I just got back from a 10 day trip to Hawaii as a pseudo birthday present to myself. I will post pics soon, but i wanted to talk about a goal i made November 1st last year and how i achieved that goal.
I have not been "in shape" for about 5 years. I decided that for my 30th birthday i would get into as good of shape as i had every been. Not the best in all areas (i would not achieve the cardio of when i was swimming) but the best all around shape. I was really starting to get frustrated because my body just didn't respond to eating or working out like it did when i was in my early 20's. It would take 2-3 times as long to get the same results, or i was a lot more sensitive to cheating on foods or not being very dedicated.
My friend Jake Dickerson had started working out 6 months before and was also getting into great shape, so he told me to try the paleo diet. I had never heard it called that but had heard of the "caveman" diet or the T diet, all basically the same thing. Well i started researching it and decided this was the lifestyle for me. It isn't a diet that you do for a little bit, this is the real deal. I way to eat and always be satisfied yet stay in shape and give your body the nutrients it needs.
I was somewhat dedicated for the first 2 months but the holidays, travel for work, and just not being 100% committed kept me from really seeing the benefits this eating style has to offer. I went to Las Vegas for new years and while i was sitting in the hot tub with the other guys on the trip I realized i was the "fat one" of the group. that was it. never again would i be that guy. so on January 3rd I went all in, started the Whole30 challenge of eating perfectly for 1 month, and the rest is history. I have never seen a change in my body or the way i felt as fast and easily as i did during that 30 days. I felt amazing and was just watching my body composition change literally every day. I only lost 3 lbs... so for you that don't want to get smaller or want to bulk up this diet works, for you that want to lose tons of weight, this diet will probably work, but out of that 3 lbs i lost approximately 21 lbs of fat. No that is not a typo.... 21 lbs of fat, gained 15 lbs or so of muscle. I was working out doing crossfit pretty hard too but the real kicker was the diet.
Now i live paleo as best i can and cheat when i feel like it( maybe 1-2 times a week) and love life.
I was able to reach my goal of being in probably the best shape of my life at 30 years old. I am going start the whole 30 again today and see just how far this way of life can take me!
