Paleo Fun

My last meal before starting Paleo...

Two weeks ago, I began the Paleo Diet. I have heard a lot about this diet/lifestyle through different discussions on twitter, but really understood the concept after talking to some trainers at my crossfit gym. The idea is to, "base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get."

Taken directly from my friend Paula's blog post on Paleo:
"Paleo basically encompasses eating “like a caveman”, focusing on healthy proteins, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Notably, you cannot eat grains, dairy or legumes on paleo. As a former distance runner, this was a difficult concept to wrap my mind around. I grew up in a sport that encourages grains like pasta, bagels with peanut butter and granola bars. Not to mention the fact that I happen to love grains and dairy. I especially am a fan of yogurt, and greek yogurt with honey has been my standard breakfast for the past year or so. " -----I couldn't have said it better myself.


I have no intention to completely change my diet for the rest of my life. I have always lived on bread, pasta, pizza, etc. This was more just a challenge to see how my body would feel if I eliminated all the processed crap. My biggest worry for starting this strict diet would be the impact it would have on my running. I'm deep in my marathon training at this point, with my long run currently at 16 miles, and I need to be sure I'm fueling my body properly, for both workouts and recovery. After reading the book "Paleo for Athletes," I had a better grasp on how to fuel my body properly for the hard workouts. I don't need to eliminate every single carb from my diet. I'm getting plenty of carbs through fruits and veggies. As I eliminate the processed carbs from my diet, my body is changing to use fat as energy, rather than sugars.

I have cheated here and there, which I believe is ok. It's natural. But for the most part, I've stuck to the diet. I love fruits and veggies, so it hasn't been hard at all. I'll make up a big batch of food, and eat it all week long. Liz and I went to Sam's Club this weekend and got a bunch of fruits, veggies, chicken and fish and I was chopping, baking and mixing for a good 3 hours on Sunday night. Totally worth the effort!

Salmon, Tilapia and Chicken. YUM

My body is feeling great. I don't get the highs and lows that I used to get when I was eating a lot of grains. I am still using blocks, gels and waffles for my long runs, but refueling with proteins, fruits and veggies after. Surprisingly, I feel better than when I would use pasta to fuel and another carb to recover.


Am I using this diet to lose weight: No.
Would I be mad if I did: No.
Will I eat like this forever: No.
Do I like how I feel now: YES.
Do I think there is legitimacy behind the diet: Most definitely.

What are your thoughts on the Paleo diet/lifestyle?