Last week was my birthday...along with about 5 other people that I know and love. I had a fantastic time celebrating with friends, making new friends, spending time with family and just having a good time! It was a pretty busy week filled with typical things like hockey, basketball and gymnastics but there were also several days of dinners and outings thrown in there too.
As much as I tried to stick to a paleo diet there were certain things that I couldn't pass up. See, I have always been a foodie. I seriously love food. I have watched cooking shows since I was a kid. I'll always have fond memories of watching Julia Child with my grandfather on PBS. I remember thinking I can't understand what she or her french chef guests are saying but the food looks delicious. Food is an amazing art! So it became near impossible to resist some of these dishes when I went to several amazing restaurants this past week/weekend. I look back and it was well worth it but my body hated me. I typically don't weigh myself but I decided before I went out I would do a little experiment. I logged my weight right before I went out on Friday and then on Sunday evening I weighed myself again...8 whole lbs. I literally gained 8 lbs in a couple of days!! I'm not kidding...8 FREAKING POUNDS!!! I'm only 5'3", so that's a lot. Hell...that's a lot for anyone in 3-4 days. I'm still in shock at that number but that doesn't compare to the bloating I had in my stomach, the gas and discomfort I was experiencing, the aches in my joints, the tightness of my clothes, and the fog that had come over me. I started to feel like a different person and I didn't like it. Who knew three days would do so much damage! But truth is, I haven't deviated from the paleo lifestyle for that many days in a row in quite some time.
Luckily my sons, Lucca and Kaine, only participated in one meal. It was a cheat day for my birthday and they were able to partake. But after three days of bad eating my body was different and it solidified why our family eats the way we do. See, my oldest son, Lucca, has PANDAS. We decided to go hard core paleo once he was diagnosed. The paleo lifestyle helps to keep inflammation down in the body. It also helps keep him healthy and keeps the flare ups at bay or at least to a minimum (Our Story). But the thing is, I forgot how much I had experienced these horrible feelings in my body a while back. Prior to eating paleo, I was a little overweight, woke up every morning sore (you think it just comes with age), had a bloated belly, had several different sizes in clothing depending on the day, didn't have energy, and just felt under the weather, tired or just in a weird brain fog. Food is our fuel and you definitely get what you put in. If you eat a donut or have a soda and crap all day, you feel sluggish and out of it. Not to mention you will likely put on a couple of pounds (or 8!!!). If you eat a salad and some lean meat while snacking on nuts, fruits and veggies, you are likely to have more energy and be more alert. You just feel better!!
Here's the thing that people don't realize....paleo food and healthy food CAN TASTE GOOD!!! Paleo food is not hard to find, there are lots of things that are paleo friendly. Finding food is easy. The hard part is sticking to it and resisting the bad food. Believe me, I get it! I clearly had a hard time this past week and boy did my body feel it. Now, will I likely cheat again? Sure. But probably not three days in a row! I don't want to feel this way and I don't want to spend a week trying to get back to my old paleo self. It's much easier for your body to bounce back after one cheat meal than it is three. Plus, I feel bad. I feel bad that I have the option to eat this way and my son doesn't. Technically, he can eat anyway he wants to. But it's what is best for his body and we decided as a family we would eat paleo. It isn't fair to him that he sticks to something that I don't. Lesson learned. Guilt and bad body feelings are not a fun combo.
In order for me to get back to feeling better, I started with salads and veggies. Contrary to what most people think about paleo, our main dish is not meat. Meat tends to be the side dish to our main course...Veggies! Vegetables are important. The meat/protein is what gives you the energy but the vegetables are what gives you the vitamins and nutrients that you need to stay healthy. Plus, they help fill you up. I of course made the Kale Krack Salad but I needed something easier too. The Farm Salad. Our kids call this the farm salad because when we went on a farm stay this past summer it was the salad that came with our first meal. It was delicious, simple, fresh and easy. As Julia Child once said "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients." This salad is just that, fresh arugula with lemon and olive oil with a little salt and pepper. Ever since the farm stay, my kids will eat this salad up pretty regularly. Personally, I think it brings back fond memories for all of us. We can't wait to go back this summer! There are times I change it up a bit but I always keep this dressing on hand. I may add some avocado, cucumbers, onions and chicken to make it a big salad meal. But most times I just put it on arugula (like at the farm), micro greens, mixed lettuce or any greens I have in the fridge. It's the perfect side salad to make your dish complete. After 3 days of being back on paleo I have lost 5 of the 8 lbs. I am starting to feel much better, which is what I really wanted. I really don't count the pounds, it's about how my clothes fit and how I feel. I just want to get out of bed in the morning, have some energy and not have my whole body ache. Well, and for PANDAS to go away and maybe be on the farm again. Oh and winning the lottery would be nice too. Maybe not having to work anymore and traveling to a bunch of beaches... crap, this list could get pretty long if I really think about it. I should just stick with getting out of bed, at least that one is possible.
Happy Cooking and Eating!
Easy Lemon Dressing
Serves:a little over 1/4 cup
Prep Time:2 minutes
Cook Time:0 minutes
Total Time:2 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 1/2 to 5 TBSP fresh lemon juice**
- dash of salt and pepper
**I like it a bit more tart so I use 5 but if you don't want it that lemony do 3 1/2.
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients in a small dressing container or whisk together in a bowl.
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