I was talking with CFC member Dave last night about his first couple weeks on the paleo challenge. He said “this may be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” I was a bit surprised to hear that because I know Dave and he has taken on some tough challenges in the past few years (24 hour adventure races come to mind) and I figured this would just be a simple matter of self-discipline. He also added ” I feel like I had to learn how to eat all over again.” Dave is a determined man and he has been doing great staying true to the paleo food plan. Even while vacationing with friends and attending a wedding he chose to eat clean! (ask him about how Paleo played a role in saving the wedding/marriage he was attending)
Thinking about his comments made me wonder: what are others saying about this? Could you share what your responses/thoughts are to these questions:
1. How have you been able to avoid eating non-paleo foods while dining out with friends or attending a party/celebration/cookout?
2. How do you respond to these common questions/statements:
“What is Paleo?… is that like Atkins?”
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“I thought whole-grains & dairy are good for you”
3. Have you felt supported (“good for you!; wow, you’re so much stronger than I am”) or ridiculed on the challenge (“hows the cardboard diet goin?”; “are you sick of carrots & celery yet?”)?
It’s very interesting how people react when they realize you are trying to eat better. Their reaction can reveal a great deal about how they view food and what insecurities may exist.
A small word of encouragement: I hope that you can continue to make good choices and help to educate others on the power of food. Try to avoid judging the co-worker who rushes to grab a birthday doughnut in the breakroom – no, they don’t “need” another doughnut, but they like the sugar and they may not have the will-power to say no. Offer them some roasted almonds and tell them about how (hopefully) you are less sleepy during the day since you cut out sugars. Also try to avoid any elitist comments about how you are conditioning yourself to be a superior human – except for Nick (who seems to be able to dominate at will), we all have something we need to get better at. Simply know who you are and why you are choosing health over gratification.
Eat on…
I don’t know how Paleo my choices are, but this is how I adapt.
1. How have you been able to avoid eating non-paleo foods while dining out with friends or attending a party/celebration/cookout?
When going out for dinner with friends, I lobby for Mexican or Tex-Mex and get fajitas or ceviche. Outback is pretty easy to eat at selecting salmon and veggies. They’ll make it healthy too, if requested. I think they use less oil or butter in cooking. At other American restaurants, I’ll look for pulled pork, fish, grilled chicken salad, or grilled chicken breast. When it comes to sides, every place will substitute a side of fries for veggies or salad. No doubt when eating out it is more expensive to eat healthy.
My struggle is not eating chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants. If anyone says anything, I make a joke out of it saying, I need to watch my girlish figure. (I’m male.)
2. How do you respond to these common questions/statements:
“What is Paleo?… is that like Atkins?”
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“I thought whole-grains & dairy are good for you”
I explain one of the biggest differences between Paleo and Atkins is with Atkins, you can eat all of the cheese and dairy you want. I don’t get asked the second question because I’m drinking with them, moderately. Never been asked the third. I think I would reply, I am trying an experiment to see if I feel any different not eating dairy. Or, I would just explain how bad restaurant cheese is for you. It’s like government cheese, very high in fat and processed. That changes the conversation to someone asking if I was on welfare growing up.
3. Have you felt supported (“good for you!; wow, you’re so much stronger than I am”) or ridiculed on the challenge (“hows the cardboard diet goin?”; “are you sick of carrots & celery yet?”)?
It’s funny. I haven’t made a big deal out of it, so my friends haven’t either. I just tell people I am trying to eat healthier. I keep it simple. It’s like a veggie friend of mine. No one knows she’s vegetarian, because she doesn’t announce it and she doesn’t force people to eat at a specific restaurant to accommodate her lifestyle. She finds something to eat everywhere she goes.
I have weekly weigh-ins at work for a weight loss challenge and my weight loss has sparked a lot of interest.
These are my experiences. Some of my food and drink choices above might not be 100% Paleo, but in the end if I’m miserable eating the Paleo way, I’m going to fail anyway. It is better to slide a little, than to fall off completely.