PCF World Series of Paleo Challenge!
January 10 – February 13, 2010
Sure, there have been lots of Paleo challenges before. Maybe you took part in one. Maybe you’re a newbie. Maybe you’re an experienced CrossFitter looking to take it to the next level (sectionals, anyone?).
Whether your goal is better performance, weight loss, or otherwise, this challenge is different. It’s HIGH STAKES (read: cash prizes for two winners). It’s also comprehensive, taking into account nutrition, sleep, fish oil intake, and stress level.
You can go from any starting point – especially square one – and be amazed at how far five weeks can take you. Or, if you’re already a Paleo pro, use the WSP Challenge to build on a solid foundation.
How it works: For five weeks, eat only Paleo foods. Dial in your sleep, fish oil, and dial down your stress. No diet logs required, but use our tracking sheet (more on this below) to note overall successes and failures. Attend weekly support meetings (optional). Post to comments for questions and feedback.
How to win the cash prize: Be the male or female with the most profound change in your before/after photo as voted on by the other challenge participants.
Both winners will be selected by WSOP Challenge participants at the concluding meeting on February 13, 1:30pm.
How to enter:
1) Click here to go “All In” and register for the 2010 PCF World Series of Paleo with $20 Buy-In. This gets you a spot at the WSOP Briefing on January 9th at 1:30pm and also makes you eligible for the final cash prize. All proceeds will be split 50/50 between the top male and female winner. This is just to give you that extra motivation to stick to your goal.
You can also just register for the 2010 PCF WSOP Briefing without paying $20, you just won’t be eligible for the prize.
2) To be eligible for the cash prize, take three “before” photos (bathing suit or shorts) on January 9, from the front, back, and side (see examples here). Take three “after” photos (bathing suit or shorts) from front, back and side on 13 February. Photos will not be displayed to anyone unless the participant wants them to.
3) To help you prepare for five weeks of Paleo cooking and eating, you can register for the Paleo/Zone Cooking Seminar with Alison McConnell from 2:00pm-4:30pm directly following the WSOP brief.
4) To help you out, we’ve created a PCF Nutrition Tracker (download to Excel) to closely track your data. See Tab 2 for explanations of the scoring. This is just designed to accurately record how you did during your challenge.
Eligibility: The WSOP challenge is open to all PCFers and members of their households.
The winnings will be split 50/50 for most profound change for both Male and Female, as voted on by the WSOP Challenge participants on 13 February.
As always, all of our coaches are ready to assist you in meeting your fitness goals. If the WSOP isn’t right for you, you can always just grab a coach and talk, post a question to comments, or email brian@potomaccrossfit.com if you’d like 1:1 Nutritional advice.
We’ll be distributing more material and holding regular meetings to assist you in getting the most out of your Paleo Challenge. Keep an eye out on this blog for more info.
Questions? Post to comments or email alison@potomaccrossfit.com and brian@potomaccrossfit.com.
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December 25th, 2009 on 9:21 am
fyi, can’t sign up for the free version:
We’re sorry, but a service can not be purchased online for this program. If you are trying to select a membership, please use the Memberships link in the upper right corner of this screen.
December 25th, 2009 on 12:16 pm
Link fixed.
December 31st, 2009 on 7:41 am
I’m in. If anyone knows of a nice beer fermented from meat, please let me know.
January 4th, 2010 on 8:11 pm
Do we need to supply our own photos or is there going to be a standard photographer and a PCF photo booth?
January 4th, 2010 on 8:14 pm
You’ll need to take your own photo.
January 6th, 2010 on 10:53 am
A few quick challenge questions.
1 – is tea OK? Especially if it is just the herbal stuff with no caffine.
2 – How many teaspoons a day of the Liquid Fish oil from Amazon.
Thanks
January 7th, 2010 on 6:17 am
Hey Jamie,
Yes on tea.
You want 0.5 grams of combined EPA/DHA per 10# of body weight. Carlson’s liquid has 1.4g EPA/DHA per teaspoon.
Here’s me as an example:
Bodyweight = 150#
Fish oil Rx = 7.5g / day (0.5 times 150/10 or 15)
Fish oil dose = 5 1/3 tsp per day
3 tsp = 1 Tbsp, so I just take 1 Tbsp in the morning and a bit less than 1 Tbsp at night.
January 7th, 2010 on 8:39 am
I am a little heavier than 150 so I guess I need on Tbsp in the AM and one at night.
Thanks
I have 5 people in my family who are currently doing a 30 day challenge that started on the 4th. I started with them and will continue it with the PCF group.
January 7th, 2010 on 10:52 am
Right on Jamie! It’s great to get the family on board, makes life much easier.
January 7th, 2010 on 12:34 pm
Jaime, that’s awesome that you’ve got your whole family on board!
January 9th, 2010 on 6:17 pm
Easy Salad Dressing:
2 Parts Olive Oil
1 Part Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Stone Ground Mustard
January 10th, 2010 on 4:53 am
great dressing Brian!
For anyone who is interested, here is a really easy, yummy soup I make all the time that is a great way to get your veggies. I think a lot of us might be prepping in our kitchens today for the week to come, and this is definitely on my “to make” list.
Cauliflower Soup (or broccoli…)
1 large head of cauliflower (or broccoli)
2-3 stalks celery
1 carrot
1-2 onions
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
some pepper and sage or other herbs on hand
water or chicken broth
salsa (optional)
Preparation
Rough chop the veggies and throw them in a big old pot.
Add the herbs and add enough broth and/or water to cover everything. Simmer until veggies are tender. Then just stick a hand blender into the pot and puree everything. I usually add 1-2 cups of Jacks special fresh salsa (costco refrigerated section). And for protein I add in whatever I have on hand – chopped chicken is great.
This recipe lacks fat. But maybe if you added bacon instead of lean protein, that could be the ticket! Or eat w/ avocado salad or something.
This was great last winter when I was new at getting lots of veggies into my diet. This kind of hides them but you get a ton and its very filling/satisfying on cold day.
January 10th, 2010 on 5:08 am
Christy = 1, China Boofay = 0
(or maybe it’s the other way around…considering how bad I feel this morning! umpf.)
January 10th, 2010 on 8:39 am
anyone have a quick recipe for stuffing for a chicken?
January 10th, 2010 on 9:22 am
Paleo diet 1, Wiz 0. Sunday morning WOD sucked.
January 10th, 2010 on 9:26 am
My frittata/souffle/quiche
1 doz eggs
1 box of frozen spinach
1 lb breakfast sausage
brown sausage and break it up in the bottom of a 9×12 baking pan
defrost spinach, blend with eggs using an electric beater (to get air into the eggs)
pour eggs over the sausage
bake at 350 for 40 mins
Once you get off strict paleo, blend some milk or cream with the eggs, and top with feta cheese.
January 10th, 2010 on 12:23 pm
are carrots starchy or good?
January 10th, 2010 on 12:29 pm
Carrots are no problem.
January 10th, 2010 on 3:11 pm
@Andy – Stuff chicken with sections of an apple or onion or lemon, or a combination.Easy, fast, really flavors the chicken. Of course, it doesn’t give you “stuffing” as a side dish, if what you were really looking for was a non-bread/Paleo side dish.
January 10th, 2010 on 4:50 pm
Hey Wiz, good to see you today. That workout looked painful. Funny tho, I was just searching for a breakfast dish to make ahead of the week. This looks great – thanks!
January 10th, 2010 on 6:45 pm
The Caramelized Cherry Tomato Sauce I mentioned at the talk is linked to my name.
January 10th, 2010 on 6:55 pm
Also, linked to my name is a really good coconut oil mayo recipe I just made. If you have never made a mayo before and want some “lessons learned” feel free to ask (or just google, any cooking website will have great instructions).
January 11th, 2010 on 3:55 am
Beef Label Decoder. http://www.thegreenguide.com/food/buying/beef-label-decoder
January 11th, 2010 on 6:40 am
Kassi and Kelly’s wonderful Paleo Articles:
http://docs.google.com/a/potomaccrossfit.com/Doc?docid=0AVJNzaCpi-pjZGd0ajkzdzhfMzVwd2h3c2dmeg&hl=en
http://docs.google.com/a/potomaccrossfit.com/Doc?docid=0AVJNzaCpi-pjZGd0ajkzdzhfMzJkem5rYjNjMw&hl=en
January 11th, 2010 on 9:19 am
Are Fish Oil and Cod Liver Oil the same thing?
January 11th, 2010 on 9:59 am
Brian:
Those links require a username and password.
January 11th, 2010 on 10:20 am
Sorry, one more time:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AVJNzaCpi-pjZGd0ajkzdzhfMzVwd2h3c2dmeg&hl=en
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AVJNzaCpi-pjZGd0ajkzdzhfMzJkem5rYjNjMw&hl=en
January 11th, 2010 on 12:32 pm
Brian:
A few questions about the “2 fruit” rule set forth in the PCF WSOP tracker spreadsheet: (1) does that rule mean don’t exceed 2 pieces/servings of fruit per day, or you can have 2 meals/snacks with multiple pieces/servings of fruit? (2) at what % body fat or other measure is it permissible to have more fruit?
Thanks.
January 11th, 2010 on 2:11 pm
Lindsey-
No, they aren’t the same thing. Anyone please correct me if I’m wrong: Cod liver oil is specifically the fish oil from the liver of a codfish and “fish oil” usually is from a combination of fish fat to include anchovies, sardines, cod, salmon, etc. Cod liver oil is usually more expensive as well.
January 11th, 2010 on 5:22 pm
Bob, the less fruit the better, especially up front. I like the ‘candybars on trees description’.
If your sub 12%, i wouldn’t mind doing more carbs, but would prefer sweet potato or squash post-wod before I tried fruit.
January 12th, 2010 on 4:17 am
Great blog post yesterday on “The Clothes Make the Girl” about stocking a paleo kitchen. First in a series. Great blog too. link in my name
January 12th, 2010 on 7:19 am
Is there dinner at Moby Dick’s tonight?
January 12th, 2010 on 7:25 am
Lindsey – if people want to get together tonight, go for it. I can’t make it and the first one that I scheduled was the 19th. Again though, if you guys want to get together and compare notes, go for it.
January 12th, 2010 on 9:27 am
A couple of Paleo food questions:
Other than cashews and peanuts are all nuts and seeds good?
Fruit- I’m confused here. Fruit is Paleo so why shouldn’t we eat it? I am limiting myself to two small servings a day. Right now that’s apples and grapes. Are there other fruits that are better?
I am REALLY surprised that I can drink my coffee without milk. It does make a difference to have good coffee.
January 12th, 2010 on 9:43 am
Nuts are fine, so long as your not knocking back a ton.
Mix up your fats with Avacado, Olive Oil, Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil. Pasture raised Lard and Tallow are also perfectly acceptable (and Alison sells these, yummmy…). These are all good nut alternatives.
Fruit is “paleo”, but we’re not doctrinal – we use what works (and there’s certainly an argument that fruit would have been, during paleo times, much less available because of it’s seasonality and much smaller).
I want you to limit fruit intake b/c we’re trying to manage insulin levels. If you eat bananas all day, you’re going to have jacked insulin levels just as easily as eating Frosted Flakes.
Meals should be meat and veggies, round it out with fats.
Take in fruit if you have to, try to make it low-glycemic:
Berries
Melon
And limit the amount and frequency.
For those of you with a significant amount of bodyfat to lose, this is even more important.
Caveat: You should not be hungry very frequently at all. If you are, tell us and we’ll tweak. This tweak will probably come in the form of more protein and fat.
If you’re still eating fruit and your getting hungry soon after, you’re insulin sensitive and fruit is having an affect on that. Switch out that fruit with some meat, veggies and fat, and you won’t be hungry.
Again, we label this as “Paleo” – what we’re calling it doesn’t matter as much as what we execute. Let’s just call it “The Diet That Brian Told Us To Do To Dramatically Improve Every Indicator of Health and If He’s Wrong About This and I Did It Like He Said, Didn’t Even Eat Fruit Much Less Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate, and Still Don’t Look, Feel, and Perform Better Than I’m Going To Kick Him In The Balls.”
But I’m up for any other names you guys come up with…:)
January 12th, 2010 on 10:24 am
Thanks a TON for the Kassi/Kelly Paleo lifesavers (and Kassi’s tomato sauce – looks fab). I am printing them now.
Also, for random input to the group…I indulge in 4 strawberries or 1 kiwi post-breakfast (3 scram eggs from Alison, 1/4 c. bruchetta/salsa, 1/4 avocado) and count them as 1 fruit serving. It’s a nice way to start the day – with a little something sweet on the tongue – and a small reward for taking in the lemony fish flavored motor oil that goes with pre-breakfast.
January 12th, 2010 on 10:47 am
Is there a way we could somehow post in a more organized way? maybe break up recipes in one area, tips, q & q etc….?
January 12th, 2010 on 10:55 am
Sounds like you just volunteered yourself to figure out a way Lindsey…
January 12th, 2010 on 11:14 am
So my first few days on Brian’s insanely long named diet has gone pretty well. On the upside my pants are already getting looser. On the downside, I had no energy on Sunday and didn’t WOD, and I had considerably less strength at last nights WOD. Previously I was able do 5 squats at 215 and last night I only managed sets of 3 at 205. I’m sure this will come back, but it still kind of stunk. Since I only did single unders last night, I really didn’t get a chance to test out my metcon. I also feel like I’m almost over the “I can’t get full” feeling.
How are other people doing/ feeling?
January 12th, 2010 on 11:21 am
Christy – glad you liked it. Believe it or not, the fish oil does get easier to take. I would say that after you finish the first bottle you’ll be drinking it without cringing.
Remember that you want to eat a protein with your carb post-breakfast snack. Carbs–fruit especially–spike your insulin levels significantly and your body wants to keep that insulin at that spiked level so it will result in you needing something to eat much sooner than if you ate that fruit with a protein.
January 12th, 2010 on 11:34 am
Thanks Kassi.
To clarify, I should have described that better. The strawberries are not a separate snack. They are integral to the breakfast, so they get mashed in with the protein/veg/fat.
Breakfast in 3 Acts:
Act 1 – gulp fish oil
Act 2 – eat scram eggs/salsa/avocado
Act 3 – finish with strawberries
All 3 Acts happen in series in about 7 mins.
January 12th, 2010 on 12:03 pm
I am stealing the list below from PCF’s very own “Humble Gourmand” and then going shopping.
Thanks Alison
This is very helpful!!!!!
The Humble Gourmand – Very Basic Paleo Shopping List
PANTRY (keep on hand)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic
Kosher salt
Onions
Fresh black pepper
Lemons
Herbs & spices
Vinegar (red wine, balsamic, apple cider)
Loads of nuts
VEG & FRUIT
Broccoli
Asparagus
Bell peppers
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Kale
Red leaf lettuce (with lettuce, the darker the better – skip the iceberg)
Spinach
Green beans
Sweet potatoes
Avocados
Apples
Berries
Oranges
Tangerines or clementines
Unsweetened applesauce (even better, make your own – it’s SO easy. http://humblegourmand.com/recipes/crockpot-applesauce/)
PROTEIN
Eggs
All-natural deli meat (Whole Foods)
Bacon
Ground turkey
Ground beef
Chicken breasts
Canned tuna (in water)
Steak
Beef & bison jerky (Trader Joe’s)
Etc.
In a regular grocery store, tons of foods have sugar added to them. Don’t lose sleep. Track down the products with the least amounts wherever you can, and keep your perspective firmly intact: you are choosing Paleo foods over grains, other sugars, dairy, etc., and that’s what is important. We can get you down to the nitty gritty of “Is my meat grass-fed? Is there sugar in my bacon?” after you eliminate bread, rice, pasta, cereal, and all the other foods where sugar is the main event. It’s a hierarchy that you’re going to move up slowly. Examples:
BEST: Grass-fed steak
BETTER: Corn-fed steak
BADNESS: Hot dogs (no resemblance to actual meat)
BEST: Uncured bacon (nitrate & nitrite-free, no sugar added. Order it thru the PCF buyers’ club)
BETTER: Cured bacon (what you’ll find on most supermarket shelves)
BADNESS: Cupcakes
January 12th, 2010 on 12:18 pm
Christy, impressive, but I’d like to see this happen in sub-5 minutes next time
WRT protein, I was thinking that was the case but wanted to check.
January 12th, 2010 on 12:30 pm
Found this pizza recipe on Mark’s Daily Apple:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/son-of-groks-primal-pizza-recipe/
I’m going to give it a try sans-cheese. Load it up with meat & veggies.
Anyone else try this?
January 12th, 2010 on 12:47 pm
Hey all! Given that I missed the kick off meeting due to my inability to keep a calendar, I need the party line on several items.
First off vinegars? I thought they were out until I saw Brian’s salad dressing. Second salt/soy sauce? None, try hard not to take in too much? or Just remove the salt lick from your pantry? And finally miso? there are several marinades for meat that I would use, but which use one or more of these ingredients.
Thanks! -La
January 12th, 2010 on 12:54 pm
Lauren, I too missed the kickoff meeting (due to my ski habit), but this board has been great in getting up to speed.
January 12th, 2010 on 1:25 pm
Lauren – here’s the quick answer:
Vinegar – yes
Salt – yes
Soy – HELL NO!!!!
Miso – HELL NO!!!! (because it’s made of grain and soy)
Meat Marinades – stand by for a rant, I’ll put it in my next post.
January 12th, 2010 on 1:54 pm
Lauren, if you spend the money you would have spent on marinades on quality meat from someone like Alison then I promise you’ll enjoy it with just a little salt and pepper and a choice herb prior to cooking.
January 12th, 2010 on 2:29 pm
Lots of research went into this, I hope you guys appreciate that:
“Every Time You Put Marinade On Your Meat, I’m Going To Kill A Kitten” by Brian PCF
http://brian.potomaccrossfit.com/?p=1478
January 12th, 2010 on 3:33 pm
Sorry, I too missed the meeting. The Army called and said something about having to work when they say so. I just wanted to say thanks for all the tips thusfar. I have to give kudos to Brian for his Salad Dressing. It was great on top of a salad of Arugula, Rotisserie Chicken, and Walnuts.
I must say that “The Diet That Brian Told Us To Do To Dramatically Improve Every Indicator of Health and If He’s Wrong About This and I Did It Like He Said, Didn’t Even Eat Fruit Much Less Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate, and Still Don’t Look, Feel, and Perform Better Than I’m Going To Kick Him In The Balls.” is going well so far for me. Had some headache issues yesterday, but that is normal for me a couple of days into a strict diet when I have otherwise been abusing Carbs. That is gone today. Breakfast and snacks all at work are probably the hardest for me. Please keep up the tips!
January 12th, 2010 on 5:31 pm
Gosh Brian, how do you really feel? Where to begin….
1) I will only suffer marinade condescension from folks who don’t put salsa and guac on their eggs, dressing on their salad, or almond butter on their celery…don’t even get me started about wrapping a turkey in bacon. Surely the WAY we enjoy our health food doesn’t need to be dictated.
2) Brain, Kassi and any other marinade doubters are invited over (after the paleo challenge is over) for Ross’s miso glazed sea bass. I’m not saying its good- I’m saying I’ve been married for 11 years and this dish is one of the top five reasons why.
3)In case this note sounds bitchy (which it isn’t intended to- but you know how e-mails are) Here’s my culinary-paleo contribution for the night. A keeper from my raw food eating experiment.
Donatella’s Classic Gazpacho
5 large tomatoes
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlis
2 T salt
1t cayenne
1/2 c olive oil
Add a handful of lump crab to this and you have a delish paleo lunch.
-La
January 12th, 2010 on 5:39 pm
Laura, I just needed to get Alec Baldwin in one of my posts and that’s the direction the text took, very stream of conciousness-ey….
January 13th, 2010 on 6:17 am
Lauren – hysterical, looks like a great recipe to try, and WRT #1 on your post:
I do none of these with the exception of eating a bacon-wrapped turkey last Thanksgiving. If you haven’t tried it, it’s legit good as hell and awesome at self-basting the turkey.
January 13th, 2010 on 6:19 am
Also, crab meat… I really like crab but am way too lazy to cook my own and the past couple of lump crab meat tubs that I’ve purchased had some bits of shell in them and I just couldn’t eat it when I took a bite. Grossed me out. Does anyone have any suggestions for places to get it/brands or is this just commonplace?
January 13th, 2010 on 7:15 am
So far so good with Brian’s diet. As I am on the road I was worried that finding the right food would be impossible. BUT, i was wrong, lots of deli’s to grad some coldcuts and avocado.
Some things I have noticed:
Caffeine intake has dropped. This is in part to not putting heaps of sugar in my coffee or honey in my tea. Oddly enough I am not really missing it.
At first I was very hungry between meals feeling like something was missing. To correct this I started drinking more water in-between meals and started eating more during breakfast (2 egg scram with ham chunks and shredded carrots).
Feeling a little more tired than usual. Should I continue to up the portion amounts or should I just get more sleep?
January 13th, 2010 on 7:29 am
Andy, up the fat/protein portion amounts. If you were a 100 lbs 13 year old girl, that breakfast would be ok in a pinch (but I’d want her to eat more fat).
Throw in some significant amounts guacamole, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil/milk, and if none of that is around, nuts.
Bump your protein up significantly as well.
I don’t want you to eat when you’re not hungry, but if you are hungry after upping protein/fat, then we’ll tweak again. But I’ll bet you a $1 you won’t be.
Keep us posted.
January 13th, 2010 on 9:31 am
Just chiming in for a Day 4 look-see. In short, I am hungry a lot more than I expected. In about 4 days I have literally doubled the volume of food that I normally intake in a day. The increased food volume isn’t troubling me (in that I am not on this regimen to lose weight), but it is frustrating. I neglect to bring enough to work to get me through the day, and I have pretty much eaten through all the food I cooked on the weekend (which normally would have lasted through Friday). So, other than feeling consistently hungry (meaning, within 30 minutes of each meal), I am annoyed with myself for the short-sighted planning and annoyed with the actuality of spending every free minute between work and bed with cooking and eating food. Exhausting! Each day I have upped my protein/fat intake at breakfast and lunch, and today my breakfast was so large that I had to force it down…and still got hunger pangs within an hour. Not sure what gives. I’ll just tough it out to get pass the first week “hump”.
Oh, and on a side note, I completely kirked-out on my co-worker in the midst of my hunger fit. He is a big dude, and I swear I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. I get a “0″ for the Stress factor today.
January 13th, 2010 on 10:07 am
That sounds about right Christy. Can you give me an idea of how many carbs you are taking in with each meal?
January 13th, 2010 on 10:44 am
Hmmm…carbs = veggies/fruit, right? Then here goes (only listing the carbs):
Monday
B’fast = 1/2 c. salsa, 4 strawberries
Lunch = bowl of romaine/spinach, celery, peas, non-Paleo dressing (once the bottle is gone, I’ll go Paleo)
Dinner = 1 c. spag.squash w/ 3/4 c. spag.sauce (TJ’s organic), 4 strawberries
Tuesday
B’fast = 1/2 c. salsa, 4 strawberries
Lunch = bowl of romaine/spinach, celergy, peas, non-Paleo dressing (remembered that peas were bad, and will not include them going forward)
Dinner = 1 c. asparagus, 4 strawberries
Wednesday
B’fast = 1 c. salsa, 4 strawberries
Lunch = bowl of romaine/spinach, celery, non-Paleo dressing
Dinner (tonight) = likely 1. c zuch and/or bowl of homemade veg soup
When you put it down on paper like that, the strawberries jump out. But, seriously, are 4 strawberries enough to send me off the deep end? I should have mentioned that I actually woke up from hunger pangs the last two nights right around 2:45. Terribly consistent. Any ideas are welcome.
January 13th, 2010 on 11:00 am
Is there one time a day that you’ve seen consistent hunger pangs or is it 30 minutes after every meal and about the same level?
January 13th, 2010 on 11:05 am
two times a day:
1. after breakfast, within 30 – 60 mins (then consistent thru to lunch)
2. after lunch around 2:00, which is about within 60 – 90 mins (then consistent thru to snack or dinner)
January 13th, 2010 on 11:06 am
Actually, three times a day:
3. after dinner, within 60 mins, and I just suck it up and go to bed.
January 13th, 2010 on 11:15 am
Last question:
In general terms, how does this compare to how you were eating pre-Paleo Challenge?
January 13th, 2010 on 11:25 am
Christy,
I’ve definitely been carb cranky the last few days as well. I also had a problem feeling “full” at first but that is starting to go away. You may want to check out the numbers on the dressing. Some of that stuff is loaded with sugar.
January 13th, 2010 on 11:27 am
I still (currently) eat three meals a day. Same amount of fruit intake as pre-paleo. Equal or more veggies per meal than pre-paleo. More protein per meal than pre-paleo.
Pre-paleo I rarely ate snacks between meals, and if I did they involved nuts/cheese. Rarely, if ever, did I get hunger pangs between meals.
Big paleo change is no dairy now, which was present at each meal and snack pre-paleo. Maybe I am in lactose withdrawal.
January 13th, 2010 on 12:15 pm
Christy, I’d like you to try to significantly up your fat at each of your meals and drop the fruit (find and press the “I believe” button for a week…).
While this is normal in the first week or so as the body is moving from running on sugar to running on fat, getting hungry right after a meal means that you are setting off your insulin receptors with the amount of carbs you’re taking in.
So let’s dump the strawberries totally and add some serious amounts of guacamole to breakfast – Whole Foods makes some good stuff. I usually put a good amount of their guac and salsa on my eggs every morning.
Also feel free to add some bacon.
Are you eating Pasture Raised meats? If so, let’s get some of the fattier cuts (ground, chuck roast, t-bone, porterhouse).
Put some significant amount of olive oil on any salad and feel free to cook any veggies you eat with lard or tallow (again pasture raised stuff).
Mix some coconut milk in your coffee and start cooking with it too, it’s great with a curry (Kassi posted a good recipe).
We can’t be fat phobic.
January 13th, 2010 on 12:36 pm
Thanks Brian for the focused help here. Hopefully the other folks have benefitted a tad too. I’ll follow up with you in person (Fri, if you are on the sched, or Mon) to talk fats. I really am not fat phobic (I heart fat), and I include avocado with b’fast and lunch, Alisons’s bacon/sausage with b’fast, and bake/roast all my dinner meat and veggies in EVOO. (I didn’t include the fats or meats on my food list above because I was just listing carbs) I do agree that I can add more fat tho, particularly at lunch, and will work on that. I am sad for the departing strawberries, and promise to “believe”. Thanks again!
January 13th, 2010 on 12:38 pm
Wanted to bring up a success story of the Paleo Challenge from my own history.
I have been eating a close-to-paleo for about 1.5 years now, but never 100%. There was always some small amount of cheese in my diet, and then the weekends were occasionally grains/legumes and some alcohol.
Quantitatively, I was at 90-95% Paleo foods through all this time.
However, I bit the bullet in December 09 and cut out all grains/dairy/legumes and booze.
The biggest factor for me was a very smooth increase in training frequency. Before the challenge, I would often have to take an extra rest day b/c of a nagging injury or just low energy levels where I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do much in the gym.
When I was on the clean, I never wanted to skip a training day. I would get to my rest day and be itching to do something. I have a few nagging injuries that have bothered me for years, and during my clean I was never affected by it.
I also leaned out noticeably in a pretty short period of time, which is something that’s pretty hard for me to do metabolically.
As soon as I was done, I reintroduced pasture raised dairy in the form of heavy cream in my coffee (I wanted to take in more fat) and some very little cheese.
Within a week I got a pretty bad cold and didn’t train for a week. I ran out of heavy cream about three days into the cold and about three days later was ok to train again.
I re-upped my cream on Tuesday, and now I’ve got the sniffles, I’m tired, and my body’s aching.
Enough to close the book on dairy? That’s good enough evidence for me.
This is the beauty of eliminating any source of gut-inflammation, allergy inducing foods. We build up a certain tolerance to these things, but we’re never 100% well. But because we are always at that sub-optimal level, we don’t really notice – there’s no change.
By eliminating and then re-introducing, we can pinpoint the exact factors that are making us unhealthy.
For me, it’s back to 100% Paleo (no grain/dairy/legume) starting now.
January 13th, 2010 on 1:45 pm
Christy,
I eat an entire avocado with my breakfast and my greens are sauteed in either bacon fat or coconut/olive oil and my eggs (or whatever meat) are cooked in the same.
Just wanted to give you an idea of how much fat because when I first started I thought eating 18 almonds was a lot. After I just “let go and let Fat” this is what ended up happening and I felt much better for it.
January 13th, 2010 on 1:51 pm
This post came at such a great time. I have been eating only a little fruit and today finished my lunch off with quite a few strawberries (probably half of a container from the store). I started getting hunger pains almost 2 hours earlier than I usually do– I can normally go from 2pm when I have lunch until about 6 or 7 when I eat dinner–without a snack. As a result of the strawberries (I’m guessing) I am having major hunger pains now. No more fruit tomorrow!
On a different note, any good snack ideas? I snack on almonds and lunch meat but I am getting tired fast of that…
January 13th, 2010 on 2:45 pm
I’ve felt full and satisfied after eating as suggested. But I have changed in the last two days from 3 meals a day to four (after reading Kassi’s post) and I like that. But when I get hungry it comes on FAST and all of a sudden I have a “I NEED TO EAT RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BITE YOUR HEAD OFF” moment.
It’s really helpful to read others posts and the answers from those who have done this before. Thanks…
January 13th, 2010 on 4:21 pm
I have been eating 5 times a day. I have not had many tiredness issues. I had a bad headache on Monday that felt like withdrawal, but other than that I have been OK. Just from what I have read tonight, I probably need to up the fat intake, and would gladly add bacon to any diet. Overall though, I think the 5 meals really helps me. I typically have three main meals and two snacks. I generally have breakfast at 7, snack at 9:30 or so, lunch at 11:30, snack at 3, dinner at 5:30 or 6. That seems to help me a lot. I haven’t been hungry between meals.
So I do have a couple of questions…. Bacon seems OK, but someone was asking me about Turkey Bacon.
I just want to verify… is coffee OK?
January 14th, 2010 on 4:35 am
@ Caitlin:
Snacks I’ve been pulling together include:
- a mash up of hard boiled eggs, avocado and salsa
- tuna w/ mayo on celery
- green beans (raw) and some roast chicken (maybe a chicken leg)
- a little salad of beets, avocado and toasted walnuts w/ a bit of Brian’s dressing
Most of this is pretty easy to transport to work and doesn’t require a bunch of prep. Maybe the salad, but I just make a big bunch and then bring a smaller container to work. Same w/ tuna.
Other snack ideas?
Day 5 and eating is going well. Except I’ve come down with a bad cold/flu thing. I’m hoping the extra sleep and clean eating will help me rebound quicker than normal. Pretty sure the symptoms I have are NOT a due to carb withdrawal, but there might be a bit of that going on as well.
January 14th, 2010 on 6:20 am
Ida – beware of store bought mayo… a lot of the time, there’s soy in there. But you can make some great home-made stuff, check out Kassi’s blog or google “Bacon Fat Mayonnaise”.
I really want you guys to get as close to 100% on this thing as you can, because when we reintroduce some foods in your diet in phases, we’ll be able to get a good idea of what you’re allergic too.
Most of us have food allergies that we don’t know about, this kind of elimination diet gives us an idea of what those are.
January 14th, 2010 on 6:47 am
I got my Carlson’s oil from Amazon yesterday (I had been buying Barlean’s from Whole Foods). I was very happy to see that it comes in motor-oil sized bottles!
I felt horrible at the WOD Sunday, but have felt great since then. My WOD performance seems to be on par with what it was pre-Paleo. I will admit that my broccoli the other night at Harry’s Taproom probably had butter on it, I forgot to ask about that when I ordered.
I went in for the Costco bags of walnuts and pistachios, and have been eating them as between meal snacks.
Basically, all systems are go.
January 14th, 2010 on 6:50 am
Good info Wiz, keep us updated.
January 14th, 2010 on 7:23 am
This is awesome – thanks for all the meal and snack ideas folks. My grocery list just keeps getting longer! Also, is a snack of guacamole (avocado and salsa) and bacon balanced? Because that sounds better than anything. mmmmmm…
January 14th, 2010 on 7:34 am
Good call on the mayo, Brian. I’ll make up a homemade batch tonight.
January 14th, 2010 on 7:42 am
bacon and guac are a pair made in heaven and totally balanced.
January 14th, 2010 on 7:52 am
Tips on mayo making: I cannot for the life of me get bacon fat mayo to “mayo”. It never turns out right no matter how closely I follow the recipe. This is by far the most tragic thing to (not?) happen in my Paleo life thus far.
Virgin Coconut Oil Mayo with a bit of olive oil is pretty decent. It’s light tasting with a hint of coconut which I found to be a great addition to my coleslaw that I made the other day.
I have been told that straight olive oil mayo can separate and takes on a greenish hue and tastes a bit strong if you’re using your typical EVOO vice a light olive oil. That said, it has gotten great reviews as well.
January 14th, 2010 on 8:41 am
I’m getting tired of water. What are people drinking?
January 14th, 2010 on 8:49 am
Water.
January 14th, 2010 on 8:55 am
Sorry to be of little help to the juice & diet soda crew — water, water with lemon, water with lime, a rare club soda, tons of herbal tea… this is what I do.
I’ve got a batch of Domenica Marchetti’s Pork Ragu for a Crowd on the stove and if the smells are any indication, this could be worth 30 minutes of your prep time this weekend:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2009/02/18/pork-ragu-crowd/
If you’ve got any questions about execution, let me know. Basic technique: Sear pork shoulder in large pot, cook onions & garlic in pork fat/juices, add liquid, herbs & more meat, simmer 2-2.5 hours. If you’re going strict, sub chicken stock for the 1 cup red wine (but it’s such a small component of a big dish that I wouldn’t sweat including it).
Finally, last call for this week’s meat orders…
alison@humblegourmand.com
January 14th, 2010 on 8:56 am
Get crazy, mis it up, put some ice in your water.
January 14th, 2010 on 9:13 am
All knowing creators of TDTBTUTD
(aka “The Diet That Brian Told Us To Do”):
Moment of panic due to Alison’s last note on water.
The scary words that lept out at me were “the. rare. club. soda.”
My staple water is Poland Springs Mandarin Orange fizzy water (ingredients = spring water, natural flavors, CO2). This is not a sweetened water, and I can even convert to the unflavored variety of fizzy water if ordered to. But are you saying NO fizzy water? Break it to me gently. I don’t know how I’ll get the fish oil down without my fizzy water chaser…
And if it is to be avoided, can you also explain the rationale just a wee bit?
January 14th, 2010 on 9:16 am
Ross and I had chx breasts last night stuffed w/ sundried tomatoes, and wrapped in procuitto. Very delish if you’re looking for a dinner recipe.
January 14th, 2010 on 9:22 am
Ida – what’s listed in the ingredients?
January 14th, 2010 on 9:49 am
Ice cubes Brian? Wow- what a way to shake it up!!
I’ll try some herbal tea.
January 14th, 2010 on 10:03 am
Ida — I said that only because I am not a fan of carbonated drinks. If the ingredients are as simple as what you listed, I don’t see why it would be a problem. Brian, know any differently?
January 14th, 2010 on 10:11 am
Brian,
Ingredients = spring water, natural flavors, CO2
January 14th, 2010 on 10:12 am
nutrition details:
calories = 0
sodium = 0
everything = 0
January 14th, 2010 on 10:26 am
Ehhhh…..
I’m on the fence on this, as the govt regs on “Natural Flavors” and food labels are there to protect the actual ingredients of the products:
“The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
Have you tried straight bubbly water? I’m a HUGE FAN and drink it pretty much constantly.
I’ve turned several people on to http://www.sodaclub.com, that’s what I use.
I’m with Alison, not super-worried about this, but it’d be a “nice to not be drinking.”
January 14th, 2010 on 10:31 am
I’m cool w/ straight bubbly. It’s the straight w/out the bubbly I was mainly freaking about. Thanks!
January 14th, 2010 on 1:10 pm
Ok, ok. After listening to Robb Wolf and reading these comments, I think I’m convinced that I need to drop my daily two apples, at least for a week or so to see how I feel. Man, I’m going to miss them…
January 14th, 2010 on 2:32 pm
I totally agree Sarah!
January 14th, 2010 on 5:00 pm
So i eat an apple with a lot of almond butter everyday do you think that is ok? Everything is strict paleo no salt even.
January 14th, 2010 on 5:30 pm
Jenn – how soon are you hungry after you eat the apple?
January 15th, 2010 on 5:20 am
A couple of hours it is usually a mid morning snack after breakfast around 11 and then I don’t eat lunch until 2:30 -3.
January 15th, 2010 on 5:35 am
Brian, is this normal? I got winded yesterday climbing the 3 flights of stairs to my studio (as in I’m up and down them very regularly). Energy during WODs seems to be ok (not great, but ok), but I feel like I’m getting winded doing normal things. I also just cut off caffeine post lunch (I used to have espresso up until 8-9pm) because I’m having trouble sleeping.
As far as fruit goes, I’m still eating maybe an apple a day, or blueberries instead sometimes. Usually midday or breakfast. I don’t notice feeling hungry afterwards (but I tend to eat with my biggest protein/fat meal)
One last thing I noticed, my hunger is oscillating widely from day to day. Eating only when I’m hungry, one day I’ll eat 6 zone blocks of food (as an approximation) and the next I’ll eat 18.
January 15th, 2010 on 5:42 am
Jenn – that sounds fine. You don’t seem to be getting a big insulin spike from the fruit. I’d really like to see some protein with it though.
Alli – totally ok, you’re body is transitioning from running on sugar to fat, there’s going to be a dip in energy along the way. Ride it out for the month.
As far as meal frequency, have you noticeably put more fat in your diet? More protein? Changed the types of fat you’re taking in?
January 15th, 2010 on 5:52 am
Ok cool, cause old lady winded-ness on stairs is just not going to fly long term.
I’m eating less often, I was on a strict 6 2-block meal a day schedule, I’m now eating 3-4 times a day but with a lot more fat and a lot less carbs (I’m not eating 5 cups of broccoli if I can eat 2 instead). Still lots of almonds, EVOO, avocado, and walnuts, but I’ve also started cooking with coconut oil (DELICIOUS people), coconut milk, and avocado oil.
Seriously, cook up some kale in a little coconut oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic. It is literally the most delicious vegetable I’ve ever eaten.
January 15th, 2010 on 6:04 am
Alli – eating four times per day is plenty and you’re going to have some oscillations of hunger, this is totally normal.
Pretty please with no sugar on top, stop drinking coffee after 1 pm. We’ve got to get your sleep dialed in.
Everything else sounds good.
January 15th, 2010 on 6:07 am
Thanks
will eat some more protein with my jar of butter.
January 15th, 2010 on 12:54 pm
I know this is very early to ask, but I usually have some friends over for the Super Bowl – not a big party – but we always eat the usual fair. This year I would like to make it an ALL PALEO SUPER BOWL BASH but need some ideas for stuff to serve. any cool ideas out there? I have made Paleo Wings before, so that is easy. Looking for some stuff to replace the chip and dip.
January 15th, 2010 on 1:37 pm
Share the paleo wing recipe please. Yummy!!
January 15th, 2010 on 2:10 pm
I did these before when I could get wings from Allison. I am sure you could use regualr wings. I dry rubbed them with some BBQ spice and put them out on the grill. I finish them off in a little mix of Olive Oil and hot Sauce in a pan on the stove. Unfortunately, I could not come up with a Paleo alternative to Blue Cheese Dressing, so I had to make them not quite as hot as usual.
January 16th, 2010 on 5:43 am
@ Jamie- Regarding Dressing:
Here is a recipe for “raw” ranch dressing that meets the paleo standard. I’ve made it before and its pretty good. Its no bluecheese- but it will cool down a wing.
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1T sea salt
1T chives (all of the herbs are meant for dried- if you use fresh use a little less)
1T rosemary
1T oregano
1T sage
1c Raw Macadamia nuts
1/3c olive oil.
Into the blender it goes. Adjust consistency as necessary.
January 16th, 2010 on 5:58 am
Brian – I’m glad you mentioned the soda club. I’ve been on the fence for awhile to make a purchase. Which soda maker do you use/recommend? “Pure” looks pretty sleek. Are you happy with the service, i.e. making cartridge exchanges?
Thanks!
January 16th, 2010 on 6:04 am
I’ve been eating 80% paleo for months, so cranking it up to 100% hasn’t been too hard this week. The biggest things I miss are cream in my coffee & beer.
I haven’t had a pizza in months either until last night when I made a Primal Pizza (from Mark’s Daily Apple). I loaded it up with veggies (mostly peppers & onions) and loads of beef pepperoni all on an almond meal crust. It tasted great – like a real pizza. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 Cups Almond Meal/Flour
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp salt
Sauce:
1 Can Tomato Paste
1-2 Cups Water (To desired thickness)
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Garlic
Toppings:
Whatever you want!
I used veggies and beef pepperoni, but chicken, bacon and other meats will work too.
Instructions:
Crust:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. This should give you a ball of “dough”. If your dough is too “mushy”, continue to add almond flour until you get a good consistency.
3. Make a pizza sheet or baking tray non-stick. This is VERY important if you want your pizza slices to come off in one piece.
4. Press your dough on the sheet nice and even about 1/4 inch in the middle and 1/2 inch at the edges.
5. Put crust in the oven for 15 minutes. It should look slightly golden brown when you take it out.
Sauce:
1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Use water to desired thickness. We like ours pretty thick. Feel free to add more spice if you want it, too.
2. Simmer on stove for approximately 15 minutes.
Toppings:
You will want to pre-cook any meat going on your pizza. Veggies can go on fresh and raw, or cooked depending on your preference.
Put it all together:
1. After crust comes out of the oven, spread sauce evenly over crust.
2. Add your toppings evenly on top of sauce.
3. Put back in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 more minutes.
4. Slice and enjoy!
January 16th, 2010 on 6:16 am
Kelly–
I have the fountain jet and I love it. I live in DC and have to filter my water with Brita first and then use the Soda Machine, but otherwise it is awesome. It made giving up diet coke a breeze! If you run out of CO2, a courier picks up your canister and they deliver a new one usually within 2 days. It is a great product/service!!
January 16th, 2010 on 7:42 am
I have the fountain jet and it works great, very happy. Same as Caitlin said, you have to be able to swap the canisters, so I used to order them and just leave the empty on my front stoop and the guy would come by, take it, and drop off a new one. I’m in an apt building now, so it’s a little easier.
But order and swap out are pretty easy, and if you drink a lot of club soda (which I do) than this is much easier than buying cans/bottles, and cheaper.
January 16th, 2010 on 1:05 pm
I’ve been buying natural sparkling water from Costco and adding fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice. It’s been a great substitute for diet sodas. If you want it to be a little sweeter you could probably use oranges or other sweeter fruits.
January 16th, 2010 on 3:43 pm
Linked at my name is a helpful post on making the transition to Paleo, at Theory to Practice. I can vouch for the Artisana coconut butter “methadone”!
January 17th, 2010 on 7:19 am
Well, one week down and five to go. If I have cheated, it has only been by accident. I even managed to have a Paleo cookout yesterday afternoon, featuring london broil, beef tenderloin, and fresh venison.
I would like to propose a Paleo Potluck for the end of week three, which (for the mathematically challenged) is the midpoint of our quest.
January 17th, 2010 on 8:56 am
A mid-challeng pot luck sounds great!
January 17th, 2010 on 10:49 am
pot luck sounds good….
Been adding more fat to my diet and feeling more alert and less hungry.
tried the suggestion of putting some cut apples in a chicken added some pork sage sausage, diced green beans and carrots/ red oinion as stuffing and rubbed the chicken with olive oil. put some garlic cloves in the pan to roast as well. all in all it was a good meal that has lasted me a few days.
January 17th, 2010 on 1:28 pm
I made this today: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/slow-cooker-cuban-braised-beef-and-peppers-recipe-00000000025237/index.html I just omitted the rice and it was DELICIOUS and very simple to make.
January 18th, 2010 on 9:06 am
are figgs and dates paleo?
January 18th, 2010 on 9:08 am
Andy – Yes, but extremely high in sugar, would avoid totally.
January 18th, 2010 on 9:21 am
kinda thought so…. thanks for confirming my suspicion.
January 18th, 2010 on 9:32 am
Good article on the mental and physical challenges in making the switch to Paleo. Link in my name.
Anybody got any others?
January 18th, 2010 on 10:53 am
Random piece of useless information…. I had no problem taking my avocados and limes through airport security in my carry-on bag.
Day 9, no milk in my coffee, no diet soda, and no wine in my cup. But.. I’ve had some really, really great meals. I just hope this exhaustion goes away soon. (It doesn’t help that I’m on my 4th flight in 5 days and about to get on another- the reason I have avocados, etc in my carry-on).
January 18th, 2010 on 11:50 am
A half-way point pot luck would be great Wiz!
January 18th, 2010 on 3:15 pm
getting soda cravings…. anyone else experiencing this too?
January 18th, 2010 on 3:54 pm
Andy- Seltzer with extra lime has worked well for me.
January 18th, 2010 on 4:25 pm
@ Erin B. in Rochester, NY… thanks i am thinking this will work
Stay warm on the shores of lake Ontario.
January 18th, 2010 on 6:36 pm
Erin B,
Oddly I took two avocados through airport security this evening. No problems either.
January 19th, 2010 on 6:19 am
Hit my first Paleo-related barrier yesterday, my 1RM squat was down 20# from what it was in December. Sucks, but I guess it was to be expected.
Still feeling good otherwise.
Note to self: Look out for an avocado bomber on an airline sometime in the next couple of months!
January 19th, 2010 on 6:38 am
Paleo Challenge Meeting at 7pm tonight at Moby Dicks (one block south of PCF).
Hope folks can make it, the last challenge we did this and lots of people got some good info.
I’ll be there to answer any questions and hope that a lot of you can make it so you can share your tips on how to be successful.
January 19th, 2010 on 6:44 am
Along with Wiz, I also saw my 1RM squat decrease yesterday. I was actually down 30# from Dec. However, I was not surprised; for the past week I have felt much weaker during workouts. It is not so much that I am hitting a wall during longer metcons but rather that I do not feel I have as much strength as I did before.
Alison reassured me yesterday that this was normal so I’m not worried about it really, just wanted to share an observation.
January 19th, 2010 on 7:03 am
Positive news on the fish oil front:
Since I started taking about 6g of Carlson’s fish oil per day last Tuesday, the effects after only 1 week have been quite significant. The most noticeable has been my recovery. We’ve been doing some vicious WODs the past few days, but I’ve been surprised that I’ve hardly had soreness if any
I gotta admit that training for the CrossFit Games while doing the Paleo Challenge has been quite humbling. My performance this past week has dropped considerably, but I think I’m starting to level out. Just wanted to say that reading all your comments has been tremendously helpful and encouraging to me! Keep them coming!
January 19th, 2010 on 7:04 am
Feeling an amazing difference at the start of week two compared to last week when I wanted to literally hurt people on the metro ride in and despised them for drinking dairy products in front of me. I noticed I was actually pleasant and chatting to people, which was good. I’ve felt much more satisfied with what I’ve been eating and already started to notice a difference in my performance. Will not be at the support meeting tonight!
Here are two things that saved my life the past few days since they were both satisfying and my husband loved it too, so thought I would share. They are really fast and easy.
Mark’s Daily Apple Meatloaf (I used 1 1/2 apples, no salt and ground turkey)
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried mustard powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and use your hands to mix (sure, it’s messy, but its really the most effective!). Press mixture into a pre-greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Short on time? You can make “mini meatloafs” by piling the mixture into muffin pans, where they’ll cook through in about 15 minutes! Serves 6 small loafs
AND – http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/01/11/chicken-sausage-n-shrimp-over-winter-squash-puree/ I didn’t use walnut oil or coconut oil and used 2 tbsp of olive oil instead since I couldn’t justify paying the price for them at the store if this turned out terribly.
January 19th, 2010 on 8:05 am
Doing well, into a routine that is leaving me very satisfied (small daily cheats have stopped), not even wanting an evening meal, leaving me a fast of typically 15 hours. Really digging this.
Activity wise, yesterday I really over did it, did the WOD, then the CFE wod and then went out kayaking- with long boats that required a three mile hike with a 50+ pound boat. By the time I got off the water my body was throwing out the worst carb cravings I have ever known, and I was 100 yards from an establishment where I drink for free. Somehow I resisted, and I did not call in a pizza order to pick up on my way home. I now have a bag of almonds stashed in my car. Strength wise, I am down, my back squat was 20 pounds less than my pr, my 8k row was 40 seconds slower than back in September, and while kayaking I missed catching the wave due to lack of strength several times.
I have been looking for raw coconut to snack on, but all I have been finding is sweetened coconut in the baking section. Where should I look?
January 19th, 2010 on 8:10 am
Cindy-
I found shredded unsweetened coconut at Whole Foods baking section for less than $4.00. I use them in my paleo pancakes, and my wife will put a little on some berries and lite coconut milk for a dessert.
January 19th, 2010 on 9:49 am
So excluding when i was drunk (and that didn’t take much) i have been doing very well. I can’t image going back to non-paleo now.
And I <3 Bacon.
January 19th, 2010 on 10:47 am
Ok, just found this comment section from the link in Brian’s email!! How do I access it from the PCF site?????
January 19th, 2010 on 11:21 am
Laura B, it isn’t linked to the homepage. Just type in the address and you’ll be able to access it.
(paleochallenge . potomaccrossfit . com)
January 19th, 2010 on 12:29 pm
crap. looking forward to ‘paleo therapy’ tonight at mobys….especially since i just realized that i have been eating many things that are on Brian’s “WOULD AVOID TOTALLY” list.
by that i mean i’ve got OJ, 3 apples, 3 bananas, a mango, raspberries, and blueberries in my fridge right now.
pre-paleo i was (am) a crazy sugar addict. I polished off an entire Whitman’s Sampler the week before the challenge, and thats not even good chocolate…
i haven’t had any wild hunger pangs eating the fruit though and i feel like i’ve been eating a normal-ish amount of food…so how about i just liken my fruit to the same way they have to wean heroin addicts in rehab???? I mean it is still a VAST improvement from pre-challenge!
since i can’t return it to the store can i just finish it this week and then cut all ties for the rest of the challenge? (i’ll use the OJ to spike my sparkling water sporadically)
January 19th, 2010 on 12:59 pm
Glad folks are making improvements, even if we’re not 100%.
Realize that the issue with anything sweet is that we are going to trigger an automatic insulin response. This is the case even with “Paleo” foods like bananas and other fruit. It’s also the case when we do Paleo-baking.
So Paleo Pancakes and the like are still triggering that insulin response which is keeping us sugar dependent.
This is hard to stop by any means other than completely cutting out anything sweet (even “Diet” foods with no sugar will still trigger an insulin response) or at least drastically limiting it.
We’re trying to reduce our dependence on sugar for energy (and sugar dependence) by limiting/eliminating sweet foods.
We’re also trying to heal our guts from the harmful affects of dairy, grains, and legumes.
Keep this in mind as you are doing the challenge – eliminating these items will provide the best results.
January 19th, 2010 on 5:00 pm
Does anyone know a good ketchup replacement/substitute out there? I made some buffalo burgers and had to reach for the heinz 57. There’s got to be something to replace my beloved ketchup!
January 19th, 2010 on 5:59 pm
Guacamole is my fav replacement sauce. I can’t think of anything it doesn’t go well with.
January 19th, 2010 on 6:22 pm
Good brussel sprout/bacon recipe:
http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-q/2009/11/the-book-on-david-chang.html?printable=true
January 20th, 2010 on 6:23 am
So, it looks like one of my friends wants to have their birthday dinner at Cafe Asia this weekend. Besides tuna and shrimp sushi (sans rice), I was thinking I could do ok with stir fried chicken and veggies. Suggestions?
January 20th, 2010 on 6:54 am
Chris, Cafe Asia is actually pretty easy to go right with. Try the lemon grass chicken or lemongrass beef, and ask for no rice, extra broccoli/carrot skewers (they come on the side of both of those). There’s also a cocounut curry with your choice of meat that is excellent but light on carbs. I’ve ordered it with a side of broccoli before, and dumped the veggies into the coconut milk broth. Delicious.
January 20th, 2010 on 8:13 am
Why isn’t my Gravatar working on this page? Hmmm…
January 20th, 2010 on 8:44 am
Caitlin, I am not good with this as I loathe ketchup, but try homemade mayo or guac or maybe just tomato sauce. Bison burgers are very lean so I find that they are best at medium rare/medium because they dry out too much if overcooked.
January 20th, 2010 on 11:54 am
@Caitlin, if you like the tomato flavor on your burger, you might try experimenting with mixing tomato paste and diced tomatoes (or some other tomato product to thin out the paste). It might not match ketchup’s consistency, but it could do the trick in a pinch.
January 20th, 2010 on 12:21 pm
thanks Kassi!!
January 20th, 2010 on 1:21 pm
Here’s a list of breakfast recipes that’ll hopefully keep you from getting bored. Be advised that some of these have relatively high fruit content, and others aren’t strict paleo. But those ones are fairly obvious.
http://www.lalannefitness.com/images/uploads-main/paleo_breakfast_recipes.pdf
January 20th, 2010 on 5:07 pm
A great story extolling the virtues of bacon and fat.
http://wcco.com/health/high.fat.diet.2.1436243.html
January 20th, 2010 on 5:57 pm
i dragged major ass through the metcon today.
January 20th, 2010 on 7:41 pm
My strength is still definitely in the cr*pper. I was struggling a little doing single presses tonight at 145 when not too long ago I could power through a set of 3 without too much trouble. On the metcon side I actually feel like I’m the same or maybe even a little better. I’ve been dropping weight pretty good so I guess that could cause the strength drop while holding my metcon steady. Any thoughts on this? Oh, and I definitely feel like I need to eat more fat. I’m going to start adding coconut milk to the breakfast. Any ideas on how much fat we should be eating a day? X grams per pound of body weight? Just trying to figure out if I need a shot glass or tall glass of coconut milk in the morning.
January 21st, 2010 on 3:59 am
I have felt great during the day but my strength has definitely diminised in the gym. My squat max went down 10 #, as well as my press from yesterday. The metcons have not been affected as much but still feel myself getting winded probably a little quicker than I used to. The way I feel physically and mentally during the day has been great, compare to being sluggish by 2 pm and needing another coffee so I am happy with the trade off thus far.
January 21st, 2010 on 5:46 am
Dave C and Mike C- I am feeling the same way, good to hear it is not just me. Seems like this is normal.
January 21st, 2010 on 6:08 am
Guys, just give me 37 days, stick with it. From there we have a wonderful baseline on how you’ll look/feel/perform at this carb intake level.
We’re sacrificing short term to gain long term.
Once we get out of the Challenge time frame, we’ll start playing around with carb intake.
What you’re doing right now is forcing your body to use as much fat for fuel as it possibly can.
It doesn’t want to do this, it’s used to running off sugar, it wants sugar.
If we want to get to optimum performance, we need to get it off sugar (glucose) and on fat (triglycerides).
Once we get it there (and those that are seeing a strength gain and leveling out on METCON are much closer) then we can start to get our “air/fuel mixture” more attuned to our specific needs.
Realize as well that part of the reason some of you are dragging ass on METCONs is that you are hypocaloric, meaning you are under the amount of calories you need to maintain your current body mass. However, because your fat intake is so high as a % of your diet, you’re not hungry.
So you’re going to see moderate to significant body fat loss because you’re hypocaloric and because you’re hormonal balance (between glucagon and insulin) is the right mix to encourage your body to ditch excess body fat.
Once we get folks leaned out, we can get back to a balanced caloric or hypocaloric intake, and we’ll see the METCON sky rocket well beyond where we were before.
Like Katie, Kassi, Kelly and many of the other folks that have done this before have said, the first 2-4 weeks suck. But once you come out of it, you’re going to have a great implicit understanding of where you need to be food-wise, and your going to look/feel/perform better.
January 21st, 2010 on 6:49 am
I hope Vitamin C tablets are ok, I have had a head cold since Tuesday and have been popping 3-4 a day. I think each one has 1 gram of carbs which doesn’t sound like much.
January 21st, 2010 on 7:01 am
Wiz, totally fine.
January 21st, 2010 on 8:30 am
So I just had dental work, my mouth is part numb, part really sore. Anyone have an idea for a good mushy paleo lunch. I am at work, so i will have to go to a restaurant / store.
January 21st, 2010 on 8:34 am
Braised lamb shank and mashed cauliflower ala:
http://breakawaysportcf.com/blog/tuesday-100119/
But if you can’t find a place that has that, just go for slow cooked meat and veggies. Eat something if you’re hungry though.
January 21st, 2010 on 8:50 am
i don’t know if i can find that. maybe i will just go somewhere and ask them to severely overcook my food and put it in a blender.
January 21st, 2010 on 10:10 am
Lindsey – Tuna salad?
January 21st, 2010 on 10:14 am
Brian- I believe. I just wanted to share my experience so that others who were feeling the same way knew it was normal and nothing they were doing wrong.
January 21st, 2010 on 10:17 am
I ended up ordering three shredded chicken tacos and just ate the inside (chicken, tomatoes and lettuce).
January 21st, 2010 on 12:40 pm
Kevin, you’ve got a hug coming your way at the WOD tonight.
Dave, I wouldn’t worry too much about the amount of coconut milk. A cup with some berries sounds nice, if that’s your only fruit of the day.
January 21st, 2010 on 1:59 pm
Brian, how do we know if we’re hypocaloric? I think that I want to be hypocaloric to get thinner, but I know that if I’m working out 5 times a week, I could go too far and not eat enough. Should I be counting the calories in the 2 tablespoons of fish oil I have every day?
Generally I’m just annoyed I’m not getting thinner faster. If I stop eating the fruit, will I get thin, so then some day I can eat fruit again while being thin? I guess it doesn’t seem like I’m eating a lot of fruit, but it comes out to like 6 zone blocks a day. Should I just get rid of that entirely, and eat like an ounce of almonds instead? Will I actually lose weight doing this if I’m not eating crazy amounts of fat and protein?
January 21st, 2010 on 2:05 pm
Susan — vegetables, not fruit or almonds. MORE VEGETABLES.
Also, sustainable weight loss is a slow process. I know it’s frustrating to hear, “Be patient,” but anything worth doing takes time. You’ve made huge strides in rewiring your eating habits since late last year. Don’t worry about the calories — only focus on the food choices you’re making. Vegetables, particularly the leafy green kind, will serve you better than fruit at this point.
I tried to think of a way to get the word “vegetables” into this post one more time, but failed. Or did I?
January 21st, 2010 on 2:09 pm
I just got back from 4 days of work travel and am pretty pleased how I did. I’m not going to lie it was a challenge. The meetings were held at a theme park. I was completely surrounded by sugar, fried badness and fruity adult beverages.
I packed nuts in snack size bags and brought avocados and apples with me in my carry on. This was a life saver. I had more fruit and nuts than I would have liked this week but I really had no other options. It was tough to get enough vegetables to fill me up. And when I was snagged by some professional colleagues for dinner I didn’t want to take too much of the waiter’s time- and everything needed to be modified a lot.
In the end I ate a lot of steak and some veggies. Too much red meat for one week but I am pleased to say that other than a handful of cashews I stated 100% Paleo.
Lessoned learned: bring more food with me.
Any Paleo non-perishable snack ideas? My next trip is to Hershey, PA (seriously!)
January 21st, 2010 on 2:19 pm
Erin B: paleokits.org ?
Or you can copy their snack packs with your own ingredients.
January 21st, 2010 on 2:26 pm
Erin B, I don’t think that there is a such thing as too much red meat in a week. Personally, I can go very long periods of time without consuming anything but beef, bison, venison, pork, lamb, etc.
Check out Trader Joe’s, they have some great jerky there I hear. Also, uttering the words “lactose intolerant” helps at restaurants as well as telling them you want greens instead of rice. Once you get used to this, you’ll realize that you’re really the only one who notices what you’re ordering is more complicated.
Susan, just press the “I believe” button and go with Brian on this one. Eat vegetables.
January 21st, 2010 on 2:40 pm
I AM eating vegetables; I’ve eaten 2 giant heads of cauliflower this week. So far today, I ate an entire bag of salad and 3 bell peppers. Is that not enough??
January 21st, 2010 on 7:21 pm
Thanks Kassi and Lindsey-
January 21st, 2010 on 7:29 pm
I am with Kassi. I know I am supposed to eat veggies, but the last two nights I have had meat, salsa (technically a veggie) and fish oil. I always have a large salad as part of my lunch.
Is that wrong?
January 22nd, 2010 on 6:00 am
Erin B- Can you eat before you go out to dinner with friends? I had to go out three times this past week for different meetings and events and just ate before and then ordered a black coffee or water with lemon to make it look like I was doing something or order a side order of steamed veggies. I’ve actually been shocked that more people didn’t find it strange, but people are really so concerned about themselves that I found no one really notices. Could you try that and see if it works? Food pushers are the worst, but as Kassi said last week you can always claim you aren’t feeling well especially when it comes to boozing. (I have been asked if I was with child three times already for not drinking!!)hilarious!
January 22nd, 2010 on 6:45 am
If you work in the Foggy Bottom area, hit up Lindy’s Lion downstairs / takeout (21st and Penn). 3 eggs, 5 pieces of bacon: $2.50. AND, they gave me a plastic bag.
-click my name for map
Also, GWU Hospital cafeteria, best breakfast deals in town.
January 22nd, 2010 on 7:13 am
I stumbled on this blog (linked below), and found it extremely interesting. In a nutshell, the blog documents the first year of a middle aged overweight guy’s first year on a Paleo diet. He “cured” several health ailments, and lost 70+ pounds.
Interesting to note that he did not focus too much on exercise… which I think just reinforces what Brian has been saying all along that diet is the most important factor in the fitness equation.
http://paleoeater.blogspot.com/
The reason I am posting it is that it has motivated me to possibly continue this way past the 37 days.
January 22nd, 2010 on 9:39 am
Wiz- salsa is made from tomatoes and is technically a fruit… but better than eating a banana. As long as it’s not 8 cups of salsa I think you’re on the right track.
Robb Wolf talks about veggie intake in his podcast and says that if it’s hard for you to get a crap load of veggies in for all of your meals, eating a huge salad at one meal to compensate will help you out in the long run. I think as long as you’re eating a good amount of veggies during the day (which it seems like you are) you’re ok.
But, don’t forget the fat in your meals.
Susan- that sounds about average… just eat the veggies, do what Brian says and if it doesn’t work by mid-February, do what you want.
Also remember that every time you eat a carb without a protein, Alison dies a little on the inside. Please stop killing Alison, she’s important to my freezer fillage.
January 22nd, 2010 on 10:41 am
damn, tomato IS a fruit. i forgot that!
January 22nd, 2010 on 10:43 am
So some people were talking about a mid challenge pot luck dinner. Still interested? I volunteer to organize it. Let me know when is a good time.
-Lindsey
January 22nd, 2010 on 11:37 am
So I’m very close to two weeks into this diet and I’ve not noticed any real affects from the change in eating at all. I skipped b-fast on Wednesday and I got a bit of a headache and I gassed on my WOD Wednesday night, so that wasn’t too good of an idea.
Other than that I haven’t lost a lb of weight which is my primary goal and I’ve been pretty strict in watching my carbs (eat the occasional piece of sugar free gum. Could that be a problem?).
I’m not frustrated (yet) but I’m still not sure if I’m doing things right.
January 22nd, 2010 on 11:41 am
Michael,
I haven’t lost a pound since i started Crossfit 10 months ago. I think you need to focus on the before and after pictures and increases in your performance. I know i couldn’t deadlift 165 a year ago!
-Lindsey
January 22nd, 2010 on 12:05 pm
Thanks Lindsey. You’re right. I just hope that I’m not sleepwalking at night and secretly eating some stash of cupcakes that I’m not aware of. I just can’t help getting the feeling that I’m doing this wrong.
January 22nd, 2010 on 6:40 pm
Coaches and Paleo gurus,
What are your personal feelings regarding Sunbutter?
Sincerely,
A Sunbutter Adict
January 23rd, 2010 on 4:31 am
Sarah, I won’t say sunbutter is ‘bad’, as it’s yummy fatty gooidness. I would much rather see somebody eat sunbutter than fruit.
However, I have noticed a correlation between eating foods higher in saturated fats (anilmal fats, coconut products, avacado) and greater leanness, satiety, and performance.
So for someone just getting adjusted to paleo versus the Standard American Diet, I’d say go nits on nuts. For someone like you who’s comliant and who has been doing this a while, i’d give saturated fat a try. Let me know if you notice any changes.
And before the ‘Saturated Fat is Bad’ chorus begins it’s song – it’s not. Check out ‘protein Power Lofe Plan’, The Cholesterol Myth’, and ‘The Vegetrian Myth’. If you can counter their arguments as part of your comment, then I’ll answer it, otherwise press the ‘I Believe’ button one more time.
January 23rd, 2010 on 4:56 am
Regarding the potluck: Ross and I would be happy to host it at our house if it can be this Thursday, (I have family coming over the weekend). We are nearby and have the room. (Lindsey- any portion of this you’d like to coordinate that would be awesome)
We have plates, cups, utensils, the whole nine yards. And given that you are all such cheap dates these days we can even cover drinks for all!
If this works for you and you’d like to join us give a post with what you’ll bring. If we have a critical mass (lets say more than 6) its on. Yes?
More details to follow if everyone likes the idea.
January 23rd, 2010 on 5:17 am
Thanks for volunteering Lauren, very cool!
January 23rd, 2010 on 6:18 am
Reasons Why You Should Include The Yolk In Your Omlette/Frittata/Whatever: (provided that the yolk is from Alison or is a cage-free organic egg enriched with flax/omega 3′s)
1. Chickens are fed Flax, then they digest it and convert the omega 6′s to Omega 3′s and it shows in their eggs, we benefit.
2. They are freaking delicious
3. A caveman would never throw away an egg yolk
4. Alison angry-cooks every time you waste her egg yolks
5. The chickens cry when you don’t consume their favorite part of their pre- offspring
6. Eating an egg yolk, or any other saturated fat, is NOT going to kill you/hurt your nutrition. You aren’t eating the high-carb diet anymore and that’s what causes the high cholesterol and fat gain–read the stuff Brian posted above.
7. I’m going to Nancy Kerrigan you if you keep throwing them out.
xoxo
January 23rd, 2010 on 8:41 am
I’m in for thursday. I’ll bring beef stew.
And BTW, Alison is right. Parsnips make a decent sub for potatoes. My crock pot stew:
2 lbs cubed beef
1 bag baby carrots
1 onion, cut into wedges
2 stalks of celery, cut to 1″ pieces
3 parsnips, cut to bite size
Put veggies on bottom of crock pot. Mix beef with a packet of french onion soup mix. Put beef on top. Cook low 6-8 hours.
January 23rd, 2010 on 10:14 am
Bonked during this mornings wod. What is a good pre wod snack? Sorry if this has already been posted…
January 23rd, 2010 on 11:03 am
I made a sign up sheet that anyone can add to.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0At8L1XKvWYRNdG1ZUmQ1VkR1WVNObS1uNFdQa1lBeGc&hl=en
Do you guys have any pets? I am very allergic.
January 23rd, 2010 on 11:48 am
Questions to Brian and the group:
I’ve taken the believe that no sugar means NO sugar and I’ll stick to it. Sun butter has cane juice. That’s sugar right? I’ve seen it listed in so many things.
I went to Trader Joes in search of beef jerky without nitrates. I found some but it had sugar listed. I know I need to make my own but don’t have time before my next work trip.
I’m still looking for ideas of things I can put in my carry-on when I fly out on Monday.
Brian- you said nuts should not be our number one source of fat. Why?
I’m not as tired now but the still lack energy for the WODs.
Thanks!
January 23rd, 2010 on 1:39 pm
Question for Brian – I have not been tracking my weight too closely, only weighing in about twice a week. Starting from Day 1, I have been 238, 234, 236, 238, and 234. Is it odd to be all over the place like this?
January 24th, 2010 on 6:55 am
Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to make to the pot luck this Thurs.
But, please do post everyone’s recipes! 
Also, random question – I have saved bacon grease in a glass jar…does the jar have to go in the refrigerator or is it ok to just sit on the stove?
January 24th, 2010 on 7:51 am
Christy – great question, here’s the deal:
1) Do not leave bacon grease out!!! Must be kept in the fridge.
2) Be sure to put about 1-2 tsp (depending on how big your jar is) in the bottom of the jar you’re going to use. This draws moisture out of the fat and kills bacteria that may form.
Follow these two rules and you’ll be good to go. I keep bacon grease and use it often – super delicious and very healthy!
January 24th, 2010 on 7:53 am
Christy, I put my grease in a coffee cup and put it in the freezer so it gets hard.
January 24th, 2010 on 7:58 am
Excellent bacon grease storage tips – thanks! I am going to the kitchen now to put it in the frig.
January 24th, 2010 on 8:58 am
Everyone, I am happy to report some changes. The first week, I reported some headaches. At the beginning of week two, the headaches had gone away, but like many of us I had a lot of struggles with energy during the WODs. I noticed on Friday and Saturday that my energy is coming back during the WODs. I feel like I am getting close to where I was before during the WODs and look forward to seeing how much I can leave that level behind! The point is, I know we have all been feeling weak, but if you haven’t yet, push the “I believe” button and things may come around.
This leads me to a question for Brian or Allison: It may be my imagination, but I feel like I may be recovering quicker post WOD. i.e. not as sore, and not having the feeling of misery that used to accompany 2 or 3 days of WODs. Is that normal, or my imagination… It if it my imagination, I won’t tell it because, well, think of the possibilities.
January 24th, 2010 on 9:12 am
Brian,
Like others have noted on this board, my performance has been lagging this past week. Yesterday, I did a 5K run at the track (Tes had me doing some benchmarks for my CFE workouts) and it was 4 minutes slower than when we did the 5K run at the box (which is actually about 250 yards short of a 5K). I’m hoping the performance dip is due to my body switching energy sources.
My question though concerns endurance races (2-3 hours) and energy sources. From what I was told years ago when I ran a few marathons, is the body can access energy in glycogen stores (i.e. carbs) faster than in fat. When marathoners ‘hit the wall’ at mile 18, their glycogen stores are depleted and the body turns to burning fat (even muscle in some cases).
What can you tell me about fat as an energy source for endurance events?
January 24th, 2010 on 9:12 am
Wiz, I’d say stay off the scale until the end of the challenge (or longer)… not unusual for your weight to fluctuate, and no sense worrying about the #.
Erin, the reality of sugar added to nearly everything means that there are a couple of compromises I make (and encourage others to make to maintain sanity). Those include bacon, sausage, TJ’s jerky, and Sunbutter (which I try REALLY hard to eat only by the spoonful, not the half-jarful). All these have a bit of sugar added, but it’s not a major portion of my intake, so I don’t worry about it. I keep a couple pouches of TJ’s jerky in my car when I haven’t made my own lately. Andy, I find it’s good on my way to early-AM Foundations.
Kassi, thanks for the egg yolk love. Wendy, ditto on the parsnips.
Keep up the good work everyone, and see you Thursday! I’ll bring something tasty.
January 24th, 2010 on 9:17 am
Rick, not sure you saw this last week, but Doug M/Aaron/Kassi/etc. talked a bunch about endurance events and fat vs. carbs:
http://www.potomaccrossfit.com/crossfit-blog/thursday-100121/#comments
Chris, that’s awesome — glad to hear it. I don’t think it’s your imagination. When your fish oil, sleep, and food are spot on, recovery feels like a breeze.
January 24th, 2010 on 9:39 am
Brian,
What do we put in the bottom of the bacon grease to draw out the moisture? says 1-2 tsp, but doesn’t say of what? thanks
January 24th, 2010 on 9:40 am
Woops!
“Salt”
January 24th, 2010 on 10:43 am
Rick – just sent you an email on post-WOD carbs.
January 24th, 2010 on 10:45 am
Chris M. – recovery is usually the biggest bump we see from the first phase of eating very clean Paleo foods. You’ll get to day 3 of your WOD cycle, and be ready to do a 2nd WOD that day. You’ll get to your rest day and want to work out.
I just had this conversation on Friday with Hilary and Neda, and others have brought it up to me as well.
I also had the same thing happen the first time I went 100% Paleo. Recovery, soreness, etc, all dramatically improved.
January 24th, 2010 on 10:45 am
Wiz – how are your pants fitting? Because dude, you look skinnier.
Brian
January 24th, 2010 on 10:47 am
Andy – there is no one formula for pre-WOD nutrition. Play around with a few different options and see how you feel.
Also depends on when you WOD, early morning folks are going to be much different than mid-morning, who are much different than lunch time, etc…
Need more info on when you are working out.
Also, did this just happen once or has it happened consistently?
January 24th, 2010 on 11:10 am
Just to clarify, I still feel great, and I think my WOD performance is OK. I’ll just stay off the scale for a couple of weeks to avoid any mixed messages.
I have to admit to having a couple glasses of wine last night at a Christmas party that was rescheduled due to the blizzard. So technically the drinks count for December, not January. And damn, I had a hell of a headache this morning.
January 24th, 2010 on 12:27 pm
Erin’s question regarding nuts was not answered, and I need to know:
Brian- you said nuts should not be our number one source of fat. Why?
January 24th, 2010 on 1:39 pm
Great idea for the potluck on Thursday. I’ll be WODing at 6pm, so as long as you all can accept me in my sweaty clothes, I will be there after that. I can bring chicken sausage, peppers, and onions. So easy, and so very good.
As far as my WSOP progress, everything is going really well. I’m dropping weight and I was really happy with some of my 1RM last week (I heart back squats and squat cleans). The metcons are coming along a little more slowly, but there is no question that I am in much better shape than I was a month or so ago. Also, I started doing strict Paleo on Jan 1st because I absolutely needed to, so I am now over 3 weeks in and am pleasantly surprised at how easy it has been to maintain (with the exception of a horribly over-salted chicken and spinach dish at Rustico the other night…wood-grilled pizza and beer would have been sooo much better!).
Anyway, this is my long-winded way of saying that this whole Paleo thing has been working for me and I definitely will be continuing it to the best of my abilities once WSOP ends.
January 24th, 2010 on 1:44 pm
Cindy – for most folks, nuts are fine. But I can speak to some things Robb Wolf has talked about, and several athletes have tried (including myself).
The only nuts I’ve eaten in the last few weeks have been macadamia. The other fats I’m eating are lard, butter (I’ll discuss why I eat this even though it’s dairy in a second), bacon fat, coconut products, avacado, and olive oil.
I’ve found I can eat more fat overall, but am still leaner than I was on when I was eating a lot of nuts for my fats.
So for most folks, eat nuts – not a big deal if you are moving from eating neaolithic foods. But if you are already comfotable with Paleo, give it a try for yourself.
January 24th, 2010 on 2:15 pm
Would anyone be willing to post some of the meals they have been eating?? I am losing my creative juices and am always looking for new meal/combination ideas. Thanks!!
January 24th, 2010 on 2:32 pm
What has been working for me is the opposite of creativity. I made a big batch of chili with ground bison at the onset of this, put it in 4oz containers, and tossed them in the freezer.
Weekdays my breakfast is bacon & eggs & some fruit. Lunch is 4oz of chili and a huge salad, I have been getting my fat from snacking on almonds during the day, and have not been hungry in the evenings. Gobs of fish oil at both meals.
On the weekends I have been mostly eating steak, one evening I did make a meaty marinara, everyone else had it on pasta, I had it on top of fresh spinach. Another dish was bacon, pine nuts, garlic, red peppers, onions sauteed in olive oil.
I think the less creative I am, the less I think about what I am going to eat and rely on the standbys, the easier this is for me.
January 24th, 2010 on 3:23 pm
I think a lot of people fall into a rhythm with food, and that’s both good and bad.
Good: Because you’re setting new healthy habits.
Bad: Because we’re designed to eat a variety of foods.
I definitely fall into the “pattern eater”, and that’s why I try to just eat one new thing a week. Could be a different cut of meat from Alison (I got tongue and chicken liver this week), could just be a new veggie (I got mustard greens for this week), could be a new sauce, a new fat, whatever.
I find this helps a ton.
January 24th, 2010 on 4:00 pm
I am stoked that I got a tongue last week too! I hate lunch meat, there is so much crap in it, that it upsets my stomach. I could eat a tongue sandwich everyday. There in lies my paleo dilemma. If I cook that baby up, I am sure I will go out and buy a loaf of bread.
January 24th, 2010 on 4:12 pm
meals I’ve made:
spaghetti squash w/very meaty marinara (dump a couple cans of diced tomatoes, spices, a little tomato paste)
diced chicken w/ peppers and onions (sometimes add spinach) – use SW seasoning, and add salsa or use garlic and ginger for a chinese flavor
chicken sausages/apples/sauerkraut (made of only cabbage and kosher salt) add alittle mustard
beef stew
Greek beef stew (beef, tomatoes, baby onions)
kahlua pork
salmon/broccoli
January 24th, 2010 on 4:31 pm
Brian, do you think I should try going totally nut-free? I get a fair amount of my fat from almonds / almond butter, but I’d be willing to give that up if it means I’ll get skinny faster.
You’ll also be happy to know that I haven’t eaten fruit in three days. And I’m still alive. And since I’m not home, I haven’t weighed myself the past two days. I’m hoping if I weigh myself less often, I’ll see more change each time and not get so…exasperated.
January 24th, 2010 on 5:09 pm
I am totally OCD, which means I am a “routine” person. So, I too have to make a note to try something new every now and then. This week it was Paleo crab cakes and kale (different meals).
But, back to being OCD…for b’fast I generally make a big casserole with eggs, spinach and sausage at the beginning of the week, divide it up, then heat it up and top it off with avocado, guac (because you can’t have too much!), and bruchetta. Quick and yummy post WOD.
For lunch, it’s always a big salad with romaine/spinach, chopped meat (chicken or turkey), HB egg, celery, carrot, walnuts, avocado, bacon, and topped off with Alison’s Paleo dressing.
Dinner is an interchangeable combination of the following key elements: baked chicken breast, grilled/sauted shrimp, crab cakes (I made the ones on Mark’s Daily Apple tonight – yummo), veggie soup w/ canadian bacon, spag. squash, roasted zucchini & summer squash w/ pine nuts and lavendar (or rosemary) sea salt, roasted asparagus, bacon & spinach, bacon & kale, etc.
Snacks are where the nuts come in (macadamia, walnuts, almonds, and yes, cashews), since they pack easily and don’t need to be in the frig at work. Here are some recent snack combos: tarragon shrimp/ cucumbers/almonds, HB eggs/roasted zucchini/cashews, and bacon/spag. squash/walnuts.
Oh, and everything is grilled/baked/roasted w/ EVOO.
I just bought some almond meal and enzymes, so I plan to branch out into new red meat options soon – maybe meatloaf or burgers (I saw some on Brian’s blog a while ago with some greens and they looked good). I am also going to try making a cabbage soup with Alison’s rosemary sausage. Hope that helps get your imagination going!
January 24th, 2010 on 5:38 pm
Thanks Alison- I think I’m just amazed. I haven’t paid as much attention to labels in the past as I am now. I still am going to do my best to stay away from cane juice and nitrates for the remainder of this challenge. (I found that the sun butter at Whole Foods does not have cane juice). It’s forcing me to experiment in the kitchen- which is a really good thing- since cooking has never been my thing.
Nuts: (thanks Cindy for your subtle nudge to Brian to answer the question
Brian- that makes a lot of sense.
To anyone who has not tried Alison’s meat – You are missing out. Its amazing, yummy, and should not be missed!!
January 24th, 2010 on 5:45 pm
Something that is quick and versatile is the thin sliced chicken breast packet. You can put about 50 different spices on them and fry them up in about 10 minutes. Some of my favorites are:
Olive oil and italian seasoning
Texas Pete hot sauce
Peppers, onions, and mexican taco seasoning
Etc, etc.
January 25th, 2010 on 6:38 am
These frequent references to chicken breast is frightening. I implore you to reintroduce your taste buds to the delight of meat with FAT IN THEM!!!
Get one of Alison’s chicken – it’s $4.99/lb, great price. Microwave some bacon fat, put it under and on the skin. Coat with kosher salt and pepper in and out. If you have them, throw some aromatics (rosemary, thyme, etc) in the cavity with a half a lemon, some carrots.
Put it in the oven uncovered for one hours at 375.
Take it out and find out what REAL CHICKEN TASTES LIKE!!!!
First time I had one of these I literally ate the whole thing.
January 25th, 2010 on 8:05 am
Another question for the Paleo gurus,
I’ve noticed that my desire to eat protein far outstrips that of “typical” Zone levels. I’m talking in the neighborhood of 14-20 blocks almost every day. Is this normal?
January 25th, 2010 on 8:19 am
Sarah – I weighed my food a few weeks back and it was something hysterically ridiculous like this:
23 Protein, 5 Carbs, 70 Fat.
And, I lost 1.5 inches in my waist that month. Hilarious.
January 25th, 2010 on 8:22 am
that was just one day, BTW, my food fluctuates as well.
January 25th, 2010 on 9:15 am
Brian, I have been trusting you. Yesterday, I took a free range organic chicken and put it on my rotisserie. Coated it with olive oil and some of my favorite spices including a little cayenne for kick. It is amazing the difference in the taste. Dark meat really has a flavor, like I remember from a kid. Not like the white dark meat bred into poultry today. Because I knew it wasn’t enough fat, I took one of the tips that I believe Kassi posted…. Some bacon that after I cooked I cut into 2 inch pieces and used those to scoop guacamole. I have to admit that it did not sound tasty to me, but turned out to be one of the best things I have ever eaten.
January 25th, 2010 on 9:43 am
That’s awesome to hear, Kassi, because I have been shoving meat and fat down my gullet like it’s going out of style. Seriously, I just made some bacon and in a minute I’m going to eat a few meatballs.
January 25th, 2010 on 10:43 am
regarding nuts: the paleo book has a pretty good list of nuts and their omega 3 to omega 6 ratios. i think walnuts have the best ratio.
January 26th, 2010 on 7:44 am
Sorry, can’t make it to Moby Dick’s tonight. But I have one thing to ask about. I talked w/ Maria this morning and she offered that the fish oil might be fueling my sleep issues (something about fish oil activates the brain), so I was thinking of moving my dinner fish oil dose to lunch. This means I would have to keep a stash at the office. So, here comes the question – is it ok to NOT refrigerate fish oil? Thanks!
January 26th, 2010 on 7:51 am
Christy – I’ve never heard that. I don’t doubt it, but would love a reference to check out.
You need to refrigerate, do you have a fridge at the office you could leave it in?
I know Vaughn brings his dose to work daily in a little squeeze bottle and puts that in the office fridge.
January 26th, 2010 on 8:09 am
Well, I was just talking about how I get these racing thoughts at night and have pockets of time (in the middle of the night) that I can not calm my mind, and Maria said ‘oh, I read that fish oil activates your mind so I don’t take mine at night.’ So, I’ll search for a reference. There is a frig, but I already have to use a crow bar to get my damn salad in there – not a lot of room for a big ole jar of oil. Ahhh, a little squeeze bottle…that’s the ticket. I’ll have to work on that item. Thanks!
January 26th, 2010 on 8:25 am
I’m attempting to make it to the 7pm WOD so if the support meeting is still going on I’ll try to stop in again! Thanks for hosting the meeting Brian.
January 26th, 2010 on 9:03 am
Brian and Christy- I was having the some issue with Fish Oil and difficulty sleeping. I now take fish oil with breakfast and lunch and I sleep through the night….Don’t know why!!!
January 26th, 2010 on 10:07 am
I too have noticed some sleeping difficulties. Like Christy was sying, my mind races all night sometimes and a lot of dreaming. I might try what everyone else is talking about and take it at breakfast and lunch and see if it makes a difference.
January 26th, 2010 on 10:33 am
(thank you Kelly and Chris…now I feel just a little bit less crazy)
January 26th, 2010 on 11:11 am
Could it be the fact that you’re “eating” something before bed? I know that that bothers some people… my Google research has led to fish oil helping sleep, but granted pretty much no one takes as much fish oil as we do.
January 26th, 2010 on 11:43 am
I am likely to skip the meeting tonight, so my comments:
I sleep just fine taking fish oil before bed
Coconut milk is magic crack
Pants that were borderline unwearable two weeks ago are now kinda loose fitting
Energy seems to be pretty consistent all day long
WODs still feel ok, no major crashes
Wine —> headache
Keep it up folks!
January 27th, 2010 on 3:26 am
Had to miss the last two meetings but so glad I caught up on reading this blog. I had no idea fish oil had to be refrigerated. I take it with breakfast and dinner and it doesn’t affect my sleep.
Getting a LITTLE bit leaner. Just a little.
Weekdays are easy to do Paleo Zone.
Weekends are deadly! Don’t miss alcohol at all, but dying for a cupcake and a latte!
Overall feeling pretty good.
Christy, love your gravatar btw.
January 27th, 2010 on 5:48 am
Never thought I would say this… but i am getting tired of bacon.
Have been losing weight
feeling like I have more energy. But When I get tired I crash. Getting some real good sleep about 5-6 hours a night then i wake up feeling ready to do something.
Had a wedge of fudge the other day the kind people hand to you as a teaser…. Felt the sugar run right through me and it made my tongue tingle. After that i realized I was not really missing any of the sweet treats i used to love.
Also eating less portions not feeling like i am going to die if i don’t gorge myself.
January 27th, 2010 on 5:51 am
Is there any sort of recommended minimum for what % of our calories should come from carbs? The old standard is 40%, but eating only vegetables makes that pretty much impossible. Is 15-25% of calories from carbs fine?
January 27th, 2010 on 6:16 am
Susan, carbs should end up around 8-15% of your intake. If somebody is mainly looking for fat loss, stay on the low end.
This depends a lot on a persons insulin sensitivity and digestion though.
For you, just stick with veggies 99% of the time and don’t worry about grams if carbs or % if carbs in your diet.
We up carb intake from thus baseline if we’re seeing sleep issues. Then we’ll put some starchier paleo options in post-wod: sweet potato, winter squash, etc.
All – stick with veggies as much as you can, if you’re not sleeping or not sleeping well or have reached your desired level of leanness, email me and I’ll give you specific guidance.
January 27th, 2010 on 6:41 am
do we have a critical mass for the potluck?
can we do it at 7, for the 6pm wod-ers?
January 27th, 2010 on 7:31 am
7 pm is fine with me, tomorrow is a rest day.
Chris
January 27th, 2010 on 8:14 am
Lindsey- Thanks for organizing. I won’t be able to attend, but Sara D and I look forward to bringing a sick box of Franzia to the Feb. 13th event since basically any type of wine/beer sounds good right now. I’m also going to point out how funny it is that everyone woman I’ve talked to on the challenge just wants to drink a latte and eat a cupcake, myself included…
January 27th, 2010 on 8:26 am
A cupcake and a latte (or cappuccino)- two of life’s great pleasures!
January 27th, 2010 on 9:07 am
I got off track a bit this weekend (ski trip for 2.5 days with 30 8th graders in po-dunk Pennsylvania will do it to you) and had a cupcake. My body instantly rejected it. It was the saddest day of my life!!
January 27th, 2010 on 9:53 am
I heart cupcakes.
January 27th, 2010 on 9:57 am
Coaches – what time is the “voting and noshing” gathering for the WSOP finish line on Sat Feb 13? I have a bridal shower to attend right smack dab in the middle of that day (12:30-3:30). Any chance for a 4:00 start? Or are we all meeting on Sun Feb 14?
January 27th, 2010 on 10:08 am
All- I will not be able to attend the dinner tomorrow night, I thought I would be able to but it looks like I will be working late tomorrow.
Christy- not sure if the end meeting has been set, but I would also be in favor of a Feb 14th meeting.
January 27th, 2010 on 10:09 am
WE are looking forward to seeing several of you tomorrow night. 7 (or whatever time you get here) is fine. Come even if you haven’t signed up yet. The more the merrier. Lindsey- we do have a dog, she’s a portugeese water dog (and so technically hypoallergenic- if it makes any difference) I’m happy to put her upstairs if it helps.
We are at 1609 Edgewood two blocks into the neighborhood from Whole Foods Market. Big green house on the right. E-mail me if youhave any ???s lauren_ashley@mac.com
January 27th, 2010 on 10:29 am
I thought the finish was 1:30pm on Sat, Feb. 13th as it says at the top of this site and when you registered? I’m already signed up to do the Pacers Couples V-day 5k on Sunday, so please send something out if you are changing the date/time.
January 27th, 2010 on 11:57 am
Ahh yes, Good eye Kat, there it is. 13th at 1:30. Sorry for any confusion.
January 27th, 2010 on 11:58 am
Where are folks buying the coconut oil from ?
I saw one at Whole foods – a small can for 12$ ? Is this the best deal around ??
and also are we supposed to buy the extra virgin coconut oil …i dont know..looks like there are many types in that ?
Anyone who has experimented with coconut oil can throw some light ??
Thanks in advance….
January 27th, 2010 on 12:10 pm
Lauren, Thanks for hosting, I will try to make a batch of paleo tortilla chips and guac.
I am OK with moving the meeting to 4 pm, but would prefer not to meet on Sunday.
January 27th, 2010 on 12:12 pm
I got my coconut oil at Wegmans. Can’t remember how much. You want the mot pure stuff.
January 27th, 2010 on 2:27 pm
here is the sign up sheet again
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0At8L1XKvWYRNdG1ZUmQ1VkR1WVNObS1uNFdQa1lBeGc&hl=en
January 27th, 2010 on 4:59 pm
In case I didn’t edit the document properly, I’m bringing pot roast/beef stew.
How’s parking? Is it easiest to just go into one of the Clarendon garages?
January 27th, 2010 on 5:49 pm
No, we have plenty of on street parking. NO worries.
January 27th, 2010 on 7:07 pm
I wish I could make the dinner. I may stop by but I have Jon’s last oly lifting class at 7:00.
I’m curious how people are feeling? I’ve been traveling so I couldn’t make the meeting/dinners. I still have low enery- which I don’t like- but I’m not walking through the day exhausted anymore either.
January 27th, 2010 on 7:29 pm
thanks Laura,
I got the Jarlows extra virgin coco oil from Whole foods and sauteed some finely cut peppers, onions and carrots and sprinkled some freshly ground pepper on top. Surely was on of the best tasting things I have had after going paleo….
January 28th, 2010 on 7:25 am
@Erin, you are not alone! I am still getting winded after the W/U before we even get to the WOD. Then, in the WOD, in the skill portion, after I do a round (e.g., DL or Thrusters) I literally see stars and have to sit down and catch my breath and wait for my vision to clear. It’s pretty discouraging and more than a little annoying. Apparently my body is fighting Paleo harder than I thought it would. I do notice, however, that I am a tad less exhausted a few hours after the WOD and throughout the day – which I attribute to Brian’s suggestion of eating protein/starchyveggie immediately following the WOD. I bring it with me and sit on the ramp next to the frig and pound it, since I am starving at that point anyway.
But, I won’t drop out. So, I’ll just have to work on that “patience” thing, put my nose down, charge forward, and get through it! 
Sorry…I just realized that I am starting to sound like a broken record. I don’t mean to appear to be always complaining.
Is anyone else not yet over the Paleo “hump”?
January 28th, 2010 on 8:29 am
Christy, three words: stick with it. You’ve come really far already, and it’s going to get better. You’re eating protein at every meal, right?
I have to coach until 8pm tonight but then will sprint on over to the potluck (with me: big dish of greens with toasted pine nuts and other goodness. Cooked in lard, of course). Sorry that I’ll be a bit late. That damn slave-driving PCF owner….
Speaking of which, Brian, any thoughts on moving the 2/13 concluding meeting to 4:00pm?
January 28th, 2010 on 8:34 am
Christy,
Felt like that last week. Added more peppers into my diet and now i feel kinda normal. also drinking lots of water with lemons. This has helped me a lot at least with the hunger pangs. I am also losing weight so maybe all that stored energy is helping me through out the day. There are still those crack moments that I am craving pasta. but I am getting past them….
January 28th, 2010 on 8:49 am
Question on types of fats – there was a suggestion to eat avocados and coconut oil because of their high saturated fat content. I’m confused, because only 1/9th of the fat in an avocado is saturated fat. Can someone clarify this for me?
January 28th, 2010 on 9:26 am
Thanks Andy for the update/input. I am going to make a conscience effort to up my water intake. It’s interesting that now (because of WSOP) there are far more lemons and limes in my place than ever before (which were just for cocktails). I’ll put them to use.
Alison, I am not sure if my email is working…but I have to take a pass and not place an order this week.
I will double-up next time tho! 
January 28th, 2010 on 9:39 am
Will not be able to make the final paleo meeting if it’s changed to 4pm. Please send out notice if you are changing the original date and time, thanks. Also, details on IF we can still participate and how to submit etc since it looks like a few people have scheduling conflicts on either end.
January 28th, 2010 on 9:42 am
yeah never really used lemons as much as i am now….
January 28th, 2010 on 10:42 am
@Christy0530- Thanks! Your not complaining -just saying how you feel and it’s helpful.
Per Brian’s recommendation I have switched my nut intake to macadamia nuts. I don’t know if it has made any difference but they are like candy to me! Yum! Now I need to be careful not to eat too many
January 28th, 2010 on 10:45 am
Yeah, I second the not being able to make the final meeting if it’s changed to 4pm… I made plans for that weekend based on a 1:30pm meeting.
January 28th, 2010 on 12:24 pm
Susan,
It looks like you’re wanting to know some hard-core paleo stuff, better listen to the expert and download Robb Wolf’s Paleolithic Solution podcast from iTunes. It has the answers to any question you could think of.
January 28th, 2010 on 1:12 pm
Way to stick in there Christy!!!
January 28th, 2010 on 4:32 pm
Christy-you are not alone. I have been strict on this the whole time and actually started a week earlier. I still do not feel I have gotten over the hump, and have not shed a pound. But I am sticking with it as well and have gotten advice on what I can do to tweak what I am doing along the way.
I have had body fat issues my whole life, and I really hope this can be the way to get lean and strong.
January 29th, 2010 on 5:15 am
Christy, my work outs aren’t affected as much, but I’m pretty tired too- more than normal. I’m getting 8 hours of sleep , taking fish oil, doing the reccommended diet 100%, etc… I assumed the fatique was a product of frigid weather and lack of light. Wondering now if diet is playing a role as well?
January 29th, 2010 on 5:20 am
Awesome potluck last night!
Here is the chili recipe i used: http://www.barbellsandbacon.com/archives/894
-Lindsey
January 29th, 2010 on 7:29 am
Thanks to Lauren and Ross for hosting last night. Could you send that Brussel Sprouts/Shitake Mushroom recipe. I forgot what the third thing was (shallots? chives?)
January 29th, 2010 on 7:52 am
Some good info on “Feed the Animal” about some of the issues that have been brought up:
http://freetheanimal.com/2010/01/paleo-diet-problems-big-problems.html
To sum up for those of you who are feeling tired, I want you to eat a giant amount of fat in one dose and tell me how you feel.
So maybe a coconut milk smoothie:
1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
5 oz Blueberries
10 oz Macadamia Nuts
Ice
Chug that and let me know how you feel.
January 29th, 2010 on 8:21 am
Brian,
Is it ok if I try that even if I feel fine? Can I add bacon?
January 29th, 2010 on 8:37 am
Please do Wiz.
Also, we have no plans to change the date/time of the final meeting.
January 29th, 2010 on 9:29 am
Wiz- gross.
January 29th, 2010 on 12:56 pm
i am back to meeting and exceeding my previous max weights.
January 29th, 2010 on 1:26 pm
I feel better than I have in previous weeks. I certainly did have that winded/seeing stars feeling during the skill or heavy part of the WODs. However, I felt good during the 3×5 squat workout we did this week.
January 29th, 2010 on 1:40 pm
OMG Brian are you kidding? I feel awesome just reading the ingredients for that dreamy smoothy!
@everybody – thanks for the support! I am hanging in there, and I know you all will too! Once the “I believe” botton has been pushed, it can’t be unpushed.
Awesome Lindsey & Kevin – looks like some of us are out of the woods.
January 29th, 2010 on 1:42 pm
Wiz, I think we should open a restaurant where all the items on the menu include bacon. Dessert could be dark chocolate covered bacon…mmmmm.
January 30th, 2010 on 4:53 am
Brian- that reaction you said we’d have after trying your salad dressing? That’s how I feel about you after making myself the coconut milk smoothie.
January 30th, 2010 on 5:57 am
Wiz, recipe is as follows:
1lb Brussels Sprouts
1lb Shiitake Shrooms
4 large Shallots
Quarter Brussels, slice shallots in to thin rings, and slice shrooms into about 1/2 inch strips (nothing here needs to be precise including weights or quantities). Toss with Olive Oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 425 oven for 25-35 min stirring 3 or so times during the process.
Have Fun
January 30th, 2010 on 6:05 am
Here’s another we did last night with Braised Chuck Roast:
2 Heads of Cauliflower – cleaned into bite size pieces
3 Tablespoons White Truffle Oil (Saveurs Brand is Sunflower Oil and White Truffles)
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste (remember white pepper is stronger than black pepper – but tastes and looks better here)
Steam Cauliflower for 15 min and drain off any excess liquid. Place Cauliflower in a bowl and add Truffle Oil, Chicken Stock, Salt and White Pepper. Use an emersion blender to combine until smooth or substitute the bowl for a food processor and let it rip until you have the texture you want. The longer you blend the creamier it will get.
January 31st, 2010 on 5:28 am
@Brian – Experiment feedback. So, I made the fatty smoothie at one half of your recipe (1/2 can coco milk, 3 oz bberries, 5 oz mac nuts, 1 c ice) around 11:15 AM yesterday. It took me over 30 minutes to ingest – really thick and rich! I was a little queezy for about 1 hour after, which I attribute to the huge fat load. In about 2 hours I was completely lethargic and just wanted to sleep. About 7 hours later, I realized I hadn’t eaten all day, so I made dinner eventhough I wasn’t hungry. Since I usually eat about every 3-5 hours, I thought it was interesting that I wasn’t hungry after 7. So, I had a bag of spinach cooked up in bacon grease.
It makes sense that the fatty smoothy would satiate hunger, but I am thinking it doesn’t work for my body type as an energy booster.
Lemme know what/when the next experiment is!
January 31st, 2010 on 4:19 pm
Brian,
I’m in a Georgetown certification course that meets every other weekend, so on Feb 13th I’ll be in class from 8 am to 5 pm. This obviously conflicts with our final 1:30 pm meeting. Luckily, the classes are held literally a block away from the box, and we get a lunch break usually right at noon, so is there a chance I can stop in then and put my vote in for the winner? I guess this would mean everyone having to get their final photos in before the meeting vice bringing them with them to the meeting, so I see how this might not work. Let me know my options.
February 1st, 2010 on 6:42 am
@Brian,@Christy – I, too, tried the 1/2 recipe mac/coco/blueb smoothie. Similar results as Christy – sleepiness hit me like a Mack truck after, even though it took me a while to get it all down. Unlike Christy, though, I was hungry 3 hours later.
I’ve been having sleep issues, with so-so quality at best, even when quantity is good. Tried moving fish oil up to closer to lunchtime yesterday, and with one data point, am totally SOLD on that approach and will continue. Slept great, when typically Sunday nights are my worst sleep of the week.
Also, with great reluctance I’m thinking I might be sensitive to eggs. I’ve been listening to Robb Wolf to try to figure out why this Paleo-thingy isn’t working better for me, and based on some of his comments I avoided eggs this weekend. Ate them last on Friday morning, and I have to say I’m just feeling better and better.
So my plan now is to maintain my fish oil dose but move it to breakfast/lunch instead of breakfast/before bed, and avoid eggs for a week then reintroduce. Fingers are crossed that this will help; fingers are extra-crossed that eggs (Alison’s are SOO delicious!) will turn out to be ok!
February 1st, 2010 on 7:54 am
I messed up today and had a banana. I was amazed at how sweet it tasted! Wow.
February 1st, 2010 on 9:12 am
I haven’t tried the Fat Bomb yet, but I did have some coconut milk & blueberries last night. I might have to make the full deal and leave it in my refrigerator as a sweet snack.
February 1st, 2010 on 9:14 am
Lindsey – I wouldn’t call having a banana “messing up”, eating a banana split, yes, not just a banana, although I understand the thought process.
February 1st, 2010 on 11:29 am
Well, i think it is > two servings of fruit. I can’t wait to be able to eat a banana and not look over my shoulder for Brian.
February 1st, 2010 on 1:37 pm
Brian’s a ninja.
And he’s got henchmen named Guch, Spider Monkey, and Guch’s friends.
February 2nd, 2010 on 6:43 am
Paleo Challenge Meeting tonight 7:15pm at Moby Dicks.
February 2nd, 2010 on 7:49 am
I’m not complaining….well maybe a little. I’m at another conference. No big deal right! It’s my 4th one since I’ve started this challenge. Well I really must have wanted to TEST myself because I’m at the Hershey Lodge in PA. They give you a huge chocolate bar when you check in and the wall paper is pictures of chocolate kisses. There is dark chocolate hot coco waiting for you in your room when you check in. Torture me some more please!! I love chocolate. It’s all now in my car away from any midnight binges. No cheating for me…..Arrrggggggg!!!
February 2nd, 2010 on 12:47 pm
Erin B- that is crazy. I don’t know how you are doing it. I’m pretty sure I would not do well in Hershey, PA. Good job! Keep up the fight!
Lindsey- I thought the banana guilt was funny. I feel the same way.
February 2nd, 2010 on 2:31 pm
Erin,
Stay strong girl!!!!
February 2nd, 2010 on 4:02 pm
Check out the interesting site linked to my name. Brian, you will love this.
February 2nd, 2010 on 5:57 pm
The chicken and bacon narwhal might be thee greatest food ever invented. LOL.
February 2nd, 2010 on 6:52 pm
I did not expect to make “paleo” substitute foods, but this is awesome.
place in food processor:
2 cans coconut milk
1 large navel orange
5 basil leaves
1 cup water
pour into ice cream freezer and freeze.
February 3rd, 2010 on 5:09 pm
Brian – got the Barlean’s Greens at Whole foods, it’s $35 there, cheaper on Amazon, but don’t have time to get it from there. It’s kinda gross, but I’m trying it.
February 3rd, 2010 on 7:03 pm
o man i just discovered sun butter. this could be a problem…
why do they even make peanut butter???? i feel like i’ve been cheated out of life for going this long not knowing about almond butter and sun butter…
February 3rd, 2010 on 7:14 pm
Hey guys- sorry I missed Moby Dicks. Just got back into town Hope it was fun.
@Sara d I hear you girl!! except for me its Crunchy Almond Butter by Blue Diamond. (no cane juice just almonds and salt) Just found this brand at Whole Foods tonight. Wow It’s heaven in a jar…and crunchy too! I haven’t tried Sun butter yet. (I’ll get there soon) I also don’t think I will ever eat peanut butter again.
February 4th, 2010 on 9:06 am
Does anyone else love eating shredded (unsweetened) coconut just right out of the bag? It’s become one of my favorite go-to fat snacks instead of nuts, especially when I am working a shift on the ambulance and need something easy to take down. My Organic Market in Arlandria sells it in bulk for 3.20 a pound, which is better than everywhere else I’ve looked for it.
February 4th, 2010 on 11:42 am
Anyone see the interview with John Durant about eating Paleo on Colbert?
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/263270/february-03-2010/john-durant
February 4th, 2010 on 11:48 am
oh, and John Durant is wearing Vibrams. Why have I never heard of him?
February 5th, 2010 on 1:08 pm
Guys,
I’m in San Diego and eating loads of not Alison meat and I am noticing that I have this funny taste in my mouth that I can’t shake. It’s like metallic or something and rather annoying. Anyone else experience this? I can only link it because I remember a time when I bought a Costco rotisserie chicken and had the same reaction.
February 8th, 2010 on 10:01 am
Paleo Pancake Nutritional Facts
Today I made a small batch of Paleo pancakes to break down the nutritional content. I made the pancakes with a little more egg than usual (trying to get in as much protein as possible) so the consistency was a little flan-like, but they generally held together.
Blend:
2 large bananas
1.5 tbsp almond butter
3 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt
Suggest using two pans- flipping pancake from one to the other, lightly coating pans with olive oil, and searing on medium heat. I made 5 medium-sized pancakes with this recipe.
I used the website http://caloriecount.about.com to come up with the nutritional facts (and checked them against the egg and almond butter labels and other websites- the numbers seem v. accurate.)
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 89 g
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value*
Calories 122 Calories from Fat 54
Total Fat 6.0g 9%
Saturated Fat 1.3g 6%
Cholesterol 127mg 42%
Sodium 101mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 13.7g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6%
Sugars 6.9g
Protein 5.1g
Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 3% • Iron 5%
Nutrition Grade B+
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet
February 8th, 2010 on 4:35 pm
So far staying strong on vacation. Have a kitchen so making 2 out of 3 meals. Trying to stay away from fruit, only one serving so far, been gone since Friday. going to buy a bottle of the local alcohol to try at home (guavaberry alcohol).
February 9th, 2010 on 7:42 am
Hopefully I’ll make it to tonight’s meeting, but if I can’t, here’s my update.
Brain – Since last Tuesday’s meeting, I’ve nixed the fruit, increased my fat intake, and started taking Barlean’s Greens 2x a day. No significantly impressive leaning-out indicators, but… According to my scale, I’m down ~1.5lbs. And, I think I’ve lost a few centimeters around the waist. So, there’s a little progress. …I’ll take it!!
Here’s something interesting… I’ve noticed over the past few days, I’ve been eating less than usual (haven’t been hungry). This is even more amazing considering I’ve spent most of my time inside the apartment (due to snow) since last Friday. Typically, I’m prone to eat more when I’m at home…snacking a lot. Guess it’s the increased fat intake.
Ultimately, my goal is to lean out, and improving performance is in a very close 2nd place. That said… I’m fully committed to continuing 100% “Paleo” less fruit, after Feb 13th (with a premeditated minor blip during the weekend of the 21st as that’s my birthday
), if you think that’s necessary for me to lean out.
Laura B – Keep it up!
February 9th, 2010 on 7:50 am
No Paleo Challenge Meeting tonight due to the snow.
I will be available to do an online video chat via the Athletes Forum at 7:15pm. I’ll be posting the link shortly.
A few points I want to stress:
****Before and After Pics****
Please take your after photos and send them to me, even if you didn’t observe any affects at all from the Paleo Challenge.
I want to learn from the anomolies in this study, if you bail out of the study b/c you didn’t see results or the level of results that you wanted, then I’m going to have a flawed model going forward.
So please help out others and make sure no matter what, send me before/after photos. I’ll be publishing more info as to format shortly.
****Post Challenge Food Re-Introduction****
I’ll be sending out some info later this week on food re-introduction after the initial 37 days: what to do and what to look for as a result.
****After Action Reports****
Please start drafting some lessons learned which you’d like to share after the Challenge. Could be completely random stuff like “I found out I’m allergic to pecans” or “I had no idea that increased saturated fat intake could help with hunger levels and cause me to lose weight”.
I’m looking for patterns of thought here so that we can better inform future Paleo Challengers.
February 9th, 2010 on 7:57 am
Jenn – that’s great news, thanks for giving it a try and glad you saw such quick results!
February 9th, 2010 on 8:01 am
OK, the link is setup on Athletes Forum (thanks to Jon and Ryan):
http://www.athletesforum.net/facetoface/live.html
Here’s what you need to do to participate:
-Logon 5-10 minutes early just by clicking the link. -Please wear a headset (the iPhone earphones work great, any cell phone headset works fine)
-If you have a built in camera in your computer, it’ll turn on when you click the link, but you don’t need a camera to participate – you can watch and listen/talk.
I’ll be moderating and answering questions, so I’ll be taking most questions through the chat box below the video feed. So if you have questions that you can write out, please put them in the chat field when we get going tonight.
Please rsvp in the comments below so I know how many are going to logon.
February 9th, 2010 on 12:46 pm
I’ll be logging into the video chat tonight.
February 10th, 2010 on 5:00 am
Hey, just wondering if you might have any more information so I can find a little more about it?
February 10th, 2010 on 6:00 am
Brian, what’s the deadline for the after photos?
February 10th, 2010 on 6:03 am
Making The Bacon Gods Smile
Amazing Bacon Texture and Bacon Fat Funions
5-6 Strips of Thick Cut Bacon
1 Medium Yellow Onion (about the size of a lax ball) – cut into small strips (1½ X ¼”)
Preheat oven to 400F
Cast Iron Pan @ Medium Heat
1. In a Cast Iron Pan heat the onion over medium heat until the edges brown.
2. Drape the bacon over the onions and place the pan in the oven. (If you don’t have an oven safe splatter guard, you should.)
3. Cook until bacon reaches your desired texture (consider broiling for a more crisp/burned finish).
4. Place both bacon and onions on a paper towel to remove excess fat.
Notes:
-The onions will blacken which will only make them taste better.
February 10th, 2010 on 11:01 am
Competitors, the last few days of the PCF WSOPaleo Challenge are here!
The cash prize for best guy and best gal stands at $470 each.
We’ll be having the meeting to vote on the biggest change at 1:30pm on 13 February at Potomac Crossfit.
To be eligible for the cash prize, you must submit your before and after photos. Here’s what I need:
1) Send ONE email with photo attachments (.jpg, .png, .gif) to photos@potomaccrossfit.com. Put only your first and last name in the Subject line.
2) Attach the photos in the following order: Before Front/Before Side/Before Back/After Front/After Side/After Back. If you didn’t take a Side photo, then just skip those.
3) In the text of the email, let me know if you DO NOT want your photos displayed at the meeting.
You can take your after photos anytime between now and the meeting on Saturday and send them in. I know several of you can’t make the meeting, and that’s ok, you are still eligible if you get me the before and after photos.
Also, remember we’ll be rolling right into the Men of PCF Calender party following the meeting, so plan on sticking around for that if you can and buy a calender!
February 11th, 2010 on 5:49 pm
Hi Brian, I am still in CO, but hope to be home by Saturday. I won’t be able to get “after” photos to you by Saturday, but I will endeavor to get them to you by Monday. So, clearly I am not putting myself in the running for the prize (I have actually gained weight and girth), but I will still submit photos for science’s sake.
February 12th, 2010 on 4:52 pm
My $0.02 for science:
I had a pretty easy time with this. I haven’t really had any significant food cravings or difficulty sticking to the plan. The biggest hurdle was social drinks, which I managed to minimize. Overall I lost 10-12 lbs and about 2″ on the waist.
I think this will be fairly easy to stick to as a long term commitment.
Thanks for the advice and support. I’m going out to drink a beer!
February 13th, 2010 on 9:05 am
@Ida and everyone,
I just confirmed that today’s 1:30 mtg for the Paleo wrap-up and voting is NOT a pot-luck event. My apologies! I just have food on the brain I guess.
February 13th, 2010 on 9:38 am
Thanks Christy. Good to know. Food on the brain indeed!
February 14th, 2010 on 4:18 am
Hi All,
GREAT JOB ON THE WSOP! Congrats to Kate and Kevin! By the looks of those before and after photos yesterday, I’d venture a guess that we all look a little better naked thanks to WSOP. ;P
I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Brian and Alison for herding this group of Paleo cats through the last 5 weeks. You guys have been really calm and level-headed in doling out your guidance, tips, insider know-how, and lessons learned in the face of our sometimes panicked and un-level-headed cries from the edge of the Paleo abyss.
This has been an extremely interesting experiment for me. I will likely go forward with a 90% Paleo lifestyle.
Randomly, I don’t miss cheese like I thought I would. I love bacon just the same (i.e., I didn’t get tired of it). I can cook actual meat (not chicken) without screwing it up. And, I now can’t stand the taste of any canned vegetable (let’s not kid ourselves, there really was no taste there to begin with). I still miss milk tho, and that will be my first reintroduction.
Thanks again Brian and Alison!
February 14th, 2010 on 5:40 pm
Hey All:
Awesome job to all!! especially Kate and Kevin!
Alison – I made the brownies today, they are amazing. it’s the first recipe I’ve ever made that makes more than it say it does (said makes 20, but i got 30 good sized brownies). I have only had a little batter and a 1/4 of a brownie and don’t want anymore!! that is VERY unlike me! I haven’t had stomach upset, but do have a headache and blah feeling. So maybe my sweet tooth is slowly dying! The guys/gals at work will get to eat the brownies now!
I am planning to restart /begin a new clean on Wednesday, but eat 95% Paleo until then. I lost 2% bodyfat, not bad but would have like more. I will probably go back and get a bodpod done in May or June to see how I am doing.
Thanks for everyones help and recipes! You guys ROCK!!!
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September 30th, 2010 on 1:24 am
I might say that the Magic Bullet Blender is the one blender that actually works – try this article: http://hubpages.com/hub/Where-To-Buy-Magic-Bullet-Blender
November 23rd, 2010 on 6:34 am
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January 15th, 2011 on 8:33 am
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June 15th, 2011 on 1:50 pm
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