For the last four weeks, I have been following a (mostly) paleo diet. My doctor recommended that I try it because of some skin issues I’ve been dealing with for a few years. So far, I’m feeling pretty good and I’ve lost about ten pounds, but it has definitely been four of the hardest weeks of my life. I’ve gotten a lot of support and advice from friends as I’ve tried to learn this new way of eating, but it’s been a lot harder than I ever expected.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far…

1. It’s NOT easy. Changing your diet not just adjusting the things you eat. It’s adjusting the way you look at food completely.

2. The cravings DON’T go away so easily. Friends, blogs, and websites all told me that if I can stick it out for two weeks, the cravings for the bread, cheese, and sweets will go away, and those things won’t sound appealing anymor. Four weeks later, I wake up every morning thinking about how I would cut off my right arm for a Dr. Pepper and a piece of cheese.

3. Cooking just really isn’t fun. After working all day, the last thing I want to do at 6:30 pm is stand in front of a stove or a grill to eat something I’m not crazy about.

4. Reading food labels is terrifying. Because I’m eating grain-free and dairy-free, I have to read labels on everything. I’m shocked at the things I normally eat that have ingredients that I can’t pronounce. It’s made me a lot more aware of what I’m putting in my body, and even when this trial period is over, I’m going to be careful what I eat.

Even though most of it hasn’t been fun, there are a few good things that have come out of this new way of life.

1. Ten pounds are gone! It’s not a fun way to lose weight, but it works!

2. Salsa is a lifesaver. I literally put it on everything.

3. I have weird random bursts of energy in the evenings. One night, I mixed up some cleaner and bug spray, one night I cleaned A LOT, and right now I have three drafts of blog posts ready to go. I’m cooking a lot more and experimenting with new foods because I have all of this energy. It’s nice!

4. I will try new things when I’m desperate. Before paleo, I would’ve never eaten squash, but I made spaghetti squash a couple of weeks ago and actually enjoyed it!

5. If you close your eyes, lettuce wraps almost taste like tacos. Almost.

I’m excited for these last two weeks to be over so I can start introducing grains and dairy back into my diet. I’m hopeful that it’s not contributing to my problems and I can eat what I want again, but I will definitely be more aware of what I’m putting into my body.

Any advice for following a paleo diet?