In 2012, I decided to try the Paleo diet for 30 days, thinking I'd lean out. I'd heard about it through my friend who did Crossfit and I had Rob Wolf's Quickstart pdf as a guide. My weight went from 205 lbs to 185 lbs. I went from wearing large shirts to mediums. My waist size went from 34 to 31. There were other health benefits- better cholesterol and blood work, more energy, better sleep. Two years later, I still do a modified Paleo diet- which is more of a low-carb lifestyle. It seems like the mainstream media is catching on...I came across "Less Carbs, More Fat" in the new Men's Journal.
It lists in "A Better Way to Eat" the following:
1- Cut carbs
2- Eat your vegetables
3- Embrace fat
4- Redefine your version of "healthy fats"
5- Stop worrying about calorie counts
Additionally, it has an article "Do Athletes Need Carbs" that talks about how NBA players like LeBron James, Chris Kaman, and Kobe Bryant have started eating this way and are becoming leaner and have more energy.
I literally just sent someone an article by Gary Taubes- What if It's All A Big Fat Lie?" about whether the medical establishment has had it all wrong all these years (since the late 60's) about the calories in- calories out equation, fat making you fat, high carb diet it prescribes. And mainstream media has obviously caught onto gluten-free products...but what's missing is the research about sugar making us fat. It keeps insulin levels stoked (not in the surf sense), so cells hang onto fat...Stress can also trigger hormonal responses telling the body to hang onto fat...and one thing I've noticed is poor sleep can really make you crave sugar and carbohydrates. I'm just starting a new 10 week workout plan that emphasizes natural eating and in the gym a mix of dynamic warm-ups, big lifts (ex. bench, deadlift) with low reps, and smaller lifts with high rep work. I've been back to the gym 3x a week, and surfed a couple times since the Haunted Heats contest. My picture of me and Kelly Slater was featured in 90065 magazine in their Big Wednesday surf spread...but hahaha, I was cut out...
Was thinking though, I wonder if I'd be surfing at all if I hadn't switched to a low-carb lifestyle two years ago. I definitely am in better health, with more energy, a better blood profile, and fat to muscle ratio.
