My first post!!!

Welcome everyone!

I thought I'd spend my first post letting everyone know why I've decided to 'Go Paleo' and how I plan to do it. I'll be posting recipes, pictures, successes, and failures, so join me as I transform myself into a modern cavewoman!

Few people know this, but I am actually a Registered Dietitian by trade. To most people this means I never touch sweets, know every calorie I eat, and am a beacon of health. However, as any RD will tell you, nobody is perfect, especially dietitians. Dietitians by nature obsess over food. We talk about it, count it, recommend it, and then go home and eat it. For many people this sounds great, but about 6 months after earning my RD license I realized that I was sick of talking about food all of the time when I felt like I couldn't even control it in my own life. I was telling patients what they should be eating, but I was a classic emotional eater: boredom, happiness, sadness, you name it. Everything was an occasion to eat, and I'd always feel guilty afterward. So, I decided then that nutrition was a personal interest, not a professional one and I moved on. After a couple of stints in retail, I finally found my passion as a teacher and am looking forward to the start of fall classes.

Throughout my life I've been into athletics and exercise. I was a two sport athlete in high school (soccer and basketball), took up running in college (ran a 1/2 marathon), and after college trained for a marathon. I used to love running, and prior to training for Grandma's Marathon, it was something I could do every day. However, as luck would have it long distance running isn't compatible with my body. You see, I have ulcerative colitis (an inflamed lining of my colon) and after a 20 mile training run I became ill and had to see my doctor. Long story short, my doctor and I decided that long distance running was not going to work for me. So...I took up walking...and ellipticaling...and lifting weights. I had a routine that I liked, but after awhile I realized I didn't like the results (or lack thereof). Sure, I was putting in the time, but something was missing. So, with much encouragement (read: convincing) from my husband, I finally decided to give Crossfit a try in October of 2009. Let's just say that after 20 minutes of working out I was hooked! Sure, I was sore for a week afterward, but I love the results and the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a workout. Oh...I almost forgot, and Crossfit is where I first learned about the Paleo diet.

With a nutrition background I felt like I knew what to eat: Protein, Carbs, Fat, all in moderation. However, as I Crossfitted, used muscles I didn't know I had, and created new ones, I was having a hard time recovering from workouts. Not to mention that even though I could feel the new muscle, I couldn't see it! It is still buried beneath the flab of my thighs and buttocks! And damn it! I have those muscles, I want to show them off! So, I am going to live what I preach (nutrition), embrace a new lifestyle, and step up to the Paleo challenge!

Food will no longer rule my life, I will eat what is good for my body, I will perform better at my gym, and I will lean out to show off those muscles!

So join me for what I am sure will be an interesting adventure... did I mention I convinced my husband to do it with me:)

Here's to a Paleo lifestyle,
Angie