Can you be only part-way paleo? (the cupcake batter battle)

Do people who eat 80/20 paleo or 90/10 primal actually get all the benefits from the diet?

I hear a lot about people trying to ease their way into paleo by doing a certain percentage of paleo, a certain percentage of whatever-else.

I jumped in with both feet and went super-strict paleo for one month. I loved it. My body never looked/felt better.

But now, more than two months out from the experiment, my boyfriend and I have both decided to stay paleo... but not strict.

And I find myself in the group of 90/10-ers.

I had cheese and risotto at a wedding last Saturday.

A friend invited me over for dinner, made rice with a mango-black bean salsa. I had half a cup of rice and a ton of black beans (legumes are not paleo!).

Last night, I helped a friend make red velvet cupcakes, and I helped myself to more than a cupcake's worth of batter.

And I haven't felt very good. I've felt bloated, a little groggy. Yikes. But I also don't seem to be able to make better decisions sometimes. Raw cupcake batter?!?!?! That is not the "new" me!!

I truly don't believe you get most of the benefits of paleo if you only do it for a certain percentage, even if that percentage is 95% or 99%. If you put toxins into your body (processed foods, white flour, etc -- those are my toxins!), even just a little little little bit, you still get a constant stream of toxins! And your body is going to fight back... eg: inflammation!

I don't feel as good now as I did on strict paleo (where I had NO added sugars or alcohol). I believe that allowing the sugars and alcohol back into my diet have made me lax ELSEWHERE in my diet.

I am trying to have a new commitment to myself. I know it is absurd to think I will never eat another non-paleo food again (like when my friend invited me over for dinner and it was good, healthy, clean food... just not paleo, I will eat it!)... but I am going to be better to myself (like... uhhh... NO CUPCAKE BATTER).

Getting back on track with food, here! It's the most important part of this equation to me. My activity levels are through the roof right now, so no problems there. But if my food is all wonky, so am I.

Promising myself a healthy and fun weekend, and hoping that for all of you, too!

Namaste!