In The Thick of It

So, folks.

I feel pretty gosh darn amazing. I've lost 13 lbs., and counting. My clothes fit again (some of them--even a pair of pants I couldn't wear a month ago--are too big!). I have slow-burning energy all day. I feel hungry at times but don't have hunger pangs or tummy rumbling. I wake up earlier, more naturally. (Part of that is definitely quitting the anxiety meds.)

It's really hard for me not to cry from the rooftops, "Try this way of life! It's easy, delicious, amazing and makes you feel great!" And I have been doing some of that, mostly with people who have already done so and know it's great, i.e. my mom. I'm sure I'm very annoying to a lot of my friends. But they have their own obsessions, and I'm trying to tone it down.

The one thing about this is it doesn't feel gimmicky. Avoiding processed foods and unnatural meats just seems like common sense, and is espoused by people I admire like Mark Bittman and Michael Pollan.

As I said last time I've been reading a lot, and the best book I've found so far is Chris Kresser's "Your Personal Paleo Code." I like it because he recognizes that one kind of diet is not good for everyone. He also acknowledges that we don't need to eat like actual cavemen (I'm a little sick of reading about "Grok"), and eschew all modern food. I cannot give up dairy, and I think I tolerate it well, so I'm not going to! And if I need help losing those last five pounds, or figuring out what foods bother me, I will follow the Whole30. Don't feel a need to do it right now.

I've also had some weird experiences that I feel like no one can understand. Like going to parties and being able to control myself, not even WANTING to have that second drink. Not feeling like I have to inhale everything. Losing my fear of "not enough food." Why do I even have that?

Eggplant "noodles" with bolognese sauce.

One thing that has surprised me is that sweets, pasta and bread have almost been the easiest things to give up. With zucchini (and eggplant) pasta, I haven't missed real pasta, and I love having veggies be the base of my meals (I ate two entire small eggplants last night!). It doesn't taste exactly the same, but it definitely fulfills my psychological need for a steaming bowl of tomato sauce or pesto topped with cheese.
What I do feel more concerned about giving up: legumes. Hummus and peanut butter! I think I will still eat hummus in a pinch, and I hope that sunflower seed butter is really a good substitute, if only for Asian dipping sauce.
I'm also thrilled that I don't have to give up rice. In what I've been reading, it's the best grain, and that white rice is better than brown rice! (Brown rice has more nutrients, but your body has a harder time absorbing them so all in all white is better.) Thank god because I hate brown rice.

I do miss pizza though. I tried making cauliflower crust pizza, it looks good, but it didn't quite do the trick. I bought a recipe for another dough I'll try, with tapioca flour.

I didn't notice that little photobomber at first!

But mostly, I've just been eating really awesome dinners. 

Whole Foods roast chicken with Boursin mashed cauliflower and garlic-sautéed kale.

My next test in making this a lifestyle: I'm going to NYC next week for work, and then straight to a bachelorette party. I'm not too worried about the party, as my friends eat pretty healthy, but I am interested to see what the drinking urges are like. I'm sure I'll be in charge of making cocktails, but I want to stick to one or two for myself. My (not-so-secret) weapon: Seltzer! Makes you feel like you have a drink, you can put citrus and herbs in it, and no one notices you.

As for traveling, I have read a LOT of ridiculous things about eating Paleo on the road (I know I'm not strictly Paleo, but I use a lot of their recipes and read their stuff). Check out this blog entry I just read; this is actually a pretty mild version. I don't think this is very practical! Even "Practical Paleo," an otherwise pretty great cookbook, has you bringing tiny bottles of guacamole and olive oil on an airplane. OK, I would consider making my own trail mix and MAYBE bringing olive oil (heaven forbid THAT spill in your bag), but not a cooler filled with grilled meat! Or opening a can of tuna in a hotel room, ew!

My next blog entry will be about some more reasonable ideas for staying healthy while traveling. Part of that is going to be: relaxing and not freaking out if you eat something not-optimal. As my step-mom says, you can make up for it later!