"What are you cooking, Nelson?" were my first words uttered at the sight of eggs, sausage, bacon and canalope being fried all together in a skillet with coconut oil one Saturday morning after a night out. Nelson, my boyfriend Justin's best friend from college was visiting for the weekend and was the one who started the chain of events that lead to my Paleo lifestyle.
Everyone who crosses over to the Paleo side has their own story and personal experience that validates why Paleo is amazing and life changing! I started out a non-believer, a skeptic, and a semi-vegetarian. I was shocked that anyone would eat large amounts of meat and fats at a meal and skip "heart healthy" whole grains. "Have fun having a heart attack at 30" I would say. So how did I completly change my way of thinking, eating, and lifestyle? Let's get back to Nelson.
Nelson was fitter, healthier, and leaner then ever after he made the switch to Paleo which intrigued Justin. Since Justin already loved bacon and meats he was sold! Justin had tried the calorie counting, frozen diet meals, and whole grain "healthy" diet recommendation from mainstream media with no real body changes. He was ready to try this "crazy" thing called Paleo. Of course I was not on board...at first. I didn't want to have to make two different meals each night and wanted to save money so I decided to give the Paleo thing a go. Deep down I knew Justin wouldn't like it because he never liked vegetables which is a huge part of Paleo (i.e. substutions for grains). But then a funny thing happened. Justin started liking vegetables, many different vegetables. I actually started liking meat and even craving it!
The biggest change and selling point for me with Paleo was a week into the lifestyle. I had just gotten into bed, grabbed my book to read, and I realized I didn't need my nightly dose of Ibruprofen. I didn't have my typical nightly head-ache, body and muscle pains, or overall "crappy" feeling. HELLO LIGHTBULB! What was different? For the past 5 or more years I had experienced chronic fatigue, stomach issues, muscle and body pains ranging from the bones in my feet feeling like arthritis to all over back pain with no known explaniation. After just one week of eating real, unprocessed, no preservative foods, I felt pain free! It was like I gained back 10 years. I was sold. Oh..and Justin lost over 20 pounds in one month being Paleo :)
November 2011 marked our one-year Paleo anniversary. We have felt better, been less sick, and tried so many amazing foods during our Paleo journey, which has made me a better cook and thus inspired my Paleo food blog. My goal is to help those who are already living a Paleo lifestlye to have access to recipes and meal plans that are delicious, beautiful, and worth showing off. I also want to show those who are not Paleo, or are thinking about trying Paleo that it is not boring, it's the opposite! Paleo can be gourmet, upscale, and perfect for entertaining or a simple family meal.
Oh, and don't forget to include wine!
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