JB’s Viewpoint on Paleo Desserts

I did it again. I called myself JB. I referred to myself in the third person and confirmed everyone’s guesses that I am excessively weird. Whatever. I dance on video camera while cooking, people are bound to feel uncomfortable during my posts as well.

Anywho, let’s talk about sweets people. Holy poop, I love sweets. Like LOVE them. I grew up on peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches and swiss rolls. Thanks mom. Then fell in love with chocolate chip pancakes as my after school snack in high school. Then found out how amazing a 2 gallon tub of ice cream and sugar cookie dough can be while studying with my best girlfriends in college. Yeah, I’m into sweets. Slightly embarrassing.

But here’s the jist. I gain weight VERY easily. Like stupid easily. My metabolism is dumb. So when I eat any sort of sugar, my body goes wild. I can feel the changes that have occurred within hours. And know that the sugar I consumed WILL change my body, and not for the best.

BUT, I’m a human being. A human being who loves sweets. So in no way am I ever going to give them up completely. If I tell myself I can’t have something, I want it more. So I have to figure out a solution to my sweets addiction. I can either consume a Cinnabon (holy balls those are good) or I can consume my coffee cake. I can consume stuffed french toast from Ihop or I can consume my french toast. So I think this over. What’s going to make me feel worse? Grains or nuts and coconut. Well, my body doesn’t like grains. And I probably wouldn’t poo for a week if I ate the stuffed french toast from Ihop. So I go with my own version of french toast. And don’t feel sick, I don’t feel uncomfortable, and I don’t have any regret about what I ate. Seems understandable to me.

If I want something sweet, I will eat something that has been paleo-fied and serves the purpose of satisfying my sweets needs. I will stuff the sh*t out of dates with some almond butter and I will be a happy clam. And that’s why I love having creating my own paleo desserts. I can live a lifestyle that is, well, livable. I can find different options out there that make me happy and don’t make me feel like I’m missing out. And that is the key to a healthy diet. A healthy way of eating. Having unlimited options to keep you on track. That’s why I blog recipes daily. To give you all options.

But what I do want to specify, because I have dealt with this issue myself, is that just because it is “paleo” does not mean it is completely good for you. Sugar is sugar. It affects your body the same way no matter what kind it is. So just like regular desserts, paleo desserts need to be eaten in moderation as well. If your body is like mine, it’s not going to love having an entire jar of almond butter or an entire plate of sweet potato brownies. The dimples on my ass increase when the jar of almond butter disappears. It’s just plain fact.

So I definitely have to eat in moderation. And control myself, which is always a difficult feat. So when I make these desserts, I’m often taking them to friends. I get to satisfy my sweet tooth and share new recipes with you, while making others happy and help them find out how amazing the paleo diet can be. That’s pretty awesome.

Let’s sum this up.

1. I love sweets. So I eat them in ways that are better FOR ME. That does not mean I think they are extremely healthy and should be consumed daily. Or that your body processes sweets the same way mine does. Just remember, your body is YOURS. So you need to figure out the best options for YOUR body. Sweets or no sweets.
2. Even though I talk about my love for sweets, when CrossFit competitions come up, my diet changes immensely and I have to eat differently than I did before. That means no dark chocolate for JB. No late light food binges. And no crazy big meals. Kinda blows, but totally worth it.
3. The inside of a Cinnabon cinnamon roll is tear worthy. True beauty right there. But I must shove that to the back of mind so I can have a digestive tract that works correctly.

So now it’s time for you to figure out what works for you. Are you the type that can’t have any sweets? Or the type that needs something sweet daily. I don’t care either way, just find what works for you. And stop worrying about what others are eating. Having a dessert 2-3 times a week is what makes me happy. So that’s what I do to keep myself sane and smiley. Like sticky apple bars. Those thing were awesome. And made because I was craving apple pie. It worked. Not craving it anymore. Boom.

Life is all about decisions. The decision to eat something that makes us sick or something that makes us thrive, both physically and mentally. Sticky apple bars make me healthy in the mind. And that’s why I love paleo desserts.