Coach J's Diet and Nutrition Advice

Archive for June, 2010

My energetic, ambitious wife once introduced me to the following idea:

“I’ll sleep when I die. For now, I’m going to get shit done.”

Some of you are nodding; some are groaning. How many of you have ever come to the box at Firebreather Fitness after a short night…on minimal sleep? What was your workout  that day? I’ll bet your timing was off. I’ll bet your endurance wasn’t what it should have been. I’ll also bet that if you were attempting an Olympic lift, your 1RM wasn’t as high as it should have been.

I confess: I used to come to the box in a sleep-deprived state two to three times a week. Hey, I’m a chronic night-owl (and a parent, business owner, author, blogger, entrepreneur). Like many of you, I wear several hats, and I do some of my best work after 11:30 p.m. For me, I’d stay up late Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night… catching 4-6 hours of sleep, only to crash at 9:30 on Thursday night. I would chronically head into the weekend “tuckered out” and hoping for a couple of naps. What I’ve learned now is that I was really penalizing myself!

Robb Wolf says that sleep is incredibly important, only exceeded in importance by oxygen and water. He holds sleep as important or slightly more important than food!

The Washington Post hits the nail on the head, in my opinion, about sleep deprivation:

The newest study on obesity, from Columbia University, is just the latest to find that adults who sleep the least appear to be the most likely to gain weight and to become obese.

Other researchers have found that even mild sleep deprivation quickly disrupts normal levels of the recently discovered hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite. In addition, studies show sleep-deprived people tend to develop problems regulating their blood sugar, which may put them at increased risk for diabetes.

Physiologic studies suggest that a sleep deficit may put the body into a state of high alert, increasing the production of stress hormones and driving up blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. Moreover, people who are sleep-deprived have elevated levels of substances in the blood that indicate a heightened state of inflammation in the body, which has also recently emerged as a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Did you hear that? Sleep deprivation = inflammation and dispruption of proper maintenance of blood sugar = weight gain and disease.

As if that weren’t enough to send you sprinting to the mattress for a solid 8 to 10 hours of sleep, here’s what researchers at Stanford University found with regard to sleep and athletic performance:

The amount of sleep an athlete gets appears to have a large impact on sports performance. Cheri Mah of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory has been following the sleep patterns and athletic performance of Stanford athletes for years. Her research continues to show that getting more sleep leads to better sports performance for all types of athletes.

One study she authored, published in 2009, followed the Stanford University women’s tennis team for five weeks as they attempted to get 10 hours of sleep each night. Those who increased their sleep time ran faster sprints and hit more accurate tennis shots than while getting their usual amount of sleep. Mah’s research is some of the first to specifically look at the impact of extra hours of sleep on athletic performance and suggests that sleep is a significant factor in achieving peak athletic performance. This is particularly important for collegiate and professional athletes who have full schedules and often travel for games and competitions. Athletes can easily fail to get regular, consistent hours of sleep. This lack of sleep, or “sleep debt,” appears to have a negative effect on sports performance, as well as cognitive function, mood, and reaction time. Much of this can be avoided by making regular sleep as much of a priority for athletes as practicing their sport and eating right.

According to Mah, many of the athletes have set new personal bests and broken long-standing records while participating in these studies. Researchers speculate that deep sleep helps improve athletic performance because this is the time when growth hormone is released. Growth hormone stimulates muscle growth and repair, bone building and fat burning, and helps athletes recover. Studies show that sleep deprivation slows the release of growth hormone. Sleep is also necessary for learning a new skill, so this phase of sleep may be critical for some athletes. The amount of sleep an athlete gets appears to have a large impact on sports performance.

A quick summary:  sleep = growth hormone = muscle repair + recovery + growth!

So get your sleep.  And start logging your sleep here on the CoachJDietRx site–along with posting your meals daily!

Contributed by the Once-Sleep-Deprived Tin Man Skip

They say it takes 60 to 90 days to break a bad habit. (Good thing my wife didn’t read that! ) On a more serious note, they also say there’s strength in numbers … like the support groups many attend to help them break bad habits. But what if your support group wasn’t a bunch of strangers telling you their troubles, but a close-knit group of family or close friends? Well for me, the only way I would talk in front of a group of strangers was if it was ordered by a judge. On the flip side, if all your family and  friends know… is that really any better?

I could see it now … going to In and Out Burger, and the cashier tells you, “Your cousin came by and warned us that the only thing you can have is a protein burger.”

What if you stop by your local convenience store, and the clerk tells you, “Your mom called. That Snickers(tm) in your hand–sorry, it’s not going to happen.”

Taking this scenario one step further… kind of like a terrorist watchlist. You swipe your Rewards Card at the local supermarket, and the nice young lady tells you, “You’re on the government fat big backside watch list. That frozen pizza is not leaving the store.”

Even with all the good people feel from a support group (like your CrossFit community) or getting family involved in improving your nutrition, these mechanisms are not going to stop you from feeding your face. Here’s the reality of it: you are an “Army of One” when it comes to improving your nutrition or breaking any type of bad habits.

Contributed by Jerry Summers – CrossFit Ranch, Calif.

Ingredients: whey protein, almond milk, berries, sun butter, ice

Let’s face it: mornings are crazy. Getting from the bed to the shower and out the door in time to beat traffic or make the bus stop in time is usually a frenetic sprint. It leaves little time for breakfast. Yet, we all know we need to start the day right with a good nutritious meal. So what’s a Firebreather to do? Most of the grab-and-go solutions are bad choices: either too many carbs, lacking in the protein department, too much sugar or overloaded with trans-fats.
This home-blended whey protein shake has been a great solution for us. And if you’re interested in a breakfast that is delicious, fast, easy to make, loaded with flavor and stays with you up until lunch time, this shake will rock your world! Plus, it has the optimal balance of macro-nutrients (protein, carbs, fat). The fact that it is all natural and homemade, makes it an even better choice than any of the store-bought RTD shakes.
Okay, it’s time to get started. Go fetch that blender from your bar or liquor cabinet and place it on your kitchen counter. Wash it really good to scrub out the margarita residue. You’re going to use the heck out of it, since you’ll probably make more than 100 of these shakes over the next year. In a blender, combine the following ingredients (in sequential order for best results):

• 8 – 10 oz. almond milk (you can substitute milk or water)
• 6 ice cubes
• 1- 2 scoops whey protein (if you weigh more than 150 lbs, go with 2 scoops)
• 1 Tbsp almond butter or sunflower seed butter
• ¾ cup fruit (whatever you have, is in season, go with your favorites. Lis uses blueberries, strawberries, peaches, mangoes and the kitchen-sink-berries)
• Optional: cocoa powder – 1 Tbsp.

Blend on high (or use the smoothie setting if your machine has one) for 45 seconds to one minute, or until it reaches desired consistency. Lis always stops the blender to scrape the sides about midway through to ensure optimal mixing of ingredients. After blending, pour your shake into a tall plastic tumbler and get your butt out the door. Chug liberally. Rest shake in cup holder between sets. Watch out for brain freeze.

Expect to arrive at work on time, alert and well nourished. Let us know if you notice that you have a little extra zip in your step.

Nutritional Summary * – Coach Lis’ Famous Whey Protein Shake
Total calories:  350 (approx.)
Protein: 30 grams
Carbs: 25 grams
Fat: 13 grams

* – based on 1 scoop protein powder, 8 oz. almond milk; nutritional info will differ if you use two scoops of protein powder or the type and amount of liquid base you use.

Post your recipe critiques and your shakeology suggestions to comments–along with your daily meals.

Contributed by Tin Man Skip and Coach Lis

We all fall off the wagon once in a while. It is incredibly hard to maintain an elite level of fitness or nutrition all the time. We strive … and we do our best. But hey, we are only human, after all.

Recently, I hit a slump. I want to share the story of this experience with you, in the hope that it provides a learning point. I’m not quite sure how or when the slump began exactly. It was around Memorial Day. I missed a few WODs during a busy time at work with an unusually high level of travel. Plus, with the holiday weekend, I was at several family gatherings with good food, desserts, cold beer, etc. I’ll bet you know the scenario. (Remember the “Trigger Foods” post?) Then, that all rolled into my son’s birthday weekend with more celebrations, cake & ice cream and special meals.

Cut to the chase. After nine days, I had fallen off the nutrition and fitness bandwagon. My meals had devolved from Pale/Primal into a carb-fest. I did not work out for eight days. Oh, and along the way, I got sick. My sleeping pattern went to crap and my energy level plummeted.

After a nine-day slump, I returned to the box for a FF WOD. I have begun to tighten-up my eating. Though I am still not back to where I need to be, I have turned the corner and have begun to “right the ship.”

So what’s the lesson? First, we all hit slumps. They are inevitable. But the good thing is that this slump only lasted 9 days. A couple years ago (pre-Crossfit), my slump would have continued for who knows how many days, weeks or months. Heck, I probably would have continued on my sorry path until I could no longer button my pants comfortably. (I’m not exaggerating.)

Champions (and those who aspire to be one) know how to shorten their slumps. Do you have warning systems that tell you when you’re in a slump? Do you have red-flag warnings that trigger your mind to say, “Hey, snap out of it?” Do you weigh yourself? Do you keep track of your food? Do you journal your workouts?

Post your warning signs and health-maintenance tips and share them with the tribe. And as always, post your meals to comments.

Contributed by Tin Man Skip

I don’t know about you firebreathers but I am excited to start summer grilling.  Actually I’m ready for Tin Man to start earning his keep at the Lineberg household and put his grilling talents to good use!!  The kitchen is comfortable for me,  the grill – not so much.  I think men have a grilling gene that replaced the “ability to find anything” gene!! 

Ok, so enough about the inferior sex, let’s get down to food.  Continuing  my journey through the Primal Blueprint Cookbook, I discovered primal BBQ sauce.  I threw some together on Memorial Day and brought it to a family get-together (along with walnut-meal brownies which I will post at a later date).  My brother-in-law slathered it on some Harvestland chicken and grilled it to perfection.

This recipe is quick, easy and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup homemade ketchup (see recipe under Grandma’s BBQ pork post) 
• 3 Tbsp minced onion (or 3 tsp onion powder)
• 2-3 Tbsp butter
• 1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• Scant 1/4 cup dark maple syrup, or to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp HFCS -free Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses (optional.  I didn’t have any)

Mix all ingredients together in a small pan and simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Store in an airtight glass in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.