It's DEEP SQUAT MONTH! Take the challenge.

Sitting is the trendy "bad for you" health craze. We are totally on board with this trend because studies have shown that prolonged sitting is linked to chronic back pain, lower energy levels, increased weight gain, greater risk of colon and breast cancer and even lower life expectancy.

That standing desk is not the answer. The squat is!

Sitting in a deep squat is the position children naturally take when picking something up or looking at bugs on the ground. However, in our society, chairs are introduced to them and we tell them that is the normal way to sit. This innate position is lost to the "normal" chair position.

The deep squat has many benefits:

• Decompresses your spine, resulting in less back pain
• Increases hip, knee and ankle mobility  
• Increases metabolic activity
• Can improve digestion and bowel health

When you have a compressed spine and tight hips, it affects the way you walk and move. This leads to an altered gait which will affect your potential speed and power and eventually your ability to run, walk and move naturally.

The full deep squat is one where your heels are completely on the floor with your feet straight (or very slightly turned out) and your weight should be shifted back so your knees do not come past your toes. This is the correct position. In contrast, the western squat has the heels off the floor and the weight is forward on the toes. This is not the correct position. 

If you cannot get your heels on the floor initially you can put a rolled towel under your heels and gradually lessen the amount of towel needed until your ankle mobility improves.

We challenge you to get into a deep squat every day for 10 minutes per day for four weeks and see how your range improves and pain decreases.

The 10 minutes does not need to be continuous, it can be done in small chunks throughout the day. 

Once you are able to comfortably get into a deep squat and stay there you can use it while you do every day tasks like fold laundry, play a card game or read a book, text, check your emails or peruse your social media with your laptop on the coffee table, pick up your kids toys or chat on the phone.

There are endless ways to use this position in the real world. How do you use your deep squat?

February's Goner of the Month

February's Goner of the Month

February's Goner of the Month! If you are looking for a fun and motivating work out partner, we have the one for you. She is one of the most consistent Goner's around so you're likely to run into her even if you only come once a week. Get to know more about

LAURA HOFFMAN!

Age: 33
Gender: Female
Number of years as a Goner: Hmmmmm, just about a year and a half.
Her frenemy exercise: Anything with Jane and Skateboard Threaders
What Paragon has readied her for in the real world: Well, really life in general! Hurt Locker is always a humbling experience... A good life lesson! I love the positivity of the trainers and those that go bust a sweat alike...it all transfers over into the day to day:) I just ran my first Ragnar and really felt like my endurance has notably improved from conditioning and strength classes. I feel stronger overall and when I do get out and climb, it shows there too:) 

Our very first Goner of the Month!

January's Goner of the Month! She is not only strong both physically and mentally, but also in character. She truly lives up to the definition of a Goner. Get to know more about

Jordan Buchhagen.

Age: 28
Gender: Female
Number of years as a Goner: Somewhere Around 3 Years
Her frenemy exercise: Toe-Rows
What Paragon has readied her for in the real world: Hiking, running, and other outdoor adventuring; when I am not engulfed in nursing school. I also credit Paragon for providing me with the ability to perform safely and effectively as an EMT at Guardian medical transport, a professionI once thought I would never be physically or mentally strong enough to achieve. 

"When I initially heard of Paragon I thought it sounded crazy, perhaps even unsafe! I now go religiously and often vocalize how the Paragon team has changed my life. Three years in and I do not recognize the person I was when I showed up to the first strength class. Ryan has worked with me and provided me with the tools to transform into a physically healthy and mentally strong individual. The strength and confidence I have gained by being a part of Paragon transcends the number of squat thrusts I can do; my experience at Paragon has provided we with the ability to successfully perform elsewhere in my life, whether it is rescuing an injured hiker on Mt. Humphrey’s or sitting through a nursing class. It is crazy to think that a fitness membership could deliver such an effect but I honestly believe that being a Goner has changed the trajectory of my life! I am happier, as well as fit and able! Thank you Ryan, Laurel and Betsy for all you do!!!"
- Jordan Buchhagen

Vietnamese Bahn Mi "Sandwiches"

Bahn Mi sandwiches are a vietnamese dish that are a result of the French influence in Vietnam. And they are de-li-cious! If you are gluten free and sugar free, there is no reason you should have to miss out on this amazing dish. 

Plantain Tortillas, View Recipe on Pinterest

Bahn Mi "sandwiches"

Ingredients

Hot Chili Mayo:

• 2/3 cup homemade mayonnaise
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork, beef or chicken
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Sandwiches:

• 2 cups coarsely grated carrots
• 2 cups coarsely grated peeled daikon (Japanese white radish)
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• plantain tortillas or butter lettuce leaves
• Thinly sliced jalapeño chiles
• 16 large fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation

Hot Chili Mayo:
Stir all ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt. do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Meatballs:
Line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet.DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Sandwiches:
Toss first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and cooked through, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Instead of serving these on the traditional baguette, use romaine, collard or butter lettuce leaves or you can make these Plantain Tortillas. Spread hot chili mayo over each plantain tortilla or leaf. Arrange jalapeños, then cilantro, in bottom halves. Fill each with 1/4 of meatballs. Drain pickled vegetables; place atop meatballs. Press on baguette tops.

(adapted from Pork Meatball Bahn Mi at epicurious.com)

Easiest, Most Delicious Homemade Mayo EVER!

Homemade Mayo is easier than you can imagine with this foolproof technique (you must own a stick/immersion blender):

1 egg yolk (room temp!)
1/4- 1/2 tsp of salt (depending on your taste) 
Juice from half a lemon
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2/3- 3/4 cup avocado oil (or any other good oil, avocado is my favorite tasting) 

Find a container that fits the head of your immersion blender snugly (this is important, if it's too wide around the head of the blender it won't work, you want no more than 1/8 inch room). Put the egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, and dijon in the bottom, in that order, then pour the oil on top. Let it settle, just for a couple seconds so the egg is at the bottom. Slowly put the blender down into the mixture, so it is suctioned at the bottom. Pulse it a few times, then hold the button about halfway down for 10 full seconds. You'll see the mayo forming at the bottom. At this point you can either start rocking the blender side to side, or slowly moving it up and down incorporating the rest of the oil.

Question on hunger vs. cravings:

Question: I think the biggest struggle in my life has been the conscious decision to eat because I'm actually hungry. Not because others are eating, not because I'm stressed or bored, but because my body needs nutrition. How do you really decide when to eat before being actually too hungry and do detrimental overeating?

Answer: There are a few different elements to this question.

1. If you are a sugar burner instead of a fat burner, you will be hungry more often. This is because your body has been trained away from burning the number one fuel source, fat, to burning quick energy, carbs/sugar. You can read a great explanation of fat adaptation here: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be.../ 

2. Sugar and low quality carbs are actually nutrient deficient and will further deplete your body of nutrients. This tells your body that you are lacking vitamins and minerals and that you need to eat more to fill those voids.

3. Eating low quality foods are often filled with lots of highly palatable components that will make you crave them (sneaky food producers!) and so you end up over consuming. When you replace these low quality, highly palatable, nutrient deficient foods with good quality carbs (when I say carbs, I am referring to vegetables), proteins and most importantly good fats; your body will respond (when it gets used to having these good foods consistently) by not sending out emergency signals that you are hungry. You will not need snacks every two hours or get to the point where you are shaky, irritable or hungry. Also, if you are eating good quality, whole foods you are not going to overeat before you feel like you're done. Portion control is something that has become important to us because the recommended ways of eating by the government lead us to be sugar burners and now we have an obesity epidemic and they are trying desperately to solve this problem by telling us to eat less and exercise more. Bad advise people!

If you feel hungry picture a can of sardines or a pile of raw broccoli. Do they sound good to you? Then EAT! But eat vegetables with fat or good protein and fat. If you are hungry only for your favorite candy bar, that is another story. You are having a craving.

Here are a few ways to distract yourself when you are having a craving:

• Drink some water; you may be just dehydrated!
• Go on a walk, being outside and moving around may distract you long enough for the craving to pass.
• Get some intense exercise and release some dopamine in a good way.
• Writing about your motivations for changing your diet. Reminding yourself of those initial goals can rekindle the fire enough to put the cookie down and step away.Cinnamon!
• Cinnamon can actually help to regulate your blood sugar after meals and can quiet a sweet craving while not actually having something sweet. Try adding it to nut butter or tea with coconut milk if you are really desperate for a treat.
• Drink some spiced tea or mint-flavored water (no added sugar) for a sense of sweetness without actually consuming sweetness.
• Take a nap, if possible.