Keep on keepin' on! (goal and wine trail!)

Well, even though I was ruminating about my self-esteem issues yesterday and maybe a little down.... I woke up this morning to a great number on the scale. Sometimes that shows how hard I have been working in the gym and how diligent I have been with my calories:

129.6

Goal! First time I have ever been in the 120s as an adult. I am.... kind of overwhelmed. I know the hard part is not over, I need to maintain this now, maintain a weight lower than I've ever been.

But I am not going to get all serious about it at this very moment. Right now, I might bask a little!

I do love Paleo: I feel it has reduced pounds of bloat in my system and helped me to lose at least 2 or 3 pounds of fat. I eat slightly more calories than I did before Paleo and am losing weight on it. I feel that I have more nutrients in my body than ever before (due to replacing pitas, breads and rices with vegetables and nuts!). I kind of love this "diet"... and this whole time I have been on it, I have been thinking of ways to live a mostly Paleo lifestyle forever.

I think it is clear that for me, giving up the rice/potato/bread part of dinner is a must. Also: toast every day for breakfast? Not necessary. I don't think I will be AS strict on the no-grain rule, but overall, a huge reduction in grains will stay. And the grains that do come back will be whole (as they were before anyway).

Also, the no processed food at all rule: absolutely staying. I have found it exceedingly easy to turn down store bought candy and cake and things of that nature. M&Ms? Nope! Girl Scout Cookies? Sorry. I don't need or want them. It is helping me stay within my calories to not have these little indulgences at friends' houses, school or work. I very seriously want the only things to go into my body to be real food.

Paleo limits added sugars, which I want to stick to. However, I think I will relax a little when the added sugar is honey or maple syrup. I still won't consume them every day or in large quantities, but I want them back in my life.

Alcohol? It won't be a NEVER for me. But still very limited and just a glass or two when I do. I had already decided on this well before I went Paleo.

As far as dairy and legumes go: I think it will work out very well for me to continue to limit these groups. I was eating both groups every day as some of my main source of calories. That wasn't working for me. But an occasional yogurt? Sure! (Chris and I are interested in making our own to make sure it doesn't have added sugar or preservatives) Some black beans for dinner once a week? Why not.

Also: I want to test all these ideas by adding them back into my diet slowly when our 30 days of Paleo is up. I want to see if my body reacts strongly to any of these foods. If it does, I am okay with eliminating that food. If not, back it comes!

I so, so, so, so badly want to weight loss to be maintainable and sustainable and for life.

If I don't want to fall prey to the fad-diet-syndrome where you gain back all the weight you lost when you resume normal eating, maybe I just won't resume normal eating. I will alter it so that I can stay this weight!

I have so much drive and energy and desire to stay on track!

Now, briefly, I will let you know what I am doing this weekend. I am going on a wine trail with friends.

How's that for staying Paleo?

We scheduled this wine trail tour long before we decided to go Paleo. I didn't want to WAIT to go Paleo because of this trip, so we didn't. However, I am going to break the Paleo rules on Saturday and enjoy tastes of wine. We are going to 8 wineries. I am thinking at least 3 tastes. So 24 tastes? Hahaha. Kind of crazy. But it is a trip with 10 friends, we are going to be in a stretch biodiesel hummer limo and having a ball! I am not missing this weekend, I am not going to abstain from alcohol.

However! I am also not giving myself permission to go completely crazy. No excessive wine drinking outside of the wineries. No non-Paleo food (we have a fridge and stove in our cabin we are staying in) and I am bringing things like Larabars and nuts and jerky on the trail with us so we can eat during the day. One of the wineries has a lunch place we are going to, where we can get a salad and grilled meat.

This weekend will not derail me.

I will also have tons of fun this weekend!!

Both are promises to myself :)

Peace and love, everyone!