One Big Experiment

One recurring point of debate in the last two years has been the way that I eat. In January 2012, I began to experiment with the Paleo diet. It took a few months to really get the hang of it, but I soon grew comfortable with making most of my food, and ordering as gluten-free as possible at restaurants. I have learned so many invaluable lessons, the least of which - to be patient with myself. Big changes in life often take time & I learned to be comfortable with making mistakes and learning from them. I also learned to deal with criticism and skepticism. It really is remarkable how passionate people are about food, and how quick some can be to judge! The one thing I still come up against regularly is disbelief, or skepticism about my claim that my body operates better without gluten and processed foods. And honestly, I don't know if it is possible to come up against so much doubt before you begin to doubt yourself.

With that in mind, I have decided to spend the first half of 2014 eating typical food with no restriction other than reduced dairy (because I have been lactose intolerant since I was 7 or 8 - don't believe me? Give me a glass of milk and stick around for 20 or so minutes - you'll regret it!), and document everything - how I'm feeling, if I get sick, etc. Then in July I flip the switch and go back to Paleo & continue to document.

Sure, I know I'm be setting myself up to potentially get sick more often and not feel as well as I usually do, but it would be fascinating to have some hard data, not just for others - but for me! The last 3-4 months have marked a distinct decline in how I fit into my clothes. Falling in love, and falling out of the habit of regular workouts has certainly contributed to this, but it had also made me doubt the way that I have eaten for the last two years. I would love to complete this experiment and either renew my faith that Paleo is the optimal diet for me, OR come to terms with the fact that maybe being Paleo isn't the best way to eat and allow a little more freedom.

I'd be lying if I said that dating someone with no dietary restrictions has led to much more leniency where my diet is concerned, so maybe having six months of freedom will help strengthen my resolve to eat Paleo. 

My plan is to workout 3 times each week (yoga, weight-training, hiking, running etc), and document my meals each day, along with notes on how I feel before/after eating etc. I will document my measurements, and I'm debating on including weight as well, however that would only be to prove the point that weight itself is not really a good way to measure your progress. I weight the same today (haven't worked out regularly since August) as I did when had spent the last 6 months doing crossfit 2-3 times each week.

A big challenge lies ahead of me, but I am so excited to have come up with this idea, and even more excited to put it into practice!