Paleo Journey: Day 21-30

Day 30 is here at last! The last nine days have been fun. I've cooked and eaten some good meals at home and had some good ones eating out. Nothing spectacular that deserves special mention. Last Sunday found me at a Superbowl party, successfully fighting temptations. I got lucky because there were lots of paleo options, like bacon wrapped dates, guacamole, and veggies. On the drinking front, there were lots of choices for hard liquor. Not bad! The day prior, we were up in Sonoma doing a wine tour, which was another set of challenges. We stopped at the The Sonoma Fremont diner, which apparently has amazing fried chicken, but instead I got a really good avocado and grapefruit salad. Notes about the diner: don't expect luxury service (or even power!). Tastings at the wineries went well, but were cracker-less!

So all the chattering aside, the big question thirty days later is: How Do I Feel? The answer: Great! I've been sleeping great, I feel energetic, my mind has been clear, and I look forward to my meals. It's definitely been difficult at times when I'm faced with snacks and treats or I'm hanging out with friends who don't support Paleo, but it's been possible. I feel more aware of and educated about what I'm putting into my body biologically. And I feel prepared when I'm shopping for food or cooking. Ultimately, I don't miss all those foods that I used to eat (i.e. bread and tortillas).

Do I plan to continue? Yes. I plan to keep trying to stay paleo for the foreseeable future. I'm not afraid to possibly eat "off" now and then, but my majority will be paleo. I don't believe it will be hard because with the more I learn, the more I naturally don't desire most non-paleo products. Going paleo has forced me to be more creative about what I'm eating, push the limits of how I know to prepare foods (especially vegetables), and to realize why I'm eating it. I purchased, Richard Nikoley's Book and it's been very helpful at filling the gaps about a lot of the paleo mantras. Although much of what he says is clearly just his opinion and based on rhetoric, he does cite some solid sources and give good advice (much of it in an amusing tone).

So, after all of this, what does Paleo mean to me? I've decided that paleo is more than just avoiding certain foods or eating something just because it's what our cavemen ancestors used to eat. Instead it's understanding what you're eating and why it's biologically good for you. It's being happy about eating and not feeling guilty. It's enjoying and appreciating the energy that life gives us. That's why I believe Paleo has been so successful for so many people: success comes from both physiological and psychological satisfaction.

Here are some photos of the food I've had the past few days: