In my list of twenty-five Paleo-ish things I've learned in the last year, the first one I chose is a heady quote by none other than the famous Jedi Master himself, Yoda.
'You must unlearn what you have learned. Try not...Do. Or do not. There is no try!'
It sounds so simple, but in reality very difficult. But that is just because we find it hard to take a leap of faith. We cling to what is safe and familiar. Bread is the staff of life, right? If you lift that barbell, you will hurt your back. Especially if you are a girl.
Let me break Yoda's words down a bit.
'You must unlearn what you have learned.'
I keep discovering this over and over again...just glance at yesterday's post about the pesto sauce. Crazy that it meant so much to rediscover one condiment, but rediscovery and re-purpose has been a recurrent theme for me this year. It isn't really like giving up stuff when so much goodness enters your life in its place. I can do without bread if the inflammation in my lumbar spine is gone. On a much different note, I can do without cheese if it means fitting into size two jeans. Yep, but more on the superficial stuff later. (But son-of-a-gun, I wear zeros and twos!)
The heavy business of unlearning is actually quite refreshing. Eat big food. I mean eat food with lots of dietary fat, food that is lower in carbs and food that is satisfying and you will stop eating so much. From everything I read it makes your brain happy and your hormones dance. Then the rest of you is happy and yep, the energy revs up. And you want to dance.
Many of us, like Hubs, dance in different ways...but we all want to and absolutely can dance.
'Try not...Do. Or do not. There is no try.'
Sounds very harsh and defeating at first, but it is truth. Truth is uplifting because it adds the fundamental element of success. If you start out knowing what you must do, there is no room for cheating or doubt. Many friends have asked me what kind of treats we have. In all honesty, we don't. It's okay. Srsly. There is no trying not to eat gluten. Too many carbs will simply turn into fat and increase inflammation in your entire, yep yep yep your entire body. That is it. Be mindful of the fundamentals and success will find you.
There is no try in lifting weights at the gym either. I either get that barbell off the floor or I don't. Simple. If the weight doesn't leave the floor, that is my limit.
Last week, my limit was a two hundred fifteen pound deadlift. Off the floor, I lifted it.
Now that felt good. Well, no it didn't, I just lied, it was hard and freaking heavy and my hands hurt. But you will not find that kind of personal success by eating a cupcake. Promise.
Lifting weights and pushing yourself hard at exercise is the way your muscles dance. I read over and over again that diet is most important to our overall health and well being...like eighty percent of it. But the twenty percent that is exercise is so much fun. It goes together so well.
And lifting weights is the way Hubs can truly dance. Guy has two left feet and can't catch a beat to save his soul, but he is a bad-ass Crossfitter. (I am working on being a baby bad-ass.)
If you are reading this and the whole Paleo lifestyle interests you for some reason, I know you will either do it or not. There is no doing it for a while...you have to take that leap for good.
If you take that leap, I promise I'll be here to hold your hand!
Take good care, k.
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