First things first:

Cholesterol is most famously broken up into 2 categories (yes, there are more than 2)- HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol). Although high levels of LDL increase your risk of heart attack, low levels of HDL are even more worrisome; therefore it is pertinent that we keep our good HDL cholesterol high, and our good cholesterol/bad cholesterol ratios in check. A diet low in fat will NOT raise HDL. Exercise and red wine might, but the lack of fat will not.

Eating a diet HIGH in good fats (coconut oil and meats from grass-fed animals, not the hydrogenated crap that comprises our grocery store shelves) will raise HDL. It will also slightly raise LDL, but this is the large fluffy LDL particles rather than the small dense LDL particles, and is therefore BENEFICIAL.

The intake of carbs/sugars is what increases triglycerides, not fat. My triglycerides for example used to be extremely low, then after 1-2 years eating a high fat, lower carb, paleo-based diet they remain extremely LOW!

EAT GOOD FATS… avoid sugars, starch, grains, legumes and you will be on your way to avoiding autoimmune, metabolic, and cardiovascular disease.

Because I preach a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates, and because I am aware of the many benefits of using ketone bodies for energy instead of glucose, I decided to do an experiment this past week and put myself to the test. I was feeling crappy about how I ate over the weekend, so Monday I decided it was time to enforce a strict paleo-based ketogenic diet for the week (that included 5 days of NO chocolate, something I didn't know I could do considering my morning ritual of coffee & dark chocolate) in order to see how it might affect me. Below is my food log for Monday-Saturday, as recorded using the website and iphone app MyFitnessPal.

The Atkin's diet is one type of ketogenic diet, but the Atkin's diet lacks something very important in my opinion- food quality. For this reason, I will refer to the diet I followed as a paleo-based ketogenic diet, NOT the Atkin's diet.

I want to first say that I am NOT one to show pictures of my stomach, but I figured they might be helpful in a blog post like this...at least for me personally, I find it hard to take nutrition advice from someone who does not seem to be at all in shape. 

This picture was taken about 2 months ago at my current CrossFit gym during a Saturday morning workout. At this time I was roughly 80% paleo, which is the way I have been eating for almost 2 years now.  

Regarding the food and exercise log below-

All crossfit workouts were performed in the evening, before dinner, except for Saturday's which was done at 9am on an empty stomach.

Intermittent fasts were performed (where indicated) following dinner and lasting until lunch time (~16hrs). Note that I did consume coconut oil and black coffee during this time. The coffee helps me to do my writing job effectively, and the coconut oil is very satiating and because of its fatty acid composition can fuel the switch from glucose metabolism to ketone metabolism (see details). I also occasionally ate a half tablespoon of coconut oil (yes, directly off a spoon) between lunch and crossfit if I felt hungry- very effective!

The foods listed are as accurate as I could find...in some cases I had to choose the most closely related food item available in the program. Also, with the exception of coconut oil and fish oil, all other measurements are approximations.

***In order to determine the total grams of carbs consumed each day, you subtract the total grams fiber consumed by the total grams carbs consumed...aka net carbs.

October 10, 2011:
Breakfast
Vegetable - Avocado, 1/2 Avocado
Eggs - Fried (whole egg), 2 large
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 0.5 tbsp
Sfh Omega 3 Oil - Clinical Grade Fish Oil, 1 tsp
Almond Breeze - Dairy - Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk , 0.25 cup
Lunch
D.Chicken - Breast-Skinless-Grilled or Char-Grilled, 8 oz
Onions - Raw, 0.5 cup, chopped
Generic - Bell Pepper Red - Raw, 0.33 cup sliced
Broccoli - Raw, 0.33 cup, chopped
Bertolli - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 15 ml or 1 TBSP
Dinner
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp
Fats - Butter, 1 Tablespoon
Spinach - Raw, 3 cup
Vegetables - Cauliflower - Steamed (Net Carbs), 6 oz
Fats - Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Oasis Living Cuisine - Vegan parmesan, 1 Tbsp
Grass Fed Beef - Ny Strip Steak, 10 oz
Snacks
Swiss Miss - No Sugar Added Hot Chocolate(Corrct), 0.5 package
Orbit - Sugarfree Gum - Sweetmint, 2 piece
Airborne - Effervescent Health Formula- Pink Grapefruit, 1 tablet
Nuts - Macadamia nuts, raw, 0.33 oz (10-12 kernels)
Tums - Orange Cream Sugar Free 750, 1 tablets
Totals:
Calories: 2,156 Carbs: 44g Fat: 129g Protein: 202g Sugars: 16g Fiber: 15g
Workout Of the Day
A.) Overhead Squat
3-3-3-3 (went up to 93lbs)
------------------
B.) 3 rounds for reps:
DB Push Press – 1 minute
Sit Ups – 1 minute
Squats – 1 minute
Rest 90 seconds

October 11, 2011:
Breakfast
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Almond Breeze - Dairy - Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk , 0.25 cup
Aldi's Appleton Farms - Premium Sliced Bacon, 2 Pan Fried Slices (16g)
Spinach - Raw, 3 cup
Dairy - Egg Fried In Bacon Grease, 2 Egg
Animal fat - Bacon grease, 1 tsp
Sfh Omega 3 Oil - Clinical Grade Fish Oil, 1 tsp
Lunch
D.Chicken - Breast-Skinless-Grilled or Char-Grilled, 8 oz
Fruit - Avocado, 1/2 Fruit
Bolthouse Farms - Baby-Cut Carrots , 3.75 oz
Orbit - Sugar Free Chewing Gum, 2 tab
Dinner
Grass Fed Beef - Ny Strip Steak, 10 oz
Oasis Living Cuisine - Vegan parmesan, 1 Tbsp
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp
My Salad - Spring Greens Mix, 3 cups
Fats - Olive Oil, 0.67 tbsp
Fats - Butter, 0.67 Tablespoon
Snacks
Airborne - Effervescent Health Formula- Pink Grapefruit, 1 tablet
Swiss Miss - No Sugar Added Hot Chocolate(Corrct), 0.5 package
Nuts - Macadamia nuts, raw, 0.33 oz (10-12 kernels)
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Raw Almonds - Almonds, 0.5 oz (23 almonds)
Tums - Orange Cream Sugar Free 750, 1 tablets
Totals- Calories: 2,307 Carbs: 42g Fat: 125g Protein: 219g Sugars: 18g Fiber: 17g
Workout Of the Day
5 Rounds for time:
200 meter row
15 Box Jumps
10 KB Swings – HEAVY
5 C2B Pull ups

October 12, 2011:
Breakfast (Intermittent Fast)
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp
Lunch
Salad - Spring Mix Salad (Bagged) Net Carbs, 1 container (3 cups ea.)
Panorama - Organic Grassfed 85/15 Ground Beef, 4 oz
Grass Fed Beef - Ny Strip Steak, 4 oz
Fruit - Avocado, 1/2 Fruit
Fats - Butter, 0.4 Tablespoon
Vegetables - Cauliflower - Steamed (Net Carbs), 4 oz
Dinner
Aldi's Appleton Farms - Premium Sliced Bacon, 3 Pan Fried Slices (16g)
Eggs - Large A - Eggland's Best, 2 egg
Great Value (Walmart) - Collard Greens, 2 cup
Animal fat - Bacon grease, 5 tsp
Generic - Squid - Wild Caught, 1 oz cooked
Snacks
Swiss Miss - No Sugar Added Hot Chocolate(Corrct), 0.5 package
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Nuts - Macadamia nuts, raw, 0.33 oz (10-12 kernels)
Totals- Calories: 1,556 Carbs: 28g Fat: 101g Protein: 119g Sugars: 12g Fiber: 14g
Workout Of the Day
A.) Power Snatch
Take 25 minutes to find your 1-rep max for the day
(ended at 78lbs to keep form)
----------------------
B.) For Time:
30 Double Unders
30 Burpees
30 Double Unders

October 13, 2011:
Breakfast
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 0.5 tbsp
Sfh Omega 3 Oil - Clinical Grade Fish Oil, 1 tsp
Aldi's Appleton Farms - Premium Sliced Bacon, 2 Pan Fried Slices (16g)
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 1 cup (8 fl oz)
Eggland's Best - Large Grade A Eggs, 2 egg
Animal fat - Bacon grease, 3 tsp
One A Day Women's - Multivitamin , 1 Tablet
Homecooked - Collard Greens, 1 cup (190g)
Lunch
Fruit - Avocado, 1/2 Fruit
Panorama - Organic Grassfed 85/15 Ground Beef, 6 oz
Animal fat - Bacon grease, 1 tsp
Homecooked - Collard Greens, 1 cup (190g)
Dinner
Fillet - Steak, 8 oz
Fats - Butter, 2.38 Tablespoon
Cream - Half and half, 0.25 cup
Cheese - Parmesan, grated, 0.5 tbsp
D.Chicken - Breast-Skinless-Grilled or Char-Grilled, 8 oz
Home - Broccoli - Steamed (Nothing Added), 1.25 c
Snacks
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 1 cup (8 fl oz)
Raw Almonds - Almonds, 0.5 oz (23 almonds)
Nuts - Macadamia nuts, raw, 0.33 oz (10-12 kernels)
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 0.5 tbsp
Totals- Calories: 2,126 Carbs: 61g Fat: 137g Protein: 139g Sugars: 7g Fiber: 19g
Workout Of the Day
A.) *Close Grip Bench Press
3-3-3-3 (Went up to 99lbs)
*14" between hands
------------------
B.) For Time:
150 Wall Ball (women 14lb ball to 9 ft; men to 10ft.)
*If this means using a lighter ball to reach the target, so be it
**Every 3 minutes, run 1 CBCF lap

October 14, 2011:
Breakfast (Intermittent Fast)
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 0.5 tbsp
Starbucks - Expresso Shot, 1 container (2 breweds ea.)
Lunch
Panorama - Organic Grassfed 85/15 Ground Beef, 6 oz
Fats - Butter, 0.25 Tablespoon
Broccoli - Cooked, boiled, drained, without salt, 1.5 cup, chopped
Fillet - Steak, 4 oz
Dinner
Cream - Half and half, 1 tbsp
Cheese - Parmesan, grated, 0.5 tbsp
Fillet - Steak, 4 oz
Chicken Breast Skinless - Baked, Boneless (Nutrition Data), 8 oz
Home - Broccoli - Steamed (Nothing Added), 0.25 c
Boar's Head - Hard Salami, 1 oz
Snacks
Swiss Miss - No Sugar Added Hot Chocolate(Corrct), 0.5 package
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz)
Orbit - Sugarfree Gum - Sweetmint, 2 piece
Nuts - Macadamia nuts, raw, 1 oz (10-12 kernels)
Yellow Tail - Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 oz.
Tums - Orange Cream Sugar Free 750, 1 tablets
Totals- Calories: 1,623 Carbs: 41g Fat: 84g Protein: 116g Sugars: 12g Fiber: 11g
Workout
10 Rounds for time and total load
1 Clean & Jerk (Used 93lbs; my 1rpm is ~120lbs)
1 Round of "Cindy" - 5 pull ups/10 push ups/15 squats
*If you fail a clean and jerk, you still move on and perform the 1 round of "Cindy" and you score a "0" for that round of load.

October 15, 2011: Carb reload day/ Cheat day
Breakfast
Sfh Omega 3 Oil - Clinical Grade Fish Oil, 1 tsp
Almond Breeze - Dairy - Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk , 1 cup
Aldi's Appleton Farms - Premium Sliced Bacon, 3 Pan Fried Slices (16g)
Homecooked - Collard Greens, 2 cup (190g)
Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, 0.5 tbsp
Animal fat - Bacon grease, 3 tsp
Eggland's Best - Large Grade A Eggs, 2 egg
Sfh (Stronger Faster Healthier) - Pure Whey Protein - Vanilla - Whey Protein, 1 oz
One A Day Women's - Multivitamin , 1 Tablet
Lunch
Lindt - Excellence 90% Cocoa Supreme Dark Chocolate, 1 Squares (10g)
Justins Almond Butter - Chocolate, 0.33 tbsp
Vosges - Bacon Chocolate Bar, 3 squares (32g)
Dinner
Birds Eye Steamfresh - Broccoli & Cauliflower, 0.25 cup
Fillet - Steak, 8 oz
Kale - Cooked, boiled, drained, with salt, 0.75 cup, chopped
Spinach - Cooked, boiled, drained, without salt, 0.5 cup
Cream - Half and half, 1.5 tbsp
Snacks
Coffee - Starbucks - Drip Coffee- Grande, 16 fl. oz.
Silk - Vanilla Soy Milk, 0.25 cup
Nuts Online - Dark Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts, 1 nuts
Homemade - Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie, 0.09375 of pie
Drinks - Vodka Martini Straight Up 150ml Drinkable, 2.5 cocktail
Cream - Half and half, 0.75 cup
Hersheys - Chocolate Syrup, 1.5 tbsp
Frangelico - Hazelnut Liquer, 2 oz.
Candy - York Peppermint Mini Patty, 1 Patty
Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 1 cup (8 fl oz)
Olives - Great Value, Manzanilla Green Olives W/Pimentos, 3 olives
Vodka - 80 proof, 4 fl oz
Totals- Calories: 3,322 Carbs: 151g Fat: 123g Protein: 99g Sugars: 49g Fiber: 14g
Workout Of the Day
A) Teams of 3 Workout
5 Rounds:
One teammate performs a 190 meter sandbag carry (30/50lbs)
One teammate performs:
5 Burpees
10 Box Jumps
15 Back Extensions
One teammate rests
*Can only switch when both teammates have completed tasks
B) Tabata hollow holds/ air squats (i.e. 20sec on, 10sec off, switch, total 4min)

My weekly nutrient summary:

A few brief pointers:
Prior to beginning the diet, I was aware that ketosis could be complicated by the consumption of large quantities of protein, because in simple terms protein can be 'converted' to carbs. Large quantities of protein will be used in a process called gluconeogenesis to make glucose. This is important when considering that our goal of following a ketogenic diet is to switch our metabolism from using glucose to using ketone bodies...essentially switching our body from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat. If we approach the ketogenic diet with a fear of fat, and spend our days consuming fat-free chicken breast, we will inhibit our body from going into ketosis (details as described by Dr. Michael Eades). Please, if you are going to try such a challenge, enjoy the butter, oil, and fatty grass-fed meats...go big or go home!

Another thing to keep in mind is that in the first few days in which our metabolism is converting over from using glucose to using ketone bodies, a lot of water weight is going to be lost via urine. You will be peeing a lot, and you will need to make sure you are also rehydrating a lot! After doing some research of my own, I found that it is beneficial to add salt to your water, because this helps to retain fluids. I added Himalayan sea salt to my water occasionally throughout the day because it tastes good and has a lot of beneficial minerals (compared to typical table salt).

Most people report that it takes about 3 days on average for their body to reach ketosis. Personally, I did not use 'piss sticks' to confirm ketosis (not always accurate anyway), but I will say that on Wednesday (my 3rd day) I had A LOT of energy all the sudden...as in noticeable, urge to workout, read, and write until odd hours of the night energy...in short, I felt GREAT. Interestingly, Wednesday was the first day I intermittent fasted...apparently, my body was adapting well. I also intermittent fasted on Friday, and Friday was another day when I experienced a noticeable increase in energy. It's amazing how energized a body that is effectively and efficiently fueling on healthy fats can get!

Lastly, a lot of people swear by having a carb reload day to replenish glycogen stores. I am not sure how important this is, but I do believe a cheat day, or a more lenient day is necessary every one in a while in order to maintain a healthy diet long-term. Obviously, the way I ate (and drank) Saturday is not something I am going to advise anyone to do. A typical carb reload day should include healthy carbs like sweet potatoes, squash varieties, fruits (berries), dark chocolate, and paleo-friendly desserts (see my paleo blondies blog for a recipe). I had spent the night at my grandparent's house...a special occassion with lots of amazing food, desserts, drinks (e.g., chocolate martinis) right in front of me...needless to say, I let myself have fun. Hey, by the end of the night, I had won well over $100 playing roulette at Dover Downs, and I trust me, I am NO gambler! Good Times.

This is a pic I snatched before leaving my grandparent's house this morning. Again, bare with me...I am just trying to give you a visual to work with, I realize it's not the best (and yes, I blocked my face out on purpose).

Overall, I lost roughly 3-5lbs just this week, and felt stronger, healthier, and more energetic. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I was able to kill 6 crossfit workouts (Rx'd) in a single week, on top of working full-time (b/c this was probably never).

Yes, I DO have plans to continue eating this strictly during the week...it is totally worth feeling this way...

...however, as of now, I am guilty of thoroughly enjoying some gluten-free nut thins, chocolate almond butter, and Starbucks! :)

Please send your questions, comments, feedback my way!

I don't know about any of you, but when it comes to making the transition to (or maintaining) a 'paleo' lifestyle one of the hardest things is giving up that morning bowl of cereal/oatmeal, pancakes, french toast, waffles, bagels, etc.  Although most of the time I do not miss these foods at all (because I am perfectly happy living on a diet that allows me to devour whole eggs, bacon/sausage, avocados, and kale cooked in grease any morning I want), there ARE times when I just can't kick the craving for a sweeter, more indulgent breakfast.  For this reason, I have been getting creative with a variety of different ingredients and doing A LOT of recipe tweeking to see what I can come up with. 

Last week was very exciting...an attempt to make 'paleo' crepe batter was a huge success right off the bat!

Ingredients:
Eggs (6)
Vanilla paste/extract (1Tbsp)
Coconut Flour (1/4 cup)
Tapioca Flour (3/4 cup)
These flours can be purchased off amazon.com for much cheaper than in grocery stores.
Dextrose/Honey (1/4 cup)
Pumpkin pie spice/ Cinnamon
Coconut milk/Almond milk (if desired for consistency)
Coconut Oil/Butter (as needed for greasing pan)
Toppings!!!!!  Ideas include coconut butter, chopped nuts, nutbutters (i.e. almond butter, cashew butter; NOT peanut butter!), Fruit, dark chocolate...

The first thing you want to do when making crepes or pancakes, is beat the eggs in a large bowl.  Once the eggs mirror what so many of us are used to eating every morning (scrambled eggs, omelettes), it's time to add the reminaing ingredients.  I find it works best to add the flour alternatives last, then let the magic happen.  

Confession:  I almost NEVER measure the amount of ingredients I use (part of the fun/creativity that is the art of cooking if you ask me), BUT, the quantities I've provided here are approximates and should work just fine.   

A helpful tip when mixing in the tapioca and coconut flours (unless you need an intense arm/shoulder workout) is to add small amounts at a time.  It is crucial for the consistency of the batter that the flours are mixed into the eggs very well (i.e. no lumps).  This takes time and arm strength...WOD: Make homogenous crepe batter for time!  If you are lucky and own an electric beater, go ahead and use it.

It is also worth noting that coconut flour is a relatively thick flour, and it tends to thicken batter over a few minutes (this is why I did not use a lot).  Add the coconut flour and wait a few minutes to see how thick the batter is.  This is important here because we are shooting for a thin batter- something much thinner than pancake batter.  Tapioca flour on the other hand is more of a thin, stretchy-like batter (why I initially thought it would be optimal for crepe-making).  It can be very messy, so be careful...or have fun and cover yourself in it. ;)   

To yield the optimal batter, I recommend refridgerating the batter overnight.  Honestly, this is optimal for conveniency too if you ask me.  Make the batter at night, stick it in the fridge, and you can probably even sneak some crepe-making in before heading off to work in the morning.

The next morning, the batter should look something like is pictured here- pale yellow, thin, and gooey.

I was especially lucky because my mom happened to have a 'crepe-maker' laying around.  If you don't have this fantastic appliance, you should be fine making crepes using a frying pan.

Once hot, the 'crepe-maker' is submerged upside down into the crepe batter until a light comes on meaning the crepe is ready.  This is a fairly quick process...and would likely be quick in a frying pan as well.  If crepes seem like something you would like to enjoy frequently, I would recommend purchasing a crepe-maker.

Add your favorite 'paleo'-friendly toppings, roll 'em up, and ENJOY!

...I would really to hear any more ideas you have for 'standard american meals' you'd like to see be 'paleo-ized' and/or any feedback!  Also, feel free to contact me regarding WHY I chose to use any of these ingredients.

Summer time is full of BBQs, especially around July 4th.  Well, what's better than fireworks, good people, and GOOD FOOD!? 
Good news: Contrary to popular belief, BBQs are very paleo-friendly and make eating healthy easy.  Why is that?  THE GRILL!  Bring your meat, bring your veggies, throw them on the grill, and enjoy some good, healthy food!  Okay okay, so what OTHER than meat and veggies on the grill can you eat that doesn't require you to deviate from your paleo-streak?  This July 4th, save your gut the grief by avoiding bread and pasta salad, and instead enjoy BACON-WRAPPED DATES!

Bacon-wrapped dates are so easy to make and everyone loves them...yes EVERYONE!  As the perfect combination of salty and sweet, this paleo appetizer is one I bring to festivities often.  Whether your friends are strict paleo or fast food junkies, I assure you they will enjoy this decadent meat candy.

Ingredients:
1lb bacon (pasture-fed for best quality)
1 bag/container dates (pitted/unpitted, both ok)

You will need toothpicks so don't forget to grab a box of those too!

The first thing you do is preheat the oven to 350.  Next, pit the dates...if you purchased them pitted, you're job just became EVEN EASIER!  However, as a side note, dates purchased already pitted tend to be a bit less moist.  This won't matter TOO much, but if you have the time, buy them pits-in and take the few minutes to squeeze them out yourself...enjoy the full effect of deliciousness!  You also have the option of splitting the dates in half length-wise or leaving them whole, depending on how big of a bite you want, and how juicy you want the center of the date to be (this is not a make or break thing, but rather an issue of moistness...a date left whole will maintain more of its moist center).  As for the bacon, I find that cutting each strip into 3 parts makes for a nice proportion of bacon-to-date.  If you are crazy over bacon, go ahead and use an entire strip, but depending on how many people you are feeding this may get pricey! 

Once you have your dates pitted and bacon the length you want it, it's time to get wrapping!  Simply use your hands to wrap the piece of bacon around the date...then secure each bacon-wrapped date with a single toothpick.  Place all the bacon-wrapped dates on a cookie sheet (covered with tin foil if prefered, but things get greasy regardless).  Cook for about 15 minutes, checking occasionally.  The cooking time really depends on how you prefer your bacon...for example, if you like your bacon crisp, cook a little longer.  The dates will be really hot in the center, so be sure not to burn your tongue off...or should I say, enjoy with care!  
This July 4th...EAT RESPONSIBLY! :) 

There are always those weekend days where I have a decent sized breakfast, but for some reason can't stay quite satiated enough to make it all the way until dinner.  I'm sure we've all been there...so do we have a late lunch or just snack our way to dinner?  I am definitely guilty of the latter, but have pushed more towards making myself a lunch, for 2 main reasons:
1) Eating lunch forces my mind to register that I am eating an actual meal, whereas snacking can often leave the food we opt to eat unaccounted for...and "snacking foods" are generally less healthy.
2) Eating a satiating lunch prevents me from overeating too much at dinner (on top of all those snacks I had consumed to 'hold me over").
So what are some ideas of a quick, easy, healthy, satiating, and relatively inexpensive lunch?

Stuffed Burger &  Baby Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
1lb GrassFed ground beef (~$5, makes 4 burgers)
Baby spinach
Tomatoes (chopped)
Fresh, whole fat, mozzarella cheese (sliced; see below for replacement ideas if you suffer from autoimmune disease)
Coconut oil (for pan frying)
Balsamic dressing (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika (optional spices)

Fortunately, stuffing a burger is a cake walk.  A quarter pound of meat is a good amount for each burger (1lb makes 4 burgers).  First, mold a hamburger in your hands.  Then, to make room for the stuffing, press your finger tips in the middle of the burger to form a cavity.  In this cavity place your filling, which in this case was a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.  For those of you with autoimmune disease, you could substitute the cheese (dairy) for something like fresh sliced avocado, or opt out of stuffing the burger altogether.  

Place your stuffed (or unstuffed) burgers on a pan containing about a tablespoon of coconut oil.  I pan fry the burgers on each side until I start to see the cheese oozing out (because at this point I am salivating at the mouth and need to eat them ASAP).  Also, good quality, grassfed meat is ideal when less cooked.  I generally sear my burgers on each side and cook them until there is only pink/red on the inside. 

As a personal preference, I like to eat a little bit of a bunch of things, rather than a lot of one thing...in my mind this equates to eating 'more.'  For example, some people would rather eat 2 burgers and call it a day.  For me, I take 1 burger and throw it on top of spinach, tomatoes, and maybe some avocado (or whatever else I have in the fridge).  Sometimes I top my 'salad' with EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and balsamic vinegar, or salsa...other times I leave it plain and try to appreciate the juices from my good quality meat.  Regardless, I never regret preparing myself a quick, easy, inexpensive meal when I'm hungry.  Enjoy...and don't forget to bring the leftover burgers with you to the office for a healthy lunch on-the-go!

As most of you know, I have been SLACKING w/ paleoscape lately...but I'M BACK (w/ a vengeance), as I officially have my Ph.D. now!  Who would have thought!?

Anyways, I have struggled the past few months with maintaining the paleo diet through writing my thesis and staying sane.  Sitting at a desk for long, tedious bouts of time is draining.  I work better at night, of course when all other distractions are sleeping, so my night sleep generally began around 3am on writing days.  This is NOT GOOD.  Physicians are now saying that 'hours of sleep a night' will soon become a vital sign, much like that of blood pressure or heart rate.  Go figure...have you ever had a horrible night sleep (or barely any sleep at all) and the next day craved nothing but crap food?  Sugary food?  Yep...that's because lack of sleep has left your cortisol out of whack.  This makes sticking with paleo more difficult.  Even worse, cortisol can make it very hard to lose weight or stay in shape, regardless of how clean you're eating.  I will highlight cortisol later in another blog of its own, because those of you who know me personally, know that I love to talk about it! 

Moral of the story, I am getting back on the paleo bandwagon full force AND making adequate sleep a NECESSITY (b/c it is).  I will also be keeping up with the blog frequently.  Graduate school has come to an end, I have obtained the Ph.D., and traveling the country has ceased for a bit.  Thanks to all of you who have continued to e-mail me or send me messages related to paleo during my paleoscape blog hiatus...these things are always welcome and appreciated. 

The subject of this blog is mantaining paleo-like eating while on the fly.  For example, I was in airports for 12hrs on Tuesday traveling from San Diego back to Philadephila.  So what did i do to avoid being infected by the standard american diet (SAD)?  It is worth noting that NONE of the things I ate were OPTIMAL, but they kept me going throughout the day, and allowed me to avoid wheat, gluten, bread, corn, soy, etc. that form the basis of processed foods. 

Snack 1:  Tomato Juice
It's frustrating sitting on the plane for hours when you follow a paleo-like diet because the only drinks they offer that you can drink are water, and WATER!  I suppose tea and black coffee also work...but this time I went for the 100% tomato juice.  For me, tomato juice seems to give me that kick of vitality I need for long travel trips.  If you can stomach the stuff, I'd say go for it (afterall, its free)! 

Lunch:  Chicken Tortilla Soup
Airport food is NOT CHEAP!  My strategy: find a place where I can order lunch and dinner together for 'cheap.'  I had a 5.5hr flight ahead of me, so in anticipation of getting hungry (and in an effort to avoid eating all the food im my parents house when I arrived late at night, as was the case in my past), I bought a dinner meal with my lunch and brought it on the plane with me.  I will get to dinner in a bit...as for lunch, I ordered a bowl of chicken tortilla soup, which I have to admit is one of my favorites.  The soup rang in at about $3 and was an impressive portion that included big chunks of chicken and avocado.  I avoided the tortilla strips and some of the gooey cheese, and overall felt good about my lunch option.  For soup, it was very satiating...satisfying. 

Snack 2: 85% Dark Chocolate and Starbucks (my obsession).
Almost every day I have dark chocolate and starbucks, and in fact, I often indulge in the two together...the combo is to die for!  I thoroughly enjoyed this snack just prior to my 5.5 hour flight.  Why?  Because although most people have the luxury of sleeping on airplanes, I canNOT.  Instead, I capitalize on this time as 'research' or 'work' time.  Coffee and chocolate definitely help fuel that!

Importantly, the chocolate I ate had no gluten, soy, or emulsifiers.  It is dark enough to provide beneficial antioxidants, and even tastes delicious.  I recommend trying this bar if you can find it at your local health food store.  I purchased mine on sale for $2.99 at the local co-op in Iowa City before leaving for my trip across country...good find!

Dinner (in flight):  Grilled Chicken Salad
As I mentioned earlier, I bought my lunch and dinner at the same place...a convenient mexican restaurant i stumbled upon in the airport.  The soup was amazing, and so was this salad.  The salad had an impressive amount of chicken, avocado, green lettuce, tomatoes, fresh feta cheese, and a little bit of an oily vinegarette.  For those of you with autoimmune or who are trying to lean out, I would advise you to stay dairy-free, and therefore avoid the feta cheese in this salad.  Also, I am not certain of the quality of the vinegarette, or even chicken for that matter, but this option was better than other options offered at airports: fast food, pizza, bagels, candy, soft pretzels, etc.  It is worth noting that including a oil on salad facilitates extraction of the vitamins and minerals from the vegetables/lettuce- a good thing!  Also, a tip that I live by is that if my only options are not high quality meat, stick with inherently lean meats- in this case, chicken.  Overall, for $13 I had a very satisfying lunch and dinner.

Snack 3: Custom-made Raw Trail Mix
The best way to eat cheap on the go is to bring your own food...duh.  Before leaving for my cross country trip I ordered a custom-made 5lb bag of trail mix...yes 5 pounds!  For those of you interested: www.nutsonline.com, have a field day.  My mix included raw nuts (macadamia, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds), dried fruit (cherries, star fruit, chocolate covered goji berries, and coconut flakes).  This was a great go-to snack to have on the road, in the plane, post workout, or when I needed something to get me through a few more hours to the next meal (which is important when traveling b/c we can only afford to buy so many good meals).

I hope my 'on-the-go" menu has provided you with some options to consider next time you're on the road/ in the air.  The basis of good health is eating real food.  Eating real food is ALWAYS a possibility...don't sell yourself short no matter where you are...this is YOUR life we are talking about. 

I'M BACK! ;)

    I realize I have been flaunting these babys on facebook for quite some time now, and have actually had the oppotunity to cook them first hand for a lot of you...so it's about that time... to SPILL! 

    Ever since I made the switch to a paleo diet, one of the things I miss the most is PANCAKES!  I am a pancake freak, and no matter what kind of diet I have followed in the past, I made sure to whip up an 'approved' pancake recipe.  For example, when I learned that enriched white flour was bad, I switched over to making pancakes made from whole grain or buckwheat.  Then after doing some more research and learning how detrimental wheat actually is to our bodies, I started making pancakes from eggs and oats.  Let me tell you, when I found out about the havoc wrecked on our gut by grains, I ceased making all of these pancakes.  This was a sad day!  Until…I learned about grainless, and natural flour alternatives.  The first that caught my interest was almond flour.  The concept just seemed so easy to me that I had to try it.  I bought a bag of almonds, threw them in my food processor, and wah lah: almond flour.  Note: You will save a pretty penny making this stuff yourself rather than purchasing it in the store!

    Almond flour is an okay choice to cook with because it is both filling and satisfying, but it is definitely not the best.  WHY?  Unfortunately, 1 cup of almonds contains ~4-5g omega 6 (“inflammatory fat”) and no omega 3 (“anti-inflammatory fat”).  The polyunsaturated fatty acids are not heat stable and therefore are quickly oxidized to peroxides when exposed to high heat (because of their multiple double bonds). This problem becomes worse when almonds are crushed or ground up (as in flour) due to an increase in exposed surface area.  The peroxides subsequently form free radicals and damage our cell membranes. 

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

 http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=65&utm_source=rss_reader&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_feed

    The BEST alternative to cook with is coconut flour, as it is most stable at high heat.  Additional advantages include that it is cheap, low carb, all natural, easy to use, and recipes do not require a lot.
    I tend to blend the following ingredients in a food processor, pour the mixture in a bowl, and let it sit for a few minutes. 

Ingredients:
¼-1/2 cup coconut flour
2tbsp honey (optional depending on ‘paleo strictness,’ but makes it taste that much better)
1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk (improved recipe!)
4 large eggs
1tsp. cinnamon
2tbsp. pumpkin spice (divided 1tbsp batter, 1tbsp sprinkled among the cooking pancakes)
Pecans, dark chocolate chips, chopped apples, etc. if desire inside pancakes (optional)
Water if necessary to bring to desired consistency

Coconut flour thickens the mixture with time, so it is worth waiting up to 5 minutes to see the final texture of the batter before cooking.  I add coconut oil (or use remaining grease from pastured bacon) to a pan on medium-high heat and pour or ladle out the batter.  Sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon) on the batter while cooking for some added flavor.  Cook as you would normal pancakes.  Serve with almond butter, coconut butter, and/or berries (buy frozen and heat in a sauce pan to make a homemade fruity ‘syrup’), etc.  For those of you without autoimmune issues, whole fat cottage cheese is also a delicious topping!  Be creative, but step away from Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Buttersworth!  

I’ll start with providing a little background…COWS EAT GRASS!!  In fact, most of the beef produced until the 1940’s was from cattle that ate grass (1).  As with most other things, it eventually became time to ‘upgrade’ in order to improve the ‘efficiency’ of beef production.  We discovered that mass production of beef was made possible by feeding high energy grains to the cattle, which decreased the time each animal had to be fed before being slaughtered.  A shortcut if you will.  No good.  Research over 3 DECADES shows that the type of diet fed to cattle significantly alters the fatty acid composition and overall antioxidant content of the beef.  This is so remarkable that as the concentration of grain increases in a cow’s diet, the ratio of good fats to bad fats decreases in a linear fashion.  I will talk more about the good fats and bad fats in a minute.  It is also worth noting that within 30 DAYS of switching a cow from a grass-fed diet to a grain-fed diet, the resulting meat suffers dramatically.  Meat from these cows (fed grains for only 30 days) will have a far more inflammatory fatty acid composition AND be deprived of the antioxidant content that is otherwise present in grass-fed animals (1). 

Secondly… there is a huge MYTH:  Fats are bad and they make you fat.  FALSE.    Correction:  Bad fats are bad, good fats are ESSENTIAL, and some even have adipose tissue (fat)- burning potential.  (Amazing...they say fat makes you fat, yet advertise the use of fatty acids as fat-burning supplements).  Hmmm...I will elaborate on fats more specifically in a later blog.  For now, just keep in mind that since the 1980s the ‘low fat’ hype has consumed our country.  Mind-boggling then isn’t it that the incidence of heart and metabolic diseases continue to grow (3)!?  So, low fat?  More like a life-threatening scandal!  Fats are an integral part of our diet, and therefore consuming quality fat from meats is important.  Toxins administered to grain-fed, commercial cattle are stored in fat tissues, another reason to pay that extra $1-2 for grass fed meats…it’s worth avoiding the money you’ll spend when your health abandons you later in life.  Total costs for diabetes in the US were estimated at $156 billion in 2010 (3).  These costs are primarily due to other complications associated with this metabolic disorder, i.e. heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and limb amputation (3).  I would say grass-fed is WORTH IT!

Okay, so down to business…what is sooo amazing about these grass-fed meats?  The MOST remarkable advantage (and there are many) to eating grass-fed meat is the fatty acid profile they offer.  Our bodies have two main types of unsaturated fatty acids, the omega-6 fatty acids (bad, inflammatory fats) and the omega-3 fatty acids (good anti-inflammatory fats).  Put brief, the ratio of the two fats, “6:3 ratio,” influences our overall quality of health.  This makes sense if you consider that omega 6 and omega 3 fats are made by some of the same enzymes, so excess of one type, interferes with the metabolism of the other type.  The ideal ratio of omega 6:omega 3 is about 1:1-3:1, and above 4:1 is problematic.  Any idea what the ratio is of the average American diet?

15:1 (1,2)!!! 

…and worse, grain-fed beef can be as high as 20:1 (2)!!!  You may be shocked then when I tell you that cattle fed grass (their natural food source), produce beef with a fatty acid profile of 2:1-3:1!  Amazing, I know.  I sometimes equate this to turning your every day hamburger into a wild Alaskan fillet of salmon (also very high in good omega 3 fats…you know, the reason you take that omega 3 fish oil with breakfast every morning).  An interesting tidbit: it is believed that the Greenland Eskimos had VERY little heart disease and arthritis because of all the omega-3 rich fish they consumed (1).  That said, I believe that anyone consuming a diet that favors inflammation can benefit from supplementing appropriately with omega 3 fish oil.  It is also important to keep in mind that our brains require omega 3 fats, and adequate consumption of them has been shown to reduce the incidence of depression and memory-related disease (i.e. Alzheimer’s).  Conversely, not enough omega-3 has been shown to increase the risk of suicide… so, go grass-fed or beware of the consequences!

Okay, so now a little about the WHY.  Why is grass so magical?  Feeding cattle grass causes an overall leaner meat, with an increase in good fats.  Bad fats in these meats are unaltered, but due to the huge increase in good fats, the 6:3 ratio is shifted to a far more beneficial, ANTI-inflammatory state.  So bottom line, it’s what the grain-fed meat DOESN’T have that is killing people.  In a recent study, individuals put on a grass-fed red meat diet had significantly improved 6:3 ratio (plasma composition going from a 9:1 to a 6:1) versus those on commercial diet (plasma composition going from a 8:1 to a 13:1) in 4 weeks (4).  JUST 4 WEEKS!  Again why?  There are bacteria in the cow’s stomach that are very important for synthesizing good fats.  These bacteria require a certain ‘working environment’ in order to function effectively.  Consumption of grains by the cow modulates the pH in their stomach, making it less suitable for the bacteria to do their work.  Cattle on a grass-fed diet have stomachs that are far more suitable for the bacteria to function and produce good fats…this is why grass-fed meats are so awesomely healthy.  In grass-fed cattle, the bacteria work hard to synthesize CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and TVA (trans vaccenic acid).  TVA is important because it leads to the synthesis of CLA.  Over the past 20 years CLA has been shown to have numerous health benefits in mice, rats, pigs, and humans that include enhanced immune function, improved regulation of blood sugar, fat burning, reduced atherosclerosis, and tumor suppression (1, 2).  Also worth noting, whole-fat dairy from grass-fed animals is another great source of CLA.  If and only IF you do not have autoimmune issues (Celiac Sprue, Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s, etc.), you can benefit from its consumption, as I do regularly…because whole-fat dairy is, well, DELICIOUS! 

Finally, I want to mention some of the additional benefits of eating grass-fed meats over their grain-fed, commercial counterparts…yes, there is more!  Growing up we were always told to “eat our greens” right?  And, this of course is because green vegetables are so nutrient dense.  Well, it’s a simple as that: a cow that eats grass rather than grains (bread, cereal, corn, soy, etc.) is going to produce meat that is far more packed with nutrients.  Studies show that grass-fed meats are significantly higher in antioxidants, as they contain 7 times more beta-carotene (a precursor for Vitamin A) and 3 times more alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E).  Beta-carotene also has tumor-suppressing effects in a variety of cancers.  For example, in mouse models of melanoma, beta-carotene treatment inhibited tumor proliferation and angiogenesis by creating a more anti-inflammatory environment (5).  For those of you interested, some non-meat sources of beta-carotene include carrots, spinach, kale, collard greens, sweet potatoes, squash, and apricots (apricots are a lower fructose fruit so go for it).  As if I haven’t already convinced you to go buy local grass-fed meats, I will add that these meats are also higher in CoQ10, zinc, vitamin B12, and the antioxidant glutathione (1, 2).    

A few other things worth mentioning:
-Grass-fed meats are devoid of GMOs, growth hormones, arsenic, and copper.
-Grass-fed meats are not contaminated with wheat, soy, gluten, etc. and are safe to eat for those who suffer from auto-immune disease.
-Grass-fed meat has a lower fat content…but beware it is easier to over-cook and should be cooked slower and served rarer.  (This makes sense because omega-3 fats are susceptible to oxidation and we don’t want that).  
-Grass-fed meat taste better- it’s more nutritious and full-bodied.
-Grass-fed cows are free to roam naturally and are therefore better nourished, happier, less-stressed, and less susceptible to infection (meaning less antibiotic-resistance).


PLEASE, go enjoy some grass-fed meat, and SPREAD THE WORD! 
Useful sites for finding grass-fed meats:
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.grassrunfarm.com/
http://www.grassfedtraditions.com/grass_fed_beef.htm
http://www.paleoapproved.com/
http://www.newpi.coop/

References:

1.  Cynthia A. Daley et. al. “A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef.” Nutrition Journal. 9:10; 2010.

2.  http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/january-february-2011/healthy-eating/grass-fed-goodness.php#commentform

3.  Simon Smyth and Andrew Heron, “Diabetes and obesity: the twin epidemics.”  Nature Medicine.  Volume 12; Number 1; January, 2005.

4.  A.J. McAfee et. al. “Red meat from animals offered a grass diet increases plasma and platelet n-3 PUFA in healthy subjects.” British Journal of Nutrition.  105, 80-89;  2011.

5.  Guruvayoorappan, C. and Kuttan G. “b-carotene inhibits tumor-specific angiogenesis by altering the cytokine profile and inhibits the nuclear translocation of transcription factors in B16F-10 melanoma cells.”  Integr Cancer Ther. 6: 258-270, September, 2007.  

Today's strength at CrossFit Epic is the traditional deadlift.  I have attached below a video demonstrating the warm-up we will be doing as well as some post-workout mobility recommended by the expert Kelly Starrett. 

http://www.thedeadlift.com/warmup-streches-for-deadlift/
Note, the warm-up should consist of dynamic movements and not static stretching. 

http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/2011/01/episode-148365-pnf-demo-deadlifting.html
This brief mobility exercise goes a long way, and should be done after a glute/hamstring workout like the deadlift.  We will  

The ONLY thing that takes effort is cutting up the onion into small enough pieces to fit in a food processor (which if you have a food processor you know this is not very small at all). 

Finally, add the white vinegar and spice(s) of choice, and process until a thick ketchup-like liquid is formed.