La Vida Coco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO1q8Zwuc24

It's the weekend!!!!!!!! Have had this song in my head all week, and I think that and paleo have helped me get through the craziness that it was!

I have a lot to say about Paleo but not too sure where to start, and need to keep this short for right now...I am loving most things about it, particularly the joy that comes from getting a reply from El indicating that something I love is Paleo approved. I occasionally find myself pushing the gray area a little (Oh hello coconut water, red wine, and vanilla coconut coffee creamer! Is it strange that the things I find harder to give up are mostly liquids..).
The biggest challenge so far is probably the social/ eating out aspect of paleo, more to come on that later~!

Happy weekend to all!!!

Paleo Day 5-wish me luck

as I let this gem sit in my fridge for the next 2 weeks:


My cookbook and infinite guide of wisdom- Practial Paleo- stresses the importance of fermented foods as an addition to the diet. It provides a recipe for sauerkraut (roasted jalepeno and garlic)- which basically consists of cabbage, carrots, jalepeno and garlic.

I am to check it every couple days make sure the cabbage is below the water level ( as thats where the fermentation process takes place). The second photo shoes the use of a shot glass to hold down the ingredients (good thing I re-read the recipe, I completely missed that at first). Apparently, It's completely normal for some mold to form at the top and I just have to remove it..eeeek!!!

This will definitely be an experiment. It is supposed to stay in a cool dark place, but lets be honest, the only cool place in my apartment is the fridge. Hopefully it will be okay without the dark.  I can't promise to eat it when its "ready" ;)


Have you ever eaten or made sauerkraut before? Are you trying any new interesting recipes?

Paleo Day 4- The importance of sleep

The whole Paleo concept strongly advocates the importance of sleep. 8 hours if possible. In a pitch black room, and waking up with natural sunlight. The theory is that getting enough sleep is critical to hormone balance, to avoid increased Cortisol and having cravings throughout the day.

I know 8 hours a night is not always possible, but we can at least try to get in as much as possible.

Check out these tips for getting to bed on time

My calendar was definitely in line this morning-

Apologies for the horrendous glare...ahh the joys of working in a cubicle under florescent lights..

Paleo Meals, photos and update- Day 3

Good morning,
I am now on day 3 of eating Paleo and it is going quite well. What really stands out so far is that I rarely feel hungry in between meals. Whereas before I would be starving by 10-11am, now I get hungry at 12-1. I haven't felt any sugar cravings or cravings for things I can't eat, except if I am hungry and haven't eaten yet at a meal time. As soon as I eat my meal, the craving goes away and I am left full and satisfied.

In the past few days, I have shopped at Loblaws, Hartmans, Bulk Barn, Grace Ottawa and my parents cupboard. It takes a little while to stock up on paleo staples, such as Ghee, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, almonds, so many vegetables, meat etc. I finally feel like I have most of the things I need, although I am pretty sure I will run out of eggs quickly, and need more meat or fish soon too.

Here are some photos of the meals I ate yesterday:

Breakfast

2 eggs over easy; 1 piece of bacon; 1/4 avocado; coffee with 1 T coconut milk

Lunch

Honey Mustard Chicken- It actually doesn't have honey, just coconut oil; mustard, and basil salt; and a salad with balsamic vinaigrette (not shown)

Dinner

Kale chips; Steak served on onions- yellow pepper; African carrots ( garlic, coriander, cumin, lemon juice)

I went to my athletic conditioning class last night so I have gone twice this week- so far on course for goals.

The weekend will be a lot tougher with my sister visiting and meals at my parents. How is everyone else doing? what have you noticed so far?

I think I am falling in love..with PALEO

Happy Valentine's day!!!!

Paleo-Day one!

You put the lime in the coconut you drank them both up!....for some reason I've had this song in my head ever since I decided (well yesterday lol) to go Paleo. I think it may be because I saw limes as one of the first ingredients on the Practically Paleo for Athletes shopping list, and because coconuts are well, so paleo! (I can't believe I just said that...but it's true!).

Anywho, truth be told I have been contemplating doing this for quite some time, and after chatting with El yesterday it just seemed like the perfect time to fully take the plunge.
And I have to say that I am SO glad that I decided to start this today, on one of the most insanely hectic days I have had in recent times, as this new challenge provided just the positive energy that I needed to make it through! Actually I feel like I've already noticed some other benefits from going Paleo (although it's quite possible they are half in my head, but I'll take 'em anyways). For one thing, I was not hungry all day, even through morning, lunch and after school meetings. So I may or may not have eaten a boiled egg in front of my principal at one of the meetings, but  hey I was not hungry by the end of the day for once! Also, I was feeling much less anxious/ stressed/ tired/ on edge throughout the day, which was especially noticiable towards the end of the school day when fatigue and irritability would normally be setting in. I was able to work-out right after the crazy day and did not feel like I needed sugar or an energy boost of any kind.

All in all I have to say that I am feeling good about this so far, in case you couldn't tell.

Also, am starting a new challenge which is to ride my bike to work as many days (if not all of them) of this new challenge period as possible. I just got new bike bags and am stoked to use them...plus it is such a nice ride to work along the waterfront (oh and did I mention how nice and warm it is...hehe ok I'll stop, but it is quite nice and warm a lot of the time considering it's February!).


SO my question for everyone/ anyone reading is: What will your new 30 day challenge be??

NEW CHALLENGE.. Paleo

I am officially drinking the Paleo cool aid- or rather the sugarless, grain free, dairy free beverage..the paleo water I guess. I have heard so many positive responses to this way of eating that I decided to give it a try...at least for the next 30 days. Anyone who wants to join is more than welcome.

What is it? 

The Paleo diet, put simply, is a way of eating that mimics what our
Paleolithic ancestors ate (a hunter/gatherer lifestyle). It is a simple, yet
remarkably effective approach for fat loss as well as preventing or reversing
a number of degenerative diseases.

The Paleo diet is built from the healthiest, most nutritious foods available:
• Lean proteins (such as grass-fed meats, free-range fowl, and wild caught
fish) that support strong muscles, healthy bones and optimal
immune function. Protein also makes you feel satisfied between
meals.

• Fruits and vegetables (seasonally harvested, locally grown) rich in
antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that have been
shown to decrease the likelihood of developing a number of degenerative
diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurological decline.

• Healthy fats (such as nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and
grass-fed meat). Scientific research and epidemiological studies
show that diets rich in Monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats dramatically
reduce the instances of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease
and cognitive decline.


What are the benefits? 

What Can you eat?

Still not sure? 

There are so many resources out here for recipes, meal plans tips etc.. more on that soon.