Life Day by Day

Life has gotten away from me these past few weeks.  Starting college, raising a two year old, building a house, summer activities...we've been busy!  Sorry for the blog silence.  It seems to be the first thing to fall off my list when something has to give.

As far as weight loss goes, I have definitely plateaued.  I bounce around up a pound, down a pound but never really make a loss.  Tim, on the other hand, has lost a total of 15 pounds in the past 6 weeks which I am amazed because as we have gotten busier our eating "rules" have gotten looser!  He is looking so good.  I am proud.

The other night, my son Cian made me proud as well.  He has been eating a modified Paleo diet with us but the other night he surprised me by happily wolfing down shrimp, raw tomato slices, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, dates, walnuts and his special treat of cheese!  He LOVED it all.  I am so glad and hope that his taste for real, fresh foods stays with him as he grows.

Since we have been so busy, I have been sticking to recipes I have grown comfortable with, but we did try a new on the other day.  Spice Rub Crock Pot Chicken from http://www.everdaypaleo.com/.  It was EASY and delicious!  We had a lot of leftovers as well which made lunches for the next several days simple.  Here is the recipe:

Spice Rub Crock Pot Chicken
1 5-6 lb free range organic chicken - giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels.
1 white onion, sliced
1 tsp sea salt (optional)
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne (I did a half tsp because a little goes a long way and our little one doesn't like too much heat)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder

Cover the bottom of crock pot with the sliced onions.  Mix all spices in a small bowl and rub over the whole chicken.  Place the spiced chicken on top of the onions in the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  No need for any liquid, the chicken will cook in its own juices.  Make sure you spoon the onions and a little of the juices over the chicken when you serve it.

Spice Rub Crock Pot Chicken

I was amazed at how much juice there was!

Spice Rub Chicken sauce

I would definitely recommend this recipe - quick prep, inexpensive, tasty and a lot of leftovers!

I will try to keep up with my blogging more consistently.  Give me feedback!  Knowing that I am reaching people and that what I post is helpful (or not) really helps keep me going. :)

So yesterday we totally blew it...we threw the diet to the wind.  It was just one of those days where something had to give, and for us, unfortunately, it was our diet.  We paid for it last night though...ugh, I never want to see a brownie again.

So yes, that is my confession - no one is perfect and we should all expect to fall off the wagon on occasion.  The thing is to get back up, do better next time, and not let one bad choice lead to more.

Back on the wagon and looking forward to this week! 

Tonight we had Stir-Fried Beef with Vegetables from The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain, and I gotta say, it didn't get rave reviews.  It was a bit sour, and it turned out dry yet the veggies were not cooked fully.  If I had cooked it any longer, they would have burnt.  My only suggestion would be to add more oil and/or wine.  Also, I didn't add the mushrooms (Tim hates them), and I know they have a high fluid content so it could be why everything turned out so dry.

Stir-fried Beef with Vegetables

Here is the recipe for those who may want to give it a shot:

Stir-Fried Beef with Vegetables
12 oz boneless sirloin steak, trimmed of all visible fat, thinly sliced into small, bite-sized strips
2 T canola/olive oil mixture
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 c burgundy wine
1 yellow onion, cut thinly into wedges
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into slender strips
2 celery stalks, choppped
4 oz thinly sliced carrots
4 oz sliced mushrooms
3 T lemon juice

Saute the beef in half the oil with garlic and half of the red wine until the beef is browned.  Remove from skillet.  Heat the residual oil in the skillet.  Saute the onion, red pepper, celery, and carrots until the onion is tender - about four minutes.  Add the remainder of the red wine.  Add the mushrooms and lemon juice.  Stir-fry mixture for approximately three more minutes.  Combine the vegetables with the meat.  Serves two (HUGE servings).

On a different note, I have decided to stop going to CrossFit for the time being.  As excited as I am about it, and as much as I would like to continue, it is just not working with our schedule and I can't justify the sacrifice of time with my husband.  So, instead, I have found a new class that is offered on our air force base that is not only free but is only about 5 minutes away from our house.  It is High Energy Athletic Training (HEAT), and sounds a lot like CrossFit - as good a substitute as one can find anyway.  I hope that it is as good as it sounds.  I will start it on Wednesday.

Another day is coming to a close and I am off to cuddle up to my dh.

Last night we had the perfect dinner after a hot, sweaty day.

Ginger Shrimp Salad

Using pre-cooked shrimp, this recipe was really easy.  I got it from http://www.everydaypaleo.com/ (I love that blog!) and the recipe follows:

Ginger Shrimp Salad
1 lb medium shrimp (tails removed, cooked, and de-veined)
3 green onions
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
Pinch of sea salt (optional - it wasn't needed to taste great!)
Palm full of red pepper flakes
Juice from 1 lemon
Fresh Arugula (or any dark green, leafy salad)
Olive oil to taste
1 Avocado

If you are using frozen shrimp like I did; thaw, drain and pat dry with paper towels.  If using fresh shrimp, remove tails, de-vein, and toss into boiling water.  Bring the water back to a simmer.  Once the shrimp rise to the top, remove them and place in ice water.  Then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Toss the cold shrimp with the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, onions, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Serve on a bed of arugula (or salad) garnished with sliced avocado and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Yummy!

We had an open meal on Wednesday and we blame that for our complete lack of energy all day yesterday.  Yuck.  It doesn't help that our son is cutting his two year molars as well, and we could hardly function.  I am starting to like open meals less and less...sure, it tastes great at the time to have bread or cheese or whatever, but then later it feels like there is a brick sitting in my stomach, my eczema flairs up, and my energy tanks.  Not really worth it!

It turns out my Mom has been following my blog and eating a modified Paleo diet until she gets the book to read for herself, and in 3 weeks, she has lost 7 pounds!  How great is that?!

It is time for me to go get my breakfast - an egg, a peach and some walnuts.  So much better than a soggy bowl of cereal!

Oh, and forgive the small picture.  I am not sure what is going on with blogger.  I post the pic, select medium size, like always, and then it shows up small.  When I click on it to re-size it, the options disappear before I can click on anything.  Rather frustrating!  To see the pic bigger, just click on it.

Month one results are in:


In 4 weeks, eating Paleo (with 3 open meals/week) and not working out at all, Tim has lost 11.7 lbs!
In 4 weeks, eating Paleo (with 3 open meals/week), doing Zumba and beginning CrossFit, I have lost 7.4 lbs!

We were going to post pictures but something is screwing with Blogger right now and it keeps screwing up my pictures.  If you would like to see before and current pics, ask and I'll email them to you.

Pretty great results for only 4 weeks! We are looking forward to continuing and seeing how we look and feel in another month. This week we have cut back our open meals to two a week. Three was just too many. Eating the open meals made cravings worse and we didn't enjoy that! Two seems like it would fit us better with fewer cravings.

On to month 2!

I love eating Paleo.  I love knowing that everything that is going into my body is good for it.  Not just neutral, non-bad food, but actually good for me.  I love the feeling of energy and well being.  I love having the confidence that I know this will work.  Looking at the food, you can just see that there is no way to be unhealthy eating it.  I love not having to count, or adjust, or guess, or do math...I eat when I am hungry and I will lose weight if I have weight to lose - and I will stop losing naturally when I don't have excess weight left.  I am not depriving my body of anything it needs; as a matter of fact, I feel I am getting more vitamins, minerals, and protein than I ever have before.  It is all so simple.  I love it.

Paleo breakfast

Here is what one of our breakfasts look like.  Eggs are fatty, so we limit our intake to about 6 per week (which for us isn't difficult...we aren't big egg eaters).  These are simply fried in canola oil and sprinkled with pepper.  Fried eggs can be healthy!

"Holly's" Chicken, mixed veggies and Paleo Mayonnaise with salt free lemon pepper

This is one of my favorite ways of cooking chicken.  It is easy, fast and delicious.  I cut off all visible fat on the breast, seasoned it to taste and fried it in a very small amount of olive oil in a skillet.  The Paleo mayo is from The Paleo Diet book and the recipe is:

Omega-3 Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c flaxseed oil

Put egg, lemon juice, and mustard in blender and blend for three to five seconds.  Continue blending and slowly add oils.  Blend until the mayonnaise is thick.  Scrape mayonnaise into a snap-lock plastic container and refrigerate.  The mayonnaise should keep for five to seven days.  Makes 1 cup.

Tim doesn't like the mayonnaise very much...it has a very strong olive oil flavor.  We have found a lot of other paleo mayo recipes so we will be trying them out.

Today is CrossFit day.  I am hoping to not get quite so sore this time. :)  We will see what the WOD is I guess!

Tomorrow is the one month mark.  We will be posting our weight loss and before and current photos.  Stay tuned!

Okay, here is my menu for the next week - week and a half.  I like to keep it all pretty simple, and I like to be able to choose which dinner I feel like on a given night, so they are in no particular order.  Other than preference for the night, I also go by the freshness of the ingredients to make sure nothing goes bad as it waits its turn.

Ginger Shrimp Salad from http://www.everydaypaleo.com/
Round Steak from The Paleo Diet pg. 171
Sirloin Steak (trimmed of excess fat, rubbed in mustard seed oil, and broiled or grilled)
Pecan Crusted Chicken from http://www.everydaypaleo.com/ (I also posted the recipe in a previous post)
Tilapia (with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic then broiled)
Holly's Chicken (chicken breast sprinkled with seasonings [it depends on my mood and what I have on hand] and pan grilled)
Stir-Fry Beef with Vegetables from The Paleo Diet pg. 169

For sides I usually serve mixed frozen or fresh vegetables, salad, spaghetti squash, or mashed cauliflower from http://www.everydaypaleo.com/ (I posted the recipe in an earlier post), or anything else I feel like whipping up like grilled veggies, fruit, etc.

This menu will probably last us about a week and a half because we have 3 open meals and those aren't always planned but arise if we want something in particular that isn't "Paleo".

Here is our shopping list.  It doesn't cover all the ingredients for all these meals because I already have some of the ingredients here at home.

Almond Butter (can be found at Costco or health/natural food stores)
Turkey Breasts
Fruit: Seasonal (I browse and price check then choose)
Pecans
Avocados
Tomatoes
Lemon crystals or salt free lemon pepper
Apple sauce
Veggies (quick grab: cucumber, carrot nibs, green pepper, etc)
Lettuce (loose, with broad, flexible leafs for sandwiches)
Bread (for Cian)
Jam (sweetened with fruit juice, no sugar or artificial sweeteners - again, for Cian)
Dried fruit (no sugar added!)
1+ lb. medium, cooked, de-veined, tails removed shrimp
Head of garlic
Arugula

This list will probably last us about a week before we need to re-stock on fruits and veggies.

I hope this gives you a little better idea of what kinds of foods we have on hand and how we eat.  I intend to post all the recipes as we have them and I'll let you know how they turn out!

Due to an infection, I wasn't able to go to CrossFit yesterday as I had planned and I could feel it!  Wow...having to take it easy and having a fever while being sore is not a good plan.  I got so stiff and sore that I could hardly move, even though I tried to stay stretched out and the shivering was killer.  I would definitely recommend continuing to exercise strenuously until you have pushed through the soreness if at all possible...it only last 4-5 days that way instead of 2-3 days after ever workout!  Yikes.

There isn't much to report by way of new recipes.  We have had two of our open meals the past two nights, and for lunches and breakfasts we have been eating the usual fruit, veggies, chicken, shrimp, turkey or leftovers.  Today is payday so I will be making up a new menu and shopping list.  Would it be helpful if I posted those for people to peruse?

The Garlic Beef Stew we had for dinner last night was delicious! I was worried about the amount of garlic in it, but it really mellowed out from cooking for so long. Chunky, savory, and thick...everything a stew should be.

It is a beautiful overcast day.  As much as I love the heat and sunshine, it is nice to have something different every so often.  Maybe we'll have a thunderstorm!

Today I have CrossFit so I am making a crock pot meal for dinner.  It is called Garlic Beef Stew and I got it from http://www.everydaypaleo.com/.  Here's the recipe:

Garlic Beef Stew
1.5-2lbs of grass fed stew meat
1 yellow onion, diced
4-6 carrots, diced
4-6 stalks of celery, diced
6-12 cloves of garlic, mashed
palm full of ground marjoram
sea salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt...we may add some when we eat it)
1 small can tomato paste
splash of chicken broth

Throw it all in you crock pot, mix well, cook all day on low.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

I thought I'd share some "cheat sheets" I made up awhile back to help us think of what to grab for breakfast, lunch and snacks while we are learning to eat the Paleo way, as well as the basic guidelines to keep us on track.  The trick with Paleo is to have variety and to be creative.  You really want to have a lean protein with every meal and try to have an even split between fruits and veggies.

Paleo Guidelines


• Level I – 3 open meals per week. Level II – 2 open meals per week. Level III – 1 open meal per week. Use restraint and don't gorge!
• Avoid grains and cereals
• Avoid dairy
• Avoid legumes
• Avoid all refined sugar. Honey and pure maple are allowed in small amounts.
• Eat all the lean meats, fruits and vegetables you want.
• Limit eggs to 6 per week
• Limit nuts to 4 oz per day
• Limit dried fruits to 2 oz per day



Breakfast Ideas

(Some sort of lean protein with every meal: meat, eggs, nuts)
• Bowl of diced apples, shredded carrots, and raisins.
• Eggs: poached, boiled, scrambled, omelet (limit 6 per week)
• Left over cold dinner
• Broiled lean pork, chicken, steak
• Raspberries with walnuts (limit nuts to 4oz a day)
• Seafood
• Melon
• Bowl of sliced bananas, strawberries, and walnuts
• Fruit smoothie
• Any Fruit or berries
>Have variety and be creative!



Lunch Ideas

(Some sort of lean protein with every meal: meat, eggs, nuts)
• Lettuce wrap
• Lettuce sandwiches
• Left over dinner
• Salad (mix and match, be creative) or check out pages: 185-187
• Broiled lean pork, chicken, steak
• Seafood
• Paleo soups: pages 191-193
• Fruits and berries
• Nuts: Walnuts, Macadamia nuts, Pecans, Pine nuts, Cashews, Pistachio nuts, Hazel nuts, Pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, Sunflower seeds, Almonds (limit to 4oz per day)
>Have variety and be creative!



Snack Ideas

• Fresh fruit of any kind
• Raw vegetables: carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc. (with homemade guacamole or salsa dip)
• Cold skinless, broiled chicken breast
• Avocado or tomato slices
• Nuts: almonds, pecans, walnuts, filberts (limit to 4 oz a day)
• Dried fruit (limit to 2 oz a day)
• Eggs (limit to six per week)
• Cold slices of lean beef
• Peel-and-eat shrimp
• Unsalted sunflower seeds (limit to 4 oz a day)
• Homemade beef jerky (without salt)
• Homemade dried salmon strips (without salt)

I hope this helps those who are waiting on their books or who just want healthy meal/snack ideas.  There are an indefinite amount of variation and other things that can be added to these lists.  These are just starting points to get the imagination going.

A little while back I lamented not getting pictures of how pretty and colorful the Paleo Meatloaf was...so I took pictures this time when I made it! :) 

I have gotten this question posed to me from nearly every single person I have introduced the Paleo diet to; "But aren't whole grains and legumes good for you?  They are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals!"  I have tried to answer this question but I thought I would take an abbreviated explanation straight from "The Paleo Diet" by Dr. Loren Cordain for those who haven't read the book.  Now remember, this is only an abbreviated explanation.  He goes into more detail throughout the book, and he shares studies that have been done, as well as explains what blood sugar spikes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, loss of muscle mass and bone demineralization, acid imbalance, etc. are and how they effect you.

Too Much of the Wrong Carbohydrates

The U.S. Food Pyramid is based on carbohydrates; we're a nation of starch and sugar eaters.  Carbohydrates make u about half of the typical Western diet - a considerable difference from the Paleo Diet.  For our ancient ancestors, carbohydrates accounted for 22 to 40 percent of the daily calories - but these were good carbohydrates, from wild fruits and vegetables.  These low-glycemic foods- which don't cause blood sugar to spike- are digested and absorbed slowly.

With nonstarchy fruits and vegetables, it's very hard to get more thatn about 35 percent of your calories as carbohydrate.  For example:  There are 26 calories in the average tomato.  To get 35 percent of your daily calories as carbohydrate from tomatoes only, you'd have to eat thirty tomatoes.  And this is why, with the Paleo Diet, you can indulge yourself by eating all the nonstarchy fruits and vegetables you want.  When you eat the right foods, getting too many carbohydrates- or eating too many high-glycemic carbohydrates, which can cause a dangerous rise in your blood sugar and insulin levels- is simply not something you have to worry about.  The average carbohydrate content of fruits in only about 13 percent per 100 grams, about 4 percent for nonstarchy vegetables- and zero for lean meats, fish and seafood.  In stark contrast, the average carbohydrate content of cereal grains is 72 percent per 100 grams.

Why are many carbohydrates bad?  Many whole grains and legumes don't have a lot of vitamins and minerals.  They're poor dietary sources of these important nutrients.  So a diet that's tilted too heavily toward grains and legumes - at the expense of lean meats, fruits and vegetables - can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  This is why so many of your breads and cereals are fortified with extra nutrients.  Food shouldn't need to be supplemented with vitamins, and if you're getting the right balance of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables, neither should you.

Worse, cereal grains and legumes even contain "antinutrients" - chemicals that actually prevent you body from absorbing the proper nutrients and can damage the gastrointestinal and immune systems.  Too many grains and legumes can disrupt the acid balance in the kidney as well, and can contribute to the loss of muscle mass and bone mineral content with aging.

Finally, if you eat more carbohydrates, you're eating less protein.  Protein is the dieter's friend:  It reduces your appetite and increases your metabolism- and this translates rapidly into weight loss.

One of the great dietary myths in the Western world is that whole grains and legumes are healthful.  The truth is that these foods are marginal at best.  But what about the "health-food" breads?  At best, they are less bad than the overprocessed, super-refined white breads you could be buying.  But they're still not part of the Paleo Diet.  Formerly (before "progress" brought refined milling technology to bread making), almost all cereal grains either were eaten whole or were so crudely milled that nearly the entire grain -bran, germ, and fiber- remained intact, and flour was much less refined than the kind we buy today.  Our great-great-grandparents ate cracked wheat breads and baked goods with a moderate glycemic index - which meant a more moderate rise in blood sugar level.

Does this mean that whole grains are good for you?  Not necessarily.  It just means that an extra bad characteristic-a high glycemic index- wasn't incorporated in them yet.  That unfortunate addition happened about 120 years ago, when steel roller mills came on the flour-making scene.  They smashed all the fiber out of grains and left the wimpy white, high-glycemic powder most of us think of as flour.  Today, almost all baked goods made with this stuff frequently cause the blood sugar level to rise excessively.

Even "whole wheat" bread made from flour ground by these steel roller mills does the same thing to your blood sugar, because the flour particle size is uniformly small - so it's virtually do different from white flour.  About 80 percent of all the cereal products Americans eat- as they follow the directions of the U.S. Food Pyramid- come from refined white flour with a high glycemic index.

Here is a video from Spokane CrossFit. This is what I will be starting today. I can't wait!

As of this morning, day 13, I have lost 5 pounds and Tim has lost 7.  They are really the easiest pounds we have ever lost.  It doesn't feel like there is any work involved, just the occasional craving to be denied.  As I am writing this, I am having a delicious lunch of blueberries, strawberries, walnuts and broiled turkey breast.  Very good and very filling.  I should have some veggies too, but we are all out of the quick grab kind so I'll be sure to have a lot with dinner and no fruit.

Last night for dinner we had grilled chicken breasts with garlic powder and herbed poultry spice on them and a side of mashed cauliflower.  We discovered that the mashed cauliflower can also be used as an awesome condiment!  We dipped our chicken in it, and it was delicious.  Here is the recipe:

Savory Cauliflower Mash
1 giant head of cauliflower, steamed until soft
1 TBS olive oil
Palm full of tumeric powder (I used a tsp of dried mustard instead)
Sea salt (about 1/2 tsp) and white pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor for desired texture.

I am sorry for the lack of pictures.  We have been so very, very busy that by the time I think of taking pictures, dinner is eaten and away!  I will try harder to get some since I know pictures make blogs so much more interesting.

This evening after a meeting with our builder I am going in to CrossFit for my fundamentals class.  I am a bit nervous.  It will be about two hours long and I will be learning proper lift form and how the whole system works.  I think I will likely be exhausted by the time I leave!  Yikes...two hours of practicing lifts, pull ups, etc.  I hope it will be less awkward this time than it was when we went in last.  This time I should have a trainer all to myself so I should have some instruction as to what I am supposed to be doing. :)

I want to share here a conversation I had with Aunt Debbie over email awhile back in regards to the Paleo Diet.  I find myself being asked many of the same questions over and over by many people so I thought I'd let you read over the questions and answers here.  Don't worry, Aunt Debbie said I could share it! :)

Mon, June 21, 2010 2:25:24 PM
Hi Hol,


Thanks for doing all the legwork on researching the Paleo diet. I am intrigued by it personally. However, it comes to mind whether I would get sick and tired of meat, fruit, and veggies before too long. For better or worse we were raised in a culture of variety. Meat/veggies/fruit three times a day or so could make one gag at the thought after a period of time no matter how much one enjoys them. When I eat according the the "rules" of the Atkins Diet I am not too far from the ideals of the Paleo - except a little dairy is permitted, as are a small amount of grain/legumes later. Still, even with these concessions, after a couple months (or sooner) the Atkins leads to longings for more variety. Of course, with the Paleo it seems there are no limits on fruit varieties or vegetables, other than to limit the starchy ones-that would help some, I think. I have to ask, is that enough to keep it from becoming so very boring- no butter, cheese, or cream?

Of course, my habits are 50+ years long - a lifetime in some third-world cultures (had to throw that in). Obviously, food is important to me on an emotional as well as physical level. At first I was going to say "unfortunately" in regard to food being important emotionally, but really it is an emotional experience for all; comfort food seems to be a universal human experience spanning all ages. Ahh, man...now I'm thinking it is also a part of the spiritual experience - the links and ties are all there Scripturally (food/eating was closely tied to Israel's experience of God) and "fellowship" along with the commanded "gathering together" in the Holy Spirit with our brethren has very similar ties, even the "bread (matzah) and wine of communion. Okay, okay...there's got to be balance - yes. All good things can be taken too far - yes. But, if grains, legumes, and dairy weren't for our healthy consumption why would the Lord eat them with Abraham in Genesis 18? They were also part and parcel of the the later dietary allowances and requirements for Israel. Of course, the quality and natural health of the food supply was better in our planet's early days. I do not know, Holly, but though I like the simplicity of the Paleo...I'm not sure it is for me - at least for long term. Perhaps, I could use it as a guideline rather than rule. To make meats, fruits and veggies the primary focus of my diet with some grains and dairy added in as spice - then cut out processed foods altogether. Then...eat less of it all than I do now.

Anyway, just sharing my thoughts


Love you,


Aunt Debbie

Mon, June 21, 2010 3:35pm
Hello :)



I know what you mean about getting sick of those foods and wanting more variety. I was thinking that too. However, like I mentioned briefly in the email, the Paleo Diet makes exceptions. For example, on level one they allow 3 "cheat" meals per week, level two, two per week and level three, one per week. These are meals you can have anything you have been hankering for - pizza, deep fried stuff, etc. The theory is that if you can cheat a little, it will be easier to follow the lifestyle the rest of the time. Also, a lot of people, after they are firmly established in the Paleo way of life and have lost the weight they want to, cleared up health issues etc., eat a modified Paleo diet. They will eat small amounts of cereals or add dairy back in. It is all about balancing it.

The big differences between the Paleo and Atkins is that the Paleo diet focuses on lean animal proteins as opposed to Atkins which has no saturated or trans fat restrictions (how can THAT be healthy?) and like you mentioned, there are no restrictions on the amount of fruits and veggies you can eat. Also, I think I should mention, nuts are allowed and encouraged in the Paleo diet (I have no idea where the Atkins diet stands on that though it would probably allow them too I think?).

I had also thought about the Biblical references to bread and I did a very quick search on it and discovered that neither grain nor bread was mentioned before the flood OR the Tower of Babel but is mentioned shortly after. These are times when the lifespans of humans dropped greatly. Coincidence? Possibly. Also, it is possible that the mention of bread or grains before these events wasn't worth mentioning...who knows? It's just an interesting side bit.

Another thing, the bread of the olden days was almost unrecognizable from the bread of today. Before the mill was invented, cereals were either baked whole into bread or so coarsely ground that their original structure remained intact. This helped create a more moderate rise in blood sugar levels as opposed to the milled cereals of today which cause large, rapid rises in blood sugar which leads to all kinds of problems.

Also, cereals were a mainstay of most people since biblical times due to population increases and the gathering together in cities. If everyone were to live a hunter/gatherer lifestyle in a city, the surrounding land would be picked clean in weeks! This could be why it was allowed for the Israelites, why Jesus ate it with his followers, etc.. This doesn't mean it is the BEST way for us to eat however. It isn't what we were originally designed to eat. In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were to eat of the trees and naturally growing seed bearing plants (Gen 1:29). We could eat cereals but imagine the tiny quantities that would be eaten if we gathered only naturally growing cereals and legumes, not to mention the amount of work that would be involved to gather them! Agriculture is actually part of the curse (Gen 3:17-18) and eating the "plants of the field" is part of it too.

Cereals, even whole grain cereals, cause large rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, they are low in vitamins and minerals, they are full of "anti-nutrients", called phytates, which are chemicals that actually prevent the body from absorbing the proper nutrients, can damage the gastrointestinal and immune systems, and they can disrupt the acid balance in the kidneys as well.

Dairy is full of saturated fats which can raise cholesterol and raise the risk of heart disease and many other chronic illnesses. It is also low in vitamins and minerals-even calcium when compared to vegetables!

You should definitely read the Paleo Diet book. There is SO MUCH to it that I can't even begin to go into here without writing the book over.

It is true we have been spoiled with eating fats, cereals, dairy, along with all the healthy stuff. The question is, do you want to eat what is GOOD for you or do you want to eat whatever you want whenever you want? It is a choice everyone has to make and decide on their own...and it is such a personal decision! I understand that so much because I fight with the idea of restricting myself from anything as well. That is why I like the idea of eating right MOST of the time and only splurging occasionally...like the three, two, or one meal a week thing, and once I have established myself into this lifestyle, adding things with discretion.

Sure, your body can run on what we eat in America, but if we look around and see the toll that is taking...obesity, diabetes, cancers, heart and artery diseases, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, etc. it makes me think that maybe it isn't the best way. So if what we are eating now isn't good, maybe we should look at what people who don't have these problems are eating and follow suit...that is what the Paleo diet offers.

It is an interesting opportunity for sure and I would really encourage you to read to book at least, just to hear the science that is involved. I don't get excited about diets...ever. None of them have made logical sense to me, but this one really does. I really think that this is what our bodies are designed to eat, by God, and will make them run healthier and longer.


I love you and thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!


~Holly

We're starting to rev up for the weekend already so I don't have much time but I wanted to share our great results from week one!

Tim has lost 4.9lbs, and I have lost about 3.5lbs!!  In ONE week!  They say that is to be expected and not to count on it lasting for very long.  The first week or two your metabolism is kicking into gear as it adjusts to having the diet it is meant to work on, and also, like most changes in diet, it causes water weight to fall off at first.  But we are very excited.  This week neither of us has worked out.  We have only been doing our normal day to day activities.  It's pretty amazing. :)

Tuesday I am going to go in to CrossFit to do my fundamentals class which will teach me the basics and proper form for lifts, etc.  Tim has decided not to join CrossFit yet.  He wants to see what the diet does on its own for a couple months first.  He says he knows that most people won't be joining a CrossFit gym and he wants to be an example of what simply the diet change can do.

Oh...I have to share this with you guys.  I ran across this recipe online and it sounded so bizarre I had to try it.

Paleo Chocolate Pudding
1 Large very ripe avocado
1 Large ripe banana
3 TBSP cocoa powder
1-2 TBSP honey

Cut avocado in half and scoop into food processor.  Peel the banana and break into small chunks, adding to food processor.  Add cocoa powder and honey.  Blend until it has the consistency of pudding.  Pour into 2 bowls and enjoy.

Believe it or not...it was GOOD.  Even Tim liked it!  You would never guess that there was avocado in there.  All you could taste was chocolate and banana.  Cian loved it too. :D  Bizarre, huh?  I am definitely going to make that a lot. ;)

I had better get back to laundry and packing.  I will be gone all weekend, but I will try to blog when I get a chance.

Cian is napping once more so here I am to update.  I am feeling much better today.  Still a bit sniffly with a tickle in my throat, but it is going away as the day goes along.

Yesterday we went on another shopping trip.  We were almost completely out of food.  It is a bit harder to procrastinate making shopping trips when eating this way, because there isn't stuff sitting in the cupboards that I can use to fill in the blanks.  When it is gone, it's gone!  No rice or bread makings or canned stuff to get us through a few more days.  We got another week or so worth of food and it came to $84.  I am not really thrilled about how much this seems to be costing.  Hmm...at this rate our monthly grocery bill will be around $400.  We are going to start going to farmer's markets in the area to see if we can get better quality produce for less $$!

Last night for dinner we had Paleo Correct Meat Loaf.  Since store bought ketchup has so much sugar, salt and often high fructose corn syrup in it, we no longer eat it so any meat loaf had better be good on its own!  Luckily, this one was.  Tim put a bit of hot sauce on it (yes, TimV, hot sauce is allowed...I know you were worried about that! :P), but I just ate it plain.  The recipe follows:

Paleo Correct Meat Loaf
2 lb extra lean ground beef
½ c fresh parsley, chopped
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp pepper
½ red pepper, chopped
3 omega 3-enriched eggs, beaten
½ c fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T flaxseed oil


Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spread mixture evenly in an 8½ x 11” baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until well cooked. Serves 8.
 
I wish I had gotten a picture of it before it was cooked...it was so colorful! :)  Along with the meatloaf we had fresh veggies and for dessert we had Frozen Mashed Bananas.  It was surprisingly good, and I am not a big fan of bananas! Here's the recipe:
 
Frozen Mashed Bananas
3-4 ripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 
Peel and mash bananas in bowl.  Add vanilla extract.  Chill in freezer 20-30 minutes then stir.
 
It tasted like banana/vanilla ice cream!  I added a bit of cinnamon to mine for an added layer of flavor and to cut a bit of the sweet banana.  It turned out great.
 
As the week has gone along, I have gotten a bit more creative with ideas.  For example, I have discovered a really delicious "Paleo sandwich".  Simply core an apple, cut it into slices (as though you are going to dry them), smear almond butter on one slice and put another slice on top.  Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.  Yum!
 
We are still feeling great and my cravings have stopped (for now at least).  Tim was mentioning that he has noticed it is MUCH easier to stay awake while he is sitting in a class they are putting him through at work.  Everyone else is falling asleep after lunch,  but he is alert and feels good.  Normally he is dozing off with the worst of them. :P
 
I also have stopped breaking out.  Yay!  My skin is beginning to clear already.    
 
I had better get back to my day.  Adios for now.

Sorry for my silence...weekends are so busy!  We hardly have a moment at home. 

Unfortunately, this weekend I caught a nasty cold.  I am feeling pretty miserable, though I am better today than I was yesterday.  I am going to make this update a bit short, though, so I can go lay down while Cian is napping.

Paleo is going well.  We were so busy this weekend that we were out during dinner time so we had two of our open meals.  Tim and I both noticed that they didn't really sit well with us.  Our stomach felt heavy afterwards, like we had swallowed a brick, but they didn't satisfy our appetite as quickly or thoroughly or for as long.  The complete appetite satisfaction is something we are both really enjoying while eating the Paleo way.  We are having cravings and some withdrawals (I am a bit grumpy :P) but we're not hungry.

A possible side effect I have noticed is that I am breaking out more than I can remember ever doing before.  Two possible explanations are a) stress, both from changing our diet and from other life stuff, and/or b) toxins being released and flushed out of my system.  I am curious as to which it is, but I don't know how to find out so it will likely remain a mystery.

Tim seems to be taking to the diet like a fish to water.  He is really enjoying the food, the lack of hunger, and the way he feels.  I am so glad!

We are out of fruit, however, so I need to go shopping today to replenish our stores today when I get a moment.  I am off to go lay down, I will update again soon.

Ugh.

I just put on a pair of my pants that fit a couple months ago and they are TIGHT. :/  I was doing so good...I was within 2 lb of my goal weight and then I plateaued.  I was so frustrated with not being able to lose those last couple of pounds, and then Tim's return kept getting postponed...for almost a month...and I started to eat.  After he came home, we ate.  Now here I am, back up to what I was last summer.  Dang it.

I am so frustrated with myself.

At least I am doing something about it now.  I don't think I'll get discouraged with this either because weight loss isn't the primary goal.  We're eating this new way because we believe it to be the healthiest way to eat.  We're going to do crossfit because we want to be strong and to see what our bodies are capable of.  I don't want to waste my body's potential.  It can do great things (look at circus performers!), so how dare I just let it sit and go to waste?

But I am, so very much, looking forward to my pants fitting comfortably again!!

It looks like it is going to be another hot, beautiful day today.  I am so glad Summer finally decided to grace us with her presence!

Dinner last night was a much bigger success.  We had Barbecued Alaskan Shrimp (only we had it broiled), and it was a hit with everyone.  Yummy!  Here's the recipe:

Barbecued Alaskan Shrimp:
2 1/2 lb shelled and steamed jumbo shrimp with tail left on
1/4 c virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp paprika
dash of cayenne pepper
2T lemon juice
2 fresh limes cut into wedges
3-4 sprigs fresh parsley

Place cooked shrimp in a large bowl.  Mix olive oil, spices, and lemon juice in a separate bowl.  Brush shrimp with spice mixture and place on hot grill or under broiler for one to two minutes. Turn shrimp (I put them on skewers for easier turning) and continue cooking for and additional one to two minutes.  Garnish with lime wedges and parsley.  Serves 3 to 4.

Having a craving for a sandwich with thick peanut butter and honey...or any bread or sugar product for that matter.

How do I know it is a craving and not just hunger?  Nothing I can eat sounds good.  If it was true hunger, anything would sound appetizing - some would sound better than others of course, but anything would sound edible.  So I'll just suck it up.  If I get hungry, I have plenty to eat.

Ahh...woke up this morning feeling great.  After a rough night the night before last, staying awake until 2am due to an annoying neighbor dog barking, we went to bed early and Cian let me sleep in till 8:30am!  I love it when that happens. :D  Today the sun is shining and the temp is expected to be up in the 90s!  It looks like the makings for a good day.

Cian and I enjoyed our breakfast.  Cian is really digging this all-you-can-eat-fruit-for-breakfast thing.  He had a whole banana, 3 large strawberries, a small handful of blueberries and some cherries.  I am trying to keep up a mix so that he doesn't get diarrhea, but with the amounts he is chowing down, I am expecting it.  I know his system will get used to it, but in the meantime we are trying to be careful. 

I had a banana, a few strawberries and a few cherries.  I should go force down an egg, but I am full and don't really want to. :/  Oh well, it isn't a requirement. :)

I had a question about what is the healthy body fat percentage range, so here is how is broken down:

Women:
<15% = Risky (low body fat)
15-18% = Ultra lean (Fat levels found in elite athletes)
18-22% = Lean (excellent for health and longevity)
22-30% = Moderately lean ("average", generally acceptable for good health)
30-40% = Excess fat (indicates excess fat accumulation over time)
>40% = Risky (high body fat)

Men:
<5% = Risky (low body fat)
5-8% = Ultra Lean (Fat levels found in elite athletes)
8=12% = Lean (excellent for health and longevity)
12-20% = Moderately lean ("average", generally acceptable for good health)
20-30% = Excess fat (indicates excess fat accumulation over time)
>30% = Risky (high body fat)

Our appointment with the Bod Pod was interesting.  I came back with a body fat percentage of 24 - which was less than I expected so that was great - and Tim came back with a percentage of 38, which is higher than we were expecting.  All other body fat percentage calculations come back at about 31% for him so he thinks that there may have been an error during his scan.

Our dinner was interesting...it had a mix of flavors I don't think I have ever had before.  Cian and I liked it, but Tim didn't really enjoy it.  He said he ate enough to be full though, and over time, I am sure his tastes will change to enjoy pure, simple food instead of expecting condiments etc.  Over all, I think it was a decent recipe with a few tweaks...less onion and dried mustard! :)

We are still feeling good - no hunger at all except at meal times.  I didn't even want a snack at 3pm like I normally do.  It is also freeing to know that if I AM hungry, I can eat anything I want in my fridge or cupboards, and as much as I want.  It is amazing how this food triggers your "full" feeling when you are full, instead of setting off an insulin response that causes you to continue to feel hungry even when you are stuffed.  Still waiting on those cravings though.  I know they will raise their heads eventually!

Tomorrow is day two.  We'll be also doing our first WOD (Work Out of the Day) at CrossFit.  Wish us luck! 

I have a free moment while Cian is napping to sit down and type out how our first day on Paleo is going.  So far so good!  We have noticed that our plates are very pretty - full of color and different textures...it is pleasant just to look at them. :)  This morning I had a hard boiled egg and some cherries (I am not much of a breakfast eater), and Cian had a kiwi, a couple strawberries and some walnuts.  He loved it!

Tim and I have decided to take a couple huge steps forward in our health.  We have decided to start eating the Paleo way and we are going to join a Crossfit gym here in Spokane.  I am going to blog about our experiences...what worked, what didn't, our challenges and our triumphs.  I can't wait to see where our journey takes us!

If you want to know more about the Paleo diet, check out this site: http://paleolithicdiet.wordpress.com/.  Also, if you'd like to check out Cross Fit, you can go here: http://www.crossfitspokane.com/. 

Today I sat down and created our first Paleo menu, shopping list and typed up some ideas for quick breakfasts and lunches that I can hang on the fridge to help Tim and I know what to grab as we are learning a new way of eating.  I also called Crossfit Spokane and made an appointment to come in and do our trial WOD (Work Out of the Day) on Thursday at 5:30pm.  I am looking forward to giving it a try! 

After all the planning, list making and menu planning, I was finally able to go to the store and  buy our food for the next week or two...it will take awhile to know exactly how much to get and how long it lasts.  I picked up some basics that will last us for a long time, like olive oil, lemon and lime juice, etc.  In total it all cost about $99.  I'll be interested to see how that amount changes as we settle into a routine.  You should have seen the looks I got going through the checkout!  I'd say 85% of the food I bought was fresh produce and the rest was boneless, skinless chicken breasts, turkey breasts, shrimp, etc.  I don't think many people see that very often now-a-days!

Then came the hard part...cleaning out our cabinets and fridge.  Wow...I didn't think it would be so hard!  I think my Dutch heritage reared its head.  I almost became emotional over it...to see all the work, thought and effort I put into filling those cabinets, and then to have to dispose of it...it was hard.  I provided what I believed was healthy food for my family - filled my kitchen with it - and then I am going to give it away (that's the plan anyway if anyone wants it) because it isn't as healthy as I thought it was.  It is a new start.  My fridge is full of fresh fruits and veggies; no cheese, butter, or dairy of any kind, no salted or fatty meats, very few condiments, and no hidden, leftover treats.  My freezer is now full of lean beef, turkey, chicken, seafood and frozen fruits and veggies.  My cabinets are nearly empty!  What to put in them if not flours, sauces, marinades, rice, beans, cereals, bread, etc. etc.?  They now have a few healthy sauces, oils, canned veggies, canned tuna, dried fruits, and nuts.  See the pictures below to check out our new, improved food storage spaces!


   I won't have to worry about cabinet space anymore! lol

Well, it is getting late, so I am going to end this for now.  Starting tomorrow morning we are living Paleo. :)  Good night!