Half the Battle

Me @ the Primal Mud Run
photo by Sweat Shop

It's been some time since I've graced my blog with my presence. It's not that I haven't been cooking (although I haven't cooked much), it's just that I'm MAD busy! Between work, school, and CrossFit, I'm surprised I have time for Primal Mud Runs, unWINEding with friends, FB, CrossFit cert... (yes, going in June!!) And haven't cooked anything exciting. Well, that's a lie. I tend to think just about everything I cook is exciting. But I'm biased. Because I cook what I like. Duh.

Diet Needs

As I sit 25 days into a 30 day Paleo Challenge at N-Raged Crossfit, I am feeling like it's time to bring up the subject of diet once again. What does your diet consist of? Is it wholesome, nutritious, and satisfying? Do you have energy, stable weight maintenance, normal sleep patterns, and a stable mood pattern? How about allergies, sickness, and soreness? It's amazing how our diet stretches to all parts of our lives. And it is something that we can control.

Immune Health & London Broil

Are you one of the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from a head cold this season? Or how about allergies in the spring? Or summer? Or fall? Or indoor in the winter...? I'm betting somewhere in here you'll end up saying yes. If not, congrats, you are either following a paleo diet or Bruce Willis in "Unbreakable". Okay, maybe not that extreme, but how often to you think about how your diet is effect your immune health?

Apology! CSA & Butter Steamed Kale

Okay, so the truth is, I am super busy! I apologize for taking so long in between posts. In fact, I only have just a few minutes to get this down before I have to run out the door again. Spring/early summer is the busiest time for a garden center and I'm taking classes as well. I hate to make it sound like an excuse, but I feel terrible for not at least giving you a reason that I haven't been as active on the site recently.

Tips & Guest Recipe!

So it has almost been one week; how are you making out with the elimination of grains in your diet? Going farther back, are you doing okay with the Zone blocks? Personal experience suggestion: print out the Zone proportions, black out the grain blocks, and keep the page on reference in your kitchen, car, work desk, or where ever you prepare/eat most of your meals. I laminated mine for durability. Keep it out when you are making your meals or ordering food so you know exactly how much to put on your plate.

30 Days

But Bonnie, I can't give up grains. There's no way I can do paleo.

Oh really, how do you know? Have you ever tried?

No one said changing your diet was going to be easy. In fact, in the beginning, it's probably going to $uck. But all I'm asking is 30 days. That's right, 4 weeks and 2 days. One short month. Common, you have the whole rest of your life. And by the end of that month, when you realize that ya don't really miss the grains, and you feel a million times better, the rest of your life just got a little longer.

Paleo Intro & Roasted Asparagus and Bison Burger

I got a great comment the other day on my previous post on The Zone diet. It was a suggestion to read a book called A Life Unburdened: Getting Over Weight and Getting ON With My Life, by Richard Morris. This gentleman lost over 100 pounds by stopping all dieting methods. I will certainly look into this book and report on it in the future.

It does bring up an interesting concept, however, that ties in nicely to today's post. No dieting. Now, if you remember, several posts ago I made clear my stance on the term "diet". As defined by conventional wisdom of strict limitations of amount and/or types of food for a specific period of time with the intentions of weight/loss or improved health, I hate the term. As defined CORRECTLY, a diet is the sum of all foods consumed. And, when coupled with nutrition, a diet is a huge part of nourishing humans. It should be attainable, sustainable, and enjoyable.

The Zone & Garlic Pulled Pork

The diet style that I really want to look into first is the Zone. This is the meal plan prescribed by CrossFit and definitely is effective for losing weight. The Zone also does not strictly prohibit the consumption of any particular food. The two biggest components of the Zone are portion control and balance. 

The Zone diet works off of a block system; each food is categorized in a particular macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, fat) and assigned a serving size. Each serving size is one block. The blocks are designed to provide each meal and snack with a macronutrient break down of 40% carb, 30% protein, and 30% fat. 

My Diet Experience & Sweet and Sour Carrots and Celery

Now that you know how I feel about the word "diet", I want to dive into two "diets" that I do support from both personal experience and expert advice. The two diets, of which you may be familiar, are The Zone and Paleo/Primal. 

First, I want to give you a little background on my personal experience with these two diets. When I graduated college it dawned on me that I had packed a bit extra baggage to take home. I moved back home and started a cardio kickboxing program at the karate school I attended as a kid. I also started training for a half marathon in November. I switched to eating mostly whole grains and lower fats since that was what most of the articles I found on MSN health and other sites suggested. Also, continuing with the "carbo-load" mindset from high school track, I ate tons of pastas and breads before a long run along with high carb "recovery" snacks after cardio class. October hits and I realize that I haven't lost a pound; if anything, I had gained more. So I started counting calories. I found an awesome app on my iTouch called Lose It!. It had me enter my weight, goal weight, and birthday (as a goal completion date). Soon I got the hang of it and slowly started losing weight. At first I tried to keep my fat intake below 20%, protein around 20%, and carb around 60%. After 5 long months I was down about 15 lbs. I was also super agitated, irritable, not quite approachable... 

Sweet Potato, Apple, Sausage and Spinach Medley

Today's post might look a little familiar to some of you; I am literally copying and pasting a previous post I did several months back. I feel that it is worth reiterating especially for our newcomers...

First I should say that I hate using the word diet. The majority of the American race incorrectly defines the word diet as a strict limitation to either amounts or types of foods to take place or a specific period of time with the intentions of weight loss and/or improved health. After their "diet" is complete they will go back to the way they were eating prior to the change. This definition is much more correctly defined as dieting (still a cr@ppy word).

Better Way to Start Your Day

If I had to describe the word nutrition in one sentence, it would be "nutrition is the key to life". Literally! If we do not provide our body with nourishment, it will perish. However, there are several levels of nourishment that we can attain. Let's use the USDA Beef grading system terms to define. At the top, we have Prime nutrition where our diet and lifestyle provide us with the necessary macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals to thrive in this world. Next down is Choice nutrition where we have to supplement our diet and lifestyle to access all of the necessary macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals to sustain in this world. A step down from that is Select nutrition where we follow a diet and lifestyle to loosely progress towards better nourishment, however we are usually caught in the tangled web of nutrition information available and not sure where to go. Lastly, and I believe this is where most people fall, is the Standard nutrition. People's diet and lifestyle is providing them just enough nourishment to survive, and many have no idea how to access the higher levels of nutrition.

Coconut Shrimp with Vegeable Stir Fry



My brother posted a tip on his blog the other day that reminded me of a super good practice. It may sound totally obvious, but I think that way way too many of us ignore it anyway. I know I do. 

Nutrition Tip of the Day: Avoid Poisonous Things. Whether this be plant (ivy), animal (bear), grains/beans/processed foods/hydrogenated fats (wink, wink), or even some of the people in your life – the easiest way and best way to get healthy is to simply avoid them. This includes the cookie tray at work (my weakness – thanks to Doug Gable’s amazingly talented wife)! Or, in a lot of cases, a person who whenever they are near causes you stress – except your boss, that is. This can be a tough one! Below Mark Sisson outlines a sometimes poisonous food. Nightshades. How can you know if something is poisonous in your life? Give it the 30 day challenge! Cut it out completely for 30 days – then give it a reintroduction. Don’t feel well? Stressed? Sick? Tired? Etc? Then it is not a good choice for you. I can’t do some types of dairy – but maybe you can. I can eat tomatoes though so sometimes it works out. We heard from Katie yesterday about the reintroduction of bread into a little ones meal and what the affect was. Many of you have commented to me privately of similar feelings. My uber realtor Sharon (also a member here!) told me just Tuesday about the affect she had after a recent reintroduction of a food long removed from her diet. The stories are all the same. Just give it 30 days. That’s all I can ask. Do you have a story to share? Click Reply All or Comment and let us know!

So what do you think? This recipe below contains peppers, a nightshade, however I have no adverse affects from them. However I consistently poison myself everyday with a job that constantly undermines my desires and abilities. Unfortunately the 30 day trial is uber difficult to meld into the working environment...

Roasted Chicken Thighs and Kale

I was recently asked if I someone could pay me to cook for them for a week. What a gig; I would love that! Regardless, the reason this questions was asked of me is because of my eating habits. I regularly eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and several snacks throughout the day. My food intake is well rounded and whole foods in nature. I bring my snacks and lunch with me to work everyday and cook most of my own food. This baffles most people. However, it is not as daunting as it seems.

Shrimp and Sausage Salad

I love cooking, but I must admit that I enjoy the opportunity to have my meals served to me on occasion. A nice, relaxed atmosphere, where I do not have to worry about anything but picking what to have someone else prepare can be a welcome change of routine. It is even better when it is on someone else's dime! So when work sent me to a trade show earlier this week I embraced the experience of eating out. Plus eating in a whole-foods fashion can be a fun endeavor amidst the conventional American diet found on most menu's today. However, that being said, it also enforces my desire to teach as many people as possible about the faults and pitfalls surrounding that diet.

Many American's are now coming around to having good intentions about their diet. Unfortunately, many of the "conventional wisdoms" that they believe are incorrect. Or at least wrongly understood. Take this for example:

See, We Aren't Crazy!

When you tell people that your diet consists of low carbs, mainly achieved through elimination of all grains and other starchy food sources, and consists of high fat/protein, they tend to look at your funny. Especially when you are my size; 5'7" and 120 lbs soaking wet, and have the ridiculous amount of energy I have. Some are amazed and want to hear everything about it even though they have their doubts. Some will actually listen to some of my suggestions and start to change their diet. Some will down-right argue with me (bring it on!). I pray for the second group. Start with baby steps. That's what I did along with virtually everyone else I know that follows the same basic diet premise. And none of us are complaining. Why? Because we are right.

And for those of you who don't believe, who want more proof, or who want extra backup in the case for a healthier life, READ THIS. Rock on, LA Times. Spread the love.

Now, to figure out how to express this to America without another "fad" and/or extreme adaptation.... 

Food Allergy Buddy™ Card Supports a Whole Foods Diet

First I should say that I hate using the word diet. The majority of the American race incorrectly defines the word diet as a strict limitation to either amounts or types of foods to take place or a specific period of time with the intentions of weight loss and/or improved health. After their "diet" is complete they will go back to the way they were eating prior to the change. This definition is much more correctly defined as dieting (still a cr@ppy word).


My Issues with the above...
Strict limitations- Only limitation should be to stick to whole, natural foods.
Specific period of time- Your entire life. Period.
Intentions of weight loss and/or improved health- A whole, natural diet and lifestyle will provide you with a healthy weight and body.
They go back to the way they were eating prior- Well, duh, that's what got you in trouble in the first place!


As defined by the all telling source of Wikipedia, "In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism." This is how all American's should define the term. A diet should not be though of as restrictive and short term, it should be thought of as the summation of the foods you eat to provide you with the correct nourishment to lead a healthy life.


That being said, eating a diet of whole foods does just that. The only things it restricts are foods that are not, well, food. Stick to what was recently alive and will perish quickly, is in whole form as found in nature, and our earliest ancestors had access to (because those are the foods our bodies will digest best since they have been exposed to them the longest). Granted, our ancestors may not have prepared the foods the same way we do, but point being is that we are eating what they ate. What our bodies known. When you start to introduce things our bodies are not familiar with, problems arise.


Modern agriculture and cultivation of grains and legumes occured around 10,000 years ago. Quite a bit of time, yes, which is probably why most people can survive (not thrive) on them. We certainly have acquired some sort of tolerance for them. However, when you look at the common severe allergies people suffer from today, they are largely based upon grain products: corn, wheat, soy, oats... 


Want proof?

Food Allergy Buddy™ allows you to choose which food allergies you have to be printed on a card you can bring to school, restaurants, where ever needed so who ever is preparing foods can avoid what you are allergic to (which would be a non-issue for places that feature a whole foods menu). 50% of these choices are from cereal grains. If you add in the dairy, peanuts, and potatoes, over 60% of these choices would not have been consumed by our earliest ancestors. 

Personally, I do not need much more evidence. But, if you insist, check out Mark's Daily Apple and his plethora of posts on the Primal Blueprint, the basic inspiration for my lifestyle transformation. Especially his Definitive Guides on the Primal Blueprint, Eating Plan, and Insulin, Blood Sugar, and Type 2 Diabetes. Another great source of information is from Robb Wolf, a former research biochemist who is a true life story of how the Paleo Diet basically saved his life. Check out his FAQs on the "Paleo Solution". From these two sites, feel free to explore the hundreds of links, as I have, to determine that Yes, a diet of whole, natural, and unprocessed foods is unarguably the best summation of the foods you eat to provide you with the correct nourishment to lead a healthy life.

Enjoy :)

Eat Your Veggies! Err, Fruits. Wait, which is what? Just Eat Them!

Today I came across an interesting topic of popular debate. What is the difference between a fruit and vegetable? Well, the way I always knew it, if the seeds were located on the inside, it is a fruit. If the seeds are on the outside, it is a vegetable. Turns out, that description is pretty darn accurate. Here is why.

As defined by Dictionary.com
-Fruit: The ripened ovary of a flowering plant
-Vegetable: The edible part of a plant

For a more in-depth explanation...
- Fruit: The product of the plants flower. To develop seeds, a plant makes a flower. The flower is pollinated and the seeds can be developed. Reproductive science has taught us that seeds (or eggs) are contained in an ovary. Though evolution, plants developed their ovaries to be palatable once the seeds are mature. This is to help ensure that animals would eat them and help spread their seed. The palatability of fruits is made possible by a higher sugar content.
- Vegetable: A part of the growing or mature plant that is edible, not including the flower. This includes the roots, stems, and leaves. They are present the whole time the plant is growing; it is not something produced additionally as the plant matures. Depending on the area of the plant, the carb levels are different. The roots, for example, need to store and provide nutrients to the plant. Their carbs tend to be more dense and starchy. Stems are usually transporting nutrients to the rest of the plant, so their carbs are lighter and they comprise of more water. Leaves have a larger surface area and serve as the location for photosynthesis; their carbs are slightly more dense than stems and generally give the most flavor of the vegetables.

Regarding nutrition
Either way it works, fruits and vegetables should be the main (if not only) source of carbohydrates in your diet. Fruits tend to be higher in the carbohydrate sugar fructose while vegetables are higher in the carbohydrate sugar glucose. Glucose is easier for our bodies to digest because all carbohydrates must be turned into glucose (which veggies already are). Also, it is hard to eat soo many veggies that it spikes your insulin (which encourages fat storage).

I hope that wasn't too confusing! And I hope it clears up some misconceptions about fruits v. vegetables. In conclusion....... EAT YOUR VEGGIES! And some fruits :)

Enjoy :)