I know what I want. I just don’t know how to get there.
A half hour after completing the Spartan 300 WOD at CFC, I found myself engrossed in a conversation about something called The Paleo Diet and the Whole 9 Thirty Day Paleo Challenge. Two days and one pizza and beer night later, I found myself on Day 1 of something that has drastically impacted my health and fitness forever.
I’ve heard and possibly given all the excuses in the book not to do something as structured and strict as the Whole 30 Challenge.
“That’s too strict.”
“I can’t give up ………..(and you fill in the blank)
“That sounds too much like the Atkins Diet.”
“That doesn’t sound realistic. No one can live like that forever.”
I learned so much from putting myself through those 30 days. If you have been Crossfitting for any amount of time and pushing your body through WOD after WOD, then you already have the mental toughness to eat well for 30 days. You just may not realize it.
For me, I was getting stronger after four months of Crossfit. However, I knew from previous experiences and research that I was never going to make the gains needed for the goals I want to reach unless I paired a solid “diet” with my newfound love for this new thing called Crossfit. I put the word diet in parentheses because Paleo is a lifestyle. Just like Weight Watchers, The Zone, or anything else, it must be the way you live your life. And so the cynics are correct to some extent. I could not live w/out some of the things I just don’t want to cut out: my hoppy beers, pizza every now and then, bread, among some others. But a strict 30 day experience was the launching pad for radically changing how I eat. Here’s what I learned, discovered, and concluded…….
- I felt amazing after my 30 day experience. I felt clean (no stomach aches, bloating, or running to the bathroom b/c of anything I ate) and had energy I did not have before. I no longer had that tired, sluggish feeling between 2 and 4 p.m.
- I found myself eating many times to ward off hunger versus eating for pleasure.
- I did not need bread all the time.
- My endurance threshold increased during WODs.
- I learned to like some foods I used to dislike/hate (i.e. sweet potatoes and cauliflower.)
- I learned to be creative with cooking, preparing, and spicing food.
- I slept better.
- I discovered I did not need to eat as much meat if I filled my plate with 70% veggies and 30% meat.
- I learned that a meal does not have to be anything more than a slice of meat, and a carrot i.e. coming home late from a WOD and not pigging out.
10. I learned how to eat the right foods prior to working out.
11. Eating well takes energy, time, planning and commitment.
12. The more I talked about my experience with others, the more I learned about myself.
13. This is my favorite and it comes straight from the Whole 9 website: Beating cancer is hard. 30 days of Paleo is not.
There are plenty of people out there that live a strict Paleo lifestyle 100% of the way it is supposed to be followed. My issue is this……
I LOVE food. I am an emotional eater. I love to talk about food, taste new foods, drink good libations, and that’s just me. I now allow myself one cheat meal/night per week. That’s it. I’m losing weight gradually and not “all at once” like I did with Weight Watchers years ago. I eat the right foods, the right meat, the right fish, and any veggies I can get my hands on. The Paleo Diet is very strict. It is very restrictive. It takes energy, thought, planning, and mental toughness to ward off those food demons in all of us. But if applied well to what works for YOU, it can change your health in ways you have not known before. It’s done that for me.
You can follow Craig here at his blog!
Thanks Craig
It is great to hear other peoples experiences with Paleo! Cool Blog!
This is awesome Craig.
This is very well written! I look forward to seeing more articles from you on the website!
Craig – I love the post and blog (especially your post on “Ghosts”). I also started CF in June, itsn’t it amazing what we can do now, and never thought possible back this summer!?
Thanks for the kind words. I knew when I started seeing changes with things, that I had to “get it out” and I was leery of started blog, but it’s been fun. Truth be known…..I want to find a way to have a side career in some sort of fitness/health “thing” but I’m not sure what that is. The blog fulfills that “itch” for now. I guess I’ll see how things go., however I find myself thinking about Crossfit A LOT during the day.
Jen: I agree. I remember my first WOD in the old building. My knees were so bruised from so many burpees, but I just remember refusing to give up. I was close, but I’m so glad I didn’t. It’s hard, but I have to try harder to remember to be content with what I can do and stop comparing to all the more advanced ones. It takes a lot of mental effort for me.
Brenda: I’d love to. Just let me know what and when.
3-2-1,
Craig
Thanks for sharing your experience, Craig. Those are great examples to take away. If you ever decided to write a book, I’ll come to your book signing (only at Meijer). : )
I have been doing paleo for two months now. I am addicted to Robb Wolfs weekly podcasts.
So what do you have as a cheat meal?
Do you always keep gluten out of you diet? If i have a gluten exposure Im sluggish for a couple days. Just curious what you are “cheating” with and how you feel afterwords.
Keith…Meijer? Really?
BWalker: A cheat meal may include beer and/or just not worrying about what I eat. It may be something simple as allowing cheese and pasta, or going full tilt with pizza or wings. But I don’t let myself worry about it. Sunday is usually a rest day for me, so i don’t feel it in any WOD’s, but I must say I feel a contrast in my overall, general feeling. I don’t let myself go that much so I am miserable, however I’ve made that mistake before.
Gluten: I really don’t have gluten all that much anymore. I don’t eat much bread, pasta, or grains. That was hard to get used to but I really don’t even think about them as options anymore. I guess it’s just become the way I eat. I have never felt any symptom a day later from eating other than when I eat poorly. i.e. overeat, drink too much, etc.
Thanks for sharing. I don’t know that I’ve had the opportunity to meet you yet, but I have to say I’m so proud to hear of your accomplishments. I started doing CrossFit about a year and a half ago. I recently had 2 months off due to an accident. I came back forgetting to scale it and really felt it. I haven’t paid attention to my eating since I haven’t been at CFC. I am amazed (although disappointed in myself) at how bad choices for even a 2 monthperiod affects me so strongly. I know I need to scale it, and now that I am back, I remember why I was eating to fuel rather than for fun.
Thanks for the reminder and I hope to see you at a WOD. Congratulations again on your accomplishments, and keep on working hard.
McG
Amanda: Would be great to meet you and chat. Keep up the good work!! I always feel like if I can do it anyone can. I was pretty out of shape b/f I started.