Motivation Monday

Does your pursuit for paleo perfectionism steal the joy from your life?

You aren’t alone!

I see it all the time with people who are struggling to make diet changes, because it feels completely overwhelming to them. They think it has to be “all or nothing,” every day, and often say things like: “I can’t eat out at any restaurants because the meat isn’t grassfed and I don’t know what oils they’re using, or I can’t afford to buy 100% organic, or I’ve cut out every last speck of sugar”…the list goes on and on.

I can’t blame them, who wouldn’t go crazy if they thought that way?!

Of course there will be an adjustment period when you’re changing the way you eat, and it can take a little time to find your groove. Figuring out exactly what foods work for you is an incredible feeling, and also helps you to be more in control of your own life.

 

If the pursuit of paleo perfectionism is completely stressing you out, then what’s the point?

 

Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly a time and a place for being super strict with what you’re eating. If you’re working on healing your body, then that would definitely be a great time to really dial in your diet. Some people choose to be strict all of the time, because they perform and feel better, and that’s okay too!

If you’re in a place where you aren’t healing from a serious illness, I believe it can really do you a whole lotta good to let go of thinking that you have to be perfect. Letting go and not obsessing over the food you eat can really bring back a lot of joy into your life. I know that was the case for me!

I was really strict with what I ate for nearly two years, because I knew my body had a lot of healing to do. This past year I’ve relaxed quite a bit about the food that I eat, and I can tell you that it’s made me a much happier and relaxed person. I already know gluten is something that I react very poorly to, so it’s not something I even consider to be food for me. Some gluten-free grains however, I do fine with on occasion. When you’ve been sick for so long, and then you work hard to heal your body, it’s pretty awesome to be able to just enjoy life and let go a little!

The reason I know that I can eat this way for the rest of my life is because I really enjoy it, and it doesn’t feel restrictive at all. Over time I’ve found what works for me, and I know what I can get away with, and what I can’t.

I know healing from an illness can be really tough, but don’t forget to really enjoy life and relax whenever possible! Life is meant to be fun!

 

I leave you with this challenge for the week –

If you find yourself completely stressing out over something this week, take a step back and ask yourself if the stress is really necessary. If not, do your best to let it go and move on! Life is short!

I’d love to hear from you in the comments! 

Are you more of a perfectionist, or do you easily relax into things?

Have you ever made diet changes that just felt too hard to stick with?

What’s your absolute favorite food to eat? Mine is anything Italian or Mexican!