Paleo and m&m's

I get it, eating Paleo has been all the rage these past few years. However, I made the decision to eat this way long before I even knew what Paleo was. For me and my lifestyle, it just made sense. And it still does. However, m&m's also make sense. To put it simply, Paleo is a way of eating that mimics our ancestors. It's not about demonizing certain food choices, but eating in a way that maximizes nutrition for your body. Eat whole foods, and avoid modern, processed, and refined foods. And it's about following a plan that works best for you, whether that's 100%, 90%, or 75% commitment. Everyone's goals are different.

I made the choice to go Paleo to improve my athletic performance. Being an endurance athlete, I found that I was losing energy at times that didn't make sense, I was getting injured for unexplainable reasons, and my body was not adequately recovering from even the shorter workouts. The results were noticeably different when I started making different food choices.

The good news for me is that those were the food choices that already tasted good to me. But now, with the rising popularity of the Paleo Diet, other people are publishing research that makes me all the more adamant about my choice. Additionally, when I stumble upon a new Paleo cookbook, I feel like a kid in a candy store. The options are endless and it tastes so good!

But, back to the m&m's. I don't ever want to be a freak about my eating choices. I still want to go out to dinner, attend parties and other social events, and not feel like I can never eat certain foods. The most memorable piece of advise I received on this subject was from someone who told me, "In your choice to eat Paleo, you don't ever want to become the weirdo in the corner at a party counting your almonds while everyone else enjoys their meal."

Exactly! I don't want to fool myself into thinking that my mile times will decrease exponentially with every m&m I put in my mouth. That's just silly. However, I will start to see problems when one m&m turns into 50 - after every meal. Moderation, people! So, with that in mind, I will continue to eat my m&m's because I love them.

Here's the bottom line: I am a firm believer in the Paleo Diet to some degree or another, and have never once regretted my decision all those years ago. Don't knock it before you try it. It's at least worth considering.