Anyone interested in a 30 day Paleo challenge?

[LCNana]

This is day two for me. Last night I had a really big salad with avocado for fat at dinner, and I must say it was a poor choice. Within an hour I felt hunger rumblings in the ole' tum.

So for me at least I need to cut back on the salad stuff - and add back in meat and fat. I just love to have a really big salad for dinner though - so fresh and crisp. That's my downfall when I eat Paleo. Meat and fat etc. are great and I don't have problems with hunger, but I begin to crave the fresh and crisp!

Breakfast: large coffee with coconut milk
Lunch: pork butt with au juice
Dinner: beef burger cooked up with tomato, side salad

No dairy! Yay! And no wine! This is a biggie for me but it was fine.

PS does anyone know why the Whole30 thing says no alcohol? Is it that it acts like a sugar in the blood? I've been reading their material and have not seen that specifically addressed. And I don't have $40 to buy the whole thing.

[jem51]

It is not just about healing/cleansing, it also adresses learning your relationship w various foods.

I could never get by w just a salad, there's just not enough concentrated foodstuff.

I discovered a chicken breast prepared italian style in the back of my freezer. It was still good so that was dinner. It was a bone/skin on and pretty big. Very satisfying.

I also discovered a turkey breast that I will cook up for the weekend.

Getting ready to start my garden.....

[Star73]

Originally Posted by LCNana

Star73 sorry to hear you are having a bit of a struggle. Can I ask a rude question? Do you have candy in the house or are you buying it when you crave it?

If it's the former - shame!! What a silly gal!!! Get rid of all the nasty stuff and you won't be called to eat it. If the latter, close your eyes as you go through the checkout so you won't see the candy!!

And yes, I agree that fruit can be the start of the old sweet lure - can you ditch the fruit for a week to see if that settles you down? I personally think most WOE's allow fruit because it's easier to stick to a weight loss program if fruit is allowed - but we don't really need it for nutrition - and we don't really need veggies either - we're just so used to eating them we think we MUST have them. Anyway, I hope things get better when you get back on track!!!

well I have a 13-year-old skinny mini daughter in my house who can eat anything she wants and yes we do have some candy . She eats fruit too. Wish I had known about the paleo WOE a long time ago and started us both out right in our health. She did choose almonds over reeses the other day for a snack ..... When I did Atkins and was in ketosis I wasn't even tempted to eat candy but the fruit has started the cravings. I can't be in ketosis now with being on Topamax so I'm just going to up my veggies to stay out of ketosis and stay away from the fruit for now That will work for me. I can do this I had horrible heartburn after the candy episode so it is definitely not worth it.

[gwynhyvar]

Nana, nothing wrong with a big ol' salad w/ avocado, but include that protein, either on the side or in it. Diced chicken, tuna, shrimp, even salmon can make a wonderful addition. Drizzle in some olive oil and vinegar of choice, and you're all set!

One of the challenges I found personally moving from "low carb" to "paleo" was the permission to add more veggies back in. It went against my low carb mentality, to have that many carbs, even if it is from veggies, the occasional root veg, or even *gasp* fruit!

Yes, limit those starchy veg and fruit for weight loss, but don't leave out the green stuff!

Jem, I love it when there's treasure lurking in the freezer!

As for me, I had an artichoke w/ a little mayo and chicken for dinner.

Today's breakfast was 2 eggs w/ spinach and onion.

I'm craving salad for lunch, most likely romaine with red onion, egg, bacon, olives, and maybe some celery (olive oil and coconut vinegar dressing). I'll probably have some tuna on the side, since I'm feeling a little hungry today.

Dinner will be another artichoke (they're hard to come by in MN so I eat them constantly whenever Costco gets them in), and maybe some ground beef or a salmon filet. I might steam up some red cabbage as well, seasoned with some garlic, pepper and sea salt.

[Star73]

Originally Posted by LCNana

PS does anyone know why the Whole30 thing says no alcohol? Is it that it acts like a sugar in the blood? I've been reading their material and have not seen that specifically addressed. And I don't have $40 to buy the whole thing.

I wonder if dry wine is ok ? or if it's just the whole alcohol thing? maybe after the 30 days it's ok? I think I will be ready to celebrate then! I'm getting back on track. I think I'm gonna start again after Easter. I'm not gonna splurge at Easter or anything, but I will be extremely strict after Easter with no artificial sweeteners, dairy, and Lord help me I'm even thinking about giving up coffee as I'm reading a book about healing the gut to help with arthritis (I have inflammatory arthritis)

[ladyofshalott99]

Originally Posted by Brandieelynne

I've been doing Paleo since I started CrossFit in January, but I still follow the rules of Atkins and remain low carb, still in ketosis. But...I still have HWC in my coffee (I can't seem to give that up!)
I love eating like this! Personally it hasn't helped me lose weight (I'm pretty close to my goal). Actually I've put on 6lbs (muscle) since starting CrossFit/Paleo, lol! I believe I've made a good decision for my health. Plus I've decided to try and eat organic wherever I can.

I really enjoyed Robb Wolf's book, The Paleo Solution. Also his podcasts are wonderful! You can find them on Robb Wolf's website!!

I joined this forum just because there was a Paleo group. Hi.

I started CrossFit in August 2010. My boyfriend and I both do a modified Paleo, because we also fence, and I bellydance as well. So on competition days, we adjust with more carbs (fencing is an endurance sport).

Stats: No grain, no legumes, with the exception of *occasional* rice with sushi. No HFCS. No added sugar. He eats dairy/raw milk, I do not. Grass-fed/organic meat. We shop local, meaning local farms, organic food, even some awesome pork products from an organic hog farm nearby

Other info: Found the site because they had banana pudding today at work. I bought some. Then I read a thread on the carb counts of bananas alone, and decided not to eat the rest of the pudding. In fact, I mixed it with some collard greens so that I wouldn't eat it later. I hate collards.

So I'm here because I actually really don't know how to count carbs at all...basically because I don't eat processed food. I buy meat and whole veg, and do most of my cooking at home. The other non-cooking I do is from the cafe at work, where I can get scrambled eggs/bacon. Not farm-raised/organic, which is not the best, but it's the best solution I have right now.

So. If anyone can give me tips on figuring out carbs where you don't have a Nutrition Facts label to reference, that would be awesome, and i'll be happy to provide support on modified Paleo as well.

[LCNana]

Hi Lady...if you are already eating so well I wouldn't bother to count added veggie carbs at all. You'll be filling up on meat and fat right? And adding some low carb veggies in - can't be that many so don't count. I think that just gets us into the whole food obsession thing again. You sound like you've got this pretty well down!!

[gwynhyvar]

Lady, I agree with Nana, no need to count. Eat fat/protein, throw in a few veggies, more starchy ones after hard workouts, and you're good to go. Sounds like you've got awesome support through your CF peeps! And thanks for the recipes. I'm drooling!

[jlhinbrisvegas]

gwynhyvar ~ I am strill struggling with the mentality when changing to Paleo. Veggies have not been too much of an issue, but root veggie and fruit still scares me.

star ~ I am not sure about all plans, but I know alcohol is mentioned in regard to some paleo/primal/etc and it seems to be a matter of choice and keeping it occassional. Seems to be a ymmv thing. Robb Wolf even has a recipe in his book for his version of a margarita.


lady ~ Welcome! The banana pudding mixed in with collard greens gave me a laugh. That's certainly a way to avoid eating too much!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

[jem51]

I love healthbent. It's in my favs.

I agree; don't get into counting carbs just know what they are and decide from there.
If you're a crossfitter, I think you'll know how much by how well you feel during and post work out....that might be where the banana fits in.

Paleo has never really taken off on this forum and many go to marksdailyapple because it's more active.
I think that if it became popular enough, it would get it's own subforum. We'll see.

I include fruit and still am having positive results w Whole30. My winter weight seems to be leaving as I feel more comfortable in my jeans.

When I was vegetarian, I would occasionally fast (ugh, the F word). I will incorporate Whole 30 periodically in the future and also keep my regular diet a bit less dairy heavy.

Whole30 does not include ANY alcohol.

I'm so happy that I finally got going on this.

[lyra]

there's also "lacto-paleo" for people who don't want to give up dairy, yet still following and eliminating kurt harris' "Neolithic Agents of Disease" ( soybean oil, etc ... See here : Archevore - Archevore Diet ) ... for myself i'm trying to incorporate a hodge podge of Atkins/Paleo wisdom into my WOE.. best of both worlds.

[Kerry]

hubby and I are trying paleo for 30 days starting may 1st im currently reading the paleo solution by robb wolf...
This thread encouraged me so much!
thanks!

[muffin_maiden]

Originally Posted by gwynhyvar

I just got the new PB cookbook, Quick and Easy meals, and THAT is well worth buying. I love recipe books, and this one is gorgeous! There are great pictures of everything, and the recipes are amazing!!! I've tried a few already, YUM!

How funny! We both bought that book on the same day! I haven't made anything out of there yet but it all looks so good, doesn't it? Which recipes have you tried that you really liked?

[Star73]

Originally Posted by Kerry

hubby and I are trying paleo for 30 days starting may 1st im currently reading the paleo solution by robb wolf...
This thread encouraged me so much!
thanks!

[jlhinbrisvegas]

Welcome Kerry!

Eggs and nitrate free bacon for breakfast and I am trying out a new curry recipe for dinner. I am really enjoying the coconut milk in the coffee, don't miss the heavy cream. I am even getting all my workouts in.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[tttmom]

Hi all, still here, just haven't posted in this thread for awhile. Still doing well on this, and I did not stop weighing. I'm too curious and can't/won't stay off the scale for 30 days. This WORKS! Down 8.6 pounds since Mon 4/18 when I started really eating clean.
I also bought both of the PB cookbooks, as well as his plan, and the recipes do look delicious, although I haven't tried any of them yet. Can't wait to though, they look so yummy. I also plan on buying the new everyday paleo cookbook. I read the reviews on it, and it also looks like one that would be awesome to have.
Have a great day and weekend everyone!

[gwynhyvar]

Originally Posted by Kerry

hubby and I are trying paleo for 30 days starting may 1st im currently reading the paleo solution by robb wolf...
This thread encouraged me so much!
thanks!

The more the merrier!

Originally Posted by muffin_maiden

How funny! We both bought that book on the same day! I haven't made anything out of there yet but it all looks so good, doesn't it? Which recipes have you tried that you really liked?

My coworker tried the berry pancake, said it was fabulous! I may do that this weekend, as a treat. I made some salmon, and another recipe that escapes me at the moment. LOL

[moonmirror]

Hi all,
Back from Disneyland. I have to say I didn't stick to the whole30 challenge...it was very tough!! I probably ate 80/20. On plan most of the day and some days the whole day, I'd say I had off-plan meals maybe three times. One meal was a dark chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone!!

During the trip, I walked probably 10 miles a day plus climbing trees and forts with my 4 year old, just TONS of exercise. Plus, I ate fairly low-calorie. I think Wednesday was like this:

B: 2 HB eggs
S: coffee
L: 2 HB eggs
S: coffee
D: 1/2 hamburger patty and 2 prunes
S: ice cream

Plus walking, walking, walking...AND Aunt Flo arrived...so that's probably why I still lost weight.

So here's where I am now. I never did buy a diet coke, so I'm still off that. But dairy is back. It was VERY tough to not eat dairy, and I still had a bit in my coffee today, but then I'm back on plan.

Again I am out of coconut products, so as soon as I restock, I am back.

[gwynhyvar]

Moon, sounds like you did a great job, 80% is nothing to be ashamed of!!!

[Sugardemon]

I haven't posted in a couple days because I've been struggling a bit, but I'm stil here! I've been reading more and more on Paleo and the variations, PaNu, Primal, Intermittent Fasting and its definitely the way to go. I've been scared to previously, but I'm thinking to add some cataloupe, grapefruit, strawberries and baked swt potatos, carrots occasionally. Looking at my past menus I realize fruits & vegies are definitely lacking... I'm such a lazy cook!!!

B: 2 fried eggs + coffee
L: Wendy's triple baconator burger
D: probably nothing... i'm still FULL from the big burger and I've been practicing the IF for a day or two and it's a nice feeling to have an empty stomach (a little bit hungry, but tolerable) later in the evening. I'm gonna eat breakfast when I wake up so I know I'll be fine.

[jem51]

You guys rock!!

mm, you did great. 80% at Disneyland? I am impressed.
I do have to say that I still want to have dairy at times but it is habit AND convenience.
One of my fav for snacking is a couple slices of cheese and a handful of cherry tomatoes. I seem to have a hard time coming up w snacks now and don't always want nuts.

I was out this morning so had a banana then later some mac nuts.
Sauteed up some chicken hearts w lots of onions and had a big salad for lunch.
I sauteed some spinach and burger then made a quick guac the other day and may do that for dinner.

I eat a carrot most every day dipped in hummus or mayo.

[moonmirror]

I'm kind of slipping. I can see now how one thing leads to another. The dried fruit is calling to me. I'm now eating almonds, where I wasn't, before. I had more cream in my coffee. Suddenly, I'm thinking about chocolate on Easter...

Maybe I will just attempt to maintain my weight until after Easter.

Vigilance!

[jlhinbrisvegas]

Moon ~ 80% is really good to be on vacation. Welcome back.

[Kerry]

Muffin I LOVEEEEEEE YOUR AVITAR! OMG I LOVE BOBS BURGERS!
I haven't seen it on in a few weeks, I hope they didn't take it off the air.. lol

oh and ppl I suggested to the webmaster maybe they could make a paleo section on the board.. it would draw alot of people on here..
Paleo if you want to add anything or make any suggestions

[Star73]

Originally Posted by Sugardemon

I haven't posted in a couple days because I've been struggling a bit, but I'm stil here! I've been reading more and more on Paleo and the variations, PaNu, Primal, Intermittent Fasting and its definitely the way to go. I've been scared to previously, but I'm thinking to add some cataloupe, grapefruit, strawberries and baked swt potatos, carrots occasionally. Looking at my past menus I realize fruits & vegies are definitely lacking... I'm such a lazy cook!!!

B: 2 fried eggs + coffee
L: Wendy's triple baconator burger
D: probably nothing... i'm still FULL from the big burger and I've been practicing the IF for a day or two and it's a nice feeling to have an empty stomach (a little bit hungry, but tolerable) later in the evening. I'm gonna eat breakfast when I wake up so I know I'll be fine.

I think I felt better doing IF and I'm gonna get back on it after Easter tomorrow. I really need to stick with a plan. I keep getting sidetracked. I need to stay focused. My mind seems clearer doing IF. If that makes sense.

Originally Posted by jem51

You guys rock!!

I seem to have a hard time coming up w snacks now and don't always want nuts.

What about sunflower seeds? They are so tasty!

Originally Posted by moonmirror

I'm kind of slipping. I can see now how one thing leads to another. The dried fruit is calling to me. I'm now eating almonds, where I wasn't, before. I had more cream in my coffee. Suddenly, I'm thinking about chocolate on Easter...

Maybe I will just attempt to maintain my weight until after Easter.

Vigilance!

What about a little dark chocolate? You did great at Disneyland! I can't say I would have been so good! kudos for you!!!!

[kbeth]

Wow, I wish I would have seen this earlier!
I started Paleo for the first time on March 20th. I've been doing some form of LC for the last 8 years, but always felt as tho I was relying on processed foods and dairy too much. After reading up on the health benefits of Paleo (I've got autoimmune disease) I've given it a go. I love it!!!
I'm really enjoying reading your thread. Will you be continuing in May?

[LCNana]

Hi all. Happy Easter too! From reading all the posts here I see that we are all doing sort of different versions of Paleo.

It was my understanding that fruit was a no-no as modern fruit is nowhere as tart and small as fruit would have been back in the day. Blueberries seems to be favoured because they are not very sweet and a few go a long way (with heavy cream of course) And nuts and seeds too - am I wrong in thinking that paleo nutrition does not favour eating nuts, at least no more than a small handful once in a while? And kurt Harris recommends ditching the dairy too as it's not necessary for health and can even be difficult for some to digest, leading to gut problems.

I think some versions in some books tell us to eat fruit because the authors know that meat and fat is hard to sustain without fruit, lots of veggies, and fake food "treats." And if you are eating paleo nutrition why would you be adding more veggies than you are eating now?

I get confused about all this. What in YOUR opinion does paleo mean? Do we eat the same NUTRITION that they ate? Or do we eat exactly what they ate? Or do we make up our own version that we can sustain?

Some more questions I'd like your opinions on: does eating fruit kick you out of ketosis? Is weight/fat loss sustainable without at least being in ketosis most of the time? Do you eat "treats" that fake real treats in order to make your diet livable? Does eating fake treats begin the slide down the slippery slope into more and more carbs?

Sorry for so many questions but it's important to hear what others think!!! I'm curious to hear about your experiences and what you think about "Paleo"and what it means to YOU. Have a great day everyone!!

[gwynhyvar]

Originally Posted by LCNana

Hi all. Happy Easter too! From reading all the posts here I see that we are all doing sort of different versions of Paleo.

It was my understanding that fruit was a no-no as modern fruit is nowhere as tart and small as fruit would have been back in the day. Blueberries seems to be favoured because they are not very sweet and a few go a long way (with heavy cream of course) And nuts and seeds too - am I wrong in thinking that paleo nutrition does not favour eating nuts, at least no more than a small handful once in a while? And kurt Harris recommends ditching the dairy too as it's not necessary for health and can even be difficult for some to digest, leading to gut problems.

Everyone's body is different. Dairy is a known allergen, which is why it's suggested to leave it out. I didn't think dairy was an issue for me, but I cut it out, and surprise! I found I can tolerate a little feta or blue cheese, or maybe a smidge of shredded other cheeses, but the heavy cream and sour cream I'd been consuming? Um, nope, those are problems for me. Who knew?

Nuts too, should be considered a condiment, mostly. There are ones that are used more heavily, like coconut (oil, flour, shredded, vinegar, milk) and almond (flour, milk). Ones recommended for snacking (macadamia, cashew -- low Omega 6 content), and everything in-between. Again, depending on what you are trying to accomplish and/or how your body reacts, YMMV (your mileage may vary). They give me a stomach ache (snacking nuts, not coconut), so I don't use them for snacks/filler.

I think some versions in some books tell us to eat fruit because the authors know that meat and fat is hard to sustain without fruit, lots of veggies, and fake food "treats." And if you are eating paleo nutrition why would you be adding more veggies than you are eating now?

It depends on what you are looking for, nutritionally, how much of a workout load you put on your body, etc. Because of it's higher sugar content, limiting fruit consumption is recommended during weight loss. Some people can handle a little here and there, others more, others less.

I get confused about all this. What in YOUR opinion does paleo mean? Do we eat the same NUTRITION that they ate? Or do we eat exactly what they ate? Or do we make up our own version that we can sustain?

I don't think we can realistically replicate what "they" ate, how they lived; the dynamics are totally different. We have sedentary jobs, readily available food sources (good and bad!), climate differences, etc. The earth is a totally different place, between noise pollution, air pollution, water pollution, ozone depletion... You get the picture. I think we are doing our best, given our modern circumstances, to make up a version that is 1. sustainable (for ourselves and our planet!) and 2. try to help our bodies, nutritionally, to heal and make up for whatever is being thrown at us, to find our optimal health. That's my goal, at least.

Some more questions I'd like your opinions on: does eating fruit kick you out of ketosis? Is weight/fat loss sustainable without at least being in ketosis most of the time? Do you eat "treats" that fake real treats in order to make your diet livable? Does eating fake treats begin the slide down the slippery slope into more and more carbs?

Ketosis is one way to weight/fat loss, but it is not necessary to losing weight -- you can lose weight on any plan, really. This is back to everyone's body works differently, for varying reasons. I was having trouble losing on "low carb" so I went lower, lower, and lower still, even down to zero for a while. I ended up having issues with my thyroid (google very low carb and thyroid if you're curious) and found that by increasing my carb consumption, with paleo veggies, I started losing weight and feeling better again. Am I in ketosis? I haven't checked. I doubt it, but I'm not counting or calculating or worrying about what I eat. I printed out a paleo foods list (probably Robb Wolf's), taped it to my fridge, and I stick to that. Protein, fat, veggies, and some spices.

Is that sustainable for me in the long run? I believe so, but I'm not super-duper strict, either. If my in-laws serve ham on a holiday, I eat it, along with a green veggie and salad. I might have a little sweet potato too. It's one meal, and I'm not leaping off the Fritos and candy cliff. Well, except for the darn jelly beans, but that's me learning my limits. And being human. :blush:

Sorry for so many questions but it's important to hear what others think!!! I'm curious to hear about your experiences and what you think about "Paleo"and what it means to YOU. Have a great day everyone!!

No, this is great! I love hearing what others have to say, and how folks take something that is so opposite of the way we were taught in school, etc, and make it work!

[jem51]

Well, no one really knows what paleos ate since none of us were there.

Cordain has been a paleo researcher for a long time and still recommends lean meats, plenty of vegies, and fruit.
The reason he has a strong following it because of results.

It may be popular amoung the current surge to believe that vegetation was not included but there's no proof at all, so....
It is individual.
You can come into a forum and hawk your beliefs but that does not make it so.
There is strong evidence both ways.

The original challenge was Whole30.
It is simple and seems to work and has a purpose.

But the bottom line is; whatever works for you....and what you think our opposing thumb is meant for!!

[Star73]

If you read Mark's Daily Apple (Primal BluePrint) he recommends berries for fruits and nuts (not peanuts) and veggies (not potatoes or starchy veggies) and to indulge in these foods . It's not just a meat diet.