Hello! I'd like to introduce you to our latest Past success story, Karen. I listened to Karen's story. She would be interested in inspiring and encouraging others with her story. That's why she answered all the questions. Thank you, Karen!
Karen, tell us something about yourself.
I am 45 years old and live in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. I am an employee of the federal government and I am obliged to travel from time to time. Some of my hobbies include walking, reading, sitting at home and spending time with friends and family.
How long have you been paleo?
I started my paleo trip on November 13, 2012. I had been reading about paleo since late October 2012 and felt it was the right choice for me but I was leaving town and I thought it might be hard to start with that Challenge (I tried it on a couple of restaurants!).
What motivated you to make the change?
I've made the weight loss journey a couple of times in my life and I've always fallen back to old bad habits. With the previous two trips, I had always obsessed with the exercise part, but I never correctly developed the correct eating habits ( "I can have that cupcake because I'm going to work harder tomorrow in the gym"), so when I was not able to Keep my gym routine my eating habits were still the same and the weight returned.
This time I wanted to work on my eating habits before doing the gym / exercise obsession. I had recovered almost all the weight I had lost on the previous trip and was in a real "funk", so I decided that I wanted to get out of the funk and be healthy. I had already started to become more aware of what I was doing in my life (I went into the housework routine and made sure I puttered around the house every night after work instead of sitting watching TV all night) and He was beginning to feel good in his head.
Then one day I was getting my daily dose of MSN news and I saw a blog about the paleo diet. I read it and thought it sounded like something I could do. My doctor told me years ago to stay away from bread, so I thought maybe that was the answer to how I would do this.
What problems did you experience before going to Paleo that you wanted to address?
My biggest concern was losing weight. I've always struggled with my weight and this time I wanted to do something that would be more of a lifestyle change and something I could do for the rest of my life. I had also noticed lately that I had been experiencing bad acidity and only generally felt uncomfortable in the evenings. After reading about paleo I was really excited about trying it to see if I could start feeling better.
It wasn’t until I was about four months into my paleo journey that I found out more about how this diet helps people with autoimmune disorders. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and there was a booklet in the Primal Kit that was recently on sale and it was an eye-opening read for me. I should have read it 22 years ago when I was first diagnosed.
How did it - slowly or coldly the turkey?
Cold turkey, I jumped right into the paleo way of thinking. Many people asked me why I did not wait until after Christmas and I told them that there is a switch that goes off on me and I would not ignore it. I did, however, tell myself that I would enjoy some stuffing from my turkey mom because no one does it better, it also helped that my 30 days would be completed by then. I have tried to be true to my new lifestyle (no birthday cake at work, no Yorkshire puddings, no lasagne or other old favorites). The cravings are definitely gone (I do not crave the salty snacks as I used to).
What do you feel has been critical to your success?
Everything I read in the beginning talked about planning their meals. I decided that if I was to succeed I had to master this technique. I am an admirer of soups, casseroles and other "pre-prepared" type meals. I decided to cook a batch of turkey soup and chicken stew to freeze for my lunches. Not being known for my cooking skills made me ask for advice from my sister (she makes awesome stews) and brother-in-law (soup master). I am also a person who likes routines so I found a breakfast option that works for me. I know the paleo lifestyle allows you to think outside of the traditional breakfast box but for my eggs, raspberries, and a banana job.
What were your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
I love my family and I knew I could not convince them to change their eating habits with me. I live with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece and we try to dine with family. My sister has been supportive and tries to include the things I can have, but there have been times that I feel tested. My brother-in-law is a trained chef and likes to cook. I remember one afternoon returning home and he had made lasagna and was sitting on the stove. Damn, it looked good, but I did not have any.
We are going to camp this summer and two months ahead of time, I am already thinking about what will work for me. If I know the events early enough, I can plan it and that is so important.
What is your average day like?
As I mentioned earlier, I am a routine person, so breakfast is two hard boiled eggs, a cup of raspberries and a banana, lunch is turkey soup, chicken stew or paleo cottage cake (from Well Fed) and dinner is Usually a stir-fry (my sister laughs at me for being able to make any meat in a stir-fry). I do not eat out nearly as much as it used to but my favorite is a local Chinese restaurant which makes a great almond Guy Ding (slightly altered to exclude peas, corn, and much less sauce). If I drink, it's an apple or a few almonds.
Are you on target or do you have more progress to make to achieve your health goals?
On April 23, 2013, I was at my goal weight of 180 pounds. Everyone tells me I do not have to lose more, but I would like to peek a little more and maybe try 170 pounds. I am now working on my strength training (although buying a pedometer in January has helped me walk more and certainly take more stairs) and my weekly totals for steps and stair climbing are well above the goals I set. I recently received my 500-mile Fitbit badge. (Hurrah!)
How have your changes responded to changes in your lifestyle and results?
As I mentioned earlier, my family has been very supportive (which includes my ex-husband, who expects my updates and has not seen me since September 2012, so he has not noticed the transformation, just read about it) and my peers Have noticed the change in me. When I see someone I have not seen in a while they are surprised by the change because it has happened so quickly. When I lost 60 pounds in the past it has taken almost a year and this time around it has taken just over five months (23 weeks).
Where do you have most of your information?
The first information I got was from Loren Cordain (I asked for her books) and I also received information from Robb Wolf, Nell Stephenson (Paleoist), Sebastien Noel (Paleo Diet Lifestyle), Neely and Jason on Paleo Plan, Melissa Joulwan Fed) More recently, Bill and Haley in The Food Lovers Kitchen and yourself in Paleo / Non-Paleo. I signed up for meal plans, but I found that I was not quite ready to be so strict with my planning.
What would you say?
You'll never know if it works for you if you do not try. Remember, new habits take 3-6 weeks to form so be sure to give it the thirty days they recommend.
What three strategies can give us?
1. Plan, plan and plan a little more
2. Give her the full thirty days before she says it's not for you
3. Adopt paleo is a lifestyle change, not a diet and if you are in it for weight loss, do not go back to your old habits once you reach the goal. I have decided that I am ready, I will not eat grains, rice, potatoes, dairy, and vegetables.
Is there anything else we would like to tell us?
I really have not craved any of the salty snacks I used to eat daily and do not miss the potatoes, the rice, the pasta and the processed sides. Barbecue season has started and green salads are my friend. I am below my target weight and I have not been a gym slave. Walking has been my only form of regular exercise, but I do not want to work on some yoga and strength training. Since I originally wrote this piece, I have continued to lose another 7 pounds, making a total weight loss of 67 pounds.
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