Staying Paleo In Unlikely Places

As most of you know I was recently deployed overseas. I often travel for work. Before I deployed I spent 2 months at a military training in Alabama living out of a hotel. There once was a time I would struggle with staying paleo or even somewhat healthy while traveling, however, those days are gone and I assure you it can be done even in the most unexpected places.

Living Out of a Hotel

While in Alabama I was lucky enough to get a hotel room with a refrigerator and small cook-top stove. I would drive 20 minutes to the local Wholefoods Market and stock up on the essentials, coconut oil, avocado oil, seasonings, and fresh produce. Lots and Lots of fresh produce. I eat a LOT. One of the cashiers asked me if I was stalking up for the month. My reply, “Nope this is only enough to get me through the week.” I made my own meals each night and brought them to class with me. The few times I did go out to eat with my classmates I always went for a salad option… hold the dressing or meat with a side of veggies. It wasn’t easy but my health issues forced me to be strict with my diet, even if it would have been much easier to indulge in the greasy, sugar filled, full of gluten and dairy foods everyone else was sure enjoying.

Dining at the DFAC

In the Desert

While I was deployed my only option was to eat at the provided Dining Facility, known as the DFAC in the Air Force. This buffet style eating had me a little worried as I couldn’t see the ingredients in the foods they provided. I contacted an individual in Food Safety and asked them if they could provide me a list of foods I could eat that were gluten and dairy free.

Their response was “you should not eat anything at our facilities because we do not prevent cross contamination.”

Uh Oh!! How do you expect me to go seven months without eating!? was my first thought.

I decided to stick to the salad bar. I figured this was the safest option. After a few days of a strictly salad diet I knew I was going to have to figure something else out. The raw veggies were just too hard on my stomach and I would get severely lightheaded and nauseous after every meal.

So my mom, being the angel she is, sent me a hot plate, pan, and some other various cooking utensils. Oh along with sweet potatoes and grapefruit because who knew, but they ship well! I would take a to-go box full of veggies from the salad bar, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onions, tomatoes, radishes, and cucumbers and cook them up in my room. It was actually kind of fun coming up with new ways to cook them. For breakfast I would get hard boiled eggs which surprisingly enough were organic, and mix them up with avocados and walnuts for an egg salad of sorts.

Amazon Prime and other companies like Paleo by Maileo, Primal Kitchen, Epic, and Pilli Nuts that ship to APO addresses became my best friend. I ordered from them frequently to ensure I had snacks, protein powder (I was too scared to eat the meat at the DFAC because they couldn’t tell me where it came from) and other ingredients like spices, seasonings, and dressings to switch up my meals.

I did it! I really did it! I managed to stay Paleo the entire time. And you can too with some proper planning and the right mindset. You have to want to do it that is for sure. Or in my case have no other choice, unless I wanted to end up in a hospital again.

I have been home for three weeks now and being home and keeping my diet on track is much harder at here than being overseas. I was limited in my options there and didn’t even have the option for “junk.” It’s not the Paleo part I am having a hard time with these last few weeks it’s all of the paleo type treats I struggling with. I mean have you ever tried the Skinny Dipped Dark Chocolate Almonds from Wild Things?!?!!? They are the most amazing little treat I have ever had and I just can’t stop myself from eating the entire bag!

Another struggle for me is portion control. I can eat an entire bag of carrots, a whole head of cauliflower, an entire bundle of kale, a carton of tomatoes, and two entire chicken breasts in one sitting. It’s like my body is so worried I will have to go back to not having much to eat any second. So that’s why I’m thinking a September Sugar Hideous or Whole30 is in order. Officially I’m not starting until September, mostly because starting at the bringing of a month makes it much easier to tell how many days you have done but, I love my protein shakes in the morning and my current ones are sweetened with either Stevia or munch fruit. So, until September 1st I plan on my morning shakes to be my only non Whole30 compliant food and I will switch to something like vital protein’s vanilla collagen on 1 September.

Anyone want to join me?!