MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Remember, don't eat yellow snow and look up before you let snowflakes fall into your mouth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Wanna Lose Weight???

How many times have you tried dieting (Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, etc.) and seen success? I'm sure you were pleased with what you saw. Now, how many of those times have you gained that weight back? Probably the same amount of times.

The following are some simple steps to follow in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and lose unwanted body fat:

1. Eat until you feel satisfied, not full. Focus on high quality protein and fat which will keep you full longer.
2. Eliminating grains and dairy from your diet will decrease the amount of inflammation occurring in the body. Grains get converted into sugar quickly in the body which gets stored as fat.
3. Don't be afraid to eat fat. The body will look to use fat as energy rather than glucose/sugar. Fat is needed for the brain to function optimally and for the integrity of the cell membrane.
4. Lifting heavy weights and quick sprints are essential to raising the metabolism. Running on the treadmill or long distance running causes cortisol to be released. This causes the body to store fat.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD is a form of depression that is related to the change in seasons. It is usually seen during the winter months. The symptoms tend to recur and present themselves around the same time every year. Things that wouldn’t get to us during the summer months have a bigger impact during the winter months. Researches believe that with the lack of sunlight during the winter months, that we as Canadians experience, disrupts the Circadian rhythm, which, in turn, causes hormonal imbalances.

Supplements

Have you ever wondered what supplements are important to maintain excellent health and performance? Do you know which supplements are right for you? Which ones do you buy?

The market today is flooded with supplements all the way from A to Zinc (was that a Centrum commercial???). And each supplement comes in different forms and dosages. My head spins looking at all the different combinations. Citrate? Maleate? Oxide? What the hell does all that mean.

If you are that person asking yourself all these questions, stay tuned. Coming sometime in the early new year, maybe January or February, Ellie Steele and I will be hosting a lecture for everyone to address the questions and others that come up.

Sweet Potato

I can sum this up with one word... YUM!!! Here is my carbohydrate option for post-workout (and the occasional snack):

Dietary Lifestyle Change #3

Looking for some feedback.

How many of you would be interested in another dietary lifestyle change (DLC) starting in January? I haven't thought about it too much yet but I'm sure it will be similar to this last one. I know a lot of people did not participate in this last change because of having to submit photos. The next challenge will probably have photos as being optional.

If you have any ideas or things that you would like to be a part of the change please let me know. Either through email or in the comments section.

Celiac's Disease

The following information about celiac's disease was found in an article from the L.A. Times.


Cases of celiac disease may be on the rise, in large part because people can develop the autoimmune disorder much later in life than previously thought, according to a study published Monday in the Annals of Medicine.

How's It Going?

It's been a little over a week now and I'm curious to see how everyone is doing. Have you reverted back to your old ways? Have you only added one or a few thing(s)? How did you feel after reintroducing some of the foods that were forbidden during the challenge?

IT'S OVER!!!

After 6 weeks I have noticed HUGE changes in many of you. I want to applaud your dedication and determination. Enjoy the new you. Many of you have lost a great deal of weight and were still able to add weight to your lifts and shown great improvements on the metcon WODs. That is the result that I was looking for. Ecstatic is the best word that I can use right now to express how I'm feeling about each you. Friggin' awesome job everyone!

I'm hoping to keep this blog alive by posting recipes, information, etc. So if you ever come across a recipe that you would like to share, email it to me at angrif2010@gmail.com, along with a picture. I'll be sure to post it lickity split!

Day 42 - Last Day!

The final day! Congrats to everyone that have made it this far. Now,whatever you do, please do not go back to your old habits and ways. You made it all this way and your body is thanking you for getting rid of the toxins that have riddled your bodies for years. Be proud of what you have accomplished and keep it going!

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Day 41

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Day 40

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Day 39

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Day 38

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Paleo Shepherd's Pie

I haven't had this dish in 10+ years since living with my parents in Ottawa. I remember eating it with peas and corn with white potatoes. Then lathering it with ketchup. Mmmmmmm... But today, the ingredients in this recipe differ from the traditional Shepherd's Pie because I wanted it to be Paleo.

No Thanks Required

To everybody taking part in the dietary lifestyle change...

First of all, let me say thank you for your thanks and reply, "You are very welcome!", but all of you deserve the credit. I'm sure that sentence was littered with grammatical errors but oh well. I am obviously not an English major.

Day 37

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Day 36 - Last Week

Alright! We are on the home stretch. I'm hoping all of you have noticed a difference in how you feel, look, and perform. Andrew and I have noticed a lot of big improvements when it comes to performance. How you look is a little more difficult to judge since we see you almost every day. But for some of you, it is quite evident that you have slimmed up tremendously.

Great work!

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Day 35

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Day 34

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Coconut Crust

Here is a tasty alternative for pizza crust. I found it to be more tasty than the almond crust. I wanted to post this about a week or so ago but got lazy and I forgot. You may be able to see a bit of the crust under my thick-topped "pizza".

Ingredients (Crust)

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Day 33

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Movember Donations

To those interested in supporting a great cause please indicate how much you are willing to contribute for the burpee challenge I'll be doing in the near future. Date - Saturday November 27 after the 10:00 class.

Day 32

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Day 31

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Day 30

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Day 29 - Two Weeks To Go!

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Day 28

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Great Work!!!

I want to congratulate everyone who has made it this far. The end is quickly approaching and each of you is doing a pretty good job. I hear stories about all of the cravings that some of you are getting and how you are not caving. Stay strong!

Just a couple of "housekeeping" notes:

Day 27

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Day 26

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Day 25

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Day 24

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Day 23

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Day 22 - Bye Bye Prepackaged Foods!

Now it's time to make sure you prepare your food from scratch. No more lunchables, fast food (including Subway, The Pita Pit, etc), shaved meats from the deli.

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Day 21

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Day 20

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"It's my opinion that most who ignore doing any warm-up movements or stretching do so because they're lazy." - Bill Starr

I know this is off the nutrition path but I think it is very important for everyone to read.

Over the past 2 years (I'm rounding up), I can honestly say that less that 15% of all CFK athletes stretch before and/or after a workout. Stretching is what keeps our muscles and joints healthy. It also helps with our flexibility and makes our recovery times faster which allows us to train harder and lift more weight.

Day 19

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Day 18

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Primal Snacks

If you have been wondering what to eat for snacks, check out Mark's Daily Apple Snacks. These snacks are approved for the challenge. But try to avoid the dairy in the recipes. Substitute oil instead.

Day 17

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Day 16

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Day 15 - No More Dairy!

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Day 14

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Agave "Nectar"

There has been quite a bit of talk around CFK concerning agave "nectar" and all this Paleo/Primal cooking and baking that has been happening over Thanksgiving weekend.

Click here for information about agave "nectar".

Day 13

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Paleo "Pizza"

There have been a few requests for this recipe so here it is:

"Paleo Pizza"

Ingredients


The "Crust"

• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup egg white
• 2 Tbsp nut butter
• optional - any seasoning you want (I've used rosemary, basil, oregano, crushed chilies, pepper, etc.)

The Sauce

• 1 cup Thomas' Utopia Organic crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp dried basil
• 2 cloves garlic minced

Day 12

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Day 11

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Day 10

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Day 9

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Answering People's Questions

Hey everyone! I read your comments from yesterday and everyone seems to bring up a common thing, having to explain themselves to friends and family members as to why the dietary change. I have faced the same thing for well over a year and still experience it once a week or so. It does get frustrating having to answer the same question over and over again. I have learned to do it with a smile and not be condescending or rude. Here is what I tell people:

Day 8 - Get Rid Of Those Grains!

Alright. Now that you have got your body use to not having sugar, it's time to heal the intestinal lining and start getting the full value of the minerals and vitamins you consume in food. I'm hoping you will feel less bloated, start to lean out, and start feeling better overall. This may be the most difficult of section of the gradual option. Stay strong and stay dedicated!

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Day 7

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Day 6

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Day 5

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Update

A couple of things to share with everyone here:

I regret to say that we have lost a couple of people during the challenge and we thank them for their donation to the BBQ. Most notably Sarah McPherson who got bombed Saturday night. Day 2 into the challenge. Well done! And if I had an embarrassing picture of her I would post it. Hahaha

Day 4

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Day 3

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Day 2

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The Great Dairy Debate

Many people have approached me or emailed me as to why certain individuals are allowed dairy and why others are not. Here is why:

Let's use Mr. Andrew Burns as an example. This guy works opposite to most people. He has to work hard to keep weight on his tiny frame whereas most individuals have to work their asses off to keep the weight off (myself included). In order for him maintain or even put on weight, dairy is an easy way to provided the much needed calories to support this. There is a rule that these individuals must abide by and deviation from this rule will have their $20 being contributed for the BBQ:

*DAIRY IS ONLY PERMITTED WHEN CONSUMING OTHER FOODS OR POST-WORKOUT*

Day 1 - Get Rid Of That Sugar!

Today is Day 1 and it is time to eliminate foods with added sugar from your diets. And remember to look at food labels when buying stuff from the grocery store. Make sure you don't see the words sugar, dextrose (or anything that ends with -ose), and agave to name a few.

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A Few Ideas

When cooking, the following are some alternatives to consider:

• milk - nut milk, coconut milk
• butter - olive oil, coconut oil, and to a lesser extent, bacon fat
• yogurt - coconut milk
• sour cream - chilled coconut milk with a few drops of lemon juice
• whipped cream - chilled coconut milk that has been sitting in the fridge for a couple of days uncovered (option - add zest from lemon or orange)

Food List

Here is a list of foods that are permitted and those that should be avoided.

I found a website that has a map of local producers.

As well, click here to view a .pdf version.

Quick Start Guide To Nutrition Challenge / ONE WEEK TO GO!!!

Jessi brought this to my attention the other day and I think it is quite pertinent to being successful in this challenge. When I changed my nutritional ways, I did exactly what was listed on the attachment below and it make the transition easier because I wasn't tempted with all of the poorer food choices when the cravings kicked in.

Quick Start Guide

With one week left, now would be a good time to start emptying out your kitchen and pantry and stocking up on the higher quality foods.

Two Weeks To Go

After reading the Paleo/Primal Challenge rules, you may be thinking to yourself, “Why aren’t we weighing ourselves like last time? Why aren’t we determining body fat like last time?” Simple answer… This is a different challenge.

RULES FOR THE CHALLENGE

There will be an entry fee of $20. Consider it a security deposit. If you complete the challenge 100%, you will get your $20 back. If you cheat or drop out you forfeit the $20. If you do end up having a cheat meal/snack you will not be out of the challenge. If you choose Option B and cheat, you still have the choice of doing Option A. With Option A, I would like you to stay as true to the weekly changes as possible. If you cheat, don’t fret. Just pick up where you left off. But most importantly, stay true to yourself. The final decision as to if you get your money back will depend on you. If you believe you completed the challenge without any hiccups and you deserve to get your money back, feel free to let me know and I will give it back. 

Eating Out Paleo

Here is a great video about eating Paleo while at a restaurant. It isn't as hard as most people think it is. I've done this before and it works fine.

RECIPES

Post recipes in the comments section.

NEW CHALLENGE COMING SOON!!!

Hey folks! I know there has been quite a bit of demand for a new challenge and here it is! The Paleo/Primal challenge is coming up in a couple of weeks. Let's have this challenge be as fun and exciting as the first one.

All the information should be up in a day or two.