PERFORMANCE MENU

JOURNAL OF NUTRITION & ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

SCALE THIS
Considerations for scaling training for all populations

ISSUE 20. SEPTEMBER 2006

BLEEDING
TURKISH GET-UP

THE PERFORMANCE MENU is published monthly and distributed to subscribers. Please visit www.performancemenu. com for more information.

COVER Greg Everett DESIGN Greg Everett BACK ISSUES Backissues are available at www.performancemenu.com

All content copyright The Performance Menu and its respective authors. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is strictly prohibited by law.

ERFORMANCE MEN

FEATURES
[3] SCALE THIS Considerations for scaling training for any population [7] A MORE CIVILIZED APPROACH TO BLEEDING Why regular blood donation may be a good idea even for the misanthrope [10] THE TURKISH GET-UP A look at the movement in all its functional glory

REGULARS
[14] COOKING WITH SCOTTY Scotty Hagnas of CrossFit Portland dispenses some culinary genius [16] RECIPES FOR HEALTH & PERFORMANCE New ways to feed yourself for optimum health and athletic performance

SCALE THIS
Robb Wolf

Have you ever been asked something so fundamental that you just didnt know where to start? Imagine this scene: Little Jimmy walks

up to you and asks, Why is the sky blue? To which you smartly respond, Well Jimmy, the sky appears blue because of a light scattering effect in the upper atmosphere. The blue color is actually light bouncing off of billions of molecules of air. You stand smugly, condent in your answer and mastery of all things hoity-toity when Jimmy asks, Why does it work like that? Why isnt the light thats reected red or NorCal Green? Well. In addition to noting Jimmys astute aesthetic observation that the sky would indeed be quite impressive NorCal Green, you are a bit stumped with fundamentally why things are the way they are. You can describe how something works, but the why is a bit stickier. This may be a stretch, but questions of scalability are a bit like this for me. Most days one can nd a question on the CrossFit message board along the lines of, How do I scale CF for my 56 year old mother, or a 9 year old female soccer player with exercise induced asthma, or The how of scalability is pretty straightforward: Start slowly and progress conservatively. The why of scalability seems screamingly obvious. Dont kill people should intuit well, but I have seen both the How and Why buggered by physical therapists, moms, dads and cops. I think the etiology of the aerobicizer in the headlights phenomenon may be the under-appreciation of key concepts and a lack of real world experience. Regarding these concepts, Id like to touch on some theoretical information so yall will have a guide or framework to draw upon when considering programming for ANYONE. Most of the questions regarding scalability concern what is normally described as a special population. Well, thats crap. Anyone who has not done CrossFit or some other kind of high-intensity training (or who is de-conditioned after a lay off from these activities) is, in essence, a special population. Case in point: There have been a few near-miss fatalities in tough hombres like SWAT ofcers and SEALs who failed to appreciate the fact that ramp-up and progression are vital not just to success, but to survival.

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Also, if you are coaching for a living, it helps to have better than a 5-10% retention rate of people coming through the door but that is a topic for another day. Once Ive boredershared with you the theoretical stuff, Ill use some real world examples of how we have modied training in our clinical practice at NorCal Strength & Conditioning such that we have both a high success and retention rate. As you shall see, rehab, prehab and scalability are intimately related topics and it is our intention to help tie all this together.

an activity is performed increases the intensity. In simple terms, lift a heavier weight, move it farther, move it faster, or in the case of running, swimming, rowing etc., get where you are going faster, and you have increased intensity. As you recall, if you raise the intensity, you raise the ass-kicking-potential (AKP). So when someone asks How do I scale a workout for my 56 year old mother? they are really asking what is a reasonable AKP for Mom? Lets look at the squat as a generic example for these concepts and then delve into some of our clinical examples. If you check out the CrossFit Journal on the squat, you will get a very thorough exploration of the movement and the common form errors. In its purest form, the squat involves moving from a standing position to a position in which the hips are below the knees and then returning to a standing position. That is the ideal. But what if our hypothetical mom is 5 2 and 267 lbs? Well unless she has been competing in Strong Woman competitions, she is likely very deconditioned, weak and severely overloaded by her excess bodyweight. Is she still a candidate for the squat? You bet! But you must limit both range of movement and intensity to levels that allow for perfect form. How do you do this? Put a box behind her that is about 2 shorter than her bum. Get her squatting PERFECTLY to this box. How many reps and sets? If she is frail, perhaps only a set or two of ve or ten repetitions in the rst session. More than that if she is hardier. As she becomes stronger, you can incrementally decrease the height of the box, thus increasing her range of movement and consequently the amount of work performed.

A Various Variety Of Variables When we talk about exercise, whether running, lifting or, God forbid, cycling, we are usually concerned about some aspect of intensity. The classic deathwish aerobicizer tracks what % VO2 max they are training whereas the Everetts of the Olifting world (both skinny and studly) track what % of their one rep max they are training on any given lift. Knowledge of these relative percentages or intensities proves vital to effective planning of the training stimulus.

For those of you new to the game, Training Stimulus is analogous to Level of Ass Kicking. Want a big ass kicking? Dial the intensity up and do a bunch of it. Now the term Do a bunch of it is code for volume, and in this case it means a heapn helpn of volume. There are a few terms that are related to intensity and volume and the relative level of fanny kicking that activity produces. These terms are loading or mass and range of movement or distance.

Figure 1. Scaling Squats By providing an elevated surface to which to squat, you can reduce the ROM according to the clients abilities, incrementally decreasing the height and therefore the ROM as the client progresses.

Here are a few mathematical considerations of these variables:

Work = Load x Range of Movement Power = Work / Time

Other than being a geeky survey of mechanics, whats the point? Well, in the context of scalability, increasing mass (load) or distance or decreasing the amount of time

Here is a good spot for a digression. The serious student of the training game might be asking the question, What about Rhabdomyolysis? How do I avoid killing dear old Mom? Well, in a word, that comes down to FAILURE. If you drive someone to failure you are creating an environment quite conducive to rhabdo. Why is that? Exercise causes some muscular damage, which is an element of rhabdo. Driving exercise to failure depletes ATP completely. This triggers enzymatic changes in the cells that allow calcium to enter the sarcoplasm, and this greatly exacerbates the damage caused to the cell. If you have a new trainee and you drive him or her to failure on a movement, you are guaranteeing this person will be sore. Do some serious loading on those same muscles in a few days, and you may be priming the person for a trip to the hospital or worse.

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If the person is on statins, eats a very crappy diet, or suffers from certain lipid metabolism diseases, the amount of loading that can do them in can be amazingly small. As I learned from Craig Patterson of CrossFit Vancouver, BC: If the client begins to power down (fail), the client is DONE. This avoids both litigation and an empty gym. Nifty, eh?

Summary Load Start things light, ya knuckle head! We have had people REALLY sore from less than 10 walking lunges. You really have no idea how little it takes to break someone off. Go easy. Range of movement If structural limitations exist, limit ROM to that range in which perfect or near perfect form can be maintained. Examples are the squat and Health Lift. Intensity People get all panty-twisted on this intensity term. Stop it. Its nothing more than What % of effort are you expending for a given activity? If we are talking 1 RM back squats, then apply it that way. If you are talking a 400 meter run, what percentage of your best time are you looking at? For scalability issues, more intensity means more tissue breakdown, soreness and all that goes with it. Want to increase intensity? Increase the load, ROM or the speed in which an activity is completed.

forward instead of actually overhead. To compensate for this, she showed a common tendency to lean back to give the appearance of an over-head position. Many years of this type of movement have likely contributed to degenerative disc disease in her mid thoracic region. Dolores was severely compromised in her squat strength. She could not stand without the aid of her arms if she was in a standard office chair. Dolores showed a pronounced tendency to squat from her toes and placed severe sheer forces on her knees in the process. Approach

We made suggestions to address several lifestyle factors. We recommended blackout curtains for her bedroom so the sleep she did get would be more restful and restorative. We recommended a Paleo diet with an emphasis on very low glycemic load veggies Figure 2. Scaling Deadlifts with only a modicum of Using a power rack is a simple fruit in the form of berries way to allow clients to deadlift and melons. We utilized the Clinically Speaking through a limited ROM Concept 2 rower extensively The following are case histories from clients we have in the construction of mixed trained over the past few years. I will describe how modal workouts. Dolores performed some form of we used the variables of load and range of movement, squatting almost daily to a box placed approximately 2 with an eye towards work capacity, to design effective below her bottom at full standing height. Frequently used programming for each person. movements included body rows, farmers walks and push presses. Body rows were performed on low hanging rings and the loading was adjusted by slowly moving her feet Dolores forward. Doloress rst exposure to the push press was with 2.5 lb plates in each hand. Farmers walks were used Dolores is a 45 year-old woman, 54 232 lbs at our rst to liven up the brisk walking she performed. In this meeting. She is a night shift nurse and has been a packinitial stage, a sample workout looked like: 3 rounds of a a-day smoker for better than twenty years. Her nutrition, 100 m walk, 10 partial squats, and 5 body rows. work capacity, sleep pattern and mental health are in shambles. In the technical parlance of medicine, she is a Over the course of four months, using slow incremental mess. Our rst session involved rowing 1000 meters on a progression, Dolores lost nearly 35 lbs (no direct body Concept 2 rower at a 3:40 500 meter pace. Dolores showed composition measurements were made; however, it is safe reasonable hip recruitment on the rower, although her range to assume that she gained a signicant amount of muscle of movement on this exercise was quite compromised due during this time, thus overall fat loss was in excess of 35 to severe exibility issues. We next looked at her shoulder lbs), reached low-normal blood pressure from a previously exibility using a PVC pipe for standing press. Dolores hypertensive reading, and even quit smoking. She was had some shoulder pathology and pressed somewhat eventually able to perform workouts with full depth

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squats, use dumbbells weighing 20 lbs on push presses and was able to run 400 meter repeats fairly easily. I think two factors are responsible for this success. The rst and most important was Doloress willingness to alter her lifestyle. The second is our insistence on perfect form on all movements coupled with reasonable progression, allowing for a constant sense of pride and accomplishment on Doloress part. This allowed for some challenge without crushing her and making the process feel insurmountable. Carl Carl is a 45 year-old male who has had six hip replacements. He suffered a necrotic hip injury at age 26 with a full hip replacement being the resultant treatment. Prior to and even after the injury, Carl was a high level athlete. In fact Carl achieved a signicant skill level in Wing Chun Kung Fu. In the past several years Carls activity level has decreased while his wine consumption has increased. As a consequence, he has gained 20-25 lbs of excess bodyweight. Considerations In the case of a hip replacement, there are a few important points. The rst is that certain movements such as crossing the legs (right leg over left in the case of a right hip replacement) turning the toe in (particularly under load) and squatting below 90 degrees can dislocate the hip. The other consideration is how long an articial hip lasts. For most replacements, that is about ten years; however, this is based largely upon how much the limb is used. Younger individuals tend to be more active and this is why Carl has weathered six hip replacements in twenty years. Carl was keenly aware of the movement restrictions on his hip (no leg crossing or squatting below 90 degrees) and we discussed the tradeoffs as I saw them with embarking on

an exercise program. If he lost weight, he would increase the life of his current hip as the decreased loading would mean less wear and tear. Counter to this, however, is the fact that increased activity would introduce MORE wear and tear. Obviously being fitter would mean other health benefits that weigh heavily in the overall cost/benet analysis, but these are (at least Figure 3. Slam Ball D-balls can to me) not clear-cut be slammed against a box or propositions. Then as other elevated surface to reduce now I do not know the ROM as necessary. what the nal story is with regards to the inherent tradeoffs. I tend to believe that improved tness, even if it means a shortened life on his current hip, is preferable, but it is not my hip or my life! Approach Carl chose to undertake the program and we endeavored to introduce as much stimulus with as little ballistic loading of the hip as possible. Heavy emphasis was placed on the Concept 2 rower while squats were progressed from very shallow to a full 90 degrees. Perhaps counterintuitively, Dball slams were a mutual favorite. A favorite for us because of the obvious demands of the movement and for Carl because he could smash the hell out of something. What about the prohibition against squatting below 90 degrees? Using the concept of limited range of movement, I had Carl throw the D-balls to a cinder block, thus shortening

Figure 4. Muscle Snatch The muscle snatch can be performed from the high hang position without any ballistic loading

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his range of movement to slightly above 90 degrees (See Figure 3). We also made good use of the muscle snatch as it allowed for large range of movement and full hip extension with no ballistic landing inherent in typical snatching, cleaning and jerking (see Figure 4). Perhaps the most shocking movement to be included in Carls training was the deadlift, or as applied in his case, the health lift (see Figure 2). Carl exhibited severe core instability with associated low back pain. Bum hip. Bum back. Bummer. We used movements such as sit-ups, planks and back extensions to re-establish core integrity but the abs and low back re together in day-to-day activity and one should conduct most training in this way. We could draw from many movements to satisfy loading of the anterior and posterior musculature of the trunk, however why not go with a universal movement that elicits the greatest neuroendocrine response of ANY movement? The health lift proved to be hugely benecial to Carls low back and provided no small amount of enjoyment to Carl as he was able to progress to some fairly heavy loads, all with

a DECREASE in his day-to-day hip pain. Time will tell as to the wear and tear factor of the increased loading, but it is safe to say that quality of life, self-image and overall tness have been dramatically improved.

Wrap I hope this got you thinking about scalability and the fact that there really is no special population when you consider the totality of human movement. Its easy to overdo any new activity and it is only through smart, incremental exposure that one may make progress and eventually nd some level of mastery. Check out the Brand X site for modied workouts and make sure to subscribe to the CrossFit Kids Magazine for scalability, kids style. Oh yeah: The next time you see that smarty pants Little Jimmy, why dont you ask him why grains are the base of the food pyramid

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BLEEDING
The promotion of blood donation is invariably approached from the angle of altruism. Promotional strategies emphasize the need for 38,000 pints of blood every day in the USa pint almost every two secondsfor the regular and emergency treatment of a range of individuals, from cancer patients to burn victims to premature infants (who are in all probability thoroughly adorable). But what if youre cruel, selsh and uncaring by nature? It turns out there might be some good reasons for you to donate too.
by Greg Everett
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A MORE CIVILIZED APPROACH TO

The most common reasons to be found in the research are predicated on excess iron storage. Iron is requisite to human and most non-human life on the planet. In the body, irons primary function is aiding the transport of oxygen by red blood cells as hemoglobin, but it also plays a number of other roles, including assisting in the synthesis of DNA, collagen, and other protein structures. At the same time, iron poses serious risks to life as a potent pro-oxidant. Because of this, the treatment of iron by the body is remarkably careful: the absorption, distribution and storage of iron is reliant on a well integrated system of protein structures that prevent irons direct exposure to the rest of the body.

iron. It simply contains it in protective protein molecules and stores it in tissues, preferentially glandular tissue such as that of the liver and pancreas. In the past, humans did have a way of dropping excess ironwe were full of parasites, creating continuous minor gastrointestinal bleedingiron contained in the hemoglobin was in this fashion dumped from the body. This constant blood loss was likely the reason we evolved with mechanisms to protect iron and none to eliminate it.1 Those of us living in developed areas of the world are now free of the parasitic bleeding that reduces iron stores, but also subject to unnatural foods that are either fortied with iron, enhance the absorption of iron, or both. Over years, this can result in dangerously high levels of iron in the body.

Iron Absorption & Storage

There are two types of dietary iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is the form found in meat and is the more efciently absorbed type (15% - 35%). Non-heme is found in plant foods and is less easily absorbed (2% - 20%), although its absorption rate is more greatly inuenced by accompanying dietary factors. Meat, vitamin C and fructose all enhance the absorption of non-heme iron, while soy, calcium, phytates (nutrient-binding protein found in grains) and tannins and polyphenols (both found in tea) reduce its absorption. When dietary iron enters the guts, it is taken up into enterocytes, epithelial cells lining the walls of the intestine. If systemic iron levels are low enough to require uptake, the iron is encased by the transferrin molecule and distributed through the body as appropriate. Otherwise the iron remains in the enterocytes, which regularly die and pass from the body, bringing the unabsorbed iron along. Average daily iron loss though mechanisms such as sweating, urination, and the regular sloughing of integumentary components is around 0.9 mg (premenopausal women may lose an additional 15-20 mg per month through menstruation). These losses are easily covered by anything that remotely resembles a decent diet. So in theory, this combination of controlled absorption and regular dietary replenishment should maintain ideal iron levels in the body. Unfortunately its not a awless system, particularly when challenged by unnatural modern factors. Nearly all grain foods in the US are fortied with easily absorbable iron. Many people take daily multivitamin/ mineral supplements with sometimes enormous amounts of iron. High-fructose corn syrup is used to sweeten nearly every packaged food in addition to soda. In short, there is an epic assortment of variables that can potentially override the bodys controlled absorption system and leave us with more iron in storage than we need. The body has no internal mechanism for excreting excess

So Whats the Problem?

The primary problem with iron is its pro-oxidant characteristics: its very good at helping create free radicalsmolecules with unpaired electrons with consequently low stability and high reactivitysuch as the hydroxyl radical. In heart attacks and strokes, the bulk of the tissue damage is actually not due to oxygen deprivation, but instead to the re-introduction of oxygen. When an artery is occluded, tissues beyond the bloods reach are deprived of the accompanying oxygen and begin dying. Necrotic cell death is not orderlypieces essentially fall apart freelyand this allows the free exposure of formerly safely stored iron. When the vessel occlusion is repaired, whether medically or naturally, a huge inux of blood bathes these broken tissues and the exposed iron, which reacts with the new oxygen. This violent reaction can result in severe tissue damage. Excessive iron storage may also be a factor in the development of certain cancers such as of the liver, atherosclerosis, reduced insulin production and insulin resistance. The research on which these ideas are founded islike almost all research in similar areasnot conclusive, but does appear relatively convincing. Regular ushing and replacement of iron also means the body will have fresh material for hemoglobin and other iron-dependent structures instead of relying on continual recycling. The benet of this is entirely speculative, but no potential drawbacks seem to exist.

Testing Your Iron Level

If youre interested in having your stored iron level tested, dont let your doctor test your hemoglobin levelthis is common but inaccurate method. Instead, ask for a serum ferritin test, which measures the amount of ferritin in

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the blood. This number is 10 times lower than your iron level; that is, if your serum ferritin number is 70, you have 700 mg of stored iron. Certain individuals may show inaccurately high ferritin levels, including alcoholics and those with infections, severe inammation, and cancer.2 A healthy amount of stored iron is around 500 mg. 1000 mg may be problematic. 150 mg is a safe lowend threshold. Less than 100 mg is indicative of irondeciency anemia.3

Donating Blood
Getting rid of blood is not hardthere are a lot of people out there more than happy to relieve you of some. They wont even charge you for it. My own blood donations have been consistently positive experiences. Aside from enjoying scintillating conversation with the lovely phlebotomists and volunteer post-drainage babysitters who like to remind me I was born in 1980 while making continual subtle advances toward my deant position with the donut tray, Ive noticed a signicant improvement in energy in the days following the donations. Ive also been perfectly able to train at adequate intensity and volume within several hours of donation, despite my repeated and convincing

assurances to my concerned caretakers that I would never dream of engaging in such reckless behaviorbut of course my longstanding habit of lying to women is not relevant to this particular discussion. Performance in high-metabolic-demand training such as CrossFit will be below average with a pint less blood in your system, but generally donation frequency is limited to eight weeksa regular blood donation schedule that coincides with a week of limited training volume and intensity could be a simple method of ensuring periodic active recovery in your long-term training strategy. The bottom line is actually very simple: while the potential health benets of regularly donating blood have yet to be demonstrated conclusively, with proper nutrition and lifestyle, and with consideration of known contraindications, blood donation poses little if any risk. That being the case, the prudent course of action is to make regular blood donation a habit. The worst case scenario is that your blood helps save the life of some cute little baby and your metabolic conditioning is compromised for a week every two months.

American Red Cross

www.givelife.org

Notes Eades, M, Eades, MD. Protein Power Lifeplan: A New Comprehensive Blueprint for Health. New York: Warner Books; 2000. Health A to Z. Iron Tests. Available at: http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/iron_tests.jsp 3 Eades, M, Eades, MD. Protein Power Lifeplan: A New Comprehensive Blueprint for Health. New York: Warner Books; 2000.
1 2

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turkish get-up
Greg Everett

The Turkish Get-up is one of a great number of effective movements that have been led away by too many under Inconvenient. The movement is difcult, uncomfortable, and its failed completion in public makes one look (to the untrained eye, of course) only slightly sillier than its successful completion.
The functionality of the movement is questionable in the purest of sensesthat is, rarely if ever do events in our lives require our moving from supine to standing with a heavy object overheadbut the ultimate functionality of the Turkish Get-up lies within the transferability of its sub-movements and positions as well as the stability, coordination and balance it demands. Surprisingly enough, the TGU is leaking from its longtime exclusive residence within circles of kettlebellers, strongmen and inmates into the most unexpected of places such as Self magazine (wherein the movement is performed with a neoprene-covered 2-pound dumbbell). There are a number of variations of the movement itself, as well as with what implement it is performedthis is an area begging for experimentation because the possibilities are limitless (before you get too excited, Jeff Martone already executed the TGU with a live child.

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The Basic Get-up

Regardless of the particular movement variation being performed, the TGU begins and ends in the same positionsthe differences are primarily in how one transitions onto the feet.

one
Lie supine (on your back). By whatever means you prefer, position your chosen implement at the end of a vertically extended arm. Typically you can simply press it into position with or without the assistance of your other hand, but in the case of odd-objects, you may need someone to hand it to you, but rst establish the punitive consequences of your assistants dropping it on your face to avoid arguments.

two
First draw up the leg on the implement side and place that foot at on the oor. Roll onto the opposite hip, posting your free hand on that side to assist you. From here, raise your torso into a near-upright position, again using your posted arm to assist you if necessary, keeping the weighted arm fully extended overhead with an active shoulder.

three
At this point is where the variations of the TGU come into play. The most common variation seems to be the basic lunge. For this, bring the foot of your extended leg into groin, lift the hips, and push up onto the leg underneath you to assume a kneeling position. Your weighted arm, of course, continues to be fully extended with an active shoulder.

four
From the kneeling position, stand up with your weighted arm still fully extended overhead with an active shoulder.

ve
Reverse the action to return to the starting point. Some prefer to transfer the implement to the other hand at the top position after each repetition, while some prefer to perform multiple repetitions on a single side before switching.

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Movement Variations
As I mentioned previously, most of the variations associated with the TGU involve the transition to the feet. Here are a few to play with. Squat The squat variation of the TGU is my preferred transition its smoother, demands greater exibility, offers greater transferability and doesnt grind off your kneecaps. At point three, simply draw your extended leg up and place the foot at on the oor, assuming the bottom position of an overhead squat. From here, stand up. Second Lunge This is simply another method of entering the lunge position described above. Instead of lifting the hips and passing your extended leg underneath them, simply draw the foot of the extended leg into the groin, shift the foot of the bent leg forward, and push your hips up and forward to enter the lunge position. Stand as usual. Free-Hand-Free The quickest way to increase the difculty of the TGU is to not allow yourself to assist with your free hand. You may need to use speed to get yourself sitting upright. You can also lead somewhat with the weight to help pull you forward. Two-Handed Even worse than the Free-Hand-Free variation is the TwoHanded variation. Perform the TGU with an implement in both hands. You can vary it even more by holding

implements of different weights and/or shapes in each hand. Decline To ensure utmost heinousness, try performing any TGU variation on a declining slope. The Slim TGU In this variation, placement of the feet, hips and hands must remain in a straight line. From the standard starting position, draw both legs up, placing the feet at on the surface with the heel of the weighted side foot in front of the toe of the other. Sit-up and post your free arm directly behind yourself, in line with the feet. Drive up and forward into a standing position. Start with an imagined or chalk line on a forgivingly wide surface. Eventually attempt this variation a narrow elevated beam. Preferably suspended high over something dangerous.

Implement Variations
The most common implements used for TGUs are kettlebells and dumbbells. While kettlebells are somewhat less abundant than dumbbells, they taste great with tahini and ginger and are even functional replacements for nuclear fuel rods. Your TGU experience can be very fullling with only these implements, but experiment with others. Barbells, bumper plates, medicine balls, bottoms-up kettlebells, bicycles anything that isnt attached to the ground and doesnt offer potential for transdermal infection is fair game.

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COOKING SCOTTY
With a sharp llet knife, slice the chicken breasts lengthwise, making a pocket to stuff. Spread the tahini in each chicken pocket. Fill with the spinach and tomato, or other veggies of your choice. Add any seasonings, close the chicken breast, and place in a baking dish. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Zone info: 1 oz chicken = 1 protein block, 1 Tbsp tahini = 5 fat blocks, carb content minimal

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Here is a quick and tasty protein recipe. These can be made ahead of time and they are portable for lunches and snacks. As far as the seasonings, experiment with your favorite fresh herbs and spices. I used garlic powder, oregano, and thyme for this batch. 12 min prep time, 30 min cooking time Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1-2 Tbsp tahini per chicken breast Chopped tomato Shredded spinach Seasonings to taste

WITH
Stuffed Chicken Breast

Slow Cooker Red Cabbage

Red Cabbage Revisited! A little over a year ago, in my rst batch of recipes for the Performance Menu, I introduced Scandinavian Red Cabbage. I have experimented with this recipe since then, always looking for a faster, more convenient method. This version is done in the slow cooker, and by adding sausage (or other meat), we can make this into a complete meal. If you use sausage, be sure to look for brands that dont contain nitrates. 12 minutes prep, slow cook on low 5+ hrs 9 C shredded red cabbage 4-5 sausages, cut into bite sized pieces 1/2 apple, chopped 1/4 C dried currants or 1/2 C fresh currants 1/2 C water 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice Pepper

Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low 5 or

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more hours. This is tasty hot, or you can chill it for later. Zone info: (protein and fat will vary here depending on what the sausage you use contains. Youll have to gure that part up yourself- remember that 7g protein = 1 protein block, and 1.5g fat = 1 fat block) Before the sausage is added, this recipe yields 4 servings at 2 carb blocks, 7 fat blocks

Gaspacho
Got some fresh veggies from the garden? Here is a quick chilled summer soup you can whip up to take advantage of the summers bountiful harvest (unless your gardening skills are similar to mine, and then you can always fall back on the neighbor, or even the market). Gazpacho is Spanish in origin, and can take many forms. Here is a basic recipe. Dont be afraid to deviate from this recipe, you can use whatever you have on hand. 10 minutes 2 C tomato sauce (Pomi strained tomatoes are excellent) 1 1/4 C chopped red bell pepper 1 C chopped cucumber 2/3 C chopped red onion 1/4 C chopped cilantro 1 chopped garlic clove 2 Tbsp lime juice
Gazpacho

1 Tbsp dried basil 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cumin Olive oil, optional

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, except the olive oil. Refrigerate for one hour. Add olive oil to meet your fat block needs, if desired. Serve cold. Zone info: 4 servings at - 1.5 carb blocks (if olive oil is used, 1/3 tsp olive oil = 1 fat block)

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IPESRECIPESRECIPESRECIPESREC

Three-Minute Chicken
This is a good quick meal that is perfect for leftovers, or if you are the planning type you can convert that cold lump-o-chicken-breast into a hot meal in minutes. Chicken breast - head of cabbage Olive oil Marinara sauce (low sugar) Fresh basil leaves Black pepper Grab a chicken breast and slice it as thinly as possible lengthwise. Turn the strips 90* and cut the strips into small cubes. You can control the texture at this point by either nely mincing the chicken or leaving it in larger cubes. Now thinly slice - head of cabbage. Place chicken and olive oil in a pan with as much olive oil as you need to satisfy your fat block requirements. Add 1-2 cups of the low sugar marinara sauce of your choice. Heat thoroughly on high heat. Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves and toped with ground black pepper. Zone Info: This is a build it as you need it recipe. Chicken is 1 block protein per oz. head of cabbage and cup of marinara sauce each equal 1 carb block and of course 1/3 tsp. of olive oil is 1 fat block.

Three-Minute Chicken

continuously until glaze comes to a boil. Spoon glaze evenly over chicken and vegetables. Return dish to oven and continue cooking for 10-20 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked. Zone Info: Protein 1oz cooked chicken = 1 block; Carb 1 apple = 2 blocks, 1 yam = 3 blocks, cup cooked carrots = 1 block; Fat 6 blocks.

Homemade BBQ Sauce Glazed Chicken & Vegetables

4 large chicken breasts 2 sweet potatoes or yams 4 carrots 2 green apples 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp chopped onion 2 tsp curry powder tsp crushed red pepper tsp ground ginger 1 tsp mustard powder Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and place in a Pyrex dish or similar. Cook until chicken is rare and remove dish. Slice and boil sweet potatoes/yams and carrots until tender but rm. Add to oven dish with sliced apples. In a sauce pan, combine the last 6 ingredients. Stir Those of us in the northern hemisphere still have some summer grilling before us. For those of you in the Southern hemisphere well, who am I trying to kid. Anywhere, anytime is a good time for BBQ! Unfortunately most off the shelf BBQ sauces are loaded with sugar and wheat in the form of soy and teriyaki sauce. Yummy to be sure but they offer both an insulin spike and a gut bomb. Whats a health conscious griller to do? Make your own! Ive tinkered with this a bunch this last summer and I have what I think is a pretty good base to which you can add nearly any spice combo. OK, I hear the murmurs of disbelief Dont worry, Ive got The Duck! The base of this sauce is one part El Pato and one part Valentina picante sauce. One cup total is a pretty good amount for 1lb (400-500g) of meat. This base sauce is awesome and can be used as-is but some of my favorite additions include: Curry Powder (1 Tbsp/cup) Cumin Powder (1 tsp/cup)

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Black Pepper (1 Tbsp/cup) This is just a start to give you some ideas for your own experimentation. To use the sauce give this procedure a shot: Add your evenly sized meat to a hot, clean grill. Turn the ame to the lowest setting and cook the meat on a middle rack if you have multiple levels on your grill. Cook the meat on the rst side for around 5 minutes and then turn the meat. Brush the sauce onto the freshly cooked side of the grilled meat. Repeat this process every 5 minutes, thoroughly coating the meat with each rotation. Cook the meat around 20 minutes for every inch of thickness for pork and chicken. You can cook beef much less if you desire a rare or medium rare nish. If the meat is browning too quickly move it to the top rack of your grill. A major mistake in grilling is trying to cook too quickly! Take your time, brush in the sauce, and you will be stunned with the results. Save a piece of BBQ for Rutman and Rip. Those dudes love BBQ.

Bring on the Duck!

UP FOR REVEW
Grass Fed Beef Jerky!
We are in the process of reviewing different sources of Grass Fed Beef Jerky (dont worry folks, this is a bullet were willing to take for you!). So far one of our favorites is the Old Fashioned traditional avor by Meadow Maid Foods. The jerky is made from Wyoming-raised cattle and is 100% grass fed. The traditional avor recipe contains a bit of brown sugar, but no soy sauce (read NO WHEAT) which is crucial in our eyes (the teriyaki avor does contain wheat!). Price: $32.50 for a one pound box

ORDER HERE

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