Review of The Carb Nite Solution

I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical about this program when I was told about it.  I'm an active member of a message forum that has a thread dedicated to fitness and nutrition, and I usually follow the advice of one of the gurus on this forum.  His name is Cormac, and you've heard me mention him before.  He is practically a genius when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, and he practices what he preaches.  

So when Cormac started talking up The Carb Nite Solution by John Kiefer, after only talking about the greatness that is Mark Sisson, I was hesitant to listen.  I had it locked in my mind that carbohydrates were pretty bad, and it was best to keep them under 100 grams a day, but the overall nutrition in my diet was the thing I needed to focus on.  

Kiefer's solution, however, is to focus almost solely on the carbohydrates and to keep them under 30 grams a day.  This is mostly acceptable to somebody so deep in the paleo-dieting world, until you find out that he also wants you to pig out (literally) one night a week.  For one night, every single week, you load as many carbs into your system as possible.  Cormac said that there was a lot of science behind it as to why it worked, but I had trouble believing him.  That was until he started talking about his overweight friend that was on it, and how much weight he had been losing with it.  He actually said, "It's funny to see the weight almost melting right off of him."

I decided to check it out for myself.  I went to the website, and started reading every little piece of information I could about it to see what Kiefer had to say for himself.  Naturally, the information on the website doesn't give away too much as to how it works or why it works, because Kiefer is selling his book that details the diet.  I took the plunge and bought it anyway, going in with an open mind ready to see what the guy had to say for himself.

What I liked about the book:

• John Kiefer is a physicist.  More importantly, he is a scientist.  This means that every single part of the book is explained with science as to why it works.
• There are so many references and citations to back up what he's saying that it is hard to refute it.
• The idea behind the plan in the book is simple, and following the diet he lays out is not a hard one.
• He explains and forewarns of EVERY thing that will happen to your body when you go on this diet.  The good, along with the bad, are laid out on the table.
• He explains that this plan is not a lifestyle-diet, like The Primal Blueprint, Weight Watchers, Atkins, or any of the others, but it is a power-diet.  This diet is meant for fat-loss, not weight-loss, and is only intended for up to 6 months of use at a time.
• The last part of the book has a layout of meal plans, recommended foods, and other things that will help you succeed on this diet.  It is all very detailed.

What I didn't like about the book:

• John Kiefer is a physicist.  More importantly, he is a scientist (yes, I did list that twice).  This means that there are a LOT of details and science facts in this book to explain why it works.  I'm taking college level biology classes right now and some of it was still over my head.  I considered it to be a necessary evil.
• I don't agree with some of the recommendations on the plan.  One major disagreement that I had was pertaining to exercise.  He doesn't actually recommend it, but says that it can be helpful.  He states that under any circumstance, no cardio should be performed while on this diet.  
• It almost sounds too good to be true.

Overall, I was impressed with the book and the diet detailed out in it.  I think the website looks a little shady, and that it might scare off some potential customers/clients.  I ended up paying $19.99 USD for an electronic version of the book that was instantly available to me, and I think it was worth it.

At the time of this writing, I am on day seven of the diet.  The first couple of days were harder than these last few, but the book has prepared me for all of that.  I can't say for sure whether or not this will actually work as I have spent so little time on it so far.  However, I am fairly confident that this will be effective for me.

After only seven days in to the diet, I am already noticing changes in my body.  That's crazy to me.

You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Update on the PB21DC... and other stuff

First off, I'll go ahead and put it out there that if you're starting to miss Hark and I, don't be mad at us.  We're both really busy in school right now, not to mention work, and in my case a child.  We're still trying to eat healthy and exercise too, but it's hard to fit so much into a daily schedule.  If that's not proof enough, look at the date stamp on this post.  Yes, I really wrote this at midnight.

At the time of this post, we are two full weeks (14 days) into the PB21DC.  Personally, this is the best effort that I've made to eat Primally since before the mess of things in June of 2011.  I don't know if I've lost any weight, because I've not had time to weigh myself.  I will admit, that I've cheated a couple of times on my diet and I haven't been able to exercise like I want to.  I still get a lot of low level cardio in at work because of all the walking and lifting I do though, so there is slight compensation.

Here are some things that are working for me that I thought I would share, so that you might see if they work for you:

1. Follow Marksdailyapple.com.  This is a great source (the original source) for the Primal Blueprint.  Mark gives out great advice every day of the year for how to live a Primal lifestyle, great recipes, cool links, and success stories to motivate you.
2. If you're not sure about how or what to eat, start slow.  Over the summer, I regained a heavy addiction to soda.  When the challenge started, I switched to diet soda's to take the edge off and keep the carbs at a minimum.  Now, I've been completely soda free for three days and I'm feeling fine.  I supplement the caffeine need with delicious home-brewed coffee.  The key is to keep in mind what the healthiest choice is for you to make and then strive to meet that goal.
3. Keep a journal.  I went bought a pocket-sized journal to track my food intake, energy level, physical activity, and general thoughts daily for the challenge.  This can be so beneficial when you're looking to find out, "What went wrong?"
4. Make the effort to coexist with non PB'ers.  In an ideal world, we all live either by ourselves or with people who want to eat as healthy as we do.  This is not an ideal world.  Nearly everyone has a roommate, housemate, or family member, and they may not be cozy in your PB lifestyle.  It would be nice if you could throw out all the crap food in your pantry and fridge, but they may protest.  Personally, my son has a hard time adjusting to this diet.  When he's not with me he's with my family or at school.  Neither of those places are exactly on board with the Primal eating plan.  All that being said, he's not sure why we don't have buns or bread for the hot-dogs, hamburgers, and other sandwich items in the house and he hates that he's not getting french fries and tater tots anymore for his side item or snack, and instead having to eat carrots with dip.  It's all about compromises, and remembering which food items in your home ARE NOT YOURS.  Other than that, it's all about patience and discipline.

I thought I would shoot a link for you guys over to the guy that got it all started for me.  I know him as Cormac, and I met him on a video game message forum (geeky, right?).  Cormac was the guy that started talking about paleo dieting and the Primal Blueprint.  He's insanely smart when it comes to this stuff, and he's started a blog that answers questions about how he lives his PB lifestyle in Japan.  Before I give you the link, I will warn you, he uses a little bit of non-family friendly language, but it's worth it for the knowledge you get out of it!

Cormacaroni.tumblr.com/

Sign Up! The Ancestral Weight Loss Registry

Any of you who have been reading the blog for a while or have read up on some of our older posts know that I'm a fanatic for Paleo-style dieting.  It started back in January of 2011 and it was love at first site.  I would actually say that it is responsible for the majority of any of the weight that I've lost.  It's what has caused my local bakery to lose me as a loyal customer.  And I know that when I fall off the beaten path, that Paleo-dieting will be right there, ready to pick me up with a friendly -but firm- "I told you so." 

A couple of days ago, I was doing my nightly read-through of my favorite blogs when I found one from Mark Sisson on his website.  It briefly touched on the fact that paleo dieters aren't taken seriously, are treated as "fad" dieters, and still draw a lot of concern from most health professionals.  

There is a group out there that is taking the initiative into their own hands to prove the success, seriousness, and basic truths behind this style of living and eating.  The Ancestral Weight Loss Registry has a goal to "...combine(s) a running list of clinical research combined with a registry that people can join on a volunteer basis. Collecting such data will hopefully illuminate the safety and efficacy of consuming such a food plan. Data speaks for itself."

So, if you're like me, and you've had success in any form from eating a diet that is low-carb, paleo, primal, or anywhere close to them, here's what you should do to show our politicians and physicians that the diet and we ourselves should be taken seriously:

1. Go to the sign-up page, enter your details, and answer the questions honestly.
2. Make sure you read the privacy policy.
3. Spread the word!

Bonus points will be awarded for submitting before and after photos, if you have them, and liking their Facebook page!

Some Inspiration For You

I found this while just randomly browsing the net late at night.  Had to share it with you guys.

Click the picture to view a larger size

Check It Out! - Tough Mudder

I've talked about it a couple of times in my videos.  This is THE event.

Tough Mudder - Probably the Toughest even on the planet.

Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile obstacle course designed by British Special Forces.  It tests every facet of personal strength and mental capacity.

I'll be running in a Tough Mudder even in Maysville, Ky on October 20th of this year.  Should be fun.

Check It Out! - Fitocracy

A friend of mine got me hooked on this site recently.  If you're like me, and the internet is a big part of your life, or you really like to play video games, then Fitocracy may be the site for you.

Fitocracy takes the element of competitive gaming and puts a fitness spin on it.  When you sign in, you can log your workouts and get points for it.  For every point you get, you come closer to leveling up.  You can also complete achievements and special "quests" for more points.

If that isn't cool enough, you can join groups of your peers based on your interests or groups of people you know in real life, and compete against them for points.  

If you're wondering if there is a reward for getting points, the answer is no.  The reward comes from making a healthier you, but this does call to the competitive nature in all of us.  

Right now, Fitocracy is available by invite only.  Lucky for my readers, I have an invite link that I can share with you.  So here you go!

http://ftcy.co/nldd1P

Check it Out! The Definitive Guide to Walking

I could be biased because this is where I get fed all of the new information for the Primal Blueprint, but I absolutely love Marksdailyapple.com.  Mark Sisson writes some of the best articles on making big and small changes to our every day lives to make us healthier.

This article doesn't let us down.  A lot of people think that walking is such a simple thing and that we all do it, but nobody stops to think how often they walk or how they're performing it.  They might stop and find out that they've been pounding their heels into stubs and didn't even notice it.  If you're one of those people that thinks their stride could use some maintenance, then check out this article.

Check it Out! 8 Smart Summer Snacks

I found a great article over at Yahoo! Shine that I thought I would share with you.

It seems to be intended for the ladies, but I don't see why men couldn't benefit from this information.  Either way, it's a great list of snacks that you could eat to cool yourself off with over the summer.  It lists these snacks as alternatives to junk foods like sodas and pretzels, and it tells you why they're better.  

The only thing I might add my personal opinion part to would be the protein chips and the 100% Fruit Juice.  The only thing I would ask is that you carefully read the labels of the products you pick out to make sure there aren't any additional additives that the manufacturer is trying to sneak in on you.  Take a look!

8 Smart Summer Snacks for the Beach

My Journey to Stop Smoking

October 11th, 2010, at 2:00 P.M.

That was the last time that I smoked a cigarette.  It was a Marlboro Menthol Light.  It tasted wonderful.

It's surprising what you can remember.  I remember more about my last cigarette than I do the last Christmas.  I remember that I got my son an art easel for Christmas; or was it a tent?

Last September, the hospital I work for put up a flier for class at the local health department.  It was called the Cooper-Clayton Stop Smoking Class.  The hospital was gearing up for a change in the smoking policy (as in they were getting ready to stop it on campus, all-together), and they were offering to pay for this class for any of the employees who were willing to take it.  My wife had finally discovered after being together for four years that I had been a smoker for three of those years.  My options were quit or be alone.

I don't like being alone.  So I signed up.

The first class began on October the 4th on a Monday.  I went in expecting them to tell me that I had smoked my last cigarette on the way there, and I would be expected to respond with outrage mixed with disappointment.  However, I was informed that my assignment for the week would be to smoke like I normally do and log it.  I walked out of that first class not knowing what to expect.  Of course, the next week was a wake-up call for me as I looked back at the log and noticed how much I really was smoking. 

My instructor told me that I would be able to smoke even after the first week if I really felt the need to, but that we should try to abstain from it.  I wanted to go above and beyond in this class, not because I wanted to impress anyone, but because I wanted to live longer and prove that I had the will-power to do something this intense.  I don't remember where I wrote down that last entry for the cigarette, but I'll never forget that date.

The next twelve weeks got easier and easier as they passed by.  The Cooper-Clayton method to stop smoking involved weekly lectures and support topics, coupled with the person using either Nicotine patches, lozenges, or gum on a step-down process.  By the end of the twelve weeks, I wasn't even using the patch anymore.  I didn't feel the need for it and I felt great.  I didn't get winded walking up stairs anymore, my tri-annual strep throat didn't come back, and my wife told me that I was more cheerful than she had ever seen me.

This class has been the first thing that has actually got me to stop smoking and "make it stick."  I had tried quitting cold turkey and using Chantix in the past, both of which lasted a few months but I always wanted to smoke very badly up until the point that I gave in.

This time, I don't want to smoke.  It holds no power over me anymore, and I believe that it can be this way for everybody, as long as they have the will-power to want to stop.

If you're interested in the Cooper-Clayton Method to Stop Smoking, please click the link below:

http://stopsmoking4ever.org/

Check it Out! Does it work?

I was browsing through the health and fitness section at Yahoo, when I found this little gem.  It's by Heather Hawkins, CPT, FNC-NESTA, and it's called "Does This (Workout, Diet, Supplement) Work?"  It's going to be a series, and at the time of this writing it's in two parts.   This series is definitely worth checking out for some light but very informational reading!

Read the first part of the series here.

Check it Out! FitDay.com

As many times as I've plugged Marksdailyapple.com, I'm sure you've stopped in and taken a look around.  The more and more you go to the site, you'll see that he likes to plug some of his favorite sites that he goes to.  One of his favorites that he suggests to everyone is FitDay.com.

Fit Day is diet and exercise tracking, simplified online.  They only offer to keep a log of the foods you eat, the exercise you get, and the weight you loose.  They don't make a lot of suggestions and they don't judge.  If you were a fan of Sparkpeople.com, but you didn't like all of the "interactive" features that they had like the social media side and the constant tips, then Fit Day is for you.

Recently, I had to use Fit Day to get my diet back on track.  For the past few weeks, I hadn't been losing any weight.  I couldn't figure out what the problem was since I was having phenomenal results in the gym.  A friend of mine suggested logging into my Fit Day account and logging a few days worth of food.  I logged four days worth of eating, and I discovered that I was over my personal limit for carbohydrate intake.  I was getting anywhere from 25-50 more grams of carbs than I needed to lose weight.  It was the answer to why I was maintaining my weight instead of shedding it.

Did I mention that these people aren't pushy?  I've had an account for a few months now, and I don't remember getting an email from them other than the confirmation email when I signed up.  This site is one of those, "We're here if you need us" kind of places.  It's right up my alley for checking in, researching what I want to know, and getting out.  They put everything I need to know right into a nice and neat little chart and let me go on my way.  It's not overloaded with graphics either.

If you're like me, and you don't really want a lot of outside influence from an impersonal site for weight-loss, then FitDay.com is for you.  Give them a try today!

Check it Out! My Low Carb Journey

Those of you that know me well know that I love to surf the net.  I was recently checking out one of my favorite weight loss websites, Mark's Daily Apple, and found this inspiring article about a guy named Hank Garner.

Hank lost, as you can see, 100 pounds in 6 months doing a low-carb diet primarily based on a Paleo and Primal Blueprint lifestyle.  Although Hank started out 100 pounds lighter than me, his journey is none-the-less inspiring.

I'm going to start reading his blog more on a regular basis and listening to his pod casts as they come out, and you should too!  Here are the links:

mylowcarbjourney.com/

Mark's Daily Apple - It was Time to Make a Change (The original article that lead me to the site)

Check it Out! Weights... then cardio!

Christopher Poe of Christopher Pro, LLC turned me on to this article over at The Post Game.  It was so good and so to the point that I didn't want to rewrite it or try to take anything from it and make it my own.

The advice in this post is sound, and any of you following a gym routine would do well to remember it!

Read the full article here.