1. WHEN DID YOU START EATING PALEO?
Day 1 of the Paleo Challenge: 6/21/11
2. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY OF FOOD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
Breakfast: Eggs with spinach, tomato, and sometimes bacon
Lunch: Usually leftovers from dinner or a big salad with salmon or chicken with a ton of vegetables
Dinner: Meat with vegetables, and maybe some sweet potatoes
**I’ll also throw in fruit and a handful of almonds or walnuts at some point throughout the day as well.**
3. HOW DID PALEO ACCELERATE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS?
When I started CrossFit, I definitely saw results right away in terms of increasing my endurance and strength. But it wasn’t until I changed my diet and started Paleo that I saw significant changes in my body composition. Truth is, my family jumped on the Paleo bandwagon way before me last winter. So they are a great example of Paleo being really successful for weight loss, even without a program like CrossFit. Between four of us, we’ve lost nearly 100 pounds in 7-8 months.
4. HAVE YOU FOUND IT HARD TO ADHERE TO THE PALEO DIET?
Honestly, not really! Not after the first few weeks at least. It was surprising how my tastes started to change and I eventually just stopped craving bread, cheese, and other foods that I used to love. As a (former) “nacho connoisseur,” I never thought I would see the day when brussel sprouts became one of my favorite foods. Trust me – sprinkle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them in the oven on 400 for 40 minutes and you will love them too.
Sticking with Paleo, though, does take some commitment and some extra time to plan out my meals and cook them. But finding good recipes to try at home and eating out are not nearly as hard as I thought they would be! While some waiters might consider me slightly — or very — annoying at a restaurant when I ask to substitute certain foods or for a salad instead of fries, I have never been in a situation where I can’t find something on the menu that I can eat.
5. OTHER THAN PALEO WHAT OTHER DIET TOOLS HAVE YOU USED (E.G. FASTING, MEAL PLANS, FOOD LOGS, ETC.)?
Keeping a food log and planning out my meals for the week were, and still are, very key for me. But if you have the right food in your fridge though, the planning and cooking is easier. On really busy weeks, I’m a huge fan of FreshDirect — you can’t beat groceries delivered right to your door the very next day!
6. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT GOING PALEO?
The hardest part was just having the discipline to stick with it in the beginning. But I’m incredibly competitive, so doing this as part of a group challenge definitely kept me motivated in the first few weeks. Knowing that there was some serious money on the line and that I would have to write down everything I ate made me think twice about ordering that late-night pizza or diving into the bread basket before dinner.
7. DO YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH THIS WAY OF EATING PERMANENTLY?
Definitely! I found something that works and it’s now relatively easy for me to follow. I feel too good to give it up.