ONE YEAR!

I started this blog one year ago today!  A lot has changed in the last year.  I don't even know where to start!  So... let's look at some of my early goals:

• Eat 125-150g of protein/day - I've actually come back to and am still working on this one.  I started tracking my intake again about 6-7 weeks ago and found that I was getting around 70g of protein a day.  I have since upped my protein to at least 100g/day and increased my calories as well.
• Eat 20-25g fiber/day - I don't find this one to be as important anymore, but I've been getting anywhere from 15 to 20g/day
• get most (if not all) of my carbs from fruits & veggies -I've done spectacular on this (especially since doing Whole30s)!  I do go through stages where I eat some candy or honey, but most days my only carb sources are fruits & veggies (including starches like sweet potatoes!).  I have allowed for rice ocassionally when dining out.
• continue to avoid artificial sweeteners -This is a no-brainer.  I don't use any artificial sweeteners or drink or eat anything with them in it.  I'd rather have refined sugar than artificial, but I mostly opt for fruit or honey for sweetening.
• continue trying new foods -Yep!  Still trying new things all the time :)
• feel good about the changes I am making :) -Totally!
• read new material about paleo every day (this should be an easy one!) -Everyday I read material about nutrition and health both on the internet and in books.  I'm currently reading The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler, MD as well as Primal Body - Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas.  Both are great reads!!!!  

October 2011               August 2012                 February 2013

So, here are some new goals:

• Continue to PR at CrossFit and my 5ks
• Keep trying new food
• Keep educating myself and keeping an open mind about nutrition and health
• Keep inspiring others to take control of their own health through nutrition & fitness

So... that's it folks!  It's been a great year and I look forward to many many more!  Thanks for hanging out with me this year!  

Whole Foods

As I mentioned in my previous post about traveling, I ended my trip with a visit to Whole Foods in Nashville.  As you can see, I brought home a load of stuff.  The total bill was over $80 (ouch), but I mostly bought things that I cannot find in my city.  

This stuff is so freaking delicious that I jumped
on the internet after we tried it to see if there are
any places closer that I can get it.  Turns out
there is!  I have a co-worker picking up 4 jars for
me next week :) :) :)

Let's take a closer look at some of these items...

I got this because I have heard read so many recipes that go on and on about how wonderful it is.  I have no idea how I'm going touse it yet, but it's in my freezer waiting...

These were ok, but I like homemade better.

Of course this was amazing!

Another item that I have no clue how I am
going to use.  I was searching for palm oil
and never found it, but came home with this.

I also got 4 half pound packages of KerryGold butter.  It was almost half the price of what I pay locally.  I put that in my freezer too.  I bought medjool dates because I have a lot of recipes that call for them and have never seen them locally.  I probably need to use them soon.  The Kombucha was great! At least the berry one was.  The citrus was just ok.  I also bought raw goats milk cheese, which was just ok.  Cheese isn't wasn't I use to think it was.  I can live without it.

Reflections...

Photo Credit: www.blog.zap2it.com

Have you all seen this commercial for the new Cool RanchDoritos Taco at Taco Bell?  I watched it the other day and thought about how when I was a teen/young adult, I thought Cool Ranch Doritos were the tastiest thing on earth!  Now I probably wouldn't touch them with a 10’ pole. I've been learning so much about how these types of foods are engineered to our tastes and to make our brains react in a way that we want more, more more!  I am currently reading “The End ofOvereating” by David A. Kessler, MD. and it’s driving that point home even more. 

The further I get away from the processed foods, the more I wish I would I have known these things sooner.  Like 10 years ago would have been nice (maybe I would have never become overweight.)  Or even to have been raised eating real food would have been awesome.  My parents were not overly-dependent on processed foods when I was growing up, but once I was old enough to make my own decisions about what to eat, I made terrible ones and nobody told me differently.  If they had, I probably wouldn't have listened anyway. 

Of course, those years I did Weight Watchers, I lived off Smart Ones frozen “meals”, Slimfast shakes and Campbell’s "soup to go".  I guess we all have our “gateway” foods that (hopefully) get us on a path to better health.  As I sit here fluctuating between 5lbs of bodyweight and a percent or two of body fat, my biggest concern is this:

WILL I KEEP IT OFF THIS TIME?

I feel like I could never go back to eating a lot (or even very much more than a little) of processed foods and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to eating gluten grains or refined sugar, but what if I do?  What if this isn't the “be all, end all” that I think and hope that it is?  Then what?  I have already come to the conclusion that I will need to change things up as I go.  My body has different needs when I am trying to maintain vs. when I am trying to lose.  I just hope I don’t ever get out of control and pack on 30-45 lbs again.  You hear it all over the place: “Paleo isn't a diet, it’s a lifestyle”.  Hubs and I are even guilty of saying it.  I just hope we’re right…

Paleo Gurl Travels

I took a little road trip this weekend.  On my way out the door I grabbed a few things to help me stay Paleo(ish) while on vacation:

Avocado, Cahsew Cookie Larabars, Homemade Grass-Fed Beef
Jerky,Clementine, Apple, Plain Almonds

I was a little nervous about how I would eat while I was staying with my friend and her family.  You see she's an incredible cook and I always loved her cooking, but her cooking style doesn't fit with my new (it's been a year now!) way of eating.  It turned out that she was nervous about "feeding me" too.  Everything went just fine.  We met at the Tennessee aquarium in Chattanooga and had a great time seeing the sights there.

Afterward, we ended up at an O'Charleys where I had a Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with asparagus!  I did also have a couple of pickle chips :)  The next day she made me eggs for breakfast and I shared my avocado with this handsome little man:

 

I snacked on my fruit & jerky for lunch and for dinner we ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta where I enjoyed this:

Smokehouse Chop Salad

I also had a fruity alcoholic drink and some french fries with ranch dressing (not perfect paleo, but so worth it!).  

On my way home yesterday I stopped for eggs, hashbrowns and bacon.  I also stopped at Whole Foods in Nashville and will feature another post about that tomorrow!  The stress of driving in bad weather got to me and I ended up stopping at an Arby's on the way back.  I ate the roast beef (no bun) and a small curly fry.  Needless to say, today I feel the need to get back on track!  Been drinking plenty of water and eating "clean"!