My Paleo Weight Loss Story

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Last Updated on January 2, 2024

Today I want to share my Paleo Weight Loss Story.

It may sound a little extreme to make a statement like “I survived vegetarianism” due to the fact that people often use the word survived when relating  to something earth shattering or tragic, like cancer or the death of a loved one.  However, when I became a vegetarian and the young age of 19, I had no idea of the damaging health effects that it would cause down the road.

Let me start at the beginning.  On a whim at 19, I decided to give up meat.  I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian so I did still eat dairy and eggs.  At first, I felt great.  I lost weight.  I was happy that I could “live” without meat.   I started to eat lots of soy and became a master at whipping up a fantastic meatless meal.

I’ll  admit that most of my vegetarian meals were centered around tons of carbs (gluten-free sourdough bread and white potatoes) and sugar.   9 out of 10 meals were brown and a majority of the fruits and vegetables I ate came in the form of processed foods- i.e. french truffle fries.

Fast forward 4 years and I’m pushing into a size 28.  I’m having panic attacks, depression, night terrors and anxiety.  I’d never experienced any of this before  and I never connected  that my diet was the reason I was suffering.  I had just graduated from college and was living with my parents.  I had my first crappy job and I managed to lose 75lbs by following a low-fat and low-calorie diet.  I might look hot but I’m suffering mentally.  I don’t tell anyone.  I think I’m becoming schizophrenic or bipolar.   I get through it with prayer and move to Portland.

I don’t realize that due to my vegetarianism, I’m  not getting enough B12 in my diet and it won’t be until 5 more years of anxiety, depression and panic attacks that I come across Weston A Price when I stumble on to raw milk during my 6 month stint as a raw vegan.  I’ve also gained back most the weight that I lost when I moved away from home.

I decide to start eating meat again and my first taste of bacon was, well, it wasn’t fantastic but I’m sure I didn’t start off with some amazing brand like Nieman Ranch.   I kept it up and start mixing in bone broths and cod liver and was finally finding some relief.  It isn’t until a year later when I found Marks Daily Apple  when I made the decision to give up all grains and sugar that I find balance and feel whole again.  For the first time my brain is humming with happiness.  I’m eating loads of fat, protein and veggies and losing weight.   I lost 60 pounds and then I got pregnant.

Now I’m 15 pounds away from where I started pre-pregnancy and hoping to actually lose 30 pounds.   I’m trying to get my footing back on to this path and need to tackle kicking sugar again and working in more fitness.  You can follow my journey  in my weight loss girl series.    I am by no means a Paleo purist.  I think it’s easy to slap a label on someone but in truth, everything in life is multifaceted.   I will always enjoy raw milk and cheese in my diet (ok, read this to learn if cheese is paleo).  I may reduce how much I eat but I’ll never say no to it.

I don’t have many photos of myself from the Large years and I had to dig for one to show you where I started from before I went Paleo.   I was actually bigger than this at two points of my life.

You can see current photos of me here in my paleo weight loss journey.

Mr.  Bejelly also joined me on this diet and not only has he lost weight, he’s no longer dealing with acid re flux issues.  We’re raising our son on this diet and I fear for when he hits the teenage years as he’s already a veracious meat-eater.    Are you thinking about giving up grains or already following the lifestyle? I’d love to hear your story.