Hey look, I’ve been interviewed!

Een paar weken geleden ontmoette ik Odile van Spunky Mindfood (al kende ik haar blog toen nog niet) bij CrossFit Antwerpen. Ik was 1 van haar teammaatjes bij haar allereerste WOD. Odile is een bezige bij die een fulltime job combineert met een studie (bachelor Voedings- en dieetkunde), marathon training en een huishouden! Ik vond haar blog en  facebook-pagina en reageerde al eens op haar posts i.v.m. voeding. En toen vroeg ze of ze me mocht interviewen voor haar blog. Ik vond dat wel een leuk idee en nodigde haar uit voor een hapje en babbel in ons kleine Wonderland 🙂 . Het interview lees je <hier>.

A few weeks ago I first met Odile from Spunky Mindfood (although I didn’t know her blog then) at the CrossFit gym. I was on a team with her on her very first WOD. Odile is one busy lady and combines a fulltime job with a study (bachelor Nutrition and Dietetics), marathon training and a household! I found her blog and facebookpage and started interacting with her via facebook about (real) food. So she asked me if she could interview me for a guest post on her blog. I agreed happily and invited her for dinner and a chat at our little Wonderland 🙂 . As her blog is in Dutch I’m putting the translated transcript of the interview here:

I asked Candy In Wonderland if she could tell a little about the Paleo-diet and she agreed. Even better: I was invited to put my feet under the table and be immersed in the primal way of eating: the caveman diet.

When I arrived I met a smiley mum of 3 boys with the life energy of a teenager. The Paleo diet is diet of prehistoric caveman. This diet consisted mainly of animal protein and fat, vegetables, fruit, eggs, nuts and honey. No sugars, grains, bread, milk, cheese and no potatoes, fries etc.

“What do you mean, limited in my diet?” she says.

Why the hell do you start eating like this and how do you hold strong this fast-getting-even-faster world? Read on…

Why did you start eating a paleo diet?

Candy: “This story starts when, in my early 30’s, I started struggling with Fibromyalgia (pain in connective tissues and muscles, whose cause is not yet known): pain all over my body, no spunk, sleeping badly, being ill too regularly,… I was prescribed one drug after the other, which resulted in massive weight gain, feeling very bad at times, Major Mood-swings  and a sex-drive that faded out and then decided to just disappear. I wanted to lose weight, but even sticking to the traditional food pyramid and armed with a dietician, I didn’t get the desired results. When I got information about a protein-shake diet, I decided to give it a shot and turns out that worked! I finally lost 25 kg in 6 months. I got to my target weigh but… what now? You can’t keep on eating shakes day in day out?
Then one good day someone named ‘Paleo works’ liked one of my blog-posts. I started researching paleo and that’s how I got going.”

What influence did the Paleo Lifestyle have on your health?

Candy: I started eating a Paleo diet in February this year. It felt good and about one month later I started to wean off  my medication. One month later I was completely drug-free and pain-free. *big smile*
I’ve never been the sporty kind of girl, but after a few weeks of eating Paleo I was jumping. I had bursts of energy and didn’t know what to do with it!  I tried several sports over the years, but decided to try out CrossFit. My husband thought I was nuts, but it didn’t take long before I was working out @CrossFit Antwerp, with husband ànd kids! We just make it a family outing

And on your social life?

Candy: It’s not too bad. Even going to a restaurant isn’t a problem. It’s a classic to just send back the bread basket when they bring it to our table. I’m no Paleo-nazi either. Although when I just started I took it a little too seriously:  I once snapped at my husband for wanting to bake my expensive paleo-approved sausages in poisonous margarine instead of good butter!? *laughs* Luckily he forgave me and now I tend to put things into perspective again.I’d say we eat following the 80% (Paleo) / 20% (little looser) rule.
Sometimes, when I bring my own food, people tend to take it personally. I don’t want to push another person to eat like me, that’s fine, but it bugs me if I get criticized for my way of eating. I respect other peoples (eating) habits and would appreciate it if people to take me for who I am, not what I eat.
*In the meantime one of the sons emerges, drops a big kiss on his mom’s face and disappears just as fast as he appeared.*

What is the most difficult meal to eat out?

Candy: Deffinitely breakfast… Belgium is really carb-minded (bread and rolls)for breakfast and most places don’t offer alternatives.

What is the “strangest” dish you ever ordered?

Candy: A Scandinavian Fish dish (smoked fish, side salad and raw onions)… as breakfast .  The restaurant owners didn’t make a problem out of it.

What is the biggest change to your diet?

Candy: Except for not eating grains,refined sugars and processed foods – for example: I even kicked Nutella out of our house and make my own chocolate spread for the boys. I threw out margarines and seed oils and replaced them again with real (grassfed) butter, coconut oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (saturated and mono-unsaturated fats). We have a lot of variety in meat and vegetables in our diet and fruit is more like a reward instead of “you must have 2-3 a day”. We have invited eggs back into our lives. Contrary to what many people mistakenly think, we Enjoy Real Food!

What do you miss most a?

Candy: *very strong minded* The ease of grocery shopping and just putting things in your cart without knowing what’s inside, although I wouldn’t want to go back! I don’t really miss certain foods. *Thinks a long time*… No, not really… there’s so many good things to eat.

 How did your family react to the changes?

Candy: My husband had a wait-and-see attitude, but I kind of dragged the kids in ‘kicking and screaming’! But it didn’t take long, when I started introducing healthier substitutes to long-loved treats. My youngest son now asks: “Mom, these are Paleo waffles, right??”

So your husband and children eat Paleo too?

*Candy’s husband joined us at the table*

Candy’s Husband: I wasn’t convinced at first, but soon started seeing the positive effects it had on my wife. I used to exercise a lot back ‘in the old days’, but then we got married, the children, well you know, the good life. I tried several times to get back in shape, doing  Weight Watchers with my wife, starting to run, but I got tired of the yo-yo-ing. When Candy  started with Paleo at first I started to decrease the amount of grains and sugar I ate and after a few months just ditched the grains and went for it. For the first time in years my weight is going in the right direction, downwards  .

Candy: The children eat the same food we do, but sometimes I cook some rice or make potato fries for them, if they ask for it. My oldest son is rebelling and would eat only junk food if he was allowed (I think also just to tease me sometimes)…We have seen the biggest change in our youngest son, since he started eating (mostly) Paleo he lost – what we lovingly call – his “pasta-titties”! I was worried about him because he was getting really chubby and had a very sweet tooth, but since we changed our lifestyle he lost 5 kg and is back to a normal weight!

How long have you been eating Paleo did you get your blood checked in the meantime?

Candy: I’m eating Paleo since February this year.I’ve had my blood checked once in the meantime and all values were OK. My cholesterol-levels  were even way better than before. Ironically, since we re-introduced red meats and (lots of) eggs? *grinn*
I’ve started a Whole 30 program this month, a kind of short-term nutritional reset, meant to help you get back a healthy metabolism and stop unhealthy cravings and bad nutritional habits. A bit like a detox. I’m planning on having my blood checked again after that.

What is your favorite (Paleo) food?

Candy: Hmm…Do I have to choose?… Roasted vegetables! It’s by far the best way to prepare tasty vegetables.

And finally: what nutritional advice would you give to people?

Candy: Don’t be fat-phobic… but use the right fats! Go out and buy real, good quality butter, throw away those plastic margarines and embrace eggs.

 

Candy’s ‘tangible’ weight loss results after 7 months: <see picture here>

Thank you for the interview Candy!

Thank you, Odile! It was a pleasure to have you here!