Have I been sticking to low carb? Hmmm....does the answer "Some days" count? Not when I have gained all my weight back plus some that's for sure. *insert sad face here* But we shall come back to all of that later. For now lets stick to all of the wonderfulness I have learned about the paleo/primal way of eating. What is Paleo you ask? I'll try to keep this super simple.
What is Paleo/Primal way of eating?
Paleo is basically eating the type of foods that our species evolved to survive on. For millions and millions of years our ancestors were hunter/gatherers and only ate wild, grass fed meats, fresh organic fruits and vegetables, and some nuts here and there when they could find a handful of them. Dairy, is one of those questionable things still. Some people are very much against it because of all the obvious allergens that so many people have to lactose and caseins, but other people feel that it is ok if your particular body can handle it ok. The biggest nemeses to the Paleo world are grains and refined sugars, that cause major gut irritants, inflammation, and blood sugar hikes that stimulate insulin, which causes more fat storage as well as reduces the sensitivity to Leptin signaling in the brain (Leptin, being the hormone that tells our brain to stop eating because we have an adequate amount of energy and Insulin, being the hormone that not only helps to keep our blood sugar at an ideal level but mostly causes our body to store fat).
I whole-heartedly believe that Paleo style eating is what MY body needs to achieve optimum health. And while there may be a percentage of the population that can handle eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) (AKA - The USDA Food Pyramid), the people that are built like me cannot.
So why have I gained all my weight back plus some?? I'll admit it - I have very low will-power. I constantly listen to podcasts and read these amazing articles and yet when I get stressed out the first thing I want to do is go and eat some cake. Ugh - sometimes I feel like a worthless human being. So that is why I am back. This is a journey I have to take. We are all given challenges to face in life. To make us stronger. To bring us closer to our Higher Power. For me that is my Heavenly Father. And this is my challenge.
A couple of months ago, in church, one of the speakers who were giving a talk said that it is when you are willing to sacrifice, give something up, let go, that our Heavenly Father is able to guide us in the direction he would have our lives go. And if you believe that He only wants good things for us, for us to be happy, then having Him guide your life will lead you to where you ultimately want to be. This talk was suppose to be about paying tithing and being willing to sacrifice that 10% of your increase, but for me, that sacrifice i needed to make was something completely different. It is all of those foods that I need to remove from my diet. If I can do that and turn to Him when I am struggling - He will get me through. Easier said than done, believe me. But here is for giving it another go! *Raises glass*
Jimmy Moore is an amazing supporter of all things low carb and paleo. He has a wonderful website http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/ and podcast that have helped so many people who are on this same journey. On one of his posts he made a comment that was exactly what I needed to hear that day. Ever since then I have had the quote taped to my computer so that I see it everyday. I want to leave it here as well. As a reminder. Enjoy.
"Even if you're struggling, don't lose hope. There are brighter days ahead if you commit to this way of eating, make it a permanent lifestyle change, and do it for the rest of your long health life."
"He said to me,
"'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'
"Therefore most gladly I will rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
