Drink More!!

Water!!! YEAH!!!

<---This guy LOVES his water. This is actually the background of my desk computer. Why?

Cause its a koala bear in a bowl of water!! What?!? Cause its Awesome!!!

Guys make sure you are hydrated throughout the day. Water is like, UBER important to have in the system for all kinds of crazy reasons. Mainly before workouts you want to make sure you are coming in REALLy well hydrated. Not so much that you are peeing your pants during the workout or running to the bath room but to prevent dehydration, dizziness, passing out, feeling like trash, and getting smashed in the wods. This could explain why you are preforming sometimes the way you do.

How much H2O??

I dont know or care about the glasses per day or gallons or liters just drink the fracking water!!

A little thing that I do that helps out with making sure I get enough water for the day is to drink 1 glass before my meal and 1 glass after. This helps me feel more full and also aids in digestion. If I eat 4 times a day then I know thats 8 glasses. Thank goodness I eat more than 4 times. Also if you do use protein shakes use water with the shake instead of some other bs. I use coconut milk and water mixed with the powder.

So drink up!! And if you were really hoping I was talking about alcohol, you may want to get some other kinds of help.

CHEERS!!

Challenge Over!!

Howdy!

For some reason, even before I have finished this post, I am afraid that this post is going to backfire. I fear that this is going to be THE downfall for most of you. Ill post it anyway but if I start seeing food logs with just these items on it there is going to be literal HELL to pay. BUT! If one of you wants to cook a sweet batch up for me, cause I pretty much only leave myself time for the hunting and cooking of animals, there would be hugs in it for you. Enjoy and let me know how it goes.

Paleo Muffins: Ingredients: * 2 cups almond flour (almond meal) * 2 teaspoons baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1/4 coconut oil * 4 eggs * 1/3 cup water *Add blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peanut butter, chopped nuts, or any other fruit as desired, cinnamon/coco and other similar ingredients can be included. Preparation: 1) Preheat oven to 350 F. 2) You can really do it with any size, but I'm basing the recipe on a 12-muffin tin. 3) Mix dry ingredients together well. 4) Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly (You don't want strings of egg white in there and you don't have to worry about "tunnels" when you are using almond meal). 5) Put in muffin tins (about 1/2 to 2/3 full) and bake for about 15 minutes.

Paleo Doughnuts: Ingredients: * 1 cup flax meal * 1 cup almond meal * 1 T baking powder * 1/4 t salt * 1 and 1/4 t nutmeg * 1 t honey * 1 t cinnamon * 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted * 4 eggs, beaten * 1/2 cup plus 2 T water Preparation: Makes 12 regular-size muffins 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Mix dry ingredients well (exclude those used for topping). 3. Add beaten eggs, melted butter, water, and sweetener to the dry mixture. Mix well. 4. Fill muffin cups a bit more than half way with the mixture. 5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Allow muffins to cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove. 6. Mix the cinnamon and powdered sweetener for the topping in a clean bowl. 7. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the melted butter you allocated for the topping, followed by the sweetener/cinnamon mixture.

Paleo Pancakes: Ingredients: * 1 cup almond flour * 2 eggs * 1/4 cup water (for puffier pancakes, you can use sparkling water) * 2 T coconut oil * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1 T honey Preparation: Mix ingredients together and cook as you would other pancakes. I like to use a nonstick pan with a little oil. The only real difference is that they won't "bubble" on top the same way as regular pancakes. Flip them when the underside is brown.

Paleo Winners!!

Hey Gang!
So the Paleo Winners have finally been announced. Sorry that it took so long hee hee;)
I just wanted to share the results of the winner at Bodies In Motion and verbal statements from other challengers.
The Winner of the BIM Challenge was Aline who stuck with the diet fairly well (she was very honest but did paleo probably about 87-90%) but still got banging results. She also trained her butt, almost literally, off with me, which from what I hear helps a little. She lost a total of 12 pounds-ish (from 175 down to 163). Went down 5% body fat (from 31% to 26%)Lost 3 inches in my waist (35 to 32)Lost 3 inches in my hips (39 to 36)Lost 10 pounds of body fat (from 53lbs to 43lbs).

Other results that people mentioned were:

Client 1 Results:

Hey Chris,

I cant believe I made it through these past 7 weeks haha. Im really glad i made it all the way through with messing up as little as possible. I really believe that if you can dedicate yourself to eating right and exercising, you can just about do anything else and I feel like this is the first time that i have actually reached a goal of mine with my physique. I am feeling great and am not planning on stopping the paleo lifestyle anytime soon. I am now about 172 pounds, give or take half a pound, and was originally 187 pounds when i first started the challenge. I am feeling healthy and can not wait to hit the weights now to build up a little bit. I also wanted to let you know that my dad has been very successful with his results from the diet also. Honestly, i am kind of happy he isn't in the challenge because i think he would have been some really tough competition haha. He lost a total of about 17 pounds and has gone from a size 38 pant size to about a 33 now. He is very happy with the results and wanted me to say thank you for all this great information on his behalf as well.

Client 2 Results:
Hey Chris!!
Its finally done!! I am grateful to you and Aline for introducing me to the challenge. I always kind of knew what to do but actually being determined and implementing Paleo into my life has changed my life in a positive way. I want to keep going with this Paleo lifestyle except have some chocolate here and there and some alcohol to celebrate.
I have lost a total of 15 pounds and it was basically all due from diet. I didnt really work out a lot. I wanted to but my schedule didn't really allow me to do as much as I wanted. I still worked out mostly doing my Pilates tapes at home but as for hard core gym workouts no. I didt measure my body fat or muscle content but I have been fitting almost all of my pants..even the ones from highschool. I would say I have from 2 dress sizes as well. I dont know what that is in inches. I feel great but when I took these new picture I still dont like what I see. I still want a lot more change in my body..this is just the beginning for me.

Closing Arguments

Well, its a matter of days now. In just a few days some of you are going to unleash your overwhelmed, imprisoned taste buds on anything and everything you haven't had in the past few weeks. Many of you will find nothing but pain, loss of finance, possible vomit or diarrhea, the fetal position, darkness, guilt and more. Some of you may never come back. Sure you will make attempts but you wont fully come back. Im talking about those who once this challenge is over, have some bad intentions towards processed carbs and sweets. Sadder is there are some who havent even been 90% with this and still feel like they MUST cheat (you know who you are).

Anyways, its almost over.....OR is it?!!? MMuuuaaahhhahahaha....ha...ha.....

Right? Wait! Some of you lost tons of weight. Some set new PRs. Some look and feel younger. Some are just starting to make really amazing progress, so the question is; is it actually over?? For most of you Im going to assume that its not. Some of you arent going to go back to the way you ate before this challenge/intervention and that makes me happy. For some of you this hasnt just impacted you but also your families lives as well. You got stronger, faster, fitter, clothes fit better and you can think and function better. For some of you this wasnt a challenge but the right thing you need to do to see improvements in your overall health. For some that right thing was passed to others as well. Congrats to you. Great job to all.

As a trainer, coach, friend, person, seeing these positive changes in each of you and hearing about them is something that brings a true joy to me knowing that if possible I helped in some way, and for that joy I thank You.

IMPORTANT INFO:

Pictures. Final pictures must be sent in my Monday 3-29-10. If you are at the gym this weekend and dont think its getting any better you can ask us to take the pictures friday, saturday, sunday or monday. ALL PICTURES MUST BE TURNED IN MY MONDAY NIGHT. No pic no prize.

Suggestion!!: Dont take the picture after the workout, you arent going to look any leaner and depending on the wod you may look puffy. Just throwing that out there.

Simi Paleo Challengers: Trying to plan this accordingly I would like it if all of those who participated in the challenge show up to the 730pm class on tuesday (because Im also lacking attendees at that time) to find out who won. Ha! Want your money! Better show. P.s. I dont have your money, just wanted to state that for the record :) If you can not make it please email me.

BIM Paleo Challengers: You still need to email me pics by Monday night. Winner will be announced Tuesday night. Since there are only like 4 of you, we probably wont meet but I will meet with you individually. I do kindly ask that you email me all and any changes physiological changes that have taken place over the past few weeks ie total weight loss, total fat loss, muscle gain, any signs of better health or feelings etc.

Congrats to all of you! I wish you all the best!

The End Is Near!!!!

2012??? Nope. End of the 1st Paleo Challenge.

First off you should be proud of yourselves for even getting involved. Then you should have even more pride that you have lasted this long, cheat meals or no cheat meals. Pride should then further be inflated if you have obtained some kind of good result.

You have to remember, gyms, fitness, diets, self help, they are all huge multi-billion dollar industries, why? Because most people fail. They set themselves up for failure, they aim for failure and then odd as it sounds "the succeed at failing." (Thats my own line you cant have it!)

So if you lost 5lbs, 20lbs, 2lbs you need to be proud that some kind of change took place. A change that most people in this country sweat, cry, depress, fight, bleed for and sometimes never even start...and one in which most cant succeed at getting. Change...everyone who got involved in this at least tried to make one. Maybe it was cutting grains, maybe it was eating more, maybe it was starting a food log but at least something changed because of you.

Speaking of change: How do I change more?!?

Some of you are flipping out about this (not in a bad way.....yet). But some are asking how do I change more (You give a mouse a cookie and it wants a glass of milk)? How do I lean out more? Its weird because this stuff (proper nutrition) doesnt really work with the applied "I taught you how to fish" philosophy. Even I require new advice and direction. So here are my suggestions:

LESS (you hear that) LESS!! than two weeks remaining. Suck it up! Sack it up! Get it done! Theres Cash involved so this is now a sprint to the end. Of course keep it real.

If you are major on fruit cut/limit it. If I really wanted to lean out I would go under 50g of carbs for the day (you would need to know how to count carbs in the 1st place and watch EVERY freaking carb you eat). So id cut fruit and go veggies only.

Id start tapering down fats. limit the nuts. Get rid of the butters (almond too), maybe switch over to solely coconut milk. In small doses.

Dont over eat. Still leave some room for hunger. Basically dont eat until stuffed but satisfied.

Drink a ton of water.

NO CHEATS!!!

You are almost there!!

Questions?? Email a brother.

IMPORTANT INFO!!

Jesus! Moses! I was tired but I hope I wasnt that tired that I didnt explain this so badly. A lot of info on this blog that I try and spend time on it and then I hear...Some of you dont read it! What?!?

Anyways I need to straighten some things up:

1) This is NOT a strict 7 week challenge. This is a best you can for 7 weeks. If you have meals that arent paleo, as my bother says "my names paul and thats between y'all." If you eat non paleo meals it does NOT mean you failed or its over. It means get back on the horse and ride into the new frontier of the better you! It happens, dont get depressed or stressed about it, just go right back to eating well. Its called temptations, crappy friends, amazing advertising, and social situations. PLEASE though, note how you feel and how you react to it if you cheat. A few of you have come off and suffered badly from it. (I told you). BUT hear this...if you have NOT made it a week of strict paleo......you better be praying for great results because thats the only way I can think you are going to make it. If you didnt make it 3 days youre screwed. If you cant make it a week youre screwed. This is a challenge for cash to see who makes the greatest change. Its not a strict challenge. Ive seen people do this and still drink coke zero. Did they win....HELL No! Did they make changes, yes. Figure out your goals and live accordingly.

2) If you are having any problems, difficulties or dont feel goods please let me know.

3) EVERYONE send me where they are at right now. What weight have you lost? Is it still coming off? How do you feel? What do you like about it and dislike? I need everyones response on this, if I dont get it......we dont want to go there....especially if you show up for one of my wods.

4) EVERY single person needs to keep a food log and send it in weekly (sunday). WHY?? So I know you arent killing yourself and if anything goes wrong I have data points to reference.

5) Do not be scared....talk to me...about anything.....except white kittens....they give me the heeby jeebys!

Cool link I found for more recipes:

http://everydaypaleo.com/

Deep!

Ever rip your underwear squatting?? This is the second time it happened to me. At first I thought it was a muscle or a tendon. Then I thought it was my pants, so I spent a good amount of time molesting myself hoping I didnt just rip my pants and my booty is hanging out in a populated gym that I work at. Turns out it was just the underwear. I kept squatting until it wouldnt rip anymore. Wide stance, depth.....might have to work out commando because this may get expensive. Conclusions? Need stretchier underwear, no underwear, booty getting bigger, stop squatting....... Load some weight, get your wide stance, drop deep and tear some victorias secret. (No that was not what I was wearing I just think it would make for a better story).