Get fit for fall, so far.

[Kim Heath]

I had an extremely interesting conversation with Daina during lunch at the free ballistic shield class by Diamondback Tactical this past spring.  The thing that was so interesting about it was we didn't just talk about chocolate and ice cream, what most of my food conversations entail, but it was about how food works, and it started to make sense.  It was shortly after that, my mom had stopped eating wheat gluten because of digestive issues.  Not only did her gut feel better, but her arthritis went away.  I have a coworker who used to have significant arthritis in his hands and knees, he's been treating his body like an amusement park since he was in Viet Nam.  I suggested he stop eating bread and pasta, and eat a salad every day, which he did.  He has since lost 30 pounds and has no arthritis at all.  He can get up and down from kneeling while rifle training with no pain and feels 44 instead of 64.  I also cut out bread, and the like, at that same time and quickly lost 6 pounds.  I've tried the low carb thing before and I hated it.  My brain doesn't work right, I can't run, and I felt kind of crappy, but that is a totally different animal.  I've cut out things like bread, pasta, pancakes, chips, etc.  I'd added a lot fruit, salad, fish, eggs, and yogurt.  I know, you don't like salad.  My salads are big, and the lineup from bottom to top is spinach, romaine lettuce, chicken or turkey breast, black olives, cheese, tomatoes, green peppers, onion, hard boiled eggs, carrots, and a little bit of full fat Ranch dressing.  I really missed my Taco Doritos, but last week, something clicked, and I'm eating less, quantity-wise in a day than I ever have in my adult life, and I feel fuller sooner and more satisfied than I ever have.  I'm getting enough carbs, from the fruit I'm guessing, that I can run 3 miles a day and have plenty of energy to do it.   

 

I haven't gotten through the scientific mish-mosh part of the book yet, Paleo Solution, I'm not what you would call an avid reader, but the author does a good job of making it as interesting as he can, and a little humorous.  I'm not sure how what I've described above will fit into what the book has to say once I get to that part, I really hope he's not anti-yogurt, but I must be doing something right.  The best part is I'm never, never hungry.  I have a yellow lab that gives me the sad face when I leave for work if I haven't taken him for a run or a walk, so we run a few days a week and on the days I'm too lazy to run, we walk instead.  

 

Exercise a little bit and eat a lot.  That's my kind of diet plan.     

[Katie Connolly-Staffelbach]

I found "Paleo Solution" to be a bit too scientific for me and had trouble getting through it.  Instead I listen to Robb Wolf's podcast in the car.  If you want the same information in a more anecdotal format, try "The Primal Blueprint," by Mark Sisson, which I found much easier to read.  Enjoy!

[Daina Carauskas]

I'm so glad it's working for you! If dairy is working for you then great, keep it in the diet. I like to view Paleo as the template to start from. Paleo should not be looked at as a religion but as a sliding scale that moves everso slightly. Staying gluten free really is the ultimate goal while still keeping the carbs on the moderate to low side. Just remember, the lower the carbs the higher the fat needs to be. Keep it up!