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If you’re like me, you like things to be consistent and stable. Sure, I like variety, but in a very controlled and expected sort of way. I like things to make sense. When I first started following the Paleo diet, I assumed I would be eating the very same way for the rest of my life. It just made sense, right? Why ever change it up or add things back or (gasp) eat non-Paleo foods again? I just could never imagine a scenario where that would be necessary.

Fast forward about 7 years. I’m currently pregnant, and like many expectant mothers, I’m sick as a dog. While I near the end of my first trimester and hope that my normal appetite returns soon, I’m here to tell you that the Paleo diet isn’t a book of laws, but rather a plan for living that carries you through every stage of life. Naturally, it makes sense that nutrient demands for athletes would be different from those who need to lose weight, which are different from pregnant women or those who have autoimmune disease, and on and on it goes. Each of us carries a complex script within our genes and our own personal lifestyles that necessitates a certain level of flexibility in how we approach our diets. As a nutritionist, I have always primarily focused on genetic individuality. No diet, even Paleo, can be “one size fits all.”

But as a Paleo nutritionist, I was certain I would never eat gluten-free grains again because, frankly, I didn’t miss them. It’s not that they made me sick, it’s just that I firmly believe in Paleo—and I believe that grains aren’t easy to digest. I believe that grain-free is the best thing overall for the digestive system. Weeks into my pregnancy, however, with a waning appetite, horrible food aversions, and few items left to eat, I decided to listen to a nagging feeling I’d been having: try gluten free oats. But no, I argued with myself, I’m Paleo, I don’t eat grains. You see, they contain anti-nutrients… but my subconscious kept saying, “Try the oats.” One week, faced with the grim reality of having virtually no food I could bear the thought of eating, I tried the oats. It was the first day I consumed a full breakfast (and actually kept it down, too!).

So What Do Oats Have To Do With Anything?

The point I’m making is that we need to listen to the needs of our body. Pregnancy demands higher carbohydrates for a number of reasons (forming another human is hard work!), and while this can be completely achieved with Paleo, there are also the realities of life: nausea and food aversions. I don’t eat oats every day, but adding them in three times a week has provided a diversity to my diet that is making my pregnancy-induced sickness much more tolerable.

Paleo, in its original intent, was meant to be an 80/20 kind of thing anyway. When did we all become legalists about “cheating?” (And isn’t “cheating” a bad word in the Paleosphere? It’s not a diet, but a lifestyle and all that?) There are no Paleo police, and no one will take away your #JERF (just eat real food) card if you deviate from Paleo. Paleo, after all, is about real food and whole-body health. What is more wholesome than listening to your own body tell you what it needs?

Will I keep eating oats when I’ve made it through this crisis of nausea? No, because I really am a happy Paleoite. I don’t need grains to feel fulfilled (although several years ago, I never could have said this). What I do always want, however, is to be in touch with what my body needs in each season. In the past, I flourished on a super low-carb diet. Right now, I need much higher levels of carbs (and fat and protein, too). Your seasons of life will vary too, for many reasons. Sometimes it can simply come down the actual seasonal weather changes. Many in the Paleo community feel better when they try to eat seasonally and focus on what is fresh picked and readily available. Others prefer to have specific seasons devoted to detox or cleansing. There are truly no right or wrong ways to approach your Paleo journey, so long as you’re listening to what your body needs.

Sadly, we don’t always agree with what our body tells us. Just like I resisted wanting to eat oats, we can feel like our body is sending us the wrong message. Sometimes, our body does send the wrong message (sugar cravings, for example, don’t mean that you actually need sugar), and we would prefer to give in than to hold out even when we know better. I’ve had an inordinate amount of cravings for soda during this pregnancy, but have not given in to those because there are truly no nutrient benefits from consuming carbonated sugar.

Learning to discern the real meanings behind the messages that your body sends can take time. I’ve been at this journey for well over a decade, and my process of listening to my body led me to go Paleo before I even knew what Paleo was. Sometimes I got the message wrong, and ate something that was simply a weak moment craving. We all have those moments, and never do they mean the end of the Paleo journey. It’s called a journey for the reason that it isn’t “make it or break it” in a single day, week, or even month. No, it’s a process of weeks that blend into months that blend into years, and you will evolve along the way. You will learn more about yourself, and you will garner more confidence as you proceed.

Honing In On The Little Voice Inside

The best way to better understand what your body is telling you is to educate yourself. We live in an age of information and technology, which means that Paleo is easier than ever before. There are thousands of resources online to help you figure out what you need to know on any given Paleo topic. There are also trusted resources, like Paleo Plan, that seeks to make your Paleo journey as painless as possible. Not only do we provide sources of recipes, but we also want to educate you and inspire you. That’s what this blog is all about, but that’s also at the heart of why we work for months on end to compile the Primal Life Kit. Books, classes, Paleo products—we know they’re expensive. We know that few people have unlimited funds, and that’s why we work to bring you a whole pile of amazing resources for a moderate, one-time fee. Nowhere else can you find 55 eBooks, all devoted to various aspects of Paleo eating, living, and exercising, for a single price. The same goes for the 40 discounts, the three fitness programs, and all the other components of the 2015 Primal Life Kit.

HOWEVER, the 2015 Primal Life Kit is only available between May 8-May 14,  2015 so don’t miss it this year.

I’m not a “salesy” person, but I firmly believe in resources that can help you further your knowledge, health, and even inspiration. Paleo is incredibly rewarding, but it can also feel like a lot of work if you don’t have the support network that you need. Obviously, we here at Paleo Plan are always here for that support (whether you pay for any of our services or not!), but the Primal Life Kit is an extra boost of awesome that can rocket your progress forward.

I was happy to contribute a short and sweet book of seasonal eating recipes to this year’s Primal Life Kit, but frankly I’m a lot more excited about what I’ll learn from all of the other resources. Even Paleo pros will gain a lot from this year’s bundle—even nutritionists and other professionals! That’s why these things work out so well: there’s something for everyone in the class, no matter how new or advanced we all are.

If you’ve had a chance to download the Primal Life Kit, leave a comment and let me know what your favorite resource is!

Keeping the Paleo torch alive,
Aimee McNew, Certified Nutritionist, MNT
[email protected]