Benefits of the Paleo diet

This past year I had the privilege to study abroad in Seville, Spain where starving student was born. I ate all the tapas and drank all the wine I possibly could. I soaked up every bit of the Spanish cuisine as well as dabbling in food from a variety of other cultures. Bangers and mash with a side of Guiness from Ireland, Moroccan rice and chicken pie from Chefchaouen, and various pasta dishes and cheese plates with an exorbitant amount of red wine from Rome. It was the best five months of my life. For the first time in my adult life I had no job, no family responsibilities and the opportunity to travel all over Europe for five whole months. Although I was so appreciative for the experiences I had while abroad, but I was extremely happy to come back home. Before leaving for Spain I was working out everyday, eating a balanced diet and drinking a healthy amount of water. To say the least while I was away I was working out in any capacity, eating a very imbalanced diet, and drinking a healthy amount of wine. When I got back home a few months passed and I still didn't feel 100% like myself health wise. Although I had gotten back into my gym regimine and eating habits, I hadn't gotten back to my original weight or really felt like myself. That's when I decided I needed a drastic change in my diet. Having searched on the internet for a few hours, I finally came across the paleo diet. For those who may not know, the paleo diet is no processed carbs or sugar, no dairy, only cooking with extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil and only drinking hard alcohol (no beer, wine or mixers like soda). I know, sounds terrible… But I was determined. I had done crash diets in the past, but I had never actually decided to stick to one so strict for such a long time (four weeks). This diet to say the least was HARD!!! No cheese? No beer? No bread? I thought I was never going to make it. It may come as a shock to you reader, but I love indulging in food. Cheese, bread, alcohol, sweets you name it I love it. But to my surprise, I actually kind of enjoyed myself on this paleo journey. Yes, the paleo diet was extremely difficult, but it allowed me to become more mindful of what I was eating and to get creative with my meals. I am back to eating normally now, because let's face it life is too short not to drink wine and eat a cheese plate, but I have not completely abandoned to paleo lifestyle. I feel so much healthier and would recommend this diet to anyone who want to give it a try.