Twenty12 = {30}

" Twenty12 is the year of {thirty} & I decided to make it a year of figuring out me. While I build a relationship with God, I am focused on getting healthy inside & out, have gotten addicted to working out, and I am living a Paleo Lifestyle. " 

Since January 1st me & my husband have been eating/living Paleo.  Two months down tomorrow :) Now at first I thought there was no way I could do this, give up things {by things I mean food} I thought I loved {like pasta, bread, yogurt} for 30 days as a challenge to myself.  What am I thinking & why would I want to?    Well I felt blah a lot, no energy at all & we have three boys I need energy!!! Some things I would eat afterwards I just felt so horrible and in November I took my boys to a local sub place after church and enjoyed a nice lunch with them.  We went to the store afterwards to get a few things and 2 minutes after getting there we had to leave.  What I just ate was literally coming out of me and I couldn't help it.  A sandwich made me that sick so fast it was horrible, embarrassing and just nasty.  {can't believe I just shared that but it's the truth, it happens} Something was going on with me & just didn't know what.  Well I started Jan 1st and it was great to have my husband right next to me doing it to.  He had already done the 30 day challenge in 2010 so he knew what it was like & how great he felt soon after starting it.  The first week I literally felt like poo, like I was getting the flu. so tired, just blah but I read it was normal {all the bad junk was leaving your body, you have withdraws etc} by day 13 I was gaining energy and just feeling great.  I could wake up in the morning & not still be tired or yawning all day long.  I didn't feel blah or just gross inside.  I felt alive!! 

I had already been doing the Insanity Program before we changed our lifestyle to Paleo but I could tell after the switch I would workout harder and push myself more cause I could.  Bacon & eggs with veggies {like green onions, spinach, and red peppers} is my <3 for breakfast.  Well usually by the time I do some things around the house then workout it ends up being my brunch but I truly look fwd to it everyday.  Before Paleo I wouldn't really eat breakfast unless it was on the weekend & I cooked a big meal for everyone.  I have become addicted to almond butter {but it has to be the Harris Teeter brand or else it doesn't taste good for me lol} and mix that with a mash banana and some cinnamon it ROCKS.  Or cut up an apple and dip it or even celery.  Whenever I would make a salad at home it was just okay but since Paleo and buying good things salads have become amazing.  Spring mix with cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, celery, and cut up chicken or ham with a cut up avocado and EVOO/Balsamic vinegar is truly one of the best meals ever.  

Since Paleo real food taste ten times better then say 3 months ago.  Your taste buds end up changing and you do crave the good stuff.  Now I won't lie there are times I just want to eat a pizza full of cheese and we have {cheated} a few times after the first 30 days.  For the fact that we wanted to have something, at times afterwards we realized why we don't eat like that anymore. It has left me on the toilet for awhile but it makes me see that food I thought was amazing prior to this journey really wasn't that great for my body & this is the effect of it.  I'll wake up the next day just blah and sooo tired.  So really you test yourself, you eat something and see if there is an effect and you learn okay my body is fine with this or I don't think I will attempt that again. 

I've completed the insanity program once {9 weeks} and I was so proud of myself, each day I pushed myself more and after I was done just felt great for doing something for me to better me.  My next goal is to start running and one day complete a Warrior Dash race with my husband & a friend {she's a hardcore running who has inspired me to get fit} and then after that I have another goal but won't share until I actually get the guts to do it.  I restarted insanity last week while I'm on the hunt for a good jogger stroller so I can start running.  Not doing anything isn't an option anymore I used to do something and when I was done just stop and get back into laziness/out of shape mode.  But I didn't just spend the past 9 weeks getting in shape to just stop and let it all go to waste.  I will keep going and pushing myself to prove to myself I have what it takes.  I'm a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend etc but there is ME and this journey is to make a better me so I can be a better person in all those areas.  Cause if your not happy with yourself inside and out you won't fully be a happy mother/wife etc for everyone else.  

The internet is amazing and finding information on a Paleo Lifestyle is literally right at your finger tips.  Also your local library to check out some books to see if this may be for you.  Robb Wolf is a really known name in the Paleo world and Everyday Paleo Blog or Paleo Parents Blog are great.  Pinterest is great for finding recipes or other blogs.  Here is a link to my paleo album on pinterest paleo-lifestyle