Rules and Regulations:
In my diet experiment I will undergo a completely paleo diet for exactly seven days. My goal is to decide whether this diet plan is something suitable while I am in the off season, in-season, both, or not at all. My main job is to commit to the diet for 7 days and reflect on the results seeing whether I can benefit from this diet and include it in my life or leave it in the past. For those that have never heard of a paleo diet the basic premise is to eat food only from the paleo era. In short, any food that is processed must be eliminated and the only food that can be eaten is natural.
A paleo diet is a dietary plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.
A paleo diet typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A paleo diet limits foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago. These foods include dairy products, legumes and grains.
Other names for a paleo diet include Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, hunter-gatherer diet and caveman diet.
The diet’s reasoning is that the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that emerged with farming practices — an idea known as the discordance hypothesis.
Farming changed what people ate and established dairy, grains and legumes as additional staples in the human diet. This relatively late and rapid change in diet, according to the hypothesis, outpaced the body’s ability to adapt. This mismatch is believed to be a contributing factor to the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease today.
Here is a List of the Foods I am allowed to eat:
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Lean meats, especially grass-fed animals or wild game
Fish, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna
Oils from fruits and nuts, such as olive oil or walnut oil
Grains, such as wheat, oats and barley
Day 1: January 4, 2019
Today my meal plan went as follows:
- Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil. One piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
- Dinner: Burgers (no bun) fried in butter, with vegetables and some salsa.
I decided to do some research on the types of food that are commonly bought and at the conclusion of my research I used the Health-line seven-day meal plan for the Paleo Diet. I usually do not buy a lot of these foods consistently so I decided to stock up during the New Year so I would be prepared. Breakfast was different from my typical Cereal and I did feel some difference as I was a bit more energized going into my physical therapy session. Going into Lunch, I did not really feel the need to eat a snack other than the typical re-hydration I follow after a workout. My Lunch was light, but good and actually a lunch that I usually eat when I have a workout later in the day, or I’m trying to keep my body healthy and sharp for my training camps. Once again, I only needed to hydrate and did not feel the need for any snacks which made me confident that this diet is helping me feel full but trim down on weight. For Dinner, I decided to use some quality ground beef I found at Sprouts in order to fill my protein need for the day. I found some good asparagus, corn, and potatoes that I decided to use as the vegetables to supplement my meal, along with some salsa to add flavor to the patties I ate. Checking my weight, I weighed in at 124.2 and I felt like I was at the equilibrium, not full but not hungry and in good shape to compete. I think this is the state I need to be in so I can compete successfully.
Day 2: January 5, 2019
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Leftover burgers from the night before.
- Dinner: Salmon fried in butter, with vegetables.
Waking up today, I decided to use a stronger meat-based diet for today because it is Saturday and on of my days off from training. Having breakfast I decided to eat a banana with my bacon and eggs along with drinking some freshly squeezed orange juice that I made with the squeezer I have. The meal was again a filling breakfast compared to my normal milk and cereal and lead me to only drink water until lunchtime. I got a slight urge to eat some non paleo foods but fortunately lunch came around quickly and I was able to eat the same burgers I had for dinner. I followed the same plan I had for dinner with the use of corn, potatoes, and asparagus as my vegetables, but switched to some olive oil in order to add flavor for the burger. Going into Dinner, I decided to break out the seafood I purchased and decided to eat some salmon fried in butter, I used the same vegetables that I had for lunch, but I also decided to add some fresh carrots and sliced apples in order to add some variety to my dinner. Overall, my diet the past two days has only had an effect on my breakfast and I believe that the burgers are going to be a staple for my diet in the coming week. I think I have found some solid meals to mix in with my regular diet for the future, unless I completely shift to a paleo diet. My workouts have gone well and I have not felt fatigued so I think this diet has some strong benefits which I can further implement into my permanent diet. My weight checked in at 123.4 and usually when I am down at 123.4 I feel a bit low on food, whereas I feel really strong and healthy.
Day 3: January 6, 2019
- Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
- Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
- Dinner: Ground beef stir-fry with vegetables. Some berries.
Today is Sunday and I woke up really craving the burgers I ate so I decided to shift that meal to breakfast along with the vegetables I had the night before. I decided to use some barbecue sauce I was saving for the steak towards the end of the week and it turned out to be a really good breakfast. Once again, I feel really full heading towards lunch and all I need is some water and almonds in order to get me to lunch. For lunch I decided to make a sandwich with some cold cuts. For some toppings I used olive oil and vinegar along with chopped lettuce, pickles, and sliced olives. I had some more orange juice with the sandwich and I felt ready for my workout at 3. Once again I felt really cleansed and sharp going into training. Once I came out of training and I re-hydrated, I decided to relax for a little bit because I was not feeling that hungry. I decided to drink some more pineapple juice in order to re-hydrate and waited to eat my dinner until later than usual. At around this point in my diet I am seeing how the sustainability will be challenging to keep up with. I see the benefits of this diet but having to spend the amount of time I do organizing and planning meals has been somewhat of a hassle during the school year, so I think this diet will be best for the summer or during a period in which I just need to maintain good health compared to having to train for competitions. My weight is currently at 123.8 so my weight is consistently around 123-124, so if I were to compete I would only need to shave 1-2 pounds which is the easiest experience I would have. I would only need to sleep and maybe break one sweat in order to make that weight, so I can see how using the paleo diet, I can stay on weight for competition.
Day 4: January 7, 2019
- Breakfast: Eggs and a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad with almonds.
- Dinner: Fried pork with vegetables.
This morning since I had training I decided to be very light with the food I eat. I decided to have some eggs with a banana and some orange juice so I felt really light but energized going into class on Monday. I brought some water with me and drank from it until lunch time in which I decided to get Caesar Salad with a pack of almonds on the side. Eating the lunch I didn’t feel very full at all and I was energized going into practice after school in which I made sure to drink about 24 ounces of water before practice. After practice I re-hydrated and decided to make some fried pork and included some of the same vegetables I had been eating, including mashed potatoes. Today the meal plan was one of my favorite as I got to eat consistent meals for Breakfast and Lunch while trying something different for Dinner. I usually don’t have Fried Pork with vegetables but considering I had the food prepared it was definitely a worthwhile experience. I felt very light after eating breakfast and lunch so I felt it was fine for me to stuff myself somewhat with the Fried pork and vegetables I decided to eat. The training that I did at practice with running allowed me to burn more calories, so I was able to eat something like Fried pork which doesn’t break the rules but can allow me to put on some weight that will keep me at the same strength I have been at. Considering I am normally closer to 128 or 130 pounds I can’t go too far under without losing muscle. The key in this diet is finding the foods that work and implementing them into your diet. I weighed in back at 124 exactly for today and I felt confident that my weight was going to be within striking distance of 122 pounds which would be the weight I need to be at for competition at the weigh-in. Again, this diet seems like something that can work but due to the extreme dedication and time required it seems that sprinkling in the basic concepts would work better than just only using the Paleo diet.
Day 5: January 8, 2019
- Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil.
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of chia seeds.
- Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potatoes.
For breakfast I started off with Eggs once again and my Mom fried me some vegetables in coconut oil, so I decided to have the mix of carrots and asparagus with my eggs in the morning. Then I decided to have a chicken salad once again and combined this salad with chia seeds in order to supplement some protein. Later after my practice ended I had steak for my dinner with some sweet potatoes, instead of the regular ones I was eating earlier, and some corn with cauliflower. The steak I had was once again a nice finish to the night and I enjoyed being able to eat steak and still be on weight.
Usually, I am cutting out meals like steak from my diet consistently. Maybe once or twice a month I would eat steak, but with this Paleo diet, I can eat steak and have no issue with my weight and I still feel strong and sharp going into all of my workout sessions. I have been mainly doing physical therapy, but because I am able to still do running and leg workouts I am able to lose the same weight I would participating in wrestling practice.
Day 6: January 9, 2019
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs with a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Turkey wrap and vegetables from the night before.
- Dinner: Baked salmon with vegetables and pineapples
I started off this morning feeling slightly lighter in weight than I normally do, so I decided to add some bacon strips with my egg. I also felt I was eating more vegetables than fruit so I had a banana with the meal for breakfast this time. For lunch I decided to try a turkey wrap that I made and pack some cranberries and thousand island sauce as toppings. I combined this wrap with some carrots and corn that I packed in order to give me the vegetables I needed in the meal. After re-hydrating from practice I went home to eat a baked salmon with some asparagus and scalloped potatoes. The baked salmon was flavored with some lemon and pepper and I decided to cut some fresh pineapple along with drinking the pineapple juice I bought. The pineapple juice was a nice refresher going into the last couple days of my experience because I was finally able to drink/eat something that was somewhat sweeter compared to the other foods I had been eating.
My final weight ended up being at 124 pounds for the night, so I am consistently feeling strong and positive with my workouts and how my body is feeling. The workouts are going quite well and are some of the best I have had. I feel in really good shape as I can run 3 miles, do my leg workouts and then go to physical therapy feeling really good and sharp as I work on fixing my elbow.
Furthermore, I have been able to implement good habits with spending time buying and cooking the majority of the food I have been eating, and I have gained an overall stronger in awareness about my diet and the foods I should be eating to be in shape and have strong performances. I see lots of benefits to the Paleo diet and I think maximize the efficiency of when to use it in training camp for me will be crucial if I really want to reap the benefits of Paleo moving forward.
Day 7: January 10, 2019
- Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
- Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with vegetables and salsa.
For breakfast I had the a baked salmon with some asparagus and scalloped potatoes. The baked salmon was flavored with some lemon and pepper and I decided to cut some fresh pineapple along with drinking the pineapple juice I bought. Once again, I feel really full heading towards lunch and all I need is some water and almonds in order to get me to lunch. For lunch I decided to make a sandwich with some cold cuts. For some toppings I used olive oil and vinegar along with chopped lettuce, pickles, and sliced olives. I had some more orange juice with the sandwich and I felt ready for my workout at 3. Once again I felt really cleansed and sharp going into training. This time for dinner I was able to try making grilled chicken wings with my dad and we decided to mix in some vegetables in salsa to accompany the meal. I ended this experiment with my weight at 123.6 which is exactly where I want to be if I were to be competing in 24-48 hours and having a weigh in around this time. With the re hydration period of about 2 hours that we are allotted I would not be sure how much I could bend the rules of the Paleo Diet but I definitely see how the diet would help for the preparation of competition or the off-season for competition, but I am not very sure of the benefits during or after competition.
Reflection:
Based on this one week diet plan that I have undergone, I believe that a Paleo diet is going to be highly likely for me to follow through with in-season and off-season. With that in mind, I feel that during the off season it is more likely compared to when I am competing in Mixed Martial Arts. The variety of meals, many of which, I had not tried consistently before, allowed me to discover more about my health and wellness and give me the opportunity to see where my weight could change in coordination with the foods I eat in my diet.
LeBron James, like a lot of basketball players including Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant, have credited the Paleo diet for prolonging their careers as well as increasing their performance and stamina. LeBron recently won the NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers and was named Finals MVP, cementing his name in a lot of people’s eyes as the best player in the last 10-15 years. LeBron originally wanted to do the diet for just 30 days but said his body “felt good” so he continued on.
Even though my weight didn’t drastically increase or decrease, I was able to fine tune my weight and feel myself at a peak at each pound of weight I was at. In Early November I was weighing in about 126-130 pounds depending on the time of day. Going into December when I had matches or Tournaments my natural weight went down to 124 in which I would usually trim down to 122 or 120 for my events. When it came to my training in Jiu-Jitsu and Boxing I would be around 125, but my weight was very negligible. With the conclusion of this experience my weight felt good at around 123-126 pounds, but I do not feel this diet will be sustainable especially during the school year. I think this diet will be good if I am looking for something different or trying to make a change for a week or looking to eat some different food.
If you would like to try this diet on your own here are some resourceful links that I used to guide me in the process of this experience:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/the-paleo-diet.aspx
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/paleo-diet-meal-plan-and-menu
Milad's Health Diet 