The Virgin Diet

I hate to beat a dead horse, or however that saying goes, but I am absolutely fascinated by the concept of elimination diets. As I've mentioned before, I'm putting together a holistic wellness program for patients, heavily focused on diet and lifestyle. Therefore, I've spent quite a bit of time researching and have begun to build relationships with some great companies. One of the programs that I'm really loving is the Virgin Diet, which asks participants to eliminate the top 7 inflammatory foods for 21 days, and then gradually reintroduce them. The goals is to establish a diet that is tailored to one's unique sensitivities. The one issue that I have with the program is that the author, JJ Virgin, recommends a vegan protein powder that contains sugar. She also recommends the use of xylitol as a sweetener. Now, I'm all for cutting out sugar and artificial sweeteners, so I have a hard time accepting xylitol as a good alternative. I feel much better recommending stevia, or even honey or maple syrup.

I truly believe that a diet of primarily wholefoods, is key to healing, but I also recognize the benefits of a quality protein supplement. Thus far I have found one product that I think I will end up recommending to patients. Garden of Life makes a RAW protein powder that contains fermented soy, but no added sugar, and no gluten, corn, or dairy. I struggle with this because I'm still trying to figure out which is worse, fermented soy or sugar. From what I've read fermented soy, has significant health benefits,  just question whether it is a problem for those with a soy sensitivity.

After a week of tummy troubles, I'm really feeling motivated to try the Virgin Diet myself. Paleo already eliminates corn, soy, dairy, gluten, peanuts, and sugar so my biggest challenge will be to eliminate eggs. Unfortunately, this means no more breakfast cake for a while. I plan to start my 21 days on Monday the 4th, because I  want to try it out before I go recommending it to patients.  I better get a move on it since I'm all set to start seeing patients next week!

I actually ended up swinging by Wholefoods on my way home today and picking up some RAW protein. I didn't have time for lunch today (a huge no no!) so I made a shake when I got home. Here's the recipe:

1 scoop raw chocolate protein powder
10 oz unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1 tbsp almond butter

This shake was unbelievably good! Just the right amount of sweet and chocolatey goodness all from stevia and raw cacao. Again, I am all for whole foods, but I do believe that a quality protein shake has significant health benefits. I'm looking forward to trying this one out for the next few weeks.

New week, fresh start

After a CHALLENGING weekend, to say the least, I am totally pumped to get back on track. The only major slip-up I had was having a piece of cake on Friday night, but this one transgression, shocked my digestive system for the entire weekend! I felt absolutely horrible! One of the greatest benefits that I have garnered from the Paleo lifestyle is learning that I do have some food intolerances. Not necessarily true allergies but definitely sensitivities. The beauty of paleo is that it eliminates many of the foods which are linked to allergies and inflammation. These include: gluten, corn, peanuts, soy, dairy, and sugar,. Now of course eggs are majorly inflammatory for some people but I have not noticed any issue with them. At some point I would love to do a food sensitivity test, but for now I'm satisfied simply eliminating this major allergens. Based on this weekend's tummy troubles I'm pretty well convinced that I am sensitive to gluten, and possibly sugar. How tragic, since my absolute favorite dessert is chocolate cake! All I know is that no cake is worth feeling crappy for days. I'm more determined than ever to stick to paleo, and come up with creative solutions to satisfy my cravings.

Mondays naturally feel like a fresh start, so I'm ready to let go of the weekend and move forward. Luckily, my friend Aubrey is starting a 60 days paleo challenge today, so I will have some support. Even Chad wants to get back on track, and that will be great, since watching him eat pizza is pure torture. Chad and I started the morning off at CrossFit and here is today's WOD:

STRENGTH: 
CLEAN PULL @ 60% OF 1RM BACK SQUAT 3.3.3
BEFORE COMING IN FIGURE OUT WHAT 60% OF YOUR 1 RM BACK SQUAT IS. IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR MAX BACK SQUAT IS THAT IS FINE. WE WILL TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT IN CLASS.
OLYMPIC SQUATS @ 60% 3 X 12 REPS-60% OF YOUR MAX OLYMPIC SQUAT

WOD: AMRAP 20 MINUTES
300 YD KB FARMERS WALK
50 BOTTOMS UPS KB PRESSES
50 TOTAL SINGLE ARM KB SWING ALTERNATING
50 ALTERNATING ARM FLOOR PRESS KB
300 YD KB FARMERS WALK

Its nice to have this workout in the books!

For breakfast I packed Chad some carrot/ginger paleo muffins, cashew butter, and strawberries. I made myself my usual, but added shredded carrots the breakfast cake mix. Can you say YUM!

What's going to be really sad, is the day I finally get tired of eating the same breakfast everyday, but until then, this is my go to.

Last night I roasted a whole chicken, so we'll be able to eat on that for most of the week. Check out this beauty

All I did was stuff the chicken with sliced oranges, fresh rosemary, and garlic. Then I topped it with EVOO and S&P. This chicken is about 4.5 lbs so I baked it at 350 for about an hour. Super simple and full of flavor. Once we eat most of the meat, I'll use the bones to make broth.

I'm looking forward to a month of clean eating and lots of adventures in the kitchen.

Well looks like I'll be restarting my challenge today. Yes, I must confess, I totally broke down last night and had an AMAZING piece of vegan chocolate zucchini cake at Fido. My day started out great, usual breakfast followed by snacking on my homemade beef jerky and almonds, followed by a veggie and turkey bacon scramble for lunch. We met our friends Aubrey and Matt for dinner at an awesome Thai restaurant, and I had a green papaya salad and red curry minus the rice. I completely stuffed myself! Then, we headed to Fido and they happened to have my favorite cake. I hadn't had it in months and I just could not resist. After absolutely inhaling it, along with a cup of coffee, I felt so guilty. We'll just call yesterday my "big carb" day.

This morning I got up and made breakfast and then headed to day 5 of CrossFit. Here is today's WOD:

WARM UP- 6 TO 8 MINUTES
SKILL/MOBILITY: GRAB YOU PVC PIPES AND SPAR WITH EACH OTHER. JUST KIDDING….PRACTICE.
OVERHEAD SQUAT: 15
SNATCH: 15
POWER CLEAN: 15
FRONT SQUAT: 15
HOLLOW ROCK POSITION: 15
KIPPING POSITION: 15
WOD:

• Pullups – 25 reps
• Barbell Deadlift with 135 lbs. – 50 reps
• Pushups – 50 reps
• 24-inch Box Jumps – 50 reps
• Floor Wipers – 50 reps
• Single-Arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell – 50 reps
• Pullups – 25 rep

I completed the WOD in 17:04.

No matter how crappy I might feel about my eating, I always feel AWESOME at CrossFit. It is really empowering to loose yourself in a great workout.

For lunch I sauteed chicken, zucchini, onion and spinach, and then added my cashew sauce. I way over ate but it was really satisfying after a tough WOD. I would like to make an effort over the next month, to not stuff myself at meals. A, its completely mindless eating and B, it makes me feel gross.

Chad and I headed to a movie this evening, and then decided to eat out again. Reluctantly I agreed to head back to Fido, but I was determined to resist another piece of cake. Chad is seriously the WORST influence ever because he has an awful sweet tooth. I ended up ordering their local burger bunless, but with cheese, and a side of sweet potato fries. I love their fries because they aren't fried :) Chad went ahead and ordered cake, and yes, I did have a bite of his, but I didn't have my own piece. I sipped on a great cup of coffee after dinner, and then we headed home.

My diet today certainly wasn't perfect, but it was a great step towards getting back on track.

Back on track

Good morning and happy Friday! As you may have figured out, if you've followed my posts at all, I am really into goal setting. For me, setting and achieving goals keeps me accountable and helps me maintain lifestyle changes. Today marks 30 days until my 27th birthday so I think it is a perfect day to get back to paleo, and back to my wellness goals. This time around I'm not going to step on the scale, in fact I am going to try and avoid it for the entire 30 days. I plan to monitor my progress with pictures and my measurements instead. As I've said before, I love experimenting to figure out how different ways of eating and working out effect my body. Thus far I've discovered that paleo and crossfit make me feel great, but crossfit definitely encourages my body to beef up. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it takes some getting used to. In the interest of further experimentation I want to maintain a diet of less than 100g of carbs/day 6 days a week, and then double that amount 1 day per week. This is a common practice with the theory being that doubling carbs, one day per week will boost metabolism. I've never tried it so I'm eager to see how it works for me. So here's the plan:

1. Clean, paleo eating for 30 days
2. 6 days/wk eat < 100g carbs/day, 1 day/wk double that amount
3. CrossFit 5 days/wk
4. sleep at least 7hrs/per night

I'd love to get back into yoga, but I have a ton on my plate right now so I don't want yoga to become something else I have to check off my list. 

I'm really looking forward to this latest challenge and can't wait to see the results!

Weaning off sweets

Ya know what absolutely baffles me? The fact that  I can go a whole month without sweets and then one indulgence, and the cravings are back! The day after I finished the paleo challenge, I had a piece of red velvet cake, and every day since, I've craved sweets. What gives! I swear sweets are like drugs, and just one taste can throw me back into bad habits. On a positive note, even though I've eaten a few grain products, I really haven't craved them. Winning! I've been gradually weaning myself off sweets by indulging in a couple pieces of dark chocolate, and 1-2 dates, every other day or so. What usually ends up happening is that I quell my cravings with nut butter , so I need to watch that as well. Work in progress!

Today I was pretty productive. Chad and I went to CrossFit and I did some cleaning, grocery shopping, met with my boss, and spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Today chuck roasts were on sale at Wholefoods so I got a 2lb roast and decided to attempt to make some beef jerky. I thinly sliced the meat and then marinaded it. Here's what I used:

2 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

I cooked the meat at 170 degrees for about 4 hours and I think it turned out pretty well.

I also made some carrot-ginger muffins that I thought would be great to grab on the go. Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
3 large eggs
1 large extra ripe banana mashed
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp coconut oil melted
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt

I mixed all the ingredients and baked the muffins at 350 for about 10 minutes. I think they turned out great but they are definitely not sweet, which may be a problem for Chad. Adding more honey would help but I like them as is.

For dinner I made turkey meatloaf, roasted veggies, and carrot-sweet potato cakes. I also made some ketchup to use for the meatloaf, but this time I made it a bit more savory than usual.

Ketchup is soo easy to make and this way you can control the ingredients. All you need is tomato paste, salt, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, either dry mustard or dijon, and honey.

I am so stuffed but happy that dinner was a success. I can't wait to try out the beef jerky!

Pancakes

 

This morning I woke up and just felt like having pancakes. Every now and again I'll get a craving for them, and I think this one was sparked by passing Nashville's famous restaurant, Pancake Pantry, last night. In the interest of working my way back to paleo, after a week long hiatus, I wanted to create a recipe that stuck to paleo principals. I looked at several recipes online, and then got bored and started throwing ingredients together. Luckily my experimenting worked out pretty well and the pancakes turned out fluffy, and actually stuck together. Here's the recipe:

5 tbsp coconut flour
3 tbsp almond flour
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup unsweetened organic apple sauce
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
coconut oil for the pan

I wish I could tell you that I mixed the wet and dry ingredients separately, and then carefully combined them, but that's just not me. I threw all the ingredients together and mixed them with a fork. I heated a pan to medium and added a tsp of coconut oil. Once melted I added about a 1/2 cup of mix to the pan and cooked the pancake for about 5 minutes total. Again, I was shocked this recipe actually worked out but take a look at the picture above! I topped my pancakes with almond butter and blueberries, and Chad's with raw honey and cinnamon. This is a great basic recipe and next time I want to add ginger and molasses to make gingerbread pancakes.

So now my belly is full of yumminess and I'm ready to reevaluate my goals. I am so glad that I tried paleo because I honestly feel that it is a lifestyle that makes sense to me, and falls in line with my beliefs about health and wellness. Its really quite simple: EAT REAL FOOD!

I like to set very specific, timed goals for myself, because I think it is much easier to stay accountable that way. My 27th birthday is March 22nd, just over a month from today, so that's my time frame for my latest set of goals. Here's what I hope to do:

1. go to Crossfit 5 days/wk
2. practice yoga at least once/wk
3. Eat paleo 6 days/ wk, allowing a cheat day (within reason) once a wk
4. No less that 7 hrs sleep/night

I'm still working on that six pack, so hopefully these goals will continue to bring me closer

My friend Aubrey and her husband are going to be starting a 60 day paleo challenge. I totally commend them, and it will be great to be able to support each other.

My jeans don't fit....

This week has been really wonderful, and its one I look forward to every year. Chad and I get to celebrate Valentine's day, the anniversary of our first date, and Chad's birthday. Of course this also means that we over indulge in food and drinks, so sticking to paleo has been tough. You may have seen my "paleo" V-day dinner, which was awesome, but that chocolate pot de creme made me soo sick! It was just way too rich and I was up most of the night with a tummy ache, which lasted through Friday afternoon.

Friday night Chad made us reservations at an awesome restaurant, Kayne Prime. I was supposed to meet him at his office at 7, to make a 7:30 reservation, but of course I was running late. I was stuck in my closet in tears for 30 minutes because I could not figure out what to wear. I wanted to throw on some jeans, but none of them fit! Now for most women, this is an absolute tradgedy because it usually means you are gaining weight. I know the reason my jeans are snug is because all the CrossFit is adding muscle to my legs, but honestly after dealing with body image issues for most of my life, its so scary when clothes stop fitting. I finally found a pair I could squeeze into, but I was super uncomfortable. I sucked it up and ran out the door.

Dinner was amazing! We each had a 6oz Waygu beef filet and Chad ordered Mac 'n' cheese and cesar salad, and I ordered brussel sprouts. We also shared an awesome bottle of wine. My dinner wouldn't have been too un-paleo (except for the wine) but then I tried Chad's Mac, and I couldn't resist. I don't even like Mac 'n' cheese, yes its really true, but this stuff was unbelievable! It was a great meal, and a great way to celebrate with my love.

Saturday we headed to CrossFit, which made 6 days in row for me once again :) Here's the WOD:
WARM UP - 6 TO 8 MINUTE

SKILL - DOUBLE UNDERS 5 MINUTES

WOD - 5 ROUNDS FOR TIME
10 PISTOLS EACH LEG
10 WALKING KB PRESSES
10 POWER PUSH UPS
10 RUSSIAN TWISTS WEIGHTED
10 JUMP SQUATS
STRETCH/COOL DOWN

Afterwards we headed to lunch at Burger Up with Chad's family. I ordered my burger paleo style, no bun or cheese, topped with avocado and egg, and lots of sweet potato fries. We then headed back to our house for cookie cake and presents. I was able to resist the cookie, and occupied myself by getting started on the cooking for last night's party. I made a bunch of food, and none of it was very paleo. Here's the menu:

Proscuitto wrapped asparagus
Blue cheese turkey buffalo meatballs
Goat cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates
Quesadillas:
    carmelized onion, apple, brie
    avocado, chicken, goat cheese
    pesto, chicken, mozzarella
Blackberry vodka lemonade

Everything turned out great and we had NOTHING leftover. Always a good compliment :) I ate and drank way too much and had a great time. I capped off the evening with an ice cream Sunday before heading to bed... I don't even remember the last time I had ice cream!

This morning I woke up and didn't feel great, but I was not nearly as hungover as I thought I'd be. I had my usual breakfast and coffee, and lots of water. At my women's circle I had some delicious paleo sweet potato muffins, a paleo brownie, and one chocolate covered strawberry. I also had a ginger kombucha that I bought yesterday in anticipation of today's pain. After this week I am so ready to get back on paleo. Garbage in= garbage out, and I'm really feeling the ill effects of my dietary choices. Its really not worth the pain!

A Very "Paleo" Valentine's

Happy V-day everyone! I'm writing from the comfort of my favorite room in the house, my kitchen, while whipping up dinner for Chad and I. Of the two of us I'm most definitely the romantic, so I love spoiling my hubby with surprises. My favorite way to show my affection is by cooking so I'm creating a Valentine's Day meal that gives a pretty good nod to paleo. Ok, ok, no this is not a strict Paleo meal, but hey, its all natural, whole food based. One of our favorite meals is pizza, and after trying a gluten free version last week, I decided to finally try a grain free Paleo version. Though I know dairy is a no no, I just don't see any point in a cheese-less pizza. I also believe that V-day needs to include a little chocolate so that is happening as well.

Here is tonight's menu:
Pesto, chicken sausage, and roasted pepper pizza
Roasted brussel sprouts with garlic
Mixed greens salad dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar
Chocolate pot de creme topped with whipped coconut  creme

In preparation for this incredibly rich meal, I headed to CrossFit so that could "earn it," and man did I ever!!! Here's Today's WOD:

EMON for 30 minutes

5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 air squats

Can you say OUCH?!?!

 Now for the yummy part... Here are the recipes for tonight's feast:

Paleo pizza crust:

1 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder

Heat over to 425. Combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly, then add remaining ingredients and whisk until well combined.  Pile mixture onto a cookie sheet or pizza stone over parchment and pat into a pizza shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

 I topped our pizza with fresh pesto, mozzarella cheese, organic chicken Italian sausage, and roasted bell pepper.

   

The pot de creme may be the easiest dessert ever! Here is what you need:

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar (I used Traders Joe's)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup hot coffee

sea salt

In a blender combine all ingredients but the coffee and blend until well combined. With blender still going, gradually add the coffee to temper the eggs.  Blend until combined. Evenly divide mixture between two cups (I used wine glasses) and allow to set for at least an hour in the fridge.

So freaking easy!!!!

I topped the pot de creme with a pinch of sea salt and full fat whipped coconut cream combined with vanilla extract.

 So here is what dinner/dessert looked like:

And here is my adorable hubby :)

This meal was AMAZING! It came out better than I planned and I'm so excited to be able to add this to my repertoire. Of course I made way too much, and we ate it all, so next time I'll scale this down a bit. Definitely a Valentine's Day success that stuck pretty darn close to Paleo :)

I love wine but...

I'm gradually beginning to accept the fact that alcohol and I have a pretty dysfunctional relationship. No, not the kind that would necessitate any real concern, but the kind that leads to overeating and self loathing. It took 32 days of booze free living, for me to even consider this notion, and I'm now thinking I may have to just accept it. Over the last year or so I've stopped drinking beer because it makes me feel AWFUL, and really prefer to indulge in a little red wine if I'm going to drink at all. I truly enjoy a glass of wine with dinner because I genuinely like the taste, and the way a good wine enhances a meal. However, if I indulge in more than 1 glass, I inevitably end up over eating and really wanting sweets. There begins a vicious cycle of imbibing in too much wine, overeating, and the hating myself. The next morning I usually feel terrible, not only suffering from bloating or tummy aches, but also experiencing an extreme level of guilt for throwing a wrench in my clean eating efforts.

Last nights events inspired today's post. I met a girlfriend for dinner and drinks after having eaten well all day, 100% Paleo accept for some goat cheese that I added to my salad at lunch. We split a couple appetizers which included chicken and beef skewers, seared ahi, and brussels sprouts. I had 2 glasses of cabernet and about 4 glasses of water. Really not to bad huh? Well, then I got home and was dying for something sweet. I ended up having a bite of a Larabar and throwing it away, then some cashew butter, then some carob chips, and finally one of my paleo bars. It was an out of body experience and by the time it was over I felt so sick I was ready to puke. This morning I woke and was so mad at myself,  because I completely lost control last night. Seems to me, that red wine, though delightful, is totally not worth the grief. I'm attempting to be compassionate towards myself, but after having had such a great month and making significant progress towards to wellness goals, I'm annoyed to say the least.

All I can do at this point is accept the fact that I'm not perfect and move on. If this had happened to one of my patients/clients I would have told them to give themselves a break and move forward. I guess I should take a little of my own advice. So today I've eaten a quality Paleo friendly breakfast, and I'm really looking forward to CrossFit tonight. I know this week will challenge me, as we are celebrating Valentine's day, Chad's Birthday, and 3 years together. Checking in here, is the best way I can think to keep myself accountable, so that is my plan. Next week I want to revisit my goals and strategize for the upcoming month. I still want that six-pack!

Today's WOD:
WARM UP-
Walking Lunges
Walking knee hugs
Walking ankle grabs
High Knees
Heel Ups
Rotating Lateral Lunge
Shuffle
Karaoke
Karaoke w/ high knee lift
Samson Stretch
Max Pushups in 1 minute at the conclusion
SKILL: DUMBELL SNATCH
WOD: OUR FIRST “HERO WORKOUT” THE LUMBER JACK 20 (SEE BELOW FOR THE STORY)
20 DEADLIFTS Rx (275 lbs.) (185 lbs.)
20 KB SWINGS AMERICAN Rx (72 lbs.) (40 lbs.)
20 OVERHEAD SQUATS Rx (115lbs.) (85 lbs.)
20 BURPEES
20 PULL UPS
20 BOX JUMPS 24 INCH BOX
20 DB SNATCHES Rx 45 lbs. 25 lbs.
*10 JINGLE JANGLES IN BETWEEN EACH EXERCISE*

Life after Paleo

Ok, ok I know its only been a couple days but I'm already missing the challenge. I definitely think I'm going to stick to mostly Paleo from here on out. Beginning on Friday I allowed myself to indulge in some old favorites, and while I wouldn't say that I'm feeling bad, I'm definitely not feeling great. On Friday I ate paleo all day, usual breakfast and leftover meat and veggies for lunch. That night aftter CrossFit, Chad and I went to my favorite restaurant/coffee shop, Fido. We ended up splitting a burger, with bun, and sweet potato fries. I also ordered a salad to up my veggie intake. One of the reasons we love this place so much is their awesome selection of house-made cakes. They actually made all our wedding cakes for us. So of course we had to indulge.

I'm so glad we split our meal because that cake alone could fill you up.

Yesterday, I headed to CrossFit, making it 6 days in a row! Yep, I told you I'm addicted. I ate well all day and then headed to the grand opening party for my new doula business. I was so busy that I didn't eat much until after the party when we had a champagne toast (first alcohol in 32 days) and some yummy paleo cookies. After that I headed to dinner with my MIL and Chad. We decided on Burger Up and I had an AWESOME bison burger with bacon, guacamole, cheese, and jalepenos. I also had two glasses of wine and sweet potato fries.

So this was bad enough but I then decided I needed to have something sweet, so I made a mug cake at home with carob chips. Now I remember why I need to limit my alcohol intake, I always end up eating too much.

Over all it certainly could have been worse, and today is a new day.  I worked my butt off this week, so I can't beat myself up for overindulging. I'm looking forward to a new week clean eating, and feeling great.

Day 30 foods

Alright so I went a little overboard with food today. I was just hungry and I ended up eating a ton! I had my usual breakfast cake with blueberries and cashew butter, plus 3 chicken sausages. I had another scoop of cashew butter around 11:30 and then headed to Chad's office where I met him for lunch. We had delicious Chipotle burrito bowls. Mine was piled high with chicken, fajita veggies, romaine, salsa, and guacamole. Absolutely delightful! Around 4 I snacked on leftover sauteed bell peppers from last night, and about 1/2 cup of leftover chicken.

For dinner I just couldn't help myself. I was craving some sweet potato fries, so that's exactly what I made. I also made spinach/basil pesto turkey burgers and roasted brussels with lots of garlic. Here's what I used for the burgers:

2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
EVOO
1 large egg
salt
1 lb ground turkey

I combined everything but the turkey in a blender and pureed. I transferred the puree to a mixing bowl and combined it with the turkey. I divided the mixture into 4 balls and formed them into patties. I stuck the patties in the fridge to firm up for about an hour. To cook I heated a pan and added coconut oil. I cooked the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side, and they came out great.

So it was certainly another successful day of Paleo, however, my carb count came out to about 145g. Just goes to show you how easy it is to consume carbs, even when you stick to fruits and veggies. Sweet potatoes are a killer, but they are full of great nutrients and I deserved them after today's WOD.

Tomorrow I plan to stick to mostly Paleo, but I see a glass of wine in my future! Got to celebrate completing this challenge!

I can't believe it...Day 30

Well friends, it is finally here, day 30 of 30 days of paleo! When I started the challenge, I was really skeptical about being able to be strict for 30 days straight, but again, this is why I believe writing down your goals, is so essential. If you take the time to write them out, make them specific, timed, and realistic, you are so much more likely to have success. My whole motivation for starting this blog was to document my experience and hold myself accountable to completing this challenge.

Today, Chad and I headed to CrossFit and completed the following WOD:

EMON 25minutes

10 jump lunges
10 around the worlds with plate
10 push-ups

I swear I thought this workout would never end, but once I got about halfway through I knew I'd be able to complete it. I'm telling you, CrossFit is addictive! Afterwards, as promised, I had our trainer check my measurements. I wanted to revisit my original goals and measurements  from day 1 so here they are:

Objectives:
1. eliminate processed crap from my diet while increasing protein intake
2. test out the Paleo lifestyle and see how it makes me feel and perform athletically
3. loose the excess weight gained since October 5th (my wedding day)
4. attend CrossFit no less than 4 times a week
5. sleep no less than 7 hrs/night preferably 8

Stats:
weight: 148
Waist 1 in above BB: 27 1/4
Biceps: L-10 3/4  R-10 3/4
Hips: 37
Thighs: L-22 R-22
Chest: 37 1/4 

Over all I am really pleased with my progress this month. I ate a diet rich in healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and good quality meats and eggs. I had no grains, legumes or alcohol. I did have paleo cookies one night and used unsweetened cocoa powder of 2 occasions. Again, I'm not perfect :) I attended CrossFit at least 4 times a week and sometimes 5. The one thing that I still need to work on is getting enough sleep. Here are this morning's measurements

Weight: 145
Waist: 26 3/4
Biceps: L-11 R-11
Hips: 37
Thighs: L-21 1/2 R-21 3/4
Chest: 37 3/4

Ok, so I know my measurements aren't super impressive however, I'm happy with my results. I was most concerned about dropping inches in my waist because that is the best determinate of fat loss. I lost 1/2 inch in my waist and lost between 3-4lbs. I feel really strong and I've noticed that I am more toned overall. Below are pics from this morning as well as the ones I took over the course of the challenge.

                                                                  2/7/13

                                1/9/13                 1/23/13             2/7/13

What I've really taken from this challenge is that I can do extremely well on a diet free of grains and I definitely don't need as many carbs, as I thought I would, to sustain me during workouts. I am so excited to continue to use the paleo principals as I move forward. I plan to eat about 80/20: 80%, paleo 20% not. I plan to add a small amount of dairy back as well as allow myself the occasional glass of red wine. I want to stay mostly grain free and make an effort to avoid gluten. I don't think I have a sensitivity to dairy or gluten, but I'm curious to see how I feel when I have these foods again.

For me, experimenting with diet and exercise is exciting because its like a constant science experiment to see how my body changes and reacts. I'm always in pursuit of the "perfect" combination and I love to do this because it means I am taking the time to truly listen to my body's wisdom. There is no one diet that fits everyone, we all have to find what works best for us. However, there are certain universal truths that should be taken into account.
1.Whole foods are ALWAYS best!
2. We are only as good as what our food ate, so eat grassfed whenever possible.
3. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you can stand, and do your best to buy local and organic.
4. Read labels and avoid preservatives and chemicals that you cannot pronounce.
5. Sugar/simple carbs cause blood sugar spikes, which cause your body to secrete insulin, leading to fat accumulation and storage.
6. If you do not get enough rest, no amount of diet or exercise will help you drop weight. SLEEP!

Not to worry, I plan to post today's meals and I plan to continue to write about my wellness journey. Thank you to those who have been following along. This has been a great experience!

Day 29

I cannot believe its already day 29! Today went by so fast,  that I can't believe its already over. Chad and I got up for CrossFit this morning, but were both pretty exhausted, so we had breakfast in bed instead. I headed to clinic for the day and packed left over stuffed bell peppers and spinach for lunch. I left clinic around 4:30 and headed straight to CrossFit. I wasn't really even paying attention to my drive, and it was as though my car drove itself to the gym rather than home. Tonight's WOD was "Fran"

21-15-9
Thrusters 65lbs
pull ups

I used the prescribed weight for the thrusters and used a blue to band to do my pullups. My time was 6:30, which is a great improvement from last month's time of 8:12.

When I finally got home it had been almost 7 hours since I'd last eaten, so I was ready! On Monday I threw some chicken thighs in an "Asian" marinade so when I pulled them out tonight, they were perfect. I sauteed onions, peppers, and red cabbage, and cooked up the chicken. I also made some of my cashew sauce.

I ate two good sized chicken thighs and had 3 tbsp of cashew butter! Hey, I was hungry, and my total carb count was just under 90g. No too shabby! Tomorrow is day 30... woohoo!!!

Day 28

Well Tuesday is coming to a close and I have just two days to go until I've completed 30 days of paleo! I cannot lie, I'm really looking forward to a glass of red wine...and maybe some cake. I thought about it today and this is the longest I've gone without alcohol since I was 19. Apparently this was long overdue!

Chad and I have not been doing well with getting enough sleep. I think it was 11:30 before I fell asleep last night, and we got up for CrossFit at 5:30. This has got to change ASAP! Here is today's WOD:

DYNAMIC WARM UP-
SAMSON STRETCH – 30 SECONDS
1O INCHWORM PUSH UPS
10 REACH AND ROLL
SHOULDER DISLOCATES 20 REPS
MOBILITY – SHOULDER MOBILITY DRILLS
STICK UPS 3 SETS X 10 REPS
PRONE POSITION ON FLOOR Y’S 3 SETS X 10 REPS
STOP LIGHTS 3 SETS X 10 REPS
WOD:
50 Double unders
50 Burpees
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Back extensions
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Knees to elbows
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood(W) 2 pood(M)
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
STRETCH/COOL DOWN: 

I was so proud to finish this one, even more so because I did all exercises as prescribed. I think my time was 25:28, but honestly I didn't care, I was just so glad to be done!

When we got home, I got to work on breakfast immediately because I was STARVING. Of course I had my usual, and then hopped in the shower to get ready for clinic. I was running behind so I grabbed a paleo bar and leftover brussels, and headed out the door.

After a day in clinic and swinging by my other office, and the grocery store, I was hungry and in need of some protein. I ended up eating the leftover bison burger from last night with some avocado, jalepenos, and romaine. Totally hit the spot! For dinner I threw some chicken breasts in the crock pot with marinara sauce.  I let the chicken cook down for about 3 hours and stuffed the mixture into bell peppers.

I served these up with a side salad and then decided I wanted eggs and turkey bacon instead. So, Chad ate the peppers, I had eggs. My total carb count for today was just under 80g, the lowest its been, since I started counting. Tonight my goal is to get some good quality sleep, so I don't completely crash tomorrow.

Day 27

Happy Monday friends! I'm really starting to enjoy Mondays because its my day to hang around the house and get things ready for the rest of the week. Technically its my on-call day for my doula group, but until we start getting busy with clients, I'm free to do as I please, which is a beautiful way to kick off the week. Today I plan to finish cleaning up from last night's party, and hopefully do some cooking for the week. I'll also need to go grocery shopping at some point because we're a little low on veggies and cashew butter.

After all the excitement last night, Chad and I didn't get to bed til around 11:30 so getting up at 6:30 for CrossFit was brutal. Additionally, we both stuffed ourselves at the party, so we were a bit sluggish. Here is today's WOD:

STRENGTH:
OVERHEAD SQUATS 5.5.5.5.5
OH SQUAT SHOULDER PRESS 8.8.8
WOD: WILL START ONE AT A TIME WITH SLED PUSH
SLED PUSH: 75 YARDS
3ROUNDS FOR TIME:
BATTLE ROPES: 6 CYCLE TABATTA
30 WALL BALL
10 RENEGADE ROWS
FINISH UP WITH:
SLED PULL: 30 YARDS
STRETCH/COOL DOWN

I'm happy to report that my overhead squats are finally improving and I can tell that I'm getting stronger. I think my shoulders are getting bigger and I'm just going to have to accept it.

I've been in the kitchen the majority of the day, both cleaning and cooking. I decided to make up another batch of paleo granola bars, and this time I actually measured everything. Here's the recipe:

1 cup sunflower seeds
*11/2 cups almond butter
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 chia seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tbsp honey
1/3 egg whites
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom

 *I used my homemade almond butter which consisted of raw almonds and coconut oil. You could sub 1 cup almond flour and a 1/3 cup coconut oil.

I mixed all the ingredients and pressed them into a parchment lined baking dish. I baked the bars at 350 for about 20 minutes until golden brown. I then removed the pan from the oven and allowed the bars to cool before cutting. In my 10X10 dish I got 10 bars. I'll wrap these individually, and they'll be a great snack for Chad to take to work.

For lunch I wanted to finish up the rest of the sweet potatoes, and peppers and onions I had last night. I only used half of the remaining sweet potato, to cut the carbs, and gave the rest to my pups. I quickly cooked up a boneless skinless chicken thigh, and some spinach, and had that as well. A perfect, filling lunch in under 10 minutes!

On Saturday, while shopping for party food, I picked up 2 lbs of grassfed ground bison on sale at Kroger. Score! I know I could try to do something creative with it, but why mess with a good thing? Chad and I both love bison burgers, medium rare, so I think that sounds like a perfect dinner. I'm planning to roast some brussels, and I'll probably make Chad a side salad.

So... I never made it to the store today because I only have one patient scheduled for tomorrow, and figured I could shop after. Instead I did a lot of cleaning and lounging :) I snacked on a carrot and some cashew butter and drank a ton of water and hot tea. Dinner turned out super yummy. Nothing like a little bacon wrapped bison and garlic brussel sprouts! Total carbs for today was 96g.

Day 25-26

Well another weekend has come and gone, and here I am trying to savor every last bit of Sunday. It was a tough week on the paleo front, mostly because I had to battle some intense cravings. I am proud to say that I stuck to paleo, with the exception of using unsweetened cocoa in my mug cakes. It is definitely important to have a plan when cravings arise, and I think I handled them well.

Yesterday I had my usual breakfast and then had to go into work for a few hours. Chad drove me, since the roads were slick, and he headed to Pf Changs for lunch. He got me an order of garlic spinach, and I ate his leftover chicken. When I got off work we headed home to relax for a few hours, and then ventured back out to get supplies for our Super Bowl party. We got the majority of our food from Costco, which was insane! There were so many people, all trying to stock up. By the time we finished shopping, Chad was traumatized and I was exhausted, so we ended up at Wholefoods for dinner. I helped myself to some pulled pork, steamed cabbage, and a bunch of roasted veggies.

All in all Saturday was pretty good. I went slightly over my carbs and ended up at 104g, but I was glad to eat a ton of veggies.

Today was super busy with cooking and cleaning in preparation for our party. Chad told me last night that there was just no way he'd be able to stick to paleo for the party and I didn't push the issue. I however, was determined to stay on track. For the party I made twice baked potatoes, buffalo chicken wings, spinach salad, jalepeno popper dip and guacamole. We also had chicken sausages and brats, and chips and salsa. Poor Chad didn't stand a chance! I made myself sauteed onions and peppers, which I ate over a roasted sweet potato with some chicken sausage. My downfall was the amount of plantain chips that I ended up eating, along with a bunch of guacamole. I also helped myself to several chicken wings (which were actually paleo friendly). I am so stuffed now and regretting the amount I consumed. I am however, proud to say that I did not have any alcohol and did eat paleo, despite all the temptation. In all honesty, even though I made all the food, I really had no desire to eat anything but the chicken wings. I didn't bother keeping track of my carb intake because I know it was ridiculous today, so I'm giving myself a break and acknowledging the accomplishment of sticking to paleo. Thursday is our last day of the challenge so my goal from now until then is to be incredibly strict, and stay within the 100g of carbs goal. I'm looking forward to taking my measurements this week.

Day 24

Happy Friday! I could not be more excited that the weekend has finally arrived. This week has kicked my butt! Hormones most definitely got the best of me, and it was a struggle to stay on track. I had intense cravings for chocolate and I was ravenous! Luckily, I didn't go too overboard however, I certainly could have done better. Two out of the last 3 nights I made mug cakes topped with cashew butter, to satisfy my craving. No, this is not terrible, but it certainly increased my carb intake.

Today, I did not eat well. I had my usual breakfast and then headed to clinic for a day of shadowing another NP. I packed some turkey-sweet potato hash, which I ended up having for lunch. I had a scoop of almond butter for snack and then didn't have time to eat again til I finally got home at 6. I was so hungry by that point that I ate leftover meatloaf and zucchini. My vegetable intake for the day has been pitiful, which is completely unlike me. I did stay under my 100g of carbs, but I would have liked more veggies.

I planned on going to CrossFit today but the unexpected snow this morning made for a slow start. I packed clothes so that I could catch the 5:30 class, but traffic was horrific, so I missed that as well. I also can't go tomorrow because I have to work. I sound like such a downer right now, but I was really hoping to go 5 times this week!

Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and I'm looking forward to a fresh start! Now time to snuggle with Chad and the pups, and focus on getting some good quality sleep.