New Year...New Challenge

Farewell 2012 & Hello 2013

As the new year is now upon us it's time to put our willpower to the test. Our 30 day Paleo Challenge begins in just short of six hours. As many will be out enjoying their last "non-caveman" meal it's safe to say that drinks will probably be flowing as well. 

Here is a Paleo cocktail 

1 Ripe Mango

1 Lemon

1 Lime

1/3 Cup Tequila (Tequila is both gluten and starch free)

Sparkling Water

(Blend all ingredients and enjoy- it's recommended that the mango is cubed and then frozen prior to making this beverage)

Also, on a side note the key to this challenge will be preparation and variety... therefore please email us any recipes that you have either found or made up yourself. Remember sharing is caring!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years!!!!!

THE FINAL MEAL

With the Paleo Challenge starting on Tuesday many may be thinking what they will enjoy for the last time until February. Let us know what your meal will be. I will enjoy my last cup of coffee and probably will end it with a Lou Malnati's Pizza. Remember to log you food starting on Tuesday. There are sheets by your folders at the gym. Take one week at a time and make sure to turn it in when it is filled out.

2 other things,

1. Almond milk and Coconut milk will be allowed as long as it is unsweetened!

2. Alcohol will be allowed as explained in the video. Clear booze and wine. Make sure it is gluten free so be careful if choosing vodka as some is made with rice. Tequila is made from the agave plant so that is good. Watch the added sugars too in wines and certain alcoholic drinks. Still enjoy but Tequilla and red wine is your safest bet.

Lets get on track!!!

Paleo Challenge is just around the corner!!!! I want to remind everyone that we will start at midnight on Jan. 1. Get all your drinks in prior to then! There is now a folder with weekly food logs by your folders. Please take one week at a time and make sure to turn it in every week so we can grade them. Also if you are not going to participate please do not take a log sheet, but we want everyone to give it a try. We will do the WOD "Baseline" next week.

I know this is going to be a big challenge for some of you. This is all new and to try and completely change the way you eat for thirty straight days will be hard. I have been there and it will be easier for me, I am not going to lie. So to become challenging for myself and to share with you a similar experience you may be going through, I am going to stop drinking coffee. Some may not know but I really really really enjoy my coffee with some vanilla creamer. So we will be there with you every step of the way. At the end we all can say together, we did it and feel great. Good luck to everyone and share your stories, comment on this blog and have fun. This is about achieving the goal of life long fitness.

Fight Inflammation

We talked about foods that cause inflammation. Now read this article on top foods to fight inflammation. As you can see the Paleo way of eating really deals with this situation and it becomes negligible. We do not need to worry about what foods cause what when we eat real food.  

14 foods to fight inflammation

Lets talk Inflammation

You have to look at what causes inflammation inside the body and we try to minimize if not stop eating all that food. Below is a link to an article listing some inflammatory foods. Many disease process are caused by or exacterbated by inflammation, like asthma, arthritis, cancers, and many others. This article will name a few too. Please check this list out and if you have any questions let us know. In the days to follow I will post some foods to fight inflammation.  

12 Inflammatory foods

Bars

The Paleo Diet as so many call it needs to be looked as a lifestyle more then just a same old diet. This is a way we choose to eat for the healthy benefits that it gives us. This should not be temporary like most diets are. It should be a sustainable way to eat for years to come. It is challenging to start out and wonder, what am I going to eat today?

I remember when we started, me and Nikki were eating the same thing day after day after day. Breakfast with eggs, canadian bacon, and some fruit. Lunch was either tuna or chicken and broccoli, and dinner was the same salad every day with a meat. Thats it, no crazy meals to tell you about or anything, same thing everyday. Well after about a year or so of that it got kind of old. So we started to cook more and try new things and today we have a much larger range of ideas to make for our meals.

It is a process just like learning everything we do in the gym. It will be easy some days and harder other days. I have been there and are constantly learning how to cook things different ways and try new foods. We will continue to share with you things we have made and our success and failures.

Just a quick homemade Lara Bar recipe for you

1 cup packed dried apple rings

1/2 cup pitted medjool dates

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp sea salt

Place everything in a food processor, blend it. Take it out and roll it out on a cookie sheet. Cut into desired pieces. Enjoy!!!

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Paleo Quick Breakfest

First I want to thank Dalia for the inspiration here. She had posted a recipe on our Facebook page and I tweaked a couple of things.

Egg Muffins

Preheat oven to 350

Get a six muffin tin oiled and set aside.

- In each tin add a meat, I used bacon ( just a little nothing crazy)

-Now add some other filler, I used mushrooms, onion, and broccoli.

- Now whisk the eggs, I used 6 for 6 muffins, Pour mixture evenly into all six muffin tins. 

-Bake 20-25 minutes.

- Enjoy and you can store the rest in the fridge until ready to eat!

Make it your own and let us know what you added to the comments section!

Grass Fed Beef.... Why??

Click the link to read an article out of TIME Magazine.

Time Magazine article on Grass fed Beef

Open Face Burger!!

Open Face Burger w/Bruschetta served with steamed Broccoli 

"The Bun"
Portabello Mushroom Cap
   - Season w/ salt and pepper, 
   - 1 tsp garlic powder
   - Rub olive oil on each side
   - Grill over direct medium 2-3 min a side

Burger

1-lb 100% grass fed beef
seasoning, I use garlic powder, salt, pepper, sometimes some steak seasoning too. Mostly 1-2 tsp each
-Make into 3 -1/3lb patties
- Oil both sides of beef patty
-Grill on direct high heat for 3-4 min per side

Brushetta-
Not going to lie, this one was a store bought from Trader Joes. You can make your own though pretty easily.

1 red onion
2 tomatoes
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar 1 TBSP
Garlic 1 clove
Basil 1/2 TBSP
Salt&Pepper

Broccoli
- Steam 1 lb. Broccoli
-Salt & Pepper
- 2 tsp Basil
-1 tsp Garlic Powder


* I am not the measuring type so the amount of seasonings was a guess. Add what you like though and taste as you go. There are many variations to this recipe alone. We an talk about it just let me  
know. If you try this let me know how it turned out. ENJOY!!!

Two great articles!!!

Our Newest Athlete Matt K. found these two articles and passed them on. I thought they were a good read. Enjoy and thanks Matt!!



Beginners Guide to Paleo



Don't Break the bank on Paleo Food!

We need to start with an understanding!

Courtesy

of CrossFit HQ

The main point is that everything will suffer with poor nutrition. When we start to set goals for ourselves we have to set a date. Well Jan. 1, 2013 the Paleo Challenge starts. Lets start preparing and getting rid of all the bad food. Make it a process so its not a sudden change. Recipes will be coming shortly.

11/26/2012

Welcome to our new Paleo Blog. This Blog is still being put together so stand by for more! We are going to use this to post recipes and all sorts of interesting tid bits. Stay posted and as always any questions please let us know. We encourage all to bring in their recipes so we can post them as well!
This is all going to be just some information for everyone, do what you wish with it. Any changes to your way of eating should be consulted with by a Doctor or Licensed Dietician. We are not telling you to eat this way just merely giving some facts and recipes! ENJOY!!!

Also a Paleo Challenge is due to kick off Jan. 1 2013. Details will be available shortly but start getting in the habit of logging what you eat!!!

Paleo in a nutshell Part 1: Food