So You Think You Can Paleo?

Last year my sister and her family started buying cookbooks about and eating a Paleo diet. Then earlier this year, I had a friend on Facebook talk about switching to a whole food diet. In June, I had another friend and her husband do the Whole30 challenge. So I began to get interested. What is this Paleo thing all about? What exactly are whole foods? So while I was visiting my sister this summer, I began reading her cookbooks about the whats and whys of paleo. To simplify (very much so) it's eating like a dinosaur -- fruits, vegetables, and meat. Some people do it because they can't have gluten and dairy; others do it to lose weight. But overall it looked like everyone felt better and was healthier because of it.

Before I continue, I want to make a few sweeping declarations. When I refer to "diet" I just mean: what I eat. Not as in, "I'm on a diet"; just, "Her diet consists of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and grains." Next, eating healthy doesn't really come natural to me. I have a sweet tooth. And when I say that, I mean, I could eat a cookie (or two) after every meal and think nothing of it. Things that people consider, "too rich" usually don't even phase me. I remember in college, I would occasionally wonder, "When was the last time I had a fruit or vegetable?" Yikes! I do not miss those days! How did I not feel crummy all the time? All that to say, I'm not someone writing about this topic because it comes easy to me, I want to make a change and I'm going to have to work at it. Maybe like you will too.

Overall, our diet has improved greatly over the last few years. We are eating a significant amount of fruits and vegetables each day. When Zeke started eating with us, I particularly wanted to be a good example to him. At 2 1/2 years old, he still chooses fruit over dessert on a regular basis. I found myself thinking, why not change my way of thinking now when I don't have to try to convince my kids too. I'm not really an all or nothing kind of gal, that's too frustrating and overwhelming to me! So I have decided to try eating paleo one day a week, on Tuesdays.

I've done it for the past three Tuesdays. Today will be the fourth. It's not the easiest thing, and I'm still not far from perfect, but my motto since having kids is, "Progress is progress." For example (this is a little embarrassing, but in an effort to be encouraging to others) I drink coffee in the morning with sugar, milk, and *gulp* coffee creamer. Yes, it looks more like milk than coffee when I drink it, but it's the way I've found I like it. So on paleo days, I eliminate one of those things, usually the creamer. Now before you yell at me, "Hey! You can't have sugar and milk on a paleo diet!"... I know, I know. I promise, I know. But like I said, for me, it's making these small changes at a time. So eliminating one of those things to start with, feels like a doable change. And it is. I don't feel defeated by 9 am because I hate the coffee I'm drinking. Then I usually have eggs, meat, and vegetables for breakfast. It tastes better than I expected. And you know what? I actually don't feel {as} hungry by 10:30 am as I do on the days I have cereal or muffins for breakfast. Really that should tell me something right? Protein! I've heard it before and now I'm saying it, it really does help you feel fuller for longer. Then for lunch I have some meat, veggies, and fruit. An iced coffee and some fruit in the afternoon. And I've found I really like taco salad for dinner (which I plan to make for the month of August.) I can put so much on it that I can have and it tastes good and I don't need my usual ranch dressing (like I usually prefer for salads). I use lettuce, chicken or ground beef, corn, pico de galo, black beans, and some salsa. I even took a picture. Doesn't it look good?

It was already half gone when I decided to snap the picture. 

Last Tuesday I calculated how many servings of fruits and veggies I had eaten, and I think it was 10! 10 servings of fruits and veggies! Do you realize how good that is for your body? And the crazy thing is, unlike most days of the week where I'm deciding if I can have 1 or 2 cookies to stay within my allotted calories for the day, I actually texted my sister of more ideas of what to eat because I was under for the day! That pretty much never happens!

I have no idea if this is something I will every completely switch to. I plan to continue doing it one day a week through the end of the year and then deciding in January if I'd like to switch to two. From what I've experienced these past few weeks, I see no drawbacks to trying this. Yes, some days will be (and have been) difficult. Around 2 pm I usually have a pretty good hankering for some chocolate/cookies/grains! But, once again, when I know it's only for the day, I can usually push through. So here we are, Tuesday again, my fridge is full of fruits and vegetables, ready to be eaten and enjoyed!

To life... eating healthier one day at a time!