the whole paleo deal
/A couple weeks back I decided to try transitioning to a paleo diet. Okay, I didn't transition. I basically just went cold turkey. A paleo diet consists of veggies/fruits, meat/eggs, nuts and seeds. In other words, "anything that you can kill or hit out of a tree with a stick". Read: no wheat, no sugar, no grains, no beans, no legumes, no dairy. I didn't really have any type of expectation or commitment. I just wanted to try it out and see how I felt. It was hard. Super hard. By the third day I was in full-on withdrawals. I had the shakes, a headache, dry-mouth, and I was really REALLY grumpy.
By the fifth day things were better and I felt good. I was eating a whole lot more veggies and my blood sugar felt stable- no more ups and downs. I've always known that I had some sort of dairy intollerance or sensitivity. I know this is disgusting...but the phlem is gone!
I found a couple of great websites/blogs that were filled with recipes and information:
Robb Wolf- shopping lists and quick start guide
(kale chips. I know you think I'm crazy...but these are yummy)
(I told you she eats anything!)
Okay here's the downside of this whold deal:
I am not really excited about eating so many animal products. I don't naturally like meat. I'm not an animal rights activist or anything (although there are some environmental implications of eating so many animals)...I just don't really like the taste of a big ol' hunk of steak. Or chicken. Or pork.
I also haven't found an affordable source of grass-fed beef or pastured chickens. I can afford occasional portions of these animals, but not in the quanity that this diet requires.
In order to feel full and make enough milk for Ian, I found that I really did have to eat a lot of eggs/meat/and nuts. I've gone a bit overboard with the nuts. I am sure that I am eating more than usual and consuming more calories just because I am so limited in what I can eat. Scarcity principle for sure.
The things that I miss are not over-processed or junky. Oatmeal. 1/2 and 1/2 for my decaf. Yogurt. Dave's killer bread.
So here's my take, and I'm still thinking this through. I am going to stay away (mostly) from dairy and scale way back on wheat. I'd like to be able to eat oatmeal, or a sandwhich, or some brown rice, or quinoa...but not all of them. Not in one day.
I'd like my diet to remain plant-based with an occasional portion of meat, and free from processed and sugary foods. Ultimately, I just need something more balanced and less extreme in order to make a long-term commitment. This fits in better with how the rest of my family eats. It is a whole lot more cohesive. I'm all about making only one thing for dinner- for all of us!!
Okay, moving on.