Congratutions to all of our NLI competitors and Holley on her 1st place finish!

Now that the Whole30 Challenge is over, some of you may be wondering what to do now. Whole9′s site ran a recent post that covered this exact subject and you might pick up some good tips from the read.

The Whole30 Training Wheels

A universal truth: making good food choices is easy when you’re following the Whole30 “rules”, but much harder out there in the real world. We’ve talked to many a workshop attendee about this very topic (usually after they’ve fallen face-first into a box of doughnuts post-Whole30).

The rules of the Whole30 program are very specific, and completely non-negotiable. They narrow your (food) world, and remove some of the stress of making your own food choices. The program also gives you an easy fall-back when faced with social or peer pressures. For many, the rules of the Whole30 function much like training wheels on a bike, giving you all the support and back-up you need while allowing you to complete the program under your own power. But are you prepared to ride your big-kid cycle when your 30 days are up?

Let Us Run Your Life…

For many – especially those who have bounced in and out of different dietary plans in the past – the strict confines of the Whole30 program is comforting. It takes all the guesswork out of our expectations and your goals, and gives you clear objectives to achieve along the way. (“Start eating healthy” is a far more difficult challenge to wrap your arms around than, “Eat no added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes or dairy in any form for 30 days.”)

Take a look at the rest of the article here.

WOD 02.06.12

TBD

Chris let me sample one of his supply and suggested I do a write-up for everyone’s benefit. The pack Chris had is one of the first that came on the market — Paleo Kits — and is quite popular in the CrossFit community. One of the nice things about Steve’s Paleo Kits is that your purchase also helps support the Steve’s Club charity. The pack I tried was the large size and had beef jerky, strawberries, and coconut. This serving was definitely on the larger side and was quite a substantial “snack”.

There is also another company called Primal Pacs that sells a very similar product. This particular company has the distinction of being “Whole9 Approved” for the absence of sugars in the beef jerky. They have a slightly different fruit/nut combo, and is priced about the same.

Either way, you can’t really go wrong. Both companies have grass-fed jerky without the usual crap (MSG, nitrates, etc.) and fruits without a bunch of added sugars. Chris said he likes to keep the Paleo Kits in his trunk in case of emergencies so he knows he has a compliant meal at the ready. If you frequently find yourself without a good food option nearby, you should look into picking some Paleo Kits or Primal Pacs up!

WOD 02.02.12

Skills Day

With those on the Whole 30 challenge having less than a week to go, I’ll be giving some tips on how the best way to experiment with foods that were off-limits for the last month. One of the most popular items people were sad to lose is dairy. Here is a wrap-up I wrote last year that summarizes what the best choices are.

On the Paleo diet, dairy is typically to be avoided. However, if you’ve eliminated it for 30 days and choose to reintroduce it to experiment and see how you handle it, what’s the best way to go about it?

First of all, you want to stick to grass-fed sources. Since the ranchers who bother to allow their cows to graze are typically quite ecologically conscious, this will likely ensure you are not adding in hormones, high amounts of omega-6 and possibly gluten or other contaminants endemic to the grain-chowing cows trapped in feedlots. (Note: your mileage may vary. Just like there are grass-fed, but not grass-finished sources of beef, dairy can be as sketchy. It pays to do your research.)

Secondly, you should go first with dairy fat sources. Ghee (clarified butter) has the vast majority of milk solids removed, leaving behind the benefits of the nutrients in the fat. Heavy cream and (unclarified) butter can often also be tolerated well by most people. Raw cream would be preferred, but is quite costly and often hard to find.

Last of all would be fermented dairy, such as yogurt and kefir. Due to the fermentation, the lactose (milk sugars) is removed. Again, these should be the full-fat versions of these items. Hopefully once you have started to walk the Paleo path, you have realized that dietary fat is not the demon the misguided food pyramid would have you think it is. Nothing makes me sadder than seeing someone eat something good like Fage yogurt, but they go with the non-fat version. *le sigh* Stephan over at Whole Health Source had a great post on this:

The fat is where the vitamins A, K2, E and D are. The fat is where the medium-chain triglycerides, butyric acid and omega-3 fatty acids are. The fat is where the conjugated linoleic acid is.

With dairy, milk is the gray area. If you are trying to put on size, it can be a powerful ally. Again, you definitely want to stick to pastured milk and you really want the raw variety (non-pasteurized). Why? There are beneficial enzymes present in the milk that get destroyed during the high temperatures of the pasteurization process. One of these is lactase, which is necessary for the digestion of lactose.

Of course, if you are trying to lose fat, the powerful insulin response that milk provides is not your friend. Insulin is the great storage hormone and you want to keep this under control when fat loss is your goal.

Due to the insulin spike from sugars along with that of dairy, it should be plainly obvious that ice cream is one of the biggest whammies. Use with extreme caution as this can run you off the rails in a hurry.

Hopefully this along with Ruth’s post about making better choices can guide you as you shed the strictness of the 30 day challenge.

WOD 01.30.12

Bench Press 3×5
Clean 3-3-3
Weighted Pull Up 2-2-2

FGB IV

Pictured above is from Mike’s first workout with us at CrossFit Intrepid, back when we were teaching classes at Rec Park. As one of our most OG members, he has been exposed to our Paleo-leaning nutrition advice since day one and yet has been pretty steadfast in choosing to ignore it. I was surprised that he and Stephanie chose to participate in the Whole30 challenge this time around, but have been impressed with his progress. Mike shared with me some of the things he has learned along the way and I figured I would also link to past posts where we covered similar ideas.

Despite my amateur move early on in the Whole 30 that disqualified me, this challenge has definitely helped re-engineer the simple things I once perceived as time consuming, inconvenient and not a good use of my time.

That being said, my perspective has changed so much since the start:

I now notice the difference in the quality of black coffee (The Other Black Gold)
I spend more time in the kitchen than on my computer
I have a system when grocery shopping (Prioritizing the Grocery List)
I know the layout of Trader Joes, Whole Foods and my local grocery store
I’m aware of what I eat (Thought for Food)
I can cook a decent dish
I’ve fine tuned my multitasking skills in the kitchen
I’ve maximized the economy of my ingredients in different dishes (The Food Matrix: Paleo for Dummies)
I need to finish my backyard so I can recreate my garden (Green Thumbs)
It really doesn’t take long to prep and cook a decent meal (Simplify Your Cooking)
I now understand why Steph buys all the kitchen accessories that I once thought were useless (My New Best Friend: the Food Processor)
I am honing in on my food planning each week
I’m saving money (Nutritional Q&A 3)

For those of you on the current challenge or have played along in the past, what have you learned?

WOD 01.23.12

Press 3×5

3 Rounds:
12 Overhead Squats
12 Pull Ups

Hopefully in all our posts about nutrition, we trainers have gotten across the importance of reading your labels on foods you buy. Nothing is worse than thinking you’re doing yourself good and yet having some undesirable ingredient inserted into your food.

One of the most common additives is sugar of some sort. Whether the dreaded HFCS or plain ol’ sucrose, you want to avoid these in your foods. Most specifically if you’re on the challenge, since you wouldn’t want to get DQ’d for something as lame as Heinz ketchup, right? (Most ketchups have sugar, Heinz uses HFCS.)

A good rule of thumb is that if the ingredient ends in -ose, it’s a sugar of some sort. Our friends at Whole9 ran an article last year that I linked to that covers this exact topic:

Today’s post is dedicated to calling out all of the sneaky ways SUGAR may try to hide in the foods you eat, and shining a light on the misleading claims that are made in support of one form of sugar or another. They (the high fructose corn syrup people, the agave people, the Stevia people) claim because a sugar is “natural” or “low on the glycemic index” or “non-nutritive” that it’s somehow healthy for us. On top of that, they sneak it in under the guise of a label that sounds vaguely plant-like and harmless, or in plain sight under its scientific name, easy to overlook because you just plain don’t know what it is. The truth? Sugar is sugar is sugar, regardless of the form it may take or the claims it might make. And on no planet does added sugar ever make you healthier.

Below is a list of the most commonly employed sneaky ways “they” find to sweeten the foods we eat. Don’t be fooled. Educate yourself, read your labels and avoid regular consumption of products with added sugar, in any form.

There’s a long list of the different sugars, both natural and artificial, over at the original post at Whole9. I don’t want to completely plagiarize their post, so go there — now — and educate yourself!

WOD 01.19.12

Skills Day

Hip Mobility
Squat Therapy
Handstands

For those of you on the Whole30 and new to eating a primal or paleo diet, you might just be getting used to checking labels on your favorite foods. A couple years ago, Scott was going strong on his changeover to a paleo diet and was telling me how he had gotten into the habit of reading the ingredient list first. He then asked about added sugars and if there is any harm to a little here and there.

This is a great question as we often recommend easily transportable items like beef jerky for a quick snack and source of protein. The problem lies in that the vast majority of jerky has sugar added as well as soy sauce (gluten). So will it kill you? No — but you don’t want to make it a habit to have several foods with added sugar. Those couple grams of sugar here and there add up and eventually you’re cheating a bit on each meal. That begins a slippery slope where you may find your tastes reverting to the Standard American Diet (SAD). While you may make an exception for jerky, if you then also figure a couple grams of sugar in your BBQ sauce or steak seasoning, etc., you can quite quickly end up with a lot of sugar.

Melissa Hartwig over at Whole9Life.com previously posted about this exact subject. I encourage you to read the whole article, here’s an excerpt:

So here’s a caution – read your labels. Doesn’t matter if it’s the first ingredient or the last, or if the sugar is in the form of cane or agave or syrup or honey. If it’s got sugar, or soy, or corn, or ingredients you can’t identify or pronounce – it’s OUT. But don’t just label-read and toss foods aside – learn from this experience. Take a moment to be outraged at how food manufacturers and advertisers trick consumers into a false state of health by using buzzwords on labels. Learn to translate complicated ingredients (xylitol and sorbitol = sugar). And weed out those foods that don’t fit into your new way of eating and find healthier alternatives in your local markets.

Here’s a quick test for those of you on the W30. Take a look at this label:

Now, tell me whether this sausage would be an approved W30 choice or not. If not, what ingredient(s) are poor choices? Outside of the W30, would you buy this product or would you follow Ruth’s post and make your own? Put on your thinking caps and post to comments!

WOD 01.16.12

Front Squat 3×3

Deadlift 1×5

For all the Intrepids going strong on the Whole 30, Congratulations! You’ve made it through two weeks and the food logs are looking pretty good. I’ve already seen impressive gains with your pullups and am looking forward to the end of the challenge to see how everyone does.  Keep up the great work guys and gals!

If this is your first rodeo, folks around you might be wondering why you’ve been eating differently lately.  And I know you have done your research reading our various Nutrition posts and don’t mind discussing with others, but if you’re like me I can only go into it so many times before I’m simply tired of hearing myself talk and debating with others. Here’s a simple video I recently posted on CrossFit Inland Valley’s blog that does a nice job breaking down the logic behind much of the “why” behind our nutritional recommendations and is simple enough so just about anyone can get the gist of it.

Next time someone is curious about your new eating habits simply tell them you’ll forward them a video link and viola, you’re back to enjoying your meal and going about your day. Not to say you shouldn’t share your new found knowledge and success with those around you, oftentimes folks are attracted to the new “shiny” and then quickly on to something else. Only those that are seriously interested may revisit you with some questions, but at least it helps filter out those simply attracted to the “shiny”.

WOD 1.14.12

In Teams:
Each team member must complete the following movements. All the reps from one category must be completed before moving on to the next.

3 40yrd Prowler Runs
4 150yd Sandbag Sprints
20 Tire Flips
40 Wallball Shots

One of the most common things people want to do when they start on a Whole30 is look for recipes. When doing so, I would advise caution against searching out the “paleo desserts” or ways to make some facsimile of a non-paleo junk food. The folks who created the Whole30 have a great article called “Sex With Your Pants On” that I encourage you to read to understand why making a strawberry milkshake, even if the ingredients are all allowed, may not be the best idea:

Am I trying to exactly duplicate or recreate the poor food choice with “approved” ingredients, or am I merely looking for a healthier, more nutritious substitution for that food? In the case of Paleo desserts, it’s a straight swap – you’re desperately trying to duplicate the sweet treats you know and love in a way that’s still technically Paleo.

Also, take care not to use your inner 5 year old’s logic to determine whether something is a good choice. Case in point — an orange is fine to eat, but Sunny D is not. Read your labels and think whether you are reaching for a processed piece of garbage instead of a good food choice. Sweet potato fries do not equal sweet potatoes. Sugar snap peas are okay, but those baked (or fried) pea “chips” are not.

Lastly, lay off the fruit juice. As I’ve said before, EAT your fruit, don’t drink it. It is far too easy to drink down 6 apples worth of juice, but I seriously doubt you would eat that many in one sitting.

WOD 01.09.12

Snatch 3-3-3

Fran

• 21-15-9
• Thrusters
• Pull Ups

To sum up Paleo or Primal eating, you need look no further than the famous “World Class Fitness in 100 Words” by CrossFit founder Greg Glassman:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Now I know some of you are embarking on the paleo/primal path for the first time and may not be familiar with all the specifics. Here is a quick and dirty breakdown of what you’re trying to avoid and why. I’ll also link to some of our older posts that you may have missed that cover relevant topics.

One of the main culprits you want to avoid is gluten. I won’t get bogged down with science here (you’re welcome, Avelyne), but I will say that gluten can cause inflammation of your digestive tract. This inflammation of your digestive system can prevent your absorption of vitamins and minerals, leading to a variety of maladies. Letting this condition continue unabated can also lead to the development of autoimmune diseases, and this isn’t just for those diagnosed with Celiac disease. Gluten can also cause depression (and no, not just when the paleo police try to take away your beloved breads and beer). Furthermore, even when you stop consuming gluten, it can take upwards of three weeks to fully clear out of your system. This is why we assigned such a harsh penalty to any items with gluten, since we really wanted to discourage you from shooting yourselves in the collective foot. So where do you find gluten? Pretty much any grains or anything made from grains: most flours (which then means almost any baked goods), most beers, soy sauce (contains wheat), nearly all pasta, etc. For a very thorough list, see Ruth’s post.

Lectins are another item to steer clear of. Much like gluten, these are anti-nutrients that can cause digestive distress. These are often found in foods that require cooking before they can be consumed such as legumes (beans) and the cereal grains that do not contain gluten. Examples of these are: beans (soy, lima, garbanzo, etc.), peas, peanuts (no, they aren’t truly a nut) and anything made from beans, such as hummus.

We also want to avoid excess carbohydrate (starch) consumption as this can lead to spiked insulin levels. This includes corn, any derivatives of corn (there are dozens), sugars of any sort, potatoes, rice and especially any caloric beverage (juices, sodas, etc.). In addition to messing with insulin levels, these are easy ways to consume a surplus of calories without getting very full. Moderate consumption of sweet potatoes (and outside of a W30, white rice) are acceptable, but keep in mind that only post-workout will be the most effective time if you are attempting to burn fat. Note that most sweet potato fries from restaurants are NOT Whole30 compliant as they are fried in low quality oils and many are dusted with a gluten-containing flour to keep them from sticking. (Yes, even the ones in Trader Joe’s freezer section.)

Lastly, we look to avoid most dairy products. Not only are there problems with those who exhibit lactose intolerance, but commonly dairy cattle are fed a high grain diet. This leads to those same lectins, including gluten, often being passed along to you, the consumer. As these ride attached to the protein molecules, the dairy fat is often in the clear. This is why we feel safe to green light butter and heavy whipping cream for use, outside of a Whole30 challenge. The dairy carbs (milk sugars, aka lactose) cause a significant insulin spike and that is another downside to those dairy products. So we know butter and cream are okay, but what isn’t? Ice cream is a no-brainer (combination of the lactose insulin spike AND a high payload of sugar is a double whammy), milk itself isn’t very recommended, cheese is alright in moderation but we’d encourage raw and/or grass-fed and watch your ingredients on sour cream. For a very thorough breakdown of dairy products, see this previous post.

Any questions? Post ‘em to comments!

WOD 01.05.12

Skills Day (aka time to Sharpen that Saw!)

Shakes can be especially useful after a workout when your body is starving for simple carbohydrates and protein to optimize its recovery. Shakes can also be easy ways to improve your fruit and vegetable intake and serve as great snacks or small meal replacements if better options aren’t readily available which is especially helpful during a Whole 30 Challenge. For those participating in the Whole 30 beginning tomorrow, the challenge is all about learning ways to make eating clean easy, creative, and enjoyable. One different way to get a fast convenient snack or post workout recovery is with a homemade shake using either a blender or the Magic Bullet pictured above. I first learned about the Magic Bullet from here when Invictus coach and nutrition diva Michele Vieux posted on it. The “magic” of the Magic Bullet is that it is powerful enough to crush ice cubes and it works fast while also being really compact so it doesn’t take up a lot of counter space in your kitchen or office. They typically run about $50 or so and I’ve been using mine almost everyday since Marcus blessed us with one as a wedding gift. Ruth and Marcus have both touched on the importance of being prepared during a Whole 30 Challenge because it helps to have an easy way to get sustenance into your body before you go off the deep end and wind up eating something you wish you hadn’t.

Whole 30 approved items that I like to include in my post-workout shakes include but aren’t limited to:

• Simple carbs like sweet potatoes, fresh or frozen berries/pineapple, bananas, carrots, etc.

• Protein like raw eggs or egg protein powder (Michele recommends Rose Acre Farms’ Egg Protein powder
  
  
  becuase it has no additives like most others)

• Liquid to ensure everything blends well together, typically water does just fine

• Anything to improve the flavor like vanilla extract (without sugar), cinnamon, cardamom, mint, etc.

You can include fattier options in your shakes but they typically take longer to digest. Although this isn’t ideal for a post-workout shake, it definitely comes in handy when you are looking for a good snack or something to carry you through to your next real meal if real food isn’t available.

• Fats I like to include in my shakes are avocado, coconut milk, shredded coconut, coconut butter, coconut oil, fish oil,

Here is one of Michele’s favorite shake recipes for a breakfast type of shake taken from the same post linked above:

Ingredients:

• ½ frozen banana

• 1 pear

• ¼ c. egg white protein (I get mine online from Rose Acre Farms
  
  
  )

• 2 ice cubes

• ½ c. coconut milk

• ½ c. water (or cold coffee)

• ½ t. vanilla

Directions:

Put all ingredients into drink cup. Screw on blades. Place drink cup in Magic Bullet, twist to start motor. Wait 10 seconds and voila!

WOD 1.3.12

W30 Challenge Baseline Workout
1 Rep Max Deadlift
Max Strict Pullups (Chinups if necessary)
1 Lap Run for Time