Pre-(NOT!)... POST-Primal Holiday Primer

So remember that time I was going to post a Primal Primer for the Holidays?

WHOOPS.

SORRY! Primal Goober.

Due to the stress, anxiety and worry of this time of year, my Primal Holiday was an epic fail. Like three nights of macaroni-and-cheese epic. Like chocolate-chip-cookies-for-breakfast-because-I-had-no-groceries kind of epic.

The question now is, “Rachel, why are you sharing your misgivings with us? We would have believed you if you said you hunted down a deer yourself and ate bone marrow soup this Christmas.”

Well my Cave-Kids, it’s because I am human…and living the paleo life isn't easy, but HUMANS really can do it. And because making mistakes is SUPER human (not to be confused with “superhuman”…that comes later). After dealing with the “oh crap, Rachel, you know you shouldn't have done that,” I feel it is important that I share with you the effects of eating like a goober over the holidays:

#1. I am equipped with a migraine, now going on its THIRD DAY. (Oh, Carb Flu, we meet again! Get wise on this beast with this article at Mark’s Daily Apple)

#2. I am crazy lethargic and stupid cranky. (Ps. Thanks to all who deal with me on a daily basis for still being my friend.)

#3. Muscle cramps, stomach cramps, neck cramps from holding up my stupid migraine-head, mental fogginess and overall feeling that I've been in a blender.

Back on track: chicken thigh, veggies,
spaghetti squash

It’s only been three months, but my whole existence now knows what it feels like to…well, FEEL GOOD: to feel healthy, efficient, hydrated, nutrient-rich, clean, sexy, and superhuman because of the way that I eat (and exercise…which I have also flaked on over the holidays). Thus in choosing to go back to old, inefficient, detrimental habits, I’m paying for it.

So I know in my heart and in my head, the only option is getting back on track. I’m pretty sure I could fill a swimming pool with the amount of water I’ve had today; I ate an AMAZING paleo-rific lunch and I’ll be off to the WOD tonight with a little extra workshop as I prepare for my competition next month. And you know what? Just making the decision to get back on track actually put a smile on my face. I crafted my usual to-do list for the New Year today, and it was filled with some really awesome, healthy, and courageous plans for my body and my efforts. I'm beyond ready, because HOLY COW, I’m done feeling like crap.

2013 is the year for us all to be SUPERHUMAN. ;)

This Primal Yoga as Ms. Marvel

Until next time, Cave-Kids: It’ll be a New Year, 3 week until my first competition and an audition, and full of endless opportunity. Damn, that’s awesome.

Grr…urg…LOVE,

This Primal Yogi

Get me your "Before & After"

Let me begin by saying, I'm not one to look back.
It's in my Sagittarian nature, as well as my yogi-code, to live "in the moment" and without regret as much as I can. There were times...years even...where I let myself fall into the woe of not-letting-go, and I just didn't jive with it. I'm going to be me, NOW, and live each moment as my lil' heart tells me to live it.

Which is why--when earlier this week Strapping-Young-Trainer-Tommy yelled over, "Rrrrrach! Send me your before & after"--I may have panicked.

"I'm pretty sure I've burned all those old photos..." 
Yes, I'm quick to the joke, but really I had no idea if I even had photos of myself from before. Pictures get taken and I leave them behind. I leave the thought of who I was in the moment...well, IN that moment. And when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it...there are a lot of previous "Me's" that I don't want to see. I know each of them...and there is that teeny, tiny, doubtful voice in the back of my mind that says,

"Don't look back. What if you really haven't come that far?"

"I really don't think I've changed though..."

I can admit now that I greatly appreciated his reaction: a scoff of disbelief and a punch in the arm.  Even Awesome-Idol-Trainer-Dana gave me a squeeze and a "You're so skinny!" But let me tell you, stepping up to the plate of my laptop the next day to sort through photos was a challenge I hadn't expected.  I started out with blinders on, just looking for something from RIGHT before I started at the gym. Photos from February 2012, during the run of RENT I was in. I stared those images down as if I could burn a hole through the screen, Superman-style. I was not a happy girl then. It was a tumultuous time in my life and just about EVERYTHING was in upheaval. I reflected that physically.

And I accept that now...because I've taken control.

SO: I rolled up my sleeves and said, "Rachel...let's do this."

I went  back 6 years.

In 6 years, I have been so many people. So many sizes. So many degrees of happy, sad, tired, alive, loved, left...

But this is the first time in 6 years, I feel completely in control and on the right path--with my body, diet, and all around wellness. And it is because of that, that I'm going to share with you the journey I have been on; photos that I haven't even been willing to look at my self for years!

If I'm going to act like my opinion matters...I should show you why I think it does.

Because I'm happy. Because I HAVE come a long way.

And dammit...because I look good.

Layin' it all out there.

I can only hope that whether it's our bodies, our states-of-mind, our careers, that one day we all can take the time (obviously, coming from a SUPER positive place) and reflect on where we've been...and where we're going.

Until next time, Cave-Kids.

Grr...urg...LOVE,

This Primal Yogi

They Say It's Your Birthday...

This Primal Yogi learned two very important things on her birthday this year:

She can’t party like she used to…

AND

She’s can’t recover like she used to either.

 Now let me begin by saying that I was never the “party animal.” I grew up a bit of a prude, thus I was never that well practiced at going wild. But all in all, I could hold my own. I was also 20 pounds heavier and eating ALL kinds of crap that was surely gumming up my symptom and masking the effects in a haze of discomfort instead of total annihilation. Yet now, after years of cleaning up my eating-act and recently going SUPER PALEO (gluten/dairy/sugar-free!), everything that I put down my gullet affects me IMMEDIATELY. Whether it’s the delicious, healthy and hearty dinner I had of T-Bone steak, roasted asparagus and Brussels sprouts….or the three glasses of champagne that went along with it. Giggles McGee here left this early birthday dinner (FYI: not driving!) completely satiated, but also rosy cheeked and rather chatty. I got home thinking, “HEYO, this is new.”

And I know it’s not just me! I've heard many people do this kind of reflecting; listing the hours of beer pong and throwing back shots they would do in college, and getting queasy at the thought of it now. I can even fondly remember popping out of bed the next morning, bright-eyed and bushy tailed after spending the evening in my friend’s room because I didn't want to (i.e. couldn't and shouldn't ) drive home that night. As if the night before I was actually secretly taking shots of water and mixing my club soda with…well, more club soda.

Before...

When the big birthday came, even with the proper preparation—like a pre-game snack of a mega-smoothie and roasted chicken thigh, and even going a little crazy with ribs and sweet potato fries for dinner—my delicate 27-year-old constitution just didn't want to withstand that evening’s libation corruption.  A few sweet concoctions out with friends from the box, and then an adventure of karaoke and brewskies in the city, and this primal prima donna was DONE. Home and instantly to sleep.

...After.

The next day, I had thoroughly intended to bask in the beautiful weather and maybe get a few things done on the day after my birthday…but my brain had other plans. In fact, Brain said, “GIRL! Cancel all your plans; your punishment is to sit on the couch, unable to find a comfortable position that doesn't also make you want to ralph, and reflect on what you've done!”

Just the thought of watching other people work on their kipping pull up made me sea-sick, and I sadly had to relinquish my spot in the coveted gymnastics class. An entire day lost!

Let me now state that I am in NO WAY saying that I should go back to the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) lifestyle so I can throw back more brews with my homies. AND this is not to say that Primal/Paleo eaters are more susceptible to hangovers –‘cause that’s just not true either.

Eating crappy and not exercising as much always had me in a bit of a funk, so a hangover was just “one more thing.” I was perfectly trained to cope. Now that I eat well, I realize the pros and the cons of my indulgences. This is more of a light bulb moment, where I understand that I honestly do like how I’m eating now. I really enjoy how I’m feeling recently. Hell, I’m even fond of how I’m looking naked these days! And I know that it’s up to me to keep it that way; I’m no longer in the age-range where health/beauty/recovery come easily, and if fact…(*gulp*) I’m aware that it only gets harder from here to maintain this goodness.

Just for some fun, here are a few stats (From the article by Sharon Basaraba, “How Your Body Changes with Age”) about the womanly figure--just kicking me in the pants to make sure I stay on track:

from skinnyconfidentail.com

1. For women, healthy body fat percentages range from 21-33% (age 20-39 yrs) and between 23-34% (age 40-59 yrs).*These figures, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are based on U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommendations of a healthy body mass index range between 19-25.
2. In women, a drop in estrogen levels with menopause coincides with a shift of fat from the lower portion of the body (a "pear" shape), toward the midsection (an "apple" shape). This "belly fat" is comprised of both subcutaneous fat under the abdominal skin, as well as fat that accumulates around organs, called visceral adipose tissue, deep within the abdomen.
3. Some researchers estimate a yearly 1% loss of muscle mass, after the age of 30. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, a smaller proportion of muscle on your body has implications for your overall weight and health, as well as a loss of overall strength, and increased disability.
4. Bone mineral density peaks around the age of 30, then may diminish -- especially in women in the first years after menopause -- putting you at risk of bone-thinning diseases like osteopenia, and osteoporosis. 

So instead of wasting a day in my jammers on the couch debating horrible food choices to calm my swirling brain, I should maybe pull back on my evening intake. Still enjoy that glass or two of wine, but skip the “I’ll have what he’s having” approach.

Oh, and don’t worry: I may have learned my lesson, but I still had a swell birthday. J

IN FACT! I took my awesome lil’ mama out to get a tattoo!

Mark Ferris @ Under the Gun Saloon.
Go get a tattoo...NOW!

Until next time, Cave-Kids.

Oh, and just in case we’re all still a little slow to our “getting-too-old-for-this-shit” realizations, here are some Basic Primal Preventative Hangover Measures brought to you by Mark’s Daily Apple.

• Drink until you’re buzzed, then stop. Drink, but avoid drunkenness. Let your glutathione catch up with your acetaldehyde.
• Drink water with your alcohol. Have a glass handy throughout the night. If you order a drink from the bartender, get a water with it and slam it down before your sip your liquor. This should help keep you hydrated. Even better – sprinkle a bit of mineral-rich sea salt in the water to provide electrolytes.
• Eat before you drink. An empty stomach makes for a cheap drunk, yeah, but also a bad morning.
• Eat while you drink. Something fatty, like a rich cheese, is perfect, especially with wine. An old trick in certain Mediterranean countries is to take a big spoonful of olive oil before a night of drinking.
• Drink two large glasses of water immediately before bed. Again, add sea salt for the electrolytes. You can also drink Pedialyte or coconut water for added electrolytes. Even if you've overdone it with the drinks, slamming the fluids before bed can mitigate the worst of what’s to come.

Grr...urg...LOVE,

This Primal Yogi

 

*SOON ON THE BLOG*

A Primal Holiday Primer