In my last post, I introduced the Paleo Diet and the Zone Diet. I've tried both. I've strictly gone Paleo, I've strictly gone Zone, and I've done hybrids of the two. You name it- I've tweaked, twisted, and tried several variations of one or both to see what works for ME. Any way you spin it, I call it eating clean.
We are not cookie cutter models of one another. What works for me, may not work for the next person. To take it a step further, what works for me when I have a rigorous work out day is different then when I have a rest day. I know when I feel my best, when I perform my best, and when I look my best. I know what foods help or prevent me from attaining my "best."
When someone asks me what I recommend, I usually say, "It depends." My next response is to ask them, "What are you currently doing?" I usually sit and go through a "typical" day and list EVERYTHING that is ingested and at what times.
I can offer nutritional guidance and advise people in the right direction on what I've done myself and have seen many of my clients achieve success with. What I have found is that everyone is different. We all have different schedules, different likes/dislikes, different reactions to foods, different physical demands, different goals, etc. The list can go on and on. The point is, there are many individual factors that should be considered.
I watched a YouTube clip the other day of one of my favorite health and fitness gurus, Paul Chek. He said something that really resonated with me. He made an analogy of cars and humans. He said, "Our society is very mechanistic in it's way of thinking. They are not very aware of biochemical individualities, so they think of these things [nutrition] as a prescription and that their body functions like a machine. Just like saying the average car only needs 4 quarts of oil in its engine, but there are engines that need 6 quarts of oil, and engines that need 3 quarts of oil. So we have to remember that the human body is an extremely dynamic living organism and each of us has different physical, mental, emotional stresses and pursuits that require more or less of any given nutrient..."
I love the way he worded this. I too have made the analogy of the human body to a vehicle. (check out my blog posts) I compare the body to a performance car, usually a Ferrari that requires premium fuel to perform as it was designed to do. If it were to get a tank of "regular unleaded" it probably wouldn't make a huge difference but it might not run quite as well, or perhaps an "indicator light" would flash up. However, over time with repeated use it would definitely damage the engine.
If we use these analogies and apply them to us with regards to food, it is important to consider the "how much" and the "what kind." Quantity and quality. This is why I like the Paleo Diet and the Zone Diet. It is a BASIC blue print or road map for the "average" person.
I recommend using these diets as a baseline to get you started depending on what you feel is realistic to start with based on your current needs.
REMEMBER... One size does not fit all. We are not cookie cutter machines made of nuts, bolts, and gears. We are dynamic, living organisms that change daily. My advice is to follow one of these plans, and tune in to your body. Your task is to pay attention to find what works for YOU. Ask yourself these questions after each meal, after each day, each week, etc., "How do I feel, how do I preform, and how do I look?" Log your food and your thoughts. If you have positive answers to these questions, you are on the right track. If you have negative answers, then dial in, and fine tune. *Signs you are not on the right track: bloating, gas, irregular bowel movements, sleepiness, poor performance, mood swings, poor complexion, poor sleep. Find out what the problem is by looking at your journal and analyze what maybe causing the problem. Eliminate it and continue on. If you have questions, ask me! That is why I am here and why I created this blog.
In my last post, I included a brief description of each eating style. I also included a link to the CF Zone diet. The following is from Robb Wolf's website on what to do and how to get started with CLEAN EATING...
Use these to help get you started:
Get Started:
Clean Out The Pantry
We do not have self-control. PLAN AHEAD! Don’t have tempting foods in the house. Remove the bread, rice, pasta, cookies, crackers, puddings, ice cream, waffles, juice, sodas, cereals, oatmeal, artificial sweeteners, yogurt, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, canned soups, apple sauce, noodles…all refined, packaged foods. Bag it all up, take it to a food bank or homeless shelter. No, the kids do NOT need crackers and Goldfish. They might actually be healthier if YOU are healthier!
Sleep & Stress
Black out your room. No, REALLY black out your room. No LED lights from alarm clocks, fire alarms, TV’s etc. Do not watch TV or check email for at least 1 hour before bed. Go to bed early, get at least 8- 9 hrs of sleep. You should wake up without an alarm, feeling refreshed.Exercise
The foraging lifestyle of our hunter-gatherer ancestors left them lean, strong, and healthy. Those who lived into advanced age did not lose muscle mass or gain body fat as they aged. It appears the default mode for our species is a balanced physique . Lean, muscled, and prepared for anything nature wished to unleash. By emulating the amounts and types of activities of our Paleolithic ancestors, we can affect remarkable changes in our physique, mental outlook, hormonal state, and overall health.
Throw Your Scale Away
While we are on this “weight topic” please just throw your scale away. Or smash it (wear safety glasses and go wild). But for the love of all that’s holy, do NOT rely on it as a significant marker of whether this process is working or not.
The fact is that you may not lose a ton of weight (read: pounds) on this plan. Why? Because you’re increasing muscle mass and losing fat . Increasing your muscle mass is good for controlling your blood sugar, helping your body to naturally regulate appetite, and has anti-aging properties. Muscles make you look good naked! So, don’t focus on scale weight.
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