Comments on Urban Gets Diesel: The Whole30

@Chef: amen! Usually by the time I have to find a ...

2009-10-29T16:18:17.485-04:00

@Chef: amen! Usually by the time I have to find a bathroom, I'm starving again and have to stop for food anyway-the big joke in my family refers to the time I at a whole turkey by myself--I think the dog may have helped a little.

I think what I'm learning is finding the relationships between certain foods-protein:fiber:carbs can really stave off that starving feeling!
(Thanks'Urb...and dr. Sears!)

I discovered my max press: 90lbs.
next up: DEADS!

@Steve: First, if you haven't lost significant we...

2009-10-29T09:46:42.969-04:00

@Steve: First, if you haven't lost significant weight but your body HAS changed "shape", that means you're still on a good path. Building muscle and shedding fat (possible simultaneously when you're still pretty new to the process) results in body changes, but not necessarily pounds off the scale. Consider that progress, my friend!

As for your WODs being more "off" than "on", remember that we don't get stronger during our training... we get stronger RECOVERING from our training. Maybe you've hit a good balance where the training you're doing is at the appropriate intensity and volume, and the extra rest is actually allowing your body to continue to adapt.

So many CrossFitters are chronically under-fed, over-trained and especially over-met-conned, and as a result, are not seeing the gains they would expect. Eat MORE, train LESS, and improve fitness, strength and body composition. Huh... imagine that? :)

@sully & @ Urbavore ... never seen anyone have an...

2009-10-28T16:13:24.268-04:00

@sully & @ Urbavore

... never seen anyone have anything bad happen to them from too much broccoli...er... scratch that, just don't commit to long hauls without a bathroom near by...

* Thanks 'Urb--I am crackin' away! I love the Pal...

2009-10-28T15:57:45.588-04:00

* Thanks 'Urb--I am crackin' away!

I love the Paleo content: I live on veggies!
I just can't control QUANTITY! I mean, when you can polish a big crown of broccoli in the checkout line at the store, and start on the baby carrots in the car, you MAY have a caloric intak problem, no..?
I may have to learn portion control here!

Could be a variation in the times you weighed your...

2009-10-28T14:38:55.806-04:00

Could be a variation in the times you weighed yourself, what you ate/drank that day, etc. That could easily vary your weight a few pounds in either direction. IMO inches is always a better indicator than weight.

@Mel Aye, chase performance... always the path, n...

2009-10-28T14:36:08.859-04:00

@Mel

Aye, chase performance... always the path, never the goal. I'm in for life on that one.

You might get a kick out this one: http://breakawaysportcf.com/blog/opinionated/#train-for-aesthetics-no-really
"CrossFitters Should Train to Look Good!"

(more than a little tongue in cheek.)

As an asside, an EOD schedule of IF can be viewed as the ultimate 'Calorie Cycle' and one can certainly put ON lean body mass as well as get leaner on that protocol if your training works the fuel right: get stronger on a calorie cycle? Yep, no problem.

I'm on board with you that strength comes before all things and that MetCon is cheap. My suggestion rides only on those that ALREADY have the full monty working but still can't find that warm and fuzzy place...

I look at 'phase fueling' for performance as a means to greater long term progress. Like the Kip shouldn't be done in excess until someone has their dead-hang, Phase Fueling shouldn't enter the conversation until the foundation of both the right food sources and performance foundations (First ROM, THEN Mechanics, THEN Intensity)are already solidly in place.

In the long run? I like to JUST EAT!! All that math and weighing and measuring compulsively is an eating disorder all by itself for many. But to get over/past/beyond plateaus in both strength and output, to go from silver to gold medal performance one must occasionally be moderate in one's moderation (read: do hardcore shit to blast down barriers not just in their training but in their fueling as well.)

For those few in that situation, it's a viable way to get 'er done.

I too have a Whole30 observation. In the last thre...

2009-10-28T14:32:56.134-04:00

I too have a Whole30 observation. In the last three weeks I haven't lost weight but I did lose another three inches off my waist and my workouts have been more off days than on days.

I do not understand why I lost inches w/o weight loss and not working out very much.

@Chef: Back at you - and let's talk about that "Ma...

2009-10-28T13:16:14.490-04:00

@Chef: Back at you - and let's talk about that "Make My Recipe" Paleo challenge! Email me, moxurban/gmail.

Amen to the concept of "constantly varied" as it applies to EVERYTHING - training, food choices and yes, even quantity and macronutrient proportion. Yep, cycling carbs, blocks or both is a good way to achieve body comp goals, but as you alluded to - good luck maintaining athletic performance (and probably muscle mass) with that method. And that doesn't really fly with me, or Dallas. As I've said a million times, I do not think of body composition as a valid health and fitness goal, but merely a BY-PRODUCT of your health and fitness goals. Chase performance, and the body will fall into line. (Sorry for the rant, but that soapbox has my name all over it.)

@Sully: If you're not sure what a "block" is, you need to crack that book, my friend. Give it a read, poke around the Zone site and if you still have questions, post 'em.

@Roelant: I'm just as likely to have a burger for breakfast as I am eggs for dinner. Food is food. Glad to hear things are going well for you - thanks for checking in.

@Heather: I'm going to tackle this topic main page on Friday. Thanks for the excellent question.

I have a Whole30observation and question. I am cu...

2009-10-28T12:19:57.096-04:00

I have a Whole30observation and question. I am currently in the testing part of Whole30(ie completed the 30 day challenge and am now reinserting certain "Healthy F-off" foods back in to see how they affect me). Personally, I think this is harder than the challenge itself, but I haven't seen many of the 30-dayers post much about the post-Whole30 experiences.

One thing I gave up during the Whole30 was my morning, organic, sugar-free yogurt with salt-free almonds, and sugar free granola in it. I am now still paleo, except for this breakfast so I can test the way I feel and my performance during WODs.

I had my first one yesterday and another one today. Physically, I feel good, and I performed good and felt good during yesterday's WOD. I was told that sometimes what you eat affects you two days later, so today seems to be the day I should note.

I would like to know when I can declare my yogurt breakfast okay? I realize I probably need to figure this out myself, but I am curious of what other people have done regarding non-paleo foods they don't want to give up on a daily basis (as opposed to occasional cheats) post-Whole30.

Post-Whole30-ers where are you? :)

Ditched WAM, I'm a biochem student, i measure in t...

2009-10-28T09:55:49.241-04:00

Ditched WAM, I'm a biochem student, i measure in the lab when pipetting ( so I feel mathieu lalonde's pain) and analytical lab etc. Ditched the grains etc, put sushi(read:rice) on my H/FO scale and started taking Mg before bed. So far, so good. Getting the quizzical looks from folks at work when I bring grilled pork tenderloin for bfast because it really doesn't look/smell like oat bran, right? I think they're just jealous :-)

Got my copy of the Zone book and have been relishi...

2009-10-26T20:32:55.044-04:00

Got my copy of the Zone book and have been relishing those lecture clips from the X-fit website!
HUZZAH!

General question, though: Dr. Sears talked about a dinner plate 'in thirds'...is a 'third' of a plate considered a 'block'? And are all blocks the same size?
(i.e is a block of apple the same size as a block of turkey?)

-sully

Ms. Urban, First, MUCH respect to you for all you...

2009-10-26T15:46:30.420-04:00

Ms. Urban,

First, MUCH respect to you for all you do. (You're pretty much one of my hero's, did you know that?)

Just to toss a couple of cents onto your clarification post: paleo inline? zoning as Rx'd? hitting High intensity exercise? appropriate rest/recovery phases?... if the individual is still sitting a plateau in terms of body composition the culprit may very well be that they are too consistent. Really.

If the same levels of overall expenditure (exercise on a week to week basis) and the same levels of calorie restriction (zone) are in place over the long term the body will almost certainly down regulate and adjust to the current energy-in levels.

That's just fine if you're at your desired leanness, but a helluva kick to the nethers if you're not quite 'there' yet.

Then answer might be Calorie Cycling, I have had great success with our clients by applying some intended hills and valleys in their day to day intake to 'confuse' the body into never down regulating. Fist step, which I know you do anyway, is be sure they are paleo and running at 1/2 carb prescription and adding 3 blocks of fat/carb block deleted.

Goes a bit like this. If they are normally a 20 block Zoner, then try this:
Day 1: 15 blocks
Day 2: 15 blocks
Day 3: 15 blocks
Day 4: 20 blocks
Day 5: 13 blocks
Day 6: 13 blocks
Day 7: 30 blocks

... in effect you keep the body from acclimatizing, but your AVERAGE daily blocks add up to 17, an even greater deficit than already planned by the zone.

Is this a lifestyle choice? HELL NO. It's a functional means to an end. After you reach your goal body composition, return back to the joys of Paleo at your normal block prescription and 'Athletes Zone' and start adding Fat...

The Cycle can be tuned even further to include timed fluctuations in carbs and fats to coincide with training choices, but that's getting into HEAVY nerd-dom.

holla at me if I can clarify anything...

:-D

your avid fan,

Chef

Thanks, yeah, sorry... I didn't mean to speak for ...

2009-10-26T15:14:13.026-04:00

Thanks, yeah, sorry... I didn't mean to speak for you!

I agree that the Zone is not the universal cure-all that it sometimes seems based on Dr. Sears' writings.

And you are surely right to emphasize stress, sleep, and recovery, especially for people who have everything else in place but are 'stuck.'

I find myself bringing up the Zone all the time to folks at my affiliate (Asheville) because, these days, a lot of people who get excited about "Paleo" but don't pay any attention to "the Zone."

I totally agree that quality comes before quantities but I don't want to see the baby thrown out with the bathwater. Coach G. and his minions (including me, I guess) still insist that it's the Zone that leads to peak performance. In my own personal experience, it's the Zone that allowed me to get to and stay at my desired body composition while pursuing my fitness goals, whereas "Paleo" just helps me be confident that my version of "Zone" is at its nutritional best.

@Matthew: Thanks for your comment. You've got so...

2009-10-26T10:35:50.066-04:00

@Matthew: Thanks for your comment. You've got something here, but please don't put words in my mouth. To clarify:

I am not against weighing and measuring in a healthy, balanced manner. In fact, every one of our nutritional clients is required to FitDay their nutrition for at least two weeks prior to coming on board, and I encourage most of them to continue for the first few weeks, until they have a good handle on how much food they are actually eating. I myself use FitDay when tweaking my own nutrition plan.

I'm not anti-Zone either. The Zone can be a good place to start for people who are ready to look at quantity and proportion. So your suggestion is a good next step for those with dialed in quantity, ready to take their nutrition to the next level.

Let's not lose the forest through the Zone blocks, however. What about the people who are eating perfect Paleo foods in perfect Zone proportions and quantities... and STILL not seeing progress? It happens - I see it every day, and deal with it with my clients. And that's because "Real Health", as you mentioned, is about SO MUCH MORE than just a solid nutritional foundation. The Zone can't fix everything.

I'll be expanding on this idea a LOT in the coming months, and citing some real-world examples from the awesome people I'm working with right now.

Melissa

It seems to me that if you have people who are sta...

2009-10-25T16:06:33.718-04:00

It seems to me that if you have people who are staying "strict" on Paleo and not experiencing weight loss, then it's time to introduce those people to the Zone as well.

Real health, that is, maximum "volume under the curve," can only come if people are not only eating quality, but eating in quantities that are appropriate for their body composition.

That's where the Zone is so helpful, in defining the minimum and maximum amounts of protein and carbs that one ought to eat.

I've read your anti-weighing and measuring stuff Melissa and know where you're coming from in being against all that, but really, it is sensible to tell athletes that they should daily get between 0.7 g and 1.0 g of clean (Paleo!) protein per pound of lean mass, eat clean (Paleo!) carbs in a 3:4 ratio to the protein, and get the rest of the calories they need from fat (ideally, the good monounsaturated kinds, including some Omega 3).

Melissa, Your website, your attitude, your style, ...

2009-10-25T10:51:54.113-04:00

Melissa,
Your website, your attitude, your style, kicked me in the butt in July and I committed. Before that I was only dabbling. What a difference that 30 days made. I am now about 95% Paleo. Feeling strong and healthy.
With all the help you gave me and so many others I am sorry you were derailed. Good luck with your ramp up. We are mere mortals. And when we come to grips with this itis easier to focus.

I am stoked about the on-line consulting! I have b...

2009-10-24T14:12:26.834-04:00

I am stoked about the on-line consulting! I have been an 'Urbanite' all Summer and love veggies, but lack discipline with beer/burgers, the usual pit-fall foods!
I am going to also start my PTP-workouts this week. I have an outstanding crossfit coach here in Az. and am going to make sure my form remains impeccable throughtout. I will keep our blog family here posted on how I fare.
I will follow the Dallas formula as close as possible (with my coach's oK)
thanks, Melissa! This page has been a Godsend to my performance and health!
Sully

+1 -- Thanks Melissa :D PS. ZMA?

2009-10-24T04:31:45.972-04:00

+1 -- Thanks Melissa :D

PS. ZMA?

Thanks, Jesse! Some days I let myself complain and...

2009-10-23T14:44:04.062-04:00

Thanks, Jesse! Some days I let myself complain and whine, so long as I eat right, sleep, and don't skip my workout. I figure as long as it's *just* my mouth that's off-program, I can't do too much damage ;-)

It's a gorgeous, sunny day here in Austin, Texas, and the temps are supposed to be in the 70s all weekend. (We had 70+ days over 100 this summer. blech.) I can't wait to get to my outdoor workouts!

@ Melicious- hang in there girl! You've done lots...

2009-10-23T14:33:19.997-04:00

@ Melicious- hang in there girl! You've done lots of awesome stuff, and I know you'll get to your goal eventually. (I've totally stolen quite a few of your recipes to try and was inspired by you majorly to getting through my thirty days back when this started)

Moxy Boss- Sounds great! Catchy name, and a concept that I think fits really well with your more... all encompassing(?) theme. It's something I've noticed missing in some affiliates, is the devotion to stuff outside of WOD start and finish times. Looking forward to seeing what you've got for us!

Sounds like a great attitude Melicious!

2009-10-23T13:32:30.727-04:00

Sounds like a great attitude Melicious!

Hey, Danni! Thanks for your perspective. I've bee...

2009-10-23T13:15:44.192-04:00

Hey, Danni!

Thanks for your perspective. I've been asking myself for a few weeks why I care so much about getting leaner, and I have to admit that it's a good chunk of vanity and a partial chunk of wanting to be as healthy as I can be.

I was a fat kid and suffered a lot of verbal abuse from dumbasses who made themselves feel good by making me feel bad, so yeah... there's some "wanting to slay monsters" going on there.

But I also want my outside to reflect how fit and healthy I am on the inside, and I don't think I'm quite there yet.

I think I have a mostly balanced outlook. Some days, I definitely have f'ed up body image things going on, but I also have a really good support network of people who set me straight when I'm being dumb.

A few days last week, the pursuit of "be my best" was making me a little wackadoodle, but I ate great this week, had some really fun/hard/rewarding workouts, got 8.5 hours of sleep last night and today... cheerful, optimistic, feeling great.

I'm not ready to give up on my dream to see my "alien baby" disappear from the front of my hips. But I'm working hard to not make myself nutty during the journey, too.

Melicious -- my experience is that, at some point,...

2009-10-23T13:09:10.089-04:00

Melicious -- my experience is that, at some point, the pursuit of fat loss, to the point of extreme-fine tuning and obsessive attention, may or may not be worthwhile and fit in positively to the "whole health" concept. This is of course personal, and the level of fine tuning one is able to do without insanity varies, and some people don't have a reasonable notion of what is overly OCD v. basic nutrition. . . but I think (as it has been said) at some point we've got to consider our mental health and ask whether the extra OCD measures are worthwhile and contribute positively to our health, including mental health.

OK that was rambly but my sense is that you probably are doin' pretty well already and hate to see people beat themselves up and make themselves miserable for just a little more fat loss.

But if it's super important to you that's your deal not mine! We're all supportive no matter what I'm sure.

Whole30...I like it! Great recommendation Adam. ...

2009-10-23T13:02:54.091-04:00

Whole30...I like it! Great recommendation Adam.

I like being almost famous-ish too, appearing on the blog. Melissa, I was relieved to see that you didn't post the bit about now having a healthy digestive tract! I wouldn't want to be famous-ish because of that. But seriously, that is one of the conributing factors to keeping me on track with the Paleo method. Again, looking forward to the unveiling of what is to come and also looking forward to trying to figure out what I need to tweak in my goal to achieving the Whole30.

Oooo........See?! You've done it again!! I'm in ...

2009-10-23T12:58:49.132-04:00

Oooo........See?! You've done it again!!

I'm in the same boat as Angie and Oh, what have I done. The Whole30 is perfect! I can't wait for more.

Good job Melissa and Dallas!