My New Favorite Charlottesville Paleo Spot

I have eaten in dozens of restaurants since I went Paleo and had plenty of good Paleo meals but nothing has really stood out.  In many cases even the soundest Paleo choice has some sort of cheat attached unless you significantly stray from the menu.  That was all true until today.  My wife had a doc appt this morning and by the time she was done it was well after lunch and we were starving.  We decided to try something new and I conducted my standard search for Paleo restaurants and came up with the same old results.  I had seen Eppie's pop up before but for some reason it never sparked my interest.  It was the only one I saw that we had not eaten at so we decided to try it out.  I was not disappointed.

Eppie's has a gluten free menu with a meat and veggies section that is perfect if your Paleo.  I chose the dark meat jerk chicken plate and since I dropped the cornbread got to choose three sides.   I chose collard greens, broccoli, and the sweet potato.  My wife got the white meat lemon pepper chicken with fruit, a salad, and broccoli.  Each of these plates was a reasonable $10 but the jury was still out.  I picked up the plates and took them to our table.  The food looked wonderful and there was a lot of it.  I started out with the chicken and it was perfect, the jerk flavors were awesome and the meat was perfectly cooked.  On to the veggies, with expectations of over cooked mush, these were the biggest surprise.  The collard greens had a hint of vinegar and were cooked just right.  The broccoli was bright green and also cooked just right.  Then there was the sweet potato, ok so I am pretty sure it came with a bunch of butter on it, but either way it was spectacular.

If I had any idea of how fantastic this lunch was going to be I would have taken a picture but then again it gives me a reason to get back to Eppie's as soon as I can.  This was hands down one of the best lunches I have had for $10 and easily my #1 Paleo choice.

Thanks for stopping by,
Chuck

Paleo vs Vegan

It is easy to assume that as an individual following a Paleo lifestyle that I would have nothing but bad things to say about vegans.  You wouldn't be wrong to assume that, since many of the well known Paleo evangelists tend to quickly put down vegans or anything that isn't at least in the low carb realm.  In reality I think there are far more things that these two communities have in common.

I have a close friend that went all-in vegan about 6 months ago.  He has shared his before and after blood work, body fat, and I run with him regularly.  It is remarkable how close our results align to one another.  He has lost just about the same amount of weight. His body fat change is nearly identical.  He is running at about the same level.  And while our blood stats are somewhat different he has also had very significant improvements, especially in triglycerides.  So with all that it is a little hard for me to look at him and explain why he should eat steak instead of beans and grains.  

Who am I really comparing

Many vegans start out as vegetarians and ultimately make the choice due to ethical convictions. I am not going to address those differences. The remaining vegans are dietary vegans and have made the switch as an attempt at losing weight and/or get healthy basically the same reason I am Paleo.  

A breakdown of the similarities

• It's about getting healthy
• It's about whole foods
• It's about sustainable and ethical food production
• It's about eating and living naturally

And the differences

• Vegans don't eat meat
• Vegans don't eat eggs
• Paleo don't eat legumes 
• Paleo don't eat grains

Ok, I admit if you really dig there are lots of nuances to both vegan and Paleo lifestyles that could make these lists very long.  You can even find differences between vegans themselves or individual Paleo.  What I listed above are the fundamental similarities and differences I think most can agree on.

So what does this really mean 

Look around you, head out to any restaurant, grocery store, or any public place.  It is amazing how few lean people you will see.  It is amazing what you see in people's carts at the grocery store.  Look at your friends and family.  How many are overweight?  How many are 20, 30, 40 pounds overweight but believe they are healthy because so many people are 50, 60, 70 pounds overweight.  How many people do you know that eat something and assume it is healthy but you know better.  Here is the reality, our country and most of the developed world is in a total health crisis.  The solution to this crisis is actually pretty simple and straight forward.  Individuals are so inundated with false information partnered with a dependency on processed calorie rich, nutrient sparse foods that they lose the forest in the trees.  I eat meat and my friend eats beans and grain but ultimately we want the same thing.  We want to live a long happy healthy life.  We want to impact the lives of others around us and show them what we were able to accomplish and that it is not impossible.  We want to change the path our society is on.  Vegans and Paleo should be arm and arm and save the grain vs meat debate for a time when a majority of our bothers and sisters are eating healthy whole foods.

Thanks for stopping by,

Chuck

New to Paleo? Start Here

Take a couple minutes to read the Brady Nutrition Paleo Philosophy This is a quick rundown of some core Paleo guidelines mixed in with some of our own perspectives.  After you run through that here are a few additional tips to keep you moving in the right direction.


Paleo Movies
I started Paleo immediately after watching "The Perfect Human Diet" and never looked back.  So I guess this would be a pretty good place for anyone to start and get a jolt of motivation.

Paleo Websites
The number of Paleo websites out there can be dizzying.  There is no shortage of Paleo lifestyle and recipe sites and most are actually very good.   The hard part can be navigating the sometimes contradicting content of the sites.  Here are a few pointers when navigating the Paleo-Web.

• There are a number of grey areas in Paleo and many sites provide lists of foods that are or are not Paleo.  Many of these directly conflict.  Instead of following a list exactly use them as a general guide as you shape your own personal plan.  Develop an understanding of the general philosophy and develop your own as you get familiar with Paleo.  
• I have run into a number of people who have come to believe something is Paleo because they saw it in a recipe on a Paleo site.  Don't make that assumption.  Many recipes out there use ingredients that some strict Paleo will not touch and others do occasionally.  Again keep your mind open, think philosophy, and make your own choices.

Here are a few good sites to start with:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com
http://thepaleodiet.com/
http://www.fatburningman.com/
robbwolf.com
http://nomnompaleo.com
http://paleomg.com
http://www.thepaleomom.com/
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com

Podcast
There are a lot of Paleo podcasts out there and they can be a great resource. Podcasts are an excellent way to stay motivated and learn a lot about Paleo in a short time.  My two favorites are the Abel James' "Fat Burning Man Show" and Robb Wolf's "The Paleo Solution".

Paleo Books
For every website you run across there are probably two, three, maybe ten books.  Keep in mind many books suffer the same inconsistency as the web, so follow the same guidelines I laid out above.

Recipe Books
I would stick to the web as a resource for your recipes until you think you have exhausted that approach.  There are so many great recipes freely available and you will soon find that you cook things using the skills you already have or learn through others recipes.  I am sure if you spring for a recipe book or two you won't be sorry.  The Paleo community loves to cook delicious things and many of the recipe books I have seen are beautiful.

Educational Paleo Books
You can't go wrong picking up one or two books that are aimed at sharing the science and philosophy behind Paleo.  These can be a great reference especially when you are wondering why or if you should add or remove something from your diet.  Initially stick with the founders, Dr. Loren Cordain, Robb Wolf, and Mark Sisson.  I would also recommend Gary Taubes.

Shopping
The first week or two shopping food is tough.  We didn't buy nearly enough and ended up being pretty hungry the first week.  Depending on how you ate before will depend how different your shopping will be.  Here is a good rule of thumb.  Get as much eggs, meat, fruit, and vegetables as you think you will need, then double the vegetables, double the eggs, add about 50% to the meat, and you will probably be good.  You also want to stock up on a few Paleo staples like fresh ground almond butter, extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and sweet potatoes.

30 Days
Whether your intent is to do Paleo for a short period to get in shape or make a full lifestyle shift the adjustment takes time.  The first week will likely be very hard.  You will be hungry, you will want sugar bad, you will want carbs bad, shopping will drive you nuts, and you will constantly be wondering what you can eat while seeing things everywhere that you can't.  If you are fairly strict, sometime during the second week you will begin to feel fantastic.  At this point you will likely be seeing results at the scale too.  By the end of 30 days you will have felt and seen the benefits and gained some excellent habits.  If you can stick it out for the first 30 days there is a huge chance you will not want to go back.  After the 30 if you are still going strong but don't want to be very strict you can start to consider things to try re-incorporating in moderation

You and Your Doctor
Don't forget to talk with your doctor before starting out.  If your doctor is not supportive or doesn't know anything about Paleo try shopping around.  I have a doctor that is a huge supporter of my lifestyle and I believe he is starting to recommend it to others.

Summary
I am certain, if you can stick with it, Paleo will make you feel great, lose fat, gain muscle, and give you a whole new perspective on life.  Commit for 30 days, spend some time reading up, and jump in head first.  Please let me know if you decide to give it a try, shoot me any questions you have, and let me know how it works out for you.

Hope you have a great day,
Chuck

Is Adventure Racing the Perfect Paleo Sport?

Is adventure racing the perfect Paleo sport?  If you have read some of my early posts or hung around me much then you know I have participated in a few adventure races and am pretty much hooked.  As far as I can tell adventure racing has not broke into the paleosphere nearly as much as I would have expected.  Adopting a Paleo or primal lifestyle means more than just food.  It is truly about evolving all aspects of your life around how we are naturally designed to operate as human beings.  I have heard many people speak on natural body movement, body weight exercises, getting outside in the sun, etc.  Certainly all of these things are a way to get closer to our primal roots but what about adventure racing?

A beautiful adventure racing vista

Adventure Racing is not an Obstacle Course

When I tell most people that I adventure race they immediately assume that I am talking about an obstacle course race.  While I have run one or two of these and they can be fun they are not adventure races. 

So what is an adventure race then?

Ready to go

Adventure races involve a broad range of skills that are tested for an extended period and range.  Exactly what a particular race involves varies a bit but in general an adventure race is comprised of orienteering through a natural environment over land and water, by foot, canoe or kayak, and mountain bike.  Some unique races may include other water activities, rappelling, etc.   Adventure races range in duration from 6 hrs all the way up to multi-day events. 

Maps

Prior to the start of a race you will receive a topographical map which may contain the entire course or be one of several you will receive.  You will have some period of time, depending on the length of course, to plot checkpoints, and develop a strategy. 

Checkpoints are important!

There's a checkpoint

Every race has checkpoints.  Checkpoints come in many flavors; some are mandatory to finish, some are optional, some you must get in order, some you must get on foot, some on water, some on bike, and there may be unique requirements on specific race courses.   When developing your strategy it is very important to read the directions very closely or you may end up back tracking or worse be disqualified. 

Passports

Each team has a passport. When you arrive at a checkpoint there will be a special stamp that you use to mark your passport in the appropriate area.  This is how the race officials will know that you made it to a specific point. 

Strategy

Your team will have its strength and weaknesses.  Are you good at canoeing, or biking? What is the general physical condition or your team?  Are your good at navigating?  Did I mention there are no GPS units allowed? Your strategy will depend on the skills and weaknesses of your team and the layout of the course and drive which points and in what order you will attempt to knock them out. 

Fuel and Hydration

Adventure races are long so you absolutely have to fuel.  If you are extremely fit you can get by on a 6 hour with very little fuel but it is easy to under estimate.  If you don't fuel and hydrate enough you will find yourself cramping and unable to complete the course.  

Equipment

Hills suck

There will be a decent amount of mandatory equipment and you will be tempted to pack in a lot of additional items.  There are some things that are essential and others that might seem essential but are not.  What to carry and when will be learned over time and from other racers but also vary depending on the length of race.  Some races will also have staging areas where additional gear can be left.  Depending on where these are on the course they may drive what you carry and your overall strategy.

Orienteering

You’re all packed up, have your strategy, and hit the trail.  Now you have to find your first point.  Orienteering is challenging!  It involves taking all your senses into account and observing your surroundings in ways that you are likely not used to doing.  Many of the 6 hour courses are designed for the novice, like me, so finding points is not extremely difficult but there are usually a couple curve balls that may send you in circles.  Bottom line here is, practice makes perfect. 

So why is adventure racing the perfect Paleo support?

Comradery Being Bred

Ok, you can argue that our ancestors didn't have mountain bikes but with that aside it is really pretty simple to see how Paleo adventure racing is.  In adventure racing you must navigate through a natural environment, at speed, under stress, for many hours at a time.  These activities force you to become very close with the environment around you, with your own personal needs and limitations, and those of your team mates.  I can’t think of a more perfect sport to simulate the kinds of pressures and activities that our Paleolithic ancestors experienced during their day to day lives hunting and gathering.  Many people listen to me explain adventure racing and wonder why I would pay to participate in a race there is almost no chance that I will "win".  To be honest with you I am not so sure I know the exact answer.  It doesn't really sound all that fun but the reality is that adventure racing makes me feel completely alive.  Maybe it has something to do with that primal connection to the natural world and your team mates.  As my good adventure racing buddy says "Misery breeds Comradery" 

If you are in Virginia check out these links.  I have run races with these guys and they are both awesome.

http://www.adventureaddictsracing.com

http://www.oarevents.com/

Also feel free to drop me an email if you have any question about adventure racing or anything else.

Thanks for stopping by,

Chuck

Discover Coconut Water

I tried coconut water for the first time before I started down the Paleo track and while I liked it I wasn't willing to shell out $2-3 per drink. Since going Paleo it has increasingly become a staple in my house.  This cloudy water may be a little strange at first drink but once your palate has adjusted to not having so many processed sugars there a lot of wondrous flavors that emerge.  It’s also great for hydration and an excellent source of electrolytes.

Watch out for added sugar!  There are a couple mainstream coconut waters that taste especially delicious but that is because they dump in a bunch of sugar.  If you haven’t done so check the ingredient list and avoid those that don’t have the purest ingredients. 

For the budget conscious consider getting the Whole Foods 365 Coconut Water.  It is about the best deal you can find, especially if you get the one that looks like it is in a broth container. 

A few days ago I was headed out of the checkout and snagged a C2O Coconut Water.  It was close in price to the 365 and to my surprise had pulp.  I didn't know what to expect but after checking the ingredients noticed the pulp was from young coconuts.  If you have ever busted open your own young coconut then you know the meat is soft and a little slimy but very delicious.  I cracked open the can on the way home and to my surprise the water was packed with pulp.  The pulp was just like little spooned out chunks of a young coconut’s flesh.  It was awesome.  The water also had a much fresher flavor like you get when drinking the water directly from a young coconut. 

For those of you who have made coconut water a regular item in your shopping cart or if you just want to try something different grab one with pulp.  You won’t be sorry they are delicious!

Coconuts are amazing!

Thanks for stopping by,
Chuck