flame to fork: Losing the numbers

Hi!

Welcome to Clare and Tonja's journey... two very different, yet very similar people. How did they become friends? Only in the most 21st century way possible - they met online! They aren't really sure who found who first, but it all started with Paleo food posts on Instagram. Based on their mutual love of whole foods (and tall, dark & handsome cowboys), common Faith and, well, lets face it... they are both pretty cool chicks, they soon became Facebook friends. Before you know it, Clare was flying up from L.A. to the Sacramento area to stay with Tonja for a couple of days in late 2012. The rest is history. Who said this online thing doesn't work??! :)

This was the first time Clare and Tonja met IRL (in real life).
Old Sacramento, CA - November 2012

Their stories with food are similar. They both got caught up in modern society's bombardment of "thin is beautiful", but their journeys took them on different paths (which eventually lead them back to each other!). Tonja & Clare both struggled with weight as early as junior high. They both tried a variety of ways to lose weight even when that wasn't what needed to happen. They experimented with fad diets, counting (and greatly restricting) calories, diet pills, diuretics, jumping on a scale every morning, and many other unhealthy habits - the cycle went on and on for many years for both of them.

And then somehow they both found Paleo.

Venice Beach, CA - August 31st, 2013

Tonja has been Paleo for over 2 years, Clare just over a year ... and what have they learned in this time? The most defining lesson is this: the numbers don't matter and should never define a person. The scale hasn't moved much at all since either of them started eating this way, but their bodies have changed and they look and feel healthy. They realized that by eating real food, their bodies will eventually go to the weight and shape that its healthy-self wants to be, and they learned to accept that. They are even ok with knowing that by losing the chronic cardio and adding in more functional exercising and lifting heavy weights, they might get bigger in size, but but they will be healthier and stronger.

Beyond that, they've recognized that by eating a diet consisting mainly of pasture-raised meats, free range eggs, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds their bodies feel awesome and function better. In addition to clearer skin, less bloating, reduced sickness and an overall feeling that the foods they are eating are supporting the right people....they both had a paradigm shift in the way they look at food. They no longer fear the fat or count calories. Numbers do not control their life. They decided to lose the numbers and the stress, and invite you to do so too. :)