We Did It!

Here it is, July 1...and you know what that means: the 30-day challenge is over! I can't believe it has been a month since we started this. Usually I can stick with an eating plan for about two weeks, then there's a party or some other social gathering and it's over. With a little extra effort and planning ahead, I managed to get through an entire month without giving in to temptation, not even one time. And today, based on our agreement, I COULD eat whatever I want...but I won't. Actually, I will, because eating what 'I want' means maintaining the primal lifestyle that I have embraced. My husband and I have stopped saying "We can't eat that" and started saying "We don't want to eat that."

In 30 days I have lost 15 pounds and over five inches. Even when I was running about 20 miles a week and eating 1400 calories a day to lose weight before my wedding, my maximum weight loss was two pounds per week. Yes, the weight loss has slowed down since the beginning, but my clothes fit better and I feel amazing! Since I have chosen to take this way of life beyond the 30-day challenge, I have stopped stressing the numbers on the scale and started focusing on turning everything that I learned over the past month into a habit. The month of June taught me to be curious about food...the more curious I was, the more creative I became and I realized that there are so many options out there that are conducive to clean living.

I would like to congratulate my husband (Joel), our two friends and myself on our successful month! I urge everyone to at least try it...it's 30 days and what's the worst that could happen? Stay tuned because now that it's over, I have a lot of reflecting to do. That means I will be posting more recipes, of course, but also must-have ingredients as well as tools, and where to procure them on the cheap. I also plan to venture into making my own coconut and almond milk, and to also conquer the baking world. I look forward to sharing these new experiences with you all, and I hope to show you that the effort is worth it...because for me, it's not the destination but the journey that counts. I can't wait to see where this crazy ride will take me!

The Impending Holiday

Good morning, fellow Paleophiles! The fourth of July is almost upon us and that means barbecuing...and drinking...and carbs galore! How can you get through the holiday unscathed and without cheating? Here are a few ideas for surviving the temptation:

1) Since 4th of July is a barbecue holiday, think of it as a primal holiday! Grilling isn't only for meat. Throw some veggies on a skewer for some yummy kabobs. My favorite combination is crimini mushrooms, zucchini, onions and yellow and orange peppers. You can choose whatever you like best and whatever is on sale at the store or farmer's market.

2) Skip the potato and pasta salads. A delicious and refreshing salad, that is paleo friendly, is avocado and tomato. Slice two avocados and two tomatoes. I like to use roma because they have less slime inside and I prefer the flavor. Lay the slices on a platter, tomato then avocado, layered on each other. Over the top I sprinkle sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. To garnish, I use one medium shallot, diced, and chopped cilantro. You can even add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a little kick.

3) Choose your spirits wisely. If you have to have liquor, vodka is the best choice, but it is pricey. My favorite is Cîroc, and a fifth runs about $34.00 in Oregon. Occasionally it is on sale for $29.00, but it is still by far one of the most expensive vodkas. The reason it can be considered 'paleo friendly' is that it is distilled from grapes and not grains or potatoes, like most other vodkas. I have heard that it is a sin to mix this vodka because of its unique and smooth flavor. But I mix it anyway...and it is so refreshing and delicious.

Juice six oranges and seven limes into a pitcher and put the mixer in the fridge until you want to use it. Fill a small glass with ice, pour two ounces of Cîroc over the ice then add the mixer. I like to add a sprig of mint or basil to it for a little earthiness. It's a guilt-free cocktail mix and it is perfect for warm weather!

Happy 4th!

Carb Crashing and How To Deal

For those of you who have already undertaken a primal diet, you know how hard the first few days (or week) can be. If you are planning on trying a 2-week, 30-day or indefinite challenge, there are some things you should know. One of them, and the one I wish I knew about, is the 'carb crash.'

The Paleo/primal diet, by definition, is low carb. Fruits and vegetables have carbs, but nothing like the French bread or tortillas you are used to eating. Plus, these are natural carbs and your body processes them in a different way; they move through you much more quickly without all that gluten to hang on in all the wrong places.

The first day of eating primal I felt unstoppable! I could do anything, conquer the world! I kept saying "Oh, I get it now...this is why people have embraced this way of eating!" By day three, I didn't want to get out of bed. The sugar and carbs from the grains and processed foods I had recently eaten were out of my body, and I was mourning their absence. I was thinking "I will never last 30 days; has it ONLY been three?!" But with encouragement from my fellow Paleophiles, I hung in there and pushed through the crash. Once my body got used to digesting the natural carbohydrates, I had a boost of energy and my motivation was renewed. Since the end of the 'crash', I have noticed that I will periodically have a smaller dip in energy every now and then if I don't eat enough.

Tips for surviving the 'carb crash' without losing sight of why you've chosen to go primal (because let's face it; you can't avoid it. If you can't get out of it, get into it!):

1) Be prepared. If you know it's coming, it's going to be easier to get through it by telling yourself "This WILL end", and it will...I promise.

2) Drink a lot of water; like I mean, a lot! Being well hydrated ups your energy and keeps hormone levels stable, which helps your blood sugar normalize. You should always drink a lot of water of course, but when you feel like you can't lift the bottle to your lips, it's much harder to do. Power through.

3) Stay in bed. If you don't have energy and you feel like reading a book or watching TV, do it! In a few days you will have an abundance of energy, so save your output for a time when you have some to give.

4) Don't give up! This is a phase, so keep your eating clean and regular. Don't eat a sandwich because you need a 'boost.' I swear, when your body adjusts, Paleo will be all the boost you need. "You only think you need it until you don't eat it!"

5) Don't fast during this time, even on accident. Make sure you're eating every few hours. This will also help blood sugar stabilize and will minimize the energy drain. The natural sugars in watermelon are a quick pick-me-up, and hey, you're getting your water as well.

Good luck, and remember: if you ever need encouragement, I'm always here!

Welcome

June 1, 2013 marked an important date for my husband and me. We made the informed choice to embark upon a 30-day adventure; we would eat clean, Paleo, for one month and see the changes and improvements in our bodies and spirits. Today marks day #25. For the first time in my life, after numerous diets and attempts to lose weight, I am not counting down the days until this challenge is over. I actually can't believe the month is coming to an end. I'm not counting the hours until I can have a 'cheat' meal or eat 'normally' again. For me, Paleo has been a breakthrough, an epiphany, the lightbulb that needed to illuminate. Not only have I lost 12 pounds in 24 days, but my entire idea of what food is has changed, as has the way I view the foods I used to eat and was so afraid I would miss.

Originally I wanted to do Paleo because I was hanging on to baby weight, and had in fact gained six pounds since my post-pardum weigh-in just one week after giving birth. Well, four months later I decided that my weight was heading in the wrong direction, as was my self-esteem, energy level and motivation to do anything about that. My husband had heard about Paleo, researched it and even attempted it for two weeks without my nine-month pregnant support (hey, I wanted chocolate and I wanted it all the time! I wasn't about to attempt a life change with four weeks left in my first pregnancy). I watched him as he ate ground beef and sautéed onions almost every night for dinner. The smell nauseated me and it didn't feel like a complete meal to me. Once our daughter was born, all bets were off. Not only were we in the hospital for two days (where the meals aren't exactly Paleo-centric), but the first few weeks with a newborn aren't easy and when you eat, it's fast, it's convenient, and in our case it mostly came from a drive-thru.

Again, there I was four months in to new mommyhood, back at work and feeling like I was still about seven months pregnant. I was desperate for a change, in anything, but mostly in my head. Some motivation to not crave sugar, bread, bad fats, anything that came from a box.

The Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend we were out at the bar for a friend's birthday. On the table in front of us laid half-empty plates of nachos covered in fake cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa and the usual accoutrements. Next to that were deep-fried jalapeño pepper slices with a ranch dipping sauce. I had spent that entire weekend gorging myself on fast food, pizza, cocktails, etc. because my husband and I were going to 'start eating well on Monday' (if I had a dollar for every time we have said that to each other, I would be able to hire my own full-time Paleo chef). I couldn't have known it then, but this time would be different. From the ruins of that 'meal' came a bright beacon of hope; a Phoenix rising from the refined sugar, corn, soy, hormone-riddled dairy concoctions...my husband and two of our friends challenged themselves to a 30-day ALL Paleo, NO cheating commitment. As the night wore on they hatched the details, the rules, and the guidelines. Their excitement was contagious and I hesitantly, and half-tipsily, agreed to join their effort. If only to prove that Paleo had nothing to do with weight loss and that I would soon tire of sautéed onions and ground beef. 

The next day I awoke with curiosity and a hangover that only five $2.00 glasses of red wine can provide. I spent time online, searching for information, recipes. What exactly was Paleo? What had I gotten myself into? Now, I am still a newbie so I will not pretend to be an expert. All I know is that we did our best that day to buy fresh, organic, grass-fed ingredients for the week to begin our journey. I decided 'What the hell?' I'll start Tuesday instead of Saturday...get a head start, it will be easier for me to start a routine while at work anyway. So the next morning, with determination in my heart and Paleo-approved snacks and a lunch in my bag, I began this life-changing challenge.

I was going to wait until after the 30 days were up to see if this experience was something that I wanted to share. However, after 25 days I feel so good that I decided I had to share not only my story (that's not really the good part) but what I have learned along the way. Inherently, the Paleo lifestyle is expensive as it requires quality ingredients that are mostly available in high-end grocery stores. I live on a budget and have still managed to make things work. I will share tips, motivation, advice and most importantly: recipes! I love to cook and in only three and a half weeks I have figured out some pretty cool ways to Paleofy some classics and have even come up with some new dishes that are crowd pleasers, whether the rest of your family or dinner guests are following the same lifestyle as you or not. Join me as I embark on the biggest challenge yet: what happens after the first 30 days!