Putting jeans in the dryer and other updates from our diet

Two weeks in, and I’m happy to report that Rachel and I have lost inches – plural – off our waist, thighs and hips on The Paleo Diet.

In other words, I can dry my jeans in the DRYER and put them on with ease. No squats or side bends to loosen up that waist. It’s pretty fantastic.

The best part? I’ve hardly exercised and still lost weight. Well, maybe best is the wrong word. Interestingly enough, I’ve lost inches and several pounds and hardly exercised. And no, I’m not hungry.

Rachel and I have another two weeks to go, but I’m confident we can do it because, honestly, this diet, unlike some others I’ve tried, isn’t difficult to follow. All it takes is some planning, making sure protein is cooked or thawed and fruits and veggies are washed and ready for easy eating.

Admittedly, summer is probably the best time for this diet. Rachel and I are enjoying unlimited amounts of the usual suspects – apples and carrots – but we’re also enjoying a bounty of cherries, blueberries, strawberries and cauliflower. A lot of things are in season, and we haven’t hit the peak yet.

I’ve eaten lamb, buffalo and some invented turkey stir-fry thing with squash. Rachel’s even discovered pork chops with homemade peach salsa.

Rachel wrote a personal and inspiring piece Sunday about her journey on The Paleo Diet. I’ll counter with my own. I, too, am not obese and ate pretty well before we started this, but I am sleeping better and have energy to spare thanks to it. I have stopped obsessing about weight to pay more attention, instead, to overall health and number of inches lost.

Rachel and I have taken advantage of our allowable “cheats” at opportune times, making the diet even a little bit easier to follow.

Our cheats? Well, Rachel and I both had pizza the first week. She clearly had yogurt because it was all she could talk about in her recent column, and I got my iced coffee and this prized gem.