To Snack or Not to Snack? That is the question…
Do you eat 3 solid square meals a day? Do you perhaps only eat 2 meals a day? 
Or, do you eat 5 or 6 times with smaller meals?
There typically 2 camps when it comes to healthy eating. When I was growing up, it was ALWAYS 3 meals a day. I didn’t get many snacks (well of course the occasional Ho Ho or Ding Dong!), and as hungry as I could get I was always instructed to “wait until dinner” and not to “ruin my appetite”.
When I got older, and discovered the Zone diet, I began eating fewer carbs and eating more often. This worked like a charm! Instead of eating breakfast at 7:00, and be starving by 11, I would eat at 7, 10, 1, 5, and 8! My meals became smaller. I felt better, and I was rarely as hungry as I used to be.
Part of why this was working so well is that before, I would just wait to eat and I’d be so hungry that I’d eat 3 sandwiches or something. Of course, part of the problem was that I was eating way too many carbs, and they were not keeping me full. So switching to more protein and fat was a huge improvement.
Now that I’m eating more paleo, I do notice that I do not have as much need for snacking. However, I still don’t often have time to make and eat a big enough meal to keep me satisfied for 6 hours. So, I still snack here and there.
Example #1: I’m working on an article. It’s 11:45 a.m. My stomach is starting to growl. I know I will be finished with this article by 12:30, but I just need a little energy to be able to think clearly for that 45 minutes. So, I eat a handful of almonds and finish the article at 12:30, when I have lunch.
Example #2: I eat lunch at 12:30. I have a 40-minute workout planned for 5:30. I have a good sized paleo lunch, but by 5:30 I need a little more fuel to have the energy to get through my workout, otherwise, I will crash and burn. So eat some jerky, nuts, and a few berries around 4:30, which carry me through my workout and satiated until dinner.
I have friends who can go all day without eating. Great for them! I think this just shows how we are all built a little differently. If I skip breakfast, I will not be functioning very well until I can get food in me. If I skip lunch I will have a headache until I can eat.
Bigger meals do help, but healthy snacking can be a great way to make sure you have energy all day and are not tempted to overeat at any one sitting.
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53 – Paleo bites the potato
(duration 18:04)
In this show we discuss a couple news items dealing with what paleolithic humans ate and what this means for low-carb eating, or not. Regardless of what group ate what particular foods, in the weight loss journey it’s key to recognize the role that insulin plays in fat storage. We also address an email concerning the nature of carbs and endurance training, as well as potential difficulties in gaining support for the low-carb lifestyle from those close to us. In the process of resolving disputes about diet and food, “nonviolent communication” strategies are amazingly beneficial, which focus on feelings and needs and win/win scenarios that ensure that everyone’s needs get met.
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Items mentioned in this episode:
Paleolithic Europeans Had Bread Along With Meat, Study Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/science/19bread.html
Matt Metzgar: 10 Years Later
http://www.mattmetzgar.com/matt_metzgar/2010/10/10-years-later.html
Cambridge Journals Online – Abstract – Estimated macronutrient and fatty acid intakes from an East African Paleolithic diet
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7908053&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0007114510002679
Can You Be an Endurance Athlete and Primal?
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/jonas-colting/
Interview with Paleo Ironman Triathlete & Author Nell Stephenson – Podcast #31
http://triswimcoachonline.com/tri/interview-with-ironman-triathletepaleo-dieter-nell-stephenson-podcast-31/
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg
http://www.amazon.com/Nonviolent-Communication-Language-Marshall-Rosenberg/dp/1892005034
The Basics of Non Violent Communication 1.1 (extended workshop)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-129JLTjkQ
bumper music “All In My Head” (Remix) – http://www.kosheen.com
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52 – Is orthorexia a problem
(duration 25:48)
In this show we discuss the nature of having “rigid” rules for eating. Is there a downside to eating healthily all the time? Further, are there any upsides to not caring much about what you’re consuming? We explore whether healthy eating might become an “obsession” for some and why some view it as pathological. What matters, of course, is what foods you focus on as staples, so there is no need to be overly strict. Your relationship to things that aren’t so healthy, such as “junk food,” also needs attention. Clearly, having the right nutritional info is key in this process, which will help you become more in harmony with your food choices, and they’ll come more naturally. Also, the psychological process of overcoming habits that aren’t so healthy and that may be causing disruption in your life is crucial–so that you can be at peace with yourself.
Tell us about your own “orthorexic” challenges by commenting after this podcast…
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Items mentioned in this episode:
Podcast episode 8 in which we discussed aging…
http://healthymindfitbody.com/2009/11/03/8-slowing-aging-and-staying-young/
Dedication to Healthy Foods Considered an Eating Disorder by George Dvorsky
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20101012
bumper music “All In My Head” (Remix) – http://www.kosheen.com
Feel free to rate and/or review our show on iTunes!
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A Look at Nutrition and Fitness Goals
I was reading a blog post over at the Theory to Practice site on the idea of 
progress. This reminded me of a few things in fitness that are super important.
Let’s start with nutrition. I think it is very easy for many people to take an “all or nothing” approach. In other words, they hear something about a diet, and they immediately think or say “Oh I couldn’t do that, it’s too restrictive!” Other reasons given are often that it’s too inconvenient, too expensive or too hard to follow. First, this says nothing about the validity of the diet itself. So yes, it may mean taking more time every day to prepare meals…so is health worth it?
But my point here is not to call out these statements as excuses, but to emphasize that if the idea of overhauling your diet seems overwhelming, why not shoot for small goals? How about some simple things, like cutting sugar intake in half, or replacing that granola bar with a hard boiled egg, or cutting out SOME bread? Achieving these small victories will likely motivate you to keep going and getting closer to a healthy diet.
Fitness is the same way. Maybe you don’t want to run a marathon (nor should you want to! Chronic cardio is real and not good for your health). But goals can help us to get to a new level of fitness. Here are some examples of goals that can put you on that path of seeing visible progress:
-Enter a 5k race. This isn’t going to take up a ton of your time to train, but it’s enough to get you off the couch and out the door.
-Join a CrossFit gym. For whatever reason, I still have not done CrossFit, but I hear great things and I know they are very focused on goals from session to session. And you WILL be challenged no matter what level you start.
-Do super slow workouts in the gym. I’ve been doing variations of this for a couple of years. You can always compare yourself to how you did in your last session. And, they don’t take much time at all- it’s only 1 set of 4-6 exercises! You can see more about this type of workout by reading Tim Ferriss’ now famous post.
-Do a sprint triathlon. These are great for people who like variety to their workouts and don’t have a lot of time to train.
What about my favorite, natural movement? There isn’t a great way to set highly specific goals with natural movement workouts. They are much more free flowing and taking advantage of your surroundings. This is what I like about these workouts. I do about 4 workouts a week where I am trying to hit a goal of some kind (even if it’s just swimming 1 more lap). My 5th workout I like to be not so much goal-oriented, but challenging at the same time. So while this post is about goals, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s fun to run around like a monkey outside sometimes and challenge your body without comparing and contrasting!
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3 Food Items You Should Stock In Your Kitchen Cabinet If You Care About Your Health
I was in the shower thinking about what I wanted to write about today, and it hit me! I have been spending more time lately preparing meals and actually cooking, as opposed to heating things up. There are things that I use on a regular basis, and I think to round out a healthy and tasty diet, it is important to have these items on hand at all times!
1. Coconut oil. The gold standard of cooking oils. Yes, it’s loaded with saturated fat, and common wisdom says this is fattening and will lead to dreaded high cholesterol. This is where common wisdom is wrong! Coconut oil has been shown to help with fat burning with a rare type of fat called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s). MCT’s are more suited for energy use rather than fat storage. One study on coconut oil, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated that the medium-chain fatty acids that comprise coconut oil were threefold more effective than polyunsaturated oils at raising metabolism. Make sure to get high quality, virgin coconut oil- taste and nutritional value will be higher!
2. Flax Seed Meal. This low carb, omega 3 fatty acid-rich seed can be used in many different meal combinations such as with smoothies, yogurt, or as part of many healthy recipes (like flax cakes). The omega 3′s in flax are not easily converted in your body from ALA to EPA and DHA (which is where fish oils are better), it still helps with your omega 3: omega 6 balance that is so important. Also, flax contains phytochemicals, including many anti-oxidants, and is loaded with B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, and fiber.
3. Cocoa Powder (unsweetened). Cocoa is loaded with antioxidants, and luckily for us chocolate-lovers has many other benefits! The reason for cocoa powder’s healthy kick is because it contains flavonoids. Flavonoids are a form of antioxidant and can also be found in vegetables, plants and red wine. Antioxidants help defend a body against free radicals, and therefore help prevent disease. Cocoa has also been shown to improve mood and help with blood circulation. A great way to get all these health benefits and satisfy your chocolate cravings is to mix a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder with a little stevia powder in a cup of hot water. For an even better treat, try adding a little full fat coconut milk. Yum!
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