IT IS ALL IN THE BLOOD...WORK THAT IS.

When you take the step to change your diet and begin to transform how you look, feel and perform, it is also important to see what is going on within your body. May is Telluride's annual health month the medical center is offering amazing deals on blood work. If you have insurance, check with your provider to see if they cover this and if you don't have insurance, take advantage of this opportunity. If you do not live in Telluride, check your local doctor and get in there.

Having hypo-thyroid, I have to get my blood work done every six months or so and it is a great tool in keeping up on your health. It will show you everything from, cholesterol, both HDL and LDL, as well as triglycerides, endocrine function, lipids, etc .

Summer is around the corner and many people are more active, eating better and are more aware of health. By having a blood panel done now and then another before the winter begins, it may just reiterate that what you eat and how you exercise can have a dramatic impact on internal health as well as your physical appearance. And, you cannot cheat yourself because the numbers don't lie!

(Google blood panel and chem panel for more details on what you can learn from your blood)

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Daniel Murray wins best male, overall, and Katie Karrow wins best female. Between foodlogs and potlucks and positive attitude, these two came out on top. They also worked hard, leaned out and toned up the last 8 weeks. Congrats!

The biggest transformation that has happened in the gym is non other then, Teri Savelli! When I brought back the Paleo diet from my certification, she was very interested to see if it worked for her, and it did! She looks amazing and is getting stronger everyday at CrossFit! She even took some time off her old FRAN! Go Teri!!! This could not have happened unless she was a regular at the gym and potlucks and she wowed me with her recipes! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your photos, they are an inspiration to all!

       BEFORE                                                  AFTER

ELIMINATION CHALLENGE/FOOD REINTRODUCTION

CrossFit Telluride has just completed an 8 week Paleo Challenge and I must say, everyone is looking good! For the contenders who stuck it out, I have encouraged them to start tweaking their diets that best suits each individual through a food reintroduction. The best way to accomplish this having eaten mainly lean meats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, little salt, no sugar, good fats, etc., is to reintroduce a new food group for 2-3 days per group and keep track of what happens to the body. Since each person responds differently to food as a whole, some may not need to cut everything out completely. And it will help keep good eating habits because the ultimate tool taken from this challenge is listening to the body and what it demands alongside what life demands.

For those of you who have not tried a Paleo Challenge, the direction I would take would be an Elimination-style diet. This would be the opposite as above. One food group would be taken away for a 2-3 day period, until you are at a Paleo base. Then, you can look at your results based on how the body responds and tweak your diet to maximize how you look, feel and perform!

The order of importance for food reintroduction is:
1. GLUTEN FREE GRAINS: you can be as specific as you want. Eat rice, how do you feel? Eat corn, how do you feel, Quinoa? etc.
2. SALT/SUGAR: obviously these should be moderated anyway, but it is always a good way to guage how your body reacts to them. Ask yourself, do you get bloated? Cravings?Hunger?Energy?Hydration?
3. LEGUMES: these are a natural digestive irritant, but for some, they do not react as much as for others. "Beans, Beans, the wonderful fruit..."
4. DAIRY: Same goes for this, do you feel mucus buildup, bloated, gassy? etc.
5. GLUTEN: I put this last, because the way wheat is processed and put in everything that comes in a box or a loaf, is very nutrient deficient. Plus, most people are intolerant to some extent. Do you get cravings? Energy levels? Weight gain? Mood? etc.

If you do an elimination version, you would go from #5 to #1. Got it?

Keeping track of your vitals when eating in general should either encourage or deter you from eating that particular food.
Vitals to think about:
1. mood
2. energy
3. nausea
4. bowel movements
5. hydration
6. sleep
7. recovery
8. hunger/cravings
9. workout performance
1o.alertness
11. weight gain/Loss
12. acne

Eat the best, be the best!

Them Apples

This one is for you Mr. Thurk!

APPLESAUCE...

1-2 lbs apples (preferrably ones that are about to turn)

2 tbsp butter

1TBSP cinnamon

Honey Bear Drizzle (optional)

1. Roughly chop and core all apples (leave skins on)

2. place in a pot with the rest of ingredients and cook on med/low heat for 1 hour

3. Process half the apples to make a chunky sauce

4. Use the other half in baking or at breakfast or whatever.

5. Enjoy

This recipe is a great alternative to eating sweets. Put some nuts in with it and it will make a tasty treat.

BREAKY

This used to be a staple for me in college, especially when I got sick of toast. I present you with Oatmeal and the Egg. Make the egg over-easy because when the yolk mixes with the oats, it is delicious. Add a cup of coffee and breakfast is served.

Oats are "gluten-free", however, they cannot claim they are if they are packaged in a factory that also packages gluten. You can buy gluten-free specific if you are really sticking to no gluten, or are really allergic. Honestly, I just look for organic thick rolled oats and eat that when I choose to eat grains or feel like my body needs something more. Enjoy.

HANGRY? Find what works for you!

(Friend Balta questioning the FlipSides!)

The link below is great because it covers all the new diets out there, including Paleo. The author puts the ups and downs very matter-of-fact and I liked it. Overall, it explains how each person is individual and requires different calories from various food groups to function properly.

As I have looked into individualizing a diet to each person, I have been reading up on an elimination style of finding out what is best for each person to eat. I am going to experiment with it for the next couple of weeks and see what exactly keeps me moving and motivated and emotionally sound and report back. If all goes well, I believe that when the CrossFit gym decides to try another challenge, it may be an "Elimination Challenge". This will keep people compliant, motivated and in it for the long haul we call life! That may mean I eat dairy and no gluten, while someone else is the opposite. You get the idea. It is so amazing how each of our bodies has a different "laboratory" that requires certain balance to maintain homeostasis, or well-being. Enjoy! And Thanks Diana Murray for giving me the heads up on this article.

http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/201001/diets-fitness-nutrition-wellness-intro.html