7-Day Paleo Challenge – Day 3

 

7-day-paleo-challenge-day-3-strip

Day 3 is here! Let’s hope that the hump day is a bit of a turning point for you this week. You should be settling into a new routine slowly and the detox symptoms will start to clear up towards the end of the week. It’s essential to stay focused and motivated, so I encourage you to revisit your WHYs and your goals today.

Remember to get distracted, stay hydrated, rest and eat enough during the meal times in order to avoid and to cope with cravings and detox symptoms. Sometimes, going for a brisk walk and getting some fresh air will help to energise you and to minimise any headaches.

Back to 7-Day Challenge Home.

Check out your notes and checklist for Day 4 here.

Here is your 10-point checklist for Wednesday:

Stick to paleo guidelines – 4 (this one is compulsory)
8 glasses of water – 1
No alcohol – 1
Include poultry in one of your meals – 1
Include purple vegetables in one of your meals – 1
Include fermented food – 1
30-minute workout of choice – 1
Meditate for 10 minutes – 1
Check in on Facebook or Instagram – 1
Cup of bone broth – 1

Make sure to focus your meals on protein, healthy fats and lots of vegetables. Eat until you’re full and avoid snacking if possible. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and to help your body copy with some incoming detox symptoms.

Perfect dinner meals for today:

Thai chicken larb salad
Turkey meatballs with red cabbage slaw
Greek-style roast chicken & beetroot olive slaw
Caramelised balsamic chicken with mushrooms


Poultry

Roasted chicken with creamy garlic sauce

White meat such as chicken and poultry is not as nutrient-dense as red meat or fish but it deserves its place on a plate. Poultry is high in protein and amino acids, minerals and B vitamins, and is very accessible. It’s important to buy free-range, good quality poultry, free from antibiotics or hormones. Same with red meat, go for 150-200 grams for women and 200-300 grams for men.

Choose any of the following: chicken breast, thighs, wings or ground up mince, turkey fillet, legs or ground up mince, quail, duck.


Purple Vegetables

purple-vegetables

A particular type of antioxidant called anthocyanins gives plants (including flowers) their vivid violet, blue and red colours. Anthocyanins not only protect the plants but they help protect and heal your cells from damage and you from many lifestyle diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Purple veggies and fruit are also high in fibre, which is important for digestion, gut health and hunger management.

Choose one or more of the following: purple/red cabbage, radishes, beets, blueberries, radicchio red lettuce, purple broccoli, red onions, eggplant/aubergine, purple grapes, and plums.

Try one of these purple vegetable dishes:

Red cabbage slaw with avocado dressing
Beetroot & black olive slaw
Borsht soup with beets and cabbage
Blueberry smoothie with coconut 


Fermented Foods

fermented foods

Fermented foods are great for your gut health and will provide your body with beneficial bacteria. Having a healthy, balanced gut flora is essential for a strong immune system, maintaining a healthy weight, healthy digestion, hormones, skin and even your mood.

If you can, include a small portion of one of these fermented foods: sauerkraut (unpasteurised, found in the refrigerated section), kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage), or other fermented vegetables (aim for ¼ to ½ cup); kombucha or water kefir fermented drinks (aim for 1 cup); coconut yoghurt (aim for ½ cup).


Bone Broth

how-to-drink-bone-broth

Bone broth is a great source of minerals and amino acids that help to heal your gut, boost nutrition, and keep your skin, hair and nails in top-notch condition. Ditch expensive anti-ageing creams and have a cup of bone broth instead.

You can make your own bone broth using this recipe or purchase pre-made bone broth from your butcher, a health food store and even online here. Here are some delicious ways to consume bone broth.

In the U.S, try Kettle & Fire – they use organic ingredients and grass-fed beef, and their bone broth has a fantastic flavour. They’re also non-frozen and shelf stable, so you can store a few cartons in your pantry. You can buy their bone broth online AND if you use the promo code EATDRINKPALEO15, you’ll get 15% off your first order.


30-Minute Workouts

Depending on your fitness level, you can choose any kind of activity for this challenge: walking, running, cycling, swimming, yoga, hiking, boxing, pilates, rock climbing, dancing, gardening and so on.

The key is to keep moving a little bit every day, especially if you have a desk-bound job. When you think about evolution and our ancestors, the most striking difference is how little we move in comparison. Adding this challenge was important for me because I believe that movement is essential to well being and longevity.


Meditation

Another difference between our current society and our ancestors is the amount of stress we get subjected to on a daily basis. While some acute stress is healthy and necessary in our life, it is the chronic stress (both mental and physical) that can cause some serious damage to our health.

There are many ways to manage stress from simple breathing techniques and avoiding the triggers in the first place, down to art therapy and daily mediation. You have to do what works for you but introducing a small meditation session into your daily routine can make a big difference in how you cope with stress. Give it a go, if you haven’t tried it before. I recommend an app called Headspace that provides a few free guided meditation sessions.


Let me know how today feels for you. Are you experiencing any new symptoms or cruising along nicely? Any difficulties? Share with us in our Facebook group or on Instagram, if you like.

Check out your notes and links for Day 4 here.

Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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