I was thin and athletic my entire life.  I never had to watch what I was eating, and I drank Coca-Cola non-stop.  Literally I woke up and drank a soda, and drank cans of it until I went to bed.  I would skip meals and just have a can of soda.  I never drank water, I’m surprised I made it this far.

Once I hit the age of 27, I felt things starting to change – I was gaining weight.  By the time I was 29, I put on more pounds that I care to share.  Something needed to change.  I was wearing waist slimmers and corsets.  I would sometimes wrap my stomach in ace bandages trying to “slim” myself.  I was in denial for a long time, until New Year’s Eve of 2012.  I decided it was time to stop drinking soda.  On January 1, 2018, I will be celebrating 5 years soda free.  I lost a few pounds, but nothing like I wanted to.  So over the next few months I started working out and eating less…yes, eating less.  I started feeling it mentally and emotionally.  By August, I had heard about Paleo and decided it was time to try something new.

I bought a book, researched constantly, read everything available, and consulted with my friend, Dr. Noah.  I was excited, it was all so new.  The only thing I was able to cook was pasta and egg “McMuffins”…and that was it.  But then I slowly started to learn how to cook.  I would have to look at the cookbook non-stop while I was cooking – now I know measurements without a measuring cup, and I know what ingredients work together.  I was cooking meals, I was prepping meals, I was eating…a lot…and I was losing weight.  Over the course of the first month I lost about 15 lbs.  By the new year (2014), I was down almost 40 lbs.  I was able to shed about 3 more pounds and I started to tone up.  Workouts were easier, daily tasks were easier, I had more energy, I slept better, I looked better…it was amazing.  I felt like I was cheating the system.  I lost all of this weight mostly by eating better.

I continued a strict Paleo lifestyle for almost 4 years.  Sure, I missed pizza and Doritos, but Paleo pizza was so incredibly satisfying that I realized I didn’t actually miss pizza as I knew it.

My downfall happened when my life got a little bit stressful.  I was moving, my dad got sick, he had treatments, I wasn’t handling a full time job and going to grad school well…I just felt like I had a lot on my plate (no pun intended), and my diet took the brunt of it.  I got lazy, I didn’t want to prepare food anymore.  I would order out, get sandwiches, grab something quick…I put back almost all of the weight I lost, but I’m inspired now to get back to where I was.  I’m handling stress much better; my dad is in remission…I’m already down 6 lbs.

“Remember why you started.  Don’t give up; find a way.”

When you make the choice to adopt a Paleo lifestyle, it can be a bit overwhelming.  Once you start to learn and see the patterns, it gets easier – I promise.  Paleo, in general, is not complicated.  Just keep it basic at first and be open to trying new things.  If you keep it simple, your chances of being successful are much higher.  They key to your meals is to make sure your meals are balanced.

Eat lots of vegetables, meat, fruits, and good fats.  The local farmer’s market is a great place to get fresh, in season vegetables.  You should buy frozen ones too – they are good when you’re in a jam or a veggie is out of season.  When you choose your meat, try to find grass-fed (side note: if it says “Product of Australia”, it’s grass-fed).  When you pick your fruits, try to go with the low sugar 0nes – berries are a great option.  Paleo should be a stress free endeavor.  Make it easy for yourself and it will work.  Keep your spice rack stocked up.  Do yourself a favor, look up the health benefits of spices.  You’ll be surprised by what you find!  And as the Spice Girls say, “Spice up your life!”

It’s really rewarding once you start to feel better.  It makes you want to stick to the plan.

“Stick to your plan until success sticks to you.”

Calcium is an important mineral and the most common one found in the human body.  We need it for bone formation, as well as muscle contractions.  Calcium is also important for many other things!  When you commit to a Paleo lifestyle you have to cut out dairy, but let’s face it – milk makes baby cows big cows – and that’s not our goal.  While you can go buy a calcium supplement, you can also get it from the food you eat.

Leafy greens, sardines, and homemade bone broth – to name a few.  It’s easily absorbed from these sources.  I just discovered Epic Bone Broth.  It’s a ready to heat beverage.  They have a few flavors.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

The way you and most people have been living is not the be all, end all of what we eat and drink.  There are other ways to get nutrients, flavors, and textures – you just gotta do a little bit of research.  I had to learn this all myself, and once I did – I was happy about it.

“Alcohol won’t solve your problems.  Then again, neither will milk.”

Believe it or not, the list of things you have to AVOID on Paleo is far shorter than what you can enjoy.  We know Paleo does not include gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, processed foods, legumes, grains, or alcohol…and I know perhaps it sounds like your weekend is ruined – BUT I promise you, that is not the case.  You can drink alcohol in moderation, but if the only thing you drink is Bud then you’re going to have to make some adjustments – but that’s for a later blog.

If you start your morning with coffee, good news, you can still drink it – in small quantities without milk and sugar.  You can put almond or coconut milk in it and/or a natural sweetener.  Once you really get into Paleo, you’ll have so much energy that you won’t rely on coffee as a pick-me-up.

So butter is a highly debated subject.  Organic and grass-fed is generally accepted with Paleo.  Good substitutes would be EVOO, coconut oil, or ghee.

Legumes or beans, are not allowed.  They contain phytic acid.  In short, phytic acid binds to nutrients – calcium, iron, zinc, maganese – which doesn’t allow for absorption, thus, making legumes nutrient deficient.  Peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes – so they are not Paleo friendly.

Rice is a grain and grains are a Paleo no-no, but once in awhile I have sushi – you can opt for brown rice, too.

Some new things you will probably be introduced to are almond flour, almond milk, ghee, and coconut aminos.  Once you give them a try, you’ll see how good they actually are.

“You are amazing.  Remember that.”

One question I always get asked is, “How much do you get to eat?”  People make the assumption that we hardly eat anything, which is not true.  When you follow a Paleo diet, you eat until you feel full.  If you follow the recipes, you’ll learn the foods that help make substantial meals that make and keep you satisfied.  You will feel fuller longer.

Another thing with Paleo, you have to keep an open mind.  There’s a lot of new foods that are going to be introduced to you, with the exception of a few – I enjoy them all.  Although, I’m not a big fish person.  You’ll be eating real foods that aren’t processed, your body will thank you.

Just a little tip, become friends with a lot of spices – they are your best friends.  You can make amazing tasting meals with different combinations of spices.  Best part, they are all Paleo approved!

“I spend a lot of time holding the refrigerator door open looking for the answers.”

Maybe it was the eclipse, maybe it’s just an actual good day…but today was a very productive day.

I cleaned my turtle tank (extra good), and gave Francois (the turtle) a scrub down – a turtle spa day, if you will.  I mopped the floors, did laundry (clothes, sheets, and towels!), FOLDED everything (and I hate folding), painted an old cabinet to put my plants in (because now I’m a crazy cat lady), cooked, put gas in my tank, did some boxing rounds, and put all the laundry away!!  Insane.  And, I started the day with a blog post.  WHAT?!  Who am I??  haha

Today, I ate a yogurt when I got to work.  I had eggs with spinach for lunch.  For dinner I made a mexican chicken stir fry.  I didn’t have my fitbit on, but I definitely killed it in steps today!  Woo.  I’m a little sore from boxing, but c’est la vie.  I’m feeling great.

“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it.  It just blooms.”