Busy Wife and Mom loses weight with Paleo diet
I was delighted to have one of my favorite cousins write a guest post for me. Her family tried Paleo because they heard about the anti-inflammatory benefits. The irony is that she tried Paleo for her husband originally, but got hooked on it after seeing so many changes in her own well being. She needs all the energy she can get to chase after her three young children and run her busy household. I am so glad she is feeling great on her new lifestyle.
Busy Wife and Mom loses weight with Paleo diet!
My Top 5 Paleo Diet Benefits:
Though my Paleo journey began almost two years ago, I had no idea that today I’d be nearly 30 pounds lighter and two sizes smaller than I’d been in high school. Originally my husband (who also lost 30 lbs on Paleo) and I were searching for a way to alleviate his dependency on certain medications through diet. I was being supportive at first, but as my weight dropped, I was hooked. Losing weight was only the beginning of the benefits.
I have more energy for my day
I used to struggle after lunch just to stay awake. I’d put my boys down for naps, and I had no energy to do anything other than crawl into bed or curl up on the couch. Many times I’d be there during the whole nap (several hours) when I’d get up feeling more tired and irritated that I’d “wasted” those precious hours of quiet.
Now I have plenty of energy, so when nap time comes, I can get something done and feel productive.
I’m not controlled by my cravings
I used to start about 7 pm craving, literally salivating, and waiting with anticipation for my huge bowl of ice cream I enjoyed every night after the kids were in bed. I never felt like I could stop myself from having my nightly ritual, and after I’d scarf down a big bowl I’d think, “Wow, I could eat another one of these–easily.” I usually didn’t, but if my husband wasn’t around I probably would have some nights.
Not only did I have the habit of eating the delicious, creamy scoops, but my husband and I had developed the habit of eating a little snack before bed while we watched a TV show together. What got us through those early weeks of “sugar withdrawal” was replacing our ice cream routine with a more Paleo-friendly snack. I developed what has become known around our house as a “banana split”: sliced bananas smeared with almond butter and sprinkled with raisins. We got our sweet fix accompanied with a good fat–without the refined sugar, pasteurized dairy, and corn syrup of our previous habit.
My husband still enjoys a banana split for our evening snack, but these days I take the pits out of two Medjool dates and stuff them with a generous portion of coconut butter—so good and satisfying!
I’m not hungry all the time
Any time during my life that I’ve decided to “watch what I eat” or “just eat less” to lose weight I’ve always been hungry. I began to use that hungry feeling as motivation for continuing to eat only a Luna bar and a green bell pepper for lunch during my 10-hour work day. I felt like if I didn’t have that gnawing in the pit of my stomach or the constant feeling of light-headedness, then I couldn’t possibly be losing weight. I equated a hungry feeling with feeling healthy. However, many times I’d overeat as soon as I had food because of my unsatisfied hunger.
As soon as we started on a Paleo diet, I never was hungry; I always felt satisfied after meals—not stuffed with my belly hurting. I learned to eat good fats—and lots of them, and I learned to eat more meat. With a full and satisfied belly, resisting the tempting treats at a party or in the grocery store aisles was much easier.
I don’t get headaches or feel faint after only a few hours without food
I used to eat a mid-morning and afternoon snack because I’d get a headache after two or three hours with no food. If I went any longer, I’d start feeling faint, weak, and shaky. I’d be irritable and moody until I got some food.
Now I can go from my hearty breakfast filled with protein and good fat at 7 am to after 1 pm if I must before eating lunch. With two little boys I don’t always get a predictable “lunchtime.” When I’m on mom-duty, I don’t have time to feel shaky or irritable.
Our meals don’t all taste the same
I remember looking through standard cookbooks to plan our family’s meals, and every recipe in some cookbooks it seemed was a “casserole” with something canned in it—tomato soup, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom. If the ingredients in recipes are always similar, then the results are similar in taste—and so boring.
Now we’re eating a rainbow of vegetables from our CSA box, like kohlrabi, winter squashes, kale, and bok choy. And we’re enjoying many cuts of grass fed and pastured meat.
Be sure to follow my cousin at her great new blog all about her wonderful family life
Are wanting to give Paleo a try?
I recommend this great e-book that will guide you through the 30 day challenge.
Get this great e-book for getting started on a grain free lifestyle!
It has over 90 recipe and is full of tips and tricks for navigating this healing lifestyle.
I would love advice as to what to put in my 4 yr old lunch box that is protein based. He does not like hard boiled eggs and I feel limited to using only processed meats like lunch meat. I have considered strips of meat like chicken or steak, but I am concerned about the fact that there is no refrigeration. Any advice?
What about bacon, salami or proscuitto?
Can you pack a tiny ice pack like one that is refreezeable..?
Also you could make jerky in the oven or a dehydrator.
Pack him sardines or salmon in can, maybe that is not safe for a kid though?
you could also do a thermos with warm meat soup. My husband is a chef and he says meat can be out for 4 hours before bacteria grows..fyi. Good luck!
Why doesn’t he like hard boiled eggs? Add some real salt and dont cook them so hard, maybe he will change his mind…
Can he take a lunchbox that is more like a small cooler to add more options?
If he is okay with dairy grass fed cheese or homemade yogurt are good options.