Day 17: Sites I Love

These days I'm trying to spent less time drooling over pancakes and pie recipes on the Internet, and more time studying veggies and protein pics at Paleo websites.

For those of you who love looking at food, and are interested in Paleo eating, I believe there is no greater Paleo food and recipe site than Nom Nom Paleo.  The Food Lover's Kitchen is a very close second.

If you'd like a little Paleo-related weight loss inspiration, check out Holly Would if She Could. Holly has lost 100 pounds eating Paleo and doing Crossfit!

Want to know how mom and baby go Paleo: voila - Paleo Baby!

www.joythebaker.com

And if you're only reading this blog because you're a friend, and you really have no interest in Paleo, might I suggest my other favorite recipe sites: Joy the Baker, Smitten Kitchen, Food Porn Daily and Bun Boy Eats.

Enjoy!

Day 16: Inner Child

I have an inner child.  She's six, and she runs this bitch.  Between you and me, she's kind of a brat.

She makes me take naps - a lot.  She doesn't take "we can't afford it" for an answer.  She is constantly hungry for sugar, particularly sugar in the form of vanilla cupcakes with baby pink buttercream and lavender colored sprinkles.  And when she can't get her hands on the perfect pink and purple birthday cupcake she cries for whatever else is the most festive and fattening thing around.  Like seasonal holiday cookies.  She's always in the mood for seasonal holiday cookies.

So when I bumped into these bad boys at Ralphs I had to take a photo, for my inner child.  You see, I know that these cookies are stale and lame.  I know that the frosting is hard and the batter is flavorless.  I know that I could make a batch at home with better ingredients for less money.  But my inner child doesn't know these things, and she doesn't care.  She just wants me to recognize their nostalgic beauty.  And so, I shall.

Are you happy little girl?

(She said no, and that she wants the purple bat.)

Day 15: The Blues

Yesterday I mentioned that I'm starting to get the blues, the tired-of-eating-the-same-thing blues. Then, last night, I went to Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament to celebrate my brother-in-law's twenty-eighth birthday, and I went from feeling bored to feeling bored and damn proud.

Because of Paleo, I didn't have to question whether or not I was going to fill and refill my medieval mug with soda, nor would I splurge on cocktails or wine.  Water for me, thanks.  I didn't have to try the garlic bread to see if it was good or not, I just needed to pass it to my hubby and let him delight in the extra piece of tomato soup sopping material.  Because of Paleo I got full on the chicken and the vegetable and completely ignored the apple turnover that was placed before me during the jousting round.  And when the evening was done, and the victorious night was crowned, I too felt victorious.  Victorious over crap!

Later that night as Adam and I exited the freeway headed toward our apartment I thought to myself, "I deserve a donut".  After all, I had been so "good".  And I knew (because I know my husband well) that all I had to do was say the word and we would have zipped over to our favorite 24 hour donut spot for a dose of whatever was the freshest.

Now, because I knew he would indulge me I kept mouth shut.  And then those blues began to set in again.  To make matters worse, the weight loss honeymoon is over.  My body has gotten used to my new way of eating and is no longer shocked and shedding water, causing the scale to go down a little everyday.  It's all hard work and metabolism for here on in.  The worst part about my blues is that I'm beginning to get that 'why bother' feeling.  That 'throw in the towel' feeling.  That 'have the damn donut' feeling.  And it's only Day 15!  It's the Paleo Blues!

Bluesy guitar solo, play me out.

Day 14: Successful Saturdays!

Scale Related Success:

-3.0lbs

Non-Scale Related Success:

Jeans are looser.

My spirits are remarkably high, in spite of being on the rag.  Too much information?  Come on, you know me.  No such thing.

The acne that appeared in the first week of cutting all non-Paleo foods (grains, beans, dairy, sugar) is finally disappearing.

And even though I was home sick two days this week, I fought the urge to live on toast and honey drenched tea like I usually do when I'm sick. Instead I slept a lot and ate fresh fruit.  I'm no longer sick, and so proud of myself for staying on track.  The funny thing is, it was incredibly easy. I think I'm past the frightening "what am I going to eat?" first stage of Paleo and I'm now on the not-so-scary, but equally concerning "I'm tired of eating the same things" second stage of Paleo. More on that tomorrow...

Days 11,12 & 13: Sick, Sicker & Foodie Fridays!

On Wednesday I started to get sick, but I tried my best to convince myself it was seasonal allergies, even though the tickle in the back of my throat told me otherwise.  By Wednesday night around midnight it was official, so I've been home, sleeping and not blogging ever since.

Today however, I'm on the up-swing - just in time for Foodie Fridays!

Saturday: Organic Grass Fed Steak from the Santa Monica Co-Op ($6 - best deal in town!) with roasted asparagus and colorful carrots.  This meal cost about $10 a serving, and is a great alternative to eating out.  Good food, fancy feeling, no breaking the bank, no breaking the rules.

Sunday: Chicken coated with shredded coconut and ground almonds and mixed greens.

Monday: I was so hungry that I forgot to take a pic of this meal! Chili Roasted Shrimp on mixed greens with guacamole and salsa.

Tuesday: It happened again!  Only bites away from being done did I remember to grab the camera.  (It was) beef bolognese over butternut squash.  A fan favorite this time of year.  

Wednesday: Homemade beef and veggie chili with plantain chips and guacamole.

                       

Thursday: Too sick to eat, believe it or not.

Friday: My appetite is back.  Brussel sprouts with Paleo Chicken Paillard (chicken beaten flat and coated with coconut flour).  Next time I'll coat it with almond flour, I feel like it works better.  The recipe is from Nom Nom Paleo.

Bon Appetit!

Day 10: Sick o' Salads

I've got to find some new recipes, particularly for lunch.  It's tricky because I ride my bike to work, I'm on a budget and I'm Paleo.  Those three things limit my culinary experimentation a great deal.

For example, I can't - or won't - order food to be delivered to my work, or go to a local restaurant or grocery store for lunch because I'm trying to save money.  I can't - or won't - pack anything in my bag that's too heavy or bulky like big pieces of Tupperware filled with a variety of ingredients because I ride my bike to and from work.  I travel light, which is why one small container of salad made the night before has served me well in the last ten days.  And I can't - or won't - pack something cheap and small (like I used to do) like an Amy's Frozen Burrito or a cup of dehydrated black bean soup because I'm on Paleo.  

What's a girl who likes to eat well but wants to be healthy to do?

Get a car?

Have an affair with a sugar daddy?

Stop the Paleo Challenge?

NEVER!  Although, I might get a car again one day. Until then, I'll continue to tote my little Paleo salad to work everyday on my bike, waiting for lunch-spiration.

Any ideas?

Day 9: Drama In All The Right Places

Tonite I began the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Professional Screenwriting Program. The program meets two nights a week for nine months, and is sure to be full of scary unknowns. And now that I know I'll be Paleo for at least the first three months of it, one of the unknowns I can add to that list is "What will I have for dinner?".

The classes begin around seven which is usually my dinner time.  Tonite I ate early so that I could get to UCLA early and find free parking, which I did.  As I strolled around the area of the building my first class would take place in I stumbled across a food court a mere twenty feet away. There's a cafe with espresso and pastries and several variations of the same diner themed fast food joints - you know, burger and fries or hot dogs and fries, (and to be exotic) tacos and nachos.  

Here's where Paleo comes in handy.  I don't want any of those foods, and because I've made a commitment, my brain won't even begin to tailspin into the drama of 'to eat or not to eat'.  I know me, and I know if I weren't on Paleo right now I would be typing this blogpost with a watery latte and a stale croissant by my side.  

And I'm not.  

And I'm happy.  

Gotta go - class is about to begin!