearthed regarding intermittent fasting? 
One of my students came in last week with a draft of a review article he is writing mainly focused on intermittent fasting as a cancer prevention strategy.  There are some animal studies out there showing cancer prevention with alternate day calorie restriction and some human data showing weight loss and benefit to diabetics.  I think the most exciting thing about IF is the potential for better long term compliance.  Also, it makes some sense that this approach might get around the resetting of nutrient homeostasis (going into “conservation ” mode) that plagues some of the standard diets.
Q: How are your lifts progressing?
Never fast enough, but I’ve had a number of PRs over the past year.  I lifted in my first O lifting meet a couple of months ago and had a PR there.  Coach Dan is a big help.
Q: Do you have a post exercise nutrition practice?
Broadly speaking, I try to get some calories and protein down ASAP after a workout.  I’ve never settled on a particular product, although chocolate milk is alway a favorite (and cheap).

 

 

The disclaimer provides that  information above is merely information – not advice. If readers need medical advice, they should consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional. The disclaimer also provides that no warranties are give in relation to the medical information supplied on the website, and that no liability will accrue to the website owner in the event that a user suffers loss as a result of reliance upon the information. 

 

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11 Things To Move You Out Of Your Comfort Zone

by on December 29, 2011 in Fat Loss, Goal Setting, Holiday Survival, nutrition, Paleo Resolution, Sleep Hygiene, Uncategorized

Do one thing every day that scares you.Eleanor Roosevelt

 

A big part of what we do in our practice is to push folks out of their comfort zone.  Very little positive occurs when you just go with the flow.  We strive to make the exercise experience challenging physically but also mentally.  Improvements and growth only occur with pressure.  Set the bar high.. BE better.  Here are some suggestions to improve, grow or get outside your comfort zone in 2012.

1. Wear A Rubber Band and Snap it ! ~ This is a practice advocated by sport psychologist Jack Singer.  Dr. Singer was ask to work with a college quarterback.  It seems that the quarterback who was otherwise perfect, had a nasty habit of letting negative thoughts and pressure get to him during games.  After conversing with the youngster, Dr. Singer discovered that the player was sliding into a pattern of negative thinking when the game got close.  Together they created a way to change the course of his thinking.  Dr. Singer placed a rubber band on the players wrist and whenever a negative (self defeating) thought pattern started to drift into his mind he would snap the band on his wrist and start to visualize positive images of what he wanted to have happen.  Problem solved!   So next time you are about to down a bottle of wine when you should have a glass or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s at the end of the evening just snap it ! I’ll even provide the rubber band.

2. 30 Days of eliminate ~ I used to be from the school of subtle change..be gradual. Two years ago I did a 180.  Subtle didn’t work so I adopted the all in total immersion approach.  If you need to clean up your act take a 30 day pledge to change.  A few ideas include, no alcohol, no grains, no dairy (or all of the these) 30 days of workout, 30 days of 8 hours of sleep.  The list goes on.  If you really want over site and results you should join our PR12 program. Best hurry ! The winter addition begins next week.

3. Sign Up, Register, Enroll~ Some of the best leverage you can have over your training and lifestyle behavior is to pay the entry for a competitive event.  Paying the money to participate in anything from a benefit walk to a Tough Mudder will keep you on track with your training program.  Remember to tell your 5,000 best friends on Facebook too.  They will hold your accountable. We have a schedule of events that we will be supporting.  Plan on attending our kick off gathering on 1/18/2011 to learn how our methods can get you event ready on less effort !

4. Brain Trainer ~ Your brain like muscle needs to be stressed.  Reading, doing crossword puzzle and dedicated brain trainer exercises is critical to neural function. Daily brain training can strengthen willpower and promote healthy lifestyle choices. A University of Amsterdam study found that problem drinkers who followed challenging cognitive training regimens drank less than a control group who did only the easiest regimens. Morever, improvements endured one month later.Two on line options I like are My Brain Trainer and Lumosity.

5. Work on your balance ~ In assisted living communities they like to monitor the aging process with balance assessments.  A decline in balance equates to rapid aging. With that in mind each day perform a mundane task while standing on a single leg.  Brush your teeth or unload the dishwasher while standing on one leg.  If this becomes boring find a firm pillow to stand on and do the same.  Ever wonder why we perform so many single leg moves?  Well now you know.

6. Walk when you could ride or drive ~ N.E.P.A. stands for non exercise physical activity.  This is the non schedule exercise you get from parking further from the front door, the office entrance or the designed walk to the market instead of driving the grocery getter.  Adding these extra measures can add up quickly to improved health and opportunities to get some sunshine and vitamin D.  So next time your on the way home from the movies ask to be let out several blocks from home and hike on home.

7. Wednesday Benchmark~ Every Wednesday get out the measuring stick. This can be a weigh in, measuring the waist, charting food consumption, or a fitness yardstick like push ups.  This keeps you in check over the long haul.  Weight is NOT a great metric and BMI is an even worse idea.  The point is to keep 1 pound change a one pound change and not wake up in 12 months 15 pounds out of range.  If you really are bold you can get a Twitter account and tweet your weight.  Got questions just ask me.

8. Dump 4 Pints ~ When you donate blood it’s a double win.  You save a life and you rid yourself of old blood.   Some evidence points to the positive benefit of donating to reduce toxic build up and accumulation of minerals. So in 2012 donate once a quarter

9. One Sentence Journal ~ I taking this one from Happiness Project author Gretchen Rubins.  Everyday write one sentence on why you are grateful for today.   Prepare to be surprised.

10. Mess-O-Greens ~ While I’ve been accused of being a low carb Nazi ~ thank you.  I am in fact a vegetable advocate.  I typically eat one meal each day that includes a large vegetable serving. My favorite is a tossed salad.  I look to include red, orange, yellow and green matter in my salad.  (ROY Green) I toss it with olive oil and it’s good to go.  Eat a mess-o-greens like me and feel the benefits.

11. Get Lab Work ~ Unless you have a specific issue, when you go to your GP he/she is going to focus on your blood lipids for the most part.  I suggesting that you also start monitoring more.  Look at hormones as well.  You may get some push back if you ask for it from your physician.  If you don’t want to deal with your GP you can purchase lab work al a carte from Privatemdlabs.com ( Reading the results is a different thing but reference ranges will be provided with your results) Once you have the results plug them into a spreadsheet and plan to look at them again at five year intervals. (I have a strong concern for the future of the homo sapnien male but that is a post for another time.)

There you have it.  Ten things to push you out of your comfort zone now get you list organized.

 

 

 

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More Sleep Leads To Fat Loss Part 2

by on September 10, 2011 in Boot Camp Fitness Kansas City, Fat Loss, Transformation Success

 

I promised last time a real life story on how correcting your sleep can optimize body composition levels and lead to fat loss. Sleeping in the 5-6 hour range will yield sub optimal performance and typically a nice fat deposit right at the waistline .  Evan has so generously agreed to share his results.  I am very pleased and happy for him.  Share this with your fluffy sleep deprived friends.

Coach Rut,

You had asked me to give you some thoughts on my recent experiences with more sleep. As you know, I have been coming to CrossFit Kansas City for the last year, starting with two months in the bootcamp class, and the last ten months on the advanced side. Over that period, I have seen good progress in all of my benchmark workouts, strength, endurance, etc. As all of my advanced class friends and coaches can attest, I’m certainly not at the top of the class, but from where I started, the progress has been substantial. My weight when I showed up last year was 227, give or take. Six weeks later, it was 215. Then over the next couple of months, it climbed back to 222 ish, which is where I stayed until recently. I did not pay much attention to that weight gain because in my opinion (and there is probably some truth to this) the 222 six months in was a whole world different than the 227 when I showed up. With that said, the scale didn’t budge for months.

Up until about two months ago, I have been fairly dedicated to the 5:00 a.m. class. As a young attorney, my schedule is a bit unpredictable, and 5:00 a.m. seemed to be the time of day that was least likely to be interfered with. The benefit was that I was able to sustain attendance in the 3-4 time per week range (good for me, believe me). The only drawback was that even going to bed at 10:00, which is not the easiest thing to accomplish, I still had to get up at 4:30, which left me at 6.5 hours of sleep approximately 4 days per week.

While I was definitely more energized from getting into a regular fitness routine, I also was struggling a bit with feeling sluggish throughout the day. This was most noticeable come Friday night at about 7:00 when, after a long week of 4:30 wake-ups and workouts added to a hectic work schedule, I would frequently find myself passed out on the couch. Most work days around 2:30 I would also hit a wall. I wrote this off as the price you pay for trying to balance fitness and other obligations.

About two months ago, I was given the opportunity to transition within my law firm from one office to another. This meant a number of good things for me professionally, but also meant a chance to create a new work schedule. I jumped at that opportunity, and started swapping out some 5:00 a.m. classes for some 5:45 p.m. classes. When it became apparent that I might be able to sustain that schedule, I made a full-time switch to the 5:45 p.m. class, sprinkled with an occasional 5:00 a.m. class when I know I have something else scheduled that would make it impossible for me to attend in the evening. Those four nights a week that used to be 6.5 hours of sleep are now a solid 8-8.5.

Since making the switch I have noticed two things that have been very good for me. First, the days of 222 appear to have waived goodbye to me, as I have noticed a very steady change in my weight. My new baseline seems to be about 213, a good 9 pounds lighter. There’s no science* behind this next part, but I believe that weight came mostly out of the belly region given that I have had to make my belts 1 to 2 notches tighter than they used to be. Another great benefit has been that my days are SUBSTANTIALLY more productive than they used to be. I no longer feel tired throughout the day, and I show up at 5:45 pm ready to go for my workouts.

In any event, this is just my anecdotal look at your philosophy on sleep. By adding about 8 hours per week, I lost some dead weight and feel a lot better during the rest of my life. All in all, it’s a big win for me.

Thanks, Evan

 

*There is actually very good science to predict accumulation of fat precisely in this spot.

 

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More Sleep Leads To Fat Loss Part 1

by on September 6, 2011 in Coachable, Fat Loss, Intelligent Training Design, Sleep Hygiene, Transformation Success

Since 2004 I’ve been harping on the value of sleep.   Two important books and a few years under my belt brought me to this point.
(I’ve talked about sleep here in the past but I can’t help it.  It’s needs the focus.)

Sleep is an interesting challenge as a health and fitness practitioner. Some people require less and others more. Additionally, it’s difficult in a large setting to qualify and quantify how it all gets factored into the result.  The tendency in my industry  to focus on food (diet is such a bad word) and fitness and to give cursory attention to sleep and other lifestyle issues.  It’s our default setting.  So as a rule sleep is the red headed step child to programming and eating.

While improved sleep will help with anything from mental issues to a reduction in inflammation and cardiovascular events, they don’t appear sexy enough to get folks attention.

BUT, if you mention fat loss you will tend to catch an ear.

Sleep deprivation will absolutely train wreck your fat loss goals. Burning the candle at both ends stretches your reserves and puts your sympathetic nervous system into overdrive.  To over simplify things, your body is thinking fight. A craving for carbohydrates and sugars occur and fat burning is turned down.  The net result is the body holding on to fat as a survival response. (A poor training program nets the same result but that’s another topic.)

For males, running low on sleeps typically nets a reduction in testosterone levels which creates a whole new subset of issues.  Get that macho man? Less sleep = less manly.

I’ve found that better sleep is the result of better sleep habits ,before bed time ritual and a great bed.  You may also benefit from running your own sleep study.

Part 2 of this post will include my first fat loss story solely as a result of more sleep.  Stay tuned kids.

 

 

 

 

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