This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
In this post: Why it's extremely important to know WHY you're doing a restrictive diet when starting AIP, and what I ate on Autoimmune Paleo Protocol (AIP Diet) for days 5-7
One of the things I've learned the hard way, but now am crystal clear on, is having a WHY before I embark on a restricted diet.
This goes for me doing AIP, a Whole30, even just regular Paleo.
It's got to be a good, deep down, soul-searching WHY too. Not just any WHY. Having a goal is nice, like “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I want to stop feeling pain in my hands and arms”, but let me ask you a question…
If you're 14 days into a Whole30 and your neighbor stops over with the most amazing looking freshly-picked cherry pie she baked JUST for you, are you going to be able to resist it? (Or insert your own scenario here).
Suddenly losing those 10 pounds can wait, right? You took 30 years to get there, what's another few days.
Getting Crystal Clear on Your Why
This is why your WHY has to be deeper than a superficial level kind of goal. It needs to get at the very heart of why you want to lose 10 pounds or stop feeling pain.
Here's my WHY for contrast:
See the difference?
One is a wishy-washy kind of goal, one will go away the moment you lose those 10 pounds or stop having pain, and you'll just go right back to your old habits. Or if something more tempting comes along you'll be off the wagon. The other will stick and be a driving motivation that'll help support you through hard times.
How to Figure Out Your Why Before Starting AIP
It sometimes does help to have someone else part of your WHY, especially if you're the kind of person who doesn't do well with obligations to yourself but usually fulfill obligations to others.
So dig deep, figure out what exactly is driving you to want the goal/outcome, and then dig even deeper if you can.
Some more examples could be that you want to:
- lose 10 pounds because you want to look amazing in a bathing suit and have your husband look at you like you're the sexiest thing alive
- stop feeling pain because you want to run after your grandkids or continue to play tennis because it brings you so much joy
- to be able to quickly answer questions your friends and coworkers ask you without feeling like you're thinking through the sludge of brain fog
- to have predictable bowel movements because you hate how Suzy down the hall snickers when you repeatedly run to the bathroom every afternoon (I wish you wouldn't care about what Suzy thinks, but I know that's a whole ‘nother blog post)
Find your why, write it down, memorize it, post it somewhere visible, do whatever you need to do to get it forefront of your mind so when the hard times come it's not such a struggle of willpower to refuse the cookie or pizza.
What I Ate on AIP Days 5-7
Alright, onto what I ate for this AIP diet Days 5-7. Here's the vlog I did:
(Can't see the video? Watch What I ate on AIP Days 5-7)
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to see all the videos I make since a lot of them either done make it onto this blog or I'm waaaay behind in getting them on here 🙂
*I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
The meals I ate:
Day 4 Dinner:
Stromboli from the Healing Kitchen Cookbook
and Patacones
_________
Day 5 (Cinco de Mayo):
Breakfast – Sweet potato bowl (mashed white sweet potato, collagen, coconut butter, coconut milk, cinnamon, sea salt + fresh berries, banana chips and a “syrup” of cinnamon and coconut oil) with a garlic chicken patty (chicken recipe from The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook )
Lunch: Leftover Kalua pork from day 1
Dinner – Cassava flour tortillas by Downshiftology
and grilled halibut, shredded red cabbage, and Mango Guacamole from the Healing Kitchen Cookbook
Also, sliced yellow plantains drizzled with avocado oil and sea salt and then baked in the oven at 425 F for 25 minutes (and flipped once) and grilled sweet potatoes (covered in olive oil and diced garlic).
Mocktail Sangria in the Healing Kitchen Cookbook
________
Day 6 –
Breakfast – leftover sweet potato bowl
Lunch – leftover fish tacos
Dinner – bison patties with grilled pineapple, sliced radishes, avocado, arugula, and asparagus grilled with balsamic vinegar and sea salt
________
Day 7 –
breakfast – leftover broccoli stir fry from day 3
Lunch – leftover bison patties
Dinner – AIP Orange Teriyaki Meatballs (using ground pork instead of chicken)
Other posts in this AIP Series
Next in the series:
How to Start AIP Plus What I ate Days 8-9
Previous in the series:
What is AIP + What I ate Day 1
Why I'm Doing the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol (AIP Diet) (Plus What I ate Days 2-4)
