Life Day by Day

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!