Fit Club ahoy! Where men are bros and women are also bros!

[Soul Splint]

Gracias. I've been swishing water afterward, but I had sometimes been brushing within twenty minutes or so. I'll try to fix that. I like my chompers, and my parents spent a few pennies to get them looking nice, so I'd rather not piss on them (metaphorically).

Well, literally too, but that's not really relevant.

[Thin Crust]

Parents came into town and I got off my diet while they were here. Basically we ate out except for when mom made steaks and crab legs their last night. I gained 5 pounds in 5 days. Yikes. I've lost 1 since they left yesterday, and I'm back in the zone. Again, thank you for all the help because before they came, I had lost 17 pounds!

[Soul Splint]

Haha, right on Thin Crust. I just got back from vacation, where I gained six pounds in five days. I didn't necessarily eat bad, I just ate A LOT. I'll have it all back off in a couple of weeks.

[XPRTNovice]

So, I am now officially 2 weeks into Whole 30.

Honestly, I feel no different at all, and I'm not sure I experienced any adjustment period (flu-like symptoms from die-off, etc). Maybe that's because I ate relatively healthy prior to switching, but I'm not bristling with energy or feeling like I could move mountains or anything. My allergies are still persistent as well (though I know 2 weeks aren't going to do much but it was the only reason I wanted to try this diet).

It's mostly annoying. My parents came into town to visit their new granddaughter and my dad brought a 12 pack of beer and pizza. It was a major, major bummer, since most of the good times I've had with my family revolve around awesome food that isn't necessarily good for you. The diet, so far, has done nothing except put a damper on social gatherings and make eating out the most annoying thing I've ever done in my life. [/bitterness]

And I really want to smoke my f@%#@g hookah while I'm composing.

[XPRTNovice]

Keep in mind that Marks "Primal Blueprint" is INTENDED for fat loss, not for bulking or for strength-training. So yeah, depending upon what your goals are, that could be the perfect plan for you, or it could be a little off-base.

...

I know Mark Sisson himself actually plays Ultimate Frisbee in VFFs (or barefoot). I wonder which model he uses? Which do you use? I think I have KSOs, can't remember off-hand.

Never answered these, sorry. First, I'm pretty happy with where I am weight wise, though I could stand to gain another 5-10 pounds max. I have about 8% body fat. My chest looks a little 11-year-old-girl ish, but I can live with that. So my real goal is to be PRAGMATICALLY FIT by wasting MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF MY FREE TIME. Very primal mentality, so Mark works for me.

Regarding the VFF; I have the Bilkilallalal or whatever. Wife got them for me for $30 on a sale. I'm still happy with the running aspect of them - sprinting in them makes me feel like I'm on a speeding train - but they keep doing weird things when I try to do anything non mainstream like parkour. I feel like they have the POTENTIAL to be awesome, but maybe I don't have the right model. If I got ones that laced up on top, I think that would eliminate the slippage problem. Too bad VFF names all their shoes stupid cool-guy names like See Ya and Kso (Japanese for 'shit'?) instead of describing what they're good for I don't want to spend 30 minutes trying to figure out which one works.

[XPRTNovice]

Lastly - VFF Bilkakalalal or whatever are available on Woot for $27 today.

www.woot.com

[ectogemia]

So, I am now officially 2 weeks into Whole 30.

Honestly, I feel no different at all, and I'm not sure I experienced any adjustment period (flu-like symptoms from die-off, etc). Maybe that's because I ate relatively healthy prior to switching, but I'm not bristling with energy or feeling like I could move mountains or anything. My allergies are still persistent as well (though I know 2 weeks aren't going to do much but it was the only reason I wanted to try this diet).

Weird. I felt incredible after switching to Paleo, and I was also eating relatively healthily before that, although it was more of a flexitarian-type diet with lots of homemade whole grain bread. "Conventionally healthy" but not actually healthy. What exactly was your diet like prior to trying out Whole 30? At the very least, your allergies should be gone if you've cut out gluten and casein. You'd literally be the first person I've heard of not to see 'em go away after making the necessary changes D:

It's mostly annoying. My parents came into town to visit their new granddaughter and my dad brought a 12 pack of beer and pizza. It was a major, major bummer, since most of the good times I've had with my family revolve around awesome food that isn't necessarily good for you. The diet, so far, has done nothing except put a damper on social gatherings and make eating out the most annoying thing I've ever done in my life. [/bitterness]

And I really want to smoke my f@%#@g hookah while I'm composing.

I know dat feel. That's why I don't give a fuck anymore in social situations, so when I eat out with friends/family, I order whatever I want within reasonable limitations. I'll have some pizza as long as it isn't shitty fast-food-type pizza. I'll order some chicken, but not the fried chicken smothered in shit sauce. And so on. Buuuut you're doing the Whole 30, so you gotta stay clean for at least 30 days, so I understand the frustration. I stayed totally pure for, man... 6 months? I felt great, but it really did hurt some friendships. Not worth it.

[XPRTNovice]

What exactly was your diet like prior to trying out Whole 30?

My wife is Paleo by necessity, as I've explained before, and she made my meals. So, I was probably 70% paleo, but if/when I wanted something with gluten or sugar, I would eat it. A typical day might be a protein shake for breakfast, yogurt with fruit and nuts for a snack, a salad with some meat in it for lunch, a banana with some almond butter in the afternoon, and then whatever my wife made for dinner that day. In the evenings I might have something like a cookie or a brownie or something, but not always. Beer and wine were regular, and pasta was maybe once every 10 days. Going out to eat I ate whatever the hell I wanted. Sometimes I'd have bread or rice or white potato with dinner or some beans.

[ectogemia]

My wife is Paleo by necessity, as I've explained before, and she made my meals. So, I was probably 70% paleo, but if/when I wanted something with gluten or sugar, I would eat it. A typical day might be a protein shake for breakfast, yogurt with fruit and nuts for a snack, a salad with some meat in it for lunch, a banana with some almond butter in the afternoon, and then whatever my wife made for dinner that day. In the evenings I might have something like a cookie or a brownie or something, but not always. Beer and wine were regular, and pasta was maybe once every 10 days. Going out to eat I ate whatever the hell I wanted. Sometimes I'd have bread or rice or white potato with dinner or some beans.

Sounds like a lot of gluten that you aren't eating now. Strange that they aren't gone or at least diminishing.

That being said, there are many paths to allergies. A friend of mine who is definitely not eating well at all was able to kill his horrible allergies (I remember my parents having to take him to the ER at my 10th birthday party because he was so allergic to all the cat dander floating around my house that his airway nearly occluded). His secret? Not showering daily and never using soap to wash his dishes.

Yep. It can be that simple. It sounds ridiculous, but it's strongly based in science and slowly permeating into conventional wisdom. You may have heard the media hawk it as "clean baby vs. mucky baby." In any case, if the article is a little too dense for you (no idea what your biology background is), I'll translate it. Basically, your immune system is responsible for allergies, specifically your B-cells. These cells themselves are activated strongly by another type of immune cell called a TH2 cell. The secretions of a TH2 cell not only activate your allergy-causing B cells, but they also secrete other inflammatory molecules which exacerbate allergies and predispose your tissues to invasion by circulating inflammatory cells.

There are two types of TH cells, though. The TH2, as I mentioned, are meant to activate B cells which take care of foreign bodies found outside of cells. The TH1 cells, instead, activate T-cells which, unlike allergy-causing B cells, are responsible for killing your own cells which are infected with pathogens and materials found within a cell.

OK, so what's the point of all of that? Well, if you're squeaky clean all the time, the only real immune challenge getting into your body on a regular basis is "dirt" -- just sort of day-to-day intake of little, random particles. Allergens. If you aren't taking in loads of bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc., you're doing yourself a disservice. You aren't leaving your TH1 (T-cell-activating) cells any work to do, so your body instead shifts its resources towards an overproduction and overstimulation of TH2 cells (allergy-causers). This is actually why I believe gluten to be such a nasty potentiator of allergies. It's a very ripe molecule for B-cell activation based on its structure, so it fires up the TH2 side of your immune system and pre-disposes you to overreactions to foreign bodies -- to allergies, systemic inflammation, acne, intestinal malabsorption, etc.

And being a little dirty is Paleo as fuck. Evolutionarily, humans have never been clean. Now that we're showering daily and using soap and staying indoors all the time, allergies are becoming a thing. There are consequences for that vanity.

Myself, I shower maybe 3 times per week, use Dr. Bronner's soap only on my armpits and nether-regions (dick and butthole for the kids out there), only rinse my dishes with water to get the chunks off 'em. And if you're worried about smelling bad or whatever if you only shower a couple or 3 times per week, it's not an issue. No one's the wiser about my hygiene habits now than when I showered and soaped daily. And my OCD-as-shit mother-in-law has eaten off our plates and doesn't suspect a thing.

So maybe try being a little dirtier if Whole 30 isn't killing the allergies.

Edited May 24, 2013 by ectogemia

[XPRTNovice]

Nerd nerd nerd, T-cells, nerd

Yeah, that's an interesting perspective that makes sense to me biologically. I'm also doing immunotherapy weekly, so my immune system is getting a challenge on a gradient.

I'll tell you what - you call my wife and explain to her why I smell and why I'm not doing dishes properly, and we'll give this a go

[ectogemia]

Yeah, that's an interesting perspective that makes sense to me biologically. I'm also doing immunotherapy weekly, so my immune system is getting a challenge on a gradient.

I'll tell you what - you call my wife and explain to her why I smell and why I'm not doing dishes properly, and we'll give this a go

Hey man, if she's Paleo, she should be down with the brown.

Brown being dirt and grime, not black guys. I'm sure she's a very faithful woman.

Edited May 24, 2013 by ectogemia

[XPRTNovice]

Check out www.bodeefit.com

It's like Crossfit but less impact and less equipment required. At least, as far as I can tell. More bodyweight manipulation. I did today's WOT and it was pretty rough.

[OceansAndrew]

looks pretty fun, i may try it on non-lift days, though I really am having fun with super fast kettlebell circuits.

Today I felt like a total badass destined for greatness, so I wore my GREY TANKTOP that DragonAvenger got me, and then BAM 405 lb deadlift PR. Feels awesome to have 4 plates on there, even with ultra low reps (two sets of 1 rep).

Also it is summer and that means it is time for dancing! SHOW ME YOUR MOVES.

[ectogemia]

Today I felt like a total badass destined for greatness, so I wore my GREY TANKTOP that DragonAvenger got me, and then BAM 405 lb deadlift PR. Feels awesome to have 4 plates on there, even with ultra low reps (two sets of 1 rep).

Holy shit, amazing work, man!!! Jealous!

I'm stuck on 3x5 deadlifts @ 315. I get 5 and 5 pretty easily, then I can't even get the bar off the ground on the 3rd set. Very frustrating. Maybe I should just go up in weight anyway?? Choices, choices...

[OceansAndrew]

Get a grey tanktop.

seriously though, how much rest between sets are you taking, what accessory work are you doing, and do you ever mix it up? doing a week of 3x3 at a higher weight wouldn't be the worst.

[ectogemia]

Get a grey tanktop.

seriously though, how much rest between sets are you taking, what accessory work are you doing, and do you ever mix it up? doing a week of 3x3 at a higher weight wouldn't be the worst.

Grey tanktop: This is almost certainly the missing piece.

Accessory shit: Nothing really for deads. Squats, I guess, but that's not "accessory," just related to the start of a deadlift. I think it's a failure of my central nervous system rather than muscles; if I can do 5 on the 2nd set but 0 on the 3rd, it seems like an issue of acetylcholine depletion, not muscle fatigue. Deads are the most intense lift, after all. I know a lot of elite lifters do 1x5 deadlifts each week because it's just impossible to do multiple sets at times when you're basically doing your 5RM each set. Just takes too much out of you.

Rests: For deads, 5 minutes between sets. For everything else, 3 minutes between sets.

Mix-it-upz: I probably should. I'll give 5x3 one more shot this week. If I can't do it, I'll probably go up 15 lbs. and give 3x3 a shot. Sounds like a "fun" challenge.

[ectogemia]

Double post. SO WHAT.

I DID ITTTTTtt. 3x5 deadlifts @ 315!! And it wasn't even hard... for deadlifts, that is. It's crazy how much of a mental game lifting really is. I was just amped up and positive about it this week after a few weeks of disappointment, and I blew through it. Back on the road to deadlifting OA into outer space ;o

[XPRTNovice]

Now that I've completed week 3 of whole 30:

Still no real changes. Still need to take 2x allergy medications to not sneeze every 3-5 minutes. Still have some funny skin issues (my hands feel like paper and things slip out of them all the time).

Those two things - sniffly allergies and skin issues - are my only two persistent health issues, and I was expecting them to go away at least a little bit. So far, nothing.

I also have a canker sore (not a cold sore, they're different and I don't have herpes) and it's making me cranky.

Ballin' on your deadlifts, tho.

[ectogemia]

Now that I've completed week 3 of whole 30:

Still no real changes. Still need to take 2x allergy medications to not sneeze every 3-5 minutes. Still have some funny skin issues (my hands feel like paper and things slip out of them all the time).

Those two things - sniffly allergies and skin issues - are my only two persistent health issues, and I was expecting them to go away at least a little bit. So far, nothing.

I also have a canker sore (not a cold sore, they're different and I don't have herpes) and it's making me cranky.

Ballin' on your deadlifts, tho.

Weird. I don't know what to tell you about the allergies, man. Mine went away, as have those of my friends who tried Paleo/Whole 30/WAPF/whatever. I guess just keep at it?? Or maybe stop taking the allergy meds for a while to resensitize your body's histamine receptors. You could be overly sensitive to histamine at the moment because of a physiological adaptation to the medication. I don't know of any research to back this up; it's just conjecture based on what I know about physiology. None of my other friends who kicked their allergies were chronic allergy med users, so perhaps that's significant?

Also, I can't recall if you said you eat dairy or not, but if you do, the casein in dairy has allergenic properties in some people like that of gluten, except perhaps not quite as strong. So try cutting out the dairy if that's relevant.

As for the canker sore, do you have a dry mouth? I'm assuming that could be the case because of all the allergy meds. Nothing causes a canker sore like a dry mouth.

Edited May 31, 2013 by ectogemia

[XPRTNovice]

Nope. No dairy during the entirety of Whole 30. I tried pulling back off the meds, but it makes life kind of unbearable. Oh well. Still have a week left to see some tangible results.

I've had canker sores every once in a while since I was like 5.

[Thin Crust]

Well guys, I hit a milestone today. I'm down 20 lbs and I'm officially overweight according to BMI. (yes I know all about the BMI)

Only 30 more to go. I won't be happy until I'm under 200. And I won't be satisfied until I'm 180. Good luck on all of your own journeys as well.

[ectogemia]

Well guys, I hit a milestone today. I'm down 20 lbs and I'm officially overweight according to BMI. (yes I know all about the BMI)

Only 30 more to go. I won't be happy until I'm under 200. And I won't be satisfied until I'm 180. Good luck on all of your own journeys as well.

Right now, you're Overweight Crust. Hey.. wait... Overweight Crust.. .O.verweight .CR.ust... OCR! I WIN!

Also, congrats! That's so awesome, dude!

[XPRTNovice]

Well guys, I hit a milestone today. I'm down 20 lbs and I'm officially overweight according to BMI. (yes I know all about the BMI)

Only 30 more to go. I won't be happy until I'm under 200. And I won't be satisfied until I'm 180. Good luck on all of your own journeys as well.

Congrats TC!

[Soul Splint]

Well guys, I hit a milestone today. I'm down 20 lbs and I'm officially overweight according to BMI. (yes I know all about the BMI)

Keep truckin' bro. Twenty pounds is awesome, and you did it the RIGHT way!

[XPRTNovice]

So, a little bit of a Whole30 update. Since I was expressing some frustrations with the lack of results over the last 3.5 weeks, I realized that I have unwittingly been including seed oils in my diet.

Before you say it's totally invalidated (and it may very well be) the consumption wasn't that crazy. Maybe a handful or two of vegetable chips in the evening that had safflower or some other seed oil as an ingredient. My wife and I thought these were a Whole30 approved snack, and we were wrong. Whoops.

But other than that, I've been 100% virtuous. Friday, I'm stopping a day early because I'm going to a BBQ and I'm tired of this bull in a social setting, but I plan on continuing a 80/20 lifestyle.