I started a thread a while back where I asked for some advise regarding how to tackle the paleo diet: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/..._reply;so=ASC;mh=25;
I thought I would report back on the progress and results of my new eating habits, if someone might be interested.
Bottom line is that it all looks very promising and I won't hesitate to recommend it to anyone!
I thought I would report back on the progress and results of my new eating habits, if someone might be interested.
- It's a lot easier than I had expected. I used to eat a LOT of bread. Some days I never ate anything but sandwiches. Bread or grains was part of almost every meal I could think of that I really loved: hamburgers, fajitas, pancake, pizza, sandwiches, subs, etc., etc. I naturally thought that cutting out all grains would be really, really hard, and to make the switch easier I planned as a first step I would only stop eating gluten and lactose products. So I stashed up on gluten free bread and spreads, not necessarily paleo, but without dairy products in them, like ajvar relish and olive tapenade. So that I could continue eating sandwiches for breakfast as I was used to. It didn't take more than a few weeks for me to realize that I was much better off skipping the bread altogether. I had come up with a breakfast formula that satisfied me way better than the 6-8 cheese sandwiches and a bowl of yogurt + cereal that I used to eat ever did . Most days now I eat 120 grams low fat bacon + 2 eggs, or a ham omelet with a fruit salad and it's so good and satisfying that I actually never even think about sandwiches anymore.
- I'm more ripped than ever. Just 5 weeks of paleo diet did more to alter my body composition, in the good way, than had 5 years of "elite" triathlon training. I started training at age 25 and soon became pretty good at triathlons at the national level here in Sweden. Being 25 when I started and not in great shape I've always had a belt of fat around my waist that no matter how hard I trained would never really disappear. I just thought that it would always be there. But what I have noticed now is that when I pinch the skin on my belly there just isn't that much left to pinch. There's a very noticeable difference there. Even the missus says I'm starting to get too skinny :) I should add that right now I don't train at all at the same level that I used to. I've been taking a ne year break from tris and this summer I've been training less than half of what I used to do, and I haven't done any riding or swimming at all last winter/spring. Still I managed a HIM PR last weekend in my come back race!
- A main reason for trying this diet was to see if my immune system would benefit from it. I used to have frequent colds all year round and it often ruined my racing seasons. The future will have to tell whether this will improve or not. But so far I feel great except I actually got a sore throat after my race last Saturday but it went away the next day. I usually don't get over colds until 5-7 days have gone by. But it's still too early to say...
Bottom line is that it all looks very promising and I won't hesitate to recommend it to anyone!