Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky
My 30 Day Paleo Diet Challenge results:
Week 1 Stats
I am going to try to sum up my thoughts about Paleo without getting too wordy. Apparently I have a lot to say about it!
Before I get into my final thoughts on the Paleo Diet I want to discuss my why. Why did I decide to go Paleo? A couple of reasons.
First, my husband. He has narcolepsy and eating Paleo/Primal has changed his life. He is functioning at a level we never dreamed possible. All because he changed his diet. It made no sense for me to continue eating all the foods that make him feel horrible right in front of his face. He struggles sometimes with feeling like there is 'nothing he can eat'. It helps him out so much for me to be cooking completely Paleo and filling the house with yummy Paleo friendly fare. Plus, if it made him feel so great, why not me too?
Second, I know my body responds best and I feel overall best on a lower carb diet. When I get too high in my carb consumption I just feel like crap. All around my choice to go Paleo just seemed a win win for my entire family.
Now on to my final thoughts on this little going Paleo experiment:
The thing that amazed me most about eating this way was how great I felt. I've talked this point to death in past blogs and videos, so I'll keep it simple. I had more energy, was more clear-headed, and overall just felt fabulous. So much so that I have no desire to stray too far from this way of eating.
The weight loss results on this plan completely have me stumped. I started out to find out whether Paleo was hype or help for weight loss, remember? Well, I lost a pound on the scale. In a month that's not great. But the inches I lost were amazing. Two inches off my waist? Wow. I feel it too. I feel thinner all over. My clothes are fitting looser. I actually blame myself for the lackluster scale performance. I think I could have tweaked my diet and workouts a little more and had better scale results, but I got over the hump of 30 days eating this way without feeling deprived. Since I'm looking long term at eating Paleo that's a win to me! So, is it hype or help? I am going to say help. Big Time.
I think the mental/emotional benefits (for me, not making a blanket statement here) of this way of eating may trump everything else though. I haven't had to track calories. I do not feel panicky or obsessive about my eating or my weight. My urge to binge eat, compulsively eat, any of those previous self destructive behaviors, seem to be gone. Perhaps because I've removed all trigger foods from the house and I feel physically satiated from Paleo foods? Maybe because I don't get the blood sugar swings and feel famished or over-hungry ever? I'm not sure why. But, what I do know is that I feel like eating Paleo sets me up for success in all these areas. Is it all in my head? Could be. But it works for me. And that is good enough for me.
If you're interested in Paleo I recommend:
and her blog everydaypaleo.com
and his blog robbwolf.com
32-oz. - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil - 1 quart
I am madly in love with this coconut oil.
Any questions about my little Paleo adventure?
If you're interested there are 3 weeks of daily vlogs on what I ate, etc at adventuresintracking.blogspot.com.
Tomorrow I'll be off on my 30 day Primal challenge!
I am just a blogger, not a doctor, trainer, or any sort of health professional. What you read here are my personal experiences and opinions. Of course, always consult your doctor before trying a diet, supplement, or new workout program.
Week 1 Stats
Weight 177
BF% 32.4%
Waist 34.5
Right Thigh 21.5
Right Calf 14.75
Right Arm 12
Week 2 StatsWeight 176
BF% 32.2%
Waist 34
Right Thigh 21.25
Right Calf 14.75
Right Arm 12
Hips 42.5
Week 3 Stats
Weight 176
BF% 31.8%
Waist 33.5
Right Thigh 21
Right Calf 14.75
Right Arm 12
Hips 42
Week 4 Stats
Weight 176
BF% 31.4%
Waist 32.5
Right Thigh 20.5
Right Calf 14.25
Right Arm 12
Hips 41.75
Totals:
Weight lost 1 pound
BF% down 1% (used an Omron BF Monitor, so results can vary. But it was as accurate as I had available)
Waist down 2 inches
Right Thigh down 1 inch
Right Calf down 1/2 an inch
Right Arm stayed the same
Hips down 3/4 an inch
Feeling fabulous? Priceless.
I am going to try to sum up my thoughts about Paleo without getting too wordy. Apparently I have a lot to say about it!
Before I get into my final thoughts on the Paleo Diet I want to discuss my why. Why did I decide to go Paleo? A couple of reasons.
First, my husband. He has narcolepsy and eating Paleo/Primal has changed his life. He is functioning at a level we never dreamed possible. All because he changed his diet. It made no sense for me to continue eating all the foods that make him feel horrible right in front of his face. He struggles sometimes with feeling like there is 'nothing he can eat'. It helps him out so much for me to be cooking completely Paleo and filling the house with yummy Paleo friendly fare. Plus, if it made him feel so great, why not me too?
Second, I know my body responds best and I feel overall best on a lower carb diet. When I get too high in my carb consumption I just feel like crap. All around my choice to go Paleo just seemed a win win for my entire family.
Now on to my final thoughts on this little going Paleo experiment:
The thing that amazed me most about eating this way was how great I felt. I've talked this point to death in past blogs and videos, so I'll keep it simple. I had more energy, was more clear-headed, and overall just felt fabulous. So much so that I have no desire to stray too far from this way of eating.
The weight loss results on this plan completely have me stumped. I started out to find out whether Paleo was hype or help for weight loss, remember? Well, I lost a pound on the scale. In a month that's not great. But the inches I lost were amazing. Two inches off my waist? Wow. I feel it too. I feel thinner all over. My clothes are fitting looser. I actually blame myself for the lackluster scale performance. I think I could have tweaked my diet and workouts a little more and had better scale results, but I got over the hump of 30 days eating this way without feeling deprived. Since I'm looking long term at eating Paleo that's a win to me! So, is it hype or help? I am going to say help. Big Time.
I think the mental/emotional benefits (for me, not making a blanket statement here) of this way of eating may trump everything else though. I haven't had to track calories. I do not feel panicky or obsessive about my eating or my weight. My urge to binge eat, compulsively eat, any of those previous self destructive behaviors, seem to be gone. Perhaps because I've removed all trigger foods from the house and I feel physically satiated from Paleo foods? Maybe because I don't get the blood sugar swings and feel famished or over-hungry ever? I'm not sure why. But, what I do know is that I feel like eating Paleo sets me up for success in all these areas. Is it all in my head? Could be. But it works for me. And that is good enough for me.
If you're interested in Paleo I recommend:
and her blog everydaypaleo.com
and his blog robbwolf.com
32-oz. - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil - 1 quart
I am madly in love with this coconut oil.
Any questions about my little Paleo adventure?
If you're interested there are 3 weeks of daily vlogs on what I ate, etc at adventuresintracking.blogspot.com.
Tomorrow I'll be off on my 30 day Primal challenge!
I am just a blogger, not a doctor, trainer, or any sort of health professional. What you read here are my personal experiences and opinions. Of course, always consult your doctor before trying a diet, supplement, or new workout program.
Very interesting. The waist inches is quite impressive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for summarizing your experience, Kari. I am on day 3 of Paleo and am documenting 30 days of results also. My trainers cautioned me to focus on inches, not pounds, so I'm interested to see if I have as great of results as you've had! I also function better on low carbohydrate eating, as learned through years of Atkins'ing.
ReplyDeleteSE, Excited to see what you think!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an overall positive experience. The inches lost are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteLoved your experiment. I think Paleo/Primal eating is a great way to go, and the benefits definitely include zest, energy, good mood, etc. I am looking forward to your Primal experiment. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your progress. I've heard of this diet before, and I've been curious about it. Heard about it on Empire Avenue.
ReplyDeleteKerri, nice work. Would your husband be interested in writing a guest post on my blog (I talk about neurological issues and how Paleo can be a treatment for them)? You know how to get hold of me... :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I'm so happy that you're going to continue on. It really speaks to the difference between a temporary diet and a way of eating that you can stick with for life. :) I am a longtime lowcarber. Atkins got me started, but over the years my diet has naturally shifted towards a more paleo/primal approach. Keeping my carbs low helps me control my weight and eating habits, and focusing on whole unprocessed foods keeps me healthy and strong. Onward!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're feeling so fantastic! It's really exciting that you're feeling so comfortable with the Paleo lifestyle. I'm happy for you! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Primal and how it compares to Paleo.
ReplyDeleteYour experience is what encouraged me to try it. I'm on week 1 and already feel great. It's kinda exciting to see the positives already, just hope that it continues. I went looking for everyday paleo yesterday and the book store didn't have it, hope to find it tonight at a different place.
ReplyDeleteYou know everyone I know who has tried Paleo thought it was hard the first week then fell in love after week two and has continued eating this way. I'm glad to see you're no exception to the rule of continuing after a 30 day challenge. Now all you need to do is start CrossFitting and you'll be fully primal! :)
ReplyDeleteWow...sounds like you made great progress in 30days! way to go!
ReplyDeletelooks up and to the right.
ReplyDeleteI LOOOVE THAT TANK TOP!!!