I have been eating a paleo diet since July of 2014 which means I’m coming up on my 4 year anniversary! Time sure flies!

I feel great, my skin is more clear than before, and I no longer suffer from what was probably IBS. (I was never diagnosed, but I had constant stomach issues every time I ate something). I don’t feel bloated anymore, and I have maintained a pretty consistant weight over the past 4 years.

I do have to confess that there has been one thing missing from my Paleo lifestyle though, and it’s a pretty major factor too.

Exercise.

Over the past four years I have only worked out sporadically, and really it’s only been the 2-3 weeks leading up to a vacation or trip somewhere. So this might be a total of 12 weeks in 4 years….that’s pretty bad.

I’m not quite sure why I lack the motivation to work out. I don’t really enjoy the typical gym scene. I feel totally out of place when I go to one. So I prefer to work out alone, but that’s where there’s not much accountability. I am pretty thin and have been most of my life, so I guess I just thought I could do a yoga dvd here and there and stay in shape.

Last month my husband and I were able to attend Paleof(x) in Austin Texas. We got to sample tons of new, healthy, Paleo and Keto products, hear a few motivational speeches about health and nutrition, and we had scans done at InBody, which is a body composition analysis. What I learned from my scan was pretty eye opening. While I may be thin and my weight is pretty much right on for my height, my body fat percentage and my muscle mass is not. Which means I should maintain my current weight but convert some of my fat into muscle. And this is where movement and exercise come in. It’s the one and only way to convert fat to muscle. It just has to happen.

And there is my dilemma, lack of motivation and a space that I actually enjoy working out in…Obviously I want to be healthy. I would not have been eating this way for this long if I didn’t, but I just lack that commitment to movement. Ugh. Where can I find it?!?!

Well, I’m glad to say that I joined a gym on May 14th. Almost 8 weeks ago! Its called Get Fit, and its not an ordinary gym. The workouts are different every day. They use a class setting (no more than 50 people in a class) They encourage community, and they can modify your workout based on where you are at in your journey and if you have any injuries. They use a combination of TRX, dumbbells, bands, balance balls, kettlebells and your own body weight to give you an intense but movement based full body 50 minute workout.

My goal has been to work out at least 3 times a week. I’ve mostly been able to reach that goal with only a couple weeks squeezing in only one workout, but that’s far better than where I was before.

Little by little this place is growing on me, and I’m really excited to meet some new people that have similar lifestyles. Everyone that works there has been super friendly and helpful. If the instructor doesn’t recognize you they come over and introduce themselves right away. It is quite a community, and maybe that’s the part I’ve been missing all this time! I definetly get a crazy intense workout every single time, and i feel like I’m getting a little bit stronger already. I just need to keep going!!

I’ll keep you all updated on this new part of my journey. And hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to do another InBody scan soon to see if I’ve made any improvements.

If you are local to my area and want to check out Get Fit, they have locations in Modesto and Oakdale. Their website is www.getfitcommunity.com You can try a class for free, and they also offer boot camps.

BLT Breakfast Salad

Your base can be any lettuce you like. (I prefer red romaine or spinach)

Top it with:

sliced cherry tomatoes

olive oil

pink salt

Pederson Farms (Whole30 approved) bacon

and 1-2 fried yolky eggs