Day 23

Good morning! I can't believe its day 23, and I have just 1 week left of the Paleo challenge. I'm procrastinating a bit this morning because I have a bunch to do around the house, so of course I'm checking in here instead. Chad and I rolled out of bed reluctantly this morning, as we didn't go to sleep til midnight and had to get up at 5:30 to make it to CrossFit. We ended up being the only ones who showed, so we got a private session. Today's WOD didn't look too bad, but then we got started... Here it is:
WARM UP- DYNAMIC
HIGH KNEES – 30 YARDS
LUNGE ROTATES – LUNGE OVER LEG THAT IS FORWARD 15 YARDS
REVERSE LUNGE REACH OVER TOP REACHING BACK OVER LEG THAT IS FORWARD – 15 YARDS
SIDE LUNGE – LUNGE, LUNGE, SKIP 30 YARDS
FRANKENSTEIN SKIPS- 30 YARDS
ARM SWINGS- 30 SECONDS
ARM REACHES SUPINATED TO PRONATED- 45 SECONDS
STRENGTH: CLEAN AND JERK
5.5.5.5.5
REMEMBER THE JERK POSITION WE WENT OVER IN CLASS. PLEASE WORK ON TECHNIQUE BEFORE GOING TO HEAVY.
THE CLEAN AND JERK ARE TWO SEPARATE MOVEMENTS.
WOD- THE NUMBER SIX IS YOUR FRIEND: 6′S
6 ROUNDS FOR TIME
6 PULL UPS
6 HANDSTAND PUSH UPS
6 KNEE TO ELBOWS
6 BURPEES TO BOX
6 KB THRUSTERS (M 80LBS) (W 50LBS)
6 BACK SQUATS (M 185 LBS) (W 125)
STRETCH COOL DOWN- GREAT JOB!!

My time was 18:25 and I was absolutely gassed at the end of this! I think what has been the biggest surprise this month is the noticeable tightness of my pants in the thigh area. In college I became quite familiar with this experience during season, because our lifting would pick up substantially. Now, after years of trying to shrink my thighs, I'm attempting to cope with the fact that they are definitely getting bigger. I'm looking forward to doing my measurements, which I promise to post next week.

I know you're probably shocked but of course I had my breakfast cake this morning with chicken sausage and blueberries. I did stick to one cup of coffee but had 2 tbsp of cashew butter. I feel like I've been hungrier than usual this week, but I've also been getting my butt kicked at CrossFit. I just have to make it through tomorrow, and that will be 5 days this week!

I know I haven't tried out any new recipes in a while, but I'm loving everything I've been making. Both Chad are craving some meatloaf so that's my plan for dinner. I always change up the spices I add, depending on what I'm craving that day so my recipe is constantly changing. I'm thinking I'm gonna stick to a pretty standard meatloaf tonight with lots of fresh garlic. I'll post pictures and the exact recipe tonight. I also want to make carrot-sweet potato cakes.

Day 22

Well I'm happy to report that we made it through the crazy weather that hit middle Tennessee last night. Nothing like waking up to tornado sirens and camping out in the bathroom at 3 am! I am proud to say that even despite getting minimal sleep, Chad and I both made it to CrossFit this morning. Here's today's WOD:

Warm up: Dynamic

Mobility: Hip, Ankle, Knee

2 min feet of wall squat

2 min independent ankle stretch soleus

2 min thoracic spine stretch

2 min hip flexor stretch with band

WOD: Triplet

 10 min AMRAP

Floor Bench Press  10 reps( Parnter Spot) Men Rx 135 Women 95

Roll Outs 10 reps

Thruster to Bar hop over 10 reps

conditioning: Bear Crawl 30 yard/ Broad Jump 30 yard/ Shuffles 30 yards

5 rounds

I am exhausted and so happy that Wednesday is finally coming to an end. I spent most of the day running errands, then I headed to clinic, and finally to do a prenatal appointment with our doula client.

I had my usual for breakfast and packed 2 paleo stix and leftover stir fry from last night, for the day. Of course I was running late this evening and HAD to stop for groceries before heading home. I was so hungry while shopping (a huge DON'T) that I definitely bought more than I expected but the damage wasn't too bad. I rushed home and pulled out leftover turkey-sweet potato hash and a few eggs.

Luckily this was quick to throw together and I made a small romaine salad to go along. I made Chad beef and zucchini sauteed and topped with balsamic dijon dressing.  Again, quick and easy!

Alright ladies, lets get real... What is the one thing that can derail a diet like no other? Anyone else experience ridiculous cravings around that time of the month?! I can honestly say that until today, I had not craved chocolate since starting Paleo. My craving was so bad that I almost couldn't concentrate! Because I always want to know the how and why behind everything, I did some digging regarding this ultra annoying phenomenon. Turns out that our crazy chocolate cravings are usually due to a deficiency in magnesium, which tends to get worse around the time of your period. You may notice a change in bowel habits around this time, which can also result from low magnesium. Chocolate is fairly rich in magnesium plus is stimulates all those feel good neurotransmitters in the brain. I've written about this before but I thought it was important to repost. Foods high in magnesium are nuts and seeds, like sunflowers seeds and almonds, and of course chocolate. Because I really wanted chocolate cake I ended up using my breakfast cake recipe with a twist:

3in piece banana mashed

3 egg whites

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of cinnamon

I mixed the ingredients in a small ramekin and cooked the mixture in the microwave for 2 minutes. I then topped the cake with a tbsp of cashew butter. I also indulged in a cup of coffee with coconut creamer. I would say I'm over my 100g carb goal for the day, but I am TOTALLY at peace with that. Now time to relax and gear up for another early morning of CrossFit. 

Day 21

Well the week is in full swing and its been a busy day. I guess I'm subconsciously sabotaging my husband because yesterday we overslept and missed Crossfit, and today I set the wrong time on the alarm. The truth is, I love going to the 5:30pm sesh so maybe I am sabotaging him! I've gone the last two days, and the more I go, the more I love it. Here is today's WOD:

Warm up: Dynamic

Mobility: Hip, Ankle, Knee

2 min feet of wall squat

2 min independent ankle stretch soleus

2 min thoracic spine stretch

2 min hip flexor stretch with band

WOD: Triplet

 10 min AMRAP

Floor Bench Press  10 reps( Parnter Spot) Men Rx 135 Women 95

Roll Outs 10 reps

Thruster to Bar hop over 10 reps

conditioning: Bear Crawl 30 yard/ Broad Jump 30 yard/ Shuffles 30 yards

5 rounds

The upside of waking up early today was getting to enjoy breakfast in bed. Almost makes me wanna wake up early everyday... almost. I was super busy with various meetings and signing paperwork for my new job :)  Unfortunately, I mismanaged my time so I ended up eating 4 paleo stix for lunch.

I got home around 4:30 and was starving, but with just an hour till Crossfit, I didn't want to eat too much. I had a couple hot carrots, a scoop of almond butter, and a paleo bar (homemade). I was so hungry by the time I got home that I heated up some broccoli and had the leftover bison burger from last night, with tons of avocado.

I went ahead and made a stir fry with chicken breast, onions, and bell peppers for Chad. I used my Cashew Sauce minus the honey.

 Carb total for today is 92. I had two cups of coffee this morning and I've had 1 serving of Cashew butter... not too shabby!

Day 20 meals

I wanted to share a few of the items I made today. As of right now, Mondays are my day to hang around the house and prepare things for the rest of the week. For lunch I cooked up a chicken breast, along with a cup of kale. I piled everything onto a plate along with salsa, avocado, sliced bell pepper, and a fried egg. YUM!

 Later on I decided I needed to come up with something that Chad could easily have for breakfast on days when he heads to work straight from CrossFit. So I decided that a hash would be good, and I just so happened to have ground turkey and lots of sweet potatoes. Here's what I used:

1 lb ground turkey
3 slices uncured bacon chopped
1/4 cup onions diced
3 cups sweet potatoes cubed
1/4 chicken stock
2 sage leaves chopped
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
S&P

I started by heating a skillet and adding the bacon and onions. Once the bacon was pretty well cooked, I deglazed the pan with chicken stock and added the sweet potatoes and spices. I ended up cooking the ground turkey in a separate pan because I wanted to use some of the sweet potatoes for tonight's dinner. Once the turkey was fully cooked I added it to the sweet potatoes and allowed everything to cook together for about 8 minutes.

I think this will be a great option for mornings, either to eat on its own or with a couple eggs.

For dinner I pulled out the big guns. I made bacon wrapped bison burgers with fresh jalepenos. I was so excited to get home from CrossFit tonight so that I could eat!!! I had mine on a bed on romaine with a half cup serving of sweet potatoes and diced cucumbers dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Carb count for the day is just under 90g :)

Day 20

Good morning! It's day 20 and I am feeling great! With just 10 days left in this challenge I think it's a great time to revisit my goals and reevaluate, as I buckle down for the home stretch. I must confess that I had a couple slip ups over the weekend, they involved A LOT of cashew butter. Nothing major, but enough to prompt me to want to make some changes. So here are the goals I set on day 1:

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

Looking back at these objectives reminds me how important it is to write down goals, and periodically review them. I'm happy to say that I've been able to meet each of these. I've not eaten any processed foods, I've felt great eating paleo and working out, I've lost a couple lbs, I've been to CrossFit 4-5 times a week, and I've been getting more sleep. Additionally, I haven't had a drop of alcohol (though I've wanted to), and I've had chocolate only once in the form of sweet Aubrey's amazing Paleo cookies. So, I think I should be proud of myself thus far.

As I begin my last 10 days I really want to "buckle down" and see what this way of eating can really do. So my additional goals are:

1. no more than 1 serving of cashew butter/day (2 tbsp)
2. no more than 1 cup of coffee/day
3. eat less than 100g of carbs/day

Today I'll be studying up on hormones and the endocrine system, once again. I've just savored my one and only cup of coffee for the day, and am about to make breakfast. I wish everyone a wonderful Monday!

Day 19

Well its Sunday again and I'm trying to soak up every last second before the new week begins. It was a great weekend, and I'm so grateful for the quality time that I got to spend with Chad. I cannot believe January is nearly over! About 3 days in, I just kept thinking, lord let me just get through this month. As if February's arrival was going to bring the answers to all life's problems. I guess there was something to that though, because February already looks like its shaping up to be a good month. I finally get to work as an NP, my doula business is launching, and we get to celebrate Chad's birthday, Valentine's day, and the anniversary of our first date, all in the same week! I've learned so much this month, and I feel myself growing and changing. I've been so touched by the response that I've gotten from writing this blog. It's an incredible feeling to know people are following along on my journey, and even learning with me.

I just can't help but eat the same breakfast everyday, its what I crave, so I'm sticking with my breakfast cake until I finally get sick of it. This morning I did add some fresh grated ginger to it for a bit of flavor variation, and topped it with cashew butter. I didn't have lunch till around 3:15 because I had my women's group from 1-2:30. I had a bowl of leftover chili along with half an avocado. Dinner was about 2 cups of chopped green cabbage sauteed in olive oil and garlic, topped with leftover roasted chicken, salsa, and avocado. It was quick and easy to throw together. Chad grilled himself a rib eye, so I didn't need to fix him anything.

As of right now and I'm at 87 carbs, but I'm seriously contemplating making a mug cake. I'm really interested to see if I notice any changes in my weight or measurements, since I started monitoring my carbs. I feel like I'm conducting a science experiment, but at least I'm a willing subject.

Day 18

Good morning and happy Saturday! I am happily writing from the comfort of my cozy bed, snuggled up with my hubby and sweet pups. I'm enjoying a glorious cup of coffee and my belly is full from the yummy breakfast that I just made. I love mornings like this! I seriously contemplated going to CrossFit. I woke up at 5am, 8am, and 9am, but decided that staying in bed was what I really needed.

Here's the thing, in the past I would have guilted myself into going even when my body was screaming NO. I'd justify it by reviewing everything I'd eaten for the week, along with calling myself a slew of names: lazy, lame, etc. Part of becoming a healthier version of myself is exercising compassion and truly listening to my body. There is actually something to this. In studying up on the endocrine system and hormones I read an interesting tid bit on adrenal fatigue. Our adrenal glands are responsible for  secreting DHEAS and cortisol both of which affect our sex hormone production: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone. Cortisol, as you may know, is our stress hormone. Anyway, it all gets very complicated but when we experience stress for extended periods of time, as most of us do, our adrenals get a bit worn out. When this happens we feel tired, may have trouble getting up in the morning, and rely on caffeine and sugar to raise our energy levels. It is estimated that 80% of people have some level of adrenal fatigue, because lets face it, we are all stressed! Long story short, allowing yourself to sleep in once in a while, and not overexercising, are important for adrenal health. Thats not to say you should never work out, but listen to your body!

 I have a confession to make... last night after finishing my post, I ended up having a cup of coffee along with 2 more biscuits slathered in cashew butter. Scandalous I know! That brought my carb count up to 102. Yes, I am allowed a minor slip up here and there!

later on....

For lunch Chad and I headed to PF Changs where I had the gluten free version of what I normally order, Moo Goo Gai Pan. It's a stir fry of veggies, shrimp, and chicken. I subbed steamed spinach for rice. I gotta say, I was disappointed. No only was my dish lacking in flavor, but I also ended up with a tummy ache.

Chad and I decided to go to a movie tonight and ended up stopping by Wholefoods for dinner. I had about a half cup of chicken ratatouille and about the same amount of roasted veggies and sweet potatoes. My stomach still wasn't feeling great. We each had an almond milk latte after dinner, and then went to see Les Miserables. I have a great hubby! I'm not 100% sure what my carb count was for the day but it shouldn't be more than 115g, and it may even be under 100g. BTW I finished "Wheat Belly" today and the author basically recommends a Paleo diet, without calling it that. He argues that 50-100g of carbs is sufficient for most people... I'm beginning to see a theme!