30 DAYS COMPLETE: HOW DID EVERYONE DO?

Hey guys. I have been a little MIA as of the past couple weeks sorry but I have talked to some of you personally and some I haven't just wanted to get some feedback on how everyone that tried paleo for 30 days did. I know one of my good friends lost over 10 lbs and looking to continue the lifestyle. Did you enjoy the food? Any struggles? Find some creativity you didn't know you had? Well I'd like to hear about it. Post your comments below and maybe for those of you who haven't tried it yet you would like to start Feb 1 or for those that did you want to continue and maybe incorporate a cheat day or two. I myself have been hit with a challenge through my church over the past few weeks to fast from meat which has been quite a struggle let me tell you. Especially since I am so used to all that protein to help with the intense workouts I do sometimes. But hey every challenge has a purpose and a reward. I will have gone 21 days without eating meat and I feel pretty good about being able to do it. How long did you try paleo? I hope you at least tried it before telling yourself it wasn't for you :). More recipes and updates to come regularly once I finish up this fast this weekend. Hard to post and talk about my yummy meat dishes when I can't eat any of them haha. Well have a blessed day all and don't forget to tell me about your experiences. I REALLY do want to know. If you don't want to share it on here just send me a private message. Also feel free to leave me some feedback about this blog. My first time doing this im open to suggestions :). Happy healthy eating everyone!

I'm Still Alive Sorry!

Been meaning to post and work has gotten super busy as I expected. Post coming soon guys. In the meantime check out nomnompaleo.com. I made her asian meatballs and also shrimp stuffed mushrooms for a potluck this weekend and it came out yum! If you guys have any questions in the meantime email me Facebook me call me post.. Any of those will do :). Bye for now


UPDATE:
Interesting read about why you should avoid wheat. My husband just sent this to me. I avoid grains and wheat because it's not allowed on paleo but never fully understood why other than that I realized when I stopped eating it my tummy shrank and when I cheat and eat something with bread or sneak more than one slice of pizza I get super bloated. 
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/do-you-have-wheat-belly.html

All You Eeat is Meat...It's Just like Atkins WRONG

So since I am juicing and not eating an official "lunch" today, I am using my lunch break to post. Happy day 3 everyone for those of you doing the 30 Day Paleo Challenge and happy day 2 to me on my 3 Day Juicing/ Detox Challenge (still paleo). I'm not gonna lie, yesterday was rough. My brain kept telling me..."Why aren't you chewing? I don't get any bacon??",but alas I survived my first day of juicing and am on to the next. Thank goodness for accountability partners because I seriously wanted to cave especially after walking into my lunchroom at work and smelling everyone's delicious food. Maybe some of you felt that way these past couple of days doing paleo as something new for you or maybe it was awesome and you are loving it so far (I hope the latter). Either way it's all about commitment to YOUR goals and of course mind over matter. Today I woke up feeling awesome and spent two hours at the gym cycling and lifting weights. If I can turn myself into a workout fiend after previously not being able to run a whole lap without my back hurting a couple years ago, I can handle a little 3 day detox right???

Now on to the real topic of this post. I have been doing paleo about 4 months now and I get a lot of questions. Some of those questions I can answer based on my current knowledge and some I just don't know or haven't learned about yet because as I stated before, I am not an expert. I am doing what works for me. A common question I get is if paleo is focused mainly on meat or if it's just like the Atkins diet. I guess because I am always eating and talking about bacon...it's so darn good! :). Anyway, for those that are curious/ skeptical/ bored/ interested here are a couple links I found regarding the history of paleo and it's comparison to Atkins. I'm sure there are plenty of explanations to be found in various books and other sites but I found these and thought they were cool and fast easy reads. Feel free to post other helpful links you may find. The last one gives a quick rundown but try and read them all or at least do the old college skim!

http://paleosophy.com/a-paleo-visual/

http://ahealthyjourney.ca/paleo-vs-atkins/

http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/11-17/5-ways-the-paleo-diet-is-better-than-atkins/

http://www.paleoplan.com/2012/02-05/what-are-the-foods-on-the-paleo-diet/

http://www.paleoeffect.com/paleo-quick-guide/

SPICY ROASTED CARROT RED PEPPER ALMOND BUTTER SOUP:

Here is a nice meat-free paleo recipe for you guys. Looks yum!

http://www.katiekdid.com/2012/10/11/spicy-roasted-carrot-red-pepper-and-almond-butter-soup/


SOME TIPS TO KEEP YOU GOING!:
1. Plan ahead 
(I can't say this enough)  
2. Make sure every meal has some veggies and fruit
(It's not all about meat)
3. Don't go overboard on the nuts
 (They are meant to be a snack for the most part)
4. Focus on yourself and what you want 
(People may ask you questions that can be discouraging but just know its not about them its about you and what you are choosing for your life)
5. Eat enough food 
(This lifestyle is not calorie counting, its about nutrition. I usually eat 2 to 3 meals plus 1 or 2 snacks depending on what my meal is and how full I feel)
6. If you start don't give up so easy 
(If you fall off the wagon and have something you aren't supposed to have accept it and move on. Commit to yourself to get back on track and avoid the same slip up)
7. Have fun and do things enjoy
(Since you are making more time to change your diet don't forget to make more time for the things you've put on the back burner that you used to enjoy and "don't have time for")
8. Get a scale so you can see what's happening to you over the next 30 days 
(Just do it! :)...Why Not?)
9. Focus more on the lean meats as much as you can
(I should put a tip for myself that says eat less bacon....OOPS! I'm not perfect. And hey, let's not forget it's delicous!)
10. I can't think of anything else right now and break is over...THE END!  

Day 2 Check in

How is everyone doing after their first day? Hope you guys have planned and pre prepped your meals for the week and hopefully those first couple recipes have been helpful thus far. I'm excited so many of you are willing to try it out and looking forward to hearing about and seeing your results. Remember to plan ahead of time if you have a long day or you have an event to go to. If you are going to a restaurant check the menu ahead of time and ask for a gluten free menu to avoid people looking at you crazy when you have food requests. This will also ensure they cook the food to your specifications and also most gluten free items are paleo... just ask what's in it! For the most part you can order a salad without dressing or any meat dish and replace sides with veggies. Just stay away from those sauces. Now that vacation is over and most people are going back to work it'll be harder not to be tempted by junk but stick with it and feel free to ask questions.

I decided to challenge myself for the new year and do a three day juicing cleanse which started today! (I'm cray I know) Still paleo since it's all fruits and veggies but I made sure I read up on all the pros and cons from my juicing book so that I don't have any surprises. I was worried I'd be hungry and not have time to juice in the morning before work so last night I made two days worth of juice and filled my large daily water bottle with my juice of choice. Today I am having beet, radish, grape, carrot, ginger, berry juice. Tomorrow it'll be celery, cucumber, grape, lime, pear juice.

Definitely a challenge this morning not having "food" for breakfast but I am prepared and ready and have some accountability partners in my sisters and my friend Brittnye. Also I will be drinking lots of water and some green tea throughout the day to stay hydrated. I don't recommend any of you guys start juicing detox unless you are prepared and ready. This is my first time and I am doing it for detox purposes moreso than weight loss so we will see how I feel after. As with anything new just always make sure you pay attention to your body and how you feel.

My delicious looking juice pictured below :) hehe

Happy New Year!!! Get Ready and Stay Ready

**POST UPDATED WITH LUNCH AND DINNER AT THE BOTTOM**

Okay guys. This is the first official recipe post for those of you who are ready to start. Was hoping to post this last night but got caught up with New Years festivities!

NOTE: IF YOU ARE DOING THE CHALLENGE PLEASE TAKE PICTURES OF EVERY MEAL TO KEEP YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE 30 DAYS. You can post the photos here and share recipes you liked with everyone, post on facebook, instagram, twitter, or wherever. But at least take a picture for yourself so you have a photo diary of foods you made and enjoyed and would like to make again hopefully :). I'm sure I annoyed several people with all the food photos I've taken but hey it's helped me so who cares!

Hopefully you all have gone grocery shopping already but if not make sure you stay on the outer aisles for the most part. Paleo diet consists of mostly Fruit, Veggies, Nuts, Meats, and no processed foods. Here is what my shopping trip looked like yesterday. From left to right veggies, fruit, coconut water, lean meats, unsalted seasonings, plantain chips etc...

Read the labels and do your best! As I said I will post breakfast lunch and dinner at least once a week maybe more depending on how much time I have but if you read the post before this one I have given several links that will help you get ideas for recipes. If you have any requests from pictures of foods I've posted on Facebook or Instagram please let me know and I will post. Some things you try you will love some things you try you will hate. For me if I didn't like what I experimented with I just didn't make it again or I made it a different way with different flavors. So here we go. If you have any questions or comments please leave them on here in case someone has a similar question. As for those of you wondering what kind of snacks you can eat... please read the previous post and also think about trying Larabars.

They have tons of flavors and are super yummy! My favorite flavor is Cherry Pie. Made with all natural ingredients (usually dates, nuts, and other fruit).  Just don't get the peanut ones because peanuts are not paleo.


BREAKFAST:

Almond Butter Banana Pancakes with Fruit and Greek Yogurt Drizzle

Pancake Recipe:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/almond-banana-pancakes/#axzz26SuD2trR

I enjoyed these very much but hubby and little sister said they could take it or leave it so I say make one serving and see if you like it. If you don't next time try something else. I have also seen recipes for pancakes made using almond flour and coconut flour. I have yet to try but they all look delicious. Or if you like you can use these same ingredients and add a little almond flour or coconut flour. as the recipe says fry in butter but make sure its unsalted butter but if you prefer you can use olive oil or coconut oil.  

Fruit and Greek Yogurt Drizzle:
Gather some blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries (or berries of your choice) and honey flavored Greek yogurt. Take some of the fruit and mash out the juice. If using frozen fruit microwave for about a minute and then mash it with a spoon I get some juice use that to top your pancakes with fresh fruit. Use some of that mashed fruit and combine with Greek yogurt in a blender or food processor to make the drizzle. Place mashed fruit on pancake then drizzle your topping over it if you wanna get funky add some almond slices on top. Yum!

Fast and Easy Egg Scramble with Bacon and Avocado

For those of you looking for an easier more traditional breakfast that's fast or you aren't feeling the ingredients in the pancakes, scramble up some eggs or egg whites with veggies of your choice. I love mushrooms spinach and tomatoes together. Fry up a couple slices of uncured bacon and add some avocado slices to the side. If you choose this option make sure you have a serving of fruit on the side to go with your protein. I usually have a smoothie or a couple clementines and a banana or whatever fruit I have on hand to go along with my eggs and bacon addiction lol. Let me just say bacon is probably one of the best things on earth. Honestly you aren't supposed consume as much bacon a I do but hey it's so darn good and its paleo. My guilty pleasure :). Pictured is one of the breakfasts I made with mushrooms and onions and a side of sliced banana and apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a very LIGHT drizzle of honey.

LUNCH:

This one is simple and doesn't require a lot of prep work. This is a nice go to meal that you can make a lot of ahead of time and just warm up when you are ready. Not a lot of stirring or mixing or watching. The George Foreman and the oven are my friends when I don't want to do a lot on the stove. The combination of cinnamon, chipolte, and butter make this taste amazing. Chrisbert (the husband) really enjoyed this meal yesterday for lunch.

Grilled Chicken and Baked Chipotle Cinnamon Sweet Potato

Ingredients: 

Chicken Breast

Sweet Potato

Avaocado

Fresh and Easy Ground Chipotle Seasoning (you can sub with ground chili or any spice you want like Cumin)

Cinnamon 

Unsalted Butter (optional)

Fresh Parsley

Black Pepper

Sea Salt 

Your Favorite unsalted Seasoning (ie Mrs. Dash)

Directions:

Chicken

Season Chicken with Black Pepper and Mrs. Dash (or any other unsalted seasoning). Grill for a about 10 minutes or so. If you don't have a grill you can bake in the oven or cook in a skillet.Once cooked sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top

 Sweet Potato:

Wrap tightly in foil and put oven on about 400 degrees. Bake about 30 minutes or so depending on your oven or until the sweet potato feels soft. Be careful as it bakes some of the juice may come out of the foil so make sure your oven has a piece of foil underneath in case anything drips. Once finished in the oven carefully cut off the skin by putting a single slit down the middle. Take a small amount of unsalted butter and put down the middle (goes great with the cinammon). Sprinkle with cinnamon and Chipotle spice (or whatever spice you have on hand), sprinkle with a dash of sea salt. Sprinkle some fresh chopped Parsley on top. 

Avocado:

Just cut into cubes and add on the side for a delicious dish!

 

DINNER:

Paleo Meatball Veggie Soup

This meal is great for this freakishly cold weather. If you don't want to use red meat you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or whatever meat you want and make it your own but I was craving beef when I made this and it came out yummy. Also feel free to sub out the veggies I used for the ones you like more.

Ingredients:

Ground Beef (the leanest cut you can find)
Purple Onion
Garlic (I like my breath to stink obviously so I used 5)
Parsnips
Sweet Potato
Butternut Squash
1 box Free range chicken broth (use low sodium if you cant find)
1 can diced unsalted tomatoes
Mrs. Dash
Ground Chipotle (or red pepper flakes will do the trick)
Cumin
Ground Thyme
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Kale
Olive Oil

Directions:
Chop up your Onion garlic parsnips butternut squash and sweet potato (use as much or as little as you like. there is really no measurement here guys I just took some veggies and threw them in. try one servings worth of each veggie). Season with Mrs. Dash, Cumin, Ground Thyme Black Pepper, and a bit of Sea Salt (you wont need very much). Warm a pot with about two table spoons or so of olive oil on medium heat. Once warm sautee the veggies and stir frequently.

There are two options for the Kale. You can either chop and toss in olive oil and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes on low and throw in last or you can chop it up with the rest of the veggies above and saute together. If you want to use less dishes I say do the later. I just toasted mine to be fancy...lol.

While all your veggies are cooking down take your meat and season with all the seasonings mentioned above and roll into small balls about 1inch circumfrence or less. Warm a skillet on medium heat and place the meatballs in one by one being careful not to turn them so that they get a nice brown coat. Once they start to brown turn them each with a fork. The trick is to season both your meat and your veggies. When you season in layers you get more flavor.

When the meatballs are done continue watching and stirring your veggies and take out the meatballs and place to the side. In the same skillet you had your meat add the chicken broth and stir to get some of the flavor off. Add the can of tomatoes to the veggie mixture and stir.

After about 5 minutes or so of warming the broth transfer it to the same pot that you have the veggies in along with the meatballs. Stir all ingredients together. Let cook together on medium/ high for another 15 minutes or so uncovered then cover and let cook on low for an hour or more to marinate all of the flavors. This should make a few servings for you to have for the next couple of days. You can alternate this for lunch and dinner with the chicken sweet potato recipe. 

Good luck guys! Also make sure you have at least two snacks in between meals like a handful of nuts or a larabar or smoothie to keep you from getting hungry and making bad choices. Remember to please post any questions on here instead of Facebook so everyone can see please. Click to subscribe to my blog so you can see all the updates without having to check. (umm... I am actually not sure how you do that still haha. Still figuring out this tricky blogger).

OK I LIED... ONE MORE UPDATE!
A couple new snacks I tried! One was from last night the other just now. Monique I think you will love the gluten free flax "Cereal". First picture is just tomato avocado lots of black pepper and some fancy pork belly stuff from fresh and easy that tastes like prosciutto eaten with plantain chips instead of crackers. Second is this cereal I bought from fresh and easy said it was gluten wheat and soy free so I decided to try it after googling if I could eat flax seeds. There is some debate but for the most part it's a yes so I bought it. Added cinnamon banana sliced almonds a drizzle of honey and had with some almond milk.