It has now been 13 days since I started the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) and I am pleased with my progress so far. Week two had a few challenges and triumphs (like cleaning and cooking a whole fish!). I also had a little setback this week when I experimented with my probiotics but seem to be back on track again. I even managed to survive a short business trip and stay strictly on the protocol.
Traveling with a restricted diet
In my part-time professional life I travel for business fairly often. I’ve actually been on a somewhat restricted diet for a couple years now, first beginning with some food allergies, so I’ve had to work out systems for making sure I can find safe food. When I was just avoiding a couple allergens I could still find some safe food in restaurants and airports, but on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and now on AIP, most of those options are eliminated so I now try to bring almost all my food with me whenever the trip is short enough. If the trip is longer, then I find a grocery store and pick up some fresh items.
This trip was not only short, but it was also a driving trip so I didn’t have to worry about packing food to meet TSA’s requirements, although I am taking similar meals with me this week when I do have to fly and think it will work just fine. Before I left home, I cooked up two ground beef burger patties. I put these in a snap-top container, along with some leftover bacon. In another container I had some leftover acorn squash and added a few raisins. These two containers, as well as a jar of olives and an avocado, went into a small cooler with a refreezable ice pack. In my suitcase I had a jar of coconut butter, a zip lock baggie of a dozen or so dates, a can of tuna, and a can of sardines. Meals were as follows…
Dinner upon arrival at the hotel: One burger patty (heated in microwave, but would have been fine cold), half an avocado, the leftover bacon, a banana from the hotel checkin desk, and dates and coconut butter for a treat.
Breakfast at the hotel: The other burger patty, the squash and raisins (heated in microwave) drizzled with coconut butter, and some fruit from the hotel continental breakfast.
Lunch at my client site: I rinsed out the squash container once it was empty and made a salad from the can of tuna, the other half of the avocado, and olives. For a sweet treat, I had a couple dates.
Snack on my drive home: The remaining olives, the sardines, and a couple spoonfuls of coconut butter for sustenance.
Favorite meals
The best thing I ate this week was the chicken and artichoke hearts from Practical Paleo
. This book has been a lifesaver for me! All of the recipes are easy and tasty. There were a couple that I didn’t love and probably won’t make again, but many that are going to become regulars in my meal rotation.
Next Week
More travel! I leave today for a two night business trip and have my suitcase already packed with food to get me through the first 24 hours. Then I will find a local grocery store and restock. Then we leave again for a pleasure-filled trip to witness the wedding of a dear friend. I will need to keep my resolve to pass up the non-AIP food and cocktails…