Day 12: Paleo Responsibly

I wanted to put a disclaimer out there about this particular diet - it is super high maintenance to execute, time consuming, taxing on the body and can be harmful if not done correctly - I think I learned that the hard way. Mace sent me a cheat sheet for how athletes should follow the diet and I am posting it here to help anyone else that might way to try it out. I highly recommend that you read the book Paleo Diet for Athletes before trying the diet so you are informed about your food choices and what it might do to your body. Though the food is basic and clean, it involves a lot of cooking and preparing, which can be a real shift if you are not used to doing that. On more than one occasion in the last 12 days, I have found myself running off to an appointment or from work to derby with "no time to eat" (there is always time to eat!) and the result is always feeling dizzy, which becomes hard to bounce back from. I have started carrying around little snacks in my car and purse just in case I need something on the run. I am a fruit horder bag lady. Literally, if you open my purse you will find grapefruit, almonds, oranges, bananas.
So, especially if you are an athlete, be careful not to dive into trying this diet without planning it through and making sure you are still getting all the nutrients you need to fuel yourself.
Here is what Mace calls Stage 1 (she hasn't given me Stage 2. I am allowed Stage 2 when I have mastered Stage 1):
STAGE 1:
1. Eliminate refined flours and sugars (white flours, white/brown sugar, cakes, white breads, muffins, candy, doritos, etc). 
2. Eliminate fried foods (french fries, sweet potato fries, chips, tatertots etc)
3. Reduce caffeine intake as much as possible
4. >50% of your food intake should be fruits and veggies
      30% protein (especially lean meats, not bacon)
20% whole grains/legumes (brown rice, quinoa, spelt, millet, barley, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, mung beans, lentils - white potatoes also fall into this category)

5. Use canola/olive oil for cooking rather than butter
6. Try to reduce dairy intake, but some low-fat milk, yogurt, or other low fat dairy products, okay

7. Drink LOTs of water, herbal teas, or water with lemon/lime or a splash of fruit juice
8. Be sure to eat a combo of protein (chicken, egg whites, protein powder) and quick burning carbs (fruit juice, grains, etc) after working out.  A shake is a good way to combine these and more appealing.

Today I ate:
steamed salmon for breakfast
a fresh mango ad some dried mango for a snack
a huge salad with greens, red pepper, avocado, tomato and red onion with lemon and olive oil drizzled on top and a piece of marinated and grilled ahi steak
a few dates and green tea for a snack
half decaf coffee (I needed it!)
a shrimp, mango, avocado, cilantro, red onion, habanero, lemon juice salad for an appetizer (a la Jo!)
diced chicken, pineapple, green bean, mushroom, broccoli, yellow onion and garlic stir fry sauteed in coconut oil and coconut water (a la Jo!)
I had more than 8 ounces of wine....

I signed up for START Fitness bootcamp at 8am on 4/24. It is a five week program that meets to do an outdoor group fitness/bootcamp 4 days a week. Jo is signed up with me. I am pretty excited.