Paleo Challenge

Monday August 16th – September 24th (6 weeks)

  • Category A: “Motivated People Only” a.k.a. I wanna see my six-pack and win me some scrilla! $35 Entry fee goes toward winners’ kitty. Two eligible winners, food log reviews by Remy weekly. Sign up online – here – and email Remy with your Google email address.
  • Category B: “Sort of motivated, but not on the weekends” No entry fee, two eligible winners (prize TBD). Sign-up by emailing Remy with your Google email address.

Rules: Challengers will take before/after pictures, do two benchmark WODs (one lift, one WOD), keep a daily food log on Google Docs, and obey Category rules.

A meal component is ‘Paleo’ if it contains:

  • Meats/eggs, Vegetables, Nuts/seeds, Fruit

What we suggest if you want to win…

  • Eat a VARIETY of lean meat, fatty meats, organ meats, fish and seafood, eggs
  • All large quantities and a variety of non-starchy vegetables; especially kale, collard greens, broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, spinach, chard. There are many types of these dark, leafy green vegetables (DLGs). Learn your spices & herbs to make your food taste amazing and avoid boredom.
  • Moderate starchy vegetables (sweet potato, roots, tubers, squashes); best post-workout (see PWO nutrition post)
  • Some fruit (moderate to 2-5 servings/day if you have significant body fat to lose)
  • Eat moderate healthy fats (nuts, high quality olive oil, coconut oil, mac nut oil in cooking)
  • Moderate nuts and seeds (best: walnut, mac nut, brazil nut, pecans, almonds)
  • Make sure you’re getting enough food (see ‘quantities…’ info below)
  • Avoid packaged foods (make it yourself!)
  • Read the label/ask your server!

These foods are not ‘paleo’…

  • Grains, breads, legumes, cereals, rice, dairy products (eggs are considered meat, not dairy)*
  • Sugars, artificial sweeteners
  • Add very little or no salt to your food
  • Gray area highly concentrated ‘paleo-ish’ foods (limit these): ‘natural’ sugars: Agave, cane, honey, molasses, bars (e.g. Larabars), nut butter, raw dairy*

*PWO meal use of milk is an exception for those with mass gain goals, but I do not recommend this if you haven’t experimented with it before.

Resources

Meal planning & shopping

  • Remy’s Paleo Shopping List – items, ideas, grocery stores, farmer’s markets, deals
  • Robb Wolf’s Paleo Beginner’s Shopping Guide
  • Beginners shopping tips: Find locally grown produce and grass-fed meat/eggs at south bay farmer’s markets — see Resources page
    • Meat/Eggs: Whole Foods “organic” = grass-fed; “natural” = corn-fed; Trader Joe’s carries some grass-fed meat. Order from Gourmet On Wheels for weekly pickup at south bay farmers markets.
    • Fish: Some fish should not be eaten by children or women, or in small amounts for men due to toxin/heavy metal content. Use this pocket-sized guide for the West Coast or download the iPhone app from Monterey Bay Aquarium.
    • Bison: Get your bison ‘grass-fed’ from farmer’s markets/Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s. Beware: labeling laws permit the “Bison” label with the addition of up to 49% beef (usually grain/corn-fed) for ground. Support local grass-fed farmers: Lindner Bison (available at Torrance Sat. farmer’s market)

Cooking

  • Dinners & Lunches — On every third day: make enough for the next day at lunch, plus prep the next day’s dinner
    • Breakfasts – On every third day: also make scramble kits and quiches
      Scramble kits: on cooking days, chop extra veggies and add herbs and set aside in jars/tupperware for quick scrambles
      Quiches: on cooking days, chop extra veggies/herbs, and/or cook extra meat. Whisk in to ~15+ eggs, pour into casserole dish and bake 25-30min, refrigerate and enjoy for several days. Top with avocado/paleo salsa.
  • Eating out:
    • Ask the chef to make you something tasty with meat and a vegetables
    • Seafood & sushi: a whole lot of sushi out there is not safe to eat, especially for women. Use this pocket-sized guide for the West Coast or download the iPhone app from Monterey Bay Aquarium.