The Paleo Journey Continues

I started on my Paleo Journey February 26, 2012. Here it is, January 6, 2013 and I have said little about the journey. At first I was waiting to see if I would lose more than 20 pounds as that was where I had got stuck when I changed my diet in the past. After that I was busy with construction and not in the mood to spend time at my computer after a long day at work. I have lost 39 pounds and have some more to go, but I feel like these eating changes have really stuck and I want to move forward with even better habits rather than go back to the old style of eating.

It takes a lot of effort and fortunately, I love to cook and because this is really about taking the time to make it fresh and make it healthy. I love to figure out new recipes and try new things. All those episodes of  Chopped and The Next Food Network Star stirred my cooking passion and has helped to make me more creative in the kitchen. The Paleo Cookbooks have given me ideas and clues for creating lots of healthy fun foods. I have gotten smart and make extra so I have food for my lunches and often make large pots of soup that I freeze in single serving containers. This really helps to make eating healthy easy even on hectic days.

I have started swimming on a pretty regular basis and now swim at least a mile each time I am in the pool. Fitting the pool schedule into my life and work schedule is the hardest part. It has become enough of a habit, that it makes me crabby when I don't get to swim. My husband must have noticed as he suggested that I go to the pool on Christmas Eve so I could get some exercise and a little me time. Those thirty-six laps were wonderful.

I am feeling a bit stuck. I have more wight to lose, but more importantly, I feel more tired lately.  Maybe it is just winter with the longer nights and shorter days, the grayer skies and cold. Maybe I do need to hibernate a little bit after a long hard summer filled with activity and stress. Maybe I need to cut back on the recipe I have posted below. I could be addicted. I do keep it as an evening treat for that special feeling that tells my brain I have not given up all the foods I used to eat. The truth is that I don't feel like I have given up anything. I am happy to not eat all that processed food. When I make poor choices these days, I feel it. My body aches more and it takes 2 -3 days to recover. Fortunately exercise, water, and eating right bring me back into balance pretty quickly. 

E = mc2 -r Effectiveness=Motivation x Confidence x Concentration - Resistance. This is the Huna method. Usually I forget to subtract the resistance. I wonder if having so much going on in my life this summer forced me to be so focused and confident that I never had a chance to resist, thus I was very effective. Now, there is more time to just think and sit. How do I keep let down the resistance without adding in stress and havoc? Something to ponder while I swim or ride my bicycle.

Here is one of John's and my favorite recipes. I don't recommend it for people who are starting on Paleo as getting off sugar is really important and this is a treat not an excuse. However, if you are about to cheat with a cookie or other confection, this is the better way to go.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies/Bars

In one bowl:

3 Cups Almond Meal (I buy from Trader Joe's)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients

In second bowl:

2 eggs (mixed)

1/2 C. Maple Syrup

1/2 C. Almond Oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix wet ingredients

Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix together. Fold in 3/4 of a Bag. Dairy Free Chocolate Chips I use Enjoy Life or Sunspire http://www.sunspire.com/products/organic-fair-trade-65-cacao-bittersweet-baking-chips brands. Enjoy Life http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/chocolate-for-baking/mega-chunks/ is dairy free).

Oven 375 degrees, Bake cookies for 12 minutes (large tablespoon) Bake on parchment paper for easy non-stick cookies and easy clean up. For a Bar, bake at 375 degrees, pour batter into a 9 x 13 baking pan that has parchment in the bottom. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. The bars are so easy, just one batch and you are done. Cookies make about 3 dozen.

For fun, fold in any variety of ingredients. We like to add dried cranberries (a large handful), 1/2 tsp. clove, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and large handful of chopped pecans. This week I added orange zest, dried blueberries, pecans, and  hazelnuts. The orange flavor was so bright an cheery. Felt like we were eating a whole new cookie. If you don't like chocolate, you don't need to add chocolate. The basic recipe is so versatile, you can make them any flavor you want.

I have served them to all types of people, and everyone likes or loves them. Even my Mother-in-Law who has a sweet tooth to rival all sweet toothed people thought they were delicious.

Going Paleo

It has been a month since I went on a Paleo Diet. I hate calling it a diet because it is now the way I eat. Meat (beef, chicken, fish, pork, and eggs) proteins, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats. I have given up all grains, legumes, most sugar, and dairy.

While it has been a stressful month (the stress was not from the change in diet), but from work and some family health issues, I have lost 1.25 inches around my bust, waist and hips, lost 8 pounds, and my chronic cough is almost completely gone. The amazing thing about the cough is that spring and pollen used to exacerbate the cough and even after working in the garden for several hours, I did not have a horrible reaction.

I expect that if I can get in some more exercise and get better sleep that I would see changes in my body even more quickly.

I discovered a great recipe for a Strawberry Pie that is easy tasty and healthy. Here is the link for the wonderful pie.

Made for Pi Day Pie Contest (won 3rd place)

I also started making a new recipe I call Rainbow Chicken Salad. Here is the recipe:
Cook a chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces. (I usually boil it in water, with seasonings). You could grill it first. Add to bowl.
Cut up carrots, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, chives and 1/2 of an Avocado, some dried or fresh blueberries, (orange, red, green, blueindigoviolet)
Add some pistachios, walnuts or pecans
Add some of your favorite herbs (I use an Italian mixture, some turmeric, and garlic powder), drizzle Walnut oil over the mixture, squeeze a 1/4 of a lemon (yellow), and gently mix together. Let sit in refrigerator of several hours before eating. Very tasty and filling. Great to take for lunch.

Rainbow Chicken Salad

I start my day with a Green Smoothie. Doesn't look very good, but it is healthy and I find it very tasty, filling, and creamy even thought there is no milk in it.
My Smoothie
In a really good blender:
Large handful of spinach
grape tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage, carrots (whatever I have on hand and am in the mood for)
1/4 tsp. turmeric and 1/4 tsp ginger
1-1/2 scoops of Egg White Protein Powder (I get plain unflavored powder at Fruitful Yield)
A few walnuts
About 1 cup total frozen raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
12 ounces of water
Blend until smooth. The add 1/2 avocado and blend again.

Makes two smoothies. One for today and one for tomorrow.

To go with my smoothie, I have either some turkey bacon or some turkey sausage. (Sometime I have real nitrate free bacon.)

Since I went strictly Paleo, John and I are eating more fish than ever before. Swordfish, Mahi Mahi, crab, all wild caught, you name it. We eat tons of fruits and vegetables and have some type of protein with every meal.

Each day, I have a choice of how I will eat for the day. I choose between wanting to feel good or not feel good. All I have to do to stick to this way of eating is remind myself about the chronic cough, the achy body and the extra pounds.