Couch to 5k

This evening as I talked with SRB over dinner, I decided that I need a new goal. I told her that I'd like to get in shape well enough to travel next summer.  I want to tour Europe, but in order to do that I needed to be able to handle walking long distances.  Somehow, our conversation changed.  . . and we started talking about the Race for the Cure Race in October.  Our conversation migrated to a discussion about a Couch to 5k link the ND had sent me.  I think I can do it!  I'm going to do it, I'm sooo excited.  

So, tomorrow morning I'm off to the gym to either do water aerobics or walk on the treadmill.  I'm going to try to train (walking) night and day until I feel like I can run for 60 seconds.  I've got to be able to run for 60 seconds straight in order to do Couch to 5k.  Couch to 5k is a 2 month program.  I've got the whole month of August to get running!  Going to buy some new sneakers tomorrow.

Cheese

I had cheese for the first time today with a salad at a local restaurant--its one of those restaurants where the chefs shops daily at the farmers markets and only make "in season" meals.  My salad was topped with goat cheese.  I'm not sure how my body will react to it.  But here is what I thought as I ate:

I really  thought I wanted to add cheese back into my diet, but it wasn't as good as I remembered.  I can live without cheese.  It isn't worth slow weight loss.  

I can't explain how much I like eating this way.  And I like myself better like this.  Overall, I'm just happy!

~~~~~
3 hours later:  my stomach is rumbling and rumbling.  no pain, just rumbling.  its the loudest i've ever heard it before.  lots of rumbling.

Chocolate & Bowel Movements

I bought some dark chocolate and it was wonderful--it was listed as organic and free trade.  It didn't have any milk products in it.  It was REALLY good, but I didn't like the after taste, but it didn't stop me from nibbling.  And just a few squares quenched my sweet tooth.  Normally, when I'd buy chocolate, I'd demolish the entire BAR in the car.  Today, I ate a couple squares and put it back in my purse.    When I got home, I ate a few more bars.  And then while I was cleaning up after lunch, I had a few more bars, with still about half of the original bar left over.

Twenty minutes later, I felt SICK!  Nausea and general discomfort.  Like that day when I had too much fruit at PD.  Because my body and diet have changed, too much sugar does NOT feel good.  AT ALL!  Lesson learned.

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, 3 pieces of patrami, plum

Lunch:  salad, flounder, roasted green beans

Dinner:  snapper, zucchini, salad, braised red cabbage

Snack:  half a bar of dark chocolate

Since going Paleo, I've had this WEIRD fascination with bowel movements.  I've been reading about them online b/c my bowel movements seem more frequent and urgent.  Here is something I found online today:

What is that ideal frequency? It depends on what you eat. It takes meat between 48-72 hours to make its way from your mouth, through your stomach, intestines and out. It takes most vegetables about 2 hours. But, if you are eating a balanced diet, most doctors expect you to void at least once per day, more if you're eating a lot of vegetables and other foods with roughage.

I don't consider what I've eaten a meal unless, I have 2 or more veggies (used to be I'd have to have a substantial carb/grain) But finding this completely explains how my system is reacting to the change.

Fried Chicken

Today at PD, they had a southern style lunch complete with fried chicken & gravy & cobbler.  They had 2 veggies but both were those casseroles smothered in something that was creamy and topped with some crunchy grain stuff!.  I passed on this.  And actually it didn't bother me too much b/c I have a goal in mind.  And I came prepared with my own lunch.

Run down of my meals today:

• Breakfast:  Zucchini muffin, 3 slices of pastrami
• Snack:  sipped on coconut milk blend
• Lunch:  meatloaf, braised cabbage, squash, mixed fruit (honey dew, canteloupe, grapes & strawberries)
• Snack:  tbsp of hummus, boiled egg, crudités (celery, sliced bell peppers, tomatoes), handful of pecans.
• Dinner:  turkey leg, zucchini caserole, chef salad, braised cabbage.  I didn't finish it but b/c I was starving when dinner time rolled around  . . . my plate was bigger than I could handle.  I'm a bit disappointed in the turkey leg.  I'll order wings next time and see if I like them better.

I find that I am STARVING when I get home everyday.  I've gotta do something to be better prepared to handle my hunger after work days.

Tea for Indigestion, not needed on Paleo

Breakfast: left over steak, zucchini casserole &eggplant, sipped on coconut milk this morning

Lunch: salad, meatloaf, zucchini casserole, eggplant

Dinner:  roasted zucchini, braised cabbage, 2 pork chops

Dessert: blueberry cobbler

Last night, i had a tea made for digestion--it was the only caffiene free that i had. That stuff cleared me out and now I sit here late at night kind of hungry.  I don't think I'll drink that stuff again. It would have been perfect after my rib binge on the 4th

Resisting Sweets,

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, 3 slices of pastrami, coconut milk blend

Lunch@ PD:  chef salad (with eggs & grilled chicken & bacon), no dressing, almonds, 5 dried cranberries, 1/2 cup of mixed fresh fruit

After PD meal:  crudités, paleo hummus, meatloaf w/paleo bbq sauce

Dinner: ribeye steak, zucchini casserole, eggplant.  After fixing my plate, I found that I wasn't really hungry.  So about half of the meal will wrapped and put back in the frig for tomorrows breakfast.

At lunch today, I resisted the brownie they served with our lunch.  It looked good, but I held out.  Unfortunately, my brain is still processing that the sweets, though bad for me and filled with corn and other inflammatory ingredients, still look & taste good.  The lady at my table told me, "I just cut back on what I'm eating.  So, I just take a small bite and let that be it."  I explained that  I couldn't have it. "I don't know what is in it."  And to be honest, my clothes are fitting better than ever and I don't want to fail.  Today, Sarah noticed that my shirt was hanging off of me a little bit.  Those are the sweet moments!  Sweet!  I just feel good and better about myself.  I'm smiling more.  Although there are restrictions, I like this life.  And I don't have to count calories or points.

This evening while making dinner, I realized that all of the prep work done on the weekend really helps with cooking my meals. While my protein cooks & rests, I roast a veggie and prep tomorrows lunch and snack.    And the dishes????!!!!   I won't have to run the dishwasher tonight.

Changing the Title of this Blog

Breakfast:  leftover sirloin steak, zucchini muffin

Lunch:  salad, cauliflower mash, meatloaf, sautéed mushrooms, paleo bbq sauce

Dinner:  snapper, roasted squash, braised red cabbage

Desert:  blueberry cobbler, handful of pecans.  I am glad that I froze the rest of the cobbler, otherwise I'd be tempted to eat this everyday after dinner.  And I know that I need to reduce my fruit and nut intake.

I am thinking I need to change the title of this blog.  I think I want it to be more about my new "lifestyle."  Including workout information, recipes, maybe a page of stats and motivational ideas.  Maybe it should be confessions from the couch pt 2.  LOL!

My Big Cook

I'm out of my 30 days. . . but I've decided that I will be sticking with paleo. Tastes have changed and I can't deny the health benefits.

Breakfast/Lunch:  Steak, sauteed mushroom & onion, & a vegetable (don't remember what it was), plum

Snack:  pecans

Dinner:  braised cabbage, snapper, roasted zucchini, zucchini muffin

I completed my big cook tonight.  I decided that I could not "big cook" and clean my house on the same day, its just too much.  I was exhausted after 4 hours.  I was in the kitchen so long I didn't want to eat dinner.  Here is what I have ready for the week:

• hummus (i followed the recipe and felt like it was sooo salty I don't know what I'm going to do. . . i think I'll put it back in the blender tomorrow with more zucchini to thin it out.)
• zucchini muffins
• mashed cauliflower
• braised red cabbage
• sautéed mushrooms (I use these top everything)
• meatloaf

This week should be pretty easy cooking.  

Day 31

Breakfast:  Pork chop & Zucchini

Lunch:  Asparagus & swordfish

Snacked:  dried fruit from Just Tomatoes.  Probably about 10 pieces.  I made a coconut blend.  Didn't drink but a few sips b/c it was terrible. Something wasn't right.  I think I added too much water.  The ratio was off.

Dinner:  Salad & Chicken Wings from the India Palace.  I'm sure that the seasonings were non Paleo, but it was a celebratory dinner.  I won't do it again for a very long time.  I was still hungry after eating.  I know I didn't eat enough today. But I don't want to cook and nothing is ready for easy warm up.  This is why I desperately need to keep veggie slices and chopped and ready to go in the frig.

Dessert:  I came home an made blueberry cobbler from this recipe.  I made it in individual servings so I could freeze it.  I didn't eat it with coconut milk.  At first it seemed a little tart, not very sweet, but by the end of that serving, I wanted more.  Really tasty!  I resisted the urge and put them all in the frig to cool and avoid temptation.  This was more than enough of my "candy bar" for the day.  It really was a special treat.

Honey:  At the farmers market, I spent some time talking to a local beekeeper about their honey.  I asked if it was raw.  She said no b/c they heat it to 90 degrees, no more than that because if its more than that you loose the natural healing properties of it.  She explained that I shouldn't be looking for raw honey but local honey b/c it would contain the properties needed for immune systems in this area.  I bought a jar of her whipped honey.  Apparently, its raw honey had been whipped into a butter consistency.  I came home and read about raw honey--should be murky and not have been heated. The whip I bought is definitely murky but i don't know if it had been heated.  I still don't quite understand what I've bought--just that I've stimulated  the local economy. At least next time, I know what questions to ask.

The lady who sold the honey told me that for allergy sufferers, 1 tablespoon of raw honey everyday would cure them.  But it must be done everyday.  I tasted some this evening drizzled on top of my cobbler and when I finished the itching I'd been suffering from all summer long reoccurred.  (Tried a new pill today and it seemed to work okay) Supposedly the honey contains pollen and other stuff. . .if i try this plan, I think there is a period of adjustment. . . b/c right now my ears and throat are itching, again.  *sigh*

Day 30

Day 30 was great.  I am extremly proud of myself.  I've lost 10.5 lbs in the last 30 days and my numbers are GREAT!!!  The most fantastic thing of all:  I COULD FIT IN THE BOOTH AT J ALEXANDERS!!!!  Normally, it's a squeeze & its uncomfortable!  This time there was space between my belly and the table.  Oh, yeah!!!!

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, leftover pork chop

Lunch:  At with a friend at J. Alexanders--had grilled trout & zucchini

Dinner:  Pork Chop smothered in sauteed onions & mushrooms, Salad topped with cucumbers, tomatos & pico.

After dinner drink:  Hot Green Tea with lemon.  No sugar or honey.

Day 29

I can't believe it. 29 Days!!!

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, left over sirloin steak

Lunch:  Salad topped with fruit  (for some reason after I ate this I became really sick--nausea, gastric discomfort, pain)  After a conversation with a co-worker who attended the PD with me, I think I ate too much fruit at once.  And my stomach and body reacted to the serious increase in sugar.  It just wasn't good!

Dinner:  Zucchini casserole, snapper fish, pork chop.  I know went overboard, but I was soooo hungry.

Zucchini Casserole:  
1tbs coconut oil
1 chopped onion
1/2 red bell pepper
2 stalks of chopped celery
4 oz of bacon or canadian bacon
8 oz of mushrooms
3-4 medium zucchinis chopped
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1 egg
1 cup of almond meal
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs dill
pepper to taste

Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and celery on medium high heat with coconut oil. After 4 minutes, add in your bacon and mushrooms.  Stir occasionally.   While they are cooking chop your zucchini.  After its all chopped, add it to your pan of sautéed veggies.  Turn off the heat.  Mix coconut milk with one egg in a separate bowl.  Add 3/4 cup of almond meal to the pan of veggies.    Add in the seasonings.  Mix everything well.  Make sure the heat is off!!!!  Take the coconut milk-egg mix and a little at time and mix it into your veggies. (it will thicken any liquid that is produced by the veggies)  Poor into a greased casserole dish.   Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until zucchini is tender.  Add the remaining almond meal when there is 10 minutes of cook time left or top with cheese.

*if you do dairy you can substitute the coconut milk/egg mixture for cheese.
*if you do not like crunchy/firm veggies then you can sauté the zucchini before added the seasonings etc.
*the bacon can be left out.  I just need to do something with mine before it went bad.
*you can add 1 tsp of salt if you feel the need to salt your veggies


The finished product (mine was a little toasty b/c I forgot about it):

I created this recipe b/c I wanted a squash casserole and I couldn't make Paula Deen version

Digestive Issues

Here is what I think regarding my digestive issues.  I think they are now triggered by eating out. I got up this morning with a serious serious stomachache and other issues. The only thing I did differently yesterday was eat the lunch provided by the PD.  I do not think that I can eat meat anymore if I didn't make it. I think the preservatives or the fact that it is NOT grass fed meat irritates my digestive system. I did fine when I ordered my steak bare.  But every time, I order or eat chicken out somewhere (which has been seasoned), my stomach goes into a whirlwind. I'll order chicken from my grassfed meats guy and see what happens with that.

Day 28

I got a good report from my doctor today!  All of my numbers are in order--sugar & insulin are fine and I'm NOT diabetic!  And my cholesterol is down!!!! Yaahoooo!!!!

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, 2 slices of bacon (fruit from the fruit platter they had a PD--melon, grapes and strawberries)

Snack:  coconut milk blend in my thermal coffee mug.  I sipped on this all morning.  Because of this there was no need for snacks

Today, I had PD and they provided lunch--build your own salad.  I stayed away from the bacon b/c i'm sure it wasn't nitrate-free.  My salad was all veggies, boiled egg and chicken.   Two Hallelu-yer moments for this meal:

1. I made this big huge salad b/c I knew I couldn't have desert.  About halfway through the salad, I realized I wasn't hungry.  I stopped eating and threw it away.  This picture is what I threw away.
2. They had 2 delicious looking desserts. . . turtle brownie with all of the fixins and this lemony mouse thing.   I admired it b/c it looked sooo good.  But to be honest, I didn't have a desire to eat it.  I didn't have a sweet tooth at the end of my salad.  Who would've thought?  I can resist/not desire dessert!

There wasn't a need for my snack that I took with me.  When I came home, I put them in the frig.  I'll take the back tomorrow b/c again, I am not sure of what will be offered.

Dinner:  sirloin steak, roasted zucchini and squash, leftover turnip greens. Today, I salted my steak with a little sea salt before cooking it and I'm feeling like it's a little salty.  Wow, my taste buds have really changed.

This is an AMAZING squash I found at the farmers market today.  It's taller than my microwave.  It is really really fat.  I'm going to cut it tomorrow and make a casserole.

How should I shop for cheese if I want to add it back in?  I'd like to occasionally crumble some on my salads.  I'll make sure that its extremely limited no more than a tablespoon at a serving.

Day 27

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin & salami

Lunch:  tomato & cucumber salad, topped with roast beef and walnuts

Snack:  cup of coconut milk blended with ice & banana

Dinner:  ribeye, steamed veggies and salad   I had a "girls" day with one of my friends that included a pedicure and movie and dinner.  I asked for the steak bare. I think they may have put a little oil and salt on it, but it didn't seem excessive. the salad and veggies were perfect.  I can't believe how good the food was . . . I'm still a bit worried about what they may have done to it back there in the kitchen. . . . since doing Paleo, I just prefer to eat at home b/c I know what is in my food.

You know thinking about my diarrhea issues, I'm going to look back at my posts for the last week to determine when I've eaten out and see if thats the source.  Even before going paleo, Indian food would always send me running within a couple hours of eating it.

For tomorrow's PD, I've packed a ziplock baggie of almonds & cranberries  and a baggie of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes to snack if things don't work out.  I plan to put a cup of coconut milk in my coffee cup, to sip on throughout the morning to curb my appetite.  I'm really nervous about spending the entire day out. But I am excited about all of my preplanning.  It's really made me think about some of the things I need have in my classroom once the school year starts.

What kind of tuna do ya'll buy?

Day 26

Breakfast:   3 slices of salami & zucchini muffin and melon

Lunch:  tomato & cucumber salad, 2 boiled eggs

Dinner:  Leftovers of roasted squash and peppersteak

I cleaned out my frig today and threw away most of my nonPaleo stuff--i kept the booze. (School is starting soon and I might need a little "sum sum"!)  Left my frig pretty bare.

(the blue cup is left-over coconut milk that I might drink later tonight)

Day 25

Not a big eating day for me.  Just wasn't hungry.

Breafast:  Salami &1 zucchini muffin  ( i believe this will be my "go to breakfast")  It isn't hard get down.

Lunch/Dinner:  Peppersteak over mashed cauliflower and turnip greens, coconut milk blend

Snack:  cup of nuts

Peppersteak recipe:   Brown minute steak on high heat (abt 2 minutes per side)  I seasoned my minute steak with thyme, pepper & garlic powder (you use any seasonings that you desire)  Next time, I'm going to put some salt on them.  I am not salting my veggies so I think its okay to season my meat.

In the same pan with the drippings left over from browning the minute steak, toss in a sliced onion and 4 stalks of chopped celery.  Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Slice the minute steak and put it back in the pan.  Add one can of diced tomatoes and 1 and 1/2 cups of beef broth.  Cover your pan with foil and place it in the oven for 1 hour.

After an hour, add in slice bell peppers about 4 bell peppers worth.   And 1 cup of sliced mushrooms.  Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes until the gravy in the pan reaches the desired thickness.  Serve over mashed cauliflower.  I have not found a paleo way of thickening sauces w/o eggs.

I have found the source of my gnats.  I bought a big bag of onions and didn't put them in the refrigerator.  I put them under the kitchen sink.  Some had gone bad and were attracting gnats.  After cleaning out the cabinet and getting ride of the fowl onions, I believe that will be gnat free.  We'll know for sure tomorrow.

Day 23 & 24

Day 23

Breakfast: zucchini muffin & salami

Lunch: raw spinach topped with pot roast beef & pico

Snack: melon, nuts 

Dinner: Dinner at a jamaican style resturant.  Salmon on top of a dinner salad.  The salad had pumkin seeds on it.  I've got to do something about the way my friend and I socialize. . . we usually "break bread" and discuss and catch up.   We need to do more activities together.

I was going to eat paleo lasagna today but I dropped a plate and it cracked on the edge of the casserole dish.  My paleo lasagna was covered in glass bits.  Can you believe it?  I had to throw the WHOLE DISH away.  My feelings were hurt.


Day 24

Breakfast:  zucchini muffin, 2 slices of salami, 2 slices of bacon


Lunch/Dinner:

•  NY Strip
• Roasted Vegetable medley (tomatoes, squash, zucchini)
• Mashed Califlower

Snack:  

• Boiled egg (I can't believe I ate it with nothing else)
• Pecans

I hate that I've been eating pecans & fruit as snacks for the last couple of days.  The reality is that I need to go grocery shopping but I'm trying to hold off until next week.  I'm out of spinach, celery & bell peppers as well as other staples that are good for snacking.  Next time I shop, I will buy the spices to make the ranch dressing.  I have decided that on my big cook day, I will slice veggies and keep them in a baggie for easy snacking.  

Next week, I've got a couple of PD sessions. They provide lunch for us, but I think I still need to be prepared to take my own lunch.  Usually the company that does the training provides a make your own salad of some sort.   So, i think I'll be safe.  I just need to make sure that I take some "paleo" snacks and eat a substantial breakfast before leaving.

Today my blood pressure was taken 116/72!  I'll thrilled that its down.  THRILLED!!!!  I know its the rest and relaxation, but getting the exercise component in is key.  I was thinking about a trainer or something until I can be responsible for exercising on my own.  Sort of what J did to help me with Paleo, but I'll need someone IN PERSON to help me to navigate the gym.

I think I've got Paleo down and I LOVE it.  I feel free with it- a really good thing for me.  Honestly, I really only think about cookies & cake & ice cream when I see them.  Strangely my eyes are connected to what I think I want to eat. And now that I've been reading other Paleo sites, I believe this is something I can definitely do for life.  And it has really helped to watch movies like King Corn and Food, Inc. I realize how bad all that processed stuff is for the body. I hope the changes I make now can reverse the damage I've done over the last 30 years.
~~~~~~~
Reason I went to the doctor again today:  plate glass in my foot that I couldn't remove.  I was reaching into the cabinet to get a plate for paleo lasagna.  The plate fell onto my casserole dish (full of my veggie/paleo lasagna) and shattered.  I thought I had cleaned up everything pretty well, but not before I stepped on a plate shard that was left the floor.   Lesson learned!  Always wear shoes.  Even in the house.

Day 22

Breakfast:  leftover sirloin steak, cabbage and zucchini

Lunch:  zucchini muffin, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, 2 slices of salami (ordered this from the grassfed farm)

Snack:  5 cubes of melon

Dinner:  Raw spinach topped with roast beef & pico.  I was too depressed to cook so I just threw this together.

After dinner I had serious emotional eat:  i made a chocolate milk with coconut milk & had a handful of just grapes and handful of nuts.  i just stood in the kitchen and chowed down.  This was a first since I started Paleo.

After the "binge" I felt bad.  I don't know why I did it.  I just did.  I don't know what I'm doing anymore.  I'm confused and hurt.

Day 21

Breakfast:  2 zucchini muffins  & 4 strips bacon

Lunch:  raw spinach, pico, left over pork chop, left over greens

Dinner:  Sirloin steak, boiled cabbage, roasted zucchini & tomatoes, coconut milk & banana blend

I've been thinning out my coconut blend:  1 can of coconut milk, 3 cups of ice, banana, teaspoon of cinnamon into the blender.  This produces about two 12 oz cups of a frozen blend.  I usually drink one and put the other in the freezer for the next day or for a snack later that night.

Day 20

Can you believe it?  I only have 10 days left!!! I can see this as a lifestyle change, but we'll have to wait until Thursday when I have a checkup with my doctor.  I hoping for positivity and good numbers.

Yesterday, I made a batch of zucchini muffins.   Half had the just grapes (raisins) in them and the other half didn't.  After a taste test, I like the ones withOUT the fruit better.  Who would've ever thought that?  Next time I go to whole foods, I'm going to buy the dried apple and try it instead of the grapes. . . maybe its the grapes that I don't care for.  I really liked the ginger in muffins.  But the orange juice & zest didn't work for me.

Breakfast:  2 zucchini muffins & 5 strips of bacon  This is a perfect breakfast for me.  I don't feel like I'm choking  down the food.

Lunch:  Raw Spinach topped with roast beef and pico. This pico  and I are friends. . .I could probably make it myself.  All thats in it:  tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño.  Chopping the tomatoes will probably be the hardest part.

Snack:  Paleo lasagna & 4 cubed pieces of honey dew melon
I tried something new with the Paleo Lasagna. . . instead of Italian sausage (which I really am not a fan of), I used bacon.  And I tried to add in more veggies.  So, instead of just layering the sauce with the zucchini, I layered in some bellpepper slices, raw spinach and mushrooms along with the zucchini..  It produced about a cup of liquid.  I tilted the casserole dish and poured the extra liquid off and it was fine.

Dinner:  Pork chop, eggplant casserole, turnip greens

Day 19

Not a good day.  Nothing good to report.  I was not hungry today, its probably all of that MEAT I ate over the forth holiday. . .  .so I just nibbled on things throughout the day.

• Raw veggies of celery & bell pepper slices
• Pico  & Guacomole
• Ribs brought home from the cookout at my aunt's
• A hamburger
• A coconut blend

Today was my big cook day.  I made zucchini muffins, eggplant casserole and a pot roast (which I burned by leaving it in the crock pot .  Tomorrow, I'll make a Paleo-Veggie Lasagna.  A friend of mine makes a veggie lasagna that I'm going to combine with the Paleo recipe and see how it comes out.  

Day 18

Breakfast:  4 slices of bacon & zucchini muffin.  The bacon was much better than I remembered and very salty.  I just don't like the way it smells when its cooking.

Snack:  I fixed this snack b/c I was afraid of what would be at today's bbq.   Boiled egg, bacon, celery, cucumber, bell pepper slices with guacamole and pico de gallo

Lunch/Dinner:  Pork Ribs & Hamburger.  I had put some greens on my plate and ate about 3 fork fulls thinking they were a little sweet.  Then, my uncle showed me the can he used "doctor" the greens .  I read the ingredients and immediately stopped eating.  I think offended my family.  They cooked sooo much food and it all looked really good, but the only thing paleo friendly was the ribs and hamburgers.  My cousin said that I had a lot of discipline and will power b/c I stuck to my diet even in the midst of ALL the stuff they had.  I told them that I wasn't "eating carbs" instead of trying to explain Paleo.  She said she wished I'd told her so before I came so that she could have other things to offer me.  I felt bad that I hadn't done that.. . . The ribs were really good.  I think ate half a slab.

I felt sick when I left.  I have indigestion.  I haven't eaten that much pork in a VERY long time.    I need to do a cleanse to rid my body of this yuckiness. How do I get my insides clean after 2 days of meat craziness?  I usually eat a lot of veggies with every meal.  My body is probably going into shock after all of this meat!  Still, my stomach never felt tight. . . .it just feels unhappy.  And I can hear it gurgling, now.

day 17

Wow, I'm up to day 17!

Breakfast:  Canadian Bacon and Zucchini muffin

Lunch:  Went for my weekly Indian w/my friend.  This time I was clear  about my new diet.  I told her about Paleo.  I had a salad of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes mint sauce, tandoori chicken.  This time I went back for seconds.  I ate until I was full. I think I ate 5 or 6 pieces of chicken.  I was hungry and I'd met her without going home in between my errands and had breakfast really early.

Snack:  celery, bell pepper slices & cucumber dipped in pico de gallo & guacamole that I bought at the farmers market after DRILLING the seller about its contents. (He was clear that it only contained what I saw in it, lime juice and salt.)  So, I felt pretty comfortable about buying it.  I know it was "homemade"  The avocado chunks in the guacamole were HUGE!!!   I didn't finish the whole plate.  I ate about half of it--the satisfied level.  I ate this b/c I was not sure what would happen when I went to the bbq.

Dinner:  Went to a BBQ.  Had 3 pieces of chicken, hamburger & steak along with several pieces of the crudités (tomatoes & broccoli).  Grilled veggies.  For desert, I had 2 strawberries (they were sooooo SWEET!) It felt like everything was really salty.  And I'm sure it was, I think I need to flush out my system with water from all of the salt I ingested.  After eating at the BBQ, I felt like I had overeaten.  The first time since I started this whole process.  But again, it wasn't so bad that I was sleepy or felt sick.  I had a little indigestion after eating but it went away after about 10 minutes. . . I think it was the salt.  I think I'm a changed woman . . . I think I might have found the RIGHT path for a healthy body.  I can really taste my food and . . . I can't wait to see the BIG changes at the in 13 days, unless J tells me I need to start over b/c I didn't do well at the BBQ.

Day 16

Breakfast:  Canadian Bacon, Zucchini Muffin, left over coconut milk-banana blend

Lunch:  leftovers (zucchini, squash & eggplant casserole) & Canadian bacon

Dinner:

• Spinich salad topped with grilled scallops and sautéed mushrooms
• Squash

After a comment from J, I will be cutting out nuts.  I will only eat them if they are in a recipe.  No more snacking on nuts.  And, I won't be using the cocoa powder either.  I really want to do this right.  I don't want to cheat or be "disobedient."   I think I'm over the worst part of the transition.  I'm not hungry all the time . . . and the only thing I TRULY miss is cheese (really thats the only thing I'd like to add back after the 30 days).  I don't miss the candy anymore.  I'm sure my teeth don't miss it.  The only time I want something sweet (like cupcakes) is when I see a commercial.

When I put on my clothes this morning, I really liked the way that I feel in them.  My pants used to always roll down.  I think it was b/c they were too tight in the waist.  Now, they stay up and fit comfortably.  My shirts are officially too big.  My upper belly (yes, I have two--an upper & lower roll) seems to be decreasing in size.  My bra seems to fit just a little bit better.  It'll be a "Hallelu-yer!" moment if these puppies shrink!

I don't feel the need to salt things much anymore.  I am really beginning to enjoy the taste of veggies with just a little bit of pepper.

Con of Eating Paleo:  GNATS!!!  I think I brought some home from the farmers market the last time I went.  I've been cleaning and there never around the sink or trash.  I only see them when I sit down to eat!  And its driving me insane b/c I can't figure out how to kill those annoying little buggers.  This one little bug keeps flying around my face. . .  and, boy do I have some words for it!

I am worried about the 4th of July festivities.   I've already been invited to a bbq & i'm sure more invites will come. (and I haven't told anyone I'm Paleo yet).  I know I can eat the meat, but I KNOW it will have a lot of salt on it.  Worried about how I can make this work.  Just eat before I go and decline everything thats offered?  I know that I'll probably made a veggie dish to take and I can't just eat that.  But I can't partake of anything like slaw or baked beans or potato salad or corn on the cob. . . .I'm even worried about the veggies.  *sigh*  I called the friend and told her that I was carb free and she went on and on about caramel cake and other things.  I can't eat any of it.  She said their would be grilled peppers and mushrooms.  Hopefully, they won't slather it in BBQ sauce.

Day 15 The Half Way Point

This morning I went to the pool.  It was great being back in the water.  I really feel like I've lost some of my skill, but I feel like I look better in my suit.  My stomach doesn't seem as round as it used to be.

I noticed today that yellows of my "farm" eggs are yellower than normal eggs.

Breakfast:  Left over NY strip & zucchini muffin (J, thank you for RELEASING me from the standard breakfast fare.  Those eggs and I were not getting along.  I like eating breakfast a little bit more now.)

Lunch:

• Eggplant casserole 
• Spinach Salad (boiled egg, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, lemon juice, sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers & celery)

Snack:

• Nut bag:  handful of coconut flakes, handful of walnuts & pecans.  (I went to a movie and I didn't want to be tempted to have popcorn OR anything they were serving there except for water.  So, I made this baggie and put it in my purse.  I brought home half of what I took to the theater.)

Dinner.

• Sirloin
• Roasted Squash
• Mashed Cauliflower with a couple tablespoons of coconut milk
• Leftover cabbage
• Coconut milk

Strangely, all of my vegetables are starting to taste SWEET!  Its weird and I don't like it!  Is it b/c I haven't been having a lot of sugar?  Cauliflower, sweet?  Weird!    Yesterday, the eggplant casserole was sweet could my palette be out of whack?

Am I eating too much now?  I feel like I am eating WAAAYYY too much!  But I'm not feeling the need to eat in between meals. I'm still want a cupcake.

Oh, I ordered bacon from the meat guy.  They make it on the farm, they say its nitrate free and antibiotic free but it says its made with "salt, maple and cane sugar, beet powder, lemon oil and spice extractives."  The sugar in the bacon is that bad?