Coffee is Paleo, Right?

Coffee is Paleo.  Coffee is good.  Coffee is righteous.

Bacon is Paleo (mostly).  Bacon is good.  Bacon is righteous.

Does that mean Coffee is Bacon?

Well, if you are a follower of Seattle’s Best, you’ll soon find out that Coffee is Bacon of a sort.  Simply because soon they will be coming out with a Bacon Flavored Coffee.  I’m not making this up people.  See for yourself as Seattle’s Best Jumps On the Bacon Train.

I only learned of this new feat due to my friends over at French Press Authority.  They just launched a new site that is half devoted to the art of making French Press coffee, but also to how to prepare, funny news about coffee and more to come.  They’re pretty new, but they are going to be putting together an e-book on French Press for newbies that haven’t tried the beautiful drink known as French Press.

So, would you try the Bacon Coffee if placed in front of you?

The One-Two Christmas Knock-Out Punch

Now that Thanksgiving is firmly behind us and the Christmas spirit is in the air, I have a quick offer that I want to extend to everyone who is a reader.

The end of the year is near and you know what that means – New Year’s Resolutions.  I have my own theories on resolutions and how little they actually stick.  Studies mentioned in the New York Times suggest 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by Valentine’s Day.  But if you start thinking about your resolutions RIGHT NOW and plan appropriately, you have a better chance at success.  And when you start planning right now, who says you have to start on January 1?  Start today!

Do you like what you see in the mirror?  Is there room for improvement?  Do you need a few ways to get motivated?  If the answers are yes, then you’ve come to the right place.  For the month of December, I’ve discounted Caveman Resurrection, available on Amazon, down to ONLY $5.95.  You can get a copy for yourself or gift a copy to a friend.  Whether they have a Kindle Reader or not doesn’t matter – the Kindle App is available for the Mac, PC, iPad, etc.

For the first 5 people who pick up a copy on Amazon, email me your receipt to jpickett1968@gmail.com (yeah…I’m 43….) and I’ll send you an invite to the newest motivation/social site in the fitness world:  Fitocracy.  Fitocracy is only in its beta stages right now, but has some very cool features to it that will bring out the competitive spirit in you and keep you on.  You earn points for weight and reps lifted, you aspire to various levels based on those points, you can add yourself to any number of groups that you have similar interests with and you can also join challenges that are time specific which gives you even more ways to keep up your weight or strength goals.

Take advantage of this special before others do and get your copy of Caveman Resurrection along with an invite to Fitocracy.  And keep the holiday pounds at bay, best of all.

 

 

PS:  For everyone who wants some visual motivation – check out my Pinterest Motivation Board – I found some great quotes to take with you into the gym or to start the day.

Spice, Spice Baby

Anyone I know who gravitates to the Primal/Paleo Diet seems to acquire an additional title in quick fashion:  Foodie.  It was when I stopped adding sugar or sweetener to my food that I discovered a new palette of tastes that I never knew existed.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably always deal with having a sweet tooth at some level.  But when sugar was removed from my diet, I seemed to re-discover food.  I re-discovered flavors I’d never given a full chance to.

In a follow-up post, I’ll share my “go to” sites for trying out great recipes, but in the meantime, here is a simple recipe that many others have discovered as a simple formula for making a Primal/Paleo meal.  Ready?

1. Select the meat of your choice
2. Rub some coconut oil over the surface
3. Grab one spice or variety of spices to your liking
4. Sprinkle the spices on your meat
5. Cook your meat (crock pot, grill, bbq, etc.)
6. Add veggies, bacon or more meat to the dish
7. Serve

To “spice” up this post a bit more, I thought I’d provide you this slick infographic on where our spices come from.  So, for your next meal, remember this post, add some spice and re-discover your food.  And for fun, listen to some Spice Girls while you’re eating.  Or maybe not.

What do Kim Kardashian and the St. Louis Cardinals Have in Common with the Primal/Paleo Lifestyle?

I love a good riddle.  So is it true Kim is going Paleo or that someone from the Cardinals is Primal?  I wish that were the case, but alas this is not the case nor subject of this post. Let’s get started.

Before Gaddafi‘s recent demise, even with him hiding under a rock, he had no doubt heard of the famous Kim Kardashian wedding.  We all did.  It was well televised and covered in all the tabloids.  Good looking basketball player marries gorgeous model – and they lived happily ever after.  $10 million dollars and 72 days after exchanging vows, we were all surprised when the news of her divorce got out.  Who would have predicted it?

Enter the St. Louis Cardinals.  As a wildcard team making the playoffs with no faith they would go anywhere, they beat the Phillies and then the Brewers to make it to the World Series against the Texas Rangers.  On October 19, as this image shows, 22 of 26 ESPN experts chose the Rangers to win the World Series.  With odds like that, you’d be a fool to think the Cardinals were going to win.  After one of the most memorable games in baseball where the Cardinals fought back to even the series, they won the following night to take the World Series.  No one would have predicted that – at least not if you work at ESPN.

So what does all of this pop culture talk have anything to do with the Primal/Paleo lifestyle?  It’s simple my friends.  It’s about predictions.

Like those who were shocked at Kim’s divorce and at the Cardinals pulling it off, how many of your friends and family think this Paleo/Primal thing will actually work for you – and for them?

A good friend recently mentioned some struggles he was having with his Paleo pursuits – basic peer pressure.  A buddy at work was making fun of his new Paleo food choices and attempting to convince him he was wrong for abandoning a high carb diet.  His buddy is on a different plan you may have heard of:  Weight Watchers.  In his infinite wisdom and while he was knocking my friend, he was monologuing how horrible the Paleo plan was as he devoured an entire plate of nachos and cheese.  I guess WW’s points allow for that, huh?  My friend is new to the Paleo plan and was caught off guard explaining insulin resistance; as if it would have done any good.  (I hope to lunch with my buddy and this guy in the near future.  Should make for fun conversation, don’t  ya think?)  Do you have friends like that?  Most of us have at least a few.  Or we did…before we snapped back at their ignorance.

If you are one to go with the masses, please read through my metaphors/analogies and understand this simple concept:  just because THEY say it’s good for you, doesn’t mean you have to believe it.  Do the research yourself.  Question the medical community.  Question the health/fitness community.  Question the government and their agencies who were designed to protect our health.  Question the experts and their predictions of your health.  While you’re at it, look at a plan that has been taken from our ancestors – and come to find out it helps to resolve most, if not all, systemic issues our culture is facing at an alarming rate.  Who would have predicted that in an age of technology and the industrialization of food, the real answer is in our past?  (One last question before I end this:  Question your friends and if they are really supporting you or standing in your way?)

Let others stick to the Standard American Diet and here are a few conditions they’ll likely experience:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• System inflammation
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Lack of energy
• An addiction to Angry Birds that keeps you on the couch
• And the list goes on and on

Eating Primal/Paleo may not help your addiction to Angry Birds, but I do predict one thing:  you’ll experience a new high with what your body can achieve, regardless of age, no matter what anyone else tells you. For inspiration or proof, look no further than the Success Stories on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Did your friends and family support your decision to go Paleo/Primal?  How did you handle their unsolicited input?

Here’s What Separates You from Success

It’s that intangible part of us that we all strive for.  It’s that one thing we think about on any given day that will make us feel fulfilled.  It’s that choice we make.  We know it can be ours.  But on many occasions, it seems to slip through our fingers like sand.

It’s called Success.

Look back on your life and note the many times you have failed.  Isolate one of those times where you really messed up.  Remember the choice you made – that one choice – and if you had it to do all over again, you could have succeeded.  You remember that one time, right?  I do.  Maybe you had two choices or perhaps you had more.  Did you take the easy road that one time and now you regret it?

We live in a world of choices.  We can choose from millions of songs to buy, places to go and things to do.  We can choose our clothes, our habits and in time, they come to define us.  But, for those who have made poor choices, it’s never too late to change some of those habits and start new ones.  I submit it’s time to eliminate some choices.  Yeah, I’m going there.  Too many choices are what can separate you from success.

I’m quick to point out that I don’t like to overly romanticize the way of the caveman, but considering the lack of choices had many years ago, was that such a bad thing?  They ate to survive.  There was no choice in that.  They lived what some may consider a shallow life.  But I would suggest in a time of no technology, no 9-to-5 job or mortgage, they lived a very deep life that was composed of family and tribal life.  They looked out for each other in hostile times.  They created and worked hard for everything they owned.  Material goods meant something and were of value; there was nothing disposable or easily discarded.  Each day was precious.

When you start your day tomorrow, consider all the choices you have filled your life with.  Make a list.  Then review that list to see what’s REALLY important.  Are all of the choices you make putting you on the path to success or are they keeping you from what you really want?  And when it comes to resurrecting that caveman inside you, that part that knows you need to eat better and work out smarter – what stands in your way there?  What do you allow in your life to stand in your way and to make excuses with?

A favorite quote of mine comes from Yoda:

Do or Do not.  There is no try.

Consider this piece of Star Wars philosophy.  Even if it comes from a science fiction movie, this is a powerful quote.  When you are in your next decision making process and faced with a few choices, keep this phrase in mind.  Whittle it down to the simplistic.  Either you will achieve success by your choices.  Or you will not.  Either you will commit yourself to success.  Or you will not.

When I do my pull-ups routine every other morning, I look at my rep chart and smile at the large numbers I’m scheduled to do.  I close my eyes and see myself doing.  I don’t “try.”  Trying encourages fear to enter the picture.  Wrong choice.  And to borrow from another movie, Point Break, Patrick Swayze’s character says

“Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true.”

So, let’s break this down to simplistic terms.  Failure arises when you allow too many choices in your life.  Excuses enter the picture.  Push the unimportant choices out of your life and put yourself into a win/no-win situation.  Commit to the outcome.  Succeed.

Trick or Treating… the Primal/Paleo Way

Halloween is just around the corner.  Millions of kids across the U.S. get to trick or treat.  Out of that mass of kids, no doubt a few thousand out of the group will prefer “tricking” unsuspecting homeowners with bags of flaming poo at their doorstep when the treat isn’t there.  I’m not suggesting this trick, mind you.  Just saying…

But who needs to wait until Halloween to trick a little?  Me, I chose last night to do some tricking.  And there’s nothing more fun to trick people with, especially kids, than with food.  We’re not talking about harmful tricking like that lame mom who fed her child hot sauce as a way to punish them.  We’re talking about giving them something they will love with some “creative coaxing.”  My unsuspecting friends were teenagers.  Who doesn’t enjoy tricking that crowd?  🙂

If you haven’t guessed by now, there are a lot of Primal/Paleo foods that the standard person is surprised to learn they can eat on the plan – like lots of fat, bacon, eggs, etc.  But one recipe that I thoroughly enjoy “introducing” people to is Chocomole.

A friend of mine, Taryn (gotta give you credit for the recipe AND the picture!) was the first person to make me aware of Chocomole.  I love the name, so if you’re new to it, it rhymes with Guacamole.  Uh – chocolate with guacamole makes Chocomole?  Seriously?  Well, kinda.  But before you get skeptic and all, stick with me here.  It gets better.  Trust me.

OK, so here are the ingredients I used, liberally borrowing from Taryn’s recipe, to serve for four people:

• 4 avocados
• 2 bananas
• 3-4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• organic honey (2 tbsp honey)
• Coconut milk

I cored the avocados and scooped out the innards and put them in my food processor.  Peel the bananas and throw them in along with the cocoa powder and the honey.  Process the mix until you get a smooth consistency.  Once there, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk and mix a little more.  Done.  The outcome should resemble a pudding like texture.

 

I love good food presentation, so here’s a trick I learned a while back.  I like to use a quart size zip loc bag or something like.  Put the Chocomole in the bag, cut off a corner and then squeeze out the mixture into a wine glass.  Using this method allows a clean way to get the pudding into the glass without making a mess.  You can add a little whip cream if you like if you’re Lacto-tolerant.  Finish it all off with 85% dark chocolate which you microplane/grate.  Sprinkle some on top and place in the fridge for an hour or two.

 

So, here’s the trick:  present the dessert and let the audience make their own assumptions.  Undoubtedly some will ask what is in it and you smile innocently and ask them what flavors they can pick out.  Some will say they can taste the bananas right off the bat.  Nod and say yes.  Tell them there is honey and cocoa powder.  That sets them at ease.  Say there is some coconut milk.  They are usually OK with that.  Then just enjoy.

 

After my young friends were more than halfway done with their dessert last night, I decided it was time.  I posed the question – there IS something in this that you haven’t mentioned yet.  Do you know what it is?  After many guesses, I decided it was time and disclosed it also had avocado.  You can guess the reactions – “I’m not eating anymore!  That’s like that stuff in guacamole, right?  Ugh!” and “You have got to be kidding me, right?  It’s really good.  I could tell there was something different, but it’s not bad.”

 

With a base of avocados, this is full of fat.  Good, high quality fat!  So it WILL fill you up.  But it’s great for entertaining friends and watching their expression.  It’s also a great reward food for you as well as a reminder that in a Primal/Paleo world, there are totally high quality alternatives we can enjoy.

 

If you haven’t tried this dessert, it’s highly recommended.  Search around on the web and you’ll find many variations of this treat.  Combine that with some unsuspecting people and there you have it:  Trick AND Treat, Primal/Paleo style.

 

Life is good.

 

What Primal/Paleo foods have you prepared that surprised people when they learned of its ingredients?

What Does An Average Paleo Day Look Like?

If there is one question I get from people the most, it is what does an ideal Paleo day look like?  I get it all the time, but truth be told, I enjoy those kinds of questions because it shows interest and gives me a chance to show people how truly easy it is.  So with no real plan this morning about how I would end my day blogging about this, here is what I did today.  Before I go any further, I’m not advocating EVERYONE HAS TO DO IT THIS WAY.  There are  many average Paleo Days and variations.  This is simply how I spent mine, OK?

My alarm woke me at 5 A.M.  OK, let’s start there – that is not ideal, waking up that early, right?  But I choose to do that so that I can get my workout in and start my day feeling productive.  From there I headed to my garage where I have a squat rack and an Olympic weight set.  I did a little stretching and then did my Stronglifts 5X5 program.  That consisted of 5 reps of 5 sets of compound movements; today’s exercises were squats, overhead presses and deadlifts.  I rested a little between sets and then finished up.  Coming back inside, I grabbed my iPod and looked at where I am on the 100 Pushups Program, something else I enjoy doing as part of my workout.  I finished a total of 100 pushups and then got my day started.

One topic that comes into play at some point with Paleo/Primal folks is intermittent fasting.  What that means for me is I typically don’t eat past 8 PM at night, I train fasted which is shown to raise growth hormone levels and then I hold off eating until noon.  This fasting period allows the body’s system to rest and recover.  In addition, like the Paleo Man, it forces my body to turn to body fat for energy versus being the standard American sugar burner.  It works for me, but it may not work for everyone.  If you are new to a Paleo/Primal diet, I’d suggest focusing on that first.  Once you have your diet dialed in, you may wish to fast from time to time as well.  I pick up a lot of my intermittent fasting advice from Martin Berkhan over at LeanGains.

I brought my lunch to work today, which is pretty typical.  I brought an organic yam and some Smokey Pot Roast.  But as lunch time got closer, I felt like chicken.  A nearby grocery store sells rotisserie chickens, so I went and picked one up, eating about half to 3/4 of it.  Yum!  The yam was awesome too, but it took about 10 minutes to cook off in the microwave.  It WAS a monster!  That would be my only carb source of the day.

Once home, I wanted to save some foods in the fridge for the next evening, so I kept it simple.  I made breakfast for dinner and had four strips of bacon, sauteed some mushrooms in my bacon fat, added my eggs to the pan and scrambled them up.  Then I added half of a sliced avocado, grabbed a big cup of water and settled in to watch the World Series (Go Cardinals!).  I also supplemented the meal with 5 fish oil capsules and 5 Vitamin D capsules.

The one thing I miss but I am experimenting with is less coffee this week.  My morning main stay is coffee with heavy cream.  My adrenals get overloaded with my coffee intake, so once in a while I pull back from coffee for up to a month to make sure my system is not overly reliant on it and to change things up.

And that, my friends, is a typical Paleo day for me.  How about you?

Why You Gotta Be Like That?

Last year I learned a valuable lesson.  Imagine that.

No matter what hobby, affiliation, religion or group you become a part of, the inevitable happens.  You learn.  You act.  Pretty soon, you form some opinions.  Later on, you hunker down and you start defending your beliefs.  For anyone who cares to challenge that thought, go visit your nearest sports bar on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

So it should come as no surprise that even within the Primal and Paleo communities, such thoughts have reared their head.  There are those who tolerate dairy or those who workout minimal times per week.  There are those who only lift weights, others who believe in a weekly routine that includes running; those who advocate the lifestyle and others who just complain.  Let’s face it – we are all different.  That doesn’t make us right or wrong.  It just is.

In the past year or two, we are starting to see some thoughts challenged.  Enter the Ancestral Health Symposium and some of the lively discussions had that week.  Me, I enjoy the healthy debates – it brings out the best in us, forces us to look at what we used to take for granted and brings in some fresh thought.

When I wrote my book last year, Caveman Resurrection, I had a few naysayers who asked why would you write a book when Mark Sisson already laid down the law?  Just a few months later, Robb Wolf came out with his take, Paleo Solution, and on any given week we see more cookbooks and family approaches to Paleo.  Kudos to all.  I love seeing the heightened awareness come out.  We already know the benefits of the Primal/Paleo lifestyle.  Tweaking things here and there while learning even more is everyone’s prerogative (and not just Bobby Brown’s).

Where my book deviates from the rest, in my own opinion, is the motivation and psychology I include that teaches anyone a few things about themselves regardless of what nutrition or program they get on.  I talk about ways to save money on the Paleo/Primal plan.  But above and beyond it all, I provide a different perspective that I believe supplements the other books already on the market.  In other words, it’s information on top of the science.

We all need to celebrate our differences.  To date, there are over 600 blogs which you can find HERE.  Wow!  We all need to celebrate this great community.  And in between, our growth depends on great minds adding to the conversation.  Order your copy of Caveman Resurrection, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  For only $6.95, you get over 200 pages of great content guaranteed to help you and your health.  If you don’t agree it can help, then refunds are available.

So the next time someone challenges your unconventional wisdom, hear them out, listen and then tell your side.  At the end, you may both learn something new.

Are You a Creature of Habit….or Hobbit?

Ok, my apologies to the Lord of the Rings crowd, but I couldn’t resist.  I can think of no better analogy for my post than between a creature of habit…and a Hobbit.

How many people reading this post are creatures of habit?  ‘Fess up – if you really think about it, do you tend to gravitate to the things in your box, rather than things outside your box of comfort?  Me, too.

A few weeks ago I was part of a weekend retreat that totally challenged me and my comfort zone.  I participated in activities I would never engage in unless there was some serious cash on the line.  I saw others, like me, who for that weekend, allowed ourselves to be challenged.  Truth be told, although it was hard, I enjoy a good challenge.  To not know what is coming around the corner.  To live the unexpected.  And the after-effects are still within me.  It is fun to live a little on the edge.

When was the last time you really challenged yourself?  I don’t care if you are super-fit or super-fat.  Maybe you’re that guy who does 750 push-ups.  Congrats.  But have you fallen down THAT hole and only do push-ups?  Or do you challenge yourself now on another activity?  If you are inactive and recline on the couch to watch TV – what is holding you back from a new activity?

C’mon people!  Wake up!  When was the last time you took a look at yourself?  Are you stuck going through the motions?  Need a challenge?  Then here are a few words of advice.  Just Do It.

At some point in time, we all just got too damn analytical.  But in our hearts, we know when it’s the right time to act.  And I have to believe, for many of us, it’s simply time to be a Hobbit.  You remember Frodo, right?  Just a small shadow of a man, basically a boy.  But he embarked on an adventure way beyond his expectations.  He surrounded himself with friends.  When challenged, he stood tall (or as tall as he could be), he did what was right, and he finished the task.  Yes, he was tempted.  Aren’t we all?  But he stood for his friends – and his friends stood for him.

Success never stops.  It can be snatched away in a flash.  So what are you doing TODAY to ensure success is in your corner?

The unexamined life is not worth living.  – Socrates

Take a few moments and look deep inside.  What did you do today?  Or what will you do tomorrow that will push you to your edge?  Will you be satisfied doing the same old routine?  Or will you take one small step, one small challenge?  That one small change could improve your life.  So why over-analyze it?  Embrace the challenge within you.

Primal/Paleo Eating is Just a Crock!

Normally when you hear someone say something like, “That’s load of crock,” they are are usually making a negative reference to said topic.

In this case, it’s just the opposite.  Primal/Paleo Eating IS Just a Crock – crock-pot that is.  And Thank God it is!

This time of year, especially, you couldn’t have a more appropriate and timely product in your kitchen than the beloved Crock Pot.  It’s versatile, efficient, safe and easy to clean up.

Case in point:  many people find excuses why they can’t do anything.  So in the case of eating Primal/Paleo, it’s easy to say food preparation takes a lot of time.  So, here is what I did yesterday in order to make a meal that will feed me 3-4 times this week:

1. Place Crock Pot on counter:  10 seconds
2. Open package of meat (chicken, pork, beef, etc.): 15 seconds
3. Grab coconut oil or olive oil and rub it over the meat and place in crock pot: 30 seconds
4. Combine any concoction of spices that you enjoy, mix then and rub or pour the spices over the meat:  90 seconds (generous allowance time to find your spices)
5. Grab some celery, carrots, parsnips, and CAREFULLY slice them: 180 seconds (we don’t want to rush this point since safety in the kitchen is a must)
6. Pour the veggies around the meat and plug in the crock pot, setting it to low: 30 seconds

TOTAL TIME TO PREPARE CROCK POT MEAL:  355 seconds (6 minutes)

Smokey Roast

There are some fantastic change ups you can add to your crock pot meal and there are any number of recipes to that extent.  Everyday Paleo’s Smokey Roast actually uses coffee in its rub – and it’s oh-so-good!

And if you have some tough meat, toss it in the crock pot for that slow simmer action that leaves it so tender at the end.

If you are hurting for time and want something fast – add the Crock Pot to your weekend To Do list and enjoy the efforts all week long.  For only $20, it can be yours to enjoy in many ways.  What are you waiting for?

What recipes do you enjoy most with your Crock Pot?  And, most important, where did that statement ever come from (that’s a load of crock)?