Going Paleo

I know that with the New Year comes a barrage of do-gooders, with their Resolutions, and promises to be more, do more, and eat less in the coming year than they did in the one past. I used to be one of those people, but as the years have come and gone, I came to realize that the best I ever did at following a resolution lasted 3 months. Then I was back into the same habits, and the same routine, and by the next New Year's, was so disgusted with myself, that I'd try all over again. It is a vicious cycle, and I therefore, am a firm believer that New Year's Resolutions are inherently unhealthy, even if the goals in them are more optimistic.

So, as we merrily ate our way through the holidays, with fudge, and cookies, and pies, and savory meals, and quite frankly too much decadent food to list, I have noticed that I haven't been feeling particularly well, of late. My skin is gross, my hair limp and dull, and my energy levels are in the toilet. My anemia is appallingly bad, and because of it, I permanently look like I've been punched in the face, despite my attempts at getting more sleep, and taking time to relax. I know some of that is due to stress, and the fact that I don't have the time to exercise as much as I would prefer, which lately has been not at all.

So, I recently sought out some guidance from a nutritionist. My body type has always been a struggle. And while I've never been morbidly obese, I seem to permanently reside in the realm of being able to lose a few pounds or twenty. Years ago, when I wanted to go into the military, and was told I was too overweight, I sought a nutritionist, and lost 60 pounds. I learned a lot in my weekly meetings with him, however, much of what I learned doesn't really apply now, because my goals are so very different.

I don't want to lose 60 pounds. The diet my nutritionist put me on back then was extreme, and even he told me that it was unhealthy to be on for more than a few months at a time. And it was painfully calorie conscious. Something that working a regular job with regular hours I could handle, but I busted my ass planning meals, and fitting in basic nutrients into itty-bitty calorie windows. I lived on dietary supplements and 900 calories a day. That's 300 calories a meal. I lost weight. But I starved myself, and I was miserable.

Cancer abounds in my family, I'm learning. My grandmother has it pretty much throughout her entire body. My grandfather died of it, among other things. My cousin has been battling it for over year. Other major illness plague my family as well, to include diabetes, heart disease, glaucoma, diverticulitis, high blood pressure, and cholesterol problems. I look at the people I love, and how much they struggle and I worry. Will that be me? In 20 years will my worries include remembering to take a handful of pills twice a day to control my illnesses and be jailed by what I can and can't eat?

So, my thoughts of late have been about my life, and how I want to live it. I want to be happy above all, but I'm realizing how directly tied to my health that is.

So, at the risk of being labeled a "Resolutionist" I'm announcing a dramatic life change. I'm going Paleo.

What is that? You ask. Well, the Paleo Diet is also known as the caveman diet. It was founded on the principle that eons ago, when homeo sapiens were hunters and gatherers, they didn't suffer a lot of the health problems we have in modern society. Sure, the life span was shorter, but a great deal of that was because we were actually a part of the food chain, and got eaten by something, or we died from simple illnesses, like the common cold. It's corner stone is high-protein yielding meats, and fresh vegetables, and rounds itself out with fruits. No grains. No legumes, to include peanuts. But, you can find out more of the details of the diet, here.

With this diet in mind, I sought out a nutritionist I know from my time in the military. We discussed at length the pros and cons of certain diets, to include the South Beach Diet, that works so well for my mother, the Atkins Diet, that quite frankly is just terrifyingly unhealthy, and other programs like Weight Watchers, and Nutri-System. Our discussions based themselves around the science of food, not around the results of weight loss. We got that out of the way early on in our conversation, when I expressed my health concerns to him.

What he said was simple: "Carrie, health and wellness is about so much more than what you weigh. Its a total package. Anyone can lose weight. But not everyone knows how to be healthy." 

At the conclusion, we both agreed that the Paleo Diet was a good choice for me, for a variety of reasons, mostly the fact that it won't be a huge change from how I eat now. I already avoid grains, as I don't really eat bread. I think the only thing in that category that I will miss will be oatmeal. I will also miss dairy products. No milk, yogurt, ice cream, or coffee creamer. The lack of coffee creamer is going to be the big hurdle. However, the Paleo Diet allows for three non-paleo meals a week, and my nutritionist strongly encouraged me to consume dairy products in those meals, as calcium and other nutrients found in dairy are so crucial to the female body.

So, I'm going Paleo. However, I'm not going Paleo overnight. I'm being practical about it, and eating what I have in the house of non-Paleo products, and as I buy groceries, replacing those items with things that will fit the Paleo lifestyle. Where goal it to be healthy, not skinny, I don't have to shock my body into a change overnight. I just want to feel better. Anything else would be a bonus.

So... here's to my health. I'll keep you posted on the endeavors!