Nutrition: Paleo, Primal and Just Plain Better Eating

I try to eat paleo/primal, organic, local and as natural as possible.  I am not 100% strict about it either.  A diet needs to be sustainable and enjoyable.  While some foods may not be the best for you, it doesn't mean you can never have it.  What primal/paleo eating means to me is that many things I used to eat are not forbidden but moved to a treats category.

For example, I drink beer and wine.  I don't smoke but once in a great while a cigar does come to pass.  Coke or Dr Pepper, cake, ice cream whatever sugary buzz you want, I eat it.  But all these things are treats.  Most people and medicine can agree that in excess tobacco and alcohol are bad and in fact they are poisons to us.  In moderation, some people do enjoy them and there are no large negatives.  Sugar and flour are treated similarly by me.  On occasion or when wanted, but no longer a normal part of my every day routine.

What is paleo or primal?

Here are a two definitions that really break it down in a short easy way:

1. Mark Sisson does a great job at Mark's Daily Apple explain the problem with grains and has a food pyramid to illustrate what is primal.
2. Robb Wolf brings scientific expertise to define paleo and fitness to the lay person.
3. Gary Taubes discusses overall nutrition and how conventional facts are not facts at all.  Most conventional ideas of nutrition are incorrect and the data supports a better way of eating.

There are many more bloggers, authors and authorities out there, but these two have an active blog and give good simple advice while also backing it up with facts and science.

If you care to read more, they have some books too (which I have read both).

                                      

Biochemistry of the Paleo Diet

This is a really good basic overview of some of the biochemistry of nutrition and more specifically describing it in the context of the paleo/primal diet by Dr. Doug McGuff.

Enjoy!

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

A compelling scientific talk by a leading MD on the metabolism of sugar, specifically fructose, and how this is treated as a toxin by the body similarly to ethanol (alcohol).

Passion Meets World Need

"The best definition I have ever heard of a vocation is that it's the place where your great joy meets the world's great need. ... We need all of you to find your vocation. To develop your joys, your passions, and to match them to the world's great needs."

~ Eric Greitensm, US Navy Seal & Rhodes Scholar

This is a powerful quote.  

As someone who works with thousands of students to discover their passion and place in life, I see this everyday.  I can't help but think about this myself, and truly think if I am where I should be.  Often times people in higher education say find your passion and do that.  Others say wrap your career around your passion. 

Greitensm's approach takes that even further.  It is not just about what you want from life; life is about what you can contribute to the world and your community.  I firmly believe you have to work in an area you are passionate about or else what is the point.  

As I reflect on this Memorial Day and Weekend.  I think of those who put their country before their personal wants and desires.  They had a passion for service and met the greatest need.

Sacrifice and glory - they will lead the way.

David Goggins US Navy SEAL Iron Man

The whole "interview" is outstanding and motivation.  An excellent example of sacrifice, service and athleticism.

Here are the notable quotes that really hit me or moved me personally.

• To test my soul, to see what I’m all about.

• That’s when you know.  That is the only time you can find out what the human body is all about.  What you’re made of.  Limits to myself, limits to the human soul.  Everyday I’m trying to see if I have limits.

• I don’t just train for an hour or so,  I train until it somethin’ is uncomfortable.  Then that is when you know who you really are.

• My life doesn’t have a finish line, so when I cross the finish line of the ironman, it doesn’t matter.  I know in two or three weeks from now, I’ll be doing something else that provides me more pain.

• I believe everything, you know, I try to do is defined by excellence.   But I don’t think I can reach excellence myself, because the standards of my life are really higher.  So I don’t think I can reach it, but I try to every day.

• You have to be a good individual first, before you can be a good team member.

• I’ve done a lot of things that I though was impossible, but nothing is impossible anymore.

Ketosis and Fat Loss

Robb Wolf's podcast 125 had a lot of great information about fat loss and fat intake. Here are my two highlights regarding beginning fat loss and further links of my own.  There are a lot of other good stuff in that podcast, but unrelated to my topic here, so check it out.

Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor, nurse or any other health care provider licensed or otherwise.  This is my personal plan and research through the power of Google.  Consult with your doctor or nurse before attempting anything I post.

1) Ketosis

Essentially this changes the way your body uses energy from glucose to fat.  [Normally our primary energy source is glucose.]  For those who are fat like us, this is a good thing and results in the body uses our fat stores as fuel, instead of glucose.  It requires a strict diet of limited carbs (mainly veggies, almost no starch), low fat and high protein.  Supplementation is probably best to achieve this.  This wouldn't be the diet to go on forever, but it would be something good to do when one wants to lean out.

2) Supplements

To maintain proper protein, particularly for those who travel a lot or are really busy, whey protein is probably a good thing to get and helps with maintaining protein intake.  Also, BCAA (branch chain amino acids) help with the synthesis of protein.  These two items, whether eaten from food or supplements or both, will help the body maintain muscle or even build muscle, while using fat stores as energy.

These are the two I like: Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard Natural Chocolate or Vanilla .  The BCAAs I'll get are here.

They recommend 1 gram of protein per body weight and 30-40 grams of BCAA daily.

20 in 30 Challenge

Three of my buddies are attempting a 30 day challenge.  The ultimate goal is to lose as much fat as possible in 30 days.  We coined 20 in 30, in hopes to lose 20 lbs, but any safe amount of fat loss we will be happy with.  Over the next month there will be additional posts on what happens and different strategies or equipment we use.

Cheers!