Category: Nutrition

Ways to Not Fall Off the Wagon During the Holidays

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Straying too far from your normal healthy routine will land you in a major rut. It will make you feel terrible. During the holidays no one wants to feel terrible. The holidays are meant for being happy, being with family and friends, and honoring traditions. From Thanksgiving through the New Year we are subjected to parties, open houses, and gifts of food and treats from holiday bakers and candle-stick makers. Who’s the other person in that list? Oh, the butcher, that’s right! Too bad all of us Paleo people can’t receive gifts from the butcher instead of the baker! So since that’s not reality what the heck should we do to make it through the holidays?

It looks good. Probably won’t make you feel very good. 
Remember your goals, make a plan, go easy. 
  1. Remember Your Goals. You started your healthy lifestyle journey for a reason. Maybe it was to lose some inches and pounds, maybe it was to become a better athlete, or to be more physically active in general. Getting too far away from your normal routine is tough, especially when it comes to food, sleep, and working out. Deviations from a routine will cause a reaction and when you are used to a very healthy, structured routine the reaction tends to be negative. I try to remember why I live the way that I do and that usually helps me to stay the course. My goal is performance; I want to be the best CrossFitter I can be. I know that if I miss a few hours of sleep one night, my training for the next day (or couple of days) will be affected, and the recovering that my body would have done during that missed sleep is lost forever. I know that eating too much sugar or drinking booze also disagrees with me and disrupts my sleep so I choose my poison carefully. One drink or glass of wine is usually good for me and then I switch to water or seltzer. Stick with Paleo-friendly treats and limit your intake. Think one or two cookies, not 10. Always remember that you have the control, not the food. You are a strong person inside the gym, be strong and hold your ground outside of it.
  2. Make a Plan and Stick to It. When you know that there is a party or event coming up it’s a good idea to plan ahead and stick to that plan once you’re at the party. For example, make a plan to have one glass of wine or allow yourself two Paleo-treats but then be done with it. When you are indulging really try to enjoy what you are eating. Eat it slowly and enjoy each bite. If your issue is that you’re finding it difficult to make it to the gym with all the holiday obligations, make a pact with yourself or a gym-friend. Agree that you WILL make it to the gym three days each week come hell or high water. Have that person hold you accountable. It simply must be a priority or you will let other things get in the way. You’ve got to be prepared and plan ahead. Tell yourself that you must fill up on meat and veggies before you can have dessert; or only have a glass of wine with dinner; maybe you could avoid the appetizers all together. Try some different things and figure out what works for you.
  3. Enjoy the People You’re With. It’s easy to become caught up in all the yummy food. The next thing you know you’re like a horse with a feed back on it’s mouth and you don’t know what happened. Instead of ending up in this unfortunate situation, think about socializing more instead of eating. Make a goal to visit with each person at the gathering and really listen to what they have to say; engage in the conversation, ask questions, and remember what your family and friends say. We can’t (or shouldn’t) be stuffing our faces when we’re in conversation. This will give you a feeling of satisfaction and will allow you to leave the party feeling closer to people instead of sick or guilty because you ate too much. 
  4. If you slip, don’t fall! If you end up getting off track, don’t let yourself plummet deep down the ravine. Have you ever had the thought process of, “Oh well, I already messed it up, so I might as well just eat whatever the heck I want from the rest of the day”? Please try to rid yourself of this mindset. In the big picture, a few treats isn’t going to make much impact. If you throw the whole day away because of those few treats, you run the risk of the slippery-slope effect. So maybe you had a perfect plan, but you strayed from that plan. It’s OKAY! Forgive yourself and move on. Don’t let it influence your decision-making longer than it should. If you miss a few sessions at the gym get back in AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. You will feel better once you walk through the door, but you have to walk through the door.
  5. If you can, avoid having treats at your home. Whatever your weakness is; whatever tempts you, avoid having it in your home where it will, without a doubt, stare you down and haunt your brain as long as it’s there. Learn how to politely turn down the plate of goodies from “food-pushers”. If you’re the host, be a food-pusher and send bags home with guests. If you end up with extra goodies, bring things to your workplace and share. Why do co-workers love junk so much? Mmmmm cake? Don’t mind if I do! You know you’ll receive a bag of Lindt truffles at some point. Don’t open the bag. Re-gift them immediately! 
Post comments here or on Facebook. Let’s keep this conversation going. How will you avoid sabotaging your healthy lifestyle during the holidays? Looking forward to hearing some creative strategies!

The Challenge is Ending!

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It’s been about nine weeks. Nine freakin’ weeks of NO grains, dairy, legumes, or sugar. Minimal alcohol; a glass of red wine here or there, if any. Lots of vegetables, meat, and tiny bit fruit. WOW, nine weeks! There were days that were more challenging than others. Most days flew by and I didn’t have time to think about what I wasn’t eating. To be truthful, the challenge didn’t really require me to change a whole lot, just to reign it in. I definitely changed up my carb sources, I drank much less alcohol, and I didn’t eat any Paleo treats, nuts, or dark chocolate. Believe it or not, removing those things from my weekly food intake made a HUGE difference. I feel frikken amazing.

Here are my measurements: September 17th to November 15th:

Waist 29 “ 28 “
Hips 39 1/2 “ 38 1/2 “
Chest 30 1/2 “ 29 1/2 “
Thigh 24 1/2 “ 23 3/4 “
Arm 12 1/2 “ 12 “
Total 136 “ 131 3/4 “

Here are my before and after pictures from the 9-Week LuRong Paleo Challenge:

Here’s what I looked like 2.5 years ago and 7 months ago:

The best part about all of this is that I weigh around the same now (if not more) than I did back in July of 2010. THIS JUST FURTHER SUPPORTS MY SENTIMENTS THAT THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE IS NOT A GOOD WAY TO EVALUATE YOURSELF. Please take pictures and measurements, and pay attention to how your clothes fit and feel on your body!!! Not only had my body changed, but my performance has improved dramatically. In the three performance WODs I went from a total time of 32:25 down to 28:45. I feel lighter, stronger, more agile, and I have way more energy than I did at the beginning of September. 
So what am I going to do on Monday, November 19th, when the challenge is over? I’m going to get up, eat my eggs and sweet potato or squash, go to the gym, crush sh*t, coach, and get on with my day. I’m not going to go crazy eating pizza or chocolate. Do you know how long it takes to get gluten out of your system after one exposure?! It can take up to 6 MONTHS. It takes about 12 seconds to become re-addicted to sugar. That’s not scientific fact, but it’s about how long it takes me. Now, after I just spent 9 weeks ridding my body of inflammation and toxicity and un-addicted myself to sugar, why in the hell would I take 20 steps backwards by going on a binge? I’d rather go HAM on my WOD than pizza and ice cream. If you don’t know what going HAM means, look it up.
I know that there are some of you out there who are all like “I just need my fix and then I will be done and get back on the Paleo Train”. Okay, I get it…kind of. My question is: Why do you need to do this? Think about it. You WILL feel like crap after you eat junk food. Your performance WILL be affected. Your body WILL become bloated. You will probably wake up and your eyes will be swollen shut. I know from personal experience. Two summers ago Kyle and I had the brilliant idea to order a  meat-lovers pizza and make brownie sundaes. I woke up looking like I’d been attacked by a swarm of bees. NO ONE wants to wake up to that in the morning! I don’t know, I guess I’ve been through it enough times to know that it’s not worth it. But I beg you to learn from MY mistakes, instead of making them yourself. 
Treat yourself to something Paleo (i.e. cookie, muffin) if you want a “reward” for your diligence in the challenge. Don’t reward yourself with a food hangover. I have a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s actually right HERE! Better yet, go out and buy yourself some new WOD clothes, or gear, or a massage. Learn to reward yourself with non-food items. It’s a valuable and helpful for disconnecting food from emotions. 
I am unbelievably proud of everyone who participated in this challenge. It took legitimate commitment and determination to get through it successfully. I am amazed by the changes you have all made. Many of you look different, but I can see in the way you carry yourselves that you truly are different people! The performance improvements prove this as well. 

We embarked on this journey together, I want to move into the future strong and driven, with all of you by my side. So, let’s do it!

Post comments here or on Facebook. What are you going to do on November 19th?

Disclaimer: I will not stop being your friend if you go on a bender. I just won’t ask you to be my partner for the WOD the next day. Sorry…

"Breaded" Chicken Cutlets

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I can vividly remember huge pasta dinners. My Mom would make her famous sauce and let it simmer on the stove all day. We’d have pasta and meatballs and sometimes breaded chicken cutlets. I loved the chicken with the pasta and sauce and cheese all over it. “Loved” is the key word here. Since going Paleo I don’t eat most of the above-listed items, but have worked to recreate this home-cooked comfort food to align with the way I eat now. I must admit, I really don’t miss the old way.

“Breaded” Chicken Cutlets
 
What you’ll need:
  • About 1 cup of almond meal, depending upon how much chicken you’re planning to cook up
  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk 
  • Chicken breast pounded into thin cutlets, or bought as thin cutlets
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp Garlic powder
  • Coconut oil and olive oil

What to do:

  1. Put coconut milk or almond milk into a shallow bowl
  2. Mix almond meal, garlic powder, S&P on a plate to make “breading”
  3. Heat up your frying pan and cooking fat on medium heat. I like to use a mixture of coconut oil and olive oil.
  4. Dip the cutlets in the liquid and then lightly coat both sides with almond meal mixture
  5. Place in hot pan
  6. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chicken. They should have a golden-brown crust.

I like to eat these plain with veggies on the side, but you could also enjoy them with sauce and spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. Another fun variation is to cover them with Frank’s Original Buffalo Sauce. Wrap them up with a little homemade Paleo mayo in some lettuce wraps. YUM!

Let me know how it goes. Post comments/questions here or on Facebook!

My Favorite Carbs

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Carbohydrates (carbs) are always a great subject to talk about. They have been a hot-button word in the diet/health/fitness industry for quite a while now. No carb? Low carb? Tons-O-Carb? What to do, what to do? As human being we need them for energy. Especially those of us who are very active. Paleo lifestyle proponents agree that we all need carbs, just in different doses. For instance, because of my high activity level and my performance goals in the gym, 40-60% of what I eat daily is carbohydrate. I have learned that I am not a happy camper when I eat too few carbs. Conversely  a person who has a seated desk job and is physically inactive needs way less carbs than I do. In this post I would like to introduce you to my favorite carb sources and how I prepare them. And no, I will not be discussing bread and pasta (barf). Paleo peeps get their carbs from vegetables and fruit, and we feel damn good about it!

Carb Source #1 | Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is super cheap. I bought three today at Hannaford for 2.48 or $0.79/lb. I eat one medium sized SP every day, so that roughly $0.83 per day. These little babies are packed with nutrition: vitamins A, C, E, and B6, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and iron. For one cup of mashed sweet potato I get 58 grams or dense starchy carbs to fill my muscles after a tough WOD, keep my belly feeling good, and to keep my energy humming throughout the day. Sometimes I eat the whole sweet potato after my WOD, or I eat most of it then and save the rest for the next morning to eat with my two eggs before my WOD.

My favorite way to prepare SP is:
1. Peel them (always peel potatoes)
2. Slice them up with a mandolin food slicer
3. Place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet
4. Coat them with olive oil
5. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt
6. Bake for around 20 minutes at 400 degrees

Sweet Potato “Chips”. I always eat carbs with protein.

Carb Source #2 | Acorn Squash
I never ate a lot of squash before I went Paleo. I never ate any acorn squash (that I can remember) before last month. It is now my new favorite. Squash are also relatively cheap, especially this time of year. If you can find them at a roadside farm stand I’m sure you can get a better deal, but I bought one at the market today for $1.49. For one cup of cubed squash, I get 15 grams of dense carbs. So if you have a small acorn squash, that’s probably about half of the squash.

My favorite way to prepare Acorn Squash:
1. Chop the ends off (use a sharp chef’s knife, be careful)
2. Cut in half length-wise
3. Drizzle with olive oil
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder
5. Bake cut-side down (skin-up) on lined baking sheet for ~45 min at 400 degrees

Baked Acorn Squash

Carb Source #3 | Cauliflower
It’s no wonder that cauliflower is a dieter’s dream food. You could eat an entire large head of the stuff for 210 calories, 45 grams of carbs, and 17 grams of protein. I am in no way saying that I am on a diet, but clearly I am conscious of what I use to fuel my body. Maybe I should have said “a paleo-lifestlye enthusiast’s dream food”. When cauliflower is cooked and becomes slightly caramelized it is sweet and delicious. I can easily eat the whole head all at once, but usually I portion it out so I don’t feel like a bloated stuffed turkey. For instance, if I prepare a head of cauliflower using the method below and I eat 1/4 of the dish, I can assume that I’ve eaten around 12 grams of carbs. Not a lot. But, for someone watching their carb intake, it’s a great food because it’s filling, nutritious, and tastes awesome.

My favorite way to prepare Cauliflower:
1. Chop if up in a food processor so it is the consistency of rice. I use the entire head.
2. Put in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 1/4 cup canned coconut milk, 1 egg, minced garlic, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil.
3. At this point you could bake it like this. Add to 9×9 inch greased baking dish.
4. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees until golden on top.
5. For more fun and flavor add 1) Sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley or 2) Lime juice, cilantro, cayenne pepper. Be creative – think up your own variations depending on what you’re serving and what you like!

Baked Cauliflower Mash with sun-dried tomatoes
Please ask questions and/or post comments here or on Facebook 🙂

Challenge Thoughts

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This post is going to be a little bit rant-ish. I have a few things I want to address:

1) A challenge is called a challenge for good reason…
All 45 of us probably questioned our ability to successfully complete a 9-week Paleo challenge. I don’t know all of the reasons for why folks chose to sign up, but I know why I signed up. I signed up because I had a summer full of booze and foods that do not help performance or body composition. All summer I felt guilty about food choices I was making. I chose to ignore the voices in my head because summer is precious to me and I wanted to have fun. I don’t regret any of the choices I made food-wise. But now that fall is upon us it’s time to detox. Nine weeks is a great amount of time to make some serious changes. At this point I know that I have a long winter of CrossFitting ahead of me. I want to be the best coach I can be; I need to practice what I preach and be the example for the awesome people I work with everyday. It’s simple: do or do not. I am choosing do.

Yes, there are going to be hard days. Believe me, if I could eat 4 paleo muffins every day I would. Just because it’s made with Paleo ingredients does not make it okay to eat all the fracking time. A muffin is still a muffin. Our bodies gravitate to fatty and sweet foods. So when we mix a shit load of ground nuts (fat) with a “natural” sweetener (sugar!) we have created the perfect storm for fueling our evolutionary instinct. When I eat a muffin I want another muffin. Soon I am in a muffin-coma and I wonder why I can’t lose body fat! Hmmmmm. I am not a detective, but I can probably make an educated guess.

2) Don’t stess, just do.
Stress is terrible for our bodies. A Paleo challenge takes us away from foods that put stress on our insides. When we are less stressed by our food, we are less stressed in general. We are even better off if we can fight to alleviate other stressors in our lives. Easier said than done, I know. Some of you have expressed to me that you are nervous (stress) about the challenge. I know that when others were signing themselves up there was a lot of peer pressure flying around. Please know that if there wasn’t something inside of you the KNEW YOU COULD DO THIS you would not have signed up! YOU CAN DO THIS! Stop shitting your pants about how hard this is going to be and eat your meat and vegetables. Try your absolute hardest in WODs and leave it all on the rubber mats. Call me if you need a pep-talk.

3) You are stronger than shitty food.
You mind if more powerful than you know. You have the power to to say, “No, thank you” when someone offers your some cheese and crackers or a Big and Toasted from Dunks. You can silently (or loudly depending upon where you are) tell grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar to f*ck off whenever you see them or they happen to temp you. As you walk around the grocery store you have permission to completely avoid the inner aisles. You shouldn’t need much down there, anyway. If you avoid looking at it you won’t be likely to buy it. If you need to be a bitch because you are withdrawing from sugar, then be a bitch, but don’t eat the sugar! Believe me, after 2-3 weeks without non-Paleo foods you won’t really care about them anymore. Stay committed to the reasons you signed up for the challenge. Even if you clicked the button because “everyone else was doing it” you need to stay with it. You paid the $50 bucks. Follow through and be stronger than the shitty food.

I love you all.

LuRong Paleo Challenge

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Two weeks ago when I signed up for the LuRong Paleo Challenge I thought for sure I was going to be the only one from our affiliate participating. In hindsight I have no idea why I thought this. We have the most amazing community of people; we care about our health, we are fit, we want to be better, and more importantly, we care about each other. We have over 40 Fort Monsters competing in this 9-week challenge and I could not be more proud. People are going to make serious changes over the next two months. 

Each time I participate in a 30-day Paleo Challenge I feel amazing and see improvements in my performance and appearance and I always think, I wish I could keep going. The LuRong Challenge is the perfect opportunity to take things to the next level. I have been living the CrossFit/Paleo lifestyle for quite a while now and the thing I have realized is that I am a work in progress. Living in such a way that does not conform with the majority of society is challenging, but once you’ve been at it for long enough it becomes your “normal”. Normal is simply what you are used to. So I figure that the strictness of this challenge will become normal after a couple weeks. Breaking habits and changing behavior is one of the most difficult things to do in life. If we can successfully alter the way we behave and maintain that change we have set ourselves above others who say they want to change but never actually do anything; never actually put the work into making positive change. We have taken ourselves to a higher level.
Over the next couple months there will be ups and downs. There will be times when we feel weak and other times when we want to crush shit. No matter how we feel we can take comfort in knowing that there are 40 other people potentially feeling the same way. In those moments of weakness we can call upon our friends to build us up and inspire us to be better no matter how crappy we might be feeling. Sometimes we rely on others to take us to a higher level. 
Don’t get freaked out by the length of the challenge; don’t get down because you are in “scaled” and not “rx’d”; don’t think about the what-ifs. Envision your goals and what it will feel like to accomplish those goals over the next 9 weeks. Take this one day, or even one meal, at a time. YOU CAN DO THIS. WE CAN DO THIS. WE ARE CROSSFIT. WE ARE THE FORT CROSSFIT.


The Challenge Is Over. Now what?

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So the Paleo Lifestyle Challenge at The Fort CrossFit is over. You feel amazing; you’re crushing WODs, your body has changed, and you’re getting more sleep. WONDERFUL! But now what do you do? Keep going; go back to your old ways; try to stay on the wagon when you can? How do you find a balance between eating paleo and the temptations that will surround you in real life? In other words, how do you stick with it when you’re not in a competition; where will the motivation continue to come from?

I have a few suggestions and depending upon what kind of person you are, you might find some more appealing than others. Remember, figure out what works for your, find your balance. It might take some time – it’s a process.

Percentages of the Day
If you stick to the paleo diet 85% of the time, you will feel and look better. Dr. Loren Cordain said this when I saw him speak back in February and I agree. You will be much better off eating paleo 85% of the time than not at all. That last 15% can be used at your discretion. In this article, Mark Sisson talks about the 80/20 Principle. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Every now and then we do challenges to eliminate the last 15-20% and usually end up feeling better and looking better as a result. We realize that those little things add up. We chose to add things back in wisely. This is part of the learning process.

Time Frame
This option might work well for those who lean more toward the “all-or-nothing” mindset. With this scenario, for example, you allow yourself to eat or drink non-paleo foods on Saturday nights from 6-10. This allows you to plan a dinner out or a night with friends knowing that you can choose to eat what you want and not feel restricted. Once 10:00pm rolls around, though, all bets are off, you’re DONE! These planned cheats work well for many people and it could be used to motivate your goal of staying strict the rest of the time.

Cheat Day
Some people use a whole day each weak to “cheat” on their diet. I tried this briefly and it does not work for me. I found that I would go way overboard and end up feeling like ass for 2-3 days as a result of the full cheat day. It was doing more harm than good and I was having trouble getting back on the wagon after eating such a large quantity of junk. This is when I began to realize that I am more of an all-or-nothing person. I guess it works for some people.

Use “Paleo” Cheats
If you’ve been eating paleo for an extended period of time you know how a bout of crazy cheating will make you feel – pretty dang terrible. I’m talking about a steady stream of pizza, beer, ice cream, soda, etc. You do your best to avoid those kinds of foods, but every now and then you really want something naughty. Usually all it takes to find a paleo replacement for a favorite treat is a simple Google search. So, if you want brownies, type in “paleo brownies” and about 10+ recipes should pop up. Get yourself some coconut milk ice cream and you’ll be good to go – brownie sundae “paleo-style”. You’ll get a substantial sugar spike, but much less than if you were to eat grain/gluten-filled brownies and dairy ice cream. My note of caution here would be to not get in the habit of having paleo cheats everyday. Maybe once a week, maybe! Once every other week or once a month would be much more favorable.

Some other observations about this topic:
Try not to allow your diet to become your obsession. Unless you are an elite athlete whose performance goals warrant being obsessive or a person whose livelihood depends on your body composition, an obsessive frame of mind will set you up for feelings of guilt and failure. There needs to be a certain level of commitment here, because if you were not committed to this lifestyle you would not stick to it; it’s a lot of work! It’s so worth it though, right?!

Over time you will learn your limits. I have been eating this way for almost 3 years and it’s taken me almost 3 years to understand what I can and cannot do. I tend to avoid gluten like the plague because it completely wrecks me. I get achy, depressed, and fatigued. I am a little more lenient with sugar and dairy, but my acne flares up if I go overboard with those. Over Memorial Day weekend, I drank alcohol (vodka and tequila and wine) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The booze was my cheat, not the food. By the time Monday came around, I felt pretty crappy – tired and bloated. On Monday I made the commitment to get back on the wagon; I drank tons of water, took extra fish oil, and tried to eat a lot of good food. I have no problem getting back to “normal” because I know how much better I feel when I eat well, get enough sleep, and mobilize consistently. Also, when I am staring at a table of non-paleo foods, I literally think to myself, “If I eat that right now, how will I feel in 20 minutes?” I then weigh the options and consider whether dealing with the aftermath is worth the pleasure of eating whatever is staring at me.

I also keep my goals in mind. Although I am not an elite-level CrossFitter I feel an obligation and desire to be the best I can be. I know I will not reach this goal by cheating on my diet every chance I get. I also have body composition goals that will not be achieved or even maintained by constant slips. Additionally, I need to lead by example and continue to be my own n=1 experiment. I cannot in good conscience tell people they should be doing something when I don’t even do it myself.

Making the decision to “go paleo” is one you should be excited about. There will be ups and downs as you navigate conflicting information and opinions, and battle societal norms by going “against the grain.” Commit to fighting the good fight; stand by your lifestyle and be proud that you’re making healthy choices for your body. When it comes to moments of weakness, remember why you began this process in the first place. When you falter, forgive yourself and know that there are always people in your corner, waiting to catch you, and here to support you the whole way through.

Here’s to good food!

n = 1

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What’s up people? Anyone else’s hands peeling like crazy from all those toes-to-bar and pull-ups? Gross, I know. Aside from my lumberjack hands I am super-excited about the expansion of The Fort CrossFit! Kyle and I took possession of the keys to the additional space last night and we’re starting the work this afternoon. There is a lot to be done, but it won’t be long before all the Fort Monsters will have double the space to be even more badass.

As I sit here sipping my coffee (Starbucks new Blonde Roast – delicious) I’m think about how I’ve made it through 16 days of the Paleo Lifestyle Challenge. That is just over half way! I am psyched because I have been able to stick to the parameters I set for myself: No nuts, no dried fruit, minimal booze. I feel amazing; I have a lot of energy, my skin has cleared up, I feel more rested in the morning, and I have been performing well in the gym. This has, by far, been my best performance in a paleo challenge yet. I think it’s because I have real goals and I have some great competition. People are bringin’ it this time!!!

June will mark 2.5 years since I decided to “go paleo”. The first year was touch-and-go as I dealt with the social obstacles that come along with eating this way and wanting to fit in. Happy Hours in Oregon and paleo don’t really go hand in hand. But, I managed to keep my friends so that’s good. I have realized that to make this your lifestyle there is a transition period; it’s definitely a process. I decided to be my own experiment; I was the ONLY participant; n=1, baby! In hardcore science, n=1 would get you laughed at, but for my life I believed this was the best way to figure out if making changes in my diet would really help me to feel better. It’s not like I felt bad, I just knew I didn’t feel the best I could. As a graduate student I acquired the habit of consuming well above the healthy limit of caffeine for probably an elephant. I knew this wasn’t good, so I was willing to try anything to get myself some more energy. I was working out, but still feeling sluggish, not focused, and generally  “hazy”.

I began to listen to Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution Podcast on iTunes and after the first 6 episodes I was sold. I  scoured the internet and read blog after blog. The evidence seemed legit. All this reading and investigation was also a fabulous distraction from the ridiculous amount of school work that was constantly lingering. I went out on a Sunday and shopped for all the paleo staples and went at it. I fought through some headaches and energy slumps during the first couple weeks, but I also dropped 8 pounds. As my body adjusted I began to feel better and better. I felt like I’d come out of the haze; like a veil had been lifted. I took pride in the fact that I was really taking care of myself. Not only was I eating a bunch of great protein and produce, but I was more focused on sleeping and sleeping well. I prioritized my health; not something that many graduate students do. My area of study was frikken health promotion and health behavior! Wouldn’t it make sense to actually BE HEALTHY!!!??? I won’t even get started on that rant – I’ll save it for another day.

I had a lot of feedback from people about how “that paleo stuff” was silly, faddish, and unsustainable. Well, sorry, people, you were mistaken. It’s been almost 3 years and I still feel great. I am the fittest I have ever been, I have great quality of life, I have a clear mind, and I’m not fat. In a society where this is not the norm, I feel fortunate that I can live this way, have the opportunity to spend my time with like-minded individuals and inspire others who may just be embarking on their n=1 journey. I spend a lot of time tweaking my diet. I try different things depending on what my goals are. Paleo means something different for everyone. What works for me might not be what works for you. Trust your journey though, and know that just because something doesn’t “work” for you this time around, you can always try something different next time. If you hit the nail on the head, and what you do with your diet gets you where you want to be, pat yourself on the back and take notes! It’s one huge learning process.

I realize that one can certainly survive on the standard American diet (SAD), but I know that one cannot thrive on the SAD. To live the paleo lifestyle takes additional time, effort, money, creativity, and thought. But, to maintain health is work. I choose to hold myself to a higher standard when it comes to my health. I think that as a paleo/CrossFit culture we linger on the edge if being elitist. I do ask that you commit to holding yourself to a higher standard when it comes to your health. I also ask that you do not become the obnoxious person that goes around smearing it in the face of everyone you come in contact with. Just be the walking billboard for how you choose to live. You know you feel great, you know you look good; just smile, be confident, and let it radiate from you. People will notice. If they care, they will ask you what you’ve been doing. Then you can make the call as to how in depth you go about your n=1 experiment.

For the record, I no longer care about “fitting in” when others are stuffing their faces with beer and nachos. It’s my body, I do what I want! And believe me, sometimes I am the one stuffing my face with beer (Harpoon IPA, please!) and nachos.

Right on.

A Day in My (food) Life

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Since the Paleo Lifestyle Challenge is upon us, I figured it would be a good time post my food journal – with pictures! I’ve also answered some questions and attempted to explain things in a bit more detail at the bottom of the page. 

Early morning/pre-WOD | 1 fried egg, 1/2 apple, coffee with coconut milk (from can)
Post-WOD | Egg white protein shake (1/4 c protein + 8oz. almond milk)
Late morning/Early afternoon | 3 eggs scrambled in coconut oil with spinach, more coffee with coconut milk
Late afternoon | 2-3 cups kale salad, 3-4oz. roasted chicken, toasted slivered almonds
Night | Fish Tacos with chipotle slaw and avocado
QUESTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
  1. How much protein and fat? This has taken some time to experiment with, but I have learned how much protein and fat I need at each meal to not feel super-hungry between meals. Typically it’s 3-4oz. protein and as far as fat goes – I cook my eggs in coconut oil and add olive oil and nuts/seeds to salads. Also, the canned coconut milk I add to my coffee is a good fat source. Occasionally I will add avocado to whatever I am eating. I add fat based on the leanness of the protein; leaner meat = add more fat.
  2. How much carbohydrate? Like the protein and fat, I have played around with how much carbs (fruits and veggies) I eat daily. It usually depends on my workout schedule as I will try to have a little bit more carbs on the days I work out. Most of my carbs are consumed after I WOD. 
  3. Where are the snacks? I don’t feel the need to eat snacks between meals because my meals are large enough to sustain me until the next meal. If I feel hungry to the point of needing to eat before my next meal it usually means I didn’t eat enough protein and/or fat at the previous meal. If I snack it’s usually some veggies, a few nuts, and some meat. If I want a treat I will sometimes buy a Larabar. 
  4. Egg white protein/Post-WOD nutrition. The almond milk I mix with my egg white protein is NOT paleo, but it is delicious and makes me happy. The almond milk and coconut milk that come in the cartons is very processed, some are flavored, and most contain sugar. Anyway, I mix 4 oz. of Silk Chocolate Almond Milk with 4oz. of vanilla or plain almond milk. I eat this because I work out at 8am and coach at 9am. It’s really easy and convenient to mix a shake, drink it, and move on. Ideally, I would eat REAL FOOD (protein + carbs) after I work out. It’s really important to take in protein and carbs after a WOD. Suggestions for post-WOD meal: apple sauce, hard-boiled eggs, roasted chicken, banana, sweet potato.
  5. Eating before the WOD. Since I typically WOD in the morning I don’t have enough time to eat a full meal, but I do make sure to eat a little bit of protein and carbs before the workout. Usually that’s a fried egg and half a piece of fruit. I give myself at least one hour between eating and wodding. I used to WOD in a completely fasted state and it just wasn’t working out. I felt weak and lethargic. It means getting out of bed a little earlier, but I’ve seen improvements in performance and how I feel since adding the pre-WOD meal. Other suggestions for pre-WOD meal: apple sauce, hard-boiled eggs, roasted chicken, banana.
  6. Hydration! Drinking fluids is really important, especially if you’re more active. Water is pretty much the only thing I drink daily (besides coffee which contributes to fluid intake, but can dehydrate you). Being dehydrated can increase feelings of hunger, negatively affect physical and mental performance, and sap your energy. I drink at least 2-3 liters of water per day. I use a 1-liter bottle so I know that I need to get through at least 2 of those to be on track. I also really enjoy seltzer water, especially the mandarin flavored one from Hannaford. It’s a good idea to make water your beverage of choice. If it’s boring to you add some lime or lemon slices.

Note: This is what works for me. This is what I do, but it’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all deal. You have to treat yourself as an experiment and play around with what works for your body. I journal my food all the time so I know how what I eat affects me. 

Paleo Lifestyle Challenge

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I thought it would be appropriate to post about the upcoming Paleo Lifestyle Challenge since this will be a first-time experience for many gym members. Please don’t be intimidated by the challenge. This is purely a chance for you to improve yourself. I guarantee that if you take advantage of this opportunity you will see positive changes in how you look, feel, and perform. 



Remember that Paleo is not a diet in the way we have been conditioned to think of the word “diet”. Paleo is a way of life that aligns us more with the way we are genetically programmed to be. When we remove foods from our diet that are known to cause inflammation, stomach discomfort, and other undesirable effects we see how much better we can feel and perform. An added bonus is that we usually end up looking better, too. When we learn to go to bed when our bodies ask us to and sleep in pitch black rooms, and try to limit the stress we feel from daily life, we will begin to value our health a little bit more. 


I have been “eating paleo” for over two years now. Believe me, my choices and habits are  not spotless. Each time a challenge comes along I use it as exactly that – A CHALLENGE! During the last challenge my goal was to eliminate chocolate. Another time I did a month of no alcohol at all. Both were difficult, but I made it happen, and saw awesome changes. I also learned that the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t have my chocolate or my wine. The feeling of accomplishment was great.


Some things I hear a lot around challenge time…

  • I already eat Paleo, so why should I do the challenge?

With nutrition, like CrossFit, there is always room for improvement. Our clean eating habits are continually evolving. Take a minute to remember the basic tenets of paleo eating and ask yourself if there is anywhere you could make improvements. I would be willing to bet you could find something if you tried. Maybe it’s eliminating milk or sweetener from your coffee and learning to enjoy it black; cutting back on the paleo treats; perhaps making more informed choices when it comes to produce or protein? Do you really know where your beef comes from; are you sure that fish is wild caught? Hmmmm…I have you thinking, right?

  • I’m new to this Paleo “thing”, so I’m not sure I can do it.

This is the best time for a challenge. Kyle and I are here to help you along the way. If you have questions you can call, email, or text us and we’ll get back to you. Or ask us at the gym. This is also an opportunity to talk with other Fort Monsters about their experiences; share recipes; fight cravings together; talk about “cheating”; whatever. Learning about clean eating and trying new things takes practice, like anything else. Why not try it while it’s on everyone else’s minds too? We won’t let you fall. Plus, you have a chance to win some great prizes. Newbies always have amazing results.  

  • I’m going on vacation, so I definitely can’t do it.

First of all, you should know that can’t is a four-letter word. I realize that vacation can be challenging and create a real barrier to clean eating. I get it, I’ve been on vacation. You’re not going on vacation for the whole month though, are you? If you are then that’s awesome, I hope you’re going to one of my dream locations (Fiji? Italy?). No, you say? Well then, a long weekend or a week away should not derail you for an entire month of eating. Kyle and I have set up a point system that allows you to earn a substantial amount of bonus points. You can even have one drink (red wine or tequila) each day with no negative consequence if you’d like! It’s all about choices here. It’s my experience that if I make better choices while on vacation I feel better in general and enjoy the vacation more. Especially if I’m going to be in a bathing suit the whole time. But that’s just me…

  • My weekends are tied up with my kids’ activities and I am always on the run.

This one is similar to the vacation thing above. When I was in grad school I spent pretty much every weekend in the library. Oregon State has a very nice library and even a food/cafe area. I bought A LOT of espresso there, but not a lot of food. It would have been much easier to not lug a cooler bag of healthy food from my apartment to campus, but I would have felt like crap eating bagels and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from the library cafe. Not to mention I would have spent a lot more money. I would cook in bulk so I would have leftovers for those times I had to bring my food with me. If I find myself in a situation where I haven’t planned and brought my owns meals/snacks, I make the best choices I can or I don’t eat at all. A little intermittent fasting never hurts. 


This post is not meant to guilt-trip anyone into participating in the challenge, it’s totally up to you. But one month of your life is a very small amount of time in the grand scheme of it all. As your trainer I love nothing more than to see you succeed, particularly when it’s with something you didn’t think you could do. I literally get choked up when I see that look of pride and grit and hard work on your faces. You CAN do this. I’ll be here to cheer you on. I’ll be participating in the challenge also. I’m tightening up on my portions, focusing on getting a lot of protein, and not eating dark chocolate or paleo treats. The booze is a gray area at the moment, but chances are I’ll get strict about that too.


One month! I am pumped! Cheers to getting back to our caveman roots.


Here is a great example of things to pack on a road trip. ALL PALEO-FRIENDLY!
ideas for traveling and packing on the paleo diet


PS…Our friends over at CrossFit New England are also embarking on a spring Paleo Challenge. Read these great words of wisdom from one of their members. Good stuff.