And the winners of CrossFit Manila's Paleo Challenge are...

Incredible! The winners of the 30-day Paleo Challenge indeed S H R U N K. Here's Team 26's pre- (flubby) and post- (stud) shots: 

Based on the March 15 scoreboard, I placed my bet on Team 5 and alas, they came in second place. My partner Mel and I didn't make it to the top ten but we did  lose weight. I dropped down from 54  to 51 kilos in the last week. Mind you though, not because of the challenge but I managed to mangle my pinky toe and thus, lost 3 kilos from not working out! LOL! Meantime, my partner Mel was drop dead gorgeous on her wedding day and that for me is the greatest outcome of this Challenge!

Congratulations to the winners and particpants. I'll definitely sign up in the next Challenge where this time, the odds will be in my favor.

Crossfit Manila's 30-day Paleo Challenge

Daily food points

Yup, I signed up again to do another Paleo Challenge despite the fact that I lost in the last one - i.e. Gai's challenge.  Well, one thing for sure, this is an official Crossfit Manila tourney and from Feb 15, the official start date to March 16, there will be NO merry making. A tip for those would be challengers is NOT to do it during Christmas time.

I'm team # 1 and my team mate is gungho and ultra strong Mel, so I must be in good company.  Miggy, the organizer, made it easy for us to monitor our progress by posting an 'update daily food points' online. Basically minus one point per occasion  for carbs/legumes/dairy intake, including sugar and processed food; and minus one point per glass of alcohol consumed. I don't smoke so I don't have to deal with minus 3 points per stick of cigarette used. The plus points are: 2 points per night for eight hours of sleep, 2 points for one WOD per day and 3 points for head-to-head which Miggy says "you compete versus another team on a day that you both agree on."

Paleo is short for Paleolithic because the diet mimics that of the cavemen where they hunt and gather food. For protein, the general rule is to eat lean meats (preferably grass-fed), eggs from free roaming chickens, wild fish, and wild game (venison). For carbs, preferably organic vegetables (or if possible, grow your own), avoid starchy vegetables (potatoes) and legumes (peanuts, beans, peas and soybeans). Fruit is also a good source of carbs, but avoid genetically modified organisms and fruit juices. For fats, use organic and cold pressed oils so they remain chemically unchanged (preferably coconut and olive oils), avocados and coconuts (both are my favorites), nuts (walnuts, pecans and macadamia),  seeds and drink lots and lots of water. And for coffee drinkers, take it black or add unsweetened almond milk. The diet excludes agriculture and  processed foods - such as dairy (again, eggs are not dairy!), grains, legumes, refined sugars - - and also, no sugars including agave, organic honey,and  molasses.

Well, since MDP's retreat, I'm now a vegetarian. Hmm... I wonder how long can I sustain this Paleo vegan style of eating since I cannot eat carbs or legumes (string beans, peas, corn, etc). Hope I survive!

Gai's Paleo Challenge: I accept!

From paynowliveafter's youtubevideo

Today is D-day! I accepted Gai's Paelo Challenge and will now eat like a caveman for two months.

Paleo is short for Paleolithic referring to the Stone Age era where basically, at that time, hunters gathered fruits, nuts, some vegetables and protein. Yes, this diet means no grains because there was no agriculture then.

I joined Cross Fit Manila last week. It's a strength and conditioning fitness program that combines weightlifting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, plyometrics, rowing and medicine ball. The workouts are pretty intense - limited to 4 to 8 (like my first WOD, left photo) for a total of 20-minutes. The key is to do as many rounds as possible or AMRAPS within the time allotted.

Paleo seems to be the defacto diet for these lean and strong CrossFitters since everyone in the gym  is on it.

Here's Gai's challenge starting today, 10.10.11 until 12.10.11:

The No-No's:
- Anything containing gluten, including beer.
- The five major culprits: rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, dessert
- Grains, legumes, beans (including their sprouts), corn, soy (including tofu and soy sauce)
- Dairy
- Sugar (including raw sugar and honey)
- Processed food/drinks (including Knorr cubes, sinigang mixes, etc. Trick: if it comes in a packet, it's out)

What I can devour:
- Meat - If grassfed is an option, choose grassfed.  (Note: I guess I can eat Prado Farm's organic lechon). 
- Seafood
- Eggs - including the yolk.
- Vegetables, with a special emphasis on green, leafy vegetables and cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage)
- Fruits - If having watermelon, try to have it separately from anything else and within a few hours of eating other things. You should digest this on its own.
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Salt, pepper, dried and fresh herbs
- Tea
- Oil - for cooking, use lard or coconut oil. For salads, use olive oil.

Negotiated, Concessions:
- Vinegar - Balsamic, apple cider, red wine, tuba, etc. Read the label and choose one with a few additives as possible.
- Fish sauce, bagoong - Read the label and choose one with a few additives as possible. (Note: I seldom take any of these sauces, should re-negotiate).
- Dark Chocolate - minimum 70% dark, 2 bars per week. (check ingredients for any gluten content. If it contains a hit of gluten, it's out).
- Red wine OR tequila OR vodka (as shots, on the rocks or with soda water) - one night per week
- When you are dining out, inform your server that you cannot have anything with flour, milk and sugar. Avoid saucy items on the menu as you cannot tell if mixes were added to it. As much as possible, order anything grilled or roasted with roasted vegetables or a salad (all gravies, sauces and dressing on the side).

The Exercise:
- CrossFit minimum requirement first month: 3x a week (at least one on the weekend)
- CrossFit minimum requirement second month: 4x a week (at least one on the weekend)
- Mandatory: 2 days rest per week (doing absolutely ZERO workouts) with recommended fasting a bit. Do NOT eat if not hungry.

Points per week: 50

Bonus Points:
- No cheating (including dark chocolate and alcohol) per week = +10 points
- Eight hours sleep within a 24-hour period = +2 points per night
- >Rx Cross Fit = +1 point for 4x, +2 point for 5x (Second month: no extra points for 4x a week but +1 point for 5x).

Minus Points:
- Zero exercise = -10 points
- <Rx CrossFit (1-2x per week) = -3 points
- <Rx rest = -10points
- Consuming ANYTHING with gluten (including beer) = -50 per incidence
- Consuming ANY of the five major culprits = -50 per incidence
- Consuming legumes, beans, corn, soy, dairy, sugar = -5 per incidence
- Consuming more than the concession for alcohol = -5 per evening

If I score lower than 200 points per month, I owe Gai a bottle of Grey Goose or Patron XO per month. And If I fall off the wagon, I owe her a very expensive steak din.

Alors, for moi - if I make it, she guarantees that I will lose my targeted 4-kilos and hence, can fit back into my clothes. Wish me luck!