One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions people make is to lose weight; not only by exercise but by dieting as well. With so many different types of diets out there, I decided to share my approach on nutrition and challenge everyone to a 30 day Paleo Diet.
I discovered Paleolithic eating a year and a half ago when my roommate at the time was trying it himself. He shared with me some of the principles, and at first I didn’t find it appealing. It wasn’t until he had me read The Paleo Diet For Athletes by Loren Cordain, PhD and Joe Friel, MS that I actually decided to make the paleo jump. My first experience was just like any other diet was—difficult, and after a few months I abandoned the idea. At beginning of 2010, I decided to give it another shot, but this time commit 110%. After the first 30 days, I noticed my body changing, my energy levels increasing, and my recovery time between workouts decreasing. This was absolutely bizarre and as I continued following a regimented schedule, I noticed my gains skyrocket.
The Paleo Diet is actually quite simple. Eliminate foods such as grains, dairy, and legumes and eat optimal foods just like our ancestors did such as lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. The premise behind all of this is to teach our body to burn fat (9 calories/gram) as fuel instead of carbohydrates (4 calories/gram). Many of you are probably guessing, how much do I need? First, you will have to figure out your lean body mass (LBM) by either getting a body fat test (most accurate) or to get a rough estimate click the link below. Now you have your estimated body fat percentage and now by following the next example, you will be able to figure out your LBM.
Weight – Body Fat % = fat mass
Weight – fat mass = Lean Body Mass
Once you have figured out your LBM, your protein intake should be between .5 to 1.0 of your LBM depending on your activity level and/or stage of training. For example if your LBM was 155, your protein intake would range from 78 grams to 155 grams, however most people are in the .6 to .8 range depending on their physical activity. Next, your carbohydrate intake should be in the range of 100 to 150 grams per day. Eating enough colorful fruits and vegetables is very hard to exceed 150 grams. Finally, not all fats are bad; fats actually help digest food and increase satiety. By following the Paleo Diet, it is important to add healthy fats such as nuts, avocados, coconut and olive oil just to give you an example.
Who’s ready for the 30-day challenge?
For further reading, please check out the link below.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/
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