June 17, 2010

Paleo Fail-eo* 2.0

*I totally stole that line from Jen.

But it does sum up nicely how I felt after this Paleo challenge, the second one I’ve done this year. (To refresh your memory…Paleo means no sugar, no grains and no dairy. Yes to meat, yes to veggies and yes to fruit.)

I felt weak.

I cheated once a week during the five-week challenge.

I didn’t punish myself for cheating and there was definitely no guilt. To put it simply, I just wasn’t very into it. (It’s not you Paleo, it’s me!) Maybe it’s because, as my Paleo partner aptly observed, now that we know we can do it, we question why we’re doing it again.

It’s the money and glory you get with winning.

Not really.

I did accomplish everything I wanted to during this challenge…running a faster Bolder Boulder and getting stronger. (I’m not unassisted pull-up strong. Yet. But I’m getting there.)

I just didn’t enjoy denying myself this time around. Surprise, surprise. Each time I cheated, it was because of a celebration I was taking part in…a wedding reception, a new pizza oven, a successful race…and I wanted to be indulging. As part of the festivity. And as part of life.

I didn’t learn as much this time as the first time I tried Paleo, but there were a few things that I should mention about the past five weeks…

  • I’m still in love with coconut milk. That hasn’t changed. And I may have actually drank some if it straight out of the can. Ahem. No judgments…when you’re talking Paleo desserts, you’re not talking about much. I enjoyed many, many bowls of berries and coconut milk without ever growing weary of the stuff.
  • Much more cooking on my part this challenge. A combination of factors made this happen, but I’m glad I was able to take the reins and try some new things in the kitchen. I do know how to cook, I’m just woefully out-of-practice.
  • Even though he said he wasn’t going to do this challenge with me, my husband is just so darn supportive that he couldn’t NOT do it with me. I’m pretty sure he didn’t eat Paleo during the day (proof being the french fry container I found in our car’s cupholder) but at night, he was still cooking Paleo and taking my dietary needs into consideration. For the record, he never ate any ice cream in front of me. (Well, except for that one fancy dinner out with my parents…but it was his birthday…and I’ve almost totally forgotten about it…)
  • We were still limited to only 4 drinks a week but potato vodka was on the list of allowed alcoholic beverages this go-around. (Still not exactly sure why since we couldn’t eat potatoes…but I didn’t want to ask too many questions when it came to alcohol. I knew I’d be needing it.) But with the inclusion of potato vodka, I found this little number to be the perfect Paleo cocktail: a bloody mary. The Kitchen makes their own tomato juice and it was easily the best bloody mary I’ve ever had…Paleo or no Paleo.
  • In related news, brunch is the best meal to enjoy outside of your own kitchen while on Paleo.

So even with my lackluster motivation this challenge, I still ended up achieving some pretty good results.

I lost 5 pounds and 2 inches off my hips. In post-Paleo workouts, I lifted more and performed better than I had pre-Paleo.

And…my partner and I came in fifth place out of all the teams taking part in the challenge. (You can read his recap of Paleo 2.0 here.) Which means we didn’t get any money, but we did make it onto the podium.

While I’ve been slowly easing out of Paleo…a nibble of expensive gouda here, a french fry there…I know that moving forward, there’s no way I can go back to mindless eating. Life’s too short to not pay attention to what you’re putting in your mouth and what effect it has on your body.

Which is just another way of saying yes, you can buy me a beer now.

June 1, 2010

Paleo Stuffed Mushrooms and a Paleo substitute for bread crumbs**

**Two things that my readers have searched for (thank you Lijit stats) and that I’ve happened to eat in the last week…

Stuff it

I really like our Paleo version of stuffed mushrooms. Easy to make, throw in whatever you have around the kitchen and they’re pretty much guaranteed to be delicious. Added bonus: if invited to a fancy potluck, these are a hit and can be enjoyed with no one even knowing they’re Paleo. In the bowl below, I have ground bison, chopped onion and garlic, walnuts, fresh parsley from our garden and some spice mix.

Plus, I’ll share with you the genius idea that I came up with to cook these bad boys. Hope you’re sitting down because…

Yeah, I went there. Another reason to love your muffin tin.

Then, before they went in the oven (about twenty minutes at 400 degrees), I got artistic with the shot and went there.

I told you they were easy.

Bread crumbs will lead you home

And for those searching, the Paleo substitute for bread crumbs is baby tears. No, but it is something almost as expensive…ground flaxseed. We combine the flaxseed with sesame seeds and coat eggplant in the stuff before frying, fish before baking and occasionally sprinkle some on a Paleo dessert. It basically accomplishes all you want from a bread crumb-like topping without using any of that pesky bread.

(The husband used to add flaxseed to meat, like for meatballs or kabobs, but now says that the flaxseed makes the meat too gummy. Take that advice for what it is.)

I think flaxseed is a pretty good replacement for breadcrumbs and am far beyond the point of being too choosy about anything. If I can find something that takes the place of bread, I’m all about it.

Keep searching for answers to your Paleo questions, hungry people. Only one more week of Paleo left in my challenge and then I’m desperately searching for gouda.

May 19, 2010

I’m hungry all the time, I cheated again and my partner is dropping weight like a gypsy cursed him.

(Also known as week two of Paleo.)

Due to the fact that my husband worked late four nights this past week, I was forced to cook by, and for, myself. I rose to the occasion and rocked out my first roasted chicken. My husband did not disappoint either with Paleo versions of two of our favorite dishes.

Some culinary highlights from last week:

The shinier the bird, the more delicious.

–My motherf’n roasted chicken. As I mentioned above, this was a first for me. I took the guts out (fortunately, they were already bagged up for me), shoved a half-onion and a few garlic cloves up in there, and basted every twenty minutes. The husband said that I shouldn’t expect all chickens to turn out this well. I owe it all to the Savory Spice Shop. We got a kit of Colorado spices as a wedding gift (thanks Jacq!) and I swear that those spices help get me through the Paleo challenge by making everything taste better.

Banana's hipper and healthier cousin.

–Plantains. Sigh. Once I confirmed they were Paleo, I cooked them up in some coconut oil and longed for the Tropics. Plantains are really good, give me a bit of sweet and are currently the closest thing to a comfort food I have these days.

–Coconut cream. You read that right. Last challenge I was all about the coconut milk. After a trip to Pacific Ocean Marketplace, an Asian grocery store in Broomfield, I discovered my latest obsession. Coconut cream. And yes, it’s just as delicious as it sounds. Fluffier and fattier than coconut milk, coconut cream is the Holy Grail of Paleo desserts. Easily worth the trip back to the Asian grocery. And the weird smells you encounter while there.

The slaw is overshadowed by the burger. Again.

–Paleo coleslaw. This stuff is super easy to make, good for at least two meals and just one of those classic side dishes. I use Lemonaise in my slaw and this last batch even received a compliment from a co-worker. Pictured above with one of my other most favorite Paleo meals: a burger topped with a fried egg, avocado and salsa verde. Oh my.

–Justin’s Nut Butter. I want to marry almond butter. And ever since the last Paleo challenge, I’ve been doing a little almond butter research, comparing and contrasting different brands. What I’ve discovered is that Justin’s Nut Butter really is better. (Duh.)  It’s also more expensive. But since I have to enjoy the little treats during this challenge, a spoonful of almond butter is worth every penny.

Extreme closeup. Which makes me hungry.

–Chili verde con pollo. In other words, a chicken green chili stew. My husband scored big with this one, putting avocado and fresh cilantro on top. I didn’t miss the cheese, sour cream or tortillas. Much. And the best part is that we made a big batch and had enough for lunch the next day. Double score.

–Paleo quiche. You read that correctly. By laying prosciutto down in a basket-like weave around the bottom of a foil pie pan, adding sesame seeds and baking the whole thing for a bit, we effectively created a crust substitute. Then, he poured the egg, sausage and broccoli mixture on top and baked like a normal quiche. It worked, proving that you really don’t *need* crust.

(The cheating incident I refer to in the title involved a wood-burning pizza oven from Italy, good friends, threats of violence and perhaps a bit of peer pressure. Let’s leave it at that.)

To make Paleo matters worse, my partner in this challenge keeps sending me direct messages telling me how much weight he’s lost. With two cheats under my belt, I’m starting to feel a little like the weak link. So I’m publicly apologizing to Andrew and promising him that I’ll be better in the second half of the challenge.

(Although, in my defense, I didn’t have nearly the same kind of weight to lose as he did. See that? Right after the public apology, I publicly call him a porker. )

To sum up week two, as I’m apt to say around the office…fuck sugar.** Halfway there, kiddo. You can do it.

**Although a beer sounds really good.

May 9, 2010

Paleo Week One, or The Magic of Baba Ganoush, or OMG I’ve Already Cheated

This first week of the Paleo challenge was a difficult one, I cannot lie. But before we get to the rough stuff, let’s celebrate the best meal of the week.

We kicked off the first day of Paleo with a Middle Eastern feast consisting of lamb kabobs, veggie kabobs and baba ghanoush. Since this dish always gets so many rave reviews (even without the pita bread, hummus, and feta cheese), I thought I would share how to make this very easy and complete dinner. Paleo peeps, you’re welcome. Everyone else, you are too.

Lamb (or other protein) Kabobs

3/4 C  raw pistachios

1 lb. ground lamb

1 t cumin

1/4 C  diced onion

salt

pepper

1-2 cloves of garlic

fresh herbs (parsley/oregano/whatever you got)

1. In food processor, mix pistachios, cumin, onion, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. When thoroughly chopped together, transfer the mixture into a large bowl, add in lamb and mix.

2. Shape into kabobs around a grilling skewer, throw on the grill and enjoy.

Chop up some vegetables for veggie skewers and you’ve got an easy and delicious side dish. After you’ve made the kabobs, rinse out the food processor and then make some baba ghanoush.

Baba Ganoush (spelled with or without the second ‘h’ it turns out)

eggplant

tahini

salt

pepper

lemon juice

olive oil

garlic

1. cut eggplant in half and cook on a baking sheet for an hour at 350 degrees. After cooling, skin the eggplant, putting the guts inside the food processor.

2. Add in tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste while processing eggplant. You want the baba ganoush to be slightly on the thicker side. When done mixing, let baba ganoush chill for a bit before serving.

That was Monday. Unfortunately, it all goes downhill from there.

Tuesday…I met an old blogging friend who was stopping in Denver for the night. Had a glass of wine and dinner at the bar. Dinner consisted of olives. Fought the urge to stop by my favorite burrito place on the way home and ended up eating a hardboiled egg before bed.

Wednesday…I hosted a Blog and Beers event at the Mountain Sun Pub. Due to bad planning on my part, all I had for dinner before the event was an avocado and some radishes. I caved in to the pressure of hostessing and had 8 oz. of beer there. CHEATER. I know, I know.

Thursday… BBQ lunch at Trada for Startup Week, burger–no cheese or bun please. Then, Ignite Boulder. Enough said. We snuck out at intermission, ran to Falafel King and had a Paleo-friendly dinner there. You guessed it…more lamb and baba ganoush. Of course, not as good as my husband’s but not bad in a pinch. Was tempted by the free beer at Trada and had a glass of wine at Ignite.

Friday…turned down beer at yet another Startup Week event, had a glass of wine with the ladies for happy hour (also? beets sans cheese on the happy hour app menu at Salt FTW!), awesome dinner of coconut shrimp satay, sauteed Chinese broccoli and mushrooms, with fried plantains. Thai-like Paleo. Frozen strawberries and coconut milk finished things off right.

Graduated week one of Paleo...but not flawlessly.

Saturday…attended the graduation BBQ of a dear friend, was happily able to eat some of the food at this graduation celebration and also drank a glass of wine. I did not celebrate with the above cupcake, although my husband did. We baked chicken, had acorn squash and leftover Chinese broccoli.

Sunday…Paleo brunch and sunshine. A five mile run, some yard work and time to plan out what to eat for the upcoming week.

Who says you need cheese?

With a first week like this, my Paleo challenge can only get better from here on out. So far on the menu for next week, we have a whole chicken, hamburgers, fish and sausage. I’m going to take it easy on the social events, spend more time in the kitchen and quit that skipping dinner nonsense.

Here’s to a much more successful second week of Paleo!

May 3, 2010

Paleo 2.0

Just when you thought it was safe to come back to my blog…well, it’s not. Mainly because I start another Paleo challenge today.

Why would I ever do such a thing? Oh, you mean besides this?

“Research has strongly associated the modern Western diet with the current epidemic levels of obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer.”

Well, one reason is that after the last Paleo experiment, I saw the results.

And it turns out I really like the mindfulness and challenge that go into adhering to a strict diet.

Of course, I picked a helluva week to start this thing. I know, I know…that almost sounds like a lame excuse. But with Boulder Startup Week taking place this week and a little event called Beer and Blogs that I’m helping to facilitate, I have a schedule packed with events featuring alcohol.

(Too bad I won’t be able to drink a beer. In a microbrewery. With a bunch of strangers. Talking about blogs.)

Reason #3? I’m running the Bolder Boulder in four weeks and would love to carve just a few minutes off my time. Totally doable.

Reason #4? I want to do an unassisted pullup. Or loosely translated, I want to get stronger.

And finally…this Paleo challenge, I’m in it for the metrics. Last time, we just had pictures to document our changes. This time, we’ve weighed in, taken measurements, and done two different benchmark workouts. Can you say science experiment?

(We did take more pictures, but this time, the picture is solely used in the case of a tie.)

In case you have no idea what Paleo is, here’s an easy list of what I can and cannot eat.

Other changes this time around…

  • no dried fruit. I believe my coach said something to the effect of “That shit’s like candy”.
  • no canola oil.
  • butter is allowed. I repeat, butter is allowed. So if I get desperate at some point during the challenge, I reserve the right to eat a spoonful of butter.
  • this challenge will last five weeks.
  • tequila and potato vodka have been added to the list of approved alcohol; still only four drinks a week though. :(
  • teams of two. I’ve partnered up with another finalist from the last Paleo challenge and between us, there is much potential for shit-talking and ass-kicking.
  • no spousal support. My husband has decided not to join me on this adventure and knows that there will be repercussions for eating ice cream in front of me. It could get ugly.

Goodbye. For now.

That’s what my challenge looks like starting today, but what does Paleo 2.0 mean for you?

More talk about eating real food, more documenting the struggle and more sharing of recipes this go-around. According to my Lijit stats, someone keeps searching for Paleo stuffed mushrooms. Since that was one of my favorites from the last Paleo challenge, I plan on making it again AND posting the recipe here.

I have one successful Paleo challenge under my belt (top five finalist, right here)–so I know I can do it.

The question this time is can I do it without my husband. And without pissing off my new co-workers. Or killing my partner.

Stay tuned. Things are about to get interesting. At least as interesting as carb-free can get.

March 2, 2010

Post-Paleo Ponderings

So I did it. Went Paleo, made a lot of jokes and then somewhere during the challenge, totally amazed myself.

Sorry my high-protein diet weirded you out

Six weeks of eating like a caveman. And all I have to show for it are these six-pack abs.

(No seriously. Pictures coming soon.)

If you want to catch up with my Paleo journey, you can read about my progress through the challenge: the beginning, one week in, half-way through, and my mother’s favorite, baking experiment #1.

Take the following for what it is…the ravings of a carb-depleted chest-thumping kettleball-swinging CrossFit “It’s totally not a cult” member. Yes seriously.

  • It’s the little things. When eating like this, the small things matter even more. Like finding bacon made without sugar. In a small mountain town. When you haven’t had bacon in 5 weeks. Yes, it was orgasmic.
  • Variety is clutch. During this last week, I got really tired of eating the same stuff. Not necessarily craving something  that I couldn’t eat, just craving something different that I could. When you’re on a limited diet, you have to be constantly looking for new ways of cooking the same things. Thank heaven for food bloggers.
  • When the cat’s away, the mouse doesn’t eat as well. Also this last week, my personal chef husband has been out of town. This challenge was made much more difficult by that fact. It’s not that I’m a bad cook, I just hate cooking for one. I’ve been forced to do just that the entire last week of the Paleo challenge and am extremely grateful that I didn’t have to do that the entire time.
  • Favorite game to play during this challenge…the “What do you miss?” game which consists of taking turns talking about the foods that you miss eating the most. Played this with the husband, played this with Andrew Hyde, and played this with just about everyone else in the challenge. Even played it with people who weren’t taking part in the challenge. Not as much fun.
  • What now? Isn’t this the big question? It’s what everyone asks and it’s the question I don’t have an answer for. The hubs and I have to discuss our options, but the fact that his GI issues have virtually cleared up says a lot for this diet. Perhaps we go gluten-free? After what we just did, it doesn’t seem all that difficult and is made easier by the many GF choices out there these days. I’ll be honest and say that adding sugar back in seems problematic. But that’s just because I think that adding any drug back into my body might be a bad call. And I’m really proud to have kicked it. (All that being said, I probably won’t stop myself from taking a hit of the dark chocolate every now and then.)

beer

  • On the other hand…french fries! Beer! French fries! Beer! French fries! Beer! French fries! Beer!
  • Mindfulness matters. This is never more apparent than dealing with a restricted diet. Many American meals lack any sort of forethought beyond deciding on value meal #1 or #2. It’s all about how fast you can get your food into your mouth. When eating Paleo, you’re dealing with fresh and real foods that need preparation. The real foods I speak of will go bad if not used and since there are no boxes of anything sitting on your shelves, you must put thought into your meals. If you want to eat anyway. And not have a refrigerator full of rotting produce.
  • Speaking of rotting produce…eat more vegetables. Your body will thank you. That is all.
  • No more crash & burn. I love that my energy levels have stabilized and that I’m not prone to the afternoon lethargic state that I once suffered. Something about my insulin levels normalizing, something about my blood sugar remaining constant…all I know is how I feel. Much more even-keeled and no carb comas.
  • But while we’re on the topic…Carb much, America? Maybe it’s just because I’m sensitive to it, or maybe it’s because everywhere I look, there are carbs, but holy shit, everywhere I look, there are carbs. Skiing this past weekend, I went into the cafeteria/diner up at a mid-mountain lodge (to get some water) when I saw something I couldn’t believe. Macaroni & cheese in a bread bowl. Yeah, Winter Park, I’m looking at you. I mean, really? You people think you’re burning THAT many calories on the slopes. Gah.
  • It’s all in your head. You can say what you want about the power of thought but this challenge was definitely made harder and easier by my mental state. When I told myself that I didn’t want a cupcake, it became truth. When I told myself that the Paleo-friendly almond muffin I baked was a cupcake, it almost became truth. But the point is…whatever you commit to is what you’ll accomplish. And it might just be necessary to play mind games with yourself in order to make that commitment happen. Anyone who has ever done any endurance event will tell you the same.
  • Birthdays don’t require cake. I celebrated my birthday during the Paleo challenge and made a good go of things. Fruit with coconut milk and a psuedo-baked good (almond muffins w/ no flour or sugar) were wonderful stand-ins for cake and ice cream. All that you really need for a successful birthday are feelings of love showered upon you by family and friends. This I had in abundance.
  • First thing to eat after the challenge is over? This is the one I agonized about for quite some time. Take a look for yourself. I waited until dinner to indulge, but below you can see both my appetizer and my dessert:

firstbackon

So there you have it. The story of how I survived six weeks of no carbs, no grains, no sugars and no dairy.

Well, almost.  I owe you pictures and will be posting them as soon as I get them from my coach. Because the proof is not in how strong and lean I feel. The proof is in how I’ll be rocking my bikini in six days. And to really wrap the story up, pictures are a must.

**And because I’m nothing if not transparent, I did cheat one time during the Paleo challenge. Early on, in the beginning of the second week, my company celebrated a big milestone and we celebrated, like we normally do, at a near-by bar. To commemorate said milestone, our CEO likes us to do a shot together. Normally a kamikaze. I only had one glass of wine at our company happy hour,  and when the time came to do a shot, I had decided I was going to turn it down. Until my CEO started to guilt and peer pressure me into drinking the shot with everyone. And was successful. So that means that I wasn’t completely without sugar and hard alcohol for six weeks. But it does mean that I’m a complete sucker when it comes to authority figures ordering me to drink.

March 1, 2010

34. And so much more.

happypaleobirthday2

My birthday weekend retreat is over…as is my six-week Paleo challenge. Thanks to a thoughtful friend, I didn’t need no stinkin’ cake in order to celebrate my birthday Paleo-style. Just some pomegrante seeds and a candle.

Over the last three days, my birthday celebration has been rejuvenating.  Amazing how spending time with friends old and new, doing more jumping lunges than I can count, skiing long powdery tree runs, baking Paleo-friendly muffins, hanging with the big dogs and ending it all with a soak in the hot springs can really make a girl feel refreshed.

birthdaycollage

I spent a lot of my birthday weekend alone and there was one thought, in particular, that made me smile. I’m happier, stronger, healthier, more in love and more confident than I was ten years ago.

Take that 34.

February 8, 2010

Paleo Update: Holy heck–I’m halfway done!

I’m at the mid-way point of my Paleo challenge. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, perhaps it’s best to start over here with me explaining why eating like a caveman is going to be an interesting experiment.

And if you have been following me on this journey, then you already know what kind of crazy you’re dealing with and I’m excited to share the new insights from three weeks of eating the Paleo way…

  • Nothing’s impossible. I mentioned this before, but when I hear people saying that there’s no way they would be able to give up sugar, I simply laugh. While it may sound trite, you really can accomplish anything you set your mind to. I’ve been off the sugar for three weeks and while I’m the first to admit that it’s a difficult thing to do, it’s FAR from impossible.
  • No more Tums. My husband, blaming his “weak Jewish stomach”, used to pop Tums like they were candy. Since we’ve started with Paleo, he hasn’t needed a single one. I don’t mean that he’s weaned himself or reduced his intake…I mean the dude has not had ONE. SINGLE. CHALKY. TABLET. If you know this Jew stomach I speak of, you know that this is in fact a Paleo miracle.
  • Vivid dreams. My coach warned that we might experience some changes in our sleep. I figured she just meant that we’d get more and better sleep, which has been true. But the biggest sleep-associated change I’ve noticed has been in my dreams…they’re really intense, action-packed and at some point in the night, involve a dessert. And most of the time, the dream desserts are ones that I’ve never even seen in real life. Like mint chocolate mochi sandwiches?
  • Forced creativity in the kitchen. Creativity blossoms when limitations are imposed. Just because we can’t have flour doesn’t mean that we can’t have pancakes. No pasta, no problem. In addition to Paleo pancakes, my husband has blown me away with substitutions for a wide variety of our favorite dishes…from eggplant parmesan to stuffed mushrooms, hollandaise sauce to sorbet. Is this guy for real?
paleospread

Photo courtesy of Andrew Hyde's phone

  • Compliments. I’ve heard everything from “your skin looks dewy” (which I think is a good thing) to “your hair looks shiny”. Add in the people who’ve told me I look lean and the ones who’ve mentioned that my face seems thinner, well, hot damn. Not to mention that my CrossFit coach said that she saw my bicep bulging early one morning. (You do have tickets, right? For the gun show?)
  • I’m discovering new foods. That I like. Included in this group are parsnips, turnips, brussel sprouts, roasted carrots, flaxseed meal (really?) and kale. Vegetables that I may have turned down in the past seem Different! New! Exciting! I never thought I would be saying such things about a parsnip.
  • The Paleo effect on my period. (Skip to next bullet point NOW if you don’t want to read about my menstrual cycle.) My period started a full week early on this diet. According to other women who have undergone similar nutrition changes, my metabolism is revved up, which can wreak havoc on hormones. Like my fancy scientific explanation? Basically, with crazy surging hormones, my cycle is responding the only way it knows how.
  • The Paleo effect on my wallet. At first, I bitched about how much money I was spending at the grocery store to eat real food. What I forgot about was the fact that we’re not really eating out anymore. And that we cook a lot for dinner each night to insure that we have leftovers the next day for lunch. Not to mention, we’re now Costco members. Say what you want, nuts really are cheaper there.
  • The Paleo effect on the rest of my life. If I can do this, forget about it. I find myself watching other people eat shitty processed food and I feel stronger. Like I’ve accomplished something by saying no when asked, again, if I want a cookie. In fact, I like to take every opportunity to make people feel guilty about the disgusting crap they’re putting in their bodies. “That cookie? No thanks…I don’t eat stuff like that.” I may not have cured cancer, but the sense of accomplishment that I’m relishing in these days is almost as good as a cupcake. (I’m obviously carb-depleted.)
  • It’s important to realize what you once had. Like cheese. I miss you. Oh to be surrounded by you again…

cheese

  • You can fool people into eating Paleo with you. I found inspiration from Andrew Hyde, who pulled the Paleo trick on a dinner party of around twenty. We’ve done it twice now and it’s fun. Even for hardcore chicks from Montana. Who thought you might serve them “twigs and dirt”. That’s a quote from Montana, herself.
  • Sparkling water is the new coconut milk. Okay, not really, because nothing takes the place of my one and only sweet love. But a glass of Pellegrino with a fresh-cut lemon sure can make you feel like a million bucks. OR at least make you feel like you’re drinking a cocktail that cost nine dollars. Amazing how fizzy bubbles have the ability to make things better. (Score one for Alka-Seltzer’s marketing team.)

Half-way there, I remind myself.

It takes 21 days to form a good habit, I remind myself.

I’m doing it for the bikini and for Belize, I remind myself.

All that being said, I’m not going to lie…this challenge is hard and I have momentary thoughts about cheating. When I smell that fresh bread out of the oven or the waft of a Frito in a meeting, for a second I consider the option of only eating a bite. Then, I realize what that one bite would symbolize and instead, simply decide to enjoy the smell.

But more importantly, I don’t cheat because there are three weeks left in this challenge and although he’s my friend, I would hate it for Andrew Hyde to win this thing.

After all, Mama needs some spending money on her honeymoon.

January 26, 2010

Paleo Update: Week 1

I’ve been doing the Paleo nutritional challenge (I mentioned that I hate the word diet, right?) for nine days now. Not a ton of time, but enough to begin to see some changes and feel some differences.

A few things I’ve learned this past week…

  • People like to talk about food. As soon as I mention what I’m doing, it raises emotions in people. Either they think I’m totally crazy or they’ve tried something like this in the past or they have lots of questions. But so far, not one person has heard about the Paleo way of eating and NOT had something to say about it.
  • Sugar withdrawals are real. And they suck. The worst episode (so far) happened to me on Thursday afternoon at the office. I was lethargic, tired, grumpy, achy and bitchy. Definitely not the best Tara that my co-workers have ever seen–in fact, probably the worst. It was so bad I had to cancel my dinner plans that night…with a friend who was cooking a Paleo dinner, no less.

mymistresses

  • Temptation is everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I can understand how Tiger Woods felt now. Except that unlike him, I haven’t cheated.  But I do want to send dirty text messages to every cookie I see, telling it exactly what I’m going to do to it. Baked goods how you taunt me!
  • We have way less recycling now. Funny that when you don’t buy food that comes in boxes or cans, you really don’t have much to put in the recycling pile. On the flip side, our refrigerator is overflowing and our freezer stocked. After a trip to Costco, our cupboards aren’t as bare as they once were but there are now filled with gargantuan bags of nuts. (Insert nut joke of your choice here.)
  • Coconut milk is a girl’s best friend. Fuck diamonds. When you can’t have any sugar or natural sweeteners, coconut milk poured over fruit tastes like heaven. The dessert of Paleo champions, I say.
  • Limiting yourself to only four drinks a week  makes you very picky about where and when you enjoy those drinks. If I agree to have a glass of wine with you in the near future, consider yourself honored. Because that’s a quarter of my weekly alcohol consumption right there. But if I do have a glass of wine, you can be damn sure I’m appreciating it. Slowly.

wine

  • Events can be difficult to attend. This past week, I went to an open house where I had to turn down hummus (my comfort food of choice) and many beers. The very next day, I attended a blogger meetup where the only options were fruity champagne drinks and cookies. Finally, on Saturday, I was at a full-day conference that had piles of chocolate in the middle of each table…that I tried not to make eye contact with while eating my nut & seed mixture. I’ve managed to hold it together at these events but I realize that I’m meeting new people left and right that are going to remember me only as “that crazy girl”.
  • I’m hungry. All the time. Even when I feel full, I’m hungry five minutes later. Gone are those days of carb satiation, where your belly is big and you couldn’t possibly eat another bite. Say hello to second breakfasts, second lunches and near-constant grazing.
  • My husband is amazing. I already knew this one but after the past nine days, I’ve never appreciated him more. He’s viewing this entire thing as a culinary challenge and simply put, he’s rising to the occasion. We’ve been eating really well and he’s kind enough to put up with me when I start getting cranky. (Babe, I think you’re really going to enjoy eating that mango off my six-pack abs in Belize when we’re done with this.) And besides, this challenge gave him the reason to get that meat grinder he’s always wanted.

paleosalad

  • Life doesn’t end without carbs, dairy or sugar. I’m still eating delicious foods and they’re actually tasting better than ever before. Meals must be carefully planned but the mindfulness that goes into the food preparation makes it that feel that much more enriching. To illustrate my point, here are a few of the things we’ve enjoyed in the past week: cauliflower mashers, buffalo steaks, beet salad, spaghetti squash, Cornish game hen, (many) green salads, roasted asparagus, sauteed brussel sprouts, meatloaf and an omelette with salmon, spinach and onions inside.
  • Eating out is a bitch. No way around this one. I can do Chipotle and the Whole Foods salad bar pretty easily, but for the most part, I’m sticking to eating leftovers from the previous night’s dinner for lunch. There are many, many lunch places that I simply refuse to step foot inside for fear that I won’t be able to eat a single thing they serve.

Stay tuned for more updates as I progress along in this journey. So far, so good and only 33 more days left…but who’s counting?

January 17, 2010

Eat like a Caveman

This is my challenge for the next six weeks.

Starting tomorrow, my diet can be summed up in this one line: meats, vegetables, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.

You read that correctly. No dairy, no potatoes, no grains and, gulp, no beer. (You know that I really like beer, yes?)

Fortunately, my personal chef husband will be joining me on this Paleo adventure. Is it coincidence that I leave for my honeymoon one week after this challenge ends? Perhaps. But since I’ve been working hard at CrossFit for the past six weeks, I felt it was time to bring in the nutritional component of my Belize Buff-up plan.

And I mentioned the bikini right?

We prepared yesterday by boxing up the food that we wouldn’t be eating during the challenge.

paleoprep

Then, we went to the store to stock up on what we would be eating. Interestingly, it costs A LOT FREAKING more to eat real foods that don’t come in boxes. After the trip to Whole Paycheck Foods, my cupboard now looks like this…

mycupboard

Additionally, we’re supposed to limit alcohol to 4 drinks per week and there are NO cheat days. And since my coach reads this blog (Hi Nicole!), if I get pissy and want to talk shit, well, she’ll know and will probably add a few sets of the dreaded burpees into my workouts.

Going into this, we were warned of cravings, mood swings and frustration. If you have any reason to interact with me in the next six weeks, please do so tenderly. (Or just get back to me in March…)

I think I’m ready. But deep down, I’m really nervous. I’ve never done anything like this before and the fear is what’s pushing me. Without challenge, there is no growth. And without sugar…well, we’ll see what that does to me.

So here we go, starting tomorrow -for better or worse, for Belize, for my health – I am cavewoman. Hear me roar!

cavewoman3

Or at least hear me whine about how much I want ice cream.