Paleo Challenge Blog – Week 5:

Thoughts:

You are 14 days away from ending our 42-day challenge and I am so proud of every single one of you. 14 days is not long at all, compared to when you started. Come up with a concrete game plan to keep you with it the next two weeks. You got this!!!

Here are some awesome benefits you are now hopefully experiencing from changing your lifestyle these past 4 weeks: (This is from Robb Wolf’s website)

You eat unprocessed, real food

Paleo and primal diets consist of real, whole foods – except for some natural but bottled or packaged sauces, condiments and ingredients – so you automatically eliminate a whole range of preservatives, hidden sugars, sodium, additives, coloring, artificial flavoring and who knows what else. As a result you eliminate unnecessary toxins and consume more nutrients, plus the food tastes so much better.

Paleo diet is rich in nutrients

One of the misconception about the Paleo diet is that it’s all about protein and fat. What many don’t realize is that by eliminating nutrient-void processed carbs – I call them fillers – we supplement with loads of vegetables, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, berries and fruit, all of which are full of minerals and vitamins. Combine that with the improved gut health and increased nutrient absorption, which happens through avoidance of irritating grains and legumes, and you get a very balanced diet. You’d be surprised that we can get pretty much all required nutrients from animal, seafood and plant based foods.

Sustained weight loss

Most people experience weight loss and muscle growth while eating a paleo diet and keeping an active lifestyle. Improved metabolic processes and gut health, better sleep, stress management, sufficient Vitamin D and a healthy ratio of Omega-3/6 fatty acids all aid in burning off stored body fat.

Reduced bloat (and gas)

Paleo diet provides lots of fiber, which together with adequate H2O intake and a smaller intake of sodium help to decrease the bloat many people experience on a Western diet. Plus, paleo diet helps to improve the gut flora, which is essential in keeping a healthy digestion.

Say goodbye to Hangry

Hangry is a combination of hungry+angry, which is a common symptom for many people suffering from acute or chronic hyperglycemia. This also happens when the blood sugar drops and the person gets a rapid onset of hunger accompanied by irritability, fatigue, disorientation, and a foggy mind. Meals consisting of protein and fat are very satiating. The energy your body gets from fat, protein and some glucose from low GI carbs is released slowly and evenly throughout the day. As a result, the blood sugar levels stay stable and you rarely experience energy drops; hunger develops gradually without the crazy mood swings.

It’s rich in healthy fats

Paleo diet promotes healthy saturated fat from grass fed meat, poultry, seafood, ghee, butter and coconuts; lots of monounsaturated fat from olive oil, nuts and seeds and a small amount of polyunsaturated fats; no trans fats; a healthy ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids. The right types of fat are essential in maintaining healthy arteries, brain function, healthy skin, as well as decreasing systemic inflammation.

People following the Paleo/Primal diet experience many of the below benefits:

Increased and more stable energy levels, Improved sleep, Clearer skin and healthier looking hair, Mental clarity, Improved mood and attitude, Improvements in those suffering depression or anxieties, Less or no bloating, decreased gas, Sustained weight loss, Muscle growth, increased fitness, Lowered risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, Higher immune function and a general feeling of well being, Improved glucose tolerance, decreased insulin secretion and increased insulin sensitivity, Improved lipid profiles, Healthier gut flora, Better absorption of nutrients from food, Reduced allergies,
Paleo diet is anti-inflammatory, most people experience reduction of pain associated with inflammation, Improvements in those with respiratory problems such as asthma.

Workout’s of the Week (Homework):

Workout One: 10 Rounds: 10 squats, 10 burpees, 10 sit-ups

Workout Two: 5 Rounds: 3 min. run or fast walk, 20 walking lunges, 10 pushups

Recipes for the Week:

Meals this week with the exception of dinners will remain close to the same. Breakfast for me will involve eggs, broccoli and spinach, bacon or avocado with some black coffee. Lunches will be grilled chicken, fresh turkey burgers or lean meat with more fresh veggies, or salad with lots of avocado. Lunch tends to be a time I like to have something sweet so I will be prepared with a small serving of fruit like berries or an apple. Snack will be a smaller version of lunch, or leftovers from the night before. Dinners will be the following attached recipes.

Recipe 1: Marvelous Meatballs This is a family favorite

Recipe 2: Chicken and Lots of Veggies

Recipe 3: Chicken and Kale Stew

This week is insanely busy for me so I will keep our other two meals really simple. Chicken, fish or steak with lots of vegetables and sweet potatoes for the boys and Jason.

Snacks I will keep on hand just in case at the house are hard boiled eggs, lots of cut up veggies and some fresh fruits, and cut up strips of chicken. I don’t do too many nuts or nut butters because I feel like I have a hard time controlling my portions with those.

Goal of the Week:

Start thinking about creating goals for after this challenge is over. Think about where you want to be by the end of the spring, summer and next fall. Write down action steps that will help you reach those goals. Next week is the final blog post for this challenge. I will have lots of tips and ideas of what to do next 🙂