Getting your family (your children!!) on board

As you know I've been "doing this" for about 5 months now. I've become a happier, skinnier, healthier person in the process, and my family loves the new "me". My husband climbed on board pretty much right away, and with the exception of his beloved beer he is living the paleo way along with me.

Things were a little tougher with my children. I'm proud to raise them as critical freethinkers. They question just about everything I do, and it's sometimes a struggle. I found myself talking to a wall, when I introduced this new way of life and tried to reason with them about the benefits of living like this. After all, to them this meant that everything they loved (cookies, pancakes, rice, pasta, bread etc etc) would go away. Sure, the almond flour pancakes were quickly adopted instead of the "real thing". But this didn't mean, that they would buy into the paleo lifestyle altogether.

Granted, they ate all the meals I cooked without complaints. And if I packed the right snacks for on the road (fruit salad, bars, nuts etc) they would be happy. But over the course of a couple of months I found myself having daily discussions about why sugar is bad, why fat is good, and why I wanted them to become paleo kids.


I am not one to push things on my children. Okay, so I gently nudge...
I did, however, get pretty frustrated with the resistance around here. Let me just confirm that this was not about meat or no meat, or vegetables vs no vegetables. This has never been an issue, and I am proud to say that my children eat almost anything. No, this issue was solely about breakfast (paleo breakfasts can consist of things that especially my daughter will not touch for breakfast) and snacks. After all, the world is full of sugary, floury deliciousness. And well, yes, it's great that mom is feeling so much better these days. Hooray for her. But please, leave us kids alone with this paleo stuff.

And then something happened. Actually, a conversation happened. I ranted to my friends about how difficult it was, how I had daily discussions about our food, and about just how sick of it I was. I was given a simple piece of advice. Give them more control in the matter.

More control! Of course! Why didn't I think of that? My children are very much used to being involved in the decision making process around here. Why not about the food too? It was a no-brainer.

The next day I sat down with my daughter (who was a lot more critical than my son) and told her about my plan to include her and her brother in the decision making process of what foods we eat around here. This includes main meals and snacks... and of course the most important breakfast. My daughter agreed to eating eggs twice a week. In return she gets to decide on her own breakfasts the rest of the week. Generally this will be almond flour pancakes, fruit salad (with a big scoop of almond butter), shakes (coconut milk, almond butter, and fruits), homemade nuts-and-seeds-granola and such. Of course neither of my children ever turn town a couple of strips of bacon.

Yesterday we made brownies with coconut flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, honey and eggs. Today I made a chocolate/hazelnut bread spread which they can eat on the coconut flour bread I bake... or with apple slices... or just a spoonful at a time.

And so, my children are (mostly) on board. Why mostly? Well, again, I'm not one to push and punish. When they are out and about, eating at a friend's house or just have to have that gluten-y treat from the bake sale... so be it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you don't like reading about poop, stop here. :)

My son, after eating the paleo way for a few days, came out of the bathroom one morning, announcing that his poop was green. And that, in his opinion, was just sick and wrong. I told him, it was actually quite normal, as he transitioned into this new way of eating. He was a little weirded out at first but took my word for it. :) Good boy.

Racing to Save Lives

I'm writing today's post to ask for your help.

My new friend Alex is 6 years old and has leukemia. He's fighting for his life right now, and I am deeply moved by his story. Please check out his blog here: Alex's battle.

On October 16, 2011 I will run the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, in honor of Alex. What a wonderful thing it would be, if blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia could get healed for good. Already the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has raised millions of dollars to help patients like Alex.

This is my very first marathon. It's an exhilarating time for me. I have lots and lots of training ahead of me. But I'm optimistic, as I've just completed two half marathons within a month.

If you would like to make a donation (and please know, that every dollar helps), please click on My Fundraising Page! Make a donation, however small it may be, and then, please share the link with your family and friends. We CAN make a difference. THANK YOU!

Things I think about during a Half Marathon

Ya see that big smile on my face? Don't think for even a moment, that I'm smiling like that because I'm some super runner who could go on for hours. This smile is the smile of a woman who is incredibly relieved to see the finish line, because there is no way she could have made it for even one more mile.

Yep, I was done, and seeing my family cheer and call out to me, that was the greatest moment of my Mother's Day. I couldn't have been happier to see them. ;)

In the afternoon I was chatting with some friends about what went through my head throughout the race, and looking back, it's actually quite hysterical, so I will share with all of you. Maybe you'll get a good laugh out of it as well. Before I give you access to my brain though, let me tell you a little about what the race was like. It was a flat route for the entire 13.1 miles, and we ran the same loop twice. "We", being 3,000 runners! The weather was actually perfect for running a race... overcast and cool. Couldn't have asked for a better running day.

And so, here it goes.

First loop:

"Oh, this is easy. I could do this for hours."
"Damn Runkeeper. Why is it not counting my distance? Fine, I'll turn it off."
"Look, grass. I'll run on that." (Reminder: I run in the Vibram Five Fingers)
"Ha! Haven't heard that song in ages."
"Oh, hey there, J.J." (That was something I actually said. LOL)
"Cool country road."
"Wow, I like her stockings."
"What the heck is it with those stockings? Are they supposed to be good for something? I wonder if they're compression stockings."
"Nice butt. I wonder what my butt looks like in these pants."

Beginning of second loop:

"Great, why is there a rock in my shoe? You're supposed to keep rocks out, Vibrams!"
"I hate this song. Why'd I put it on there?"
"Love that shirt. Must remember that line." (Did I remember the line? Nope!)
"Hey, where'd this speedy chick come from?"
"Finally, back on the grass."
"Damn, my left foot hurts."

Around mile 9:

"Phhhh, I really don't like running all that much."
"Why do I keep doing this?"
"Hello-hooo... is there a water station anywhere?"
"Okay, what's up wit this? Am I getting slower or are they getting faster?"
"Ouch, my left foot, damn it."

Around mile 11:

"I will NEVER run a marathon. As a matter of fact, I think I'll tell B. that I'm done running."
"Stupid me. Why'd I buy that "love to run" necklace? I hate running."
"Hey, you, tall, big girl in the pink shirt! You will NOT cross the finish line before me!"
"Ha, told ya, you weren't faster than me."
"Damn it, I told you not to cross the finish line before."
"Neener neener. I'm beating you!!"

Mile 13:

"Oh my gosh, that's it. I did it!"
"There they are! Cool!!" (They being my family.)
"Woooohoooooo!!!" (Calling out to my family.)
"And I'm done!"


About two hours later:

"I wonder how I can improve my running, so I can be in even better shape during the next race."

Yep, that's how it happened. Lots of random thoughts. Somewhere in there I was also thinking about a Facebook conversation I'd had with a friend, about what my next post for this blog might be, and how incredibly hungry I would be for the rest of the day.

Burgers, sausages, and bacon hit the spot in the afternoon. Of course I'm still craving lots of protein today. Steaks for dinner, baby!

Paleo is not a diet... it's a lifestyle

I was told again this morning by an online friend that she admires my willpower. This came after I had said that I no longer eat the delicious German Milka and Rittersport chocolate. She also said she likes to occasionally enjoy a piece of chocolate.

Well, I do, too. I love chocolate. I simply don't eat milk chocolate anymore, because 1) I have eliminated almost all dairy, 2) it's full of sugar. And as we all have learned by now, sugar is bad news. I do eat dark chocolate. And I do so at least three times a week. I love, love, love chocolate.

Of course this makes me think of all the other times in the past 5 months that people have admired my so-called willpower. They almost seem to imply that I'm somehow keeping myself from truly enjoying life. They talk to me like I'm on a terrible, horrible diet that requires lots of willpower every day, because I can't eat _______________ (insert bread, rice, cereal, chocolate and other sugar-laden foods).

Let me tell you, once and for all, that I am not on a diet. I changed my way of eating from mostly processed carbs, grains, and sugars to mostly unprocessed foods like meat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Yes, dark chocolate is allowed. :) I eat it in moderation, and I enjoy it immensely.
I don't suffer. I don't need any kind of crazy willpower. The fact is, once all the sugar is out of your system, you no longer crave it. You don't need it, and you don't want it.

It is when I do eat sugar that I suffer. I get headaches and stomach aches, and I feel moody. It is when I eat grains that my body revolts.

Going paleo, in my world means, that you make a lifestyle change. And you make that change for good. It means, you did your homework, you read up on the subject of primal living, you are convinced it's right, and you won't go back.

You find joy in food like you haven't in years. Every meal becomes a celebration. And every piece of chocolate tastes heavenly. Every glass of wine is a truly delicious treat. No willpower involved, just pure joy. :)

And that's it for my rant. :) Off to the first Farmers' Market of the season. Hoorah!

Are you born to run (barefoot)?

I started running in November of 2009. No, wrong... I did start before then, but I was convinced that humans are not born to run, and so I quit. Until November of 2009. That's when a friend told me she was training for a half marathon. I don't know why, but I asked her if I could train along with her. Of course she agreed.

I ran my first half marathon in 2 hours and 36 minutes. Not fast, but I made it through that finish line amidst the applause and cheers of hundreds of people. What a moment! There truly is no experience like the very first time you cross a finish line, exhausted and happy. I had accomplished something I had never even dreamed of. And then... the knee pain took over. And boy, was I in a lot of pain. I could barely walk to the car, and I sat on the couch for the rest of the day. It took about a week to heal, a week during which I missed running more than I thought was possible.

And I continued to run. Knee pain and all. About a month after my race I picked up Born to Run, a book by Christopher McDougall. I devoured the (true) story of Christopher traveling to Mexico, and meeting the super athletic tribe, the Tarahumara, who run, without shoes, like the wind. I learned, that, indeed, the human animal WAS born to run. We have ancestors who had the amazing ability to outrun their prey. Sure, the animals were faster, but our ancient ancestors lasted a lot longer... without shoes!!!

And it makes sense, doesn't it? Of 206 bones in the human body, 52 alone are in our feet. Yes, we have 26 bones in each foot. We have an amazing set of muscles in our legs, we have an achilles tendon, which makes running possible for us in the first place... and we have a rather impressive gluteus maximus on which to sit all day long , another awesome running tool. We are runners by design evolution.

Humans ran and ran and ran. Until the 1970s either barefoot or wearing thin running flats. Enter Nike... maker of the bigger and better and more cushioned running shoe. Suddenly we were talked into believing, that really, we are NOT meant to run... and if we absolutely had to do it, then please, only in the latest and greatest running shoe, designed by the smartest engineers on the planet. We turned from forefoot runners to heel runners, our stride became longer, our impact harder, our knees more achy. ;)

Of course the barefoot running movement is alive and well nowadays, and I just had to give this a try. I bought a pair of Vibram Five Finger Shoes and ran... pain free happily ever after, until winter came. Oh, and it does get wet and cold in the Pacific Northwest. I guess I wasn't committed to the cause quite yet. I dug out my running shoes again and ran until I hurt myself so much, that I had to give it up altogether... for a while that is. Vibram came out with a new version of their five fingers called the Bikila. It occurred to me then, that I really am a runner... why else would I try so desperately to find a way to run? I bought the Bikilas.

In April I ran the Portland Race for the Roses in 2 hours and 26 minutes. I started in my regular running shoes and switched to the Vibrams at mile 4, because I didn't think I could run a full 13miles in my Vibrams yet. This Sunday I will run yet another half marathon, the Hippie Chick. (Are you thinking crazy runner yet? Running on Mother's Day?) And this time I'll run the whole distance in my Vibrams... And this time I will remain pain free. (Okay, so there is always some pain involved when you're a runner... but isn't that true for any sport?)

So how does paleo/primal living have anything to do with this? Well, to some, absolutely nothing, as a number of "paleo people" do not run, with the exception of quick sprints every now and then. For others, like me, running is very much part of living the paleo life. I learned that I don't need bread and pasta to get ready for a long run. As a matter of fact, a banana about an hour before the race will do the trick for me. Hydration during the race is of course vital. And I will also carry some chewable electrolytes. The night before I will have a balanced meal of meat with more vegetables. After the race I will crave lots of protein for the rest of the day.

Yes, I do very much believe, that we are born to run. We may not all enjoy it, but physically, nothing should ever be able to hold us back.

Hey, I'm adding this blog post to Primal Toad's First Ever Primal Den, a paleo/primal blog carnival. Head on over to our host, Primal Toad, for a wealth of information. :)

How our modern paleo lifestyle goes against our nature... Part 2

I know, I know... I promised Part 2 last week. My apologies!

I'd like you to think about your life. And I'm not talking about vacations... I'm talking every day life... the daily grind, if you will.

How long do you sleep at night?

Do you sleep a full 8 hours? (Did you know, that latest research found that sleeping four hours, then be awake for a couple of hours, then sleep another four hours is actually preferable to the 8 uninterrupted hours we're told to sleep every night?)

Do you live in a suburb and have a long stressful commute to work?

And more importantly, do you like your job?

Do you spend as much time as you'd like doing what you love?

How often do you go outside? Enjoy the weather (sun or rain)?

All of these things make us

1) stressed

2) fat

3) ill (cold sores, headaches, neckaches... any of that ring a bell?).

If you can believe research, Grok (or caveman) did not spend all that much time "working". He/she certainly didn't sit in an office chair all day long eating donuts or m&ms as a snack.
Did you know, sitting is bad for you? Did you also know, that the majority of us sit and sit and sit and sit?

Well, if you've checked out all the links I posted here, you'll know by now, that physically and emotionally the stresses of our lives are making us unhappy and ill.

So the questions remain... What can you do about it? Do you need that job with the 60 commute? Do you need that bigger house with more stuff? Are you getting enough exercise? Are you eating well?

I will admit that, as I'm making more and more changes in my life, I'm also starting to question more and more things. It's a bit of a vicious cycle. You start with homeschooling, gardening, buying local foods, eating grass-fed meats... and suddenly you see more things that you know could be changed, could be improved upon. Yes, for your health and longevity... but also for that day, sometime in the hopefully distant future, when you look back on your life and you wonder, if you did it all right... or if you could lived better, more aware.

It's a journey. I certainly never expected it would take me here. I'm grateful for every day. I'm always hoping to improve, to get better, but I'm not stuck and unhappy.

So, again, think about your life as it is right now... and then, honestly ask yourself if you're doing everything right, or if you could do things better. What are those things? And HOW could you change them? You'd be surprised how quickly you'll think of stuff. :)