A quick look at Google Trends shows a clear, undeniable trend: that of regular folks armed with curiosity, questions, and Internet connections taking their health into their own hands and searching for information on “vitamin D.” Search traffic for the keywords is at an all-time high, having steadily increased for years. But just as people are discovering importance of getting enough vitamin D, either through sunshine or supplementation, out comes the official paltry new vitamin D guidelines.

As far as I’m concerned, vitamin D deficiency is one the biggest health issues in this country. I’ve written extensively on the topic here, here, here and here. I’ll continue to get sunlight when it’s available and supplement when it’s not. And I’m sure my fellow paleo bloggers will do the same. This is a perfect example of why we distance ourselves from “Conventional Wisdom” (CW). What do you say? Has the latest report changed how you view vitamin D?

Next on the list, California strawberry lovers may want to consider – if they haven’t already – sourcing organic, local, or homegrown berries from now on. State regulators just approved the usage of methyl iodide, a potent pesticide, in place of methyl bromide, which wasn’t too good to begin with. Methyl iodide is applied directly to the soil, and it’s water-soluble, meaning there’s a pretty good chance it makes its way into the water table where it can be enjoyed by everyone. There’s also the fact that it contains an iodine atom, which, as you know, is the mineral our thyroid glands use for production of thyroid hormone. After the Chernobyl disaster, area thyroid glands took up highly toxic radio-iodide because it looked an awful lot like normal, awesome iodine, and the result was widespread incidence of thyroid cancer. Now, methyl iodide isn’t as toxic as radio-iodide, but, as this paper (PDF) comparing the toxicities of methyl iodide and methyl bromide to each other shows, all of methyl iodide’s toxic effects happen via the thyroid.

Let me know if you agree we should we change our stance of vitamin D?

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Last week’s post on the buddy system got me thinking about the importance of general camaraderie in physical activity, beyond just the fact that having a person who relies on you to work out will get you off your butt and moving. I think you can go further than a single buddy – how about an entire team of them?

I don’t know where I’d be without my weekly Ultimate Frisbee games. That may sound silly or infantile, but I’m serious: it keeps me sane, melts the stress away, and represents an opportunity to keep up with friends (in person, not over some social network or through texting). In other words, it’s my primary form of playing. And though I realize it’s ultimately my fault, I don’t think I play up Play enough around here. Sure, there was the Definitive Guide some time back, and we all remember the post on dance (no, I still haven’t uploaded any videos), but it really deserves more emphasis. It’s one of those aspects of life that seems to fall by the wayside, even as you intellectually acknowledge its importance. Heck, with children having trouble getting a good solid play session in these days without strict adherence to a daily planner, is it any wonder that adults need the occasional nudge toward carefree play?

So consider today’s post an official nudge.

Play doesn’t have to be totally unstructured, though. It’s not necessary to flail around like a young kid exploring the extent of his or her physicality, or climb around on jungle gyms amidst odd looks from parents. In fact, there’s something to be said for engaging in cohesive, structured group play – also known as sport. Our ancestors surely played sports, both for fun and as tests of physical prowess, and there exists extensive evidence of sport in the ancient world, from Gaelic field hockey-esque hurling to Chinese soccer-esque cuju to Roman rugby-esque harpastum to the mysterious Mesoamerican ballgame. A Native American game called chunkey, in which spears and sticks were thrown through rolling stone hoops, may have helped usher in inter-tribal peace in what’s now the southeastern United States. Sport is powerful. While it’d be pretty cool to start up a Primal harpastum league, you’ll probably have better chances with one of the more contemporary pursuits.

But how? Where?

Back when I was a kid, finding a pickup football game was as easy as heading down to the local field on a summer’s day. Basketball games could be had at any open court, and kickball or baseball games were always popping up at the local diamond. How’s a person to get involved nowadays? Well, it depends entirely on what sport you’re interested in.

People still play basketball outside without needed structured leagues to make it happen. Just visit a local park and, if the sun’s out and there’s a full court available, you’ll probably be able to get a game going. I don’t play the game myself (I enjoy watching, though), but one of my buddies plays pickup games all the time. His advice? Find a park where people are playing, making sure they’re not too good (or too bad) for you, and put your name in to play. It also helps to ask what time of day and day of the week people generally play, since you’ll find that outdoor pickup courts follow an unofficial schedule of sorts.

There are also more organized avenues. For pickup games or open gyms in your area, check out Infinite Hoops or No Fouls. For adult amateur leagues, try googling “adult basketball leagues [your city here].” I tried looking for a comprehensive aggregator, but they were all regional.

Yeah, I’m biased, but it’s just a fantastic sport. I’m also biased toward meat and vegetables. Ultimate also has a lower barrier to entry than some of the other sports, where you might face off directly against opponents with vastly superior talent, strength, speed, and size. Don’t get me wrong; you still gotta have accuracy, speed, and the ability/willingness to throw your body out there for some big catches, but total beginners can have fun with it.

If you can’t get enough friends together to play, check out some local leagues through the Ultimate Players’ Association. As always, Google is your friend. LA people, check this.

Ultimate’s lesser-known relative that combines golf and frisbee, frolf is kind of the black sheep of the disc-related sports. We don’t really like to talk about or acknowledge its existence, to be quite honest, but I felt for completeness’ sake I’d give it a plug.

Though my Ultimate teammates would crucify me for doing this, here’s a frolf course finder for the United States. Enjoy.

Sure, hipsters may have obfuscated and ruined just about every fond childhood memory through layers of cheap irony, but they can’t take kickball away (try as they might). Kickball is like baseball, only with big rubber balls and feet. It is a true joy. You probably won’t get an amazing intense workout with kickball, but you’ll have fun, and that’s really what we’re going for here.

Check out WAKA for a league near you, or spring for the kickball set and get your own games going. If that doesn’t pan out, you can always follow the trail of empty PBR cans.

Elementary school districts across the United States have been banning children from engaging in ultra-competitive, soul-crushing sports. You know, stuff like tag, freeze tag, hide and go seek, capture the flag, and, most famously, dodgeball. Dodgeball is a tough sport. I played it as a kid and there’s no ignoring the fact that getting pegged in the face by a rubber ball is embarrassing and defeating. It’s just you, the ball, and that annoying kid that sits behind you and flicks spitballs at the back of your head in class. Someone’s getting hit and someone’s walking away victorious. That’s a lot to handle, but it’s an important lesson for anyone, even adults. So, adults, think about playing some dodgeball.

Here’s a short list of local dodgeball leagues. Following the Google formula should reap results, too (“adult coed dodgeball leagues [city]”).

American football is a tricky one. There’s a reason high school, college, and pro players wear lots and lots of padding: throwing one’s adult body full force against another adult body can be dangerous to both bodies. Of course, those guys are incredible athletes, hugely strong and fast at once, so there’s a lot more potential force behind those hits than you see with the biannual warriors in the park on Super Bowl Sunday during half time. Some, though, have argued that the padding and helmets only make the hits harder, wilder, and more dangerous (kinda like how thick running shoes mask the damage that’s being done to your feet and lower limbs until it’s too late), so maybe playing naked (not like that) subconsciously ensures safer hits.

Flag or touch football is a good option if you want to avoid any career-ending injuries, or just play with friends you trust and tackle/tread lightly.

It’s the biggest sport, globally, but since I have a lot of American readers who may not be into it, it bears mentioning. Soccer is undeniably intensely physical; you have to be in great physical shape to keep up the pace of a 90-minute soccer game spanning the entirety of those huge fields. And you don’t necessarily have to be great at it in order to have fun – if you don’t believe me, just watch a youth soccer game sometime. They’re generally awful (lots of clustering around the ball, regardless of a player’s position on the team) but seem to really enjoy it. I see a lot of pickup games at local LA parks on Sunday evenings, right before dusk. Any city with a large Latino population will probably have games available.

If that doesn’t work, try a Google search for local adult soccer leagues.

This is not my favorite sport. Okay, I harbor an intense disinterest in it, bordering on dislike. That said, it is a sport that takes speed, strength, hand-eye coordination, accuracy, and teamwork. Maybe it’s because I was never any good at it that I don’t like it, but go ahead and do it if you’re a fan. Anything physical that gets people working together toward a common goal (the utter defeat of your opponents) is fine by me.

The ever popular corporate softball league is a good reliable option, or you could check out the Adult Baseball Association.

For any sport, Googling the phrases “adult [sport] leagues [your area/city/state]” or “coed [sport] leagues [area]” will generally produce good results. Another option is going to your region’s Craigslist “event calendar” and searching for “[sport] league” or “[sport] pickup games.” You can also get good results through Yelp.

This is serious stuff, guys. It’s not food and it’s not resistance training or sleep or which supplement is best, but it is vitally important. Sports are a way to test your mettle. Anyone can face down an inanimate object (barbell, your own bodyweight, a pullup bar, a steeply ascending mountain hike), but how often do you get to see how you stack up physically and mentally against your fellow (wo)man? The rush of victory is delicious and addictive, while defeat is a bitter pill that we should all learn to swallow. Both have their place in a healthy, happy, well-adjusted modern life, but it’s up to us to make it happen.

On second thought, this post is no nudge; it’s a well-placed boot.

So do it, and let me know how it goes in the comment board!

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View the original article here

Welcome Stumblers and all newcomers! If you want to lose weight, gain muscle, increase energy levels, reduce stress or just generally look and feel healthier you need to plan 500 reps.

Hit 500 reps total, using the following:

Pullups
Pushups
Handstand Pushups
Planks
Weighted Lunges
Broad Jumps

Warmup: 30 second Grok Squat, three light sprints at 70%.

It doesn’t matter how you get your 500 reps as long as you mix these all in.

Maybe I’m showing my age by making a reference to The Proclaimers in a workout post, but I do so unabashedly. Besides, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” is still one of my top training songs and it always kills at karaoke.

Remember how I mentioned WOWs might occasionally take the form of fitness tests, as opposed to workouts you’d do on a regular basis? That sometimes I’d ask you to perform a grueling, demanding task just to prove to yourself that you could do it, as a mark of progress? This is one of those times.

I’m always trying to come up with new workouts to keep things interesting (for you and for me), and my latest one consists of choosing a number of reps, usually in the hundreds, and then attempting to reach that number by way of various exercises. I might do a combination of pullups, pushups, planks, box jumps, glute ham raises, and/or lunges to hit four hundred reps. If I go for six hundred reps, I’d obviously do more of the easier stuff. 500 reps seems to be the sweet spot. It’s rough, but if you choose the right reps and exercises, you can usually finish it. It’s also a lot of fun, despite the effort involved, because you’re constantly moving onto a new movement, and you’re never relegated to grinding out single reps on one movement since you can just try the next one and come back later. It’s hard to give up when you have six other choices.

So, using pullups, pushups, handstand pushups, planks (where one second equals one rep), weighted lunges, and broad jumps, hit 500 repetitions. You can mix them, mash them, and alternate them in any order you prefer; just be sure you do at least 50 reps of each exercise (don’t go easy and just do several minutes of planks – although that’s harder than it sounds) and reach a total of 500. There’s no time limit, so rest in between sets – or even reps, if it gets to that point – as needed. And remember, you have the freedom to customize this workout. If you’d like to add box jumps or inverted rows or some other movement to the rotation have at it.

Make it easier:

Do more reps of the exercises that are easiest for you. Some people might have an easier time doing more lunges, rows, and planks, while others might find it’s easier to do more pullups and pushups.Listen to your body and go with the flow of the workout. If another pullup just sounds impossible at the moment, save the rest of ‘em for the end. You’re going for 500 reps, so you need all the help you can get.

Make it harder:

Do more reps of the exercises that are hardest for you. If you find handstand pushups difficult, do them anyway.Wear a weight vest the entire time.

If you can’t complete a pullup or a handstand pushup, for example, use the PBF Essential Movements Progression and Self-Assessment to determine which movements you can complete. Even if you’re doing knee pushups and chair pullups, that’s totally fine! Do what you can.

Workouts of the Week are an optional component of Primal Blueprint Fitness and should only be completed by those that have mastered Level 4 of each Lift Heavy Things Essential Movement.It’s recommended that the WOWs replace one or both Lift Heavy Things workouts or the Sprint workout (depending on the WOW) each week instead of being done in addition to the Lift Heavy Things and Sprint workouts.As always, be safe, avoid injury and use proper lifting technique at all times.

View the original article here

Go do your 500 reps now then tell me how fit you are.

The Psychology of Junk Food

-this mya be the #1 obstacle stopping people from moving to a Primal lifestyle.

While they understand and approve of the logic behind the Blueprint, and they value the chance to lose weight, get fit and have more energy, the old fear questions pops up: “What about bread?”  (or diet soda, pasta, pizza, fast fooda nd so on.).

Against all powers of wisdom, self-interest, and rationality, how is it thesehurtful, deeply entrenched cravings hold such sway over our diet lifestyles decisions? Is a bBig Mac really so enticing that it should undermine someone’s willingness to live a healthier, more vigorous existence?  Is the de-grained life really not worth living?

It’s a common refrain I hear: “Oh, I’d love to go Primal, but I just couldn’t give up my breakfast cereal.” Okay. It’s got me thinking lately: what is it about the psychology of junk food, i.e. the psychological power of (non-Primal) favorite foods?

Ever watched “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (usually featuring the typical junk food categories)? Of course, the guests play it up for the camera, but the expression behind some of their descriptions parallel that famous When Harry Met Sally scene. Really? This level of enthusiasm for a hamburger?  Even a few of the most diehard PB converts I know still hold the torch for some pre-Primal items. Some people get attached, I guess.

Yes, there are the obvious factors that apply to most people’s favorites: the ubiquity of these foods, the subsequent convenience, the cheap price (e.g. Pizza Hut’s “Feast for Five” bucks – feast being their word). For some of us, these favorite foods (past or present) are part and parcel of our social landscape or our work environs. Then there are the more complex influences: ethnic, family or community traditions right down to low and lowly marketing forces. Finally, there’s taste. Although, as I’ve said before, most people find these foods all taste the same once they give their taste buds a chance to recover on a Primal diet of naturally-occurring foods.

So, why are some things easier to give up than others? If you told most people tomorrow that the key to good health involved forgoing asparagus, I can’t imagine most folks would consider it a major impediment to their success. Why isn’t giving up bread, diet soda or cereal the same? How does it involve more than a simple switch of intention? Why does giving up a single favorite food feel like serious deprivation for so many people?

It is possible that the psychology of junk food is established before we are born?

It’s true that our tastes are established earlier than we ever thought. Experts have found that a mother’s diet during pregnancy already begin to habituate a baby’s taste. Researchers believe this happens because the habituation early on helps teach children which tastes are “safe.” If the mother has survived eating foods with these flavors, they will, too. If you come from a family in which people routinely ate a lot of pasta, you likely developed the taste for it earlier than you can remember.

We also develop deep-seated emotional associations with certain foods through early and/or recurring memories surrounding them. On a timely note, holiday traditions tend to play into these associations in a big way. Any meaningful experience can create these connections, however. Was there a special dish you always made with a parent or grandparent? Did your extended family all go to the same pizzeria at every visit? Do you and your spouse have a routine from early in your relationship that influences how you enjoy time together today?

These associations can play out in unconscious ways, eliciting cravings or overshadowing your efforts to develop a taste for healthier, Primal fare. If you’re still carrying the torch for old favorites, it can be harder to fully enjoy newer Primal tastes.

Then there are the temptations of the present. Experts say mental imagery – that which we conjure ourselves and that which we’re presented with (in ads, etc.) – plays a sizeable role in our cravings. Have you ever found yourself victim to an ad’s suggestion? Even if you normally wouldn’t touch a particular food, those marketing folks have a fantastic way of making it look good. Don’t think that marketers aren’t masters at understanding te pshchology of junk food.

Our moods, of course, can influence our vulnerability to old favorites. Many of us have indulged in emotional eating, and carbohydrates figure into this equation all too strongly. There’s a legitimate serotonin boost from a carb binge, but then comes the inevitable crash and then the ongoing habit. Our desire for comfort foods, researchers have found, only increases with additional stress. (On a side note, experts have even found trends of favorite comfort foods (PDF) in men and women and in older and younger folks. Men as a whole tend to crave warm and hearty foods. Women for their part had more of a penchant for sweeter snack foods. Younger groups also tended to choose more snack rather than meal type foods.)

In terms of strategies to lessen the feeling of deprivation and associated cravings, researchers confirm the out of sight, out of mind approach. Proximity matters in a big way. The more of a hassle it is to get to that favorite temptation, the less likely you’ll bother with it. Their study includes the old candy dish at the secretary’s desk scenario. Yet, battling those mental images matters, too. If your favorite food is all over the TV commercials, find something else to do on the days or evenings when you’re more prone to suggestion because of stress or a down mood.

When you do become taken in by a sudden urge to indulge, some research suggests that taking a brief walk can help. If the cravings are more than an occasional inconvenience, you might want to ask whether there’s something hormonal going on or if you have a nutritional deficiency. Particularly if you have a history of disordered eating, you might choose to explore some professional counseling. Finally, some research shows that acupuncture can be an effective complementary measure for reducing ongoing cravings.

You might ask where the 80/20 Principle is in all this. Well, it depends. If your favorite food can be adapted to fit a Primal profile or if you can indulge moderately on an occasional basis, then you might not have to forgo that favorite altogether. If one taste of a non-Primal favorite food sends you on a downward spiral, however, it’s another story. As people get further along in their Primal journey, the slippery slope phenomenon isn’t as powerful, but for some it remains so. Know yourself, first and foremost.

There’s a potential bit of a catch here, however. Even if you know you can always go back and have it, a lot of folks – having been fully Primal for a while – find that the side effects are too great to bother with. They realize that it’s not worth trying anymore, even for special occasions. Nonetheless, some feel a bit of grief with the acknowledgment. In these cases, however, know that the food was destroying your body long before you ever gave it up. You simply know what it feels like to live without the low-grade symptoms now.

That’s the final message here, I think. A favorite food offers momentary pleasure and maybe a meaningful bit of nostalgia. But what is your life without that favorite food? More energetic? Less congested? More restful? More even-keeled? Less medicated? Just as happily reminiscent. Just as meaningful. Your taste buds are but one small part of you. If your whole body could vote on each food you put in it, what would it tell you? Learning to live Primally is about learning to listen to your body, recognizing its story, and valuing how our physical habits feed the spirit as well as the body – the vitality – we bring to each day.

Now it’s your turn. Readers, have you had struggles with old favorite foods? Do they still have a hold on you? Does the lingering preference ever trip you up, or have you found your peace with it – maybe by indulging once in a while with moderation? What do you see as the major challenges behind giving up a favorite food?

The original junk food article

Understanding the psychology of junk food may be your best tool towards self-control.

Want to lose weight fast? Tired of getting all the wrong information from all the wrong sources? Well, if you are keep reading because we’re going to go over the top 10 weight loss tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your efforts.

Most people gradually despair and start to feel that they’ll never lose weight simply because they’ve been given the wrong kind of facts, or are simply on an approach that is never going to work. These tips will help solve problems like that, and provide you with an invaluable base from which to work from, so let’s get started:

1) Eating more meals per day is good for you. But each of those meals should be smaller than a “regular” meal. By consuming 5 “small” meals a day as opposed to 3 “big” ones, you’re more likely to feel full and thus not overeat. Also, you’re going to give your body an easier time of absorbing the energy that you gain from the food, and thus not store it as fat!

2) Try to plan your meals ahead as much as possible. That way you won’t risk being caught out and having no choice but to eat some notoriously bad and unhealthy meals that just pack on the calories.

3) Drink more water than you do now, as it will help you to stay hydrated and will also help ensure that you don’t feel ravenously hungry and end up overeating.

4) Exercise as much and as often as you can. Even something as simple as climbing the stairs to work instead of taking the lift is better than nothing, but if you can, set aside 40 minutes a day for a quick workout.

5) Set your goals and stick to them. Make sure they’re realistic goals, but challenging enough that they keep you motivated.

6) Try different types of healthy food so that you don’t get bored of eating the same types of greens constantly. Nowadays there are a lot of options out there, so be sure to take advantage of them.

7) Don’t ever, ever, go on crash diets as that will just probably end up backfiring on you.

8) Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want. Try dried fruit for an easy snack option. Stay away from pre-processed juices, but making your own is a great idea.

9) Learn the difference between good and bad fat and cut down on consuming too much “bad” fat. When eating meat, be sure to remove the skin if possible.

10) Avoid late night snacks or having supper too late. If you eat before you sleep, your body won’t get the chance to work off all the energy it gets and is more likely to end up storing it. Also, digesting a lot of food while trying to sleep can make it harder to get proper sleep.

All that sounds easy enough doesn’t it? Everything said and done, weight loss really can be as simple as following these 10 tips, and they’re undoubtedly going to serve you well when you decide to put them to use.

Nothing could be easier!