30 day Paleo for Athletes Challenge (Page 2)

Comet, thank you for some great words of wisdom.  I bought the book yesterday, will be reading it all weekend.  I don't really feel like I threw away my whole challenge...I had a slip, really looked and the why, corrected my thought process and got right back to it.  Coming from a time when one little slip would lead to days of 'I'm a loser, can't succeed' and binge eating, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at. 

I think I may seek out a 50K for sometime this summer, I'm intrigued with the idea.  I think I would love it!

Great! Glad you like it. I'm glad you don't feel like you threw away the challenge. The important thing is that you recognized it, which you did. Bravo! I was just stuck in the "Whole30" mindset, where you do start over! I've even had nightmares that I was eating a bad food, like cake!, and didn't realize it and had to start over. Freaky! 

I'm still going strong! 1 week to go. I've got another race next weekend, BUT after that, I'm going to get mexican food & dessert! It's going to be painfully delicious. Literally. I know it'll make me sick & upset my stomach! 

Wow!!!  Totally can see a difference!  How tall are you?  We have very similar physiques.  Before I started Paleo I was doing the usual--eating 'healthy'--oatmeal for breakfast, rice/pastas for lunch, whatever for dinner and I could never, ever break 130 (I'm 5') no matter how much I trained.   Once I committed to Paleo--whoosh, down to 123.  Since reading It Starts With Food I've adopted a few more guidelines--I feel even lighter, better.  I will weigh in on Wed. Feb. 6--haven't weighed myself since Jan. 6.  I have become such a believer in this way of eating for life--it just feels so good. 

Thanks for doing this with me--and suggesting the book.  It's made a big difference for me. 

Not that much longer for you! Stay strong! You'll be so proud of yourself when you're done!

I'm 5'6''. I can't remember that way of eating. I've been doing this off-and-on for so long, I haven't been the typical 'oatmeal, cereal' breakfast type for a long time. I can't remember it. HOWEVER, I've fallen off the wagon more than enough times that I'll use food as an excuse: celebrate, sad, even the 'why not' excuse. This year, I'm going in with a bigger plan, controlling the times I allow myself "off-plan" foods and events. And based on their writing, that's ok. 
(not that it matters, but I went down 7.8lbs as of this morning) I expect my loss to slow down for the next month or two though.

I'm glad you like the book! It really is great. Very accessible & easy to relate to! I think they did a great job with it.

If you want check out my blog (link in sig line), I did a month Whole30 wrap up post yesterday. 

 

I enjoyed your blog! You have great voice in your writing--a writing trait that is difficult to teach,  believe me!

Many of the benefits you have listed are the same benefits I've experienced.  It's great.  I feel so much healthier and happier.  Some of my old patterns are beginning to fall. For example, I would eat clean Monday-Thursday but by Friday afternoon I would kind of go 'meh, whatever' and go waaaaay off course.  It would take me to the following Monday to get back on course again.  I would sort of look forward to the weekends as one big cheat, reward, etc.  I don't do that now. I'm thinking of my training, how I need to fuel myself and I don't want the junk.  I just don't want it.  Like you said though, I know there are times when I might stray--a party, fancy dinner whatever--and that's ok.  Just get back to it again.  This is a balance I've never had before.  I want to keep it--who knew it was all in the food! 

I'm going to make some of the skillet meals from the book.  I hate to cook and I'm terrible at it, but I figure I can throw a few things in the same pan and stir them around and voila~a meal.  I was happy to see my daily diet is very similar to yours.

I know very little about the Paleo diet so please keep that in mind.  My question is I've "heard" people talking about it as a green light for meat and protein so I'm wondering what people's blood work (total cholesterol, Trigs, HDL and LDL) look like after being on the diet for a lengthy period?

Have either of you had blood work done on a prior diet then more blood work after Paleo and seen changes?  Hopefully for the better?

I'm joining the conversation late, Kim just directed me over to the thread ...For me I'm in the designing phase of what I need to do and this thread has piqued my interest.

Thanks

CONGRATS!!! 

I had it tested several years ago, after I had been 'paleo/primal' for about a year. Everything was great. I haven't had it done since, no Dr. has felt the need. Nor do I really care anyway? Not right now at least? (shrug)

If you want to do more research-light Googling--it's out there. By eliminating the bad stuff: artificial sugars, processed foods, inflammatory response, there isn't a high amount of unhealthy blood work numbers in this way of eating. Now, if one has genetic issues they might be different, however, based on the forums on Marks Daily Apple and Whole9, there seem to be WAY MORE people reporting drops in their numbers, getting off BP meds, insulin, etc. 

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/forum.php

http://forum.whole9life.com/forum/13-whole30-with-medical-conditions/

Thanks for the information, I'll dig in and see where things go...I basically was wanting to know where to find more information as some of the people I've personally heard talking about Paleo sounded eerily like the Atkins diet where people ate tons of fatty burgers just no bun...

No, it's not like that. Tons of vegetable & healthy fat based. And, "fatty" isn't necessarily bad. Your body needs them. And vitamins & minerals. It doesn't need processed sugars and chemicals. Unfortunately, I think 'fad' will come and companies will start making "paleo" products like bars and things, just like Atkins, special k, whatever. It's about REAL food. 

Those websites have everything you're looking for. 

Reached the 30 day mark with one minor bump along the way!  When I weighed in back on Jan. 6 I was coming off a two week carb/sugar binge.  I didn't look at the number--but had my hubby write it down. This morning, after these 30 days, I weighed in again.  Jan. 6 I weighed in at 135.  Today, Feb. 6 I weighed in at 123!  Woot!  I feel great and plan to keep on going--I would like settle in and keep my weight around 120-123 range. As with most challenges I learned a lot about myself, how I use food, etc.  I think at 42 I've finally figured it out!  :-)  This will become a way of life for me.  I've never felt better--or looked better I might add!

Thanks Comet, for your support, encouragement and It Starts With Food recommendation--it has become an invaluable resource. 

CONGRATS!!!! Great job! That's so awesome, so good to hear. Don't you sound like a testimonial to the way of life? Ha. Kind of like my list of benefits  

It's changed my thinking too. I had no appetite yesterday, but I knew I *NEEDED* to eat. I sat down and had a conversation with myself, "would I eat junk right now? Does that sound good? Ice cream? Chips? If so, you're eating healthy food instead" Thankfully, none of that stuff sounded good, and I just wasn't feeling well. But, if I had said "yes", I was going to decide why I wanted them, and NOT eat them. A different mindset than mindless eating of junk! Such a good feeling. 

I'm glad you read the book. I recommend it to everyone who has even a mild interest in this stuff.