Animal Protein as Bad as Cigs or Just More Bad Science?

A friend of mine forwarded me one of the news repeats titled "High Protein Diets Just As Bad As Cigarettes" and asked me what my take was.  I spent some time looking at the research in the March 2014 issue of Cell Metabolism and started to put together a post to debunk this bunk.  Robb Wolf beat me to it with a great high level write up at outsideonline.com  Go check it out, be informed, and watch out for the mindless media automaton!  If you have any questions about the research itself or any of my specific thoughts shoot me an email.

Thanks
Chuck

Meat: It's Not Going to Kill You (But Cigs Will)

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Um, Actually, Eating Meat Isn't Even Remotely As Bad As Smoking

Breaking the Addiction

It doesn't matter who you are or what diet or lifestyle you are driving towards when you cut out processed foods, sugar, and empty carbs your body and mind are going to let you know about it. I don't think anyone will argue with the fact that sugar, carbs, and artificial sweeteners all have addictive properties and in many people they are downright brutal. This makes complete sense in an evolutionary context. Simple easy to burn calories would have been scarce and only seasonally available. It would have served us well to take in and store as much as possible during these brief periods of availability. In a modern context these foods are available 24-7 and in many cases a majority of our calories. We are being setup for a vicious cycle of addiction and slow steady weight gain.
Here's the good news. While peoples food addictions can be pretty intense I have found that the first two or three weeks are the hardest. People find it hard to believe they can break their addiction this quickly but most who have tried and failed have not taken the key steps necessary to break the addiction.
Here is a quote from my post A brief history... back when I first started the blog, "When I started Paleo the first two weeks were the hardest. I wasn't eating enough, our grocery shopping habits had not evolved to adequately cover what we should have been taking in. I was very hungry, sluggish, and generally uncomfortable. This was clearly a combination of too few calories and the transition off of the heavy carb load I had been used to."
JT's post Facepalms really hit the nail on the head and you can see that he is going through this tough spot as we speak.
Here are a few steps I believe are critical to break the addiction and set you on the path to success.

1. Clean out the Pantry
There is nothing worse than coming home hungry and irritable and not having anything healthy to eat. If you haven’t already done so, get rid of all the processed crap in the pantry and stock up with as many healthy snacks as you can. A few almonds, an avocado, an egg, a banana, an orange, some carrots. Anything that fits the template is better than the processed packaged foods you had been eating. If you have others in the house that are not eating like you, setup a special spot in the pantry for the food you will be eating. Early on my wife established the Paleo basket in the pantry where I put all my Paleo foods that were not in the fridge.

2. Don't Cheat with your Addictions
If you are factoring in a few cheats per week make sure they are on the healthy end of the spectrum. Three cheats per week shouldn't include cake and cookies or a full day binge with all your strongest food addictions. You need to avoid those foods that invoke the strongest desire for as long as possible and 30 days are probably a good rule of thumb.

3. Eat More
It is so easy for people starting out to under feed themselves. I have stated this a number of times and can't say it enough. It is imperative that you eat enough food. Don't obsess about how much you are eating. Keep things balanced but if you are hungry then eat. You can spend time fine tuning things after you get through this initial rough spot. Generally people cut out all the grain and processed food and eat about the same amount of meat and veggies they traditionally would have. This creates a hypo-caloric situation making it twice as hard to break through the initial withdrawal.

4. Hold on, It's only a Few More Days
It is always darkest just before the dawn. While you are in that initial 7-10 day range and just about to go insane you are only a day or two from making that break through. Stay focused, it's only going to be a few more days and you will emerge with new energy and vitality to carry you forward.

5. Pick a Support Person
Pick someone who has been there and done that, someone you can reach out to when you are weak and need a little pump in motivation and confidence. Pick them and then actually check in with them and let them know how you are doing. If you can't find someone that will work then email me.
Here is another quote from A brief history... "Week two was the game changer. As week two started I began to feel a change. I started to feel energized almost tingly. My energy seemed to be increasing and my mood was much better than the week before. I also felt like I was sleeping much sounder. My hunger issues and cravings of week one also seemed to vanish, partly do to the additional food but I had also got accustom to this new way of eating. At the end of week two I jumped on the scale and had lost a couple more pounds and could not believe it."
Most people fail at breaking the addiction because they don't cut all the addictive foods long enough to get there. The worst part is they are likely only a day or two from success and a whole new way of looking at food. Sticking to all natural whole foods within this philosophy will ensure you are rid of the addictive foods. Then it is time to hunker down and drive through the first few weeks. Follow these key steps to set yourself up for success and hold on tight.

Let me know how you are doing or how you did!

Thanks
Chuck

Facepalms

Check out this guest post by John Thomas, founder of Entice Blog, reprinted with permission.

Today marks the 8th day of my 90 day challenge. Day 1 started great, as I spent the preceding weekend eating all the food that I knew I wasn’t going to eat for the next 90 days, and I was excited about the path that was ahead. As the excitement of starting something new subsided, however, the challenges began to rise. These were challenges that were easily avoidable, where I felt I was slapping my forehead every day for not planning better. The first two weeks are always the hardest when making substantial changes in your life. This is especially true when you change your eating regimen, as it takes some food two weeks to exit your system (such as wheat). This is probably true with working out, as well, but I’ve always been a ‘gym’ guy, so these 90 days are not a huge change for me in the way I lift weights
This week has also been filled with face palms. By that, I don’t mean failure at what I’m trying to do. I did not have any pizza that my family enjoyed yesterday for dinner. I just wasn’t well prepared for the challenges and situations I should have expected. To help you, I’ve listed some things you should look out for when starting this sort of regimen. Even though the bullets below seem like this sort of regimen isn’t worth it, note the first two weeks are about adjusting and finding your new ‘normal’. I write these below not as a show of defeat, but to show that these types of things should not stop you from continuing.

• Prepare to be hungry. I felt the hunger urge multiple times throughout the day, although I admit the frequency of my hunger may not have been any higher than normal. I’ve always been the type of person who liked to eat every few hours. However, in the first few days, the time between feelings of hunger felt very short. Again, this could be more mental, in that before, I may have just threw a handful of Cheez-its in my mouth and went on with my day. Now, I’m really trying to understand what is going in my body, and avoid things I do not want to eat. Once you get used to your new eating schedule, the hunger feelings return to normal.
• Schedule your exercise time carefully or face the potential of weakness or a reduced result during your workout. I tend to go on a longer run on Saturdays (7-10 miles). Last Saturday, I planned to run about an hour after my lunch. However, I wasn’t able to get out until 4 hours after my lunch. I scrambled together a snack, hoping that would help, but when I hit mile 3, I was pretty weak. While I made it 8.5 miles, it wasn’t one of my better runs.
• Stock your pantry with the right foods. My pantry is filled with snacks that I can’t eat right now. From cheez-its to Trader Joe’s puffs, cinnamon rolls to bagel bites, I made a crucial error in having few items that I could snack-on during the day. I didn’t even have any eggs at the beginning of the week, which was a very large mistake. This forced me to eat more beef and chicken during the day, which I try to limit, as you should not be allowed unlimited meat on any particular day.

I’ve been able to work past all these challenges, and I’m still on track. I’ve also maintained a normal exercise schedule, mixing weightlifting and running throughout the week.
Speaking of exercise, someone asked me about what I’m doing for my exercise and weightlifting routine. While my original goal was to receive a focused, goal-oriented set of routines from a fitness trainer, that option had been delayed due to the snow (In other words, I had to cancel my appointment). I spent last week performing a full body workout 3 days of the week, while running 3 days. Last Sunday was spent as a ‘light’ day, where I jogged and did 60 chin-ups.
I spent 2013 focusing on improving my strength, and had great success following the teachings of Mark Rippetoe. For these 90 days, I’m going to see if I can focus on increasing muscle-mass while reducing body fat. Therefore, after experimenting with a full-body workout in week 1, I decided to move to lifting weights 4 days per week, keeping my runs at 3 days. I don’t really plan to share a specific routine on the blog, but I’m sure I’ll share parts as I move through the 90 days.
Photo: hobvias sudoneighm

Is Chocolate Paleo?

Chocolate is another one of those areas of debate in the Paleosphere.  Even though there is debate most people that claim to be "Paleo" accept dark chocolate as an acceptable food.  But wait, that doesn't mean just any dark chocolate.

Just to reiterate some thoughts in the Brady Nutrition Paleo Philosophy. A Paleo philosophy is meant to be a framework that coupled with science and self evaluation bring each individual to his own optimal lifestyle.

So where does that leave chocolate from a Brady Nutrition perspective?  The answer is, it depends. Chocolate has been linked to a whole host of positive health benefits. So it's backed by science but there is a catch. Sweet treats, Paleo or not, can be a trigger for many people. Be honest with yourself and if there is a risk that a piece of chocolate is going to send you into a cheat binge of epic proportions, then don't do it. If you do not fall into this category then an occasional piece of the right chocolate can be a great healthy treat.

Not all chocolates are created equal. First look for a cacao percentage somewhere north of 70%.  I try to stay in the 80-85% range.  You also should check out the ingredient list and make sure there is not a lot of added junk.  Many people cringe at chocolate this dark but if you have been Paleo for more than a month or so you are becoming more sensitized to sweet tastes and dark chocolates like these will actually taste much sweeter than you might think, not to mention all the other wonderful complex flavors.

My favorite chocolate is the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lovers Chocolate Bar.  It's 85% cacao and it is half the price of similar chocolates. A favorite treat of my wife and I is taking a couple squares and dipping it in some fresh ground almond butter.  It is a wonderful treat that is perfect medicine to curb a craving and good for you at the same time.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Chuck

Planks, Love and Guacamole: Paleo coffee creamers

OK coffee lovers I have posted a few things on Paleo coffee ideas but honestly I have gotten pretty comfortable with my own personal fatty coffee variants.  If you really need some of your old school creamers but are now living in a Paleo world check out Planks, Love and Guacamole: Paleo coffee creamers.  These ladies have put together a handful of your old favorites, in Paleo style, and they look sure to get you your fix.  Go check them out.  They have lots of other delicious looking recipes that I am adding to my list of must trys.

Thanks for stopping by!
Chuck

Brady Nutrition's Paleo Food Pyramid

I spent part of my snow day trying to hunt down a good Paleo food pyramid. To my surprise, I couldn't find one that I completely agreed with so I made one of my own. Believe it or not, all but two of the 17 pictures were taken with my cell phone at Whole Foods.

How Should Your Fitness Goals Drive Your Nutrition?

The 90 Day Summer Challenge is underway! As I mentioned in an earlier post, JT of Entice and I are embarking on this thing together and have some slight differences in our goals for the 90 days. So how should your specific goals drive your nutrition?  That is a really good question! You see many people believe, and naturally so, that if they want to be fit they need to eat less and workout more. People also believe that all they really need to do is count calories and as long as they stay below their burn rate and as low as possible, they will loose weight.  Unfortunately this is not exactly true or the equation for success.

I spent years limiting food, counting calories, and doing a fairly large amount of cardio only to watch my body composition slowly and continuously erode. Blah Blah Blah, so what's the secret you ask.  Well before I get down to it, we need to figure out your goals.  This is the hard part because you really have to be really honest with yourself and that can be challenging.

Are you trying to get lean or are you trying to get mean?
Do you really want to gain muscle or loose fat?  Many people will say they want both, JT falls into this category.  If you are fairly fit, already working out, and eating well then choosing a hybrid is OK.  There is however a trade off in doing so. How you eat and workout for these two different trajectories can be a bit different and trying to balance both means a little inconsistency from day to day.

Getting Lean is the Goal
For someone that has not been Paleo or on the fitness band wagon for a while, their goal should probably be to get lean.  This is really a whole lot easier than you might think.  Part of the reason Paleo works is because the whole natural foods you are eating are nutrient dense giving your body the essentials it needs to regulate hormones, generate energy, and function as nature intended.  The following are a few extra guidelines that can help you ensure a successful challenge.

• Eat strict Paleo for the first 30 days and the whole 90 if you can, check out My Paleo Philosophy it will give you some good initial lanes in the road.
• Keep cheats to a minimum. If you are just starting out a couple cheats a week are just the thing to keep you from quitting but once you have the hang of things try to avoid cheat meals as much as possible. When I first started Paleo, a few cheats on the weekend translated into a full week pause on my progress.
• Don't eat too little or too much - Count your calories for a day or two to get an idea if you are in the general range for your sex and weight.  I have used caloriecount.about.com for this, it has tons of foods and is easy to get fairly accurate numbers. Don't go more than a couple hundred calories under your estimated burn rate. If you are under fed your body's stress response will cause you to store fat and feel sluggish.  If you are eating too much then bring your calories down to a reasonable level to start burning into the fat.  
• Watch the fruits and treats - Paleo is a carb agnostic diet but if you are new to Paleo you will likely be eating significantly less carbs. You will need to find foods to snack on and since your old snacks are off limits inevitably you will begin to explore the realm of Paleo treats. Just because it is Paleo does not mean that you can eat as much as you want. Don't eat 5 bananas a day. Don't eat 5 Lara bars a day or even 1. Be smart about the treats and avoid the "It's Paleo so I can eat as much as I want" syndrome that many fall into.
• Cardio Fueling - Cardio that is not overdone, along side weight lifting, and a strict Paleo diet can produce spectacular results.  However, if you are under fed then cardio sessions can cause additional unnecessary stress that can sabotage your progress.  Make sure you are eating enough and giving yourself adequate post workout nutrition if you are doing any significant cardio.
• Keep your fridge stocked - There is nothing worse than getting a week or two into Paleo and not having enough food.  This is a recipe for, order a pizza it's going to be a cheat day.  Get extra veggies, eggs, and high quality meat.  If you find yourself weak, fry a quick egg, or make a salad.

Getting Mean is the Goal
I have been Paleo for 9 months and during that time I have leaned out pretty substantially.  So the next 90 days for me is to get mean and add some muscle.

• Don't worry about body fat - If you really want to gain mass you will be gaining some fat on the way. If this makes you uncomfortable you should probably reconsider your goal.....I am beginning to reconsider my goal. 
• Eat more protein, be sure to get between 1 and 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight
• Spike insulin post workout and time your carbs to post workout and evening meals
• Eat more - Most people on Paleo especially those in their first month or two tend to under eat. Count your calories for a day or two and see where you're at.  I have used caloriecount.about.com for this, it has tons of foods and is easy to get fairly accurate numbers.  If you are going to gain muscle you have to take in some excess calories to build that muscle.
• Keep it clean and under control - While you are in the process of eating more be honest with yourself and don't let things get away from you.  If your lifting schedule is lax then dial back the calories a bit.  Just because you are eating more doesn't mean you should fill up on Paleo, or worse non-Paleo, treats.
• Cardio Fueling - If you are doing cardio in addition to lifting then you should limit the cardio as much as possible to avoid eating into your muscle gains. Be sure to up your carbs to cover those cardio sessions.
• Lift heavy - enough said lift heavy weights

Give me the Best of Both Worlds

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and lean out then you have your work cut out for you.  While there are a lot of similarities the primary difference in the two is how much to eat.  You will need to find a balance between ramping up calories for muscle gain and keeping calories in check for leaning out.  One can easily compromise the other. You will need to watch your food much more closely then if you were going one way or the other and timing your foods will be important.

A Few Must Do's for Everyone

• Take Pictures of yourself.  Pictures will give you the best indicator of your progress.  Try to wear the same thing and take the picture in the same location.  Take a side and front shot every week or two. You may not see changes during the first couple weeks but I bet you do after the first 30.
• Take Body Measurements.  A full set of body measurements are another great indicator of progress. Measurements can require a little interpretation since some may be increasing due to muscle gain while others may be decreasing.
• Don't worry about the Scale. If you have extra body fat you are likely to see significant drops on the scale but that won't be the case for everyone.  Some will lose slower and some will gain muscle quickly effecting the bottom line on the scale.  This is why the pictures and measurements are important, the three taken together will give you a good idea of what's going on.
• Get body fat measurements - Getting a body fat measurement at the start and end will give you something solid to measure your success.  Don't rely on your scales body fat function, they are terribly inaccurate. Try to find a bodpod in the area or someone that does caliper measurements. ACAC and  UVA's Exercise Physiology Lab have bodpods and will take your measurement for a fee.  The bodpod is great because it gives you a lot of additional information. UVA's Exercise Physiology Lab has additional services as well, check this post on my visit there.

If you are in good health and want to drop some fat or gain some muscle a Paleo program is a great way to get you there.  Paleo has not only worked for me and my family but now I have seen it work for many other people I know personally.  Don't forget to get a thumbs up from your doctor before making any major shift in your diet or fitness program and please don't hesitate to ask me any questions while you are on your way to tackling your goals!

Thanks!

Chuck

Great Paleo Snack Reference

A question I get a lot is "What do you snack on?"  That isn't always the easiest question to answer and it all The Paleo Mom.  Her Kid Snacks (and Snacks for Grown-Ups Too) post is an outstanding reference on snacks and can give you some great ideas for yourself and kids.
really depends on when I was shopping last and how disciplined I am at the time.  If I have ever talked with you more than a few minutes about Paleo then I am sure I have mentioned

Thanks!
Chuck

Quick Mixed Seafood Snack in Cream Sauce

I got up had a few eggs for breakfast, went for a mid-morning run, had a delicious post run shake, and a few minutes later was still starving.  The peanut gallery suggested I make something quick and random for a snack and the blog.  I grabbed a bag of Trader Joe's seafood blend I had recently picked up but wasn't sure what I was going to do with.

This ended up being a pretty tasty snack, although I think the recipe could be refined a lot.  If nothing else this will give you an idea of non-traditional snacks you can whip up quickly when you need a solid Paleo option.

• PREP5 mins
• Cook
  5 mins
• READY IN10 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag of Trader Joe's seafood blend
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup pastured cream
• 1 tbsp homemade butter
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• A pinch of curry powder
• A pinch of lemon zest
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Note: all these measurements are approximate since this was truly on the fly.

Directions:

1. Thaw the seafood in cold water for a few minutes
2. Saute the minced garlic in the coconut oil, butter, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper until garlic is browning
3. Add the seafood and cook for about a minute
4. Add the cream, coconut flour, and lemon zest, mix thoroughly and simmer for 5 minutes
5. Pour into a bowl, top with a pinch of curry powder, and tear it up.

The coconut flour made it a little grainy. I might try and find another way to thicken the sauce in the future. All in all it wasn't to shabby.

Enjoy!

Chuck

90 Day Entice/Brady Nutrition Summer Challenge

We are approaching the end of the St Patty’s challenge.  During the last 6 months, I learned an incredible amount about nutrition, fitness, and myself.  The Shamrock Half-Marathon is on March 16^th and will mark the end of the St. Patty’s Challenge.  I am going to go in for a bod-pod to get some solid body fat numbers, will post all the results, and some of the things I learned by the end of March. 

One of the things I learned, as you can see in my “February is time to pull out all the stops” post  is that wellness, like many other things in life, can come with varying degrees of success.  To stay motivated it is critical to continuously review where you are and where you want to be, take baby steps toward your goals, but most importantly keep things fun.  I set some very small and specific goals for February that cut out beer and tortilla chips. I was very successful.  I attribute this success to those goals being very manageable, supported by my friends and family, and most of all fun since we spent some time finding alternatives for cocktails and snacking.  It would be very easy to let the next few weeks play out and take a break from the rigors of keeping to the St. Patty’s Challenge goals but what fun would that be.

A week ago a good friend of mine, JT of Entice, approached me with an idea. He had been reading my blog, and thought it a perfect time for a nutritional and fitness challenge to get ready for summer.   Right around now most people have forgot about New Year’s Resolutions and are beginning to think toward summer vacations, the beach, and how they look in their bathing suits.  Undoubtedly our minds eye places us in the summer with a physique that is much improved from what we currently have lurking under our winter layers.  A 90 day challenge is the perfect amount of time for a safe and healthy transition to that summer bod.  Getting there will take a little determination and a good combination of nutritional and fitness goals.

JT suggested that if we combined forces, with Entice providing measurable, goal-oriented fitness information and Brady Nutrition providing nutritional information and recipes, we would have just what our readers need to get through the 90 days and come out ready for the beach. 

JT and I have our own specific goals we want to accomplish and during the challenge we will be posting on our progress.  In addition to my regular blog posts, I will also be doing some specific posts relating to challenges you may be having during the 90 days, especially if you are new to a Paleo lifestyle.  Keep your eyes peeled on both blogs as we will be releasing some of the first 90 day challenge posts in a few days to get everyone started.  Let me know if you want to join us on the challenge or if you have any questions about getting started on your way to health and vitality.

Thanks
Chuck