Paleo Diet and Health Update

I am soooo bad with keeping this blog updated.  But the good news is that means I have been busy all year...which means that I have been feeling better...which means that I have had the energy to do all the things that have kept me busy all year :).

This was a picture of me and Bean in July 2011 before I started the Paleo Diet.

This is a picture of me with my Sis in August 2012.  One year after going Paleo.  I dropped 26 lbs. just following the Paleo Diet.  My Fibromyalgia pain is about 90% controlled.  It only flares up when I cheat on my diet. or overdo it physically.  I haven't taken any narcotic painkillers in about 9 months.  I take non-narcotic Tramadol about 3 times a week still during flare ups. I went from a size 14/16 on the bottom to a size 10.  From a size Large to XL on top to a size Small.  I went from 175 lbs down to 149lbs.  Instead of having only 4 good days a month, I now only have 4 bad days a month.  I finally feel like I have my LIFE BACK!  I am active with my kids, instead of just being in their lives floating around and just getting through each day, I am actually enjoying each day, making plans for the future, and getting back in shape.

For the last 11 months, I didn't really work out other than just being active with my kids and playing with them.  But a month ago, I just felt STRONG.  I felt my body was ready to start being physical again.  So I made a plan through www.active.com to start run/walking again.  I am following their Couch to 5K running plan.  My goal is to run/walk the Girls On The Go 10K in March 2013 in San Diego.  http://www.girlsonthegorun.com/.  I have also started bike riding twice a week with my kids and lap swimming 1-2 times a week when I can squeeze it into the schedule.

On the Homeschool front...you all know that I homeschool our 2 kiddos, right?  We have Monkey (age 7 and starting second grade) and Bean (age 5 and starting Kindergarten).  Although both kids are ahead of their grade level in most subjects (just a little bragging here).  We have finished our 3rd official week of school.  We are using a Classical model curriculum called Tapestry of Grace Year 1.  I am more of an ecclectic type of teacher, so I have to modify this curriculum to fit our needs...but what homeschool teacher doesn't modify just about everything they use in the classroom?  I like it because it is a strong reading based curriculum that teaches Christian Bible History and secular/world history at the same time using lots of classical style books.  We also use Teaching Textbooks Math 3, Singapore Math 1A, A Reason for Spelling, Explode the Code, and Get Ready for the Code. 

Like I mentioned before, I am finally able to actually make plans for the future and not worry about  having to cancel at the last minute because of my Fibro pain...whoohoo!  So this school year, I decided to co-lead a class for our weekly co-op through CFS Poway.  www.cfspoway.org.  A year ago, I would not have been able to make this kind of committment. 

For my homeschool followers, I will do another post specifically on our homeschool life so as not to bore the folks who just want to follow my Fibro/Paleo journey.

Well, that's my well overdue health update.  Hope all of you are doing well.