We are bit late announcing this, but today marks the 1 year birthday of our website. When we first decided to start blogging about our meals, we made a commitment to ourselves, and each other that this was going to be our “way of life” for good. This was something that we discussed with each other that was empowering, as well as inspiring to us. We wanted to use ourselves, a young (and new) couple, as a source of inspiration to others looking to create healthy changes in their lives. Bill and I had only been dating for two months when we started this website, and within those two months we had already set the ground work for a long and healthy relationship, full of support, commitment, honesty, and love. All of those things we wanted to share with others through our recipes. We wanted to show that it is possible to be 20-something, and to have health be the number one priority in your relationship not just with yourself, but with each other as well. Now of course we wanted to reach out to everyone, all ages, in all circumstances, to provide inspiration for healthy eating and living, and we hope that we have accomplished that.
Today marks one year. The best year of my life (and I think Bill would agree, but he’s off playing the drums somewhere so I am only speaking for myself. Yes, I was a bad girlfriend and had to work tonight instead of going to see my drummer man in action. Sad face.). Anyway, best year of my life. I have whole heartedly embraced this lifestyle, and I am constantly learning, and growing through the whole process (Bill is as well). I almost do not remember the old me. The single me, who ate grains and didn’t eat beef (gasp!). Anyway, this has been, and is continuing to be a journey that I love and appreciate, and I am even more grateful that I get to share it all with my best friend. However, before you start thinking that I shit rainbows all day long, I will add that not all days are easy. Some, like today, are rough. I still have insecurities. I still have days when I struggle with my eating. I still have days when I get depressed, and I still have days when I’m stressed out. This is life. It is being human. It sucks, but it’s real.
Today was one of those days. The one year mark of our blog, and you’d think we’d be celebrating. Instead, I had a frown plastered on my face, a wrinkle between my eyebrows, and tears waiting to escape my eyes at any given moment. The past few months have been great, but rough for us. We have been extremely busy, stressed out, and not getting enough sleep. Not to mention our diets have been slacking. Now, by slacking I mean some alcohol here or there at family gatherings, dark chocolate that may or may not be 72 percent or higher, too much dried fruit, too much snacking, and we may or may not have indulged in dark chocolate topped with kerrygold cheese (Sound weird? Take our word for it and do not try it. It is amazing and you will hate us forever for turning you onto it. For real.).
So today was a meltdown for me. I was feeling frustrated with my eating, frustrated with the poor sleep I have been getting, and stressed about all the work that we have yet to finish in a short period of time. I was a mess, to say the least. Somehow, I don’t know how, but somehow, my wonderful boyfriend always knows when to swoop in and bring me back to reality from my little world of self destruction. I can’t exactly describe the feeling of being in my head, over analyzing everything about myself, feeling awful, and being incredibly hard on myself, and then out of nowhere I hear, “I love you.”. The feeling I can’t describe is the amazement that someone can love me unconditionally, and announce it to me, right at the moment when I am thinking so poorly of myself. That was today. When I finally was ready to open up and let go of the negativity I was holding onto, my knight in shining “i don’t eat crap” shirt swooped in with the perfect hug to take it all away. Being the wonderful, supportive, and loving man that he his, he got out a pen and paper, and wrote down our “plan of attack” for the next month to get our health back on track. And finally, I come to the real purpose of this post…
Bill and I are going to spend the month of July implementing as much of the Paleo/Primal lifestyle into our lives that we can. We are spending this month getting back to basics, and really focusing on good quality sleep, lots of water, lots of sunlight, as well as continuing with our efficient workouts. With that in mind, we want to invite you all to join us!
This isn’t a typical “30 day challenge”. It’s a chance to really take on accomplishing goals you may have set for yourself, but haven’t yet gotten around to really putting some serious effort into. That may be focusing on sleep, playing with your kids more, cutting out caffeine, drinking more water, ditching the shampoo (or deodorant!), washing your face with oil, getting more sunlight, sprinting once a week, lifting heavy, or kicking grains for good. We will be posting our progress to our Facebook page, and we hope you do as well. Comments, pictures of meals, bad hair days, sore muscles, sunburn (hopefully not!), all are welcome to share on our Facebook page. We encourage you to!
Here is a sneak peak of what July will look like for us:
Meals: 3 meals, plus snacks(if desired). Each meal containing quality protein, green(mostly) vegetables, and some fat. We will be mindful of portion sizes, but not obsess over it. The eating times we are shooting for are 10 am, 2 pm, and 6 pm for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sleep: 8 + hours a night (this is huge for us since we are always up late working).
Exercise: HIIT workouts 3 times a week in the gym or outside (crossfit style, sprints, etc). The rest of the week is walking and playing as much as we can outside.
I (Hayley) have been doing well with the “no-poo” and am going to continue that to see how it goes for the month. I’m really curious to see how my hair adjusts to it all. OCM is going well, and I’m slowly but surely figuring out what home made science experiment will work well to replace my all natural deodorant. Paleo body care all the way!
Here is to a month (and more!) of whole body health. Who is joining in with us?
I'll be the first to join you!! It's nice to know that I am not the only one who has ups and downs on this primal journey. I have had days like your's so many times and I feel like I just can't keep up. I'm too tired. I work too much. I don't get enough sleep. I don't feel like cooking, or packing my primal lunch. I guess, as long as we keep getting back on the horse, I guess. π
Thanks for posting this. I'm really new to the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, and it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who struggles. I accept your challenge!
Glad to hear it! We all have our ups and downs, and it can be hard to be mindful, and not too hard on yourself. Get back on the horse, and learn the lesson. Best way to go. π
Congrats you guys! You two are such a special couple and it's no secret I ADORE your blog! So excited that you threw in a cuss word in this post! See you guys in August! (Sheeeeeit, I gotta cut down on the exclamation points!!!)
Hi,
Well, just so you know (in case you didn't π ), EVERYONE struggles EVERYDAY! Not just with food, but with pretty much life in general! π
The big difference here is that you chose to share it with us! And for that we all like you even more. You have inspired even more people by showing us all how more human you are than the average person out there. Plus your generosity of having this blog in order to help others is without measure, and for that we all really appreciate you even more! So, THANK YOU!
π
@M-we can't wait to meet you too!!!!!! π
@John- No, thank you! What you said means a lot to me (us). Thank you for that wonderful message. Being open and taking responsibility for how things are going in your life is really empowering. Sometimes, you just gotta let it all out there :). Thanks for the wonderful response.
I keep forgetting that y'all are in your twenties! I think you are supposed to still have some insecurities when you are that young. π The fact that you and Bill felt connected enough to start this site after only 2 months is really amazing, and all of your work and efforts has made this part of the world a better place..can't wait to see what the future holds for you. But whatever it is, I know it is bright! See you in about 37 days!!
I've been following your guys' blog for awhile, and this post was just so well-timed I had to leave a comment on it to say how much I appreciate your writing! As a fellow 20-something trying to get my lifestyle to where I want it (but hindered by being currently abroad and far away from my own s.o.), I must say you did a perfect job of summarizing the frustration and rewards/hope of it all. Keep it up!
Hi Hayley! I'm right there with you. I definitely have been struggling lately and just try to remind myself that tomorrow is a new day, without any mistakes. That's how I cheer myself up.
I wanted to share my homemade deodorant recipe with you.
5-6 Tbsp Coconut oil
1/8 cup baking soda
1/3 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Essential oil (optional)
Add the powders together. Then slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon until it maintains the substance you desire. It should be about the same texture as the store bought kind, solid but able to be applied easily. It works great!
Oh, and I LOVE your blog! My husband and I are new to paleo and I have enjoyed so many of your recipes already! Thank you for sharing them all.
I'm a little relieved to read that this is challenging to you guys… Today was a bad day for me and I made excuses to justify why I was eating like crap. But, as I get ready for bed, I have to leave today behind me and move on to tomorrow. π I love your blog!! Can't wait to see your progress!
Funny timing… I just told my husband this morning that I was going to reinstitute a 30-day "paleo lockdown" on myself, because I've been falling off the wagon, so to speak, way too often lately. Time to get that nutrition back in check and get a reminder of why I am choosing this lifestyle! I mean, has anyone out there done paleo and not felt better, performed better, looked better, etc? π
Good luck! HIIT three times a week seems like a lot! What kind of workouts do you do?
You guys rock, and I echo everything that John said. I'm with you all the way. Also, glad nobody got Ron Swanson-ed with the mini-explosion! You had me scurred for a second there.
Hailey, after seeing your post on facebook & just using up the last of my shampoo today I'm going to start 'poo free' tomorrow. Yipes. Wish me luck. But I'm not telling any of my friends till they comment on how gorgeous I am! I want to try the OCM as well but I live on an island (in Japan) & can't find castor oil anywhere so I'll have to order it.