Paleo

For three years, I followed all the routines that my coach Beto Cardoso gave me, and with that I fit into my daily routine. Workouts that have always given me a great result are strength and speed workouts. I am a very explosive athlete with a lot of sprains. My nutritionist always helps me with my paleo diet and we also try to cut some carbohydrates.

I’m also a big advocate of healthy eating. I believe what you eat is equally, if not more important the physical workouts. I follow a strictly paleo and organic diet.

Because I am affected by this subtle disease mentioned before, I have to pay extra attention to my diet. In the past I have been through ALL of them, just name it! Paleo, Atkins, Duka, et cetera, etc.

I have tried paleo, keto, intermittent fasting. I think they are the best for health goals, and to feel good with yourself, but they don’t work when your goal is to get bigger and more shredded. That’s why now I eat five times a day, trying to reach my macros and giving time and small food portions for my gut to digest.

I touched on this a little bit already but my main goal is to get in nourishing foods. I don’t follow any type of specific plan or style of eating like paleo or IIFYM. The way I eat would be closest to intuitive eating if I had to give it a name.

I follow a paleo diet with some modifications, allowing myself some full fat, grass-fed dairy, as well as potatoes and rice. I also have a weakness for blue corn tortilla chips with guacamole!

I could describe my diet as paleo but with more protein plus my one carb philosophy. I never let my blood sugar levels drop and keep them steady with fats and protein. This keeps hunger in check and ensures I always have energy to train.

I have always eaten healthy foods but in 2018 my coach made me discover the paleo diet. We track proteins, carbs and fats but the most important things are the sources of these macros.

My own approach to eating is 90-95% whole foods – animal proteins, eggs, potatoes, oats, rice, fruits and veggies. I guess you could call this a loose ‘Paleo’ diet. I will say I’ve ran a stricter Paleo diet and felt great in the past but when you have high calorie needs and a high activity level, pure paleo can be hard to get the calories in.

I prefer the paleo diet because it’s effective and old school. It focuses on whole foods with a higher protein intake, which helps with cravings. I’d have fruits, a protein bar or healthy fats like nuts when I have cravings. They help big time.