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The A-ha moment

7/31/2013

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Everybody has encountered that A-ha moment.  It's when the lightbulb goes off in your head and you finally "get it", whatever "it" is.   What was once confusing becomes clearer and more understood.  Lucky for me, the lightbulb went off in my head  toward beginning of my paleo journey.  When I first started hearing about paleo circa 2009, I read everything I could get my hands on,  but at the time, the internet did not have many resources.  I loved Rob Wolf's blog, which was raw and undeniably Rob Wolf.  Kurt Harris of Archevore fame was brilliant and unapologetic, but I read everything he put out, twice, and then he stopped blogging in 2011.  Mark Sisson was prolific early on as was the blog of Michael Eades. I hopped back and forth from all of these sites hungry for new material.  Lucky for us, there are so many good blogs and sites out there to guide us and answer our burning questions. (See my resources page for my faves).  Early on, I came across two very important and informative videos and a NYTimes article that finally turned the lightbulb on in my head.  It was that a-ha moment when I started putting things together and it all started making sense.  I often refer people to these resources and finally decided I should put them in one place so they would be easy to find. 

The first article I read that really made me stop and think was a New York Times piece written in 2002 by science writer Gary Taubes titled, "What If It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?".  In this piece, he challenges the traditional low-fat-is-healthy dogma and discusses the importance of hormonal signaling and how a diet rich in processed carbohydrates is more likely the culprit to our burgeoning obesity epidemic than saturated fat.  He talks about "calories in and calories out" and illustrates why this system is not the most reliable way to control weight.  After devouring this information, I googled more from my new crush Gary Taubes.  I came across a video of him discussing his book Good Calories Bad Calories to medical students.  While I can't find the exact video, I've found another that is similar and you can see it here. 
In 2011, he came out with another great NYTimes article on sugar called "Is Sugar Toxic?" where he expands on his theory that fat is not the obesity culprit, but rather, the overabundance of sugar in our standard western diet. 

Robert Lustig, an American pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has been a  voice blasting the over-consumption of sugar and he speaks loud and clear in his video "Sugar, the Bitter Truth".  While this video runs an hour and a half, it is compelling and worth the watch.  It was yet another A-ha experience for me when he clearly talked about the difference between glucose and fructose, how and where they are metabolized and why fructose is such a problem. 

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't include the Fat Head video called Big Fat Lies that reinforced my Gary Taubes moment.
The Fat Head blog is amazing and includes some wonderful resources you can use to deepen your understanding of some of the mechanisms that may contribute to obesity.  You can watch the video here as well.



There's a lot to digest here and it may take some time, but there's comfort in knowing that your a-ha moment may only be a click away! 
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Just another week in Paleoland

7/14/2013

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We are 7 days into this "Paleo Awareness" challenge.  Are we having fun yet?  Actually, the first week seems to be the hardest.  You are adjusting to a whole new way of eating, old habits are being tested, and you're still unsure if you're getting it right.   Let me start  by saying "congratulations" for even giving this a go.  You are one step ahead of so many others who still believe that the Standard American Diet (SAD) and food pyramid are the only way to health.  In fact, I was reading an article yesterday by a nutritionist who, in her infinite nutritional wisdom, chided those who cut "whole food groups" out of their diet.  Her concern was that people were missing out on crucial B-vitamins without grains.  Wait...I don't think you need fortified inflammatory grains to get your B vitamins.  I'm not sure this nutritional genius knew that the best sources of Vitamin B12 come from mussles, clams, oysters, liver, eggs, and beef to name a few.  And while many grainitarians choose to believe that whole grains are the supreme food choice for wholesomeness, fiber and vitamins, they are sadly misguided.  But who can blame them...rarely can you find a good article in the mainstream that "goes against the grain" so to speak.  For a great read on why we exclude grains from our paleo diet, check out the Grain Manifesto by The Whole9.

Now, off the soapbox, I want to give you a few resources for your weekly reading.  First, if you haven't gone to The Foodie for help with recipes, you're missing out.  There are a ton of great recipes to try...you just have to know what you like.
http://www.thefoodee.com/post/6262/

Here's another link I'd like you to read regarding soybean oil (it's everywhere) and High Fructose Corn Syrup (oh, it's everywhere too.)  Cutting these two things out of your diet is a must.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/23/united-states-health-ranking.aspx?e_cid=20130123_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130123

An article on the Whole30 and paleo:
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20130122/LIFE04/301220029

A google chart showing the increased interest in paleo:
http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=paleo%20diet

A Science Bite from Robb Wolf:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=51021876189adc8125a6a9578&id=a3f7df4c81&e=cbdc0d1ad4
I listened to his podcast featuring John Kiefer from Dangerously Hardcore http://www.dangerouslyhardcore.com/category/nutrition/
and was fascinated with his take on partitioning most of your carbs in the evening.  Haven't we always been told to eat the bulk of our carbs early in the day?  More conventional wisdom gone awry.  I ended up purchasing his book Carb Nite and am finally getting a chance to sit down and read it.  I think it was written in about 2002.  On the podcast, he said he has changed some of his recommendations (as far as eating better, higher quality carbs as opposed to just junk carbs) since then but the theory is still the same.  I am playing around with this on myself to see if I notice any difference.  Essentially, I am eating about the same amount of carbs as I would have otherwise, but just saving them for the evening.  A sample day FOR ME might look like:
2 eggs, 2 cups spinach, 2 pieces of bacon for breakfast
mixed green salad with olive oil and red wine vinegarette and a piece of salmon for lunch
snack - rolled up ham with 1 T. homemade mayo
Dinner - baked or roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed greens, grilled flank steak, mushrooms and peppers, frozen banana and a few plantain chips.
All carbs are paleo and I will eat more or less depending on my activity that day. So far, my hunger has been pretty contained all day.  The protein and fat in my first two meals keep me satiated and the low carb approach during the day allows me to access stored fat easier since insulin secretion is drastically reduced.  Sugar highs and lows are diminished.  If I get hungry, I grab a protein/fat snack.  A hard boiled egg is a perfect example of that.  So I am accomplishing a few things at once...I'm becoming more insulin sensitive and more fat adapted as I rely on fat instead of carbs for energy.
I'm really just playing around with all of this for now, but find the science behind it intriguing.  We are all little experiments (N=1) of one so tinker with things to see what works for you. 

Check out those links, especially the Dangerously Hardcore link.  He has some great articles on his blog.  I hope I'm not overwhelming you with information, but you gotta learn about this stuff.  Can't rely on the the conventional widsom because they are consistently wrong!

Also, here are a couple of links for some great free ebooks.  The Flinch is a great one about changing behaviors.   F*** calories is a funny, irreverant view of food with a lot of good quotes. 
http://www.amazon.com/The-Flinch-ebook/dp/B0062Q7S3S
http://www.stumptuous.com/fuck-calories

This should keep yall busy for a few days!   Strap your seatbelts on for Week 2.  Remember why you're doing this.  It takes effort to learn and make change, but it is worth it.  You are worth it.

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Broccoli Slaw

7/12/2013

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One of my favorite side dishes is broccoli slaw.  I like it because it is easy, it's loaded with fiber and nutrition, and it tastes great.  It also goes with everything so it's versatile.  The cabbage is not necessary, but it does give the slaw a beautiful color.

Ingredients
1 bag broccoli slaw or "rainbow salad"
1 head of broccoli or bag of broccoli florets
                                            1 wedge of red cabbage (about 1/4 cabbage)
                                            1/2 cup sunflower seeds                                                                                

                                                      1/2 - 1 cup paleo mayo
                                            1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (Vom Fass is my favorite)
                                            salt and pepper to taste
                                          *optional add ins - dried cranberries or chopped bacon pieces


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Put broccoli slaw into a big mixing bowl and set aside.  In a food processor, chop cabbage until coarse.  Add to broccoli slaw. Remove thick stem from broccoli head, leaving florets.  Put broccoli florets in food processor and chop till coarse.  Add to bowl.  Stir broccoli, slaw and cabbage until combined. 
Combine 1/2- 1 cup paleo mayo, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 t. salt in a mixing cup.  Pour over slaw mixture and combine.  Add sunflower seeds and any other mix in you might like.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper to your liking.
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Bon appetit!
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Pico de Gallo (salsa)

7/10/2013

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This is the easiest, freshest salsa you will ever make.  A food processor is a must and makes it a breeze to make.  Of course, you could hand chop everything but who wants to do that?

PICO DE GALLO
3-4 tomatoes
1-2 jalapenos (depending on how hot you like it)
¼ onion
handful of fresh cilantro
salt to taste

In a food processor, mince jalapenos.  Add onion and pulse a few times more.  Add tomatoes (cut in quarters) and process until salsa is chunky, but not liquefied.  Add cilantro and pulse a few more times.  Stir in salt to taste.  If too hot, add more tomatoes...if not hot enough, add more peppers!


We eat this on eggs for breakfast, as a dip with plantain chips, in tacos, and over meat.  It keeps for about 4 days in the fridge, but it's usually gone by then!  There is always a batch in my fridge.
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Spice it up!

7/9/2013

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I went into Maplewood today in search of some new spices and vinegars.  My two favorite places to hit are Penzeys Spices and Vom Fass.  Penzeys carries a wide selection of spices, spice blends, and extracts.  Vom Fass is a wonderful vinegar and oil shop with limited locations in the US, so I feel lucky that St. Louis has one.  If you don't live in St. Louis, you can always check out their online stores.  At Penzeys, there were so many flavors to choose from, but below are a few of my favorites.
At Vom Fass, the vinegars and oils are all dispensed into bottles.  You choose the size and shape bottle you want and they will fill it with your desired oil or vinegar.  It sells by the ounce.  It's fun to try the different taste combinations with their little sample spoons.  They also have great recipes and recommendations on how to use their product.  I've found that their vinegars make the BEST salad dressings.  (Look in my recipes section for the basic vinaigrette recipe.)  When you use their vinegar, the results are foolproof.  The flavors are robust and complex and they complement so many things.  It's nice to have an arsenal of flavor on hand to spice up your meats, veggies and fruit.  I use them to marinade, make dressings, or to simply drizzle over food to enhance flavors.  I also use about a tablespoon of the Star Apple mixed with a glass of sparkling water over ice for a delicious drink that supposedly aids in digestion.  Who knew?!
Trying new recipes and playing with the abundant flavors available to you will keep your taste buds happy.  It can be easy to get in a rut so experimenting is key to staying motivated.  If you haven't been to either of these places, it's time you took a field trip. 
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What's in my cart?

7/7/2013

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It's Sunday and I know yall are fixing to hit the grocery store.  You're planners and that's what I like about you.  I thought I'd play the "What's in my cart?" game to give you an idea about what I'm planning this week. 
Sugar snap peas and carrots.  Easy grabbing veggies for a snack or to round out your lunch.  A bag of fresh peaches...they are so tasty this time of year.  Lemons and limes to flavor iced tea, for squeezing over fresh avocado, or to make paleo mayo with.  Two bottles of POM juice.  I only use a little at a time to flavor sparkling water.  It's delicious and definitely better than soda.  Iceberg lettuce to use as "bread" for my sandwich wraps.  Watermelon and cantaloupe to eat with fresh lime squeezed over it along with a sprinkle of tajin, an amazing seasoning I get when I'm in Texas or on Amazon when I'm not.  Cucumbers, onion, and tomato to make a delicious cucumber salad...(recipe soon), and more tomatoes, cilantro, onion and jalapenos to make fresh salsa for eggs, meat, or any other reason I might be in the mood for a fresh Mex taste.  There are two bags of Boar's Head lunchmeat...mesquite turkey and tavern ham.  I love to put paleo mayo on a piece, place that on a piece of lettuce and roll up. 



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What's in my TRADER JOE's cart?
Yes, it's true...sometimes I hit two stores in one day.  If you're lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's around, they have great, easy things to add to your paleo menu.  Eggs are key and while I usually hit up Local Harvest grocery for good quality pastured eggs, I didn't have the time so I opted for the best ones I could find here.  I'll boil a dozen and save the rest for breakfast.  Smoked salmon is a quick easy lunch along with some avocado and a piece of melon.  I always buy a bag of spinach and a bag of power greens to sautee with my eggs in the morning.  Call me Popeye.  Broccoli slaw and broccoli florets make a wonderful broccoli salad.  The cauliflower is so versatile...steam it, broil it, or make cauliflower "rice".  I'll add good proteins to these veggie options and voila, a paleo meal.  I try to cut and prep as much as I can today so most of the work is already done when it's time to put a meal together. 

Here are what some of my basic meals look like.  I'll try to put together a week's menu together for a future post.  Also, if you want great menu ideas, be sure and go to Nom Nom Paleo, PaleOMG, or Foodee for delicious recipes and menu planning.
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Breakfast with left over shrimp. Try to wrap your head around leftovers for breakfast.
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Easy, quick lunch. Yes, I love pepper.
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BBQ chicken, broccoli cabbage slaw, and roasted sweet potatoes.
You just have to think, "Start with a good protein, fill in with veggies and fruit.  Season with good fats like olive oil or grassfed butter and whatever spices you like".  See...now you've got it!!
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The Paleo Awareness Challenge

7/6/2013

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It's inevitable this time of year and it always seems to happen just after the 4th of July.  My summer indulgences begin to overtake my sensibilities and suddenly my diet looks nothing like the paleo diet I so strongly endorse.  I get lazy about reading labels and foods that were only occasional for me have become staples.  Gasp!  I've also been out of town for the better part of June and without the structure of my own kitchen, I'm left in restaurant land and it has all taken its toll. 

After talking to a number of people who also find themselves in a similar situation, I've decided it's time for a paleo tune up.  I'm calling it THE PALEO AWARENESS CHALLENGE because that's my goal...to bring awareness and good nutrition back into my day to day.  The best way to do this is with the concentrated effort of a group.  Many of us have done the Whole30 Challenge which is an amazing 30 day paleo challenge started by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.  This is a very strict form of paleo and it is a great way to establish a baseline of health.  However, I've done it before and while very effective, the restrictiveness is not practical for me this summer.  I am looking for an approach that allows for some minor indulgences from time to time, but using a paleo framework.  For example, I will allow a moderate amount of wine on the weekends.  Knowing that I have that option makes this much more doable for me.  (Why is it that alcohol is the deal breaker?!)  Summer also presents occasions where you find yourself traveling or going to outdoor parties and finding good quality paleo food is hard.  It is those instances where this "practical" approach comes into play.  You do the best you can under the circumstances, still trying to stay away from grains, dairy, legumes and sugar but realizing that if you have something that is not quite paleo, there's no guilt...just awareness and honest effort to do the best you can.  Now realize that the more effort you put into this, the better your results will be.


DETAILS:

Challenge starts MONDAY July 8th, 2013. 
Challenge ends  TUESDAY August 6th.

You need to take photos and measurements.  If you have a reliable scale, use it to see what your start weight is.  However, know that the scale is NOT the best measurement of success.  There have been many people who have gained weight on the paleo challenge but have lost fat and inches and their before and after pics tell a different story than the scale.  Get a piece of paper and write down the date you weighed and measured and all the measurements.  Write down your start weight.  You will revisit this after the thirty days.
 
PHOTOS:  Everyone has a phone with a camera.  You need to take before pics.  Do not skip this step!  A picture tells a thousand words.  Take a picture of yourself from the front, the side, and the back.  You can do this in the mirror or have someone take them for you.  Ladies, wear a sports bra and gym shorts.  Guys wear no shirt and gym shorts.

MEASUREMENTS:  You will need a measuring tape to do this.  Here are the measurements you should take:
Waist  (your natural waistline)
Belly Button
Two inches below belly button  (to catch the muffin top area)
Hips (through the part of your butt that sticks out the most)
Upper thigh (for ladies only -the thickest part right below your butt) 
Neck (for guys only)
Any other measurement that you think will give you information about body changes.

Paleo Rules:
For the next 30 days, you will avoid all grains (corn, rice, wheat, barley, quinoa, rye, etc).  Stay away from gluten free crackers and snacks that are still made with other grains.  This is the most important thing you can do right now next to avoiding sugar.
Avoid dairy as best you can.  I will allow Kerrygold butter and pastured cream in your coffee if that is important to you. 
Avoid legumes.  We are talking peanuts and peanut butter, beans and soybeans.
NO sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Read labels and try to avoid anything that has sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, dextrose, agave, or any other sugar. Slaying the sugar dragon is key.
Enjoy good quality proteins like grassfed beef, pastured eggs, wild caught salmon, chicken and pork.  Fill your plate with green leafy vegetables.  Fruit is good, especially berries, but be careful of overdoing the fruit.  It still contains a higher amount of sugar, albeit natural, that can keep you on that sugar high.  Summer is a great time to try delicious local produce, so take advantage of what is in season.

Restrict alcohol to weekends and only moderate amounts. 


EDUCATE YOURSELF
I will be posting recipes, tips and links to help keep you on track.  Check this site frequently along with my facebook page Project Paleo-StL.  I will also post on Melissa Hurley's blog called "Get it! Get it! Girl".  It's important that you do everything you can to learn about why we do what we do.  This evolutionary approach takes more than diet into consideration.  Other areas to work on are getting more sleep and reducing stress.   If you haven't had a chance to check out my resources page, please go there for suggested blogs and books.  Below are some links that will help you understand what this paleo diet is all about.  Educating yourself is part of our 30 day plan.  You have to take the initiative and make informed decisions. 

http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/

http://whole9life.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/


http://balancedbites.com/2013/03/faqs-what-is-paleo.html


If you are looking for good books, there are two that I would suggest:
It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig
Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo
I've also got other good suggestions on my resources page.


What next?
Clean out your fridge and pantry and get rid of anything that might derail your efforts. 
Head to the grocery store and stock up on fresh produce, quality meats and eggs. Get some good turkey or roast beef at the deli to use when making a quick lunch.   Make a grocery list and plan your meals a few days in advance.  Meal planning and preparation will be key in your success.  I always make a big batch of paleo mayonnaise to use in chicken salad, deviled eggs, broccoli salad, and to mix with chipotle powder to make a dipping sauce for chicken.  This will keep for about 10 days. I also like to cut up melon and other grab and go veggies.  Boil a dozen eggs for a quick protein snack.  Whip up some fresh salsa to eat on eggs or to dip plantain chips in. (all of these recipes are on my recipe page).

Consider subscribing to the Whole30 daily which is an email that comes to your inbox every day for 30 days with tips, information and guidance through the 30 day challenge.  There is a fee for this, but it is well worth the $15.
Subscribe to Chris Kresser's free Beyond Paleo email series.  This is a tremendous resource filled with lots of great information and it's free!


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The next 30 days are about becoming more aware and lending a little structure to our choices.  You will be learning to listen to your body and to feel what "health" feels like when you fuel properly.  What are your goals?  What do you want to accomplish this month?  Write those down and let them motivate you to do the best you can.  Your input will help greatly as well.  If you make a great recipe, post it to Project Paleo, or email it to me and I'll post.  If you find a delicious paleo friendly recipe, let us know about it.  The more you participate, the better we all benefit.  Start preparing for next week.  Take those pics and measurements and plan out a menu.  Don't be scared or overwhelmed, rather “Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.”   Are you ready?   Here we go...
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    Author

    My name is Leeny Hoffmann and I am paleo curious. Come out of the "Standard Diet" closet with me and let's find out what the paleo lifestyle is all about.

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