My Paleo Birthday…And I’m NOT Having Cake!

Today's my birthday and since it does feel like a special occasion, I thought it would be a good time to talk about something that I'm often asked: "Don't you ever crave chocolate/sugar/cookies/cakes etc….?".

NO.

I'm not kidding and I do not have super-human will power.

I simply have identified which foods make me feel absolutely horrible (those containing grains, dairy or legumes) and have chosen to avoid them as such.

It's really not that hard, and no, it's not 'worth it' to me to eat a piece of cake or a plate of beans with cheese given how I'll feel if I even have a bit.  I have a friend who is following some sort of diet given to her my her doctor, and apparently every weekend she allocates herself a 'cheat meal' and eats her favorite pasta- Fettucini Alfredo, knowing that her stomach is going to be wrecked the next day.  However, she chooses to do it every single weekend!

Yes, The Paleo Diet book discusses an '85% rule' whereby one might opt to eat Paleo 85% of the time, and The Paleo Diet for Athletes actually suggests that endurance athletes can choose grain-based foods in and around training.  

My own choice, after experimenting with partially Paleo, and not being Paleo at all until I first learned about it in 2005, is that I feel so much better always keeping Paleo that it doesn't make sense for me to include those other items in my diet at all.

Not even for birthday cake.

I will, however, be sure to enjoy a glass of my favorite red wine!