Now, for those of you who know me well, (as well as those of you who just stumbled onto my latest fixation), in LA, I (stereotypically, I know) developed a preoccupation with health and fitness. This led to a Crossfit obsession (those of you anywhere near Orland should join this gym) and a fairly strict adherence to the paleolithic eating pattern (notice that I didn't use the curse word, "diet," it's supposed to be a lifestyle change). Anyway, without going into all the details and getting on my nutritional high horse, for paleo, you essentially eliminate grains from your food pyramid and replace them with copious amounts of vegetables. You also eat lots of meat, eggs and healthy fats (avocado, coconut, butter), while keeping sweets to a minimum (I ate a LOT of dark chocolate).
This was a way of living that I enjoyed as I could eat almost as much as I wanted while watching my physique lean out quickly. It's very easy to follow and maintain when you're in charge of buying and preparing all your food. I walked to Trader Joe's almost every day and bought fresh and frozen veggies and chicken and pork and beef. My roommate thought I was nuts, but his idea of a balanced meal is either In 'n Out, McDonald's, or Taco Bell so I didn't take his opinion on that particular subject very seriously (sorry, Hunter).
But now, here in Germany, that lifestyle is not really possible. There's a bakery on every street corner, pasta and bread (and sometimes both) are the centerpiece of every meal, and I don't want to be rude (at least not yet) and eat on my own rather than with the family.
I also think that this could be a good thing. The will teach me portion control; the entire family is quite lean so carbs can't be QUITE as bad as I believe they are. However, I reserve the right to gorge myself on broccoli, green beans, and asparagus whenever my heart desires it.
And, the "worst" case scenario is that I spend a year eating ungodly amounts of bread in a country with unparalleled rolls (maybe France will compete once I get there...), and then go back to the states and find the quality to be lacking and never want to eat it again. I can be paleo in America and a carb fanatic in Germany. Though there are many benefits to the good old US of A, have to hand quality breads to the Germans.
And chocolate. Can't forget the chocolate. I will definitely be visiting the Ritter Sport Factory while I am here. Hopefully they give out better samples than the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Dunedin does, though...
Here's a photo of Maja and I. She's turning eight next week. In the words of a friend of mine, I am "already teaching her to be a lady."
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