For some reason, many people are surprised when they find out I eat meat. I guess there are a lot of yoga teachers who are either vegetarians, vegans or raw foodists these days.
The truth is, I was a vegetarian for about 6 years. Not a real serious one - I could eat my Nona’s meatballs, and my Grandfather’s homemade pruscuitto, and the chicken breast. In fact, I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian most of the time which meant eggs and milk products where okay too. I guess I was more of a flexitarian, substituting vegetables and beans for meat most of the time.
The other interesting truth about this faze was that I knew very little about nutrition and a lot about exercise. At the point I was teaching 15-20 hours of high intensity fitness a week - either in aerobics, or running with clients. I was fit by most standards - except that I was 20lbs over weight. I chalked it up to my genetics and left it at that.
One day on serous date with my (now) husband, I was offered a piece of steak. I never really liked steak - unless my dad made it. And I could see this one was cooked to perfection. Plus, it had been years since I was turned off off of meat, so the images had faded... I had a bite, and my vegetarian days where over.
In the weeks that followed my conversion to the dark side, I lost 10lbs without doing anything different, injuries began to heal, and I had the energy to run a triathlon, adventure race, and a 24 mountain bike event. It was clear to me that meat was really important to my body and I began to thrive with these new changes.
But, I didn’t firmly resolve my opinions on meat eating until these past few years. There has been a lot of debate the impact on our environment, hormones, and our acid levels. The interesting thing is that while I studied nutrition 15 years ago, the “bad” food has changed faces many times. Labels read low fat, sugar free, low sodium, gluten free, organic, vegan, or non-GMO. It got me wondering... what’s true, and what’s trendy. Do those labels just sell products, or are they really improving my health?
With serious health issues arising in my body, I decided to do some hard-core research. What I discovered really shifted my thinking. Paleo-lithic type diets are the best studied, and most supported diets throughout the world. Most naturopaths, nutritionists, athletes, and trainers are giving Paleo diets the thumbs up.
The research claimed incredible results. Although skeptical at first, I gave it a try cutting out grains and dairy from my diet. Honestly, because of my “Flexitarian” roots, it wasn’t an all or nothing deal. A little cheese and carbs never hurt anyone...
What changed really amazed me. Hives I had had for 6 months disappeared. My thyroid levels improved. My testosterone levels went up, my body leaned out. Bloating, PMS, and headaches no longer existed, acne was gone - and I was a believer. The more I read, the more I learned, and soon eating bread seemed “strange”.
The transition was an overwhelming shift at first. But now it’s rather quite simple. Just part of our weekly meals. And my family loves it too. So, I thought it would be useful to share this info with you. Id like to guide you through the first month of a Paleo diet. Consider it an experiment. See how your body responds, how easy it could be to eat like a cave man.
Looking back - I wasn’t a “healthy” vegetarian. I took no supplements, and definitely didn’t get enough protein, and a breads where a big part of my calories. And there are some un-healthy Paleo eaters out there too. There are intelligent ways to make any diet healthy if done correctly. I’ll teach you how to make this a Smart Caveman Plan.
Join us for a 4 week program. Each week we will discuss research, recipes, and strategies to make paleo easy, enjoyable and family friendly. We’ll discuss body changes, monitor results, and share our experiences...
If your ready to kick start the summer with more energy, and a fresh new meal plan, join us. There are two times to choose from... Thurs. at 10:45 or 8:15 - following Pilates!
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