Cavemen Smell Bad

So I've been trying this Paleo Thing for the last few weeks. 

I really like the idea of it.  No dairy, no grains... just lean proteins, fruit, nuts, and veggies.  It seemed like a healthy thing to do while conditioning for my very last color belt test next weekend.

I will admit that I've cheated.

Coffee was a non-negotiable.

And there were a few treats I couldn't pass up, including these Reeses' Chocolate Cheesecake bars

...made with the help of Teen Ninja Girl last week.

 

 

I got a ridiculous amount of ribbing from her, and the guru (home from grad school last weekend), and even Middle.  Yes, I know cavemen didn't use forks.  Or credit cards.  They didn't drink unsweetened iced tea with a lemon.  They certainly didn't drink coffee. And if they did, they didn't put almond syrup or half and half in it. 

 

They had a great deal of fun with the adorableness of my little experiment.

 

Whatever.  Morning coffee aside, I liked eating salad and meat and fish and strawberries and snacking on almonds.  It made me feel good. 

 

Strong.

 

Healthy.

 

So why did I give it up today, for a super-carby lunch of pizza, sandwiches, and pasta?

 

Cavemen stink.

 

In the last few weeks, I have been increasingly alarmed by the way my clothes smell at the end of a workout.  Not like body odor... they smell like ammonia.  One of my kids thought I had spilled cleaning fluid on myself. 

 

Concerned that I might be suffering from some weird kidney abnormality, I googled it, and sure enough, I read that ammonia sweat is a side effect of low-carb diets such as Atkins, South Beach... and Paleo.

 

Not a great thing when you train for hours in close proximity to other people.  We sweat.  A lot.  I'm usually soaking wet, but not smelly.  Not like this.

 

So today, I bailed.  Not completely sure if it made a difference yet - I still felt slightly stinky after class and kickboxing this afternoon - but maybe it takes a few days.  Who knows?

 

I can always go back to it, with more fruit, honey, and even potatoes if I need more carbs.  We'll see.

 

For now, I just want to smell like my non-caveman self again.