A Reconsideration

Recently my team had a meeting that discussed our goals for next year as well as addressed what our nutrition and workouts should look like in the summer. As I stared down at the list it really struck me how few of the things on the “suggested” side that I could not eat if I remained on paleo.

Our recommended foods for summer include many options that my diet has been void of for recent weeks, most notably grains and dairy. According to the Livestrong foundation’s website, dairy is key for muscle repair and growth. When doing an intense workout, especially heavy weightlifting, the body’s muscle tissue is being ripped apart. Dairy speeds the recovery process of that tissue. Grain, on the other hand, is a source of carbohydrates. Also stated on the Livestrong website, the average person is supposed to consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates 30 minutes post workout. The role of carbs is to aid in the storage of glucose in the muscle glycogen. Glucose is one of the body’s main sources of energy. The consumed glucose is distributed to the cells and tissues of the body that then use it to heal and recover in energy. The energy is very important especially as an athlete because it increases my endurance as well as allows for me to build up muscle faster and without detrimental effects to my health like exhaustion.  

      Besides suggesting grains and dairy, the sheet also included nuts, mostly in the form of peanut butter, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. The only things that were urged to be off limits or to be eaten in moderation were those goods that were considered dessert or high in sugar as well as in high fructose corn syrup. This would be a big change from my paleo lifestyle these past few weeks. But as summer and my deadline approaches, I find myself reconsidering staying paleo.

As the project draws on, I have decided to take a different eating path in the summer. Rather than be fully paleo, I will incorporate paleo ethics into my everyday eating plan. My decision not to stay paleo is the result of the challenges I’ve experienced so far on paleo. Although for the first few weeks I had a boost of energy as well as lost weight, this last week has been particularly hard. According to an article on the Livestrong website by nutritionist and “Self” magazine contributor Sarah Dray, one of the effects of the paleo diet is a lack of carbohydrates, meaning low energy. She writes, “Although you are able to get some carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, the total amount is still lower than if you were eating grains.” The lack of carbohydrates in my diet has led to a lessening of energy. This past week I have been particularly afflicted with this lack of energy. 

Another danger of the paleo diet that I discovered through Sarah Dray’s article was the possibility of too much saturated fat. Since the diet centers around heavy consumption of meat, there is a large amount of saturated fat going into my body. Too much saturated fat leads to higher cholesterol and increased likelihood of heart disease. Normally this is something a teenage girl would not concern herself with. However, my family has a history of high cholesterol and blood pressure, so I must keep both under close watch since I’m already at increased risk for associated diseases.

            The nutritionist also expressed her opinion that as athletes we should eat 3 meals per day with 2-3 snacks interspersed. Although I agree with her main suggestions about the types of food we should be eating, I know my body wouldn’t respond well to the amount of food she is suggesting for consumption. To consume this much food, which would equal well over 1400 calories per day, I would surely gain weight and just physically not be able to consume that much without getting sick. I usually try to limit myself to 1200-1400 calories per day in the summer when I have limited activities. However, in the school year once crew starts again and I am much busier, I will increase my caloric intake to closer to 1700 to account for the multiple, high intensity workouts per day. Instead, I have revised her eating plan to better fit my unique specifications.

            My ideal day would consist of three meals with one snack. Breakfast would be completely paleo. I’d most likely eat egg whites with either bacon or ham. The reason I don’t consume a large amount of carbohydrates here is because I am often still on an adrenaline boost from practice so I’m not hungry at all. However, I will eat a snack about one to two hours later that has significant carbohydrates but low fat. According to the Cleveland Health Clinic website, my snacks could include rice cakes, granola bars, or yogurt. Lunch may deviate from my previous lifestyle. For example I may eat a turkey sandwich with whole wheat bread, or even just turkey alone, but most likely with a type of cheese (more for flavor than anything). I would eat the bread because it would be a good source of carbohydrates, but only whole grain since white bread can often act like sugar. On the Whole Grain Council’s website, an organization which reviews all products and certifies them healthy and whole grain, it states that whole grains have many benefits including reduced risks of both strokes and heart disease. If I were to bypass bread it would be because I was trying to lose weight, and I know from experience that bread and cheese often make me bloated and force me to retain vast amounts of water weight. The non-paleo addition would be small, yet still relevant. Between lunch and dinner is when I would plan my snack. Snacks would consist of vegetables or fruit, something light that would also be filling and provide me with some carbs. I would be consuming water over the course of the day, even after workouts rather than milk because I am lactose intolerant and milk would affect my stomach. Since I do not control my own dinner, my mother does, dinner would most likely be a type of meat with a vegetable. I would get carbohydrates from the vegetables as well as protein and some carbs from the meat. It seems paleo, yet it is likely there would be some type of second side that would be outside the diet’s guidelines for example maybe mashed potatoes or a different form of legume that would add carbs to my meal.

            My overall goals for the summer are an extension of what my goals were for the paleo diet. I want to learn to eat healthier while editing my diet to help me be able to perform at a more consistent athletic level and feel better. The paleo diet, I discovered, only makes me feel good for a few weeks. After those few weeks I begin to decrease in energy and become crankier as my body becomes weaker. The edits to my eating plan should be more maintainable in the long run as I won’t experience the dip of energy. My energy should be at a stable plateau so that I can do all activities I want including exercising. The limitation on carbohydrates in my new dietary plan is because I’m hoping to lose some of the weight I gained this year during the summer especially when I only work out once per day. I think this is a great opportunity to focus on my health and achieving the energy levels, weight, and fitness level I want.

            The nutritionists’ presentation really made me reconsider the paleo diet that I was on. Since hearing her thoughts and reviewing the eating plan I have decided not to eat paleo all summer. Rather, I will use what I have learned the last few weeks and incorporate it into my life in order to live a hopefully healthier lifestyle that will continue to aid in muscle development and decrease substantial weight gain while incorporating more carbohydrates to restore my energy to its pre-paleo level.

Works Cited

Dray, Sarah. "What Are the Dangers of the Paleo Diet?" LIVESTRONG.COM. The Livestrong Foundation, 7 Nov. 2012. Web. 22 May 2013.

"High Carb Snacks." Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Web. 06 June 2013.

McCarty, Kristen. "The Best Food to Eat After Working Out." LIVESTRONG.COM. The Livestrong Foundation, 31 May 2011. Web. 22 May 2013.

"What Are the Health Benefits?" The Whole Grains Council. Oldways Preservation Trust/Whole Grains Council, 2013. Web. 06 June 2013.