Week 1 Summary

Week 1 - Successes and Failures

One week down of the Paleo/Primal diet.  I feel great and I am starting to shed the excess pounds.   So here are the successes, in not particular order.

•  Lost 1.8 pounds in a week of diet change.  Read this part. The lost of weight wasn't water weight or muscle mass - hopefully that means it was strictly the midsection area of concern.  This is an awesome reality that there may be something to this diet.  I haven't felt hungry that often in the day outside the normal meal times.  This is a major thing in my success column.  Yes, losing weight is a motivation in my current goal/mind set...but it isn't the driving factor.  
• Over spring break (the first extended break that I haven't been running around/coaching/traveling) I avoided major pit falls in terms of health.  I got plenty of sleep, exercised, cooked some great meals, and avoided the mindless boredom snacking.  It's hard to want to eat when your stomach is still feeling full from the meal 2 hours ago.  
• Energy levels are great.  Granted I took a 2 hour naps when I made it home, but I was only able to sleep a few hours the night before.  Always happens to those anxious to return back to the hallways of a high school.  
• My body has fought off an upper respiratory infection and pollen allergies.  That's right, my body came through without me having to go to a doctor and get some medication.  
• No soda in a week.  Switched to green tea with lemon and honey before sleep.  Great choice and one I highly recommend.  

Failures or moments of temporary weakness/poor decisions.

• The Snickers bar that was on my desk is no more.  Sadly, I consumed it a few night ago after a hard work out.  I know one here and there won't hurt the long term goal, I had prided myself in not eating one since the wrestling season was over.  
• Two beers after grilling one night.  Alcohol is not paleo, but it is a vice that I like in moderation.  

Challenges

• Finding time to cook/prep meals.  I like the meals I am making, but spending an hour in prep time/cooking can get tiresome at times.  This will just take some getting used to and eventually it will feel normal.  
• Getting to the gym every other day.  Or getting some exercise everyday.  Over spring break it was easy.  The basic routine was this: wake up, eat breakfast, and go work out.  Now that teaching is back in full swing, I need to find the motivation and time to continue hitting the gym to lift and push my body.  
• Resisting the large amount of sweet carbohydrates out there.  I don't have a particularly large sweet tooth, but it was a challenge to walk by the donuts, cakes, and other sweet foods at the bakery section of a grocery store.  Everything looked good, but I am trying to cut those out of my diet.  I guess this means that my body is slowly being reprogrammed, but it is resisting slightly.