Paleo Diet? What's that?

One week down....time for an update!

My first week of strict Paleo has overall been a huge success. I did not experience any of the fatigue or cravings that I expected, I don't feel hungry, and in fact I am having trouble consuming all the vegetables and protein I am expected to. THAT is a good place to be in! In addition, my energy levels while working out have been just as good as when I used pure sugar for fuel.

In addition to following the Paleo diet strictly for six weeks, I intend to delve into the intricacies of the Paleo world and answer some of the questions that arise about the Paleo world.

So let's get right to the point....what in the world is the Paleo diet? In a nutshell (no pun intended), the Paleo diet mimics the food our ancestors would have consumed in the Paleolithic Era. Prior to animal husbandry and agriculture, this would have been vegetables, meats, seafood, and fruits and nuts when in season. It would NOT have been cereal grains, dairy, sugar, processed foods, or legumes.

I have been exposed to the Paleo diet for several years through various sources but am by no means an expert. Therefore, I intend to read what I call the "Paleo Gospels" by Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf to gain an understanding of the exact science behind the principles of Paleo eating. More on that later.....

One of the first things I noticed this week was that my selection of foods had been narrowed down considerably. The result? A feeling of monotony. For this to be successful, I have to have variety and the ability to change it up a bit, especially at dinnertime! So each week I plan on trying one new breakfast recipe, one new lunch recipe, and one new dinner recipe. My dear hubby took on the task of picking up all the groceries for the new dishes this week: Acorn Squash Hash, Chunky Squash Soup, and Taco Salad.

The second thing I noticed this week is that eating strictly Paleo requires a lot of planning and forethought. I can't swing by Starbucks and grab and croissant and a soy latte--I need to have defrosted my grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef for a quick breakfast stir-fry. I need to have tons of vegetables ready to throw in with the meat. And I need to have snack or emergency foods on standby for post-workout or for unexpected social events. This all requires forethought that I never before took the effort to produce. As a part of the planning process, I need to take a little time each day to keep up with the food preparation: boiling a dozen eggs one day, whipping up a batch of Paleo hot cereal another, food processing all my vegetables for the week on another day, etc.

All reporting aside, here are some photos from this week:

Timesaving toy for preparing all those veggies:

Eventually resulting in a large bowl of this:

Roasting a turkey to have meat on hand:

Salt, pepper, and sage for a savory skin rub:

Dinner one night: pan-fried mahi mahi (seasoned only with salt and pepper), mashed cauliflower, and braised kale.

Why Paleo?

I will begin the Paleo Challenge being offered through Crossfit Portland tomorrow, January 3rd, 2011. This six-week commitment involves not only dietary changes but lifestyle choices that lead to better health. Members are paired with an accountability partner with whom they communicate multiple times throughout the week. A complete dietary diary will be monitored by the Challenge's coordinator and suggestions will be made.

As a part of my Paleo journey, I decided to journal my effort because I want accountability for my actions. One way that I hope to be successful will be to share my choices in a public forum. I believe that this is the best time of year to begin such an effort because there are very few fruits that are fresh and in season (and yes I LOVE my sugary fruit!); in addition, there are no holidays with their attached perpetual snack food smorgasbords.

Throughout the course of this six week effort, I hope to learn why the Paleo lifestyle is healthier and I will be posting the "whys" and "how comes" as I think of them or as they are asked of me. These will be important questions for me to answer early on as people will wonder about and question the decisions I will be making. I also plan on proving to myself that I can make Paleo food choices in any situation: eating out, skiing, long endurance events, holiday meals, backpacking, and the odd hours that I work.

Finally I will be blogging various issues that have cropped up for me over the course of my life that I believe can and will be addressed by the Paleo diet.

Even if there is not a single person who reads this, I will have accomplished something by documenting and questioning all dietary choices that I make over the next six weeks. I hope this challenge leads me on a path to better health for the rest of my life!