Day 21 & 22

Made it to three weeks... almost caved yesterday though.  WHY is this still so hard?!  I'm getting frustrated with myself.

Yesterday -
Breakfast: sweet potato cakes (2 baked sweet potatoes, 1 egg), 1 apple
Lunch - Chicken, salsa & guacamole salad from Chipotle - SOOOO good
Snack - walnuts (roasted & honey), shredded chicken
Dinner - Shrimp, with green & wax beans
Snack - few handfuls of golden raisins

Today - 
Breakfast: 1/2 frittata with sausage, artichokes, & onions, 1/2 apple
Snack:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner:

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Day 20

I NEED SLEEP!  I'm slowly starting to go crazy from sleep deprivation.  Naps are in order for this weekend.  Well, that's if I can get my daughter to nap as well:).

Breakfast - coffee, banana, 1/4 apple, 1/2 frittata with sausage, onions, tomatoes (seriously considered eating the whole thing, I'm so hungry).
Snack - larabar
Lunch - Shredded chicken over arugula, not sure what else
Snack - Okay, I went a little overboard... and cheated a bit on the whole 30 thing... 2c. walnuts, roasted with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey (!), apple, 1/2 frittata coffee
Dinner - 4oz. steak, steamed broccoli, carrots and green beans

HUGE binge today on the nuts, but oh my God, they were delicious and actually hit the spot, unlike anything else I've had for the past 20 days.  I don't know what my deal is, but I'm having such a hard time with this Paleo challenge.  It's probably just life in general and that's carrying over into my diet life:).

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Day 19

I felt really awesome last night while putting my daughter to bed.  I felt like, "Wow, I can really do this and I don't even WANT anything like pizza again."  Then my daughter woke up at midnight and didn't go back to sleep for a few hours and I started craving junk again.  I also ate through all my leftovers, so now I have the task of cooking if I want something good to eat (and I'm exhausted and don't want to do it).

So, here we are for today:
B - frittata with leftover broccoli, ham, onions
Snack - apple
Lunch - turkey meat over arugula, larabar, cranberries, lemon juice
Snack - I feel like eating everything in site or going and getting something really bad to eat.  I might eat the leftover frittata shortly so I can feel somewhat full.
Dinner - No earthly idea but probably something like chicken. Ended up eating shredded chicken and pistachios.

I'm tasking myself to go through our deep freezer this weekend and pull out a few pieces of meat to use in recipes next week.  We have a freezer full of delicious grass-fed/locally/humanely raised food and it's just piled on top of each other so I have no idea what's in there.  Pathetic, I know.

Enough negativity from me.

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Day 17 & 18

I've been slacking on keeping this blog up to date (sound familiar?).

Yesterday -
Breakfast: spaghetti squash bake (2 squares), bacon, 2.5 slices
Snack - dried fruit
Lunch - leftover chili, clementine
Snack - dried fruit, pecans
Dinner - lots of pulled pork, green beans
Snack - dried fruit binge:(

Today -
Breakfast: spaghetti squash bake (2 squares)
Lunch - burger patty, small cup of chili
Snack - last square of spaghetti squash bake:(, apple pie larabar, dried fruit, clementine, apple
Dinner - leftover chili
Snack - pistachios,

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Day 16

Last night, my husband had pizza for dinner... it was really hard, but I stuck it out with my leftover chili:).  Very proud of myself. :)

Breakfast - 2 squares of spaghetti squash egg bake, coffee, banana
Snack - larabar, apple, clementine
Lunch - leftover chili, few bites of chicken thighs (shredded)
Snack - larabar, golden raisins
Dinner - Arugula salad with shredded chicken thighs, 1 roma tomato, broccoli (cooked in EVOO & garlic), olive oil and lemon juice
Snack - pecans, turkey deli meat, 2 more squares of spaghetti squash bake

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Day 15

Well, I decided to plug into dailyplate what I ate yesterday and I'm eating SO many calories.  Oh my god, it's scary!  My carbs are also too high.  I was doing well, under 150g until I remembered that I took a few sips of OJ yesterday and that threw me over the line.  For yesterday, I was at 159, so still not atrocious (especially considering what my levels would have been 16 days ago!), but without the OJ and the numerous Larabars, I would have been doing quite well.  I will strive to do better.

Breakfast - 2.5 slices of bacon, 3 eggs scrambled in bacon grease, & coffee + about 1/2c. of slow-cooked chicken thighs with herb seasonings and chicken broth (I LOVE waking up to food being cooked in the slow cooker.  It feels like a productive morning even before I've done anything!)

Lunch - shredded chicken, arugula salad
Snack - apple pie larabar, raisins
Dinner - Leftover chili
Snacks - raisins, larabar

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Day 14

Two weeks down, woo hoo!  Feeling reinvigorated after reading lots of Eades blog posts.  I was discussing with my husband this evening how I think I've figured out why these paleo challenges have been so difficult for me since having my daughter... I'm completely out of the realm of Crossfit/Paleo online now.  I rarely read fitness/health blogs and I don't see it in mainstream circles, so I'm not getting the motivation/support I used to have.

So, that's a tangible thing I can do to help myself.. read more Crossfit/Paleo blogs.

Breakfast - 3 slices bacon, 4 scrambled eggs, clementine
Snack - apple, larabar
Lunch - ham/turkey on arugula with tomato, lemon juice and olive oil (this was gross for some reason... I guess maybe too much deli meat lately)
Snack - NINE chicken wings (roasted with spicy garlic sauce) - very yummy and spicy
Dinner - 1 chicken breast, leftover peppers, onions and broccoli stirfry mix
Snack - larabar

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Friday the 13th

Friday, day 13... my cravings still haven't abated yet.  I was hoping by time I neared the second week I would be feeling less like eating an extra large cheese pizza every few hours:).

Breakfast - last leftovers of spaghetti squash bake, 4 small sausage patties, coffee
Snack - larabar, 1/4 apple
Lunch - turkey deli meat, few bites of chili, clementine
Snack - ham deli meat (2 slices), coffee, larabar, apple
Dinner - Cheese pizza?? Chicken breast w/peppers, onions and broccoli and an arugula salad with lemon juice and olive oil, salt and pepper.

I'm also spending way too much on groceries.  I've spent over $400 in the past three weeks and that's just NOT in the budget.  I'm going to have to tighten things up a bit.  The crazy thing is that I haven't even really bought much meat, which should be the expensive thing!

Okay, Dr. Michael Eades gave me what I needed today!  Thank you for the inspiration and explanation, Doc.

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Day 12

Breakfast - leftover spaghetti squash bake, 1 apple, coffee
Snack - larabar (I know, I know, I'm eating too many of these things)
Lunch - Chili, arugula salad w/evoo and lemon juice (my new favorite thing to eat), 1/2 patty bison burger
Snack- larabar
Dinner - leftover spaghetti squash bake, arugula salad
Later that night.... bowl of chili and 3 squares of 86% chocolate (finally caved, but at least it's not milk chocolate?)

Craving a milkshake today.  It is a huge weakness of mine.  Ever since I got pregnant, I have been literally CRAZY for milkshakes (chocolate to be specific).  It got to be around a milkshake PER DAY at one point.  After my 30 days are up, I'm going to try to make some coconut milk ice cream so that I can have coconut milk/cream milkshakes... mmm.  Maybe something like this (but with paleo coconut vanilla ice cream).

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Day 10 & 11

Struggling yesterday, almost caved a few times, but slapped myself and pulled it back together.

Breakfast - Frittata w/sausage, onion, tomato, mushrooms, coffee, clementine
Lunch - ham and turkey arugula salad w/tomato, green onion, broccoli, evoo and lemon juice
Snack - 3 larabars (!), raisins, 3 hardboiled eggs
Dinner - 3 chicken drumsticks, kale/collard greens, 1 sweet potato made into 4 fritters (mixed with 1 egg and fried in olive oil)

Took a 30 minute nap with my daughter this evening and then went to bed when she did at 9pm (late for her)!  Must have needed the sleep.

I hope today will be easier.  I know it's just mental b/c I'm eating a TON of food, I just never quite feel satisfied (unusual on paleo, I know).  I guess it just goes to show how far I've strayed.

Breakfast - Leftover frittata from yesterday, 1 apple, coffee

Lunch - somewhere out with my parents, will have to pick best paleo option from what's available - ended up being a burger place so I had a burger patty, banana bread larabar.
Snack - key lime larabar, 2 slices deli meat (ham), 1 hardboiled egg, coffee
Dinner -Bison patties (1.5), 2 squares of Spaghetti Squash Breakfast Bake, arugula salad with evoo and lemon juice.
Snack - larabar & apple (hubby was having peanut butter crackers.... I needed something:)!)

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Day 9

I'm eating way too many pistachios, so I'm not buying them anymore:).  We'll see how long I last without them in the evenings. 

Breakfast - frittata w/ham, onions, red peppers, green onions, & mushrooms, 1 apple
Snack - clementine, raisins,
Lunch - 2 chicken drumsticks with kale/collard greens, 1 apple
Snack - raisins, clementine, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 chicken breast
Dinner - Ham and turkey on arugula w/tomato, cucumber, sliced almonds, green onions
Snack - (STARVING!) Other half of frittata plus a few larabars throughout the day.

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Day 8

Long night last night.  Stayed up way too late trying to watch the Republican debate, while my daughter woke up about every 30 minutes after 8pm (!!!).

Breakfast - leftover frittata from yesterday and LOTS OF COFFEE
Snack- pistachios, raisins, clementine, deli turkey meat
Lunch - Banana bread Larabar, Went out to eat and only option was a greek salad with shredded chicken (and it was like 1c. worth of food! STARVING).  So I came home and ate the remaining leftovers of the meatball and peppers/carrots/onions.
Snack - pistachios, clementine
Dinner - Chicken drumsticks w/kale & mustard greens, slow cooked with garlic, onions, chicken stock and red wine vinegar (maybe - might not be hungry enough for this, we'll see)

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Day 7

Week 1 complete!  Still feeling good, but still feeling hungry.  I'm hoping I can get this worked out next week.  I've just been eating TONS more lately, in the hopes that it will curb my hunger.

Breakfast - Coffee, Frittata with last remaining veg (broccoli, mushrooms, green onions) and bacon.
Snack - Clementine, raisins, bites of banana, banana bread larabar
Lunch - leftover fish and sweet potato (8oz. of fish), few bites of spaghetti squash with meatballs/peppers/onions on top
Snack - clementine, raisins, pistachios
Dinner - 3 slices of bacon, spaghetti squash with meatballs/peppers/onions that I didn't eat at lunch

All in all, I'd have to say my first week has gone surprisingly well.  I'm feeling less snacky as I go about my day, although, I've had a weak past few days where I REALLY wanted some Christmas candy that's still hanging around the house.

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Day 6

Felt really awesome last night... but had a horrendous headache yesterday afternoon.  I'm not sure if it was because it was my first 10 hour workday or because of my caffeine addiction  (and so I took tylenol and had another cup of coffee).

Breakfast - Coffee, leftover frittata from yesterday plus an apple.
Snack - Clementine, raisins, cranberries (dried)
Lunch - 1 banana (while cooking), meatballs (sausage/beef), with stewed tomatoes (from our garden!), orange pepper, onions, carrots and apple cider vinegar (modified recipe from Paleo on a Budget)
Snack - clementine, pistachios (finished them off... not sure how I'm going to binge tonight! ;) )
Dinner -  Date night!  So we had sushi - I had a few different kinds of sashimi, and something called a naruto roll with tuna and wrapped in cucumber.  It was great!  I'm so excited that I can get something other than just sashimi when we order take-out sushi.  I also had a wonderful seaweed salad and tons of pickled ginger.  I'm sure the ginger isn't paleo (since pickling involves the use of sugar), but I splurged.

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Day 4 & 5

Forgot to update yesterday so I'll try to remember what I ate:
Breakfast - 1/2 frittata (same as always, sausage, tomatoes, onions, green onions, mushrooms)
Snack - 3/4 apple, raisins
Lunch - Ham & hard-boiled egg salad (arugula, almonds, tomato, green onions, cucumber)
Dinner - other half of frittata (went to my niece's 6th bday party and my sister made spaghetti carbonara and chocolate cake... it was tough, but I ate my frittata:)!)
Snack - 3 hard-boiled eggs and my weight in pistachios.

Today -
Breakfast - coffee, frittata with bacon, onions, green onions, yellow pepper, mushrooms
Snack - apple, raisins, few bites of banana
Lunch - Bison burger (1/2lb.) with arugula, cucumber, tomato, green onions, almonds)
Snack - 2 clementines
Dinner - 4oz. halibut (cooked with olive oil, salt and pepper), 1 roasted sweet potato
Snack - coffee, pistachios, raisins

I can't seem to get my evening hunger in check, hence the pistachios and dried fruit binges every evening.  I know it's not good to eat so much dried fruit and nuts, but for now, I'm going with it until my hunger evens out.

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Day 3

Feeling good, ate like a horse this morning, but oh well.  Still having a serious case of the soda-crash and craving sweets like nobody's business.

Breakfast:
3/4 frittata (probably eat the last quarter for a mid-day snack) with 4 eggs, 1/4lb. sausage, onion, two green onions, 1 roma tomato, 4-5 button mushrooms
swallow of OJ (all that's left - YAH!)

Snack:
few cranberries, bites of banana

Lunch:
Chicken breast with salad of tomato, cucumber, almonds, green onions and probably some ham to beef it up a bit
raisins

Snack:
Leftover frittata
raisins

Dinner:
leftover chili
2-3 slices of bacon

Snack - pistachios + 2 clementines (serious sweet cravings this evening)

Started some bone broth yesterday, so hopefully get to taste a bit of that tonight for sipping.  It smells delicious.  I used pork backbone (easiest thing to find in my deep freezer) and this recipe.

 Went a little nuts with the raisins today.

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Day 2

Day 2 -
Made more coffee than normal this morning:), hoping to ward off the early afternoon caffeine crash.  My thought is that if I up my coffee intake while kicking the soda habit, I can wean myself back to my normal 1.5 cups a day later.  We'll see.

Breakfast:
Leftover frittata from yesterday
1 clementine

Snack:
Few bites of my daughter's banana

Lunch:
Leftover shrimp with arugula, almonds, roma tomato, cucumber slices, green onions, and ham.

Snack:
Pistachios
Golden raisins

Dinner:
Bean-less Paleo Chili - X

PLUS - a glass of OJ around mid-day.  I know it's paleo, but it's frowned upon, and certainly not good during my whole30 challenge.  Hopefully my husband will drink the rest of it soon and get it out of the house.

Oops - surprise visit from my brother this evening, so we went to dinner...at an Italian place. WHY are these the hardest restaurants to eat paleo at?  I got a grouper filet with artichokes, black olives, spinach and capers with a side of asparagus and a potato cake thing that turned out to be a HUGE pile of mashed potatoes that were breaded, stuffed with cheese and deep fried.  It was too much for me to handle.  I should have just asked that they leave it off the place.  I ate almost all of it and now feel sick.   Lesson learned - I have no self control if it's on my place.

My husband notified me today that he will not be doing a strict paleo diet with me.  He'll eat as close to paleo as he can, but he's not the type to go all or nothing (and that's the only thing that really keeps me on track).  I guess I'm the type of person that desperately need structure and a strict one at that.  I think this might be why I have worked out only a handful of times since the birth of my daughter.  My schedule is never predictable and I used to work out at the same time every time I worked out... I can't do random or unpredictable, apparently.

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New Year, New Attempt

Well, here's to 2012 being a year of success with diet and exercise for me and my family.  I was unsuccessful in every way in 2011.  I guess I used the excuse of having a small child to keep me from taking any time for myself to exercise.

So, day 1 has started off well;).  I went to bed early last night, like REALLY early (8pm-ish) and slept like a rock.  My poor husband rang in the new year alone, which I'm sad about.  But I feel wonderful this morning due to the sleep I desperately needed.

My daughter and I woke up early and had a great breakfast.  I plan to make it to the grocery story this afternoon to stock up on some veggies to keep us fed through the week.  Thankfully, we're set on meat since we got half a hog and a 1/4 cow earlier in 2011.

So... "before" measurements:
Weight: 150 lbs.
Waist (smallest part): 30.5in.
Waist (at hip bones): 36.5in.
Hips (widest): 40.5in
Upper arm (widest): 11.5in.
Thigh (widest): 22.5in.


So for breakfast this AM:
coffee (1 lg. cup ~ 12oz.)
frittata with eggs, red peppers, onions, pork sausage, & spinach


Snacks:
2 clementines


Lunch:
Roasted shrimp with hot chili sauce (need to check ingedients, though) on salad with tomato and green onions.


Snack:
2 glasses of white wine (not okay on Whole 30, but couldn't waste the opened bottle)
8oz. coffee
handful of dried cherries
1 c. salted/roasted pistachios


Dinner:
Chicken breast with broccoli and sweet potato mash (w/bacon, chicken stock, coconut milk, and toasted pecans)

I'm trying to be careful to not cut my consumption of food too low.  I'm still almost exclusively breastfeeding my 17 month old (with hopes that she begins to eat more food SOON!), so I want to ensure my milk production stays high enough to feed her.


Update:
It's 5pm and I'm SERIOUSLY feeling the caffeine loss from no soda.  I've become a coke addict (coca-cola, I mean) in the past few months and I think this part might be the biggest challenge for me.  I've had another round of coffee (usually just a morning coffee drinker) and I'm feeling hungry.  Hoping a dinner of chicken and sweet potatoes will balance me out and not leave me hungry and snacky this evening.

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