I've been doing lots of reading and research on food, diets and how they effect the mind and body.I'm a curious person by nature and constantly seeking to learn about different topics-health being a big one of course! 

Ever since I stopped training for my bikini comp in April I've been on a roller coaster with my diet.  I went from counting every gram and measuring each bite to shoveling anything and everything I could into my mouth.  To help me cope with the challenge of food I've been studying different diets and schools of thought around nutrition.  Diet is probably the biggest challenge we all face when it comes to weight loss and health. We are constantly surrounded by an abundance of delicious unhealthy food-it's no wonder over one-third of the U.S. population is obese(34.9% or 78.6 million*).  Not to mention choosing the right foods can be confusing...well this is gluten free, so that makes it healthy right!?Not necessarily! (*CDC.gov). 

Through my research I have been drawn to the Paleo Diet. It's simple to understand and the health benefits are overwhelming.  I'm not jumping on the bandwagon because I want to eat like a cave man, so let's just get that out of the way.  If you just take it at face value it's really all about eating clean--lots of veggies, protein and healthy fat. When I was consistently eating this way(pre-food shoveling era) I felt great! I didn't have any symptoms of my Colitis, I had a ton of energy and felt very in tune with my body.  I was eating some grains, which is not Paleo but I was 90% there without even realizing it. I also like it because I feel like it's a way of living and eating that is realistic to stick with for the long term. It's a lifestyle not a diet that you do to lose weight then return to old ways. I'm all about ease and balance right now and Paleo doesn't require you to count calories or macros, eat at a certain time of day or shop at a specialty store-YES!   

I'm not an expert by any means and still have a ton of reading to do but I'm excited about Paleo! To encourage a healthier relationship with food and to align my diet with my health goals I'm doing a 30 Day Paleo Challenge! For the next 30 days I'm going to eat Paleo. I'm sure I will stumble here and there but I'm going to do my best! I'm hoping to have more energy, improve my Colitis symptoms that have returned and maybe my jeans will even feel a little less snug(a girl can hope)! 

If you would like to hit the reset button too, I'd love for you to join me. Comment in my blog or send me a message and let's do it together! 

Interested in learning more about Paleo? Here are some resources that you can check out: 

• The Paleo Solution Diet By Robb Wolf 
• Robbwolf.com 
• Sugar, Gluten, Paleo, Vegan: 3 Doctors Debate The Best Way To Eat
• Why Paleo Is Taking The World By Storm
• Mindbodygreen.com- Paleo Articles  

XO,
Kristin