Falling off the Wagon

Weight loss is a serious struggle. The people who are going through their weight loss journey's have had their tough times, their setbacks and their moments of wanting to throw in the towel and give up. We've all been there, especially me. Especially within the past 3 weeks. Actually, it’s been more within the past 2 months. I've had a really hard time staying on track. In the past three weeks, I've probably only hit the gym five times, which is bad for me. I wouldn't fret it normally, but when my eating is not where it’s supposed to be, my gym time is even more crucial.

In my nutrition class, my professor approached me about my Paleo lifestyle. She told me that she was extremely worried about me and that Paleo is not a safe way to live. I was told that I needed to be eating whole grains and whole wheat along with legumes and all the foods I've banned from my diet. She told me that I would have some major health problems in the future if I didn’t start eating more carbs. At that point, I was pretty freaked out. So I did what I knew I shouldn’t do. I started eating wheat again. And beans and starches and all the foods that I KNOW make me feel like complete and utter shit. What happened in the following two weeks was downright scary.

In the back of my mind, I was actually happy I got to eat bread again. It’s something I haven’t allowed myself to eat in a very long time. The first week was fine. I was eating whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, oatmeal and pancakes again! I was so excited. I actually lost a few pounds (probably because I was counting calories). It started off slow. It was getting harder for me to fall asleep at night, I would hit a major wall around 3 o’clock every day, I was hungry all the time and I felt bloated all day. I just ignored it because I was still eating healthy, right? I was eating all the things the food pyramid told me was okay to eat. The next week, my acne came back full blown. I had gotten used to basking in the glory of have baby smooth skin again. I loved my skin for once in my life and BAM, all of a sudden I had multiple Mt. Everest’s on my forehead. Next thing I knew, I couldn’t wake up early anymore. I felt like I could sleep all day and my face blew up like a balloon. My body is so inflamed I’m almost unrecognizable. I’ve gained probably five pounds and my depression has come back full swing.

A few days ago, I had an appointment with my naturopath who was not very happy with me in my change of diet. I’ve come so far since seeing her and I basically threw it all away in a matter of weeks. She asked me something that blew me away and I’ve never thought about before. What do they feed cows to fatten them up before slaughtering them? Grains and corn. They feed these animals grains to make them fat! Hello?! Why the hell am I eating them? I knew better but I let one person change my mind about the lifestyle I know is good for me. So the past two days I’ve been strictly Paleo again and let me tell you, my acne is nearly gone when just two days ago it was like I was back in middle school again during puberty. I was able to wake up this morning feeling energized again. I ate a good breakfast four hours ago and I’m not hungry yet. I’m not fatigued anymore and my face is already deflating.  

I learned my lesson from this. Grains and wheat are evil. Period. The end. I will never go back to eating that stuff again. No matter what anyone says. I eat the food that makes me feel good and that’s all there is to it. Getting back into the swing of things is tough. Every one falls off the wagon more than once in their journey. I’ve come up with a few things that will help you get back on track if this happens to you.

Simplicity- Sometimes going back to simple foods is the best way to get back on track. I love making elaborate foods with tons of flavor, but I also love a chicken breast with veggies on the side for dinner. Go back to simple, light foods for a while.

Get new workout clothes- For me, this is the biggest motivator. Go buy some new nikes or new work out pants. It will make you excited to rock your new hot oufits to the gym. TJ-Maxx, Nordstrom Rack as well as Marshalls has some great name brand workout gear for extremely cheap.

New Music- Fill your ipod with new workout music. Sometimes a good song is all it takes to get you through the last 5 minutes of your run and studies have shown that a good song can make you work out harder.  

Try new things- I used to be so uncomfortable in the gym. I would always stick to the machines I know. When I started branching out and lifting, I started loving to work out again. Change it up in the gym. Make your workouts fun. I’ve been doing different work out videos that kill my ass and thighs but they’re fun and different and I can always try a different video the next day.

Try new foods- We tend to get stuck in eating the same things every day. That gets boring. Start experimenting with new foods. I usually eat 2 eggs with an apple and almond butter every single morning. This morning I changed it up. I had a Paleo blueberry muffin in a mug. It was delicious and it kept me full. I’m excited to change up my lunch today! When you start getting tired of your foods, it makes it easier to start cheating (I’m a perfect example of that). Change it up. Have fun with foods.

Start today- After you have a setback, it’s so easy to keep eating the way you shouldn’t be. Don’t wait until tomorrow, start right now. There’s no reason to start up again tomorrow, or Monday or even next week. Get back on track now. Trust me, you’ll be much happier.

Stay Positive- Positive thoughts are everything in weight loss. Start thinking negatively and your negative thoughts will consume you. Self-efficacy: “I think I can”. Have a strong self-efficacy. Be the little engine that could!

I hope this will help you if you’ve had a major setback like me. I lost sight of why I was Paleo and just started focusing on my weight. That’s where my downfall started. My health is so much more important to me than my looks. I choose to be Paleo and I choose to be happy and healthy.