It’s day six of my “Thirty-Day Paleo Nutritional Experiment” and other than adding back in the red wine on day two (mental health trumps all,) I am going strong and feeling great! I have been sans grains, gluten, dairy and sugar all week and, surprisingly, have not missed them. I’ve been sleeping better, had less pain in my joints, I can see my skin starting to brighten and have lost three pounds. I’ll post one recipe based on the majority interest. I won’t go into the science and principles behind this experiment, but you can learn more here or get this book.

The best part is that it has challenged me to be become a better chef without the crutch of butter, sugar, cheese and filling grains. It’s been so much fun and I’ve been cooking some really great food that I plan on recreating even after my 30 days are up. Time constraints and lack of daylight have prevented me from properly photographing my meals this week. However, I’ve included a breakdown of some of my tastier eats.

What inspired this?

First

I have been needing a nutritional reset for a while; a reminder that my food pyramid is a bit out of balance. I have a pretty healthy diet to begin with, but I’ll admit there is usually more cheese and noodles on my plate than veggies. Being a Foodie through and through, the “Love” always wins in my “Love, Love, Hate,” relationship with food.

Second

I was super inspired by Kathleen Shannon’s posts about her 30 day experiment to detox from a month of indulgence in Europe. I know that drill: Espresso > pastry > cheese > salami > gelato > espresso > pasta > wine > gelato > wine > wine. Ah, that’s a good day.

Third

Stating late last fall, Justin and I have been working hard to make regular exercise a foundation in our schedule. Justin has always been a very active guy, but never in a million years did I think he would join a gym with me. He goes 4 days a week and is back in the same stellar shape as when I met him when he was 25. Except better, because now he doesn’t smoke and isn’t living off of hamburgers, nacho cheese, Gummy-O’s and beer. Oh, that youthful metabolism is truly amazing. And speaking of metabolism, this brings me to…

Fourth

I gained 33 pounds with my pregnancy in 2011. Then, thanks to the miracle of exclusive breastfeeding, I lost 43! I was back to my pre-baby weight in 4 months and then continued to lose, even while eating up a storm in Italy. The truth is: I got spoiled. I could eat anything I wanted and my waist continued to shrink. I weighed less than I did in high school and was feeling great.

Then, growing tired of 13 month-old Sage pulling down my shirt in public, I weaned him in mid-October. Goodbye calorie burn. Although this didn’t sink in right away and I continued to nosh away like I had the previous year. Until, a week ago, when I stepped on the scale and was informed that I had gained 10 pounds, which on my small 5′ 5″ frame is more than a “whoops.” In fear that this could also be the dreaded Late 20′s Metabolism Change, I’ve stepped up my workouts to 4 vigorous pre-dawn sessions a week and am confident this nutritional reset is the secret ingredient. I’ll keep you posted.

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Shanda Foisy is a wildly independent, left-handed creative type, wino and foodie. Learn more about her graphic design studio, Pixel Soup, here.