I thought I�d share this. A few people asked me what I
did and what my results were during the Paleo Challenge. Between some great
suggestions and support from coaches and friends, I pieced together a weight
gain and recovery plan that looked like this:
Supplements:
1. probiotics (acidophilous). took daily with breakfast (meal #1). This
helped digestion, food absorption, and efficient use of food fuel.
2. magnesium, calcium, and vitamin d @ lunch (meal #3)
3. fish oil @ evening (meal #5)
4. tried to not eat past 8:00pm
Here are some links to blogs and resources that helped me:
http://zackottecfc.blogspot.com/2010/01/supplements-what-im-taking-and-little.html
http://www.robbwolf.comhttp://www.marksdailyapple.comhttp://journal.crossfit.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic My meal plan:
- total 150g protein per day (1g per lb � was trying to get to 140lbs for
recovery, eventually 145-150lbs for the expedition)
- minimum of 25g protein per meal with veg/carb
- 6 meals a day (not including pre/post WOD) � a total of 8
- sm fruit 4-5x a day (1 with pre & post wod); all before meal #5
- pre-WOD: 1 piece of fruit and 3:2 carb/protein shake (whey protein has
helped with quick digestion, more absorption, and no "kickback" during the
WOD). usu 60-90 min prior
- post-WOD: 4:1 carb/protein recovery shake (endurox) within 30 min after
calling "time!"
For the most part, I was strict Paleo (whole food) except for pre/post WOD
shakes and 2 cheats (during the crossfit sectionals). In the beginning, the
diet sucked because I felt "full" all the time and didn't want to eat my
last 2 meals of the day (at one point, I even cried at how awful it was to
eat like this) - but once the supplements kicked in and I was
absorbing/digesting better, my appetite returned. I was honestly ecstatic
when I woke up �wanted� breakfast. This was HUGE. If you've been reading my
blog, you know how much I grew to dislike eating.
How I gamed it:
- prepped a lot of meals 2-3 times a week. I did a lot of raw or slightly
saut�ed food to keep in line with the Paleo premises- so not a lot of
cooking but a lot of bagging for pre-packed, mobile meals ("paleo kits") and
snacks
- bought organic food in bulk... costco, whole foods, and restaurant meat
markets rule
- bought jerkys, pemmican bars, supplements, and whey protein online (great
deals on amazon.com)
- when I wanted to cheat, I listened to my body for what it really wanted
and gave it that (Wanted sweets, ate a piece of fruit and meat. Felt empty,
ate nuts and either a whey shake or a bag of veggies)
- drank loads of water. Sometimes you think you're hungry for something -
when in reality, you're just dehydrated.
Results:
- I gained back 19lbs by the end of the challenge (19lbs of pretty lean
muscle weight ) almost all of the weight I lost when I was sick. I'm
actually "leaner, tighter, and smaller" than when I was "sick skinny".
- My strength returned 100%... I may even be a little stronger � I matched
or exceeded all of my performance records being almost 5lbs lighter than
when I started.
- Recovery. I�ve been tired from lack of sleep because of school, but
physically I�d recover within the day (sometimes even a few hours) and could
handle more in a shorter period of time. Prior to that, I�d have to scale
down and it�d take 2-3 days for acute muscle soreness, arthritic pain, or
joint swelling to subside. This is HUGE for me at the age of 40 and how
relentless mountaineering is. Arguably my biggest gain.
