So, I have been resisting to try the Paleo for athletes but I gave in and now I know why I resisted.
I have always eaten pretty good, Lean Meats, fruits, Veges, and whole grains but a lot of whole grains, -breads- pastas rice whole wheat for certain things like home made waffles-but eating grains for every meal.
I usually average 15hrs a week of training give or take an hr or so.
I have not tried it for too long but I am losing patience, I am grouchy, and irritated, Power in my bike and run are gone, and I am freaking hungry, even if I eat all want of my fruits, veges, nuts.
I know I am training the body to run on fats, but umm I dont have much more to spare.
I have lost 3 lbs in 3 days, and I only started at 158lbs for 6ft tall with a 6.0% body fat A high of 7.5% when not training. I dont know if I can afford to lose any more weight.
Does it get better? and I should keep going or
Should I keep up with the Paelo idea but add more whole grains back into my diet pastas breads rices, etc.
Is the irritability and loss o initial power, endurance common?
I thinks its recomendable for certain people looking to cut some weight, but my power to weight ratio is good and If I lose to much weight I feel lethargic.
Anyway.
Let me know you thoughts.
Thanks
Check out the Core diet on our QT2 page www.qt2systems.com It’s basically a paleo diet with specific modifications for endurance athletes. It sounds like you are not fueling your workouts. You’ve got to fuel!! Fuel before, during and after. Then outside of training windows switch back to low carb paleo or primal approach/ Read www.marksdailyapple.com too
I tried fueling just as described. I ate 2 eggs scrambled cooked in a little oil, and 6-8ounces of Home-made fruit smoothie.
I drank my fluidson the bike and got home and had chicken with green chilis, more smoothy, banana, and Organic pasta and cheese for my increased carbs.
Check out the nutritional guidelines by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I believe his website is www.drfuhrman.com
His nutritional philosophy suggests that we suffer from years of addictons to sugar, flour, and salt. Getting these ingredients out of your system is a difficult as your body will “suffer” while you are breaking your addictions from them and can take 1-2 months.
These cravings can be analagous to a smoker, as their addiction draws out their desire to smoke if they go too long without their nicotine fix. Sugar, flour, and salt (i.e.- processed foods, grains, etc.) can have the same effect. He also suggests that the loss in energy, (assuming your calorie needs are met by fruits, vegetable, nuts, and seeds) can be your body ridding yourself of the toxic environment these ingredients have caused. This takes energy to accomplish, and time making if difficult to get through this initial stage. His results are indisputable as he has treated 1000’s of patients through nutritional excellence.
My experience- I am not a vegetarian but I have become a believer in his diet and nutritional advice. His advice for athletes is to increase different types of nuts and seeds, combined with fruits, and vegetables to make sure you are meeting your caloric needs. It is hard to get through the addictions of the processed foods. I lost energy and training suffered just like you described in your post. But it did get much better after my body “re-calibrated” to healthier eating.
Bottom line: my diet now is whole foods, lots of cruciferous vegetables, assortments of fruits, and when training volume goes up- more walnuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, etc. I still eat turkey and fish once or twice a week. Following this diet, which very closely resembles the paleo diet has helped me lose 100 lbs. over the last few years, and my last Ironman was under ten hours.
It was certianly a whole new way of eating and initial changes were difficult. But your on the right track and for long term health I have no doubt it is the best way to eat to help prevent heart disease and cancer so stick with it. Hope that helps!
LOL. Yea I myself have tried to go Paleo the last 2 years. Both times it met a horrible death right at 2 weeks. I have felt great both times around 11-14 days something happened. I actually grinded out a week of feeling bad this time. It didn’t get better so I made it better. I was obviously trying the Paleo for athletes version and played around with it by taking big portions of maltodextrin in my normal every day smoothie that I make for post AM workout. I increased the fat intake early in the day as well and always had lots of fruit and meat on hand at work. I just couldn’t seem to get it right and was not willing to suffer through bad workouts for 2 weeks. They even warn you in the book you will feel bad for a couple weeks then it gets better. I just couldn’t deal with the feeling of low glycogen for my PM workout. I’m similar build to you 6’0 165lbs, low bodyfat, avg 13-16 hrs/week. There were simply too many favorite meals I was missing as well especially on the weekend. I agree with the theory and potential health benefits of the diet but I think I am too westernized. It’s funny my brother eats Paleo and it works well for him but he is primarily a 1 sport athlete that does 1/day workouts and trains about 6-8 hours/week. That’s much easier as opposed to 2/day workouts with 2-3x that volume. I figure I just need the extra fuel for recovery, end of story. How the hell did cavemen survive without the occasional pint of Ben & Jerry’s anyway?..& As you said waffles…forget about it. I can’t do it.