A Newbie’s Guide. What is the Paleo Diet? Based upon everyday, modern foods that mimic the food groups of our pre-agricultural, hunter-gatherer ancestors.

A Newbie’s Guide

What is the Paleo Diet?Based upon everyday, modern foods that

mimic the food groups of our pre-agricultural, hunter-gatherer ancestors

Paleolithic eraTime period from 2.6 million years ago to the

beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago

Supported by both randomized controlled human trials and real-life success stories

Why do crossfitters eat paleo?CrossFit headquarters originally pushed the

Zone diet in the nutrition certification course taught by Robb Wolf

Wolf began covering the Paleo Diet in his classes

Paleo popularity spread like wildfireWolf had a falling out with CrossFit

headquarters over his adamant stance on the superiority of Paleo over Zone

Paleo emerged as the de facto among the CrossFit community

Seven fundamental characteristics:Higher protein intake

Goal: between 19-35% of calories

Lower carbohydrate intake and lower glycemic indexAncient ancestors- carbohydrates accounted for 22-40%

of the daily calories

Higher fiber intakeFruits average almost twice as much fiber as whole

grains. Non-starchy vegetables have eight times more fiber

compared to whole grains.

Characteristics Cont’d

Moderate to higher fat intake dominated by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with balanced Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats Recent large population studies known as meta analyses

show that saturated fats have little or no adverse effects upon cardiovascular disease risk

Omega 6 to 3 ratio: Walnuts 4.2 When in doubt, go for walnuts!

Characteristics Cont’d Higher potassium and lower sodium intake

Meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds- contain about five to ten times more potassium than sodium

If you only eat fresh, unprocessed foods, it’s impossible to eat more sodium than potassium

Net dietary alkaline load that balances dietary acidFruits and vegetables are base-producing Grains, meats, fish, cheese and salted processed foods are acid-

producing

Higher intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant phytochemicalsWhole grains are not a good substitute for grass produced or free

ranging meats, fruits, and veggies, as they contain no Vitamin C, A, or B12.

Foods included:Fresh meats (preferably grass-produced or

free-ranging beef, pork, poultry, and game meat)

FishSeafoodFresh fruitsVegetablesSeeds Nuts (excluding peanuts)Healthful oils

Olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut, and flaxseed

Foods NOT included:Diary FoodsCereal grainsLegumes (beans, peanuts, lentils, peas)Refined sugars Processed foods

When adapting the diet you may:

Reduce your risk of heart disease and/or type 2 diabetes

Lose weight if you are overweightImprove your athletic performanceSlow or reverse progression of an autoimmune

diseaseImprove or eliminate acneSleep better and have more energyEnjoy an increased libidoImprove your mental outlook and clarityEnjoy a longer, healthier, more active life

Sample Meal:

A few tips:For breakfast, make an easy omelet. Sauté onion,

peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli in olive oil; add omega-3-enriched or free-range eggs and diced turkey or chicken breast. Pair this with 1 cup of berries and you’re set!

Paleo lunches are easy. At the beginning of the week, make a huge salad. A good starting point can be mixed greens, spinach, radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, avocadoes, walnuts, almonds and sliced apples or pears. Each morning prepare a single serving from the large batch and then mix in meat (ground beef, beef slices, chicken, turkey, ground bison, pork chunks, etc.) or seafood of choice (salmon, shrimp, tuna, etc). Toss with olive oil and lemon juice.

Tips cont’d For dinner, try spaghetti squash as a substitute for

any pasta recipe. Top with pesto, marinara and meatballs.

Roasted beets and their greens make a great side dish for pork. Asparagus, broccoli, and spinach can be steamed quickly. Salmon, halibut, or other fresh fish filets grill well with accompanying foil packs full of cut veggies with olive oil and garlic.

Berries and other succulent fruits make a great dessert. Pre-cut carrot and celery sticks, sliced fruit, and pre-portioned raw nut/dried fruit mixes are easy snacks.

A Slightly More Realistic Guide

ISH

Paleo perfectionism is a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection while following a Paleo diet and rejects anything less. Paleo perfectionism has kept many people from experiencing the health benefits of a Paleo diet by creating an elite-level of standards that are unnecessarily enforced on those whose means may not be able to

support said standards.

What is this “ish” business?After trying strict paleo for a period of time

(30 days or more), many people find “paleo-ish” to be more realistic

“ish” simply means you’ve adapted it to fit your lifestyle

Not as strictDo what works for you and makes you

happySustainable and realistic

Foods included:Meats (all)Fish; seafoodFresh fruitsVegetablesSeeds NutsLegumes; peanut butterPotatoes (yes, white!)Rice; gluten-free cereal grainsDairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)Healthful oils

Foods NOT included:Cereal grains (those containing gluten)Refined sugars

As you can see, this list is MUCH shorter!

“Cheats”Some people find paleoish easier to sustain

with one cheat meal/week If you eat an average of 21 meals a week

(3 meals x 7 days), one cheat meal can be beneficialAllows you to indulge in cravingsHelps you to not feel deprivedGood for your mental health

“Cheats” (cont’d)1 meal/week not enough of a cheat? Still

struggling during the week?Try one day on, one day offThen move to two days on, one day offThen three days on, one day off

What about alcohol?Beer: not paleo

Made from wheat, barley and hopsWine: paleo-friendly

Red wine in particular contains antioxidants that promote a healthy heart

Spirits: paleoish-friendlyFermentation of grains, but second process called

distillation removes most, if not all, glutenHard cider: paleo-friendly

Most are naturally gluten-free, but check your label

**general recommendations are to limit alcohol to 2 drinks/day for men, 1 drink/day for women**

The key is to understand what foods affect YOUR body. The Paleo diet, in essence, is an elimination diet. Step 1 – eliminate grains, dairy, and legumes. These are inflammatory agents. Try this for 30 days, see how you feel. After that, if you’re feeling adventurous and would like to “tweak” your diet, tweak away! However, you must pay attention to YOUR body along the way. What works for you may not work for someone else, and what works for someone else may not work for you. That’s trial and error at its best, folks!

An Athlete’s Guide

Am I an “athlete”?If you are able to answer yes to the following

statements, then YES, the information in the next several slides applies to YOU! I’ve participated in a competition in the last 12

monthsI plan to compete in an event within the next

12 monthsI train purposefully, with specific goals in mindMy training involves high volume and cycles

depending on the time of year

Paleo for AthletesNeed to bend the rules of the paleo diet a

littleGoal: quick recoveryUse of non-optimal foods on a limited basis5 stages of daily eating relative to exercise

Stage 1: Eating before exerciseStage 2: Eating during exercise

(marathons/long races)Stage 3: Eating immediately after exerciseStage 4: Eating for extended recoveryStage 5: Eating for long-term

Stage 1: Eating Before ExerciseEat low to moderate glycemic index

carbohydrates at least 2 hours prior to workoutGlycemic index list:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-eating/glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods

Can have some protein and fat in this “meal”, but not necessary (this might be your breakfast on the day of competition)Breakfast ideas:

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/paleo-breakfast-for-champions

1 hour prior to first workout, take in 200-300 calories (i.e. protein shake)

Stage 2: Eating During ExerciseOnly applicable to workouts/races lasting

more than 1 hourIngest high glycemic index carbohydrates

mostly in the form of fluids (i.e. sports drinks)

General guideline is 200-400 calories/hour (dependent on body size and nature of the exercise)

Events less than an hour long – water will suffice

Stage 3: Eating Immediately After In the 30 minutes immediately following a

high intensity workout, consume a drink or food that has a carbprotein ratio of 4:1 (i.e. 40g carbs and 10g protein)

Eating within the 30 minute window is important!

Example:Protein shake made with milk + 1 bananaPeanut butter and jelly sandwich + 1 cup of

berries + 1 string cheese

Stage 4: Eating for Extended RecoveryAt the end of a competition day or a long

race, continue to focus on moderate to high glycemic index foods with the 4:1 carbprotein ratio over the next few hours

Now is the time to incorporate suboptimal foods like bread, pasta, and rice (if you’d like) because they contribute to the necessary carbohydrate recovery process

Perfect stage 4 foods are potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and raisins

Stage 5: Eating for Long-termReturn to a Paleo Diet focusing on optimal

foods the very next dayShould my diet evolve as my training evolves?

Yes!Athletes typically have a training “season”Our macronutrient requirement changes with the

demands of the training seasonConsistent protein intake year-round (typically 30% of

total calories)Base period – increased fat (30-40%), decreased carbs

(30-40%)Build and peak – decreased fat (20%), increased carbs

(50-60%)

RecapWhether you’re an athlete, the average

CrossFitter, or fresh out of elements, the paleo diet is a tool that can help you reach your health and wellness goals.

For more information or if you’d like a one-on-one nutrition coaching appointment, contact the dietitians at SPEC. Our number is 876-4249. We’d be happy to sit down and chat with you!