strength/skill:

3-3-2-2-1-1-1+

Front Squats

WOD:

For Time:

10 push ups

20 KB snatch

30 Knees to elbows

20 KB snatch

10 push ups

Rest 2 min then…

Max reps in 2 minutes of

Wall Balls

Name: Chris Steele

Why did you choose to do the Nutritional Challenge? I have needed that push to eat right and exercise. I have always tried but I think I needed that accountability of knowing someone was going to look at what I ate and comment on it.

Going into the challenge did you have a goal in mind? Eat better. Know what I am eating. Understand what I was eating (portions and quality of food).

How long was the challenge? Feb 1st- March 6th

What was the hardest part of it? Working like I do I have crazy hours sometimes. Making sure I was prepared with food choices. Or if I had to eat out I was knowledgeable of the food choices.

What was the most important thing you learned? That I did not have to give up good food to eat well!

What results did you see from the challenge (i.e.: inches, weight, blood pressure, off meds etc)? I lost 10+ total inches, 11 pounds, blood pressure went from borderline medication to 117/64, Total Cholesterol went from 206 to 164, Triglycerides from 166 to 75, LDL Cholesterol from 120 to 96. I was also able to come off stomach medication I was taking for acid reflux on a daily basis. I also have been able to stop taking weekly allergy shots. One of my main allergies was wheat. I cut out bread and pasta which has helped with my allergies.

What would you say to someone who says “there is no way I can make changes”? I am that “If I can do it, anyone can.” I often have high expectations of working out and seeing results. I have seen the results but more importantly I feel the results. Sleeping better, feeling better and having more energy to do the things I like to do outside of working out.

How would you classify the changes you made? temporary change? or life change? Explain This is a life change. I know that with the family history of diabetes and heart problems I have to stay on top of this. Crossfit has helped me do that. It is easy to come to workouts and learning how to eat correctly has made eating easier.

If you could summarize your Challenge and/or Crossfit experience, what would you say? I started Jan 1, not as a New Years Resolution but as a starting point. I have seen great changes and know I have more to come. I have lost a total of 21 pounds since starting in Jan. I have 25-30 more to go. But with the accountability of showing up each day with the friends I have made it makes me want to come and see what is in store for the day.

Strength/Skill:

3 x 10 Scapular Retraction

:60 Bully Stretch

“FRAN”

For Time:

21-15-9 of…

Thrusters (95/65)

Pull-ups

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A LACROSSE BALL UNDER YOUR GLUTE/HIP REGION?  THIS WILL WORK MAGIC FOR YOUR LOW BACK IF YOU SPEND TIME LOOSENING UP THIS SPOT.  ASK YOUR COACH EXACTLY WHERE YOUR GLUTE MED IS!

MASSAGE WAY AND TANKERSLEY CHIROPRACTIC IS GIVING OUT BIG PRIZES AT POKER NIGHT THIS FRIDAY!  YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CASH IN ON A FREE 1 HOUR MASSAGE FROM TERRIE LONOW AND 2 FREE WEEKS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE FROM DR. CRAIG TANKERSLEY.  BE THERE!

NUTRITION CHALLENGE STARTS MAY 1ST…

For 30 days, you have the opportunity to improve your health/fitness and how you look naked!  You have heard several stories over the past month about how a nutrition challenge can change your life.  If you missed those stories, check out our “Success Stories” page.  There are dozens of folks at CFH that have had life changing and LASTING success from simply saying “Yes, sign me up!”

We have had different challenges in the past, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 5 months, and even 1 year for 4 special folks in our community!  This one is as simple as it gets.  30 days.  No fees.  No prizes.  You turn in your weekly food log to Coach Lindsey and the education process begins.  This is a great opportunity to have a coach lead you to making better choices and help you control the portions of food you eat.

We need to know you are committed.  If you have not emailed lindsey@crossfithendersonville yet, you MUST do so by Wednesday, April 25th. That is tomorrow!  We want committed athletes.  This isn’t something you just try.  This is something you do.  Get mentally ready for May 1!

Here are the logistics…

PICTURE/MEASUREMENT TAKING: APRIL 26TH, Anytime before/after regular class hours.  No need for an appointment.  A coach will be there to assist you.

FOOD LOGS: Will be distributed through email.  Make sure you are signed up or you will not receive any email updates during the 30 days.

START CLEANING OUT: This one is easy…anything that is going to tempt you to not eat your best needs to get out of sight.

Simple enough!  Check out this funny diagram of the Paleo Flowchart

Strength/Skill:

5 x 3 Deadlift

:60 double lax ball lumbar spine

For time:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of

Deadlift (185/135lbs)

Shoot thru’s

GHD hip extensions

Song Dodd shares about her success with the Nutritional Challenge…

When I was asked to share my “success” story, I wasn’t sure if they were serious because I associate these testimonials with people who have achieved BIG successes. So after I thought about it, BIG successes are a culmination of all our smaller ones and if we can celebrate along the way, it gives us momentum to keep going.

Since we’ve moved into town and joined this Box, I noticed that words like “almond flour” and “coconut milk” were parts of casual conversation.  I liked that healthy nutrition was emphasized along with working out.  I’m convinced that most of the members have already been through Paleo 101 and know at least 30 different ways to make kale delicious but this is a shout out to the exponentially growing new members who may think “Paleo” is either more complicated or unreasonable to incorporate into a long term lifestyle.

My husband Rob and I decided to participate in the February Paleo Nutrition Challenge to jumpstart our new year’s goals of getting healthier.  I had no idea the lessons I personally would learn when I immersed myself into the program!  The first lesson I learned was if you FEED your body good meals, we have less emotional issues with food!  The key for me was to actually FEED myself regularly–Lindsey immediately highlighted the fact that my food journal showed lots of skipped meals.  I neglected the most basic part of taking care of my body–providing fuel!

In our jobs, we don’t always work traditional hours and we rarely get an opportunity to physically leave the premises for meals.  This usually means eating “convenience” food (caffeine /sugar/fat) or relying on support staff to pick up fast food while they are out.  We would come home starving and inhale crap to “fix” our hunger and stress.  What a vicious cycle!

So, I learned to plan and pack ALOT of lunches and dinners!  I learned to plan for our offsite meal schedules—this doesn’t mean I always knew WHAT we were eating at every meal for days in advance but I did know which meals would be eaten at home and which I needed to have a Plan for.

If you’ve ever listened to Dave Ramsey, you’ve heard the phrase “give each dollar a name”–so it’s imperative to give each meal A Source—do I need to pack it OR to have an acceptable alternative?  Sometimes people make poor decisions because we’re just unprepared.

We found out quickly that we didn’t hit The Wall halfway through the day because we had fed our bodies correctly.  We were less emotional about food because we were Physically Fed with quality food, so it was clear when we were Mentally seeking food for Comfort, Stress relief, or Boredom.  It’s been a slow evolution to come to this way of thinking but I know it’s going to get even better.

Yes, there is a lot of planning involved and adjusting to a new way of thinking so don’t overwhelm yourself with too much info.  In the beginning, keep your menus simple and familiar and as that becomes easier to do, try one of those crazy recipes involving ingredients we’re not used to using.  Also, add veggies into dishes that you may not think of–I’ve made meatloaf incorporating eggplant, squash, and cabbage just to name a few “mystery” ingredients.

I think the Decision to live Paleo is significant and drastic and it’s easy to be intimidated and discouraged along the way.  Remember EVERY SINGLE BITE we decide to make Paleo counts and it sure beats an entire life of eating junk.  So just commit and see where the process leads you.

Since beginning in February, we haven’t stopped The Challenge.  So far I’ve lost 10 pounds and lost inches from every measured part and kept it off even with an injury that’s kept me from regular WOD’s.  I know I’m on the right track with nutrition so I’m anxious to get back to working out and seeing how both parts will help me fully succeed!

Strength/Skill:

5 x 1 Clean

Rest :90 btw sets

AMRAP in 15 minutes:

9 Ring Rows

15 GHD Sit-ups

21 Double Unders

APRIL JOHNSON WORKING THROUGH THE 150 WALL BALLS

NEXT NUTRITION SEMINAR IS APRIL 17TH AT 7:00PM AT PANERA BREAD!  BE THERE TO LEARN HOW TO EAT YOUR BEST BY EATING HIGH QUALITY FOODS AND EATING IN MODERATION!  SIGN UP ON REGISTRATION SHEET ON FRONT DESK AT THE BOX.

WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGER, APRIL JOHNSON SHARES HER SUCCESS STORY…

Before the Whole Life Challenge started August 2011, I was miserable.  I had spent the last three years in pain and living on paid medications daily for low back/hip pain no one could help me with.  I knew I had a hypothyroid condition, but no one had explained it as an auto-immune disease, nor had they ever mentioned I could alleviate the symptoms (mental, emotional and physical) by addressing my diet.  I had been told it was caused by, and worsened by, stress.  How ironic.  I have an active job, and I’ve always lead an active lifestyle enjoying camping, backpacking, hiking, kayaking, cycling, etc. I thought I’d managed the thyroid by taking the medicine daily, at least I didn’t feel any worse than I had over the last ten years which was a cycle of sleepy and moody highs and lows.

I decided that if nothing seemed to make it better, or worse, that I’d just work through it.  I started working with a personal trainer twice a week.  I went to three times per week because I really enjoyed it.  Sometimes the pain was less, but it was still there. My trainer often asked me how I was eating, but there wasn’t really any accountability or  coaching in that area.  I addressed my diet at that time by putting myself on a 1500 to 1600 calorie diet.  Seemed reasonable.  I was lifting heavier weights, but I barely lost 10 pounds each year during that program, and I always felt exhausted.  I continued because it made me happy to get in there and do the work.

Then last July I stumbled across a “Paleo” recipe on the Everyday Paleo website and it sent me on a researching expedition on the internet to find out what Paleo was about.  That’s how I accidentally stumbled across Crossfit!  As luck would have it the Whole Life Challenge was starting up two in weeks.  I  decided to do it since it couldn’t possibly be any worse that what I was already doing.  I lost 4 pounds in the week prior to the challenge starting just by implementing some of what was on the sheets Lindsey had given me and what was in the Everyday Paleo book.  The best part was that I felt full and energized almost immediately!  The mental fog also began to clear quickly and i realized I’d felt bad in ways i didn’t even know about.  My normal had become a terrible place that i didn’t even know was abnormal until i actually felt good.  That was a happy and sad realization.  Real food changed that so quickly!

So, August 2011, the challenge started. I loved the Bod Pod!  I was stunned to learn that I burn nearly 1400 calories per day doing nothing.  I understand now that I was starving myself even at my prior 1600 calorie diet, and that’s why I felt tired all the time and never made any changes to my body composition in the year prior.  As far as my goals, it was really hard for me to set goals at the beginning.  I really just wanted to feel good.  Sure, I wanted to be thinner so I could see the muscles that I was certain were hiding under there somewhere.  But honestly, I just wanted to feel good and not hurt, and hopefully be able to do the outdoor activities I loved with my husband.  I set my weight-loss goal at 37.5 pounds which would leave me at 140 pounds.   Seemed reasonable, but on my 5’4” frame that still makes me overweight according to “experts.”

I got down to about 152  by Christmas.  Today (March 29, 2012) I’m at 148.   I’ve only dropped a few pounds since Christmas, but I’ve lost two sizes!  I’ve gone from a size 16W to an 8 overall. When setting my goals i thought 140 pounds would be about a size 8.  I was wrong.  I’m really not sure I’m hooked on meeting my weight goal anymore. Oh, and I met my goal of feeling good and not hurting a long time ago.   Sure, I hurt all over in various muscles now, and I sport bruises regularly on my shins and chest, but I’ll take that over the pain I was in any day of the week and  twice on Sunday!

Some days I feel a niggle of that old tightening pain, but it doesn’t stay long. And I’ve found that its usually brought on me spending too much time on my couch and/or eating poorly which results in lots of inflammation.  Yes, I do have plenty of days like that, but I’m largely in control of that these days, and it’s usually a conscious decision I make.  I like that.  This challenge has really changed my love/hate relationship with food.  A few friends have said not to lose too much weight and wither away.  I kind of laugh at that, because i’m not really trying to lose more weight (at least not the way most dieters do.)  I’m eating a healthy diet of protein, fat and fruits and veggies. ITS JUST A HEALTHY DIET and honestly its the far easiest weight i’ve ever lost.  My body will find its own equilibrium over time as long as i eat good foods that fuel my body and make me feel good.  My friends who seem concerned don’t get it.  They look at me like I have three heads.

One thing I’ve really struggled with has been rest  and/or over-training because I love to be in the gym.  I’ve learned that the “stress” that causes my thyroid to go crazy isn’t just life’s daily stress like we all think of.  Its dietary stress and its exercise stress. Apparently what we do in here for 5 to 20 minutes is really stressful.  Who knew!  I recognized that I was getting “sick” on a cyclical basis last Fall.  Roughly every six weeks when we did measurements I had  cold or flu-like symptoms, but I was healthier than I’d ever been on all the days in between! I knew I wasn’t really sick, but I felt like i’d been hit by a train and it would lay me out for five to seven days.  So I started listening to my body more, taking more rest days and not feeling bad about it.  The cycle stopped, and I’ve noticed more strength gains since then also.

So, my goals now are centered around things I want to accomplish in the gym – like a real pull-up, a faster 800m run and improving my miserable max deadlift.  Perhaps these are my revised goals  for the last four months of this challenge.  The number on the scale just isn’t important to me at all anymore.  Okay, maybe just a little in the far back of my mind. Can’t say I want to lose more sizes either, though i think I probably will. I still  have an above-average body fat percentage, and I’d like to get that down to the “Ideal” range.  I do have a few spots on my body that cause me anxiety, but who doesn’t.  Honestly, I noticed last week that I still have the same complaints about my body pooching out in exactly the same spots in my new smaller sized clothes as they did in my larger sized clothes.  I’m 38 years old.  Its time to recognize that human bodies are different and some just do that no matter what size. Big deal.  I can do stuff that a lot of skinny people can’t do…and that’s totally cool!

Strength/Skill:

3 x 12 Trap Raises

:30 Hollow Rock

For Time:

15-12-9-6-3

KB Snatch Left Arm (53/35)

KB Snatch Right Arm

Goblet Squat

Toes to Bar

COACH BILLY SHELTON “IN THE ZONE”

GET READY…

CFH, you are about to hear some amazing stories!  This February 30 day Nutrition Challenge has been a great success.  Athletes of all ages have been seeing results by putting their focus on healthy eating habits for the past 30 days. Eating high quality clean food, eating in moderation, and getting in 3 workouts consistently each week has been a recipe for success!  A sneak peek looks something like this…over 20lbs lost in 6 weeks, over 10 inches lost in 4 weeks, and decreased run times.  Exciting stuff!  You will be hearing individual stories very soon.  Stay tuned!

The next 30 Day Challenge will be in MAY, right before swimsuit season.  Get your minds set on May and visualize yourself on May 30th.  What do you want to change?  Where do you want your health to be?  What do you want your body to look like?  You’ve got to get your mind in the right place before you take on a challenge like this, so you’ve got 8 weeks to get it “in the zone.”

Check out the Whole 9 Blog and what they have to say about “Food Grief” HERE. It will help you understand how to set your mind for success.

Strength/Skill:

:60 Hamstring Flossing

:60 Chest Stretch in Door Frame

3 Rounds for Reps:

In 4 minutes complete…

Row 500m

AMRAP Push Press in remainder of time (115/75)

CROSSFIT CENTRAL IN AUSTIN, TX HOSTED PART OF THE CROSSFIT HENDERSONVILLE TEAM, LINDSEY AND RYAN MCDUFFIE, AT THEIR BOX THIS PAST WEEKEND GOING OVER ALL SORTS OF THINGS CROSSFIT FOR 3 DAYS!

WHY NO DAIRY?

You have heard all the fuss about no dairy, but what is the big deal?  Here are just a few examples of why you should try using coconut milk instead of the traditional cow’s milk (unless you want to find a local farmer and drink it raw!) First of all, dairy, like grains and processed foods, has an acidifying effect on the body.  In simple terms, this can promote inflammation in the body and we know inflammation leads to disease so we don’t want to travel down that path!  Second, dairy can spike insulin levels real quick if you don’t watch how much you are drinking.  Drinking calories is always a quick way to overdo it.  Lastly, dairy can create an inflammatory response in the gut, which can affect how your body not only absorbs dairy products but all food.  Ever heard of lactose sensitivity or lactose intolerance?  Folks that have this response in the gut aren’t able to absorb most all the nutrients they are intaking, which can lead to malnutrition.

How do you know if dairy causes inflammation in your body and specifically your gut?  Strip all dairy products away for 2 weeks.  That means butter, cheese, yogurt, and milk.  Then, at Day 15 (just like you did with the wheat) add it back into your diet and observe how you feel 30 minutes later, 1 hr later, and a few hours later.

Check out THIS link from Nicki Violetti at Living Paleo for a great summary on how most milk is processed and  how you can find CALCIUM in other foods besides milk.  And even better, she explains WHY the traditional gallon of milk does not have all the calcium you think it does!

Strength/Skill:

3 sets of 6-8 Alternating Pistols

:90 OHS Foam Rolling TSpine Mobility Drill

For Time:

15 Overhead Squats/ 30 Lateral Jumps

12 Overhead Squats/24 Lateral Jumps

9 Overhead Squats/ 18 Lateral Jumps

MICHELE LAMPTON GOING OVERHEAD WITH HER SQUAT!

If you are new to CFH, take a few minutes to read THIS article from the CFJournal about Overhead Squat mechanics and the effect of doing them well!

WHAT ‘S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT GRAINS?

We know that grains are not the worst thing you could eat and that it is not going to kill you to eat it once or twice a week.  However, there are several people ( 1 in 5) now that are being diagnosed with celiac disease.  People with celiac disease are not able to digest gluten, which is a protein found in products such as bread, pasta, processed goods, pastries, baked goods, and sauces.  They experience symptoms such bloating, indigestion, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting at its worst.

Now, just because you aren’t diagnosed with celiac, does not mean you can’t be sensitive to it.  How do you know if you are sensitive to it?  Simply take any sort of grain out of your diet for 2 weeks and then add it back it on the 15th day and see how your body reacts.  Personally, I experience stomach cramps, bloating, and extreme fatigue.  A blood test can’t tell if you are sensitive to them or not, so make an effort to learn on your own and give yourself a 2 week trial.

Who knows?  You may come out realizing you feel more energized by replacing the grains with veggies/fruits and you can start kicking the carb addiction!

Check out the articles from Nicki Violetti below for more information on lectins that cause this inflammation in the body.  Gluten is a type of lectin that causes inflammation of the gut.

HERE is Part 1 and HERE is Part 2 explaining why the world is going to more grain free cooking.

Strength/Skill:

3 sets of…

10 Back Extensions

5 Muscle-up Progressions

“NATE”

AMRAP in 20 minutes:

2 Muscle-ups

4 Handstand Push-ups

8 Kettlebell Swings (70/53)

GARY OBRIEN FIERCE WITH THAT TIRE WHILE ALSO GETTING SOAKED IN THE RAIN!

GARY OBRIEN’S SUCCESS STORY…

Wanted to repost this story of Gary’s from last Spring.  This was after he took 2nd place during the Spring Nutrition Challenge!

My name is Gary O’Brien and I am 48 years old (OUCH!!!!). I have been an athlete my entire life, (God just blessed me with eye/hand coordination and athletic abilities that allowed me to be good at almost anything involving balls, sticks, rackets,  hoops, running, jumping, etc.) but the events of the last few years had really taken their toll on me emotionally and physically. I am a civil engineer by degree and a land development consultant by profession. As you may know, there has not been much construction or development over the last few years and I was laid-off in the fall of 2008. I went without permanent, full-time work for over two years!

Needless to say, my self-image, self- confidence and self-worth all went into the toilet! I kept believing and trusting in God’s plan for me and at the beginning of 2011 I started a new job (this is a whole other God-story that I would love to tell you all!) In early February, I looked at myself in the mirror and I knew I had to do something. I weighed 184 pounds (my highest ever) but worst of all, I looked, acted and felt “OLD”! THIS IS NOT WHO I WANTED TO BE!!!!

So I started working out and running again, but it was sporadic, at best. By mid-March, I knew I had to do something different that would add accountability and structure to what I was doing. That is where CrossFit comes in. When I first decided to give it a try, I wasn’t completely sure of what I was getting into. I have friends who either have been or are CrossFitters and they had all said good things, but I was totally clueless about the way it would transform my (OUR) life (lives)!  I did the free intro class and then the free promotional week and I knew this was what I had been looking for! I signed up for the Foundations class and never looked back!

While I still cannot do the workouts as fast as I want to or do as much weight as I once could, I am feeling better every day. At the end of the Nutrition Challenge, I was down around 162 pounds and I am starting to feel like my old self again! A few weeks ago Boyd Johnson and I jumped into the 300 Games and while it was very hard, I loved the feeling of accomplishment and sharing that experience with my brother (not by blood, but by heart). But honestly, the best thing about CrossFit is the community of people that gather in “THE BOX”. I love walking in there each morning and seeing the many smiling faces and the “Good Mornings!” that come as we prepare to kill ourselves. Someone once said, and I am paraphrasing, that there is no bond like the bond that comes out of shared adversity. It is so true!

I am inspired, challenged and renewed each time I am with you all. Lindsey, Jason, Monica and all of you have created a very special place and “family” there in “THE BOX”! I look forward to many more years of CrossFit workouts and getting to know everyone better!

Thanks Gary for your motivating story and encouraging words!

If you are signed up for the OPEN check out what you get to be a part of!  The largest fitness competition in the WORLD.  Over 15,000 have registered.  If you have not, there is still time.  Register HERE and make sure to include “CrossFit Hendersonville Team” so we can help our box get to Regionals!

Strength/Skill:

10minute shoulder mobility

“PAUL”

5 Rounds for Time:

50 Double Unders (150 Single Unders)

30 Knees to Elbows

20 yd Overhead Walk (185/135)

*Partner Style

JESS HOPSON, A CROSSFIT KID, COMPETING IN “COME TO THE WELL” AND MAKING THAT TIRE LOOK EASY AND FUN!!!

SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR…

Found a great article from CrossFit Kirkwood about SUGAR!  There are some clear cut pictures on foods containing sugar and some great links to articles about sugar.  If you are a SUGAR ADDICT please click on the links, especially the “Carbs and Cocaine” read and the WHOLE 9 article at the very bottom of post.  We had the Whole 9 gang come and speak about nutrition to us and they explain nutrition in a very easy to understand way!

(This post is pretty loaded, but settle in with some hot coffee, kick back, and take it all in.  You don’t want to miss this information!)

Such karma, once again!  A linked piece just on the day I needed it!  The full article from Detail can be found here:  Are Carbs More Addictive Than Cocaine?

But please carefully read this excerpt that gets at the root of the issue with sugar and other refined carbs:

The answer is that fast-burning carbohydrates—just like cocaine—give you a rush. As with blow, this rush can lead to cravings in your brain and intrusive thoughts when you go too long without a fix. But unlike cocaine, this stuff does more than rewire your neurological system. It will short-circuit your body. Your metabolism normally stockpiles energy so you can use it as fuel later. A diet flush with carbohydrates will reprogram your metabolism, locking your food away as unburnable fat. When you get hungry again you won’t crave anything but more of the same food that started you down the path to dependency. Think of this stuff as more than a drug—it’s like a metabolic parasite, taking over your body and feeding itself.

You aren’t supposed to talk this way about carbohydrates. According to USDA dietary recommendations, they are not only healthy but are supposed to make up the majority of the food we eat—45 to 65 percent of all calories. Carbs, which are classified as starches and sugars, make up the essence of bread, cereal, corn, potatoes, cookies, pasta, fruit, juice, candy, beer, and sweetened drinks—basically anything that isn’t protein or fat. Our government’s recommendations were established in the 1970s and have since been accompanied by an explosion of obesity and diabetes. The advice came about as early nutrition scientists rallied around a misguided maxim that remains embedded in the fabric of our attitudes toward food to this day: Eating too much fat makes you fat. But science never bore out this pre-Galilean view of nutrition. What is now clear is this: At the center of the obesity universe lie carbohydrates, not fat.

And this part of the article, concisely explains the hormonal response to sugar/carbs.  This will be a topic for the website later this week, but if you’d like to read more on your hormonal response to food, check out “A Week in the Zone” by Barry Sears.  Super short, super easy read. “The Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain is also a great one- not too scientific and packed with clear info.

How You Get Hooked (Over Time)

1. When you take in carbs, like Gatorade or whole-wheat bread, you secrete the hormone insulin. Even thinking about carbs causes this to happen.

2. Refined carbs spike blood sugar, and this is a big problem. The first result is that your body immediately stops burning its existing fat stores.

3. Too much blood sugar is a dangerous situation, and in response, insulin, a hormone, rips it from your blood and tells the body to store the energy as fat (in men this first happens around the waist).

4. Normally your liver controls blood sugar, but because you eat so many carbs you have a constant supply of insulin circulating. This turns out to be bad—very bad. This causes you to become resistant to insulin.

5. Insulin resistance means your body pumps out more insulin to make up for the deficit. Now you’re getting fat, but what’s worse is that your body desires even more carbs as fodder for the excess insulin.

6. You get fatter and fatter and your body craves more carbs to feed your increasing girth. This destructive cycle is why Americans are so overweight (the process doesn’t happen overnight).

Meg’s Commentary:

Let’s face it.

When we’re talking Paleo and “clean eating,” sugar and grains are by far the most challenging for most to kick out of their diets.

THEY ARE ADDICTIVE!

They taste good, they’re comforting, they have emotional “attachments.”

I get it.

For Rich- it’s his grandma’s red velvet cake, and a scone on Saturday mornings, and his mom’s sky-high apple pie.

For me, it WAS Cravings carrot cake (no better dessert in all the land) and buttery, crunchy toast.

I know it’s really, really hard, but I also know that the less you eat of them, the EASIER it is long term.

I’ve never had much of a sweet tooth (besides carrot cake), but I was a CARB GIRL through and through- give me the fruit, grainy toast, oatmeal, mac & cheese, bagels, cereal.  That’s what I LIVED on (in addition to some vegetables and the occasional egg) for a couple decades.

REMEMBER, ALL CARBS GET BROKEN DOWN INTO SUGARS ONCE DIGESTED!

I was not healthy.

I worked out…A LOT, but I wasn’t lean.

I was tired all the time.

I was hungry ALL the time.

I felt puffy.

I was NOT healthy.

When I met the husband, I slowly started eating more cheese and eggs and less refined carbs.

Then when we started Zoning, I ate even less grain and no sugar (unless it was a birthday… carrot cake, you know).

Then Paleo came along, and I sadly gave up my Ezekiel toast and oatmeal, too.

I didn’t believe it at the time.  I thought I’d give it 6 weeks and then go back to my beloved buttered toast, but I didn’t.

For about 8 months, I still had my Saturday toast and Indian paratha bread on our free Saturdays, but weirdly, I stopped doing even that.

It would sit in my stomach like a rock, and I craved it less and less the longer I ate strict Paleo.

The last time I had carrot cake a year ago on my birthday, I literally got sick.  An hour later.  Completely fine. My body rejected all that sugar.

Once you kick the habit, your body will talk to you.

I promise.

You just have to fight through the first month or so, and after that, limit yourself to a treat here and there when you it’s really important to you.

Remember:

Meats and Vegetables

Nuts and Seeds (and other healthy fats)

Some Fruit

Little Starch (as in sweet potatoes- not grains)

NO SUGAR

(Last point- our kids don’t need it any more than we do!  Yes, the occasional treat should fit into the spectrum of a healthy diet, but think about all the sugars they possibly consume in packaged foods as well as cookies, juices, and snacks.)

More information on SUGAR:

14 Sweet Facts About Sugar

Mark’s Daily Apple

The Definitive Guide to Sugar

Whole 9 Life
Sugar=Sugar=Sugar

In addition, don’t fool yourself with agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, etc.

They’re all forms of sugar.

Another point that Melissa made at the workshop that must be shared is that

YOU NEED NOT PALEO-FY A POOR FOOD CHOICE.

Fudge babies, Paleo pancakes, Paleo muffins, Paleo brownies, Paleo pizza-

Don’t trick yourself into thinking that these are healthy because they don’t technically have any grains in them.

YOU ARE NOT LEARNING TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS AND MAKE BETTER CHOICES BY CONSUMING THESE!

And HERE is the ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER VIDEO FROM TUESDAY! Sorry that it got stripped from site…