Gettin' Off The Crack.

I'm willing to bet there's an assortment of cereals lurking in the cupboards of your kitchen. Truth be told, they seem to be a staple of the American diet.

Most people haven't given much thought to the "behind the scenes" processing that occurs before each box makes its joyful journey to the shelves of your local grocery store. All we see is the bright, colorful display of boxes, whole grain promises and heart-healthy options, which couldn't be further from the truth.

The following is another article from www.westonaprice.org which explains the processing that goes on before those little "O's" make it to your bowl (filled with conventional milk, which is a whole other issue).

Read and Heed:
Dry breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion. Cereal makers first create a slurry of the grains and then put them in a machine called an extruder. The grains are forced out of a little hole at high temperature and pressure. Depending on the shape of the hole, the grains are made into little o's, flakes, animal shapes, or shreds (as in Shredded Wheat or Triscuits), or they are puffed (as in puffed rice). A blade slices off each little flake or shape, which is then carried past a nozzle and sprayed with a coating of oil and sugar to seal off the cereal from the ravages of milk and to give it crunch.

In his book Fighting the Food Giants, Paul Stitt has tells us that the extrusion process used for these cereals destroys most of the nutrients in the grains. It destroys the fatty acids; it even destroys the chemical vitamins that are added at the end. The amino acids are rendered very toxic by this process. The amino acid lysine, a crucial nutrient, is especially denatured by extrusion. This is how all the boxed cereals are made, even the ones sold in the health food stores. They are all made in the same way and mostly in the same factories. All dry cereals that come in boxes are extruded cereals.

The only advances made in the extrusion process are those that will cut cost regardless of how these will alter the nutrient content of the product. Cereals are a multi-billion dollar business, one that has created huge fortunes.

With so many people eating breakfast cereals, you might expect to find some studies on the effect of extruded cereals on animals or humans. Yet, there are no published studies at all in the scientific literature.

For more in depth information on this and other popular American eats, go to this link:

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/dirty-secrets.html

Now, go scramble some eggs & veggies and then eat some peanut or almond butter.

Dirty Secrets of The Food Industry

In one of the previous posts, I made a short list of things that I no longer eat or drink. Upon researching some articles and my favorite websites, I came across a couple informative pieces, one of which I'll post here today.

One of my favorite websites for all sorts of health information (science based too) is:
www.westonaprice.org

It is highly regarded in the "health community" and I trust their information.

I mentioned that I decided to kick my orange juice cravings, which has helped with less sugar during the day. I didn't really get too picky about whether it had been organic or not....but intuitively knew that it probably wasn't too good since oranges are heavily pesticide ridden.

I love organic oranges by the way, and eat them regularly as a whole fruit.

If you have a juice drinking habit, then here is some information that I came across that may help enlighten you about something you don't normally think about!

Orange Juice

Now let's turn to the orange juice in this supposedly healthy breakfast. It is quite shocking what turns up in a literature search on orange juice processing.

A quote from Processed and Prepared Foods states that "a new orange juice processing plant is completely automated and can process up to 1,800 tons of oranges per day to produce frozen concentrate, single strength juice, oil extracted from the peel, and cattle feed."

In the processing, the whole orange is put into the machine. Enzymes are added to get as much oil as possible out of the skin. Oranges are a very heavily sprayed crop. These sprays are cholinesterase inhibitors, which are real neurotoxins. When they put the oranges in the vats and squeeze them, all those pesticides go into the juice.

What about the orange peel used for cattle feed? The dried left-over citrus peel is processed into cakes which are still loaded with cholinesterase inhibitors and organophosphates. Mark Purdey in England has shown these neurotoxins are correlated with "Mad Cow Disease" (Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis or BSE). The use of organophosphates either as a spray on the cows or in their feed is one of the causes of the degeneration of the brain and nervous system in the cow and if these components are doing this to the nervous system of the cow, there's a possibility they are doing this to you also. In fact, a study carried out in Hawaii found that consumption of fruit and fruit juices was the number one dietary factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers speculated that the real culprit was the pesticides used in fruit—and concentrated in the juices due to modern processing techniques.

The FDA has decreed that we can no longer buy raw juice, because it might be a source of pathogens. But it might surprise you to know that they have found fungus that is resistant to pressure and heat in the processed juices. One study found that 17% of Nigerian packages of orange juice and 20% of mango and tomato juices contained heat resistant fungi. They also found E. coli in the orange juice that was pressure resistant and had survived pasteurization. So there is plenty of danger from contamination from pasteurized juices.

In one study, heat-treated and acid-hydrolyzed orange juice was tested for mutagenic activity. The authors hypothesized that the heating process produces intermediate products, which under test conditions, give rise to mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity. In other words you have got cancer-causing compounds in your orange juice. In another study, gel filtration and high performance liquid chromatography were used to obtain mutagenic fractions from heated orange juice.

Another study shows just how toxic and damaging these juices are to teeth. They found that rats had more tooth decay from these commercial juices than they did from soda pop, which is loaded with sugar.

One more thing about processed orange juice. Have you ever wondered why processed orange juice stays cloudy, why the solids do not settle? This is because soy protein combined with soluble pectin is added, and this keeps the juice permanently cloudy. It might be interesting to know, for those of you who are allergic to soy.

Awesome Egg Snack!

I have to pass along this great idea that Lisa (9:30 class) shared the other day! She got it from another trainer at Gold's gym.

EGG-O-LICIOUS!

1. Chop up a bunch of veggies/shred some cheese: broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, onions, etc.

2. Whisk a bunch of eggs together (or keep more egg whites than egg yolks, if you like).

3. Spray a muffin pan.

4. Mix all that stuff together and pour them into each cupcake hole. Sprinkle cheese on them. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the top is lightly brown or poke a toothpick in the center.

Wrap them in cling wrap and stick 'em in the fridge. Yum!

Things I've Changed

A conversation about food ensued after the 9:30 class, that turned out to be the perfect segue for this blog.

If there's one thing in common that we all have, it's our relationship with food. Now, some might have a really good relationship...others might have a love/hate, still others might have a completely tumultuous relationship.

There are some changes that I've personally made over the last few months that have really helped me feel SO MUCH BETTER. They happened sort of gradually, which allowed for me to get used to a new habit. A habit that I no longer think twice about, and which is pretty easy to maintain.

1. Don't buy bread anymore. I only eat Smart and Delicious Low Carb Wraps.





2. Don't buy cereal anymore.




3. Don't drink juice anymore. (My craving used to be orange juice in the morning).






4. Don't buy granola bars anymore (or granola).







5. Haven't had soda in 4 years (except for a really good Root Beer, no high fructose syrup)








6. My actual "grain" intake during a typical week is probably less than or equal to 10% now.

7. 90% of my food is protein, fat, veggies, fruit (ok, dark chocolate too).

Some other things that I consciously do:

1. Shop separately from the rest of the family. Ok, so this might not be possible for some, but you get what I mean.

2. Set the kitchen up for success: olive oil, veggies, nuts, organic meats, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, herbs, cottage cheese, deli meat, salmon, good cheese, avocados, fruit, peanut butter, almond butter, plain yogurt, eggs, frozen fruit for smoothies, protein powder, coconut milk, flax seed, hemp milk, olives, salad greens, beans, salsa, hummus, etc.

I found this great post from a CrossFit Fire in Illinois (www.crossfitfire.com) I have copied and pasted it below!

1. Don't be discouraged that you have been CrossFitting for 'x' amount of time, but aren't losing any weight or aren't seeing any major body composition changes if you haven't properly addressed your diet. The fact that you CrossFit can not be your justification for eating that bowl of ice cream. You see, exercise alone is NOT sufficient for major body composition changes. You can CrossFit until you are blue in the face, increasing your strength and fitness, but if you do not address your eating habits, you will not dramatically alter the appearance of your body. Whether you want to get huge or want to shed some fat before summer, nutrition is what will get you there.

2. Don't let your scale be the judge of your successes. Throw the scale away! The scale will become your worst enemy. You see, if you haven't done much strength training before starting your CrossFit experience, you will see dramatic increases in strength (i.e. muscle) during the first several months if not year. Even if you are dialing in your nutrition and losing that much hated fat, the scale may still say that you are gaining weight. Truth is, muscle weighs more than fat. Judge your successes by how you feel, by how your clothes fit, by how much jiggle you have when you jump up and down in front of a mirror, and by annual blood work results.

3. Don't ask us for nutritional advice and then say, "Oh, I could never give up (fill in the blank)!" If that is the case, then you obviously prefer stuffing your face with (fill in the blank) over being lean and healthy. People, there is no magic pill! There is no "easy" fix! Want to know what is easy? Being fat is easy. Look around you. 65% of the adult population in this great country of ours is overweight. 65%! You have to decide that being lean and healthy means more to you than that box of (fill in the blank). Remember, food is not your friend! Food is simply a means to an end. We eat to live, not the other way around.

4. Don't rationalize the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of your current diet because ours sounds difficult. This usually follows number 3 in a given conversation and looks something similar to, "Well, I already eat pretty clean/healthy except for the occasional (fill in the blank) so I'm going to stick to that." You aren't fooling anyone, not even yourself. If what you are currently doing isn't producing the results you are after, then you must take action. Tweak it, change it, scrap everything and start from scratch; just do something. Doing the same thing over and over though while expecting different results is simply insane.

We get it though. We understand how difficult it can be. You have to accept that fact though and pull up your boot straps.

It isn't easy for any of us. We all have to be disciplined and make sacrifices from time to time if we are going to meet our goals. Nobody is without their food demons. It is perfectly OK, even expected, for you to make some progress, start feeling good, but then stumble and fall down. The key is to get right back up, dust yourself off, and climb back onto that horse.

Now go get 'em!

Million Dollar Question

I'll bet a million bucks that you can't guess what this is. Frozen yogurt? Nope. Laffy Taffy? Think again. Answer is below the photo.















You might want to think twice going to McDonalds. This is actually separated chicken parts ready to be made into Chicken McNuggets. Nasty.

Super Hero Powers

So, my husband mentioned to me last week that he had to "fight" over getting the heaviest olympic bar and extra weights for our Sumo Deadlift High Pulls with a woman from the 9:30 class. That participant would be Sandy, who is doing some serious ass-whoopin. She hasn't taken any names yet, but she's close!

Ok, so they didn't FIGHT over it :) I thought I'd add some extra drama to the story....but I wanted to point out Sandy's incredible efforts and progress!

Sandy came into the boot camp pretty strong to begin with, but I've noticed in the last couple months that she has become a POWERHOUSE! It is amazing and inspiring to watch her strength.

Sandy also eats extremely well, which is a direct reflection of her fast performance gains and stamina. Food will act like your JET FUEL if you make the right choices!

She readily takes heavier weights, is sweating like a water spout by the end of class and seems to still be smiling after each workout! Way to go!

There are also a number of other participants who have stepped it up several notches, have greatly increased their strength OR have chosen a higher box to jump on. AWESOME!

Here are 5 Tips to Make Serious Strength Gains/Lose Fat/Increase Performance:

1. Use Challenging Weights:
If you don't need to stop within about 45-60 seconds of a weighted exercise, it is TOO easy. When you fatigue out quickly, say within 30-40 seconds, you are creating trauma to your muscles, which demands them to repair new muscle growth.
PRACTICE AT YOUR THRESHOLD TO RAISE YOUR THRESHOLD.

2. Write It Down:
Make yourself accountable for your food. Plan ahead. Get up 15 minutes earlier to pack healthy snacks, fill a water bottle, bring your own lunch, or get everything ready the night before. Think about what your day holds and plan accordingly.

3. Eat More Veggies:
Veggies are packed with fiber which controls your insulin levels....hence controlling your blood sugar levels. Your blood sugar levels are directly related to successful fat loss and keeping an ideal weight. You are less likely to eat bad foods when you pack your meals with veggies.

4. Increase Your Protein Intake:
Make protein about 40% of your day. Protein releases glucagon which is a mobilization hormone that regulates blood sugar (again, the key to successful fat loss). Protein also increases the thermal effect in your body, speeds recovery, and increases lean muscle mass.

5. Drink Water:
When you are dehydrated or you've filled your day with soda, coffee, energy drinks and other crap, your body will actually "hold onto" water in an attempt to save what you DO have. Water flushes toxins, helps you think clearly, and is necessary for cellular function.

Moral of the Story:

Balancing blood sugar levels is the key to success in fat loss, muscle gain and performance.

40% PROTEIN
30% GOOD FATS
30% GOOD CARBS (VEGGIES/FRUIT)

Now Go Crush Something.

If You Have a Good Food Log, You Don't Feel Like Such a Log.

A few food logs trickled in this week. I apologize for the slight delay in getting my thoughts down here....school conferences this week. A little hectic at home with the kids, etc.

First, I'd like to pass along a web link that was found by Sonya (9:30 gal) that gives a great list of foods to focus on or to ditch.

Here it is: http://www.stumptuous.com/kristas-kalorietastic-konfabulator

Here are my general thoughts on the most recent food logs. I realize that I keep repeating things.

1. No soda or Powerade / Gatorade, etc. All it is is high fructose corn syrup. Your mid-section will just keep growing.

2. No cereal in the morning. Focus on eggs (+ egg whites), sprinkled cheese, cut up chicken wraps, fresh fruit combined WITH YOUR PROTEIN and FAT, sauted veggies in an egg white omelet, nut butters, plain yogurt with raw honey and berries (+ your protein/fat source)

3. Ditch juice

4. The serving for seeds & nuts is around 1/4 cup.

5. Remember that your meals should combine P + F + C.

Great job on the egg + egg white omelettes, turkey/avocado wraps, almonds, apples, cottage cheese with fruit, chicken, etc.

Pretend you are a forager and you will shed weight.

Dairy works for some people, but not for others. Pretty much the only dairy that I would recommend is high quality cottage cheese, cheese, and low sugar yogurts. No, not Yoplait.

Ditch milk. The calcium hype is just that. Hype.

The 3 yogurts that I recommend:

1. Greek Fage (pronounced Fah-yea!) Thanks Claudia for this find! You can find this at Fresh and Natural. Get the PLAIN. Add your own raw honey or berries. Get the 2% fat.

2. Cultural Revolution (found at Mississippi Market, Selby/Dale). I realize that this is not in our area.

3. Seven Stars Yogurt. PLAIN. You can find it at Fresh and Natural.

Okay, that's enough for now, otherwise it's overload!