Food and Nutrition

Now that you’ve had yourself a hearty, healthy, yummy Paleo breakfast, it’s time to explore the exciting world of Paleo lunch. Don’t get downtrodden if you’re craving something that doesn’t fit the Paleo regulations. You’ll soon learn there are a ton of ways to substitute, alter, and updo your favorite meals to be exciting and delicious while still staying within the Paleo guidelines. Below are three recipes that do just that. And they are just the beginning! The web is filled with amazing Paleo recipes for you to try and enjoy.

Shape's Jicama "Potato" Salad

Jicama is a root vegetable in the bean family. It’s a great substitute for potatoes with a slightly sweet taste. One bite of this jicama “potato” salad, and you’ll be eating it for weeks. Get the recipe here.

Shape's Mosaic Artichoke Salad

So simple, so healthy, so delicious! What’s better than throwing together a few ingredients and sitting down to a knock-out meal in minutes? Get the recipe here.

Fast Paleo's Flax Seed Pizza

Who doesn’t love and crave pizza? Go Paleo and still enjoy your favorite foods! Get the recipe here.

Now that you’ve been introduced to the Paleo craze, you’re probably dying to start trying Paleo-friendly recipes. But perhaps you don’t know where to start. Well, how about with breakfast? Below are three Paleo recipes from sweet to savory for delicious breakfasts you can feel good about eating.

PaleoOMG's Blueberry & Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf

It might look sinful, but this breakfast loaf consists mostly of pumpkin puree, blueberries, banana, and cashews. Yum! Get the recipe here.

PaleoAholic's Avocado with Warm Bacon Cilantro Dressing

Avocados are filling and designed to keep you healthy. They lower cholesterol, protect your heart, ward off cancer, and even improve your vision! So eat up! Get the recipe here.

Everyday Paleo's Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

Did someone say decadent? Eating this well never felt so good! Get the recipe here.

Do it like a caveman! If you haven’t yet heard this phrase, it’s likely you haven’t gone Paleo. The Paleo Diet is based on the concept that humans were at their physical prime during the paleolithic era. But don’t be fooled by the name. It is much more than a fad or a way to lose weight. The Paleo Diet is a lifestyle that involves a specific eating regimen as well as a new way to think about fitness.

What are the benefits of going Paleo?

To read about all the health benefits of going Paleo it’s best to familiarize yourself with www.thepaleodiet.com, the primary website regarding the lifestyle. Some major benefits include the reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, possible loss of weight, improved athletic performance, increased muscle mass, increased metabolism, and increased energy to name a few.

So what is the diet, and what are the reasons for it?

Before the agricultural revolution, humans were hunter-gatherers who ate mostly fruits, vegetables, and meats. The advent of agriculture marked a dramatic shift in the dietary habits of humans who could now consume foods like grains, alcohol, dairy, vegetable oils, and salt. But we soon learned these foods are responsible for a host of allergies and diseases from gluten intolerance to alcoholism and more.

Thus the Paleo Diet eliminates all dairy, processed foods, grains, and legumes to cut out trans fats, refined sugars, glutenous grains, and excess salt, all of which can cause weight gain, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes.

So what can you eat on the Paleo diet? Everything else! Fruits, vegetables, meats of all kinds! For an extensive list of foods, click here, but a good rule of thumb is: if you can pick or kill it, you can eat it. In other words, when in doubt, think like a caveman.

So what is the fitness part of the Paleo Diet?

Unlike the regimented eating part of the Paleo lifestyle, the fitness aspect is more of a way of thinking than a specific set of rules. The core concept is that we have become rote in our fitness routines, doing too much cardio, not enough weight lifting, and not enough high-intensity short-spurt workouts.

So do it like a caveman! Grab the Ultimate Body Press Sandbag and lift that thing! Complete a couple of bear hug squats, and you’ll feel just like a caveman ripping a tree from the ground. Jump using our speed rope and feel just like you’re outrunning a cougar. Do some pull-ups and be the caveman climbing the cliff to get to her prey.

Our extensive workout guides will lead you to your Paleo fitness routine where you’ll burn more fat, lose weight faster, and feel more alive than ever before.

Do it like a caveman! Rawr!

Other Good Links for Going Paleo:

The Beginner’s Guide to the Paleo Diet

Paleo Recipe Blog 1

Paleo Recipe Blog 2

Paleo Recipe Blog 3

Over the next few weeks, we will highlight several different eating plans like the Paleo Diet, Low Gylcemic Diet, and eating gluten-free. We’ll provide an overview introduction to the eating plan, post links to websites for more information, and put up recipes we love following each eating plan’s guidelines.

We don’t endorse any single lifestyle or eating plan, because we believe that living a healthy lifestyle is all about making good choices that work for you. We embrace all the good ones, because they all work for someone. We hope you’ll find an eating plan that works for you, or perhaps you’ll pick and choose from several to create your perfect eating agenda. It doesn’t matter to us how you do it! Just as long as you are eating healthily and using good portion control, well, it’s all gravy baby.

And for the record, we find the word ‘diet’ problematic. Living healthily and treating your body with care isn’t a fad. We prefer to think about creating good eating habits we can sustain. Start with making incremental changes for the better, and soon you’ll be eating well for a lifetime.

Don’t miss our first highlighted eating plan this week: the Paleo Diet!

Ever wonder whether there is a miracle food to health and weight loss? The answer is yes, and the food is greens. Greens not only pack nutrition and mega-vitamins, they support weight loss, increase muscle gain, improve brain function, and even ward off cancer. There is a variety of greens ranging from mild to spicy in flavor that can be prepared in a multitude of ways for a delicious and diverse meal plan.
Spinach

You’re probably very familiar with spinach. If not, it’s an easy green to work with and is delicious eaten raw or cooked. Saute, steam, or flash-boil and add to your favorite vegetable medley and lean protein.

Arugula

Arugula is my favorite green. It has a rich, peppery flavor and adds a wonderful zing to any salad or sandwich. Place poached eggs over a bed of arugula for a fabulous breakfast or bake it onto a pizza with roasted garlic for a delicious dinner.

Kale (Purple Kale, Russian Kale, Lacinato Kale)

Yes, kale can be eaten. No, it’s not just decoration for buffet platters. This curly plant from the cabbage family has green or purple leaves depending on the variety. Eat a lot of it. Kale contains sulforaphane, a powerful anti-cancer chemical, that is best maintained during steaming or sauteing.

Collard Greens

So many of us think of collard greens in their Southern version – alongside fatty meats like ham or bacon. But collards are so packed with anti-cancer properties and antioxidants, it’s a shame to counteract their healthy aspects with unhealthy meats. Treat them like grape leaves and stuff the whole blanched leaves with lemon and mint rice and pine nuts for a Mediterranean inspired meal.

Turnip Greens

Like beets, turnips produce a leafy top that is wonderful to eat. Turnip greens are excellent when wilted in olive oil. Try sauteing shallots and red pepper flakes to release a rich, spicy aroma before tossing in the turnip greens. Add some Dijon mustard and chicken stock near the end to spice up your greens and make them succulent.

Beet Greens

Beets are a beautiful red root vegetable you should also know, but don’t forget about their lovely green tops! The beet greens are delicious when sauteed with oil and garlic and tossed with a red wine vinaigrette. Pair with the roasted beets themselves. Feeling extra wild? Add a few blue cheese crumbles for a stellar treat.

Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are at their peak from January through April, so now is the perfect time to acquaint yourself! They have a bitter, peppery flavor, and taste incredible when wilted with sweated onions and salt. Splash the greens with lemon just before eating.

Sorrel

Sorrel has a juicy, lemony flavor that brightens any mixed green salad. For a Polish twist, add sorrel at the last minute to a stock of hot water, chopped veggies (carrots, celery, leek), and boiled meat on the bone. Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

Mâche (Lamb’s quarter, Lamb’s lettuce, Field salad)

Mâche gets its many nicknames by mostly being considered a weed eaten by sheep. I first encountered this dark, soft textured plant while working on an organic farm. It grew as a weed throughout the farm and was washed and sold to our customers’ delight. Enjoy it in a mixed green salad with arugula and spinach and top with a light vinaigrette.

Swiss Chard (Rainbow Swiss Chard, Red Chard)

Swiss chard is a delight to cook with, because the stalks come in a variety of lovely reds and yellows. Separate the stalks from the leaves, but don’t toss the stalks! Saute them to soften and when they are mostly cooked, throw in the leaves until wilted. Swiss chard shines in lentil soup.

Dandelion Greens

Yes, the greens on those annoying yellow weeds are edible. But please, don’t harvest them just anywhere. They are often sprayed with harmful pesticides and are not safe to eat. Buy them from your local organic farmer or pick them from your own yard (if you don’t use pesticides). The leaves have a bitter taste and pair well with rich foods like eggs, pototoes, or cheeses. Try wilting your greens with garlic and topping with poached eggs and herbed goat cheese for a killer breakfast.

Pea Greens (Pea shoots)

Pea greens are the leaves and tendrils of the pea plant. A delightful sign of spring, pea greens are enjoyed raw in a mesclun salad and tossed with a lemon vinaigrette.

Fava Leaves

The leaves of fava beans are not only edible, they’re delicious. Though similar to spinach in texture, their flavor is a bit milder and sweeter. Treat them as you would spinach while cooking for an unexpected flavor twist.

Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)

Broccoli rabe is a nutty, earthy green that does well when blanched. Like the rest of the greens, rapini tastes wonderful sauteed with garlic and tossed with lemon, but it’s also a tasty addition to homemade pizzas.

By Avril Young, Registered Dietitian, LDN, NASM CPT

It’s easy to come to the conclusion that you have to eat less in order to lose weight. But even though that seems to make sense, it only works to a point. If you eat less than your body’s bare minimum needs (resting metabolic rate, or RMR), your body will actually STORE MORE FAT. Think about that and try to wrap your head around it. We’ll be coming back to this topic. There is no golden rule for amount of calories since everyone’s RMRs are different, but if you follow the rules in this post and the guidelines to come in future posts, you will be getting enough calories.

By Avril Young, Registered Dietitian, LDN, NASM CPT

Many of my clients show me food records that have 60%+ of their calories coming from carbs. Now if you are an athlete of normal weight, that’s not necessarily a problem. But if you are trying to lose fat, it’s a different story. If your food intake is that high in carbs, it’s likely not high enough in protein. Adequate protein is important for 3 reasons: improved satiety, increased thermic affect of food and maintenance of lean body mass. Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and fat, therefore adequate protein with each meal and snack can lead you to fell more satisfied. Additionally, the body works harder to digest protein than it does to digest carbs and fat. In fact, 3 to 4 times as many calories are burned during protein digestion. Finally, as you lose weight, you want to limit this to mostly fat. Consuming adequate protein to meet your body’s needs can help you do this by ensuring that you aren’t breaking down muscle for energy during periods of reduced calorie consumption. Aim to include protein with each meal and snack from sources such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, beans, nuts, protein powders and vegetables.

By Avril Young, Registered Dietitian, LDN, NASM CPT

Instead, eat at regular intervals throughout the day. Past research has said that eating throughout the day ensures that your metabolism stays high all day, however new research no longer supports this. Should you still eat throughout the day? Definitely. Going long periods of time could lead to one or both of the following: 1. You get too hungry and the Oreos on the counter next to the apples seem like the best choice, or 2. You get too hungry and overeat. Both of these results negatively impact your goal of losing fat. So, how many meals should you eat? There is no magic rule – it depends on your schedule and your body. Try not to go more than 5 hours without eating and get used to listening to your body. Have pre-planned snacks available so when you start to get hungry, you have something you feel good about eating and that supports your goal of fat loss. I’ll spend more time on what to eat in future posts.

Drinking protein shakes right after a muscle building workout delivers protein to your muscles at a time when they are best prepared to absorb it.  The best thing you can do is get in the habit of drinking a shake right after your workout.  It is also beneficial to drink several smaller portions of protein shake through out the day. This gives your muscles a steady supply of fuel for even more growth.  This steady supply of protein will also boost your metabolism.

To make all this shake making easier on yourself, go ahead and prepare a bunch of servings ahead of time.  Wash out a half gallon milk jug and fill the entire container full with protein shake using any brand of powder.  You can keep it in your refrigerator for 2-3 days and the flavor only gets better as the protein powder becomes fully disolved.  The main thing that will make the protein shakes taste bad is using too much water.  A good shake should be about the consistency of store bought chocolate milk. Experiment with the water to powder ratio until you get it right.

Having a large supply of  protein drink ready made makes you much more likely to follow through on this muscle building nutritional tactic.

Set yourself up for success. Having the right food choices on hand makes all the difference when it comes to establishing more healthy eating habits. The first thing for you to do is clear your pantry of things like chips, crackers, cookies even pretzels. While you may think some of these are healthy choices there are better options. Even whole wheat products still contain enough processed flours to send your blood sugar soaring and that means your metabolism will take a nose dive.

The absolute best snacks can be found in the produce isle. So stock up on fruits and vegetables instead because they are packed with vital nutrients and are notably short on calories. Take Asian Pears, for instance.  How can something so sweet and delicious only have 50 calories? Pair your pear with some cheese for a sweet and savory snack you can enjoy in seconds. Here we have a lovely afternoon snack. 140 calories, 6 g protein, 5 g fat, 9 g natural sugar and 4 g fiber .

Like you body, fruits and vegetables are made mostly of water along with a perfect combination of vitamins straight from the earth, natural sugars and fiber, leaving you feeling full and satisfied. Furthermore, the natural sugars breakdown more slowly in your body so you are less likely to experience a spike in your blood sugar levels. You will have more sustained energy and a higher metabolism throughout the day.

PREPARATION TIP:  Use a melon baller to quickly remove the core from fruits like pears and apples.  It’s fast and makes for a more attractive presentation of the fruit.