So easy a cave man could do it

Pia: will she continue the Paleo Challenge legacy?

The 3rd CFSB Paleo Challenge starts Monday!!!

The Meidav siblings (Shira and Arbel) have dominated the last two challenges. I’m not sure if Pia (above) or Gia will be competing, but if so, the next Challenge group has yet another Meidav to contend with.

The purpose of the Challenge is an opportunity and incentive to:

• Focus on your lifestyle (food, sleep, exercise, play, recovery)
• Reap performance and aesthetic results (think sexy time)
• Learn to utilize nutrition resources, identify quality ingredients and cook quality meals
• Improve insulin sensitivity, body composition and decrease your risk for a host of non-paleo-diet-related lifestyle diseases
• Hopefully learn along the way why eating the way you evolved to eat/live is the best way to avoid disease

This weekend’s Nutrition 101 Seminar had a great turn out. If you didn’t make it, not to fear, this blog and our gym is full of great resources to  help you along the way (and plenty of fun-loving people to invite you out for a drink … beware: alcohol is not paleo).

The last Challenge saw over thirty entrants, but only six finishers (people completing food logs and benchmark WOD). Last challenge utilized a kitty and, partly thanks to the draw of Hermosa Beach bars and pubs but mostly her quick study and dedication, Shira took home almost $300 in cash (not to mention a nice 1RM deadlift PR and her ass-kicking booty).

The separate categories were popular last time as people seem to fall into two camps: the “Eh, I’ll give it a try, but I like my bagels and cream cheese” camp and the “BRING IT!” camp. No matter where you are in the learning process, giving the Challenge a whirl, much like doing CrossFit, will highlight your weaknesses and help you improve.

Changes to the challenge include duration. The challenge will last six weeks instead of eight, but the point system will be more stringent, and cheats will be allowed only from paleo-based sources for Category A. Also, if you’re interested in a cooking demo and have a big kitchen and could accommodate 10-15 people, let me know and we’ll arrange!

Category A: “Motivated People Only” a.k.a. I wanna see my six-pack and win me some scrilla! $35 Entry fee goes toward winners’ kitty. Two eligible winners, free food log reviews by Remy weekly, sign up will be online.

Category B: “Sort of motivated, but not on the weekends” No entry fee, two eligible winners (prize TBD). Email Remy to sign up!

Rules: Challengers will take before/after pictures, do two benchmark WODs (one lift, one WOD), keep a daily food log on Google Docs, and obey Category rules which will be posted on the Paleo Challenge page.

Common pitfalls:

Aside from completely falling off the bandwagon, there are some common mistakes which can easily hamper seeing body composition changes and accomplishing improved energy levels.

• Not eating enough protein
• Not eating enough fat
• Eating too much refined CHO, fruit / dried fruit / high-GL bars worsening cravings
• Eating too much nuts/nut butter and high-salt convenience foods
• Not sleeping enough
• As a result of a combination of the above: binge/emo-eating
• Poor cheat choices: choosing gut irritating (grains, dairy, beans) cheat meals or eating too much of a cheat food

How to sign up:

Both A&B: Create a Google email account if you don’t have one so you can use Google Docs for your food log and Google Groups for communications. Category A: Sign-up will be online for the kitty entry AND email Remy with your Google email address. Category B: Sign-up by emailing Remy with your Google email address.

Click here to sign up and pay your kitty fee.

All those who sign up by Saturday will receive an invite to the Google Group with instructions. Check out the Paleo Challenge page as it updates. Questions? Email Remy.

A fun paleo overview video from King CrossFit: part 1, part 2.

Workout of the Day 8/11/10