paleo.

so.

it's been a few days since clint and i finished up our first whole 30 month/experience.

i've not blogged about it since starting.  for LOTS of reasons.  but mostly because i was unsure i'd be able to stick with it.  because i LOVE everything it cuts out.

dairy.  gluten.  sugar.  legumes.

know what i see when i read that?

cheese.
chips.
candy.
peanut butter.

what the hey does that leave, right?

nothing i want.

well, nothing i wantED.

i'm 33.  i've been working out by bootcamp (burning anywhere from 500 to 800 calories every 60 minutes) twice a week.  doing yoga once a week (burning 300 to 400 calories in an hour).  and sometimes doing an extra workout.

i've been doing that since september.

and at least three times a week, i would put my clothes on and pray that something would be too loose to wear.  something would give.  anything.

but it never happened.

and so i just assumed that my metabolism was shot.  you know, because of my age.

but something marietta kept saying in bootcamp would bother me.

your body isn't made in the gym.  it's made in the kitchen.  

all i knew was that i was eating a ton.  because i was hungry all the time.  i assume it's because of all the calories i was burning.  i don't know.  i just know i was always hungry.

and i had gotten REALLY good at checking labels.

while i'm on this.  let me hop on my soapbox.  SUGAR IS KILLER.

check your sugar content.  you shouldn't be getting more than 12 grams of sugar per serving for each meal, i think.  and like 9 grams for a snack.  PEOPLE.  those juices that they claim are so natural and great for you!?  they have like 28 grams of sugar for every 8 ounces!!!!!!  that is so much horrible sugar.

anyway.  we started whole 30.  and we cut out gluten.  legumes.  processed sugar and dairy.

so.  we were basically down to the perimeter of the grocery store.  everything i was buying was label free.  because it was all fresh stuff.  stuff that was going to go bad if we didn't eat it.  vegetables.  fruits. meat.  nuts.  eggs.

and let me say this.  it's NOT too expensive.  as a matter of fact, it pretty much cuts out take out food.  because you have NO idea what's going into your food.  so you won't spend money there.  or at sonic.  or anywhere else except your kitchen.  so, remember that when you're thinking it's too expensive.

i did so much research.  i googled paleo.  i pinned one million recipes on pinterest.  i read the entire internetS on it.  kidding.  but kinda for real.  i learned about almond flour.  and coconut oil.  and all things fat and fantastic.

and really, if i'm honest, i realized that chocolate would be acceptable as paleo once i got off whole 30. and that saved my life.  the darker the better.  awesome, child.

listen.  the first week, HORRIBLE.

i had the worst headache of my life.  i didn't go to bootcamp or do anything except survive for the first 10 days.  it was that bad.  from what i've read it was because my body was literally in shock.  had no idea what i had done to it.  and so it fought back.

i won though.

i eventually started working out again.  i eventually started feeling better (this took a solid 2 weeks).  and i eventually realized that i wasn't really hungry.

i mean, yes.  i was hungry.  but not like i had been hungry.

i rarely had cravings for anything.

all this to say...one month later, i'm still alive.

and i am actually in a totally different size pant.

YES.  what?  YES.

i don't know if i've lost weight.  because i don't weigh myself.  our scales don't even have working batteries.  i'm sure i have.  but that's not really what matters.

what matters is that i'm toned.  i can literally feel muscles and SEE muscles that i haven't seen in years.

every time i get dressed i feel like i'll not be able to button my pants.  and i'll realize that this was all just a joke.  but it wasn't.

it just took a little dedication.  and a change.  FOR THE BETTER.

if you're interested in learning more about it, let me know.  i'd love to share my experience with you.  i honestly had decided i was stuck.  and it would have been fine.  but i knew i could do it.  i knew i could be better.

and listen, this is nice.  because it's not some weird shake (by the way, you shouldn't really drink your calories or meals.  it's screws your mind up).  it's not a diet.  it's not a pill.  it's something that is easily doable (for you and your kids and spouse) for the rest of your life.

it's the way we were actually meant to eat.  unless, you're a vegetarian.  and i've got no beef with you.  no pun intended.  if i had to kill my meat, i'd be a vegetarian too.

anyway, a big thank you to clint who pushed me.  and held me accountable.  and was always willing to give up anything and everything just because he loves me.  i'm so lucky.

happy almost easter.