CrossFit of Naperville Paleo Challenge – The Half Way Mark

As I am writing this post, we are three and a half weeks into the Paleo Challenge, and have officially hit the half way point.  For those of us who have made a drastic change in our eating habits, we should be on the tail end of any adaptation that our body has gone through due to the change in the fuel we’ve been giving it.    At this point, we should be seeing significant gains in energy and the paleo meals we eat should satisfy our hunger.  You should be able to work out harder, heavier and faster.  You should start noticing changes in how you look, feel, and perform.  If you’re not noticing this, maybe we have to take a step back and look at what you’re eating.

I’ve spoken to a few of you in the gym and we’ve talked about what you’re eating, but I’m yet to see any food logs other than those who are keeping up on the online log.  This is a great resource to see what other people are doing, and it also has some great recipes!

If you’ve been keeping a food log, bring it in and lets sit down and discuss what you’ve been eating, and how you’ve been feeling.

Here are a few golden rules you might try to adhere too:

• If you already haven’t, learn how to COOK!
• Oh, and while you’re at it, learn how to SHOP!
• Eat 4-6 times a day
• Each meal/snack should have animal protein (nuts are not animal protein)…  3-4oz of beef/chicken/lamb/bison/turkey/fish/jerky, or  2-3 whole eggs… ESSENTIAL FOR BODY FAT LOSS.
• Eat Fats – Avocado, or cook with oils!  Sesame Oil(high/med heat), Coconut Oil(med heat), Olive Oil (med/low heat )
• Some fruits in the morning (try to stay away from dried fruit)
• More veggies in the evening
• Nuts (no cashews, no peanuts) – Preferably raw or  lightly roasted is okay, go for unsalted.  Only a small handful at a time.

Absolutely Avoid:

• All flour products
• All sugar
• Dairy
• Mocha/Latte/Frappuccinos
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Potatoes, corn, and beans… other starches

Try to enforce these rules as much as you can.  The more you adhere to these simple pieces of advice, the better off you’ll be.  Remember guys, the ultimate goal here is to improve your lifestyle.  This isn’t some crash diet we’re going to fall off.  You shouldn’t be suffering, you sould be enjoying this change.

Oh, and did I mention there’s a cash prize?   The pot is up near $1,000.  There’s a big chunk of change to be had in addition to the new healthy lifestyle you’re adopting.  Stay motivated… and keep us posted!

—Luke