My Intention Is Happiness

Week Three (Final) of the Primal Challenge - What I’ve Learned

A bullet point list of what I’ve learned over the past three weeks of eating strictly Paleo…

-I don’t like to refer to it as a diet as in my mind it’s a lifestyle - a choice on what fuel you want to give your body
-It’s easier than I thought it would be
-Although I occasionally had cravings for sugar (that went away quite quickly) I never stopped craving coffee (and it tasted SO good this morning - I’m not sorry)
-I lost 2.6kg (~6lbs) in three weeks (dropped 3.2kg but went back up in weight this past week - muscle?)
-My body fat dropped 5%
-I lost 4.5cm (1-3/4”) on my waist, 3.1cm (1-1/4”) on my thigh and 2cm (3/4”) on my chest (all measurements are approx.)
-I love my morning smoothies but have really gotten tired (repulsed almost) of eggs no matter how I cook them
-Eating Paleo/Primal takes a lot of planning
-My spice cabinet is overflowing
-There is a Paleo friendly recipe for almost anything you’re used to - the community is quite creative and Google is your friend
-Meals end up tasting much more delicious because of the forethought and creativity put into them - our Primal Feast last night is proof of this - everything was amazing
-Not all Paleo recipes will be amazing but some will be and playing around is half the fun
-I didn’t miss dairy at all (especially since I gave up coffee) and making almond milk is simple (though sours rather quickly)
-You *can* still eat out while maintaining a Paleo friendly approach with just minor substitutions from the menu (ask for no toast)
-It’s hard to explain to some people why you’re turning down a piece of cake or not partaking in certain events but you feel better after the moment has passed
-Others will see your progress and buy into the changes you’re making - even if not for themselves they’ll understand the next time you pass on the cake
-It’s okay to cheat on occasion but note how many of those occasions occur during the course of a week (probably more than you realize)
-Tracking your food daily gets very monotonous (I’m done with it though I’ll probably keep a weekly log of my ‘cheats’)
-Start calling your ‘cheats’ less efficient fuel for your body and the temptation will surely lessen
-You can make almost anything with almond flour/meal
-My energy level is more consistent - there are no longer the highs and lows throughout the day
-I now read ingredient lists on anything that has an ingredient list - there shouldn’t be anything on there that I can’t identify, if there is I just won’t buy it.
-For the most part I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full, no longer aimlessly eating the food on my plate because it’s there - I have a better awareness of my body because I’m focused on how I fuel it
-If I don’t have sufficient protein at a meal I get hungry again faster/sooner
-There are Paleo friendly snacks that are easy to keep on hand for those random bouts of hunger (almonds, almond butter - I keep a jar in my desk at work, pure fruit baby food - great shot of energy pre-workout when necessary)
-Sharing recipes is fun
-I’ll never give up coffee - ever
-Farmers markets are amazing places
-Three weeks isn’t a long time, you can do anything for just three weeks… and they say three weeks is what it takes to make a new habit - win…

I’m sure there’s many more things I’ve learned along the way.  And while I will continue eating Paleo friendly I won’t be as strict as I have been these past few weeks.  I will however, better understand my cravings and indulgences that I think I have in the past.  I will notice more how they make me feel and how often I give in to them.  I like the way my body has responded to this healthier eating and what it does for me in return.  I can definitely see the benefits and as I mentioned, it’s really not any harder to do.

What have you learned eating Paleo/Primal?