Nutrition Q & A

I came across this article about nutriton on Crossfit Impulse that answers questions like:

What should I eat?
My husband/wife will never go for this.  What should I do? 
What should I eat before a workout?

The article covers 11 different areas.  It answers the basic beginning questions and progressively more difficult ones like how to take it to the next level.  The article is a long one, but worth at least checking out the different headings you might have questions about.  Happy reading and eating!

1. What should I eat?

When transitioning from a typical American diet to a healthy diet, which should never be mistaken for the same thing, we recommend a two-step process. First, transition to eating only quality foods that our bodies are made to eat. This is the tough part for most people because it involves eliminating (or at least drastically reducing) grains, bread, and other refined and processed carbohydrates. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for lean meats, fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. This article on basic nutrition will explain everything clearly. You’ll often see this referred to as eating “clean” or eating “Paleo.” Eating Paleo technically means you follow the Paleo diet, which eschews legumes, dairy, grains, and salt completely. We don’t recommend you worry about completely eliminating all of those foods at first, but you’ll need to know the terminology.

click here to keep reading

Green Pork Chili

Just in case you missed it....this ia a recipe from Tom A.  Looks great!

Green Pork Chili
40 oz. Pork (cubed)
6 tsp Olive Oil
5 cups Chicken Broth (1 very large can)
1 onion (chopped)
2 Jalapeno peppers
3-4 tsp. Garlic
1 cup Cilantro
1/2 cup dry beans (before soaking)
(we are still figuring out the best type of bean to use)
27 oz. Tomatillos (chopped)

Soak the beans.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the Onions, Tomatillos, Jalapeños, and Garlic with 3 tsp. Olive Oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast until soft (about 20 minutes), stirring twice. In a large Dutch oven, add the remaining oil and brown the cubed Pork in batches. When browned, add it back to the pot with the roasted vegetables and add the Chicken Broth and the beans. Cook the chili until tender, ~90 minutes. Garnish with minced Cilantro and serve with warm Flour Tortillas.

This makes a pretty big pot that feeds four college guys (with moderate appetites).

FOOD LOGS.....

It's been great reading everyones food journals. 

 We appreciate your honesty....that is the first step to making changes! 

Don't stress it if your diet isn't perfect...if it were,

 we wouldn't be doing the challenge...

we would all be top competitiors at the games...

and we would all look like Camille Leblanc Bazinet and Rich Froning....

did I miss anything?

Life is about progressing.   Change doesn't happen overnight. 

I took 38 years to put my weight on...

it took me almost 2 years to take it off and keep it off.

Take joy in your journey and enjoy each success along the way.

ZZZzzzzzz........

I haven't been a great sleeper.  I get up every morning at 4:45 to come to the box. Come evening,  if  I sit down on the couch before 9pm...I am OUT!  In the past 4 years I've probably only made it all the way through 5 movies without falling asleep.   I am I have to say something is changing in my sleeping habbits.   It's been years that I have slept...

I mean REALLY slept through the night.

  Well...the past week or so, I have slept like a baby. 

 No waking up and checking the clock,

 no tossing and turning,

 no crazy dreams! 

 I wake up refreshed. I did some studying to see if it had aything to do

 with my change of diet and here's what I learned.

Food choices that you make greatly influence sleep.

• Root vegetables are high in minerals and are more grounding and settling to the body helping promote restful sleep.
• Tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in turkey, milk, miso soup, eggs, nuts, figs, fish, bananas, dates and papaya, helps the body to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps promote relaxation and sleep.
• Complex carbohydrates and starches promote sleep as they release sugars into the blood causing a compensatory release of insulin followed by a drop in blood sugars causing the body to feel fatigued. Try adding a potato or sweet potato to your evening meal.
• Lettuce can often promote healthy sleep as it contains an opium-related substance combined with traces of the anticramping agent, hyoscyarnin. Include lettuce as part of your evening meal.
• Include foods high in Vitamin B3 (niacin) such as fish or poultry. Niacin is involved in serotonin synthesis and promotes healthy sleep.

 

 

 

Certain foods can negatively impact sleep.

•  Avoid foods high in caffeine such as coffee, tea, cola and chocolate.
•  Sugary desserts and for some even the consumption of fruit after dinner is best avoided if you desire a good night's sleep.  If sugar is ingested right before bed, a drop in blood sugar occurs in the night calling upon the adrenal glands to release hormones to restore blood sugar balance. This release of hormones wakes you up and affects the normal sleep patterns.[
• Foods high in tyramine ... If you have difficulty sleeping, avoid bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, tomatoes and wine close to bedtime.
• Alcohol,  interferes with the natural sleep cycles and also increases anxiety levels interfering with sleep.
•  Food intolerances are often the cause of snoring and can contribute to gas, heartburn, indigestion, pain and discomfort.
• Diets high in meat or other proteins can inhibit sleep by blocking the synthesis of serotonin, making you feel more alert. Diets high in protein are also more acidic and take longer to digest.
• Avoid too many ingredients in a meal and too much food late at night.
• If you would've told me that I would be sleep better just by changing my diet, I would have laughed.  My sleep is better than ever.  I feel healthy, strong and rested.

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SLEEPING?

 

Kelly's Peanutbutter Bars

YES!   A paleo dessert  that will satisfy any cravings for baked treats  If I didn't know better...I would swear  I just blew my paleo diet out the window!LOL.   Just remember to watch you portions.   This isn't replacing a meal.  Let me know how you like it!

 

1 16oz. jar natural peanut butter (I used almond butter for Paleo)
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer until blended. I bake mine on an ungreased pampered chef stone bar pan for around 15-20 minutes. They should be a beautiful golden brown color when done. I Like these plain but I also make them with semi sweet chips on the top before baking. 

Whip these babies up in no time and enjoy!

Honey Almond Crisps

Here's a YUMMY treat that's healthy...

3 cups Nature's Path Crispy Rice

1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder

1 cup whole oats

1/4 cup crushed almonds

1/2 cup Xylitol brown sugar

3/4 cup smooth almond butter

1/2 cup honey

1. Pour the crispy rice, protein powder, whole oats and crushed almonds into a large bowl and shake gently. Avoid stirring, to keep the protein powder from settling on the bottom.
2. In a small glass bowl, combine the brown sugar, almond butter, and honey, and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until combined.
3. Add the almond butter mixture to the crispy rice mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until every piece is coated.
4. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9x13 Pyrex dish, or use cookie cutter shapes as molds, and fill with the mixture, pressing firmly into place. Place the 9x13 Pyrex dish in the freezer for at least one hour. Allow the crisp to soften a bit before cutting the squares, or simply break off pieces with your hands. (If using cookie cutters, be sure to remove them before putting the crisp in the freezer.)
5. Store in the freezer.
   Nutrition Facts
   
   
   Amount per serving (serves 18)
   Calories 154
   Total Fat8 g
   Total Carb21 g
   Protein4 g

DAY 19

Congratulations!
 
19 days under your (potentially looser) belt. Way to go!!!!

As you have probaly been able to tell, your third week is all about adapting. Your body is truly beginning to function in a different way. It’s starting to rely on stored fat for energy instead of sugars.

But let's be honest here.  But maybe, just maybe...you’re starting to get a little bored with your food choices. It’s OK to rely on a few standbys to get you through, but it’s time to kick up your heels and explore some new foods and new flavors!

Finally, a word of support and encouragement.  The box might be buzzing with stories of loose clothing and off-the-charts energy. I hope you experience those positive side effects this coming week. But remember, for some people, it takes just a little longer than others, so patience, grasshopper!
After 20, 30, 40 years( yes I am one of the 40 yearers...) of less than optimal food choices, you can’t really expect all your dreams to come true after just 19 days.
So even if you’re not experiencing as much “magic” as your buddies, keep on task!! Ask for help from your family, your friends, and your fellow crossfitters at the box. We want you to be the BEST YOU! 

Stick to your plan and acknowledge all the positive things you’re doing for your body and mind by eating clean  food in the right amounts. And…
Have a great Day 19!