Food Rules
- No Fruit during week #1
- 1 serving of fruit permitted (per day) during week #2
- 2 servings of fruit permitted (per day) during week #3
- Full Paleo, no restrictions, beginning week #4
- Paleo-free day during day #34 (05 Nov 2011). You can eat whatever you want, but try not to overdue it. This isn't a golden ticket to Old Country Buffet. Don't undue so much of your hard work. Lets say that, hypothetically speaking, you happen to have a non-Paleo day that falls outside of day #34 - well, you just used up your free day. What I mean by this - for example, hypothetically speaking (of course), you happen to fall outside the Paleo guidelines on Halloween (again, we are only speaking hypothetically) - you just used up your free day.
- Back to Paleo eating as of day #35 (06 Nov 2011).
- Challenge ends on (20 Nov) day #49
Miscellaneous Rules/Regulations/Notes
- The winner of the challenge will be decided by consensus.
- You are accountable for your own actions. If you fall outside guidelines, it is up to you to annotate/record the happenings. (i.e. - you eat non-Paleo on more than one occasion)
- Integrity is key. Don't cheat yourself or your battle-buddies.
- Make the effort to use the blog for any questions you may have, any issues you may need sorting, or any support you may require.
- Help out your battle buddy - if someone needs an encouraging word, a thumbs up, or a congratulatory pat on the ass - be there for one another.
- Remember that this is not a punishment it is an opportunity.
- SLEEP! Try your darndest to sleep a good 8 hours daily.
Important Dates
- 03 October - Paleo Challenge Kicks Off
- 05 November - Paleo-free day
- 20 November - last day of Paleo Challenge. Just in time for Turkey Day!
QUICK START GUIDE
1. Clean out the Pantry
2. Go shopping
3. Cook!
4. CrossFit
5. Sleep!
1. Clean out the Pantry
We do not have self-control. PLAN AHEAD! Don’t have tempting foods in the house. Remove the bread, rice, pasta, cookies, crackers, puddings, ice cream, waffles, juice, sodas, cereals, oatmeal, artificial sweeteners, yogurt, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, canned soups, apple sauce, noodles…all refined, packaged foods. Bag it all up, take it to a food bank or homeless shelter. No, the kids do NOT need crackers and Goldfish. They might actually be healthier if YOU are healthier!
2. Go shopping
Now it’s time to fill your cupboards with food worth eating.
Protein - Ideally these options are grass fed or wild caught. If you cannot find those should you eat a bagel? No, bitches! Conventional options are fine. Beans and rice do NOT count.
Land: Pork, beef, lamb, buffalo, deer, alligator, etc...
Sea: Trout, salmon, shrimp, crab, scallops, shark. You know…fishy type stuff!
A i r : Chicken, turkey, duck, pigeon, quail, ostrich (I know, ostrich is flightless, don’t get cheeky). There are many avian choices I can list.
Round things out with some good quality bacon, omega-3 enriched eggs and some items like chicken-apple sausage to help you with breakfast on busy days.
Veggies:
Ideally these are local and organic, but again, this should not be a deal breaker. Our local mega-food chain actually has the best produce outside of the farmers market, and at an amazing price. Shop with the season, which typically means what is on sale. Mix up the colors.
Fruit:
Limit fruit to 1 serving per day if fat loss is your goal. A serving is not a whole watermelon. If you want to screw things up and not make progress, eat all the fruit you want, it’s your nickel, ride the ride as you like. In order of preference: Berries, melons, citrus, apples, pears. Bananas, papayas and mangoes are great for athletes post workout but dodgy for folks who want to lose weight.
Fats:
Olive oil (extra virgin) coconut, avocado (oil and whole), macadamia (whole and oil), almonds, walnuts. If fat loss is a goal limit nuts to 1-2 oz. per day.
Odds & Ends:
Marinara sauce, herbs, spices-curry powder, garlic, ginger, cilantro, garam massala, chili powder, black pepper, lemon zest, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and basil. Get at least 20 herbs and spices to keep your cooking lively. Stock up on espresso (it's delicious), teas, and mineral water as these are your beverages of choice.
3. Cook!
The majority of your meals look something like this:
• 4-8 oz of lean protein such as chicken, lean beef, turkey, pork loin or seafood.
• Several servings of vegetables, either raw, steamed, or lightly cooked.
• Finally, round out the meal with good fats from Avocado, olive oil or a handful of un-salted nuts
such as almonds, pecans, macadamias or walnuts.
Keypoints:
• Protein every meal
• 3-4 meals per day
• Limit fruit to 1 serving if fat loss is a goal
• Limit nuts to 1-2 oz if fat loss is a goal
• Beverages are coffee, tea, mineral water. According to some Paleo peoples, stevia is acceptable as a sweetener.
4. CrossFit! (or any other type of exercise)
Why is this even a topic? Get some work done, bitches. Gauge your fitness level and act accordingly. If you really need help with this, find a trainer/coach (Manni).
5. Sleep!
Black out your room. No, REALLY black out your room. No LED lights from alarm clocks, fire alarms,TV’s etc. Do not watch TV or check email for at least 1 hour before bed. Go to bed early, get at least 8-9 hrs of sleep. You should wake up without an alarm, feeling refreshed.
Questions? Confused?
If you are curious about these recommendations read The Paleo Solution,by Robb Wolf. Or just follow this guide, reap
all the benefits and don’t bother with the details. That’s up to you.
Find more details to get started here: http://robbwolf.com/faq/#overview
modified excerpt from The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
