New Years Paleo Challenge – Day 13
Another great meeting last night, thanks for all those that showed in person and online. To view the video and chat log, click here.
Cross Posted from PCF:
One of the hardest things to explain to people on the Paleo Diet is that you can actually enjoy eating. Most people associate “dieting” with suffering. Folks seem to want an extremely ascetic experience.
We have constantly tweaked our approach to the Paleo Diet to influence the “middle 80%” of the curve. There’s going to be 10% that just totally don’t get anything we tell them and are going to punish themselves and try to eat the same thing every day, low fat meats, and avoid fats in general.
There’s going to be 10% at the top of the curve that just kill it. They get the framework of the Paleo Diet, they do research on their own but know what to keep and what to throw away, and they have fun with the diet.
The middle 80% of the curve is a mixed bag. Some folks are going to do relatively well with minimal effort, some folks are going to just run into walls daily.
We try to provide as many ways to get that middle 80% solid results. We know that the bottom 10% isn’t going to listen, and the top 10% has got it cold from day one. It might take some folks in the middle 80% several Paleo Challenges and several years to finally get all the way there, but just like anything: if it was easy, everybody would do it.
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January 19th, 2012 on 9:17 am
I told Brian I would post share this with everyone this morning….
For the past 10 years or so, I have had moderate heartburn. It has kept me up at night, been an issue when out eating or drinking and just an overall big pain in the ass. It has been a constant thorn in my side as long as I can remember.
Since I started eating Paleo on Jan 1 (still eating fruits/nuts then have been strict Paleo since the Kick-Off two weeks ago), I haven’t had a single bout of heartburn. This is the longest period of time I have gone heartburn free since I can last recall.
So, not only am I eating better and working out more, but apparently this Paleo diet is also helping me with health issues that I never before would have attributed to a diet/life style change.
Not sure if anyone else has experienced anything similar, but so far so good with this whole Paleo thing…
January 19th, 2012 on 9:22 am
Hey guys! Great meeting last night. Wanted to expand on two topics:
1) Dealing with non-Paleo eaters. You can go whole hog with strangers, especially waiters: “I’m deathly allergic to gluten, dairy, and nuts.” For people you know, including family members, there’s a softer approach that works well: “When I eat [non-Paleo food item], I don’t feel great. I’ve been experimenting and when I eat less [item], I feel better.” Tends to nip further pressure in the bud.
2) Kitchen troubleshooting. If you’re having any problems with recipes, techniques, or planning, shoot a question out here or via email (alison at potomaccrossfit dot com). I’m happy to try to help!
Brian is going to share his lovely wife’s zucchini “lasagna” recipe at some point, but in the meantime I’ll post a related one: meat sauce with spaghetti squash. If you’d like to make lasagna, layer this sauce with roasted eggplant slices in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until bubbly.
http://humblexfitter.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/paleo-recipes-meat-sauce-over-spaghetti-squash/
Remember to upload your recipe successes over at the Paleo Challenge tumblr page!
http://pcfpaleochallenge.tumblr.com/
January 19th, 2012 on 9:22 am
Also, here’s the link to all the recipes on my old Paleo/CF site:
http://humblexfitter.wordpress.com/category/paleo-recipes/
January 19th, 2012 on 9:32 am
I would like to get an understanding of the impact of paleo on diabetics, “pre” diabetics and women with pcos. There seem to be a lot of paleo related books and studies and really I haven’t begun to read them. I have a mental should read list, but don’t remember any specific recommendations re: diabetics or pcos. Any suggestions on where to start? Is there a book out there for the uninitiated that introduces Paleo and addresses those issues directly? I can cobble sources together if needed, but was hoping not to – both for my ease and in hopes to easily pass the info to a family memeber. Thanks!
January 19th, 2012 on 9:42 am
@Stu – thanks for sharing. I had the same thing for years and was on prescription medication. Started Paleo, gone in a week.
@Michelle – I don’t know of any books, but if you just google “paleo diabetes” and “paleo pcos” I see some pretty good intro material.
January 19th, 2012 on 10:49 am
I got to thinking about talking to non-paleo eaters it was discussed last night at the meeting. I had always thought about it this way but this is the first time I’ve taken the time to articulate it. Anytime someone asks me about Paleo I assume that 87% of the time they are projecting. Which is not inherently a good or bad thing, but it is a helpful reminder not to take things to personally.
I don’t think there is much difference between the people that ask more than the polite level of questions about Paleo at work and the guy with 4 necks at Globogym giving strolling around the gym giving out free coaching advice in between sets of bicep curls. I have been in the middle of squat sets and had the 4 neck Hulk casually walk by in between squat sets and ask me if I am supplementing post workout with XTestoterone Xplosion CX2400 from GNC. It’s cool I don’t take it personally (97% of the time) which is the hard part. I get it though. If I had the choice between bringing myself up or altering my definitions of success, improvement, and health or tearing down alternative models for success I would try to talk me down to supplements or the Men’s Health centerfold workout of the month bicep curls Seems like a lot less work.
I am not sure how but sometime last year I started remembering how it took me a month to start Paleo after joining a Crossfit box. It takes a lot of conscious effort to rethink how you view healthy food. It gets pretty personal because in the process you have to reconcile past behavior too.
No one remembers what Oprah asked Tom Cruise in that interview years ago but everyone remembers him jumping on a couch like a crazy asshole. When people keep ask me more than the polite level of questions about Paleo sometimes they are being genuine sometimes they’re waiting for me to put on a Rick James couch stomping show. I try my best to causally respond by asking “Why are you so obsessed with me?” Tactfully quoting the movie Mean Girls seems to work most of the time for me, probably because I am a big intimidating black guy (pause for comedic timing) kinda like Antwone. I guess if am dropping truthbombs on people about grains the least I can do is make them laugh.
January 19th, 2012 on 10:50 am
Does anyone else actually feel worse on paleo? I have had the opposite problem as Stu. I have digestive issues that I usually self-medicate with whole grains and berries. No amount of spinach or other fibrous veggies seems to be filling the void. What did I miss?
I’ve also been having issues with depression, to the point my partner is getting concerned. Has this ever happened in the challenge before? Nothing on the web indicates these are linked.
January 19th, 2012 on 11:52 am
That’s some good advice for non-paleo friends or acquaintances, but how about partners? My partner is not a veggies person and loves bread and cheese, so it’s always a choice between making two dinners or letting him eat the horribly unhealthy Kraft mac ‘n cheese that he’ll make himself. Is anyone else dealing with this? Are there some delicious, non-vegetable based recipes that have paleo and non-paleo components that I can whip up for the both of us?
January 19th, 2012 on 12:52 pm
(Apologies if this is a duplicate post–tried posting a few times but it hasn’t posted up yet.)
My question relates to illness: My daughter has a nasty fever and cough, and I got some of it in the form of fever and nausea yesterday. Do you have certain foods that are your go-to items when sick? I couldn’t stomach real food yesterday for most of the day, so I had only chicken stock (homemade, so I know there wasn’t any sugar or other nasties in it), and then an egg and sweet potato at night when I finally felt hungry. What are your suggestions for this type of situation?
January 19th, 2012 on 1:43 pm
Any recommendations for “on the go” post-workout starches in the morning?
January 19th, 2012 on 2:35 pm
@James – not sure what you mean by “on the go”, but I cook a batch of mashed yams/sweet potatoes each sunday and keep some refrigerated at work and home. They always last throughout the week and allow me access to a healthy starch regardless of whether I work out AM or PM. I admit they get old, but its way better than the headache that I typically get if I eat nothing.
January 19th, 2012 on 4:26 pm
@James – Slice or cut chunks of Sweet Potato and roast. I toss them in a ziploc with cocnut oil, cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract (or just plain Salt/Pepper). Roast on a cookie sheet for approximately 35-40 minutes at 375. I do a sheet or too, keep in fridge. Grab some to eat cold on the go after WOD or throw them into a fry pay with your eggs to crisp. If you slice the potatoes really thin bake like above and then shut oven off and leave the cookie sheet in another 15-20 minutes they’ll kind of dehydrate and get chewier if you need a change of texture. Similarly, you can roast or mash butternut or acorn squash or carrots with various spices and eat cold or room temp if you can’t heat.
January 19th, 2012 on 4:27 pm
that was a “sheet or two”
January 19th, 2012 on 4:46 pm
Had to miss another meeting thanks to work. Thanks for the videos – definitely appreciate the streams even if it means staring at Brian’s head for an hour.
@Jessica – I recommend you lie to your partner. Just mix veggies in stuff and tell him it’s something else. If you’re doing the cooking and he’s doing the eating, it usually works out. I’ve made lots of eggs that have nothing but veggies, egg, meat, salt, pepper. No cheese was missed. And I assume said partner enjoys meat? cook lots of that! a full stomach of steak usually won’t miss cheese/bread.
@Brian – thanks for this post. I don’t post often, but wanted to comment b/c I’m definitely enjoying eating and it was weirding me out b/c mentally we’re so used to deprivation when “dieting.” We admit to cheating (fruit, diet coke, almond milk, a cocktail or two), but so far, we feel better, we workout better, we look better, and besides a few rough patches of major sugar cravings, generally enjoying ourselves. it’ll take us a few challenges to get out of the 80%, but we’re doing our best. The Mr. has lost 12 pounds so far and sleeping so much better.
question – chickpeas – ok, right? and what are your thoughts on yogurt? I used to eat greek yogurt everyday. i’ve cut it for the challenge, but miss it. I like the texture and flavor. can it come back after the challenge? not everyday, but once in a while? or do you recommend no dairy ever?
January 19th, 2012 on 5:04 pm
I usually can’t sit long to watch a lecture, but this is a great story about how Paleo helped cure a doctor’s MS.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/can-you-cure-ms-by-eating-real-food
Worth the watch.
January 19th, 2012 on 5:57 pm
@S – Your body is going through potentially significant hormonal changes because you’ve altered your food intake. We are still firmly in the “my body doesn’t know which end is up!” phase, and it’s normal to experience mood swings and down times. In the next one to two weeks, you should see your moods and digestive issues even out. Keep us posted.
@James it looks like Laura and BC have you covered with the starches. Good advice guys.
@Monique I’d say you did the right thing — eat whatever seems palatable to you, provided it’s Paleo. No magic bullet there, just clean food.
@Jessica — you’re talking about one of the most common and tricky household situations out there. What Chad and I do when we’re on different pages (i.e. one is strict, one is less so) is the strict person makes enough food for both, as usual. The less-strict partner has the option of eating it or procuring his/her own, less-ideal food. We try to be adults about it (read: I try not to nag him when I’m the strict one.) Give it time. These things take a long time to change, and it won’t be perfect.
@Julie — chickpeas no. hummus no. (garbanzo beans are legumes.) same with yogurt. maybe after the challenge, provided you add dairy back in by itself and can evaluate how your body responds.
January 19th, 2012 on 5:58 pm
and Hassan, great post!
January 19th, 2012 on 7:07 pm
@BC/Laura- thanks for the suggestions! I head straight from the 0600 to my office in Tysons so I need something that I can bring with me/ eat on the go. Looks like I’ll be cooking up some sweet potatoes this weekend.