Day One!

First day of August, Lammas, my Paleo diet… a lot of beginnings around here! For the first time I did not waltz to my local little coffee shop and sit down with a 16oz. laden with half and half. Nor, when my friend (staying with me for a few days) wanted to nab some breakfast at Lovejoy Bakers, did I partake of his vanilla bean custard danish. I’m feeling positive and excited. Right now under the broiler are a couple of chicken legs, roasting for my lunch. After my 12:45 meeting I’ll be doing a huge shopping trip, picking up fresh veggies and paleo staples like sweet potatoes, nuts, some fruit along with more meat and some tinned “emergency protein”. 


On Saturday I went through my entire kitchen and dumped everything non-paleo. There is not a smidge of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, grain, legume, or gluten in my place. I’ve never approached a “diet” in this fashion before: I’ve always kept around the “bad” stuff “just in case” (that’s a lot of poor little quotes abused in one sentence!). I’ve done diets before where I would allow myself cheat days, and I know many people utilize that with the paleo diet. But I’m looking to do an entire life change here, and I want to get out of the mindset that I’m trapped to something, and need the freedom of cheating. I’m excited to be facing meats, vegetables, and the simplicity of recognizing every bit of food that goes into my body. Never before have I been so ready to make an entire overhaul of how and what I eat. 


I grew up in a pretty poor home, and finishing your plate (of tuna helper or pasta-and-cream-of-soups-swamped casseroles) was not only mandatory; there was a fear factor associated with not finishing. This mentality stayed with me and for as long as I can remember I would continue eating long after I was full, concerned with making sure that nothing would go to waste. That perspective makes cleaning out a kitchen of non-paleo food items a little difficult. Luckily, my apartment has a “free” shelf, and it’s not uncommon to see unopened food items up for grabs. So I know that my brand new packages of short-grain rice, barley, soups, and oatmeal went to good homes, and weren’t wasted. 


Soon I’ll go grab my roasted chicken, and settle down to a quick lunch before heading to my meeting. Here’s goes everything!

Posted in: background, new beginnings, starting