My friend posted these two websites on my Facebook page. I thought I should share the wealth of knowledge!
Robb Wolf: A Paleo lifestyle Guru
Paleo Brand: A site dedicated to the Paleo lifestyle
Happy Surfing!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Evolve: A Healthy May
Gym Outlook: Creating the Chaos of Life in the Gym
This past weekend I read the book Functional Training: Breaking Bonds of Traditionalism by Juan Carlos Santana, Med, CSCS, and really enjoyed his evolutionary perspective of the fitness industry and how it has paralleled our human habits. He indicates that our human anatomy has evolved to move in a world t
hat is chaotic. Our ancestors had to navigate tough terrain, lift awkward objects, reach to high places, and perform hours of manual work, such as hunting or gathering. Today, our tasks are a bit different, yet, we still must move in unpredictable ways such as running after a child or picking up grocery bags in a store. Sadly, most Americans today are overweight, weak, and inflexible, thus, the movements described above are tough to do and typically done improperly, which results in pain and injury.
In addition, it has also been unfortunate that since the 1960’s notable companies such as Life Fitness, Nautilus, and Cybex have come out with a gamete of machines glorified with pictures to give the average person a convenient and easy to use workout circuit. However, even though effective at building muscle mass, these machines place your body in a unnaturally stable, and ridged position, which ironically mimics the day-to-day sitting position that most Americans are in for endless hours at work. Again, as mentioned in the last post, this type of working out cannot translate into better functional movement outside the gym or the desk chair.
So, if the real world is chaotic, why not create this instability and chaos in our workouts? Sounds funny right? However, Santana coins the term “controlled chaos” to describe this type of workout regime that should be implemented into the gym. This type of "chaos" he mentions can be created by performing movements without rigid machines and implementing elements or modifications to exercises such as using unstable surfaces, cables, pulleys, your own body-weight(uses gravity), free-weights, barbells, or performing exercises on one leg, etc.
When a person implements “controlled chaos” into their workouts they activate the Central Nervous System (CNS) and enhance a person’s balance or proprioception. Movements that can do this enlist the use of many small and large muscles, in order to keep the body in position, which creates a harder and more efficient workout.
Top Five Exercises “Made Over” to implement the chaos factor to make them more functional.
Food For Use: Strictly Paleo Dorm and Kitchen Delights
I live in the UCLA dorms and over the past three years I have created some of my own recipes using the foods I have around me in order to curb the salt content and increase the taste and nutrition components of my meals.
The "KFC Double Down" of Hedrick Dining Hall
So I enjoyed this sandwich, as seen in the picture, at my friendly neighborhood KFC and thought, heck, I could make this in the dining hall! So
I did.
Ingredients:
(2) 3-oz chicken breasts
(2) slices of cheese
(2) pieces of bacon
(1-2) T. Thousand Island salad dressing
Directions: Slap all the ingredients together, using the chicken breasts as your "bun".
Tweaks: Try different salad dressings, cheeses, tomatoes, onions or pickles to make it even more satisfying.
New Salad Dressings I have to admit the salad dressings in the dining halls can be a bit drab. Either they have a funky herb that just permeates your whole mouth and makes you say, "Yuck", or your just sick of your three go-to options. Try these:
Creamy Asian: Mix Toasted Sesame dressing with Caesar- fantastic B-Cafe option. I order the chicken Caesar salad and ask for a side of the Asian dressing and mix them! A life saver after a 100 regular chicken Caesar salads.
BBQ Ranch: BBQ sauce mixed with Ranch dressing
Southwest Caesar: Salsa mixed with Caesar dressing
Zesty Tuna Salad in De Neve: The tuna salad in De Neve, at lunch, tastes like its been sitting around all day. I realized they serve plain tuna at the salad bar so I designed my on rendition.
Ingredients: (1) cup tuna
(2) celery sticks, cut into peices
(1) T. almonds, slivered
(1) tsp. mayonnaise
(2-3) tsp. mustard
(1/2) tsp. favorite hot sauce
(1) hard boiled egg, optional
(1/2) tsp. relish, optional Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Enjoy.
Grilled Portebello Pizzas: Protein packed with a nutrient dense "crust".
Ingredients: Makes 6 mushroom caps
(1) red bell pepper, diced
(1) yellow bell pepper, diced
(1/2) onion, diced
(3) chicken breasts, diced
(1) lb. sausage, casings removed
(2) tsp. garlic, minced
(4) cups spinach
(1) tsp. red pepper flakes
(2) cup shredded cheese, mozzarella
(6) portebello mushrooms*, stems and gills (black) removed
(2) cup tomato sauce Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt andpepper mushroom caps and spray with olive oil. Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken and sausage until cooked almost through, remove from heat. Place another 1 T. Olive oil into skillet and brown the red and yellow peppers and the onion. Add spinach, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat. Once spinach is wilted, mix in chicken, sausage, 1 cup cheese. Spoon 1/8 cup tomato sauce into each mushroom. Scoop mixture into mushroom caps. Top each with a little more sauce and cheese. Place into oven for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is browned and the mushroom is soft. Enjoy.
Notes about the greatness of Portobello mushroom: Low glycemic, good source of Folate, Choline (B-complex), and magnesium.
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This past weekend I read the book Functional Training: Breaking Bonds of Traditionalism by Juan Carlos Santana, Med, CSCS, and really enjoyed his evolutionary perspective of the fitness industry and how it has paralleled our human habits. He indicates that our human anatomy has evolved to move in a world t
hat is chaotic. Our ancestors had to navigate tough terrain, lift awkward objects, reach to high places, and perform hours of manual work, such as hunting or gathering. Today, our tasks are a bit different, yet, we still must move in unpredictable ways such as running after a child or picking up grocery bags in a store. Sadly, most Americans today are overweight, weak, and inflexible, thus, the movements described above are tough to do and typically done improperly, which results in pain and injury.
In addition, it has also been unfortunate that since the 1960’s notable companies such as Life Fitness, Nautilus, and Cybex have come out with a gamete of machines glorified with pictures to give the average person a convenient and easy to use workout circuit. However, even though effective at building muscle mass, these machines place your body in a unnaturally stable, and ridged position, which ironically mimics the day-to-day sitting position that most Americans are in for endless hours at work. Again, as mentioned in the last post, this type of working out cannot translate into better functional movement outside the gym or the desk chair.
So, if the real world is chaotic, why not create this instability and chaos in our workouts? Sounds funny right? However, Santana coins the term “controlled chaos” to describe this type of workout regime that should be implemented into the gym. This type of "chaos" he mentions can be created by performing movements without rigid machines and implementing elements or modifications to exercises such as using unstable surfaces, cables, pulleys, your own body-weight(uses gravity), free-weights, barbells, or performing exercises on one leg, etc.
When a person implements “controlled chaos” into their workouts they activate the Central Nervous System (CNS) and enhance a person’s balance or proprioception. Movements that can do this enlist the use of many small and large muscles, in order to keep the body in position, which creates a harder and more efficient workout.
Top Five Exercises “Made Over” to implement the chaos factor to make them more functional.
| Stable Exercise | Implementing the Chaos Factor |
|---|---|
| Seated Chest Press | Push-up with body weight (using gravity)/add stability ball to hands or feet See it! |
| Leg Press | Body squat(uses gravity), add a Bosu Ball under your feet and perform a body squat, jump squat, perform a single leg squat See it! |
| Lat Pull Down | Perform the exercise on a Cable Cross Dual Pully with the arms of the machine in the vertical position/ most advanced: a body weight pull up See it! |
Food For Use: Strictly Paleo Dorm and Kitchen Delights
I live in the UCLA dorms and over the past three years I have created some of my own recipes using the foods I have around me in order to curb the salt content and increase the taste and nutrition components of my meals.
The "KFC Double Down" of Hedrick Dining Hall
So I enjoyed this sandwich, as seen in the picture, at my friendly neighborhood KFC and thought, heck, I could make this in the dining hall! So
I did.
Ingredients:
(2) 3-oz chicken breasts
(2) slices of cheese
(2) pieces of bacon
(1-2) T. Thousand Island salad dressing
Directions: Slap all the ingredients together, using the chicken breasts as your "bun".
Tweaks: Try different salad dressings, cheeses, tomatoes, onions or pickles to make it even more satisfying.
New Salad Dressings I have to admit the salad dressings in the dining halls can be a bit drab. Either they have a funky herb that just permeates your whole mouth and makes you say, "Yuck", or your just sick of your three go-to options. Try these:
Creamy Asian: Mix Toasted Sesame dressing with Caesar- fantastic B-Cafe option. I order the chicken Caesar salad and ask for a side of the Asian dressing and mix them! A life saver after a 100 regular chicken Caesar salads.
BBQ Ranch: BBQ sauce mixed with Ranch dressing
Southwest Caesar: Salsa mixed with Caesar dressing
Zesty Tuna Salad in De Neve: The tuna salad in De Neve, at lunch, tastes like its been sitting around all day. I realized they serve plain tuna at the salad bar so I designed my on rendition.
Ingredients: (1) cup tuna
(2) celery sticks, cut into peices
(1) T. almonds, slivered
(1) tsp. mayonnaise
(2-3) tsp. mustard
(1/2) tsp. favorite hot sauce
(1) hard boiled egg, optional
(1/2) tsp. relish, optional Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Enjoy.
Grilled Portebello Pizzas: Protein packed with a nutrient dense "crust".
Ingredients: Makes 6 mushroom caps
(1) red bell pepper, diced
(1) yellow bell pepper, diced
(1/2) onion, diced
(3) chicken breasts, diced
(1) lb. sausage, casings removed
(2) tsp. garlic, minced
(4) cups spinach
(1) tsp. red pepper flakes
(2) cup shredded cheese, mozzarella
(6) portebello mushrooms*, stems and gills (black) removed
(2) cup tomato sauce Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt andpepper mushroom caps and spray with olive oil. Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken and sausage until cooked almost through, remove from heat. Place another 1 T. Olive oil into skillet and brown the red and yellow peppers and the onion. Add spinach, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat. Once spinach is wilted, mix in chicken, sausage, 1 cup cheese. Spoon 1/8 cup tomato sauce into each mushroom. Scoop mixture into mushroom caps. Top each with a little more sauce and cheese. Place into oven for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is browned and the mushroom is soft. Enjoy.
Notes about the greatness of Portobello mushroom: Low glycemic, good source of Folate, Choline (B-complex), and magnesium.
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