Common Mistakes Athletes Make When Going Paleo Cross Training Diet

Conventional wisdom has it that missing the early morning CrossFit workout class, is the common mistake athletes make when going paleo. However, it is worth noting that paleo is a serious dietary lifestyle which has the books, the blogs, and the products to prove its case.

Depending on who you ask, you may get varying definitions of paleo. That said, a paleo diet is simply an exclusion of dairy, grains, beans, processed foods, sugar, and legumes. The main focus of this diet is on meats, fats, vegetables, and occasionally, some fruits for a sweet treat. There are lots of paleo diet versions depending on the dieters and their preferences. However, a few rules should be kept in mind to avoid messing up when going paleo.

Eating Excessive Meats

Since paleo advocates for meats, eating a boatload of them can have ill effects including possibilities of weight gain. A majority of paleo dieters advocate for eating meat once a day which is absolutely fine. At all costs, try and limit meats that are high in saturated fats.

Where you can stick with organic poultry and fish and when you decide to go the red meat way, ensure you keep it lean. Grass-fed red meat taken no more than 2 or 3 times a week is recommended.

Failure to Plan Ahead

Authorities in paleo literature, point to planning as the biggest hurdle dieters face in their attempts to stick with the paleo CrossFit diet. Some of them realize late that they haven’t packed a healthy snack and this pushes them to revert to foods which are non-paleo.

When planning your CrossFit diet for the week, have a checklist that you go through to ensure everything is within reach. Foods that cannot be sourced locally for one reason or the other should be replaced with locally available foods that are still paleo approved.

Overstepping the Boundary on Baked Goods

While it is true that paleo has hundreds of deserts you can explore, the bottom line is, you need to have some self-regulation concerning the quantity and frequency. For instance, maple, honey, coconut sugar, and flour made from nuts are approved foods. However, you should take them in moderation and avoid or minimize intake of foods which change the structure of ingredients.

Ignoring the Quality of Ingredients

Ensuring that everything you buy is 100% paleo approved is excellent, but of greater importance is rating the quality of the ingredients. For instance, bacon has varying degrees of quality depending on how it is cured. Usually, a little bit of sugar and some salt are necessary for the curing process. Avoid foods that have ingredients labels which you do not quite understand.

Fudging Your Nutritional Requirements

Since paleo doesn’t allow you to get protein from beans, grains, and dairy, you have to ensure that you boost your portions of meat or their equivalents to bridge the gap. Paleo dieters may have to eat 8 to 9 ounces of meat daily to cover up for the difference. Because of the elimination of healthy food categories in paleo, it is important for anyone considering a paleo CrossFit diet to first meet with their dieticians or nutritionists so that they can be made aware of the risks involved and personalize a plan to meet their CrossFit nutrition needs.