So, I got to thinking.... which is happening less frequently these days :) I think I may have given the impression that this was easy... which is the furthest from the truth. This was the hardest month of Paleo that I have ever done. It was harder for quite a few reasons: WODs, STRESS, sleep (or lack thereof) and temptation. Not to mention the incredible head games I play with myself.
Before this challenge began I was home in Ohio beating myself up for eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's for almost 2 full months. Still, for those two months I got in significantly more WODs than the 1-month on this challenge. When I went in for the lil pinch #1 I was surprised to find that my BF% had actually lowered from the 28.2% that it was when I left Chicago for Ohio. I should of been happy instead I focused on how slow and stalled my progress has been for MONTHS!
Let me tell you STRESS can kill you... slow down weightloss or make you gain... it is not worth it and most of the time inevitable. Stress led to me gaining all the weight... it caused me to have a heart attack at 27... it made me miserable for years and when I finally found ways to manage it... I had the most stressful year imaginable. I have handled everything life threw at me... laughed it off and got knocked down again... every time I brushed myself off and charged life with passion I never knew before. Until I was staring at the very serious face of my father's oncologist telling me, yes...me because I am the one who can handle it, that I may want to start making "plans". My plans included sitting down with a vat of Ben & Jerry's but the store only had pints and I figured that would suffice.
I have a serious issue with sleeping too... this has a lot more to do with the stress than anything else. My room is significantly blacked out and there are no LEDs showing or other light sources. I usually sleep flat on my back based on a MDA article I read about lengthening and straightening your spine during sleep. Amazing sleep!
I am a compulsive overeater! I seriously have major issues with food... especially junk food. The only way for me to do anything is to be 100% strict. If I make Paleo cookies... they won't make it off the cooling rack... I know this about myself. If I buy coconut ice cream I will finish it off in a day... if not an hour. I can't have these things around or I will eat them.
Things I can think of that I did during the challenge:
Planned and cooked for the week
Significantly reduced intake of nuts (less than 7 almonds a day if any at all)
No root vegetables
No fruit
Cheated (had rice 1 night)
No snack type items
Grazed all day instead of meals
Pinch #2 was a complete shock to me... a happy shock. I really didn't see a change at all. I kept bringing up the pics from before and looking in the mirror... I saw no difference at all... if anything I thought I may have gained. For me, this is how it goes though...
My next month is going to be dedicated to fully zoning my paleo using the leaning method outlined in Robb Wolf's Performance Menu Article. When I tried it last time it ramped up my loss again. He states that it won't do much for your WOD performance but since it is getting harder for me to get to the gym I figure I just won't focus on WOD times for the month of November and see where I end up. If anyone is interested in joining me for Paleo-Zone November just let me know :)
And finally... because I think it is gross and I love gross things... here are some side by side starting with the most recent. (I searched for some when I was 237#+ but I think I either deleted or wouldn't be in pics back then)
After Contest
Before Contest
October 2009 (~202#)
July 2009 (~220#)
I actually remember this last one the most because I had already lost almost 20# and everyone kept talking about how much weight I had lost. Sad... ugh
You are an inspiration to anyone struggling with proper diet and weight loss! Thanks so much for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteAmazing transformation. Great job J-Po.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing transformation! Thanks for sharing. And yikes - sorry for that major life stressor! I can relate - stress and overeating go hand in hand for me. But I also love to eat when I'm happy, sad, neutral ... pretty much anytime.
ReplyDeleteI'm giving myself until November 15th. Then I want to try this strict Paleo thing. Where can I find the article you mentioned? And I have yet to order the Robb Wolf book ... seems though that is the golden standard?
Thanks everyone!
Anja... Thanks! I should have linked to the article. It is actually called 42 Ways to Skin the Zone and can be found here: http://www.cathletics.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=58&zenid=07715b95b8dc587efb395a8589f0a51d
ReplyDeleteI like to experiment and see what works best for me. Right now: I'm giving up coffee for 30 days... we will see what happens. I am about to take on at least a month of Zoned-Paleo using the "AHCCZ" (Always Hungry Carb Crash Zombie) method from the above article. I am also looking into incorporating two other strategies Robb has focused on more recently: CLC (Cyclic Low Carb) & IF (Intermittent Fasting). Do I recommend this for someone just starting paleo? Nope. This is hard stuff and I think it is better to take baby steps to make it a lasting journey.
Robb Wolf's book is good... I wouldn't call it the be all and end all of proper nutrition. It is a great jumping off point and way better than the Standard American Diet (SAD).
I also think that it is very hard for the average person to just jump straight on the Paleo bandwagon. We often times want to do everything at once... we want results right now... we get frustrated... then we quit. It is also hard for us to break connections with the familiar. I, for one, was used to (hot or cold) cereal for breakfast and I spent a month trying to come up with a Paleo equivalent. Now, I just look at my Paleo matrix (handy lil chart with lists of acceptable foods broken into Protein, Carbs & Fat) and I choose one from each category and make a meal. I try to be as emotionally disconnected as possible.