Hi folks, I am pretty new to paleo - started 8 weeks ago, and have read Paleo for Athletes, Cordain's original Paleo, and Audette's Neanderthin. Mostly going with the Paleo for Athletes routine, with some carbs allowed just after exercise, and taking some whey protein in the morning with a fruit smoothie - but strict paleo the rest of the day. For exercise mostly weight lifting, with some running sprinkled in through the week (just a couple miles).
For the first 5-6 weeks going paleo things went great - dropped 3 1/2 inches off my waist and really felt fantastic, energy up and everything. The past 2 weeks have been real tough though - low on energy, and recently getting stomach pains right after I eat (lunch and dinner only, not breakfast). For the energy, I am afraid I am just not getting enough calories, so I have really started trying to up the meats, and making sure to eat lots of fruit and vegies (mostly apples, oranges, blue berries, broccoli, carrots).
Lately though, the past week - I just started getting stomach pains after eating. Feels like acid indigestion or something similar. It goes away after an couple hours. Just not sure what it could be. Maybe I should avoid the spices I am putting on my meats? I am going pretty heavy with the cayenne pepper, black pepper and a little garlic powder (yeah - overcompensating for no salt!!!).
Any recommendations?
Thanks!
EDIT: Thought I might add my sort of regular diet for the day:
Breakfast: - Smoothie (organic apple juice (not from conc.), frozen blue berries and strawberries, 50g whey protein (ON's Gold Std. Whey from Vitamin Shoppe) - 1/4 cantalope
Morning snacks: - 2 apples
Lunch: - big bowl of spinach (half a bag of prewashed leaves - organic) - 1/2 lb of ground buffalo sprinkled over the spinach (seasoned with cayenne, black pepper, garlic) - carrots (1 or 2, chopped) - broccoli (1 cup, chopped and microwaved) - olive oil over the salad, with a dash of balsamic
Afternoon snacks: - 1 apple - almonds (1 handful) - 1 orange
Post workout: - Fruit and protein smoothie (same as breakfast)
Dinner: - Pretty much same as lunch, though the meat may be different (e.g. chicken, or grass fed beef, can of salmon, or perhaps lean pork chop), and usually adding a tomato or two. - olive oil over the salad, with a dash of balsamic, maybe some lemon juice too
Late night: - Sometimes a 3rd fruit and protein smoothie again before bed (yeah - I am kinda hooked on my smoothies - closest thing to desert I get!).