ELIMINATION CHALLENGE/FOOD REINTRODUCTION

CrossFit Telluride has just completed an 8 week Paleo Challenge and I must say, everyone is looking good! For the contenders who stuck it out, I have encouraged them to start tweaking their diets that best suits each individual through a food reintroduction. The best way to accomplish this having eaten mainly lean meats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, little salt, no sugar, good fats, etc., is to reintroduce a new food group for 2-3 days per group and keep track of what happens to the body. Since each person responds differently to food as a whole, some may not need to cut everything out completely. And it will help keep good eating habits because the ultimate tool taken from this challenge is listening to the body and what it demands alongside what life demands.

For those of you who have not tried a Paleo Challenge, the direction I would take would be an Elimination-style diet. This would be the opposite as above. One food group would be taken away for a 2-3 day period, until you are at a Paleo base. Then, you can look at your results based on how the body responds and tweak your diet to maximize how you look, feel and perform!

The order of importance for food reintroduction is:
1. GLUTEN FREE GRAINS: you can be as specific as you want. Eat rice, how do you feel? Eat corn, how do you feel, Quinoa? etc.
2. SALT/SUGAR: obviously these should be moderated anyway, but it is always a good way to guage how your body reacts to them. Ask yourself, do you get bloated? Cravings?Hunger?Energy?Hydration?
3. LEGUMES: these are a natural digestive irritant, but for some, they do not react as much as for others. "Beans, Beans, the wonderful fruit..."
4. DAIRY: Same goes for this, do you feel mucus buildup, bloated, gassy? etc.
5. GLUTEN: I put this last, because the way wheat is processed and put in everything that comes in a box or a loaf, is very nutrient deficient. Plus, most people are intolerant to some extent. Do you get cravings? Energy levels? Weight gain? Mood? etc.

If you do an elimination version, you would go from #5 to #1. Got it?

Keeping track of your vitals when eating in general should either encourage or deter you from eating that particular food.
Vitals to think about:
1. mood
2. energy
3. nausea
4. bowel movements
5. hydration
6. sleep
7. recovery
8. hunger/cravings
9. workout performance
1o.alertness
11. weight gain/Loss
12. acne

Eat the best, be the best!