Day One (actually day 6)

A few days ago, my husband and I started to try the paleo (caveman, hunter-gatherer, primal) lifestyle. I'm more into it than he is, but then again I have an impulsive personality (when I'm excited about something, I jump all in or do whatever I can to make it happen). Plus I've always been a bit obsessive about food... something I'd like to tame with paleo. Or at least not let it control me (food, wanting food, worrying about food, worrying that I ate too much food, etc.).

There is a wealth of information, especially blogs, about paleo already on the internet. Surprising, because I only hear about it a few weeks ago! Then again, I live in Korea and am a little removed from American culture...

I decided to start the paleo lifestyle for a number of reasons. One, the food obsession mentioned above. Two, I've had digestive problems as long as I can remember. Never very serious, but enough to make me uncomfortable, very at times. And enough to make me look like I have a pot belly (or prego) 80% of the time, when I actually have little fat there. And recently, I think they are coming from wheat! And maybe excess sugar too. Third, it makes sense. Our bodies we're designed for all the crap we feed them today! We weren't made to be sedentary, indoor, lethargic hobbits. We were meant to be wild and free! And lastly, I want to be active and have a great body when I'm 50. For Chris, I think it was mainly the great body thing. Hey, if he gets a nice six-pack I'm not going to complain.

When I said I'm "going all in," I guess I didn't really mean that. For now, we're starting by cutting out grains, artificial sweeteners, and excess sugar. And, trying to do move types of exercise that move the whole body. Not just jogging, elliptical, and crunches (my normal routine).

So far, its going really well! My stomach felt a little weird the first few days, without my normal grains. But, I haven't really missed them! I've been re-inspired to cook from scratch and try new things. And, I've given up my fear of fat-- a huge step. When we were first married, we literally got into fights (back when Chris used to help cook) over how much oil to use. For me, the answer was always NONE. But now that I no longer fear them, I've realized that fat actually makes food taste really good. And, it makes you fuller faster and longer, so I don't actually end up eating as much. So, I've been eating tons of veggies, a good bit of fruit, lots of protein, and a good bit of fat, and so far its good. I've been keeping track of what I eat everyday in an online calculator, which I'd also been doing for about a month and a half before paleo, so it will be interesting to compare the nutrient intake changes over time. And as an added bonus, Chris is helping me cook some again! (I love cooking, but its nice to be together in the kitchen again).