Doctors
We have great respect for the Medical profession as a whole. Most Doctors truly want to see you healthy. With this in mind please understand that the BUSINESS of medicine is highly profit driven and there is rampant swindling.
Three decades ago, the head of one of the world's leading drug companies made some remarkably candid comments. Wishing his company was more like the chewing gum maker Wrigley's, the chief executive of Merck said it had long been his dream to make drugs for healthy people, and ‘sell to everyone'. That dream now drives the marketing machinery of one of the most profitable industries on the planet.
SOY
I have never been a fan of Soy. When I read the original stuff on Soy I thought it was over-hyped and I have never viewed it as a quality protein choice. Over the past 7-8 years I have viewed Soy and not only over-hyped, but actauuly dangerous. Someone fowarded me articles about Soy making boys gay; I think it's going a bit far but it is making them less masculine. Consumption of Soy wreaks havok on hormones and your overall health.
The first possible effect is highly undesirable if you're a male because estrogen, in addition to being the primary "female" hormone and responsible for a host of "feminizing" effects, also, in greatly simplified terms, makes it harder to put on muscle.
Hereis a quick study on effects of Soy on men. The problem is that farmers are paid to grow Soy. The government is highly invested in Soy as a fuel and as a food even after reports have come out that it is a weak choice as either. HERE is a good over view on Soy and really well vetted out info.
The big problem with Soy is that it is in EVERYTHING! If you are eating Paleo or doing the Whole30 than I am sure you have read the labels. Organic dressings and sauces that have "all natural" products are LOADED with Soy. Here is a great headline for parents;
School officials are more likely to use it to increase the amount of soy that they blend into their standard fare, like burgers, tacos, etc.
It is endless. The beat thing you can do is READ THE LABELS! Mario Batali makes a great sauce where the ingredients are; fresh chopped onions, fresh garlic and all fresh herbs and spices - no paste or puree added. All of Mario Batali's Sauces are made exclusively in a green facility. EmerilLagasse's sauce...loaded with Soy and has triple the ingredients. Avoid the Soy! After your 30 days is "over" a food I would implore that you NOT re-introduce at all is Soy and any Soy by products.
Supplements
While some level of vitamin and nutrient supplementation might be smart and economical, you should never overlook the possibility that you can get all that you need from whole foods. As a general rule Live Long Fitness does not sell, or even endorse, one supplementover another. I think that many can be very helpfukl and many people take supplements and are very happy with them. I have personally gone up and down with supplements and for the past several months have taken very few. I think that Fish Oil has shown great results and has allot of good science behind it. I have been very happy with Magnesium and with Vitamen D. The rest is a person choice that you have to make. I like Creatine, but no longer take it. I think that Anti Oxidants can be very helpful. I have focused on eating good, whole, real food and feel that
Real food contains substances that pills do not. We do not have the technology, and that technology may never exist, to package all of the goodness of fresh food into a pill. Real foods have a complex mesh of phytochemicals, hormone precursors, fatty acids, pigments, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and probably as yet undiscovered or isolated nutrients that all work together for our health and nutrition. Some studies have shown that too much of certain substances, like beta-carotene, can do more harm than good to certain segments of people, when the real foods that contain the same nutrient would be harmless. Potassium supplements can also be dangerous, and you should have no problem getting enough potassium from fruits and vegetables. Megadoses of popular vitamins like vitamin A and niacin can cause organ damage. You need to be aware of how much of these you are consuming in a supplemental fashion. Many of these nutrients are in the proper portion when consumed from regular food. It is better to increase your dietary intake of fresh organic whole foods than popping more pills.
BEEF
I am going to be picking up some grass fed local beef on Thursday. If anybody wants some, there is 15lb "sample" pack still up for grabs. 410-641-7837
Off The Wagon
A few (very few) folks have gone off the wagon at some point this week. My suggestion is to re-start the 30 days. I think that it is important to do the entire 30 days unbroken. Mentally, physically and emotionally it is important. If you were "planning" to cheat, or if it just happened, start over. Most people are not going to live their entire lives eating as strict as you would on The Whole30, but what are you saying to yourself that you can't go 30 days? I'm not judging here, allot of people are not even trying but 30 days is not that long to go without alcohol. As someone who no longer drinks it may seem easy that I bring that one up, but I am around alcohol ALL THE TIME and choose not to drink. I pick up Pizza's for kids, make Mashed Potatoes for Calais and attend functions and travel. Lisa and I are going to Wilmington in 2 weeks and we will eat clean. You can do your own version of this, but be honest with yourself about it. If you have a drink at a wedding it is because you chose to have one, not bad or good just is. Remember there is no try...like Yoda says" do or do not, there is no try". I think that you learn allot about food and your relationship with it by doing 30 days, you can have any opinions on that that you want. If you fall off, start over. Here is a quick question for you. What about illness? There is no illness that will benefit from not eating. Lacking protein, you can not recover. I was unable to eat solids and unwilling to drink dairy so after only being able to get 30 grams of Protein on Friday I had Whey Protein on Saturday to try and keep recovery up. Start over?
Check In
We are 5 days in to Whole30. Things should be getting easier every day, and you should be noticing some changes. One of the biggest questions I am getting is on quantity. At this point eat good whole foods when you are hungry. Fat, protein and vegetables at every feeding will do the trick. Digestion should be feeling better and with dairy gone, lungs and sinuses will feel more "open". Keep the questions up and keep going. If you are getting bored with your food choices, try a food you haven't eaten. Lisa had never had Brussel Sprouts until recently, and now we eat them all the time. Also don't lose sight of the objective; to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. Crabs to Go on 589/50 has stepped up their game and has the best selection of local, fresh seafood in the area. We could't figure out what to eat the other night, so we ate a pound of jumbo lump crab meat and a few dozen clams with spinach salad.
That surely beats this guys .
Beef
Food can be a touchy subject, but we are going to cover some items around where beef comes from, and why it matters to you. Beef is an amazing source of nutrition that got a bad rap in the low fats days of old. It is hard to find many food as nutrient rich and satisfying as beef. The problem is that over the years we have gone from small, sustainable farms rasing cattle to large industrial complexes raising cattle. So? On a farm cattle will graze on grass, and if the winter is harsh be fed grains and grasses until they can graze again. In an industrial cattle farm they are NEVER fed grasses, but instead fed corn, meat products (cannibal?) and antibiotics and hormones to get them fat quick. Remember you are what your food eats! All of the junk food, chemicals and medicines fed to cattle, go into your meat! We will not talk about the sanitation of large feed lot cattle right now, but it is appalling. So where are you supposed to get meat? We have been using Cheaspeake farms on Rt. 50 in Berlin and they are great! Local grass fed beef from a family farm, hard to do much better. C&J in Seaford is also a great source of beef. I have been to the farm and met the cows and the farmers, and this is good stuff. Another option we have used in Harris Ranch. This is corn fed, so you need to decide. Harris Ranch is unbelievably ethical and sustainable company that produces great quality beef from very reputable farms and farmers. You will be hard pressed to find a company more dedicated to improving the quality of your beef than Harris Ranch. If you are interested in purchasing beef, contact us for info. david@bodybylisa.com
The Whole30 2.0
There have been allot of GREAT questions about what is/isn't legit while on Whole30. Dallas and Melissa at Whole9 have put out a great program but there is a bit of a learning curve with it. When I did my first Whole30 I ate STRICT Paleo which meant no Green Beans, Vinegar and a few other items. The program is based in Paleo, but is not married to that prgram. Dr. Loren Cordain put out "The" Paleo Diet Book and it is great. If you follow strict Paleo, you are legit on Whole30, but the reverse may not be true. If you want to stay hard core Paleo, go off of Dr. Cordain;s stuff, for Thw Whole30, this is the most recent info:
The Whole30, Version 2.0
Last year, we proposed a squeaky clean eating program designed to “change your life in 30 days”. The response on the blog was overwhelming. Hundreds of people participated, following the “rules” inspired by the experience we had when we completed our own 30 day nutritional program. It wasn’t long before testimonial after testimonial began rolling in – body composition started changing, gym performance went through the roof, medical biomarkers began to improve and a whole bevy of physical ailments and conditions were miraculously “cured”. In July 2009, the Whole30 was born, and became the foundation of the nutrition for our Whole9 practice.
And now we’re back almost one year later to launch the program again. First timers are welcome. Repeaters who may have started off strong but slipped back into old habits are encouraged. Bring your Mom, bring your book club, bring your whole gym… because for the next 30 days, the Whole9 site is your nutritional source of motivation, support, advice and direction.
THE SUMMARY
Certain food groups (like grains, dairy and legumes) are probably having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent (or non-existent)? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you train, or are pretty lean but still have a little extra puff on your midsection? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you? Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the inflammatory, insulin-spiking, calorie-dense, nutritionally sparse food groups for a full 30 days and let your body heal, recover and reset from whatever effects those foods may be provoking. What, exactly, does that mean? Super strict, by-the-book, 100% Whole30 for the next 30 days.
WHY?
First and foremost, this will change your life. We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact. This. Will. Change. Your. Life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and hundreds of people have since done it, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion.
WHAT?
So what does “Whole30” mean? This is the plan we have created, in as much detail as we can provide.
Eat real food – meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, some fruit, and good fat from nuts, seeds, coconut, olives/olive oil and avocado. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re fresh and natural.
1. Do not eat dairy. This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee or tea).
2. Do not eat grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa and sprouted grains.
3. Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter, kids.)
4. Do not eat or add sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc.
5. Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, processed bars (like Zone bars), dairy-free creamers, etc.
6. Do not drink alcohol, in any form.
7. If you have serious inflammation issues like arthritis, you may want to consider avoiding nightshadesfor 30 days as well.
8. Most importantly… do not try to shove your old, crappy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold. This means no “Paleo-fying” existing less-than-healthy recipes – no “Paleo” pancakes, pizza or Fudge Babies.
A few concessions, based on our experience, and those of our clients. These are less than optimal foods that we are okay with you including in moderation.
1. Processed Meat. On occasion, we are okay with organic chicken sausage (these are nitrate, dairy, gluten and casein-free), and high quality bacon, deli meat, and jerky.
2. Nuts. We do not want you cracking out on nuts and nut butters, people. Sunbutter is acceptable – buy the organic (no sugar added) if possible.
3. Dried Fruit. In general, careful with the fruit. Use dried fruit and Larabars in serious moderation, andonly if it doesn’t send you running for the nearest candy dish.
4. Non-”Paleo” Vegetables. We’re fine with green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas. While they’re technically a legume, they’re far more “pod” than “bean”, and we want you to eat your veggies.
5. Coffee and black tea. We’re okay with coffee (black, or with a little coconut milk) in moderation, and only if it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Usually, that means none after noon. If you really want to go hardcore and reset your body’s sensitivity to caffeine, skip the coffee/tee for the 30 day period as well.
6. Vinegar. While it’s technically not “Paleo”, we’re fine with using it in small quantities as a salad dressing or in salsa.
7. Salt. While some “approved” foods like olives or bacon will have some salt in them, go easy when adding salt to your food.
HOW?
Now that you have the basic plan, you need to know how to implement it. It’s simple, actually.
Start now. Today. This minute. Count out thirty days, go immediately to your local health food store, farmer’s market or grocer and stock up on things you’ll be eating. And then… go. Cold turkey, just start. It’s the only way to do it. If you give yourself excuses or reasons to put it off, you may never begin. Do it now.
Your only job for the next 30 days is to focus on food choices. You don’t need to weigh or measure, you don’t need to Zone. Just figure out how to eat like this in any setting, any special circumstance, for the next 30 days. Your only job? Eat. Good. Food.
The only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty days. Anything less and you are selling yourself – and your results – short. The first few days (at least) will be tough, as your body heals and adjusts to this new way of eating and your brain wraps itself around going without all those sweet tastes and sugar-driven energy spikes. And while you may start to feel better after a week or two… the healing process takes significantly longer. In addition, the mental addiction and emotional connections to sugary foods, large amounts of carbohydrates and over-the-top, chemically-altered flavors is going to take a lot longer to overcome. Stick with it, be patient with yourself, and commit to the full program.
This is not a “challenge”. If you’re just looking for a 30 day test of mental toughness before going back to your beer and pizza on day 31, go somewhere else. We want you to THINK about what you’re eating, why you’re eating it and how it makes you feel every step of the way. We want you to think about what you’re NOT eating, and how those foods may have been negatively affecting you. And we want you to commit to sticking with it for as long as it takes for the magic to happen.
At some point, we promise you… the magic will happen. Your energy levels will increase and stabilize, and you’ll feel just as good first thing in the morning as you do at the peak of your day. Your body composition will start to change – even if you don’t cut calories (and we encourage you not to). Your performance in the gym will improve, and your recovery will skyrocket. Conditions, ailments, aches and pains will miraculously start to improve. And through all of it, you’ll be eating delicious, fresh, natural, real food… things that you will come to realize DO taste good, and are both satiating and mentally satisfying.
The final caveat: this requires full buy-in, and 100% commitment. That means no cheating. Just ONE “cheat” could irritate your digestive tract and promote an inflammatory response, or provoke an insulin spike which sends you straight to the nearest vending machine for a Coke. A single cheat will ruin the effect of the “reset button” you are trying to push. This isn’t Whole9 playing the tough guy. This is a FACT, born of education and experience. The only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty days, without a single, solitary “cheat”.
Day One
Some people are over-thinking this. YES we will be looking at "big Picture" and issues of sustainability ect. Right now just focus on doing it. Hunger, mood swings, temperature swings, cramps ect may happen in the 1st few days. Strength may get sapped, met cons may suffer; just hang in. It should not be that bad, and won't last long. Planning and preparation are your best friends right now. Man up, read labels for soy, sugar ect, and get into a rhythm with it.
The Whole 30
We are starting the official Live Long Fitness Whole30. There has been allot of questions about this, and I will do my best to answer them here.
HERE is The Whole 30 plan laid out by the folks who came up with it. PLEASE read it completely. A couple of quick points here.
1) May 16th is the start date and it will go for 30 days IN A ROW!
2) It is a black and white plan, some soy, or some dairy are not ok. If you do not want to commit to the program, you can do modified versions on your own.
3) All dairy is out. Coconut milk and Almond milk are not dairy, but all yogurts, cottage cheese, cheeses are.
4) Soy and all Soy products are out! Read labels!
5) Legumes are OUT! These include
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