I hope you are all having a successful week so far! Having been in the CrossFit community for awhile now and with a few nutrition challenges under my belt I have heard quite a few people utter phrases like these; "I could never go strict Paleo", "I have too much of a sweet tooth to eat Paleo" or "I can't live without bread!" Trust me in my days prior to CrossFit I probably would have said the same thing. I am here to tell you that my answers to all of these statements are, YES YOU CAN! If you met me before I walked through the door of CrossFit Davis for the first time you would have laughed at the possibility of me ever offering someone nutrition advice or writing a blog post about clean eating. Some of you have heard this before, but my meal before my first CrossFit workout consisted of 2 pop tarts and a diet pepsi! I wish I could say this "meal" was out of the ordinary for me, but at the time it really wasn't. I had no concept of using food to fuel my body and I had no idea that I could feel better if the food I put into my body was better. I believe eating foods based on Paleo guidelines is a way of life that can suit anyone. It might not feel easy or convenient at first, but hey, neither was CrossFit at first and now most of us probably can't imagine our lives without it!
Here are some super helpful tips form Mariah:
First things first: eliminate the words “easy” and “convenient” and anything of the like from your vocabulary. Staying grain, legume, and dairy-free while commuting on campus, to/from school to/from work to/from the gym, etc. takes EFFORT and PLANNING. Resisting the late-night pizza and alcohol social binges takes DISCIPLINE. When your boss or professor brings donuts to class or to the office as a reward for all of your hard work, it takes PERSPECTIVE and WILL POWER to stick to your packed celery-stick snack. Is it easy or convenient? No. Is that an excuse? No.
A quick warning to those perfectionists out there: I am going to take a page from Darwin’s book (big ups, D.) and say that a lot of the time, we may not have access to the best food options imagineable, so instead, we must choose the best available.
What to shop for:
Meat and vegetables, of course!
OK, it’s not that simple, I’ll admit. The recommendation to succeed and thrive on paleo is to have a WIDE variety of vegetables, lots of grass-fed meats, little fruit, some safe starches, and lots of good fats. In order for some of us to succeed with the busy lifestyles that we lead (and if you are like me and can’t cook to save your life), some of that colorful variety may be cut a bit short at times; you may find yourself eating more nuts or fruit than is ideal, and you also may find yourself having to get used to eating cold, pre-cooked meat. Those of you that would like to get creative, please do so. In the meantime, I will go ahead and tell you what has kept me compliant (and has not completely drained me financially) despite the hectic nature of life.
First off: find a grocery store that sells grass-fed meat, high quality produce, and smaller items like coconut flakes, jerky, and larabars. *I personally use Costco and supplement with Trader Joe’s or Safeway. Choose items that are easily stored and/or prepared (especially in reference to the produce). In an extravagant trip to Costco, here is what my shopping list would look like:
1) 4 lb. grass-fed organic ground beef packages. <<<I usually buy 3 or 4 of these packages and freeze them until needed.
2) Organic sausages: chicken and apple, artichoke, chicken and mango. Lots of potential here for easy protein. Look at the labels, avoid crap ingredients.
3) Steak. Grass-fed is preferrable. Again, buy these in bulk and freeze as necessary.
4) Shrimp! This lovely little fish can actually be extremely convenient and tasty when on the road.
5) EASILY STORED AND EASILY CONSUMED FRUITS/VEGGIES such as: broccoli, cucumber, celery, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, berries, apples, oranges. Sweet potatoes and squash are also an option here if you don’t mind cooking them ahead of time.
6) Box of avocados. Be sure to get a variety of ripeness; adding in a few that are still green and extremely firm will give you some time to eat the others before those ones ripen, thus minimizing store trips. Planning!
7) Giant bag of nuts. Is this the best fat option imagineable? No. But it works in moderation.
8) Coconut flakes (you may have to go to Whole Foods or TJ’s for this one, make sure to buy unsweetened, no added sugar!).
9) Beef jerky, salmon jerky, turkey jerky, eggs (for hardboiling!) larabars, small pieces of fruit, or any other portable snack that tickles your fancy. Many Trader Joe’s stores also sell pre-cut chicken and steak that can be easily thrown into a salad...find various options that suit you.
Mold my shopping list to fit your tastes and needs, but stay within the parameters of:
A) paleo-friendly, and B) simple.
I have yet to mention the three most critical and revolutionary store-bought gadgets of all time:
1) Tupperware set. These can be bought at any drugstore, most grocery stores, and other large department stores such as Target.
2) Cooler and/or refrigerateable (is that a word?) lunch bag. Coolers may not look that “cool,” so the cooling lunch bag is a great substitution; these little guys can be stored in the fridge over night, and they do a great job at both keeping your food fresh AND looking somewhat socially acceptable. Can be purchased at drug stores and department stores.
3) Ziploc sandwich and freezer bags. They’re beautiful.
Thank you Mariah!!
This brings us to Challenge #1! Offer a suggestion or something you have done or are doing to make the switch to Paleo more manageable. We don't want to think of eating Paleo as a diet, it's a way of life and a significant life change for many. I know it was for me! In order for this change to become life long, it needs to be practical and the good news is this is absolutely possible. Please comment below with your helpful suggestions, tips or tricks or email me and I will post them here! You have until Friday to complete this challenge. Looking forward to hearing from you all!
-Kirsten
