Nutrition
What??? How is this possible? I (Kelly) am generally in the camp of “some things just shouldn’t be messed with”, but….
We tried Jen Smith’s recipe for a grain-free pizza crust and our resident pizza snob (JB) and two (sometimes finicky-eater) kiddos loved it.
Crust:
1-1.5 lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp almond meal
1 egg
1 tsp basil
Mix and spread in a pan or skillet about 1/2 inch think (I am going to go a little thinner next time). Bake at 450 for 10 min.
Add your favorite toppings (yes we did keep the cheese on for this one – come on, its pizza!) and cook for another 12-15 min.
“The Case Against Gluten” by Andrew at evolvify.com
Intro by JB:
So it would appear that I have failed to educate myself (and therefor you) on the importance of keeping gluten out of your diet. Up to this point a lot of the evidence the I have given as a reason for this has been anecdotal or based on evolutionary science. It is pretty easy for me to fall back on the phrase: “your ancestors didn’t eat it and you shouldn’t either.” So now I have something a little more tangible that just my opinion, which while educated isn’t necessarily scientific and I have neither a white lab coat or a microscope. So with no further ado I present The Case Against Gluten. It turns out that the bad gut issues and obesity aren’t the worst things that can happen to you. As you will read in the meta-analysis, the bevy of neurological diseases that are now scientifically linked to gluten consumption. So, what does that mean to you? Pancake, slice of bread, bowl of oatmeal that you eat today may have some very serious long term affects to the tune of major brain and auto immune disfunction. So, happy reading and here’s to remembering everything that you can for as long as you can.
We logged your scores and calculated the results based on placement in the top 5 for each category of measure: Weight change, Sum measurement change, and % improvement on each of the 4 Benchmark WODS. We will be giving each of you a printout of your “before” and “after” numbers for each category, but those will probably not be ready until next week. So without further ado…
Ladies:
1st Place: Becky Meinhold
2nd Place (tie): Zoila Mendoza & Kate Jaeger
3rd Place: Tegan Aymond
Gentlemen:
1st Place: Maple Taylor
2nd Place: Tim Putnam
3rd Place: Steve Hilton
Congratulations all! We will get your prize money to you next week.
There were some other stellar performances that should be noted:
Marni, Iraida, Time, Carmen and Nicole all took more than 5 minutes off their 5K time. Marni subtracted 10:55!
Zoila, Tegan Joe, Abby Tim, Iraida, and Gio all added more than 30 points to their Fight Gone Bad score. Zoila added 54 points!
Garth, Maple, Joe, Derek, Steve, Emily, and Abby all added more than 20 pounds to their CrossFit Total. Garth added 68 pounds!
Tegan, Zoila, and Tim took more than 4 minutes off their Fran Time. Tim took 7:12 off his initial time!
[7]
Saturday, September 11, 2010:
Its the Final day of the Nutrition Challenge!
Come finish the final Benchmark WOD (“Fran”), with the support of the whole group. We will cheer each other on to victory! We will also be retaking your weight and measures, so please try to be there.
Also, we will be breaking the fast tonight at Horsefly (new location!) so come on out and celebrate!
September 1, 2010:
The big Finale is a week from Saturday and you know what that means. Benchmarks!!!! We will be re-doing all the the Benchmarks this coming week. In case you have blocked it out, thats Fran, Fight Gone Bad, CrossFit Total and the 5k run. We will be doing one of these WODs as a group on Saturday morning, along with repeating the weight and measures. Plan to be there. Let us know if you can’t so we will be sure to get you squared away beforehand.
This six weeks has gone by really fast for us and we hope you have gotten a lot out of it. We are looking forward to hearing all of your feedback and seeing your results… this is going to be FUN!
We will be having another Potluck Dinner next Friday, August 27th following the 6pm class. Please bring something to grill and a dish to share with the group.
Kelly B’s contribution to last weeks Potluck dinner.
Ingredients:
12 Deli turkey slices, medium thickness
3 Avocados
Lime juice
6 slices of bacon, cooked crispy
Peel and mash avocados and add lime juice to taste. A dash of salt doesn’t hurt but the bacon is pretty salty so its fine without. Spread 1-2 tbsp of guacamole mixture on a turkey slice (depending on size of slice). Crumble bacon and sprinkle over guacamole mixture. Roll turkey slice up and enjoy!
One of last weeks Potluck recipes. This from Kelli L.
Adapted from www.mypaleokitchen.com
Ingredients:
1 cup diced butternut squash
a handful dried cranberries
1/2 can coconut milk
1/2 a diced onion
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
I basically tripled the recipe for the group we had. I also added about 1/2 tsp of nutmeg as well.
Start by frying the onion and garlic in some coconut fat, after a minute or so add the squash. Give them 2 or 3 minutes. Next add the cranberries and coconut milk. Then mix in the spices, and stir frequently.
Joe and Stephanie have graciously offered to host our first Potluck dinner this Friday (August 13th). So bring your favorite recipe to share and come and sample some Paleo-licous foods! Ask Joe, Stephanie, or Kelly for directions :) We will start around 7, or pretty much as soon as the 6pm class is done.
[9]
served here with Cinnamon Apples
Pecan & Garlic Encrusted Pork Chop
12 oz boneless pork chops
1/3 Cup Pecan Pieces
1 egg
1 clove (2 tsp) garlic
Sea Salt/Pepper/ whatever
2 Tsp Olive Oil
¼ Cup finely chopped chives or green onions.
The original recipe suggests pounding chops to thin fillets, we did not do that and they were great but did take a lot longer to cook.
Next combine chives (or green onions), pecan pieces, and garlic and chop it up finely. Coat chops in beaten egg and then dip in onion/pecan/garlic mixture. Add the olive oil to a large pan and once heated, pan fry until cooked through.
Click here for the original recipe
For the Cinnamon Apple side:
2 apples- peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tbsp Coconut oil
Cinnamon to taste
Heat oil and add apples. When starting to soften, add cinnamon. Stir occasionally until cooked soft.
|
Resources
The Skinny on Nutrition
In CrossFit we talk about the Theoretical Hierarchy of Development of an athlete. In other words, what are the fundamental components of the development of athletic performance and what is their relative influence. If you click on the link above (scroll to the bottom of page 8) you will see a pyramid diagram with Nutrition as its base. What we eat from day to day has a profound impact on the hormonal balance in our body. And since pretty much everything our body does is under hormonal control, you have the power to influence your ability to perform at work, at school, at the gym, and on the field, simply by making the right choices about the food you eat.
What is the Paleo Diet?
The Paleo Diet was developed by Loren Cordain, PHD, a professor of Health & Exercise Science at CSU. The concept (briefly) was to tailor our diets to the food sources that were available during Paleolithic times (think Hunter/Gatherer). In the CrossFit community, this make sense. Our fitness program is based on the kind of movements humans needed for survival from the dawn of man until technology basically eliminated our requirement to move. If we are going to exercise like Neanderthals, maybe we should be eating like them too (table manners aside, of course). To do this we need to remove all processed foods, including grains, as well as dairy and beans. Sugar is also off the table. There is extensive literature on why these foods are not good for us. We will include resources below.
What is the Zone diet?
The Zone was developed by Dr. Barry Sears in an attempt to stave off a familial predisposition to heart disease. To date it has worked. The concept of the Zone is to monitor and rigidly balance the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate, & fat) content in our diet to keep the hormonal influences of these substances in check. Based on gender, body composition, and activity level, a specific “block” formula is derived for each individual to simplify the task of balancing macronutrients on a meal by meal basis.
Which one is right for me?
Ideally, both. To utilize the Paleo prescription within the Zone parameters would give you the best of both worlds. But quality of life, amount of free time, and degree of investment in total health and fitness will determine how far towards “ideal nutrition” each person is willing to go. Any of these options is better than the standard American diet and that is a great place to start. Come and talk to us and we will help you find that path that is right for you.
Online Resources
The Paleo Diet
Zone Diet
Paleo Brands
The Competition
Six weeks: Modified Paleo Diet, beginning on August 1, 2010
The Rules: Participants must be weighed and measured. Four Benchmark WODs must be completed at the beginning of the competition (you have until 8/6 to make up missed WODs). Our selections are Fran, 5k Run, Fight Gone Bad, and CrossFit Total. Each participant is paired up with a buddy who will be not only provide support, but accountability. Weekly Food Logs will be reviewed and the precious “Cheat Days” must be documented on Food Logs. Participants are allowed 3 days (24 hour period) during the six weeks during which they can eat whatever they like. Budget well.
To the winner goes the spoils
Participant entry fees will allocated to the Prize Pot. Male and Female participants with the best outcome, based on the above objective parameters, will win 50% of the pot. Second place gets 30%. Third place takes 20%. In the event of a tie, the prize will not be split but will be matched by the gym for the same amount.