What Old Ladies at the Pool and Leonardo DiCaprio Have to Do with CrossFit and Paleo

When I was a teenager, I was a lifeguard at a swim club. I would notice that when the older ladies would slowly go down the steps, waving their hands right at the surface of the water as if to warm it up. They took their time getting in while little kids would jump right in, giving no thought to whether the pool was hot or cold that day. Go ahead and keep that in mind, we'll come back to that scenario later.

photo from:  http://www.art-prints-on-demand.com/a/breeden/twoladiesgettingintoaswim.html 

Recently, I got this message from someone I knew in college. I was an RA and he was one of my residents who ended up transferring so I literally haven't seen him in years, but of course social media has kept us connected. Here's the message: 

"Yo- thanks for the posts about paleo. I had been reading about it on your FB and was inspired to try it myself. I've lost 35 pounds since march. Keep spreading the good word." 

As someone who doesn't get paid for blogging, I never know who is reading this stuff and more so, who is actually implementing it in their life. My hope in starting this blog was to put information out there for people to pick up if they wanted.  I've learned enough to not throw this stuff down people's throats (although admittedly if someone gets me talking about CrossFit or Paleo and I've had a couple glasses of wine, well, all bets are off). So instead of an evangelical approach, I take a more passive by blogging and then waiting for people to get more information. ("spreading the good word" perhaps?)


Why?


I need them to have buy in. Whether it's for CrossFit or Paleo or both, the only thing that will motivate a person is SELF-motivation. Of COURSE I want everyone in the world to be healthy and stop drinking soda and cut the crap out of their diets. But what good would it do if we tyrannically yelled at people for doing such things? It would only make them feel worse instead of educating them on why they might want to do such things. And at the end of the day, you can only hold hands for so long. Self-motivation allows individuals to make decisions for themselves and keeps them accountable for their own reasons, not mine. You know, the whole "teach them to fish, not give them a fish" thing.


Is this Inception? You bet. Inception (2010) was all about planting ideas in people's minds, but making them own those ideas.  

Cobb: What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere.


Saito: If you can steal an idea, why can't you plant one there instead? 
Arthur: Okay, this is me, planting an idea in your mind. I say: don't think about elephants. What are you thinking about? 
Saito: Elephants? 
Arthur: Right, but it's not your idea. The dreamer can always remember the genesis of the idea. True inspiration is impossible to fake. 
(quotes from IMDB.com)

How I look when people tell me they eat "healthy"

The caveat is that this buy in, this self-motivation, needs to take top priority over anything else. You can't just "kinda" want to get strong. You can't just "sorta" want to get in shape. You have to want it more than chocolate chip cookies, more than "oh I'll just do half reps", more than "just one slice" of pizza. You have to truly look inside yourself and figure out what exactly it is that you want and give it your all to get to that goal. Anything less will mean failure, or at best, mediocre results. And I'm not saying that coaching is unnecessary. A lot of people need guidance and information. But that first step towards health and wellness needs to be a commitment from within. Once that's established, effective coaching can take place. Or, for those more self-reliant and independent, they can take it on their own. 


In the case of my former resident, he decided for himself that he was going to give this thing a shot. I don't know why, but clearly there was enough self-motivation to make big changes in his life and he was able to lose 35lbs. 


If you are reading this blog, chances are you already drank the CrossFit or Paleo Kool-Aid...great! Keep talking it up and giving real life examples since we all know the best form of advertising is word of mouth. But also realize that people will get into this stuff when they feel ready. Just like the old ladies at the pool, some people need to wade into this plethora of information while others can just dive in. It doesn't make either party better or worse, it just means they're doing what's right for them. 

What kind of person are you? Do you wade or dive? 

Garlic Butter

One of the recipes Ditty and I made last week involved making our own garlic butter by heating up...you guessed it: garlic and butter. It's an easy way to change things up and I really like on a microwaved sweet potato, although there are probably a thousand other ways to use it. Be sure to use pastured butter like Kerry Gold (we get it at Trader Joe's)

about 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp of garlic (I don't measure, but I bet you were wondering)

microwaved for about 20-30 seconds

added a new kick to the sweet potato

Reader Testimony: Bob W.

Check out Bob W., a client at CrossFit King of Prussia and a different man from 8 months ago! Below is his story and details of his workouts and nutrition. I've edited some things for format and emphasis, but the content is all from Bob. 

Bob W. Pre-Paleo and Pre-CrossFit

Name: Bob W. 

Age: 31

Height: 5'10"

Weight before: 250 (10/22/2011)

Current weight: 195

 Hey Chris,


Here are some details about what I have been doing/eating/lifting over the past 8 months.  For a solid timeline, I joined my "globo gym" for my 31st birthday, October 22nd 2011.

I started "Paleo-ish" once around Christmas 2011, gave up on it fairly quickly, then started back on it pretty strictly around February of this year. The last 3 months or so I have been pretty much 95% paleo.

When I first joined the gym my workouts were pretty traditional.  I did some TRX with a trainer, jogged on an elliptical as much as I could, and lifted weights at a low weight/high rep interval.  At that point I was just trying to get active again and start to even be READY to get back into shape!  My knees hurt, I couldnt do much, it was pretty bad.

My diet before was the big issue obviously.  My portion size was giant and I ate crap.  Not fast food so much, but just a ton of pasta and hoagies and heavy sauces. I was a carb-a-holic. Typical breakfast was sometimes a breakfast sandwich or similar,  lunch was usually cheesesteaks or hoagies, dinner was pasta and meatballs etc.  Obviously I didnt eat this stuff everyday, but it was a majority of the time and in far too big proportions.  In addition, a few years ago, I stopped drinking alchohol pretty much cold turkey.  You might think that I would lose weight from that, but I think my body was so used to elevated blood sugar levels that a major sweet tooth developed when there hadn't been one before.  I ate a lot of ice cream and cakes and cookies. I also ate whatever my kids were eating, which tended to be processed chicken fingers, mac and cheese, etc.  I bet I put on 10lbs a year for the fours years after my oldest son was born.

My diet now is pretty on point.  I eat an omlette with two omega-3 eggs and some eggwhites plus some kind of vegetable almost every morning.  When its not that its cold fish/chicken/steak from the night before with a veggie or handful of berries.  Snacks are jerky, some nuts, maybe and organic plain greek yogurt (I know, I know) on workout days.  Lunch is typically a big piece of meat/fish grilled up with vegetables.  I've found a number of paleo-adherent condiments to keep it interesting.  Dinners are again a big protein with a big salad (lemon juice and avocado oil dressing is the bomb) and MAYBE a sweet potato. I always add good fats like avaocado etc.  If I need something sweet later, its usually a small spoonful of organic "no sugar added" peanut butter with some berries.  A couple weeks ago Sara grilled me some bananas and drizzled a little high quality melted 90% cacao chocolate on them, it was awesome.  We eat a TON of shellfish and seafood. I go grass-fed and natural when I can, although its not 100% feasible with the quantities of food a family of five eats.  We already drop $400/wk at the grocery store so I take what I can get!  There are enough websites and cookbooks for paleo eaters right now that its pretty easy. Luckily my family has been super supportive of this and they actually eat much better now too.  They often have a bread/rice/pasta dish which I just pass on, no big deal.  I take a multivitamin, probiotic, and BCAA'a and I work outside so I get a lot of excercise during the days and lots of sunshine.  I'm working on sleeping more, thats my biggest failure.


My workouts now are dynamic, fun, and a work in progress.  I do CF KoP 2-3x per week in additon to recently adding a couple strength days (Wendler 5-3-1, body weight accessory work).   When the weather is right and I want to run I'll do CFE (CrossFit Endurance), main site WOD's, or just tabata/HIIT sprints for 12 minutes max.  I am able to do all this either at 6AM or after the kids (ages 5, 4, 1.5) go to bed so I don't take away from our time together.  In addition I work 50-55hr weeks and my wife works weekend nights.  Beyond that I'm in Grad School!!!   If I can do this literally anyone can. For my birthday this year I am getting myself one of those Rogue garage gym packages with bumper plates for my garage so I can lift heavy whenever I get time.  Oly lifts have become my favorite, I love how technical they are. I hung a pullup bar in a doorway off my living room and I dont walk under it EVER without doing 5 chinups.   I call it "muscle-toe"!

Basking in his leaned out (sunburned) glory?

The main resources I have used to make these changes are, not to be too cocky, but my own dedication and determination.  That coupled with equal parts love and support from my wife and kids.  This whole thing has been as much for them as me.  I'm am a better dad and husband now, happier and more vibrant.  Physically my body has NEVER been more well rounded.  I'm stronger, faster, leaner, more flexible.  I could not do a pullup 8 months ago now I can do 12 strict dead hang in a row. I'm SOOOOO close to a muscle up.  This allows my body do do basically whatever my mind tells it to, which is HUGE with young kids and an active lifestyle.  Mentally I'm happier, clearer, sharper, more focused.  I'm confident I can do whatever I put my mind to.  I don't want to totally discount the whole "long duration cardio and light weight/high rep" scheme becasue it got me started on this path.  In addition I was eating a more traditional low-fat whole grain heavy diet, with which I did in fact lose weight.  I'm pretty sure that at that point anything I did to sweat and eat less would have been an inprovement, but still I don't want to slam the methods that got me going.  What the CF/paleo transition did for me was switch me physically and mentally into the next gear, and make my changes less of a "diet" and more of a lifestyle.  I'll never gain that weight back (may never lose anymore either, don't care, I want to get stronger and faster and leaner and more powerful!!)  becasue I am more mindful and aware of my body everyday now.  I am aware of how incredible I feel when I give my body lots of what it was designed to take in and nothing it wasn't.  I am aware of how great it feels to work my body the way a hunter/gatherer worked, in short burst of explosive effort followed with plenty of rest and recovery.  My family is actually eating and living better becasue of it.  It really has made a huge positive impact on my life!!


There it is, the brief version!  If you need anymore details or pictures I have tons of both, don't hesitate.  Also remember that you did my "on ramp" and KoP and, while I was avoiding sugar etc before, your blog really got me going and interested in Paleo its overall benefits and effects.  I have you to thank in a big way for all this!! 

                                                                      -Bob

Bob and his motivation

Bob's story is all too familiar, at least in the beginning. Family man whose high carb, high sugar diet caught up to him, even with working outdoors and having a workout routine at the globo gym. His story aligns with the idea that how you look is 20% physical activity and 80% what you put in your mouth.  (some would even say 10/90 or 0/100!) So no, being on a treadmill for an hour or even doing high intensity exercise won't matter if you don't change your nutrition. The fact is, when people cut out pasta and bread and sugar, not only do they lose weight, but that "puffiness" in their faces goes away too. That's the inflammation going away, and yes, I had it too (see "You've Got a Fat Face")

 A chief complaint from people is that they can't afford a CrossFit membership. Bob shows that you can get a great workout in by just doing some sprints, modified workouts at a globo gym, and when you can afford it, get to a CF gym for solid coaching. I love that Bob is now into Oly lifting and his clever re-naming of mistletoe for his pull up bar. And I agree with him on not getting down on the cardio/typical gym routine, because frankly it's better than nothing! Bob shows that despite a busy work schedule AND going to grad school AND having 3 kids, it IS possible to hone in on your workouts and nutrition. But the motivation has to come from within and it always helps to have the support of loved ones. He does this for himself, but more importantly he does it for his wife and kids. No doubt he is and will be an amazing role model for his kids to brag about to their friends. 

If you have a testimony to share or if you'd like a nutrition or fitness consultation, email me at chris@crossfitkop.com 

Ghee: What Is It? Why Should I Use It?

You may not have heard of ghee (pronounced with a hard "g" and silent "h") before, but when it comes to Paleo/Primal cooking, you'll find it's a staple in many kitchens. Let's take a closer look at what it is, why it's good for you, and how you might use it. 

WHAT IS GHEE?

Take grass-fed butter, heat it up to evaporate the water and let the milk solids settle to the bottom. Remove said milk solids and voila, you've got ghee. It was traditionally used for cooking in many south Asian countries such as India, Nepal, and Pakistan, but now has moved into Paleo kitchens around the world. You can actually make your own ghee like Nom Nom Paleo does, but I prefer to save time by buying it from Amazon.  Typically ghee is a solid at room temperature, looking just like butter. These pictures are right after I got it shipped to me in some hot weather, so it's a liquid here. Since the water and milk solids are not present, ghee can be stored at room temperature for months! For more on the amazing history of ghee, head over to Whole30. Did you know traces of ghee have been on pottery from 6,500 B.C.?!

WHY SHOULD I USE GHEE?
Ghee is primarily saturated fat, and by now we should all love and cherish saturated fat from grass-fed animal sources. Also, since 99.9% of the milk solids have been removed, many people allergic to casein and lactose do perfectly fine with ghee. I'm not sure if I believe in a perfect food, but this is darn close! 

WHAT WOULD I USE GHEE FOR?
I use ghee most of the time for cooking, especially sautéing, frying, etc. Basically if a recipe calls for vegetable oil to coat a pan, I use ghee. You really haven't lived if you haven't coated a pan with ghee and then fried your eggs in it. (Ok, well, maybe if you've fried them in bacon grease) I also use olive oil and coconut oil on occasion, but ghee just tastes so darn good (like buttah!) plus it has a higher smoke point due to the lack of milk solids and water. You can also use ghee in any application you would use butter. Sometimes if we have run out of Kerry Gold butter, I'll put ghee on my baked sweet potato. Or I'll even put it in my coffee with coconut oil! And I'm not gonna lie, I've been known to just drink ghee straight out of the container. The possibilities are endless!

Buy ghee from my Amazon store

Liver: Better Cold?

A short post, as tomorrow Ditty and I head up to my old stomping grounds to compete in the CrossFit ACT Games in Saddle Brook, NJ on Saturday. Considered a "minor" event in the Garage Games scoring system, it should be a good way to get that competitive fire back from Regionals without going crazy. One of my resolutions was to do more competitions, so this is the first in awhile that isn't related to the Open or Regionals. I'll be sure to update you once the dust has settled. 


Back to the topic at hand. You may have read my Liver post...if not, be sure you do after this. Anyway, people, including myself, are always coming up with more palatable ways to get down the superfood and tonight I found a way that will probably work for me from now on. I included a recipe in the old post for pate, or even not blending everything together and eating the liver like steak. This is similar, but instead of eating it hot, I ate it COLD.

artery-clogging, heart-attack-causing, delicious bacon grease

I did this tonight because something was cooking in the microwave and I was too impatient. So I ate the liver cold with solid bacon grease slathered on like butter. I'll tell you what..it was GOOD! The grease had a more substantial taste, so everything tasted more like bacon than liver. So if you're looking for the simplest way to cook liver, do this: cook your bacon first and leave the grease in the pan. Once cooked, take the bacon out and put the liver in (sliced). Let it cook until just about firm and then take out. Put everything, including the grease, in a container and put it in the fridge overnight (or a few hours). Then, enjoy whenever you want. 


And if at any point you thought "but isn't that bacon grease going to clog your arteries?" then you need to watch this. 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...He'll Want to Be Lean and Strong!

When I was a youngster, let's say around three years of age, I believed in Santa. I bet most of you did. That Christmas Eve, my parents and I set out cookies and milk. Or as I referred to them, "tooties and murr." There's a VHS tape (If you know what that is, I know you were born before 1990) of me standing by the dining room table and just staring at the tooties. I had already had one, and it was time for bed, but I still wanted another. Behind the camera, my dad asks, "Chris, what is it?" I respond, "Tooties." "What?" "I want tooties." "It's time for bed, Santa's coming." "But I want tooties!" Needless to say, I lost that battle.

People are greedy. Especially CrossFitters. When I ask CrossFitters, whether new or old, what their goals are, they usually respond something like this: "I want to get bigger and stronger. But I also want to lean out. And I want to be a fast runner. And I want 10 muscle ups. And..." 

Wait, what? 

It's not that I don't understand where they're coming from. They realize that to get better at CrossFit, they need to be stronger and that usually includes being bigger with added muscle mass. But at the same time, they don't want to gain weight and instead want that shredded look or to be "toned." Plus, they want to get better at running, gymnastics, etc. They want more than one tootie, and as the phrase goes, if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to want a glass of milk. 

The problem is that trying multiple strategies usually leads to a net result of zero and frustration. They may start strength training and reducing metcons, but also cut calories thereby cutting protein, fat, and carbs, thereby reducing their recovery and ultimately, their strength gains. Do you see where this is going? 

So here's my advice to you. Figure out what you REALLY want, and go for it. Can you deal with putting on some belly fat because you are upping your calories and possibly drinking dairy to get stronger? Or can you tolerate your deadlift/squat/bench numbers going down because you are in a leaning out phase? Or even worse, NOT fall prey to the sexy metcon because you know it will drive cortisol up and therefore, body fat? With any of these decisions come consequences, for good and bad. You need to decide what you TRULY want and dedicate at least three months to it. Not a week, or two weeks, or even three. Three months. And even then, some people would say it should be longer. That number is ultimately up to you and your goals, but the point is that you can't fiddle around with something short term and expect long term results. Because if you give a mouse a tootie...

always ready to eat

Gary Taubes on America's Failure to Stop Obesity

Usually if I find an interesting article on the interwebs, I'll Twitterize it. But since Gary Taubes is a well known figure in the obesity world and this article is written so anyone can understand it, I wanted to share it via the blog. Here is his Newsweek article "Why the Campaign to Stop America's Obesity Crisis Keeps Failing."  In it, he describes HBO's new four-part series The Weight of the Nation. Although the creators have good intentions to address America's obesity, it still relies on old-fashioned thinking: calories in should equal calories out, you should exercise to lose weight, etc. 

I eat a lot of meat with plenty of saturated fat...

...so that means I must be really fat!

Taubes has already addressed these issues ad nasium in his books Good Calories, Bad Calories  and Why We Get Fat.  He, and other paleo/primal gurus such as Mark Sisson, Robb Wolf, and Kurt Harris, have all addressed the fact that calories are not created equal and despite the recommendation to be active and exercise, it will not impact your weight/fat loss as much as your nutrition. I know, I know, it's hard to believe that 1000 calories of cupcakes does not equal 1000 calories of meat and vegetables. And no, that elliptical you were on for an hour will not help you lose weight. I address this in my post Skinny-Fat, Cortisol, and Why Cardio Doesn't Work.

If this is all news to you and if you want to read more from Taubes, pick up Why We Get Fat if you the average Joe Schmoe and need things in plain English. If you are a biochemistry nerd, or love citations, then hit up GCBC. But if you are in fact a biochemistry nerd with a preference towards paleo/primal eating, then you probably have already read GCBC. 

If Paleo/Primal is new to you, then head over to my Paleo 101 post. Keep reading and learning, as doing so will help you make your own decisions when it comes to food and nutrition. It's one thing to eat a certain way just because someone tells you to. It's a different thing when you know WHY.

Laura Pappas on the Obesity Epidemic

Vacation, Muscle Ups, Rope Climbs, and Fat

As you know, I went to Iceland for a week in the beginning of April. I'll save it for another post, but I did get to meet Iceland Annie and do a couple of workouts at CF Reykjavik. One of those workouts involved pull ups that left me with "butt arm." This is where your arms suddenly become like T-Rex's and can't full extend without excruciating pain. 

Anyway, over the course of that week, that was the only day we really worked out unless you count hiking all day to see awesome waterfalls (I do). 

muscle up to ring handstand push up. 30 muscle ups should be easy, right? 

The Monday I got back, one of the team training workouts involved 30 muscle ups. We had three people on our team that could do muscle ups, so we figured it would take 6-8 minutes total to get them done, figuring for muscle failure and whatnot. What we didn't figure for was complete and utter FAILURE. It ended up taking us 22 minutes+ to do 30 muscle ups. For two of us, that's longer than our 30 muscle up time by OURSELVES. Not too long ago, I could do an L-sit strict muscle up. (not the prettiest b/c I lean forward, but technically did it) We kept doing ring pull ups and couldn't transition over into the dip. Silliness. Pure silliness.

A few days later, we had another workout that was essentially the Games workout from this past summer involving a ladder of rope climbs and clean and jerks. Again, I failed on the rope, something that as a smaller, lighter guy I should be at least decent at. When I got home, I tried to do 5 muscle ups. It took me over a half hour to do 3. I admit that I quit on the 4th and 5th (even though I genuinely meant to go back after "rest"). What the heck was going on? Was a week off really that detrimental? Was butt arm really that disastrous? Will Justin Bieber ever return my phone calls?

From these two workouts and much contemplation, I concluded two things. One is that yelling and cursing LOUDER doesn't make you suddenly get a muscle up. The other is that I needed to eat more fat. 

Ignoring the first conclusion, let's focus on the fat. In Iceland and even when we got back, I probably ate less calories than I should have been, considering the high energy expenditure of hiking all day. On top of that, if we did eat, it was jerky and dried fruit. The only fat came in the form of grass fed butter at dinner and nuts in the Paleo Kits we had. Barely adequate and hardly above and beyond. The Monday we got back, my meals were steak and sweet potatoes for breakfast, chili for lunch, and some meat and vegetable for dinner. Rinse and repeat. Some fat, but not a lot. And for someone like me who is fairly lean and working out, I needed to eat more. 

From the nutrition blogging that I've done and read, there was a gap in my diet. Fat. So this is what I concluded when those two workouts kicked the crap out of me. Eat more fat. So I did. 

After the rope climb workout, I drank a couple tablespoons of olive oil. The next morning when I made my coffee, I added in a tablespoon of coconut oil. When I had my second cup, I did it again. I had nuts and seeds throughout the day. Dinner was normal meat and veggies, but I poured more olive oil on and grass-fed butter. 

Guess what?

A few days later, we did another team workout, but beforehand, worked on handstand push ups and muscle ups. And I strung 5 no sweat. Rested a little and did another 3. Did an L-sit strict muscle up like in the "old days." Tonight, we did "Nate" which involves muscle ups, handstand push ups, and heavy kb swings. I beat my old PR by 150% with 12 rounds. Whaaatt?

my savior

So yes, perhaps it was because I hadn't done muscle ups in a couple of weeks. But that doesn't explain why I felt so HEAVY and WEAK. What does explain it is my nutrition. I simply wasn't getting enough calories in the form of fat. 

Why fat? Because as a lean person who doesn't consume too many carbohydrates, my body prefers fat as fuel. It can turn it over more quickly than an obese person whose system prefers carbohydrates like pasta and bread and soda as straight up glucose. That is why the same diet doesn't work for everyone. You need to consider where you are NOW and what kind of work you do. 

So as we continue to train for Regionals, one thing for sure is that I'll be eating more fat.


If you are looking to buy coconut oil, head over to my Amazon store for Nutiva's 15oz. jars (2 pack) or the more economical 54oz. jars (2pack). (same price as normal, I just get a few cents for each one)

Catching Up on Some Light Reading

Yesterday, Ditty and I just got back from Iceland. It was an awesome place with a ton of outdoor sights: volcanoes, geysers, and waterfalls galore. Pictures are coming. While we were away, I didn't do any of my usual blog reading, so here are a few things that I'll need to catch up on. Check them out if you haven't already.

Chris Kresser: Shaking Up the Salt Myth

Matt Foreman (Catalyst Athletics): Learning Technique through Imitation 

Robb Wolf: Nutrition certificate update

Chris Kresser: Is Paleo Even Paleo? 

(this post was inspired by Kurt Harris' post)

Mark Sisson: Is Eating Meat Ethical?

Weird Guy in the Office

bone broth/grass fed roast soup and brussel sprouts

Are you that weird guy/girl in the office who brings ...::gasp::... *real food* for lunch? You know what I mean, instead of heating up that Hot Pocket or Lean Cuisine, you have a lunch bag full of meat, veggies, and fruit. Do people ask you about it or leave you alone? If they do ask about it, how far into the Paleo/Primal schtick do you go? Or what other angle do you take when confronted about your weird food? 

Don't even get me started on drinking coffee black...

Red Meat Study: Here We Go Again

red meat: not the culprit!

Recently, Harvard came out with a study claiming that eating red meat may lead to a shorter life. Researchers examined thousands of people and correlated red meat consumption with an earlier death compared to those who consumed less red meat.

Here is the study if you'd like to take a gander at the charts: Red Meat Consumption and Mortality

I am not going to break this down in detail because plenty of similar studies have been put out there, but I do want to emphasize that CORRELATION does not imply CAUSATION. Is it true that shoe size is correlated with reading ability? Yes. Is it because bigger shoe size causes people to read better? No. The answer is that a twenty year old will typically have a better reading level compared to a five year old (and incidentally, also have a bigger shoe size)

You know what else the researchers found? "Men and women with higher intake of red meat were less likely to be physically active and were more likely to be current smokers, to drink alcohol, and to have a higher body mass index." Here's the table if you'd like to see for yourself. 

Also, let's talk about how they used data that was only taken from participants every 4 years. Every 4 years?? Yes, in the third line of the study researchers say "Diet was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaires and updated every 4 years." How reliable and consistent could this data be? Considering these questionnaires require participants to remember what they ate, I'm going to say not very.

Let's face it, although red meat consumption may be correlated with increased mortality rate, it in no way proves that red meat CAUSES it.

In this CNN article, Staffan Lindberg gives his take on it:

Staffan Lindeberg, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at the University of Lund, in Sweden, says singling out red meat may be counterproductive. A bigger threat to health is the sugar- and starch-heavy Western diet as a whole, says Lund, who studies heart disease and diabetes and advocates a version of the so-called Paleolithic diet, which emphasizes lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.

"We need to focus more on common foods, like grains, dairy foods, refined fats, and refined sugar," Lindeberg says.

if you prefer meat of the dried variety, make your own Homemade Jerky

I also couldn't believe that these researchers were villianizing saturated fat from the start. I thought media was heading in a good direction, but this clearly puts us two steps back. Plenty of vegetarians and vegans will use this as ammo when trying to talk you out of eating red meat. IGNORE THEM!

I don't disagree with the researchers recommendations to increase seafood intake, especially if it's omega-3 rich salmon, sardines, etc. As for cholesterol, you should already know that people's numbers normalize after taking SUGAR and GRAINS out of their diets, not meat. We are biologically omnivores, whether you want to admit it or not. So feel free to order that burger (especially if it's grass-fed!), just don't eat the bun and get it wrapped in lettuce instead. Yum.

Zoe Harcombe's in-depth analysis of the Red Meat study (for the data geeks)
Robb Wolf: Red Meat - Part of a Healthy Diet?
Denise Minger on MDA: Will Eating Red Meat Kill You? 

 What are your thoughts on this study? Will it make you decrease, increase, or keep the amount of red meat you consume? 

What Is the Paleo Diet? Paleo 101

You or someone you know wants to learn what this whole "Paleo" thing is all about. You've heard about it from friends raving about how they lowered their cholesterol, dropped pant sizes, and stopped taking their diabetes medicine. You've seen it on Facebook, Twitter, and now the media is covering stories about Paleo. Well, this is the post for you. 

This post is intended for the beginner who heard about this "Paleo" diet and wants to know more. When I did a Google search for "what is the paleo diet" I found some great resources, but ones that were either too long or focused too much on the wrong things in order to explain what Paleo is. You'll find many different definitions and viewpoints (both good and bad) about the Paleo diet, but I try to break it down nice and simple here so brand new people can get an understanding for what it's all about. Let's dive in and see what the Paleo Diet is and is not.

HISTORY

The Paleo diet is typically explained as trying to emulate the diet of our paleolithic ancestors. By doing so, we are consuming foods that our body have evolved to accept and avoiding foods that our bodies would reject. I will go into this idea further down below, but for now, this is a basic explanation. Many people familiar with the Paleo Diet would say it was popularized by Dr. Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf, but Walter Voegtlin actually suggested in 1975 that the ideal human diet should emulate that of our ancestors'. Since then, many people have popularized this idea of an ancestral diet or similar diets, such as Mark Sisson, Art Devaney, Weston A. Price Foundation, Kurt Harris, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, and Mat Lalonde.

MY DEFINTION

Paleo is not hard. There are no magical secrets, but rather, consistency. If you've ever had eggs and bacon for breakfast, you've eaten paleo. If you've ever had a salad and steak for dinner, you've eaten paleo. It's just that most people include grains, extra sugar, and other processed foods. Here is my take on what Paleo is:

"Paleo, or paleolithic nutrition, is an anthropological and scientific template for eating real, whole foods and avoiding inflammatory ones. But like all templates, it should be examined and then tweaked for one's needs." - Chris Plentus, Constantly Varied

 

NomNomPaleo's interpretation of MyPlate

5 Things about Paleo that are TRUE:

1. "Paleo is a recommendation for eating real food" - at it's very base, Paleo is about the QUALITY of food. To find out if food is generally good for you, consider if: it grows and dies; it can be found in nature; it goes bad; it has been around for generations. If you need a factory to make it, it's not food! In general, you'll be eating meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, spices, and nuts/seeds. You might think that this is too limiting, but I bet there are foods that you haven't even tried yet!

2. "Paleo is scientifically founded" - Paleo is not just eating what cavemen ate. In fact, very little food around today is the same as 50,000 years ago. Instead, we need to focus on what is biologically and chemically good for our bodies. Scientifically there are foods that are better for the human body and things that are harmful. Real, naturally occurring food is generally better while processed food is not. This is not just pseudo-science, this is the real deal! Links at the bottom of this post will lead you to more discussion about the scientific evidence.

3. "Paleo avoids grains" - this is where most people get off the boat, especially the conventionally "healthy" crew. In short, grains (wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, etc) contain a number of things that are scientifically harmful to humans: gluten, lectins, phytates, and anti-nutrients being the most common. These things damage the gut lining, are pro-inflammatory, and can cause diseases that you wouldn't even realize. The argument for grains is that they are "heart healthy" and "whole grains are good for you." There is in fact, no science that back these claims, but more just "whisper down the lane" conventional wisdom that keeps grains around. If you look at the nutrition profiles of vegetables, they are powerhouses of vitamins and nutrients compared to whole grains. For those that are skeptical, I am not going to re-invent the lightbulb, but rather, send you over to Mark Sisson where he takes the most common arguments FOR grains and debunks them with scientific links and literature.

4. "Paleo avoids dairy" - This would be the main issue separating a "Paleo" diet from a "Primal" one. I mentioned a number of people associated with ancestral diets above, and many of them differ on the issue of dairy. At a basic level, adult humans did not evolve to drink another animal's milk. However, some experts agree that if the source is grass-fed and the person is not allergic, some dairy could be fine. While dairy is technically not Paleo, it IS supported by the Weston Price Foundation, Mark Sisson, and other highly regarded experts. They would all agree that grass-fed is absolutely better than conventionally grain-fed dairy.

5. "Paleo has been known to reduce or even cure diseases" - While this is not a medicine per se, it makes sense that feeding your body with natural food will typically have it respond in a favorable manner. For instance, there are plenty accounts of people's diabetes going away (their insulin is managed incredibly well on a paleo diet); fat loss is very common (for many different reasons); and even things that you may not associate with food lessen or even go away: ADHD (gluten free anyone?), Alzheimer's, rheumatoid arthritis, and yes, even acne, as my friend Laura Pappas has discussed. In terms of fat loss, now there is no need to count calories because nature has a funny way of maintaining insulin levels and leptin sensitivity (the "feeling full" hormone). If we eat protein and fat, we feel full longer. You simply can't eat a ton of calories of spinach. Thank you nature!

Pasta? No way. Spaghetti Squash.

Things about Paleo that are FALSE or MISLEADING:

1. "Paleo is the way cavemen ate" - Yes, this is a nice and tidy heuristic for explaining Paleo to grandma, but it is NOT the be all, end all. While we can use this idea as a framework, it should not be the rule of eating. In other words, just because it's paleolithic does not make it "good;" conversely, just because it's neolithic does not make it "bad." Here are two examples: our paleolithic ancestors had honey available to them, but this does not mean we should eat a pound of honey. The reverse is true too. "Cavemen" did not have ghee (clarified butter) but experts would agree that it is a great thing to cook with and consume. Our ancestors also didn't have the internet or cars, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't use them.

2. "Paleo is low carb" - this one is super misleading. When people hear that grains are harmful (not just to celiacs!), they say "where do you get your carbs?" Carbohydrates can come in the form of vegetables and fruits. Yes, your diet will probably be lowER in carbohydrates, but it does not mean you have to live VLC (very low carb) or no carb. In fact, for CrossFitters or people who are involved with glycogen-demanding activities, higher carb is going to be better. These carbs are best served in the form of sweet potatoes, white rice, and squash.

3. "Paleo is high protein" - again, not true. Although you might know a lot of CrossFitters who eat a ton of protein, this is their choice of tweaking the macronutrient profile of their food. Remember, Paleo describes the QUALITY of food, not the QUANTITY. Yes, you can even be vegetarian and paleo, or even vegan and paleo. Personally I don't think these are best choices for health and longevity, but you CAN do it.

4. "Paleo is a diet" - If by "diet" you mean a short term way of losing weight to look good for bikini season, then no, I would not go in with mentality. This is not a cleanse, not a crash diet, not a way to starve yourself. However, if you mean "diet" as in an everyday manner of eating that is sustainable, healthy, and live-able, then yes, it's a diet. There's a difference between regular car maintenance and car wreck repair. Same for eating.

5. "Paleo has a hard and fast set of rules" - This is probably the most frustrating thing when discovering what Paleo is. Yes, there are lists of Paleo and non-Paleo foods out there, but these are meant to guide you and offer you ideas for foods that you may not have thought of. Something to know is that there is NO perfect food out there. (and certainly no "super foods" such as the over-hyped acai berries). So don't even bother with "is this Paleo? is that Paleo?" Use your noggin and do some of your own thinking.  Do what works for you. As I mentioned above, some people can consume a little dairy in the form of butter, cheese, even milk. Is this technically Paleo? NO! But is it going to kill them? Probably not. I eat grass-fed butter and lots of animal fat, so does that make me not Paleo? Some hardliners would say so, but that's ok. When you do your research, you're going to be confused and probably want a black and white answer. Well heads up cowboy (or cowgirl), you're not getting one. Everyone's situations and needs are different, so what works for one person might not work for you. You might agree that raw broccoli is good for you, but for the person with a thyroid problem, it's a very bad thing. Paleo is contextual!

a classic favorite: Mexi Salad

 At one point, I was against using the term "paleo" because too many people think of the caveman reference as the only heuristic. However, I've realized it's too ubiquitous to ignore. The term is unique and draws attention to some guidelines for eating rather than a specific one-size-fits-all diet. It's very easy to catch someone's attention by mentioning Paleo rather than "anti-inflammatory, insulin sensitive diet."So although I've now embraced using "Paleo," there is much latitude and context within that term, especially when it comes to things like dairy, rice, beans, etc.

I'm going to leave you with my definition of Paleo again. It's probably not the best one out there, but I think it works and encompasses the ideas of using science to figure out what is better for our bodies, while allowing individual circumstances to guide our food choices.

"Paleo, or paleolithic nutrition, is an anthropological and scientific template for eating real, whole foods and avoiding inflammatory ones. But like all templates, it should be examined and then tweaked for one's needs." -Chris Plentus, Constantly Varied

Since you're probably reading this as a beginner to Paleo, check out the links below for more information and leave any questions you have in the comments section. 

THE NEXT STEPS (previous blog posts that will help you)

Top 5 Questions (and Reactions) About Paleo

Kitchen Detox

Nutrition, Fitness, and Health: 101
The 80/20 Rule

How to Read Past Fancy Labels 

PALEO BASICS

Paleo Food Shopping List by Robb Wolf

Paleo Diet FAQs from thepaleodiet.com

FITBOMB: What Is the Paleo Diet?

Paleo Quick Start Guide by Robb Wolf

Archevore's 12 Step Program

BOOKS

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson

Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes

COOK BOOKS

Primal Blueprint: Quick and Easy Meals
Make it Paleo 

Paleo Comfort foods 

Well Fed 

Everyday Paleo