It seems that most people who want to know “HOW” I’ve lost weight want a simple answer. Something along the lines of – I sat on my couch watching TV, drinking a glass of wine and poof I woke up thinner. The truth of it all is that I found a MIRACLE WEIGHT LOSS PILL and I’m not sharing!

Hahahhahahahahahha YOU WISH, I WISH! But it just ain’t gonna happen that way. Not for you. Not for me. Not for anyone. Not anytime soon either. I’m sure the medical field will find something and someone will prove me wrong but it won’t be the right way and I’m sure there will be consequences that we the people, society don’t know how to deal with if and when that “pill” is developed.

So if there isn’t a “fad” diet or a 2 week solution, what’s the answer? The short answer is hard work and determination. The long answer is hard work and determination with life, will power, struggle, fatigue, sore muscles, kids, money, faith, courage, stamina, fear, want, desire, failing, laughing, crying, smiling, yelling, loss, emergency, sickness, choices, and everything else you can think of MIXED in. I’m not an expert. I’m just a girl that is winging it and researching on her own. Learning from others. Taking advice. Disregarding some advice and using what is best for me.

If you’ve read my “NO EXCUSES” page then you know where I’m coming from and I feel that it’s important to re-iterate the issues every now and then. Some people can DIVE right in and do everything the right way right off the bat. Ernie (boyfriend and the before/after pics you saw in previous posts) did just that. He turned on the switch and BAM he was on track. His thought process is why would I half ass it. You just gotta do.

Other folks can’t do that. It’s too much for their brains/lives to handle. So it’s baby steps for you folks. Don’t say well I can’t go ALL IN so I might as well not try. You gotta try. You may stumble. You may flat out fail. Who cares… just get back up and keep going.

The best analogy I heard that has resonated with me for at least 7 years now is something I heard at Weight Watchers meeting (yes I’ve done WW and it worked and then I failed at it). The WW Rep said to us… If you’re driving down the road and you get a flat tire, do you get out and say OH GEEZ I have a flat. Sucks for me, I guess I’ll slash my other 3 tires because my car is useless now. I’m stuck. UH NO YOU DON’T do that because it’s dumb! You’d be a moron! (ok she didn’t say that but you know where I’m going by now) What you do is YOU FIX THE FLAT. YOU CHANGE THE TIRE but you don’t go destroying the other tires. You keep on.

Same thing applies with whatever lifestyle change you decide to make for the betterment of your body. YES you will have flat tires but you fix the flat and keep going. You don’t just give up and say I quit.

I am choosing to go the PALEO route. It’s working for me, it’s going good. I feel good. I feel GREAT actually not just good. I sleep well, I have energy, and I feel strong. Not roided up strong, but overall health strong. The kind of strong that makes you feel like you can do anything! It’s awesome. Not everyone is willing to give up the grains. It’s ok for now if you aren’t ready but I hope you would do research on why the grains are bad for you. I started out initially but just cutting out processed foods and a lot of sugar. I did great with that, I lost weight and still ate grains. And I feel now that I have evolved from that thought process and moved forward. I’ve had several “bring you down” kind of people tell me “well you know the food pyramid has “grains” on the bottom for a reason?” So you should be eating more grains than anything. WHY? CAUSE THE GOVERNMENT TOLD ME? SO WHAT!?! And ya my whole life I thought they were right… NOW I believe otherwise.

This is an interesting article I read and it’s just one of many. Just like there are articles for the GRAIN there are the opposites. There’s a lot of knowledge out there and it isn’t always correct so you have to do the legwork and sift through the crap. I could be the wrong one but right now I don’t feel wrong.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/09/20/on-the-evils-of-wheat-why-it-is-so-addictive-and-how-shunning-it-will-make-you-skinny/

So I dare you… challenge you… to give up grains, legumes and dairy for 30 days! Eat lean meats, veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds. There’s lots of challenges and programs out there and I’m not fancy enough to reward you with free stuff. Just do it for yourself though. If anything just give up the GRAINS… 30 days! If you don’t like it after and only AFTER 30 days then you can go back to your grain eating ways. Roll around in oats, rice and wheat all you want. I’m not here to hold your hand, I’m just here to share my experience. But if my experience can help yours then YAY for everyone 🙂 And let me know. PLEASE share with me if you start saying NO to the Grains!

Ok I’m done now. If you have questions… leave a comment. If you want more, keep on reading this blog, I’m sure I’ll return to the rambling on this subject. It was rest day for me and I felt like rambling. Thanks for coming! Enjoy your day.