Giving up Foods: Update - Week 2

I love food! I have a degree in Pastry Arts with a semester of Savory cooking under my belt. I cook all of our meals and the majority of our snacks, although I am too lazy to make Chris’ hummus and I don't know why. I get tickled over the prospect of “fine dining” and I enjoy working on flavor profiles and building my recipes from scratch. Never the less, all this love and enjoyment doesn't overshadow what I have to do for myself.

I accidentally went Paleo well, as close to “Strict Paleo” as you can, I like corn, OK? It wasn't intentional and it wasn't a challenge at my box or a goal of mine, it was my stomach that ruled on this endeavor. After what felt like the worse allergic reaction to food I have ever had (http://carlyfink1.wix.com/kettlebellsandquads#!Food-Allergies-and-the-Lesson-I-have-Learned/cy97/113FA4AB-EF8E-4212-8A76-BC5D4044EE32), I finally accepted that things had to change, as soon as possible.

Since October 15, 2014 I have consumed meat, veggies, fruit, almonds, sunflower seed butter, a limited amount of white rice and local honey. Truth be told, I feel great and I rarely feel deprived. When I do feel deprived, I have found some ways to get around it. I mix sunflower seed butter with mini chocolate chip morsels (Enjoy Life brand - dairy, nut & soy free http://enjoylifefoods.com/our-foods/baking-chocolate/chocolate-for-baking-mini-chips/) and eat it with an apple and it is Mmmm Mmmmm delicious!

Aside from feeling better and having little to no cravings, I have also seen a fantastic reaction with how my body looks and feels, in only two weeks time. The constant bloat that I had in my stomach is gone, I actually look thinner because of this, although no actual weight loss has occurred. I do monitor my body fat and I haven’t seen a change in that arena just yet but I am sure it will follow. The rash that resembles keratosis pilaris that I have had on my biceps and triceps my whole life is practically gone.

With all of these positives, where is the negative? Well, no one is perfect. Some days watching my husband eat things that I no longer can is really hard and I have to keep myself in the right mindset and be very disciplined. Truth be told, I think Chris is taking this harder than I am. He is terribly empathetic to my inability to eat pizza, tortilla chips and queso (*sniffle) or even a pretzel or a piece of bread. I appreciate his concern but I also know what it feels like to eat things that make me sick and the suffer doesn't outweigh the fleeting enjoyment my taste buds get from those kinds of foods.

I am positive I will make concessions at times because I seriously enjoy ice cream and chocolate, but so far I am doing fine with how things are turning out. The level of satiety that I am receiving from eating this clean is phenomenal. I am able to accurately fuel my body and the hardest thing I am finding, is getting enough calories. I will occasionally use myfitnesspal (http://www.myfitnesspal.com) to track my intake but I do not use Zone blocks, or IIFYM.

I do not believe in diets, dieting or restricting your caloric intake unless it is regulated by your doctor because I have done them in the past and I know what it does to your body and mental state. I know there are people that can “eat anything” and not gain weight or have an allergic reaction but I am not that person. I love myself, I love who I am and where I am in my life and just because I can’t eat a burger like the next person doesn't mean I need to feel bad for myself.

#updatecleaneatingpaleofood