Last one from the Daily Apple I swear:
17 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight
Effective, healthy weight loss isn’t only due to the simplistic calories in, calories out paradigm. Nor is it solely reliant on diet and exercise. It’s everything – it’s all the various signals our body receives from the environment that affect how our genes express themselves and thrive. How we approach the subject matters, too. Our mood, our methods, our temperament. Our conscious decisions and our willpower. It’s setting good habits and expunging bad ones. Most of all, it comes down to keeping our genes happy by providing an environment that approximates evolutionary precedent.
Click here to read the 17 reasons.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
More Daily Apple
Again from Mark's Daily Apple:
Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods
It’s perhaps the most commonly asked question, both here in the forums and around the Primal/paleo blogosphere: what about bread/rice/grains/mashed potatoes/fish-and-chips/sweets? That is, what Primal foods can I eat that will satisfy my nascent urges for conventional “comfort foods”? In a perfect fat-adapted world, these urges would be non-existent. We would all be sated on nothing but meat, fat, vegetables, and a bit of fruit, and on a normal day I would stress the importance of desiring truly Primal foods rather than Primal approximations of high-carb, conventional fare.
Today isn’t a normal day, though. We’re in the middle of a particularly intensive Health Challenge, one that centers around making small (but doable) positive changes. For all our new members, finding alternate low-carb versions of the classic high-carb foods can be just the ticket to maintaining their personal health commitments under duress – and for that reason, I rounded up every low-carb food alternative source I could find. Strict PB pros and Primal stalwarts, forgive me, but I’m doing it for everyone’s collective good. Consider this my 80/20 moment. (wink)
Click here to links to the recipes.
Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods
It’s perhaps the most commonly asked question, both here in the forums and around the Primal/paleo blogosphere: what about bread/rice/grains/mashed potatoes/fish-and-chips/sweets? That is, what Primal foods can I eat that will satisfy my nascent urges for conventional “comfort foods”? In a perfect fat-adapted world, these urges would be non-existent. We would all be sated on nothing but meat, fat, vegetables, and a bit of fruit, and on a normal day I would stress the importance of desiring truly Primal foods rather than Primal approximations of high-carb, conventional fare.
Today isn’t a normal day, though. We’re in the middle of a particularly intensive Health Challenge, one that centers around making small (but doable) positive changes. For all our new members, finding alternate low-carb versions of the classic high-carb foods can be just the ticket to maintaining their personal health commitments under duress – and for that reason, I rounded up every low-carb food alternative source I could find. Strict PB pros and Primal stalwarts, forgive me, but I’m doing it for everyone’s collective good. Consider this my 80/20 moment. (wink)
Click here to links to the recipes.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Mark on Dairy
From Mark's Daily Apple:
The Definitive Guide to Dairy
I knew going in this was going to be a tricky one, because dairy, especially raw and/or fermented full-fat dairy, resides in a Primal gray area. The literature, the evolutionary reasoning, and the anecdotal reports all unanimously point to sugar, cereal grains and legumes, processed foods, and industrial vegetable oils as being net negatives on the human metabolic spectrum, but dairy is somewhat different. The other Neolithic foodstuffs we can rule out because the science condemning them is fairly concrete and they weren’t on the menu 20,000 years ago. Heck, they weren’t just off the menu; they were basically unrecognizable as food in the raw state. Dairy, on the other hand, is a relatively recent food chronologically, but it is most assuredly and obviously a viable nutritive source in its raw form. It’s full of highly bioavailable saturated fat, protein, and carbs – in equal portions. You could conceivably survive on milk alone (I wouldn’t recommend it, but you could technically do it; try doing the same with honey or raw millet). Milk is baby fuel. It’s literally meant to spur growth and enable a growing body. Our bodies definitely recognize dairy as food, even foreign bovine dairy. But is it good nutrition?
Click here to read more.
The Definitive Guide to Dairy
I knew going in this was going to be a tricky one, because dairy, especially raw and/or fermented full-fat dairy, resides in a Primal gray area. The literature, the evolutionary reasoning, and the anecdotal reports all unanimously point to sugar, cereal grains and legumes, processed foods, and industrial vegetable oils as being net negatives on the human metabolic spectrum, but dairy is somewhat different. The other Neolithic foodstuffs we can rule out because the science condemning them is fairly concrete and they weren’t on the menu 20,000 years ago. Heck, they weren’t just off the menu; they were basically unrecognizable as food in the raw state. Dairy, on the other hand, is a relatively recent food chronologically, but it is most assuredly and obviously a viable nutritive source in its raw form. It’s full of highly bioavailable saturated fat, protein, and carbs – in equal portions. You could conceivably survive on milk alone (I wouldn’t recommend it, but you could technically do it; try doing the same with honey or raw millet). Milk is baby fuel. It’s literally meant to spur growth and enable a growing body. Our bodies definitely recognize dairy as food, even foreign bovine dairy. But is it good nutrition?
Click here to read more.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Pants on the ground
I was singing this the other day and Mandie had no idea what the hell I was talking about.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Gluten
From the Huffington Post:
GLUTEN: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, MIGHT KILL YOU.
Something you're eating may be killing you, and you probably don't even know it!
If you eat cheeseburgers or French fries all the time or drink six sodas a day, you likely know you are shortening your life. But eating a nice dark, crunchy slice of whole wheat bread--how could that be bad for you?
Well, bread contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is hidden in pizza, pasta, bread, wraps, rolls, and most processed foods. Clearly, gluten is a staple of the American diet.
What most people don't know is that gluten can cause serious health complications for many. You may be at risk even if you don't have full blown celiac disease.
In today's blog I want to reveal the truth about gluten, explain the dangers, and provide you with a simple system that will help you determine whether or not gluten is a problem for you.
The Dangers of Gluten
A recent large study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and "latent" celiac disease or gluten sensitivity had a higher risk of death, mostly from heart disease and cancer. (i)
This study looked at almost 30,00 patients from 1969 to 2008 and examined deaths in three groups: Those with full-blown celiac disease, those with inflammation of their intestine but not full-blown celiac disease, and those with latent celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (elevated gluten antibodies but negative intestinal biopsy).
The findings were dramatic. There was a 39 percent increased risk of death in those with celiac disease, 72 percent increased risk in those with gut inflammation related to gluten, and 35 percent increased risk in those with gluten sensitivity but no celiac disease.
This is ground-breaking research that proves you don't have to have full-blown celiac disease with a positive intestinal biopsy (which is what conventional thinking tells us) to have serious health problems and complications--even death--from eating gluten.
Yet an estimated 99 percent of people who have a problem with eating gluten don't even know it. They ascribe their ill health or symptoms to something else--not gluten sensitivity, which is 100 percent curable.
And here's some more shocking news ...
Another study comparing the blood of 10,000 people from 50 years ago to 10,000 people today found that the incidences of full-blown celiac disease increased by 400 percent (elevated TTG antibodies) during that time period. (ii) If we saw a 400 percent increase in heart disease or cancer, this would be headline news. But we hear almost nothing about this. I will explain why I think that increase has occurred in a moment. First, let's explore the economic cost of this hidden epidemic.
Undiagnosed gluten problems cost the American healthcare system oodles of money. Dr. Peter Green, Professor of Clinical Medicine for the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University studied all 10 million subscribers to CIGNA and found those who were correctly diagnosed with celiac disease used fewer medical services and reduced their healthcare costs by more than 30 perecnt. (iii) The problem is that only one percent of those with the problem were actually diagnosed. That means 99 percent are walking around suffering without knowing it, costing the healthcare system millions of dollars.
And it's not just a few who suffer, but millions. Far more people have gluten sensitivity than you think--especially those who are chronically ill. The most serious form of allergy to gluten, celiac disease, affects one in 100 people, or three million Americans, most of who don't know they have it. But milder forms of gluten sensitivity are even more common and may affect up to one-third of the American population.
Why haven't you heard much about this?
Well, actually you have, but you just don't realize it. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity masquerade as dozens and dozens of other diseases with different names.
Gluten Sensitivity: One Cause, Many Diseases
A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 "diseases" that can be caused by eating gluten. (iv) These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, (v) and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric (vi) and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, (vii) schizophrenia, (viii) dementia, (ix) migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). (x) It has also been linked to autism.(ix)
We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Gluten sensitivity is actually an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation throughout the body, with wide-ranging effects across all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints, digestive tract, and more. It can be the single cause behind many different "diseases." To correct these diseases, you need to treat the cause--which is often gluten sensitivity--not just the symptoms.
Of course, that doesn't mean that ALL cases of depression or autoimmune disease or any of these other problems are caused by gluten in everyone--but it is important to look for it if you have any chronic illness.
By failing to identify gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, we create needless suffering and death for millions of Americans. Health problems caused by gluten sensitivity cannot be treated with better medication. They can only be resolved by eliminating 100 percent of the gluten from your diet.
The question that remains is: Why are we so sensitive to this "staff of life," the staple of our diet?
There are many reasons ...
They include our lack of genetic adaptation to grasses, and particularly gluten, in our diet. Wheat was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, and 30 percent of people of European descent carry the gene for celiac disease (HLA DQ2 or HLA DQ8), (xii) which increases susceptibility to health problems from eating gluten.
American strains of wheat have a much higher gluten content (which is needed to make light, fluffy Wonder Bread and giant bagels) than those traditionally found in Europe. This super-gluten was recently introduced into our agricultural food supply and now has "infected" nearly all wheat strains in America.
To find out if you are one of the millions of people suffering from an unidentified gluten sensitivity, just follow this simple procedure.
The Elimination/Reintegration Diet
While testing can help identify gluten sensivity, the only way you will know if this is really a problem for you is to eliminate all gluten for a short period of time (2 to 4 weeks) and see how you feel. Get rid of the following foods:
• Gluten (barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat, triticale--see www.celiac.com for a complete list of foods that contain gluten, as well as often surprising and hidden sources of gluten.)
• Hidden sources (soup mixes, salad dressings, sauces, as well as lipstick, certain vitamins, medications, stamps and envelopes you have to lick, and even Play-Doh.)
For this test to work you MUST eliminate 100 percent of the gluten from your diet--no exceptions, no hidden gluten, and not a single crumb of bread.
Then eat it again and see what happens. If you feel bad at all, you need to stay off gluten permanently. This will teach you better than any test about the impact gluten has on your body.
But if you are still interested in testing, here are some things to keep in mind.
Testing for Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease
There are gluten allergy/celiac disease tests that are available through Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics. All these tests help identify various forms of allergy or sensitivity to gluten or wheat. They will look for:
• IgA anti-gliadin antibodies
• IgG anti-gliadin antibodies
• IgA anti-endomysial antibodies
• Tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA and IgG in questionable cases)
• Total IgA antibodies
• HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genotyping for celiac disease (used occasionally to detect genetic suspectibility).
• Intestinal biopsy (rarely needed if gluten antibodies are positive--based on my interpretation of the recent study)
When you get these tests, there are a few things to keep in mind.
In light of the new research on the dangers of gluten sensitivity without full blown celiac disease, I consider any elevation of antibodies significant and worthy of a trial of gluten elimination. Many doctors consider elevated anti-gliadin antibodies in the absence of a positive intestinal biopsy showing damage to be "false positives." That means the test looks positive but really isn't significant.
We can no longer say that. Positive is positive and, as with all illness, there is a continuum of disease, from mild gluten sensitivity to full-blown celiac disease. If your antibodies are elevated, you should go off gluten and test to see if it is leading to your health problems.
So now you see--that piece of bread may not be so wholesome after all! Follow the advice I've shared with you today to find out if gluten may be the hidden cause of your health problems. Simply eliminating this insidious substnace from your diet, may help you achieve lifelong vibrant health.
That's all for today. Now I'd like to hear from you ...
Are you one of the millions that have been lead to believe gluten is perfectly safe to eat?
How do foods that contain gluten seem to affect you?
What tips can you share with others about eliminating gluten from your diet?
Please let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD
GLUTEN: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, MIGHT KILL YOU.
Something you're eating may be killing you, and you probably don't even know it!
If you eat cheeseburgers or French fries all the time or drink six sodas a day, you likely know you are shortening your life. But eating a nice dark, crunchy slice of whole wheat bread--how could that be bad for you?
Well, bread contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is hidden in pizza, pasta, bread, wraps, rolls, and most processed foods. Clearly, gluten is a staple of the American diet.
What most people don't know is that gluten can cause serious health complications for many. You may be at risk even if you don't have full blown celiac disease.
In today's blog I want to reveal the truth about gluten, explain the dangers, and provide you with a simple system that will help you determine whether or not gluten is a problem for you.
The Dangers of Gluten
A recent large study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and "latent" celiac disease or gluten sensitivity had a higher risk of death, mostly from heart disease and cancer. (i)
This study looked at almost 30,00 patients from 1969 to 2008 and examined deaths in three groups: Those with full-blown celiac disease, those with inflammation of their intestine but not full-blown celiac disease, and those with latent celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (elevated gluten antibodies but negative intestinal biopsy).
The findings were dramatic. There was a 39 percent increased risk of death in those with celiac disease, 72 percent increased risk in those with gut inflammation related to gluten, and 35 percent increased risk in those with gluten sensitivity but no celiac disease.
This is ground-breaking research that proves you don't have to have full-blown celiac disease with a positive intestinal biopsy (which is what conventional thinking tells us) to have serious health problems and complications--even death--from eating gluten.
Yet an estimated 99 percent of people who have a problem with eating gluten don't even know it. They ascribe their ill health or symptoms to something else--not gluten sensitivity, which is 100 percent curable.
And here's some more shocking news ...
Another study comparing the blood of 10,000 people from 50 years ago to 10,000 people today found that the incidences of full-blown celiac disease increased by 400 percent (elevated TTG antibodies) during that time period. (ii) If we saw a 400 percent increase in heart disease or cancer, this would be headline news. But we hear almost nothing about this. I will explain why I think that increase has occurred in a moment. First, let's explore the economic cost of this hidden epidemic.
Undiagnosed gluten problems cost the American healthcare system oodles of money. Dr. Peter Green, Professor of Clinical Medicine for the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University studied all 10 million subscribers to CIGNA and found those who were correctly diagnosed with celiac disease used fewer medical services and reduced their healthcare costs by more than 30 perecnt. (iii) The problem is that only one percent of those with the problem were actually diagnosed. That means 99 percent are walking around suffering without knowing it, costing the healthcare system millions of dollars.
And it's not just a few who suffer, but millions. Far more people have gluten sensitivity than you think--especially those who are chronically ill. The most serious form of allergy to gluten, celiac disease, affects one in 100 people, or three million Americans, most of who don't know they have it. But milder forms of gluten sensitivity are even more common and may affect up to one-third of the American population.
Why haven't you heard much about this?
Well, actually you have, but you just don't realize it. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity masquerade as dozens and dozens of other diseases with different names.
Gluten Sensitivity: One Cause, Many Diseases
A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 "diseases" that can be caused by eating gluten. (iv) These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, (v) and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric (vi) and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, (vii) schizophrenia, (viii) dementia, (ix) migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). (x) It has also been linked to autism.(ix)
We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Gluten sensitivity is actually an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation throughout the body, with wide-ranging effects across all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints, digestive tract, and more. It can be the single cause behind many different "diseases." To correct these diseases, you need to treat the cause--which is often gluten sensitivity--not just the symptoms.
Of course, that doesn't mean that ALL cases of depression or autoimmune disease or any of these other problems are caused by gluten in everyone--but it is important to look for it if you have any chronic illness.
By failing to identify gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, we create needless suffering and death for millions of Americans. Health problems caused by gluten sensitivity cannot be treated with better medication. They can only be resolved by eliminating 100 percent of the gluten from your diet.
The question that remains is: Why are we so sensitive to this "staff of life," the staple of our diet?
There are many reasons ...
They include our lack of genetic adaptation to grasses, and particularly gluten, in our diet. Wheat was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, and 30 percent of people of European descent carry the gene for celiac disease (HLA DQ2 or HLA DQ8), (xii) which increases susceptibility to health problems from eating gluten.
American strains of wheat have a much higher gluten content (which is needed to make light, fluffy Wonder Bread and giant bagels) than those traditionally found in Europe. This super-gluten was recently introduced into our agricultural food supply and now has "infected" nearly all wheat strains in America.
To find out if you are one of the millions of people suffering from an unidentified gluten sensitivity, just follow this simple procedure.
The Elimination/Reintegration Diet
While testing can help identify gluten sensivity, the only way you will know if this is really a problem for you is to eliminate all gluten for a short period of time (2 to 4 weeks) and see how you feel. Get rid of the following foods:
• Gluten (barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat, triticale--see www.celiac.com for a complete list of foods that contain gluten, as well as often surprising and hidden sources of gluten.)
• Hidden sources (soup mixes, salad dressings, sauces, as well as lipstick, certain vitamins, medications, stamps and envelopes you have to lick, and even Play-Doh.)
For this test to work you MUST eliminate 100 percent of the gluten from your diet--no exceptions, no hidden gluten, and not a single crumb of bread.
Then eat it again and see what happens. If you feel bad at all, you need to stay off gluten permanently. This will teach you better than any test about the impact gluten has on your body.
But if you are still interested in testing, here are some things to keep in mind.
Testing for Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease
There are gluten allergy/celiac disease tests that are available through Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics. All these tests help identify various forms of allergy or sensitivity to gluten or wheat. They will look for:
• IgA anti-gliadin antibodies
• IgG anti-gliadin antibodies
• IgA anti-endomysial antibodies
• Tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA and IgG in questionable cases)
• Total IgA antibodies
• HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genotyping for celiac disease (used occasionally to detect genetic suspectibility).
• Intestinal biopsy (rarely needed if gluten antibodies are positive--based on my interpretation of the recent study)
When you get these tests, there are a few things to keep in mind.
In light of the new research on the dangers of gluten sensitivity without full blown celiac disease, I consider any elevation of antibodies significant and worthy of a trial of gluten elimination. Many doctors consider elevated anti-gliadin antibodies in the absence of a positive intestinal biopsy showing damage to be "false positives." That means the test looks positive but really isn't significant.
We can no longer say that. Positive is positive and, as with all illness, there is a continuum of disease, from mild gluten sensitivity to full-blown celiac disease. If your antibodies are elevated, you should go off gluten and test to see if it is leading to your health problems.
So now you see--that piece of bread may not be so wholesome after all! Follow the advice I've shared with you today to find out if gluten may be the hidden cause of your health problems. Simply eliminating this insidious substnace from your diet, may help you achieve lifelong vibrant health.
That's all for today. Now I'd like to hear from you ...
Are you one of the millions that have been lead to believe gluten is perfectly safe to eat?
How do foods that contain gluten seem to affect you?
What tips can you share with others about eliminating gluten from your diet?
Please let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD
Monday, January 25, 2010
Pull ups
Day16
Alright, since we are getting deadheads and everyone is a little burnt out on Paleo and breaking to 1st and 2nd cheats, let's shoot off topic. This is a good read from Gillian Mounsey's blog (http://www.gillianmounsey.com/blog/) :
This week’s question concerns pull ups.
“I have been crossfitting for 4 months and am still working on getting a pull-up. I have seen it come faster for some of the other women in class. I can almost kip my chin over the bar once but I am no where close to having a dead hang pull-up. How can I improve my pull-ups? Also, is it bad to start kipping pull-ups before being able to do a strict one?”
The answer to this question is simple in response but requires effort on your part. To get better at pull-ups you must do pull-ups. The best way to attack this skill is to address it in a variety of ways depending on the workout.
1. If the workout mandates high volume pull-ups, consider using a band for assistance. The band allows you to develop strength through a full range of motion. Once you can string 10 or more pull-ups together in the band, opt for a lighter band. Jumping pull-ups are great as a metabolic and functional movement but they do not develop strength at the bottom range (the part where you jump through).
2. Incorporate pull-ups into your workout as a skill in the warm-up when your body is fresh. Additionally, incorporate pull-ups after the workout. Sometimes when you are fatigued, your body becomes efficient at the kip to save energy.
3. Make a habit of jumping up on every pull-up bar that you pass by and giving it a shot. Hang one in a doorway at home and try one everytime you walk in and out of the room (I’m serious, this is how I got good at pull-ups as a kid).
4. Practice negatives. Either jump your chin over the bar or have a partner assist you to get your chin over the bar. Lower yourself slowly till you achieve full elbow lockout. 3 sets of 3 to 5 consecutive reps is a great place to start.
5. Partner assisted pull ups is one of the best ways to learn a dead-hang pull-up. Hang with your ankles crossed behind you and have a partner cup your feet and assist you – ensure that you do as much of the work as possible. The partner should allow you to do the negative on your own.
6. Play a game. Make pull-ups fun by turning them into a challenge. A good example is to grab a deck of cards with another 2-3 people. Go through the deck doing the number that you draw on the card. Let all of the face cards represent a single pull-up. Let the red cards represent kipping pull-ups and the black cards dead hangs. Have a friend spot you if you need it on the dead hangs and use a band for the kipping pull-ups.
To answer the second question, no , kipping pull-ups are not “bad” or dangerous before you have a dead-hang pull-up. The beauty of a functional movement such as a pull-up is that if you are not ready or strong enough to do one, you simply won’t be able to. Practice both as they will mutually help one another. It is imperative to understand that one is a strict upper body strength movement and the other uses momentum and timing.
My best advice is to practice as many types of pull-ups as possible. You will be less likely to develop overuse injuries and you will continue to grow as an athlete.
Alright, since we are getting deadheads and everyone is a little burnt out on Paleo and breaking to 1st and 2nd cheats, let's shoot off topic. This is a good read from Gillian Mounsey's blog (http://www.gillianmounsey.com/blog/) :
This week’s question concerns pull ups.
“I have been crossfitting for 4 months and am still working on getting a pull-up. I have seen it come faster for some of the other women in class. I can almost kip my chin over the bar once but I am no where close to having a dead hang pull-up. How can I improve my pull-ups? Also, is it bad to start kipping pull-ups before being able to do a strict one?”
The answer to this question is simple in response but requires effort on your part. To get better at pull-ups you must do pull-ups. The best way to attack this skill is to address it in a variety of ways depending on the workout.
1. If the workout mandates high volume pull-ups, consider using a band for assistance. The band allows you to develop strength through a full range of motion. Once you can string 10 or more pull-ups together in the band, opt for a lighter band. Jumping pull-ups are great as a metabolic and functional movement but they do not develop strength at the bottom range (the part where you jump through).
2. Incorporate pull-ups into your workout as a skill in the warm-up when your body is fresh. Additionally, incorporate pull-ups after the workout. Sometimes when you are fatigued, your body becomes efficient at the kip to save energy.
3. Make a habit of jumping up on every pull-up bar that you pass by and giving it a shot. Hang one in a doorway at home and try one everytime you walk in and out of the room (I’m serious, this is how I got good at pull-ups as a kid).
4. Practice negatives. Either jump your chin over the bar or have a partner assist you to get your chin over the bar. Lower yourself slowly till you achieve full elbow lockout. 3 sets of 3 to 5 consecutive reps is a great place to start.
5. Partner assisted pull ups is one of the best ways to learn a dead-hang pull-up. Hang with your ankles crossed behind you and have a partner cup your feet and assist you – ensure that you do as much of the work as possible. The partner should allow you to do the negative on your own.
6. Play a game. Make pull-ups fun by turning them into a challenge. A good example is to grab a deck of cards with another 2-3 people. Go through the deck doing the number that you draw on the card. Let all of the face cards represent a single pull-up. Let the red cards represent kipping pull-ups and the black cards dead hangs. Have a friend spot you if you need it on the dead hangs and use a band for the kipping pull-ups.
To answer the second question, no , kipping pull-ups are not “bad” or dangerous before you have a dead-hang pull-up. The beauty of a functional movement such as a pull-up is that if you are not ready or strong enough to do one, you simply won’t be able to. Practice both as they will mutually help one another. It is imperative to understand that one is a strict upper body strength movement and the other uses momentum and timing.
My best advice is to practice as many types of pull-ups as possible. You will be less likely to develop overuse injuries and you will continue to grow as an athlete.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Paleo Shepherd's Pie
Forwarded from TomW:
PALEO SHEPHERD’S PIE
A yummy, winter meal that is great as leftovers!
Make’s 4 servings (which means we’ll be using 2 now and 2 for
leftovers. So plan accordingly if you’re adjusting).
INGREDIENTS
20 oz Ground Turkey 110 P 35 F
12 oz Parsnnips - pealed and grated - 63 C
8 oz Zucchini - sliced - 8 C
3 oz mushrooms (i used shitake) - sliced - 3 C
1/2 C Red Onion - 5 C
1/2 C Cilantro - negligible C
2 Green Onions - chopped - 4 C
1/2 Cup Celery - sliced - negligible C
1 Slice Bacon - 15F 3P
8 egg whites - 24 P
1 Tbl Spoon Olive Oil - 14 F
1 Teaspoon Onion Salt
1 Teaspoon Celery Salt
1 Tablespoon Seasoning (I used Italian Seasoning. Costco Rustic Tuscan
Seasoning would also work well)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450F.
Peal and grate the parsnips with a cheese grater. Mix with onion salt
and olive oil and set aside.
Cook the bacon slice . DO NOT throw out the bacon fat. Leave it in the
pan.
Pan fry the onions, turkey, Italian Seasoning, and onion salt .Pepper
to taste.
Saute in the bacon fat the zucchini, mushrooms, and celery.
Combine meat and veggies in one pan and mix thoroughly. Then let cool
down a couple minutes.
Take 4 egg whites and the cilantro and mix them into the meat/veggies.
Take other 4 egg whites and mix with parsnips.
Coat an 8X8 pan with olive oil.
Add meat and veggies then cover with parsnip mixture.
Cook in oven at 450F for about 25 minutes or until top start to brown.
PALEO SHEPHERD’S PIE
A yummy, winter meal that is great as leftovers!
Make’s 4 servings (which means we’ll be using 2 now and 2 for
leftovers. So plan accordingly if you’re adjusting).
INGREDIENTS
20 oz Ground Turkey 110 P 35 F
12 oz Parsnnips - pealed and grated - 63 C
8 oz Zucchini - sliced - 8 C
3 oz mushrooms (i used shitake) - sliced - 3 C
1/2 C Red Onion - 5 C
1/2 C Cilantro - negligible C
2 Green Onions - chopped - 4 C
1/2 Cup Celery - sliced - negligible C
1 Slice Bacon - 15F 3P
8 egg whites - 24 P
1 Tbl Spoon Olive Oil - 14 F
1 Teaspoon Onion Salt
1 Teaspoon Celery Salt
1 Tablespoon Seasoning (I used Italian Seasoning. Costco Rustic Tuscan
Seasoning would also work well)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450F.
Peal and grate the parsnips with a cheese grater. Mix with onion salt
and olive oil and set aside.
Cook the bacon slice . DO NOT throw out the bacon fat. Leave it in the
pan.
Pan fry the onions, turkey, Italian Seasoning, and onion salt .Pepper
to taste.
Saute in the bacon fat the zucchini, mushrooms, and celery.
Combine meat and veggies in one pan and mix thoroughly. Then let cool
down a couple minutes.
Take 4 egg whites and the cilantro and mix them into the meat/veggies.
Take other 4 egg whites and mix with parsnips.
Coat an 8X8 pan with olive oil.
Add meat and veggies then cover with parsnip mixture.
Cook in oven at 450F for about 25 minutes or until top start to brown.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Stolen From Zack's Blog
Day14
The following has been taken from Zack's blog! Good read!
Supplements - What I'm taking and a little research
Insert all legal disclaimers that this is not meant to be medical advice; I'm not a nutritionist/dietitian, etc., etc. But, I dug in and did quite a bit of supplement research right around the end of last year. These are the 4 that I decided my diet was lacking and have been happy with the results on each. One reason we've all decided to do this diet is because we have taken a greater interest with what we're putting in our bodies, so make sure to do your own research as well and get a good idea of what you're getting naturally before any supplementation. This is what I've got:
1. Vitamin D: Being on Paleo, due to no dairy, and the fact we live in the Midwest and won't see the sun again until June, vitamin D was the first thing I picked up. Here's a great article on the ins and outs of D from EatMoveImprove: http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/10/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-d/
So far I’ve noticed a great improvement in overall stress levels, this with a little bit more demanding period right now at work. Some of the athletic performance increases noted in the article are tougher to opine on , I’m moving up in all ways right now, but it’s hard to pinpoint a cause since this isn’t the only thing I’ve changed in my diet and workout philosophy.
2. Magnesium: There's plenty out there on most of us being Magnesium deficient. Spinach is a pretty good natural source, but no food seems to have it in great supply, so like vit D, tough to get naturally. I know there's a whole book called the Magnesium Miracle, I've heard referenced often on Robb Wolf's podcast, a chapter in Protein Power Life Plan and on Mark Sisson has a couple blog posts on its benefits, here's one: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/magnesium-and-butterbur/. Basically it is the ying if you think of calcium as the yang.
Robb Wolf recommends the Natural Calm, but I just found a Magnesium Citrate powder on Amazon (Subscribe and Save is a wonderful thing). Everything I read said do the citrate because it is more usable by your body and if you can handle powder do powder again because of ease of absorption and use by your body. Do the powder in hot water, you want it to dissolve in the water before taking it. I did it once in cold water, just stirring it up and got a little bit bloated. It went right away, but hot water avoids this issue. I’ve noticed much better sleep since starting this.
3. Probiotics: Just got rolling with these. These are the good bacteria that are supposed to line your gut. When sick, especially when on antibiotics, the body doesn't discriminate, it flushes everything. So, the idea of probiotics is to reseed your gut. My main reason for taking them has been that I've upped my protein and want to make sure my body is absorbing as much as possible. Here's two good links: http://paynowlivelater.blogspot.com/2009/11/supplements-what-i-take-and-why.html and http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-primal-supplementation/
So most bottles you'll pick up say to work your way up to 1/meal. These two blogs and others I found say it doesn't need to be daily. For people of have used these in the past let me know your thoughts. Here's the plan I'm using. 2 weeks at 1/day, then back off to every other day, then to once a week and keeping with that unless I get sick, then I'll start this routine over. The thought here is that these guys multiply on their own, so once I'm set up, I should be fine to back off to more of a maintenance deal. I could be off base here and would love to here other people's thoughts.
4. Fish Oil: See some of the above links and the Paleo hand book Bryce handed out. Great anti-inflammation qualities (good for leaning out) and helps get your Omega 3's and 6's back in balance. Probably most are taking some amount of fish oil already, seems to pretty much be the official Crossfit supplement. Meals where I’m eating fish or grassfed meat, I usually skip the pills. All other meals I throw back a pretty good handful.
That’s what I’m up to supplement wise. Hopefully it’s somewhat helpful. None of these are too far out there. There’s info on all of them on WebMd and the Mayo Clinc’s sites as well, so pretty mainstream. I’m monitoring everything the best I can. It is of course tough since we don’t live in a vacuum and rarely can single out direct cause and effect, but I’m happy so far with these.
I’m looking forward to hearing from others on this topic as well.
The following has been taken from Zack's blog! Good read!
Supplements - What I'm taking and a little research
Insert all legal disclaimers that this is not meant to be medical advice; I'm not a nutritionist/dietitian, etc., etc. But, I dug in and did quite a bit of supplement research right around the end of last year. These are the 4 that I decided my diet was lacking and have been happy with the results on each. One reason we've all decided to do this diet is because we have taken a greater interest with what we're putting in our bodies, so make sure to do your own research as well and get a good idea of what you're getting naturally before any supplementation. This is what I've got:
1. Vitamin D: Being on Paleo, due to no dairy, and the fact we live in the Midwest and won't see the sun again until June, vitamin D was the first thing I picked up. Here's a great article on the ins and outs of D from EatMoveImprove: http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/10/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-d/
So far I’ve noticed a great improvement in overall stress levels, this with a little bit more demanding period right now at work. Some of the athletic performance increases noted in the article are tougher to opine on , I’m moving up in all ways right now, but it’s hard to pinpoint a cause since this isn’t the only thing I’ve changed in my diet and workout philosophy.
2. Magnesium: There's plenty out there on most of us being Magnesium deficient. Spinach is a pretty good natural source, but no food seems to have it in great supply, so like vit D, tough to get naturally. I know there's a whole book called the Magnesium Miracle, I've heard referenced often on Robb Wolf's podcast, a chapter in Protein Power Life Plan and on Mark Sisson has a couple blog posts on its benefits, here's one: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/magnesium-and-butterbur/. Basically it is the ying if you think of calcium as the yang.
Robb Wolf recommends the Natural Calm, but I just found a Magnesium Citrate powder on Amazon (Subscribe and Save is a wonderful thing). Everything I read said do the citrate because it is more usable by your body and if you can handle powder do powder again because of ease of absorption and use by your body. Do the powder in hot water, you want it to dissolve in the water before taking it. I did it once in cold water, just stirring it up and got a little bit bloated. It went right away, but hot water avoids this issue. I’ve noticed much better sleep since starting this.
3. Probiotics: Just got rolling with these. These are the good bacteria that are supposed to line your gut. When sick, especially when on antibiotics, the body doesn't discriminate, it flushes everything. So, the idea of probiotics is to reseed your gut. My main reason for taking them has been that I've upped my protein and want to make sure my body is absorbing as much as possible. Here's two good links: http://paynowlivelater.blogspot.com/2009/11/supplements-what-i-take-and-why.html and http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-primal-supplementation/
So most bottles you'll pick up say to work your way up to 1/meal. These two blogs and others I found say it doesn't need to be daily. For people of have used these in the past let me know your thoughts. Here's the plan I'm using. 2 weeks at 1/day, then back off to every other day, then to once a week and keeping with that unless I get sick, then I'll start this routine over. The thought here is that these guys multiply on their own, so once I'm set up, I should be fine to back off to more of a maintenance deal. I could be off base here and would love to here other people's thoughts.
4. Fish Oil: See some of the above links and the Paleo hand book Bryce handed out. Great anti-inflammation qualities (good for leaning out) and helps get your Omega 3's and 6's back in balance. Probably most are taking some amount of fish oil already, seems to pretty much be the official Crossfit supplement. Meals where I’m eating fish or grassfed meat, I usually skip the pills. All other meals I throw back a pretty good handful.
That’s what I’m up to supplement wise. Hopefully it’s somewhat helpful. None of these are too far out there. There’s info on all of them on WebMd and the Mayo Clinc’s sites as well, so pretty mainstream. I’m monitoring everything the best I can. It is of course tough since we don’t live in a vacuum and rarely can single out direct cause and effect, but I’m happy so far with these.
I’m looking forward to hearing from others on this topic as well.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Your turn
Day13
Alright I'm done blabbing for now. What topics are you interested in? Or what can the community help you with? Is there anything you want to know more about? Post and let us know.
Alright I'm done blabbing for now. What topics are you interested in? Or what can the community help you with? Is there anything you want to know more about? Post and let us know.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Crock pottage
Day12
Wow! That was some awesome stuff on pancakes. Now, if you haven't figured by now I only cook the things that are really easy. For example 80% of the meals I make myself involve me shaking rub or spice (occasionally salt) on a piece of meat and throwing it in the toaster oven (man, I love that thing). If it wasn't so cold out I'd just grill.
What recipes do you have (that are not difficult) for the good ole crock pot???
Wow! That was some awesome stuff on pancakes. Now, if you haven't figured by now I only cook the things that are really easy. For example 80% of the meals I make myself involve me shaking rub or spice (occasionally salt) on a piece of meat and throwing it in the toaster oven (man, I love that thing). If it wasn't so cold out I'd just grill.
What recipes do you have (that are not difficult) for the good ole crock pot???
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Pancakes!
Day11
I just seen the commercial for all-you-can-eat pancakes. Mmm pancakes. So I've seen a couple of different recipes. Who has had the best paleo pancakes? Mandie made some with sun butter and applesauce. I didn't get any but she said they were good. I can't imagine the texture being anything like pancakes. Anyways, recipes?
I just seen the commercial for all-you-can-eat pancakes. Mmm pancakes. So I've seen a couple of different recipes. Who has had the best paleo pancakes? Mandie made some with sun butter and applesauce. I didn't get any but she said they were good. I can't imagine the texture being anything like pancakes. Anyways, recipes?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Milk does a body...
Day10
Alright that was some good input on nightshades. Now, for all you guys/gals trying to pick up size... What do we know about milk??? A gallon a day? Post wod? Whatcha got?
Alright that was some good input on nightshades. Now, for all you guys/gals trying to pick up size... What do we know about milk??? A gallon a day? Post wod? Whatcha got?
Nightshades
Day9
I intentionally left up the nightshades post for almost two day. Just wanted to see if anyone knew more than Google. Ha!
I intentionally left up the nightshades post for almost two day. Just wanted to see if anyone knew more than Google. Ha!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Nightshades
Day8
The conversation:
Me: "What do you know about nightshades?"
Mandie: "Nitrates?"
Me: "Nightshades."
Mandie: "Like nitrate free bacon?"
Me: "No, nightshades?"
Mandie: "Not nitrates?"
Me: "No, nightshades, like tomatoes."
We could have done this back-and-forth a while before getting no where quick.
So what do you know about NIGHTSHADES?
The conversation:
Me: "What do you know about nightshades?"
Mandie: "Nitrates?"
Me: "Nightshades."
Mandie: "Like nitrate free bacon?"
Me: "No, nightshades?"
Mandie: "Not nitrates?"
Me: "No, nightshades, like tomatoes."
We could have done this back-and-forth a while before getting no where quick.
So what do you know about NIGHTSHADES?
Saturday, January 16, 2010
1 Week down!
Day7
The conclusion of today will be 1 complete week for the Paleo+ Challenge. What do you think so far? Easier then you thought? Harder then you thought? Results so far? How is your logging going?
The conclusion of today will be 1 complete week for the Paleo+ Challenge. What do you think so far? Easier then you thought? Harder then you thought? Results so far? How is your logging going?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Pre-workout
Day 5
Alright, Thanks for the snack ideas. I think everyone has a much better grasp on it now. Questions. What do you now about pre-workout nutrition? Why? When? What? If you have no clue respond with a "?" and I'll go through the ins and the outs. If I see nothing I'm assuming all the posters and the lurkers here know what they need for pre-workout nutrition. Post 'em up.
Alright, Thanks for the snack ideas. I think everyone has a much better grasp on it now. Questions. What do you now about pre-workout nutrition? Why? When? What? If you have no clue respond with a "?" and I'll go through the ins and the outs. If I see nothing I'm assuming all the posters and the lurkers here know what they need for pre-workout nutrition. Post 'em up.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
More snack ideas
Day4
Alright, I got a few ideas, but not nearly enough. I want you guys to help me out a little here and give me a couple more snack ideas that are realistic on a daily basis. I really like JJ's self-prepped/sealed paleo kits. When you have a chance check out his page. I swear he must have a personal chef or his camera does wonders, but his food looks amazing. http://whatisjjeating.blogspot.com/
More snack ideas please....
Alright, I got a few ideas, but not nearly enough. I want you guys to help me out a little here and give me a couple more snack ideas that are realistic on a daily basis. I really like JJ's self-prepped/sealed paleo kits. When you have a chance check out his page. I swear he must have a personal chef or his camera does wonders, but his food looks amazing. http://whatisjjeating.blogspot.com/
More snack ideas please....
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Packable snacks
Day 3
Alright, great suggestions on the breakfast side of things. Now to the big challenge... packable snacks. I know many of these things are going to require a bit more prep and everyone doesn't have the flexibility to snack in-front of there clients/members as I do. So let's hear what you guys got. Also, Erin O' might have to get on here about food packing/storage... I'm sure it isn't too sanitary for me to leave a chicken breast in my bag at room temp for over 4 hours (don't worry Erin, I didn't eat it). Let's continue. I love the input from the extended community (Ashley)! The community does extend beyond our walls so it's always great to hear from CrossFitters outside our box also.
Alright, great suggestions on the breakfast side of things. Now to the big challenge... packable snacks. I know many of these things are going to require a bit more prep and everyone doesn't have the flexibility to snack in-front of there clients/members as I do. So let's hear what you guys got. Also, Erin O' might have to get on here about food packing/storage... I'm sure it isn't too sanitary for me to leave a chicken breast in my bag at room temp for over 4 hours (don't worry Erin, I didn't eat it). Let's continue. I love the input from the extended community (Ashley)! The community does extend beyond our walls so it's always great to hear from CrossFitters outside our box also.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Breakfast first
Day 2
First things first. Everyone wants to know when and what are you doing for breakfast???
The easiest way to slide into this paleo thing is do a meat and nuts. This may be the only thing you do if you are trying to lean out, but start there.
What creative things have you done? Is it a time issue? Is it a prep issue? Is it a digestion issue? Let us know!
First things first. Everyone wants to know when and what are you doing for breakfast???
The easiest way to slide into this paleo thing is do a meat and nuts. This may be the only thing you do if you are trying to lean out, but start there.
What creative things have you done? Is it a time issue? Is it a prep issue? Is it a digestion issue? Let us know!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
WOW!!!
Day 1
I'm very, very impressed with how many people came out today to participate in the Paleo+ Challenge (almost 50). I know there are tons of lurkers that visit this page but remember the more you participate with questions, concerns, answers, suggestions...the stronger you build the community! Help each other out and you'll receive more help than you ever thought that you needed. Think about it!
I'm very, very impressed with how many people came out today to participate in the Paleo+ Challenge (almost 50). I know there are tons of lurkers that visit this page but remember the more you participate with questions, concerns, answers, suggestions...the stronger you build the community! Help each other out and you'll receive more help than you ever thought that you needed. Think about it!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Still sleeping
Sorry everyone, I've mentioned this to most of you in person but this blog is going to stay off-line until the Paleo+ Challenge begins! For all you lurkers I'll give you a hint on the strength portion of the workout. It's three things, really, really heavy.
For now, if you are bored you can catch me at: http://www.rudytapalla.blogspot.com/
For now, if you are bored you can catch me at: http://www.rudytapalla.blogspot.com/
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