Day # 9

Lost 10lbs not sure how (all water weight possibly) the hell that happened but it did. Tried working out but my body is still acclimating to this strict regimen. I am feeling a little low energy and have an intense headache due to stress not Paleo related. So far this is totally doable. I did how ever cheat a little yesterday by using the tiniest bit of soy. I also ate some beef jerky which I realized after devouring it that it was loaded with salt. :(

I am still have cravings for foods like:
Pizza
Cheese
Burgers
Flat breads

I am still holding strong to the 30 day challenge and will not let myself give in to temptations. Hoping to get a full workout in with Ivy. Things have been hectic and stressful. I've had some intense cravings but writing on this blog has helped me stay true to my commitment.

I'll write more later........

the picture is of lunch. All sashimi no rice.

Day # 7: Still on track!!!!!

It's been 7 days on the Paleo and I gotta say it's getting easier and easier with each passing day. I made it past the initial upset stomach and intense headaches usually associated with going low carb, low sugar. I have not had any sugar (except for sugars found in fruit), grains, legumes nor processed food for 7 days!!! I've lost some weight, increased energy levels, have less acne and blackhead ridden skin, feel lighter and all around in a better mood because of this experiment. My body aches less and I am starting to feel less irritable.

I will continue to eat only Paleo friendly foods but will refuse to stress out about it when the situation calls for me to take advantage of the 80/20 rule. I will stay as strict as I possibly can till the 30 days are up while slowly and in moderation adding back foods that I was avoiding after the 30 day trial.

80/20 rule simply means that 80% of the time stay true to the Paleo way of eating while going back to your old ways 20% of the time, then you can still easily reach any health goal you wish in a reasonable amount of time. Granted it will take you longer, it may help the process overall so you don’t stress out if you can’t meet the lifestyles needs. It allows you to enjoy the ice cream cone if you so desire on occasion (moderation is key). Or, maybe have a slice of cheesecake once in a large great while.

Ok time for me to get started on my long day of cleaning, organizing and cooking. I am looking forward to rewarding myself with a haircut now that I have accomplished at least one of
my goals which was to loose at least 5 lbs. Time for me to get this shaggy doo under control.

I will start posting my workout routine starting tomorrow. I am commiting to 3 one hour fat burning cardio workouts & 2 one hour strength training workouts (heavy lifting) a week with Ivy Profane as my trainer. I decided to take it easy the first week due to my body adjusting to such a drastic change in my eating habits. I'll post pics soon.

DAY 4: Feeling great!!!! Skin is clearing up!!! YAY!

This post will be short and sweet. I am still sticking to the strict regiment. I am slowly starting to feel better with each passing day. My skin is starting to clear up!!!!!!! I am so freaking happy about this. I think I may be over the sugar and bread cravings well at least a little.

Will post more tonight about my 5th day.

Oh almost forgot Ivy created the most amazing shake!!! It was so freaking good! Better then an ice cream shake.

Day # 3: Still sticking to it

I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. Though my head was feeling foggy but nowhere near as much as it was yesterday, even though that wasn't as unbearable as the first day. From the moment I got out of bed, I felt energized. I’ve had this weird feeling for most of the day, kind of like feeling warm and tingly (possibly the Niacin?). Though I did almost faint at one point because I got my blood drawn but I think it was due to the poorly trained phlebotomist poking me 4 times. I had two sips of apple juice because they would not let me leave unless I had at least a couple of sips. Though I tried explaining to the nurse I was on this Paleo cleanse etc.

Funny how enticing and seductive certain foods become when you "can't" have them; visions of bacon wrapped goat cheese stuffed dates dance in my head. Yet, despite starvation and deprivation, committing to the challenge did help me stay away from the bagel table at work today. Ok so perhaps I am being a bit dramatic but I really don't ever seem to feel full. My evil coworker keeps taunting and joking about how we can't eat certain foods. Today he literally ran out from the back office to eat tatter tots right in front of us. While talking about how good it was (mouth full and all). I reminded myself about how much better I was feeling, better with each passing day, though I crave sugar and nearly sucked the yam skin dry; it was so sweet and tender...... As the day wore on today all I could think about was food, I started to worry. Is this normal? Is it all in my head? Am I doing something wrong? Am I going to have the will power to get through 30 days?

The biggest thing I'm realizing is that eating like this takes a lot of planning, and I mean A LOT. I'm trying to help out more with the meal planning. I'm literally grabbing handfuls of fruit, nuts anything that will fit in our bag that is Paleo friendly. I was not a big meal planner before this, so this is a big change for me. Not one that I'm particularly liking yet, even though I know it is good for me. Experts say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. I'm hoping that moving toward eating more vegetables and not relying on grains will come more easily. Right now, it feels like I am walking up a hill with skates on. As in it's not easy and every hour of the day is a challenge for me. Everything takes great thought and concentration. Eating is becoming less about enjoyment and more about necessity. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

ok off to bed I go....... here is to another day...

Energy: lots in the AM barely any towards the end of the day

Mood: irritable

Day # 2: @#$%$!! *kicks rocks* SUGAR DETOX!

OK, deep breath. I have not sabotaged myself as of yet and have remained true to the diet. Battling cravings for sweets has been a bit challenging. Things that have helped me through my sugar and bread detox aside from microwaving a yam:

• I try to drink about a half liter of water 6 times a day. Usually with the meals and snacks that I eat. It keeps me feeling full.

• I snack on apples, grapes, mangos naturally sweet snacks and not girl scout cookies, ice cream or pastries.
• After each meal is done I immediately clean up and put leftovers away. Keeps me from grazing through what's left just because it's there.
• At night if I start feeling snacky I brush my teeth. If I still feel bingey/snacky and know I've had enough to eat I simply go to bed. It's usually a sign that I'm up too late anyway. Sleep is a good thing.

I also started taking Vitamins. I made the mistake of taking 1,000mg of Niacin. It was one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced in my life. I experienced rapid heart beat, skin flushing, itching, pins and needles all from too much Niacin. It was a horrible 4 hours. But I am all better now and have learned my lesson. ALWAYS READ THE LABEL!

My mood has been better then yesterday less grumpy probably due to the cup of coffee I had this morning. All in all "The Paleo" is not that bad unless I walk by a window displaying deliciously baked yumminess. I pass by this window every day on my walk to work and back but have been strong enough to stay strong willed (by unpeeling myself from the fogged up window due to staring at the goodies for too long). Thanks to blogging I've been able to turn down delicious, sweet, buttery temptations. ....... so far.

Meals we had today:

Breakfast we had an omelet with spinach & basil

Lunch: huge salad with mixed greens and boiled chicken breast

Dinner: bison stuffed bell pepper

snacks: 1/2 an Asian pear, 1/2 an apple, 1 kiwi, 1/2 a mango

1 gallon of water

1 glass of herbal iced tea

Energy: felt a little dizzy but i think it's due to the lack of grains and sugars. My body is still adjusting.

Mood: ok

Irritable: a tad

Day # 1 No grains. No sugar. No legumes. No processed food. No dairy.

Though it was hard to walk by my favorite coffee place by my house and not order a delicious buttery chocolate filled crossiant with my extra strong rocket fuel coffee; it hasn't been that bad aside from the intense migraine I've had all day possibly due to the lack of sugar & caffeine intake. I hit some hurdles throughout the day most of them triggered from stress due to work but stayed true to the diet. However listening to my co-workers talk about how much they where going to enjoy a delicious dinner filled with all or some of the foods on my no list was not easy. I even went as far as avoiding going out to lunch with some friends because I did not want to be tempted by the smells of yummy pizza pies and balsamic and olive oil drizzled caprese salads with fresh mozzerela. Yes that's right I've stuck to the diet so far. I've had about a gallon of water and made about 16 trips to the loo thanks to all the water intake. I really enjoyed the "spa" water which consisted of mint, kiwi, lemon and mineral water. It was quite refreshing. I felt a little weak and low energy possibly due to the lack of caffeine and sugar. I will stop cutting out coffee from my diet especially if it means avoiding a splitting headache. I felt full throughout the day but had some cravings for foods that are on the no list. I am hoping tomorrow will be easier. Going to bed early in hopes to start tomorrow as strong as I started today.

Favorite meals today:
Fish tacos wrapped in butter lettuce Lunch
Ahi Salad Dinner (yummers)

30 days of Paleo Diet and excercise with Ivy Profane

Today starts the beginning of a very challenging experiment for me. People say you are what you eat. And unfortunately I am either a walking doughnut or a lounging chocolate chip cookie. I've always turned to junk food/fast food when feeling bored, down or anxious. I mean who doesn't love a piping hot pizza or a big juicy bacon cheese burger? But those days need to end at least for the next 30 days. I'll be giving up dairy & grains for 30 days and replacing them with fresh fruits and vegetables -- foods that are more nutritious than whole grains or dairy products. After the 30 day challenge I will slowly incorporate (in moderation) some of the foods that I love such as pasta, light cheeses, fat free Greek yogurt etc. But I will make sure to make better choices and moderate my intake of rich and fatty foods.

Changing our food choices may not be easy but it is definitely doable. Fueling up with organic nutrient rich foods will help to increase mood and energy levels. By adhering and following a safe, simple and effective diet, I hope to loose weight, clear up acne, feel better and look better. This challenge will require taking responsibility and I intend on holding myself accountable by posting daily post on my journey to a better me. I am planning on making this a lifestyle change so that I can prevent and reverse any possible serious chronic disease, feel better, stronger and more energetic. The benefits will be living longer and healthier, naturally.

Saying this is much easier then doing it. I am hoping that by blogging it will help keep me motivated and committed. I am human and I'm not perfect. That said I will post everything and anything that I have encountered through this journey. So here I go, no more excuses. My blog will include workouts written by Ivy Profane, Paleo diet favorite recipes, weekly pictures and stats such as weight and measurements. This is the start of an interesting and exciting adventure.

3/14/11
Height: 5' 6"
BMI: 30

Long term Goals:
Lower BMI to 24

Grow an extra 3 inches taller (just kidding)