Losing Weight #4

One of the biggest components to weight loss is the acceptance that it is gradual. Everything in weight loss is gradual, even the life changes you make. I didn't realize this until I got to this point in my diet.

I started with Keto, so dropping "carbs" wasn't hard. When I say carbs, I mean grains. I had reduced my high glycemic index foods too. Switching to Paleo was a whole new monster though.

Paleo is about "Whole foods". It's often called the Hunter-Gatherer diet. The idea is that you take foods from their natural state, then do the preparing yourself. There are some shortcuts that are accepted, but for the most part, you're supposed to take the food as it would be found in nature. This means no Bacon, Sausage, or other prepared meats that were staples in Keto.

I went from easy to make meals, to peeling, chopping, and seasoning everything by hand. It's also focused on high protein. I couldn't believe the changes that were required to go from high fat to high protein, and I still often have a higher fat protein day just because of how much fat there is in meat.

Needless to say, our household went through a bunch of changes. It takes time. Switching from the traditional "Plate" or "Pyramid" to a Paleo diet is challenging. First you have to figure out all the foods that don't fit. I had to get those foods out of reach. If we had chips in the house, I was going to snack.

I was really surprised at how negatively my body responded to carbs once they were truly out of my digestion for a while. I was bloated and sick when I tried them again. I tried higher sugar fruits again, and my body didn't respond well to those either. I was hitting a strong sugar high and then crashing. Finally, trying to get enough calories and keep the fat content down was becoming difficult.

Phase one was getting rid of all chips, crackers, rice and pasta. We finished of what we had and didn't buy more. This took maybe a week. Learning the new recipes was hard because we didn't like a lot of the alternative options. It took a solid 6 months for us to find a groove that we could maintain. I had a month of eating perfectly Paleo, and we decided to have a "cheat" with Pizza. Oh my goodness I was sick for a week. I was still eating tomato sauce, cheese, and the occasional meal with pepperoni and various other meats, but my digestion was not up to the task of the crust.

It took months for me to balance it all out. The loss is gradual, yes. We all know and expect it. But figuring out how to make a new nutrition plan work for you also takes time. Planning meals and executing them, finding new recipes that meet your nutritional needs, convincing other people of the required dietary changes, and balancing your emotional needs with your dietary ones all take time and effort. Some days you just take a break and eat junk. Some days you just need that 1 piece of chocolate. And still some days you have everything on target with your goals.

It takes our bodies time to adjust to certain dietary choices. That doesn't mean that the change is good or bad. We have to figure that out for ourselves. Personally, I feel better. I have more energy. It's not as difficult to do the same things. I ache a lot less. And, I'm losing the weight that has fought me for so long. I never really did a bunch of junk food. I was just choosing foods that had more negative than positive impact on my body. It really is more than just calories in vs calories out. We ask too much of our body sometimes without giving it the balance, simplicity, nutrition that it needs.

For me, and likely for most of you as well, simplicity, natural foods, low sugar, and high protein is the best way to get healthy. Whether it's Keto, Mediterranean, Paleo, or some other plan, take the time to see how your body responds to it. It took 6 months for me to really get into Paleo. Do a little research and see what it requires. If you think it could fit your lifestyle, take the time to see if it works. Personally, I believe Paleo is the way to go, but it is lifestyle dependent. If you don't have the time to cook or meal prep, it may not be for you.

Good Luck and happy weight loss!