In our society we focus quite a bit on labels and categories. We’re big on checking boxes aren’t we? The thing is we almost never perfectly fit into one category. It’s more like we mostly fit in one place but we also kind of fit with another. So we typically check the box that mostly describes us, but isn’t really a true or completely accurate depiction of ourselves.
Think about your politics for a minute, so that the run-on sentences up above make a little more sense. 😉 Do you completely and totally align with any one political party? I’d bet money, lots of money, that you don’t. You might agree mostly with one but have differing opinions or beliefs on some issues.
Often times we need to make up our own category in order to truly check the box that is the right fit for us. Ummm…….can I get a Puerto Rican, Japanese & Mexican combination box added to the ethnicity section please? Because when you force me to choose just one, it doesn’t really define me.
That’s how I feel about my diet and lifestyle as well. Yes, I’m a paleo momma. That doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally order an iced coffee with a tiny splash of cream and some raw sugar from Starbucks. I mean, a girl’s gotta live right?
I have friends and family that will comment all the time about how they can’t believe how “good” I am that I’ll just pass by the potato casserole and the biscuits on the buffet line at gatherings.
But I’m really not that “good” all the time.
I wanted to write this post because since I shared my paleo journey with you all and share recipes from time to time, a lot of you have messaged me to tell me that you were inspired to make changes in your diets. And woohoo – yes, I love to hear that you’ve found some inspiration here to help you board the healthy train!
But I want to be real with you and let you know that I allow myself to cheat from time to time because I don’t want you to feel like it’s an all or nothing kind of thing. I know a lot of naysayers of the paleo diet will say that it’s not a sustainable diet because it’s just too restrictive. And I think they’re right in a way. If you try to stay 100% paleo 100% of the time, you will probably not want to stay on the paleo bandwagon for too long.
So here’s how I live, and I’ve been living the paleo life since January of 2013.
I am anti gluten 100% of the time. I never cheat on gluten because gluten gets all “Carrie Underwood Before He Cheats” whenever I stray. 😉
I am mostly grain free. I don’t keep grains in my pantry, so I never cook or bake with them at home. Occasionally, I’ll indulge in a gluten free treat. Not very often but sometimes. The new gluten free bakery here in Lexington is testing me. 😉 And I’ll sometimes order soft tacos on corn tortillas at a Mexican restaurant – oh, the horror! I mean, it’s in the blood for pete’s sake, so I kind of have to right?
I am mostly dairy free. Like I mentioned above, occasionally I’ll grab an iced coffee while I’m out running errands. Coffee shops don’t have almond milk but I can’t drink black coffee; so I have no other choice.
I don’t do legumes. ever. Mainly because I don’t miss them so why bother?
I stay away from refined sugar. I don’t buy sugar. I don’t bake with sugar. I use coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup, but even those are limited. I will occasionally indulge in a gluten free muffin, cupcake or cookie from the bakery but not very often. Sugar makes me want more sugar. It’s a slippery slope for me as I’ve always had a sweet tooth, so I’m cautious.
If I could create my own category I would say that I’m a “nutrio”. I literally just made that up right now.
A nutrio is a person who eats nutrient dense food – who mostly steers clear of processed, packaged food in favor of fresh food that is perishable – who cares very much about the way an animal was raised and the way produce was grown – who believes food is the body’s best medicine but also that it isn’t just about feeding our bodies, it’s about feeding our souls – who believes that we have taste buds for a reason – who believes that food is meant to be celebrated and to celebrate with – who believes that life is too short to live and die by a list of can eats and can’t eats.
So you can call me paleo – mostly paleo – a bacon eater – a kale chip lover – an organic produce buyer – a gluten free girl – a whole food fanatic – an advocate for small, local farms – a McDonald’s hater – a Coke Zero deserter – but when it comes right down to it, I’m a nutrio.
And I’ve never felt better or been in better health…………..and I can’t wait to see where this journey will take me.
If you’re a 100% paleo 100% of the time person – that. is. awesome! But, I wouldn’t want anyone to throw in the paleo towel because they want to be able to drive through Starbucks every now and then or because they want to celebrate a birthday with a cupcake they didn’t have to bake themselves. I hope someday there are more paleo treats offered at bakeries and restaurants, but for now I think what’s most important is that you stay focused on the overall big picture. Your overall well being is about more than a list of food you can or can’t eat, isn’t it?
What boxes have you felt forced into? Do you make up your own categories too? Last time I filled out an information sheet, under the ethnicity section I wrote in “it’s complicated”, but I’d like to write in “Why does it matter?” or “ain’t nobody got time to check these boxes”.
Thank you for this post! I think a lot of people are too strict about their diets (especially paleo people), but it's important to live! What is the point of being healthy if you can't enjoy life? I have a cheat day and it makes it so much easier to stick to my diet. And, I can plan my cheat day around social events so that I can partake in whatever food/beverages.
As for checking a box for your ethnicity, I always check "prefer not to respond" because it's just irrelevant.