Success story from Cindy
How did you hear about the Paleo diet?
I heard about the Paleo diet through the Crossfit Gym. I had just joined Crossfit on October 1st and on October 24th they held a Paleo challenge. We were to eat Paleo for one month, tracking all our meals and workouts and turning them in weekly for points. Points were deducted for “cheat” meals or snacks. We all had a professional body fat test on the first day of the challenge.
I am 5’9″ and 52 years old and a size 12 most of my life–not fat, not thin. However, I had been fighting a significant and discouraging weight gain around my waist and thighs that happens a lot to women at this age. With the intense workouts at Crossfit I had dropped 7 pounds in 3 weeks even though my eating habits had not changed.
However, the Paleo challenge has changed my entire approach to eating and even though the contest ended November 24th, (and I won), I can’t quit eating Paleo.
What changes/progress did you experience as a result of following the diet? How long before you started seeing those changes?
First, I noticed within a week that I felt better and that my clothes were fitting better, particularly around my waist. When the trainer came back after four weeks, she was amazed at my progress. In four weeks of Paleo, I had lost 3.6% body fat and 2 1/4″ around my waist. I’m seeing my youthful figure coming back. That is exciting!
Second, throughout my entire adult life I have suffered noticeable hunger pangs and would get irritable and nauseous if I didn’t eat meals on time. I also had blood sugar lows that made me feel lethargic and sometimes it would drop so low I had to take a short nap. No more. Eating Paleo I found I can even skip a meal–no problem. I have more energy, less hunger.
What were the biggest challenges in switching to and following the diet?
My biggest challenge in following a Paleo diet has been coming up with meals that don’t have pastas, breads, potatoes, and rice as part of the meal. I love cooking and have always prepared home cooked healthy meals. Eating vegetables was not a problem, but now I found myself preparing 2 or 3 different vegetables in place of grains and pasta. This was a new thing for me–getting full on vegetables. I always thought I needed food with substance like potatoes and bread to feel satisfied, but meat and vegetables do the trick. It is also challenging eating out, but it CAN be done. I found most restaurants very willing to substitute more vegetables in place of the baked potato, etc.
What does your version of the diet looks like? What do you eat on an average day?
My average Paleo day looks like this:
Breakfast – 2 egg omelet (from cage free chickens) with red and green peppers, mushrooms, onions, and a bit of feta cheese for extra flavor. 1 fresh pear and a few fresh blueberries.
Snack – 1/2 apple, handful of walnuts
Lunch – Spinach and red leaf lettuce salad with 1/4 avocado, 1/2 tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, red and green pepper, sliced turkey (or chunked chicken breast or tuna).
Snack – pecans or almonds
Dinner – Broiled blackened salmon, steamed zuchini and summer squash, steamed green beans, small salad.
During the day I drink only water or unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
Paleo has changed my life. I eat smarter now. I am hyper-aware of carbohydrates and am amazed at how many carbohydrates are in a typical American diet.
Success story from Karen
How did you hear about the Paleo diet?
I googled MS diet after I found out about leaky gut & discovered Prof Loren Cordain.
For how long have you been following the diet?
I started in July 2010.
What were the biggest challenges in switching to and following the diet?
When I first started I followed the Paleo Diet for MS as Prof cordain advocated, I made it to day 20 & ccraved egg & butter so bad I added them back in. I soon discovered I had a food intolerance to dairy & egg and have since cut them totally out. My biggest challenge since then is boredom, I lack variety in my diet due to multiple food issues (leaky gut).
What changes/progress did you experience as a result of following the diet? How long before you started seeing those changes?
I have begun to lose weight again after hitting a plateau which lasted around 3 months. My mental function is also better as is sleep. It took about 3 months before I saw any real progress.
What does your version of the diet looks like? What do you eat on an average day?
I eat meat & veg 3 times a day & snack on cashews, any leftover cooked meat & a little fruit. The vegetables I eat are, broccoli, green & yellow beans, sweet potato, lettuce, spinach (little bit), celery, snow peas,cucumber, pumpkin, rhubarb and a few others when in season. I grow lots of my own produce so I eat what I pick. I also eat quite a bit of coconut oil and lard, I love to cook with lard, and sometimes have olive oil. I use some fresh herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, chilli, oregano and basil (when I can get it). I cheat with rice crackers sometimes and have had a little oatmeal a couple of times in the last month or so. I also make the occasional batch of gluten, dairy & egg free pancakes eat them even though they are pretty yuk, I often add carob powder fpr a different taste but any sugar gives me terrible tummy pain and poor sleep. I drink heaps of water and am having decaf with rice milk at the moment, or hot water with citric acid, due to reacting to histamines in food, I would normally drink black tea and or coffee.
Success story from Nathaniel
I am an elite cyclist (category 1) who has been interested in the paleo diet for a while and finally motivated myself to try it in my off season which convinced me to continue the diet and see how things progress into my winter training. So far I am very impressed and will continue with the diet into my 2011 season which is looking to be my best yet.
They say that “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” This is a prime example.
How did you hear about the Paleo diet?
From a couple cycling friends who mentioned it in passing, and recently I obtained a copy of the book, “Paleo Diet for Athletes.”
For how long have you been following the diet?
For about 2/3 months now.
What were the biggest challenges in switching to and following the diet?
Breakfast. I am a huge fan of breakfast and most of the time when I am training at home I like to make a huge pile of waffles with two fried eggs on top smothered in butter and syrup. Of course, this is far from the paleo diet. I also found it very hard to give up dairy. I love milk and can drink a gallon a day, especially in the hot summers here in Maryland. I have found that Almond milk is quite tasty and quickly satisfies my dairy cravings. I have been experimenting with Paleo pancake recipes and have finally made something very tasty that actually holds together when I flip them. My co workers are even asking me for the recipe.
Another very hard part is sticking to the diet when out of the house. Many times, we will have free food in our break room at work. Things like free pizza or someone will be making some grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s very hard to pass those foods up when you staring at a salad with cold chicken. I like salads of course, but the desire is there to cheat just a little. It’s all worthwhile though when you stand on the scale and see you have a lost another 2 pounds or when you can ride for 8 hours a day, three days in a row and still have energy for efforts in the last two hours.
What changes/progress did you experience as a result of following the diet? How long before you started seeing those changes?
Now, I was not overweight when I started the diet but by professional cycling standards, I needed to loose some pounds to increase my strength to weight ratio. I studied a lot of anthropology in college and earned a minor in anthropology with a major in Env Studies. The logic of the diet made complete sense to me from all my anthropology courses.
I weighed 155 pounds when I started after my off season (race weight of 153). Today I weighed in at 144. In two months I have lost about 10 pounds of fat and gained more lean muscle.
I train at high volumes, sometimes over 30 hours a week on the bike and 7-8 hour rides outside in the nasty maryland winter weather are becoming a norm for me. I have never been able to train at such a high volume before. I feel that I recover faster and have more endurance than every before and I am only half way through my winter training season. I can say that my muscular physique have changed as well with more defined abdominal muscles and more lean muscle growth in my legs. I have never looked so good and felt so great. Even after a 8 hour ride, I will walk through the door with a smile on my face.
What does your version of the diet looks like? What do you eat on an average day?
Today I have a 6 hour ride scheduled. This morning I had some protein pancakes with chocolate chips ( I usually use blueberries so forgive me about the chocolate!), two eggs sautéed in grass fed butter and garlic, with a huge plate of sautéed yellow and green peppers along with red onions. My lunch will be eaten on the bike, I love Laura Bars which are all paleo and taste sooooo good. And when I get home I will have a recovery meal. Whey protein powder mixed with applesauce, a banana, some baked potatoes with lots of raisins or oatmeal with raisins if I have been riding in the cold. After that has setteled my stomach I will have another meal with a lot of animal protein like chicken and fish with a huge side of veggies (broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, etc.).
When at work I bring a huge salad with a lot of veggies and usually a plate of left over meat. All my coworkers are super jealous and to quote one “Man, I feel more healthy just sitting here watching you eat that!”
Success story from Jack
How did you hear about the Paleo diet?
I first heard about the Paleo Diet at the gym (Crossfit Instinct) where I do CrossFit. I next heard about it in The book Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.
For how long have you been following the diet?
I’ve followed the diet for about six months loosley and four months quite faithfully.
What were the biggest challenges in switching to and following the diet?
The biggest challenges were giving up grains and sugar. I was sold on the health benefits of “whole” grains. My dietary use of grains fueled my addiction to chocolate and other sugar based foods. I trusted seemingly credible medical professionals that touted whole grains as a healthy and needede food source.
What changes/progress did you experience as a result of following the diet? How long before you started seeing those changes?
I took a thirty day “Paleo Challenge” at the gym where I work out. My primary fitness program is CrossFit. I was very faithful to Paleo eating, a requirement for the challenge. In thirty days I lost 10% body fat. Everything else in my lifr stayed the same: work-out regimen, sleep, etc. The only change was eating Paleo faithfully. I won the challenge!
What does your version of the diet looks like? What do you eat on an average day?
My eating plan is simple: Quality and clean animal protein each meal with vegetables cooked or raw and some fruit-usually quick frozen and organic if possible. My protein is graas fed beef, free range chicken, eggs, turkey, pork, bacon once in a while and all sorts of fish and sea food; try to keep a good variety going each day. I substitute some meals with Whey protein shakes with fruit, veggies, raw and rfee ranging chicken eggs and some olive oil. I snack on various nuts and seeds. I eat faithfully Paleo 85-90% of the time. I splurge on dark chocolate or Breyers ice cream occaisonally. If I drink alcohol it is gluten free beer.
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