Archive - May 2022

Speaking from experience…if you follow this Paleo lifestyle, you will feel different.  I know that if you eat a diet with a lot of Omega-3s you can actually get your cortisol levels under control.  When that happens, you can handle stress a lot better.  The main thing with Paleo is cutting out the sugar.  This will help your gut health.  This will help your mental health.  This will help your physical health.  The first couple of days that you cut out sugar (if you are used to it in your diet) can be pretty tough.  If you keep busy, you’ll be okay.  You may feel extra tired, but just push through!

If you have a lot of sugar in your diet, you can develop a dependency on it.  Your dopamine center can become dependent on whether or not you have sugar.  If you withdraw when you cut sugar out, you probably were having too much. You’ll get a headache and you’ll probably be pretty cranky – this is called the “carb flu” – but you’re gonna be okay.

You need to fight the urge to reach for the sugar.  That’s why I say you should keep busy.  Read, go for a walk, dance around to music, clean…just don’t eat sugar!  I wouldn’t recommend working out during this time, because if you were using sugar as a fuel source, your workout probably won’t feel so great.  You will mentally not be present for it, and that’s more than half the battle.  Give it a few weeks and you’ll end up seeing your performance improve!  Especially if you’re eating more protein and healthy fats.  You’re recovery will be awesome, too!

And since everyone loves talking about pooping…even that will go better once your body adjusts to paleo.  You’ll be eating more fiber from the veggies.  And as my Grandma used to say, “Bowel movements are a great way to start the day!”

You’re welcome.  haha

“When you focus on the good, the good gets better.”

I know all too well, that this is easier said than done.

I generally find starting hard because I’m afraid of something – change, mostly.  What I needed to do was accept the fear and then use it as motivation.  I guess I just wait for the fear to go away, or at least I think it will go away – I use that as procrastination, because it never goes away.  Acknowledge the fear and move forward!  Sometimes I think about the fact that I haven’t started because of fear.  Then I ask myself – what was the fear anyway?  Most of the time I can be reasonable with myself and say, ‘Oh, that’s nonsense.’  But there are times where it triggers my anxiety.  What I am trying to say is that, even if I feel anxious about something, it won’t change the outcome, it especially won’t change anything that’s already happened.

The next thing I try to tell myself is – baby steps.  You don’t need to dive in headfirst.  Just walk in – one step at a time.

Another thing I do before thinking about or starting something new is clean and organize.  Sometimes if there’s clutter around me, my mind feels cluttered.  So if I can organize the space around me, then sometimes I get the clarity I need.

Also, you need to start in the moment you are in.  You can’t worry about tomorrow, or yesterday, or 2 years from now.  You need to focus on the present time.  Don’t worry about thinking you’ll be better tomorrow, or next week you’ll get it done, just take this moment and do it.

Lastly, just give yourself permission.

“Start where you are.  Use what you have. Do what you can.”

My main goal is to feel better.  My second goal is to lose weight.

I am getting started again.  I am taking it one day at a time.  But some advice to anyone else who’s just starting…make sure you have your basics!

Make sure you have salt, pepper, tapioca flour, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, ghee, and coconut oil.  I feel like these can help you create any meal, especially when you’re first starting.  I’ll explain a few of them here.

Tapioca flour is good for breading, baking, thickening – I use it a lot.  It takes some getting used to, but once you figure it out, you’ll like it better than flour you probably used all your life.  This is one I always use: Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour

Coconut Aminos you would use in place of soy sauce.  In my honest opinion, I like it better than soy sauce.  I use this most often, but Trader Joe’s has one, too.  Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos

Ghee is clarified butter.  It has a lot of Omega-3s which is good for your heart and cardiovascular health.  Anything you use butter on or in, you can use ghee instead.  I like the Trader Joe’s Ghee Trader Joe’s Ghee, but I am definitely not picky when it comes to ghee.  I actually picked up a turmeric and black pepper ghee from a shop that is by Woodstock, NY.  It was delicious!  I found about this place when I picked up a turmeric ginger elixir at a flea market.   Immune-schein – check it out!

“When you focus on the good, the good gets better.”