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Don't Drink the Diet Coke, by John McManamy - McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web
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Hey guys, I hope that all of you that have been reading are getting something out of it. It will evolve as the days pass and questions get asked. The more questions that are asked will tend to direct where we go with this whole thing. Don't be afraid to suggest a topic of interest as well.
I would like to know what you guys want to know about diet and where you feel you should be starting out. Unfortunately, when newbies come into the realm of CrossFit, they are exposed to so many different things when it comes to nutrition. Zone this or Paleo that and thus become overwhelmed with what to eat or what not to eat. Throw me some questions and we can start the discussion.
My ultimate goal is to get you away from the words Zone and Paleo. I would like your minds to start thinking about quality and/or quantity of food. Don't worry about blocks or grass-fed beef if you aren't eating good first. You need to make small changes and usually this means getting rid of artificial sweeteners from your diet. It may mean putting vegetables in your diet before worrying about how many blocks of broccoli you need. I wouldn't worry about going to whole foods because you think you are going to magically eat healthier. In the end, you may end up just spending more money and still gaining weight. You can eat healthier at wal-mart if you wanted too (I wouldn't recommend that but that is for another day).
I guess what I am saying is the same as what I always tell people who over worry about what jump rope they have when doing double unders. "Its not the jump rope, it's the person." Fix the true problems with food before you start going glamorous with "the natural foods," "Organic" or "Whole Foods."
Eat meat (or ample protein if you are unfortunately a vegan/vegetarian), lots of vegetables (don't give me bullshit that you just can't eat vegetables or you just don't like vegetables. They are some of the most important things we can eat. Deal with it or don't ask me about nutrition anymore), some fruit (always with protein), a good amount of fats. No refined sugar (especially artificial sweeteners), no starch (grains), no trans-fats.
You have to regain control of your body. Once you get a hold of your body, we can then sit down and discuss where you go from here. How to hone in your diet more specifically to your metabolic type and needs. Until then, just have a chicken breast with lots of spinach and a piece of fruit. Throw in some olive oil and vinaigrette. Drink some green tea and there you have it. A whole meal that is awesome for you and will keep your insulin in check.
5 comments:
HMMM was that jump rope comment directed at me?!?! Well I rock with that jump rope and we used to have them at the gym so it is not going anywhere :)
I would love for you to discuss supplements at some time. I am sure if you eat your veggies and grass fed beef, chicken and all that you wont need supplements. I am not sure if you can get all the vitamins and minerals you need. If you could touch on that it would be great.
Also, and I know I haved talked to you about this, but when people are drinking protein shakes after a work-out. Why do they do it? what is the "best" one for people. I am sure new and seasoned members maynot know the reasoning behind it.
Thanks
Ricky,
Thanks for the article on aspartame.
Someone recently told me about agave nectar and I've been using it instead of Splenda. It has a lower glycemic index and burns more slowly. I've found it's a subtle sweetnes with no hint of heaviness like honey or chemical taste or flavor, like the powder sweeteners. Don't know much more about it than that - just thought it may be of interest.
Your blog today is the best nutritional advice out there. In December,you had this blog as a conversation with me and I've followed it everyday, one thing at a time. Because of that advice, I've kicked some pretty challenging nutritional habits and the results are showing because of the progress I'm tracking and how I feel.
Anyone reading this: Ricky is right about those of you bitching about not wanting to eat your veggies and then wanting his nutritional advice. There's no free ride out there - it takes work and it's not always instantly tasty to you. But there are so many interesting veggies out there. Everything you aren't used to is an acquired taste and it only takes a week or two to get that. For the end results, it's worth it. Acquire the taste for them. They're good for you and you can gnosh on them mindlessly if you need something crunchy. Dip a little bit of hummus and couple drops of olive oil on each bite and you're in heaven. He's right about the nutritive value of meat, too.
The post-recovery nutrition he talked about yesterday is really important. Your muscles have to build back up, especially after a Crossfit workout. Not an excuse to pig out on whatever, though. I recently began drinking post-recovery shakes (I take my little hand blender to the gym every morning!), and am tracking some interesting strides.
Ricky, thanks for sharing all your knowledge, research, and passion for health and fitness with us. I'm grateful for it, am having the best time of my life, and feel healthier and more alive than ever because I try my hardest to listen and pay attention to what you say and write. Our gym is blessed, lucky and fortunate to have you as a resource. Your momentum is infectious.
BTW, got your point. I will stop bitching and over-worrying about the jump ropes and realize the problem is me when it comes to double unders. (damn pullups, too) ha ha!
Thank you both for commenting. This is what sparks discussion and education. Both very important aspects of progress.
Danielle, the jump rope comment was not aimed at you but more of a comparative relationship. You may have it in your head that a certain jump rope is better and gets you more but you may not always have that as an option. It is in your best interest to get good with any rope, any bar, any pull-up structure (circumference), any shoes, etc.
The same can be said for food. You may think that you can only handle fruit or that you just can't do vegetables but if you just try to use a different jump rope, you may just surprise yourself with a little effort and focus.
Tomorrow's post will go more in detail concerning post-workout recovery, who should be taking ingesting in the form of protein shake, who in the form of real food, what proteins I would recommend, what carbohydrates I would recommend, etc.
Not all of us should be indulging in chocolate milk and protein. Not all of us should be indulging in post-workout grains and complex carbs. We should all be worried about how much as well as no workout (or human for that matter) is created equal and that means you can't use the same amount or consistency of post-workout for every workout.
Stay tuned.
Also, you can find this stuff everywhere but you also have to find the respected sources. There are lots of studies out there that claim this or that but you must keep in mind, is the dependent variable caused by the independent variable or are they correlated. Big difference here folks.
When it comes to artificial sweeteners there are many studies that show correlation but not many that show causation. Real sugar adds tons of unneeded calories whereas the artificial ones provide no calories but an insulin response nonetheless.
I don't recommend artificial anything but I have found small amounts of some to be better than small amounts of others. Your best bet is to stick to whole foods and you won't have a problem.
I'll find more articles and post them to the articles sections.
Rita,
I haven't tried agave nectar, and I don't know much about it, but I read this post recently (http://theclothesmakethegirl.blogspot.com/2010/02/again-with-agave-poison.html) - it's a summary and link to an article on CF Invictus's blog.
Also, for those trying to up their veggies and/or to lean more towards a "paleo"-ish diet, check out Melissa Joulwan's blog - theclothesmakethegirl.blogspot.com (don't be turned off by the title - if I can read a blog by that name, you can too.) She's a great writer and regularly posts super-delicious paleo (she calls it dino-chow) recipes. It's my go-to site when I want something new. Great resource.
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