I remember when I first heard the nutrition lecture at my Level 1 Seminar. I think I was fully locked in for the first five minutes, and then the speaker said, “So, no bread, pasta, tortillas,” and I immediately tuned out. At some point though you think to yourself, “Man, I am working out so hard and still not looking quite the way I want,” so I finally fully committed. I went no bread, pasta, tortillas, or rice for almost two years. You can only go so long without that stuff though. Eventually, the birthday parties and holidays start adding up and you want to get back in on the fun. So, what do you do? That’s where the loopholes start creeping in. You know someone who has started baking “paleo” treats. It’s “paleo” cookies or “paleo” cheesecake. The person tells you they were made with all these “natural” ingredients and you look up and down the list and think to yourself, “OK, great, I’m still being paleo!”Wrong. I don’t know why humans do this, but it’s just something we do. We take on a new habit and sooner or later look for ways to blur the lines. The importance of minding your labels is something I read in a Tim Ferris book, and it really is a genius concept. The way we rationalize things in our mind via our labels can be dangerous if you’re not careful. When we are discussing something that is truly Paleo, you shouldn’t have to say the word in front of it in order to qualify it. The paleo diet is one that human beings have lived on for thousands of years. Human beings evolved eating whatever animals were indigenous to their surroundings, as well as any fruit or vegetable they could find. This is what we mean when we say paleo. Was it something your ancestors who were sleeping in caves ate? Was it something that was once living or found in the ground or on a tree? I’m more than sure your ancestors who had to hunt for food never stumbled across a cookie or brownie in the wilderness no matter what it was made out of. These cookies or brownies or cupcakes that you might eat that are being called “paleo” are still cookies, brownies, or cupcakes. Will you gain weight if you eat them in abundance? Yes. They are still a treat and should be respected as such. Treats are fine, but in small doses on occasion. They are not something you should eat on a random Wednesday night because you’re in the mood for cookies and don’t want to feel guilty about eating them. Mind your labels!To learn more about nutrition, your food intake, and how food can actually be a source of fuel and not a force to be reckoned with, schedule a time to talk with us. Our aim is not to just help you figure it out for a day, but for a lifetime.
