And sweet baby Jesus, it was so good. Go there, RIGHTNOW, if you haven't been. Or if you have. Lunch buffet is $8.50.
...why are you still reading this? I said go!
Anyway, Ethiopian food is also Not Very Paleo.
I've caught myself saying that a lot lately.
Mac 'n Cheese with hot dogs & bacon? Not very paleo. (But comforting!)
Lunchable with carrots? Halfway paleo. (But convenient!)
Brownies? You're funny. (Chocolate's paleo, so it counts, right?)
Beer? Nope. Not paleo. (But... Beer!)
My initial reaction is to mentally scold myself. I can't believe you've caved... again!
Then I give up completely. I got stung by a bee and can't go to the gym, might as well eat junk, too!
Then I start to justify current actions with previous actions. Well, I used to eat this way all the time, and I didn't die then, so once or twice is better than every day, right?
Then I got tired of my attitude. And I don't mean tired of my "I-gave-up" attitude. I mean the attitude where I get down on myself for eating deliciousness. You know what? That lentil-and-mushroom thing was FANTASTIC and it made my day better because IT WAS FANTASTIC. AMAZING I SAY!
So that's it. I'm going to try my darndest to be OK with eating things.
That does not equal a free pass to Cheeseburgerville. I've realized after keeping up with the paleo/clean eating for oh, let's say 75% of the last sixish weeks, that my body really prefers I stick with it. I've had pizza and chips and some whipped cream (not together, gross) and I can tell. I can feel my body talking to me, and I can feel that lethargy that sets in after eating whatever it was.
So. No more feeling guilty for eating something that I love. I just have to eat it less often. Life will hand me plenty of other stress than what I can muster up from eating something that's Not Very Paleo.
Life has this funny, mildly overwhelming way of sending you so many things at once that it's difficult to keep track.
Have you ever felt that way?
What am I asking, of course you have.
(Sidenote, I always tease my husband about how Reddit users will ask, "Am I the only one who... [does/makes whatever]" and the answer is always "NO." We're not alone in this big, inter-connected world. Someone is similar to you, and there are only two ways to wrap Super Nintendo control cords.)
Not the point.
The point is, life gets to you sometimes -- in good and bad ways -- and it's hard to reflect on it. Even when sad or bad things are happening, I try to step back and be grateful for the experience, for the opportunity to learn something.
I started to cook and eat Paleo ("real," unprocessed food; no dairy, refined sugars, grains, or legumes). I did pretty well for the first week or so, but then I learned how quickly you can fall off any wagon. One little bite here or there and suddenly it's that I'm just "attempting" instead of "committing." Well, somehow I'd bet that won't yield the results I'd been dreaming of, especially considering the past weekend of entertaining guests and today's lunch with new co-workers. BUT. I have a menu and I'd like to stick to it! The food has been 80% delicious and 100% edible. So... fewer excuses to indulge and more voicing my food choices. Yeah.
Britton and I are both also in the process of starting a new job (me) or getting a new role at work (Britton) and we rarely see each other for more than a few hours at a time. We're still adjusting to being married, but we still want to come home to the other and just be together. Super wonderfulness.
Lots of other stuff is going on, too, (hence the roller coaster reference) and I'm happy to discuss if you're happy to listen.
Off to make Paleo pesto and maybe some zucchini pancakes. I like cooking.
Fun fact: "Roller coaster" in Spanish is "montaña rusa" or "Russian Mountain." What imagery!
It has dawned on me that I haven't been the best about continuing my conquest of the veggies.
Yes, I learned how to cook nearly 10 things but I haven't really integrated them into daily diets. That's like saying you're going to learn Italian and then only use it to say "we eat pizza!" (Wait, that was me, too...)
Anyway, a combination of things is motivating me into thinking a little healthier.
The first thing is that I am working out regularly which makes me feel good. I go to a CrossFit gym, usually 4 times each week. Those workouts have consistently worn me out and made me hurt, but I can feel the energy I have at 3pm when I would normally crash and consider coffee. I can feel the awesome muscle I have in my biceps! And abs! And other small changes have surprised me in the mirror - like, my underwear fits better. I realize how random and mildly inappropriate that might be to share, but tough tamales, it's the truth!
The second thing is the mildly cult-ish dietary encouragement that comes with CrossFit: The Paleo Diet. When I first heard about it I wrote it off as a little ridiculous. Atkins and South Beach and all the other super-fad diets had me skeptical. The gist of Paleo is to eat what would've been accessible during Paleolithic times - think caveman - so basically nothing that needs to be processed before you eat it. Lots of meat and veggies but no grains, sugar, or treated animal products like dairy.
But I love cheeeeese!
I was content with ignoring that part of CrossFit until my friend Amanda accepted a 45-day challenge to eat Paleo with a group from her gym. Seeing someone close to me attempt and be successful got me thinking a little more critically. I would like to lose a few extra inches, and she says she feels great on top of that, too.
The final thing is that Britton and I both lament about losing inches, or in his case slimming down the beer belly that is threatening to become a permanent fixture around his mid-section. I have pretty great self-esteem, so this isn't a "I really wanna lose three pounds!" situation. It's a realization that I look fine, but still have room to be thinner and healthier.
Here's the kicker though (and the thing that will probably always be the kicker to any diet I try): I'm not ambitious enough to go get the right ingredients and learn to cook in a brand new way. I just want meals made of things that are easy to access and prepare.
So. What to do then?
First step, starting ASAP: Substitute veggies whenever possible. Instead of spaghetti, spaghetti squash; instead of mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower. When at a restaurant, opt for the veggie side instead of fries or chips. Once I started analyzing what I was eating, I realized it's not very balanced. Pasta is our go-to dish and rice is a close second, neither of which is "allowed" in Paleo since they're processed before you eat them. And carbalicious. But yeah, empty calories for the most part.
Second step, starting soonish: Add veggies to a meal and eat them first. AKA, reduce calorie intake from less healthy foods and up the good calories, etc., from fruits & veggies. If I would normally eat 7 ravioli pieces without anything else, I should add a veggie (like asparagus - super simple!) and only cook 4 or 5 pieces.
Oh, and stop eating when I'm full. That's a tough one for me. Food just tastes so good!
Possible future steps:
Learn the basic substitutions for eating Paleo fo' realz
Buy pre-made Paleo meals from a local company so that I know I have healthy options to grab & go in the house
Cook meals (paleo or not) at home for the week so I don't get stuck ordering lunch from somewhere unhealthy.
Convince husband to support a Paleo diet
Figure out what I want to eat at restaurants before we get there so I'm not tempted to order my usual go-tos, such as biscuits & gravy or mac n cheese.
Ultimate goal is to look good in a swimsuit this summer. And by good I mean better than last year.
Help keep me honest! If you're eating food with me, ask me about what I'm eating or how things are progressing. I won't mind (but I might admit to veering away from these guidelines)!
