My gym is going into another Paleo Challenge, and after the amazing effects of my initial entree into the Paleo lifestyle (better sleep, better energy, weight loss, fat loss, better skin, etc.), I thought it was time to get my family involved. I don't believe in "gimmicks" - I believe in eating FOOD, and sadly, most of what people consume these days doesn't resemble the real thing. I did the first challenge with my husband (he was mostly forced into it), but now that I have results and wisdom, why not help make my family healthier? I became a fan of Paleo because it's a FOOD based eating style that supports the local farmers, the local ranchers, and the environment. Novel, huh?
My sister visited a few months ago and got a few days of straight up, home cooked, Paleo awesomeness. She was shocked by how well we ate, how delicious all the food was, and how easy it was. She's following a mostly Paleo lifestyle now and feels "off" on those days she consumes crappy food.
So, time to get my mom on board. I followed up to try and get her to confirm her acceptance of our next challenge and I got the following excuses:
1) "Oh, I didn't see dinosaur when I went to the store the other day."
OK, we can overcome this.
2) "I don't have time for this"
Sorry Mother Dearest, I've traveled SIXTEEN TIMES in the past 6 months (many of those were cross country trips). Oh wait, I was also working on my MBA, and training for the Boston and California International Marathons....while working full time. You're not THAT busy.
3) Isn't eating that much protein bad for you if you don't workout all the time?
Here's the funny part - Paleo isn't about eating as much protein as humanly posible. It's about eating FOOD that comes from the earth. I eat a boat load of veggies on a daily basis with lean, (usually grassfed) proteins. If you hate veggies and are using Paleo as an excuse to not eat your broccoli, yea, you can get sick.
This isn't about the before/after photos (although they are cool and very inspiring). This is about reading your food labels, hitting up the farmer's market, and taking CONTROL of what you put on your plate. This is about getting rid of the crappy chemicals and fake food that plague the American dinner table and replacing it with ingredients you can pronounce and foods you recognize.
This is NOT about being on a diet. It's not about doing this perfectly. This is NOT a "lose weight quick" campaign.
Mom, I'm calling you out. Shut up, and Sign up:
http://pacificcoast.wholelifechallenge.com/
Kisses,
Your daughter
Tiger Daughter!
ReplyDeleteDo it, Mom. I'm 50 years old and have been eating paleo about a year. I am off my b.p. meds and my blood lipids are normal for the first time in my adult life. My psoriasis and dandruff, which I've had basically for decades, is gone. (Other, grosser, stuff is better too.)
Claw
Do it mom! I am actually forwarding this to my own mother. By all means I am not 100% paleo 100% of the time. More like 80% paleo 80% of the time. What I can tell you though, I feel like crap the remaining 20% when I eat foods with ingredients I cannot pronounce.
ReplyDeleteSnyder
I just signed up, you should sign up too! Its easier than you think, once you break the initial barrier! (Stupid Kristiana and her power of suggestions)
ReplyDelete(I'M SO EXCITED YOU CAN TELL BY ALL OF MY EXCLAMATION MARKS)
Dear Kristiana's Mom,
ReplyDeleteSomehow, some way, I convinced my dearest darling mother to participate in this round of CPC's nutritional challenge. I'm going to chalk it up to her thinking it's cute when I get passionate about things and not at all to my saleswoman skills.
So the pitch to you is simple, you and my mom (heretofore known as Jan Schultz) can band together and be a Mom Brigade. And if Kristiana and I are wrong (meaning, if this is a totally benefit-less 8-week span of life), you guys can do the "You Darn Kids" routine and lecture us 'til kingdom come.
I promised my Mom I'd forward her my weekly meal plans, as well as weekly shopping lists/snack routines/tricks of the trade, and I'd be willing to bet Kristiana will do the same (if she doesn't, it'd be pretty simple to add your name to my email list ;) ).
I am a reformed vegetarian, so my version of 'Paleo' is pretty low in the meat category (I probably eat meat on average 6 times a week). This was helpful for my Mom to hear (she's an animal right's activist, and isn't too keen on the all-meat, all-the-time ideology).
One way to think of it is this: I treat these challenges as testing grounds for my approach to life. I get to mess with the ingredients of my days and see what the outcomes are. I get to record the experimental data and talk with my community about how they're running their show. I literally get to be my own life scientist. It can't hurt to have a slightly more refined vision of how certain elements impact or enhance your ambient reality - right?
Give it a try. Worst case scenario: you go a couple of weeks without a few of the things you really love without any noticeable benefits. Best case scenario: you find a better, more clear and healthful version of yourself. That's a minimal amount of risk and a huge potential for gain. In the realm of decision-making, it doesn't get much better than that :)