Paleorific

One of the goals that I set for myself for this year was to work on some things health wise. I wanted to set better patterns, get back into biking and various other things, cut out processed foods, and get a handle on the allergies that I've lived with since I was a teenager. In looking at those things, I began to hear about a way of eating called Paleo or Primal. Now, ignoring the evolutionary idea of "eating like our ancestors did 5 million years ago," I like the actual manner of eating that is encouraged in this lifestyle. It sounds a little crazy at first, but there is no eating of the following: grains, dairy, legumes, sugars/processed foods. Instead you eat meats, vegetables, fruits, and good fats(avocado, nuts, coconut oil, etc.). The non-hardcore Paleo people encourage a 90/10% lifestyle ratio, meaning 90% of the time you eat pure Paleo and 10%(which equals about 2 meals a wk.), you can cheat. Even on your cheat meals, though, you're encouraged to figure out what is the hardest on your system and avoid those things. I've discovered that the majority of my allergies have disappeared since beginning this three months ago, and are triggered primarily through gluten consumption, and secondarily through eating dairy. Therefore, I rarely, rarely eat anything containing gluten for my cheat meals, because it brings more annoyance than pleasure. I know that it can kind of sound crazy, but I'm so, so pleased that I've made this change. I thoroughly enjoy all of my meals, rarely feel the need for snacks anymore b/c the protein holds me longer, enjoy my cheat meals without any guilt at all, hardly deal with allergies anymore, enjoy my body feeling better, and have lost twenty pounds eating fantastic, full meals. For any of you out there ready for a life change, I highly recommend it!

  I loved salads before, but now I like them even more! This is a BLT salad: Bacon, dark greens, tomato, avocado, and sliced almonds, with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. So good!

Paleo Pops. Dark, dark chocolate is actually encouraged as the sweet of choice. These are little popsicles made from coconut milk(which is what I use in place of milk now), pecan butter(I'm making my own nut butters), a pint of cherries, dark cocoa powder, and a bit of maple syrup. They encourage the use of natural, non-processed sugars when making treats- ie, honey and maple, so it's not like you're completely cutting out all things sweet. =-)