… and I’m back! I feel like the past month has come and gone so quickly that I have literally no idea what I have been up to. In fact, the only thing I know for certain is that I have grossly neglected my blog. Why the lapse, you ask? Well, somewhere between weddings and trips to New Orleans and the onset of football season and the endless number of visitors I’ve had come to Seattle during August… I completely forgot that I’m supposed to be trying to get healthier. Sure, I’ve taken up CrossFit and am still going very strong with marathon preparation (three weeks until the race!), but I have been a major slacker when it comes to living a full-on Paleo lifestyle. Generally speaking, I shoot for at least 80 or 90 percent compliance with Paleo eating – in the past month, I would say I’ve been hitting 60 percent compliance during a good week. Whoops. As a result, I have been walking around feeling sluggish and moody. I’m tired when I wake up and tired when I go to bed. I haven’t noticed a major change in my athletic performance, but I have noticed that my stomach constantly feels like there are monsters crawling around in my intestine (hellooooo gluten intolerance!).
So there it is – I have totally lapsed in the past month. But you know what? I’m not going to belabor the point. Instead, I am going to use what I know about my dietary choices and their impact on my body and move forward. After three months of Paleo eating and one month of seriously fun (and slightly irresponsible) times, I know this: I am completely and totally gluten intolerant. My tolerance for added sugar is incredibly low. Grass-fed, full-fat dairy doesn’t bother me. I should steer clear of beer and liquor at all costs. These are hard facts that I will use to make informed dietary choices from here on out. I am not shooting for perfection here – to do so would be exhausting and stressful. I don’t want my life to revolve around my food choices – I want my food choices to enable me to live a better life. To help me get back on track, I am going to whip out my second Whole 30 from September 19 – October 7. Why the shortened time period? First, October 7 is the Portland Marathon – my first (and probably only) marathon after which I plan to have at least two adult beverages and a piece of cake. Second, my CrossFit gym is hosting a nutritional challenge beginning October 8 that I am participating in for two months while I WOD my way to a buff body.
And, at last, you’ve likely noticed that I have reworked Recreation and Whimsy completely. This summer, I discovered a passion for health and fitness that I never thought I’d uncover. In the past month, I may have been very busy having fun but I was also very busy building a small business. Last week, the Washington State license for VitalityNW, LLC came in the mail and I became a business owner for the first time. I’m very excited about the opportunity to provide nutritional coaching to individuals who are interested in holistic / Paleo diets but aren’t sure about how to incorporate them into everyday life. Each of my coaching services is tailored to fit client goals and expectations while they transform their health through improved dietary choices. Supporting my practice is a certification in Nutritional Therapy from the Nutritional Therapy Association, which I will complete in January 2013. Finally, 10 percent of all profits earned from VitalityNW services will be donated to nonprofit organizations in the greater Seattle area that battle childhood obesity. I am currently evaluating nonprofits that I will work with and hope to find four to donate to on a quarterly basis throughout the year.
Sorry if this post is a bit wordy – I just felt as if you all deserved an explanation of where the heck I’ve been hiding and what the heck I have planned for the next year. I’m very excited to be back on track, ready to run a marathon and thrilled at the completion of a business plan that feels like it’s been a hundred years in the making.
