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I have been plugging away at this caveman stuff and have come up with a list of good things that are happening since I started this journey.
- Hot flashes are gone. I just realized yesterday that I haven't had a single hot flash since changing my diet. This, my friends, is a good thing.
- Brittle nails are gone. I am thinking the added fat in my diet is making my nails way better. :)
- Hair texture is better. My dry, hormonal, gray covered head of hair is actually feeling better. Less dry and just better. Still not good with all this gray though.
- Skin texture seems better. Usually during this time of the year my skin is so dry and unbearable, but this year it seems better.
- Able to lift heavy again in the weight room without dying. I had missed being a gym rat, but am glad to say that it has been a good week in the gym. I may not be able to walk or lift my arms tomorrow, but still so glad to train with intensity.
- Less hungry overall. Thinkin' my body is learning to use some of this extra chubby on my booty for fuel. I am able to go for longer periods of time without dying for something to eat. Very good thing.
- Smaller sized jeans are feeling comfortable again. Enuf' said.
- Although I still have a lovely layer of chubby, I can see my muscles again. I am one of those girls that likes a lot of muscle so the more the better. Happy dance.
- Cravings for sugar and bread are gone. Thank you baby Jesus.
- General sense of feeling happy most of the time. Although my family keeps me on my toes and their stress levels are through the roof sometimes, I have been able to roll with the punches way better. Don't get me wrong, I still want to punch people just not as often. ;-)
So overall I think this caveman paleo stuff is a good thing. I am still trying to keep carbs around 100 for the day. I know that there are days where I totally blow it and eat way more than that, but generally speaking I am on the right track. After this mornings training I will most likely have a melt down later this afternoon and want to eat everything in sight. My goal is to eat only paleo type things in sight.
Have a great weekend!
Show up and make it count!
I have been experiencing hormones from you know where for the past few days. It feels like you are on a roller coaster ride and you take off and go up, down, sideways and back. You are so glad that the ride is over, but no, you pass right by the ramp to get off of the ride and you have to ride the ride again. UGH! Anyway, I did have a couple of days where I just ate mexican food. I carbed out a little and am better for it. The last couple of days have been way better. All part of the process I guess. I am in day 23 of this journey. Still eating most of the same things and exercising most days. I no longer crave sugary stuff. I am completely content with my low carb treats that Carly Jo has made me. I just tucked the extras in the freezer so that when I need a cookie or a brownie I have them on hand. My goal is to experiment with different kinds of paleo food ideas. Last night I cut up yellow squash and just ate it in the raw. Very good I might add. I am hoping for a good week.
My hunter gatherer beloved Joe was able to go hunting and we will have fresh venison and pork in the freezer very soon. Win, win.
Show up and make it count!
Yesterday was my cheat meal day. I went to my favorite restaurant and had some mexican food. It was nice to just eat a meal and not count or worry. Had a great work out already this morning that used up all the excess carbs.
I didn't really track yesterday. I wrote down my food, but just took a mental health break from the whole paleo journey carb counting. It was good. My friend Runner Susan suggested that I get some leafy greens in so I had a big salad last night with my steak. It was good. I also had an orange and some carrots. I like that color. Slept great and my mood is good. Such little things, but when you are a hormonal mess these are good things. Happy Friday!
Show up and make it count!
I made the mistake of weighing this morning and the 2 pounds that were gone last week are back this week. Kind of a bummer, but there is some good news. It seems as though 4 inches have disappeared off my booty, thighs and waist. So take THAT scale. So glad that I did some measurements as well. The scale has never been my friend. I think the conclusion I have made is just go with how the clothes fit and to heck with the scale.
Exercise for the day: 1 hour of weights and conditioning with the 5:30 AM group.
Lots of housecleaning as well.
Eating:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, sausage, Advocare Spark, and coffee. Carbs: 17
Snack: Coffee, nuts, cheese, blueberries and more cheese: Carbs: 18
Lunch: Chili, 4 crackers, carrots, celery, cookie. Carbs: 18
Snack: Spark and nuts. Carbs: 16
Dinner: Steak and an orange and carrots. Carbs: 15
Carbs for the day: 84
This seems low to me, but I felt good last night. I have continued to go to bed really early. I just feel hungry and am ready to call it a day. The mental side of cutting back on food has always been the hardest for me. So sometimes going to sleep is just the best thing to do. I am hoping that my fat burners are turned on for the evening if I go to bed a little hungry.
I do feel much better overall without eating all of those bad carbs that I used to enjoy. I am sleeping like a rock and have a better mood overall. When I do feel hungry it is a different kind of hungry. It isn't like a craving hunger, just a time to eat hunger. I passed up pasta last night and didn't even miss it. I am thinking that at the two week point I might be getting over some of the crazy cravings of bad carbs. By bad carbs I mean sugar carbs or refined carbs or anything out of a bag or box carbs.
Show up and make it count!
Again with the crashing and burning with lack of carbs. Last night it happened again. I am thinking that I must add a few extra carbs since I work out so much. I was a mess again last night and had a small bowl of chex cereal. Totally not caveman, but hey a girl has to do what a girl has to do. Ended up going to bed at 7:34 PM.
I stayed at about 119 carbs for the day. I think the cold, damp, gloomy weather isn't helping things either. I just want to sit around and eat and try to stay warm. This is the hardest time of the year for me. Ready for spring!
Show up and make it count!
Thirteen days in on the paleo journey and I know this for sure. If you wake at 5 AM and eat by 5:30 AM and your mid-morning snack comes about 9 AM make sure it contains some carbs. The reason I say this is that you are zapped by lunch time and ready to eat anything in sight. Ugh! I would say at that first snack have some berries or something. It will serve you well and make you not feel like crap for a few hours. Lesson learned. You must put some good carbs in there along the way. Let me repeat. EAT SOME CARBS mid morning. Good? Good.
Exercise for the day: 1 hour in the gym slingin' and smack talkin'. Love it! Love my clients.
Eating:
Breakfast: 2 Eggs, sausage, Spark, coffee. Carbs: 17
Snack: Coffee, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, cheese stick. Carbs 9 This is where I would put more carbs in the meal. Especially if you worked out earlier in the day.
Lunch: Chicken with salad, tea, 1/2 bisquit. Carbs: 29
Snack: Blackberries, Spark, Nuts. Carbs: 23
Snack: Cheese stick. Carbs: 0
Dinner: Steak, blackberries, low-carb Carly Jo cookie, milk. Carbs: 17
Carbs for the day are 95!
I did some measuring this AM and am seeing some loss in my booty, thighs, and belly! Always a good thing.
Show up and make it count!
As we head back into the harsh world with our work and school schedules I challenge us all to try and keep a little of the Christmas peace in our hearts. I am going to try and do my best.
The caveman paleo journey continues. I had another carb flu feeling day so Carly Jo made me low carb chocolate chip cookies. 8 grams per cookie and they are a life saver.
Exercise for the day! Nothing, nada, zilch.
Eating:
Breakfast was 2 eggs, sausage, 2 coffee with cream and Advocare Spark. Carbs: 23
Snack: Cottage cheese and nuts. Carbs: 10
Lunch: Steak with salad and pinto beans with fruit cup and small square of chocolate. Carbs: 24
Snack: Low carb cookie...thank you Carly Jo, milk and Advocare Spark. Carbs: 22
Dinner: We went to Angelinas and I carbed out with dinner. Carbs: 52
Carbs for the day were 131. Sometimes in this journey I think you just have to eats some carbs. Keep it as clean as possible, but eat some carbs.
Perks of paleo are that I am sleeping way better, feeling way happier and feeling slimmer. Did a little measuring yesterday and my waist is smaller and pants continue to feel more comfortable. One weird side effect is that after I work out I don't "stink like stink" (phrase from runner susan's daughter Kenza). It is true my sweaty self doesn't stink like stink after I work out now. I guess all those carbs were stinkin' me out. Weird I know, but true.
Show up and make it count!
I told myself that I was not going to have any resolutions for the new year, but I think I have changed my mind. I have two. The first is to potty train my chickens and the second is to get a better composting method. I have determined that after spending an hour cleaning my chicken castle yesterday that these girls need to learn how to go to the potty. UGH! They are a mess and their little mouse friends that have moved in are messy as well. Maybe my beloved Joe could get on that project and build me some little chicken and mouse potties. We will see. Also, I have determined that I can not run a shovel very well. My compost piles are kicking my butt. Move it here then move it there and turn it here and turn it there. Enough! You just have to laugh.
Anyway, the Paleo thing was much better yesterday. That extra sleep Friday night made all the difference in the world. Yesterday was great.
Exercise for the day! 45 minute walk with Sam dog and 1 hour of scooping chicken poop and turning compost. Getting ready for those end times you know.
Eating:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, sausage, coffee and Advocare Spark. Carbs 23
Snack: Nuts and cheese stick. Carbs 5
Lunch: Taco salad and chocolate square. Carbs 29
Snack: Diet cocoa, cottage cheese, and Advocare Spark. Carbs 19
Dinner: Grilled chicken salad and fruit and a COOKIE with milk. Carbs 25
Total carbs around 101
Boom!
Show up and make it count!
Yesterday hit like a ton of bricks. The so called "Carb Flu" hit and shut me down last night. Carb Flu is just an overall run down feeling as your body makes changes. As my frame continues to convert from a sugar carb burning machine to a junk in my trunk fat burning machine I continue to pay the price. Yesterday was a beast. I think going to bed at 6:54 last night and sleeping until 5 AM tells a story in its self. UGH! I am hopeful that today will be a better day. I am thinking that another factor came in to play yesterday as well. That factor was the gym. We trained really hard yesterday morning at the 5:30 AM class. I guess it caught up to me last night.
Exercise for the day: 1 hour of training with some of the best peeps I know. Great dynamic in that group of individuals. So blessed to have them as clients. Join us, we would love to have you!
Eating for the day was basically a run down of the same foods as usual. I won't bore you with the details. Carb count totals was 100 on the nose. I am thinking I most certainly should have added some carbs and avoided the melt down last night. Oh well! When you know better you do better.
Show up and make it count!
Yesterday was tough. Just one of those days where you just feel hungry all day long. I hate days like that especially when it is colder outside and you feel kind of trapped and hungry and trapped and hungry all day! UGH! It was tough.
Exercise for the day: 1 hour walk with Sam dog
Eating:
Breakfast was 2 eggs, fruit and coffee with creamer. Carbs: 16
Snack: Advocare Spark with cheese stick and Advocare Muscle Gain Shake. Carbs: 17
Lunch: Homemade chili, blueberries, 4 crackers, milk, low carb brownie: Carbs 21
Snack: Raspberries, cheese stick #2, Advocare Spark, nuts AND a slice of my homemade quiche. Carbs: 34
Dinner: Taco salad and hot cocoa. Carbs: 20
Total Carbs: 106ish
Again, on some of this I feel like I am guessing on the carb totals. Calculating as best I can at this point. I just felt hungry all day yesterday. It was a beast. I guess there are just days like that when you are trying to be mindful and eat less. Why is it so easy to gain 10 pounds and so hard to lose them? Why peeps? Why?
I stepped on the scale again today and am still 2 pounds down. I am pumped by this since my weight has been all over the place this past year or 3 :-). Peri menopause continues to be a pain in the you know what. Hormones will be the death of me for sure.
Show up and make it count!
After a full week on my caveman quest I decided it might be time for a cheat meal. It was off to Angelina's in Lewisville. I had chips and salsa and two bean and cheese chalupas. It was heaven. I will admit that I didn't sleep well last night though. Thinking my insides were like whoa! Anyway, it was good to have a date night with my beloved Joe and just relax a little.
Exercise for the day: Slingin' weight and talkin' smack for an hour with my 5:30 AM group.
Eating for the day:
Breakfast: 2 eggs with sausage crumbles and a little grated cheese, spark and coffee. Carbs 16
Lunch: Chicken nuggets, salad, fruit cup, tea and diet Cocoa. Carbs 39
Snack: Nuts and cheese stick. Carbs 5
Dinner: Cheatin' dinner of 2 chalupas with chips and salsa. Carbs 62
Total carbs for the day: 122
Thinking that coming in at 122 on the carbs and cheatin' are a pretty good deal. I could be off a considerable amount here since you kind of have to guess on some calculations. Anywho, I feel great and am rockin' on this journey. I wore some jeans that have been insanely uncomfortable and felt that they had a little give to them. That is always nice.
Show up and make it count!
My mom tells a story of when I had just learned to talk. I am thinking I was in between 2 and 3 and it was New Years Day. We were having the traditional New Years day meal which included the dreaded black eyed peas. My mom says I looked up at her and asked, "Are we having these damned ol' peas again?" It always makes me laugh when I eat my peas on New Years Day. I guess it had been a lean year for our family and I had my gut full of those peas. Too funny! Anyway, I hope you had a great day and that you had plenty of black eyed peas for good luck. Carly Jo choked down 2 peas and sweet Alex had a small serving. It is all good.
As I continue the caveman adventure I have to tell you of a funny that came from my beloved Joe. I have my doubts that he will be able to endure this caveman diet when he is back to work and traveling. Case in point. I was trying to determine what he would be up against. His drink of choice has always been a long island ice tea. You would be looking at about 60 grams of carbs for a standard size drink. Well, Joe informed me that he no longer drinks those and that he has changed to drinking rum and COKE. I just had to laugh as they contain about 50 grams. To be honest I think the boy may be doomed from the start either way.
My journey continues and I can report that it is going better than I ever expected. Go figure!
Exercise for the day: 30 minute walk with Sam dog.
Eating for the day:
Breakfast: 1 sausage patty, 2 eggs, Advocare spark and coffee with creamer. Carbs 21
Lunch: Ham, damned ol' peas, fruit bowl and dark chocolate. Carbs 25
Snack: Nuts, cheese stick, Advocare Spark. Carbs 16
Dinner: Quiche, carrots and fruit bowl. Carbs 20
Snack because I was about to kill people of small bowl of chex cereal with milk. Carbs 30
Total carbs for the day 112
I struggled last night and I just felt I needed that bowl of cereal to satisfy that carb craving. It must have worked because I slept like a rock. I have noticed that my energy level is up and I just feel happier. I am sure I am getting rid of some of the bad build up in my body. That is a technical description you know.
Show up and make it count!
Happy New Year to all my peeps. I am hoping that all of you have a great start to this great new year. Hey, we have no where to go but UP!
I am glad to say that day 6 was good in the Paleo world. This does get easier. I am so very thankful.
Exercise for the day: 1 hour slinging weights and doing bungee work with my beloved Joe and Deana the Rabbit.
Eating for the day:
Breakfast: 3 eggs with sausage crumbles and a little cheese. Advocare Spark and 2 coffee with a little creamer. Carbs 21
No snack cause just didn't feel the need. Yippee!
Lunch: Pinto beans with steak and blueberries. Advocare Spark and 1 square of dark chocolate. Carbs 40
Snack: Cheese stick, diet cocoa, and nuts. Carbs 9
Dinner: Chicken, tossed salad with 1 cracker and 1/2 Advocare Spark. Carbs 10
New Year Treat: Fruit salad with walnuts. Carbs 15
Again, kept carbs below 100. I came in at around 95 carbs for the day. I know that I continue to eat and drink things that are not totally cavemanish, but hey you have to start somewhere. I do want to add that the one cracker that I had tasted totally weird to me. Hmmmm! I will admit that I miss my simple carbs. They are like that old boyfriend that you knew was bad for you, but you still kept going out with him. I am thinking that with time I will miss them less and less.
As the New Year begins I feel really pumped about it. I sincerely wish you and yours a great start and as many blessing as the good Lord can give you!
If you are interested in training with us, do not hesitate to give me a call or check out my website.
Show up and make it count!
OK peeps I am thinking that my junk in my trunk fat stores are starting to kick in and surrender. Day 5 was a much better day. My carb count for the day was only 89 and I felt like a rock star for most of the day. I think it is like most things. You just have to give it a chance to see if it will work for you.
Exercise for the day: 45 minute walk with Sam dog.
Eating for the day:
Breakfast: 2 eggs with sausage crumbled up in it and some grated cheese, 2 cups of coffee with creamer and an Advocare Spark. Carbs: 26
Snack: Nuts, 2 chocolate squares of super dark chocolate and a cheese slice: Carbs: 8
Lunch: Grilled shrimp, 1/2 of a sweet tater, raspberries. Carbs: 20
Snack: Advocare Spark, cheese stick. Carbs: 11
Dinner: Homemade chili, 5 saltine crackers, Raspberries and low carb brownie. Carbs: 24
Total carbs for the day was 89. Never thought in a million years that I would ever survive on this low of a carb count and not want to punch people in the face. This is a big deal peeps. A really big deal. I did manage to dig another scale out and I did weigh and I am down 2 pounds from last week. I am hopeful that the losing will continue so that I can get back down to my fighting weight.
I must mention again the podcast that I have been listening to called Cut The Fat Podcast. It is awesome and I would highly recommend it to anyone just wanting fresh ideas on how to lose body fat. Check out episodes #28 and #29 for great information on carbs and how they are used in the body. Great, great information.
Show up and make it count!
I am glad to say that day 4 on Paleo was way easier. Thank you baby Jesus. Not sure what is happening, but I wasn't about to kill people. That, my friends, is always a good thing. Thinking that maybe the junk in my trunk is surrendering a little. I did manage to do my measurements yesterday so as to have a starting point. I will keep you posted on the progress.
Exercise for the day was: 45 minute walk with Sam dog.
Eating for the day was:
Breakfast: 2 eggs with wild hog sausage patty and spark and coffee. Total carbs: 21
Snack: Coffee with raspberries and cheese stick. Carbs: 21
Lunch: Pinto beans with grilled chicken and blueberries. Carbs: 30
Snack: Nuts and Spark. Carbs: 18
Dinner: Diet cocoa, green beans, and salmon patty. Thanks again for Carly Jo. She is an awesome cook and keeps coming to my rescue. Carbs: 17
Total carbs for the day were 107.
I have been reading a blog called Mark's Daily Apple. He is the author of the book I mentioned a few blogs ago. If you have the time and are interested in eating Paleo, you might check it out. He has great information about all aspects Paleo. Also, I must mention that the Advocare Spark is helping me tremendously. I know that Mark would probably say that it is not Paleo, but it is helping me survive this journey so I will continue to use it. Anything that will keep me from doing bodily harm to someone, in my carb deprived state, is a good thing to me. If you need any Spark just give me a call or click on the link above and I can get it for you or you can order and have it sent directly to you.
Show up and make it count!
Day 3 of my Paleo experiment was a real beast. I can tell that all of my sugar reserves from the week of indulgence are gone! I had a really hard time. Thank heavens for my Carly Jo and her baking skills. She googled low carb brownies and made me a batch that basically saved my life. Love her so!
I know that part of my problem was I worked out yesterday morning with my dear friend Deana the Rabbit. It was the first time I had lifted in a week. Also, I just work out harder with her. Anyway, I was dying yesterday. I did cave a little last night with a small bowl of chex cereal.
I think I can do this. I just have to keep eating and working and finding the right balance of carbs for me. I have to do this for my sanity and for the safety of my family. Just kiddin'. I am really ready for my body to start liking burning fat again instead of carbs. Lord knows I have plenty to spare.
Exercise for the day was: 1 hour in the gym with Deana
Eating for the day was:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, wild hog sausage pattie, spark and coffee with creamer. Carbs around 17 grams.
Snack: Raspberries and cheese stick. Carbs 11 grams.
Lunch: Nuts, grilled chicken and pinto beans. Carbs 37 grams.
Snack: Low carb brownie (thank you baby Jesus and Carly Jo) with skim milk and a piece of dark chocolate. Carbs 11 grams.
Dinner: Steak with very small amount of black beans and wild rice, cheese stick and 1/2 spark. Carbs 10 grams ? I feel like I am off on my numbers here. :(
Snack that kept me from killing people: Chex cereal with skim milk and diet cocoa. Carbs 29.
Total carbs for the day around 115.
I have determined that this is a really low number for me and it is hard to maintain. I do feel less bloated today. My beloved Joe broke my scale so I am unable to weigh myself, but that is probably a good thing. I am going to keep at it.
Regarding the brownies, my friend Deana ask me how I planned on not eating the whole batch in one sitting. To be honest they are good, but not great. I am thinking any treat is better than no treat so I am good with them. I froze most of them in little single serve squares.
Show up and make it count!
Day two of eating seemed a little better. I didn't cave in the evening.
Exercise for the day: 45 minutes treadmill
Eating for the day:
Breakfast was 2 eggs, sausage pattie, coffee w/ creamer and a spark. Carb total 21
Snack: Strawberries and a slice of baby swiss. Carb total 6
Lunch: Nuts, carrots, apple, bbq, and diet cocoa. Carb total 23
Snack: Cheese stick, nuts, spark. Carb total 17
Dinner: Grilled chicken salad with sesame seeds and dressing. Carb total 17
I was really starving at around 8 PM and had an Advocare fruit and fiber bar. Carb total was 18.
Carbs for the day were 102. This is excellent for me. Gonna keep it up! I am trying to find that magical number of carbs that makes me happy, but still helps me to burn some of my chub.
Show up and make it count.
I was looking back and realized that it has been over one year since I have written a blog post. Shame on me. It seems that the instant feedback of facebook and such has taken over. I guess this is the day to start fresh and write on the blog again.
My motivation today is to talk about this whole paleo type caveman lifestyle of eating. I have been listening to a wonderful podcast called Cut The Fat Podcast and they suggested a book called "The Primal Blueprint 21 Day Total Body Transformation" by Mark Sisson. I purchased the book and read it cover to cover. Mark's take on a healthy lifestyle is based on a Paleo caveman type of eating and moderate activity most days with more intense exercise less often. It seems like a great balance for the most part.
What I wanted to do is write down exactly what I am eating and what type of exercise I am doing on a daily basis. I will give it a shot. I started this yesterday so I will post that stuff first. My motivation to try this is that I am still holding on to not only the 3 pounds I was holding on to this time last year, but 4 more. Ugh! Been a tough hormonal year for sure. I would love any feedback from others that might be living this lifestyle.
December 26, 2012
Exercise was 30 minutes on the dreadmill aka treadmill and up and down from the attic 10 million times putting up Christmas decorations.
Eating is as follows:
Breakfast: 2 eggs with 1 piece wild hog sausage and a spark. Also coffee with a touch of creamer. Total carbs around 12.
Snack: Blueberries. Total carbs around 15.
Lunch: Pinto beans with grilled chicken and raw carrots with a diet cocoa. Total carbs around 39.
Snack: Banana and a spark. Total carbs around 33.
Dinner: Nuts with half a hamburger bun with homemade sloppy joe with reduced fat ruffles and strawberries. Total carbs around 47.
Total carbs for the day around 146.
I know that there are several items on this list that are in no way caveman eating, but hey you have to start somewhere. I was thrilled with the carb count since I am the carb queen. I wanted to give this lifestyle of eating a try since I am still struggling with getting my weight back down. I have determined that you can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. Go figure.
Show up and make it count!
