My Weight Loss & Journey to Healthy

My Journey to becoming a Better, Healthier Me & Questions People Ask.

Well here we are, it’s about to be 2019!!!

This time of year, many people make new year’s resolutions, and a large number of them often have to do with losing weight.

As many of you know, several months ago I decided to make some major changes in the way I ate. While I already ate “healthy” – I shunned artificial, processed and pre-made foods, kept sweets to a minimum and all that – but I wanted to do more. After a great deal of homework and debate, I decided to “go paleo.” I was determined.

{ See Article: “Why Paleo?” }

Over the past months I have had several experiences that have helped me realize just how far I have come. Sometimes it is hard to see it when you look in the mirror. Aren’t we our own worst critics?

My Belt

When I was at my “I’ve got to do something!” stage, I had reached the point where my leather belt that I always wear, was on its loosest hole. In all honesty, I needed to get a larger belt, but the thought of that just made me sick and frustrated with myself.

Well, one day, I went to put on my belt as usual, but when I went to buckle it, it wouldn’t buckle. I thought “what in the world?” and looked to discover the reason it wouldn’t buckle.  It wouldn’t buckle because there were no more holes small enough. I needed to add a smaller hole!

When I had that realization, it actually choked me up a bit. I was shocked that I hadn’t even noticed the progression of movement along the row of belt holes.

The Farmers Market

One morning I was working at the farmers market and decided to get one of their t-shirts. I let the lady who was in charge know that when she had a minute, I would like to get one. Later she came over with the bin of shirts and asked me what sized I needed. When I answered her, her response was “Pfffssshaaawww! No you don’t. Girl, we’re the same size!”

That took me by surprise. I looked at her, looked at myself, and thought, “Really!?” I took a shirt in the size that she said “we” wore, took it home… and realized she was right. Check that off as another milestone on my road to healthy.

The Jeans

And then there is the jeans.

Several years ago, I packed two pair of jeans away in my closet. When we lived in Alaska, I had gained some weight and told myself that “someday” I would lose weight and get healthy and be able to wear them again. Some day.

Back in March, I reached a turning point. All of my current jeans were way too tight, I needed to go up a size, I felt terrible, I easily got winded and the final straw was when I saw myself – body shot – in a vlog I was editing. I went into the bathroom and got on the scale and about choked on my coffee. I couldn’t believe what the scale said. That was the day I decided to “go paleo” and not play games with it anymore.

So after a few weeks of following the paleo lifestyle, as I was getting dressed, I put on my jeans and proceeded to “fold” the waist of the jeans into pleats so it would bunch together properly under my belt. I buckled the belt and looked at myself in the mirror.

You see, when I am not overweight, I have an hourglass figure. That’s both a blessing and a curse. A curse, because most jeans are NOT made for women with an hourglass shape. If they fit in the hips, they are too loose in the waist. I’ve only ever had one kind of jeans that properly fit me – Levi’s 529 jeans. (Which they no longer make.)

The kind of jeans I had tucked away in the closet for “some day.”

So I looked at my jeans, ridiculously bunched under my belt. I walked over to my closet, reached up and got down the box of packed away seasonal clothes. Down in the very bottom of that box were those two pairs of jeans.

I opened the box and took a pair out. Took a deep breath, and I stuck my feet into a pair…pulled them up…buttoned and zipped.

THEY FIT.

As someone who used to be very athletic and fit, I finally feel like I have turned the corner and really gotten on the path to getting back to where I need to be. Not only in the way I am eating, but being intentional about my activity – going for walks, exercising and being active and not just busy.

When I made the decision to do all of this, I actually decided to do a “before” photo so that I could look back and see my progression. As much as I hated taking it, I did and I am glad.

This “before & after” was done after only the first month.

This is a photo taken a year apart. I donned the same hat to more easily see the difference. You can tell I spend a great deal of time outdoors, by how much the hat has faded.

I still have more to go, more to achieve, but I am on the road. “Going Paleo” is not a diet. It is a lifestyle. And this is the life for me!

Common Questions

Something that is often asked of me, is “What about the family?” and “What about all your recipes?”

The Family

Here’s the thing. My choice is my choice. It is right for me. It is not something I would push upon my family. I started by making lots of “new” meals. I never said anything about going paleo, I just did. It was a couple weeks before I mentioned it to Mr. Smith. The family just thought I was making lots of new recipes.

I still make my family the treats and things they love, like Pumpkin Bread. But when I make them, I simply don’t indulge. When I have leftovers from a meal, I’ll have those for supper and make the family a non-paleo meal that they love, like pasta. Where there is a will, there is a way. And frankly, there has not been a single paleo meal that I have made, that everyone didn’t enjoy.

The Recipes?

The recipes on Cosmopolitan Cornbread, are here to stay! Just like I don’t expect my family to live the paleo lifestyle by force, I don’t expect my readers to either. I do occasionally go back and recreate old favorites in paleo form, but I will never take down a non-paleo recipe just because of my lifestyle change. That would not be fair to anyone!

The Holidays?

People often ask about staying paleo for the holidays. I have to confess….I don’t. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and it is not the same without the sides, the casseroles and all the dishes that have those memories tied to family and loved ones. When major holidays roll around, I indulge, and then the next day I am done. Back to paleo.

If the indulgences are kept to truly special occasions, then so be it. I’m not going to feel bad about having a little slice of pumpkin pie. I’m also not going to eat the whole pie.

[ Click Here to See all of my Paleo (Low Carb) Recipes ]

To get a better understanding of what the “Paleo” lifestyle is all about, I highly recommend this book. It explains what it is, how it works with your body and how you and adapt it to work for your needs.

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