Make Paleo Work For You

It’s officially 2015 and time to get those New Year’s Resolutions started. People are stocking up on healthy food in their kitchen, spending hours on end at the gym, or just doing something else with their new, blank slate. But if you are visiting my website today, I’m guessing you’re looking for a healthier life. Maybe for weight loss, maybe in hopes of curing an illness, or maybe just maybe, you just want to live longer. I’m down for all of those. And you have come to the right place! Not only do I fill your lives with diary-like stories of my awkward life, but I also share my recipes, my workouts, and even my outfits. I know, I know. What does fashion have to do with paleo? No need to press that thought. To me, eating healthier makes you feel better inside. Which makes you happier. Which makes you want to show others that you are now happier. And that’s where I am now. After eating paleo for almost 5 years, I’ve never been happier in my own skin. With the combination of CrossFit and paleo, I’ve become a better, more energized, and more enthusiastic person. And that’s exactly what I’m hoping to help you do for yourself!

So let’s talk a little bit about paleo. I don’t care about the science sh*t. Nope. If you’re one of those nerds (which I was when I first started) check out Robb Wolf’s website and books. It will throw knowledge at you like never before. His book was what finally talked me into trying this whole paleo bull. Turns out, it’s not bull. I lost about 30 pounds with the combination of CrossFit and paleo and instantly rid myself of all stomach and intestinal issues. I slept better, I had more energy, I was constantly in a better mood. Everything in my life got better and it was truly life changing. This nutrition thing actually did matter and it finally made sense.

Ever since I went paleo about 5 years ago, I haven’t gone back. Do I splurge once in a while on regular gluten-filled cake? F*ck yes. But I pretty much regret it instantly once the stomach cramps come back on. Sometimes I’m a bit more lenient with gluten free foods, but only certain products that aren’t overly loaded with sugar. In summary of the last five years, I’ve gone from strict-strict paleo, to adding in paleo desserts, to randomly having something with gluten in it, to eating gluten free foods when I crave them. Honestly, I do what feels right that day. If I feel myself slipping back into the same food addiction that I had growing up, emotional eating or whatever, I make sure to keep my diet pretty strict until those feelings dissipate.

Ok, let me get to the point that I’ve been trying to make here: make paleo work for you. Make paleo work for your life and your family. Stop putting paleo in a little box. You have to do what works for you. So if taking smalls steps to paleo works for you, do it. If going head first and being strict paleo works for you, do that! Figure out what’s going to keep you on track and make sure you always have a safety net.

Here are some of the things that kept me on the right track when I start paleo:

1. Clean the house out of sh*tty food. If you don’t see it, it doesn’t exist. And if you dream about it, it won’t be there to help you fall back asleep after chowing down.
2. Pack meals ahead of time. Everyone has a different schedule but having food readily available or already cooked is the best way to stay on the paleo path. We all know that if we are starving, we will eat the first thing we see. So have meals already ready to go that you just have to pop in the oven or microwave so you don’t give in to temptation.
3. Get some snacks around the house. 5 years ago, they didn’t have a crap ton of paleo companies out there to help you out with snacks. Now they do! So buy some stuff in bulk, keep it around the house for those desperate moments. And be sure to always have fruits and veggies too!
4. Make better choices with desserts. We all love desserts (the people who don’t are weird, don’t trust them) so be knowledgeable about what is in your desserts. Have some dark chocolate around the house with a little bit of almond butter is always a great choice because it’s satiating and filling!
5. Try new recipes. The reason we go out to restaurants is because they spice it up and make food exciting and comforting. But poop, they usually aren’t making their food with the best ingredients. So if you’re craving Mexican food or Chinese food or just comfort food, search the good ole’ world wide web for a recipe. I swear to you, you will find millions to pick from.

These 5 things have helped me begin paleo and continue eating paleo for 5 years now. And I’m never bored. I can get bored with my own recipes, but then I’ll find something inspiring on the web or in books that gets me excited to cook again.

Here are some great things to get you started on your new and improved paleo journey!

• Check out Diane Sanfilippo’s Start-Up Guide
• Check out blogs like Primal Palate, Slim Palate, Nom Nom Paleo, Fed and Fit, Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind, Brittany Angell, Paleo Parents, Zen Belly, Domestic Man, Mark’s Daily Apple,
• If you’re more of a book person, check out some of my cookbooks:
  • OMG. That’s Paleo?
  • The Paleo Kitchen
  • The Best of Paleo Recipes Ecookbook – 150 recipes from multiple bloggers, authors and chefs!
  • And preorder my third cookbook: Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook

Let’s sum things up though, because I forget what I’ve read within 30 seconds of reading it. So, if you’re looking to kick some ass at paleo and get a healthier life for yourself, get the sh*tty foods out, have great, healthy foods available in the freezer as well as the fridge, pack meals and snacks ahead of time, try new recipes, stick with some of the favorites that your family loves, and honestly DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP about the times you don’t eat strict paleo. You have a long life to live, so be sure to still live it up. Enjoy the special moments like weddings, parties, and holidays so you can not only keep your body healthy the rest of the time, but also your mind. Oh, and exercise. Exercise is seriously the best thing ever for your body. You need to be doing it. Just a simple fact.

And if you are still wondering what to cook, check out my last post about the 25 most popular recipes of 2014!