Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Tasty Intro

I can't imagine anyone could go through their whole lives and never utter the statement, "if only I knew then what I know now." Today had one of those moments. The other day I was trying out a recipe for making almond milk. Yes, I know you can't milk an almond, but that doesn't mean you are unable to get delicious milk from one.If you have ever made your own almond milk then you know that you have to soak, blend and strain almonds to get a glass of goodness. Well in the process of straining I kept thinking there has to be something I can do with this pulp. Behold after skimming Facebook while my daughter was napping I found a recipe for Almond Pulp Cookies! What? Nothing could have been a better find to my question! I mean come on milk and cookies there never was a better combination! After my excitement mellowed I realized that is how my entire journey in discovering health has been wondering how I didn't know this sooner. Imagine what a difference it would be in my present life if I had only known!

My whole life I have been the chubby kid. Heck if people still used the term I would still fit the definition. Sometimes I cared sometimes I didn't, but it was always very present in my life. From an early age my mom tried to help. She had been chubby throughout her childhood and eventually lost the weight in high school. It was very loving that she didn't want me to go through the same teasing and hurt feelings that she did, however, not every approach was in the best way. Lets just say anything she was doing to keep weight off I did too. Not necessarily the best method and it definitely made me aware of my body and how it differed from the other kids.
Anyway, I grew up right when companies discovered that they can sell weight loss. And boy did they. Mom tried everything and I tried almost all of it through out my life. Some worked, but most were to extreme to keep up the results especially when they don't require you to change a single thing about your own habits. Most of my young adult life I was able to maintain an average between fifteen pounds or so. Half the time I would try and the other half I wouldn't. Hence the big weight gap. I didn't know then but there was more to the story that I needed. 
After giving birth to my daughter I started to become a researcher. Like any new mother I researched every little thing that had to do with my bundle of joy, but quickly became panicked by the extreme opposite answers for literally every topic so I ditched the web. In January of this year I did a Whole 30 with some mom friends and boy did that spark something. Keep in mind I was still juggling being a new mom and wife so my diet wasn't perfect, although, that Whole 30 led to lighting up the researcher in me again! I quickly learned about the Paleo World and I have been striving to switch my family over completely. In these last seven months we had an out of state move and had to start our business from the ground up again so it hasn't been the smoothest transition. I do feel that we are finally in a place where we are fully on board as a family, we recognize the benefits of eating this way, and I'm less irritable which really makes my hubby happy!
So no I am not an expert, but I am the girl who has tried everything the market has to offer and gained even more weight. I am the one who has unknowingly starved herself by not feeding herself enough in cutting calories. Oh yea and I am the one who is so fed up of not feeling comfortable in my own skin that I know it is time to do things differently. This is where I will document my journey of both success and frustrations, and be willing to dig deeper with health fads of chia seeds and kombucha. All in all I want what anyone wants for their health optimal health and their food to taste good! Let's taste new health together!