Sunday Story…More 800 Gram notes

As you might imagine, 800 grams is a somewhat random number. I am sure there is some rationale behind it, but like many things in nutrition, it is hard to fit the square peg in every hole.

If you are a 100-pound woman and I am a 200-pound man, our nutritional needs will differ by weight and quantity. One gram of protein per pound of body weight is substantially different for those two people. The same goes for these 800 grams of fruits and vegetables. A person with a more petite body and digestive system would need to modulate their intake. It is simple.

This exercise aims to get everyone to eat more fruits, vegetables, and food with only single natural ingredients. Broccoli and cauliflower do not have ingredient lists or food additives. The idea is to get everyone back in the habit of eating more real food. The fiber and richness of the food will ease your hunger and improve your digestion!

Don’t get hung up on the 800-gram number. Add 1 or 2 cups of vegetables to lunch or dinner every day. If you go from minimal to 4 cups a day, you will change the trajectory of your nutrition. You will begin to feel better, your digestive system will work better, and your hunger reflex will lessen.

Nutrition has some simple rules that apply to everyone. But it is also very individualistic. There are individual factors that make each of us unique. Maybe you can’t tolerate dairy or gluten. Maybe you are a vegetarian or pescatarian. These things will affect how your nutrition works for you.

The bottom line remains as always…Eat Real Food.

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412    

 

 

Sunday Story…800 Grams!?!

Really? 800?! How can anyone eat 800 grams of fruit and vegetables? I mean, how much is that anyway?

For the record, there are 454 grams in one pound. That means 800 grams is just short of two pounds. Two pounds sounds like a lot, I know. But think about it…an apple is about 100 grams, a banana 50, but 800 grams is a pound and a half of kale. It depends on what you are eating. Are you going to eat eight apples a day? I think not. The idea is to mix up fruit and vegetables and make varied choices within those groups.

I ate 2 cups of blueberries and 1 cup of carrots this morning. My goal is 6 cups, which, depending on the density, should be close to 800 grams. To be exact, I will need to weigh my food. I haven’t quite made that step yet. The other problem is ingesting that amount of material. Going from 100-200 grams to 800 is a big switch if you aren't eating a fair amount of fruit and vegetables. I recommend you “ramp up” over a week or two. Make a concerted effort to increase your intake daily; before you know it, you will be up to 800 grams or more!

I noticed these things during my first week of this challenge: First, I feel fuller than usual, but when I get hungry, I get hungry in a hurry. Second, the more I eat, the better I feel. In other words, my health feels more vital, and my energy is more even. Lastly, my digestive processes are more regular and easier.

You can do this. It isn’t that hard.

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

775-338-2412

 

 

 

Sunday Story…Nutrition Notes

I am a little behind on this one. I just discovered the “800 Gram Challenge.” EC Synkowski, a very well-qualified nutritionist and coach, created this challenge. The challenge is simple: eat 800 grams, by weight, of the fruits and vegetables of your choice. Then, continue to eat whatever else you want. So, you focus on adding healthy foods to your diet, not eliminating the foods you love!

I know 800 grams sounds like a lot. It’s about 6 cups or just short of 2 pounds. A cup is about the size of your fist. You can eat fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables. However, the weight is determined by the weight of the fruits and vegetables, not the water in the can. And no sugar is added to the canned goods, so your mom’s home-canned cherries won’t work! Also, dried fruits and veggies don’t count. Corn does count as a vegetable, as do potatoes.

The thought behind this is simple: We do not eat enough real food. Most of us do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, which contain crucial nutrients (minerals, vitamins, and fiber, among others) for our health.

Before you raise your hand and ask about calories, I want you to know that 6 cups equal 400-500 calories. Of course, it will depend on how much of anything you eat, but that is a pretty good ballpark. Honestly, you aren’t going to add those 500 calories; you will substitute for some other more calorically dense foods.

This resembles the Paleo diet in many ways: meat, fruit, vegetables, minimal starch, and no sugar. Those of you who have been around a while will recognize this (it’s the first sentence of 100 words of Fitness!).

I’m in the 800-gram challenge! Care to join me?

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412

 

 

 

Sunday Story…More Open News!

 

The CrossFit Open has come and gone. As some of you may know, I did well, considering I was less than four months out of total knee replacement surgery. I finished in the top one hundred, seventy-two to be exact. That meant I qualified to participate in the semifinals.

I won’t be doing that. I am choosing to limit my participation this year for several reasons.

My primary concern is my knee. Although I did well in the three weeks of the Open, I only worked out one weekend each week. The semifinals are five workouts over one weekend, all maximum effort. I might get one or two, but not four or five. I don’t think that is going to be the best thing for my recovery.

Secondly, the timing does not work for me. The semifinals start this weekend—today (Thursday), to be exact. I might have considered it if it was sometime in May.

Third, although the workouts do not include actual squatting, they include single-arm dumbbell lunges (my current kryptonite). This movement was strenuous before my knee surgery, but now, only 4.5 months after surgery, combined with 50 24” box jump overs, it looks very ominous.

Finally, my training has been more relaxed than in the last 10 or 11 years. It feels harmonious and easy, and I enjoy the lack of pressure to perform daily.

Most importantly, after last year's event, I decided I was out for the next few years. Maybe a year or two of not training hard will bring back the spark needed to compete at the highest level. The bottom line is that although there is cheese at the end of that tunnel, I am no longer interested in that particular cheese!

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412