Paleo Diet For Men: Can You Exercise And Go Caveman At The Same Time?
Paleo Diet For Men: Can You Exercise And Go Caveman At The Same Time?
Matt Bagwell— The Huffington Post UK
|
I love food. Especially healthy food. I'll admit that I'm even a little obsessed with it, to the point of reading the nutritional information table on any food stuffs I buy (yes, I know). It's not an OCD thing though, I just prefer to know what I'm putting into my body. Plus, it tastes better.
So trying the Warrior Diet from Paleo food delivery company, EatEvolve for five days was a no-brainer: wholesome, nutritionally balanced food delivered straight to me, so no food shopping (or staring at labels), (virtually) no cooking and no washing up.
And with the promise of health benefits including increased energy, clearer skin, better digestion and improved sleep I was raring to go.
Open Image Modal
So what is Paleo food? Well, it's a diet based on eating wholesome meals from the food groups that our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic - Stone Age, to you and me - era. They just knocked off the 'lithic' to make things easier.
In short: Sugar (including fruit juices), grains (including brown rice, more on that later), vegetable seed oils and sources of dairy high in protein are out and meat (from grass-fed animals), leafy green veg and eggs are in.
Despite the obvious benefits of the diet, I did have one reservation around the complete lack of carbohydrates. As a regular gym-goer I rely on carbs such as sweet potato, fruit and brown rice to keep my energy levels up but, I decided to see how I'd get on without them. After all, those cavemen must have been in pretty good shape in order to hunt down their next meal.
When the food arrived at the office the individual plastic packages looked far from appetising. But I was assured that even the best restaurants in town use the method of blast-chilling and vacuum-packing food - (a) the food retains flavour and freshness and (b) there's no chance of any nasty stuff getting into the food like E. Coli.
The Warrior Diet meant I received five day's worth of food including granola and frittata for breakfast, five lunches, five dinners, plus 5 granola bars for an afternoon snack.
Things got off to a great start. I can genuinely say that the granola breakfast was the best I'd ever tasted, the smoked chicken frittata, however, didn't fare quite so well. Some foods should be eaten the minute they're cooked and frittata is, I fear, one of those.
Open Image Modal
Things took a turn for the better at lunch time when, after emptying various packages into various bowls and chucking them in the microwave, I tucked into slow braised beef with chorizo with an accompaniment of red cabbage slaw. I was actually amazed at just how tasty this was. After all, microwave meals aren't exactly known for their outstanding quality or taste, but if I'd been brought this meal in a restaurant, I'd have been none the wiser. Impressive stuff.
The days that followed included more flavoursome culinary treats as Chilli con carne with cauliflower rice (amazing), grilled turkey and oven roasted veg, lamb tagine and Thai chicken thighs.
However, I did cheat (kinda). By day two, I introduced some carbs into the diet. I felt I didn't have as much energy at the gym so included some brown rice with my lunch before my afternoon workout and it did the trick.
By day three I genuinely did feel great. I was sleeping better, had none of that bloating you often have first thing in the morning, and even had a few comments that I 'looked well'. Thanks!
Open Image Modal
For anyone wanting to make positive lifestyle changes with their diet or if you simply want to lose weight, then I can't recommend EatEvolve highly enough. The food is top quality so it really does feel like you have your very own personal chef, which is why it doesn't come cheap (around £29 a day for the Warrior pack) but I'd say that was pretty reasonable for all of the health benefits (and the compliments).
The five day Male Warrior Pack costs £150. See www.eatevole.com for more details.
Facts About The Paleo Diet
It's Not Just Plates Full Of Bacon(01 of13)
Open Image Modal
Yes, the paleo diet involves eating meat, but it doesn't mean that you'll just be eating bacon and eggs for every meal. Protein is important, nutritionist Sarah Ramsden advises, but your diet needs to include healthy carbohydrates and fats as well. "You really only need to be eating as much protein as you need to recover from your day to day activities," she says. (credit:Shutterstock)
It Can Be Easier On The Digestive System(02 of13)
Open Image Modal
Many people feel an improvement of digestive symptoms once they switch to a paleo-influenced diet, Ramsden says, perhaps because it involves the cutting dairy and grains. "People report that persistent bloating, gassiness, and general discomfort clears up, thanks to the elimination of grains, legumes, and dairy," she says, "which for many people have a negative impact on digestive health." (credit:Shutterstock)
It's More Than Just A Diet(03 of13)
Open Image Modal
"Paleo is more than just a diet, it's a lifestyle," Ramsden says. For example, fitness and physical activity are encouraged. There is a focus on energy and getting quality sleep to ensure optimum health. And stress management is another area where work is done, she said. Paleo has a lot to do with what you eat, but Ramsden explains that it looks at improving or removing all of the unhealthy aspects of our culture. (credit:Shutterstock)
It Might Help With Autoimmune Disorders(04 of13)
Open Image Modal
Ramsden first discovered paleo when she was looking at holistic ways to treat multiple sclerosis, and says she's had success that shows up in her scans. "The typical Canadian diet is very inflammatory," she says. There is some evidence that a paleo-focused diet can help with other autoimmune disorders as well. (credit:Shutterstock)
You Don't Have To Join A CrossFit Gym(05 of13)
Open Image Modal
A lot of people instantly think of CrossFit, the intense exercise program that focuses on strength, endurance and flexibility, when they think of the paleo diet, and vice versa. But while many CrossFitters do eat paleo, for a variety of reasons, you don't have to fling tires around to give the diet a try. (credit:Shutterstock)
It Can Help With Your Energy(06 of13)
Open Image Modal
When you cut out sugar and refined carbs, your metabolism and blood sugar can become more stable, which means you'll have a more constant supply of energy. For that reason, going Paleo can help you fight that 3 p.m. crash. "It's the kind of diet to really help give you energy throughout the day," Ramsden says. (credit:Shutterstock)
Paleo Can Help You Fight Sugar Cravings(07 of13)
Open Image Modal
Always looking for a chocolate bar? Because it eliminates sugar and encourages you to eat in a way that keeps blood sugar stable, the paleo diet can cut that "hangry" feeling and reduce sugar cravings, Ramsden says. (credit:Shutterstock)
You Can Give It A Shot(08 of13)
Open Image Modal
If the idea of a wholesale switch is scary, Ramsden suggests committing to switching to a paleo-influenced diet for 30 days, then seeing what your results are and deciding on going forward from there. She is a Canadian representative for Whole 30, a "diet reset" program that aims to help followers decrease inflammation and improve metabolism health, among other benefits, and suggests a guided program as a way to test out paleo. (credit:Shutterstock)
The Fats You Eat Are Healthy(09 of13)
Open Image Modal
Yes, there are fats in some of the foods more common on the paleo diet, for example, in eggs. But the point is to get healthy fats, Ramsden advised, particularly healthy animal fats from a healthy source. (credit:Shutterstock)
You Should Add In Fermented Foods(10 of13)
Open Image Modal
Fermented foods are a great addition to any diet, including the paleo diet. Choices like kimchi and sauerkraut are full of healthy bacteria that will help with digestion and may improve your immune functioning. (credit:Shutterstock)
You'll Want Quality Sources Of Protein(11 of13)
Open Image Modal
Don't just run to the supermarket for the cheapest cuts you can find, Ramsden advises. Because animal fat can store unhealthy additives like the hormones that may have been used to raise animals, you'll want protein from as clean and high-quality a source as you can get. "People need to balance their budget with the cost of a better quality animal protein," she says. If you are buying conventionally raised meat, go for leaner cuts with less fat. (credit:Shutterstock)
It's Not Necessarily Low Carb(12 of13)
Open Image Modal
Yes, paleo involves cutting out grains and legumes, which are sources of carbs. But that doesn't mean you'll have no carbohydrates in your diet — or that you should, for that matter. Root veggies like taro have carbs, as do other vegetables like broccoli and fruits like berries. "The low-carb myth also comes from the fact that we load up on pasta, bread, etc. to fuel life at our desk jobs," Ramsden says. "We tend to eat far too many carbs to suit our activity levels, which has a significant impact on our health." (credit:Shutterstock)
It's Friendly For The Gluten Intolerant(13 of13)
Open Image Modal
Because paleo diets cut out carbs like wheat and barley, which both contain gluten, it can be a good diet for those who need to or wish to avoid gluten. It's also a way to see how your body responds if you remove gluten from your diet, or at least cut it back. (credit:Shutterstock)