Welcome to CF Fort Vancouver Nutrition Page! karen@crossfitfortvancouver.com (see disclaimer at bottom)
09/06/2010 – New Food Blog
My husband and I started a new food blog where we post recipes and talk about lots of other things related to cooking. Check it out!
http://purelyprimal.wordpress.com/
08/04/2010 – Got SNACKS? (Legit, healthy snacks that is!)
I just love Marks Daily Apple.. he does all the work for me! Here is a list of on-the-go snacks and some that take a bit of preparation. Bring your homemade snacks/recipes into the gym. There is always someone willing to sample 
– I do send out recipes and other stuff so make sure you email me to the above address if you are not getting my emails. Happy snacking!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-snacks/
07/22/2010 – Chicken Labeling
Ever wonder what the labels mean on the chicken you are purchasing? Hopefully this link will help clear things up a bit.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/chicken-labels/
06/14/2010 – Planning a trip (or a picnic)
I thought this was great. I love Whole 9 and here is a link to what they pack in their cooler for a trip. With a bit of planning on your road trips or camp trips this summer, you can always eat healthfully!
http://whole9life.com/2010/06/whats-in-your-cooler/
05/09/2010 – Getting Started with Paleo.
I get many people asking me what they need to do to start “going Paleo” or to at least start losing weight. It is extremely difficult to go 100% Paleo for any of us, especially when one is so used to the Westernized diet that are society has adapted as the norm. I ran across this website and thought that it was a great breakdown on what to cut out first and so on. A nice little check-off list of sorts. The first thing he mentions is to cut out sugar and flour. I wanted to mention also that this includes any artificial sugars. Also, a good rule of thumb is to try to eliminate processed foods. Go for things that are as close to nature as you can get it (ie an apple instead of apple juice).
http://www.paleonu.com/get-started/
04/15/2010 – Check out this link on bacon.. mmm.. bacon, yummy!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-quick-guide-to-bacon/#more-11996
03/17/2010 - Karen’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you had a chance to try my chocolate chip cookies, they are pretty delicious! Here is the recipe. These cookies do not melt like regular cookies so I scooped the dough onto the sheet and then pressed them down a bit to make them flat. The tops of them will turn golden brown so you know they are done. Cook at about 325 degrees for 12 minutes. This recipe makes about 24 cookies I believe. It’s an easy one to double. Cookies are nice and chewy. You can store in the fridge. If you try them, shoot me an email and let me know what you think!
Mix in a bowl:
1 cup of chunky, unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup or less of honey
1 tsp of vanilla
In a separate bowl mix:
1.5 cups of almond flour (see below at 02/19/2010 for link to the almond flour that I use)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
Mix the dry ingredients slowly into the wet ingredients. Once mixed, stir in Dark Chocolate Chips 60% or more cacao.
02/19/2010 – Banana Muffins
Hi! So I modified some different recipes that I had, trying to perfect some muffins, plus I wanted to use up my bananas. I love banana bread and so trying these muffins I thought would be great and getting them to be paleo makes them taste even more delicious! I tried this a few different ways and so it kind of depends on what you are looking for and what you like. Try it out and email me at karen@crossfitfortvancouver.com and let me know what you think or how you modified it and maybe we can share your recipe too. I’m thinking of maybe adding some cocoa powder next time for banana/chocolate muffins or maybe just use unsweetened applesauce and cocoa powder for no banana flavor. Add some dark chocolate chocolate chips? Many possibilities here.
I get my almond flour online at www.honeyvillegrain.com Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour or you can also buy Honeyville Natural Almond Flour which I think would work just as well. They sell it in 5# bags. – click on “shop online” and then in search type “almond” and you will see it pop up. I do not recommend Bob’s Red Mill Brand for almond flour. I have tried it in other recipes and it definitely does not work as well.
Stay tuned for my chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Banana Muffins
3 cups almond flour
3 bananas – I recommend really ripe ones or ones you have previously frozen and thawed out. You can also use a cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of a banana or maybe even in place of all the bananas using 2 to 3 cups. I can my own applesauce and make it pretty chunky and so I have not tried it with store brands of applesauce.
2 eggs
½ cup unsweetened coconut – I feel this is optional. You can also add up to one cup if you want sort of a “mealy” type muffin. I do not feel the coconut flavor is strong here, which is good and is what I wanted to avoid. Many paleo desserts start tasting the same to me with many having coconut flavor, so my goal was to eliminate this flavor and see what I got.
3 to 4 teaspoons of baking powder - I think this will work with 3 teaspoons although was using 4 when I made them. I think with 3 teaspoons the muffins would have less of a “bite” to them, which was okay… just depends on what you want.
½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of salt
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon – Add other spices too if you wish, but maybe ¼ teaspoon if in addition to the cinnamon.
1 teaspoon of vanilla
¼ cup honey – this is also optional. Not 100% paleo, but I feel better than other sweeteners. The bananas when ripe will give enough sweet taste to these muffins. Honey may be something to add if you were going to go for more of a chocolate muffin? I tried a bit of honey in part of my muffin recipe and part without and I really did not taste a huge difference.
Mix all together in a bowl until mixed thoroughly.
I used muffin cups in muffin pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to test, done when it pretty much comes out clean.
02/02/2010 - If I work out, I can eat whatever I want, right?
Well, you could, but if you expect a decent change in your body composition, performance, and most importantly your overall health, you should be paying attention to what you use for fuel.
Our body burns and stores food differently depending on what we eat. Eating some nice lean protein is going to be processed by our body a lot differently than a donut. We have been roped into the USDA food pyramid that tells us to eat more grains and pasta; however, we are finding out that this has been detrimental to our health. Over half of Americans are overweight and kids are also gaining more weight. How many people (even kids!) do you know who are on a “diet”?
I attended a nutrition seminar last summer with Robb Wolf as the speaker. Robb is a biochemist major and all too familiar about what food does once it is in our body. We saw “before” pictures of some athletes who had been doing Crossfit for a few months. These images were of people who looked fairly fit, but when I saw their “after” pictures and the only thing they had changed was their diet, I was stunned! Their body composition was incredible! What a difference food makes! In my own experience, I have now actually seen this happen in myself and those around me at the gym who have adopted more healthful eating habits. I cannot even begin to tell you how important the quality of food is to our health and well-being.
People will ask me, “how many crunches should I do for six-pack abs?” or “how many days a week should I work out to lose weight?” I always tell them that the key to six-pack abs is eating better and no amount of sit-ups will get you there. For losing weight and leaning out, I have seen people work out twice a week, eat better, and as a result have a better change in their body comp than those who work out five days a week and eat whatever they want.
So, I am convinced you really are what you eat, but don’t take my word for it. Give it a shot yourself. Experiment with paleo. Eliminate grains or dairy for a couple of weeks and, as Mr. Wolf would say, “see how you look, feel, and perform.” Keep in mind that performance may dip the first couple of weeks as your body adjusts. Think it is hard to do this? Yes, it can be, but then WODs are hard too. You are already out of that comfort zone. Take it to the next level. Tell a friend your goals. They will hold you accountable and cheer you on just like in the workouts themselves. Don’t forget to take the “before” picture!
Oh, and when someone asks you what kind of “diet” you are on, you can tell them that you are not on a diet, you are just eating what your body was meant to eat. :-)
For a great nutrition source, check out www.robbwolf.com He is not only humorous, but a very smart man and likes to talk about food, my favorite subject! He will also post podcasts that are full of great info about nutrition. Bon Appetit!
12/28/2009 -Are You Taking Your Fish Oil?
So why do I need to take that stuff anyway? First of all our body needs fat, but of course some fats are better than others. Fatty acids can make your cell membranes supple to help cells function properly, help control blood pressure, help lower cholesterol, aid in anti-inflammatory properties among a plethora of other things.
Two types of fatty acids we have to get in our food as our body doesn’t make them are Omega 6 (linoleic acid found in things such as corn oil and soybean oil) and Omega 3 (linolenic acid found in things such as fish oil and flaxseed oil). There is much info on what these are and what they each can contribute to your overall health, but basically we need to have a ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio of 1:1 and as it is we are more close to a 1:20 to a 1:30 ratio! By eating a Paleo –type diet, this helps cut back on the Omega-6 we are getting in our diet as we are not consuming a lot of vegetable oil that comes in many foods with grain, along with margarine, shortening, etc…; however, we are still getting it in other foods and also our meats as more than likely you are eating the meat of an animal who consumed grains (ie Omega-6 in our grain-fed meat). We can help this balance by taking our fish oil supplements as getting enough of the Omega-3 that we need in our diets can be challenge. Fish with some of the highest amount of Omega-3 include mackerel, salmon, and sardines (don’t get the kind packed in cottonseed or soybean oil).
As always consult your doc, especially if you are on blood thinners. There are many brands of fish oil. I personally find I like Carlson’s brand the best. My favorite nutrition guy, Robb Wolf, recommends we get a dose of fish oil a day at 0.5g per 10 # body weight or up to 1 g per 10# body weight for those who are overweight and/or have other health issues that would require a higher dose.
How do you tell how many capsules to take? For example, the nutrition label may say 360 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 360 mg of DHA (docosahexanoic acid). So this is 720 mg total (or 0.72 g). So, for a person who weighs 170 pounds then at the 0.5 g per 10# scenario, this means a need of 17 x 0.5 = 8.5 g per day of fish oil. If there is 0.72 g in each capsule then I need to take 11 to 12 capsules (8.5 g/0.72 g). Is that a lot of capsules to take? Yes it seems like it and this is just the low end of the spectrum at 0.5 g per 10 pounds! Fish oil is not necessarily cheap either and so see the importance of cutting back on the Omega-6? Too much Omega-6 can lead to heart disease, insulin resistance, and diabetes, etc…
You can also choose to take the liquid form of fish oil. I have tried this and I like the Carlson’s brand also. It has a lemony flavor and you don’t find yourself burping a fishy taste with either the capsules or the liquid form. Either way you decide to go, make sure to store your capsules or liquid in the fridge.
12/18/2009 – PALEO
When people first come in and try their first few CF workouts, they begin to realize that we aren’t just throwing around the words “WOD”, “AMRAP”, and “PR” like we do the med balls, but curiously we talk a lot about food and so one may hear the word “Paleo” .. so what the heck does that mean? Well, I’m glad you asked! Basically it is eating lean meat, vegetables, some fruit, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. Umm.. can you elaborate? Sure, with the help of a nice breakdown from Dave W. at CrossFit Seattle and a great book called “The Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain.
This is a bit long (and I promise future entries won’t be such a tome as this), but it will give you a very nice idea of what “eating like a caveman” is all about. Please note that this is something to strive for. It is not easy to do at first and so taking baby steps is the easiest approach. You may never be 100% and that is just dandy, but if you can cut out even the worst of things you may be eating on a daily or weekly basis then that is a huge milestone!
My biggest tip in all of this is learn to cook! You will eat a lot more healthier and find that the food you prepare for yourself is so much better than any restaurant and you will know what is in the food!
MEAT
All of the lean meat, fish, seafood, eggs you can eat – (we need some good protein in every meal)
Many different kinds of meat will work well for you. Here are some guidelines:
Animals, including fish, raised in commercial farms are not healthy so try to get:
§ Grass fed beef
§ USDA certified organic meat
§ Wild fish
§ Locally raised animals
If unable to do any of the above, then eat the leanest cuts you can and trim visible fat.
Eating the fat of healthy fish, birds and animals is good for you. Eating the fat of unhealthy creatures is not.
Eggs are good. Eggs from birds allowed to forage and run around are better.
Buffalo, elk, venison and other types of wild game are excellent choices if you can get them.
VEGETABLES
Non-starchy vegetables should be a big part of each meal. Virtually all vegetables offer excellent nutritional value.
When possible choose organic, locally grown vegetables that are in season. Each of these factors will improve nutritional value.
Experiment with sautéing, roasting and grilling your veggies. Try different recipes and different ethnic foods. Learn to use herbs and spices. This stuff should taste good!
Peppers, squashes, eggplant, garlic, leeks, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, carrots, cabbage, celery, kale, dandelion (yes! dandelion) spinach, tomatoes, radish, parsnips, mushrooms….
Avoid starchy vegetable – potatoes, etc. If you must eat starch (it happens) try yams and sweet potatoes.
Avoid legumes. Peanuts, beans, peas, lentils and soybeans should be avoided.
FRUIT
A paleo diet allows and encourages lots of fruit consumption. There are a few issues with fruit consumption though. We need to consider how the fruit was grown as well as the type of fruit to evaluate nutritional value. We also need to consider pesticide exposure.
If you can grow your own fruit or pick wild fruit – go for it!
Scavenge the local farmers market for fresh local seasonal fruit. Organic is best.
Try to avoid fruit from far away. Flying in kiwis from New Zealand is not really helping our health.
Avoid GMO (genetically modified organism) fruit. Period.
A little fruit juice occasionally can be okay, but fruit juice is really candy.
Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to minimize pesticides.
Some fruits like bananas have a high glycemic load and should be avoided if you are trying to lose fat.
Berries! Eat lots of berries!
NUTS & SEEDS
Filling and nutritious. Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants and lots of vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and magnesium. It is possible to screw up your fat profile with nuts though. Lots of nuts have an unacceptably high omega 6 / omega 3 ratio. Here are the best choices:
Walnuts, Macadamia nuts, Pecans
Nuts in moderation are very healthy but overeating them can stall weight loss. Cashews especially are delicious but surprisingly high in carbohydrate and contain too much omega 6.
Peanuts are not nuts. Do not eat peanuts or peanut butter. Peanuts contain lectins and other anti-nutrients which can cause some real health problems. Almond butter is okay though and super delicious!
Note: Lots of packaged, shelled nuts are covered in trans fats! Read the label! Best to buy raw, unsalted nuts and spice them at home. When in doubt, buy walnuts and/or macadamia nuts (New Seasons has many nuts in bulk and has mac nuts unsalted in bulk.. the only time I can find unsalted mac nuts anywhere else is during Christmas time at Costco).
FATS
Fat is good for you. Fat is essential to your well being and happiness. (This is not hyperbolic writing. Having the proper fat profile makes a huge difference to your mental outlook and moods). Fat is a great source of energy. Fat triggers our sense of being full. Fat is an essential part of many of your cellular and hormonal processes. We sicken and die fairly quickly without adequate intake of essential fats. However….there are many bad fats in our food supply.
Fat from healthy animals is good for you! Chicken, duck, goose, lamb, beef and pork fat can all be eaten and is an excellent choice for cooking because of heat stability. Lard is internal fat from around the kidneys. Lard from naturally (not grain) fed pork and beef is a very good choice. Lard from grass fed animals is hard to find though, so butter can be used instead.
Butter. Not really paleo, butter contains milk solids and water as well as fat. Butter from grass fed cows is very good for cooking and enhancing the flavor of steamed vegetables.
Making butter better! (More paleo) – Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Remove butter from heat and let stand for a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Skim the clear yellow liquid from the top and strain into a container. You have just made Ghee! Ghee stores well frozen.
Coconut oil is good for you and a good choice for cooking. Choose organic, cold processed coconut oil.
Olive oil is very healthy. Go for the extra virgin, cold pressed and use liberally. Olive oil does not have great heat stability so use something else for high heat frying.
Flaxseed oil is very good but…it should not be heated at all and oxidizes rapidly. Store flaxseed oil in the refrigerator and use quickly.
Fats to Avoid:
Trans Fats – fats damaged by heat. Trans fats can be extremely destructive to our health. Trans fats can be made at home!! Start with a healthy, unrefined oil, naturally high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids – apply excessive heat and presto! Health wrecking trans fats. Easy!
Hydrogenated and/or partially hydrogenated oils.
Canola – should be avoided. Canola has a very good omega 6/ Omega 3 ratio. However, to be used commercially it has been genetically modified, highly refined, partially hydrogenated and deodorized.
Margarine – see trans fats.
Peanut, cottonseed, soybean and wheat germ oils.
SUMMARY
- All of the lean meat, fish, seafood, eggs you can eat
- All of the non-starchy vegetables you can eat
- Plenty of fruit
- Moderate healthy fats
- Moderate nuts and seeds
- No grains or cereals at all
- No legumes
- No dairy products (eggs are meat)
- No processed foods – make it yourself!
- No sugars. Agave, organic honey, molasses, pure spun golden sunshine….it doesn’t matter as they are all equally bad for you.
- No artificial sweeteners. These are not food!
I know this still leaves a lot of questions as to why some of these are not good to eat. We will focus on a lot of that throughout this nutrition page. But feel free to ask questions if you have them and/or as mentioned above, educate yourself on what you are putting into your body and the effects that it has.
Happy Eating!!
First and foremost, we are not docs and don’t claim to be so always do your own sleuthing, but we wanted to throw some info at you every day or so to help you get the good nutrition ball rolling. We will post sources where applicable so that you can see we are not just making this stuff up! We will provide nutrition info, some recipes, Q&A type info, dining out reviews.. whatever strikes us. If you wish, you can post comments to the CFFV main home page to coincide with each date entry or you can email.
