I love reading testimonials and learning about people's experiences with food. Here is one for the ladies I found encouraging.
BTW: Don't forget to jot down 1-2 days worth of food, so we can take a peek and see what you are currently eating and have a better understanding of what your schedule is like.
Also, what is your current performance like in the gym? What skills and strengths do you have and what goals do you have for yourself for the future?
See you guys tomorrow!
http://robbwolf.com/2012/04/02/paleo-world-changer/
Let's kick some ASS ladies!
I made the switch to paleo the exact same time I joined CTO just over a year ago. To say the combined transition was a shock to my system would be a bit of an understatement. I did feel lethargic and worn down at times as I weaned my body off the grains, but after a couple of weeks the energy started to return as I adapted to the new diet/lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was much easier to decide on a day and make a total elimination of everything that was bad...cold turkey. I just didn't want to tangle with the occasional temptation of some treat, "paleo-friendly" or not. Like Coach said, this time period is also about helping you to break free from and control some of those bad food habits. Everytime you convince yourself that "just one is okay", you run the risk of further convincing yourself that "two shouldn't be that bad" or that you'll just make up for it in the gym. Make that commitment to yourself above everything else that you're going to adhere to the guidelines as strictly as possible.
It was a lot of "learn-as-you-go" for me initially so that I could track results. One thing I realized right away was that 1) I never felt "heavy" or bloated, and 2) I was never really hunger as I spread 5 meals throughout the day about 3 1/2 hours apart. It didn't take long for the weight to start falling off rapidly. In fact, I thought it couldn't be true, and I would actually weigh myself multiple times to verify the results. In about 3 months, I had dropped 30 pounds and had to buy new jeans a few times...some of which didn't get much wear. Before long, I quit relying on the scale because I was adding muscle while still stripping bodyfat. I focused more on how I looked and felt and how my performance during WODs was improving.
As Coach mentioned, there are various ways to ensure your success during this challenge. For me, one of the biggest keys was to maintain a food journal in which I wrote everything. You would be surprised at how the little things add up that you might neglect to consider throughout the course of your day. Whether it's a bite or two of something while you're prepping your meals or a "small" handful of something else whenever you pass the fridge or pantry, it all adds up in the long run.
Commit yourself to carrying that food journal with you every where you go, and write down every little thing you eat or drink throughout the day...no matter how "small" it may be. I always tried to weigh or gave an honest estimate to the weight of the food I ate. It didn't matter so much with the green, leafy veggies I ate, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't consuming too much when it came to everything else. Write how you feel shortly after a meal as well as in general at the end of the day as well. And don't hesitate to write down as much as possible as this information will help you target issues you may be having and what variables may need to be assessed and tweaked.
This is only one item of many that helped me. The biggest thing to remember is that this is only for 30 days. Stick with it, and don't cheat yourself. I know that each and everyone of you can do this and will be proud of your results! It'll be worth it!
Great testimonial John! It has been awesome seeing you transition into this total badass. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteI myself am totally on board with the "cold turkey" approach. You just have to train your taste buds and mind to think differently. That's how I felt about coffee. I spoke to a fellow female athlete that lives and breathes nutrition and more specifically the holistic side of things. She raved about how great life was w/out caffeine. She encouraged me to give it a whirl. So I went cold turkey right before Thanksgiving. Man it was tough, but mentally it was pretty neat to know that I could really quit anything if I just put my mind to it. I sleep better at night now and feel so much more refreshed in the morning...of all times of the day, right? It's crazy! I will admit that I have had a sugar free red bull or two and get a huge energy spike (probably because I don't normally have caffeine) but then I crash. So I need to steer clear of all caffeine pretty much. But I won't tease myself with coffee at all because I will just go down that path again.