When Debbie asked me to share my story in her newsletter for May I actually laughed. It seemed so funny and quite honestly unbelievable that I could have results worth sharing. But, I guess I do!
It isn’t unusual for my husband and me to do some kind of “New Year Cleanse.” We like to jump start January or February after the holidays. All the food and drink that seems to come along with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years gets a little overwhelming and tends to make us feel sluggish and well a little “full.” It is also really easy to get panicked thinking of sunny vacations that are right around the corner (spring break).
In February, we decided to try “Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution.” My Mom had done his diet the year before and had really liked it so we figured we’d give it a go. There were some similarities to Paleo Plan (which we did in 2012) but just a few things that made this program different. Some parts of it seemed easier; some parts seemed way harder (NO SUGAR or FRUIT for 2 weeks….Yikes!).
So, February 1st, I cleared my pantry of all grains, sugar, and legumes and my husband came home with a print out of our list of approved foods. The first two weeks were a little intense but not as bad as I thought it would be. It took energy to change behaviors and plan meals differently. After the two week “teardown phase” was over, we were able to introduce some fruit and grains…carefully watching our energy level and what the scale told us. We have been eating the “Gundry way” ever since – with some exceptions (dinners out, travel and well life!) and have found it really do-able. We aren’t starving, or cranky, we don’t feel like we’re holding on until “X” happens, there isn’t a finish line date we’re focused on – we don’t feel like we’re on a “diet.” We are making healthy choices and reaping the benefits. My workouts feel like they have been optimized by the changes I have made in my diet. My body is leaner, stronger, and lighter. I just feel good – which is wonderful and will hopefully keep me on track.
