Dairy

I sit in my living room with my hot green tea thinking about my desire to just loose 10 more lbs and contemplating what I can do to make that happen. My brain is thinking "Victoria, it's Saturday, you can have your vanilla latte from Starbucks." My non-bloated tummy says "NOOOOOO dairy gives you gas and you get so bloated." If Starbucks had some almond milk maybe it'd be better but none-the-less it feels like I've lost something because I'm going with my non-bloated tummy's feelings about the dairy.

I can see now, clearly, why dairy is such a restricted item in Paleo. Some people can take it and I can, once and awhile (but with Starbucks, I can take it overboard).  When I do consume a lot of dairy I can get a difference in my stomach and gas levels.

So interesting how digestion can be so interrupted with something as small as dairy.

So back to my original point....how to loose that 10 extra pounds....Maybe it's not as important as continuing to strengthen my body and become lean through Pilates and working out at the gym.

I did go ahead and decide to get a tall Vanilla Latte with milk and guess what? I'm bloated and gassy. It didn't take very long, about 30 minutes. So I guess the verdict is, no more milk!

The Whole 30

It has been decided. I will start the Whole 30 (on pay day...the 26th). The Whole 30 is Paleo but stricter. It's going to take more effort for me because I've become lax in a lot of ways. I had a lot of milk today in my coffee and that needs to be cut out. I need to restart, recharge and reenergize my body. When I transitioned to Paleo, I felt so good and I still feel good but I've gotten more relaxed in a lot of ways and have allowed some things in that I shouldn't (raw sugar, coffee, the occasional vanilla syrup). This is going to take time, commitment and encouragement! But I'm committed to having a flatter stomach and being more Paleo than I am currently. This gives me a little over a week to finish off that processed coffee flavored Almond Milk and other goodies in my fridge at a normal rate or they are gone.

I'm feeling inspired for this today because I'm here at this conference and I'm just not eating like myself. I'm finding currently that I have NO idea what to eat for dinner (and I'm hungry). I'm at a loss because things are expensive and I want to eat as much food as it takes to feed me but good food not fillers. 


Want more insight?

http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/

As the journey gets closer, I will share more but for now, 80/20 and then I transition to whole 30!

Second Paleo Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is an interesting "holiday" because people spend a boat load of money, typically, to go out to eat. I cannot do that because the menu restaurants make are usually pre-made and substitutions are frowned upon. That being said, I opted to stay home and make dinner. Paleo beef stir fry with cauliflower rice, out of Chinese food to go containers and chop sticks! For dessert, all week I had been planning on make grain free, gluten free mini chocolate soufflés. I prepped them and stuck them in the fridge. It turns out my fridge is so cold, THEY FROZE. I tried to get them to room temperature prior to sticking them in the oven but I got impatient and did it anyway. They weren't a total disaster but I think during the prepping phase, I made the coconut oil/chocolate mixture too hot and it cooked the eggs when I added it to the eggs, coconut flour and sugar. So they weren't perfect and I will try again someday. 

I did get for Valentine's day a beautiful cookbook "Paleo Chocolate Lovers cookbook." I'm very excited to make things out of it. This whole cooking thing has taught me I need a standing mixer and a bigger kitchen! That being said, anyone want to give me a standing kitchen aid mixer? ;) 

I think all in all Valentine's is hard for special dietary folks and the hustle and bustle around the day is rough. Everyone focuses on food and candy. It's hard to be Paleo and not want to partake. I am lucky enough to have found ways in enjoying myself during holidays and other events that don't cost my stomach!

Though it has come up that when I go to San Francisco I must sacrifice a day to feel like crap so I can eat certain foods. I think this is a no brainer! 

I hope all had a lovely V-day, regardless of how you spent it. Love to all.

The most frustrating thing for me

Lately, I've been frustrated because I'm not hungry. I can't figure out when it's meal time, what exactly I want to eat. There are no clear ideas for me to figure out "yes I'm hungry for this or that." I can't put my finger on it. It's frustrating because I have no desire to eat in the dining hall and I have no desire to make something because nothing is appealing. That being said, I know I need to eat but don't have a clear idea of what it is that I should eat. It easily could be a blessing and I could just go with it but when I find myself with this blank mind, I don't know which direction to turn. I want to order pizza (g-free but not Paleo). 

I know that this doesn't seem like an issue but it feels like it is because I'm at a loss for what I feel in the mood for......Are moods for food something we create? Is it because we are conditioned to think or crave certain foods? Is it bad that I eat to eat and can't eat much? I'm not sure but all I know is right now, I am kinda hungry and I'm thinking of drinking my calories by consuming a kombucha. We shall seeeeeee.

Thanks for listening.

Paleo and Alcohol

I've never been a big drinker. I've never had a craving for a drink. I've never been one to say "let's go get wasted!" (even was I was not Paleo) but now that I am Paleo, I drink even less often (maybe once a month or once every 2 or 3 months). I decided last night, I was out, seeing a show, and at a gay club so why not have a drink?! Well I did. It didn't make me drunk but it wrecked havoc on me afterward! And I will say, this happens every damn time. I had a mixed drink, some spirits of some kind. Nothing huge. I am so dehydrated that I fainted this morning. I woke up so late and within 30 minutes, had all the signs of fainting, then it happened. The only thing I can think of that changed is I had a drink and every damn time, I get sick. I usually get the stomach problems. Drinkers poop really. You all know what I'm talking about. It's an over-share but I'm okay with it. That didn't happen this time. This time, I have gas so bad, the pains in my gut made me faint. Luckily, I took some meds and now I'm feeling slightly better, just weak. But not too weak cause I'm doing research on alcohol and Paleo. I'm resolving that I cannot have alcohol anymore except the recommended, tequila, gin, vodka or a hard cider. My goal is to never get drunk. It's a social thing so I like to do it every once and awhile so I'm guessing I'm okay if I try and experiment with different things.

To me alcohol is like beans, cheese and corn. I get very gassy and very bloated and I can hear my stomach working overtime to process it. All of the aforementioned are Paleo no-nos. As I'm in my second year of Paleo, I'm learning about what things my body can process and what it can't. I'm learning what works for me and what doesn't. I keep trying different things because I want to see how different combinations work with my system. Yesterday, I changed the ratio of meat to veggies all day and I ate way more veggies than normal. I try these things to see if my body stays full still and see how it reacts. I'm at a stand-still in weight loss but I'm okay with that. (kinda) I'd really like to try and loose the weight around my tummy but I know that will happen as long as I transition back to 100% Paleo and honestly, it's hard!

Some folks I know are doing the "whole 30" and I've thought about doing that. I might try some "superhero" diet but I don't want to get into the habit of dieting while I eat Paleo because I will fall back into bad habits that I don't want to touch with a 10 foot pole. It's easy to eat Paleo and not count calories or be concerned with what's going in my mouth because everything (for the most part) is whole, clean and real. But I do get more rigid if I'm doing something like a whole 30 because if I don't do it. I feel like I fail.

More resources on alcohol and Paleo:
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/ultimate-paleo-guide-alcohol/
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-alcohol-fits-into-the-paleo-diet.html

Comparing bodies is not uncommon

I am currently at the gym I joined and I am finding myself looking around and comparing my bodies to other women. I have started to think "no more paleo cookies" "no more coffee with cream" blah blah blah. Then I caught myself and decided to write. Why do I care about my body in relationship to those other women? Because I have been conditioned and socialized to compare my frame and to police other bodies. That is not healthy or helpful. My body is just that, MINE. And over the course of this year, I look lean and healthy. I've lost weight and am doing the best for ME. Good for those women and some day I'll have a flat core (maybe) but for now, I'm better than ever and shouldn't be comparing my body to others. I know there are a lot of you out there who do the same thing and know you aren't alone but women should start supporting each other rather shaming each other or ourselves.

That's my two cents for today.