Paleo

I'm going back to my caveman roots and starting a diet that mimics the eating habits of Paleolithic humans who existed 2 million years ago. It is deemed the healthiest way to eat, as there is a lot of protein and vegetables, coupled with the absence of grains and other processed foods. Unlike the pro-inflammatory, low fat, high grain diet of modern man that is counterproductive to recovery and performance, a high protein diet is crucial for muscle recovery.

While losing weight and getting leaner will be welcomed side effects of any healthy diet, my primary goals are as follows:

1. Improved recovery time in between work outs - My biggest fear right now is injury. I've been doing a lot of Olympic weight lifting/barbell work. Since it's new to me, and my technique isn't perfect yet, I want to make sure I do everything I can to prevent injury and muscle fatigue. Technique, practice and a high protein, anti-inflammatory diet will help me accomplish that.

2. Improved performance - I want to be faster, stronger and have more effective workouts. It's pointless for me to spend so much time at the gym and still not be able to do a pull up (although I'm getting closer!)

Here is a list of food I can and cannot eat.
Can:
Lean meats
Veggies
Fruits and berries
Nuts

Can't:
Dairy (sad!)
Legumes (including peanuts)
Grains and Cereals
Alcohol

Items like root vegetables, bacon and salt fall into both the "Can" and "Can't" list. I think that root vegetables like potatoes and tubers were available during caveman days, which makes it Paleolithic, but probably falls on to the "can't" list because of its starchy contents. I'm going with "can" on this one because I like sweet potatoes. I'll just be sure to eat it in moderation. I see bacon in a lot of paleo recipe books, so I will also have bacon in moderation. After all, bacon makes everything better. Cutting salt will be challenging, but it will teach me to get creative with exotic spices, so I'm looking forward to that learning experience.

It's a hard diet to sustain. Modern society and food production just wasn't designed for everyone to eat like this on a global level. With that said, I won't beat myself up if I decide that I want half and half in my coffee or soy sauce with my sashimi. And I never want to be the person at a restaurant with a list of restrictions for my entree. How inconvenient. If my friends want to go out for cheeseburgers, I will gladly enjoy a cheeseburger. Those will be my cheat days. And is it really cheating when you're enjoying a good meal with friends? I will simply do my best to use Paleo as a "guideline" for how I should grocery shop and eat.

I also stopped buying things in a bag or a box. So no more fish crackers, cereals, Oreo cookies, Pirates Booty, Sour Patch Kids, Asian shrimp chips and Shin Ramen.

Let's see how this goes.