What’s Your Trick?

To most it’s just another Monday…to many of the Crossfit Toronto members, it’s the final week of the Paleo Challenge. Yes…it’s been 8 weeks of lean meats, some fruit, lots of vegetables and healthy yummy fats!  We have all had our personal obstacles with this challenge…ousting dairy, ridding our cupboards of processed foods, so long to grains, bye bye sour cream and onion chips, farewell lovely cupcakes, see ya later Mr. Christie!

What seemed like an impossible dietary undertaking 8 weeks ago, is becoming a way of life.  It feels good to eat well. We’ve seen some great transformations not just in body, but also in performance.  New PR’s, first pull-ups, first muscle ups, higher box jumps and quicker times!  What you put into your body DOES make a difference to what you get out!

As important as these last weeks have been, it’s even more important to look beyond this challenge.  How to sustain this life change?  Will you go back to your old habits?  Zone and paleo eating truly is a way of life, not just a short-term diet or fad.  It has benefits that are beyond weight loss and performance.  It is a TOTAL health diet, proven to help combat sickness and disease, improve physical and mental well-being.

This week is all things Paleo!

One of the greatest challenges to any diet is life!  We may have great intentions to eat right, but unfortunately life often gets in the way!  We still have jobs, families, social commitments and unexpected hiccups that can often make eating well a challenge.

As many people nowadays, my job requires I travel.  In March, I was flying out on Monday and returning on Friday…repeat for the entire month.  Sticking to Paleo/Zone while traveling can be tough.  There are always some mishaps, usually in the form of dessert…but if I’m honest, it is very possible to stay on track.

Here is my run down of a traveling Paleo Zoner.

Breakfast – I have this down to a fine art.  I  take on my workout at the ungodly hour of 5:30am, then on the way back to my room I sweet talk a waiter into putting together 3 hard boiled eggs and some sort of fruit. My preference is grapefruit because it’s a good traveller! And COFFEE! I know there are pros and cons on the coffee front…but it’s a non-negotiable for me.

A few breakfast challenges to be avoided by the traveler include:

• While ordering the healthful eggs, avoid looking at the Waffle Maker
• THE CONTINENTAL! Platters of flaky danishes, crusty croissants…and the ever lovely bagel! Ahhhh the bagel….an entire loaf of bread compressed into a beautiful “O!” Nothing says happy like a dense O spread thick with PB! Don’t be fooled…continental is not your friend!

Focus only on your healthy choices, throw in some almonds and you are good to go!

Lunch can be tough if it’s pre-arranged. Pizza cannot be easily Paleo-ized!  There is no amount of squishing, squashing or picking that can make pizza a paleo/zone meal that would fill any person, of any size.  Wraps and sandwiches are a cinch! Hot lunches are easy…just stick to protein and vegetables.  Pasta gets tricky as people tend to look on disapprovingly as you custom pick the meat and vegetables…and leave the noodles!

Some lunch survival techniques:

• For wraps and sandwiches I do the “Squish!”  This involves squeezing the innards out of the wrap tossing the shell and enjoying the guts!
• Salad…piled SUPER high…like BIG!

Then comes dinner.   For me, these are usually group dinners and I always try to make my food choices quietly so as not to appear finicky or just plain odd! I stick to salad for a starter. avoiding the fried calamari that always seems to appear on the table! Key to success is avoiding all eye contact with the bread basket.  I always order a tasty protein, usually opting for beef or some grilled fish.  Quietly whisper to the waiter to skip the starch and double the vegetable!  This may bring looks of confusion or disgust.  Just look away and pretend you didn’t just grow a third eye.

The dinner dangers include:

• WINE! I can’t lie, I usually indulge!  But I make sure to sip so as to enjoy every ounce!
• Dessert!  Oh lovely sugar!  I opt for an Americano and pretend it’s enough but in my heart I know there is no replacement for dessert!

On my travels, I don’t always win!  There’s the 3pm cookie tray that always seems to appear right about the time you are so hungry you’re contemplating eating your arm.  There’s that guy beside you that rips open a bag of m&m’s and passes them your way.  The reception desk candy bowl which once caused me to wish for someone to choke on a candy wrapper…the Paleo made me do it!

I ALWAYS carry a bag of almonds with me.  These are easy, transportable fats and can save you from committing a terrible Paleo sin.

What are your diet “life” challenges or obstacles?  What kind of Paleo survival techniques do you put into action?

Workout

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

• 5 Hang Power Cleans 95#
  
• 10 Wall Balls 20#
  
• 20 Double Unders