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Are you on the Someday Diet? – 2 Simple Steps To Start or Restart Your Paleo Diet

Recently, I returned from Vegas to find piles of clothes strewn everywhere around my house.

For some people, this might mean that there had been a burglary.  Not for me.  This was simply how I’d left things.

Even my closet had piles of clothes on various shelves.  (And by “piles,” I don’t mean neat and folded stacks.)  So as I began unpacking my suitcase, I was initially tempted to simply dump more clothes on top of the piles already in my closet.

That’s when it dawned on me.  I was waiting for “someday” to throw away all the clothes I never wear (several still had the tags on!).

Are You a Someday Person?

I didn’t think I was.

While at dinner one night in Las Vegas, several of us girls discussed our husbands (always a fruitful topic!).  The conversation drifted to the topic of laundry, and one girl told us her way of ensuring that her husband never wears clothes that she hates:  “I tell him that if he ever wears it and it comes through the laundry, he will never see it again.”

I silently rolled the idea around in my head.  I pictured the old and ugly t-shirts that I could make vanish from Jeremy’s closet.

It was a pleasing thought, but I quickly realized that Jeremy – who’s always wanted to be a minimalist – would love this plan and would gladly do the exact same back to me!  He’d just go and throw away all the old and unworn clothes from my closet.  And I had way more pointless ugly clothes!

In other words, I had been waiting for “someday” to get rid of all of the clothes that I didn’t wear or really need.  And I think that all us have areas of our lives where we’re “someday” people.  For me, it was my closet, but for many, it’s exercise, diet, or sleep, or any other area like jobs or relationships.

I’m Tired of Being a Someday Person

I’ve quit a job I didn’t like, started a business, gotten married, and adopted a very healthy diet and lifestyle.  I’ve gotten a lot of stuff done.

But even little things like my closet were still weighing on me, because it was a “someday” task that was always in the back of my mind.

In my mind, I thought how nice it would be if I didn’t have to wade through all the clothes that I couldn’t fit into, the clothes that required some “special” occasion that just never seems to occur, the clothes that were too big, the clothes that I was going to get tailored “someday,” and the plain ugly clothes that always make me look fat!

And that’s how it started.

An hour later, on the floor of my closet, lay 3 bags of clothes.  I’d estimate, I removed around 50 pieces of clothing from my closet (I’m sure I could have done an even better job of culling, but it’s a start).  I also resolved not to buy any more clothes for the rest of this year!

All my clothes fit back onto the closet shelves (with amazing ease), and there were even empty hangers around!  It feels great to look into my closet now (I was so proud, I even forced Jeremy look into my closest).

What Are You Waiting For?

Are you planning to start living a Paleo life someday, to start going to the gym someday, to start traveling someday, to start sleeping more someday, to start working less someday?

I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that eating McDonald’s is seriously not good for your health, or that can of soda is slowly killing you, but yet we always think we can give it up “tomorrow.”

So how do you do it?  How do you stop waiting for “someday”?

I believe everything starts with 2 really simple steps:

1.  Take some form of action, no matter how small.

I didn’t cull my closet down to 10 pieces of clothing even though I probably spend 70% of my time wearing those!  Instead, I just got rid of the ones that I really didn’t wear ever, and I didn’t even give them away yet – I’ve just put them into another room for the moment.

But I took an action.  And that action makes all of the next steps easier.  (Plus, it’s another stress off my mind.)

Diet, lifestyle, and health are no different.  You might regress on certain days, but as long as you’re taking small actions each day to improve your lifestyle and health, you’ll feel better about it and continually improve your situation.

This is true even if you don’t see the progress on a scale or in the mirror.  So long as you know that you’re working toward your specific goal with actions, you’ll eventually get there.

2.  Make a specific, written commitment to yourself.

I think that action is the first step just because it breaks you out of your normal routine and rhythm.  But the second step is just as important.

I’m writing this post partially because I want to announce that I am not purchasing any new clothes for the rest of the year (yes – it’s only 2 months from now, but still…).  So if you ever see me walk into the mall – yell at me!

We all think that we have goals and things that we want to do, but usually, those goals are not very specific at all, and they’re almost never written down.

In terms of health, many people tell me they want to lose weight or feel better.  But our minds don’t really even know what that means.  If you lose 2 pounds, have you hit your goal?  And do you remember your goals from 3 months ago?

We have to be specific.  If I know that I want to lose 10 pounds in the next 5 weeks, then I’ll start planning out exactly how to achieve that.  And if I write it down (and post it online), then I won’t forget or get distracted.

I’m not saying anything mind-blowing here, but it’s all true.

Do it Now!

So, if you’ve been waiting for “someday” to start Paleo, to restart Paleo, or do Paleo more strictly, now is your chance!

And because I want to make it as easy as possible for you, I’ve listed 5 possible forms of actions and commitments that you can go do NOW.

All you need to do is choose the action below that you want to take, and then post the image below to Facebook along with your statement (alternatively, you can Pin it, Tweet it, email it to a friend).

Possible Actions

Pick the one of the five actions and commitments that would help you the most:

1. 1. TAKE THIS ACTION: Join the Free 7-Day Pure Paleo Challenge.  Jeremy and I have created a very simple and easy way for any one to get started or to get back in the saddle.  All you need to do is click here to sign up.
      WRITE/POST THIS COMMITMENT: I’m joining and completing the 7-Day Pure Paleo Challenge.

[Tweet “I’m joining and completing the 7-Day Pure Paleo Challenge.”]

1. 1. TAKE THIS ACTION: Clean out your pantry.  Throw away all the flour, pasta, breads, crackers, snacks, cookies, and cake mixes.  It’s really therapeutic!
      WRITE/POST THIS COMMITMENT: I won’t buy or keep any junk in my pantry for the next 30 days.

[Tweet “I won’t buy or keep any junk in my pantry for the next 30 days.”]

1. 1. TAKE THIS ACTION: Clean out your fridge/freezer.  Throw away all the frozen meals, sweet sauces, jams, ice cream, and other processed junk in your refrigerator and freezer.
      WRITE/POST THIS COMMITMENT: I will only stock my fridge and freezer with Paleo foods for the next 30 days.

[Tweet “I will only stock my fridge and freezer with Paleo foods for the next 30 days.”]

1. 1. TAKE THIS ACTION: Cook yourself dinner tonight with real fresh ingredients.  If you’re used to eating out or eating frozen meals, then this is one simple step that you can use to prove to yourself that you can do it!
      WRITE/POST THIS COMMITMENT: I will cook myself dinner twice a week for the next 30 days.

[Tweet “I will cook myself dinner twice a week for the next 30 days.”]

1. 1. TAKE THIS ACTION: Throw away the Paleo sugars (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, date sugar).  If you’ve been Paleo for a while but feel like your progress is stalled, then it’s time to stop relying on Paleo desserts and “better” sugars.
      WRITE/POST THIS COMMITMENT: I will eat no processed sugars, even Paleo ones, for the next 30 days.

[Tweet “I will eat no processed sugars, even Paleo ones, for the next 30 days.”]