The Closet Needs A Cleaning!

Image from www.hercampus.com (A Boston University student who's created a nice resource for young college women)

I'm paleo-psyched this week!  I weighed in this morning at my lowest weight in years, 123 pounds, and had a great shopping trip yesterday.  My closet now includes two size 4 dresses, a pair of size 4 SKINNY pants (yep, SKINNY pants), and a pair of size 2 wide-legged trousers. Now I'm no fool.  I know that manufacturers are "vanity sizing" much of their clothing these days, so twenty years ago, these clothes may have been a couple of sizes bigger.  However, I also know that this fall I was thinking I might have to up my pants from size 10 petite to 12 because the weight just wasn't coming off no matter how healthy I thought I was eating and how much I was exercising.  I was almost ready to accept the necessity of getting larger as I hit the milestone of 50.  Now, let me specify that there is NOTHING wrong with size 10 or 12 or 14.  So much depends on your overall size and height.  But I'm tiny--5' 2" and petite all over (except for my narrow size 9.5 feet!) On a small person, 5 extra pounds can look like 10 or 15. More importantly, I wasn't feeling my absolute best.  I felt good and like I was fit, but not my best.  I too often felt bulky or bloated and truthfully it showed more mentally than physically.  I decided that I wasn't heading into my milestone birthday feeling dissatisfied or resigned.  The two times in my life when I've weighed less and felt the best have been when I've eaten a low-carb, paleo-style diet.  Hubris and denial kept me playing with other models over the past few years, but this is the reality.  This diet works for me--and I think it works for most people, but it means eschewing what we come to determine as "normal" eating.  It even means rejecting what has been labeled as "healthy" eating.  It means no grains, beans, sugar or alcohol.  Most paleo diets also call for no dairy, but I'll admit that this is where I differ.  As a woman in middle age I find the calcium and protein of foods like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese essential and I don't intend to give those up.  I also am not a terribly enthusiastic meat-eater.  I'm fine with meat in moderate quantities, but I'm not looking for it three times a day.  Including dairy gives me more meal options and insures that I'm getting my calcium from white sources as well as green (cooked greens, green plant infusions).  Well-known herbalist Susun Weed highly recommends getting your calcium from this full spectrum and I think it is wise advise.  (Check her out at www.susunweed.com).  Next week I'm going to start a closet cleanout.  Most of my pants are now ridiculously big and look like clown pants.  Those can go to Goodwill (if using those drop-off boxes make sure it's a reputable organization), as well as anything bought to "cover" my body in a billowy way.  Small people also little silly when they wear clothes that overwhelm them.  In fact, that's good advice for everyone.  No "tent-like" clothes, they add pounds rather than subtract!  I chose the picture above because it incorporates two of my closet principles.  One:  all white hangers (no mismatched).  Two: hanging according to color. This makes getting dressed so easy and stress-free.  When was the last time you did a closet cleanout?  If you can't remember, then it's time.  If you're unhappy with how your body is looking, and more importantly, FEELING, then start with a closet purge. Then come up with your paleo diet plan.  Make it simple--here's my advice:

Plain Greek Yogurt & fruit for breakfast
Salad with tuna, sardines, nuts or cottage cheese for lunch
Chicken/Turkey/Beef or Pork for dinner with an array of cooked veggies
Chocolate Avocado Pudding (with bananas or dates used for sweetening) for a dessert/treat
Drink lots of water, still or sparkling, and brewed (not bottled) teas.  Have your coffee in the morning, no sugar.

Summer is on the way and you'll want to feel light, fresh and like your "house" (here meaning your body and your closet) is in order.  

Start cleaning "house" and feel yourself lighten physically and mentally.  Lisabeth