Top 9 ‘BLOW YOUR MIND’ Reasons to Attend Paleo FX 2013

Okay Folks, it’s time to make plans and get your paleo on! Paleo FX 2013 is fast approaching and if you haven’t heard about it or got your tickets yet – don’t wait! This event is for YOU.  Paleo FX is all about the practical application of ancestral/paleo principles – nutrition, fitness, sustainability and food policy. The science meets the sidewalk March 28, 29, and 30 in Austin, TX; and you need to be there. If you were at last year’s event you know exactly what I’m talking about.  From seasoned paleo pro to someone just looking for the path to optimal performance and/or health – Paleo FX is for you.  Here are few reasons why (besides the opportunity to hang out with Squatchy and me – as if you really need any more reason than that…) you need make plans to attend:

1. The ‘Stars’ Will Be Out! Yep, the speaker/presenter line-up for this year’s event is phenomenal!  Robb (“The Dude”), Chris Kresser, Terry Wahls, Kelly Starrett, James (OPT) Fitzgerald, Eva T., Mat “The Kraken” Lalonde, Sara Fragoso, Erwan “MovNat” Le Corre… and the list goes on.  This line-up is going to make for some awesome presentations, panels, movement sessions and demos. The sky is clear – perfect for getting ‘star-struck’!

2. Winner, Winner – Cooking demos from the pros to help you make dinner!  That’s right – there will be LIVE cooking action with a host of paleo culinarily (I made that word up – not bad, huh?) gifted cookbook authors and chefs. Sarah Fragoso (Everyday Paleo), Charles and Julie Mayfield (Paleo Comfort Foods), Bill Staley and Haley Mason (Make It Paleo), Melissa Joulwan (Well Fed), Michelle Tam (Nom Nom Paleo), Diana Rodgers, Juli Bauer, Stacy Toth (Paleo Parents), George “Civilized Caveman” Bryant (and rumor has it he will be wearing a tiara and a slamming hot-pink halter top…) and more. If you leave Paleo FX without a plan for dinner – it’s your own fault!

3. Bust a Move(ment) Session – Paleo FX isn’t one of those conferences where you spend the entire day sitting and listening to lectures (unless of course that’s what you’d like to do).  Nope, you get to actually and perform Oly lifts, Kettlebell movements, MovNat techniques, mobility exercises and more. And your instructors are the cream of the crop here people!  We’ve got OPT, Erwan Le Corre, Eva T., Clifton Harski, Chip Conrad, Justin Adams, Kelly Starrett and more. There’s gonna be Jerks and Snatches at this show!

4. ‘EXPO’lore the latest nutrition, fitness and food advocacy products, services and groups –  The Health, Wellness and Sustainability Expo is going to knock your paleo socks off (okay, you got me – socks are NOT paleo, but you get what I’m saying here). There will be paleo food samples, supplements, fitness products, resources for gyms and trainers, health promotion groups, local food and farming advocacy groups and much, much more! If the floor’s a rockin’ you know you’ve come to the right place!

5. Focus on Feeding the Future – Sustainable, local, organic, non-GMO, humanely raised; these topics are HUGE right now and they are so important!  This year changing our food environment is going to play a major part in the Paleo FX event. There will be panels and presentations dealing with food sourcing, food policy and how to create a healthy, ethical, sustainable food environment. Following in the example set by Diana Rodgers at the Ancestral Health Symposium, there’s going to be a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner – sourced locally with meats and foods that have been raised/grown sustainably and ethically. Additionally, a new “Food Forward Think Tank” will make its debut. This effort aims to explore and trade ideas for starting food movements in your community. Let’s change the current food paradigm!

6. What’s up Doc? If Bugs Bunny asked that question at Paleo FX this year, he’d get more responses than he could shake a carrot stick at! And these docs aren’t your run of the mill pill pushers either.  Dr. Colin Champ, Dr. Amy Myers and Dr. Emily Deans are just some of the ‘doctors in the house’. Come and ‘hack your health’ with some of the best functional, naturopathic, and educated practitioners in the country.

 7. Did Some One say FUN? That’s right – no paleo event is complete without great food and maybe a few (or many) NorCal Margaritas.  And lucky for you – you’ll be in Austin, Texas – home of the country’s largest Whole Foods, numerous Saturday morning farmers markets and tons of paleo food and restaurant options. If you score one of the limited “All Access” tickets to Paleo FX, prepare yourself for awesome paleo lunches prepared by Instinct Catering and Shoot For Healthy (Awesome local paleo catering and meal service providers) on Friday and Saturday and make sure to get out and meet with other event attendees and hit up some great Austin BBQ while you’re in town too!

 8. This One’s for the Girls (and guys too) Okay, how come all this training and nutrition stuff is always based on guys; how they respond, what works for them, etc? What about us? I mean girls are people too and we definitely are not ‘wired’ like the guys. If you are of the female gender, work with female clients or live in close quarters with one of us, then you’re in for some great woman geared panels and presentations. It’s about time!

 9. Location, Location, Location: Did I mention Paleo FX is in Austin, Texas? Um, it’s the “Epi-center of Physical Culture”.  This place has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation; it’s the Live Music Capital of the World (um, ever heard of a little event called South by Southwest??). And in the words of C.J. Hunt (The Perfect Human Diet) – “We’re in the shadow of the Vegan Mothership.” (Whole Foods) Let’s all celebrate with a steak and some bacon!

**BONUS** If these 9 items don’t leave you completely sold I’ve got a few things to put you over the top.

• If you need to brush up on your “truth dodging” you may be able to hit up Lance Armstrong (yeah, he lives in Austin). Bring your bike and maybe a few performance enhancers if you want to keep up…
• Baby it’s warm outside! No winter coat, gloves, hats or boots (unless they’re the cowboy kind) required here. The 60’s are ‘normal’ for March up in this ‘humpy bumpy’…
• I may or may not have said this already but… You have the opportunity to ‘see’ the myth and legend that is “Squatchy” (Robb and me will be there too) and we may be able to strap the hairy beast down for a photo opp…

All right people – get on it!  Get your tickets before they’re gone! It’s gonna be a “Grok”in’ show!!!

See you in March! Who’s in?

Amy Kubal

Amy Kubal is a Registered "Paleo" Dietitian and the ring leader of Robb's RD consulting team. She works with a wide range of clients from competitive athletes to those dealing with complex health problems. Check out her bio and consulting options, and her blog Fuel As Rx to get your Paleo nutrition fix.