Sorry, but I’m not Paleo
I’m sort of sick of being called Paleo with a negative connotation attached. I’m sick of having my diet dismissed because of a term someone else attached to it.
So while I’ve discussed the great components of both the Primal and Paleo diet, but I’m really not either.
I mean let’s face it, no one really eats Paleolithic food so no one is really Paleo.
It is just a name. A way to describe a “philosophy.”
The name has either become a source of pride or something to mock. People either blindly follow the name or won’t give the diet a second look because of it.
BUT, even though I wouldn’t define myself as perfectly Paleo or Primal, I respect the message of both of the diets – EAT WHOLE NATURAL FOODS!
All diets THAT ARE ACTUALLY HEALTHY, no matter what you call them, should follow that basic rule – Eat whole, natural foods. Get plenty of healthy fats, proteins and vegetables and avoid process crap and gluten.
I personally believe that if you avoid gluten and vegetable oil, you will avoid the two leading causes of inflammation, which can cause serious health problems.
I also believe thought that it doesn’t mean you can just eat a ton of gluten-free products.
You also need to avoid as much processed food as possible because frankly, it is CRAP.
But whether or not corn or dairy or peanuts or beans are bad is all up to you. Certain diets say they are bad, but honestly, I think it comes down to how you feel when you eat them and the studies you choose to believe. Because, let’s face it, you can find studies to basically support anything.
At some point you have to make an educated decision about what studies to believe. And then you experiment to find what works for you.
I’ve found that corn tortillas are something I really enjoy. And they can be all natural with no crap. I find that they help me get the perfect amount of carbs to perform well and feel great.
The Primal diet doesn’t promote eating corn, but it works for me.
I also like to include full-fat cheeses and minimal cream in moderation. I don’t have a problem with dairy SO I EAT IT.
Of course, if you have a problem with dairy or follow strict Paleo, you probably won’t.
Then the amount of fat and types of fat you choose to consume are also up to you.
I’m not afraid of some saturated fat. NATURAL products contain it.
HOWEVER, I’m going to choose grass-fed or naturally raised animal products because they have a natural, appropriate ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s. Just because I’m not afraid of some saturated fat doesn’t mean I’m going to eat grain-fed, conventionally raised animals.
They do not contain the same healthy ratio of fats!
But again, it is up to you and HOW YOU FEEL! Maybe you are still a bit more fat-o-phobic even though you eat whole natural foods.
Anyway, stop worrying about the name of your diet.
Whatever you call it, if you eat whole natural foods, you are on the right track! Then it just comes down to exactly what foods you choose to include.
Also, this leads me to a quick fasting update….I used to do intermittent fasting almost every day. Now I’ve varied it up more and I’ve found I’ve gotten even better results. I train fasted still, but only in the mornings. At night, I generally train after eating a small meal.
I’ve found that I get the best results training in this way. I also find that I’m listening to my body more by not forcing myself to fast till a certain time every day.
Again though….it is up to you to find what works! You can find a bazillion suggestions, articles that tell you to never fast and articles that promote fasting for 24 hours at a time. But it comes down to what works for you – to self-experimentation (which I’ve written about so many times!).
Lobster, Bacon tacos with a Kiwi-Jalapeno Relish
Ingredients:
2 Lobster tails
Diced bacon (about 2 slices)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp Cumin
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grass-fed Cheddar cheese
Kiwi-Jalapeno relish
Homemade Corn tortillas (recipe to follow after tacos)
Cook bacon bits in a saute pan.
While bacon is cooking, de-shell lobster and dice. Season with cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt.
When bacon is brown, remove bacon bits and add butter and lobster tail to pan. Cook until lobster is fully cooked and add bacon back in.
Add bacon-lobster mix to corn tortillas. Top with a few thin slices of grass-fed cheddar and two tsp of kiwi-jalapeno relish.
Serve warm with a side of your choosing. (We made a nice romaine salad with tomatoes, blue cheese and an olive oil, balsamic and dijon mustard dressing.
Note: I linked out to the company that made the relish we got at the farmers market (All-natural ingredients! YAY!). I will be making my own though next time and will then post a recipe!
Corn tortillas:
2 Cups Masa Harina (make sure you get non-genetically modified corn)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups hot water
Put the masa harina into a bowl and add in salt.
Heat the water then slowly add it into the masa harina and salt. Mix as you go. I don’t usually use more than 1 1/2 cups. Add water until the dough is spongy, but not sticky.
Roll dough into a log and wrap in a damp paper towel. Let the dough sit for 1 hour.
Then roll out 2 inch balls after the dough has sat for 1 hour. Flatten the dough using a rolling-pin or a tortilla press. (I use a tortilla press and put cling wrap on both sides of the press so the dough won’t stick.
I then cook the tortillas in a hot cast iron about 1 minute on each side or until the tortilla is cooked to your liking.
Serve warm!
Fall Eating
So since moving to Cali, fresh, wild caught fish has become more a part of our diet. So has local, seasonal produce. We been buying all of our fish and produce at the farmers market. For one, it is all local and usually organic. Two, it is actually cheaper.
Better, HEALTHIER food that is CHEAPER! Win, win, right!?!
We also added in more carbs. We’ve made corn tortillas with non-genetically modified corn. We’ve also used some rice (of course my preference is toward white rice). We usually cycle in days of higher and lower carb. I’ve been doing higher carb on days when I workout to replenish my glycogen stores and lower carbs on days when I don’t since my stores don’t get depleted.
I still focus on keeping my carb intake below 150 grams per day. (Although there is the occasional day I go above when I really feel depleted. I also know over the course of the week, my carb intake will even out to way below the 150 gram limit.)
Anyway, here are some delicious meals we’ve made recently that haven’t taken very long at all! (Especially fish…it cooks up in no time!)
Wild salmon with a balsamic sauce and an arugula, kale salad with a bit of blue cheese and a balsamic and olive oil dressing
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Grass-fed lamb in a chipotle chili sauce with white rice and a mixed greens salad and balsamic dressing.
Ribs with a spicy tomato/mustard bbq sauce and a fresh salad of local, organic tomatoes, avocados, arugula and green onion in an olive oil and pepper dressing
Recipes to come! Hopefully this inspires some great weekend meals! What are you cooking!?!
P.S. Saw this guest post on Mark’s site the other day and thought it was very interesting. It is definitely something to think about when planning out a diet program. There are certain times of the year when losing weight can be more difficult…be those times when we know we will be traveling and partying or be those times when our body tells us that it wants more food!
Also this is a great article to get you thinking about carbs from Man Biceper Polly!
Wedding Workouts
So as I mentioned earlier this week when I launched Bridal Biceps, Ryan and I have started planning for our wedding.
We are doing a small wedding in Hawaii followed by a large reception in Southern California. Details….well they are in the works and I don’t want to bore you by listing out all of my plans (but heck if you are interested or want to commiserate about your wedding, feel free to email me!).
I actually signed up for a few wedding websites, including The Knot.
The Knot is actually pretty awesome. They have a ton of information and ways to plan. They’ve even helped me find some local vendors so that I can get a dress and plan out the reception.
After finding a ton of information about planning out your wedding, I then searched the site for fitness information.
There was barely any to be found. They have whole pages dedicated to the color of your wedding and such but no easy to locate information about getting in shape for your wedding.
I was super surprised.
And then…I received the following email from them.
I like pink, but this email made me want to barf.
“Size down your gown in 90 days.” – AKA Starve yourself and overtrain for 90 days in an attempt to look good on your wedding day.
Ok. At least this program does tell brides they need 90 days. That is better than a lot of the “look good” tips I found…like don’t eat salty foods right before so you don’t look bloated.
But still!
Why does it have to look so wimpy!?!
Why does all of the stuff that bridal sites advertise have to be so fad diet?
Why can’t they start the brides planning their diet and fitness programs as soon as they have them start planning out everything else!?!
Here is my recommendation to brides-to-be:
- First ask yourself some few basic questions about what you want (just like you are doing with your wedding) What areas of your body do you want to tone? Do you want to lose any body fat? How do you want your body to look on your big day?
- Then if you aren’t currently on any regular exercise or diet program, start doing some research. How much time do you have each week to dedicate to a program? What foods do you love and could never give up? What types of diets have worked for you in the past?
- Then as you are plotting out when you will be doing food tasting and traveling and working and taking on dress fittings, think about what diet and fitness goals you will want to have hit at each stage. (For me I want to be at my final goal right before the final fitting. I then just want to be maintaining for the last month or so. Plus the longer I just maintain my final goal, the better I will look on my big day AND the easier it will be to stay toned and fit when I’m binging on my honeymoon! :-))
- Now seek out help. You have a basic timeline. You have thought about what diet and exercise programs could work for you. You know your goals. A trainer is always great (and of course I’m biased) but they will know ways to help put together the three previous steps into a program that works for you. Or maybe you seek out guidance from friends and family members you trust. BUT whatever you do, you take your outline/timeline and start working toward your goals ASAP.
Why do you start ASAP? Because like I’ve repeated numerous times, everything is an experiment. Unless you’ve actually looked exactly the way you wanted to before, you probably don’t know exactly what it takes to get there and you may need to tweak your program as you go along.
That is why you don’t want to wait till the final 90 days before your wedding to start getting into shape…because if you do wait till the last minute, YOU ARE PUTTING ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET!
And what if that 90 day program doesn’t work!?!
Then you are screwed.
Great way to stress yourself out! HA!
Anyway, start planning NOW! Know if there are any vacations or holidays in the meantime that may derail your diet. Know your fitting dates so that you look the way you want to for your final dress fitting so that your dress fits perfectly on your big day.
Plan out your exercise program so that you have some “me time” during what can be a slightly more stressful planning process!
And if you need help, I’m always here! (And in this case, also working on my own bridal biceps!)
Here is the beginning outline of my program:
Right now, I’m beginning a “healthy, unstressful phase” of my bridal bicep program. I’m doing slightly more carbs and training hard. I’m taking one cheat a week and basically just focused on maintaining.
It isn’t that I’m not always trying to look better, but I’m not stressing about it now. I’m just staying healthy and instilling healthy habits so that over the holidays I don’t lose ground.
In the weeks around the holidays, I will become a bit more strict to compensate for enjoying the holidays (since I’m not one for the stupid “holiday weight loss tips.”). Following the holidays I will go into an intense cutting phase. Followed by a month of maintainance. If I’m not yet at my goal, I’ll go for another shorter cutting phase before my final maintainence phase.
And guess what!?!
Throughout all of this, I will be lifting heavy! During cutting phases, I will do more cardio than during my maintenence phases, but that doesn’t mean I’ll become a cardio queen! No long chronic cardio for me! Remember cardio isn’t the key to weight loss….lean muscle mass is! 🙂
AND I won’t do a bazillion bicep curls or tricep extensions to have toned arms – I’ll do push ups and pull ups and lift heavy weights during compound movements. (Check out one of my worst nightmare workout programs….I guess at least they have brides working out for 6 months…Although this just looks so boring and not at all efficient!)
Anyway, join me for some “bad-ass” bridal biceps!
For a wedding workout consultation, feel free to email me at manbiceps@gmail.com!
Oh she’s healthy – She’s a vegan
WARNING: I will be insulting vegetarian and vegans in this post. If you can’t handle it, don’t read it.
I hear this statement all of the time, “She eats so healthy. She’s a vegan.” They say it as if I’m also going to believe that being vegan is the epitome of health – that everyone believes that being vegan is healthy.
It annoys the crap out of me.
I even sometimes have a hard time not saying, “ICK!”
Well frankly I don’t agree. Maybe it works for you, but based on the research I’ve chosen to follow, vegan DOES NOT equal healthy.
Why is it that it seems like only vegetarians or vegans make that comment (or the people who seem to worship that diet)?
Is it the fact that this diet seems to symbolize extreme self-control because the person doing the diet is able to cut out an entire food group?
I mean seriously, what is this attraction to a diet that can cause serious health problems and cuts out an essential food group!?!
People rail…I mean RAIL against low-carb diets because they claim that you are being too restrictive with a whole food group.
BUT mainstream media promotes being a vegetarian or vegan and they are even more restrictive eliminating almost all sources of complete protein from their diet!
While there are way more consequences to cutting out all animal protein sources like iron deficiency, lowered immune functioning and more than there are too eliminating many carbs, that isn’t even what annoys me the most about the statement that assumes a vegetarian or vegan diet is therefore healthy.
What gets me the most is the fact that MOST vegetarians and vegans eat so much processed crap – more so than most of the people who I know that switch to a more Primal style diet.
I mean just look at all the freaking processed crap created and marketed to the vegetarian market.
Soy nuggets. Pre-frozen veggie patties (that aren’t made out of whole natural ingredients).
FAKE MEAT!
Like that is good for you!?!
Also, chips are vegetarian. Chocolate is vegetarian. There are even baked goods made for vegetarians.
In other words….YOU CAN EAT CRAP AND STILL BE A VEGETARIAN OR A VEGAN!
So just because you are “Vegetarian” or “Vegan” doesn’t mean you are healthy.
Yea sure…If you eat all locally grown fruits and veggies and such, sure that is pretty healthy.
But honestly…I probably know only one vegetarian who actually spent the time to cook all fresh produce meals.
And I don’t see how anyone can claim that their “soy nugget” is better for them than my local, grass-fed, NATURALLY RAISED beef!
Oh and please don’t comment on this post and say something about “environmental impact.” We aren’t discussing environmental impact here. We are talking about health. Trust me…don’t even get me started on environmental impact.
(And yes…I do realize that vegetarianism and veganism are two different diets…but heck…they both stink…Sorry)
Bridal Biceps
So some of you know this, but Ryan and I are engaged. We got engaged on April Fool’s Day…2011.
We’ve been engaged for over a year now and I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been asked, “So when are you getting married!?!”
Well we’ve finally set a date…sort of…Fall 2013.
I feel like if I write this somewhere public it will force me to finally start planning and actually get my act together.
And honestly the thing I think I’m most excited about is planning a perfect diet and exercise program to help me survive this next year, meet all of my fitness goals and look my best on our big day. (Am I a fitness nerd….of course!)
While many women spend 6 months to a year planning out their wedding (heck some women have even planned the wedding before they’ve met the groom! :-)), few spend more than a few weeks really focused on their workout and exercise program.
NOT ME!
As soon as I start the wedding planning, I’m going to start working on my Bridal Biceps. I’ll have a nutrition and workout program all laid out not only so that I look amazing on my big day but also so that I feel great and energized throughout the entire planning process!
So ladies if you would like to follow suit and really look and feel your best not only on your big day but throughout the entire process, I suggest you stay tuned for the Bridal Biceps page launching this week!
This is Jamie Eason’s wedding topper which I saw on Facebook…I was trying to link out but couldn’t soooo here it is…
ADAPTION
I’ve been really down on the fitness industry recently.
Everyone is out to only prove that THEIR WAY is the RIGHT WAY.
There is no acceptance that a lot of different things work for a lot of different people.
I’ve heard too many people rail against certain forms of training and dieting recently instead of seeing the reasons why it might work for certain people.
This close-mindedness is simply annoying.
THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY!
If you want to be a truly successful individual, you need to constantly learn and evolve and work to fit methods to people.
One size doesn’t fit all.
You can’t just come up with a program or diet that is supposed to work and expect it to fit everyone perfectly.
No…you come up with a plan, then regress it or progress it as needed to fit the person.
You adapt!
Being able to adapt a program…Being able to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions to problems is what truly makes a good trainer.
There is no one right way to accomplish a goal and a GOOD TRAINER, a trainer who knows the “right way” is one that will use all of his or her knowledge to come up with a specific program ADAPTED to your specific needs.
So next time someone says they’ve discovered a plan that helps everyone reach their goals, ask them how this program will address your specific needs and concerns. Because if YOU weren’t factored into how they designed the program, it probably isn’t perfectly fit for you!
Friday Fun
Some random fun to celebrate Friday….just because!
Two things I found this week while shopping that I absolutely LOVE:
1. Macadamia nut butter
2. Coconut Chips from Trader Joes
They have a touch of sugar…which means next to nothing! YAY! A good little “dessert!” P.S. those are not my hands…manicures do not survive with me….
Also, I went rock climbing with the team last week and LOVED IT!
Rock climbing! YAY!
What better way to see all of your training pay off than to feel physically fit enough to take on any challenge!?!
AND Ryan got a trigger point “Grid” for his birthday…which I’ve stolen to use like every day!
And finally…wish me luck.
I’ve started a new training program which I’m pretty sure will end up upping my deadlift AND help me accomplish a few feats on the VersaClimber and battling ropes. The program was designed by one of the owners of Innovative Results and I’m interested to see the results!
Have I mentioned before that I love self-experimentation!?!
Right now, I’m just working my butt off…and I haven’t been so sore consistently in a while. Although I do feel better after my 7 mile run yesterday. (Uhm yep…I ran 7 miles…who would have thunk it…BLEH…haha)
Anyway, stay tuned for some unconventional tips to help you up your deadlift!!!
HAPPY FRIDAY! Get some delicious healthy snacks, go play and then foam roll for a little recovery! 🙂
Celebrities…Role Models?
So by now if you have a Facebook account, you’ve probably seen the story about the “fat” news anchor woman Jennifer posted a bazillion times.
I must admit that I’ve had multiple reactions to this story…some of them not offensive and others that I probably shouldn’t post, but I will.
Let me start by saying I don’t think the man’s email was something he should have sent.
“I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn’t improved for many years,” the letter read. “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain.”
Two of my non-offensive thoughts about the email were:
It is none of his business what her physical condition is.
And, isn’t she a good role model for young girls who may be overweight and believe they won’t be able to do certain jobs because of their physical appearance? Don’t we want to empower all young girls!?!
Ok…so those were two of my first thoughts…but they coincided with two thoughts which I’m sure I will now catch some flack for, but also made me think. (So before you get super mad…read to the end!)
My next thoughts were:
We have a childhood obesity epidemic occurring so don’t we want all public figures to promote a healthy physique? I’m not saying they have to be a certain weight or shape, but shouldn’t they be within the “healthy” range?
And she is a public figure…all public figures get criticized for their looks. Stars get a comment made if they gain half a pound or lose half a pound too much…
I have to admit…I feel that anyone who may be considered a “role model” should project an image that is worthy of emulation.
I hold myself to the same high standard. I won’t let myself become overweight and I won’t slack on my training because my job is to train other people. How can I give other people advice that I’m obviously not taking myself!?!
BUT as I thought this, I thought about the fact that athletes, actors, news anchors and other public figures really shouldn’t necessarily be our kids role models – WE SHOULD BE.
BUT that isn’t the way it is in most cases unfortunately.
In many cases the public figures ARE role models.
So in this world where we consider celebrities and public figures role models, why wouldn’t we want to hold them to a higher standard?
I mean if you were a public figure, why wouldn’t you want to hold yourself to a higher standard? Why wouldn’t you want to be a HEALTHY role model for young girls?
What was your reaction to this story? Am I just insensitive?
P.S. Yes I do realize that she may still eat the right foods and workout, which could mean she is actually healthier than someone thinner, but let’s also face the fact that in our society, at the moment, we equate a healthy weight to optimal health…
Being a BADASS
So this relates to my post from earlier and responses I got to it…
All too often people don’t heed advice, like the advice I gave yesterday about warming up with some sort of balancing exercise, because it isn’t BADASS.
BADASS is lifting heavy weights. Or working out so intensely that you puke.
Right?
Uhm…sure. Yea I think getting in a killer workout or accomplishing some impressive feat of strength or stamina is BADASS.
But you can’t be a BADASS if you injure yourself!!!!!!!!
Being a true BADASS means taking the time to warm up your body. It means paying as much attention to your recovery and stabilization and mobility training as you do your actual workouts.
It means not just constantly lifting more and pushing harder.
So next time you pooh pooh something like balancing on one leg because you don’t see how it directly benefits your desire to be a badass…DON’T.
That rehab/prehab/flexibility/mobility/stabilization exercise may just be the key to you developing stronger lifts, more endurance and better overall health and fitness.
Man Bicep 