This is my review of the program “7 Steps to Paleo” by Jenna Shannon. First a little about myself and how i was converted to the Paleo lifestyle. During high school and college I went to the gym almost every day. I could eat whatever I wanted and still looked great. I had all the energy I needed to do anything I wanted to do. Then life snuck up on me and over 10 years things changed dramatically. I got married and we had four kids. I settled into my profession as an accountant, sitting at a desk most of the day. I stopped making time to exercise and once I hit 30 my weight started to spiral out of control. I went from weighing 200 pounds steadily up to top out at 300 pounds. One day I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn’t believe what I had become. I was sluggish and tired all the time. I knew I needed to make a change or else I would be forced to when I had a heart attack.
I joined a gym and tried to get back in shape. I quickly found out that at 35 I couldn’t train the same way I did when I was 20. My body at 300 pounds simply wouldn’t do it. I worked out 3 times a week and didn’t see much improvement. I expressed my frustration to someone at the gym and they asked about my diet. I was told all the working out in the world won’t do much without a proper diet. I started my search for a new diet, not a quick fix but a lifestyle change. Fortunately for me I found the Paleo diet and this 7 step program. I can honestly say this program has changed my life.
This is truly how our bodies were meant to eat. The first two weeks were pretty rough. I went through serious carb withdrawals. This is sometimes referred to as the “carb flu”. Following the Jenna’s 7 step program gave me the motivation I needed to stick with it. I remember that first week, by Saturday night I was ready to throw in the towel. My wife suggested I get on the scale to see if I’d made any progress. I was shocked to see I had already lost 8 pounds in one week. After that I was committed. I was never hungry and I didn’t need to count calories. I did have cravings but not hunger. The cravings went away after the first two weeks. I lost 40 pounds in two months. It felt so great to have people notice the change. I started wearing clothes I had grown out of years ago. I kept all my “fat” clothes to wear when I’m working in the yard. My weight loss slowed to about 2 pounds a week after the initial 40 pounds. I feel great and know this is a lifestyle I can live the rest of my life. I tested my blood pressure the other day at the grocery store and it was within a normal range for the first time in as long as I can remember. Another change I’ve noticed is my seasonal allergies have gone away. It’s amazing how many things we suffer with because of the traditional American diet. I wish you all the best as you pusue your own lifestyle change for the better.