Just the beginning

I've been trying for a while to find a way to start this thing that isn't entirely awkward. Since that hasn't happened yet, I guess I'll just jump right in ... I have been, oh, mildly obsessed with healthy-living blogs for a few years now. I've been looking for an excuse to start my own, and now it seems I have one! I recently joined a nutrition program through my CrossFit gym (or box, whatever you want to call it), and I decided that a blog might help keep me accountable and give me an outlet through which I can simply "talk" about the ups and downs and everything in between. I started going to CrossFit in November, so I'm still new at it, but I love everything about it. Before starting CrossFit, I was an avid runner and just generally enthusiastic about fitness and nutrition. It was actually my interest in Paleo that brought me to CrossFit, not the other way around.

So a little bit more about this nutrition program: I signed up with a group of about 15 other people from the gym. The first day we took measurements, got our body fat percentages measured and had our "before" photos taken. The program itself is essentially a way to make the transition from the SAD (Standard American Diet), to the Paleo lifestyle. So, we get points for sleeping 7 hours a night or more, drinking 3 liters of water a day or more, eating Paleo and avoiding processed junk, grains and dairy. We're allowed up to 2 glasses of wine per week and 1-2 oz of dark chocolate, you know, so we don't kill anybody. Going in to it, I didn't really have any major outward body composition goals. I'm a petite person already, so I'm not really concerned with losing a bunch of weight (although I wouldn't be opposed to leaning out and gaining more definition). I'm actually more concerned with gaining strength and muscle mass, particularly in the lower body. Right now the group is actually on day 1 of week 2, so I thought I'd break down my overall feelings about the first week.

Week 1:
I actually found the transition to be very challenging initially. Not so much with cravings, but just with how I felt overall. I was so sluggish the second day that one of my patients actually asked me if I was sick! She said I just looked exhausted, and she was right. I felt completely drained and honestly just short-tempered and bitchy. But despite feeling completely exhausted, I didn't really yearn for sugar in order to pull myself out of the funk, which surprised me! I have also been surprised that my formerly ridiculous addiction to Diet Mountain Dew hasn't yet gotten the best of me. I went from having about 3 a day to none at all, and there was only one day so far where I even thought about having one! I did, however, partake in our weekly wine and chocolate allowance, indulging in 2.5 glasses of wine (so I deducted a point from my weekly total) and two pieces of dark chocolate. This is a huge improvement for me, as I am used to having sweets or a treat after nearly every meal. Anyway, week 1 is behind me and I can honestly say that I feel as though my energy levels have returned to normal (if not slightly above). So as I begin week 2, I will try to continue to post updates and blab my way through it all.