Tuesday, March 12, 2013

My New lifestyle

 
Recently I started on a lifestyle journey to change. I knew I was healthy but I also knew my diet if left to it's own devices would end up with not so hot results in the long run. 6 weeks ago I joined a neighborhood boot camp challenge. I thought it was an exercise program to get us in shape.Little did I know once I joined it was an intense detox, HIIT, program. For 6 weeks I had to quit cold turkey ALL sugar, ALL Grains, All Dairy, limited fruit. I knew it would be tuff but day 2 into it.... OH MY WORD! I had body aches, pains and throbs, headaches, blurred vision,Chills, cold sweats. Yes, it was intense. I started getting better by day 5. I wanted and craved the foods I was used to eating, I had trouble finding foods I liked for lunch, I found myself at times so overwhelmed I would sit and cry on my stairs. This clued me in to HOW addicted I was to JUNK! I did not want that at all, so I decided I would stick this thing out. I researched the articles and information our personal fitness coach gave us, all the added chemicals in our foods, all the added stuff in dairy and meat and eggs, how we need to know the difference between grass fed and cage free, agave nectar verses honey and stevia, whole grains not good for us due to gluten and all the health problems gluten causes. Aspartame is in everything, terrible terrible side effects. Artificial sweeteners, diet cokes..all have aspartame. Non fat milk and low fat cheese ALL MEANS they take the whole milk out of it and replace it with sugar, aspartame and FAKE chemicals. Our bodies cannot digest this crap! It was all so overwhelming and alarming. At that point I could not keep ignoring and pretending I did not Know anymore. God holds us responsible for what we know. So our grocery trip started becoming a tad stressful, finding acceptable foods and reading labels and seeing pretty much everything has added sugar, and corn syrup. If a food product has ingredients you can't pronounce...you shouldn't eat it.
 
2 and half weeks into the challenge I had all ready lost 8 lbs and clothes fitting better. I felt better, stronger, more in control of my diet. I was so happy I had mastered my appetite and not the other way around. As of now I lost total of 10 lbs, 2 inches off my waist, and 1 inch off hips. Cravings for sweets are not as controlling. I have learned to cook Real Food and even bake using honey. I find it very rewarding to try new recipes and they come out great.
Now, switching my kids over is a bit difficult but they are coming around.
The challenge is over but I plan to still eat this way and workout HIIT at home while running as well. My goal is to run a couple 5k's with my son and a 10k. Not a marathon, BUT it's a goal for me.When I get old I want to be in shape, fit Healthy with no problems and be able to run and keep up with anyone. I want to be an example to my kids and their future spouses and  their future kids.
 
I am so happy I have learned all this information and switched to the Paleo lifestyle.