ADAPTING THE PALEO RESET TO YOUR NECESSITIES
As always is the case with nutrition, there’s no one-size-fits-all even within the realm of a Paleo diet. We lead different lifestyles and some of us need to take into consideration underlying conditions such as autoimmune diseases, gut issues, obesity, diabetes.
I’m going to give you some information on how to handle the Paleo diet for “special populations” and a clear list of which foods you can eat without restrictions, which you should eat in moderation and which you should completely avoid during the 30 days of Reset.
Eat Liberally: Meat and fish (it’s a good idea to include organ meats as well as they are incredibly nutrient-dense), eggs (possibly not just chicken eggs- try also quail, duck, seagull), starchy tubers (there’s more than potato and sweet potato- try yam, taro, yucca, lotus root), non-starchy vegetables, fermented vegetables, traditional fats (olive, coconut, avocado oil, coconut milk, duck fat), spices and salt
Eat moderately: processed meat (gluten and sugar-free), fresh fruit (no more than 3 servings per day), nuts and seeds (no more than a handful per day), green beans and sugar snaps (technically they are legumes), coffee and tea, 70%+ dark chocolate (no more than a bite-size a day), vinegar (preferably apple cider).
Avoid completely: dairy, grains (including pseudo-grains like quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat), legumes, sugar and sweeteners, industrial seed oils, sodas and fruit juices, alcohol, processed sauces and seasonings.
NOTES ABOUT ATHLETES (INCLUDING RECREATIONAL ATHLETES):
Athletes’ nutritional needs are different from the “average person’s”. Many recreational athletes following a paleo diet end up under-eating (not getting enough macro and micronutrients). This is a serious mistake to make as it can lead to performance issues, under-recovery and plateauing. Individual needs vary depending on wellbeing status, goals and sport of course.
An extremely rough way to determine calorie intake is by multiplying the athlete’s weight in pounds by 12 to get a baseline calorie need estimation and to add 100 calories for every ten minutes of moderate/high-intensity activity.
Total calorie intake is the most important determinant of muscle growth, even above protein intake.
Athletes who perform explosive activities such as basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, Crossfit and martial arts will need between 30-50% of their total calorie intake to come from carbohydrates for optimal performance, to keep and gain muscle mass (that’s about 100-200+ grams for an “averagely active” man on a 2600 kcal diet and between 75-150+ grams for the “average active woman” on a 2000 kcal diet- to give an idea).
Protein intake for athletes needs to be appropriate as well, with quantities ranging between 0.8 and 1.4 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight for most athletes and up to 35% of total calories. It can be extremely challenging hitting the desired amount of proteins on a daily basis, because of both financial and lifestyle factors. Consuming protein powders on occasion can be a valuable help as long as they are free of soy, lactose and sweeteners.
AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL:
People with autoimmune diseases or joint pain should restrict their food choices further and eliminate nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, all sweet and hot pepper varieties, paprika and cayenne) and eggs from their diet as well. Nightshades contain compounds called alkaloids that can worsen joint issues and eggs contain proteins that are common allergens in susceptible populations.
OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE:
If losing body fat is a goal, carbohydrate consumption should be limited to 10-15% of total calorie intake, which can mean as little as 50 grams of starchy vegetables or fruit a day. Hunger shouldn’t be an issue as you will be able to eat liberally all non-starchy vegetables and proteins which are the most satiating of macronutrients.
The hardest part of the challenge is that no cheating is allowed for its entire duration: even a small amount of gluten can restart the inflammatory process and it can have repercussions on gut function for as long as two weeks. This is the time to commit and be prepared, it definitely helps doing the reset within a community so that people can share feelings, recipes and the sense of being in it together.
It’s just 30 days and results, both aesthetic and mental, are granted for most people. Most of us will experience withdrawal symptoms from sugar and wheat during the first couple of weeks but by then we’ll allready halfway through. It’s an opportunity to treat ourselves to exotic fruit, nuts and fatty meats. We’re in full Spring bloom and (in this part of the world at least) berries, peaches and apricots are beginning to be in season. Greengrocers show off asparagus, beetroots, elderflower and rhubarb, chicory, samphire, Spring greens, aubergines and rocket. There’s a lot to look forward to.
We have a few days to get ready. Have a look around your kitchen and identify ingredients you won’t be needing during the month of Reset. Don’t worry, all the pasta and the rice you bought before lockdown won’t expire. In general, it’s better to get rid of tempting ingredients: you won’t eat what you don’t have. It could be a chance to donate something to food charities who will make the best of those tins of legumes and packets of couscous.
Start thinking about your local resources, your favourite vegetables, the meat dishes you normally save for special occasions. There are ingredients that you’ll need for most recipes and that will last you a long time: onions and garlic, carrots and celery. Have them at hand to prepare a vegetable stock and give flavour. Potatoes, you can never have too many. Fresh basil and parsley you can freeze and use whenever needed. Frozen vegetables are usually frozen right after being picked and maintain all their nutrients. Nuts will keep forever.
Write down a list of what you’ll need for the first week so you won’t have to go shopping over and over.
It all begins with being prepared.
Read more: TSTM May challenge 30 days of paleo reset