Paleoooooo...Kinda

So my sis and I have decided to go Paleo for the month of March.

Why Paleo for the month of March? Why in honor of the Crossfit Games of course! The open kicks off March 6th, and I am participating. Whoohooo! I figure if I am going to lift like a crossfitter I would try eating like one too ;-) Plus there have been a handful of clients ask me about eating Paleo, so it gives me a chance to do a little hands on research.

What is Paleo?
My interpretation, a return to more natural eating. If you could plant it, hunt it, harvest it, and eat with little to no processing you can eat it on this meal plan.

Robb Wolf , paleo nutrition expert, breaks it down to avoiding: dairy, grains, processed food & sugars, legumes, starches and alcohol and enjoying: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, nuts & seeds, and healthy fats.

Everyday Paleo, lists items to include in your pantry and fridge to support your Paleo eating and she refers to Robb Wolf's info as well.

Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa?
Ummm yeah. This is where the debate heats up ;-) . Sweet poatoes seem to get the okay in moderation. Quinoa makes some lists but not all (seed with the characteristics of a carb).

For me, I am okay with sweet potatoes and quinoa. I am still in my muscle building phase so I need carbs. The fruit and veggies are a good source, but not enough to meet my current needs.

So, for the month of March I am a Paleo Moderate ;-)
It has been about a week and it is not so different from my bodybuilding diet, except that I get sooo much fruit, and oatmeal and brown rice have disappeared.  I am using MyFitnessPal to track my nutrition.  I am hitting all of my building season goals accept Calcium, so I will be supplementing that.

If you're also an athlete you may need to bend the Pale rules too. Here you can find some tips on Paleo for Athletes: http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/nutrition/quick-guide-the-paleo-diet-for-athletes.aspx

Remember to speak with your doctor before beginning any new nutrition or exercise programming. Not every plan is right for every person.

Have you gone Paleo? What do you think about it? Got any tips or resources for a newbie?

Health and Happiness

L