Gluten is the devil

I was bored of food yesterday and got very excited when I saw that the dining hall had eggplant parm (a favorite of mine) so I thought I'd eat some. Well I got through a few pieces and decided it didn't taste good to me. I are the other things on my plate. At around 7pm, I felt groggy and drugged again. I passed out at 8, woke up to fold the laundry and went back to sleep. I didn't wake up until 8am today. Which as all of you know, is unlike my paleo self. So now I know ANY amount of gluten or wheat kill me, make me groggy and feel out of sorts. Here's to not trying to consume anymore. Don't want that feeling again.

Paleo Food Pyramid

I found this picture today and LOVE it. It really tells you what to eat and takes the mystery out of Paleo.

Wednesday again

It is Wednesday again. I woke up on the later side today. 645 and really did not feel like walking Stella so I started getting ready to go to the gym. She gave me puppy dog eyes as I got ready because she knows my routine for our walk-which is not different than the gym. She went and stood by the back door and waited.

I took her for a walk despite not really wanting to and in really glad I did. It felt good to get up and get moving. We only did 40 minutes but that's good for now. Once we got home, I was able to fit 20 minutes of lifting in. Lovely.

Even though I don't feel 100% I feel great that I did the workouts.

Oh and I am officially under 150....147.5!!!! I'm so excited and feel proud of myself. In five weeks ive lost 8.5 lbs! The last time I weighed this I was starving on weight watchers. I'm not starving now, it's just the opposite, I'm constantly satisfied and never over full.

Loving my Paleo lifestyle.

Another great Paleo restaurant in Claremont

Eureka burger is the best if your Paleo. We decided to go on a date and Eureka is great because they do naked burgers, have bison and its all grass feed, bacon and avocado. It's amazing.

That is all.

To run or not to run, that is the question!

Had a combo with a student today who said "I need to learn to run" and her comment spurred this posting. I have read a few articles and heard some podcasts about walking versus running and there are split reviews (much like free weights and weight machines). But I have read that you burn calories only for the time you are doing cardio. So in my opinion, why run? If I burn more calories weight lifting and walking, why kill my knees and joints?

Running is not something our ancestors did and it's not something children do. Well they run but not marathons. I hate the treadmill so folks who can run on a treadmill are awesome in my book but is rather a brisk walk with Stella or E or a friend. Cardio is something that you need to decide for yourself but at the end of the day it's a debate being had in the Paleo community, therefore, it is relevant to me and my blogging.

So do you run? Do you walk? I'd love to hear from you!

Free wights vs weight machines

I've been reading and researching the difference between free weights and weight machines and sort of did my own experiment. For 1 week I did free weights and for 1 week I did weight machines and now I'm back to free wights.

The articles I read state that free weights are better but only if you know the proper form because you are making yourself more vulnerable to injury. Weight machines are good for beginners and people who don't want to bulk necessarily. Weight machines help you lift and control the movement, which makes then slightly easier. They also help with form.

Neither free weights nor weight machines have anything wrong with them. It's simply preference.

I did free weights yesterday, brought myself up to 15 lbs and I already see a difference in my arms. Whereas with the weight machines I barely saw a difference.

Like I said, neither is wrong nor right, figure out what works for you!

Workouts

Before my walks:
Push ups
Crunches
Leg lifts
Side Squats
Forward lunges

I recommend 10-12 reps (for squats and lunges both legs equal 1 rep) for 3-4 sets.

I'm sure you're wondering what I do for cardio or maybe you don't care haha. Luckily we have an active pup so we walk her in the morning for 35-45 minutes briskly 6 days a week. I hate cardio in the gym. Especially living in Southern California, I can take advantage of the weather all year round.

In the gym I go between free weights and weight machines but I do a weight that is comfortable for me 10-12 reps (usually 12) for 3 sets 3-4 days a week. I also do a circuit, Ill do 1 rep and move to another workout and go back. This eliminates boredom in my opinion.


Thanks for reading!

Broke my set mark?!

Got on the scale this morning. I'm down to 148.8!!!!!! I haven't seen that number in 4 years. I'm pretty stoked about this and thought I'd share despite my protests about not watching the scale, I do have a desire to be a certain weight and have a certain muscle tone about me. All in due time I suspect.

Worst part of Paleo and the best part

Sleep. I use to sleep, a lot. I would pass out around 9:30 and not wake until 7:30ish. Since being Paleo, I still pass out on the early side but I wake up on the early side. Take today for instance, I was awake at 4:45am, no alarm, no puppy kisses, just awake. And let me tell you, today is the worst possible day for this! I have a long day of meetings and RA selection tonight (who knows how long that will take). I am currently laying in bed because I know if I get up so will Stella and that's not good for anyone. So here I am writing about sleep while I lay sleepless in my bed. Kinda sucky huh?

Except for its not sucky. It's amazing that I can wake up without an alarm and have energy to not only walk the dog but go to the gym and tackle the day. When I was on weight watchers I never had energy. Shit, when I was just eating without a diet I didn't have energy. Eboni was always so worried about me because I was constantly tired. Now I'm having the opposite problem. It's really a blessing and a curse.

Farmers market magic

Today I went down to the farmers market per usual and got some amazing stuff for 28 bucks- perks of living in SoCal! The best part is everything is fresh. I know where the eggs come from and they are some great eggs. Cage free and not expensive. I love being in SoCal because of the ability to go to an outdoor farmers market year round. Our next thing is to purchase a share in a CSA. We are very excited about this possibility. We will do that in a few weeks so we have fresh fruit and vegetables when the dining halls aren't open this summer. We've also made a plan to stock up on some coconut oil, coconut flour and almond flour, almond butter, regular butter (to freeze) and protein (to also freeze) so this summer we will need to buy minimal stuff! I love this life we are living together!

The picture below is of my purchases today:
3 peppers
4 onions
4 sweet potatoes-sprouts because no one had them at the market
60 (!) eggs!!!

I love it!

80% Paleo

Tonight at dinner we were talking about what percentage of the time are we Paleo. We think it's 80% of the time. Cause again I had 1/4 a cup of rice and some hot chocolate. I know, I know. Starting tomorrow I'm going to go as close to Paleo as possible. It's hard because my meals aren't prepared by my hands but I can definately get closer. I also really want to break 150 and I think that I might be able to do that with a stricker Paleo diet. Additionally, I know that my weight might not all be fat and I shouldn't be caring about the scale because I'm gaining muscle but I'm not lifting long enough to bulk up like that but I'm gonna try to stop concentrating so much on the scale. It's hard but I'm going to try.

In a little bit, after Property Brothers, I'm headed to the gym to weight train and do abs for a bit. 

I'm doing some research on free weights vs. weight machines. I'll keep you posted!

Saturday is a fun day

Today we went to Kick Back Jack's or BC cafe for breakfast. We ran out of eggs so we decided to have someone else cook. We each cheated a bit, which is fine. But thankfully BC Cafe is willing to work with you. Eboni wanted a skillet but without a few things so they added other things. We were able to eat mostly Paleo and it was awesome. We enjoyed our food and have leftovers we can fry up later!

Today E and I are heading into the gym to lift together. The family that lifts together, sticks together ;)

Enjoy your day all!

Things that are bad for you

Aspartame. I really never worried too much about it until recently. I would drink soda and feel like I could literally feel my teeth deteriorating and rotting in my head. I officially gave up diet soda and sugar free products 33 days ago. I have never felt better.

The images below were posted by PaleoBakeHouse on instagram and I took screen shots. So the first picture is where you can find aspartame and the second photo is what aspartame does to your body. I had no idea some of the illnesses aspartame could cause or mimic or trigger.

Isn't it scary to read the below list? I know from experience that aspartame does trigger IBS (not listed) but the chemicals upset stomachs.  I literally have to get rid of gum a few minutes after eating it.

Non-Paleo cookie success!

I need to start this post saying that the college I work at, is almost famous for it's hot, fresh out of the oven, cookies but they are only available at dinner time. So last night, Eb got one, and I wanted one so bad. So I had one. A whole non-Paleo cookie. It was so good. And I'm happy to report I did not get sick!!! YAYAYAYA.

I also had a cornbread muffin today at lunch. I did it because it's one of my favorites and it was also very good but my stomach is making popping noises now. Which I'm okay with considering....

I will say that I'm teetering between 150.4 and 149.7 and while I'm excited I just want to stay in the 140 range. I'm hoping that if I can clean up food intake for the next week or so that I will be able to break that mark. 

I'm happy to report my amazing wife has lost 11 lbs in 31 days. That's truly remarkable! To be honest, that is the most weight she's ever lost in her entire life. I'm very proud of her.

So here's to successes and plateaus, we're doing it together! :) 

Wednesday oh Wednesday

So far this week has been good in terms of work, life and eating. No real issues or set backs. Though today I thought the Dining Hall was going to have Naan and if you know me, Naan is something I'd eat no matter what. I got a piece and it was NOT worth feeling like crap for the rest of the day. I did allow myself a quarter of a cup of brown rice.

Lifting this morning was tough, not gonna lie. I decided to up my weights and I was able to lift 65 lbs! wooo hooo! Very excited about that. But I was HUNGRY afterward. I made chicken apple sausage, egg and sweet potatoes sauteed in butter. DELICIOUS! Oh yes I also enjoyed an Asian Pear one of my RAs brought me.

This morning I was looking at Balanced Bites (on Facebook) and the woman posted about carbs and how to get carbs (outside of bread, cookies, cake, etc) and she shared a great chart  that I really liked. It is broken down into fruit and veggies! Great way to think about what we're eating and the benefits we are getting from that food.

Tomorrow we will officially be Paleo for a month, my how time flies!!! One of the RAs today was asking questions about it and how I like it. I told her all about the benefits I've been experiencing and how it just feels right for me. I honestly don't know how I survived before! Whereas, my amazing wife is having an opposite experience. This whole thing was her idea and yet she isn't getting any of the perks that I have gotten (extra energy, new digestion and no more IBS--not that she had that to begin with, and all around feeling like a new person). I, on the other hand, am experiencing all of those things! Its funny how this whole thing was her idea and yet I'm the one who is in love with it. Ah such is life right?

I'm finding that I'm not missing cake or cupcakes or ice cream or bread but I do wish I could have a piece of cornbread. OH SO GOOD! When I'm in the store, I look at certain processed foods and wonder how I ate it before. I guess I sort of still want it or long for it but stand by theory of it being all in my head.

I'm headed to dinner now with my amazing wife and we will see what tonight's dinner brings but I know that I have a program so I need to fill up on the good stuff so I'm not tempted to get snacky on processed/sugary snacks later.

Peace out!

Gluten intolerance

Great article a friend of mine sent me today: http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1719 

The truth is I think most people suffer from gluten intolerance and just don't know it. I'm much better off, not consuming gluten and people think I'm weird but my reality is I'm sick if I'm eating it.

Valentine's day is a perfect example. I tried to consume some bread and I was sick the rest of the night. This was unheard of for me a few years ago because I never knew that I was so sensitive to gluten. now I know. I cannot consume gluten. 

I use to think I was lactose intolerant too but I heard today in a Podcast its probably more a gluten issue. The gluten was building up in my system and taking the space that the lactose needed in order to digest. This is very interesting to me and makes sense because I can have whole fat dairy now and it's not a problem.


I'm just happy that my system seems to be more well balanced. 

I'm happy to report that I did not partake in the hot chocolate drink today. I refrained but I did have 3 small pieces of dark chocolate. :\ 

Ah such is life. Give and take, making choices. But feeling good! 

Glad Stella and I got in a 45 minute walk today before the rain hit. 

Going to do some more research about Paleo and weight loss and see what I discover. 


great article about weight loss and Paleo:
http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/03-07/will-i-lose-weight-on-paleo-plan/


I love this one:
http://modernpaleodiet.com/paleo-diet-for-weight-loss/

Fun fact: (taken from the above article) if you are running for 20 minutes you will burn calories for those 20 minutes but if you are working out your muscles you are burning calories all day! I didn't know this but this gives me an excuse to lift longer and stronger.

For now, feel good and eat well folks!

The Great Debate

Today during a meeting it was debated what you can and cannot eat while on Paleo. There are many versions of this diet. I use the word diet loosly. For me, this is NOT a diet. It's a lifestyle change but for others it's a challenge, for some it's a quick fix or whatever. 

The debate was around what you can and can't eat and who is right and who is wrong. The reality of the situation is you need to figure out what works for you and what are your motives for being Paleo. Additionally, you must do your homework and not listen to others. For me I have listened to PodCasts, read blogs, read Dos and Don'ts. I've listened to friends who are Paleo they have recommended some blogs and books. 

The first question is you ask is "what is Paleo" 

As reviewed by WebMD, quite a few blogs, and books:
What you can eat:
meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruits, berries (roots are debated and so are nuts in general--I do eat some beets and almonds every now and then but try to not make it a habit)

Things you can't eat:
diary, grains, sugar, legumes, white potatoes, processed oils (vegetable oil) 

People with sweet tooths (much like myself) munch on raw honey or coconut palm sugar --in moderation


The point is Paleo is flexible. There isn't one correct way to do it. Some plans allow flexiblity like adding some processed oils from fruits and nuts such as olive oil and flaxseed oil. Which is good because I eat what the dining hall makes and I'm sure I'm injesting olive oil.

The point is that we need to eat WHOLE foods and foods that are good for us rather than low carb, low sugar processed crab. That stuff will not make us live longer.

Enjoy!
Resources:
http://paleomg.com
http://everydaypaleo.com
http://paleohacks.com
http://nomnompaleo.com
http://www.practicalpaleoliving.com


This link is about crossfit and Paleo. Some crossfitters say don't use butter, others say do. Read for yourself
http://www.crossfit816.com/6-easy-steps-to-paleo

Good image of the cycle of sugar

Thought you all might want to see this.

More about what I am eating

My students asked if I'm blogging about what I'm eating and how do I keep up variety. Great questions.

Breakfast:

6 eggs (3 for each of us) cooked in coconut oil or butter
Sauteed veggies--onions, peppers, kale, tomatoes, asparagus, or any combination of the aforementioned
Bacon or ham or turkey or chicken apple sausage (depending on the day)
Avocado (Eboni doesn't like avocaod so I ususally eat 1 full half of one with my eggs)
Water, and lots of it.


Lunch:

Some days it's grilled or roasted chicken or a hamburger or turkey burger (no bun), steak or pot roast, or fish
Some veggies, depends on what the dining hall has
Some times salad
Most days a piece of fruit
I allow myself to have some hot chocolate from the dining hall because it's made with water and I figure it's okay enough to cheat with that
Water

Dinner: (what a pain)
Steak, chicken, turkey, whatever protein the dining hall has to offer
Some veggies again it depends on what's offered
If there is rice, I'll have some rice depending on what I had for lunch (rice isn't Paleo but I need some variety)
Water

Snacks:
Turkey jerky or beef jerky
Fruit-orange, apple, pear or banana (whatever the dining hall had)
Meatballs 
Deli turkey
Raw almonds
Half of an avocado
Peppermint tea or any tea really, I keep a bag in my desk so I can choose depending on my mood
Apple with some raw honey or almond butter
Banana with almond butter (I don't do this one a lot only a rare occassion)


Some days I'm bored, some days I'm perfectly happy but it depends entirely on the fruit or vegetable options. 

Some nights if we need a dessert we will sautee some fruit in butter and put raw sugar on it. Kills cravings and hits the sweet spot. Or we will eat a little dark chocolate from Trader Joe's (they have a 1lb bar). 

What's unforatunate is that we don't have a lot of say in how and what we are eating but fortunately we don't have to cook and I've said this before, we don't have to worry about eating the same thing. But I guess it's getting easier with time. I will slip and fall back but that's okay. We're only human.

Valentine's cheat turned sour

Remember how I mentioned those chocolate covered strawberries? Well I also had wine and more scallops than any person should. Not to mention at lunch on Thursday I ingested some bread....whoops. In my defense I was bored. I'm bored of chicken and salad. I know I've mentioned my boredom 100 times but it's a fact. I just thought, oh half of a cheeseburger and a 1 quarter of the bun won't hurt me. NOT TRUE. I was hurting. I was hurting bad. Totally thought I had food poisoning yesterday. I even came home from work but it turns out or at least we think it was just gluten. I keep doing this but I keep learning, gluten is my enemy and I feel awful when I eat it. Period. So why do I keep doing it? Why do I keep choosing to ingest something that I know makes my insides feel like they are going to die? I don't know. Human nature I guess. It sucks though.

Yesterday, I tried to work but ended up coming home and going back to bed. Then my amazing wife got me my cure-all, Pho Ga from Pho Mai in Upland. Again, worst mistake ever. I felt like I was drugged. I passed out at 8pm. In fact, we both passed out. We both felt like we were drugged and just couldn't stay awake. It was awful. We got up this morning and took Stella for a walk and got back on the horse. It wasn't a super brisk walk but we walked for 45 minutes and then I went to the gym to do some legs and arms, to see if I can force all the toxins out. 

We decided no more cheating. It just isn't good for us. Neither of us feel good when we cheat on Paleo. It's amazing that I feel so different when I eat gluten. I wish I had known years ago. Whats interesting is Eboni has no side effects from food, she doesn't feel weird or off or sick but I have the opposite reaction. I immediately feel awful and like my insides are being crushed. I am much more in tuned with my body now than before and before I was very in tuned with my ailments. But now I feel it all. I know how chicken and salad make me feel. I know how bacon makes me feel and I know how gluten wreaks havoc on my system.

In awe!

This morning, as I do once a week, I got dressed and took a photo of my stomach. I put a shirt on I have never worn and looked down and was blown away.

Eboni said she can't see the difference but I see a HUGE difference. I included the picture because I'm not sure I've ever seen myself look like this. Not in my 20s at least and not eating. I think the look I've finally achieved (below) was achieved by practically starving.

I do not want to go through my life hungry. I like food. I like good food and I love to eat. In fact, Eboni got me an Edible Arrangement that consisted of chocolate covered strawberries and believe you, me, I enjoyed them! I'm allowed and it's okay. I probably won't feel 100% but it's a price I'm willing to take because I love them!

I just can't get over my stomach and the shape my body is taking. I really wanted to share because I've heard from a few people that my story is inspiring and I don't want to exclude details. I know what I looked like before--which wasn't bad but it wasn't this! I'm just so shocked. I feel good and I'm looking better. Imagine what I'll look like in 6 months!!!! 

I love the fact that I am eating food. Real food despite the boring aspects of the food. Real food is going into my mouth and nourishing my body. I think that is people's first question "are you eating?" YES! a lot too. Well at first I was eating a lot. The truth is, almost a month after starting, I don't need as much food as I needed before to feel full. So I stop when I'm full and don't gorge. It's lovely. Now I eat food to live not live to eat food.

Thanks for reading!

Cravings: a debate

For as long as I can remember I would crave something (sushi, pizza, brownies, ice cream etc). What I mean by this is physically I could taste that food in my mouth. Since going Paleo, that taste or craving no longer exists. Yesterday I had a long, not so good day. Came home said I wanted sushi but not because I could taste the fish or couldn't stop thinking about seaweed but because it sounded good. Instead we went to the dining hall and I had pork. It hit my hungry spot and I moved on.

Not having cravings like I use to have is an interesting development because I never remember not having vivid cravings.

Even today on Valentine's day I'm not begging for chocolate or brownies or something in the form of food. I guess my point is cravings and desires are created by our diets. It's become very obvious to me that our brain is hooked on processed junk. That if we just eat what we are meant to eat, we eat less, better and stop craving the things we think we can't live without.

I haven't had soda in a month! I never thought I'd break that habit! I've been drinking soda since I was young and now I can't dream of drinking it again. It's truly amazing how your taste buds change and grow or shrink based on what you are consuming.

I will say this morning is going to be a coffee morning. Luckily I can hit the dining hall get some milk and raw sugar and enjoy a cup! It's the simple things.

Until next time!

Past few days

The past few days have been good and boring. Food is boring now. I'm just wanting something else. Craving something tasty and delicious. 

Working out has been fun and a new adventure. Stella and I do our 35-45 minute walk in the morning then I go to the gym. I'm working on making friends with some of the weight machines and not just the free weights.

Finally this morning, the scale tipped, I broke 150 even if it wasn't by much. 149.9 is what the scale read this morning. I am so happy. Something is happening, changing and working for me. I feel good even if I'm only 80-90% Paleo. I have allowed myself some rice, some lean meat with some sauce, or some sweet potatoes. My one treat though is hot chocolate, I think I've mentioned this before. Hot chocolate made with water from a machine. It's so good. I love it. I allow myself one a day. It handles my cravings and hits a spot. 


Lifting is also good and challenging. It's helpful to have a full gym at my disposal. I'm doing chest presses, leg lifts, some abdominal work, biceps, triceps. It's fun and I should tell you will.i.am pandora is perfect. Brings the pump and helps me "go hard or go home."

Last night we went to a concert and we got up this morning and Eb took Stella for a walk and I decided to quickly get in some weight training.

I encourage you all to walk and weight lift. It's really proving to be beneficial!

I'll keep you posted! :D

Blessing and a curse

This whole dining hall thing is a blessing and a curse and I will tell you why. It is amazing to be able to walk to one of five dining halls, pick up a plate and put food on it. We don't have to cook a meal, do the dishes or decide what to eat so we are both satisfied; rather we just go and food is ready, someone else does the dishes and we don't have to eat the same thing. But it can be boring. Some days I'd rather make my own dinner and just have a say in what I'm eating because I get bored. I'm bored with the same few dishes over and over but I try to not look a gift horse in the mouth. This is a gift from above that we do not have to worry about cost of food (except for breakfast meals--which add up). 

Living a Paleo lifestyle is hard and pricey. There is no doubt that meat is expensive. Luckily we have a year round kick ass farmers market right down the road and meat is pretty much supplied. We talked tonight at dinner what's going to happen when we are not living in and Eboni said "I'll be bringing in money then" and that's true. It's easier to live this lifestyle with two incomes.

That being said, I do believe that this is going to be me forever. I can't imagine going back to eating processed or fried foods, pasta, pizza, bagels, cereal, oatmeal and other high gluten foods along with ice cream, milk and cheese (which we already knew), I just can't digest it. I feel 100% better not eating those things. I do not think anyone who does eat those things are bad or wrong, this is just a personal thing. My system can't take anything else. 

Paleo is very counter-intuitive for me. I've been taught to eat fat free, low fat, diet foods. Eating butter and coconut oil and lots of meat and veggies and fruit is WEIRD! It's taking some getting use to for sure.

This morning was a challenge because I had to be up at 630 because I had to work and I knew the breakfast provided to the RAs was going to be bagels, fruit, yogurt and some juice. Now I can't eat any of that, well I can eat fruit. So I had to get up and eat my chicken apple sausage with an egg. Weird right? Well, I am proud of myself because normally I'd go for the bagel and just stuff my face with it and be happy. But I've really taken to Paleo in a way I didn't think possible. I'm happy to report I did it! :D

Being Italian I feel like I'm suppose to crave pasta and bread but I'm finding that I'm not. I think I have successfully transitioned to Paleo even though I am definitely not 100% Paleo. Maybe someday. :)

I wish someone had turned me onto this Paleo thing earlier!!!! I think eating this way has given me renewed energy to really workout in the gym. I'm lifting and really using my body the way I use to (when I was training with my trainer 5 years ago). I'm seeing differences that I didn't think were possible and I'm hoping to break the 150 mark soon. *Fingers crossed* (even though I know it's not about weight, I can't help but wish I would reap that benefit too).

I think that's all I've got for tonight. 

Wife's birthday

So we celebrated my wife's birthday with a lovely group dinner tonight. We each had some alcohol and definitely had some gluten in my dinner and cheated with mashed potatoes but didn't crumble and eat bread. I feel fine right now just a little gassy, which could be the fact that I enjoyed a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. I do believe milk is not my friend. I have to say Eboni told me milk isn't my friend, thus why I had to drink lactaid. I'm very proud of myself for doing so well at dinner. Just wanted to share that Paleo is possible even when you are out!

Bloat and stomach size

Over the past 3 weeks I've taken periodic pictures of my stomach to see if there really is a difference due to eating paleo. My conclusion is yes there is a difference. I will share some photos to illustrate the difference. The one with red shirt was me about 10 days ago and the yellow shirt is today.

I'm at the point where this less bloated look is what I want MORE than the scale weight.

Just my thoughts and wanted to share.

Thanks for reading.

Paleo and sickness continued

I'm feeling much better tonight and thinking it could have something to do with the fact that I'm Paleo. I had some orange this morning and listened to my body and slept most of the day. I'm feeling stronger but still a bit sleepy. Regardless I'm excited that my illness might have been cut short because of Paleo and my water consumption. 



This weekend is Eboni's birthday. It'll be our first event as a Paleo. I'm making Paleo chocolate cupcakes tomorrow so she can have some piece of her birthday this year. It's all about adjustment. It will take time to adjust to this new life but we've been doing it for 3 weeks. Eb has lost close to 10 lbs and I'm still just down 5 lbs but I only slightly care. 

I'm hoping that it'll kick up and/or speed up soon. We'll see....

This is a good change of lifestyle. I'm feeling good and happy we did this. 

Until next time.

Run down, tired, sick

Today was the third day in a row that I've worked more than 8 hours. Tuesday was a 15 hour day, yesterday was a 13 hour day and last night sleep did not come easily or for very long. I woke up feeling not 100%, tired, run down, just all round exhausted (but not from lack of nutrition like I have in the past but more so because my body is worn out). Today I got up but was running on Empty it felt. Got some coffee and went about my day but my feet were dragging, my throat throbbing and my ear aching in a way that just makes you want to stick something inside (my ear) and scratch and scratch. This to me is a troubling sign. My boss was nice enough to allow me to leave for an extra long lunch to have a nap. I took an hour nap and felt a little better but all noises are hurting my ears. 

I came home early, feeling chilled and feverish, throat red, and ear hurting more than it did earlier. My body is fighting something and fighting hard. All I want is Pho and that is not Paleo. We don't have the ingredients to make soup so Pho is what I'm craving and it usually makes me feel better. 

I know I know, it's not Paleo. But I'm going for it....maybe I'll pay for it but who knows. Paleo is hard when you're feeling run down and sick. Poor Stella has paid for my not feeling well for 2 days in a row. Her routine is so messed up because we haven't walked at 645 and I haven't lifted since Tuesday. Not only has Stella paid, but Eboni has paid. I'm a crank pot when I don't get enough sleep and the fact that Stella's routine is broken makes it worse on my stay at home writer because Stella has tons of energy in the morning that she can't get out because I haven't walked her. Then when Eboni is tired and cranky, Stella's really SOL because neither parent can take her for a 45 minute walk because we're dragging ass. It's really funny how routines work. Why am I telling you this? Well it's just coming out.

Being sick and eating Paleo is tough, all I want is comfort food and I think my task is going to be, as my fabulous wife suggested, to make bone broth so I can defrost it when I'm feeling sick.

Stay tuned for a healthier Victoria (my hope is I'll feel back to normal tomorrow!!! here's to wishful thinking)

New Things

Hi folks!

It's me, your trusty Paleo lover. This week has been good. It started as you all know with the farmers market and great finds there but it just got better. Not because of anything specific but because it's a new week.

Paleo is an adventure that I see as an adventure. I will have my good journeys and my bad ones and I will get lost and I will find friends along the way and I will find rivers and I will be bored with the scenery at certain points.

But all in all this week is good. TMI alert: I had my period and that made Paleo a little more challenging. We ventured to a different dining hall and I was BEGGING (in my head) for cookies. I resisted and instead got dark chocolate from my desk drawer and that hit the spot just right. 

I have had two long days in a row and I found that I was a little hungry all day but mostly because the food options were uninspired and boring. This morning I had fruit for breakfast, a big plate of fruit, before a breakfast meeting, at the breakfast meeting, I ate a mound of bacon. I got strange looks but I'm finding that I love explaining the lifestyle and how it has worked for me. I'm enjoying educating others while I'm being educated.

I went and lifted yesterday morning AFTER my walk with Stella, which felt great. I'm seeing some real differences in my jeans, definition in my arms and legs. I just all around feel better. Even right now, I'm sleepy but I'm not exhausted the way I was when I was eating gluten. 

Eating this way, I'm finding that I want less amounts of food. It might be boredom but I just eat less and move on through my day without severe hunger.

I'm finding in my third week that it is getting easier and that my cravings are going away and I'm looking at gluten, grain, and processed foods differently. I'm not convincing myself I'm missing something outstanding or that I won't be living if I don't eat that piece of pound cake. I'm really convincing myself that I just feel better. I feel good and clean and energetic and plain old myself. Almost my 20 year old self or maybe even younger. Who knows.

I know I haven't lost any weight since last week but I kind of no longer care. I'm seeing this as a benefit in ways I didn't think a "diet" could benefit me.

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for more!

Farmers market score!

Here in Claremont there is a farmers market that happens every Sunday a mile from our house. This morning we got up and made a bee line. We didn't want all the good stuff to be gone or to be picked over and we wanted eggs and didn't know the likelihood of finding eggs.

We got there and there was everything we'd need. Grass fed, organic red meat and pork. We picked up some bacon beef burgers (bacon chopped up into the ground beef), a steak and some pork cheddar chipotle sausage. Then we walked around to find veggies. We also got some sushi grade salmon. We picked up some very good veggies and found our eggs! 30 eggs for 8$ which is awesome because cage free eggs at Target are $5+ for 12! eggs will be purchased via farmers market every week.

We picked up my favorite avocados! I love them, they are my favorite!!! And they are so fresh. I've eaten one and some tomatoes with bacon we picked up from the dining hall. Perfect snack. 

I have to share that I finally feel better. After eating the chocolate cake Friday night, I was torn up yesterday. A physical difference, different energy level, my stomach was popping and horrible. I'm finally feeling better today. 

I feasted on veggies, eggs, some of the sausage from this morning, my snack, and some fruit. Delicious! Feeling like I'm back on track. Hopefully, that is. Just gotta get back up and move on. It's okay to make mistakes but getting back on the wagon is more important. 

Until tomorrow.

CSA adventure for Paleo

Today we decided to sign up for a CSA farm share. It's much cheaper here than it is in New England. There are many options for fruit and veggies and its year round because we are in Southern California. We also get to pick it up at our local farmers market, which is only a mile or so away. 

This is going to save us money and teach us how to cook with new veggies that we wouldn't normally think of getting. I'm excited about this new adventure to take our Paleo lifestyle to the next level.

Popping and ickiness

UGH my stomach. I have had a normal stomach or at least what I thought was normal for 10 days and now all I hear is popping and just nasty feelings within my stomach. I HATE it. I feel like a weighed down dough ball. I can't even example it but the noises coming from within my stomach are not normal. ICK.

Good thing we're going to a farm stand tomorrow. Need to flush my system with fruits and veggies and Paleo strickness.

Gotta get it back on track!

Paleo is amazing and I'm thankful we are doing it and I'm thankful for my mistake.

Paleo Fail

So tonight I was at a dinner hosted by my students to kick off Black Heritage Month and there was chocolate cake. Beautiful individual portions of chocolate cake. My weakness. I decided I wanted to cheat. I knew I shouldn't but I figure I have my period so it's okay if I do it. Well I ate it. It was amazing, sweet, silky and delicious. I barely ate my dinner because I wanted it so badly. But I will tell you, it was a mistake. Even though I've only been Paleo for 12 days, I adapted quickly so tonight I feel like crap. Utter crap. 

I know that making the mistake is good because it reminds you why Paleo is so wonderful and really changed my life but dang that cake was so tempting. I've been told a cheat day is good to remind you of why you went Paleo or why it's important to not put that stuff in your body and I'm so glad that Eboni encouraged us to try Paleo. I've said before that I've never felt so good but now I have confirmation as to what made me feel so crappy for all those years.

Refined sugar, wheat, dairy, processed foods etc are the devil for me. I can't do it. People ask if this is a short term thing or a long term one and after tonight I'm convinced it's long term. I cannot do this to my body. My stomach is torn up. I'm gassy and bloated from one piece of cake.

Never again. I have been feeling so amazing that the one piece of cake isn't worth it.

Live and learn I guess........tomorrow I make the changes back to my new lifestyle. I will not be tempted again.... 

I'm stronger than that. 

Thanks for reading!