Hey there! I’m Septimus, paleogeek. I’ve been very nearly in shape/healthy for a long while now. I’ve never completely let myself go to seed, but I’ve never really focused on my health for the long term, either. I’ve always been active, whether it be paintball, running, SCA fighting, fencing, racquetball, mud runs, LARPing (yes, really), lifting, jiu-jitsu, etc. it’s always intermittent, though. I’ll go to the gym once or twice a week for a few months and then fall off the wagon. I’ll run a few times a week for a few months and then get distracted or go on vacation or something. I like moving my body, but I don’t like paying attention to what I eat. So that has always been my bane. I’ve always had a bit of a belly and some love handles, even when lifting has gotten me pretty muscular. That’s annoying.
This spring, my wife and I worked with a trainer for about three months, doing gym sessions twice a week and counting calories. We both saw significant improvements, but once the trainer wasn’t there anymore, we both fell back into old habits. So now I’m back to where I was before that, mostly. I’m not happy about it, either. I’m feeling fat and out of shape.
So, I’ve been digging a bit to find a diet plan I can live with long term. I’ve read more diet books than I can easily name off the top of my head. They all make sense on some level or another, but they all just don’t appeal for some reason. Recently, though, I’ve had some friends have great success with two similar diet plans: Paleo and Slow Carb. People I know personally have dropped 20-30 pounds in a month without significantly increasing exercise, and all while feeling better than they ever have before. So I decided to give it a try. What do I have to lose, right?
I borrowed Robb Wolf’s “The Paleo Solution” from the library and read it almost entirely in one sitting. He advocates a 30-day trial run on the Paleo Diet. Basically, give it a try his way, and see if you like how you look and feel. If you don’t, you can go back to your ricecakes and whole grain breads and dry chicken breast. If you do, then you’ve just found a new way to eat. Congrats!
This is my 30-day trial. Started this morning, October 17, 2011 and ending on November 15, 2011. I am 6’3″ tall and weigh 245 pounds.
Neanderthal, Dark & Handsome 