“Psst, wanna hear the secret to losing weight? Sshhh, follow me!”

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Could it be that simple? Could weight loss and maintenance be very simple? There are so many opinions, methods, fad diets and “extreme” workouts to choose from that it’s very easy to get sidetracked. But why are there so many? Could it be that we are all searching for the “magic pill?” Think of this for a moment, what would be the profile of the ideal consumer for the weight loss industry? I would propose the following;

* Overweight

* Disposable income

* Frustrated

* Busy

* Has tried other diets before

* Searching for an answer to lose and keep weight off

I think these are accurate traits for the typical weight loss seeker. I know, I was obese and I was definitely frustrated with myself. The only difference is I knew how to lose weight and manage it. My reason for getting overweight stemmed from an emotional trap that I set for myself. (In a future post I will elaborate further.) Nevertheless I wanted to jump start my journey and was willing to try just about anything to get me started and get some kind of momentum going.

We all want to hear the latest “secret” that will help us lose weight. After all it’s the twenty first century and there has to be major advances in medicine and in the health industry to help us do this, right? OK let’s cut to the chase, what most of us are looking for is the path of least resistance. We want to know what is the easiest way to lose weight? It’s normal to try to do things as efficiently and effortlessly as possible. That is the smartest approach to just about anything, isn’t it?

What if this is the problem? Could it be that in our search for easy or fast or new we are setting ourselves up for failure? How? By starting off on the wrong foot! For most of us knowing why we gained weight is absolutely critical in helping us control our weight once we lose it. After all if you are not keenly aware of the reason(s) for your weight gain you can be doomed to repeat them. Perhaps it was emotional eating. Or lack of knowledge. Maybe the weight crept up on you through the years of poor eating or being less active. There are many possibilities that influenced your weight gain. You need to learn what those are!

Defining what is easy and hard is one of the most powerful weapons we have to do this weight loss thing right! For me I simply defined hard as being obese, unhealthy, uncomfortable and miserable. I was not a happy fat guy! Putting on my shoes was now relegated to my wife as I was unable to tie my shoelaces. Clothes kept getting tighter and tighter. Breathing became more labored. Eating less enjoyable. Good sleep was a distant memory. Blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzymes and blood glucose numbers were spiraling out of control. Life was not good! Easy I defined as anything I needed to do to reverse this successfully and healthfully!

Please read that last line again. And yet again! That is the “secret” for weight loss! Losing weight and keeping it off starts with the simple agreement that you need to make with yourself that you and your family are worth the effort you are about to put forth. That is the easy part. Hard is what you are doing now! Being unhealthy and or overweight is hard for your family. Dying young and leaving a grieving spouse and children is hard on your family!

One of my cousin’s best friends just suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke at the age of 43. His BP was well over 250 most of the time. He weighed over 300 lbs and had recently stopped smoking. He is not responding and in a vegetative state. You want to see hard? You want to feel what hard is? Go and see how his 10, 12 and 16 year old girls are handling it! Go see them, no not see them, you don’t just see them cry you feel the unbearable pain in their sobs! The pain that can only be felt when children are robbed from their parents! That my friends, is HARD!!!

Eating differently, exercising and changing whatever negative lifestyle habits you currently have is EASY! It is within your power to create a better you through proper perception of what is truly easy and hard. Once you come to this agreement you are in the proper mental state to change for the better and do it permanently. Now all you need to do is gain proper knowledge on how to best approach this venture. Guess what? It’s easy!!!

Eating The Paleo Nouveau Way!!

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I always get the same looks or comments when someone who doesn’t know me sees me wearing my Paleo Nouveau T-shirt. “Oh yeah I heard about Paleo. My friend’s cousin’s aunt who married his stepsisters dad who was orphaned at 6 years old did it when he joined Crossfit. He eats tons of meat, stopped eating bread and drinking any milk. He loved it till he stopped doing it! Why did he stop? Ahh, he missed eating bread and drinking milk. Plus he threw out his shoulder and got a hernia while doing Crossfit!”

That’s pretty much what people think when they hear or see the word Paleo. I then begin by explaining that this is Paleo Nouveau.The Paleo portion is to look at what our ancestors, as well as different cultures, did that might be beneficial in following today to improve our health and fitness. The Nouveau part is to utilize the best of our times to improve upon or enhance these very same concepts. Good science with some common sense can lead us to ask better questions and gain an understanding of some very sound dietary principles.

Paleo Nouveau has no dogmatic beliefs. The only concrete pillars of belief are the following;

* Eating processed and junk foodstuff on a regular basis is detrimental to all aspects of health and vitality.

* Smoking cigarettes will never ever be risk free and have no value or place in anyone’s life.

* CAFO meat should be eliminated or drastically reduced due to quality of food, the general inhumane treatment to the animals associated with these operations and the polluting effects of same.

* Refined sugars, flour, artificial coloring, artificial flavorings, preservatives and anything on an ingredient list you would never find in a cupboard should not be consumed on a regular basis.

* Deep frying foods is not conducive to good health, ever.

* Advertising processed and junk foodstuffs should not be permitted to anyone under the age of 18.

* Food should be revered, appreciated, enjoyed thoroughly and never taken for granted!

* Food should be enjoyed and shared with friends and family on every possible opportunity.

Other than that the Paleo Nouveau way is very flexible. Can you thrive being a vegan? Absolutely! Can you excel as a vegetarian? Yup. Omnivore? Yes. Raw foods? Yes siree.”What kind of populist thinking dogma is this? Are you running for president?” “A little touchy today aren’t we!” What these eating methodologies share in common is that they reduce or eliminate highly processed and junk foodstuffs and eat vast amounts of fresh real unadulterated food. So the possibility to thrive is there. With that being said if you were to ask me “Can everyone thrive being vegan, vegetarian, an omnivore or consuming raw foods?” Then the answer is NO!

We are all individuals and respond differently to food intake. Not everyone can eat like a vegan. Some don’t like red meat. Or any meat. Others can’t handle certain grains. Some dislike dairy or are lactose intolerant. If you are to thrive you have to enjoy your food! There are no two ways about this. You cannot eat in a way that is not sustainable to you, no matter how healthy it may be. Sooner or later you will revert back to your bad habits.

The Paleo Nouveau way of eating that I currently follow is in the following paragraph. I am an omnivore. These are the principles that I personally follow but that does not mean I believe they are superior to vegans or vegetarians. I believe that everyone should follow the intent of these guidelines no matter how they eat.

 An Introduction to the Omnivore version of Paleo Nouveau

* Eat when hungry.

* Don’t drink your calories unless it’s a protein shake, a shot of wheat grass or an occasional natural juiced drink. No packaged fruit juices.

* Eat mostly a plant based diet. Your plate should be piled high with properly prepared and or cooked vegetables. The more colors the better!

* Eat wild caught salmon 2-3 x a week. Do not overcook it.

* Meat consumption should be lean cuts prepared and cooked properly to avoid HCA’s and AGE’s.

* Try to limit red meat consumption to 2-3 x a month.

* Eat grass fed liver or heart 7-10 x a year. Do not overcook it.

* Incorporate sea vegetables into your diet 1-2 x a week.

* Reduce or eliminate milk consumption. If you enjoy cheese, eat the best quality cheeses you can find, on occasion.

* Incorporate Kefir, Greek yogurt, Kimche, raw sauerkraut snacks into your daily diet.

* Have a glass of 10-12 oz of water with the juice of half a lemon or lime and a small capful of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother first thing in the morning before breakfast.

* Try to eat half of your vegetables raw.

* Always season your salads with the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar you can find. Add a pinch of lemon or lime juice as well.

* Incorporate Quinoa into your diet.

* Properly soak legumes before cooking. Regulate servings of both legumes and starches according to your activity level. Don’t overindulge regularly with either.

* Limit or eliminate deli meats.

* Bread should have no more than 5-7 ingredients and none of those should be preservatives or anything you would not find in a cupboard. You will only find them in the refrigerated section.

* Don’t overindulge in fruit consumption on a regular basis. Enjoy all fruits and variety should be always striven for.

* Try Okinawan Sweet potatoes, Asian sweet potatoes and every variety you enjoy.

* Avoid artificial sweeteners and low fat foods.

* Use a great variety of herbs to season food. Asian and Indian spices are particularly good.

* Minimize canned food consumption.

The above is not an exhaustive and all encompassing list. It is merely some general guidelines for an omnivore diet from the Paleo Nouveau perspective. What true Paleolithic era people ate is debatable and quite frankly probably varied according to the region they roamed. Paleo Nouveau’s perspective is that they were opportunistic eaters and would eat whatever they could find. The notion that they ate vast amounts of meat and saturated fat is unlikely. As the use of tools progressed meat was probably eaten with greater frequency. Foraging was the most likely the main source of calories. Obviously they ate no grains, legumes and most likely did not consume much animal milk. However as we evolved, the introduction of grains, legumes and dairy became part of our diet. I am not talking about the Agricultural revolution but rather much earlier than that. Records have been found that indicate that some early civilizations may have been consuming some sort of grain.

Again some will thrive with grains and legumes and others will not. Paleo Nouveau does not find overwhelming evidence to support the notion that we are not adapted to eat either. The above guidelines follow a general format of lots of vegetables (foraging) some lean meats (hunting on occasion) and the consumption of organ meats a few times a year (the occasional hunt would have yielded these and the yield would have been shared among the tribesmen.) The Nouveau version introduces properly prepared grains, legumes and some dairy products such as Kefir and Greek yogurt. The introduction of spices is also part of the Modern era. The advantage of this is variety and an abundance of nutrients from different food sources, not to mention the explosion of flavors to our palate!

Is it “evidence based irrefutable proof” that this is better? I think it has some science behind it and thousands of years of “field” studies behind it. Is it the best way to eat? There is no such thing. There is only the best way to eat for you! For the vegan crowd the substitution of meat with other protein sources will take care of this exchange. The consumption of fats from avocados, olives and coconuts and nuts will take care of the occasional feast on fats.

For me personally this is my current way of eating. I find it effortlessly to follow and never feel hungry or have any intestinal discomfort whatsoever. There may be days I eat no meat and then there are others where there is hardly anything else but meat consumed. Yes there is the occasional Pizza which I eat from restaurants that prepare the crust themselves and use fresh natural ingredients, never anything mass produced.

Eat like this 90% of the time, share great moments and food with friends and family along with some good wine and savor the experience. Learn the art of preparing and cooking foods properly and you will reap the myriad of health and culinary benefits that this will bring. Eat in moderation and relax. Keep it simple.

 

 

 

 

Some of the things we can (should!) agree about Paleo!

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I am not going to go real scientific here, simply because, well, I’m not a scientist! I think there are some things that can be so simple and pure that to try and explain it down to it’s minutiae and or break it down is missing the point. Sort of “I can’t see the forest for the trees” kind of rationale.

With that being said, why don’t we start with what would be a typical Paleo life. We are not going to go nuts with macro and micro nutrient content of foods or argue about whether an act was more natural than another.  We are simply going to look at this from a simplistic and common sense point of view. After all we are descendants of these Paleo peoples and should possess a modest amount of “instinct” of what “feels” right about what they (Paleo) did.

A good example for us in the Modern era to get us to imagine what our Paleo brethren were up against is to picture ourselves re settled to a wild forest like environment devoid of any modern conveniences or distractions. Before setting on this journey you would need some instruction as we have lost the art of survival being past down generation to generation. In this case our modern family would have taken a course similar to  any of these http://www.codylundin.com/courses.html. Otherwise  they were doomed to be organic matter for the elements!

If we are truly trying to be honest and find a way to improve our health and better ourselves and our Planet while enjoying the best of both the Paleo and Modern worlds then lets imagine what we will do to ensure our survival. I specifically mention survival first because “thriving” is still not on the radar. If you have not had any water for 2 days, then wondering whether your 5k pace is up to par or your vertical leap is as good is irrelevant! You want water! Truer yet, you NEED water!!

So your first order of business would probably be to find a reliable source of fresh water. Not only that, it’s a natural source for animals, EDIBLE animals, to come and drink as well. Once you locate a water source, or even before, we need to seek or build and or secure a shelter. Keep in mind that as we are doing this we are walking, cutting, pulling, pushing, lifting, balancing, jumping over obstacles, twisting, squatting and so on and so on. In other words we are expending energy! A good amount of it.

Once we have a fresh water source and we have a suitable and reliable shelter we next focus on food. Here is where everyone wants to get very cozy with their preferred feeding methodology. Are we going to gather? Hunt? Eat only fruit? Red meat animals? Fish? Insects? What will eat? Now please be honest, if you have not had anything to eat for several days and your next meal is NEVER assured wouldn’t the correct question be, WHAT WOULDN’T I EAT?!?! Seriously, forget for now your convictions about any aspect of eating, you and your loved ones have not eaten for several days, this is your new way of living, and going to a grocery store is not an option. Food is a necessity. It’s not a luxury. Are you seriously going to debate whether you will eat anything with a face? Or will you argue that foraging or eating greens is only for rabbits? I don’t know about you but when it comes down to me and mine I am going to eat anything I can  to ensure we are here for another day! Wouldn’t you? Seriously if your life and that of your loved ones depended on it, would you be squeamish?

There are vast accounts of survival that recount how human beings have ingested the most foul liquids or the most gut wrenching food just to stay alive. Each other on the menu? May I suggest reading about  the Donner party http://donnerpartydiary.com/ ? Or more recently http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Andes_flight_disaster. Fact is, when we are faced with life or death situations and there is a way to live out we will do whatever is necessary to survive. It’s not an opinion but fact based on countless survival stories. True, there may have been people that refused to do whatever it took to survive, based on their moral views or any other reason, but how many of these actually survived?

Ok, so now we may have established that if you are now dependent on living off the land without any modern necessities feeding is paramount. Security from other predators is sure to be right up there. I want to interject something here, what would you say your physique might look like in 9 months or so? Would it be like this?

Or would it look like below?

Not being a scientist and relying on plain old common sense I would venture to say that it would be a challenge indeed to carry this much adipose tissue if you had to search for food everyday and sometimes go without. Am I simplifying this? If so, how?

Could we agree with the following, if we were in need of living off the land without any modern conveniences similiar to our Paleo brothers and sisters. Might we face any of the following;

* Active lifestyle

* Simple unprocessed foods

* Varied diet

* Stress different but present

* Most pressing danger comes from trauma or predators

If the above can be true what would be the advantage of the Modern age? What could we use from our time to mitigate danger and or trauma? Improve our shelter? Improve our skills in foraging and hunting? Without resorting to any means that are detrimental to nature and planet Earth how could we improve our new way of life? Could we observe Nature and learn?

Could our Paleo ancestors have done some of these very same things which led to our current knowledge and culture? This only scratches the surface of the way we would behave and act with Nature. Can you imagine not knowing when you would eat again and be wasteful? Not taking care of any clothing or any tool you rely on? Now going to Wal Mart or Home Depot is not an option. Would you desecrate the land and animals you depend on for your very existence? Would you denigrate the land and animals that will feed and clothe and shelter your offspring and their offspring?

Could you think of 7 things the Modern era would enhance the Paleo one and vice versa, if you now had to live off the land and in the wild?

 

Processed foods and you.

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It begins here. Before we dive right in so to speak let’s get one thing out there for the “scientific everything needs to have evidence or it’s quackery” people. You are correct there are no “conclusive evidence based studies” about what we are going to talk about in the next few paragraphs. It is an opinion based on observation, lots of reading, personal experimentation (mine) and a dose of common sense. Yes, the opinion that follows could be wrong! It is shared by many others in and out of the science fields, though. But alas there doesn’t seem to be any “conclusive evidence” to support these opinions.

Now that we heard your point I would encourage you to consider this. If the following opinions are wrong, what will be the harm caused? I will ask you a follow up question in a few more paragraphs, if that’s alright with you?

What is the main highly debated and “controversial” opinion that we are referring to? Reduce, or better yet, eliminate the consumption of processed foods! I know, I know it’s a veritable hot bed of controversy and a stretch to think that processed food could harm our health in any way. How dare we think this when the science is lacking? After all what else could explain this? “Excessive calories?” “Since we are living longer we are seeing more signs of age related disease.” “Most of  these ingredients are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).” “They are FDA approved!” “Sedentary behavior?” “Too much sitting?” “It’s hereditary.”

Just a sampling of the counter claims for this position. What are the perceived problems with processed foods? Here are three pesky ones.

(1.) They are poor in nutrients and usually high in calories.

(2.) They usually contain preservatives, artificial coloring and flavors, excess salt and or sugar, trans fats and bad fats, stored in containers or plastics with bisphenol chemicals.

(3.) They have been primarily “engineered” using biological and chemical data to elicit the most popular responses from consumers and cut production costs.

Let’s start with #1. What is the health, biological or emotional advantage to consume any food that has an excess caloric to nutrient factor? When we sit and eat or drink foods that are high in calories and low in natural nutrients we tend to overeat. Caloric consumption and ingestion of poor ingredients such as bad fats, sodium and high glycemic starches and sugars is increased.

#2. There is a growing concern with the amount of chemicals we are being bombarded with and how they may be affecting our health. The usual response that is offered is that the FDA has deemed them safe. The questions most seem to skirt are, How do we know what the long term consequences of ingesting so many different chemicals has on our health? How do these chemicals interact with each other in so many combinations? Some of these are known Endocrine Disruptors which are beginning to raise red flags and elicit further research.

#3. What generally happens when we start eating potato chips? We don’t seem to get full. Is it coincidence? From his soon to be released book “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us” NY Times investigative and Pulitzer winning reporter Micheal Moss, we have a slice of information that may help us understand this better. “But the largest weight-inducing food was the potato chip. The coating of salt, the fat content that rewards the brain with instant feelings of pleasure, the sugar that exists not as an additive but in the starch of the potato itself — all of this combines to make it the perfect addictive food. “The starch is readily absorbed,” Eric Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the study’s authors, told me. “More quickly even than a similar amount of sugar. The starch, in turn, causes the glucose levels in the blood to spike” — which can result in a craving for more.” Food manufacturers are just that, manufacturers, and they spend an enormous amount of money in researching how to engineer their foodstuffs so people eat more of their product to increase their profits! And it works!!

Another question to consider. If the regular consumption of refined and junk foods is found to be detrimental to our health, say twenty years from now, then what? How are you going to undo the damage that ingesting these substances may have caused? Abstaining from them has absolutely no drawback in any way shape or form. Eating them regularly may be harmful to your health, or maybe not. Are you willing to bet your health and that of your children’s on it? Is the bet even worth any possible risk?

When does it stop being “innocent?”

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I want to get something out there right now. I am biased with this subject. I try not to be. I am very unbiased in almost every other health topic as I believe there are numerous paths to wellness. When it comes to our children I am biased! So if you read anything in the next paragraphs that sounds one sided, well now you know why. I apologize beforehand for the highly opinionated thoughts I have in this topic, especially if you disagree. I will add that if you disagree I would expect it to be on the methods or causes and not on the problem of the actual challenge before us all.

What is this challenge? Our children’s health now and in their adulthood. We have all heard the rising problem with childhood obesity. If we are to wage a fight to help our children it needs to be aggressive. This is a serious problem and “wishy washy” rhetoric or methods will not help our kids. There is not one reason for this problem. There are multiple factors that are driving this scourge. In my opinion these are the main culprits.

* Excess consumption of refined and junk foods.

* Over consumption of sugar. Especially fruit juices, sodas and flavored milk.

*  Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.

* Improper intake of nutrients derived from food.

* Sedentary behavior.

* Little or improper education about nutrition.

* Lack of exercise and movement.

* Poor dietary examples and choices from schools and parents.

It is this last one that this post will deal mostly with today. These are some pictures of foods being served in some of our children’s school events. The main foods that are always served? Pizza, chips, cookies, cupcakes, sugary cereal, Doughnuts, Soda, Fruit juice pouches, and water bottles.

“But it’s innocent! Why are you making such a big deal? They earned it!” REALLY? They earned it? These are some comments some of the parents and teachers, (to be fair not all parents and teachers are on board with this), have made to me when I have questioned “rewarding” children with questionable foods in a school setting. The “They earned it” comment is the one that especially annoys me. That single statement is indicative of one of the biggest problems our children face. What did they earn exactly? The privilege of getting obese and unhealthy with junk food because they did something good?

Think like a child for a moment. How powerful and influential are the following for any child? An adult, a parent, a teacher and their peers in a school setting. All these people of influence are in the the grounds you associate with learning and you have just participated in an event and have been cheered or made to feel like you accomplished something. Now comes the reward. Let’s celebrate! How? Let’s stuff our faces with soda, pizza, chips, cupcakes, doughnuts and any other choice morsels that are sugar and chemical laden! Isn’t this what we’re telling them not to eat in the first place? “But it’s innocent. After all it’s just a celebration.” Exactly! Why would you reward good behavior with foods we are telling them not to eat?

Is that not a very confusing dilemma for any person, much less a child? “But what we are really saying is all things in moderation. We are only eating like this because it’s a party and that’s what you eat at parties. It’s harmless. You don’t want to “traumatize” our kids, do you?”

“Que ganas tengo de darle un trompon en el medio de la frente cuando hablan porqueria como esa!!!” Oops. Sorry. My spanishness took over for a moment. Loosely translated means I disagree ever so politely. Alright alright it really means “I want to punch you in the middle of your forehead when you talk such trash!!!” I warned you I was passionate and biased about this! It’s not my fault, I gave you plenty of notice.

Seriously though, I find that defense reprehensible in light of the reality we are facing. The thing is it’s usually not a rare occurrence that they eat like this. If kids ate like this only at parties they wouldn’t be this obese unless they are partying every day! They eat like this most of the time. To make matters worse they are doing this with the full blessings and endorsement of their teachers and parents in their school environment. Talk about anchoring behavior with emotions and role models! Their most influential and closest figures in the area they associate with learning! In light of today’s problem with childhood obesity a celebration is not the time to “reward” them with poor food choices!

Why not get creative and set an example for proper, healthy, tasty and nutritious eating with better choices. Pizza? Ok, if you spend a few bucks more and order it from a specialty restaurant that uses fresh natural ingredients and makes a thin crust authentic style pizza with vegetables and some cheese? Better than the mass produced kind and tastier by far. Chips? Kale chips properly baked and seasoned. Soda? Naturally flavored water with fruits is tasty and more refreshing. What about serving them fresh fruits? Veggies with dip. Yeah the dip may not be the best choice but I rather them eat vegetables and some dip than no vegetables at all. “But this is so much work!”

Ok Ok I’m not going to say anything else in Spanish but boy, Is that not one of the most ignorant, egotistical and arrogant things to say? THEY ARE OUR KIDS! ARE THEY NOT WORTH THE EXTRA COUPLE OF DOLLARS AND EFFORT? IF NOT, WHY DID WE BRING THEM INTO THIS WORLD IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Am I exaggerating? Am I making too much of this? Certainly I don’t think so. What about you?

Weight loss that is sustainable.

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Are you struggling to lose weight? Have you been on the never ending merry go round of fad diets? Have you ever sat down and truly analyzed why these weight loss diets don’t seem to work for you? Have these perceived failures made you feel you are the reason for the lack of long term success?

If we are to experience any long term weight loss and sustainable weight management our first order of business is to understand our motives. Are we interested in losing weight for a particular event or function? Are we trying to impress somebody? If our answer is yes then we are usually pretty focused on doing whatever it takes to achieve that weight loss, wouldn’t you agree? We go faithfully to the gym or the track or turn on our TV and pop in our favorite exercise CD and go to town! Oh yeah, baby! we are on a roll! We eat whatever our token diet has prescribed for us and the pounds start to come off. We are a fat loss machine! We go to our event enjoy the compliments and decide then and there that all that hard work was well worth it.

Six months later is another story. After all we are “busier” and don’t have the “time” right now but we will “start this coming Monday.” Don’t worry I’m not holding my breath. The weight is starting to trickle back and our mood and resolve get weaker and diluted with each passing day and every ounce gained. Pretty soon we re gain all the weight and then some.

I hated going to the gym and starting all over again every other two weeks or so. I would see my reflection in the glass doors leading into the gym and think to myself “Here we go again!” It was as if inside a part of me knew I was going to quit. It was embarrassing to be grown man and be in such a sorry state! Starting and quitting were a part of life. Frustration is not enough to describe the empty hopeless feeling of being totally helpless with this insidious condition. To add insult to injury and mess with my head even more I could not use ignorance on weight loss or fat loss as an excuse. I knew how to lose weight and more precisely how to lose fat! Yet here I was with all this knowledge and experience and I was totally helpless!

There are many ways to lose weight. The main challenge is not really losing the weight but keeping it off. Some could argue that the method used is irrelevant as long as the goal of weight loss is achieved. The ends justify the means. I’m not so sure. Losing weight is a great motivator and will definitely inspire us to keep going. But what if the method you used to lose weight is not something that can be done for the rest of your life? If the dietary method you chose taught you nothing sustainable or enabled you to change your habits the probability of failure is tremendous.

A successful weight loss system should be a comprehensive one and customized for you. There are certain universal principles that can be applied as a guideline to keep us on track. It needs to be a dynamic system. In other words it needs to adapt as your body changes so it can effectively deal with those changes. Your level of intensity and commitment need to be addressed and planned accordingly. “Whatty what what? I no comprendo explain yourself?” “Be glad to.”

You may start a successful dietary program according to how you consider yourself to be at the time you embark on your new course of life. For example are you a;

(A) Gung Ho!!! You are red hot, sick and tired and will literally walk through fire to change. All you need is to be pointed in the right direction and off you go. You will train 2-3 x day and eat whatever is required to get to your target goal as quickly as possible. Sound like event and need to impress kind of person, doesn’t it? The difference here is understanding and the fact that there is no event or person to impress. It is simply someone ready to go full force from the start but has the necessary maturity and commitment to lower the intensity when it is no longer required. Gung Ho types will do the strictest form of the diet and perform the most exercise portion of the program. Strict caloric and macronutrinet diet coupled with an intense exercise regimen. There is a specific time period to achieve certain goals. Or perhaps you are,

(B) M.O.R!! This type is the middle of the road individual. The commitment is just as strong but the intensity level is not as elevated as Gung Ho. This is not to say that an MOR cannot become Gung Ho. Far from it. The beauty of this system is you can go back and forth from one to the other. Why? Because it’s all based on a long term approach to not just weight loss but health and vitality. The MOR will follow a more long term approach to the weight loss and and will exercise consistently but not as intensely. There may be some sort of caloric and general macronutrient range to be used as a general guide. There will be a general time frame to reach certain mileposts but the actual weight loss goal’s term is not as important as the idea of moving continuously forward towards the target weight. Maybe for now you are,

(C) Tropical! This is the “Jimmy Buffet” of the bunch. The commitment and desire are equally as strong as the other two. The intensity is tuned way down. Do not mistake this person as being nonchalant. No siree! Tropical types are like the Hare in the famous fable “The Tortoise and the Hare.” They are patient and even keel in their approach. There are no strict dietary protocols other than eating the way they enjoy eating as long as it’s real food prepared and cooked properly. They exercise consistently but the activities are low intensity. There is no time period but there is a monitoring system to allow for feedback in case there are adjustments to be made. As mentioned before there can be shift from one type to another at any moment without any harm or derailment of the system.

Once you are comfortable with your level of commitment you are in a better position to decide how and what dietary system you will utilize. For example when I first started I was a mix of Tropical and MOR. I began with a very low carbohydrate diet without any calorie counting. It was very Spartan for the first week. Only chicken, canned tuna, and lean red meats. No vegetables, fruits or any other food other than those three described. I did not exercise at all. I was too overweight (245 lbs at 5’7”) but mostly I was tired of feeling like a quitter I had associated with my gym. Needless to say I lost and re gained some of the weight for the next 21/2 months. But there was a slow weight loss happening. I was now in the 235 lb range.

My weight did not begin to fall consistently until I embarked on a formal exercise program that was consistent. I went from 227 lbs in July 8 to 180 lbs on December 11. During this period I was mostly Tropical. No hardcore diet but consistent exercising and a transition into better eating habits. I had lost a total of 65 lbs but 47 of those pounds came off in 5 months. More importantly I had gained some  muscle mass and lost considerable fat.

These are some steadfast principles of what should constitute a sustainable diet that promotes your best shot at health and weight management.

* Reduce or eliminate all processed, refined and junk foods.

* Reduce or eliminate drinking your calories. (Fruit juices for example)

* Drink alcohol in moderation. Do not binge drink!

* Eat real food. If you buy any prepared item, read the ingredient list. If it has ingredients that you do not recognize or can’t pronounce or cannot find in a grocery store then it’s probably best to leave it alone.

* Learn to properly prepare certain foods to minimize cooking risks and hazards such as HCA’s and AGE’s.

* Eat approximately half of your vegetables or fruits raw on a daily basis.

* Do not overcook your food, whether it’s meat or vegetables.

* Don’t sear meat or cook it at high temperatures for long.

* Choose authentic grass fed preferably organic meat and make sure it’s finished with grass.

* Add some Extra Virgin Olive oil to salads or a stir fry, after cooking, as well as a sprinkling of lemon or lime juice to increase absorption of all vitamins.

* Do not use Extra Virgin Olive oil to cook foods ever. Try a mixture of unrefined coconut oil and olive oil.

* Reduce or eliminate fried foods.

* Reduce consuming saturated fat from dairy sources. Unless you are a vegetarian or vegan choose lean meats and consume organ meats once or twice a month at most. Make sure it’s Grass fed and finished, preferably organic.

* Use plenty of spices and learn how to best combine them for flavor and health benefits. For example add a little black pepper to turmeric in order to facilitate absorption.

* If you have eliminated or reduced refined, processed and junk foods and are not hypertensive, use a source of good sea salt sparingly to spice your foods. Use chicken bouillon cubes when cooking stews for a dash of salt and flavor.

* Don’t count calories. If you are eating real wholesome foods you will usually feel satiated and will not over indulge.

* If you desire a food that is usually associated as a junk food prepare it yourself with wholesome ingredients. For example here is a delicious and healthy recipe for  authentic burritos. It may not be “low calorie” and if eaten in excess can lead you to gain weight, it is nevertheless a better and tastier alternative to pre packaged mass produced foodstuff that pretends to be authentic.

These are some general guidelines to follow. If you follow them 80%-90% of the time, then eating an occasional “junk food” item will not do any harm or have much effect on you except indigestion. Life is to be enjoyed and food is no exception.

 

Fat loss workout!

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The following is a quick entry level workout for all. My kids do it without any problem (10,8 years old!). It can be the entire day’s workout or the cardio portion of it. The thing is it can be as easy or hard as you want. You control the intensity.

Got 13 minutes? 2 minute warm up consisting of running in place and arm swings and air squats. Then do 5 minutes of alternating plank holds from shoulder width to wide grip for 5 minutes alternating with wall to back squat holds. Rest 1 minute. Do 5 push ups and 10 jumping jacks for the remaining 5 minutes without rest in between. Your done!

What did you accomplish? On the physical front your first 2 minutes got your body temperature slightly elevated and muscles warmed up to avoid risk of injury. First 5 minutes you blasted your core, shoulders, chest, arms and legs with static strength holds. Last 5 minutes you recruited one of your anaerobic pathways and added a strength and agility element to the routine.

Emotionally, you worked your body out and kicked an excuse out to the curb! You are better now than you were 13 minutes ago! Imagine what you can do in 15?

No excuses! You are worth every minute of it and then some!!!!

No pain? No gain. Or, Know pain? No gain!!!

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30″, 24″ & 18″ boxes. An ab roller. The horseshoe looking contraptions are for unsteady push ups, planks and floor holds. A homemade “kettle ball” app 50lbs and a 20lb sledge hammer. Plus a 12′ climbing rope.

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The whole space is app. 9′-0” x 35′-0”. That includes the utility shed. Note the PVC parallette bars. I also have a high pull up bar station above that holds the gymnastic rings. To the left I have a support for an Olympic bar to allow for squats and presses.

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A pull up bar station with a removable extension for the young ones. I hang a 100lb punching bag from it and the other side has an old marine rope for two handed pull ups. The aluminum contraption on the floor is a homemade glute ham (machine.) There is also a homemade portable parallel bar station as well as a back extension piece I had from before.

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A view inside the shed.

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Another view inside the shed.

These are pictures of my home gym and equipment. Nothing fancy. Most of it was made by me. It’s not fancy or very “cool” looking. It is very effective, though. It allows me to train in a safe, challenging and enjoyable manner. P1040067

WARNING!!! THIS IS NOT AN ARTICLE ABOUT ELITE LEVEL TRAINING PROTOCOLS AND PERFORMANCE. IT’S ABOUT MERE MORTALS LIKE MYSELF WHO JUST WANT TO LOOK AS BEST WE CAN WHILE BEING AS HEALTHY WE CAN BE AND ENJOYING THE PROCESS. SO RELAXATION IN THE NATION. OK? OK!

Simple equipment. Simple training strategies. Visible results. Fun. Sustainable. Injury prevention. Strength. Cardio capacity. Flexible muscles. Relaxing. Stress free.

The above was the criteria I desired for my personal exercise protocol. It works for me. May work for you. Or it may not. That is for you to decide on your own.

There are as many opinions on what constitutes the best exercise as there are stars in the sky! Just like food we seem to be obsessed into identifying the “BEST” system. Unfortunately this seems to mostly guide us into some sort of fad money making idea from an “expert” in the field.

Exercise is the same as a diet. There is no best for everybody, there is only better for you! And what constitutes better depends on your goals, current fitness level, health, age, gender, likes/dislikes, level of commitment, time and a host of other criteria. There are several key points that we should all keep in mind in order to maximize our training.

* Be consistent. Nothing will frustrate you more than to start an exercise routine, go through the soreness and then miss a week. Your body and mind will struggle once more with “Why am I doing this again?” syndrome. Ideally you want to set aside a time that you can maintain with ease.

* Train your entire body systems. Exercise serves two main purposes. (1), it allows your body to become stronger. (2), it keeps your body tuned up. In other words if you don’t use it you lose it! Incorporate strength, flexibility, agility, slow cardio and some short intense cardio sessions in your weekly regimen. Including a good mix of compound body exercises will offer you a better return for your efforts and will recruit more muscles. The slow cardio and short intense sessions will utilize different metabolic pathways to round out your training.

* Change your perception. Quite possibly the most important key. Don’t exercise because you have to! Exercise because you want to! This may take some time to sink in and to internalize, but it’s well worth it. Understand that proper exercise and the right outlook allows the body to THRIVE! It will allow you to deal with stress better, move with ease, and give you a feeling of satisfaction unlike no other activity. (OK, I can think of another activity that is more fun and satisfying, but exercise helps you in this department tremendously!)

* Enjoy it! If it’s not enjoyable you won’t keep doing it. It’s not about willpower. It really isn’t. Establishing the right mix of exercises, activities and intensity will keep you interested and involved. Too much too soon or too often is not good for anyone. You can vary intensity, volume and perceived effort from time to time. If you don’t enjoy or can’t learn to enjoy weightlifting, try bodyweight exercises. Or Yoga. Even better, mix them up.

* No Pain? No Gain! Paleo Nouveau redefines this as Know pain? No gain! Know BS! This saying has discouraged and intimidated so many people, it’s crazy! Keep in mind we are talking about a life long commitment to a lifestyle regimen. Why on Earth would you think you need to subject yourself to pain in order to achieve health benefits? Again we are not talking about elite level training protocols here, but those of the everyday person seeking to enjoy the benefits of health and fitness. The only pain that is acceptable is muscle soreness at the beginning of your journey. This will be due to years of non use but after a few weeks you will rarely experience it with such intensity.

In order to keep a sustainable lifelong exercise regimen you need to understand that it’s not about a short term result. It’s about the doing. If you just focus on getting in shape for a class reunion or a wedding you are only shortchanging yourself. Once the event is over you will revert back to your old ways. Why? Because you focused on a short term result rather than a lifelong one. You probably grunted, sweat and put up with enormous pain to achieve your goal. Wrong way to look at it!

Keep It Simple, Seriously!

Survival of the fittest?

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Do we even know what that is in our current age? Is it even applicable to our times? I am not talking in a context of violence but rather of one in health. In other words, are we physically capable of surviving in today’s world if we were deprived of Modern conveniences such as transportation, food and shelter?

Before we begin let’s get one thing straight. We are not criticizing or belittling anyone. There are exceptions to every rule! This post is intended to make us think and discuss possible reasons for obesity and perhaps find some insight in different ways to combat it. There are many reasons for obesity and there is not a cure all for everyone. It is our intent to try and look at this problem from all sorts of different angles in order to find viable solutions. Yes, I was obese and I know how it feels like, and am passionate about learning all I can in how to combat this debilitating condition.

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How can you expect to have full mobility carrying all this extra weight?

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Is this natural and normal? Can we truly enjoy all life has to offer with so much weight and the health consequences of our lifestyle?

Ask yourself, if we had to depend on our physical abilities to search for food, water and shelter on a daily basis, would we be able to get like this?1042417210_1aba3977c2

Would it be possible to gain this much weight, if our lives depended on our ability to find food and shelter on a daily basis? Let’s assume we drop an obese person in the Paleolithic era and they had all the necessary knowledge and experience to fend for themselves. In this hypothetical scenario lack of knowledge is not a factor. They know how to hunt, skin, dress an animal, which plants are edible, trap and are extremely resourceful. They are simply obese, similar to the people in the above pictures.

Imagine that these would be their typical stomping grounds.523-1177160038 img_0157 single-track-trail1

Amazing beauty! Inspiring. But rugged. Treacherous terrain. The risks of mechanical injuries are huge even if you are in excellent physical conditioning. Would an obese person be able to walk, let alone run, in any of these conditions? We’re not talking about a leisurely stroll but the need to go and search for food and or sources for shelter. Again, we can claim there are exceptions to every rule, however for most obese individuals would this be possible?

Now look at it from a slightly different perspective. If you lived in this environment could you become this obese? There is no possibility to spend hours on end being sedentary. In order to eat you need to move. You cannot simply walk over to a refrigerator or cupboard and reach for a soda or a bag of chips. Empty calorie foods are non existent. No electricity. No TV. No computers or smart phones. No gyms either! No meal is guaranteed.

We used to live like this. It would have been unlikely that anyone was obese or even overweight. It would have been survival of the fittest simply because there was no other option. Agriculture changed all of this. Planting crops for food and raising animals for food allowed us to live in one place. It also allowed us over time to grow into large communities. Hunting and foraging became pastimes. We became “civilized.” This certainly came with great improvements for Humanity. Like everything else it brought different challenges. One of those eventually became an overabundance of easily obtainable food and a sedentary lifestyle. Add the fact that a great deal of what we call food today is highly processed and full of empty calories, not too mention void of any nutritional value. In addition to this our exposure to chemicals in our food and environment may be interrupting how our body works. Suddenly obesity is not only possible but almost unavoidable.

One of the hallmarks of Paleo Nouveau is exploring what events or traits in our past could be beneficial for us today. What if for some of us the answer could be a very simple one? It would require a somewhat different approach to our current way of doing things. If this approach could work, would it be feasible in you attempting it? What is the approach?

Let’s try and mimic some of what our Paleo ancestors did before agriculture. Today we don’t need to hunt, forage and follow game for hours. let’s face it most of us are city folk and the only”game” we are capable of spotting is on TV. What is the next best thing? Movement. Exercise. Why not adopt the following habits and see if they can benefit you. These are not just for weight/fat loss but for overall health and vitality.

* Wake up early in the morning and before breakfast do one of the following;

Go for a brisk walk. Or practice some Yoga. Or do some calisthenics. Strength train. Go

for a run. Do some sort of physical activity in a fasted state. The intent is to mimic our need to either hunt or forage as our ancestors likely had to do in order to eat upon arising.

* At lunchtime try to do some stretching or walking right after eating. If you sit behind a desk get up every hour and stretch or do some light and quick calisthenics.

* After work get some type of workout in. The key is to move. It does not need to be intense. All you need to do is find ways to keep being active. Even if it means gardening or walking you are still moving. If you go for a walk do some interval training. Once you’ve warmed up walk as fast as you safely can for 10-20 seconds and continue walking at your regular pace. Do this anywhere from 5- 10 times. You want to keep your body from becoming used to a certain pace.

* If you have more free time in the weekends try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Find activities that you can enjoy and share with family and friends.

* Eat as little refined foods as you can. Eat real foods in smaller quantities. If you are trying to lose weight/fat keep carbohydrate intake on the low side. If you are not very active carbohydrates should be minimal compared to someone who is very active as well as overall caloric intake.

* Rest. Go to sleep with as little distractions as possible. Try to get anywhere from 6-8 hours of restful sleep daily. Try to wake up without the need from an alarm. Develop your own natural rhythm.

The above suggestions are very basic. They can be scaled up or down depending on your current physical fitness levels and willingness. As you get fitter you can increase the type and amount of exercise as well as the frequency. Every 4-6 weeks give yourself a break and take some time off. Strive to train at least 4-5 days of week. Walking can be done every day.

None of these suggestions are radical or hardcore. You can start doing the most basic thing as long as you start! The important thing is to get your body to move. As you turn this into a lifestyle there are specific exercises that can greatly improve your mobility and vitality. Does it require willpower? Not much. It really requires a change in our perception of what difficult is. What’s more difficult? Struggling everyday to breathe and deal with all the discomforts and health challenges of being overweight/obese or trying to do something about it? For a lot of us the answer is not in a pill or surgical procedure. Once you do that you are changing your body from how it has evolved. Is it hard to do? It’s harder being overweight and not enjoying full mobility. I am here to tell you that it is definitely worth doing and once results start appearing you will want to do more because you are physically able to and your whole self will desire more activity.

We were never intended to be overweight. It’s unnatural. We are much better than that and deserve more!

“Convenience please. How much? No problem my kids & grandkids will foot the bill!”

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FRY PANSNon stick pans. Plastic bottles. Canned food. Pre- packaged foods. Stronger detergents. Disposable diapers. Plastic shopping bags. Styrofoam cups. Stronger soaps. Stronger shampoos. Cheaper foods. Cheaper consumer goods. The list goes on and on. We seem to lust after convenience.plastic-water-bottleswasteful_packagingeco cup76d2fa0d204d8b188a6bb30294b0b659_1M

Why are we so obsessed with convenience? Does it really save that much time and money? Does it impact our environment and our children’s future? How did we live before without so many  modern conveniences?

”Here we go, Paleo Nouveau guy is going treehugger! It must be a yoga, New Age, Buddhist beads and barefoot running, Crossfittish infectious syndrome of sorts!”

“You didn’t accuse me of being a Vegan, not that there is anything wrong with that!” So why would you be stereotyped into a militant activist because you mention waste and the consequences of such? If you are not aware that something is causing any problems you are guilty of not having knowledge of those particular facts or circumstances. What would you call someone that is now aware of compelling evidence suggesting or proving a particular condition and does nothing differently?

Ignorant? Stupid? Careless? It doesn’t matter what you choose to call them. What matters is the fact that they choose to do nothing differently. Why does anyone smoke, for example? Is it accurate to say that there are people that still argue that smoking cigarettes is safe? It would seem foolhardy to suggest that there are any smokers in the U.S. that are unaware of the health consequences of smoking. Yet, they smoke!

Granted, nicotine is an addictive substance. And this is where there is a distinction.   Drugs, alcohol, smoking and eating to a degree for some, is an addiction. Convenience has nothing to do with these destructive habits.

Buying plastic bottled water is not addicting. Using phthalate containing goods will not give you a buzz! They are choices we make in the name of convenience. “Phthalate what? Did you spell that right? What the #@*& is that? Paleo Nouveau guy next thing your going to say it’s probably making us fat as well!”

Not me. Them  and them.

Let’s be fair though. These are not conclusive studies proving causation, but Paleo Nouveau would choose to err on the side of caution on this one. If we are wrong what’s the downside? On the other hand what if  the concerns turn out to be correct? The downside is your health/life and that of your children, not to mention the damage to the environment!

“My kids? What are you talking bout?” This is part of what I’m talking bout. Again this does not prove causation. But ask yourself this, were your grandparents or great grandparents exposed to these substances? Were they even available 100 years ago? How did we survive without them? The sad fact is they were invented in the 1930′s so all of us reading this have been exposed thoroughly.

So far we have been talking about phthalates but it really boils down to are Endocrine Disruptor Compounds (EDC). What are these EDC”s? Well, it may turn out that they are not very good for us at all. And by us, I mean our children, our environment and every living organism inhabiting this Earth! Our lives do not exist in isolation. We are all intertwined and dependent with our ecosystem.

EDC’s are beginning to appear in newborns. Here and here. Again These are not conclusive studies showing cause. However they do raise questions and a warning flag. Once again the question that we need to ask ourselves is this, If these substances turn out to be destructive to our health, our children’s health and that of our environment, how will we deal with the fact that we may have prevented this or reduced our exposure with simple steps? It would seem at that point that the price of simple convenience was way too steep! And preventable!

Let’s think of this for a minute. Words sometimes don’t seem to impart the magnitude of an event. We are talking about our children, grandchildren and environment here. Fast forward twenty years. Can you imagine what it would feel like to look down at your child or grandchild who is suffering a debilitating illness from exposure to these toxins which have been now shown to be a main contributing factor to the current health problems plaguing the young? How would you react knowing that twenty years earlier we could have prevented this by refusing to partake in unnecessary “convenience” articles that were riddled with the very chemicals attributed to your loved one’s ill health?

Paleo Nouveau does not condone alarmist, unscientific, incredulous and inflated assertions. In the absence of current concrete evidence on this very subject we tend to ask this question, Is the potential for harm much greater than the purported benefit? In this case, what are the benefits?

What is the convenience of a non stick pan? No need for cooking oil or butter? Easier cleaning after use?

What about plastic water bottles? Cheaper water? Easy to carry around? Won’t break if they fall on the ground? Better quality of drinkable water?

Are these benefits worth any sort of potential risk? Are they even benefits at all? Plastic water bottles are far from cheap and most are nothing more than tap water in a plastic bottle! Have we come this far as a species to believe that we need to find more and more ways to become totally idle and free of any perceived difficulties? Spending an extra minute or two cleaning a regular pan is that hard and stressful?

Can you imagine what someone from the 18th century would say if they heard someone from our era complaining about having to clean a pan? Utterly foolish! Convenience to facilitate life, improve health, avoid dangerous scenarios are worth looking into. Convenience to  improve hygiene, avoid spreading diseases, encouraging human interaction are worth pursuing.

So what is the answer? Are the purported benefits of all these chemicals currently being used (or abused depending on your point of view) far outweigh the risk of any harm they may be causing? Would our quality of life diminish if we stopped using Styrofoam cups, or our shampoo was not as strong as it is? How hard would your life be impacted if you had to carry some canvas grocery bags in your car to eliminate the need for plastic ones?

Why not think hard about what it is we may be doing to our children and the future of Mankind in the name of convenience? How could we start reducing this risk? What ways could we find to eliminate the damage we may be doing to ourselves through simple lifestyle changes?

What if it turns out that the price of convenience will be paid with our children’s and grand children’s health and vitality? Is it worth the risk? Have we become too arrogant to care? Or are we too ignorant to understand the problem? Both of these conditions are in our control to change. Will we? Will you?