Talk to me about Paleo

kmartini1021

My CrossFit Box is starting a Paleo challenge next week and I had a few questions for any ladies who currently eat Paleo.

What were your greatest challenges with going to the Paleo diet?

What advice do you have for people trying it for the first time?

Do you have any favorite recipes or go to meals that are Paleo friendly?

What do you do when you eat out?

I've been toying around with the idea of making the leap to Paleo anyway, so this seems like a great way to jump in.

Britt71884

I started Paleo and Crossfit about 6 weeks ago and to be honest, I really don't like it...  I am a bit less tired but other than that, I haven't noticed any physical changes.  There is a ton of prep work (for me) and since the rest of my family isn't eating this way, I have to make different food a  lot of the time.  Also, my son is allergic to tree nuts so I can't use almond flour and that prohibits me from making any of the baked stuff..  It's hard for me to eat this way too because I've always eaten low fat, low calorie foods when I diet and now I'm eating bacon, meat, at least one avocado a day- it feels kind of counterintuative to me..  That said- there have been some recipes I've found that I LOVE.  I know people that love this way of eating and swear by it but I guess I'm just not one of them.  When I eat out I usually just get either a burger with no bun and some veggies or a veggie salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinager.  Also steak- a good steak

kirkette

 I did the Whole 30 earlier this year with my box.  

What were your greatest challenges with going to the Paleo diet? Social eating is tough. It's actually why I eventually had to go back to Primal eating.  Things like parties, work dinners, work lunches, etc. are difficult if you are strict Paleo because you cannot control the ingredients other people use in their cooking. In some settings, I would bring my own meals, but in other settings (donor dinners, serious work functions) that is not appropriate.  

What advice do you have for people trying it for the first time?  Aside from the social eating aspects, it really isn't that difficult. A Happy Hour staple of mine was Club Soda and lime. Keep snacks around, and befriend coconut oil, spices, and crustless breakfast quiches. 

Do you have any favorite recipes or go to meals that are Paleo friendly?  I'll report back when I get home from work. I have them saved on another computer. 

What do you do when you eat out?  Luckily in this area there are a few restaurants  that made it easy to eat Paleo (The Counter Burger, Paul Martins, and other places where you can talk to the chef and have them prepare things sans butter, etc. because things are made from scratch). 

Sugarnear

kmartini1021:

My CrossFit Box is starting a Paleo challenge next week and I had a few questions for any ladies who currently eat Paleo.

What were your greatest challenges with going to the Paleo diet?

Getting over the initial grain cravings. And it's not particularly convenient for eating out, though after two years, we've learned how to manage that.

What advice do you have for people trying it for the first time?

It's a lifestyle change, and I think if you look at it as having an end-time, you won't be consistent (or at least, I wouldn't have been). Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. 

Do you have any favorite recipes or go to meals that are Paleo friendly? We eat a lot of braised meat (because it's cheaper). And salads. Staples in our diets: eggs, salads, nuts, and fruit.

What do you do when you eat out? We eat Greek food, mainly. We get a Greek salad with meat. Sometimes I get hummus, which is not Paleo. We also plan regular cheat meals every 4 weeks or so, which usually involve sushi. That way, we don't feel like we're missing out.

I've been toying around with the idea of making the leap to Paleo anyway, so this seems like a great way to jump in.

Hokiegirl82

I've been doing Crossfit since November 2011, and have been eating Paleo since March 5, 2012, and am in week 6 of an 8 week Paleo challenge at my box. I'll be honest, when I first heard about Paleo I was extremely skeptical and thought how miserable life would be without grains and dairy. I can say with 100% certainty now that I think Paleo is awesome and something I plan on keeping as a lifestyle after the challenge is over (probably will do 80% paleo/20% non-paleo to keep myself sane over time). The first couple of weeks weren't great - I felt tired and just blah, but after I made it through the "carb flu" I started to feel great. I am sleeping wonderfully now - I can sleep through the whole night without waking up once when I used to wake up 4-5 times; my stomach issues are basically all gone, my skin is clearing up, I have gone down 2 pants sizes and have lost 10 pounds which is big for me because it is hard for me to lose weight at the current size I am. I'm lifting heavier, I'm not hungry like I used to be, etc. I can go on, but you can tell I'm a big fan of Paleo now.

What were your greatest challenges with going to the Paleo diet? breakfast was a big challenge - I was a cereal/oatmeal/english muffin girl and didn't eat a lot of eggs - now I eat a lot of eggs and bacon and homemade sausage - it's not so bad.

What advice do you have for people trying it for the first time? Don't half-a$$ it - if you are going to try Paleo, go all the way at least for 30 days - this gives your body time to adjust to no grains and dairy. If you keep cheating your body will just hold on to that feeling of "blah" and your carb flu will be dragged out (not everyone gets "carb flu" when starting paleo, but it is common). I was pretty strict paleo when I started on my own and did cheat once or twice and my body wasn't happy the next day - I have been 100% on since March 31 with this challenge at my box and I have 2 and a half more weeks to go. Other piece of advice - be prepared to do a lot of cooking and prepping at home - paleo does take time, but once you get down what you like to eat, it's not so bad. I spend 1-2 hours each weekend cooking some things for lunches and dinners during the week and it's not so bad. I like trying new recipes.

Do you have any favorite recipes or go to meals that are Paleo friendly? I bought 3 books when I started paleo - Everyday Paleo, Well-Fed, and Paleo Comfort Foods. These helped me get a good idea of what to make for dinner. I also love the blogs Nom Nom Paleo and Paleomg for ideas. For quick snacks, I like almonds, hard boiled eggs, a cooked chicken breast with some avocado, and fruit.

What do you do when you eat out? I usually get a protein (meat) and a side of veggies. It has been a little harder to eat out, but I can always find something no matter where we go. It also helps to tell the waiter you are gluten free.