Game On!

It all starts this Wednesday.  A nutrition challenge at Centerville Crossfit.  There are two things that force me to commit to something:  1)  Money and 2) the word "challenge".  Any time I part with my hard earned cash I expect a return on investment.  So if I pay big money for jeans, I had better look darn good in them!  And I am always up for a challenge.  I have never been able to mentally understand those people who don't like challenges.  Is it laziness?  So confusing to me....

Anyways, I have pretty much lived my life this past year eating the standard Paleo way.  Over the past 3-4 months I have slipped to about 80/20 on this.  Okay, okay, let's be honest, it's probably more like 70/30.  There is something about going to a lake every weekend and eating pizza, chips, drinking beer, etc... that I just can't say no too.  But the lake house is officially closed and it's time for hibernation to begin.  And by hibernation I mean cooking and food prepping on Sundays, working out 3-4 days a week, and vacationing to some place warm at least 2-3 times during the winter.  

I went ahead and started prepping yesterday for this week.  I know the challenge doesn't start until Wednesday, but why wait?  Pictured above are the precooked bacon egg biscuits.  These have diced onions and tomatoes on the bottom with salt and pepper on top.  I went ahead and cooked these and just warmed them up this morning for breakfast.  While the oven was warm I cooked the whole remaining pound of bacon on a sheet pan.  I can pretty much eat bacon cold, warm, or scorching hot.    

Other items I made on Sunday:  

• Browned some ground turkey and added taco seasonings with a can of diced tomatoes (think Rotel, only I'm cheap and buy mine at Aldi's)  I will use this in lettuce wraps with some guac.  It's also good tossed in with eggs.
• Marinated pork loin.  This sucker is going to last me all week.  Random strangers are going to receive some pork loin by Wednesday.  
• Cut up vegetables for quick cooking and/or snacking.
• I will be making Fruit N Nut Bars tonight to hopefully help with my sweet tooth.

It's really day 1 for me and just knowing that I'm not suppose to eat sugary yummy food is making me want it more.  And the fact is I'm pretty good at making Paleo dessert type foods to get me by.  A whole month of no honey might just kill me.  Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but you just never know.

Breakdown of today so far:

• Woke up at 6:30am.
• Ate two bacon and egg biscuits at 7:30am.
• Got to work at 8am
• Met with Chiropractor at 10am (this is a whole other post... grrrr)
• 12:30 lunch:  Two burgers with lettuce and onion.  Not the greatest choice, but we eat lunch out daily and todays choice was the Fried Food Capitol of Moraine, Ohio called Treasure Island.
• Tonight I will be walking on the treadmill (again.... grrrr!!!) due to my back being all out of whack.  Dinner will be either the pork loin or the browned beef.  I'm leaning towards the pork loin with some grilled veggies.

My Paleo Grocery List

Many people have asked me what I eat, where I buy it, etc....  So tonight I thought I would write it all out and share it with the world.  Please note, I am not as strict as others are in regards to organic/grass-fed.  I try to stick to it as much as possible, but I am also human and don't spend a fortune at the grocery store.  For more information, google search "paleo".

Weekly Purchases and Where I buy them:

• Medjool Dates:  Trader Joe's or Earth Fare
• Almond Butter:  Trader Joe's is cheap, but I like Earth Fare's better
• Unsweetened coconut:  Earth Fare
• Eggs and Bacon:  Kroger
• Veggies:  Green, Red, and Yellow Peppers, Carrots, etc... :  Kroger or Aldi's
• Fruits:  Bananas... for recipes or freezing:  Kroger or Aldi's
• Frozen Fruit for smoothies or recipes:  Trader Joe's or Aldi's
• Almond Milk, no sugar:  Trader Joe's  (pink carton, on the shelf)
• Variety of nuts:  Trader Joe's
• Guac:  Aldi's

What should ALWAYS be in your pantry, fridge, or freezer:

• Sundried Tomatoes:  Trader Joe's
• Frozen Veggies  (no excuses not to have veggies)
• Meat!!!  I bought a grass fed cow last fall.  Best investment ever.  When you see meat on sale, stock up!  I have enough flank steak in my freezer to feed an army.  
• Eggs
• Ghee:  Earth Fare
• Coconut or Almond Flour
• Coconut Oil  (Trader Joe's has, you have to ask for it!)
• Seasonings  (garlic, basil, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc...)
• Honey:  Use sparingly people.  (Trader Joe's)

I make A LOT of food on Sunday nights.  I usually bake (Yes, bake on a cookie sheet) a pound of bacon so it is readily available throughout the week.  Do not, I repeat, do not eat a full pound of bacon at one sitting!  Think of it as a side dish.  I add it to eggs, chicken, brussel sprouts, etc....  I also make fruit n nut bars, paleo muffins, or some type of energy muffin/bar to get me through the week.  (Again, these are all still paleo.)  I also cut up veggies, hard boil some eggs, brown a pound of beef, and create any marinades I might need.  You can find a billion recipes online.  Or I strongly recommend you use pinterest.  Here is a link to my Paleo Main Dishes board.

Happy Shopping!!!

Bring It 2012!

Happy New Year!!!

As I sit here and think back on this year I realize how truly blessed I am.  We can all come up with things in our lives that we feel like we are missing.... say a husband or kids for me.  But when I take a step back and realize everything else that I do have, wowza! am I ever blessed!!

So it's December 31, 2011.  A year ago I promised myself I would lose weight and get fit.  Now, I am 32Lbs less and able to lift more weight than I ever imagined.  Physically this year has been amazing.  And actually, this year has been pretty amazing in every aspect of my life.  Emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc....  It all kind of goes hand in hand when you decide to work on it.

So what are my goals for 2012?  And yes, I said goals.  I think the word "goal" sounds so much better than a "resolution".  I actually created a very detailed spreadsheet that hits almost every point of one's life, but I will give you my fitness/health goals:

• Run (not walk, RUN) the Harrigan's 5K on St. Patty's Day
• Hand stand push-ups, double unders, and kipping pull-ups... you will be mine by this time next year!
• 20Lbs less by May.... hello swimsuit season
• Continue to eat Paleo
• Of course, continue losing weight and gaining muscle with my Centerville Crossfit family.... they ROCK!

2011 Before and After

Paleo Update - Day 44

Let me just say, you are about to see two U-G-L-Y pictures of me.  Both were taken after workouts.  I promise to take better ones on the next challenge.  And for the heck of it, next week I will wear the same outfit as my "before" pic just so you can see the difference.  Wait, I can't wear those pants... THEY'RE TOO BIG!

It's Day 44.  Unbelievable how quickly this has gone by.  I will get measured next week and will definitely post my losses at that time.  I can tell you a size 10 now fits way comfortably.  It's very odd to me.  I have always been between a 12-16.  Occasionally (when I need to do laundry) I will walk into the other closet and think to myself - Oh, I'll just put these (size 12's) on and all will be good.  And then, crap!  Literally, they will look like I just crapped my pants because they are so baggy.  Yes, yes, this is a good problem to have.  I just need someone to finance me a new wardrobe.....

This year as a whole I have lost 27Lbs.  Since I started eating Paleo I have lost 21Lbs.  What's that tell ya?  It tells me that the discipline with Paleo is what I needed to really get the weight loss process started.  Notice I said started because this journey is not over.  I plan to continue on.  Why?  People!  How many times do I have to tell you this?!  I FEEL AH-MAZING!  My skin is healthy, my sleep is good, I have energy, and my desire to kill people has reduced dramatically. (Kidding on the killings)

My next goal:  20 pounds gone by the end of March.  Just in time for lake season.  :0)

How to manage it all...

I have decided that for some, managing money is a lot like trying to lose weight.  What is simple for one person, is harder than hell for another.  People are now beginning to notice that I have lost weight.  18 pounds of weight to be exact.  (Thank you God!)  If I told you it was easy, I would totally be lying.  You see, I am a lover of food.  I can tell you what things go together to create a wonderfully creamy and rich tasting dessert.  All my life food has been the main subject.  As a kid I can remember hearing, "If you score a goal we will stop by UDF for ice cream."  Or, "if you behave while we're at Beerman's you can have a treat."  Food was always looked at as a reward in our family, not just fuel for the body.  So to lose this weight and eat the Paleo lifestyle I had to make some major changes.  I now keep a daily food journal, I only buy healthy foods, and I limit my cheats.  This all requires WORK.  Annoying work.  Dreadful work.  But now I am almost at two months of eating this way and it's becoming second nature.  I tell you all this so you can see how hard it is for me to manage what I eat, but I am very good at managing something else.... money.

I was raised in a home where money was talked about daily.  Just as some people talk about work, or their health, we talked about money.  We still do.  My parents raised my brother and I to be very frugal shoppers, to save when we can, and to always plan for the future.  The future, that truly is the hardest part because you never know what that "future" is going to be.  Right now I am saving for a new car.  I plan on paying cash for it.  And by saying "I plan on..." that means I have a budget.  I know where my money goes every month and I can pretty much project where it will go over the next 12 months.  Only occasionally is there something that catches me by surprise.  Such as the THREE baby showers this weekend (slit my wrists now please).  Too me, managing finances comes super easy.  I can look at someone else's lifestyle who is up in shambles and quickly tell them where they can cut expenses, make extra money, and save.  It's second nature.  (Annoying, huh?)  

So while finances come super easy to me, managing my food is extremely hard.  Maybe you are the opposite?  One thing I can tell you, to learn about Paleo I researched it.  I read books, blogs, recipes, etc....  So if you are someone who says, "I just don't get how to get out of debt?!".  I suggest you pick up a book, listen to Clark Howard or Dave Ramsey, or ask someone who knows.  Knowledge truly is half the battle.  And if you ever want to ask me, I am happy to listen.  I have done this for several friends and the information shared never goes beyond us.

To show you the similarity between the two, I just thought I'd show you some of the items I mentioned above.  The less calories and crap you eat, the more weight you shed.  The less money you spend and waste, the more money you save.  

Food                                        Money                                  

Food Journal                           Budget

Only buy healthy                      Only spend what I can afford

Limit cheats                             Don't blow the bank!

Day 18 of 50 - Serious cravings today

I'm having a strange day.  I'm craving everything.  I haven't had cravings like this in over a month.  For some reason the thought of laying on my couch in comfy sweats with a Reese's peanut butter cup sundae just sounds divine.  But I'm also remembering the after effects of that:  stomach pains, immediate tiredness, racing to the bathroom before my gut explodes (don't you just love visuals?), should I go on?

Another thing getting me through, I received an email today telling us that our halfway measurements will be taken on the 29th.  Halfway?!  It's hard to believe that we're almost halfway through this.  This is reason number, okay I don't have a number, but this is just one of the reasons I love Centerville CrossFit.  During this Paleo 50 Day Challenge we will be having a workout together followed by a catered meal, during our halfway check-in we will be hearing about the ease of shopping for paleo foods with snacks, and at the end there will be a group dinner to award the winners.  (Winners are chosen based on least cheats, measurements, total weight loss, and I think most dramatic change from before and after pictures.)  The group atmosphere and camaraderie at CF is like no other.  Through all my bitching and moaning before, during, and after a workout... I truly do love going.

So how will I combat my cravings?  Thinking almond butter and a banana.  Or maybe some super dark chocolate with almond butter.  Then again, this may pass by the time I get home.  Hopefully.

Oh, and here's an updated pic of me from NYC this past weekend.  I have about 20 more pounds to go, but I really do feel so much better now that I eat paleo.  And of course the workouts help too.  :)

 

Size 10's!!!!

I have so much to write about, but first and foremost... I am wearing size 10 jeans today!!  I started this year wearing a tight 14.  You know, the kind of tightness that you wear baggy shirts so that the muffin top spilling over is not seen by all.  Today I fit comfortably into a size 10.  This is after my friend Amy looked at me while we were in NYC and said, "Ok, those pants are too big.  You're not allowed to wear them anymore."  Seeing as how that was the second time I had heard that comment in a week, I decided it was time to part with the baggy 12's.  YAY!!!!

And yes, you heard right, I was in the Big Apple for 4 days.  That's 4 days of pizza and pretzels on EVERY corner.  I accumulated 5 cheat points total.  Which brings my total cheats to 7 on this day 16 of the 50 day paleo challenge.  I had pizza, gelato, a canolli, and the best ice cream brownie sundae ever!!  I also walked for 3 days straight for about  8-9 hours per day.  Luckily the exercise kept me from gaining any weight.  The hardest part about having those tasty treats, it makes me want more.  That's the thing with sugar, it is an addictive substance.  I know it will take several days, if not a week, to get the thoughts of sugar plums out of my head.  (What the heck is a sugar plum?)

We landed back in Ohio late Monday afternoon.  I immediately laid out some beef and sausage from the freezer and headed to the grocery store.  I knew this week was going to be a hectic between my dad having surgery and my CrossFit workouts.  I made a big pot of chili on Monday night.  I can eat chili on and with anything.  (Examples:  egg topper, avocado, stuffed in a green pepper, etc...)  If you make chili, add some veggies to it such as a diced up red and green bell pepper.  It's the easiest way to get more vegetables in your diet.  My lifesaver this week has been the egg muffins I made a few weeks ago and froze.  I completely forgot to buy eggs at the grocery.  I've been popping the muffins in the microwave for about 2 minutes every morning.

We are having a Paleo Potluck dinner at the gym this Friday.  Hopefully I will get some new dishes that I can share with you all.  :)  

Day 3 of 50 : Paleo Challenge

Ok, I'm not going to lie.  Today I want cheese.  And not just any cheese, I want queso dip with nacho chips.  Actually, you can keep the chips.  I will just lick it out of the bowl.  Instead I'm going to eat a chicken sausage brat with sauteed onions and assorted peppers for dinner.  Then I'm going to workout.  And tonight my dessert will be a frozen banana (already chopped up) that I will throw in a blender and add some coconut milk to.

Although I want cheese, I'm not going to eat it.  Because believe it or not, I know this WANT will go away.  Because in reality I don't NEED it.  And my parents always explained the difference between a want and a need to me.  :)  But good heavens I NEED this desire for cheese to go away.  Right.  Now!

PS.. If you are thinking about going Paleo and want some good recipe sites to follow just let me know.  I have a whole slew of them.  Below is a picture of Egg Muffins (eggs, onions, peppers).  They are a great grab-n-go breakfast.  I made these on Sunday for this upcoming week.

Paleo Challenge: Why am I doing this?

Today starts a 50 day Paleo challenge at my gym, Centerville Crossfit.  I had already started eating "paleo" about 3 weeks prior so I feel like I'm ready for this.  What is Paleo?  Simplest way to explain it:  eat meats, fish, plenty of veggies, some nuts, few fruits, and good fats like avocado and olive oil.  So with the process of elimination right now you should be saying - no dairy or bread or beans or sugar (real or artificial) ?!?!?!?  Yes, kids.  None.

And now you're thinking, oh it's just another low carb diet.  Well, yes and no.  Yes it is low in carbohydrates.  But no, it's not the standard low carb diet.  Why?  Because these foods aren't just removed because of their carbohydrates.  They are removed because of what the food itself does to your body.  For more information check out Robb Wolf's website, http://robbwolf.com/.  And definitely read his book, "The Paleo Solution".

Let's get back to the good stuff.... why did I choose to do this?  If you know me well, you know that in the fall of 2008 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.  It is much like Crohn's disease which effects a person's digestive system.  When having a flair up a person with UC knows exactly where every restroom is located within seconds of walking into a building.  I was put on medication at the phenomenally valued price of $180 per month.  (and that's with sucky insurance)  I was also told to eat plenty of fiber and beans.  (This now makes me laugh)

One year later my appendix burst and I had my first appendectomy.  Six months later I was diagnosed with Endometriosis.  I had my first endo surgery done which removed a lot of the endo, but I was told it would never fully be gone and would continue to grow.  Guess what?  Six months later, due to extreme pain, I had another surgery.  And when I say pain, I'm talking the kind that wakes you up at night because you're pretty sure something is cutting you with a knife in your abdomen area.  This time a cyst the size of a grapefruit was removed.... along with an ovary.  sniffle sniffle...   Ok, ok, life goes on.... suck it up!

So for two years I was in and out of doctor's offices on a weekly basis and was able to rack up 3 surgeries.  Literally.  I was determined to make 2011 a year of positive changes.  First I started working out.  Then I read "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf.  Hey, wouldn't you know it.... he has/had Ulcerative Colitis too!  After just three weeks of changing my eating habits I have had ZERO digestive issues.  I have taken ZERO medications for either disease.  And I feel fantastic!!  A friend over the weekend said to me, "Your face is glowing like a pregnant woman."  (And I am 100% NOT prego!!)  So if you are reading this, why not give it 30 days and see if it makes a change to your life the way it has mine?