Happy Independence Day!

Today is the day! It's time to get started... I am a firm believer that you can't get what you want until you set some goals. So in this post I am going to set some smaller, attainable goals that will ultimately lead me to what I want my end result to be. I say end result, but I have a feeling that there really is no end, just improvements-- and there's always room for more of those! So, here goes:

Ultimate goals:

1) By this time next year I will be 150 pounds or less, and have a BMI between 21-24%. Currently I weigh 177 and have a BMI somewhere in the range of 25-30% which is considered overweight. This means I want to loose 27 pounds and decrease my BMI by4 to 6% within the next year. Totally doable.

2) I want to wear a size 8 or less. Currently I wear a 12 to 14 so I want to go down at least 3 pants sizes within the next year. Also totally doable.

Baby Steps:

In order to reach my ultimate goals, I am going to set some s

mall goals with due dates so I can measure my progress.

1) By August 4th I will have lost 7 pounds and lowered my BMI by 1%. This will put me at 170.

2) By August 4th I will be loosely fitting into all my size 12's and wearing size 10's that I haven't pulled out of my drawers in a couple years.

In order to reach my goals, I need to lay out a game plan. But before I do that I need to explain what I understand about the basic science behind living primal. Science says that insulin controls the majority of our body functions, including the regulation of blood sugar, but even more so, the storage of fat in the body (as well as many other things that I am still learning about). Conventional wisdom tells us that fats are bad, especially cholesterol, and it should be avoided. We should focus our diet on whole-grain and low-fat foods. This is what I have been doing all along and was the basis for my skepticism. When I dug into the research (which I am still working on understanding completely--but I have the basics) a lot made sense to me. Simply put, carbs are bad, and fats are our friends. Carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body and are burned quickly with the help of insulin. This leaves the body starving for more and more carbohydrates to keep the body fueled. If you have ever experienced a mid-morning crash (sleepy, no energy, etc.) or a crash an hour or so after lunch, this is due to the fact that your body has used up and burned all the carbs you put in. Conversely, fat and protein burn much slower than processed carbohydrates. They tend to sustain you longer without the crash and tired irritable feelings. When you consume carbs and fats in the same meal, insulin automatically burns the carbs (which we usually overload on) and as a result the fat gets stored, causing us to gain fat and weight. By eliminating the processed carbs, our bodies will burn the fat as fuel instead.

I want to make a very important distinction. I have been using the phrase processed carbohydrates, referring to carbohydrates that must be processed and altered before we can eat them. Things like processed sugar, grains (even whole-grain and corn), and soy. I am NOT talking about natural carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits. I fully intend on eating veggies to my heart's desire and enjoying fruit every now and then as well.

For a more detailed explanation, check out Primal 101 at marksdailyapple.com. It is full of facts and figures and FAQ's about the primal philosophy and way of life.

Now, back to my game plan:

1) Eliminate the bad carbs and eat (lots) more vegetables. The more colorful the better!

2) Enjoy great cuts of meat... again, organic, grass-fed, not anything that was processed and pumped full of nitrates and other chemicals.

3) Don't feel guilty about eating bacon and eggs! They are yummy and full of good fats and protein!

4) Exercise in the form of play, and things I enjoy. Not working out to the point of exhaustion and fatigue. Things like going for more walks with Lucy every day, sprinting occasionally, and just spending more time being active and playing outside.

5) Keep reading and learning more about the Primal/Paleo lifestyle so I can make educated decisions and be able to communicate the basics to people, like me, who are skeptics.

Finally, I want to post a couple pictures of me now so we can have something to compare me to as I go along.

These two pictures are of me last week on vacation with my family. The first picture is of me in front of Mt. Rainier. I am clearly not comfortable. The second picture is of me and my dad. I didn't feel comfortable wearing anything but loose-fitting clothing. That's going to change!