Paleo Challenge

I. Am. So. Excited. You don't even know.

CrossFit North Cobb (where I attend - and sweat copiously 5 days a week) is getting ready to start a paleo challenge next month, and I am so excited to help out! Most people who know me are aware of how excited I get when I talk about paleo stuff, so I'm really excited to share it with the awesome people who regularly cheer me on through the last few reps of the WOD, and remind me the best ways to avoid smashing myself in the face with a loaded bar. Fun times. Now I'm not a nutritionist, and I'm not a doctor, I'm just a person who really really likes food, and has been eating paleo for close to a year.

So....you're embarking on the Paleo Challenge. The fun thing about 'going paleo' is that you can use it to accomplish a lot of things just by changing up the approach a bit:

1) Weight Loss

I pinky swear you can lose weight by eating paleo. I started eating this way last August, and I've gone from somewhere in the neighborhood of 168 pounds down to 135, and that was well before I started CrossFit. Maybe you want to aim to lose some inches, or just see that number on the scale go down for health reasons. I started out wanting to do both, and along the way I started to feel like an Amazon warrior princess and also ended up with gorgeous cholesterol levels.

2) Cutting out the Sugar

Are you realizing that you eat a lot of processed foods? Spend a lot of time shopping in the middle aisles of the grocery store and less time shopping the perimeter of the store? I definitely did before I started eating paleo, and now I seldom shop the aisles unless it's for something like tea, or crushed tomatoes, or anchovies (I love anchovies...). If you're looking to cut back on sugar, paleo is a great way to go.

3) Eating Clean (so you can train dirty...)

Maybe you're one of those people at CFNC who lift things so heavy that I'm almost scared to watch. Maybe you're sort of afraid that eating paleo will negatively impact your performance because carbs = energy. You might be surprised how eating cleaner can positively impact your performance. Even though I've only been part of the CrossFit community for a month and a half, I know 100% that the way I eat makes a huge difference. When you're putting the right things in your body's 'gas tank', the engine is going to perform better.

Getting Started:

To start off with, I thought I'd put together a few resources (below) to get you started on your Challenge. I love helping people learn more about eating paleo, and I'd love to answer any questions you've got! Feel free to leave a comment/question, look me up on twitter (@dianaeatspaleo) or check out my Instagram account (@dianakinnett) where I post a lot of crazy hipster paleo food pictures. Or feel free to ask me anything if you see me at the gym (I'm the one sweating twice as much as anyone else, and doing the EMOM like it's an AMRAP because I'm not so speedy). I'll be blogging regularly throughout the Challenge with information, recipes, meal planning tips, and random encouragement, so check back soon. Good luck everyone!

Resources:

Shopping List: what to stock the fridge with

Vegetarian Shopping List: you can still eat paleo if you don't eat meat!

Meal Planning template: I adhere to this strictly, and it's never failed me yet! Pay special attention to the pre and post-WOD meals - they make a big difference in performance and recovery.

The Timeline: this is going to be helpful if you're new to paleo. If you've been 80% paleo for a while, it won't be too much of a jolt to your system to go 100% for the challenge. If you're new to paleo, this guide will be helpful in guiding you through the first week or two as your body adjusts to how you're eating. It's dead-on accurate, too. My first month, I realized that they weren't kidding when they said that by day 4-5 you just want to "kill all the things". I vividly recall crying on day 4, and thinking that given the chance I would not hesitate to punch someone in the face to steal a cookie out of their hand. Once that passed though, I hit day 12 and had so much energy that I was getting home from work and going for a run just to deal with all the excess energy I had. Don't fear the timeline, though. It's tough at first, but it sucks less than burpees.

Great Paleo Blogs:

These are a few of the blogs that I follow religiously for recipe inspiration:

Slim Palate: I avoid the baking recipes (paleo-fied cookies, cakes, etc.) but good heavens does that kid know how to cook meat. I just want to fall face-first into a plate of his Lamb Osso Bucco.

Nom Nom Paleo: I love Michelle's recipes - her recipe index is second to none. She replied to me one time on twitter and I fan-girled in a way that could only compare to a One Direction fan being kissed on the mouth by Harry Styles. Try her Green Chicken, you'll love it (and it's super easy).

The Clothes Make The Girl: don't be deceived by the title - this is a very dude-friendly blog, too. I love Melissa's meatball recipes - I almost always make a double batch of one of her meatball recipes - they are great quick protein, and I often eat em' cold as a post-WOD meal on my way home. Her Paleo Mayo recipe is also awesome and easy (tip: use your sadly under-utilized turkey baster to drizzle the olive oil).