Progress Pictures and an update!

Sooo....

Our fridge broke. At first, I thought just the ice maker was broken because it stopped making ice.  But then every time I got something out of the freezer, it was already thawed.  All of Ellis' popcicles were juice sacks with sticks inside.  We attempted to get it fixed but learned not only was our fridge a Kitchenaid, which is already expensive to fix, it was also a discontinued model which would make it not worth it to fix for a fridge that was already 12 years old.  

So on the upside, we got a NEW fridge.  It is fabulous and I love it.  There is no way that we would have been able to afford it, if I did not find it in the "damaged" section.  The damage was a small dent on the side that you don't even see because our fridge is recessed back into the wall.  But...needless to say, I love it.  

We got the deal of the century.  I still can't believe it.  

However, when we lost our fridge, we also lost all of our fresh fruits, veggies, and meat.  We had to eat out for every meal and although it is possible to eat paleo out, it is very difficult.  And I don't know if any of you are like me...when you are on a diet and you "screw up", you say, "that's it, my day is ruined...I might as well eat whatever I want".  Well...that's what I did this whole week.  I'm not even going to pretend that I tried to be paleo.  I may have started off this week wanting to be paleo but by the end, I was over it.  When the only thing that you have at your house to eat is peanut butter and jelly.  You eat the peanut butter and jelly.  

Even so, I have still had results from my 3 weeks of paleo life. And that is what I am here to share with you now.  I am getting back on track now that we have a new fridge and GROCERIES!

I have lost another inch and a half from my waist!  My waist is now 26.5 inches! Boom!

So my "paleo test" will officially be "over" on Aug 5 but I am adding a week since I basically lost a week when the fridge broke.  I started this journey trying to figure out if paleo would work for me.  I love seeing results.  After this is over, I suspect that I will continue to live paleo-ish.  I will continue to eat paleo when I can but I am not going to be one of those people that packs their own dinner to dinner party. 

I can't believe I am sharing these pictures but....here ya go.  

Normal People Approved Paleo Recipes (that don't make you look like a weirdo)

Hey guys!

I'm back!  Over the past few weeks, I have had lots of people interested in this whole paleo business but needing more guidance as to WHAT exactly to make. Going paleo can be very intimidating especially when you have family that either doesn't understand or isn't interested in participating.  When Brian was asked if he was going paleo with me, he said, "heck no!".  But here's the kicker.  As the mom/wife of the house...guess what?  I make the food! So he is a "paleoan" (just made that up) by proxy.  So although I am all aboard this paleo train, I also have to make food that he will actually eat and enjoy.  I love cooking so I take great pleasure in "making stuff up".  So here are a few recipes that I made up and a couple ones that I found and like.  

This first one is one that I made during my "pre-paleo" life.  This one has made it's way around pinterest and into my recipe repertoire.  One name of this is "man pleasing chicken" (which it is, don't get me wrong).  But we will be simpler for our purposes.  

Maple Dijon Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenderloins
• 1/2 c dijon mustard
• 1/4 c real maple syrup
• dried rosemary
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix syrup and mustard

Place tenderloins in a baking dish

Pour syrup/mustard over chicken and coat thoroughly 

Lightly salt and pepper

Season the top with rosemary

Bake for 40 mins

This next one was shared with me by my sis-in-law, Liz and is super delicious.  This is something great to make and take to work.  I ate on this all week long.  So great! You can put it in salads, tacos, or eat it by itself.

Paleo Pulled Pork

Ingredients

• 2 tbslp paprika
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
• 1/4 cup water

In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the spice rub and mix well

Massage the spice rub all over the meat.  Wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 48 hours.  

Unwrap the meat and place it in a slow cooker.  Add the water and turn the slow cooker on low.  Cook 8-10 hrs until tender.  

After it's done, pull apart with a fork.  

Paleo Chicken Tacos

This one I made tonight and basically just looked in the cabinet and threw some stuff together and it came out great!  I was going to use the taco seasoning that I already had in the kitchen but look at the ingredients on that stuff! Yikes! So I made a paleo version.  Here ya go!

Ingredients

• 1 lb of chicken (I actually used 2 cans of canned chicken---not the healthiest, sorry I was feeling lazy)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• a sprinkling of cayenne pepper (very easy to over do it)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 med onions
• 1 can of diced tomatoes

Put everything in a skillet 

Cook it!

Eat it!

For the family, I warmed up some tortillas.  For you, use some lettuce as your taco wraps!

Enjoy!

Jen

Day 8: Week One Done (I cannot believe my results)

BOOM! 

I am so proud of myself so far.  Yesterday marked 1 week of paleo and I have NOT cheated one time.  Well, except for that one time I ate something with peanuts in it...but it was an accident :)

My hubby was impressed at my ability to stick to it.  He has been with me through many dieting "phases" and I can rarely keep with them for more than a couple days.  I asked him today what he thought about me making it a whole week without cheating and he said, "I honestly was giving you about 2 and a half days".  I can't say I blame him.  That's usually how it goes with me.  You've probably done the same thing.  Here is the cycle...

1) You look in the mirror or get on the scale and are disgusted with yourself.  You've gotta get a hold of yourself, Big Booty Judy.  

2) You research diets until you find one with enough shocking before and afters to substantiate actually spending money on (don't lie...you know you do this)

3) You are super motivated to start because you know that it's going to work for you and that you'll totally be able to only eat one meal a day and drink "delicious" (grainy, bland, processed) shakes the rest of the day for the rest of your life.  

4) 
Day One = "OK...I can do this.  It's not too bad"
Day Two = "Alright, I'm a little hungry but I can't give up yet!  I want some curly fries but this rice cake tastes almost exactly the same." (LIES)
Day Two nighttime: "I am STARVING.  Maybe if I go to sleep I won't be hungry"
Day Three: "I want a cookout milkshake."
Day Three 1 pm: "OMG Oreo milkshake is on special.  LOOK AWAY LOOK AWAY."
Day Three at approximately 4:30 pm = "I still want a cookout milkshake"
Day Three

at approximately 4:45 pm = "This cookout milkshake is freaking incredible."

5) Then it's back to #1


You know this is you too.  I can't be the only one.  I give up so easily.  Here's where Paleo is different.  In most "diets", you are counting calories. I freaking hate counting freaking calories.  Again I say, I FREAKING HATE COUNTING FREAKING CALORIES.  Ain't nobody got time for that.  I hate measuring stuff.  I think that doing all that makes me hungrier and easier to fail because I tell myself that I can't have more.  In Paleo, I AM FULL....seriously, I have not felt "hunger pains" ONCE.  NOT ONE TIME.  

What I am eating keeps me full!  Before, if I was on a diet, I would eat rice cakes as a snack.  And it would keep me full for...about...HA! Who am I kidding? Who ever has gotten full from a rice cake besides an Olsen twin.  I stay full on real food.  And guess what?  I feel great.  Here are my week one results.


1) I'm not hungry.  Filling up on proteins and healthy fats, I don't feel the need to eat cake or donuts when they are around.

2) I no longer am having detox symptoms.  The first couple of days were gnarly (don't get me wrong...headaches, hot flashes, etc).  Those are gone. I'm feeling like a normal human being with energy and happiness!

3) I look different.  I can't be the only one who looks at themselves sideways in the mirror every morning to see how fat they look. Haha. I am no longer pooching out.  I feel less bloated for sure.  I am not weighing till the end and even if I don't weigh a pound less, I can tell you that I know I look better.  And that's after only one week

4) It's not hard anymore.  It's actually becoming a normal thing for me now.  The first few days were hard, trying to come up with something to eat, but it's really not bad now.  

5) I am impressed with my willpower; not because I have had strong temptations and stayed away but because my temptations are not nearly as strong.  When I first thought about going paleo, I just knew that I was going to have to throw all the "bad food" away in order to not eat it (but with a husband and 2 year old in the house, that wasn't an option).  I have been able to eat in my own house, with all this tasty crap around, without even looking at it lovingly.  

6) Let's get down to the numbers because all this other crap is just subjective anyway.  Reminder...I am not weighing for 30 days so here are my measurement results.  

In ONE week, I have lost:

2.5 inches from my waist alone

1.5 inches from my hips

1/2 an inch from each thigh

1 inch from my bust

6 INCHES GONE IN 1 WEEK

Day Two: 3 Ways YOU can do Paleo and 3 Recipes to Get You Started

Today, I really want to talk about something that I completely suck at.  Sticking with a "diet".  
I don't really think of Paleo as a diet because there is no calorie restriction! I can eat as much as I want and actually FEEL full.  When was the last time that happened on a "diet"??  Which is so freeing!  I am horrible at sticking with something if I am either miserable or not seeing any results. So today I want to talk about how I am doing things differently to stick with Paleo. 

1) I'm making tasty food.

This is NOT gonna work if I'm not enjoying what I'm eating.  I don't really like salads.  So guess what...I'm not eating salads.  I incorporate lots of fresh veggies in my meals without feeling like I am a rabbit!  I love to cook so coming up with my own recipes that I think will taste good helps a lot!

2) I'm prepared.

There is nothing wrong with keeping snacks in your purse because it's an AWESOME idea. Who doesn't like always eating?!?  My fave go-to foods are cashews, blueberries, and banana with sunbutter (sunflower seed butter). (The last two might get a little messy in your purse though).

3) I'm loving my body right NOW!

Most people diet in order to look good in a smaller size.  WHYYY??  Go out, buy something that you look BANGIN' in right now! Do not buy it in your goal size! Buy it in the size your butt fits in right now!  Go get your hair did! I did today and I feel fierce as crap.  

Look at that fierce face! Rawr

Now for today....So today is when I really started to feel those "detox symptoms" they talk about.  Last night I had a headache (I never get headaches) and this morning I was having hot flashes like nobody's business.  And although these are not "fun" symptoms, it is exciting to know that what I am doing is working. I'm feeling much better this afternoon.  

As far as food, I'm loving the opportunity to get creative.  My breakfast this morning was something that I saw on pinterest and wanted to try.  It's paleo pancakes.  Now I LOVE pancakes, so giving that up was going to be something I already knew was going to be hard.  These pancakes are 2 ingredients: 1 banana, 2 eggs.  I wish that I could say that I found the holy grail of paleo pancakes but I think that's going to take a little more trial and error.  And I would LOVE to tell you that everything that I make is delicious but we're being real, right??  Now don't get me wrong, if you are completely desperate for pancakes and you think you may burst if you don't get them, these will do fine but if you want the FLUFFY pancakes you are used to, these are not them.  I'd give them like a 5 or 6 on the tasty scale.  Mainly docking them for texture (think banana flavored omelette).  But I did eat them all so I guess I liked them ok.  Haha.  So REAL maple syrup is paleo!  So enjoy them as much as you can!  If I haven't scared you off, here is the recipe for Mediocre Paleo Pancakes

I am making it my mission in this 30 days to make not just a palatable pancake but a freaking delicious one...stay tuned.

I worked out with Brian as we normally do and then came home looking for something to make for lunch.  I didn't really have a cohesive plan so I just threw some stuff together and it was DELICIOUS.  Even my two year old was trying to steal my lunch.  While he was eating his peanut butter sandwich, I gave him a bite of mine.  Then he said "umm..I want dat instead, Mommy!".  So I'm qualifying this one a success.  Again, don't really have a name for it so I'll name it what it is....Sausage Pepper Spinach Stir-Fry

 I was for real impressed at this one.  Not by my own doing but because I eat only the best of the best of the best sausage.  Most of you who grew up in the south are familiar with Neese's sausage.  If you aren't, it's the best sausage that there is.  Hands down.  I get the "hot" kind (I usually hate spicy things but this is amazing".  

OK, my last recipe of the day is a Paleo Chai.  I LOVE CHAI.  It tastes like Christmas in a cup.  Well....I MADE A PALEO VERSION AND I CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE! (Insert hallelujah chorus).  It is seriously amazing.  I might be drinking this everyday.  

I love cold chai...not a big fan of the hot stuff.  So I steeped the tea in like a quarter cup of hot water (not boiling, just hot), let it sit for about 10 minutes, then filled the rest of the cup up with cashew milk (not the tastiest on it's own but for this it's great!).  Then I added 1 tblsp of maple syrup (add more or less per your liking).  Then I stirred it up and drank it! IT'S AMAZING!! And it's boil free!

I work the next two days so I probably won't be blogging but I'll definitely be keeping up with what I'm eating and how I'm feeling to share later!

Thanks for reading!

Don't forget to like and share.

Day One and...my weight (dun dun DUNNNN)

The day is finally here...Paleo day 1.  

No turning back now (well I guess that's not entirely true but this blog would be super lame if I gave up on day 1).  It's really not bad! Not bad at all!  Ok, well it's only about 4:30 and I've only really had 2 paleo meals but I'm not feeling like I'm missing out on anything yet.  And everything I have had has been super yummy.  

This morning, for breakfast I had 3 scrambled eggs and a pluot.  (If you are unfamiliar with pluots, they are a cross between a plum and an apricot and they are freaking delicious).  I went to the gym with Brian as we normally do.  Then for lunch I made up a delicious paleo meal that I haven't quite named yet (because there are a lot of ingredients that don't really sound good together as a name).  So until I think of a better name, we'll call it...."Paleo Pesto Lemon Sundried Tomato Honey Bacon Chicken".  Ok, way too long.  We will go with Paleo Bacon Pesto Chicken.  For a side, I made Garlic Bacon Broccoli.

Here's where it is about to get really real.  I had debated on whether or not I wanted to share this part of my life but I am aiming for transparency and accountability and my fear is not going to stand in the way anymore.  I would say that most women are afraid of this one number.  Everyone's is different but it has so much power that when it is low enough, can make us feel invincible but also has the power to make us feel completely worthless.  

Weight.  

I cannot count the times that I have just stood on the scale and cried.  But why? It has taken me this long to realize that IT DOES NOT DEFINE ME.  The scale does not count the times that I made someone laugh or how many kisses I have given my son.  It does not count how many times my husband tells me that he loves me and it sure as hell does not give me a numerical score of my beauty.  I am done giving it power and to prove that, I am going to share...with the entire internet just how much I weigh.  And guess what?  It DOESN'T matter! Ha! It feels so freeing. 

This next month, I am not going to step on the scale one time.  I am going to measure my success by how I feel and how I look not what that stupid scale says.  

So internet, if you are curious.  As of this morning, I weigh 154.  There.  

Now let's do this.

The Primal Paradox

The Primal Paradox:

" Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so."

These were the instructions given to the very first people on this earth.  They were created to thrive in environment they were placed in...a garden.  A garden...not a Walmart.  We were created with very few primal needs.  Things like air, water, food, sleep, etc.  Three of these have no room for variation.  Air is air.  Water is water.  Sleep is sleep.  But fast forward to today...food is no longer food.  For many of us, our diet consists of mostly "food like products".  For instance...what in the heck is a "processed cheese product"?  I don't really know personally...I just know it's delicious.  And that is the problem.  

We were created with bodies that know exactly what to do with meat, veggies, fruits.  Our bodies were not made to have to digest all of the hundreds of extra things that are added to our food today.  The problem is that we have become addicted to this food "stuff" which is making us fat and sick and cannot give our bodies what they were made to need because we are addicted to the STUFF! That is the primal paradox.  

Who am I?

I'm Jen.  I am a 24 year old ER nurse living in central North Carolina with my soul mate and husband (same person haha), Brian and our 2 and a half year old son, Ellis. 

 For most of my recallable memory, I have had a love/hate relationship, not only with food, but with my body.  I have never been obese but I have yo-yo'ed back and forth between overweight, normal, underweight, back to overweight, etc.  I've been a lot of things but consistent was never one.  

What am I doing?

For the next 30 days, I am going Paleo.  What is paleo?  Glad you asked.  "Reputationally" (I think I just made up that word) Paleo has been a diet based on evolution; the idea that we should be eating as cavemen.  But as a Christian, I firmly believe that Paleo is exactly right but I believe that God created us to digest the food that he created especially for us, as mentioned in Genesis 1:29-30.  I am sure I will get a lot of raised eyebrows as being a Christian who is Paleo but guess what...I don't care! :) Paleo is...eating in the garden.  Not literally....getting some Taco Bell to-go and sitting out in the middle of a garden while you stuff your face; but figuratively, eating the way we were supposed to..before we screwed it all up.  And consequently, screwed ourselves up in the process.  I am not saying that this is going to be easy  or even fun but I wholeheartedly believe that if this works, this could completely change my life.  So let's get down to brass tacks.  Paleo.  What the heck does is mean?

I can eat: 

• meat...lots of meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish, BACON, etc.)
• fruit
• nuts
• seeds
• veggies 
• oils
• healthy fats

What I'm cutting out:

• grains
• legumes
• dairy
• refined sugar
• processed crap

Why am I doing this?

First of all, It makes sense! We weren't made to be able to process all of this stuff which is why we aren't processing it!  It's making us fat, sick, and tired.  The things I will be eating were all at the disposal of the first people on this earth.  The advent of bread came much later than people did.  And as far as dairy, even if Adam & Eve had a dairy cow, they would not have been able to use as much dairy in their diet as we do.  It just would not have been feasible.  

Now for the personal reasons.  I'm 24.  There is no reason that I shouldn't be the most healthy version of myself right now.  I have spent way too much of my life, hating the way I look, what the scale says, the up and the down, low fat this, low calorie that.  It DOESN'T work.  I got so caught up in all the diet fads and calorie counting that I restricted myself to 300 calories a day.  Seriously.  Nothing for breakfast.  Broccoli and chicken broth for lunch.  And a Lean Cuisine for dinner.  It was a bad time.  The skinniest time, yes.  But did I like myself anymore?  Nope.  It sucked.  

That's a very sad, skinny girl right there.  I was about 120 lbs of misery. 

Then I yo-yo'ed back up and became this person...

I'm the 3rd one.  

Neither one of those girls is me.  I mean yes, physically that is me but both of those girls were miserable.  There has to be a happy medium.  

I've binged and purged; I've taken pills; I've done the shakes; I've spent hours in the gym.  I'm tired.  Seriously.  That's why I'm going back to square one.  I know I was not made to feel like this. None of us were.  

I also have had acne...for like 12 years.  I was told I would grow out of it...false. I have done it ALL when it comes to trying to get rid of it.  Nothing has worked. Although some say that acne and diet are unrelated, there has to be something to it.  There was a study done on 2 people groups who lived off a paleo-like diet. Exactly zero of them had acne.  I also have had acid reflux.  FOREVER.  Ugh it's awful.  (I have heartburn as I'm typing now).  In my Paleo research, I found an article from Duke University about a study that was done on people with acid reflux for which standard medication was not working.  100% of their patients saw a complete resolution of their heartburn within ONE WEEK of cutting out grains.  Here is a link to that article if you are curious.  

As an ER nurse, I see the worst of the worst.  But mostly I see about 80% completely preventable health problems.   Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, joint pain, etc.  It is honestly hard for me to respond when a 530 lb woman comes into the ER for knee pain.  We cannot fix it.  Only you can.  

So that's what I'm doing.  I am taking my life into my own hands.  I refuse to live my life waiting for the next bounce of the yo yo.  So for the next 30 days, I am going to live paleo 24/7.  If it works for me, sweet! If it doesn't, I will at least be able to know I tried.  Tomorrow makes day 1.  Wish me luck!

Love, 

Jen