Paleo Challenge

So after being so successful with Tommy Europe’s 4 Weeks to a New You Fitness Challenge, I decided I wanted to continue making progress with my overall health and fitness.  Why not? I have nothing to lose, other than a few more pounds and a bunch of fat, especially in my mid section. 

I’m not a fan of dieting, been there and done that in my college years.  It was great to lose the weight, until it all came back (and then some) after the diet was over.  So I have been keeping track of what I eat, and thanks to Tommy Europe’s nutrition plan included in his program, I was able to see my eating trends for a little while now.  I love his meal plans, so easy to follow and very delicious.  I had to tweak a few things since I am trying to avoid gluten as much as possible.  Then a thought occurred to me.  Why not cut out wheat and gluten completely for 30 days and see what happens? 

This was going to be a tough one, because I do love my pasta and rice and bread. When I started looking up ideas for meals, I came across the Paleo Diet.  What the heck is that?

According to www.paleoplan.com, The Paleo diet mimics the types of foods every person on the planet ate prior to the Agricultural Revolution (a mere 10,000 years or 500 generations ago). These foods (meats, seafood, organ meats, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits, plus some nuts and seeds) are full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, fiber, beneficial fatty acids, and low-glycemic carbohydrates that promote good health. The Paleo diet doesn’t contain refined sugars and grains, dairy, trans fats, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and processed foods that often cause weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many other health problems.

Ok, that doesn’t sound so bad to me!  It actually makes a lot of sense.  As for what this plan allows me to eat, really, it’s not that far off from what I’m already doing.  I already eat lots of lean protein such as salmon, prawns, chicken, turkey and wild game.  I love eggs too.  I always try to eat as much fruits and veggies as possible (more fruits than veggies though).  What about the foods I can’t eat?  Refined sugars won’t be a problem because I refuse to eat white sugar any ways.  This plan however does not allow the consumption of dairy products, and I do love my cheese and yogurt. 

So here’s the deal.  During the summer I decided to stop drinking cow’s milk and switched over to goat milk.  And I am so happy I did.  Within about 2 weeks, I noticed a huge change already.  I was no longer bloated.  So I will continue to consume goat dairy, including goat yogurt and goat’s cheese.  I especially like a tall glass of milk after a workout or even before.

So my new challenge has begun.  30 days would not be an impossible task to see if going wheat free would really make a difference in my body composition.  I guess we will find out. 

Wish me luck.  I will be posting on my progress.