Emo-eating

Optimal can mean many things to many people. To you, it should mean eating froyo at least every day, especially Pinkberry. You can see the Japanese culture-inspired decor, but you probably don’t realize the cultural and health connections between those neon toys that appear in the store and Pinkberry’s unique froyo product. Pinkberry froyo contains an enzyme found in seaweed consumed in Japan that has been credited with the low prostate and breast cancer rates in the country. In nature it is fluorescent and is used in manufacture as a dye or tint (the neon toys!).

If Pinkberry every day is too pricey and you want to just maximize your dollars for synergistic effect with your fitness routine, most plain tart froyo is highest in protein and has ratios of carbohydrate and protein that make it optimal as a post work-out recovery food. Peanut butter froyo is best for mass gain, and green tea froyo is best for body fat loss thanks to its antioxidant-rich green tea base.

….Yeah right, you wish. That was all a lie. April Fools.

Before I continue though, quick non-Fools announcement: the next Nutrition 101 seminar is 4/17 (sign up link here), and the next Paleo Challenge starts 4/12 (sign-up to be posted in the gym). What you eat will amplify or diminish your training, so get a grip on it and sign up.

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While doing the WOD yesterday in my carb-hungover state and hearing many others commiserate about or extoll froyo, it became clear that, in addition to or instead of alcohol, froyo may be holding some of us back.

Don’t get me wrong, even with its concentrated sugar content and highly processed milk components, in moderation (small portions) and from time to time (don’t faint now: once every few weeks?), froyo, much like alcohol, probably won’t be responsible for causing disease or home-wrecking. My excuse was that I couldn’t deprive my little brother of the true froyo experience while he was visiting from Chicago (there is froyo there and they have cooler names like Yogenfruz, but it’s not at all the same). I definitely paid the Paleo Person price for my overindulgence — that is the added pain in addition to the actual damage a person who normally eats well pays when they go and eat a ton of sugar.

But it’s probably not the froyo itself that’s the culprit. Froyo happens to just be the latest popular treat we’ve fooled ourselves into believing is a mostly harmless cheat. The culprit is probably the circumstances that lead up to you finding yourself pulling that self-served lever for a wicked dose of sugar and an equally wicked insulin spike and after-effects. Check out Mark Sisson’s article about the long-lasting effects of a carb binge.

Even if froyo isn’t your poison, I thought the topic of emotional eating would be worth touching on. I liked this article from CrossFit Unlimited:

Unfortunately it happens to the best of us. Experts say that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. Emotional eating doesn’t mean you are heartbroken and on the couch with a tub of ice cream, it means that you are eating in response to emotion rather than hunger. Emotions could range from joy, boredom, sadness, stress or distraction. The first step is to identify eating triggers by keeping a detailed food journal documenting thoughts, feelings, stressors, situations and emotions associated with when and what you eat, quite often they fall into one or more of the following 5 categories:

Situations and emotions that trigger us to eat fall into five main categories.

* Social. Eating when around other people. For example, excessive eating can result from being encouraged by others to eat; eating to fit in; arguing; or feelings of inadequacy around other people.
* Emotional. Eating in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension, depression, anger, anxiety, or loneliness as a way to “fill the void.”
* Situational. Eating because the opportunity is there. For example, at a restaurant, seeing an advertisement for a particular food, passing by a bakery. Eating may also be associated with certain activities such as watching TV, going to the movies or a sporting event, etc.
* Thoughts. Eating as a result of negative self-worth or making excuses for eating. For example, scolding oneself for looks or a lack of will power.
* Physiological. Eating in response to physical cues. For example, increased hunger due to skipping meals or eating to cure headaches or other pain.

We have learned that Chunky Monkey is both literally and figuratively the key to some of our CFSB-ers' hearts

A common situation is eating to procrastinate or stay alert at work. I learned from experience this week that it doesn’t work (at least not for me). With each Oreo cookie I ate, my attention span decreased and I had a huge headache from the sugar!

Once you know your patterns, the next step is to break them by finding alternative ways to manage your emotions.

Sometimes it can be as simple as substituting the junk food for more nutritious food. The most important thing to remember is not to make yourself wrong for giving in to comfort food. As always you are one meal away from getting back on track. Recognizing your habits is key to changing them, as with everything you can’t get where you want to go if you don’t know where you are starting.

The recipe for this week is for Chicken Parmesana from CF Unlimited and looks amazing! Also check out this awesome search engine for paleo recipes — just type in your ingredients.

WOD 04/01/10

A. 4 Rounds (not for time)
30 Second L-Sit Hold – If feet touch the ground stop the count
10 strict toes to bar
Take your time here and make sure form is perfect. 15 minutes to complete

B. 30-20-10
Ring Rows
Overhead Squats
Sit-Ups