Summer 2011-Summer 2012

It all started with a picture.  I was on vacation and used that as an excuse to eat anything and everything.  I remember feeling horrible the whole trip, bloated, fat and miserable.  When we got home, I looked through my pictures and saw one that just made me cry.  Who was this person?  This was not a healthy, happy person.  I had to do something but what?  I worked out everyday, I ate a "healthy standard american" diet.  Why was I so bloated and miserable?  One day, I came across the Paleo Diet on the internet.  Meat, veggies, healthy fats, some fruits, nuts and seeds.  It seemed so easy but where were the carbs?  How would I have energy for my workouts if I didn't eat bread and pasta?  I started eating less carbs and sugar and then Christmas came and I got lost again.  You see, I am a sugar addict.  For me, there is no such thing as one bite.  One bite turned into months of only eating sugar and feeling sick most of the time.  I finally did Diane Sanfilippo's 21 Day Sugar Detox.  The first two weeks were really hard.  It was almost like I had the flu, now I know I was detoxing from sugar.  After the first two weeks, things changed drastically.  The fog lifted.  I woke up one morning and realized, I am HAPPY!

Getting off sugar and grains was so much more than losing weight.  I feel like a new person and I want to shout it from the rooftops how wonderful I feel.  I want to help others feel the happiness that I feel.  When my 21 days were over, I continued for 90 days.  After the 90 days, I did have a paleo treat or two but I don't have them very often anymore.  I took my before and after 90 day pictures and I could not believe the difference.  I try not to weigh very often because I don't want the scale to dictate my mood.   I now workout harder than ever.  I train in Taekwondo and Crossfit and love every minute.  My energy soars!