Coach J's Diet and Nutrition Advice

Here’s a great recipe for July 4th weekend. These brownies are a healthier alternative for a sweet splurge (apologies to Betty Crocker). Coach Lis has made walnut-meal brownies once before (they were delicious!), and I’m trying to talk her into whipping up a batch on Saturday.

Walnut meal is available in many grocery stores, but it’s also easy to make at home in a food processor. Simply use the “pulse” function to grind the walnuts into a fine crumb consistency.

Because the walnut meal replaces the flour that would typically be used in brownies, this recipe is Paleo/Primal-friendly. Plus, it’s gluten-free, so it might be a welcome treat for those with Celiac Disease or other intestinal disorders. Give it a try! Note: this recipe is courtesy of Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson.

 Ingredients

1 3/4 cups walnut meal

3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

2 large eggs (room temp)

1 cup coconut milk (room temp)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (gently melted)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts for topping

Butter for greasing pan

Servings: 18 2″x3″ brownies

Instructions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350deg F. Butter a 13×9x2″ baking pan. In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients until well blended. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs for one minute, then add coconut milk, honey or maple syrup and whisk again. Add melted coconut oil and whisk until wet ingredients are completely blended.

Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and whisk well; be sure to scrape sides and bowl bottom so no pockets of dry ingredient remain. Batter will be thinner consistency than conventional brownies. Pour batter into prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of batter. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.

If give this recipe a try, let us know how you like it.

As always, post your meals to comments.

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.

Cookies are a common trigger food

For those casual readers who don’t post their food: relax. It’s a holiday weekend. You’re off the hook! So read on, Firebreather.

What are your trigger foods? What food item or snack triggers a dangerous, uncontrollable urge within you?

We all have our trigger foods. Perhaps yours is a chocolate chip cookie. Maybe your trigger foods is a bag of tortilla chips. With Memorial Day weekend upon us, most of us will be faced with trigger food temptations. If you are going to a cookout or a pool party–or heading out on the river for some boating–you’re bound to be tempted. How will you handle it?

Here’s a bit of advice: if you can’t resist the temptation… or if you’ve truly earned a modest splurge… go ahead and indulge. Just be sure to control your portion size. Have a cookie or two; don’t eat a dozen. Have a couple of handfuls of tortilla chips; don’t scarf down the whole bag. Size out your portion and put it on a plate. Then, move away from the trigger-food source. If you’re having a full-fledged cheat meal, go ahead and get it out of your system. But have a cheat meal, instead of a cheat day. You will thank yourself for exerting some control!

Post your trigger foods (and feel free to add a story with it) to comments below.

Contributed by Tin Man Skip (whose trigger foods include cookies and Tostitos)

So Tin Man asked me to post the almond pancake recipe, but I just gave the new Primal Blueprint Cookbook a test run tonight.  This BBQ pork was so fall-off- the-bone delicious it jumped to the front of the line! Interestingly, this recipe was not taken from someone and Primalized.  Instead, as reported by a marksdailyapple.com reader, this recipe was taken from her 90 year old grandmother, who clipped it from a magazine more than 60 years ago!  

[Note: 100% of the kids in my household ate it, too, which is always an added bonus!]

Grandma's Easy BBQ Pork, courtesy Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint Cookbook

Grandma’s Easy BBQ Pork

• 1 T olive oil
• 8 pork chops or about 4 lb pork shoulder roast, use bone-in chops or a bone-in shoulder roast instead of boneless for the richest tasting sauce ( I used chops as I couldn’t find a bone-in shoulder)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup (primal recipe to follow – if you don’t want to make it make sure you buy without HFCS)
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf (which I forgot to get but it was still delicious!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Brown meat on all sides in oil over medium to medium-high heat.  While the meat is browning, combine remaining ingredients and stir to mix well.  When meat has browned, remove from heat and place in a casserole or dutch oven.  Pour ingredients over the meat.  Cover with lid or foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours for chops and about 2 1/2 hours for roast.

Remove bay leaf, transfer chops or roast to a warm platter and our sauce in a gravy boat or pitcher.  spoon or pour some sauce over the meat to moisten

Prmal Ketchup

• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste [I used Muir Glen™ organic]
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 T raw honey or pure maple syrup
• 3 T onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or hand held blender until smooth.  Store in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Summary:

• Finger Licking Factor:  0.95
• Heck-yeah-I-Wannanother-Helping Tendency: 1.82
• Have Extra Napkins Handy: 0.95 [duh! directly correlated to the Finger Licking Factor]
• If I Weren’t Paleo I’d Use Bread to Sop Up the Sauce Factor:  1.995

Contributed by Coach Lis (some editorial quirkiness provided by Tin Man)

Remember to post your comments and quips, along with your daily meals, to comments!

[Coach J sent this post from California. It was written by a member of the Crossfit Ranch affiliate, and it offers some wonderful testimony. And finally, Coach J reminds us that the optimal level on your blood lab test for Fasting Insulin is 5  uU/ml or less.]

Rock on!

As always, remember to post your diet–and questions–to comments below.

Ah, the quest for low cholesterol.  It seems like everyone who wants to improve their health thinks lowering their cholesterol will prevent them from getting heart disease or having a heart attack.  Never mind the fact that they have excess body fat, eat over 300 carbohydrates from their precious whole grains everyday, consume massive amounts of trans fats and so-called healthy vegetable oils, and do endless hours of cardio.

Now I am not saying it’s healthy to have high cholesterol, but it is important to know the vital functions of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is vital to our bodies

• Cholesterol is found in every cell of the human body
• Cholesterol is especially abundant in the membranes of the cells, where it helps maintain the integrity of these membranes.
• It plays a role in facilitating cell signaling – meaning the ability of your cells to communicate with each other so you function as a human, rather than a pile of cells
• Without cholesterol, cell membranes would be too fluid, not firm enough.  In other words, it keeps the membrane from turning to mush
• Cholesterol is abundant in the tissue of the brain and nervous system.  Myelin, which covers nerve axons to help conduct the electrical impulses that make movement, sensation, thinking, learning, and remembering possible, is over one-fifth cholesterol by weight.
• Even though the brain only makes up 2% of the body’s weight, it contains 25% of its cholesterol.
• One of cholesterol’s many functions in the body is to act as a precursor to vitamin D
• We need cholesterol to make bile, which we need to digest our fat. If we don’t digest fat properly, we don’t get the nutrients we need from it.
• Cholesterol is the precursor to a hormone called pregnenolone, which has important functions itself, but is also the precursor to all other steroid hormones. Pregnenolone is converted to progesterone, a sex hormone, which in turn is converted into cortisol, which regulates inflammation and blood sugar.

Low cholesterol may be the cause behind depression, anxiety, violence and even suicide.  In the British Medical Journal published in September of 1996,  a French study looked at over 6,000 men. The study revealed that men with low cholesterol were three times more likely to commit suicide.

Just one of the many studies linking low cholesterol to deep depression came from Finland’s National Public Health Institute, where a study of almost 30,000 people showed men with lower cholesterol readings were the most likely to suffer from crippling depression.

Get your blood labs done regularly.  Eat a healthy diet – zone/paleo/primal.   See Coach J or a member of the nutrition team if you need help interpreting your cholesterol numbers.