Literature:
I highly recommend the following books to read about paleo and diet and performance.
The Paleo Solution - Robb Wolf
Enter the Zone - Barry Sears
CrossFit Paleo Food List
There are lots of books and websites out there on the Paleo Diet. Our standards include and exclude certain foods due to the fact that we are all athletes and can use certain foods for recovery and energy. All meats are recommended to be grass-fead and “all organic” but we understand that this is unrealistic for a lot of you. Trader Joes, Sprouts and Whole foods sell organic meats and other organic foods. We encourage you to shop there, but you will not lose points if you cannot.
For the sake of optimal results, I implore you to give up coffee, caffeine, and all other stimulants. Caffeine spikes the blood sugar, causing our body to store fat. It's tough, I know, but it will be worth it!
Do not eat fruit after noon for very similar reasons to the caffeine rule. If you are trying to gain weight you can eat whatever fruit you want.
Paleo Foods/Highly Encouraged
Lean Meats:
Lean beef (trimmed of visible fat)
Beef Jerky (check label for added sugar)
Flank steak
Top sirloin steak
Extra-lean hamburger
Lean veal
Lean pork (trimmed of visible fat)
Pork loin
Pork chopsLean poultry
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Eggs
(Wild Caught) Fish & Seafood:
Bass
Bluefish
Cod
Eel
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Red snapper
Salmon
Scrod
Shark
Striped bass
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Shellfish:
Clams
Crab
Crayfish
Lobster
Mussels
Oysters
Scallops
Shrimp
Fruit:
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Lemon
Lime
Nectarine
Orange
Passion fruit
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Star fruit
Strawberries
Tangerine
Watermelon
Fruits in moderation (high in sugar):
Mango
Banana
Fig
Guava
Papaya
Vegetables:
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Collards
Cucumber
Eggplant
Endive
Green onion
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Onions
Parsley
Parsnip
Peppers (all kinds)
Pumpkin
Spinach
Squash (all kinds)
Tomato
Turnip greens
Nuts and Seeds:
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Chestnuts
Hazelnuts (filberts)
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios (unsalted)
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Oils:
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Other:
Whey Protein powder
Seltzer water
Coconut water
Foods that should be eaten in moderation
(not cheats unless in excess)
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Chicken wings
• Ribs
• Canola oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Dried fruit
• Sweet potatoes
• Deli meat
CHEATS
Dairy Foods:
All processed foods made with any dairy products
Butter
Cheese
Cream
Dairy spreads
Frozen yogurt
Ice cream
Milk
Nonfat dairy creamer
Yogurt
Cereal Grains:
Barley (barley soup, barley bread, and all processed foods made with barley)
Corn (corn on the cob, corn tortillas, corn chips, corn starch, corn syrup)
Millet
Oats (steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and all processed foods made with oats) ***Subtract 3 instead of 5 points for plain oatmeal.
Rice (brown rice, white rice, top ramen, rice noodles, bas mati rice, rice cakes, rice cakes, Rice flour (all processed foods made with rice)
Rye (rye bread, rye crackers, and all processed foods made with rye)
Wheat (bread, rolls, muffins, noodles, crackers, cookies, cake, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, pasta, spaghetti,lasagna, wheat tortillas, pizza, pita bread, flat bread, and all processed foods made with wheat or wheat flour)
Wild rice
Cereal Grain-like Seeds:
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Legumes and ALL soy products (including tofu):
All beans (adzuki beans, black beans, broad beans, fava beans, field beans, garbanzo beans, horse beans, kidneybeans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, string beans, white beans)
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Lentils
Peas
Miso
Peanut butter
Peanuts
Snowpeas
Sugar snap peas
Soybeans and all soybean products
Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices:
All sugary soft drinks and diet beverages
Gatorade
Vitamin water
Coke
Diet Coke
Canned, bottled, and freshly squeezed fruit drinks (which lack the fiber of fresh fruit and have a much higher glycemic index)
ALL Alcohol:
Wine
Liquor
Beer
Cider
Artificial Sweeteners:
Sweet and Low
Splenda
Equal
Condiments:
(just stay away from most condiments, it's easier that way)
Processed salad dressings
BBQ sauce
Ketchup
Mustard (unless just mustard seeds and vinegar; check the label)
Miracle Whip
Anything made with soybean oil
Anything made with high frutose corn syrup
Anything with added sugar
Paleo Challenge Questions
Okay. I am going to try to address most of the questions I have gotten since Saturday. I am happy that you all have so many questions and want to do this right. If you search online you will find Paleo lists that exclude some of the foods we have made exceptions for. For example, the Cordain version of the Paleo diet doesn’t allow you to eat the skin off the chicken, which doesn’t make much sense to me because I doubt 40,000 years ago they were stripping their meat of the skin for a leaner option. Robb Wolf has his own athletic/crossfit version of the Paleo diet that most crossfitters follow. If you are looking to do some reading today, go to http://robbwolf.com.
On Robb Wolf’s version of the Paleo diet, the following foods are allowed: sweet potatoes, bacon, vinegar, deli meat, and whey protein. Why are these things expectable? Well, because we want to make this realistic for most of you. You are all athletes and need more food and energy than the average person. Sweet potatoes are a great recovery food and help satisfy your craving for something sweet. Bacon has a ton of fat, but it will keep you full and give you energy. Vinegar, though very acidic, is essential to many recipes including salad dressings, and it is a natural substance. Deli meat isn’t encouraged, because it is loaded with salt and certain kinds are processed, but it is a quick and easy dense form of protein that will help you stay on track. Protein powder is a great dense source of protein and great for post workout.
Q&A
Green tea? You may have decaffeinated green tea.
What if I go out to eat?
Say you go out to breakfast and order an omelet with veggies. You may not know exactly how it is cooked, but it’s okay. That is one thing you can turn a blind eye to. BUT if you order steak make sure it doesn't have some odd sauce.
What oils should I be using?
Coconut oil and olive oil are preferred. Stay away from soybean oil!
