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Thursday, July 16, 2009
Paleo Check-In, sponsored by Melicious + Moxy-Boss
If you've read all the comments, you must have noticed my girl Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan by now. She's been a faithful devotee to this effort, posting recipes, meal ideas, food suggestions and general encouragement. She's also been offering up some sweet-as-Larabar butt kickings. (Didn't notice those? That's because she's so good, you didn't even realize you were getting your butt kicked.) But there's another reason why you should be paying attention to what Melicious has to say.
This superfit, dressed-to-kill, glossy-haired, tart-tongued, rock-n-roll, hard-boiled RollerGirl GETS IT. She's been successfully living this effort with me as her nutrition coach for the last seven weeks. Which means she's about five weeks ahead of you. Which, in this effort, is a LONG TIME. And to say her results have been amazing is an understatement. She looks better. She feels better. Her performance is better. And, according to her, any unhealthy ties she may have had with food and eating have all but disappeared. So when she posts, listen to her. Read her comments, try her recipes, follow her example. She's walking, talking bombshell proof that this effort really CAN change your life.
And for a little fun and inspiration, cruise over to her blog (linked above). She is pretty much the coolest girl I've ever met, and her blog is full of hilarious observations, smart musings and honest introspection. And her Texas RollerGirl history is FASCINATING. I had no idea that sub-culture even existed... but after reading her book, I've become inspired to adopt a RollerGirl persona. I'm thinking "gym teacher gone to hell". Short shorts, tall socks, wrist bands and pigtails... which may sound like my normal training attire, but the way I'm picturing it in my head, it's more "Mark's Showplace" than "CrossFit 603". I've even got a RollerGirl name - Moxy-Boss. Which is what Melicious christened me when I started coaching her. (I didn't make a big deal out of it, but secretly I love it so much I've been signing all my check requisitions that way at work.)
SO... keep up the hard work, and take advantage of the resources you've all been sharing here. And a big thanks to Melicious for being such a big part of this effort.
137 comments:
- Kyle said...
woohoo Melicious!!
and Byers, if anybody could be a roller girl, it would be you..
- July 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM
- Chad said...
Beet update: Ate 'em last night... both the root and some of the greens. I can't say I'll be yearning for them everyday, but they weren't terrible (especially with copious amounts of lemon juice). Today I'll be eating a load of the greens with my lunch.
This is day 12 for me and I'm feeling good. Plus, after 3+ months of CrossFitting and Moxy-Boss telling me to eat more, I saw the needle on the scale move in the right direction today. I'm expecting great things by day 30 (like ripping it up on Bad Things).
MB- Shouldn't Mark's Showplace be the domain of Mr. Byers?
- July 16, 2009 at 9:10 AM
- Ronesshia said...
I've been reading Melicious' (although calling a girl MELICIOUS is just not settling in my mind...lol) blog alot this week. It interested me that she started her journey with Weight Watchers just like I did. And then found her way to food freedom. (I'm not quite there yet, but working on it) I've gathered some great insights from her posts, along with yours this week. So thanks to both of you for doing what you do.
P.S. I posted something on Monday's post. Any feedbak would be great.
- July 16, 2009 at 9:48 AM
- Oh, what have I done? said...
Only on day 2 so no revelations as yet. I want to know if my appetite will regulate at some point. I could eat myself out of a 200 ft hole. I'm so hungry, but not crave-y. Is it ok to eat freely and will the wolf be put to rest at some point? Did anyone else go thru this phase with this journey? (btw - I am not new to paleo eating, just 100% clean paleo eating)
A delicious recipe for you:
bacon (I buy the nitrate - preservative free kind at a ridiculous price, but worth it.)
stuff the dates with the almond or almonds, wrap the little beauty in bacon and pop them in the oven till they look too good to wait for any longer. sprinkle some pesto over (I sprinkle blue cheese over too when not in Moxy-Boss' 30 day roller rink)
and experience my version of heaven.
- July 16, 2009 at 10:24 AM
- Brandon P. Petersen said...
3 Thumbs up !!! and very cool blogs Melicious !!!
Mrs. Byers def knows her stuff!!! I have been on/off her wagon a few times over the last year or two. . . and each time I am on, I feel 100% better in every aspect of my life!
Now if only i can get that whole "veggies" thing down (wink)
***** (5 stars) for Byers, and what she has done with her blog, all of us who have followed along, and to a GREAT FUTURE WITH CROSSFIT 603!
as Weazy says, "sky is the limit"
- July 16, 2009 at 10:28 AM
- Jake said...
Ah, the roller rink and rollerskating, a dying sport that I remember well!
I am donating HLa matched platelets as we speak (typing left handed only). How cool is that knowing I am donating specifically to a person that matches my HLA type AND needs my super healthy blood? Wow-my BP was lower thanever (90/52)! It takes 2 hours to donate plts as the machine takes out whole blood, filters it and puts the red cells back in.
I ate an apple w/almond butter beforehand and brought a Larabar for an aftersnack. I sincerely do hope I am not forced to eat sugar treats or a drink a soda afterwards! So I am prepared (hopefully).
This is day 11 for me. I still suffer from being really tired mid afternoon still, probably a result of not much caffeine. I haven't been PR'ing as I've been dreaming of. But going well otherwise. I think I need to try and eat less though. I'm going to get to trying the new recipes. Thanks Melicious, chef, and others for posting recipes and treats!
Someone asked about having a family. I have two kids - son 9, daughter 5. We cook so that we all eat the same thing. I will have something simplified, paleo version, if they have something like nachos, etc. It isn't that hard for me to follow paleo since we already cooked pretty clean. My husband does not zone or paleo-at least not intentionally :o)
- July 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM
- Jimi said...
Day 15 here. Stomach has settled down. Weight loss has stopped too (a good thing). I still eat too much fat overall and still too few calories but have been trying to eat more veggies and protein to compensate (mostly eggs right now).
Biggest thing I have notices on my 15 days is that I'm sleeping really well and have consistent energy throughout the day. I'm able to train really hard 5 days a week and still properly recover b/c of this.
Plus I've learned that I like fresh spinach! It is particularly good with salmon chunks.
- July 16, 2009 at 11:12 AM
- Robbie said...
Melicious, your blog is great! Insightful, sweet and funny to say the least.
I am offically in love with Paleo. I had probably my most stressful day in a loooong time yesterday. A wrinkle inducing, grit and keep going combo of no breaks, meetings, errands, and my sweet but still 2years old little guy. I kept my cool, my energy steady and managed to get everthing done and still have time to post my PR of an honest, clean, ass to the grass WOD of back squats
starting at 185lbs and finishing at 265lbs. I was so fired up, I decided to rock some deadlifts and pulled a 365 deadlift, which isn't my PR, but still a great pull for me post sqauts. I feel great all the time now, my training is through the roof, but my recovery is quicker and my mental focus and clarity is at an all time high. I can't thank you enough Melissa, or all of the great peeps on this bloggo. Big love from Canada!
- July 16, 2009 at 11:16 AM
- Jake said...
Day 12 for me. I'm learning that even binging on grapes and berries in the evening can give you an unpleasant insulin spike. :(
I had an artichoke with dinner last night, steamed and dipped in the liquid from my beef/onion/pepper stir fry. Mmm.
Also, unsweetened, caffeine-free herbal tea is all good, right? I just ask because this stuff tastes so delicious...
Bodyweight is down where I want it to be now: 170 in the middle of the day.
- July 16, 2009 at 11:27 AM
- Soulrich said...
Yes, as someone posted a few days ago I to have super girl crush on Melicious :). I bought some zucchini last night to make her recently posted recipe as a matter of fact! And who knew that if we all posted 125+ postings a day it would require another blog... I am going to post all day (kidding). Thanks in part to Brandon I had a great day yesterday now getting my porportions and calorie count down since I have the food going well (thank you Brandon). Feeling good and good eating to everyone today!
- July 16, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Mark said...
Hey Jimi and Robbie,
Great posts. It's good to hear that things get better. If you have the time can you post on how you progressed to where you are today? I think it would help a lot of people, me included, to hear how people are doing and changes they have experienced. I remember Melissa saying in one of her posts that she really started to PR everywhere at about 2 weeks in along with leaning out even though she wasn't trying to. Cover whatever you want but here are some ideas: mood, energy, sleep, cravings, strength, endurance, body comp, skin, mental clarity, soreness, recovery, etc.
I'll start it off:
Day 1 - Enduring the no caffeine headache/mental fog. I pretty much just want to go to bed and sleep it off. I woke up feeling generally weak so we'll see how the 7x1 Hang Power Cleans go tonight.
Please feel free to jump in with your own experiences no matter how far along you are, Day 1 (Me) or 5 weeks (Melicious). By the way Melicious, I loved your corporate overlords comment the other day!
- July 16, 2009 at 11:38 AM
- Carla said...
Start of day 9… It is definitely getting easier to stick to this. Now the real test is tonight and this weekend.
Tonight I'm meeting some friends I haven't seen in awhile at my favorite pizza place in town! I've already reviewed the menu though and they have multiple salads with the option to add chicken to any of them! I will be strong and not give in to peer pressure! I know they will give it to me.
Tomorrow I leave for Mexico for a wedding. I'll be there Friday through Monday. I'm taking beef jerky and Justin's almond butter packets in case of an emergency. Wish me luck! This is going to be the hardest one for me… I will check in tomorrow morning before we take off then I'm on my own for 4 days! Please, please, please, keep me in your thoughts!
7/15 Food:
Breakfast: green tea, 3 egg omelet w/ bacon, onions, & mushrooms, macadamia nuts
Lunch: meatloaf, mustard greens, broccoli, & carrots
Snack: macadamia nuts
Dinner: ham steak, olives, organic sunbutter - not all together! :)
- July 16, 2009 at 11:44 AM
- Melicious said...
Good morning, y'all!
I've been trying to figure out what to say... I didn't know Melissa was going to post about me today, and I'm the worst: I'll do everything I can to get attention, then when I get it, suddenly feel self conscious... "Why is everyone looking at me?!"
But I am SO glad that my comments and blog are helpful, interesting, a diversion, whatever.
Even though I've been at it since June 2, it's been really helpful for me to read everyone's comments and questions, too.
My paleo experience was pretty great, right from the beginning. I had been Zone-ing very diligently and was at an emotional breaking point. For three weeks, I worked out 6X a week and followed the Zone to the letter (12 blocks P + 12 blocks C + 24 blocks F). I wasn't eating grains (except for corn tortillas at Saturday breakfast), was eating good protein, still eating dairy.
I was expecting to see great weight and fat loss. Instead, over the course of those three weeks, I gained 1.5 lbs and I was waking up in the middle of the night, stomach rumbling.
I was inconsolable.
Then I started working with Melissa and she explained why I should try no dairy. And she convinced me to take two rest days per week... and to increase my fat and to lower my carbohydrates and to eat whole, real foods like Larabars instead of Balance bars... and a whole slew of other emotional and supportive coaching that gave me peace regarding food.
Three weeks later, I was down 3 lbs., 1.1% body fat, and almost 6 inches.
Aside from the awesome vanity nudges, I started sleeping through the night again -- and my attitude throughout the day was better. I felt... Good (with a capital G).
Then I went on vacation. And had the most awesome time EVER. I ate when I was hungry; I slept when I was tired. I indulged when I wanted to -- and made healthy choices most of the time. I drank a GIANT pina colada every day.
Last week, I had my first weigh-in since I got back: up only .2 lbs. And this morning, my pants are bagging off my butt... the same pants that used to be a little tight back there.
So, if you're having trouble: HANG IN THERE. It will be worth it.
Here's a story for you that will maybe help you deal with the pain of withdrawal from whatever the thing is that you miss...
Last summer, I was trying a gymnastics workshop for the first time. I really wanted to do it, but man! I was (am) terrible at it. Tumbling, handstands... I suck at it. When I was a kid, I was fat. So when everyone else was climbing trees an doing cartwheels, I was reading. So there I am, doing the worst somersaults ever, with a whole group of people watching. Nightmare, right?
And I got tears in my eyes 'cause i was just freaking out. And one of the coaches said, "It's OK. It's just your cells letting go of bad memories."
So maybe think of your body and mind "suffering" a little bit because they're letting go of the bad memories of coffee- and sugar-poison. When the memory of the poison is out of your system, you're gonna feel totally rock star.
- July 16, 2009 at 11:57 AM
- Jimi said...
Also, it's been really easy to bypass the work food. Today we had a retirement lunch filled with all things sugary or fried and I didn't even flinch. Straight to the veggies, fruit, chicken skewers. I even have a big piece of cake on my desk for an office mate who had to miss it and not tempted in the least.
- July 16, 2009 at 12:17 PM
- Melicious said...
GooooOOOOOO, Jimi! That's awesome. Cake for a friend. Heh.
- July 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- Robbie said...
I'm off today, so I'm up for a quest story. In high school, star athelete, ripped and fast.18-21, overweight bartender, no good habits,Miserable a**h*le
22-28, father of two, self taught food guru and workout fanatic, bartender. 27-til three month ago...single dad, CTPN certified Personal Trainer, yo-yo diet. April 25th 2009:Crossfitter since then, Paleo'r since Byers put up the challlenge.I have tried everything under the sun, from bodybuilding(looking big, flabby and strong) to my current form as a Solo Crossfit nut(being strong, and lean). Same with diet, Mass gaining, leaning out, Carb Cycling, No Carb(except veggies). Nothing makes me perform like my current state of Crossfit and Paleo. Simple, fun(except thruster), effective. Mood is steady, sleep is deep, skin is baby smooth and I have struggled with a mild case of acne since 13. Body comp is better, more motivated, more energy. Though I do wake up feeling weak sometimes, after I eat, I'm a warrior.
Food can be the fuel for your sucess or it can be the landmine waiting to blow up your goals. Use it, don't fear it. Planning is key, if you don't plan, you will find yourself craving s**tty foods when you realize you haven't eaten in 4 hours. I work with people trying to change their habits and lives and I know from personal experience how hard it is. It's my job to keep people accountable and ontrack and I struggle still. But let me tell you, you are stronger and smarter than you think and you deserve better than a life as an overweight, unhealthy, unhappy person. I bet almost all of you have some form of investments for your retirement. Consider each healthy meal and workout as a deposit in the bank for a enjoyable R'x free golden years. Enjoy this journey, train hard, eat to live, don't live to eat and stay strong.
My battles:
- July 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- Mark said...
Great stories, keep'em coming!
I can relate to Robbie and diet jumping, especially as I'm trying to not be afraid of all carbs. I mean if M. Lamonde (M@) eats sweet potatoes before working out, so can I!
- July 16, 2009 at 12:34 PM
- Jimi said...
Mark, I've got some time on my hands and can give a few reflections and summary. Prepare to be crit-shot by incoming text.
The first week I felt like I was hungry all the time. Any time I craved anything no-go or was hungry, I just ate something paleo. To my surprise I lost 2 lbs that week. These massive cravings left after week one. I have now gained a pound back but think I'm down about 1% bodyfat.
2 weeks in now, I don't have hunger cravings but more cravings for things I used to eat just out of habit. I think this is mostly due to tiring of the same old paleo food over and over. To beat that, I just try new foods every week.
Workouts are going ok but I haven't instantly become superman. One Saturday workout I completely crashed energy-wise in the middle of the workout. Not enough carbs the night before.
I was having stomach problems due to too much fat I think. Now I really try to have somewhat balanced carb, protein, fat meals or snacks rather than just a can of nuts or jar of sunbutter. Note: I'm still not measuring anything.
I think the best part of Melissa's plan is how easy it is. Eat what she says, don't eat what she says not too, and use common sense on anything else. I've made a few minor mistakes such as some soy in my tuna can and leaning on fruit&larabars too much but overall there isn't much brain work to it.
I think the next 15 days will definitely be harder than the first. I plan to have before&after pics for everyone and a WOD comparison from day 1 to day 30.
- July 16, 2009 at 12:45 PM
- Sunny said...
All I gotta say is:
Happy Paleo!
- July 16, 2009 at 12:51 PM
- Chelsea said...
The poor husband's birthday is this weekend...and I say 'poor' not because he won't get to eat his usual birthday cake and ice cream, but because his family (my in-laws) are not very supportive of our diet choices. They are flagrantly going to 'make a cake anyways' and eat it in front of him. So not cool. Anyone else have un-supportive family members? Maybe a spouse that waves non-paleo food in your face all the time? What my in-laws eat and what they feed their children absolutely disgusts me...to the point where I have a hard time not saying anything. But I try not to get preachey on them. It's just oh-so-hard...
- July 16, 2009 at 1:08 PM
- Mark said...
Hey Jimi, great stuff. Good idea on the before and after pic and WOD. I might follow that same advice. While I want better performance, who doesn't, I do want to lean up too. I'm probably 15% bf and it seems like most Firebreathers are 10% at the most so I have some room to go. I'm doing the same as you, just eating Paleo, not measuring and trying to get in touch with my inner-hunger senses.
- July 16, 2009 at 1:11 PM
- Andrea said...
Hi, Melissa!
I just found your blog while researching Crossfit. I've known about the Paleo nutritional concept for a little over a year now, and have applied it on a couple of occasions, but have always gone back to eating crap. About five weeks ago, some of my co-workers decided to do a weight-loss contest, and I signed up, because I was sick of being bloated and lethargic with wicked cravings and insatiable hunger.
So far in five weeks, I've lost 15 pounds adopting Paleo nutritional principles, and I have more energy and no cravings. There are things I have yet to cut out such as Diet Coke (I work for a restaurant chain and we get free unlimited access), salad dressings and some dairy. After finding your initial "30 day" post, I'm more pumped than ever to eat completely clean. I'm so glad I stumbled on your blog. Thanks for your contribution to helping others get healthy!
Best Regards,
Andrea W.
- July 16, 2009 at 1:15 PM
- mie said...
Couple days ago, at around day 10, I was getting tired of eating the same food too. It's not so much that I want non-paleo food as I just want something different. Or something I didn't cook (I rarely eat out). Then this morning, I was remembering Melissa's post about cheating, and how cheating might be necessary for some people for a psychological purpose. So, I was trying to see how I can "cheat" within this paleo diet, and my brilliant solution for the day was to roast my almonds. I heard that raw is better, so I ALWAYS ate my almonds raw. I've forgotten how much better they are when roasted. I just stuck a handful of almonds in the toaster oven. I think this little trick will get me through another week. 15 days and counting!
- July 16, 2009 at 1:27 PM
- Tracy said...
Day 6 - Some of the consultants brought in muffins, cookies and donuts this morning. To save myself I walked to the coffee shop down the road and treated myself to my first coffee since starting. I had it black and it was large and left me buzzing a little too much... I re-read a few emails I had written and had a good laugh. I'm thinking coffee may go back to a no-no for me...
- July 16, 2009 at 1:42 PM
- Soulrich said...
Chelsea, my boyfriend's dad lives with us and is a long time horrible eater after raising 4 kids and then single since then(and he weighs like 130 lbs it kills me). He lives rent free so the way he tries to give back is by cooking. If its processed, he cooks it, nothing fresh required. :) He is going NUTS with me on this diet. It bothers him to the core, he walks out of the room when I am eating. He is frusterated, jittery, etc. I finally realized that it is HIS problem. I think it is he feels like he has lost the ability to give back, but same goes with your inlaws. No cake?? But how do we wish you a Happy Birthday?? It leaves some people at odds even if it is for good intentions. So if it makes them feel better let them eat their cake, thank them, and eat your almonds. :) It is THEIR issue, not yours. And I bet, one of them calls on Monday and says.. "so can I learn more about this paleo thing??".
PS And when people really taunt me about this my favorite quote is "don't make me hit you with my paleo stick". That seems to work.
- July 16, 2009 at 2:02 PM
- Chelsea said...
Haha!! -- thanks soulrich! I'll try that paleo stick line. I think the in-laws think I am too up tight, and that I am 'making' my husband do this Paleo thing with me, when it was really his choice all along (not eating cake on your birthday is blasphemy to them!). I'll try to have more of a sense of humor about it (ie the paleo stick joke!) and hopefully they'll see I'm not doing it to be controling/crazy. :)
- July 16, 2009 at 2:10 PM
- Ronesshia said...
What kind of Sunbutter does everyone eat? Since I can have PB, I need a substitute. Hopefully its a good one.
- July 16, 2009 at 2:17 PM
- Oh, what have I done? said...
GREAT posts people. Very motivating. Thank you.
My story is 14-28years old: member of the US Ski Team - travelling everywhere and basically eating whatever and whenever and not worrying too much about quality. We never had any guidance or support from the team even though we were Olympic athletes and had at least 4 people in the top 15 in the world. I never learned how to eat right to fuel my body, and I remember a few times after hard on hill training skiing to the side of the hill and almost falling asleep from exhaustion. And in 10 degree weather too! I am convinced poor nutrition contributed to a lot of missed goals. 28-38 years old: Immediately after retiring got married had 4 kids bambambambam (10 pounders each - my body wrecked after each one) and now that the youngest is 2 I am just realizing I still eat like a little kid. Undoing all those years will take time, and I appreciate everyone's candor and interest in helping. After all, if we fill our worlds with happy balanced strong friendly people everyone benefits!
My day 1 WOD was awesome - felt strong and good. But day 2 today I could NOT lift my max HPC or even close to it. Off by 15 pounds, So i figure I am detoxing. However, I slept like a rock last night, which was bad because hubby's car got broken into ...I always wake up to strange noises.....
What constitutes a cheat bad enough to merit starting 30 days over? A bite of a chicken nugget, or a few pieces of rice stuck to leftover fish, or half a cookie? How far exactly do you need to fall to merit a do over?
- July 16, 2009 at 2:21 PM
- Melicious said...
Here's a nice complement to Melissa's post about good cheating. File it away for when the 30 days are up ;-)
- July 16, 2009 at 2:22 PM
- Jesse said...
Hey all! Just wanted to check back in and say on day ten I'm doing great and offer some positive feedback. I've had great energy the past several days, and after reading some comment's on Monday's blog I rediscovered Fitday and started tracking everything I eat. It's helped me balance things a bit more, which I think is really working since I hit a 25lb HPC PR this morning!
Also, to add on to what Soulrich said: People might give you crap about this, but stick to your guns and they'll come around. I've gotten my whole group of friends talking about eating habits and other things since I started melissa's challenge less than two weeks ago. I found out one of my friends started paleo yesterday, and spent half an hour explaining things to him, and pointing him to this blog. Everyone else is really talking about tightening up their zone, or even just eat a little healthier. It's been amazing to see. Thanks Melissa, for throwing this out there! And thanks everybody else for the awesome ideas and support. This is really changing my life.
Sorry for the text dump. I'm just really pumped up!
- July 16, 2009 at 2:28 PM
- Will K. said...
Ok Paleo-Folk,
I need snack recipes that meet the following requirements:
1. Do Not need refrigeration (for at least 8 hours they will be in a lunch cooler in a vehicle)
2. Are relatively mess free (I will have to eat them at work)
3. Can be consumed (and heated if necessary) within 10 minutes. The schoolhouse only let's us have 10 minutes every hour for a break and that's the only time during a 5 hour period of instruction that I can eat.
4. are relatively filling. Even if I have to break it up over multiple breaks my schedule is such that this takes the place of my dinner-hour meal.
I'm busting my hind-parts staying clean with this eating thing but when the only cuisine available is a vending machine inventory I either have to bring food with or starve for 5-6 hours. I'd prefer to bring food with me. Thanks.
- July 16, 2009 at 2:33 PM
- Mark said...
I just thought of something in the coffee arena, I'm good just having decaf coffee black right? I hope I'm right.
- July 16, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- Sunny said...
Ronesshia~Sunbutter is the brand:)
For almond butter, I heart Martha Natha (sp?) No stir, crunchy or creamy.
- July 16, 2009 at 2:51 PM
- Mindy said...
Hi Will K.,
I've had to deal with similar situations.. so here is what I have used:
pre-packaged justins almond butter, almonds, all types of nuts and seeds.
larabars, jerky, tuna packets (make sure they have no soy, whole foods has some but pricey), fruits.
Ive even gone as far as bringing along a can opener and canned foods. (canned pumpkin, canned asparagus, etc.) (just make sure they have no additives).
im not sure what the paleo-stance is on freeze-dried fruits/veggies, but they have some at whole foods and central mkt.
if you have time, you can maybe bake some "veggie chips".
"go raw" bars, raw granola (can be found in the raw foods area of whole foods)
if you can, freeze whatever foods you plan to microwave before you pack them in the cooler for your 8hr shift.
hmmm... I'll let you know if I think of anything else... hope this helps!!!
- July 16, 2009 at 2:56 PM
- Mindy said...
oh another one...coconut milk in a can (if you're gonna go the "bring a can opener" route)
- July 16, 2009 at 2:57 PM
- Fontaine said...
Hey Jake, I have nearly the same blood pressure and the blood ladies (nurses)kinda freak so then I kinda freak. So 90/52 is good?
- July 16, 2009 at 3:42 PM
- Kat said...
Great blog Melicious ;) I have friends in Roller Derby in Toronto..... you all rock ass!
Right now I'm eating my grass fed hamburger mixed in with spaghetti squash pesto and I think I could just live on this forever!! Sooooo delish
- July 16, 2009 at 4:18 PM
- Melicious said...
Yay! I *heart* all the Canadian Rollergirls 'cause they were the first international chicks to follow in our all-American, flat track shoes, er... skates.
- July 16, 2009 at 4:19 PM
- Kat said...
"cells letting go of bad memories" ! awesome ;)
- July 16, 2009 at 4:24 PM
- kimmitri said...
survived the work road trip today with some grilled chicken, banana w/ almond butter, some nuts, and half a larabar. and a ton of water. what's nice is that i didn't even want a donut. bananas with almond butter are a dream.
question on calories - i know we aren't supposed to undereat, but i'm finding it very very hard to get a decent # of calories on strict paleo foods. i seriously can eat half a larabar and just not want the rest. i just can't pound paleo food like i can pasta or rice or something like that. i end up being full much faster and as this challenge has gone on, i find that i just don't need as much food to feel satisfied as i did on day 1. i'm going to track on fitday for a few days to see what the input is for real - but i'd bet im in the 1300 -1500 range daily. should i look for a calorie goal or just not worry about it until after these 30 days are up. i'm a big girl, have a lot of weight to lose. don't want to start cockblocking the fat loss if i can help it.
- July 16, 2009 at 4:27 PM
- Ellen said...
I have some friends and relatives who have appalling eating habits.
Mostly I eat with my husband, and we eat somewhat different meals. Basically for dinner, I eat meat, more veggies and fruit, and he eats meat, veggies, grains, fruit, beer, desserts. For breakfast, I eat eggs with veggies and he eats eggs with veggies and chocolate chip waffles. While I love chocolate and dessert and have no time to make my own healthy treats, I don't feel bad about it. I can have it any time. We have agreed that when we have kids, we will feed them the way I eat. Maybe my husband will come around to the way I eat too, but maybe not.
When it comes to our nieces, if they discuss their concerns about weight and health in front of me, I might mention that veggies and meat are healthy. I have also mentioned that there is no nutritional merit to candy, soda, extra salt on salted chips, and their daily diet of pizza, mac & cheese, chocolate cake and nachos. The nieces have been brainwashed that salt is good for you because it can preserve food from spoiling, and that sweeteners have no calories so they are therefore good for you. No matter what I say, they are going to listen to their uneducated mom. Maybe someday they will ask me and they will listen, but for now I need to let it go since they eat what their mom provides. And, when it comes to the adults, I've been advised (in some cases angrily) to mind my own business.
I also have friends who refuse to eat rabbit food (anything grown in a garden) and ask me why I care about my health since I am reasonably slim already. I try to tell them the way Melissa wrote, that I am not eating and exercising to be gaunt; I am eating and exercising for strength. However, the truth is that people don't listen if they don't care. Sometimes they care, but they still don't listen unless you tell them what they want to hear.
My point is that you should primarily concentrate on making the best decisions for yourself. Only you can make yourself happy with your choices. You cannot live someone else's life for him or her. That includes your in-laws and also spouse. If your husband wants to eat cake, there's no reason for you to feel bad for him when he eats cake. BUT vice versa, no one can force you to eat that birthday cake and ice cream. If they do, ditch them.
If you don't think you can resist the treats, you could send the in-laws healthy recipes as requests. Or you could make and bring your own fruit salad, almond -date cake or coconut milk ice cream. Or fill up on healthy stuff ahead of time. Or don't show up at all.
I really like this message written by Jeff Tincher. Maybe it will help: http://crossfitfairfax.com/joomla/images/stories/kool-aid.pdf
Good luck!
- July 16, 2009 at 4:36 PM
- Soulrich said...
kimmitri I am having the same issue. I was WAY overeating at first so I went to fitday just to see what my ratios were and it was nuts. So I balanced them out a bit and now I can't eat enough to hit my calories and still get the ratios I (in my made up universe in my head) think are good. So you know what... I am going to just eat what it takes to hit those calories (aka meat and maybe some sunbutter) and worry about the ratios and weight loss after.
- July 16, 2009 at 4:41 PM
- Carla said...
Ronesshia - Try the organic sunbutter. Nothing but sunflower seeds!
- July 16, 2009 at 4:50 PM
- Shawna said...
I am addicted to your blog Melissa! I just started doing CrossFit in May in Arizona, and I stumbled upon your blog and am officially obsessed. So many great resources. I have been blog-stalking for a while now! My first official challenge day was Tuesday, 7/14, and so far so good. I am really craving a diet dr. pepper right now, but know how those artificial sweetners cock block fat loss ;)
Tuesday we did 3-3-3-3-3 deadlifts and I PR'd at 175 lbs! I know that as I keep eating clean it will really help improve my performance. I am so glad you are hosting this challenge and I love wasting time at work reading everyone's comments and tips!!
- July 16, 2009 at 5:02 PM
- Johnny said...
awesome paleo snack...
toast almonds in oven
shove an almond or two into middle of dried pitted date
wrap date in natural preservative free bacon
spear with toothpick
bake 20 minutes at 350
i can't even tell you how good these are without making obscene noises.
- July 16, 2009 at 8:15 PM
- David X said...
Ok, why did I automatically think of Boogie Nights when I read "roller girl."
I just discovered a hippie food co-op in my area that sells of all things, bulk almond butter and sunbutter!!!
I bought 4 pounds of each!
Melissa's blog is also climibing on my most viewed list. Keep up the great work.
- July 16, 2009 at 8:23 PM
- David X said...
Can we all have roller-girl (guy) names?
- July 16, 2009 at 8:24 PM
- Amy said...
Halfway to 30 baby! I'm feeling good and sleeping well. I don't daydream about cheat food, but it sure is tempting when it's right under your nose! Staying strong though.
Tomorrow there's a BBQ at work, so I'm going to pack my own veggies and stick to the chicken breast (no sauce!).
Saturday is a two-hour trip to Moncton for the CrossFit hopper challenge! I'll pack copious amounts of boiled eggs, jerky, almonds, and apples for that. From there I'm going to my parent's cottage and I'm going to play - get this - MEAT BINGO. Seriously, this is what people do in the country here. I'm going to play bingo with the goal of winning a side of beef.
OK I really need to sleep, but as a parting gift here's a ridiculously easy and versatile way to cook chicken:
chicken breasts
pomegranate juice (like POM Wonderful)
garlic, minced
olive oil
Heat a bit of olive oil in the pan on med-low and add the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the garlic on the chicken and then pour the pomegranate juice over until it reaches about halfway up the chicken. Tinker with the heat until the juice is boiling/simmering. Turn the chicken every few minutes until it's cooked through. Continue to boil the mixture until the pomegranate juice reduces to a thick sauce. If you do it right it will be like a nice sweet fruit glaze on your chicken, yum!
- July 16, 2009 at 9:26 PM
- Chelsea said...
Ellen - thanks for the words of advice! I will definitely be bringing some sort of paleo dessert for the borthday dinner. It just frustrates me to see small children being taught to eat such crap. I mean, salad = iceberg lettuce & dressing? meat = hot dogs, chicken nuggets, & fish sticks? come on! but i guess all i can do is try to be a good example to my niece and nephew and hope they see past their parents junk food fog someday.
- July 16, 2009 at 9:44 PM
- Elizabeth said...
just stopping bye to check in. day 1 paleo was great. omg i had no idea coconut milk would taste so amazing in my coffee. i don't even miss the agave. i did have some non-paleo food today: 2 cashews, and not even 1oz of sliced turkey from sarah lee. other than that i enjoyed eggs, banana, coco-coffee, spinach, tomato, avocado, eggs, pineapple, blueberry, green pepper, cucumber, carrots, apple, salmon, flounder, almonds, asparagus and a shot glass full of coco milk.
questoin about the coco milk- it has a high saturated fat content but i didn't see any healthy mono or poly fats. does it have any? i guess i'd better be careful not to indulge too much. 1/4 c a day in the coffee. thoughts?
this blog rocks. i was wondering where is everyone located? Melissa i know you're in NH but what about everyone else, the rest of you also in NH?
I"m in Delaware.
i'm really hoping to lose some fat guys. last time my CF coach tested my BF it was 25.5% i'm 5'2, just turned 29 on Tuesday and weight is about 134.
- July 16, 2009 at 10:29 PM
- Jeffrey said...
Currently at Day 31. Feel AWESOME!! Have lost a total of 19 lbs and probably about 4 inches on the waist. I am contemplating having to buy new uniforms. This diet has reshaped my outlook on life. After coming home from Iraq it has been one thing after the other, depression, sleep apnea, dealing with head injuries, you name it. I cant say that this is all gone but since starting this diet on 15 June they seemed to have all gone away with the weight and inches. I am itching getting back to CF in a few weeks, knock on wood, after my hernia surgery which led me to this diet. I was a notorious overeater who simply could not control myself at times. Even went so far as trying IF yesterday for about 6 hours and never even blinked. Made the mistake today of trying again and was about ready to eat our granite countertop by hour 4. Quickly sucked down 3 slices of deli turkey and was good to go until 3 hours later. If you told me I could have done that a month ago I would have looked at you like an a##hole.
If you are struggling KEEP WITH IT. All the crappiness will subside and before long it will be second nature.
The amount of posts since this started have almost tripled it seems and there are alot of the same folks chiming in which leads me to believe that your all dedicated to making this work no matter how much it sucks.
Melissa, the Mark's Showplace reference was funny. If you find me looking at you strangly during class on the 15th its not my fault.
Happy Caveman
- July 16, 2009 at 10:35 PM
- Brandon P. Petersen said...
Well, my b-day is almost over now. . . So I spoiled myself today with over 4000 calories!! WOOOHOOOO Granted, the 9oz Filet def helped me =)
With the 5x5 back quats and 5x5 overhead press, i am sure these calories will help with the recovery!
Byers!! I dont think you will ever have to tell me to "EAT MORE" ever again =)
PS_ we need a forum on your site, so us Byers fans can chat all day about this, plus whatever else randomly we'd like to chat about, ha ha ha..More of a community type chat forum =)
PSS- i started a blog to keep track my workouts, so i can label them an actually recall them..
- July 16, 2009 at 11:01 PM
- Melissa Byers said...
I didn't know it was your birthday! I haven't been on Facebook in ages, and usually that would remind me.
Happy Birthday, hot stuff! And yes - lunch, dinner, breakfast, whatever. It's been too long. Next week. I'll book you in my work calendar and everything. ;)
- July 16, 2009 at 11:09 PM
- Brandon P. Petersen said...
Yep, the bi 26!!! I'm getting old...
HA HA I'll be looking for the Invite via Outlook ;-)
Now go to bed!!! =)
- July 16, 2009 at 11:27 PM
- Brandon P. Petersen said...
also.........NEEED A WORKOUT WITH LOTS OF PICS!!!!
- July 16, 2009 at 11:31 PM
- Melissa Byers said...
@Chad - You are walking, talking proof that working your ass off and eating right builds serious athletes. You've come so far since your first workout - you're stronger, faster, leaner and, in general, WAY more bad-ass. Don't think people aren't noticing all your efforts, either. We ALL are. Keep it up, because it's paying off big time.
@Ronesshia - I think M@ answered your question perfectly. I'm not saying not to think about how much food you're eating. I'm saying, at this point, do whatever works for you. If that's weighing, measuring and tracking - go for it. If simply eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're full works, then do that. You should NOT be hungry all the time. Your snacks should always include fat - it satiates. So try eating more and see how you feel.
@Oh What Have I Done (and EVERYONE) - in most big picture instances, your body does not react to dietary changes instantly. Or in, like, a day or two. If there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to be PATIENT. These mood swings, cravings, hunger pangs, and all the mental anguish WILL PASS. You just have to give your body a chance to work through it. Think of it as detoxing, because that's exactly what you are doing here.
@Angie - why do you think you need to eat less? Because I sort of doubt that's the case. Unless you're getting really soft, really fast, your fat levels are probably lower than they could be, based on your energy levels. (Mid-afternoon tiredness should be heading out the door by Day 11.) Try snacking on more fat throughout the day and see if you can regulate your energy. Just try it.
@Jake - herbal tea is all good.
@Carla - Prepare as best as you can for your wedding. Dinner should be easy - eat meat and vegetables! (Steal the veggies off someone else's plate, because you know half the table will leave 'em.) We're all pulling for you - do us (and yourself) proud. And have fun!
@Andrea W - thanks for dropping in and sharing your success so far! It's great to hear from people in various stages of this effort. Keep coming back and sharing your thoughts with those just now joining.
@Mie and Tracy - way to beat temptation! Your stories have given me an idea for a blog post too... stay tuned! (Don't worry, I'll give you both credit for the inspiration.) :)
@Kimmitri - two words. More. Fat.
@Shawna - way to go on the DL PR! Those will keep on coming - this way of eating does fabulous things for athletic performance, once you get over the initial "getting use to it" period. Nice work.
@David X - You CAN have a RollerGuy name. I christen you, "Harry Paratestes". (Oh my god, who said that? That is SO vulgar.) :)
@Elizabeth - WELCOME. At this point, my dear, don't you worry about what kind of fat you're eating. Just eat. A 1/4 cup of coconut milk in your coffee every morning sounds delicious to me.
@Jeffrey - SO glad you're feeling better after your surgery, and thank you for sharing your experiences here. I can't wait to put your new diet to the test on the 15th.
And for the local boys (Chad, Jeff) snickering at my Mark's Showplace reference... strippers LOVE me. True story. (There really is a story in there... I might have to share it. It's pretty funny, and I guarantee it is not at ALL what you think you're going to hear.)
Thanks to everyone for contributing - rock on with your dino-chow selves!
- July 16, 2009 at 11:37 PM
- Robbie said...
Harry Paratestes.....I think I just peed myself.....
- July 17, 2009 at 7:15 AM
- David X said...
Haha! "Harry Paratestes" as a Roller Guy name works for me! It sounds Greek which would fit the moniker. Now I'll just need to find a really, REALLY short pair of shorts!
- July 17, 2009 at 7:38 AM
- Barbara said...
A few of you mentioned Veggie Chips which can be loaded with a ton of preservatives.. You can make Kale Chips..VERY easy and very tasty. They need to be dry, bake on a sheet for 15 min and then season with pepper, garlic ...or whatever. they are just like real chips.
I'm not doing Paleo just yet but am getting motivated through this amazing blog.
- July 17, 2009 at 8:57 AM
- Ellen said...
I just remembered a great, no-prep substitute for chips. They are slices of dried, roasted seaweed (laver). At first I found them at the local grocery store (safeway or giant in the international section), but there are several Asian supermarkets like HMart and Lotte that have many more options (like made with sunflower or olive oil instead of canola). They are salty and really delicious. The ones I tried are not fishy at all.
- July 17, 2009 at 9:26 AM
- Carla said...
Woot!! I survived dinner last night at the pizza joint! I had a spinach salad with chicken, hard boiled eggs, and bacon. No one even gave me a hard time about it. They just politely offered me some pizza if I wanted it. I said no of course. I think everyone is finally getting used to my habits! :)
I'm at the airport now about to catch a flight to Mexico for the weekend. I've got beef jerky, macadamia nuts, lara bars, and justins almond butter packets for emergencies!! "See" you all next week on Tuesday when I return! :)
I hope everyone has a great, paleo-food filled weekend!
- July 17, 2009 at 9:30 AM
- Mark said...
Just checking in on the start of Day 2 and I'm happy to say that the caffeine hangover is almost all gone! I feel 10 times better today, a lot more energy and it wasn't sleep because I got less last night than the night before. I tried the coconut milk in decaf coffee this morning and it was excellent! The subtle sweetness of the coconut is a nice touch.
- July 17, 2009 at 10:13 AM
- Mindy said...
Today is day 15 for me and I feel GREAT!!! flatter tummy, mental clarity, more energy, no more painful bloating!!!!, huge decrease in constantly thinkin about food and portions, sleeping better, no cravings. I think I may have lost some weight too. On day 13 I increased my fat intake because I noticed my performace was lagging and I knew I needed to increase my fat intake and decrease my carb intake. I HIGHLY recommend to eat more fat!!! Just like Melissa says, more fat more fat!! I have to admit.. I've always been one of those "fat-phobic" people. I KNOW good fats are necessary and good for me, but I let society influence me waay too much and I made myself scared of the word "fat". Don't be scared to eat fat like I was!! It keeps you full for longer, gives you energy, and good fats burn fat!!!! AND its YUMMY!!! I duno what qualifies as TOO much fat, maybe this is something someone else knows about, but I try to zone it and also use common sense as well as listening to my body (stop when satisfied).
Paleo is da sh*t!!! I wish I would've listened to my coaches and done it sooner! Thank you sooo much Melissa for your post!! It gave me that push I desperately needed. You've changed my life.
@Barbara- Thank you for the chips recipe!!!
@Andrea W- Do you measure?
Hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend!!! woo hooo!!!!
- July 17, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Brandon P. Petersen said...
I'm a prime example of this. I am very active. I hit the gym for crossfit type workouts a min of 3 days per week, sometimes 4. I train Jiu Jitsu and MMA also 3-4 days per week. Along with other activities on certain days... I generally got back and forth on diet, do well, slack etc. (I'm naturally lazy at heart) haha. If you see my fit day as of late (I've posted link on here few times) I am around 50% fat. Now I am not 100% sure that's best for me now, but playing with it. Bottom line...great performance, not getting softer. Hell, at low 3000 calories, I was LOSING weight. So up'd to mid 3000 and am better. Yest I hit 4000 calorie, and after the 5x5 work, I am sure I needed it!
Point being, fat is great. Eating more is great...and I kick myself at this point for not FULLY jumping on Byers bandwagon 2 yrs ago when she started me on this kick...
=) =)
- July 17, 2009 at 11:44 AM
- Elizabeth said...
@Mindy= congrats on feeling great. just reading your post makes me feel better :)
question can you give me an example of your menu for 1 day? i want to see how much fat you are actually eating. what is your current weight and height if you don't mind?
how many servings of veggies should we be having? i've tried to keep my fruit to 2-3 servies (morning, pre and post WOD), and 5 servies of veggies but i think i'm lacking in the protein department.
coco-coffee ROCKS. i know i already said it but it's worth saying again.
oh, i had NO IDEA sunbutter even existing. i'm going to the co-op tonight to hunt it down.
- July 17, 2009 at 11:59 AM
- Melicious said...
In case anyone is interested in checking out my food log for the last six weeks, here's my FitDay.
Remember, my program has been crafted by the Moxy-Boss with lots of things in mind: my workouts, my sleep habits, my previous experience, and my height/weight/body fat %... but it might give you some ideas for meals/snacks, etc.
For context:
I'm 41 years old.
I'm 5'4"
Weight = 145 (but not for long ;-)
Body fat = 23%
I train 5X per week -- CrossFit workouts 3-4 and run/CFEndurance 1-2.
- July 17, 2009 at 12:05 PM
- nadia said...
Mark's daily apple has a great recipe for summer squash noodles today.
I think I'm going to try it with some massaman beef curry tonight, psyched because my previous noodle replacement (mung bean sprouts) is out with paleo.
- July 17, 2009 at 12:18 PM
- Mark said...
I just threw yesterday's food into FitDay, guessing on amounts and I came in just over 3,200 calories with 64% being fat (238g), 20% protein (158g), and 16% carbs (139g). I think I need to up the protein and cut back on the mixed nuts some as I'm 6'0" and 200#. I'm not going to keep track going forward but it is interesting to do once in awhile to see where you're at. I'm guessing I should be around 2,500 a day but I'm not sure. Either way, I'm sticking with Paleo by itself and we'll see where it goes. It would be cool to lose weight with 3k calories like Brandon did!
- July 17, 2009 at 12:49 PM
- Meghan said...
I just realized that my Honest Tea Assam Black Tea has sugar in it. :(
- July 17, 2009 at 1:28 PM
- Meghan said...
Also, I'm trying to skim the comments and blogs but somehow I am missing...are cashews not Paleo? This may be tragic for me.
- July 17, 2009 at 1:33 PM
- Mindy said...
I am soo glad my post made you feel better!!! I am 5'2" and I am not too sure what my exact weight is because I don't like to base my progress on the number on the scale simply due to the fact that muscle weighs more than fat and the numbers on scales just really screw with my mind. I base my progress on my change in inches and how my clothes fit, how I look in the mirror, and body fat %. Wow that was a long explanation haha. However... I think my weight is about 126/127.
Currently I am trying to zone/paleo. I am trying to follow the 3 block. Here is the link to a CF handout about zoning... http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=1212c625ada23742&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1
But with Paleo, portion control is not the focus, just as Melissa emphasizes, it is the quality of the food. This is one of the reasons why I love paleo, I HATE measuring and counting and calculating, but I know I kinda need to do it if I want to reach my goals. I LOVE food and LOVE to eat, so with Paleo, although I try to zone, if I eat under or over, I don't freak out. My method is to zone my meals but continue eating if I am not satisfied or stop eating if I am satisfied and I might still have food left over.
When it comes to how much fat... I have done a lot of tweaking and trying different things. First I started with a 2 block, but my energy was low and I was struggling to get through WODs, so my coach suggested I up my fats and decrease carbs. So I am fiddling with that right now.
I am pretty simple and like easy meals, as humans, we are creatures of habit, so I have found meals I know I love and eat mainly the same stuff. My meals mainly consist of:
protein: ground turkey/buffalo burgers, fish, egg whites, chicken.
fats: just started coco milk.. deeelicious!! almonds, almond slices, almond and sun-butters, coconut oil, all natural coconut flakes
veggies: broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, all types of squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, pumpkin, cabbage
beverages: water, coffee, water, water, sometimes green tea, water
I use a LOT of different spices too. Just to change things up a bit from time to time.
I use to eat a LOT of fruit, a LOT!! And I knew I shouldn't, but they are soo yummy!!! I have significantly changed my carb eating habits tho in order to feel better and help me reach my goals. I have pretty much knocked out all fruits starting the beginning of this week. But if I eat fruits, I try to eat them post-workout and I stick to berries, apples, and I made some banana nut bites, and I very rarely eat larabars and grapes. I thought it would be hard to knock out fruits b/c I ate them soo often, but it has actually been easy because I can eat sooo many more veggies vs. fruits if you are taking into consideration portion sizes (zone). I REALLY LOVE food and LOVE to eat..so for me, having a huge pile of veggies is awesome compared to one measly fruit haha. I have told Chef that I am pretty sure I am a food-a-holic, but paleo has really helped me, because when you are feeling good and you know it is b/c of the foods you are eating, you don't even wanna eat the bad stuff, well I don't at least b/c I KNOW how crappy it will make me feel. I literally crave paleo foods now.
Right now my biggest struggle is dinner. I tend to eat a lot more when I am at home and I think its simply out of boredom.
What I've realized is that figuring out meals and portion sizes is really different for everyone. There isn't one simple way, man I sure wish there was. It's all trial and error and figuring out what makes your body happy. My advice is to find foods and meals you really like, then you look forward to your meals!! Try to eat more veggies than fruits and definitely eat your proteins!! I hope this overly long post helps you or someone out there. I'll post an example of some of my daily meals in a bit. =)
- July 17, 2009 at 1:41 PM
- kimmitri said...
finally found the much touted sunbutter at whole foods yesterday night. excited to try it and get some more healthy fats in my diet.
- July 17, 2009 at 2:50 PM
- ontheroad said...
Day 12, extra hungry today. stopped for lunch and purchased slice turkey. Then walked a few blocks and purchased some more turkey.
I understand everyone loves Sunbutter, but doesn't it have cane sugar in it?
- July 17, 2009 at 3:14 PM
- Mindy said...
I don't wanna take up a whole portion of this comment form again LOL, so shoot me an email if ya wanna talk or if you want a sample of my meals!! email@example.com
Happy Paleo everyone!! Hope everyone has a great weekend!
- July 17, 2009 at 6:04 PM
- purplecow said...
Haven't posted much, but read the comments every day. My boyfriend and I are doing the Challenge, but for 35 days (started July 2nd). His birthday is right at the end of it, so we figured we'd just extend it to have a more tangible target. So far, it hasn't been too bad as I ate mostly paleo to start with - was only eating cheese, butter, some condiments, and cheat treats.
Just wanted to point people in the direction of this post from Mark's Daily Apple- All about seeds, specifically the sun flower seeds part.
From this, you might want to just be aware of how much Sunbutter you're eating.
As far as I understand it with fats (correct me please if I'm not right, cause I get so confused when it comes to fats), it's most important to be keeping the ratio of Omega-6:Omega-3 at 1:1 (Mark also has some posts about fat).
- July 17, 2009 at 6:08 PM
- Amy said...
Purplecow: I remember reading something similar in the "Paleo Diet for Athletes" book. So I have been trying to eat more Walnuts, Macadamia nuts and other things with more Omega 3 oil in them since Omega 6 oil seems to be more common.
- July 17, 2009 at 6:14 PM
- Peyton Knippel said...
Thank you so much for this challenge/life change you're offering people. This is incredible.
I've been out for about two months, dealing with things and this week is my first week back on the horse. I feel better this week than I have in two months. I've been eating clean....ish this whole week but today is the day I chose to commit to this little experiment of yours. I couldn't be more excited. Just eating clean this week has already drastically improved almost every aspect of my day-to-day, so the next 30 days is going to be nothing short of amazing. BTW I gave your blog and this program a shout out on my blog today….not because I get hits like you lol, just thought I'd let you know.
Can't wait for the next 30 days. I Couldn't be more appreciative of the hard work you put in to your site.
- July 17, 2009 at 6:21 PM
- Jeffrey said...
The 15th cant come fast enough now, especially if there there are Marks Showplace stories involved.
Just started to get back to it the last couple of days. Low impact stuff, ran Wednesday and rowed Thursday and Friday. Planning to ramp things up prior to the 15th so that I dont get mangled.
- July 17, 2009 at 10:20 PM
- David X said...
Had a big victory tonight I wanted to report.
Tonight was by brother-in-law's wedding shower. Tons of crappy food, beer and booze and I was able to refrain from it all. I ate my veggies from the tray and picked the turkey off the subs, and smashed a couple gallons of water.
Saying no was actually pretty easy because I knew I'd feel sh!tty about breaking the streak I've been on. The hard part was getting the guilt trip from my brother-in-law for not drinking with him. But I actually got more pissed listening to him talk about his biceps and triceps workout and why CrossFit sucks. Haha! Gotta love the Meat-head!
- July 17, 2009 at 11:04 PM
- Jen said...
I just have to say that I feel like you guys are all part of a giant extended family for me. Especially Melicious....all girl crushing aside, you're an amazing individual and we're all lucky to have you in our corner.
Thank you to everyone. Seriously.
- July 17, 2009 at 11:53 PM
- ontheroad said...
Day 13, WOOT WOOT!
I have a 4 mile race this morning so we will see how my times match up pre-palio.
Lost about 8 pounds since i started but that ok cause i started in the high 160's.
The body changes are amazing, i have not looked so lean in years.
this week i am going to try to cut some fruit out, it has become a crutch and focus more on protein.
I have a BBQ this afternoon, wish me luck!
- July 18, 2009 at 7:00 AM
- Melicious said...
David X --> That's awesome! Good for you. I've sustained lots of teasing at work happy hours for drinking water and eating my own snacks, but the results kinda shut everybody up. ;-)
Jen --> I'm blushing.
I have my Weight Watchers weigh-in this morning. Although their eating plan doesn't quite fit anymore, the emotional/psychological parts of the program are right-on for me. Plus, it's the only place I get weighed. I won't have a body fat assessment done again until August, so weight is one my tracking devices... fingers crossed.
- July 18, 2009 at 7:33 AM
- Adam Kayce said...
@Meghan - cashews are cool; I've seen them on the Paleo lists. I know I should get more variety with my nuts (you guys know what I mean, stop snickering), but I do love cashews. Almonds are great if you soak 'em overnight, peel the skins off, and bake at like 150 degrees for 24 hours. (Helps with digestibility, which is why.)
I'm on Day 12, I guess, but it feels like I've been doing this forever. Loving it. Got a PR on my front squats on Thursday, too. Workouts have been great, cravings are definitely mental, not physical (skipping junk in social situations is finally easy), and I'm looking better in the mirror. Down a couple pounds, too (at 212 now).
Question for Melicious/Moxy-Boss/anyone : A lot of folks have been mentioning Mark's Daily Apple and Primal eating. For me, having looked at the Primal plan, it seems to answer all the questions I've had about Paleo, and make sense in the places that Paleo makes me go 'huh'? I'm just curious if either (any) of you see a remarkable enough difference between the two that I should be aware of, or careful about, or ? (My plan, at this point, is to switch to Primal once the 30 days are up, which is why I'm asking.)
- July 18, 2009 at 7:51 AM
- Melicious said...
Hey, Adam... I'm doing to defer to the Moxy-Boss on this one. The thing I'm expert at is doing what Moxy-Boss tells me -- she's the brains behind my success.
If any of y'all were unclear on the difference between primal & paleo like I was, here's an blog post from the primal dude (Mark Sisson) that explains it --> http://www.marksdailyapple.com/whats-the-difference-between-primal-and-paleo/
My gut says that if you're CrossFitting and resting and eating paleo (with no artifical sweeteners to cockblock your fat loss), you're pretty damn close to his definition of primal.
Labels! Meh... at our house we call it dino-chow.
- July 18, 2009 at 8:10 AM
- Melicious said...
Here's another good post from Sisson that makes me say, "Yeah, we're all pretty primal..."
Funny! I'm not seeing "Drink a martini with extra olives" on the list. Must be a typo.
- July 18, 2009 at 8:13 AM
- Melissa Byers said...
1. Cashews are not technically Paleo in most books. On that note, I am okay with cashews.
2. Purplecow - nice reference on seeds. Thanks for that. Emphasizes the point that you should be eating a wide variety of nuts and seeds, because they all have different fat properties. (Just like you should be eating a variety of vegetables because they all contain different vitamins and minerals.) If you keep things varied, you'll be relatively well balanced by default, so I'm not worried about your Sunbutter consumption.
3. Adam, I don't care what you call it. I wish we didn't have to label how we eat at all, because then people get hung up on "what's Paleo?" instead of "does this make good, healthy sense for me to eat?". Primal is okay with fattier meats and bans artificial sweeteners. That sounds really great to me, and is probably a more accurate description of how I eat than "Paleo". But when people ask me what I eat, the word "Paleo" usually doesn't even come up.
- July 18, 2009 at 8:18 AM
- Kat said...
Yesterday's BBQ was the first "temptation" outside of the crap at work (which I don't even want anymore).
I ate grass fed burger ( no bun), roast beef, veggies (no peppers), my spaghetti squash pesto and perrier. The twice baked potatoes did look good, as did the jello cake with berries. But I persevered and didn't blow it!! yay!
Drank 3.00 soda/lime at the bar and watched everyone else get uglier and uglier as they drank more and more alcohol. I'm not really missing the drinking part at all :)
Great to see everyone making such progress on here! I had 2 compliments from people I haven't seen in a while and it feels sooooo good ;;)
- July 18, 2009 at 10:21 AM
- Robbie said...
Nice job Kat! I'm attending a bar night with some work friends next friday and it's going to be hard not to have a nice scotch on the rocks. But if I don't drink, I won't crave the nasty late night food that I always do after a few drinks. So it's def worth it....
I'm making my first attempt at homemade jerky with Chef's recipes...wish me luck! Btw, I"m on day 16 and never thought I would make it this far.....I glad I have all of you to keep me faithful!
- July 18, 2009 at 10:47 AM
- Elizabeth said...
just checking in. yesterday was my very first 100% paleo day. been paleo since february but w/ my small cheats every day (agave, almond milk)
i was so excited to learn about sunbutter. i've been eating almond butter for over a year now and had no idea about the sunbutter. so i picked up two jars last night along w/ macadamia butter. took a spoon full this morning then looked on the back.....2nd ingredient dried cane juice :( i wanted to cry. it must be the brand i got. i'll try to take the unopened one back.
i'm sure that little bit of cane juice didn't destroy my 100% paleo but still....
you guys/girls are so wonderful it makes me want to move to NH so i can be a part of your community.
i'm going to keep my fruits at 3 a day for the next 2 weeks then try and make some adjustments. planning my menu makes it easier when i know how many servings of each food i should have.
how many servings of veggies?
i've been trying to eat either meat or nuts at each meal.
my son's b-day party is today and i'm not the least bit concerned. screw the ice cream cake it will have me in a hangover state mood tomorrow if i eat it, and processed food will put me in a horrible mood within 2 hours. fresh fruit, veggies and maybe a burger w/ no cheese on a bed of lettuce. yuuuuuuum
- July 18, 2009 at 11:38 AM
- Melicious said...
Elizabeth got me thinking... where is everybody from?
I'm in Austin, TX. Live in San Francisco for 10 years prior to that... grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and went to Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York.
- July 18, 2009 at 12:11 PM
- nadia said...
I had some pure coconut water as a post-workout snack last night. refreshing and energy boosting!
- July 18, 2009 at 12:12 PM
- Kat said...
Sault Ste Marie Ontario here :)
Lived in Halifax, Corpus Christi TX, Seattle and Vancouver before returning to the homestead :)
- July 18, 2009 at 12:29 PM
- Peyton Knippel said...
I love SU! Not an alumnus but I spent 5 years in Upstate Ny. Love it there. Still miss the 'Cuse
As for me. Born in San Diego, adopted and moved to Central Ohio, 45 minutes NE of Columbus. Joined the military when I was 18, Lived in Upstate Ny for 5 years, Lived in Alaska for three (will be going back there for good in 2 years) and now I'm stationed in Ft Walton Beach FL for the next 2 years.
- July 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM
- David X said...
Born and raised in NY. I live outside of Rochester now, but traveled around the state for a few years and finished my Master's at, where else, SU!
- July 18, 2009 at 1:47 PM
- Robbie said...
Born in Prestwick, Scotland, raise in Kingston, Ontario..Been in Pickering,Ontario(suburb of Toronto)for 6 years.
- July 18, 2009 at 2:26 PM
- Amy said...
Born and raised in Palo Alto, CA. I'm still here because I know if I leave, I will never be able to afford to move back...
Today is day 9 for me. Why does it feel like I've been doing this forever? That's not in a bad way, I guess it's been easier than I thought it would be. Maybe that's cuz I'm still in the first two week period? Who knows, I'm just ecstatic that I haven't had mad cravings really at all. I am new to cross fit so I'm not sure if it's the Paleo helping me lift more or if I'm just getting more used to the lifts themselves. Either way, my performance has improved, and I think my afternoon tiredness is starting to go away.
@Elizabeth- While it's not optimal, I think Melissa said her Sunbutter had evaporated can juice in it too, and she was ok with that being as it is still a great fat source and it's not a ton of sugar. I think that one's your call.
Have a great Paleo weekend everyone!
- July 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
- Emily said...
@Adam- Check out this link from Mark's. He covers the differences between the two.
I'm in El Paso, TX now, but from Maine originally.
- July 18, 2009 at 3:30 PM
- Emily said...
I'm purplecow, got the name changed!
- July 18, 2009 at 3:31 PM
- Jake said...
Oak Creek, Wi. (Suburb of Milwaukee). Where is the summer weather? It certainly hasn't found it way to Wi yet! (& for the record, I'm not exaggerating)
PS- The fam had tacos with all the fixings the other night. I had my own seasoned lean ground beef, mixed with my home made guacamole (recipe previously posted), tomatoes, black olives. YUM! Even my 6 year old daughter loved it and asked me to make it for her for lunch INSTEAD of her full fixin's tacos!
- July 18, 2009 at 4:13 PM
- Adam Kayce said...
Thanks, everyone; I'd seen the links from MDA about the paleo/primal differences; I was just curious for a different perspective (if Moxy-Boss had one). And I agree: being more open on the meats, and nixing the artificial sweeteners just sounds like it makes more sense.
Re: cashews - I had to track this one down, because I knew I'd seen it recently... ah ha! From the link on the top of this site, called, "Basic Shopping List" (goes to goodharvestmarket.com) ... cashews are on the "Encouraged Foods" list. Now, they might have consulted Senor Cordain on that one, but hey - splitting hairs ain't my game. I'm eatin' 'em.
Where from? I live in Berkeley Springs, WV right now, but as soon as we can, we're moving to Melicious' backyard - Round Rock, TX (the suburb that sits on the north side of Austin). I miss culture. (Born & raised in San Diego, then stops in Sedona, AZ; Jackson, WY; Davis, CA; Portland, OR; Sarasota, FL; and here.)
And I do webdesign right now, but when we get to Round Rock, I'm planning on opening a CF affiliate.
- July 18, 2009 at 4:17 PM
- flaggal said...
I've been good, but I'll tell you, if I knew how hard it would be to give up nighshades I'd have rethought that commitment. I'm not sure if it's helping my knee issues, in fact, I hope it doesn't! I want my nightshades back! Tomatoes, bell peppers, spicy peppers, certain spices...I miss them all.
I've had digestive difficulties and have narrowed it down to three things: caffeine, berries, or raw veggies. I'm thinking it's the caffeine, but need to do some more testing. If nothing else, this 30-day period will help me find the cause to this re-occuring problem.
As for where I live, I'm in Flagstaff, Arizona. I've been an Arizona gal all my life, except for a stint in the Air Force many years ago.
Peyton, I was stationed at Eglin back in 1980. Loved the beaches and all that white sand.
- July 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM
- Oh, what have I done? said...
Traverse City MIchigan for me. Day 4. and so sluggish tired feeling pretty crappy. But from what I have read, it will get better. I guess I am detoxing. Went out with hubby for dinner for the first time in 8 months (we have 4 small kids, no babysitter no money and a rare opportunity came up.) I wanted sosososososososo badly to cheat....oh man was that hard. Had scallops and beef tenderloin and carpaccio (so darn yummy) and tried to not eat anything that tasted too vinegar-y or butter-y. I think I did ok, until the chef sent us a complimentary dessert (he overcooked hubbys $45 Australian beef!!!!!). Talk about a beautiful presentation....picture a nicely used wooden cheese board with a pile of raspberries and sliced strawberries on one side, 2 large hunks of dark chocolate and white chocolate, some kind of fruit paste rolled in sugar, and a small dollop of cream with candied hazelnuts sprinkled on top. Heaven. And first dinner out in 8 months people! I had a few bites of chocolate and all the fruit, and had to taste the cream, but that was it. SO I am not calling it a cheat. Moxy Boss may kick my fat ass for that but I am still on day 4.
- July 18, 2009 at 8:20 PM
- Elizabeth said...
@oh what did ya do- GREAT JOB. even though you did eat or 'tasted' some of the dessert you were able to stop yourself. you showed great self control and i am proud.
@ amy thanks for pointing that out about the cane juice in the sunbutter. now i don't feel so bad eating it but will try to find a brand that only has sunflower. all the martha nathan (sp) i've bought have been 100% nut like almond or maca.
i have got to share my day with you guys. today was a true test of will power. i almost caved in several time. the ice cream cake looked so freaking good. i know the sugar hangover is too much for me to handle the next day but today i wouldn't have cared sometimes you just give in, enjoy the moment and pay later. well not today. i had none.no cake,no cookies, no teddy graham and no animal crackers. i ate a crap load of fruit though. if i didn't have you guys i know i would have caved in so thanks everyone. heck i even cut the cake and dished it out. and when some got on my finger i wash it off--with water. not my tongue - ha ha
i'm going to enjoy a tablespoon of sunbutter to celebrate
@jake- can you share how you seasoned the meat? i'd like to make taco meat to put on lettuce w/ tomato and avocado tomorrow but wasn't sure how i should spice it up.
- July 18, 2009 at 10:21 PM
- Jake said...
I use Goya Adobo seasoning (which is salt, garlic, black pepper, tumeric) found in the mexican food section of the store. I actually LOVE this seasoning and put it in my eggs too. I make my guac with a lot of garlic so any flavor lacking in my meat isn't really missed. So you could jazz up the meat even more with more spices if you want, like cayenne pepper, etc. if you aren't going to mix with guac as I do, but I thought it was good just minimally seasoned.
Guacamole-put in blender/food processor and blend or mix with fork: Ripe avocados, cilantro, minced garlic or powder -which ever way you have it, adobo seasoning, dash of lime juice (if on hand), Dash of Kosher salt if you want (not really needed), onions or onion powder. Add chopped tomatoes, jalepenos if you want.
Elizabeth - Great willpower! I have to find some of that sunbutter everyone keeps trying.
My daughter had a drumstick and everytime she eats it she always gives me the tip of the cone that has the chocolate fudge it in. I had to turn it down-but the good news is, I didn't even want it! Day 14 for me and I actually felt pretty good today. I didn't have the afternoon sluggishness like I have had for the past 2 weeks. I didn't even have a coffee in the afternoon like I always have and I didn't get a headache either so I think I'm leaned off of the afternoon coffee.
@Moxy-Boss, you gave me such tough love in the beginning when I said I wasn't giving up my coffee, 1/2 & 1/2 and 12 packets of Splenda a day, but I would do everything else..... I"m not even going back, EVER! I'm done and off the junk in the coffee and feel better for it! Thanks for the tough love.
Just curious- does anyone use Coconut Oil for anything?
- July 18, 2009 at 10:45 PM
- Robbie said...
I use coconut oil for cooking chicken in a pan or some veggies that it matches up with...I use it sparinly though, as it does upset my stomach a bit if overused...also it doesn't burn at high heat like EVOO.
I remember reading this somewhere...couldn't track it down but here's the jist from a book called The Coconut Oil Miracle.
Back in the 1940s, farmers found out about this effect by accident when they tried using inexpensive coconut oil to fatten their livestock. It didn't work! Instead, coconut oil made the animals lean, active and hungry.
- July 18, 2009 at 11:05 PM
- Mindy said...
I use coconut oil!!! I love it and just as Robbie mentioned, I've also read there are some extra benefits of coconut oil due to the fact that it is contains medium chain triglycerides (but I am no expert). I like the way it smells and it also adds some flavor to foods. yuumm!
- July 19, 2009 at 12:14 AM
- Jake said...
My friend got the book from the library and bought a jar. I'm going to try it next time I go to the store.
My new veggie for the week is going to be beets. I'm not sure yet how I'm going to eat it. My mom used to make them for supper. They were canned and she would add onion and vinegar and oil to them and I thought they were disgusting. I'm hoping to like them better now.
- July 19, 2009 at 6:46 AM
- Adam Kayce said...
@Jake - I have used coconut a ton in the past, but not so much lately... only because our local stores only stock the expeller-pressed stuff, which doesn't have the great, coconuty taste of the virgin stuff. Tropical Traditions has the best, imho.
Coconut oil is some fascinating stuff; I highly recommend you look into it.
Oh, and beets? Try just steaming them, sliced thinly or cut into chunks. I like 'em best without any additions, personally.
I wanted to mention in my previous comment (but forgot) - the ripples of Moxy-Boss' idea here are spreading far and wide: I mentioned this on Twitter, and someone who is following me there decided to give it a go, too! She said she'd been considering it for a while, but seeing me do it helped her get over the hump and commit to it herself. Obviously, I wouldn't have mentioned it if we weren't all doing it here, so booya! everybody - we're making differences in people's lives just by doing this. Your good stories, willpower, and sharing could be influencing who knows who.
- July 19, 2009 at 7:18 AM
- Jake said...
Thanks for the tips!
@Moxy-Boss, when you asked the other day why I thought I was eating too much-I meant I think I'm eating too much fruit. For me, some fruit = a lot of fruit. I love fruit.
It seems to make my stomach not feel so good.... I can feel gas bubbles and bloatedness as I ate too many delicious green grapes last night after supper. That is two days now that I woke up feeling like that. I'm glad I'm able to pinpoint what it is since I don't eat all the junk and can't chalk it up to that.
- July 19, 2009 at 7:45 AM
- Melissa Byers said...
@Oh What Have I Done: "I had a few bites of chocolate and all the fruit, and had to taste the cream, but that was it. SO I am not calling it a cheat. Moxy Boss may kick my ass for that but I am still on day 4."
Changing your life also means changing your vocabulary. You did not HAVE to taste the cream. You made a CHOICE. And I am not going to congratulate you for only having a few bites (although I'm happy, at least, that you didn't hoover the whole plate). No one else here gets to have "just a few bites". And no one else gets to determine it "wasn't a cheat" just because they say so. Some other "Paleo Challenges" may work like this - penalties for cheating, or turning a blind eye for special occasions or under stressful times. This is not a f***ing Paleo Challenge. If you haven't figured that out yet, go back and re-read every post and every comment so far. This is about learning how to take better care of yourself. Building a healthier mind, body and spirit. Changing your life. That's not just a clever title designed to draw blog hits. Read the comments - it's HAPPENING, all around you, here in this community.
I'm not totally unreasonable. I know this can be difficult. So regroup, think long and hard about what you want out of this and come back if you choose... on Day One. This cannot work unless you are committed to giving it the time it deserves. I'm not granting a lot of "do-overs", but I would really like to see you, specifically, give this a real try. But if you choose to come back, you had damn well better come back committed. Make a choice like this again, and you can go somewhere else. You need to WANT to do this. If you don't, that's okay, and I wish you the best of luck. But we are all making sacrifices here, and you knew the terms when you signed on. I'm not going to cut you any slack, or coddle you through this, or tell you what you want to hear just because it will make you feel better. I'm going to tell you what you need to hear to DO better... to BE better. That may not be fun to hear, but this is too important for me to worry about whether you like me.
I know it can be difficult. But I promise you - if you just do what I tell you, at the end of this 30 days period, you will feel better about yourself than you ever imagined possible. You just need to believe, now, that you are worth the effort.
@Jake (is this Jake or Angie? I think you need your own sign-in, Angie!): Too much fruit will definitely do that to you. Fantastic that you noticed the negative effects and were able to make changes to improve how you felt. I'm not sure you would have been that in tune with either your body or your diet two weeks ago. That's really awesome to hear.
@Adam: That's... fantastic. I'm in awe of how this thing is growing. It's taken on a life of its own. I'm happy for that.
- July 19, 2009 at 8:23 AM
- marco said...
Hey Melissa,
I've just read this post on your blog:
Point 1 is:"Eat real food – meat*, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, oils (like EVOO or coconut).".
Well, I don't really know how much "paleolithic" is fructose (outside of Africa, out of very short periods of the year and in very limited quantity), but I've read many things about fruit and fructose, and not always good news.
Could you have a look there?
Also Dr. Kurt G. Harris (http://www.paleonu.com/) and Dr. Barry Grooves (http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/index.html) don't seem so enthusiastic about fructose…
Ops... I was forgetting Dr. William Davis (http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/goodbye-fructose.html).
Maybe, when coming to fructose, you should handle with a bit of caution.
Thanks a lot.
p.s. - sorry for my English...
- July 19, 2009 at 9:16 AM
- Tracy said...
Day 10 –I'm from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. East coast!
I'm feeling pretty good. This morning I cleaned out my fridge and removed the items that I left in there for when the 30 days are up. I've come to the realization there is a lot of crap I haven't missed in these 10 days and have found much better alternatives. Out went the coffee cream, salad dressing, mayo, etc. I was also looking at the expiry dates which always put things in perspective. You've got to wonder what they do to food that it can last anywhere from 1 to 12 months in your fridge. I don't remember it lasting that long when I was a child. I really thought I would miss coffee cream, cheese and yogurt but I don't yet. Perhaps I've been lucky in the situations I've been in so far.
What I do miss – WINE!!! And sometimes, but not as often as I thought I would, chocolate. I really do enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, sometimes two. And when I get home from work and I'm getting ready for the gym I like a piece of chocolate to savour. I know I read somewhere that an occasional glass of wine is okay. It's all about moderation I'm hoping. So I want to know is when I get off the strict 30 day challenge, what should I be looking for in a wine to make it as close to paleo as possible. There is a great wine store near where I live and is they don't have what I am looking for I'm sure they'll bring it in for me as I am a very good customer... I am a firm believer that the best presents to give are wine, gift cards and cash ;-) I know they have some great organic/ sulphite free wine so fingers crossed.
Paths I have to cross this week:
Tuesday – birthday party at work. Fortunately there is no cake although it is crackers, dips, fruits and veggies. I will be making my own baba ghanoush to bring in for dipping purposes!
Wednesday – we are celebrating one of our colleagues adopting a 9 year girl. This will be cake/ major sugar day at the office. I'm open for suggestions as to what I can bring for my own 'dessert'.
Accomplishments of the last week:
We went to a CrossFit Hopper in Moncton, New Brunswick on Saturday. I did modified but had a great time. There were over 60 competitors from across the Maritimes and I loved the vibe from the event. It was so positive and everyone was so supportive of each other. Luckily I was in the first heat so I could watch everyone else while eating my jerky, carrots and Sunbutter. Kevin, the organizer, also brought in a salad for me, rather than the wraps everyone else got. Love the support form the community!
I decided to sign up for the Navy10K on August 16th and I also got 4 other people in my office to at least join in for a practice walk/ run on Monday night. Some will be walking/ running a 5K but it's all about being active!
- July 19, 2009 at 10:33 AM
- Tracy said...
And I think I just blogged in Moxy-Boss's blog... Happy Sunday!
- July 19, 2009 at 10:35 AM
- Robbie said...
Tracy, I have found a number of paleo "desserts", one with pumpkin, one with cocoa, coconut and dried fruit and one "ice cream" with coconut milk and bananas. The pumpkin one is posted on here sometime last week...let me know if you want the others. Oh, and my jerky plans fell through, but I did make some tasty Swiss Chard chips.....my 2 year old killed them.
- July 19, 2009 at 11:04 AM
- Tracy said...
Robbie - Pass on the 'ice cream' pretty please! I have a feeling that could be my summer treat especially before the gym to replace my chocolate! I bet I'll need to make extra for Wednesday as a few of the peeps in my office will want my healthy dessert instead of the cake...
- July 19, 2009 at 11:14 AM
- Melicious said...
Tracy, my new favorite dessert:
Chopped mango or strawberries or raspberries/blackberries or a mix of all... top with 1/4 cup coconut milk and a sprinkle of shredded unsweetened coconut. Refrigerate for a bit so the milk can thicken and chill. Right before you eat it, sprinkle with finely chopped almonds or macadamia nuts.
SO delicious. Creamy, sweet, and good for you.
Congratulations on your success so far. Sounds like you're doing GREAT! It's a big deal to toss out the "someday" foods... good on you.
- July 19, 2009 at 12:17 PM
- kimmitri said...
Leaving for out of town tomorrow. Made some meals to freeze and take with me for the week. Chicken seasoned with a bunch of stuff from the spice rack and veggies and turkey with cauliflower "rice" and diced tomato sauce and a bunch of spices. This challenge is getting me back in touch with my spice rack to keep things fresh and mixing it up. Also grabbed some Larabars to take with me and I'm shopping for some fresh fruits/veggies once I get up there. Think I've done all I can do to prepare for a successful week, so all I have left to do is execute!
- July 19, 2009 at 1:53 PM
- Mindy said...
This morning I worked out with two fellow CFers and one shared a wonderfully yummy & simple dessert idea with me. Get some frozen fruit, coconut milk, blend together and you can top with almonds or any nuts and seeds. Post-workout I came home and blended about 1 cup frozen blackberries, 1/4 cup coco milk, and cinnamon and it blended up like a yummy sorbet and it was delicious!! Thanks for this recipe Bernie!! Anyone can fiddle with this recipe and add things like a nut butter & coconut flakes!! Its quick and easy...hope u all can enjoy!!
Robbie... do you mind sharing the cocoa and swiss chard chips recipes please?! Thanks!!
- July 19, 2009 at 1:59 PM
- Robbie said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- July 19, 2009 at 2:05 PM
- Robbie said...
Tracy, heres what I did last night...very complicated.hahah.
1/4 cups shredded coconut(unsweet)
1 can coconut milk
3 1/2 cups chopped frozen frozen fruit(i used bananas
blend and put into tupperware
stir every 30 min or whenever you remember, until frozen.Stirring it keeps it creamier. If you have an ice cream maker...lucky you. You could also use a bit of vanilla extract...if Moxy-Boss says it's okay..I didn't...to avoid starting back at day one unitentionally!
I meant to make kale chips, but shopping with a 2yo will cause distractions. Bought swiss chard instead. ripped the leafs off into chunks...tossed in a bowl with EVOO, cracked pepper, pinch of sea salt, pinch of dill and baked at 350 for 20 min or so.
Is cocoa powder otay here? I don't want to post the recipe if not.
- July 19, 2009 at 2:11 PM
- Elizabeth said...
i feel as though i should apologize to the entire group for telling oh what did i do= what a great job she did for only having a little dessert. i read melissa's post this morning and have beening thinking about it ALL DAY.
My Dad is a recovering alcoholic, it's been about 15 months since his last drink. if he came home one night and said to me 'Little Apple, i wanted to drink so bad last night but i only had a 1/2 a beer' would i praise him? heck no, that's called relapse. the same rule applies here. And usually a little leads to alot.
Melissa also got me thinking about other things. I've always told ALL my friends tell me the truth if i don't like it i'll get over it. i might cry about it, or be upset for a day or so but the TRUTH is whats gonna make me change. The trust shall set you free, right? And i hate when one of them trys to sugar coat things. which is exaclly what i did last night. Sugar coating doesn't help you grow.
It's called tough love for a reason. And i don't think there are many people that can dish it out.
So, oh what did i do- i'm sorry i encouraged you last night.
Melissa- i'm sorry i didn't see the full picture here and offered support. You have opened my eyes and showed me the type of tough love that I should be showing poeple
to the group- i also hope you'll forgive me.
Reading that post from Melissa also made that ice cream cake that was looking so good yesterday look like frozen crap. not even tempting.
I felt like alot of that post was directed towards me and it should have been. i'm going back to read every single post since this challenge began.
last thing, i claim i've been paleo since February HOWEVER i've used agave nectar in my coffee and tea everyday. if i buy coffee from wawa or dunkin donuts i put half & half and splenda, vinegar on my salad if i'm at a restaurant or other random things here and there. my point is i haven't been paloe. not since Thursday when i joined the group.
I feel like i'm in the confession booth at church.
this is day 4 for me. i did hit a PR back squat: 5RM 110, deads- 5RM 115. It's not gangsta PR's but i was excited. but i will say this is the first time i've attempted these.
lol- my verification word- SUMMON- How ironic
- July 19, 2009 at 3:24 PM
- David X said...
I assume that 99% of the people who read this blog and follow it with any regularity are CrossFitters and at least have been for a period of time where they may have stubled upon this, now famous, quote regarding nutrition on the main site:
"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar."
It goes on a little further but for this discussion, at least this post, that's sufficent.
One of the greatest things about CrossFit and it's principles, is it's ability to cut a wide swath through the horseshit that exists out there and to expose the essence of fitness/nutrition/health, etc., with startling clarity.
"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. "
NO SUGARS! No sweets, no cakes, no candy. If that's not Paleo for ya, I don't know what it is.
That's it people. A concept of nutrition with the ability for the indiviudal to get creative within a clear framework of what's acceptable for overall health and athetic performance.
It was a hard weekend. I got through the shower like I mentioned Friday night, then last night my wife and I went to out friend's house for dinner. The heaven's were smiling down on me, because the potatoes they were going to serve got burnt on the grill! More booze and sweets were offered but I was able to resist with ease! When we weren't at our friend's home, we were hannig out at my sister-in-law's house where they have never heard of protein, much less veggies. I should post this in there kitchen:
"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar."
Their heads may explode in confusion.
Anyway, awesome news: I registered for the Level 1 cert in Toronto in October and I RSVP to the Glassman seminar in NJ in November!!!!
- July 19, 2009 at 5:50 PM
- winnipeglove said...
Question: Cordain says that we should avoid two types of nuts: (1) coconut and (2) peanuts. I understand why peanuts should be avoided, but I'm confused why he prohibits coconut. Cordain says that coconuts have too much saturated fat.
Click on this link where he states that: http://www.thepaleodiet.com/nutritional_tools/fatsnuts.shtml
- July 19, 2009 at 7:37 PM
- Jake said...
PR'd on Filthy Fifty by 6 minutes today. Woo-hoo! Now, 3 hours later and my entire body is sore...
Tried the beets this week and I was (like others) pleasantly surprised. Funny, cuz my mom ate over and she started talking about how she used to make them (in a previous post I said how disgusting I thought they were as a kid). She started telling about the vinegar/oil/onion, etc. and I told her she was the one that ruined beets for me for life - until tonight that is.
I steamed one beet, probably for 5-6 minutes. Then I sprinked will dill, garlic, & pepper. Yum.
I also had a new breakfast. I tried the Peach (sub nectarine), pecan egg scramble from the performance menu site. I made the mistake of also throwing in some coconut milk and the eggs turned out..um... very unegglike. More like little tiny brown egg pieces. I recommend sticking to the recipe!
Thanks Melicious, I'm going to try your recommendation later tonight:
Chopped mango or strawberries or raspberries/blackberries or a mix of all... top with 1/4 cup coconut milk and a sprinkle of shredded unsweetened coconut. Refrigerate for a bit so the milk can thicken and chill. Right before you eat it, sprinkle with finely chopped almonds or macadamia nuts.
- July 19, 2009 at 7:43 PM
- Amy said...
Argh Tracy you must have been right in front of me at the hopper and I didn't even realize it! Anyway, all the girls did so amazing - good job tackling that WOD!
I'm on day 18 I think, I've been away from a calendar all weekend. Travelling hasn't been a problem, I packed lots of food for the road.
It's getting easier as in more "routine", but when I smell fresh pasta or toaster strudels or McDonalds I'm still picturing just saying "to hell with this" and stuffing it in my face like I'm two years old. I wouldn't have thought my attachment to food was that strong, it's weird.
- July 19, 2009 at 8:31 PM
- David X said...
I would think that Cordain would say that the saturated fat content of coconuts warrants them to be avoided.
- July 19, 2009 at 8:34 PM
- ontheroad said...
Day 14 two whole weeks of being 100% clean.
Just made turkey chile with the fire roasted tomatoes someone suggested, and huge pan of roasted veggies on the side.
I think i still have to many fruits in the diet, but I am committed to get better this week.
I have a new challenage for myself this week. I have not eaten red meet in over twenty years. This week I'm going to give it a go.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Go Paleo!
- July 19, 2009 at 8:54 PM
- Robbie said...
I haven't read much of Cordain's stuff. But I do know that I'm not going to avoid coconut, saturated fat is not bad thing in many cases...if you do some research you will find that lots of people used coconut oil before WW2, it became impossible to get due to the war and people started to use soybean oil and other vegetable oils. After the war,the now wealthier soybean farmers and their like were not going to just go away. Then in the 60's research started to make the connection between saturated fats and high cholesterol, which is one of the risk factors for heart disease. The ASA(American Soybean Association) undertook the great american pastime: LOBBYING. They bombarded the government and food companies with hate mail from farmers families proclaiming the coconut and palm oils evil and arterie clogging. Doctors soon picked up the sat fat ball and ran with it. Keep in mind that all of us probably know more about nutrition than most doctors, as they are not required to take it in med school and only 20-25% of american med students take any sort of nutrtion course. Which of course predicts that they couldn't tell you the difference between a long chain and medium chain triglycerides. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to eat my ribeye steak and double serving of veggies and wash it down with a nice coconut milk smoothie...
- July 19, 2009 at 9:21 PM
- David X said...
I dont know why I've been craving this tonight, but does anyone (Melicious) know of any other recipes than the one found here...
- July 19, 2009 at 9:34 PM
- Brooke said...
Today is my 5th day being hardcore on paleo, I made it through the weekend which is usually when I crumble so very happy about that especially since I had a wedding and baby shower to make it through.Today at Crossfit I was struggling, it was like my energy was way down. Did this happen to anyone else and if so when can I expect it to kick back up. Thanks
- July 20, 2009 at 9:29 AM
- Chelsea said...
Made it through my husband's birthday party last night. Yes, they did put candles in the cake and make him blow them out and then ate all the cake in front of him. They also got him some stupid card that basically made fun of our diet. They didn't understand why we couldn't eat their chicken kebobs, and when I explained that the dressing they used as the marinade had sugar in it, they just kinda stared blankly.
On another note, I had been including wine in my 'paleo' challenge since it's listed as acceptable most places that I've seen but don't think I will any longer. I don't crave it and even a glass or two doesn't make me feel good anyways.
Lastly, I tried to make veggie chips out of my new vegetable for the week (asian eggplants) but they never got crispy. I'm not sure what I did wrong...
- July 20, 2009 at 10:51 AM
- Melicious said...
Chelsea, eggplants have a LOT of water in them, so you probably didn't do anything wrong. I'm not sure you can make chips outta those things without a big vat of oil. Anyone else had success?
Chef! Lay some science on us.
- July 20, 2009 at 10:53 AM
- Chelsea said...
I was thinking carrots might be a better vegetable to try, then? And I'd like to try these chips made out of kale or swiss chard that have been mentioned a few times. Imagine my in-laws watching me eat THAT! :)
- July 20, 2009 at 10:58 AM
- mie said...
Chelsea, i made really yummy sweet potato chips in the past. just slice them really thin and evenly. you don't even need to add oil, but fat will always make it taste better ;)
- July 20, 2009 at 11:05 AM
- Maria said...
After reading all the rave reviews about Sunbutter, I went to Whole Foods this weekend to pick up a jar and quickly put it back on the shelf after reading the ingredients: Subflower seeds, Sugar, Mono-Diglycerides to prevent separation, salt, and Natural Mixed Tocopherols to preserve freshness.
Sunbutter brand sunflower butter should not be allowed on the "challenge", I think.
- July 20, 2009 at 11:15 AM
- Chelsea said...
Maria, look for 'Sunbutter Natural' (http://sunbutter.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=51519&cid=4441) It has only the ingredients 'Sunflowers' and 'Evaporated Cane Juice'.
- July 20, 2009 at 11:18 AM
- mie said...
I haven't tried sunbutter yet, but can't you just buy some sunflowers and make your own butter? I'm sure it'll be just as good!
- July 20, 2009 at 11:18 AM