Me this summer
2012 was a big year in paleo for me.
Even though I have been eating paleo-ish for more than 4 years, I stepped it up this year. Some paleo milestones from the past 365 days include:
- I finished my first successful 30 day paleo challenge – and then did two others, plus a stricter 21-day challenge. Putting the sugar demons to sleep was a massive personal accomplishment. Getting through these challenges took serious support and a lot of mental energy. But the end result was worth it. I can now be in the building with a brownie without having to eat it. At least most of the time.
- I started this blog. I was nervous to put up my first post. I don’t have any formal training in the kitchen or a magical way with spices. But, I reminded myself, I do know how to make simple paleo meals that taste good. So, I pumped myself up and started to post recipes for what I am cooking up these days — and I’m glad I did!
- I bought my first quarter cow. I had bought half a lamb before, but wasn’t sure how I would handle 70 pounds of grass-fed beef. Would it fit in our freezer? Would we get tired of red meat? Could I cook a standing rib roast? (The answers: Yes, no and not well.) But overall, it turned out that Matt and I handled it pretty easily. We are down to our last six steaks, a rack of ribs and one pound of ground beef and plan to buy another part-cow soon.
I put a lot of focus into each of these goals – especially the paleo challenges. By default, I didn’t spend time thinking about other things that might also make me happy, such creating habits to quiet my whirring mind, reducing my online time and expanding my reading much beyond paleo and CrossFit.
This weekend, I spend time thinking about my goals for 2013. I have so many ideas that I need to narrow and focus the list more. Currently, I have enough goals to keep a team of six busy until 2020. But these goals are not specifically related to changing the food I eat.
One of the reasons I enjoy eating paleo is that it gives me energy and peace of mind. When I consistently eat nutrient-rich meats and veggies, I don’t worry if I am giving my body that food it needs. I know I can launch into life with energy and health.
In 2013, I want to use paleo as a foundation, a starting point that allows me to feel fantastic and energized so I can pursue other physical and intellectual goals. I will continue to pay careful attention to what I eat since proper nourishment (plus sufficient sleep, which I still need to work on!) keeps me powered up to do other things I want. I will keep writing and cooking up “recipes to fuel your busy life” because I love to do that. But, I also hope that when I reflect back a year from now, the achievements I am most proud of are fueled by paleo – but are even more spectacular.