Palo Weight Loss Success Story: Desk Jockey to Paleo Hottie

This client came to me for nutrition coaching because she was ready to make some big adjustments to her diet and lifestyle. I never know who is really going to make a life change or who is just blowing smoke. I just have to have faith like a mother hen over her chicks that all my clients will tap into their own motivation and find their way back to health. This one in particular blew me away with her determination and positive attitude!

When this lovely lady came in to see me she had recently moved back to the Bay Area and was ready to get into the active SF lifestyle and leave her hard living East Coast days behind. She immediately got started eating healthy fats, grass fed meats and plenty of fruits and veggies. She also started working out smart about 3 days a week with quick bursts and smart weight training. In a few months she was a whole new person inside and out.

Now she tells me of her dreams of travel and living an out of the box life. I am sure her new found confidence has something to do with her new goals. Below my client gives us some tips and insight on getting started.

Palo Weight Loss Success Story: Desk Jockey to Paleo Hottie

What made you want to change your diet/lifestyle?

I felt really sluggish and couldn’t see living the rest of my life that way – I wanted more energy and to lose weight. I was also concerned about my long term health and the fact that I sit all day at work.

What was your diet like before you made a lifestyle change?

I never thought much about what I ate, so as a result I ate a pretty “standard” American diet – everything that was put on my plate at restaurants, dinner parties, or whatever I felt like buying, I ate. I tried to eat vegetables pretty often but that was the extent of my ‘healthy’ eating.

Were you hungry when you started eating a paleo diet ?

I wasn’t hungry all the time once I started paleo – I think the protein kept me really full – but I was really grumpy for a couple weeks, I think due to all the detoxing and cravings I was going through. It felt like some kind of withdrawal that I had to overcome.

Did you have cravings for sugar or sweets and how did you deal with them?

I’ve always had cravings and would usually just give in and eat whatever I felt like – but on paleo, I started out by having the healthiest possible version of whatever I was craving on hand. For example, if I wanted something dessert-like, I would eat really rich dark chocolate with as little sugar as possible. If I wanted French fries (my biggest vice) I would do sweet potato fries, although I soon realized that wasn’t ideal either and it was easier just to avoid fries altogether. Soon cravings stopped.

Is it hard dealing with friends or Social situations being on a Paleo diet?

My friends make fun of me sometimes because they don’t understand all the intricacies of the diet, but once they started observing the physical changes that were taking place, they quieted down and really started to respect what I was doing, even if they didn’t fully understand every element of it. Dealing with social situations is easiest if you have a game plan beforehand, so you have a really concrete idea of what to say yes to and what to say no to. Social drinking is still a challenege for me and sometimes I give in to temptation but way less than before.

What other lifestyle changes have you made since changing your diet? Sleep, exercise, stress..?

Instead of being an exercise rollercoaster, the way I used to feel, now I have a more regular exercise schedule. I’m not sure how it happened, but I now don’t like to go more than 2-3 days without some form of movement, whether it be yoga/pilates or weights/cardio. I focus on the big muscle groups at the gym getting the most bang for my buck, exercise wise. I can do less intensity and more frequently, and it feels good to me.

Do you feel like this is a diet/ lifestyle you can stick with for the long run?

I think so. It takes a lot of shopping, planning, and cooking – more than I was used to because I used to just do take out most of the time – but it’s worth it.

Has being on the Paleo diet changed your outlook/mood/energy?

I feel more energetic – like I want to do a million things in a day. It’s great! I make a lot more use of my daytime on weekends instead of sleeping all day. My hobbies are more active and I like to be outside.

Any tips for others who may want to get started?

I’d say the first two or three weeks are hardest, so start at a time when you can really carve out time for it so you don’t get frustrated and irritated – you’ll see progress fast if you can consistently stick with it, so you want to create a space where you know you can commit for at least a month or more. For instance, I wouldn’t start the week I had a big trip coming up, if I had just started a new job, or if it was the holidays. I felt really lucky that I got to get started in between jobs, when I could focus on learning everything there was to learn and enjoy the process too.

How long did it take?

I started on July 2012 and the after picture is February 2013

How much did you lose?

I lost almost 40 lbs!! It is hard to believe I was carrying all that around and I did not really realize it.