January’s Overdue Paleo Challenge Recap
For the past 30 days, I successfully avoided sugar, flour, dairy, grains, processed foods, legumes, starchy vegetables, and alcohol. I didn’t miss any of these things and I felt great the whole time. Here are some random thoughts.
The standard American diet (SAD) is all about convenience - sandwiches, burgers, pizza, tacos, etc - wrap anything in bread and it’s good to go! Paleo is not convenient and requires advanced planning. This is a challenge when eating out.
When eating out, though, most places can easily accommodate a Paleo diet. You just have to ask. Everything seems to come with potatoes or rice or a roll or SOMETHING that you shouldn’t be eating. The guys at the deli near my office couldn’t understand why I didn’t want potatoes and toast with my eggs in the morning. “But it comes with it,” they’d say! “So keep it and charge me less” was my usual response. They kept it, but I always paid full price.
Most fast food places are right out since they’re just doling out processed crap. I did order salads from Chipotle a few times, but in order to make it filling enough to be worthwhile, I had to double the meat and add guacamole, which ended up costing $12, which is a bit much for lunch.
It also really pays to plan ahead - pack some nuts and portable fruit wherever you go since that place may not be Paleo friendly. I also found myself making more frequent trips to buy groceries since the shelf-life of Paleo friendly foods is short.
Overall, I think I will maintain a 90% Paleo compliant lifestyle. When I do cheat, I’ll make sure it’s worthwhile and in moderation.
