Chandeleah

Despite two crazy weeks (I forgot how much retail SUCKS at Christmas) surviving on sugar and coffee and haphazard convenience meals, more alcohol consumed in a week than I have in a year, and a turkey dinner and Christmas treats – I’m maintaining my weight at 65kgs. My measurements are exactly the same now as they were in October. For this I am thankful.

But…I am feeling squishy. Possibly pudgey. Some of this has to do with the lack of exercise (sure, I have been snowboarding a lot – but I really can’t remember the last time I broke a decent sweat), but a LOT has to do with food choices. The coffee got the kick last week – and right now I am 7 days in on my detox YAY! Green tea for the win!

Early in December I started getting intrigued by the Paleolithic Diet (aka Paleo). I did some research online, and read the book The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. Everything made sense to me – or should I say FOR ME. I personally don’t know if the Paleo Diet would be ideal for everyone – but coupled with my knowledge about my blood type (after reading Eat Right For Your Blood Type) plus what I know about body’s reaction to certain foods through allergy testing – the Paleo Diet ticks a lot of the same boxes.

Let me back track. What is Paleo?

The Paleolithic Diet is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various hominid species habitually consumed during the Paleolithic era—a period of about 2.5 million years duration that ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture. In common usage, such terms as the “Paleolithic diet” also refer to the actual ancestral human diet. Centered on commonly available modern foods, the “contemporary” Paleolithic diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.

- Wikipedia

Did you get that? Eating Paleo means fish, meat, veges, fruit, roots and nuts. Eating Paleo means NO grains, legumes, dairy, salt, sugar and processed oils.

I want to give it a try…or should I say, I am GOING to do it. The hard thing is – we have to eat through our current stock before switching over (I wish I could just throw it all, but being a poor traveller means I can’t be wasteful!). We did our first shop for the year yesterday, and I stuck to the guidelines – plenty of meat, fish, veges and fruit. The only grains and dairy that slipped in the trolley were some corn chips (my weakness, I have no idea how I am going to give these up), a loaf of bread (for Jase – I am not making him go on this diet, although I am sure he won’t complain about eating more meat and less lentils!), cereal and tubs of yoghurt (again for Jase – he prefers this for breakfast).

Bit by bit, I am switching my meals over. I think the hardest is going to be breakfast as I have been used to having cereal and fruit, or oats. The new diet means eggs for breakfast, which I am actually looking forward to! It just means a bit more planning, preparation and dishes haha.

The past few days I have been trying my best to “paleo-ise” myself. I don’t eat dairy so that part is easy. Today I ordered a burger for lunch (yes, this in itself is not ideal – I realise that) – but I ate it without the bun. Meat pattie, tomato, lettuce and pickle. It was still just as satisfying (ok, and stodgy, yes). For dinner I had prawn and vege stirfry – Jase had his on rice, I had mine without. Win! Dessert was unsweetened applesauce (I LOVE THIS STUFF).

I have been busy thinking up paleo friendly meals and reading my way through a couple of paleo cookbooks. I think at this early stage – simplicity is going to be the key.

Has anyone tried/done/doing the Paleo diet? Any tips for a beginner? I’ll let you know how I get on!