Rob Goodwin

2010-03-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

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Paleo Observations continued...

2010-02-02T16:32:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to throw out a few observations while they were fresh in my mind. I've been strict Paleo for some time now and can notice some real changes that my body has become sensitive to... and I also have thrown in a few things that make it all work so much better in an active life.

1. My sensitivity to alcohol and refined sugar has gotten extremely acute. More than a small glass of wine... or even more than one 12-oz. beer and I feel sick and spacey. Even a small amount of refined sugar or enriched flour makes me instantly feel lethargic and brings on a harsh headache in a matter of about 15-20 minutes. To me, this shows the real biological stress that these poisons can do to you in quick fashion. There seems to be a real "rejection" when I consume those.

2. Good fats are worth their weight in gold. Flax seeds, olive oils, almonds,whole eggs, coconut oil, etc. These make a real impact in my mood and energy.

3. This ain't freakin' Adkins. Bad fats like bacon, cheap meats, oils, etc. have no place here. Paleo is about good nutrients.

4. Supplements: Parrillo's Captri MCT oil, organic, unrefined coconut oil, protein powders, and LARABARs have been critical in my crazy life.

5. I'm dropping body fat while keeping or increasing lean muscle, and I feel vibrant. Skin tone is good, hair and nails are healthy. Don't have the wiped-out feeling of a "diet".

6. Although I've already mentioned this... cheating makes me feel terrible. Like I've been drugged. It's very pronounced on this system. Makes me not want to cheat nearly as much.

So, it's so far so good. I'm very pleased and once again I cannot believe how natural this feels. The only thing I find myself truly missing is the occasional bowl of cereal and my beloved ice-cream. I plan on having my first bowl of frozen heaven on Super Bowl Sunday. I'll be in Raleigh at a TRX workshop for 8-hours. I'm sure I'll burn off enough at that to justify some Ben & Jerry's.

Have advice? Need advice? Have a question about training? Drop me an email.

Peace.

Paleo on the go!

2010-01-31T10:55:00.000-08:00

Mixed baby greens, left over grilled chicken, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and just a touch of red wine vinaigrette. Amazing, SUPER healthy, fast and easy. Took literally 3 minutes to make.

Observations from a Paleo eating Hunter/Gatherer...

2010-01-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

For the last sixteen years I've been training clients on how to improve their lives and physiques through proper movement and consumption. Like everyone, I've evolved. For many years I advocated the use of starchy carbohydrates, grains, beans, and even (gasp) dairy!

I leaned, I experienced, I applied, I evolved...

For about three years now I have been advocating the cessation of consuming breads, pasta, and dairy products (except plain organic yogurt). It has worked not only on myself... but on my clients.

I began advocating brief, intense workouts utilizing mainly bodyweight movements, plyometrics, and Olympic lifts in 20-30 minutes sessions. It worked not only on myself, but on my clients. Bodies were fitter, leaner, sexier, more productive, and free of injury.

About 8 months ago... I began studying the Paleo style nutrition plan. Also called, ancient, primal, and a few other clever names. I've always said "eat Biblical" and it evolved (excuse the pun) into the stricter sense of the term. When I learned that famed and highly respected Triathlon and cycling coach Joe Friel was on board, and was using the approach with his athletes... I had to try it. I got a copy of The Paleo Diet for Athletes, co written by Joe Friel. I also read and studied just about every book and case study I could find. It just never stopped making sense! So about a month ago I dove in head first. Went from excluding flours, and dairy items and went full tilt and began excluding ALL grains, flours, beans, legumes, and dairy products. One month later... I feel better than I can remember. At age 41, I had some aches... some joint pain and other issue I just chalked up to age. That was crap. A little over one month in and my joint pain has went away. I wake with more energy, I sleep better, my performance has improved, my mental state is better, my focus is better, and the food I eat literally gets me high when I eat it. Really! When I eat these meals now I feel an energy rush and a sense I can only describe as very mild euphoria. Another plus is it's so damn easy! It really took very little adjustments.

More proof...

Last night I did it. I cheated. And to be honest, I wanted to see what would happen. So, I had a slice of cake... and two glasses of wine (one more than the recommended single glass). Within an hour I felt like I had been drugged... thirty minutes after that I was in bed too tired to stay awake. This was at roughly 10pm. I woke back up at around 1:30am with a terrible headache, and terrible joint pain in the spine, shoulder, and hips. I felt like I was 90-years-old. So I popped some ibuprofen and went back to bed. When I woke again, I immediately went back to a super-clean, Paleo style breakfast. By noon I was back to my normal, feeling great again.

So all that I've read is definitely true. I'm completely confident that anyone who adopts this lifestyle combined with the elements of exercise that I use and recommend... anyone can drop all the bodyfat they want and attain any level of health and performance they desire.

In 4 weeks I have personally lost 10 pounds of bodyfat, gained 3 pounds of lean muscle, and can feel my performance and endurance elevating quickly.

Please, I beg you... get off the crap, adopt the principles I recommend... and get on the fast track to the body you want. Please also tell a friend... we have to become advocates as well as athletes.

God bless...

Paleo on the go!

2010-01-31T02:58:00.000-08:00

4 Scrambled eggs (Omega-3 enriched) with flax and sunflower seeds on top...

Organic apple slices with organic Almond butter... YUM!

A Super high energy, high nutrient breakfast that will build the body, and keep the fat-burning mechanism in motion. And it tastes great!!!! Fuel up!

Paleo on the go!

2010-01-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite snacks...

Organic apple slices with organic almond butter... sprinkled with flax seeds. Nearly PERFECT!

Tastes great!

The Dora plate is a nice touch also... don'tcha think?

Workout today:

2010-01-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

I classify my workouts into two categories; hunter or gatherer. Today's workout will be of the less intense variety... the goal is productive movement.

Today: Gatherer (low intensity). 45 minutes of low intensity spinning on my spin bike. 65-70% of MHR.

Yesterday was: Hunter (high intensity). 20 minutes of high intensity strength training utilizing a combination of bodyweight movements and TRX movements.

(2 sets each no rest)

Chin-ups (wide-grip)

Explosive push-ups

(2 rotations)

TRX rear-delt/ rhomboid rows

TRX chest press

TRX I/Y shoulder raises

TRX plank/pullover combo

The Basic, Core Principles of Movement & Consumption

2010-01-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

As much as I love training clients one-on-one I also absolutely love conducting seminars and clinics to groups both large and small. While some will say that public speaking is the number one fear to the majority of people, I really enjoy it and take the opportunity to do it whenever I can. I am passionate about getting out real, results producing information to people who live in a culture where the status quo and conventional wisdom is way off base. I am often embarrassed of the industry that I represent so whenever I have a chance to stir the pot — I do.

You see, the real methodology of physique change is exactly the opposite of what the product pushers will typically tell you. They often tell you through flashy advertising that they have a new, revolutionary product or program that “works like magic” often in “minutes a day.” The reality is that the “technology” is really as current now as I was both back in Paleolithic times as well as Biblical times. It’s all about how you structure your activity and how you consume nutrients.

Movement and Consumption.

Regularly when I am speaking to a group or even one on one with a client or someone via email, I will try to get the issue down to its most basic terms. I will often say “Live Biblically”. Some go deeper and call it Paleolithic, which I also pretty much agree with. You’ll find that in its simplest terms it’s incorporating functional movements for exercise and relying on proteins, good, healthy fats, and fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for your healthy way of consuming. Excluded are all grains, legumes, and most dairy which your body does not need, can be toxic, and is not necessary for any functions at all. Even the great triathlon and cycling coach Joe Friel now agrees with this methodology. Living Biblically breaks down into the following ideology as far as health, fitness, and longevity are concerned. Here are the most basic concepts. Nothing here is ground breaking, in fact it’s simple things that are long forgotten. We need to remember. Expect most of your health concerns to disappear, especially the dreaded inflammation that so many of us deal with in many forms daily. After a month all mine went bye-bye. I thought the aches and pains were age… they were not. They were a result of putting things into my body that nature never expected to be there. The following are the cliff’s notes of this life changing approach.

Movement

2500 years ago people walked everywhere. They were extremely active and most farmed or fished. Everything was hand-made and difficult physical tasks were done through hard efforts in short duration. If there were trouble, people in those time would have two options… fight, or run really fast. Everything physical was also functional. That’s why I firmly believe that functional strength training is the most ideal for functional strength, optimal, vibrant health, loss of body fat, protection of joints, ligaments and connective tissues, and athletic longevity. Unless your goal is to be a competitive bodybuilder, a competitive power lifter, or your goal is simply to be able to lift the back end of a Buick, then athletic, functional strength training is the ideal method. My style of functional strength training utilizes the following style movements:

Bodyweight movements such as step-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, dips, lunges, sit-ups, and dozens upon dozens of movements capable on the TRX System, which I use in nearly every workout I perform.

Plyometric movements such as squat jumps, box jumps, sprints, etc.

Olympic style lifts like deadlifts, power cleans, squat presses, and barbell squats.

Free weight movements like dumbbell presses, bent-over rows

These movements are performed in a quick moving, intense circuit that keeps the heart rate up throughout the workout and builds both muscular strength and muscular endurance. In my humble opinion, the antiquated methodology of 3 sets of 10 reps with minutes of rest in between is dead. The only reason you should train that way is if you only have one goal, and that goal is larger muscles. By keeping the anaerobic intensity up during the workout, weights are reduced and the workouts put far less wear and tear on the joins and connective tissue while still allowing the lifter to increase lean mass to a functional and attractive level without the risk of long term stress. Think of the chiseled, lean, fit, muscular physique of an Olympic sprinter. That is the style of physique that I find attractive as well as useable. Long bouts of cardio are far less necessary with this style of training. Instead, 30-40 minutes 3 days a week would be plenty to attain cardiovascular fitness and vibrant health. Many of my clients reach a high level of fitness while greatly reducing body fat in as little as 3 hours per week of structured training.

Consumption.

2500 years ago people simply ate ridiculously clean. The great benefit in the modern age is that we can use technology to aid us, but it can also destroy us. To those who wish to greatly reduce body fat, retain or build lean muscle, and achieve vibrant health and be less susceptible to disease, I say Eat Biblical!

Here are the general guidelines.

1. Consume clean nutrients often

beginning at wake up. (Graze, or eat when hungry).

FACT: Eating productive foods in balance, frequently, boosts the metabolism and increases the rate the body burns calories.

FACT: By ingesting a balanced combination of productive foods (every 3 to 4 hours) the hormones that promote fat burning and muscle growth stay active in the body longer.

FACT: By eating more frequently you will have sustained energy throughout the day and substantially reduced cravings.

Your body is a complex, high-performance machine. Much like a racecar, it needs to be fueled frequently and maintained regularly to run at top speed.

To increase metabolism and build quality muscle you must eat productive nutrients frequently and in the right combination. When the right foods are consumed… you can eat when hungry in whatever amount makes you full or satisfied. No reason to count calories. Frequent, productive eating will supply the body with a steady stream of quality nutrients that act like mortar to repair cells and (muscle) tissue within the body while at the same time providing the body with energy. Frequent eating also trains your body to be more efficient at processing nutrients. When you consume a productive meal, your body must go to work to process those nutrients. It will continue to work at a higher rate until all the nutrients from that particular meal have been broken down. These nutrients are then converted to either glycogen (muscle fuel); amino acids for muscle growth and cell repair, or (gasp!) converted to body fat. Skipping a meal or not eating frequently will allow your body to begin slowing its metabolic processes. The reason is that the body will have no food to break down and keep the body working at an elevated rate. Additionally, without calories, you run the risk of burning muscle and not fat. By continually reintroducing a steady stream of protein carbohydrates and fats into the body, you guarantee a balance between insulin and glucagon resulting in optimal muscle growth and fat burning.

2. Build all your meals around protein.

Protein is responsible for all growth and cellular repair that occurs in the body. Each gram of protein is made-up of twenty-two amino acids linked together in a chain. A complete chain of amino acids equals a complete protein. Fourteen of the twenty-two amino acids are non-essential and are produced naturally by the body with proper nutrition. The other eight essential amino acids must be obtained from food. Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They are the raw materials used for building muscle, cell and tissue repair, healthy skin, hair, eyes, fingernails; they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria and viruses; they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity. In addition to these attributes, the consumption of protein triggers the release of the hormone glucagon. This hormone regulates blood sugar levels and acts to transport stored body fat into muscles to be burned away as energy. Eating a quality protein with every meal is critical for achieving a fit, lean, healthy, and muscular body. You must consume a lean, productive protein at every meal to ensure optimal muscle growth and fat burning. Gauge your intake to your level of activity. A hard training athlete will require more protein than someone who is sedentary.

Proteins eaten during Biblical times were much healthier. Animals that were killed for food were always free ranging. They were never injected with hormones or antibiotics, and they were always lean. Of course, back then, most people didn't even eat meat at every meal because it wasn't as plentiful, and because the Bible actually states that an excess of eating meat will make a person sick. The meat they did eat was usually limited to fish, sheep, and some types of fowl such as chicken and turkey. Pork and shellfish were considered unclean. In modern times, lean, free range poultry or grass fed beef are readily available which a great benefit. I generally eat 2-3 meals per day including lean meats, and the rest of my protein comes from whole eggs, whey, plain yogurt, nuts and seeds.

Red Meat

Contrary to popular opinion, beef and whole eggs are extremely good for you. Grass-fed beef contains between 2 and 6 times the Omega-3 fats of regular beef and averages about 100 fewer calories. Grass-fed beef is a great natural source of protein and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Lean beef is high in protein, iron, and creatine.

Eggs

Eggs, well at least the yolk anyway, has gotten a bad rap. Anyone that tells you the yolks are bad is very misinformed. The yolk of an egg contains a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that nourish your eyes, your brain, your heart and your mood. Eggs contain: lutein, selenium, vitamin D, vitamin E, Omega-3’s, sulfur, tryptophan, choline, magnesium, B12, the complete amino acid profile, and much more. Yolks are truly one of the most dense nutrition sources available.

Eggs are high in Protein and good fats!
Eggs boost Brain Health
Choline in eggs reduces Inflammation
Eggs Help Promote Weight Loss
Improve Your Cholesterol Profile

“Not only have studies shown that eggs do not significantly affect cholesterol levels in most individuals, but the latest research suggests that eating whole eggs may actually result in significant improvement in one's blood lipids (cholesterol) profile-even in persons whose cholesterol levels rise when eating cholesterol-rich foods.

In northern Mexico, an area in which the diet contains a high amount of fat because of its reliance on low-cost meat products and tortillas made with hydrogenated oils, coronary artery disease is common. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers evaluated the effects of daily consumption of whole eggs on the ratio of LDL (bad) cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol, and phenotype (the way an individual's genetic possibilities are actually expressed) in 54 children (8-12 years old) from this region. A month of eating 2 eggs daily, not only did not worsen the children's ratio of LDL:HDL, which remained the same, but the size of their LDL cholesterol increased-a very beneficial change since larger LDL is much less atherogenic (likely to promote atherosclerosis) than the smaller LDL subfractions. Among children who originally had the high-risk LDL phenotype B, 15% shifted to the low-risk LDL phenotype A after just one month of eating whole eggs.”

(Source: www.whfoods.org)

Other great proteins examples would be:

Chicken breast

Turkey breast

Game hen breasts

Scaled fish (not shellfish or smooth skinned fish such as catfish or shark)

Plain, sugar free yogurt (Plain, full-fat yogurt (organic) is a wonderfully dense source of protein, energy, calcium, and beneficial bacteria)

Whey powder

Nuts and seeds

Lamb

3. Avoid starchy carbs,

stick to vegetable and fruit based carbs.

The Carbohydrate quandary. These days, most if not all processed grains are a bad idea if you want fat loss and peak performance.

When looking at grains and vegetables, it is important to mention that the people during this time ate what was native to their land. There was no importing or exporting of goods. Eating foods that were native to the land also meant that many people worked hard for their food, often farming their own crops. Popular vegetables and fruits included figs, pomegranates, olives (which most people ate on a daily basis), and apricots.

Grains were used in moderation during this time. Carbohydrate from vegetable and fruit sources was far easier to eat on the fly. When People did eat grains they used barley and whole grains and sprouted grains to make bread and other grain products. It contained no preservatives, salt, and no sugar. Fat was forbidden, especially animal fat. However, olive oil was used when cooking and making food. It was plentiful and nutritious as well. The only complex carbohydrate I occasionally consume is the sweet potato. It’s so healthy and nutrient dense that it would be a crime not to include this wonder food. However, I generally avoid all other breads, pastas, rice, and cereals. I also avoid dairy with the exception of the yogurt mentioned above. An occasional sprinkle of cheese on a salad is also used in moderation.

Perfect Carbohydrates (that won’t make you fat)

Vegetable Source

In moderation:

Sweet potatoes
Corn (Strict moderation, and always fresh and organic)
Squash
Peas
Carrots

Abundantly:

Nearly all fibrous vegetables and dark green leafy vegetables.

Fruits

Nearly all seasonal, fresh, water dense fruit. Bananas and dried fruits used in moderation*

Nuts and Seeds: The following are very production when included into your daily diet.

Almonds (one of nature’s perfect foods)
Brazil nuts
Chestnuts
Hazelnuts (filberts)
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios (unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts

4. Good fats are a GOOD friend!

Hunter-gathers did not have domesticated livestock. The meat they ate was from what they could catch. There were no livestock in pens, hogs in confinement lots or turkeys in huge barns. Studies show that animals that run free and are not commercially raised have a different composition of fat. “Free range” animals have higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and lower levels of Omega-6. This means that less of the human fat intake would have been of the Omega-6 type and more of the Omega-3. The average American diet has about 10 times as much Omega-6 fatty acids as Omega-3. This ratio would have been closer to 3 to 1, or maybe even 1 to 1, in the Paleolithic period.

Today, we can get more Omega-3 fats by eating nuts, deep sea fish and free range meat

Omega- 3 Fatty Acids = Super Food!

Omega-3s are found primarily in fish, algae, flax and nuts. You also find good portions of them in eggs from chickens that are fed fish or flax meal. There are three forms: ALA (flax) as well as EPA and DHA (fish oil). Omega-3s aid circulation by naturally thinning the blood, fight systemic inflammation, support brain function and ease symptoms of depression, anxiety and even ADHD to name a few.

Omega- 6 Fatty Acids

Omega-6 fatty acids, found in corn and other grains as well grain-fed livestock, play a crucial role in dermal integrity and renal function among other things. But if left unchecked, they can be counterproductive, and spur inflammation, unless, they are balanced with the aforementioned Omega- 3’s. It’s very important to get a 1:1 equal ratio minimum.

Monounsaturated fats

These fatty acids sport a single double bond in their fatty acid chain. The more double bonds a fatty acid boasts, the more liquid it is. These fats are generally liquid at room temperature. Saturated fats (bad in excess) are solid at room temperature.

Monounsaturated fats are found in numerous oils, including olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil and peanut oil. The fact is these oils contain varying levels of monounsaturated fat. They are not solely monounsaturated. The rest is a mix of polyunsaturated and saturated. Olive oil contains about 75% monounsaturated fat and canola 60%. These fats are also found in avocados and nuts.

NO trans fats & hydrogenated oils

The body doesn’t recognize the “lab” fats and doesn’t know to eliminate it. The trans fats are absorbed through cell membranes, where they initiate general disorder in cell metabolism.

Trans fats have been associated with inflammation, associated atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and immune system dysfunction.

Trans fats can cause a “redistribution of fat tissues into the abdomen… even when total dietary calories are controlled.” Abdominal fat has been associated with the build up of fat around internal organs, which has in turn been associated with a higher risk of heart disease.

Trans fats and hydrogenated oil can do only 2 things. Clog your arteries and make you obese. If the words “hydrogenated oil” is anywhere in the package or bottle… avoid it!

5. Stop eating Sugar in All Forms

Sugars are simple carbohydrates or carbohydrates that are already in their simplest form. They do not need to broken down in the blood stream as complex carbs do. The body recognizes simple sugars immediately. As a result, the pancreas produces insulin because of a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Sugar in the blood stream that is not immediately used as energy is stored as body fat. To develop an athlete’s physique, avoiding simple sugars is critical. All the body’s energy should be derived from complex carbohydrates in the form of low glycemic vegetables and “in season” fresh fruit. These will give you more energy for the long haul. They stand a far less chance of converting to body fat.

You MUST eliminate sugars from your diet. Period. I cannot stress this enough. Remember, any sugars not utilized as immediate energy, stored in your muscle as glycogen, or stored in the liver, are stored as FAT. Until you learn to restrict sugar, you will never take control of your metabolism or be free of unwanted body fat.

When sugar enters the blood stream your body must send insulin to bring elevated blood sugar levels back to normal. Insulin signals the body to cease the mobilization of stored fat. Worse yet, insulin tells the body to store more fat. Avoid fat free foods that are loaded with sugar. These foods are just as bad if not worse than their regular equivalent

The average American eats 150lbs. of refined sugar per year! I believe sugar is far more responsible for obesity in America than dietary fat. Pay more attention to counting sugar grams than fat grams and watch the fat melt away.

The intense sugar cravings that you experience are absolutely normal. In fact, the more of a sugar junkie you are, the worse it will be. These cravings are not psychological; they are chemical. Ever notice how you feel a couple hours after you eat a lot of sugar? After insulin lowers blood sugar, your body wants to pick itself up again. Why? The hormone Glucagon, regulates blood sugar levels brought down by Insulin. In many cases blood sugar is lowered too much, causing your body to crave and desire the fastest, most quickly absorbed energy nutrient it can—Sugar. It is a vicious cycle that the body will want to repeat over and over again, until this cycle stops. That is why you have to detox from sugar and end your desire to crave it. Once you complete a sugar detox you will be free from craving sugar. Your mood, levels of energy, and overall health will change dramatically.

Let’s recap the basic fundamentals of consumption.

1. You must consume productive foods often. Frequent eating of productive nutrients will increase metabolism.

2. In each meal you consume, try to include: a Lean Protein, a fibrous Carbohydrate, and some good fats. No grains, legumes, or dairy.

3. Caloric restriction or dieting will cause the metabolism to slow, resulting in muscle burning and fat storage.

4. You must select foods with high biological values, conducive to muscle growth and fat burning.

“The Diet Dilemma”

Do not allow yourself to restrict calories or skip meals. Drastically cutting calories promotes fat storage by increasing the activity of fat storage enzymes. When your body is in a calorie restrictive state, it wants to hold on to all the fat it can, to ensure survival in the event of starvation. You must frequently eat productive nutrients to increase metabolism and effectively burn fat.

Diets do not work. If you are reading this you probably have tried a diet at one time or another. You have probably failed to produce the body you desired. Understand that you must apply all these components of fitness to achieve lasting success and a healthy rewarding life.

That’s the basics. Other than that, it’s important to mention a few other details such as:

Drink a gallon of water per day or more.

Get out in the sunshine regularly.

Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night… recovery is critical.

Limit alcohol consumption to red wine. It’s actually good for you in strict moderation.

So now that we’ve covered the basics… it’s time to put it all into action. Plan to get involved in a very structured workout and nutrition program. You must find your passion and purpose in life and then make the effort to rewrite your fitness story. With the right techniques, technology and motivation, you can begin the journey to a new body and vibrant health. It’s up to you. No one can do it for you, but you can certainly get help from others to show you the path. Take the first step today.

All my posts from here on will be following my journey on this plan, as well as my clients. I will also share things that I find that I believe will help you form your own objective opinions as well as assist you on your journey to better health and a beautiful body.

*Always check with your physician before following and exercise or nutrition regimen.

Call Rob today or visit us online

(828) 328-5949

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