Let me first start by saying I am in no way a fitness or diet guru. I am just an ordinary girl from New Jersey with nothing to lose (but weight), and apparently a gluten intolerance. I embarked on this journey exactly one month ago. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d last this long, but ironically, I can’t see myself living any other way. It was an adjustment at first and extremely overwhelming, but I had the determination to make it work. I made the decision to change my lifestyle to Paleo to see how many things it could fix, and now, thirty days after starting, I am 17lbs. lighter, and I feel so much better than I have in years! At 30, I’m feeling better than I did when I was 25. Still have a way to go; happy with my progress so far.
My decision to start this blog is simply to write about my observations and findings, as well as connect with other people living the Paleo lifestyle. Many blogs have guided me along and given me some really incredible recipes. All my fellow Paleo people, go check out the recipe for Paleo Thin Mint cookies…to die for!! http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-thin-mints/ So good you won’t even know it’s Paleo.
One thing I have noticed is that it’s not easy to go out to eat anymore, but that’s okay because you end up saving a bunch of money which is a good thing! You don’t have to completely deprive yourself of a nice date night or a night out with your friends, but beware if you are trying to stay STRICT Paleo. Do your research before you leave the house! I would say your best options are a steakhouse, or a sushi restaurant. I went to Mt. Fuji this weekend and decided to get Hibachi, well needless to say, it was not the best option. I couldn’t eat the rice or the noodles, and I really shouldn’t have had anything else because the chef doused it with soy sauce, but when in Rome… I highly doubt the butter was grass-fed, and the eggs were from cage free chickens, but who knows, they may have been. 🙂 A situation like this really won’t set you back though, so don’t fret.
I did get a book to help start my endeavor, and would recommend getting a book to anyone who plans on going this route. It was a huge help, and set good guidelines. At this point, I know the basics of what’s a go, and what’s a no. My advice is to start small, and not change everything all at once. Take it one step at a time. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and you’ll be more inclined to give up. I gave up soda back in January, and was regularly going to the gym so that was a big help to starting this Paleo adventure. Speaking of the gym, with Paleo I noticed that working out is about 20% of the equation. So for anyone who dreads going to the gym a few days a week, Paleo is a good choice. When you start eating the right foods, your body does the work itself.
Even though bread, grains, sugar and fruits are not included in the Paleo lifestyle, I find that I’m not craving any of it. I had a serious addiction to food. All food was comfort food to me, and lots of it. This has broken that addiction, and quite painlessly. The food I make now is more hearty, and filling. I’m not looking to snack a half hour after a meal like I used to. I did find Quest bars. They are good snacks, and gluten free. They aren’t really Paleo, but they are close enough. http://www.questproteinbar.com/
The sense of satisfaction you have after cooking a meal and having everyone like it is pretty wonderful. I had no idea I could be such a good cook. I was THE Microwave Queen. I could microwave things like nobody else! Now I just use it to steam my veggies, or heat up leftovers. It’s a nice change. My mood has also improved vastly and my anxiety has been kept to a minimum.
Key to success is wanting this for yourself, and having a good support system, whether it’s your friends or a forum on the internet. Stay strong in the beginning, it gets better…way better. It’s fun for me at this point. I experiment with a lot of food, and food shopping is getting way easier. Plus, there’s no better feeling than fitting in clothes that were too small a few months ago. 🙂
I will update this blog during my journey. Feel free to drop a line, leave advice, or leave a recipe.
“The body is like a piano, and happiness is like music.
It is needful to have the instrument in good order.”
~Henry Ward Beecher
