Practically Paleo — Down 40 pounds!

Well, somehow that midlife crisis set in — and I ballooned in the weight of emotional eating.  Depression from challenges in my life and a skiing knee injury, led me down a rather self-destructing path.  Then, one morning this summer as I opened my drapes at our cabin, my knee buckled and sustained re-injury where the pain did not subside for three weeks!  I decided I needed to do something — NOW.  I had been researching diets and eating plans for quite some time.  With Amazon Prime, I watched a movie called, The Perfect Human Diet.  While I had read a little bit about the Paleo diet, I had always thought, “No way!  I can’t give up Sugar, Wheat, Dairy, Soy, and Beans!”  Maybe it was the right time in my life, but really; I was just plain desperate!  So, with little or no preparation — I started cold turkey on the Paleo diet.  What is the Paleo Diet, you ask?  Basically, it is eating meat, plants, nuts, and seeds.  The premise is to eat foods of the “Caveman” era.  No processed foods — that goes without saying.

Now, I’m not perfect.  When I eat out (and am not the one in control of choosing where we eat), I stick strictly to Gluten-Free.  But, when I’m at home, I try very hard to do Paleo.  Now, I also do that while feeding my family.  I fix them their favorites, but sneak in a truly-Paleo dish from time-to-time.  I am not forcing my eating style on them, but they are willing to try some new things.  They are seeing my weight loss.  I give away my too big clothes.  I put on an outfit that is now too big.  They see me in smaller size clothes that I have saved — and wond

er if they are new.  They see me with TONS of more energy!  My husband has three ratings of food:  Delicious, Fine, and OK.  I served him a Paleo version of my Mexican Lasagna and also some wonderful Brussel Sprouts with raisins and pistachios — and he said they were delicious!  I didn’t have the heart to tell him — and they are Paleo, too!  So please keep the secret!

I started this way of life (notice that I didn’t say diet because I believe that this had to be a permanent eating adjustment) in my most difficult time of the year — the start of a new school year.  Lots of stress around this time — and not a lot of time to think about shopping for and preparing food.  I am down 40 pounds, and it shows.  I am not hungry — and don’t need to count any calories, points, or food groups.  I am anxious to see my blood test results next month to see how my diet is doing from the inside.  While I will still keep my old recipes on the website, look for some recipe makeovers — Paleo style.

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