Guest Post on RadicalHateLoss

Head over to Radical Hateloss to see a guest post I wrote. Steph V. is an athlete at CF King of Prussia and runs the blog. She has an amazing story of ups and downs with her weight, self-esteem, and journey through fitness. It was an honor to write a post for her.

Supplement: Magnesium

Everyone talks about calcium, but what about the other side of the coin? Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body.* The problem as a paleo/primal/meat,veggies,nuts etc. eater is that good sources of magnesium are found in things we try to avoid: grains like cereal, bread, etc.** As a supplement, it will help relax the muscles and systems in your body, boost your immune system, maintain heart rhythms, and get better sleep. 

Although there are many magnesium supplements out there, I personally take Natural Calm. It is touted as an anti-stress powder, but I like it to help me sleep better. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a supplement is working, but when I take 1-2 tsp. of this powder mixed with water before bed, I am definitely more alert the next morning and sometimes even jump out of bed because of how well rested I am. Essentially, it makes my sleep more efficient. 

Be sure to read up on side effects, follow directions to ramp up the dosage over time, and of course talk to your doctor if you have any conditions to see if you can take this. Magnesium supplements can be found anywhere (CVS, Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, etc). You will probably discover that there are Magnesium + Calcium supplements out there. I don't see a reason not to get this if you want, but if you're eating enough green veggies and getting Vitamin D, you should be fine in retaining calcium. 


*http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp
**http://www.healthyeatingclub.org/info/books-phds/books/foodfacts/html/data/data5d.html

Perception vs. Reality

The more I talk with people about their eating habits, the more I realize just how different they are. Even when people think they are eating exactly the same as others, they usually aren't. Portions are different, types of food are different, and perception has a lot to do with this. "I don't drink a lot" can mean one or two beers a month or it can mean one or two beers a night, but there's obviously a big difference here (50-60 beers worth). "I eat healthy" can mean whole grain bread, fat-free snacks, and diet soda to some people or it can mean meat, veggies, and coconut oil to others. Again, similar statements, but vastly different lifestyles.  Add in the fact that genetics plays a role in appearance and health and you end up with an infinite amount of possibilities. "I eat 90% paleo." Wait, what does that mean? You have one huge cheat meal a week? You drink dairy? You eat coconut pancakes? Hold on, are you saying coconut pancakes aren't paleo?

Do you see how things can get murky?

So what can you do to truly be "healthy"? Start with simple guidelines that apply to humans from an evolutionary standpoint: eat meat, fish, veggies, some fruit, little starch, no sugar (Glassman). From there, tinker and play with food so that you can find what works FOR YOU. Some of you will hate the taste the broccoli, some of you will love it. Some of you will hate almonds, others will devour them. Some of you will want to gain weight, some will want to lose it. Some will be very active, others will not. Some will need quick food on the go, others have time to cook every meal from scratch. While sharing your experiences with others, be specific and give actual examples of what you eat. Be especially mindful of this when talking with people not familiar with words like "paleo." Actually, don't say things like "I eat paleo plus dairy" because paleo is NOT dairy. It's like saying "I'm a vegetarian plus beef." It just doesn't work. Say things like "I had a palm sized piece of chicken, a hand sized portion of broccoli, and a tablespoon or two of olive oil for dinner" and people will not only have a better idea of what you eat, but also a better idea of what to make for dinner.

How does perception play a role in talking about
food/diet/health?

Have you made small changes in lifestyle with big results?

How Fitness is Like Money - #1

At first glance, fitness and money have nothing to do with each other, but actually there are several similarities. One of them is time. It takes time to get results from both. When people invest their money, compound interest may start slowly, but over time can build great wealth. Being fit takes time and dedication as well. There are no quick fixes despite what infomercials tell you. Can you crash diet and lose weight quickly? Sure. Is it healthy and/or sustainable? Absolutely not. Just like you could go to the casino and lay a big bet down, you're gambling with your health if you look for quick fixes. To build strength and lung capacity, there is no secret formula, but there is a simple blueprint: Lift heavy, sprint, and eat real food, and the benefits will come with time.

Survey Says: What do you eat?

Spaghetti Squash and Sausage - looks and tastes like the real thing, without the food coma afterwards!

I get this question a lot: "What do you eat?" I think knowing the science behind nutrition is important for buy-in, but sometimes you just need to know what other people eat! Some people have a pretty good routine of eating while others are still experimenting and learning what works for them. One of the best ways to figure things out is by sharing with others in hopes of learning something from them. I try to have a protein/fat/carbohydrate at every meal, especially the protein and fat. During a typical work week, our food looks like this:

Breakfast - 3 hard boiled eggs, V8 vegetable juice and or piece of fruit like a nectarine, nuts/seeds or avocado.

Lunch - spinach salad with baked chicken, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, avocado and/or nut bar.

Dinner - this varies, but basically we'll do protein/fat/carb (same for every meal). Examples are steak/avocado/asparagus, eggs/avocado/fruit, salmon/sweet potato/nuts, or the spaghetti squash and sausage pictured above.

Snacks - usually I don't snack, but I do keep some nuts/seeds and cans of sardines in my desk. Some people find that gross, but I like the taste and they are easy to keep. Jerky is another great option.

Here's a link to pictures and descriptions of things we have in the refrigerator/freezer/cabinets. We have gotten away from dairy a fair amount, so there is no cheese around anymore. 

On Sundays, we do a lot of preparation and cooking. We'll cook 30 eggs (3 each for 5 days), 5-10 chicken breasts which we season, bake, cut up, and put in spinach salads ready to go. (Different seasoning = more variety.) If we're good, we'll divvy up fruit into plastic bags also ready to go. This way, each night we can prepare the next day's food for breakfast and lunch at work. Yes, as you can imagine it is Tupperware Central, but it's worth not having to think about what to eat later in the week.

On weekends, it's pretty much the same except since we're home I'll make omelets or take more time to make stir-fry, or more elaborate dish. And yes, I have certainly indulged in a cheat meal or two, but mentally I know I am around 80/20% compliant. 

For more food habits sharing, check out my friend, Laura's blog at Against the Grain. 

What do you do for food? Do you have a routine or prepare ahead of time?