Zone Diet vs. Paleo Diet: What's fthe Difference? Which one is better?

There are a lot of diets out there. I’m sure you have tried or know someone who have tried a popular diet before. If you go to your local bookstore and look at the diet/weight loss section, you will see a plethora of books like the Zone Diet, the Atkins Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, etc. Diet books are a dime a dozen, most of the diets that you find are “fad” diets, you must delve further into the science and research behind the diets in order to make the best decision for yourself. If you are part of the every growing and popular Crossfit community, you have probably come across two types of diets. One is known as the Zone Diet, and the other is the Paleo Diet. The Zone Diet is a diet popularized by the books of biochemist, Dr. Barry Sears. It advocates that there is a specific ratio of macronutrients that is optimal for health and performance. The Paleo Diet, also known as the caveman diet or hunter-gatherer diet advocates eating a diet based on pre-agricultural foods like wild game meats, fish, fowl, vegetables, fibrous fruits, nuts, and seeds. If you are new to Crossfit or just want to learn about nutrition in general, you may have asked yourself what the difference is between these two diets and which one is better? I’ll start with the similarities. First of all, if you plan on adopting either the Zone or the Paleo Diet, they are both much better options than what the Canada Food Guide or USDA recommends. You have probably seen this pyramid somewhere before, either in school or online or in your doctor’ office. The Canada Food Guide has gone through some changes recently recommending vegetables and fruits as the base of their pyramid whereas grain products use to be the biggest food group recommendation. That is a step in the right direction. I don’t want to talk about grains vs. vegetables as a carb source, I’ll save that for another blog post. Just log on to http://www.nutritiondata.com/ and plug in 100 calories of broccoli vs. 100 calories of whole wheat bread and look at the vitamin and minerals content between the two. One of the problems with eating too many grain products is that they contain gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that causes gut irritation, digestive problems and may lead to celiac disease. Furthermore, eating too many carbohydrates in one meal will lead to quick increase of carbohydrates in the bloodstream which then leads to a spike in insulin levels. If you don’t quickly use up these carbs as a fuel source, the extra insulin will store the extra carbohydrates in your fat cells. Most of the research being done on a high carb diets are funded by agricultural corporations like Monsanto therefore, the research is most likely tainted. These are the studies that the Canada Food Guide and USDA uses to back up their recommendations. Many of the top shareholders from these agricultural companies are also top politicians. Watch Food Inc. – it is definitely an eye opener.
The biggest difference between the Zone Diet and Paleo Diet is that the Zone leans toward a diet that is quantifiable in terms of the ratio between the macro-nutrients. The diet centers on a ratio of 40:30:30 of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The idea is that with this ratio, your body is at a hormonal balance, controlling your release of insulin and glucagon. Eating within the “Zone” principles enables a slower rate of carbohydrates being released into the bloodstream, a smaller insulin release, which means less fat stored and a faster transition to fat burning. Sears claims that meals balanced in this ratio are anti-inflammatory and heart-friendly. The Paleolithic Diet, on the other hand, focuses more on an un-weighted, unmeasured diet based on the quality of the food. The presumption of this diet is that modern humans are genetically adapted to the diet that our Paleolithic ancestors ate and that our genetics have hardly changed since the dawn of the agricultural revolution – roughly 10,000 years ago. The diet consists largely of meat, seafood, vegetables, tubers, fruits, nuts and excludes Neolithic foods such as grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugar, and processed oil. Paleo approved foods are nutrient dense and make you feel better. Below is an example of what a Paleo pyramid would look like, this is taken from http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Here's a humorous video about the Paleo diet:

So which diet should you adopt? If you are someone who prefers to adhere to a system and you like measuring your food intake and being really precise about everything you eat, then you should try the Zone Diet. Like every diet, try it out for a few weeks, if you look, feel, and perform better, stick to what you’re doing. However, if you find it an annoyance to measure everything you eat, the Paleo Diet may be right for you. Skeptics of the Zone Diet will always point to the fact that you can eat twinkies for your carb portion, and fatty meats for your protein and fat portions, you will still technically be eating within the “Zone.” Now this is an extreme example and Dr. Barry Sears does recommend eating quality foods but the Zone is still defined as anything within the 40:30:30 ratio. If you eat strict paleo, your carb intake will be slightly lower (22-40%) and your fat intake (28-58%) will be higher than what the Zone recommends. Eating this way will make you fuller for a longer period of time. It is hard to overeat while on this diet. My two cents: for such a dynamic and constantly varied program like Crossfit, I don’t understand why they have a static, “one size fits all,” diet prescribed for their athletes. The Zone also does not change its recommendations for pre or post workout meals and there is a lot of science on varying your pre and post-workout meals to optimize performance. Just like you would want to individualize your workout programs based on your different needs and weaknesses, your diet should also be individualized. Not everyone is built the same way. Some people are more carb tolerant than others, some are more gluten tolerant than others. Some people need more calories, some people perform better on high carbs; most perform better on high fat. The sport you play also dictates what diet is most appropriate for you. Bottom line, if a diet is working for you, stick with it. If it’s not, try something else, if it makes you feel better and perform better, it’s probably better for you.

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not and add what is uniquely your own.” ~ Bruce Lee

A certified personal trainer and crossfit coach with more than four years of experience, Patrick Vuong has helped countless athletes, elderly, and everyday folk improve their lives through better movement, nutrition, and body re-composition. A kinesiology graduate of UBC, Patrick continues to educate himself daily promote the benefits of regular exercise to everyone. He currently is the Assistant Manager at Fitness Town Burnaby.

Train for your body type: What Body Type Are You?

When it comes to shape, human beings come in all varieties. In all that diversity, though, each one of us falls into a category of three basic body types – the endomorph, the mesomorph and the ectomorph. Which one are you? What are you doing to optimize your body type?

Everyone is born with a specific body shape. Depending upon your genetics, as well as your exercise routine and diet, you look quite different from those around you. While there is nothing you can do to alter your body’s structure, there are ways to make the most of what you have. Here are some tips on how to identify your body type and how to sculpt it with the specific exercises suited for you.

Based on the work of scientist William Sheldon (1898-1977), physiologists have refined a theory that all human beings fall into one of three categories of body type dictated by the prominence of different basic tissue types we each have: digestive, muscular and nervous. Sheldon named his body types after the three germ layers of embryonic development: the endoderm that develops into the digestive tract, the mesoderm that becomes muscle, heart and blood vessels, and the ectoderm that forms the nervous system.

The Endomorph

Endomorphs tend to have bigger bones than the other body types. These men and women usually have round faces with larger thighs and hips. Endomorphs have arms and legs that tend to be short and tapering, giving them a stocky appearance. Most endomorphs have comparatively small hands and feet and a high waist. Other traits of the endomorph include soft, smooth skin and fine hair. The head of the endomorph is large and spherical with a broad face. The body of the extreme endomorph is round and soft. It appears that much of the mass has been concentrated in the abdominal area.

The endomorphic body type is sometimes referred as “apple” for those who put most muscle and fat on the top half of the torso, and “pear” for those who put most muscle and fat on the bottom half of the torso. This body type is characterized by an increased amount of fat storage, due to having a larger number of fat cells than the average person, as well as higher proportion of digestive tissue. Fortunately, though, endomorphs can also build muscle and lean mass easily.

The Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are usually described as having an athletic build. They have dense, mature muscle and usually a good posture. The majority of mesomorphs have broad shoulders and a narrow waist. They have a fast metabolism and can lose weight more easily than endomorphs. Female mesomorphs have an hourglass shape and males have a wedge shape. Other traits of the mesomorph include thick skin and hair with a heavy texture. The bones and muscles of the head are prominent. Features of the face are clearly defined, such as cheek bones and a square, heavy jaw. The face is long and broad, and is cubicle in shape. Arms and legs are developed and even the digits of the hand are muscled.

In a sense, mesomorphs are the luckiest of the three. They maintain the best attributes of both the ectomorphs and the endomorphs. Perhaps the most imposing obstacle for the mesomorph is overconfidence. Because mesomorphs can generally build muscle and shed away fat with considerable ease, they are prone to become lax in watching their diet or maintaining a steady exercise routine, depending on their favourable genetics to shape up when the occasion calls for it.

The Ectomorph

Ectomorphs have a thin, linear appearance. Ectomorphs can lose weight easily and tend to have low levels of body fat. However, they also have a harder time gaining lean muscle mass. The ectomorphic body type, sometimes referred to as the “banana,” is characterized by long arms and legs and a short upper body, high forehead, slightly narrow shoulders. According to Sheldon’s theory, they have a higher proportion of nervous tissue.

The extreme ectomorph physique is a fragile and delicate one. The bones are light, joints are small and muscles are slight. The limbs are relatively long in proportion and the shoulders droop. Ectomorphs may appear taller than they actually are, due to the length of limbs coupled with lack of muscle mass developed on those limbs.

These people may have long fingers, toes and neck. The features of the face are sharp, and the shape of the face is triangular. The lower jaw is somewhat receding. Ectomorphs may suffer from extremes of temperature, due to a greater body area in relation to the insulation of fat and muscle mass. The hair is fine, grows quickly and is sometimes difficult to keep in place.
As you read through these profiles, you may have difficulty deciding where you belong. Few people actually fall distinctly into one category and some people would be better described as an ecto-mesomorph or an endo-mesomorph. In any case, there are steps each of us can take in making the best of our body type.

Endomorph Exercise Strategy

Many endomorphs desire a leaner, more defined look. In addition to a lean diet, the key is to increase aerobic or cardiovascular workouts. This type of exercise is crucial to keeping the metabolism and calorie burning at a high level. Avoid high impact cardio and concentrate on biking, brisk walking, swimming, cross-country skiing, stair climbing and the cross-trainer. Do 30-60 minutes of cardio work three to six times a week at a moderately intense level.

For adding muscle tone and definition, perform a total-body weight training routine three times a week that consists of two sets of weight training exercises per body part. Do ten to fifteen repetitions per set using a moderate to light weight. To improve body symmetry, you may want to double up on upper-body exercises.

Mesomorph Diet and Exercise Strategy

Three to five cardio workouts a week done at a moderate to fast pace should help keep you looking lean and trim. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes per session. Once you have worked up to it, higher impact cardio training, such as running will increase the intensity of your workout.

For strength training, light to moderate weight training done two or three times a week will help enhance tone, not size. Perform two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions using light to moderate weights for each major muscle group. You may want to try circuit training (moving quickly from one exercise to the next without a break) because it promotes strength and stamina without building bulk.

Ectomorph Exercise Strategy

While cardiovascular exercise burns calories, which is not particularly an ectomorph’s goal, cardio work is necessary if you are to sustain exercise levels to the point that you can build muscle mass. It is necessary to build up stamina by conditioning your heart and lungs for the challenge of extended exertion. So, include cardio exercise three or four times a week and aim for at least 20 minutes a session at a moderate to intense level. This is enough to develop cardiovascular health without extended times of calorie burn.

Build up muscle mass with two to four sets of weight training exercises per body part. Use a moderate to heavy weight that you can lift with good form for six to ten repetitions. Increase your weight and work your muscle to the point where you cannot lift another repetition before calling it a day. Consider doing a split routine where you work some parts of the body one day and then others the next. Don’t forget to eat to give your body the raw material it needs to build muscle. Adding an extra 1000 calories or more a day, with ample protein, is a good idea.

Remember that when it comes to body type we are all different and there is little we can do to change ourselves into the image of another. So, as you diet and exercise to improve your health and physique, do not compare yourself with anyone else. You’re striving to be the best you can be, and you are created as a unique person.

Source: http://blog.fitnesstown.ca/2010/02/19/train-for-your-body-type-what-body-type-are-you/

The Best Warm-Up

Quick, what should you do to warm up before working out?

10 minutes on the bike? NOPE
A few arm swings, leg circles, and jumping jacks? NOPE
A warm up set of 50% of the weight you're gonna use for your first set? NOPE

The best warm-up you can possibly do is one that

- elevates core body temperature
- elevates cardiorespiratory rate (ie. heart rate, breathing, etc)
- increase ROM in all joints, planes of movement
- relaxes, stretches tight muscles, activates dormant muscles (ie. glutes)
- prepare neuro-muscular system for proper recruitment of movement patterns

Crossfit Journal has a better warm-up than the aforementioned warm ups that most people do at commercial gym settings. The Crossfit warm-up consists of (Samson stretch, overhead squat, sit-up, back extension, dip)

But I think we can do better, for the majority of us, there is much more mobilization work and activation drills we need to do before we do any of those movements. We need to make sure every joint is mobilized and has increased range of motion, as well as recruit the muscles that we are going to use in our workout. Most of us have tight hip flexors and don't know how to fully fire our glutes. Therefore, it's imperative that we fix both those issues in our warm-up. Do the following general warm up and you'll feel better during your work out and in the long run

8-10 minutes of full body soft tissue work (foam roller, lacrosse ball)

Dynamic Warm-Up/Mobilization

3 rounds of:
ankle mobility
10 x leg swings
hip flexor stretch
Cook hip lift
5 x split squats, 5 x lateral squats, 5 x rotational squats
10 x wall slides
Big X band

After the dynamic warm-up, practice a few reps of all the movements that you are going to do in your particular work out.

Hopefully I've shed some light on the topic. So the next time you are confused on how to warm up, use this as a template.