I accepted the Paleo Challenge on March 18th, 2012 and completed it on April 21st, 2012.

Almost immediately after reading Cassidy’s Paleo Cookbook and taking on this new lifestyle change, I became aware that I had just entered a rather small club.  I became sensitized to how bombarded I was on a daily basis with unhealthy food choices everywhere, from radio, television, internet, friends, to even the strangers around me making such choices.  I really wasn’t sure of what I was getting myself into.  I had the goal of losing some body fat but, ultimately, I was just curious to see what would happen by going cold-turkey and to see this grand experiment through to the end.

Almost of the changes I experienced on the diet occurred within the first week.  It was difficult in transitioning to the new kinds of foods I was consuming, as I’d get slight upset stomachs and disliked the taste of the seemingly bland food I was now eating.  I even experienced slight anxiety on a couple occasions that first week and immensely craved sugar, as if I was going through some kind of withdrawal.  I’d miss the taste of salt as well.  And I’d also get random and odd cravings, like a desire for ranch dressing, of all things.  Sometimes I’d even get feelings of hunger but not strong enough to want even a snack.

Slowly, but surely, as the negative effects were going away that first week the positive ones were taking hold.  I was noticeably less tired after workouts at the gym.  I had a lot more energy than usual, even taking on things I had been putting off for a while.  I started to taste the subtleties of the foods I was eating.  Eventually, I began to make out the amazing tastes in foods that I never could before.  I never knew how sweet carrots and cashews were before– I even disliked cashews before– and they now serve as good desserts.  Avocados, spices, shrimp, and scallops all tasted amazing now– all of which I had once disliked.  Soon, every food I was eating tasted great.  This only encouraged me to experiment in cooking and I eventually branched off from using Cassidy’s Paleo Cookbook as a guide to not using it at all, creating all sorts of delicious concoctions.  And this is coming from a person that used to absolutely detest cooking, loathing the time it’d take to prepare a meal.  But now in no time at all I can whip up a great meal while simultaneously cleaning up and actually enjoy doing it all the while.  Truly, cooking is a worthwhile and vital life skill to have.

Near the end of the first week I interestingly stopped experiencing body odor, especially after avoiding the red meats that I could eat.  And, amusingly, I also stopped having any kind of flatulence.  To say the least, for a college-aged guy, having neither of those is seemingly nothing short of a miracle.  I also noticed that I was sweating less during workouts.  Whether that’s due to less toxins needing to be expelled from the body I have no clue; I can only speculate.  Either way, I now only use one small hand towel compared to the two or three I used to use before in one workout.  My cravings by this point were also gone, having had a few days to settle into this new regimen.  I still had thoughts of missing the experience of dining out, but after discovering how fun and delicious experimental cooking was, I found the latter to be more rewarding.  My energy levels were higher than I had experienced in a very, very long time.  Even my moods changed for the better, often feeling happy, elated, or simply satisfied.

In the following weeks, the initial changes stayed, but the bulk of their incidence had passed.  But I did notice more interesting changes in the later weeks.  My sleep improved to where I felt more rested, had deeper sleeps, would drift off faster, and would even wake up quicker with no grogginess in the mornings or after naps.  I noticed I dreamed a lot more than I used to as well, and much more vividly at that.  I started to taste water really well, to the point where I could tell the difference between the gym water, bottled water, regular tap, and filtered (props to the gym for having the best tasting of them all).  And on the note of water, I was drinking incredible amounts.  I’d often and regularly feel thirsty and crave water.  And this one might be unsettling to some but waste is a fact of life, and I definitely noticed the kind that I was making was in much larger quantities than ever before.  My skin had also cleared up during this time to where I hardly had any breakouts anymore.  And I also consistently performed much better during workouts.  Towards the end of the month during the last week I noticeably ate more often and in slightly larger amounts too, in perhaps what was a change in metabolism.  Finally, by the time that Cassidy and I did our end-month measurements, we found that had I lost about 3% body fat and it sent me from the fitness range to the athletic.

So, has this grand experiment been worth it?  In every way I’d say yes, to the point where this will become a lifestyle change for me.  I don’t see myself going back to the pre-made microwavable and oven-cooked Costco meals that I often lived on before, or even the ornate college foods of pizza, chipotle, and ramen noodles– although, I may have to cheat once in a while for the sake of social occasions.  But I welcome the change of now shopping at Sunflower Farmer’s Market and enjoy cooking a fresh meal each breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Not to mention, the satisfaction of having ardently stuck to my goal of staying on diet and seeing it through to the end was very rewarding.  Ultimately, I find that the pros of this diet far outweigh its minimal cons and they have more than convinced me to commit to this new lifestyle.  I’d recommend it to anyone, regardless of their current health.  You will feel better, and everyone is deserving of such a thing.

– Brent

PROS:
- More energy, less fatigue
- Lower body fat percentage
- Better exercise performance
- Better moods and their frequency
- Improved ability to taste both the subtle and rich flavors of foods and beverages
- Greater enjoyment of more various foods
- Possible improvement in the enjoyment of cooking, if not the ability and speed of cooking
- Decrease, if not end, of body odor
- Decrease, if not end, of flatulence
- Decrease in excessive sweating
- Improved sleep
- Improved skin quality
- Cheaper cost of cooking at home than eating out
- Flexibility of diet (No calorie or portion counting, just balance)
- Feeling fuller on less caloric-dense foods

CONS:
- Temporary possibility of slight but upset stomachs
- Temporary possibility of a confused stomach, whether it’s hungry or not
- Temporary dislike for seemingly bland-tasting foods
- Temporary cravings and withdrawal symptoms for once favored foods, particularly ones with salt or sugar
- Temporary intimidation of cooking a variety of seemingly complicated foods (Weren’t that complicated after all)
- Price of shopping healthy, particularly with organics, but can be offset by shopping at farmers markets and purchasing non-organics
- Thoughts of missing the experience of dining out and of once favored foods and beverages
- Although the diet helps sleep, it may not end episodes of insomnia (Although mine became less frequent)
- Possible increase in frequency of dish washing and kitchen cleaning (I eventually learned to optimize to offset this)

DEBATABLE:
- Dramatic increase in water intake
- Larger waste quantities
- Increased frequency and vividness of dreams
- Increased frequency and amounts of food consumption a few weeks into the diet (Then again, I never ate much before)
- Having to keep an accurate food log (It’s optional, but would recommend to help staying on the diet properly)

Bodybuilder Magazines/Websites (Muscle and Fitness, Flex, Ironman, T-Nation, etc): If you are still delusional enough to think that the gentlemen that appear on the covers and pages of these resources have developed their physiques through hard work and proper nutrition, then we need to have a conversation.  If you have pulled back the thin veil, and realized that these fellows are systematically using legal and illegal anabolic substances to aid them in their efforts, then you need to understand that their workouts reflect that.  And that if you try to replicate those workouts, it is a recipe for disaster.  Anabolic substances help the body to recover faster than normal.  After putting in a grueling 2 hours pushing weights at the gym, these guys have ramped up their systems to be able to recover in a fraction of the time it would take a normal system.  If you do not have the same assistance, and try to imitate the workload volume and intensity, you will certainly be on the short road to overtraining and injury.

Ladies Fitness/Self Help Magazine/Websites (Shape, Oxygen, Glamour, Cosmo, etc): While many of the movements prescribed by these fitness waifs and fashion floozies can be effective, all too often the manner in which they are recommended is so far off of effective as to be ridiculous.  You will never build a bodacious booty by simply raising your leg behind you 500 times.  You will never be able to do ANY new and incredible abs movement and be able to show off your belly, if you have a layer of pastries and pizza over it.  It can’t be said enough – women do NOT have the hormones necessary to build big muscles.  Strength train and reap the reward.  If you think you are bulking up, try looking at your diet.  Not your exercise program.

Personal Trainers: You’d think that this would be a safe one, right?  I’ve got a secret to tell you: the fitness industry is about making money, first and foremost.  And personal trainer “certifications” can be earned with a few hundred bucks and a weekend seminar.  This does not automatically create a qualified, knowledgeable professional.  Where does your trainer get their programming from?  Is it from one of the “resources” we have already mentioned?  Or is it from a well thought out, progressive plan, using varying intensities of workload, and specifically designed to accommodate your goals and needs based on experience and education?  Just askin’…

The trainers at Performance Fitness are happy to talk to you about your current program, your goals and needs, and your nutrition.  Just ask to set up a consultation today!

We advertise a free consultation.  In fact, we encourage all our members to get one.  Is it worth it?  Isn’t any free consultation just going to be a sales pitch?  Not at Performance Fitness.  Our philosophy is based in customer service, and that most certainly extends to our consultation process.

We have two main objectives in our consultation process.  We want to know what you would like to work on with your fitness programming.  We also want to know what you need to address with your fitness programming.  To determine those things, our consultation uses specific steps.

First, we want to identify your goals and limitations.  We ask questions about your exercise history, like: How long has it been since you exercised?  What did you like about it, and what didn’t you like about it?  We want to know if you have any musculoskeletal complications that we should be aware of: achy lower backs, surgically repaired knees, or tweaky shoulders.   And we want to know what kind of attitudes you carry towards exercise.  Do you love it, or is it something you begrudgingly do because you know you should?

In addition, we want to learn what your goals are, and help you refine them.  Anyone can come in and say they want to lose weight, but that is a poor goal.  Our process helps to flesh out your goals by asking you to be more specific about them, giving them a time frame, and creating a real, attainable outcome in your mind.  This type of goal is something that you can embrace and work towards.

The last step of our consultation process involves a process called a Functional Movement Screen.  The training system we use at Performance Fitness revolves around building and maintaining basic functions, and this screening system gives us a clear picture of where you are, and what your program needs to include to correct or strengthen any immobility, asymmetries, or weaknesses in your movement.  These are things you may be aware of, or you may not even know that they exist.  Regardless, if left untouched, these types of small things eventually lead to injury.

This entire process is something that we want to make sure everyone has a chance to experience.  Between the development and refinement of your goals, to the screening and analysis of your movement, our process provides you with all the information that you need to begin an incredibly effective, safe, and productive fitness program.  Please don’t hesitate to schedule your free consultation today!

If you said 2000, you are not alone.  Due to nutrition labels commonly basing their percentages on a 2000 calorie per day diet, most Americans think that this is their baseline.  But we should take some time to examine the history and application of that number.

The United States National Academy of Sciences developed the first Daily Values (DV) and Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) after World War II in the 1940’s.  This was the first attempt at developing references for the macronutrient (protein, carbs, and fats) and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) intakes for the population.  The Daily Value standards covered the macronutrients, and the RDA covered the micronutrients.

The RDA has been updated approximately every 10 years since, and has undergone several name changes – currently going by the name RDI, or Recommended Daily Intake.  The DV has undergone several updates as well, but always to the amount of carbs, protein, and fat recommended – never adjusting the total amount consumed.  The 2000 calorie per day mark has been the standard since the 1940’s; which is why it is commonly accepted as a baseline for most people.

However, we are a different society than we were in the late 40’s.  We move much less: at home, at work, and at play.  There are fewer factories and more offices.  There are TV’s with remotes, video games, and websites instead of playing catch, going for walks, or visiting neighbors.  We have more cars, less housework, and more washing machines.

The fact is that someone in the 1940’s might have needed 2000 calories a day.  But we do not now.  If you are basing your daily caloric intake on a 2000 calorie diet, unless you are hitting the gym every day, have a physically demanding job, or are an adolescent, you are eating far too much.  If I were to guess, I’d bet that an average American needs NO more than 1500 calories a day.  Some far less.

So it’s the end of the month and my journey through Paleo land is over. I stayed as true as  could to a legitimate Paleo diet; I ate meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, and drank water. I did have a beer and went out to a couple restaurants, but I tried to eat the cleanest versions of their offerings. No sauces, breads, or grains of any sort.

Was it worth it? I would say yes for a couple of reasons.  1) I felt great throughout the whole month of January because I was able to maintain energy through the day. I didn’t have that 2:30 groggy, tired feeling and it was easier to get going in the morning.  2) I learned how to cook many different types of food and some of the same foods in different ways.  3) I ended up maintaining an eight pound loss as well as about 3% body fat drop, ending up at 9.5%. I wasn’t even trying to lose weight or body fat and considering I was eating TONS of food I think the results were decent.  4) I also noticed that my sinuses and skin cleared up.

Probably the most valuable thing I took away from this was consciously monitoring my food. Intake, ingredients, preparation, portions, times, and fluid consumption. It is mind blowing when you take away all of the little things. It was tough in the beginning sitting in the kitchen thinking about what to make meat and veggies every night. But once you begin trying out different things and combining them in different ways it is amazing how many different options you have.

I am not going to be eating Paleo anymore. I will, however, continue to eat clean the majority of the time and reintroduce some things back into my way of eating such as; rice, beans, yogurt, and oatmeal. I would recommend everyone give it a shot; if nothing else you will be more focused and conscious about what you eat on a daily basis, as well as more aware of changes your body is making.

So I’m offering it up, try out a 30 day Paleo challenge and let us know how it goes. Define what “Your Paleo” is. Track your results. Tell us about your experience.

1/16

530am

10oz coffee, ½ cup cashews, pear

630am

20oz water

730am

Banana

930am

8oz salmon, 1 ½ cup broccoli, 2 cuties, 20oz water

Noon

20oz water, 2 cup spinach, ½ cup cashew, ½ blackberries, apple, lemon juice

130pm

20oz water

330pm

8oz steak, 1 ½ cups sweet potato, grapefruit, ½ cup almonds, 20oz water

5pm

1 cup beets, 20oz water

630pm

20oz water

8pm

Couple pieces of squash and pineapple

7 hours of sleep the previous night.

Fresh start with a new week and eating is getting more dialed in. Meals are more consistent and spread out with snacks in between. School begins tomorrow and work is getting busy. Let’s see if Paleo can keep up.

1/17

5am

4 eggs, ½ cup mushroom, ½ cup onion, ¼ avocado, banana, 10oz coffee

615am

20oz water

745am

20oz water, strength train

9am

10oz ground turkey, 1 ½ cup mixed squash, apple, 10oz coffee, 20oz water

10am

16oz water

11am

3 boiled eggs, 1 cup grapes, 16oz water

12-3pm

30oz water

4pm

2 cups spinach, 10oz salmon, ½ cup tomato, 16oz water

530pm

16oz water

6pm

½ cup almond, banana, 16oz water

8pm

8oz chicken, ½ cup mushroom, ½ cup onion

7 ½ hours of sleep the previous night.

22 miles of bike riding, a full day of work, and the first day of school. I felt great, didn’t even nod off in class. I can already tell that “on the go” food is going to be a must. Need to get a food prep/ homework schedule lined up.

1/18

515am

1 cup shrimp, 4 eggs, 12oz coffee, pear, ½ cup cashews, banana

630am

16oz water

730am

16oz water

830am

16oz water, apple

1030am

8oz chicken, ½ cup mushrooms, ½ cup onions, avocado smoothie(small avocado, 2 tbl spoon cashew, 1 cup coconut water, 1 tbl spoon honey, ice)

11am

20oz water

1pm

20oz water, banana, cutie, ½ cup almonds

2pm

10oz coffee, 20oz water

5pm

8oz salmon, 2 cup squash, 20oz water

7pm

Munched on fruit and veggies preparing for the next day.

6 ½ hour of sleep the previous night.

1/19

5am

2 eggs, ½ cup mushroom, ½ cup onion, ½ cup spinach, ½ cup blackberries, banana, 12oz coffee

630am

20oz water

830am

20oz water, ½ cup cashew, mango

1030am

1 ½ cup sweet potato, 10oz chicken, 20oz water

1230pm

18oz coconut water, tangelo, ½ cup almonds

3pm

20oz water, pear

5pm

20oz water, 4 cups mixed kale, ½ cup tomato, 8oz Basa, 2 cups asparagus

6pm

20oz water

6 hours of sleep the previous night.

Very busy today, meals are more spread out and felt hungry all day long. Lost energy at about 6pm or so. Realizing that I am eating a lot of fruit and am going to try and cut it down. Needed more fat and protein throughout the day.

1/20

515am

Banana, ½ cup cashews, 6oz ground turkey, 10oz coffee

630am

20oz water

8am

½ cup brussel sprouts with bacon and shallots, 8oz chicken with mushroom and onion, 20oz water

930am

½ cup cashews, apple

10am

20oz water

Noon

20oz water, Strength trained, ran 1.5 miles

230pm

2 cups sweet potato, mango, 8oz shredded beef, 2 cup lettuce, ½ cup tomato, ½ avocado, ½ cup bell pepper, 16oz water

4pm

20oz water

5pm

18oz coconut water

530pm

12oz water

8 hours of sleep the previous night

The end of another week is here and my fridge is empty again. Scrounging together food to make meals until Sunday. Huge meal in the middle of the day, I was full…too full. It was post workout so its ok. Right? Big food day tomorrow with a grill out. Bring on the weekend.

1/9

515am

4 eggs, 2 slices bacon, pear, 16oz water

745am

Banana, ½ cup cashews, 10 oz coffee

8am

20oz water

11am

8oz ground turkey, 2 cups mixed veggies, 18 oz coconut water, ½ cup almonds

Noon

20oz water, 5 boiled eggs, 2 cups bell pepper

2pm

1 cup blueberries, ½ cup almonds, 6oz coffee

3pm

20oz water

330pm

3 cups mixed greens, ½ cup blackberries, ½ cup cashews, ½ apple, 20oz water

5pm

½ cup mixed berries, banana, 8oz water, Tbl. Spoon flax oil

7pm

½ cup almonds

8pm

8oz steak, ½ cup onions

7hours of sleep the previous night.

1/10

530am

½ cup cashews, banana, 16oz water

630am

10oz coffee, 20oz water

730am

10oz ground turkey, 1 cup mixed bell pepper

1130am

30oz water, strength trained 5×5

Noon
1 1/2 sweet potato, 5 hard boiled eggs, 18oz coconut water, 2 honey sticks

2pm
2cups mixed greens, 1 small tomato, 1/2 avocado, 3 slices bacon, 16oz water

3pm
1/4 pineapple, handful almonds, 16oz water

4pm
2 cups mixed greens, 1/2 cup cashews, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cup blackberries, 16oz water

7pm
handful almonds, orange, 20oz water

8pm
1/2 cup pineapple, 20oz water, small piece tilapia, couple pieces broccoli, couple pieces squash (making food for tomorrow)

7 hours of sleep the previous night.

Realizing that I have a week down and three to go…and that I’m eating the same stuff over and over. It’s not too bothersome but I’m going to dip into my Paeo Diet Cookbook by Loren Cordain(thanks Erin). Need to find some tasty recipes with some more variety. I still feel good and don’t have any complaints. As an unintended side effect my roommates are eating cleaner as well.

1/11

5am

10oz coffee, banana, 6oz steak, 3 eggs, 1 cup bell pepper

630am

20oz water

9am

Pear, ½ cup almonds, 6oz coffee

1030am

4 boiled eggs,1 ½ cup mixed bell pepper, 20oz water

12pm

Strength Trained 5×5 cleans, 21-15-9 squats

130pm

18oz coconut water, 12oz tilapia, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup cauliflower, 1 cup mixed squash

330pm

½ cup almonds, 2 small oranges, 20oz water

430pm

20oz water

6pm

½ cup almonds 20oz water

8pm

Munched on foods while preparing for tomorrow. 16oz water.

7 hours of sleep the previous night.

The days are getting busier which means I’m getting off later which means it’s becoming harder to prepare food for the next day…I’m just whining. Time to get up earlier good thing I got a coffee maker and some awesome Swedish coffee. This is a bit time consuming, I probably cook  and prepare for about 1-1 ½ hours each night when I get home for the next day. Sunday is going to have to become the designated cooking day for the week. Hopefully I can make enough to last the whole week.

1/12

530am

½ cup cashews, apple, 8oz coffee

630am

20oz water

730am

4 boiled eggs, ½ cup blackberries, 20oz water

10am

12oz turkey, 2 cups sweet potato, 2 cuties, 20oz water

11am

20oz water, strength trained

1230pm

6oz tilapia, 1 cup squash, 18oz coconut water

1pm

20oz water

2pm

4 eggs, ½ cup onion, ½ cup bell pepper, ½ cup tomato, 20oz water

330pm

½ cup almonds, 2 tbl. spoon honey

4pm

20oz water

6pm

½ cup almonds, 200z water

8pm

20oz water

7 hours of sleep the night before.

It was a good day. That’s that.

1/13

515am

3 eggs, 8oz steak, 12 oz coffee, grapefruit

630am

20oz water

8am

Avocado, ½ cup cashews, 1 cup coconut water, 2 tbl. spoon honey, ice

(smoothie, kinda like sweet guacamole…pretty delicious.)

9am

20oz water

1030am

10oz steak, 1 ½ cup mixed veggies, 20oz water, 2 cuties

1130am

20oz water

2pm

3 cups spinach, 1/3 cup almond, ½ cup blackberries, apple, 4 boiled eggs, 20oz water

3pm

12oz ground beef, 1 ½ cup sweet potato

4pm

20oz water

5pm

20oz water

6pm

½ cup almonds, banana, 20oz water

8pm

½ cup pineapple, 16oz water

7 hours of sleep the night before

It’s the weekend! Had a great day today, feeling a little tired at the tail end. Have a bit of food left and will probably be able to make it through the weekend. I’m going to try and find a “paleo” restaurant to eat at, this is going to be a tough one.  Saturday here we come.

1/14

7am

4 slices bacon, 4 eggs, 1 cup spinach, 10oz coffee

8am

20oz water

9am

Banana, ½ cup cashew, 12oz coffee

10am

20oz water

Noon

20oz water

2pm

12oz tilapia, 2 cup spinach, ½ avocado, 1small tomato, 16oz water

330pm

20oz water, ran a mile for time(6:12:16)

5pm

Mongolian BBQ , 5 bowls of different combinations chicken, beef, pork, and an array of vegetables, 32oz water

If you are on Paleo and don’t want to cook or are starving like myself this is the place for you.

730pm

½ cup almonds, 2 tbl. Spoon honey, 16oz water

6 hours of sleep the previous night

Pretty tired in the morning but had awesome energy after 2pm. Unprepared again this weekend which accounts for the light morning, I’m starting to see a pattern here. Luckily had a short schedule so I got to go home early and make some food. Started running today to train for the warrior dash…and it sucks. Sunflower and Sunday Funday tomorrow, good food and a good  Going to try and catch up on some sleep tonight.

1/15

830am

3 eggs, ½ cup spinach, ½ cup tomato, ½ cup onion, 1 small avocado, grapefruit, 10oz coffee

9am

20oz water

10am

16oz water

1115am

Sunday Funday workout- sled pushes, rope climbs, farmer walks, and hand over hand pulls

Noon

16oz water, cutie, banana

2pm

1 ½ lb ground turkey, 3 cups spinach, 1 small tomato, tbl. Spoon olive oil, 16oz water

4pm

16oz water

6pm

6 oz roasted turkey, apple, 12oz water

7pm

16oz water, 2tbl spoon honey

8 hours of sleep the previous night

They don’t call it Sunday Funday for no reason! Today was a good one, woke up feeling rested, awesome energy that lasted far beyond the workout (which I wonJ). Went to Sunflower and got the goods, $106.78 of goods to be exact. Cooking food and preparing for the upcoming week full of work, school, and everything else. Is there anything better than a great Sunday?(It’s a rhetorical but NO is the correct answer.)

Shopping List

1lb bag of carrots

3 kiwi

1.8lb yellow squash

1.8lb zucchini

2 green bell peppers

1lb asparagus

1lb mushrooms

1 lemon

2 cartons blackberries

1.3 lb onion

3 coconut waters

6lb bananas

2 cartons grape tomatoes

2lbs mixed grapes

0.8lb almonds

0.7lb cashews

0.75lb pistachio

2lb tangelos

1 avocado

2 garlic cloves

2 mangos

2lb honeycrisp apples

1.5lb pears

1 papaya

1 honeydew

2lb yams

1 bunch red kale

1 bunch green kale

2.2lb sweet potato

1lb beets

1lb brussel sprouts

1.2lb basa fillets

1lb shrimp

1lb bacon

$106.78

Day 1:

Don’t know if it was just a mental thing or what but I was so hungry and thirsty all day long. Good energy throughout the day and no major difference. Day 1 Paleo feels good and is going pretty easy.  Minus the room mates trying to get me to eat brownies and Philly cheese steaks.

Day 2:

So this is what I had today:

5am

4oz beef, 4 med. brown eggs, apple, 16oz water

630-830am

40oz water

830am

3 med. hard boiled eggs, 1/2 cup carrots, 10oz coffee

930am

20oz water, banana, 1/2 cup almonds

1030am

8oz ground chicken, 20oz water

1230pm

1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup blackberries, 20oz water

130pm

3 small sweet potatoes, 3 med hard boiled eggs, 20oz water

330pm

1/2 cup almonds, grapefruit, 20 oz water

530pm

8oz turkey breast, 2 cups spinach, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 20oz water

730pm

8oz ground chicken, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup cauliflower, 16oz water

The previous night I got seven hours of sleep. I worked for 10 hours today. I strength trained(5×5)/ stretched today.

Paleo day 2, did not feel as hungry. Probably because I ate all day long. Decided that coffee is good and going to be sticking around. I had good energy through out the day and my work out as well. I need to buy more eggs.

Day 3:

Feeling good on day 3, had great energy through the day. It felt kind of weird not having a protein shake after working out but I’m over it. I’m noticing that I drink quite a bit more water than before(like 200oz). I am running out of food already and have to go grocery shopping again today. Some fish and a different assortment of fruits and veggies will be good. I am liking this way of eating so far, no complaints yet.

Day 4:

6am

½ cup cashews, banana

8am

8oz beef, 8oz mixed veggies, 20oz water

9am

Avocado, 20oz water

10am

10oz coffee, ½ cup cashews, 2 boiled eggs, 1 cup pineapple

11am

20oz water

1pm

10oz chicken, 2 cup broccoli, 1 cup cauliflower, 20oz water

2pm

½ cup almonds, banana

4pm

10oz beef, 2 cups mixed squash, 20oz water

730pm

Mixed fruit(about 2-3 cups), 10oz coffee

10pm

Stella Artois (I know!) I have still yet to eat anything non-paleo.

6 ½ hours of sleep the night before. 15 hours work.

I rested today and felt good. I seem to have more energy on a daily basis and don’t seem to get tired in the middle of the day anymore. I feel like I’m eating a little less than earlier in the week. I think I am starting to adjust to the changes. I have a detailed grocery list and am excited to go get some foooood.

Day 5:

Very unprepared today, it takes some time and planning to eat this way. This is the first day I actually felt “full” and that is probably because I made the unhealthiest paleo meal possible. Still feeling good throughout the day energy is up and hunger is down. I’m not really craving grain type foods anymore. Sunday Funday is tomorrow, it’s going to be a tough one.

Day 6:

I was introduced to coconut water today…Amazing! It kind of tastes like when you drink the milk after a bowl of honey nut cheerios and its nice to have another option besides water. Felt great today, had an awesome workout, and now need to go shopping. I have my list and I’m going to Sunflower.

Day 7:

I went to Sunflower and Fry’s, here is what I got:

3lb sweet potato

6 pears

2 avocados

6 bell peppers, mixed color

2 lb broccoli

3 lemons

3 grapefruit

6 apples

1 large onion

1 bunch bananas

3/4lb cashews

2 ½ almonds

4 honey sticks

4lb ground turkey

1lb beef

2lb ground beef

2lb chicken breast

1lb bacon

1lb tilapia

4 6oz blackberries

5 coconut water

Large tub spinach

6 tomatoes

4 carton eggs

2 head cauliflower

4 beef steaks

1 pineapple

2lb honeydew

$130.26

Fat Free! – The first question you should ask when you see this: “Is the food already naturally fat free?”  Fruit, for instance, could all be labeled Fat Free without any problem.  Know if they are touting a natural benefit versus a manufacturer’s creation.  The second thing to note is that when something is removed that tastes good (like fat) something is added that tastes good (like sugar or artificial sweeteners) or the food will be inedible.  Check for sugar or chemical content by using the actual nutrition label.

Sugar Free! – This follows the same guidelines as “Fat Free!”  Is the food naturally devoid of sugar?  If not, what has been added to make it palatable?  For sugar free items, this usually comes in the form of chemicals.  Artificial sweeteners.  Remember, the body doesn’t know how to process anything as well as it processes food.  Chemicals are not food.  Therefore, chemicals will cause the body to have problems with processing.

Heart Healthy! – Labels like this must always be accompanied by WHY!  For instance, “5g of Fiber per Serving” or “0g Saturated Fat”.  Regardless, it will require a little extra reading to determine what about this particular food makes it so great for your ticker.

Organic – In general, organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.  However, in the U.S. there are different classifications that you should understand.

USDA organic legislation defines three levels of organics. Products made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labeled “100% organic”. Products with at least 95% organic ingredients can use the word “organic”. Both of these categories may also display the USDA organic seal. A third category, containing a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, can be labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients”.  Products made with less than 70% organic ingredients cannot advertise this information to consumers and can only mention this fact in the product’s ingredient statement.

Natural – In the United States, neither the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has rules for “natural.” The FDA explicitly discourages the food industry from using the term.   The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits labeling that is false or misleading, but does not give any specifics.  Because there is no legal meaning for natural foods, food manufacturers can include ingredients that may not be considered natural by some consumers.

Corn – You may have heard about the newest research on grains, gluten allergies, and gut inflammation.  In a nutshell: grains are the seeds of plants.  Plants want to protect their progeny, and so seeds have several layers of protection to keep them from being broken down.  These layers of protection can cause serious damage to the human gastrointestinal tract.  Makes sense, right?  Here’s the kicker – corn is just a big, oversized grain.  Much of corn is indigestible (but you knew that already, didn’t you?) and may cause distress in the gut, and the rest is just sugar.

Yogurt – Sure, the containers are small enough that the calories are low, and the label on the front says, “Fat Free”, but yogurt is really just a candy bar in the Dairy Section.  Check the amount of sugar (or artificial chemical sweeteners) in your cup of candy and you’ll see that it truly compares with a Snickers.   Your alternative?  Buy PLAIN Greek yogurt (which is denser and much higher in protein) and ADD YOUR OWN FRUIT!

Vegetable Oil – Much media attention is given to healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  One of the things less publicized is that the BALANCE between the two is one of the more important aspects of their benefit to your health.  In other words, if the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats varies too far away from the natural balance (1:1) then the health benefits are greatly diminished.  Vegetable oil is high in Omega 6, and overuse of it can drastically alter your ratio – causing considerable problems with your health.  Be wary of common sources of vegetable oil (fast/processed foods and cooking oil).  If you use it, be sure to use it sparingly and get plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish or take fish oil supplements, walnuts, flax seeds, and omega-3 fortified eggs.