In Part II of our Guide to Eating Dirty, I recommend cheating smart – indulging in those foods that aren’t going to knock you out of energy, wellness and performance commission for days on end. The concept sounds pretty easy, and it is… as long as you know how various food groups like gluten, dairy and legumes affect you. So how do you figure out what foods are okay to cheat with, and what foods will never be worth it?
I can tell you where it STARTS… strip out all the crap from your diet and let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be provoking. What, exactly, does that mean? Super strict, no cheat, by-the-book, 100% Healthy Eating for the next 30 days. Cut all the foods that could be kicking you in the crotch without you even knowing it for the next 30 days, and see how that feels. (To be clear – this is NOT a “30 Day Challenge”. This is so much bigger than that. And it’s not really even about cheating. I kind of tricked you there. I’m not sorry. Read on, please.)
Why?
First and foremost, it will change your life. I cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact. This. Will. Change. Your. Life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. I know this because I did it, and it changed my life, and it changed the way I eat on a very permanent basis.
I promised you some cheat-tips, so here’s how this ties in. The only way you are going to know if something is having a negative effect on how you look, feel or perform is to take it out for a while, then try it again with a fresh perspective. Think of it this way – if you’re allergic to pollen, and you are exposed to pollen every day, that means every day your nose is a little stuffy and your head is a little achy. You probably don’t even realize how crappy you feel, because a stuffy nose and achy head is just normal. Now, take a vacation somewhere pollen-free. Allow your body to experience a month without that irritant. Then… come home. Imagine how aware you would be of your allergy then. Your first few days back, you would be miserably in tune with how your allergy is affecting your everyday life.
Same concept here. Dairy, gluten, lectins and alkaloids may be provoking a similar autoimmune response in your body today – and you don’t even know it. Certain sugary foods may send you running for the nearest candy bowl, while others may satisfy you with just a small amount. So take a vacation from those food groups. Give your body a break, and then, if you so choose, come back to them with a fresh perspective. You’ll be able to immediately see if – and how – they really do impact how you look, feel and perform.
There are other reasons for doing a super strict 30 day healthy eating program. For one, there’s an excellent chance that this little adventure will jump start fat loss. And I’ve seen really good results, especially in women, of body shapes changing just by eliminating these foods. Does your stomach look flat in the morning and chubby by day’s end? Try cutting dairy. You’d be surprised how an irritated digestive tract can manifest into a muffin-top over those low rider jeans in just a matter of hours.
What?
So what does “strict” mean? You’ll get a different answer depending on who you ask, but this is the plan I followed back in April.
- Eat real food – meat*, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, oils (like EVOO or coconut). Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re fresh and natural.
- Do not eat dairy. This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee**).
- Do not eat grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, corn (I count corn as a grain), oatmeal, and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains. That’s not real food, right?
- Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter, kids.)
- Do not eat sugars*** of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Truvia, Stevia, etc.
- Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, processed bars (like Zone bars), dairy-free creamers, etc.
- Do not drink alcohol, in any form.
- If you have serious inflammation issues like arthritis, you may want to consider avoiding nightshades for 30 days as well.
*I ate organic chicken sausage during my 30 day period. They are nitrate, dairy, gluten and casein-free and all natural. I did not eat bacon, but I’d be okay with bacon if it didn’t have any nitrates or other crap in it.
**I drank coffee in moderate amounts. Since I was drinking it black, I really didn’t want that much anyway. If you really want to go hard core and reset your body’s tolerance to caffeine, skip the coffee for the 30 day period as well.
***I used reason when avoiding sugars. For example, my Sunbutter includes some cane juice, which means there are 3g of sugar in each serving. Since it’s such a fantastic fat source and the only other ingredient is sunflower seeds, I was okay with that.
How?
So now that you have the basic plan, you need to know how to implement it. I’ll help you.
Start now. Today. This minute. Count out thirty days, go immediately to your grocery store and stock up on things you can eat, and begin. Cold turkey, just start. It’s the only way to do it. Give yourself excuses, reasons to put it off, and you may never begin. Do it now.
The only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty days. Anything less and you are selling yourself, and your results, short. You may start to see and feel improvements within just a few days, but according to Robb and Matt, the healing process takes significantly longer. And… no cheating. Just ONE cheat could irritate your digestive tract, promote an inflammatory response, upend your insulin sensitivity and send you running for the nearest Dunkin Donuts. It will ruin the effect of the “reset button” you are trying to push. This isn’t me being a hard-ass, or insisting that you tough it out to prove to yourself you can do it. This is a fact – the only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty days, no cheating.
Where?
Right here. Come to my house, sign up for the month and then post back here as often as you like. I’ll provide the forum, every Monday and Friday, for the next 30 days. Post your progress, your results, share good recipes, ask questions. Tell us how good you look, how much better you feel, how much energy you have. Inspire each other. Support each other. Fist bumps all around for those of you who finish out the full 30 days. Right here, right now. Let’s do this.
Tough Love
Here comes the tough love. This is for those of you who are considering taking on this life-changing month, but aren’t sure you can actually pull it off, cheat free, for a full 30 days. This is for the people who have tried this before, but who “slipped” or “fell off the wagon” or “just HAD to eat (fill in food here) because of this (fill in event here)”. This is for you.
- It’s not that effing hard. (Yes, I wanted to throw an f-bomb in there.) Don’t you dare tell me this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Drinking your coffee black is. Not. Hard. Substituting Sunday morning French toast in favor of a giant omelet and side of crispy bacon is not hard. Eating fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables every day is not hard. So I don’t want to hear one single complaint. You won’t get any coddling from me on this one, you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”, and you won’t get any second chances. Not in my house. It’s thirty days, and it’s for the most important cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime. So shut up and do it.
- Don’t tell me you “slipped”. Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of Krispy Kremes, you DID NOT SLIP. You made a choice to eat something of poor quality. It’s always a choice, so do not phrase it as if you had an accident. You make a poor choice, even once, you’re out. You don’t get to re-start, you don’t get to keep posting. Commit here, 100%, for the full 30 days, or go somewhere else.
- Don’t lie to me. Don’t even try.
- You never, ever, ever HAVE to eat anything you don’t want to eat. You’re all big boys and girls. Toughen up. Learn to say no. Learn to stick up for yourself. Just because it’s your Mom’s birthday, or your best friend’s wedding, or your company outing does not mean you “have” to eat crappy food. It’s always a choice, and I would hope that you stopped succumbing to peer pressure in 7th grade.
- This does require a bit of effort, people. If you’re cutting grains and dairy for the first time, you have to replace those calories with something. You have to make sure you’re eating enough, that your vitamins and nutrients are balanced, that you’re getting enough protein, fat and carbohydrates. Don’t expect me to fill in the blanks for you. Figure it out. There are a ton of good resources out there, so take responsibility for your own plan. Improved health, fitness and performance doesn’t happen just because you’re now taking a pass on chocolate milk.
Summary
So there you have it – my thoughts on changing your life in 30 days. If just one person makes this happen – just one – this entire four page post will be well worth my time and energy. It’s that important. I believe in it that much. It changed my life, and I want it to change yours too.
Post questions to comments so I can answer them for everyone. Post your commitment, if you’re up for it. Just make sure you re-read the Tough Love portion again before you sign up. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Hey Melissa,
Great stuff as usual but one question: what about potatoes (sweet and white)?
Thanks,
Mark
Mark,
Here's my take. Potatoes are not technically Paleo, in general. White potatoes are off limits for me. They hit your blood sugar hard, and are a nightshade to boot.
Sweet potatoes and yams are better. They affect blood sugar much less dramatically than white potatoes, and they contain a ton of soluble fiber, which helps to lower blood sugar and cholesterol. They are also NOT part of the nightshade family. I eat these strictly post-workout.
Here is more information about sweet potatoes.
Melissa
Thanks Melissa. I'm currently experimenting with LeanGains (a spin on IF), a little over two weeks in. Quality is pretty much everything except grains, as they are the devil. Actually, I haven't had any grains in 3 weeks and I'm planning on having a pizza this weekend to see how I react. Should be interesting…
I get a little frusterated with all the eating plans out there (notice the avoidance of the word diet) and the contradictions among them. If I am going to be the annoying girl at parties not drinking and eating rabit food, I want to make sure I am doing it right!
I told a friend about the Paleo eating plan and she had some interesting feedback. She is currently reading the book Skinny Bitch, and she is a vegetarian. Her feedback was: "I disagree with the theory and if I was going to do a super strict diet it would be the skinny b one. The main difference is that the skinny b diet is completely vegan. #1 eggs are dairy, so I'm not sure why you are allowed to eat those although maybe it is a protein in this case. Skinny b completely supports eating grains. I understand trying to go glutan free, but I do NOT think that cutting out grains is a good idea. Rice and other glutan free grains do not do damage to your digestive system and the only way glutan is bad for you is if you have seliac disease.
Skinny B in a nutshell
1. No refined sugars (agave nector, brown rice syrup, stevia – all natural sweetners that are ok)
2. No meat, fish or dairy
3. No animal products
4. Organic wines without sulfites only.
5. Lots of ORGANIC fruits, veggies, nuts, beans and unrefined grains (brown rice, barley, quinoa, amaranth, whole wheat, lentils etc)
6. Stop eating when you are full
7. minimize processed foods, minimize / eliminate caffeine & all drugs including ibuprofen
Thoughts?
I'm game. I've been w/o caffeine or alcohol for two weeks already so I'm ahead of that curve. Dropping milk will be big for me as it is one of my main carb sources at the moment.
I'm definitely interested in some of next post's recommended foods b/c I really struggle with trying to eat appropriate carbs. I've never really liked veggies.
Also where does hummus fall in all of this? I'm not fully read-up on paleo yet.
@Heather – Since when are eggs dairy? Eggs = chicken, dairy = items made from milk. You're also mistaken regarding gluten only being "bad if you have celiac disease". While you claim that rice and gluten-free grains are okay for your GI tract, they still are going to wreak havoc on your insulin levels. There's solid logic behind the recommendations Melissa makes, unlike a fad diet.
@Jimi – Hummus is made from garbanzo beans and hence not allowed. Depending on the ingredients, you may be able to substitute baba ganoush. Similar taste/texture but it's made from eggplant.
Jesus Christ on a unicycle, I don't even know where to START with that, Heather.
1. I CROSSFIT. A diet with the word "skinny" in the title is not going to support my 140# front squat or 215# deadlift. Not to mention it misses the point entirely. I can eat nothing but oatmeal with Splenda and drink nothing but red wine and be SKINNY… but does that sound even REMOTELY healthy?
2. First, we ALL have some level of gluten intolerance. Some of us can handle lower levels better than others, but diets approaching 70% of total calories from grains are problematic for EVERYONE. In addition, grains are NOT just "damaging" to celiacs. Read this and this. Finally, grains (in general) are calorically dense and nutritionally barren. There are far better choices for carbohydrate sources.
3. Unless you have a moral or religious reason for giving up all animal products, why would you? I can't think of any health, wellness or performance reason for giving up animal products. Read this.
In summary, I will not even entertain a "diet" that okays sugar and red wine but tells me eggs and salmon are bad for me. I could go on, but I've made my point.
Also, Jimi…
Marcus is spot-on with hummus. And I don't care whether you LIKE vegetables. You need to eat them, so make it your full-time job to find things you like and learn how to properly cook them.
Ten vegetables that are delicious that you may never have tried: Eggplant, Brussels sprouts, fiddleheads, beets, radishes, Vidalia onions, baby spinach, broccolini, roasted red peppers, artichoke.
I warned you.
Melissa
I want to jump in a put in my support for what Melissa is suggesting. I just finished my own 30 day Paleo experience. Since I am a CrossFit trainer I thought that advocating certain diets without experimenting seemed at the very least dishonest. So June 28th marked the end of my 30 days doing Paleo. It was quite simply an amazing experience.
The Benefits:
I have had continued skin issues with acne (dairy is a known irritant) and as I continue to age they become more aggravating, these have cleared up and almost disappeared. Additionally, I have always been a piece of chocolate a day person, so this was possibly the longest time in my adult life I've gone without sugar. Finally, I lost weight – 5 pounds actually, which quite shocked me. At 5'6 132-133.5 prior to Paleo my new 126.9 weight on the scale was disturbing. But instead of negatively impacting my olympic lifting, my strength to mass ratio seems simply to have shifted. Stronger is always better! And I would just wake up in the morning feeling good, really good. It's a rare person that you ask "How're you doing today?" who answer "Great!", it's always "Fine." My answer everyday is "Great!"
I did the entire 30 days no cheats. It was not easy, sweets are my nemesis and day 2 was my sister's birthday. I by no means have a Paleo food environment at home (roommates who eat crap) or day job (office crap). I also printed out Robb Wolf's food log and tracked my food, because it was satisfying at the end of a day of good eating to write everything down. Being able to eat as much food as I wanted was awesome. Breakfast usually was steak, avocado, and nectarines – delicious!
This possibly the longest comment ever, I hope this inspires people to try 30 days of Paleo! It can, as Melissa said, change your life.
~Karen
Byers, two of your ten vegetables are nightshades; eggplants and red peppers. I don't know where you fall on the "New World Foods" aspect of things, but I remember getting a pretty stern talking to about it at some point.
This is really interesting. I'm going through a program at my local CF (Boston)where we are spending 90 days just really changing how we work out, eat, etc. It's a womens program which has been pretty cool. Today, this morning in fact we were asked to do all of this, for 30 days (at least, hopefully 60 till the end of our program) and see how it treats us. Great timing!
I knew someone would call me on that.
I don't care about nightshades, to be honest. I don't have any issues with them. But I do recommend if you have inflammatory conditions (like arthritis, tendonitis, etc.) that it might be an interesting experiment to avoid them. I have a friend (Donna Dyson, of MaD CrossFit) who credits the disappearance of her serious knee pain with the removal of nightshades from her diet.
Melissa
Hey Melissa-I cut the grains/sugar/diet sugar awhile ago and that worked well, like the idea of ditching dairy and legumes as well after reading here and elsewhere about the negatives of those foods.
1 question: Green Beans? A legume, yes, but also on Robb Wolf's shopping list. Thoughts?
Thanks!
IM IN
I just got a visual of a cow pooping out eggs.
Seriously though, I'm in. I've been on a bread and sugar binge since I got back from Vegas and it needs to stop!
I've been CrossFit-ing regularly for three months now and have seen great performance gains but no weight loss. Well I won't say that. I'm down about two or three pounds BUT I also went from 35-37% bodyfat to 32-34% bodyfat. So right now I'd say I'm 180lbs and 34%BF – at 5'10".
Now for another "but what about" question. Sauces and condiments. I don't want to get really anal, but I also don't want to screw up my bodily reboot. I can cut out the ketchup on my eggs and stop stuffing my chicken breasts with feta, but what about soy sauce? I cook a lot of Chinese food so that means lots of soy sauce, soybean paste, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, teriyaki. Your musings on getting off the sauce?
I've been doing some serious housecleaning on my diet and done short hardcore paleo bouts of a week here and there, but I guess it's time to REALLY clean house, yes? I want the results, the only questions I guess left is HOW BADLY do I want them. I want them pretty bad, so eff it, I'm in. Saturday is going to be the hardest day of my life, but you know what, you are right, it's not THAT HARD. Thanks for the inspiration to go full out and I'll be here for the mon/fri therapy, I mean sharing sessions.
Melissa,
Wicked post. Probably the most convincing "Paleo pitch" I have read. I have been drafting nutritional posts that go into detail on the why's behind some of the Paleo principles for my affiliate site. I have been putting off the one that actually pitch's the diet with outlined steps to succeed. Do you mind if I just put up a link to your site? Thanks.
Sean
Melissa, One of the issues I have with starting something like this is, "What do I eat?"
Wait for it…you listed what we can and can't fine. Now I need a weeks meal plan, 'cause this is a HUGE change from what I've been eating. i.e. supper Sunday night, homemade swedish meatballs and risotto. Zone yes, Paleo no.
So, what are you eating this week? Also, since I come from more of a Zone perspective, portion size? daily calories?
Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm in! I usually do fairly well sticking to paleo food choices during the week (but with dairy or a bit of honey sneaking in a bit too often) and then the weekends are a mess and I can see it with my WODs. Mondays are terrible and there are PR parties by Friday.
Michael,
Let me see if I can help. Hopefully Melissa won't mind if I get in the ring. you do not need to worry about portion sizes. Eat slowly and stop eating when you are either satiated or close to full. Don't get me started on calories. The numbers are of limited utility or meaning (if useful or meaningful at all)
I like to eat sliced deli turkey for breakfast. You have to be careful with that stuff though. Many companies add milk ingredients and other crap to the turkey meat. Ask to see the ingredients list before making your purchase. I personally buy my turkey at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. Most of their stuff is really legit. So here is what I ate last week.
Monday
8:30 am Breakfast (the only meal I weigh and measure): 6 ounces of sliced deli turkey, 7 grams of fish oil (Nordic Naturals) with one Haas avocado
12:00 pm lunch: wild boar chops on a bed of spinach with some mashed sweet potatoes and a dash of cinnamon
4:00pm PWO meal: 2 hard-boiled eggs from pastured chickens
6:00 pm Dinner: salmon with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a handful of mixed raw nuts from Trader Joe's
Tuesday
8:30 am Breakfast: 6 ounces of sliced deli turkey, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 7g of fish oil (Nordic Naturals)
12:00 pm Lunch: muscovy duck legs with mashed sweet potatoes and a dash of cinnamon.
4:00 pm PWO: 2 hard-boiled eggs from pastured chickens
6:00 pm Dinner: Shrimp on a bed of mixed greens, olives, celery
Wednesday
8:30 am Breakfast: 6 ounces of sliced deli turkey, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 7g of fish oil (Nordic Naturals)
12:00 pm Lunch: roasted chicken with some broccoli and cauliflower
6:00 pm Dinner: steak from grass-fed animals, coconut milk from Trader Joe's (yes I drink coconut milk straight out of the can), carrots
Thursday
8:30 am Breakfast: 6 ounces of sliced deli turkey, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 7g of fish oil (Nordic Naturals)
12:00 pm Lunch: Langostinos with mashed sweet potatoes and a dash of cinnamon
4:00 pm PWO: 2 hard-boiled eggs from pastured chickens
6:00 pm Dinner: chicken breast, one large raw cucumber, one haas avocado
Friday
8:30 am Breakfast: 6 ounces of sliced deli turkey, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 7g of fish oil (Nordic Naturals)
12:00 pm Lunch: atlantic char fillet with sweet potatoes and a dash of cinnamon
4:00 pm PWO: 2 hard-boiled eggs from pastured chickens
6:00 pm Dinner: Llama patties over mixed greens and some raw mixed nuts
Saturday
8:30 am Breakfast: 2 duck eggs with wild boar bacon from Savenor's and some blueberries, 7 grams of fish oil
12:00 pm Lunch: smoked trout fillet with mashed sweet potatoes and a dash of cinnamon
4:00 pm PWO: 2 hard-boiled eggs from pastured chickens
6:00 pm Dinner: grass-fed steak, carrots, olives
Sunday
8:30 am breakfast: 2 duck eggs accompanied by dried apricot lamb sausage
12:00 pm Lunch: chicken legs with mixed greens and some nuts
6:00 pm dinner: grass-fed steak with broccoli and cauliflower, 1 haas avocado.
The variety isn't that great but I have to cook all these meal on Sunday and put everything in tupperware so I can take it to work. You'll notice that I eat dense carbohydrates (sweet potatoes about 3 hours prior to my workout and then have a post workout meal that is protein and fat (eggs). That is because I'm trying to improve my insulin sensitivity and I have nothing to gain by whacking my system with carbs after a workout when I am not at the Cf games and I have 24 hours to replenish my glycogen stores.
My friend Kim (see comment above), and I have been doing Paleo off and on for the past few months. Although for me, it was more off than on. So Kim sent me this post by e-mail and here I am. I can do this. I will do this.
Melissa, you've "counseled" me before, and I know what to do. I WANT THIS. So count me in.
Alright, I've been processing this challenge for the last couple of hours and I have decided I'm IN!! 30 Days from now I'm looking forward to feeling a hell of a lot better. I have turned my body in to a waste land of fast food and beer for the all thirty years. I have been slowly working to this point. So, I'm pumped to be doing this.
Matt – here's my take on things like green beans and sugar snap peas. They're not technically Paleo. But the way Dallas explained it to me… there's a lot more "green" than "bean" there. Meaning, there's a lot of the pod compared to the bean. That's why I've been okay with those as part of my Paleo diet.
If you are having a hard time getting your vegetables in and you LIKE green beans, then eat them. They're better than no vegetables at all. If you can do without, then avoid them because they are not, by definition, Paleo. But do I think one serving of green beans every week or two is going to kill your efforts here? Nope.
Amy,
Soy is not Paleo. And most sauces and condiments usually include some nasty side ingredients – corn starches, sugars, sodium, thickeners and fillers. Ick. Pure Sesame Oil is fantastic, and my girl Mel recently sent me a tahini vegetable dressing that's fabulous. I'll post that soon. Long story short, check your ingredients, or check this link for make-your-own-condiment recipes.
Sean,
You've got some great stuff yourself. You can link to whatever you like, always. Thanks.
Johnny,
Binge away, dude. You should see me hoover a jar of Sunbutter when I'm really hungry. Or, like, just in general. Sometimes, you want what you want, and I'd MUCH rather see you "overeat" watermelon than M&Ms, right?
M@,
Love it when you stop by. Thanks for sharing. Can I come over for lunch next Tuesday? That duck sounds GOOD.
Ronesshia,
Hi, married lady! Hope the wedding was smashing. Happy to see you back here, and doing this with a friend improves your chance of success!
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Count me in, I so need the accountability right now. I have been off grains pretty strictly for the past month so that won't be a problem. Hoping for some "snacky" type ideas as I tend to be a 'grazer'.
I think I may also take you up on the no nightshade idea as well ( some tendon issues with running ) and I'll let you know if it helps.
Looking forward to this……I think….LOL
OK, I'm going to give it a try. It's going to be hard this weekend with all the delicious potato salad, pasta salad, etc. Now that I think of it, it's going to be a bad month with the 4th this weekend, a wedding the following weekend, and then a going away party the weekend after that. I can do it though… it will be worth it in the end.
thanks melissa
All right. Since last year I've given up grains, but have cheated every so often and can certainly feel their effects. I really limit sugars, but their siren call will overtake my willpower sometimes. Sure enough, once I do sugar I'm fighting the urges for three days after. Who needs heroin when there's sugar?
I still do dairy and that'll be the hardest to give up — I do love cream in my coffee. Nightshades? I have knee pain and will give them up to see if that helps.
So a renewed commitment to no grains and sugar, plus a new commitment to no dairy and nightshades. Taking a deep breath. Yep, I can do it.
Oh, by the way, since last year when I gave up grains and sugars? I've lost 70 pounds, gained energy, and started CrossFitting. I still have more to lose and weight loss has slowed down a lot, so yes, giving up these foods for 30 days is not a bad idea.
Im in as well, actually ive been in for 2.5 weeks now and the results are amazing. My decision was spurned by the fact that I was going in for hernia surgery and knew I would not be allowed to CrossFit for at least 6 weeks, which, by the way is really starting to hurt worse than the hernia surgery.
Aside from the loss of almost 12 lbs already I feel tremendous every morning. I developed sleep apnea caused by head injuries, according to my neurologist, after my last deployment to Iraq and have had to use a nasal cpap machine at night to help me breath. If you dont know what a nasal cpap machine is just imagine having a mask strapped over your mouth and nose connected by a tube to a machine that forces air down your nose and throat, ALL NIGHT. Since starting this diet the snoring has pretty much stopped. I think the weight loss had a little to do with this but was not overweight to begin with.
The beauty of Paleo I have found is that you can eat as much as you need so long as you eat the right things.
Oh, if you have young kids like me stay WICKED strong and dont give in!!! It seems all they eat nowadays is chicken fingers, fish sticks, pb & j and french toast. Its nerve racking and truly my biggest challenge thus far. Tried to talk my wife into putting the kids on the Paleo then remembered they are 3 and 4 and would woop my ass if I took away most of this stuff.
Melissa is right, there a ton of resources online to help.
Make the decision, be strong and enjoy the positive effects you will see over time.
I've been doing the mental version of the bad-relationship nasty with dairy for the past month and need to get that little cow-monkey off my back. It is the one food that really makes me, in your fine words, want to jack a dunkin' donuts.
So I'm in. Oh sh**, did I just say that?
I need to emotionally overeat some almond butter now.
I thought about this all night and REALLY want to give it a whirl. However, I am UNWILLING to give up my Land O' Lakes coffee creamer and Splenda that I put in my coffee. I drink a decent amount of coffee and love it. I don't believe in giving up everything you love. If I do this for a month with the exception of the coffee, will I experience the same effects?
PS-that would be 6 packets of Splenda in the coffee per DAY.
Angie (I use my son's goggle acct since I don't have one)
Angie,
Once you have earned the right to deem Splenda a "F*** Off" food, then you can put as many dirty packets in your coffee as you like. But until you figure out how SIX freakin' Splendas a DAY is cock-blocking everything from fat loss to restoring insulin sensitivity, you don't get to tell me you are unwilling.
Everyone else here is sacrificing something. Either ditch the cream and chemicals and join us, or be unwilling and go somewhere else.
Tough love. Get off the Splenda, Angie. I'll give you just as delicious alternatives, when you're done. Promise.
Melissa
I've been following your blog for a while, but this is my first post. I've been CF'ing since October and have made some attempts to clean up my diet, made small inroads, but not the progress I want to see.
Like Angie, I thought about this all night. I ran through all of your 'tough love' points over and over and decided I'm in. I think nutrition is the mother of all my goats. So if I can make myself work goats in the gym, then I should be able to do this, right?
And rationally, I know that it's just food but doing this kind of scares the crap out of me. So thank you for providing the forum, the support, and the requisite kick in the pants. I'm going to need it!
I'm in, even w/ big cookout on Saturday, I'll make it. Coffee black this AM! Thirty days – go!
Son of a nutcracker Melissa! That's some tough love.
Angie
So I read this post a day late…but I'm still in! Tonight my husband and I are going to hoover clean the house of any lingering non-paleo foods, since we already eat 'mostly paleo'. I've got some dairy products, soy milk, zone bars, and a bag of reeses peanut butter cups contaminating my environment. Once those are gone, we start hardcore tomorrow.
I think the zone bars will be the hardest to give up…they're so convenient, and I've had such a hard time finding good beef jerky without all the nitrates, etc. (not brave enough to invest in making my own yet). My husband will have the hardest time giving up his whiskey…poor man
I also had a coffee idea — since everyone seems to have such a hard time taking their coffee black, has anyone tried adding coconut milk instead of cream? I'm not sure how it would 'mix', but hell one of the guys above said he drinks it straight, so it can't taste all that bad!
@Chelsea, I've heard of people putting coconut OIL in their coffee, perhaps that's more of an alternative?
I'm going to do it.
Any advice on the social aspects – specifically dinner parties? What has worked for others if your host makes lasagna and garlic bread (with no paleo side dish in sight…)? Do you recommend calling ahead with your dietary restrictions? Saying no to invitations?
Thanks
Amanda, I'm in. I am in treatment for an eating disorder (I am also about 60 pounds overweight) and I just went from being a strict vegan to adding back in eggs and seafood about 2 weeks ago with some encouragement from my therapist and a LOT of thought on my part.
I have a nutrition consult with my crossfit trainer this afternoon so I can get some sort of grip on doing zone/paleo. It's near impossible to do zone (and truly impossible to do paleo) as a vegan.
My weight loss has also been stalled and I've been losing & gaining the same 10 pounds the 2 years I've been vegan. I just KNOW getting a more balanced ratio of protein fat and carbs has got to help, because I lost 80 pounds before I went vegan.
Starting this right before the 4th of July – I am so silly! Wish me luck.
Also – I have a LOT of dried grains and beans in my pantry from when I was vegan… should I box em up and put them somewhere out of sight? Throw them out? Try to give them away? What would you guys do?
Alright! I'm in :O) Thanks for the tough love Melissa. I'm giving up coffee any way other than black. My mom gave up smoking 1-1/2 years ago so if she can do that I will fulfill my promise to her to quite drinking my chemically enhanced creamer (Land o'Lakes Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2). Coffee is going to be the toughest thing for me, but if that is the worst I have to give up, then that is easy. This buttercup is gonna suck it up and just do it!
Angie
Chelsea,
Really? Your plan is to purposefully force yourself to eat a whole bunch of crappy food all at once just to "get it out of the way" before you start a super clean diet plan? That sounds like a terrible idea. How about you throw it out. Give it away. Box it up and store it somewhere. I mean, why would you purposefully traumatize your system as step one of taking very good care of it?
Swap the Zone bars for Larabars. They're all natural, unprocessed, no added sugars, no gluten, no dairy. Just nuts and fruit. Totally Paleo.
As for coconut milk in your coffee, I tried that. You can buy it canned in the Mexican foods section of your grocery store. Make sure you get the MILK, not the thickened syrup stuff. It's kinda gross, by the way. It leaves little floaties in my coffee. But… it's an alternative to black. Try it.
Melissa
Angie,
Good girl. Welcome aboard.
Melissa
Okay, okay. I'm in too! I've been silently cyber-stalking you for awhile. But now with all of this amazing nutrition support, I must break my silence and jump on board!
I've been "struggling" with going 100% Paleo for awhile but with all of your advice, humor and tough love, I think I can finally do this. I have a very strong attachment to stevia, but as you say, it is probably cock-blocking my body from burning fat. (I'm thrilled to finally be able to use the term "cock block" more often in my daily life.)
Today, July 2, will be my official start day.
Thanks Melissa!
What about Hydroxycut Advanced? Is that out with this diet? Also, I am concerned about how to do this diet with my kids, 3 and 4. It is hard to do any diets with them around. What are some quick and easy protein choices other than eggs for snacks between meals?
Lisa
So I have a question, I am a diabetic and tend to stay mostly paleo, except when my bloodsugar goes low. Then I hit the sweettarts because they are just sugar which hits the bloodstream fastest. Does that count as cheating?
Sweet Suri Cruise, bring me patience.
Lisa, my dear… this is not a diet. This is about educating yourself as to what is "healthy" and what is psuedo-science. It's about learning to make better choices so you look, feel and perform better. It's about changing the way you eat for the rest of your life. Hydroxycut Advanced and other "diet pills" promise you a quick fix based on chemicals, not health. They are the OPPOSITE of healthy. Diet pills make false promises to lazy people who aren't willing to make the necessary efforts to educate themselves and take good care of their bodies. That's not us.
Protein: organic turkey slices, tuna packets (I like albacore in the pouch), cold or smoked salmon, cold chicken breast, to name a few.
Here's how you eat this way with kids – what you eat, they eat. Plain and simple. Why would you feed your kids anything different? If Fruit Roll Ups and Pop Tarts aren't good for you, they sure as hell aren't good for them.
Melissa
Judo Girl,
I can't speak about your diabetic condition, because I'm not a doctor. But I would HAVE to believe there are better options for managing your blood sugar than Sweet Tarts. Maybe you could look into that.
Robb Wolf has some good posts on Type 1 Diabetes, and how a Paleo diet can go a long way to managing the condition.
Melissa – let me be clear. I have very little non-paleo food and aside from the pb cups no 'crappy' food in my house. So consider my half pint of milk, two ounces of cheese, and handfull of reeses my final FO before really buckling down. Fortunately the zone bars wont tempt me from the cupboard…and i will def be picking up some lara bars and jerky.
Hi!! I'm a newbie to your blog Melissa and I'm already addicted to it!! this may be a really bizarre question…. but what's the paleo rule for gum? Even if you don't swallow it, the juices and artificial sweeteners technically go into your body… so is gum paleo-ok or not ok? I feel really funny and dumb for asking this, but like the saying goes… "the only dumb question is one not asked," so I figured..why not ask?!
Thanks a million!!
So I've been a long time reader of your blog (and I love it)…I've tried paleo on and off for a while now. When I was actually strict, it was awesome. But then, of course, I would cheat and it was a downward spiral.
So, I'm in.
i just realized i should clarify… is CHEWING gum ok? my comment sounded like i was asking about eating gum haha. sorry bout that.
Chelsea,
My bad… thanks for setting me straight. I pictured you and your husband sitting down like sharks feeding at a table sagging under the weight of Reese's candy products. Ha.
Mindy,
Gum has sugars (real or artificial), so nope. Good question, though.
To the new joiners,
Awesome. And welcome!
Larabars are ok? Sweet, they should help me get through some of the tough times.
Hi Melissa,
I'm IN!
Teresa–the girl w/ the braids at the NEQ =)
Jimi,
Larabars are okay. They're raw. It's the same as eating, well… fruit and nuts.
Teresa,
Hi, hot stuff! Hope life post-NEQ is going well. Glad to hear you're on board.
This is exactly the motivator I needed and it couldn't have come at a better time…thank-you and I'M IN!
First time poster – I’m in. I’ve wanted to ask how I should start out on a food plan and I guess I have my answer now. My one caveat will be that I won’t start strict paleo until I am home from vacation (Tuesday next week) so my 30 days will start then.
Now for breakfast I have been a protein shake girl for a long time, more so convenience than anything else as I drink it during my commute and it’s so quick in the morning to prepare for the road. If someone has suggestions that are quick and can be eaten on the road I’d appreciate it.
Is green tea with mint okay on paleo? It will be easier to give up my coffee with cream if the green tea is acceptable.
If I can put together a curry without the fish sauce that should work on Paleo as well, I think… I do love to cook with coconut milk!
Thanks so much Melissa!!!
Mel, (queen of the kevlar tube sock)
I am a dietitian and master chef that spent years of my life not only CAUSING illness by prescribing grains in copious quantities to my clients that needed quite the opposite, feeding my customers poison masquerading as 3 star NY Times, but used to honestly believe that calorie restriction was the only way to mitigate the ravages of obesity.
What a difference a few years of hard research make. I have been lower-carb, higher fat fan since the first time I read DiPascuale in the late 90s. That lifestyle let me reverse my trends toward he inherent sickness generated by insulin saturation and i've never looked back. When I found CrossFit and Coaches shpiel at my first cert started with the 'Deadly Quartet', i knew I had found the community I have been looking for my whole life. Been "Adjusted" Zoning for over a year now and finally went full on Paleo this spring.
Ok, so to the feckin' point already, chef!: I would have suggested that the paradigm shift in my health, performance, body composition and emotional health that has occurred in these short months was IMPOSSIBLE by any standard. By going full on Paleo I changed EVERYTHING so profoundly that my clients and friends cant stop asking HOW. Inflamation? Gone. Migraines? gone. Unipolar Cyclic Depression? Gone. Seasonal Allergies? WHAT allergies. I have sneezed once the whole season, seriously. My wife says I am frankly just a better person, more understanding with my kids, the whole nine yards.
I get into this whole rant for one purpose, to back you up 100% on maintaining the hardest line possible on 'DO NOT EVEN TELL ME IT's TOO HARD', F*ck that! Hear me clearly, this WILL RADICALLY, FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE. DO IT. DO IT RIGHT NOW.
Cheers to all of you who are taking this step, cheers to Melissa for adding another point for jumping off the suffering bandwagon. Spread the virus, it'll be a better world.
Hi Melissa, thanks so much for providing this forum. while i've been an almost-paleo person for a while, i never tried going full out paleo. i read this post soon after you posted it, and i've been thinking about it. but i figured i'll start 100% paleo while i think about it, and now that i'm committed to the point of declaring it here, i'm already meal 4 of pure paleo
i look forward to the next 29 days of paleo awesomeness with you and the other amazing people in this community.
A little birdie told me that some CrossFit 972'ers want to take on the 603's challenge. Come on guys, you've been officially called out.
Awesome post! Definitely sharing this one…
OK… I'm in. I've been grain/sugar/refined foods free (except for the occansional planned meal) for 3 months now. Dropping dairy won't mena much, as I usually only have dairy at breakfast.
Interestingly- I have not dropped any pounds since dropping grains/ sugars, etc. I have lost inches- but no scale movement. Nor do I feel any different. I do have a ridiculously hard time consuming a reasonable amount of calories in a day, despite being heavy on the fats (I measure olive oil in minutes poured rather than tablespoons).
I remain somewhat skeptical, but we'll see.
Um… Heather… you're saying you have lost Body fat (inches) and have gained Lean body mass (muscle, strength, the furnace that burns fat, etc) without having to starve (hard time eating ENOUGH)?!
Basically, you're saying that you have achieved what almost no isocaloric insulin roller coaster diet can do: lose fat/add muscle at the same time without relying on science to get it done. You're eating natural, phytonutrient rich food of the earth and transforming your body effortlessly at the same time?
Sorry to hear that. I would be skeptical, too. (rolls eyes, respectfully and tongue in cheek, but rolls eyes none the less)
Chef,
Lost inches… yes. Lost pounds… no. So… HAVE I gained lean mass? Dunno- there isn't a scale anywhere that says you have "x" amont of lean body mass, now is there? Gained strength? again- not appreciably. And as the amount of food I am consuming… well I am averaging 1100 calories a day (weighed and measured, tracking everything). Which, for my 4x a weel crossfitting, technical SCUBA instructor activity level is nowhere near "adequate".
So yea, I'm skeptical.
ok, my last 2 cents, dont want to hijack this thread and incur the Wrath of M.B….
Not an attack, so please dont get too defensive. yes the fact that you are clearly losing bodyfat by virtue of your measurements and maintaining scale weight defines in concrete terms you are replacing the fat weight lost with something, my bet is LBM.
Now I dont know your stats (height, weight, age, etc) but 1100 calories is VERY VERY low and my guess is therein lies your strength performance issues. Would you mind emailing me your stats off list? chef at cheffit dot com, If an extra pair of eyes on your math can help, i would love to.
I'm new to all things Crossfit and Paleo but YOU are a freaking Rockstar. I'll link you on my site as well. I hope to do my own 30 day Paleo experiment but am thankful to watch another go before me…
Great blog, fab attitude and you simply kickass!
B
heather, you may want to read other posts on this blog. esp the one about how you are not eating enough.
Hi there. I am new to Crossfit (3wks, one fresh out of elements!) and Paleo (5 days –keeping carbs between 150-50gr per day, no grains, starchs and such, although in my paleo I was still hitting the splendas and Diet sodas.) I got to say, when I first read this I didn’t wanted to accept the challenge because I didn’t wanted to leave the artificial sugars. But, after reading the post about how much damage they can cause…I am in! (I can’t imagine that I would jeopardize all the change that the paleo lifestyle implies to my previous lifestyle for such a stupid thing as splenda and diet coke!) I will count my 30 days since today and see what happens!
Thanks for the inspiration! It was exactly, exactly what I needed!
I am in. Counting from monday.
Ok I'm game.
30 days paleo, counting tomorrow as Day 1 (I was paleo today but put stevia in my coffee).
Biggest challenge for me will be no bars. When I'm out running around they are fast and easy. But I'm sure the chemicals keep me craving junk.
3, 2, 1.
In for this, my 30 started today.
So you won't eat grain but will drink coffee? How is that "paleolithic"?
Welcome to the new people.
Mariah, look into Larabars. They're fruit and nuts – raw, organic, unprocessed. Just fruit and nuts. I use them for emergency snacks because they're easier than carrying around, well, fruit and nuts.
Bongoman,
This isn't about "eating Paleo" – that's just the closest description I've found to the way I eat. But I don't care what you call it. This is about learning how to eat in the healthiest manner for YOU, personally, specifically. For you, that may or may not include coffee.
During my last 30 day super-strict stint, I went without coffee. I added it back and kept it when the 30 days were up because, in moderate amounts, coffee works okay for me. In my research, I've found coffee works okay for most people. (Unlike, say, grains.) So I'm leaving it up to each individual as to whether they want to try omitting it from their diets at this point.
If you think about this as simply eating what the Cave Man ate for 30 days, you are missing my point entirely.
Melissa
I'm game. 30 days starts today.
Any good ideas for breakfast? I usually do eggs but it says limit to 6 a week?????
I realise my coffee remark was a little insensitive.
It's just that for me, eating clean requires getting rid of coffee without a doubt. I find it incredibly addictive and that it has far more of a load on my body than modest amounts of grain or dairy.
chicken / egg argument. Crossfitting and cutting starch took me from a pot plus per day to one luxury cup I could do without.
Bongo,
I didn't think it was insensitive, I just thought you were missing my point. But you weren't, which is cool.
Here's my rationale for "letting" people keep their coffee. For most people – even people who have been eating clean-ish for a while – cutting grains AND dairy AND sugars AND coffee would lead to a ridiculous amount of headaches, jitters, crankiness and general suicidal tendencies. Those people are going to blame the FOOD, not their beloved coffee and the subsequent caffeine withdrawal, for the fact that they're feeling crappy. They'll say, "This Paleo thing makes me feel awful" and probably abandon. So I let them keep their coffee, and their sanity, because there are far fewer compelling reasons to give it up compared to grains, dairy or sugars.
That's my logic, anyway. I do think people should give up coffee at some point and see how they feel. Just not, like, right now.
Melissa
As an aside, why do the fine people at Sunbutter only offer the "Organic" version minus cane juice? You mean I have to pay more to get it without the sugars?!
/soapbox off
So . . . long-time reader, first-time commenter. I've always found your posts inspiring, thoughtful, informative, and funny. Plus, your writing is the best thing to point people to when they don't get why I do (eat, work out, etc) what I do. So thanks for that.
And now, I'm on board with this. I made the decision to black-box milk this morning, but I figure what the heck, might as well go all the way. . .
OK, I just had to read the tough love part of your blog one more time (aka "its not that effing hard"). I was trying to rationalize eating my favorite type of bad food because it was thundering… Seriously, I just caught myself having a serious conversation trying to rationalize that…. The Paleo has gone to my brain.
I am new to this blog but just read this posting and am IN!! I am excited for the changes to come.
I've been following for awhile and have finally decided to commit. I'm in starting today.
Ok. I really want to do this because I am so sick of the crack. I am sitting here with an aching stomach from yet another junkfood binge, and I'm just plain sick of it.
Melissa, I know you will set me straight, so please do.
Here's my latest stream of excuses:
In the next 30 days I have a food tasting event for my wedding (how in the heck am I supposed to get around that?), a concert (complete with tailgating), and a beach vacation (only 4 days, thank goodness).
Please Melissa, set me straight in that quippy, in-your-face fashion we all love so much.
thanks, YOU ROCK!
I am ready to commit. I have been crossfitting for about a year and a half and love it. I have lost about 40#, gotten much stronger, and it has changed my life. I lost the 40# following the zone very strict for about a year. I decided to start adding some cheat days in, when I did my diet slowly started getting horrible. I have gained 8-10# and that makes me nervous bc my weight has always gone up and down and I dont want it up again.I am also noticing that my crossfit workouts are suffering which is definetly not what I want. So it is time for me to be commit to much better eating. Sorry if this is a long post it is my first time posting and now I am going to go throw away my cottage cheese for lunch and go get some meat. Thanks
Way to go Brooke! You rock on with your meat! I also did the Zone first and lost the majority of my excess fat through that. Then I stalled, and then I found Paleo. I think the Zone was great for learning how MUCH food to eat, and how to balance carbs and protein. But Paleo steps up the game. Good luck!
Welcome Brooke! I'm on day 1 too and going through no coffee headaches but everyone tells me it's worth it so I'm sticking with it!
Thanks guys for the welcome and the encouragement! I am very fired up about the challenge! I am definetly hoping that Paleo will step up my game.
Mark, I am glad that I am not the only one that got a late start on the challenge and I know that I will be having diet coke withdrawals headaches very soon!
Obviously, I'm late. I've been reading this blog since about the third day of your challenge (although, I've read back now, and want to let you know that you are frickin AWESOME — but of course, you knew that). Initially I decided to totally commit — then balked, because I'm a big freaking baby.
But this is my third week of Crossfit, and since I have a LONG way to go (I'm starting at 100+ pounds overweight, for crying out loud), I should not be cock blocking *any* fat loss my body could be having.
So….with a deep breath and a newfound resolve, I will be reading all the comments tonight, and I. Am. In. (Counting from tomorrow, obviously, since I am done eating for the day today…)
Welcome Jessica! It seems that you've mentally prepped for it and are ready. I just got through my no caffeine headache that lasted almost two days and now I feel good now. Also, I don't know if you're a coffee drinker but decaf coffee with coconut milk is excellent! Enjoy!
-Mark (Day 2)
I've been zoning it for a while and have just started experimenting with paleo over the last couple of weeks after entering the wonderful world of crossfit. What a relief to come across this blog! Just as my resolve was starting to falter and i was considering falling off the paleo bandwagon!
Reading your words and everybody's replies is the kick up the butt i needed!
You can definitely count me in!
What are your thoughts on combining paleo and the zone?
Being an active crossfitter i am currently doing 16 blocks per day.
Hi Melissa,
You, Dallas and other posters have given me the courage to try; I start tomorrow! (eating Paleo that is). I'm far from doing CrossFit with my jello arms. I'm a PT patient of Dallas' (and colleague at the same hospital). So maybe once I'm "healed" I can get stronger. Anyway, I was encouraged to share my info w/ you….After going thru a 2 week vegan program (I won't mention which one since it's a touchy subject for some of the followers) I found myself with higher fasting glucose levels along with all over aches, tendonitis in my shoulder and severe lack of energy–which I was almost convinced was depression even though I'm probably the happiest-positive person on earth. I heard about grains being a culprit and later learned from Dallas it's a real problem, along w/legumes and dairy. Since I already quit dairy and noticed a lack of acne I decided I should back off the grains and legumes. I have nothing to lose. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about Paleo including nagging Dallas for information. Tomorrow I'm going all the way and won't cheat. I'm getting my blood tested for a baseline and then tested again in 30 days. I can't wait to see the result and will share if that's ok. Thanks for having this place. It's helped me tremendously already and I'm only a beginner.
@Brad: Sorry I missed this comment! First, welcome. Second, LOTS of people do Zone proportions with Paleo food. If that's been working for you, then go for it. You may find you need to tweak your intake a bit, though… maybe more fat, and maybe less carbs. Just a though – be willing to play around a bit with your blocks and do some trial and error to see how things go.
@Cheryl: Dallas told me all about your conversations – AND that you've read every post and every comment related to this 30 day process. THAT'S some up-front commitment. I'm very happy to have you here, and I predict GREAT things will happen for you in the next 30 days. Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions, and please keep posting your progress to comments. The community around here is pretty damn awesome, and I think participating in an active fashion makes the whole process just a little bit easier.
Best,
Melissa
Melissa- Lurker for awhile. Started training at a kettlebell/crossfit gym, entering month 3 and now the changes are starting to show. A few of us are giving paleo a try and I have one stumbling block. I need to add weight and muscle. I've been very good about food intake. Veggies, chicken, fish, some fruit. Only 3 times have I had brown rice due to work travel.. The one thing I haven't stopped are the protein supplement shakes. I have a feeling the answer to this is going to be intake in meat protein to make up for it…but I wanted to see what your thoughts and the community thoughts were on increasing weight on this type of meal plan.
I've really felt good , first few days I felt different but now it's pretty good and I have not had a hard time sticking to it. After reading your posts though I think I need to really step it up to strict because I know I am not at 100%.. Ok thanks and great blog!
I'm in. On day 4 – energy levels appear normal. Drinking coffee black wasn't as bad as I was expecting after I put it on ice.
Actually, it's interesting how damn easy it is to eat this way. Even for lunch if I'm in a pinch I can swing by the supermarket, pick up some turkey – broccoli, and almonds. Stuff it in my face, done.
Rethinking food as "fuel" instead of "comfort" is something I'm very much looking forward to.
Thanks for the great posts
-Flee
I'm curious as to the reasoning behind not eating legumes. I always heard that beans are good for you, especially the organic, no salt added variety with dried being the best versions to use. I recently ready Jillian Michaels' book, Master Your Metabolism, and she also sings the praises of legumes. Paraphrasing from pp 120 – 121: beans and other legumes do have carbs, but the best kinds. Beans are one of the richest sources of soluble fiber – helps control blood sugar. They also have resistant starch RS1 which resists digestion until hitting the large intestine where it fights inflammation, cancer, and bad gut "bugs," lowers insulin levels, feel fuller, store less fat, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and improve your body's insulin sensitivity. Many beans contain phytoestrogens which reduce circulating estrogen (unlike the isoflavones in processed soy products) and they are high in zinc and B vitamins which boost testosterone.
That's her take based on the studies she's using to support her regimen. I'm assuming there are studies you are using to support yours. Help me out here… why no legumes? I just want to make an informed decision. It just seems to against the idea of eating "real" food. Thanks!
Hey everyone. I'm new to CF and have been doing a couple of weeks worth of research on the Paleo diet. I have two topics to discuss. First, CF by yourself is pretty tough; I don't mean that the workouts are tougher than in a gym, I mean that its pretty hard to push yourself when your scores and times are not easily compared to someone else pushing themselves right next to you. Competition is the best motivator in the world for me. I know this is not a CF blog, but any pointers on how to push myself would be great.
Second, to address the last topic…
@Carly, please see the website on the following link. http://www.earth360.com/diet_paleodiet_balzer.html
It takes a scientific approach as to what foods are Paleo and what foods are not and the reason for each. Legumes, for the most part, are un-consumable in their natural state and need to be detoxified (cooked) before they are edible. How to detoxify these foods was a discovery made only in the Neolithic era (around 10,000 years ago). That's only a couple of hundred generations, which is a fraction of a fraction of a blink of an eye on the timescale of evolution. Even though there are viable health benefits to consuming these foods, there are still trace levels of toxins left in them after cooking. I do not discount the claims of Jillian Michaels as they compare to the average American or Western diet, but you can achieve all of these benefits from a strictly Paleo diet without the trace toxins.
Props to everyone here!
Ok, I have been following this diet for nearly 30 days, strict, and have to say, I feel exactly the same. No difference. The change for me was cutting out dairy, gluten, and legumes. Having done more research since I started the diet, I believe, for most people, it is irrelevant whether you cut these things out or not, as well as nightshades. I cut them out and have noticed no difference, even in my joint soreness. Unless one is highly sensitive to dairy, or gluten, it doesn't make a lot of sense to cut these out of your diet, and is rather arbitrary. For me, I'll finish up the 30 days since I made the commitment, but won't be sticking with this eating plan. It works no better than other eating plans for me and allows far fewer foods. Bad combo.
To Michael: who cares if we are eating like they did in the paleolithic era? We don't live like they do, not even close, so we shouldn't eat like they did.
Trace amounts of toxins even in cooked legumes? Irrelevant. There are trace amounts of toxins in nearly everything, yet at such low levels as to prove an irrelevant factor.
Whether or not we LIVE like they did in the Paleolithic era doesn't change the fact that we are genetically the same and our bodies process food the exact same way. 2 million years of processing food one way vs. 10,000 years of processing it a different way doesn't leave enough time to completely adapt. It's like if you were to spend 20 years building the perfect weed whacker and someone told you that you have 3.65 days to turn it into a chainsaw. You might be able to get the job done (maybe), but it's still going to be a pretty crappy chainsaw. The application of the tool (our bodies) does not change the tool. If you hammer nails with a wrench, it doesn't make it a hammer (and it would still turn bolts better than it hammers nails).
As far as the legumes go, I am not saying that the trace levels of toxins are signifigant. I am simply describing why they are off limits for this plan.