I’m gonna veer slightly off topic with this one today. I’ve recently brought about a pretty drastic change in my lifestyle. It’s something I’m so excited about and has had such a profound impact on my life, that I think it’s almost unfair not to share it.
WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?
Perhaps you’re a friend of mine on Facebook and you’ve seen
countless Instagram shots of the food I’ve been so proudly making lately. Or
maybe you caught my brief mention of this Paleo Diet on my
Coconut Squares recipe the other day. In any case, you might be wondering what it is I’m
gushing about all the time?
Okay, here goes. My interest was piqued quite some time ago
about a (somewhat radical) way of eating called the Paleo Diet—Paleo, as in Paleolithic. I did a whole lot of research and had started to
consider attempting it, when 4 weeks ago my CrossFit gym issued a 50 day “Paleo
Challenge” to all of its members. It was just the push I needed to give this
thing a shot!
You may have also heard it referred to as “Primal” or “Caveman” Eating. It’s a
diet that centrally focuses on the way our Paleolithic ancestors ate, before
the advent of agriculture, or more recently, the industrialization of food. It
emphasizes eating the way we are evolved to eat, rather than filling up on the
sorts of foods that cause inflammation, digestive issues or all around unrest
in our bodies. This means removing all grains, dairy, legumes, most sugar and all refined sugars, certain oils, and alcohol (yes,
alcohol). These foods are replaced with abundant vegetables, proteins from
meat, nuts and seeds some fruit and a decent amount of fat. Paleo also
advocates adequate rest every night. You should get regular exercise, as well
as remove excess stress from your life (yeah, still working on that one).
I have fun these days investigating new combinations of vegetables and spices.
IN SEARCH OF WELLNESS.
For a much more in-depth dive into the world of Paleo, check
out
paleoplan.com. It’s a website that I’ve found very informative and I’m sure
does a much better job of explaining the Paleo lifestyle—it
is very much a lifestyle and not just a diet. I can’t
speak to you too much about the science behind it, but what I can talk about is
how it makes me feel.
Despite being a very active person and a healthy eater, I
tend to be a bit on the sickly side. I have a chronic kidney disease, constant
back pain, gluten intolerance, mild hypertension (as a result said kidney
issues), and digestive problems. I had my gallbladder removed in May, but some
of the upper abdominal pain that I had attributed to the gallbladder disease
persisted, and was getting worse. Let me tell you, it was awful. I had pain
every single day in my upper abdomen. An EGD the day before I started the Paleo
challenge turned up nothing. But the pain was most definitely not nothing. It
was very real and ever-present.
While I was still in an anesthesia stupor from my procedure,
the Dr. handed my husband a prescription for a drug that would hopefully
alleviate some of the discomfort I was experiencing. I never filled it. Instead
I embarked on this “crazy” Paleo thing. To my complete surprise, the pain
ceased from DAY ONE! A month in now, I have not experienced even a hint of the pain that had been plaguing
me nearly every day for years! The first week was pretty brutal, as far as
energy goes, while my body learned to switch from using primarily carbohydrates
for fuel to also using glucose. Once I got over that hump, however, my energy
levels skyrocketed! I’m not yawning throughout the day, and I have way more
energy than I ever use to. It might be a little too early to tell for sure, but
my blood pressure seems to have dropped to an acceptable level, too. Even some
of the aches and pains in my joints that I was just chalking up to everyday
issues have started to fade. It’s uh-mazing.
Hard-boiled eggs have become my go-to for a quick, protein-rich snack.
WEIGHTY ISSUES.
Now, I would be lying if I didn’t have any weight loss
motives in mind when starting this whole thing. I’m not overweight by any
means. I have a strong, solid, athletic frame that I’ve spent years sculpting.
However, we all have those things we would like to change about ourselves. It’s
only human. My body has a very hard time letting go of weight. I actually use
to be about 30 lbs and 4-5 jean sizes larger than I am now. A little bit of
that has stuck around in the form of a larger lower half. I have drumstick
looking legs (large on top and smaller at the bottom). There I said it. Drumsticks,
I tell you! I have agonized over this for a very long time. No amount of
working out or eating “right” would drop those couple extra pounds from my
frame.
The first 2 weeks after I started Paleo I lost 5 pounds!
Seriously. I’m Five feet tall (even) and that is a lot of weight in a short
period of time. After that, my weight evened out, but my body composition has
begun to change. It seems like I’m shriking by the day.
My hips are slighter, I can actually see muscle definition
in my legs, and OH MY GOD YOU GUYS I HAVE ABS! Me! Then, I slipped into my
first ever size zero jeans. For reals. For the first time in my life, I can
honestly say that I am proud of what I look like.
WHERE I'M GOING FROM HERE.
So I have another 20-ish days left in my gym’s challenge,
but have definite plans to continue eating this way. I love the way I look and
feel. Even though it’s a challenge to keep fresh foods stocked at all times and
ordering in a restaurant is like pulling teeth, it is SO worth it for the
gains.
Why am I sharing this with everyone on a blog that has been
dedicated mostly to fashion, crafting and artsy things? Mainly because my
wellness journey has become so intertwined in who I am, that I want to begin to
incorporate it more into my writing. I’m still a crafty, artsy girl, but I also
care so much about fitness that I want to share it out with anyone who will
listen. I hope you don’t mind finding some additional content here that goes
beyond my artistic side. I plan to get more into the habit of including
paleo-inspired recipes, and I hope in turn to meet more like-minded people that
I can swap stories and tips with! Are you still in? I hope you stick around to
hear about CrossFit and what that has done for my life, too :)
Thanks guys!
some of the many new foods and recipes I've discovered since starting Paleo.
