Here we go Primal!

 Yep, folks, we've gone Primal. For the last month and a half or so, I've been studying a lot about the "primal" way of eating. If you know us, you know that JayC and I had a rough last year with all our health problems. JayC has a hernia that has never stopped giving him pain, even after three surgeries. (Yep, THREE, and I no longer wonder why I've always had an aversion to doctors...) Also, JayC has a little bit of a gut that sticks out and he has the constant stress of having to lose weight for the military. I've had my own problems with major back pain, which have come and gone since June of last year. Thanks to a couple of great chiropractors, I'm now mostly pain free, but I have flare-ups now and then, which makes it hard to function normally as a mother of two young children. Anyway, so we have our reasons, but mostly I just want a better, healthier life for me and my family. I want to wake up in the morning feeling energized and I don't want to be addicted to sugar anymore. I want to have more motivation to exercise to help strengthen the muscles in my back to prevent future pain. I also want to lose weight and get back to the size I was when I was in college!

 In my search, I found a book called The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson, and it explains exactly the way I want to eat and the life I want to live, so we're giving it a try. I would highly suggest checking out his ideas on marksdailyapple.com and getting a better idea of what eating primal is. Basically, he suggests we should be eating like the cavemen did: high protein, low carb (besides lots of healthy fruit and vegetables), and lots of healthy fats. Forget eating processed foods (including bread), low fat, and all junk food, because that's the stuff that got us where we are today. Here's Mark's Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid:


 So basically, that's the scoop on why we're doing this, and I feel like it's not just a diet, but more a way of living. (Kind of like being LDS, which we are!) I'd also like to report that I'm totally sold on the primal way of life, because JayC has already lost 18 lbs so far! He's looking great and feeling better already! So I'm starting this blog to help me stay motivated mostly, but to also let me share my favorite recipes that I find through my new way of eating. I've already found quite a few that are delicious, so I can't wait to share!