Mister and I recently started eating a Paleo Diet.

Despite Mister’s surgery, his weight loss stalled at 100lbs down, and my weight actually went up over the last year and a half. Besides my lack of exercise and horrible eating habits, I’m pretty sure the major contributor to my weight gain was a trip to see the in-laws. Mister’s pickup, its super springy suspension, and bouncy California freeways found my lower back in great pain, to the point that any activity or inactivity would hurt. It felt tired, achy and sore no matter what, and some meds the doctor prescribed didn’t really help much.

I put up with that for six whole months, until Christmas, when I got a shiatsu massage pillow that miraculously relieved most of my pain. But the damage had been done – I was way out of shape, worse off than I’d ever been before, and my eating habits had gone from bad to worse. Overall, I gained nearly 30 pounds because of it.

I knew I had to get back to better eating habits, and Mister was eager to start losing weight again too. We’re both tired of being bigger than we’d like, and I know I’m tired of just not feeling good. Mister brought up the Paleo Diet, and I had already been thinking of working in that direction. Get off the junk, ditch my addiction to carbs, and start moving again.

While I was in Florida, Mister started the diet. I started it after I got home and once I started feeling better. I already feel better and I know I enjoy eating fresh, healthy foods. But my willpower is weak, and I’ve given in to cravings and convenience a few times. But you want to know something? Not only did I not feel good after eating “bad” foods, I didn’t even find those foods appealing. Go figure!

I’m eager to continue on this journey, to see how we get through the holidays and comfort food season, and to see how it benefits us. Even if I don’t lose much weight (I’m currently down about 8lbs from my all-time high), just feeling better is worth it. And with Mister and his much stronger willpower around, I have high hopes that I can stick to this one and do much better than I have with past attempts. I’ll let you know how it goes.

In an effort to take baby steps to a healthier lifestyle, I’ve recently decided to stop drinking soda. I’ve been drinking mass quantities of Diet Coke lately, with the excuse that I needed the caffeine. But I know that I’m super sensitive to caffeine, and I know that soda, no matter what kind, doesn’t make me feel very good.

The caffeine addiction was a self-perpetuating cycle. I’d wake up and go into work, not fully alert enough to do my job, so I’d suck down a 32oz soda from my local convenience store. Then I’d have another one at lunch. I’d stop drinking it before I left work, to give it time to get out of my system before bed, but I’d find myself wide awake at 11pm and would often not go to sleep until after midnight. As the week wore on, I’d get more and more sleep deprived in the morning. By Friday, I could barely function in the morning and my soda was only a slight help.

And the gas! Everyone thinks that soda makes you gassy, since it’s carbonated. Not true. I had my first soda in over a week on Saturday, and it was a regular Sprite. I did not get the gas I usually get when drinking soda. I figured out that what causes the gassy feeling, at least in me, was the artificial sweetner. It doesn’t matter what kind, because if it was a pile of chemicals dumped in my drink, I’d get gas. I figured that one out when I had a Crystal Light single instead of soda one day. So I decided that I’d rather have the rare full sugar soda – only when eating out and only when all other options are not appealing – than to deal with a gassy gut.

I’ve read numerous studies that even though diet soft drinks are calorie-free, your body still processes the artifical sweetner as if it was real sugar. So while you don’t rack up the calorie count, your brain still says, “Oooh, sugar sugar sugar! Gimmee more sugar!” and so you crave more sugary foods. I can tell you from experience that this is absolutely true. You should see the junk food I can put away when I’m at work – which is the exact time that I’m drinking soda. Then since I’ve had nothing but crap to eat, I feel like crap. I feel lethargic and gassy and overall not good.

So far it’s been just over one week without soda, and I’m doing better. I don’t feel gassy, I’m getting to sleep at a semi-reasonable hour (even on weekends!), and while I may feel a bit tired in the afternoon, I’m not craving the amounts of junk food that I was. I don’t feel like crap. Just knowing that is helping me not want another Diet Coke.

Have you made baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle? What did you do that worked or didn’t work?

It’s official. I have no willpower. I was all set to get back on track today, packing low-fat yogurt, strawberries and grilled chicken breast for my lunch, when a vendor brought us cupcakes. Who can resist those? They’ve got to be 10pts each. But I had one. And they came right after I finished my mid-morning snack, so I wasn’t even hungry. But I had one.

Already this week we’ve had a birthday potluck at work. Now this. Oh, and I should mention that last night I had Kraft Mac&Cheese for dinner. That used to be one of my favorite things to eat. But not anymore. I wasn’t totally turned off by it, but I didn’t finish it either. The blue box has lost its luster for me. I think that if I am craving mac and cheese in the future, I’ll be making it myself. It’s just as easy to whip up with some whole wheat pasta and shredded cheese. And it’s a whole lot tastier, not to mention healthier. Now, I’m not going to say never, but I don’t think I’ll be going for the blue box again.

It’s funny what happens when you start eating healthier. As you put better foods – fresh stuff prepared at home – into your body, you get used to it. Your tummy and the rest of your body thanks you. Then when you put processed crap in, after you’ve gotten used to the healthy stuff, your body reacts in a bad way. It starts groaning, “Why did you do that to me? Why?” And you have to answer it, “Because I remembered how muchs I used to like the crap and my eyes and mind haven’t figured out that I really shouldn’t have it anymore.” My body knows what it wants and needs. Now I just need to tell my head that.

Still to work on: willpower. And exercise. Falling far short in both those areas.