Glycemic Overload

Glycemic Load - a ranking system for carbohydrate content in food portions based on their glycemic index and the portion size.

Why is this important? As a matter of fact it is the absolute in any Nutrition Plan. By eating foods (carbs) that have a low end glycemic load, we can keep our insulin in check. Too much insulin, and our ability to burn fat is nil. Studies have shown that sustained spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels may lead to increased diabetes risk.

Here is a list of some NO-NO high GL/GI foods:

-Rice, Wheat, Pasta, Potatoes, Corn, Bread, Tortillas, Oats, Grains, Beans, Tropical Fruits (Bananas, mangos, papaya, pineapple, etc.)

Now here are some foods that are perfectly fine to eat:

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Squash, Carrots, Turnips, Rutabagas, Green Leafy Vegetables, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Peppers, Artichoke, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Alfalafa sprouts, bamboo shoots, Celery, Cucumbers, Apples, Apricots, Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries), Cherries, Grapes, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes, Nectarines, Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Cantaloupe.

So, there is a whole bunch of different veggies and fruits that one can eat and still maintain a healthy diet. Get away from that lame excuse of "I just have to have my bread and comfort foods". Get off the Grain Train and enjoy a healthy life with plenty of options to help fuel your everyday needs.

End of January Detox Challenge

A whole 30 days with no alcohol, grains(not that that was an issue anyway), sugar, tobacco, processed foods, little caffeine in the form of coffee and hot tea, and eating out. What a month! I feel great and have leaned out a bit and put on some muscle in the process. My times keep improving and so do my heavy lifts. So a lot of good came from this. I am going to continue with this system from here on out, minus the alcohol restriction. This will be on a limited basis and limited quantity (as I am now a cheap date) since I enjoy a cold beer or some whiskey every now and again. As a trade off for this, I will still keep sugar and "processed foods" out of my diet for the duration leading to the 2009 CrossFit Games Qualifiers in May at GSX in Ft. Worth. For those that don't know check it out: "2009 CrossFit Games". Hopefully I can keep them out for good as my insulin sensitivity is getting to the point where any amount of sugar just bombs me. This makes a good reason to keep it out of my diet.
I would encourage anyone to give this challenge a go for minimum 30 days and see what kind of results you can get. I promise you they will be positive. You will not only notice a better looking and feeling self, but everything gets better: sleep, workouts, and life in general!