Nutrition: Your Game, Your Rules
Posted on Mar 14 2011 by Liz Wolfe
At Steve’s Original, we take a laissez-faire approach to Paleo-style eating. While we encourage everyone to Eat Real Food within the simple, yet genius CrossFit prescription (“eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar”) we know that the most important thing to remember is individuality. We are all different in the way we think and process, and we all have different goals. (One person’s Coconut Kit is another person’s Paleo Stix.)
Respecting this individuality means understanding that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to learning and living the Paleo lifestyle. The best approach is whatever brings balance that’s sustainable over the long-term.
I recently proctored a nutrition workshop at SO HQ. I intended to implement a 90-day challenge, but I realized this wasn’t the right way to go. Some folks thrive under the umbrella of 30, 60 and 90-day “challenges.” But some folks don’t. At one time I approached these “challenges” with the fervor of obsession, replacing one neurotic behavior with another based on a set of “rules” I was bound to follow.
I didn’t want to foster any neuroses. So the workshop focused on food facts worth knowing, the nature of nourishing foods, and regional options for eating clean. Recipe books were distributed with a blank meal plan. We started a FoodShare group to provide better access to local, healthy foods, and to keep the healthy-living conversation relevant and ongoing.
I concede that the strict "Paleo challenges" are useful in determining treatment options for autoimmunity and pressing the “re-set” button on your “system.” People with lofty athletic and body-comp goals may adhere to strict plans. Often gyms institute their own challenges, which foster community and a group support system. These are fantastic reasons to take on a challenge - as long as you bring mental stability and balance to the process.
Most of us simply want to look and feel better. If your individual tendency is toward neuroses or backslides, it might be best to start small. I have a dear friend who is starting by eliminating gluten to evaluate its affect on her gut health. While it’s not the only way, I think it’s a perfect start for her.
There was a time when I jumped from one oppressive-feeling regimen to the next. My small successes and short-term efforts were followed by bigger failures as I fell “off the wagon,” leading to harsh self-judgment for not having followed the given plan. Sally Fallon uses the term “Diet Dictocrats” - unapologetic ideologues selling you the “Food Rules.” They’ve branded eating “their way,” without regard for what approach will truly help you, the individual, get on-track for life.
I resolved my dysfunctional relationship with food by discarding the self-judgment and standard nutritionist Mad Libs (“When I have a cup of coffee, it makes me feel silly. When I eat after 8pm, my sleep is draconian.”) I believe that the first thing to tackle is not how you feel about food, or even how food makes you feel; but to address how you feel about yourself. Are you worthy of good nourishment? Are you seeking empowering information? Are you willing to let go of self-judgment? Most importantly, are you enjoying the process and becoming your own taskmaster?
I stepped away from the short-term mentality to realize I had to find my own level of buy-in to sustain for the rest of my life. This approach had to be mine. It had to fit like a glove. Trying to cram someone else’s approach into my life simply made me feel like something was wrong with me when I felt unsure or confused.
I resolved to inform myself as much as possible about the concerning characteristics of Neolithic foods (trans fats, lectin content, anti-nutrients, hormone management, gut health) and take advantage of the many amazing sources of information in the Paleo world. Brick by brick, I developed my personal food values free of judgment, finger-wagging, and neuroses.
My game, my rules. Your game, your rules.
Check out this post for a few of my personal choices that may not “fit” in an existing plan. They’re mine, and you probably have yours too. I’d love to hear them.
http://cavegirleats.com/2011/03/02/primal-fudgems/
Filed Under: Jerky/Paleo Knowledge
