A paleo chocolate birthday cake made for me by Ann from MaD CrossFit! Coconut flour, eggs, cocoa powder, almond butter, vanilla essence and a touch of honey… YUM!
Nutrition plays a big part in my life. Whether I like it or not. My weight has been up and down over the years, but I’ve learnt over the past 18 months or so that when I eat poorly it really affects my performance in the gym and how I feel about myself. It affects my energy levels, sleep patterns and just about everything else. I used to eat a relatively high carb diet with lots of sugar and processed goods (needed the carbs right?). Well funnily enough vegetables have carbs too!! Since cleaning up my diet and going “paleo” I’ve noticed some real changes. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to continue eating a paleo diet while I’m away traveling. It will be a challenge and will involve lots forward planning and smart food choices. How hard can it be??
So, what is Paleo?? Some would know it as the “caveman diet”, but it’s essentially eating meat and veges, some fruit, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. By cutting out grains, dairy and legumes this reduces the probability of insulin spikes and hyperinsulemia which is the cause of diabetes, obesity and other common health diseases. Many CrossFitters follow a Paleo diet and and although I’m not 100% strict all the time, I know how my body reacts to bad food choices. I still enjoy the odd glass of wine, blue cheese and some fruit, and at the end of the day it’s all about balance and choices.
For me, following a Paleo diet is something that works and makes a difference in my performance and how I live my life. If I fall off the wagon every now and again it’s not the end of the world. Perhaps during my trip away it will be easier. Only time will tell… Click on the ‘categories’ tab on the right hand side, do a search for “Paleo” in the top right hand corner, or check out the blog links at the bottom of the page to see how I am doing…..
Resources and Websites. I slowly transitioned to a paleo diet when my CrossFit gym (MaD Crossfit) ran the Whole 9 ’30 day challenge’ back in early 2011. It wasn’t really until later in the year when I read Robb Wolf’s “The Paleo Solution” that I really understood the rationale behind it all. It made sense and was a real “aarrghh” moment…..understanding the science behind it all. For me, the impact of stress and lack of sleep were also playing a big part in how I was feeling and performing, so being able to control these variables tended to make a big difference. Rob Wolf’s website provides a good description on all the ins and outs of the Paleo Diet and the many benefits. Another good description can be found at Loren Cordain’s website.
If you are interested and want to read more there are some great resources and blogs out there. Some of my favorites are:
And, my Paleo specific posts can be found here:
CENTRAL AMERICA: Intrepid Experience, Paleo and Crossfit on the road
CENTRAL AMERICA: CENTRAL AMERICA: Intrepid, Volcanos, Omlettes, and Slow Buses
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