Cocoa Roast Almonds

I would like to applaud everyone who is embarking on the Paleo Challenge. You guys are awesome!

Although, I am not (my self-control when it comes to food is very limited) doing the Paleo Challenge, Jared is attempting to be Paleo while in Afghanistan. And it is harder than you would think since they don't have a kitchen in their rooms (which are the size of a shoe box). So I have been on the prowl for snacks that are as close to Paleo as possible to ship to him.

I have found one that I feel is the ultimate Paleo snack - Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds.

Manni may have to have the final word on these, but from my calculations I don't see anything that prohibits these from being Paleo.

AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS!!!

keeping accountable...

.hey guys! i just wanted to make very public my goal of not eating after 8 p.m. during this paleo challenge. my biggest weakness is eating late at night and i feel like that's a lot of what is getting in the way of my goals. so from now on, if i eat after 8 p.m., I am going to consider it a cheat and i need some sort of punishment....any ideas??? Thanks for reading. ;)

The Black Lion Blog is back... again (again)

What up chicks and dudes?
Welcome to the Black Lion Blog. I hope you are ready for another dose of Paleo living. Well, minus the actual hunting and gathering of foods... nor the need to live in caves or create shelters from either wood or stone... nor the need to ferment grapes in animal stomachs for wine... nor the needing to run from predatory animals... also, we need to work jobs to survive... ok, let's just say PALEO EATING

Welcome to the Black Lion Blog. I hope you are ready for another dose of Paleo-style Eating (yeah, I like that better). Lucky for some of us, we already know what it is like to eat with a Paleo mindset. Alls you need to do is scroll over to the other Pages in this blog to remind yourself of the guidelines to the Paleo Challenge. I have said it before - 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 as well as your activities of daily living.


You may have also heard me say - " YOU CANNOT OUTPERFORM SH!TTY NUTRITION". Giving your body the best foods that have been proven to provide better performance output is comparable to using high octane gas in a high performance vehicle! 
(yes, you are a car in this simile)


This Paleo Challenge starts Monday, October 3rd. That way, you can get your last day of Foosball, beer, and pizza out of the way. Besides, it is easier to start something like this on a day in which you are already running on some type of schedule. The preliminary rules and guidelines have been established and shared, there will be a slight tweak or two. 

This blog will remain multi-purpose. Everyone that is part of the Challenge can have access to post onto the blog. In this blog, you can enter your thoughts, ramblings, or any other pertinent information. Key word "pertinent". This isn't your FB or twitter account; people (or at least I) couldn't care less that your status is currently "shots, shots, shots" or "mmmm, waiting on my waffles" or "ouch these boots hurt" or any other poignantly idiotic non-issues which make you "ROTFLMFAO". Nope, not me, I could not give a f*ck about any of that. I have a decent sized storage unit in College Park with plenty of room. One half is stocked with seasonal clothing, some furniture, a couple books, and my mountain bike. The other half is stocked with f*cks. Lots of f*cks - varying in shapes, sizes, colors, and viscosities. More f*ucks than one man really needs, enough to outlast Jared's post-apocalyptic Twinkie supply. Still, I find myself unable to give one single f*ck about your inconsequential FB/twitter status update that says nothing more than "it's raining". Really? Really dude" It is raining? Thank you for broadcasting this monumental information; somehow I am unable to look out my bloody window and prospect this information on my own! 


I digress, forgive me my friends. 
What were we talking about?
Ah yes, when you post on the blog, feel free to share something PC related. 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 - Yes, I basically used the same post which kicked off the previous PC

The Challenge is OVER!

RELAX

We are several days beyond the final day of the Paleo Challenge. As much as I would have loved to address this milestone earlier, I was a bit preoccupied with a little race known as the Boston Marathon. However, there are some things that are quite necessary for me to talk about.

First and foremost - Congratulations to everybody that stuck it out all the way to the end. 

Now, on to business... Although the challenge is over, there are still some transactions pending between us. I need some info from you guys that will wrap this event up.

#1 - INTANGIBLES:

How'd it go for you? Do you feel good about yourself? Better or worse than before you started the challenge? This is where you will provide me and your fellow PC participants with anecdotal evidence. For those of you that have not yet bothered to comment on the blog, please realize that it is a facile task - won't you please honor us with your thoughts? I know that you are quite busy and it is just arduous to spare the tens of minutes that it'll take to type out the text. We appreciate your sacrifice.

#2 - TANGIBLES:

Share your recorded measurements. I have noticed a visible difference in appearance on some of you peoples. Still, we need to see the numbers; we need finite numbers. What was your starting weight - ending weight, inches lost/gained, body fat percentage changes, etc. I hope that you kept track like you said you would.

#3 - DECLARING A WINNER:

Consider this, if you did not take measurements/numbers how the shit can you win? Don't forget, we did say that we would all contribute to a "kitty" and declare the top 3 winners. Pay your dues, bitches! If you didn't follow the rules, I don't know what to tell you. Honor your word... or you can consider it a Paleo Tax - either way, pay the piper.

In order to declare a winner, we need your results posted and your thoughts broadcasted. 

Put up a post or comment with tangibles and intangibles.  Being a wordsmith may help, but in the end the tangibles are the biggest factors to note. 

We will read one another's posts and each make our own list of who we consider to be the top 3 people. From there, we will use the Borda Count Method to choose the top 3 based on our list. Sound OK? Don't worry it is an easy task, it just takes a bit longer than just counting ballots. 


Manni, why are you making this so complicated?
Shut your monkey face, that's why!


Everybody was given access as an author/contributor to the website. If you do not have it, let me know and I will email you the access. By being an author, you have the ability to post pictures and what not. I'm sitting at the edge of my seat.


-Manni
"I can swim through land"

THOUGHTS:

All, this is where we can put down our thoughts about the Paleo Challenge.

Feel free to give full disclosure. Be as critical as you want. If you thought the PC was bunch of crap, it is fine, but give reasoning behind your thoughts. If there is someway that we can make this challenge better for next time, also give us your suggestions. I've heard varied anecdotal evidence from some, but please share regardless. I even had someone tell me that she feels as if her "cycles" seemed to have gotten better/more pleasantly (in comparison). Should you share to that depth? Only if you see it fit...

I will start us off:

Intangibles:

Now that the PC is over, I stand atop a mountain of self-importance and think to myself "wow, that was much easier than I thought it was going to be". Indeed, I felt like poo during the first week of the PC, but as the days progressed it became easier. For the most part, the PC was a positive experience. Besides my workouts feeling better, my post-workout recovery was faster, my sleep was more profound, and I wasn't relying on bad foods to help settle my stress. It boggled my mind to see how much I could eat and still have positive effects. I like the amount of recipes that I tried out; I think that I cooked dinner at least 5 nights per week.

Maybe it is all in my head, but the only thing that changed during the last 2 months was my diet. I set new PR's in most of my heavy lifts and I was able to perform well in high endurance events (marathon). 

I am going to continue mostly Paleo. I think I will allow myself 3 non-paleo meals/snacks per week and 1 dessert. I hope that I am able to continue it thusly for the time being.

Tangibles:

I have lost an inch and a half off my waist and hips. My thighs each have increased an inch in diameter. I lost 8lbs and have gone down 6% in body fat.