Dare You To...

Happy New Year!  My 2013 resolution involves having a different focus each month, and that begins with....

January: New Year Nutrition.

Really, before I tackle any other goals and focuses, I need to feel good, first, right?  That's why 2013 will start with the inside, which, of course, starts with food.



Step 1: Return to Paleo

I've gushed about the paleo lifestyle before, and I've shared my personal experience going paleo to "mostly paleo," and yet, in spite of my conviction that it is incredibly healthy and yields undeniable positive results, I've fallen off the wagon.

This fall, I got busy, and tired, and just sort of consciously gave concessions for a while, going beyond just 80/20 or "flexible."  In that craziness, I also came to rely on sugar for energy.  My poison of choice?  Chocolate-covered almonds, cashews, and blueberries. It was a temporary sweetness, that soon left me feeling foggy-headed.

Just as I discovered last spring, the food I eat …

Alright, I've been dropping hints of my gluten-free, paleo-style eating all month. Time to explain what went down.
1.  I went on vacation. I didn't eat wheat, and only very few grains.  I felt great. 2.  I finally accepted all the article, podcast, and book information on the "paleo" (short for paleolithic) lifestyle and how it's curing everything from acne and indigestion to diabetes and chronic disease.
3.  I gave it a go for one month. 30 days.



There are entire books on this, so please bear with me as I try to thoroughly (yet briefly as possible!) explain the diet, my own experience, and my thoughts going forward.

PALEO basics:


What is the paleo diet?
The "paleo diet", aka "caveman diet", is essentially eating meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fresh fruits, and nature's fats (nuts, seeds, healthful oils).  What you reduce or eliminate is: grains, legumes, and (depending on who you ask) dairy.  It's fairly simple, until you go to the super…