Calculating your BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)

Good day to you, my brothas and sistas!
Are you curious of how to go about calculating your BMR. 
Would you like to get yo math 'on?
Well, you are in luck. For I, being the awesome cat that I am, have provided the easiest way to calculate your BMR with the least amount of frustration possible. So, go ahead... math it up.
However, before you get your adorable little panties in a wad, realize that this is a rather broad view into your (possible) BMR.

The BMR formula provided herein uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate your BMR. This is more accurate than just calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. Also, it is more finite than the crap which Government agencies, who want me eating the carbohydrate equivalent to 7 slices of bread (not at all considering fruits and veggies) daily, manage to spew out at the ignorant masses. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (aka swole) becuase it will underestimate calorie needs, and the very fat (aka tubby) because it will over-estimate calorie needs.


English BMR Formula (for you proper monkeys)

 

Chicks: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

 

Dudes: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

Metric BMR Formula (for you foreign monkeys)

 

Chicks: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

 

Dudes: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

OK. Do you have your BMR down now?
Good.
Wait, wait, wait. You aren't done yet. Now, you will utilize your newfound information/figures to calculate your total daily energy expenditure.
The Harris Benedict Equation is a formula that uses your BMR and then applies an activity factor to determine your total daily energy expenditure (calories). The only factor omitted by the Harris Benedict Equation is lean body mass. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will under-estimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).


Harris Benedict Formula

 

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

 

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2

 

• If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
• If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
• If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9 

 
Total Calorie Needs Example

 

If you are sedentary, multiply your BMR (1745) by 1.2 = 2094. This is the total number of calories you need in order to maintain your current weight.

 

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to gain or lose weight.

What were your results? Please post them, so that I feel some type of reciprocity.
Also, feel free to begin your post with some sort of praise. I am OK with such things...

 

The Black Lion

- Lance Armstrong and I had a "Who has more nuts contest", I won by 5!

OK, We need to talk...

Hello there everybody. How was your weekend?

Yeah, that's great. Listen, I need you to sit down and be quiet.

Go ahead, get comfy.....

 

Alright, ready?

I want to discuss 2 topics that have been irking me just a tad:
TOPIC NUMERO 1 - OVEREATING

TOPIC NUMERO 2 - DESSERTS

Some of you freaks are eating way too much and/or not enough of the right things.

Wait, I thought that you couldn't overeat while being Paleo?

Ok, first of all, we aren't at the Q&A section of this little chat, so at ease your face and listen. If I may continue...
Yes, I recall something to that tune. I do not remember me saying there is no way you can overeat while following Paleo. I do, however, remember someone saying, "technically, you can't overeat on Paleo" and me nodding pleasantly with an upturned lower lip.
Can one overeat? Yes, sure. If I knock out a rack of ribs with a 2 loaded sweet potatoes, wash it down with half a bottle of mead, and then sit in front of the tube mindlessly eating a bowl full of fudge-babies..... I overate. Sure I technically was 100% Paleo - Robb Wolf, himself, would attest to this. Still, is it the smartest way for me to go about it? NO, bitches, it most certainly is not. Being Paleo is not a passport to Stuffyourfaceville (population - you), it is a passport to a healthier and better conditioned you - granted you do it correctly.

Let's re-evaluate our reason(s) for trying the challenge.
If you are in it for losing some weight and/or toning up - You need to be mindful of intake.
If you are in it just to have better looking bloodwork - You should be a bit mindful of intake.
If you are in it to have better recovery following work-outs and overall athletic prowess - You don't need to be as mindful of intake, but it would not hurt for you to try not overindulging.
If you just want to be healthy, already look good naked, and need to gain some lean mass - You can take a shot of olive oil.

If, at this point in the challenge, you are not seeing any results, then you need to take a look at your daily caloric and nutritional intake. Now, I don't want you to starve yourself. If your metabolic demands are 1800Kcal to 2000Kcal, I prefer that you teeter close/above 2000 than  close to/below 1800; but you shouldn't go significantly above 2k.

This leads me into my second topic... Desserts!

Wait Manni, I was under the impression that...

Holy crap, we still aren't in the Q&A! Shhhuuuuuuush!

The topic of Desserts and Overeating go hand in hand prancing merrily through a glorious meadow. For you see, they are bosom buddies. Some people are relying to deeply on dessert foods. Honestly, I think that some of us may be consuming too much dessert foods. Again, even if it is Paleo, don't just shove it in your facehole. 

Mmmm - Paleo Brownies - nom, nom, nom.

Mmmm - Mead - glug, glug glug.
Mmmm - Fried Apples - nom, nom, nom.
Mmmm - 85% Dark Chocolate - nom, nom, nom.
Hooray - Vino - glug, glug, glug.
Mmmm - Paleo Blackberry cobbler - nom, nom, nom.
It's all Paleo, yay!
WRONG!

Yes, they are all Paleo but most, if not all, dessert foods are full of sugars and may also be a bit overstocked with fat. Of course I do remember saying that sugar, not fat, should be your primary concern during all of this, but I stand adamant to the idea that you need to monitor your intake. Not every meal needs to be followed up with a dessert. If you really need something to munch on, have a piece of raw fruit or make yourself an Almond Milk Latte. Discipline! 
Keep it low-cal and low C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
Remember, you can't always have cake because it can't always be a special day. A couple times a week is fine, but if you do it all the time, then you will sabotage your efforts and 6 weeks later you're thinking that The Black Lion and his "Paleo" rubbish were specious and unprolific.
No, no, no - let's call a spade a spade.
You were unsuccessful! You let you down. 
I have heard from plenty of people who feel better, have lost plenty of weight, are recovering faster from their workouts, and even claim to exhibit a better complexion. Is this anecdotal evidence? - perhaps. Still, why don't you take a moment to reflect on your meals for the last week and be honest with yourself? Have you maintained the guidelines? Have you been adherent? Did you really need all that dried fruit before going to bed? Just a thought...

Remember to mind your caloric (and nutrient) intake in relation to your caloric expenditure.
Now, I will admit that I, on occasion, eat a bit more than I should, but I am still meeting my goals, and I do increase my phyiscal activity in attempts to counterbalance said occasions.
I'm just asking that you monkeys be mindful of you and to be honest with yourself.  Mind this - maybe you should keep an intake journal. Write down everything (except for water) that you are consuming. It may help shed some perspective.

I am done lecturing, so I will move on to a lighter note:
For those of you that were not present for the cookout on Saturday past, I want you to know that you missed out on a spectacular feast. Marks salmon was perfectly cooked, Rogelio's chicken never dissappoints, Mike's chicken was miracoulously moist, Felton's [baked chicken and shredded apples] dish was great, the pesto chicken was on point, whatever the hell Jared's beef balls are called were delicious, poking fun at [Sumi the veggie-head] was nourishing to all of our souls, the spread of veggies was wonderful, the wine that Tristan brought was....umm,... consumed, and the several other dishes not mentioned were all scrum-diddly-umptious. The cook-out was a success and good times were had by all.

Be well.
-El Leon Negro!



now we can have a Q&A...

Paleo Cook Out

Well folks, the half-way point for the Paleo Challenge is around the corner. To celebrate our success thus far and continued pursuit, I am hosting a Paleo Cook-Out at my apartment on:

Saturday March 26th at 12:30pm.

Please use the comments area to confirm attendance. To defray the cost of food, please commit to bringing a protein, side dish or other nibbles to cover yourself and share with others.

Showcase a recipe that you have found, created or altered for the Paleo Challenge.

It will be an afternoon of food, friends and fun!

"Fudge Babies"

This recipe is really simple and absolutely delicious.

1 cup walnuts
1 1/3 cup dates
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients in a food processor (or blender, magic bullet, etc.) and blend. Roll into balls. Enjoy.

If you don't have walnuts, pecans are also delicious. 1 1/3 cups is about 20 dates.

TIP: Make sure to remove the seeds from the dates before putting them in the food processor... its a nightmare picking them out if you don't and you'll notice if you bite down on one.

Late Night Snacking : Don't Do It.

Hey party people. 
We are coming up on the completion of week #2. Hopefully things are doing better for you in an overall perspective. Personally, I find things have become easier when it comes to selection of Paleo chow. I  have noticed that several people have mentioned that snacking is/can be an issue. My solution - don't snack late at night. Easier said than done, I know. 
Listen up, monkeys, let me throw some knowledge at you. 


Not only is it better to not get your late night snacky-snack 'on, but if you are going to snack, it is better to do it during the daytime. A recent Northwestern University study found that eating at irregular times (ie - the middle of the night when the body should be more focused on sleep) influences weight gain. The regulation of energy by the body's circadian rhythms may play a significant role. 

"How or why a person gains weight is very complicated, but it clearly is not just calories in and calories out," said Fred Turek, professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology. "Some factors are under circadian control. Better timing of meals, which would require a change in behavior, could be a critical element in slowing the ever-increasing incidence of obesity."

Simply modifying the time of feeding alone can greatly affect body weight. Mice that were fed a high-fat diet during normal sleeping hours gained significantly more weight (a 48 percent weight increase over their baseline) than mice eating the same type and amount of food during naturally wakeful hours (a 20 percent increase over their baseline). There was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding caloric intake or the amount of activity.

Over a period of six weeks, both groups of mice were allowed to eat as much high-fat diet as they wanted during their daily 12-hour feeding phase. (Much like many humans, mice have a preference for high-fat food.) Since mice are nocturnal, the 12-hour feeding phase was during the day for those fed during normal sleeping hours and during the night for those fed during naturally wakeful hours. Food was not provided during the other 12 hours of their day.

Our circadian clock, or biological timing system, governs our daily cycles of feeding, activity and sleep, with respect to external dark and light cycles. Recent studies have found the body's internal clock also regulates energy use, suggesting the timing of meals may matter in the balance between caloric intake and expenditure.

Remember that the United States and the world battle what has been called an "obesity epidemic."  or as I like to call it, "Fatassness". More than 300 million adults worldwide are obese, including more than a third of American adults. Wait, let me put this in an even brighter light. About 2/3 of the US is considered to be overweight; 1/2 of the US's overweight population can be categorized as obese.

These figures are frightening!

USA Obesity Rates Reach Epidemic Proportions
* 58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
* Eight out of 10 over 25's Overweight
* 78% of American's not meeting basic activity level recommendations
* 25% completely Sedentary
* 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990

OK, OK, that is enough scare tactics. Let's look at it with a different perspective. We use food for energy, right? How much energy do you need to sleep? Not much. The nutrients that you have ingested throughout the afternoon more than suffice for the "regeneration" that occurs while we sleep. I'm sure you've heard that you should eat more during the daytime than night. The problem is that we are too easily consoled by food. How many times have you heard, "I've had a rough day, I need to eat [insert bad for you food] tonight?" or "it was a friend's/coworker's/pet's [insert special occasion] today". 

I'm sorry, have I lost you with a section that reminds you of MadLibs in middle school?

Bottom line, is that it is more an effort of us not sabotaging ourselves and/or giving ourselves a scapegoat for doing the wrong thing. Excuses are easier to make than commitments.


Why am I eating so late at night - do I really need so much [whatever I'm eating] to go to sleep? NO.... many times, we just eat out of boredom or out of habit. I know that it feels good to sugar yourself up, but remember that there are consequences to your actions. 
Ok, if I don't eat this cupcake/pie/random pastry will my friend/coworker/pet be upset with me; will I ruin this person's/being's life by not letting said non-Paleo fare trespass my facehole? NO.... chances are, they/it will continue to flourish. Not eating that pastry does not make you a bad person. It shows you that you are in control and that you are not mindless. 

I am well aware that saying "it can't always be a 'special occasion', guys" is probably not what you want to hear at this moment of your Paleo venture. I'm sure that you want tips and techniques to help thwart off the Snacky Monsta within. Alas, NO... Not just NO, but hell NO.  This posting is not meant to coddle you monkeys. It is meant to remind you to have/show more self-discipline. Part of the Paleo Challenge, is seeing and experiencing what you can/will do if/when you take the reigns. 

Keeping it real,

-The Black Lion

Kale Chips

One bunch of kale

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 225 degrees. Tear kale into pieces (uniform is more important than size - but they shrink down, so don't make them too small). Place kale on a non-stick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle generously with spices such as sea salt, Old Bay seasoning (delicious!), powdered ginger, garlic salt, or anything you like. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until dark green and crispy - careful not to burn!

I have found that kale chips can help with the late-night munchies. They are obviously NOT potato chips, but they get the job done.

NICE TO MEAT YOU :

Protein Consumption

As a general rule - active people should eat between 1.5 to 2gms of protein per kilogram per day. Any more than that rate of consumption of protein/kg/day, you better be hitting "2-a-days" with tremendous frequency. This amount of protein intake is typically reserved for people that are training for hours a day (Ironman, prize-fighters, etc.). 
The USDA states that one should have about 60gms of protein per day as part of their [2000K cal diet] and this is enough for the average American as they maintain an "active" lifestyle. The average American already consumes enough protein/day to maintain that recommendation. Of course, only about 25% of people maintain an "active" lifestyle.

Why so many quotation marks Manni?
That's a good question, Miss...

 I have been using quotation marks because people that stick to only rec-league kickball games or go for brisk walks several times a week also fall into the realm of "active" according to the so-called experts. I am not bad-mouthing you, rec-league people, but I doubt that playing a game a kickball and then kicking back beers at the pub with your team-mates really is sufficient activity to justify upping your protein/caloric needs. To the walkers, it is great that you go out and try something active, but if you want more, you do more! OK, maybe I am being a bit unfair.... I digress, apologies. 



Where was I?... Oh yeah, Like I said, Paleo should not be taken as a pass for unlimited meat-fests. Your Paleo-centric nutrition is a diverse veggie+meat-fest (or - veggie+legume-fest for Jay and Sumi). 

Like Tristan mentioned, I would also rather err on the side of a bit more protein than not enough. Here are the extremes - A lack of protein can lower all the functions of the body, but if you overload with protein it can put a strain on the body causing a high level of acidity.  This was the main concern with Atkins fanatics; conditions such as acidosis or ketosis. When this occurs our bodies tend to use calcium from our bones and teeth to stop the acids breaking down our body tissues - Calcium is alkalinic.  However, if you are veggie-fying yourself enough and not over protein-ifying, you are good. 

But Manni, I am not drinking Milk, where will I get calcium from?

Damnit! You didn't pay attention to my initial speech, did you. 

I am gonna go take a nap......

PEP TALK :

Stay in the game, bitches!

Next stop - Cardio Vascular Disease!

Reminder :

• Week 2 of Sample Recipes are up.
• The calipers are at the gym if you want to take your measurements. 
• As far as your measurements are concerned, if you did not do them this weekend you are OK to do them on week 2 or week 3, at the very least, the half-way point. Granted you stayed Paleo-savvy, it should show you a progression. 

---> M

Banana-Blueberry Nut Muffins

In celebration of no one telling me that tomorrows WOD is freakin Murph! I made some Paleo friendly banana-blueberry nut muffins. I found this recipe using the great tool known as “Google”. Thus, I cannot take credit for it. It’s pretty simplistic and I’d grade the end result a B+. Going forward, I think I would add at least one more banana, and a little more honey. The recipe will make approximately 18 muffins. To those conquering Murph tomorrow, I will be bringing some to the box to taste.


Ingredients:
2 Cups of Almond Meal
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
5 Banana’s (Smashed, add another one IMO)
2 tsp Honey
4 tsp Cinnamon
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 ½ Cups of Walnut Halves
2 Cups of Blueberries

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use 2 bowls; one for dry ingredients and 1 for wet. Use a mixer if you have one or stir until combined (be sure bananas are really smashed). If you are not using cupcake wrappers, make sure the muffin pan is greased with olive oil or coconut oil. Bake approximately 23 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for longer lasting muffins.

PC Topic: Tired

What up my brothas and sistas?

I received this question earlier today, so I thought I would address it blogwide.

(Paraphrasing)

Dear Manni,

Let me start off by saying that you are as cool as the other side of the pillow. I had a workout today. It was my first workout since Sunday, because this week has been really busy, and I think I did awfully (compared to my baseline workout capacity). Is this is normal for the 1st week of being Paleo, or is there something I might be doing wrong? I have been pretty strict with everything so I am curious if that is normal. I have a beast workout planned for tomorrow and I'd say I'm a bit concerned for my ability to perform. Thoughts?

Yours Truly,

-Inquisitive Monkey

Good question, Monkey. This first week is rough in general, but after several days, your body should start figuring out how to manage energy (in a different than previously, aka [before Paleo], manner). Sometimes it may take one's body a bit longer to acclimate. This may be dependent on various factors including, what your nutritional intake was prior to changing your diet, independent physiology, age, rest/unrest, stress.... the list goes on. Rememeber that your body is transitioning to utilization of fat as your primary source of energy. Also, you have probably been eating crazy amounts of starches (Hell, I ate half a cake on the weekend prior to Paleo Challenge's commencement) before you began being Paleo.
Hopefully, by now your lethargy/headachey-ness should be waning. The mainstream would call this phenomena "The Low-Carb Flu", but it is more correct to think about it as "The Detox-From-So-Freakin-Much-Crap-Carbohydrates-That-You-Had-Been-Eating Flu"! I will be honest with you, I have heard about some people complaining about these and other symptoms for as long as a couple of weeks before their body decides to act right. Bear in mind that, you're rewiring your circuitry.

In addition, you inquisitive little monkey, to the aforementioned circumstances/causes there may be several other possible factors, or combination of factors, at play which may be contributing to your "impotence".

• Your nutrition prior to your workout wasn't adequate/optimal/sufficient to keep your energy levels.
• You weren't well rested. You may blame this on your hectic week if you want, it is certainly a valid thought. Sleep, damn you, sleep.
• Is it possible that you were just having an "off" day? ("Wrong side of the bed"-type scenario?)

These aren't the only ones that come to mind, but these are the most likely. I'd venture to say that it's a little of each and independant physiology. I doubt, however, that received the short stick and will continue on suffering for a while. Try to remember what you ate during the last 12-24 hours (prior to your workout) and scrutinize it. Did you have enough FAT, Carbohydates, and Protein? Remember, you don't necessarily need to dramatically increase your protein intake (most active people do well with 1-2 kgs of protein per 1 kg of body weight), you need only to ensure that you aren't consuming too much [bad for you] foods.

As far as tomorrow is concerned, make sure to rest adequately and I suggest you have a light snack (perhaps, 1/2 a banana, a bit of almond butter, and a piece or two of jerky - for example) sometime before your beast workout. Don't worry, it won't count against your 1 piece of fruit permitted per day :-)

-El Leon Negro

So there you have it. I hope that this may help some of you guys out. Feel free to ask anything you want. We can all get our learn 'on together.

-M

Chicken Pad Thai ... with Spaghetti Squash!

Alright, so last night I decided to venture into using spaghetti squash. I was skeptical at first, but am really happy with how it turned out! Needless to say, it was an orgasm of YUM.

There are three components to this recipe: sauce, stirfry and spaghetti squash.

Sauce:

3 TB lime juice

3 TB soy sauce

3 TB fish sauce

2 TB rice vinegar

1 TB Honey
1 TB sesame oil

Red Pepper flakes, to desired spiciness

Stirfry:

1/2 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

Chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork

Veggies - anything you want to add! I added lots of green, red, yellow bell peppers, carrots etc., I feel like you could get creative in this department.

Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of oil for 1-2 minutes, then add your protein (I chose chicken) and stirfry until fully cooked. Toss in the veggies and cook until they start to soften. Add the sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over your squash!

Spaghetti Squash:
Ok there are several methods to do this; however, being a college student, I picked the quickest and most convenient option (who doesn't like something quick and easy? Jk guys ;D), but if you google "preparing spaghetti squash" you'll find something that involves an oven and some more complicated techniques, which may yield you even better results.

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half, long ways (like how you'd cut an avocado).

2. Scrape out seeds

3. Wrap each half of the squash in saran wrap

4. Microwave each half for 6-8 minutes.

5. Take fork and scrape inside of squash into bowl (caution: it will be hot!)


This was super easy to make and tasted great. Also, I got this recipe from http://cavegirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com which has a lot of really tasty things I want to try.

P.S. I apologize that the picture I'm uploading falls quite short of artistic, or appealing to the eye (gotta love the ladle sticking out of the stirfry, keepin' it real). Hopefully next time it'll be a bit more pleasant!

Lemon Rosemary Tilapia

4 tilapia filets (can use any white fish)
1 lemon
4 sprigs of rosemary
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
capers (small container)
salt & pepper

Cover cookie sheet with a layer of aluminum foil. Place filets side by side on the aluminum foil. Cut lemon in half. Squeeze juice of half the lemon over all four filets. Drizzle EVOO over fish as desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut the other half of the lemon into four discs. Place a sprig of rosemary and a lemon disc on each filet. Sprinkle capers over filets as desired. Cook uncovered for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tip: Squeeze lemon with cut side up to prevent seeds from falling onto fish.

Chicken with.... a bunch of spices:

Hey peoples, I have a recipe that I tried out today. It was the result of a culinary adventure/experiment. One that I would have to say ended rather well. I will figure out a way to make it better/tastier. This will feed two people. You can make this meal per recipe and divide it into halves. Save a half for another meal.

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into strips no more than 1cm thick)
• 4 carrots (julienned, keep as lengthy as possible)
• 4 stalks of broccolini  (about half a bunch) 
• 1 can of lite coconut milk
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp corriander seed
• 2 tsp ground ancho pepper
• 2 tbsp ginger
• 2 tbsp tandoori spice
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• salt & pepper to taste

Combine chicken, 1tsp of [garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon, corriander, and ancho] and 1 tbsp of [ginger and tandoori spice], all the oil and mustard. For best results, allow this mixture to marinade for at least 2hrs, but can be done within minutes of mixing. In a non-stick sauce pan, place chicken and allow to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes (stir occasionally) on medium-high heat. Add can of coconut milk and remaining ingredients, except for carrots and broccolini, let simmer for 5 minutes at medium heat. Place the carrots and broccolini atop the the chicken and cover. After 3 to 5 minutes (depending on how crunchy you want your veggies) stir/mix everything in the pan and turn off heat. Your food is ready. 

Bon Appetit!

Now on to pertinent issues of the moment.

MUSCLE MILK - Is meant to be pre/post workout. I did mention to everyone that it is not Paleo, but it was permissible within this challenge (as are protein bars, and milk, and legumes for the vegetarian peoples). Try not to go above one serving a day. Also, try to have it within an hour of your WOD. It is OK to have at night, but realize that you don't really need too many nutrients to fuel for sleep, unless you happened to workout late in the evening. 

FRUIT - Or should I say "lack thereof". Listen guys, I know that it is tough to get through this first week. Try to stay fast; try your darndest. This is your challenge, prove to yourself that you can stick it through. However, before you crumble and end up devouring a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese (ahem, ahem), I much prefer that you have yourself a piece of fruit. Stay Paleo! This is your challenge, don't let yourself down.

SIDENOTE

S L E E P - If you eat anything, try not to sleep within 3 hours. The reason for this - if you do fall asleep within 3 hours of a meal, your body is more likely to store/convert the nutrients as fat.


- El Leon Negro

Please sir, can I have more...

Ok. I have heard that a few peeps have been having a displeased gutworm.

Bottom line... you are hungry.

Is it normal for you to be hungry? ...... Ummmm.... yes, yes the heck it is.

A major influencing factor in your hunger is your "brain-nugget". Yup, I said - it's all psychological. Ok, not completely. You are hungry(er) because you are focused on eating. You have been spending significantly more time thinking about food within the last several days than you typically would be. Also, when you do get hungry eyes, you typically (and mindlessly) grab a quick [whatevers in your fridge] and shove it in your face hole. Another reason why you  are hungry, is quite simply because you aren't eating enough (duh). Remember that 1 cup of rice equates to the caloric density of six cups of spinach. Therefore, you should up your calorie intake. As I told [Mike Jeng. Who? Mike Jeng.] earlier today - have a snack and a beverage other than water; and like I told Suzzy - grab yourself a handful of nuts (oh, grow up people!). 

A quick address on another weekend comment

Sorry, I had to do it!

I'm kinda headachey : yeah, thats the "withdrawl effects" from all the sugar you usually consume. Remember how I said this week was going to be a detox? You'd be amazed how dependent we are on  If you need a sugar fix, get one of the borderline vegetables, like bell peppers (the red and orange ones tend to be the sweetest). It is amazing how sweet a bell pepper can taste.

Tips for suriving the day:

• Drink H2O with your meals. Have coffee, tea, mineral/sparkling water with your snacks. Besides, thirst is sometimes misconstrued as hunger. That is why I have my first coffee at least an hour after I eat breakfast.
• Chew some gum. Sometimes, the psychological effect of chewing helps. It falls along the same as downing a whole tub of popcorn without thinking as you watch the tube - you have an oral fixation.
• If you are really hurting, have a diet soda, but limit these types of drinks as best you can (artificial sweeteners).

I chose to start on the weekend for several reasons (I'll get into that a bit later). Most people are more productive during the workweek, so hopefully you'll keep busy and focus on other things. The worst are the first couple of days. It will get better. You guys are doing great!

Keep it gangsta

-The Black Lion

Approx 3lbs of Carrots

Cauliflower Mashed "Potatos"

1 whole cauliflower (or 1 bag of frozen)
1/4 cup almond milk
2 Tbsp vegan cream cheese
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder


Cut cauliflower into florets and gently steam for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Transfer to a food processor or strong blender with remainder of ingredients. Allow motor to run until it's smooth and creamy like mashed potatos, stopping periodically to scrape the sides and break apart large chunks. Also add more almond milk if necessary to get the mixture to full incorporate. Once fully incorporated, smooth and creamy: taste, adding more onion or garlic powder as desired, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Paleo Challenge: day #1

Day 1 is over... just 41 days to go :-)

What I ate today:

Breakfast: Muscle Milk smoothie with almond milk

Lunch: Hardboiled egg, a couple celery sticks (I wasn't too hungry)

Snack: Carrot Juice (yeah, just got a brand new juicer), and a handful of nuts.

Dinner: Chicken thighs with asian marinade, sauteed chinese broccoli, one large carrot.

I'd have to say that today went by well, but we'll see what the end of week #1 is like (hopefully I'll still be singing the same tune). How did everybody else fair?

Intro Speech to the Paleo Challenge:

What up chicks and dudes?
The Blog is back like a Big Mac Attack. I have not used this blog in quite a while but I plan on being fidelotous from here on out. Previously, I was using this site for my run training. It will still be used for me to occasionally post my run WODs and for my occasional bits of [get your learn'on], but now it will also be a web-command central for our Paleo Challenge. Like you may have heard me say - It is is easier to do things when you know that you are not alone. Some of you can take this as "misery loves company", but I will tell you right now that you are looking at it through the wrong lens if that is your intitial opinion on it. Going Paleo is not torture nor some type of punishment; it is an opportunity! An opportunity to learn more about yourself, your ability to be disciplined, and to learn the role that adequate nutrition plays in your athletic performances and your activities of daily living.

I've said it before, " YOU CANNOT OUTPERFORM SH!TTY NUTRITION". Giving your body the best foods that have been proven to provide better output is comparable to using high octane gas in a high performance vehicle! (pssst, that high performance vehicle is your body)

The Paleo Challenge is now in effect. The preliminary rules and guidelines have been established and shared. Now what? Don't worry your pretty little monkey heads, I wouldn't just throw you in the deep end of the pool and leave you there to sink or swim (OK, maybe I would, but I am not this time). This is why I decided to reinstate this Blog site. As I mentioned just a few lines ago, this blog is now multi-purpose. If you are part of the challenge, send me your email address, and I will grant you access to the blog. In this blog, you can enter your thoughts, ramblings, or any other pertinent information. For the love of crap, don't leave a bunch of BS on the pages for people to read. This isn't your FB or twitter! Nobody cares that this movie on TBS has you lol'ing to the point that your stomach hurts, or about "mmmm appletini", or that you have the best dog in the world because it sits up like humans do and it is just soooo bloody cute (at least I don't). Tell us what you ate in order to stay Paleo today, share a great new recipe, put together a potluck - do anything that will ensure your and everybody else's success. This is your challenge make the most out of it and stay on task. Don't lie to yourself and don't cheat yourself. Nobody loves you as much as you do, so do something good for yourself.

-Manni
The Black Lion




ps - Me and comments are like fat kids and twinkies. Do I need them? - No. Do I want them? - Hell yeah! 
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