Woodard Wednesday: Bulletproof coffee

A real conversation overheard:

Man: can I also trouble you for 4 packets of butter?
Barista: butter?  Did you say BUTTER?
Man: yes please, butter.
Barista: are you going to put it in your coffee?
Man: yes indeed! It's amazing.  So delicious and super healthy.
Barista: ..... (eyebrows rise slowly with a hint of asymmetry)
Man: ..... (smiles like an idiot and gives a cheerful nod)
Barista: ok then.  It's your heart attack

Ok, so I overheard this conversation because I was part of it.  I am no longer known publicly as the guy with a lot of tattoos.  I am quickly transitioning to the guy who puts butter in his coffee.

I'm comfortable with that.  Eventually I aspire to be the guy who puts butter on his tattoos, but that's for another blog.

So, why am I putting butter in my coffee?  Because it IS actually healthy.

I grew up in the 80's where we knew that fat was a bad thing for you and made you unhealthy.  Anything with fat would, well, make you fat.  The reasoning was sound.  I remember being super happy to discover that angel food cake was fat free.  You could literally eat as much as you liked and not get fat.  It was a genius plan.  What could go wrong?

I got fat.

Even better, we (meaning myself and Fabio) would spray this weird yellow stuff on our toast and exclaim about how happy we were that it wasn't real butter.  We delighted that this fat-free butter substitute was chemically designed to taste kind of like butter.  Never mind that it was full of carcinogens and God knows what.  It was tasty, and fat free!  Nailed it.

So what's the problem with a low fat diet?  Other than being super boring, it is not healthy.

I have been on The BulletProof Diet now for approaching a year and have to admit that this is the healthiest I have ever been.

Side note: I am not endorsed by BulletProof Diet or Dave Aspery and receive no monetary gain by writing this blog (although I am happy to change that...Dave?  Daaaaaaave?)

Side note number two: I am not intending to re-write this guys book.  He beat me to it and does a pretty swell job.

But can I just make this point: eating healthy fat is awfully good for you for several reasons, but here is my favorite.

Have you ever eaten brains?  Have you ever asked yourself why zombies go for the brains first?  It's because zombies have a highly refined palate and know that brains are the foie gras of the human.  What's the similarity between brains and goose liver from geese that are intentionally made obese?  Fat.

You heard that right.  Geese are fat too, just like me as a kid.  But you also heard that brains, and for that matter the majority of the nervous system, is made of fat.

Now, might I pose this question: if what you eat is intentionally low in fat, how does your nervous system grow and repair itself if it is made of fat?

This is your brain.  This is your brain on a low fat diet.  Any questions?

As for gaining weight while on a diet super high in fat: nope.  Sorry to disappoint, but I find it much easier to maintain a healthy weight on this diet than any other previously attempted.  And yes, I've tried them ALL.

It's worth checking out.  I am not saying you should put butter in your coffee if you think it's gross.  But if you think butter is gross, we probably can't be friends.  It's like saying bacon is gross.  Animal lover or not, some things are just delicious.

Happy to have a discussion on this.  What do you think of the Bulletproof Diet?

I can't drink WHAT?

Oh sweet burning nectar of the gods, why hast thou forsaken me?

People, I’ve got a problem.  I’m about to tell you what it is, but I need you to prepare yourself…it’s rather upsetting.

There is a running theory, backed by some moderately strong-leveled evidence that I may be allergic to, of all things, coffee.

Any Buddhists out there?  Perhaps you can tell me what I did in a past life to be dealt this stinging karmic blow?  Was I cruel to coffee farmers?  Was I a thief of all things caffeinated?  Was I Hitler?

It would seem that in this unfortunate turn of events, my body has decided to revolt in the form of reverting back to the painful teenage years of embarrassing breakouts of pimply unpleasantness.  With extensive efforts to figure out why this was happening, it was determined that coffee/caffeine might be the offending culprit.

It just so happens that my first race of the season is 4 weeks from this Sunday at which time I usually try to get off the juice to decrease my tolerance for the magical drug.  That way when I down a Red Bull during the race, I literally grow wings.

So that’s where I’m at.  Today was the last “cup” of coffee, but as you can see from the picture above, that was hardly worth calling a cup.  This coming from the guy who used to down 2-3 venti monsters daily just to get by.

Anyone heard of this?  Coffee allergy?  Where are my naturopaths out there???

Foodie Friday: ANOTHER Paleo Challenge begins

Lord help me, I'm doing it again.  I promise I didn't orchestrate this one but one of my fellow competitors from the last challenge has clearly gone off the deep end and started a 7-week Paleo challenge.  I was dumb enough to accept!

It starts today (rules below) and runs for 7 weeks.  If anyone out there is crazy enough to join our reindeer games, let me know ASAP.  These challenges are most successful when there is a whole collection of nincompoops doing it together.

Are you that nincompoop?

If so, we have a FB page devoted to this project and I can add you in.  Let's get crazy, caveman style!

Rules:

Do not consume added sugars of any kind. No Splenda, Nutrasweet, xylitol, agave nectar etc. Read labels carefully. For the purpose of this challenge Natural sugars such as honey and 100%maple syrup may be used in moderation.

Do Not consume sugary alcohol drinks like wine and sugar based cocktails. You MAY have simple cocktails with clear liquors (it's the holidays for God's sake). IE: vodka or tequila with lime and seltzer. No dark liquors like Rum - too sugary.

Do not eat grains. This includes but is not limited to wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgar, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all pseudo grains like quiona. Note: read labels, many unexpected products include grain.

Do not eat legumes. Legumes are beans and more... Black, red, kidney, lima, white, navy, kidney, peas, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, and all soy products ( edamame, soy beans, bean sprouts, soy sauce,miso, tofu, etc. Read Labels!)

Do not eat dairy. The strict paleo Gods say none, ever. This challenge, only grass-fed butter is allowed. No milk or cheese of any kind.

Root vegetables are good, white potatoes are bad. Although some articles say different for the sake of the cleanse we are going to ditch these too. Try subbing every potato recipe with sweet potatoes, and if your eating yams or sweet potatoes add more grass-fed butter!

Private message me your daily record with your name, date, and score, or post it on this group Wall.

Scoring:

When you wake up you have a fresh 15 points, you can win and loose points depending on your day. You gain points based on the quality food you eat, your sleep (yup, you GAIN points for sleeping), working out and mobility training. Here's the breakdown:

15 points-wake up every day with a fresh new day ahead of the game.

Add points

 +2 points for 60 minutes of working out (30min workout=1 point)

 +1 for 7+ hours of sleep

 +1 for 2 grams of quality fish oil (2 pills/day)

 +1 point for mobility training (stretching/yoga) outside of workout hours.

Max allowed points per day is 20 pts. Kudos to you for putting in a 3 hour workout, but you will only be awarded the 2 pts for that time.

Deducting Points

 -1 point for every serving of: deli meats, sausage (only if not fully meat/veg), legumes (ie: hummus, peanuts, peas) salad dressing, red wine, tequila, GF Beer or Cider

-2 points for every serving of dairy with the exception of grass-fed butter (milk, yogurt, cheese, soy products)

-3 points for every serving of cereal, oats, grains, corn, flour, rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa and all things derived from above

-4 points for every SERVING of soda, juice (not fresh squeezed or 100% juice), sports drinks, fried food, chips, pizza, cookies, ice cream, ketchup, processed foods, beer (and all alcoholic beverages other than "1 point beverages", sugar added sweets(cake, sorbet, pie, you get it, don't eat it!)

The lowest you can get for one day is zero (thinking Thanksgiving here people) and the highest is 20.

A Reflection of 2013, Anticipation of 2014

Well it is January 1, 2014, and while my upstairs neighbors are presumably sleeping off the late night boozing they so graciously shared with the rest of the building via audio-havoc, I am enjoying a reasonable flute of chilled prosecco and feeling pensive about things.

There is much about the above statement that lends support to the notion that I am clearly an 86 year old woman trapped in a 33 year old dude's body, but let's not dwell on it.

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the year that was 2013, and also ponder what might be in store for 2014 and what I hope to achieve.  This could get deep, people.  I might use hashtags.

As an athlete, 2013 was disastrous in many ways, and yet extremely constructive in others.  As I've written up in a previous post, IronMan Mont Tremblant was primarily a hot, steamy pile of mess for me.  I wish there was a better way to describe my performance, but it was just plain ugly.  Sure there might be a correlation to my level of training and fitness at the time, but I've never had a solid grasp of correlations, or anything about statistics for that matter.  Good thing I'm not getting a PhD…

Despite the messy and steamy nature of it though, it was supremely motivating.  Since that race, I have had a fire under me that has launched my training into new places: namely existent!  I'm afraid I am overwhelming my poor coach with my compliance.  He never saw it coming.  Poor dear.

In that vein, I have been on my bike 3-4 times per week and killing the workouts.  I don't get a kickback on this endorsement (which my lawyer will soon be made aware of), but I started taking classes at this cool joint called Tailwind Endurance.  Check this out: you put your bike on a computrainer with 15 other idiots too delicate to ride in the cold, and you cycle like a maniac all while going absolutely nowhere.  Brilliant, right?  Here's the best part: on the giant screen in front of the group is a display of how you are performing.  You see not only your current wattage output, but also how you rank among the other morons sitting next to you.  It's like a video game, athletics, and a college binge-drinking night all rolled in to one.  I'm in love.

In the several weeks I have been taking these classes, I have seen my FTP (functional threshold power, AKA: the number that proves how manly you are) jump by huge margins.  That translates to me going faster on the bike.  This in turn means we have one happy cyclist sitting here in front of a computer screen with an almost empty glass of prosecco.

And since we are talking bikes, check out my new baby pictured below.  I got a fascinating email from my accountant a few weeks ago which went something like this: "Dear Chad, the IRS is going to rape you in a couple of months.  Hard.  You will cry.  So will your unborn children.  If you have any business expenses coming up, spend them now."  You know the best part of being a physical therapist practice owner and having a blog to help "advertise?"  Tri bikes that are categorized as Damn Sexy are considered a business expense.

Boy bike or girl bike?  What should I name him/her?

I also just completed a 45 day Paleolithic diet eating and fitness challenge.  My blog is chalk full of entries detailing this experience, but suffice it to say that I am a fan.  Not only did I see incredible changes in my own performance, recovery, and svelte physique, but my fellow participants went through pretty incredible changes as well.  The winner of the challenge, and subsequently my Mom, shocked her physician with her results and was able to discontinue the use of daily blood pressure medicine.  That's big, people.  I was honored to have led such a group and alarmingly inspired by their determination and fantastic results.  This was a rewarding experience, and one I hope to renew again soon.  

As for my personal life, 2013 has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.  My business, F Squared PT has been consistently and marvelously growing in reputation and productivity.  I was offered a part-time faculty position teaching in a doctorate program of physical therapy at Touro College, which I graciously and humbly accepted and begin in a couple of weeks.  I have a beautiful soul whom I am lucky enough to call my life partner, not to mention being proud of the fact I haven't murdered for the insurance money.  I have 2 of the most outstanding pups a dad could ask for with whom I share a love so sincere I can't imagine it bested by any other (see below for their picture and prepare yourself for a collective "ahhhhhh").  My life has been blessed in 2013, and not in the stereotypical Hallmark sort of way.  When I say blessed, I mean only to convey the most heartfelt and overwhelmed feelings of gratitude and fortune.  I know I have worked hard to be where I am, but I also appreciate the serendipity and sheer dumb luck that has brought me to where I stand.  

And speaking of standing, I may not be able to after this last glass of prosecco.  #whatsinthisstuff

Maggie: a princess in every sense of the word

Mick: the sweetest and most loyal dog in the history of furry companions

So after all of that alcohol-inspired rhetoric about the previous year, what can I say about my hopes and ambitions for 2014?

I have learned over the years to avoid making firm plans.  That just gives the Universe an opportunity to toy with you.  Instead, I hope to succeed in the following points for 2014:

• Remember to take time for myself.  With the intensity and veracity of my schedule and life, it is easy to forget that I am important too.  Having a morning or two at home with just me and my pups is something that I hope to embrace in the coming year.
• Remember to prioritize what is truly important.  For 2014, I have a great many goals.  These include becoming a better athlete, a better partner, a better puppy-daddy, a better human.  My goals do not include trivial daily occurrences that can seem so monumental at times.  My goals do not include petty competition or ego-driven triumphs.  My goals should not serve a superficial/selfish aim, but rather should enrich the very person who I hope to improve upon.
• Strive to be the best I can be at what I choose to devote my energy.  If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right.  
• Remember to do things that improve and enrich other peoples lives as mine has been enriched.  I do honestly believe that the best way to appreciate the blessings and opportunities one has in their life is to help another achieve the same success.  Seeing the satisfaction, gratitude, and triumph through another's eyes is truly the best way to experience your own good fortune.  I hope to remind myself of that and make efforts to create such opportunities.
• Find ways to show my gratitude.  For example, I am stupidly grateful to you all taking the time to read the rantings of such an one as I (I think that is a Gilbert and Sullivan line…#muststopdrinking).  That so many of you, a considerable number being strangers, read what I have to say is humbling.  I am grateful and wish I could show you that in some way.  Until I figure that out, I'll just keep writing and you just keep reading.  It's what we do.
• And lastly, I hope to eat more guacamole and plantain chips in 2014.  If there is a more delicious snack in this world, I dare you to introduce me to it.

I have nothing but optimism and excited anticipation to see how this coming year unfolds.  There will be success.  There will be heartbreak.  There will be achievements paired with failure.  We have all been given the precious gift that is this life.  I plan to live mine to the fullest, and what better time to recall such a motto than the beginning of a new year.

Much love, immense gratitude, and pinch-me-awake joy,

Chad

Foodie Friday: Results of the 45 day Paleo Challenge: Week 6!

We're almost there!  Just a few more days before we can kick our inner caveman in the teeth and finally sit down to that cherry cheesecake.  The scores are below for perusal, but *spoiler alert* Trish is still showing us who's boss better than these people can:

So I thought I'd tell you how I'm feeling after 40+ days of sticking to a Paleo diet and working out like I get paid for it.

As of this morning I have lost a full 3 inches off of my midsection (love handles have been down graded to love handlets) and am down 10 pounds on the scale.  That's not shabby, but I'm even more excited about my physical abilities.  It is now customary for me to sit on my bike and pedal against 17 other psychos in a virtual race to the finish line, lasting an exquisite 2 hours.  I then do the same thing again the following day.  6 weeks ago, you would have had to take me off of that bike in multiple pieces.  When I do it tomorrow, I'll hop off and say something witty.

I'm also recovering like it's nothing.  I am averaging 12-14 hours per week of intense exercise and feel absolutely fine.  No soreness - no aches and pains - no whining…ok, maybe a little whining.  I am who I am.

Call it a lack of junk-food-induced inflammation, weight loss, physiological adaptation, dumb luck.  Whatever your label, I am a markedly better athlete 6 weeks into this challenge.  Forget the sexiness I am achieving (like we could???), imagine what changes I will see if I keep with these good habits.

I'm pretty certain I'll win Kona next year.  Who wants to sponsor me?  Book deal, maybe?  Let's talk.

Here are the overall scores:

819	Trish
810	Chad
786	Karn D
772	Colby
729	Nick
668	Lisa
647	Amy
632	Jen
631	Isadora
601	Christina
565	Trae
551	John D
488	Kerry
138	Wendy

And here are the scores for the last 30 days of the challenge, winner getting tickets to Cinderella on Broadway:

513	Trish
498	Chad
497	Colby
488	Karn D
439	Nick
407	Lisa
393	Amy
389	Isadora
386	Christina
349	Trae
339	Jen
297	John D
275	Kerry

Foodie Friday: Results of the 45 day Paleo Challenge: Week 5!

Check it out people.  We are 11 days till the end of this mess, and we have some serious competitors here.  Some of the participants are beginning to thrive with the lifestyle and report feeling great about workouts, recovery, energy, sleeping, and aesthetic and health changes.  I for one have hit my workouts every day this last week and feel great.  I'm recovering faster and ready to hit it again the next day, and while I do have fond memories of a six pack of Sam Adams, I prefer seeing the new six pack I seem to be anatomically acquiring.  Certainly looks better than the keg of Sam Adams I was working on previously!

Others of us have temporarily cracked under the pressure.  We've faced our enemies, namely pizza, cheeseburgers, holiday chocolates, and the like, and occasionally succumbed to the temptation.  That said, for every report of weakness, there are multiple matching reports of triumph!

The work and determination by the group has been astounding, especially considering the time of year. We all can hold our heads up nice and high as we race to the finish line!

Here are the current overall standings (please note my Mom is still crushing it…)

683	Trish
682	Chad
669	Karn D
650	Colby
648	Nick
591	Lisa
589	Jen
586	Amy
559	Isadora
537	John D
502	Trae
472	Christina
441	Kerry

But here is the big news of the week: there have been some developments in the last 30 day chunk of the challenge, with the winner eligible for tickets to see Cinderella on Broadway.  Look where things stand now as we no longer have a tie for first, but an official leader:

377	Trish
375	Colby
371	Karn D
370	Chad
358	Nick
332	Amy
330	Lisa
317	Isadora
296	Jen
286	Trae
283	John D
257	Christina
228	Kerry

Nice job everyone!  Hold strong for a few more days!!!

For review, here are how the points are calculated:

Rules:

Do not consume added sugars of any kind. No Splenda, Nutrasweet, xylitol, agave nectar etc. Read labels carefully. For the purpose of this challenge Natural sugars such as honey and 100%maple syrup may be used in moderation. 

Do Not consume sugary alcohol drinks like wine and sugar based cocktails. You MAY have simple cocktails with clear liquors (it's the holidays for God's sake). IE: vodka or tequila with lime and seltzer. No dark liquors like Rum - too sugary.

Do not eat grains. This includes but is not limited to wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgar, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all pseudo grains like quiona. Note: read labels, many unexpected products include grain.

Do not eat legumes. Legumes are beans and more... Black, red, kidney, lima, white, navy, kidney, peas, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, and all soy products ( edamame, soy beans, bean sprouts, soy sauce,miso, tofu, etc. Read Labels!)

Do not eat dairy. The strict paleo Gods say none, ever. This challenge, only grass-fed butter is allowed. No milk or cheese of any kind.

Root vegetables are good, white potatoes are bad. Although some articles say different for the sake of the cleanse we are going to ditch these too. Try subbing every potato recipe with sweet potatoes, and if your eating yams or sweet potatoes add more grass-fed butter!

Comment below with your daily record with your name, date, and score, or on my Google plus page.

Scoring:

When you wake up you have a fresh 15 points, you can win and loose points depending on your day. You gain points based on the quality food you eat, your sleep (yup, you GAIN points for sleeping), working out and mobility training. Here's the breakdown:

15 points-wake up every day with a fresh new day ahead of the game.

Add points

+2 points for 60 minutes of working out (30min workout=1 point)

+1 for 7+ hours of sleep

+1 for 2 grams of quality fish oil (2 pills/day)

+1 point for mobility training (stretching/yoga) outside of workout hours.

Max allowed points per day is 20 pts. Kudos to you for putting in a 3 hour workout, but you will only be awarded the 2 pts for that time.

Deducting Points

-1 point for every serving of: deli meats, sausage (only if not fully meat/veg), legumes (ie: hummus, peanuts, peas) salad dressing, red wine, tequila, GF Beer or Cider

-2 points for every serving of dairy with the exception of grass-fed butter (milk, yogurt, cheese, soy products) 

-3 points for every serving of cereal, oats, grains, corn, flour, rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa and all things derived from above 

-4 points for every SERVING of soda, juice (not fresh squeezed or 100% juice), sports drinks, fried food, chips, pizza, cookies, ice cream, ketchup, processed foods, beer (and all alcoholic beverages other than "1 point beverages", sugar added sweets(cake, sorbet, pie, you get it, don't eat it!)

The lowest you can get for one day is zero (thinking Christmas day here people) and the highest is 20.

Food Friday: Results of the 45 day Paleo Challenge: Week 4!

There has been some serious shake ups in the leader board this week folks.  What seemed like a mostly harmless bottle of wine has proven to be a potential game changer.  This may not be college football, but I'm kinda excited!

Here are the current standings of the 45 day challenge as of yesterday, the end of our 4th week.  Again, I would like to reiterate how amazing this has been for me to watch my family and friends get healthier.  And if I'm going to lose, I can't think of anyone I'd rather see take the victory lap more than the person currently topping the charts.

Inspiration comes in all forms.  Sometimes the trainer needs to be trained.  Well done, grasshopper.

543	Trish
542	Chad
531	Karn D
523	Nick
512	Colby
505	Jen
484	Amy
468	Lisa
442	Isadora
432	John D
427	Christina
397	Kerry
389	Trae
138	Wendy

And now, to my dismay in terms of excess data entry, we get to keep track of a sub-challenge.  A little birdie with good connections offered 2 tickets to see Cinderella on Broadway to the winner of the last 30 days of the challenge, only if they could beat me.  As it turns out that my trip to Montreal proved to be more tempting than it should have been, I think our little birdie will be coughing up some tickets.

Check out this race.  A tie for first place!  Not that I'm biased or anything, but KICK HIS ASS, MOM!!!  (Trish is my mom, btw...)

237	Trish
237	Colby
233	Karn D
233	Nick
230	Chad
230	Amy
212	Jen
212	Christina
207	Lisa
200	Isadora
184	Kerry
178	John D
173	Trae

For review, here are how the points are calculated:

Rules:

Do not consume added sugars of any kind. No Splenda, Nutrasweet, xylitol, agave nectar etc. Read labels carefully. For the purpose of this challenge Natural sugars such as honey and 100%maple syrup may be used in moderation. 

Do Not consume sugary alcohol drinks like wine and sugar based cocktails. You MAY have simple cocktails with clear liquors (it's the holidays for God's sake). IE: vodka or tequila with lime and seltzer. No dark liquors like Rum - too sugary.

Do not eat grains. This includes but is not limited to wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgar, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all pseudo grains like quiona. Note: read labels, many unexpected products include grain.

Do not eat legumes. Legumes are beans and more... Black, red, kidney, lima, white, navy, kidney, peas, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, and all soy products ( edamame, soy beans, bean sprouts, soy sauce,miso, tofu, etc. Read Labels!)

Do not eat dairy. The strict paleo Gods say none, ever. This challenge, only grass-fed butter is allowed. No milk or cheese of any kind.

Root vegetables are good, white potatoes are bad. Although some articles say different for the sake of the cleanse we are going to ditch these too. Try subbing every potato recipe with sweet potatoes, and if your eating yams or sweet potatoes add more grass-fed butter!

Comment below with your daily record with your name, date, and score, or on my Google plus page.

Scoring:

When you wake up you have a fresh 15 points, you can win and loose points depending on your day. You gain points based on the quality food you eat, your sleep (yup, you GAIN points for sleeping), working out and mobility training. Here's the breakdown:

15 points-wake up every day with a fresh new day ahead of the game.

Add points
+2 points for 60 minutes of working out (30min workout=1 point)
+1 for 7+ hours of sleep
+1 for 2 grams of quality fish oil (2 pills/day)
+1 point for mobility training (stretching/yoga) outside of workout hours.

Max allowed points per day is 20 pts. Kudos to you for putting in a 3 hour workout, but you will only be awarded the 2 pts for that time.

Deducting Points
-1 point for every serving of: deli meats, sausage (only if not fully meat/veg), legumes (ie: hummus, peanuts, peas) salad dressing, red wine, tequila, GF Beer or Cider

-2 points for every serving of dairy with the exception of grass-fed butter (milk, yogurt, cheese, soy products) 

-3 points for every serving of cereal, oats, grains, corn, flour, rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa and all things derived from above 

-4 points for every SERVING of soda, juice (not fresh squeezed or 100% juice), sports drinks, fried food, chips, pizza, cookies, ice cream, ketchup, processed foods, beer (and all alcoholic beverages other than "1 point beverages", sugar added sweets(cake, sorbet, pie, you get it, don't eat it!)

The lowest you can get for one day is zero (thinking Christmas day here people) and the highest is 20.