ketochallenge

Switching from Keto to Paleo

I got 3 new cook books this week! I have been doing so much research on how diet can be connected to depression. I think there is hope… I am focusing on keto/paleo to see how this plays out. Like I have said in the past I love the keto diet I have been following but I’m just not a huge fan of the sweeteners used in all the recipes. If I can use natural sweeteners like raw honey or pure maple syrup I feel like that can be healthier for my body? I get that the keto sweeteners are made for a reason, so they don’t spike your blood sugar and you can stay in ketosis, but if I’m really trying to just focus on the quality of food I’m putting in my body, I’m thinking I should focus on what is the most natural.

We have fresh pork from the butcher in the freezer, and am shopping around for beef. I think I just secured 12 hoop houses off craigslist (for free, just need to buy the plastic)! This winter I really want to try and keep some of my garden going. There is so much to look in to and remember everyday that I can do this! I’m doing this to stay off medications. This isn’t for everyone and I get that but I am desperate to heal my heart and head in a natural way. Along with diet I will continue taking all my vitamins and add in meditation.

So what are the main differences between Keto and Paleo, well not much!

KETO                                                          

  • Veggies                                     
  • Meat
  • Fish                           
  • Fats
  • Dairy
  • Nuts and Seeds

My favorite part of Keto is that I can have dairy. I love dairy! But I don’t like that I can’t have much fruit. That is something I love to snack on and it makes happy 🙂 I find that a lot of people that do Keto don’t really focus on the quality of the food they are eating, it’s all about the carbs and they tend to over eat on the fat. (Don’t get me wrong I am not a specialist in this department and please consult a doctor before you make any changes to your diet) I have had great success with a strict keto diet in the past but this time around I’m going after something a little different. This time it’s not about losing weight. This is strictly about my mental health and what it can do for healing the body.

PALEO

  • ORGAN MEAT
  • MEAT / POULTRY
  • FISH / SHELLFISH
  • LEAFY GREENS
  • CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES
  • ROOT VEGGIES
  • BERRIES
  • CITRUS FRUIT
  • FATS

The paleo diet seems to have a little more freedom, yet not. Like I said above no dairy is hard for me. But I feel like I have the freedom to eat more veggies and fruit. I honestly feel like it’s really close to eating the same way, it’s just a matter or eating for losing weight or eating to heal your body.

The more I research the more I am starting to see a link between mental health and autoimmune disease. I have a mental health problem, however I also have gut issues. Do you think they could be related to each other? I do! I need to heal one to heal the other.

This weekend we start the trials. 37 day paleo diet starts tomorrow! This weekend I shop, plan and cook. I have the carb manager app to keep track of all my food and I’m hoping I can get in the habit of journaling everyday on my progress.

September 25th – October 31st WISH ME LUCK!

Let me introduce myself! (or vomit my issues on you)

One of the hardest things is to admit something is wrong or going on that you feel like you have no control over. For many years I have battled what feels like a frustrating, never ending story of depression. Over the last couple years I have find myself admitting to my husband that things have changed and got worse. It’s not an everyday feeling, but instead we have advanced into some really high and low moments. Let me tell you the low times feel like my little world is coming to an end with a ball of fire chasing me!

There I said it… I’m not just a normal human but I have some big struggles that I’m admitting out loud!

One year ago I went and saw a naturopathic doctor for my depression and some girly issues. It was super informative and I appreciated what she offered me and my health. She was willing to help me start my journey on a holistic approach to recovery. I walked out with a bag full of vitamins, herbal tinctures and a new way I was supposed to be eating along with a exercise routine. Nothing crazy, she wanted me to follow a “dirty” keto diet and get in at least 30 minutes a day of movement. Not bad right? Well, changing the way you eat when you LOVE food, is harder then you think… And consistently taking my vitamins and tinctures apparently are harder then I thought it would be!

My good friend asked if I wanted to do a Keto Challenge with her that she has done in the past and loved. I needed a little motivation and this had a money pot at the end (a little extra motivation), so I jumped in with both feet! That 6 weeks changed the way I looked at keto and made me excited to cook and experiment with what we can do with food. I didn’t end up winning any money, but I did drop 15lbs in that 6 weeks and gained tons of new recipes that the whole family loved. The next challenge came and my motivation just wasn’t there… I started losing all motivation for everything again and I wasn’t the only one noticing.

Let me explain what happened in that first 6 weeks –

I lost weight for the first time in years! My sleep was oh so amazing and I was sleeping normal hours waking up perfectly refreshed. My skin was glowing, and my energy levels bumped up by a million percent. I didn’t have one single low in those 6 weeks… NOT ONE… My husband loved seeing me clear and happy, and my kids actually told me how much different I am and how I am always in a good mood. My kids also noticed their acne had gone away eating this way. All bloating was gone, my stomach issues were disappearing and I’m going to say it again, my energy levels were through the roof. I found a love for my kitchen again and was so happy to be utilizing all my garden treasures everyday.

So what happened???? How did I end up falling back into my normal ugly bad habits??? STRESS / OVERWHELMED / OVER SCHEDULED / HORMONES. That’s what happened.

You know what else happened when I fell off the wagon? All the ugly came rushing back and I think my lows got worse, if that is even possible…

This has brought me to my now. I signed up for another challenge (and again I can’t tell you enough how amazing the recipes are!) it hasn’t been perfect but it’s going. We are 4 weeks in and I haven’t lost a single pound. Not one. Last week I had a low that made us think it’s time to go see a doctor again and talk about my now “manic” episodes that seem to be getting worse. Strictly following a keto diet, expanding my exercise routine and growing my meditation practice are all things I have to get serious about in this journey to heal myself.

Well I just spilled my guts here and it’s not pretty! How is everyone else doing?

Tired… Mentally and Physically

It’s a good thing all these recipes are so freaking good! I like to eat… And I like to cook… I wish I had more time to really just cook my heart out but I’m making it work. Work is a wee bit stressful right now and it’s starting to drain me mentally and in turn making me physically not wanting to do much of anything when I get home.

Stress is my biggest fear! It can do some awful things to you and I’m struggling with many stress side effects right now 😦 and I’m scared it’s totally going to get in my way of losing weight.

It’s all about the food this week. Next week I will start to try and add in some workouts. I think this could help my stress levels a lot. I have to focus on my health, mental and physical. I’m drowning right now in everyday life and it’s time to swim my little heart out and fight this…

P.S. – I’ve tried to be an avid food logger on a couple different apps but have never followed through with them. The NUMBER ONE thing I have learned in my two days of this challenge is logging my entire day the night before! How the hell have I never thought about this? It’s brilliant, it allows me to plan my entire day and know I am setting myself up for success on sticking to my macros. Last night we had a live Q&A (happens every Monday night during the challenge) it’s such a great little learning platform. I truly feel like I’m learning (DO I DARE SAY IT?) a new lifestyle!