Thursday 11 July 2013

Here's to a Long Summer!

Wow. Two months I have neglected this blog. That went insanely quickly! I promise that I had good reasons for being gone so long; exams, moving, Wimbledon, sleeping, graduating...
I am now no longer a student. Boo. I refuse to pay adult prices anywhere and managed to get away with child bus fair's until I was about 19 years old, so the coming months are going to be a shock to the system, and the bank balance (not that that hasn't taken a regular beating on the coffee side).

Summer is here, and yes I have proof; sunburn. Luckily nothing too horrifying, but colour is definitely there! The forecast for the next week looks positively barmy and since my graduation ceremony is next Monday I think I am going to need to take a spare change of clothes as I know I am going to sweat through the gown!

Food wise, the past few months have been very hit and miss. I would say I was more Paleo 60/40 than my aimed 80/20 but that's okay as I am back on track now! And to kick start my summer of post-graduation, unemployed bum phase, I reveal to you a new Paleo recipe that I have been trying:) 

Summer 'Rice' Salad

This would make a great side dish at a BBQ to pile on your plate next to some good ol' burgers and sausages. God I love BBQ so much.

  • 1/4 head of a small cauliflower
  • 1/2 orange/red pepper
  • Handful of cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 4-5 small pickles/gherkins
  • 1-2 tsp lime juice
  • 1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
'Rice' the cauliflower by putting florets into a blender and pulsing until it resembles rice. Microwave for about a minute on high. Chop the salad veggies into small pieces then add to the 'rice'. Stir in the oil and lime juice, adding more or less depending on how you would like it to taste! BAM.
You could add any more extra salad veggies as you want. I used peppers, pickles and tomatoes just because that is what was in the fridge! Carrots would work really well because of the crunch.



Now if you shall excuse me, I am off to have my nails done for graduation on Monday! Trying to get in the habit of celebrating that doesn't involve food!

Do you have any summer Paleo recipes?
What is your favourite way of celebrating success?

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Body vs Me?

I feel as if my body is fighting me. Like literally wrestling me, pinning me to the ground, and the umpire always gets to 10.
There seems to be none of this two steps forward, one step back BS. I feel like I am taking zero steps forward, and then every so often my body sucker punches me back ten steps. Ok, that might be an over-exaggeration but I am sure the frustration level would still be the same if it was that drastic.

I am frustrated.

There. I said it. Sometimes you can't be up-beat and positive, and today is one of those days when my cup is empty. I have been battling with my knees for a couple of years now and that makes exercise a pain in the bum. There are days when it hurts to walk, and then there are days that they feel fine. I can jump around in a combat class one evening, and wake up fine; other days I can have done a bit of walking around campus and be woken up by the pain. WTF man?! I have had X-ray's and MRI's done in the past week and nothing came up on them which, on one hand is great as it means there is no structural damage, but on the other, it is so unbelievably frustrating. I like to have a problem to solve but this isn't one of them. I did physical therapy for 4 months while I was in America last year, and that barely did anything. Now, I am heading back to the physio again. I am hoping and crossing both my fingers and toes that maybe this time something will come of it.

When you have PCOS and know that the one thing you can do about it, the one thing you can gain some semblance of control over, is diet and exercise. I love to work-out, get sweaty, lift weights, the whole enchilada, so when my body prevents me from doing this, it feels like a failure. Yet again, my body is fighting me on two fronts; joints and organs. Cue me feeling frustrated and reaching for the nearest Bounty or packet of maltesers. I'm aware these aren't Paleo...

While I was at the gym today, I could feel the tears starting. Yep, I have been that idiot who cries while working-out before, and today I almost did it again. For the past couple of days my shoulder has been giving me some discomfort and it has been preventing me doing my already-adapted-to-suit-my-old-lady-knees-though-I-am-only-21-routine. The eyes were welling up and all those other problems that are in your life right now join in on the fun; my body is determined to make me cry.

Then I paused. Maybe my body isn't fighting me. Maybe I am fighting my body. They are similar, but definitely not the same. I should be doing more listening, and less pushing. Why did I go to the gym when I knew my shoulder was hurting me? That is setting me up for a mental and physical failure. My body was telling me to rest and I ignored it because I had to burn those calories. Rest has always felt like a failure, and thoughts of failure lead to eating foods that I shouldn't be eating, which leads to failure on the weight side, which leads to failure at the gym...and so the cycle continues. Therefore my goal 

I think I need to spend some time listening. I have proved to be very good at overriding my body and that is why we are in this constant push and pull relationship. I have taken my body doing this as it telling me "This is as good as you are going to get. Ha." when actually it could be saying "You will be better. But this won't happen tomorrow."


Friday 5 April 2013

'Sauvauge': Paleo Meets Fine Dining

On my recent trip to Berlin to visit some friends, I stopped by the 100% Paleo restaurant 'Sauvauge'. I realise that that makes it sound like I happened across it and casually wandered in on a whim to refuel. This wasn't the case. I researched, I planned, I made reservations, I decided what I wanted to eat from the online menu way in advance, I jiggled up and down on the subway ride, and I almost flat out sprinted to the restaurant. Oh, my two non-Paleo friends were dragged along behind where one even commented at the speed of my pace. I was very excited because I had never had a meal cooked for me that I knew I could be completely comfortable with! No substitutions had to be made for anything to make it clean, and I could choose WHATEVER I wanted on the menu, say whhhaaatttt? That is unheard of.
Needless to say, my expectations were probably too high. Not that they were completely shot down by the experience; I came out feeling full but clean, satisfied but not blown away, happy and relaxed but questioning. I had a contented smile on my face but also felt that anti-climatic feeling.
 
For a Wednesday night, the restaurant was almost full. There were people at every table and I would hazard a guess that the majority of them were regulars. Some had a slightly hippy look about them that many associate with the more orthodox principles of Paleo, while others chatted with the staff like old friends and didn't get the schpeal about what the hell Paleo is when they sat down!

The atmosphere was welcoming and intimate. A big blackboard was mounted to the wall as you walked in that listed the basic principles of a Paleo diet. The walls were clay based and the only light came from candles, creating a warm glow inside our 'cave'. I can't make up my mind whether this is too cliche or not, but I went with it and I think it added to the experience even if it was fueling a stereotype.





I was worried about what my Paleo virgin friends were going to think, and what they were going to eat, but they went in with open minds and dived in like I did! 

Starters:
 Rutabaga and Ox Tail Broth
The Hunter Gatherer Plate
 Scallops with truffles

The olive tapenade was gorgeous, as was the onion and sesame spread. The orange chutney was a little overpowering after a while. Pickled vegetables and a smoked fish were also on the side. The bread was spongy and light, I have no idea how they managed to do that as whenever I have tried it has come out like a brick and crumbled to pieces. This had the texture of proper bread and was very satisfying. 

Mains:

 Mutton Tajine


  Poached Halibut

The  mutton was lovely and tender, and the sauce was just the right level of ginger and cinnamon with big pieces of roasted plums swirled into it. My friend loved the halibut and the mashed root vegetables on the side. Both of these mains came with a side salad in a citrus dressing which was a fresh and crunchy accompaniment, though a little unnecessary.

No room for dessert as the portion sizes were pretty big! I couldn't even finish my tajine and felt extremely guilty as it was very expensive. That is probably my biggest complaint about Sauvauge and where the anti-climatic feeling came from as I am a broke student! My starter and main came to nearly 40 euros, so just over $50! Yes, the portions sizes were great, but there is no way I could come here more than twice a year! The food was lovely, but at the same time I felt like I could make a pretty decent tajine at home (though definitely not as good as this!) on the cheap, and while the cracker and bread combo was a great change to what I normally eat, it just made me crave 'real' bread. I have learned over time that substitutes and paleo-ized foods are a slippery slope, for me at least.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit. The staff were very helpful and obviously very passionate about the lifestyle and their business. It is amazing that the Paleo word is being spread into the culinary streets of Europe and America, and not reserved to online blogging and books. I was very excited to see that the restaurant was full for a mid-week night which gives me high hopes for the future of 100% Paleo restaurants! Sauvauge is a more upper scale restaurant and I appreciate that. However, I now want to head on over to San Diego and track down the 'Not So Fast!' primal food truck to try some Paleo street food for a fraction of the cost that I paid in Berlin!

 Sauvauge is right; the Paleo Revolution is coming! And I know I am on the right side. It's the side with the meat and the good times. 

Thursday 28 March 2013

Recipes Top Of My To-Do List!

I am aware that I have neglected you all for a few weeks now! I blame end of term, dissertation stress, revision stress, and the fact that I have eaten A LOT of Lindor chocolate. Oops. I'm looking forward to Easter being over and there are no more of those eggs in the supermarkets. My god they are so damn tasty.
Anyway, a quick update, but I thought I would share some recipes that I have had open in tabs for ages now just waiting to be made and devoured:)

1) Caramelised Figs from Stupid Easy Paleo

2) Carrot, Pistachio and Cranberry Slaw from Fast Paleo

3) A HUUUGGEEE batch of Meat Sauce from PaleOMG that I can freeze

4) Meatza Pie from The Clothes Make the Girl

I have been eating a ton of fish recently which I feel great about. I take Omega 3 supplements anyway and have been trying to educate myself on the whole Omega 6/ Omega 3 ratio. I don't think I have it down yet so I won't write about it now! If anyone has any advice or a summary of this then please drop me a comment on this post:)

How is everyone's Easter plans going? Chocolate is sooo NOT Paleo, though I have been on the look out for some good quality dark chocolate eggs. My family don't buy Easter eggs, not since I was under 10 anyway, but I am interested to see if there is anything out there. I have found this little beauty which will set you back quite a lot both money wise and inches wise.

Off to Berlin next week after a disastorous attempt last week...snow at the end of March in this country ground all planes at my local airport. Luckily I am staying with friends so the only thing I needed to sort out was the flights! There is a Paleo restaurant called 'Sauvage' in Berlin which I am hoping to try as a special treat. Never been to a full-blown Paleo restaurant before so I am a little excited.

Monday 11 March 2013

Asking Why

I have bursts of inspiration; I can feel fit and healthy and on the right track one day and then the next day, I can feel 30lbs heavier and completely out of control! I have been getting this a lot recently. I need structure to function!
We are coming up to the end of term and I definitely need a change of scenery. Once you get out of a certain routine, a way of eating, or just let something slip, I find that it all can go to pieces, and a big change is needed to get back on track. My diet for the past couple of weeks has been very hit and miss. I have had perfect Paleo days, and then I have found myself gorging on Maoam's and chugging Diet Coke. Why do I do this? It isn't even that I like the taste of these things all that much. In fact, I have now found that fizzy drinks completely mess up my insides. This may get a bit personal but after drinking a can of diet coke, I have to run to the toilet. Anything with aspartame or stevia or any other brand of artificial sweetener is not welcomed in my body!
I have been trying to answer the question of 'Why?' these past few days. Reasons I have come up with:
  • Stress- I am very close to finishing my degree so I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. Dissertation, revision, exams, money, jobs, careers, visas, moving house....
  • Convenience- the crappiest excuse. I hate hate hate doing something because it is the most convenient. It becomes even worse when I hear myself justifying the chocolate because I am conveniently feeling stress. This is NOT good.
  • Boredom- I love Paleo food. Love it. But there are times when I can't even look at a spinach leaf without wanting to barf. For some reason, I just get massive aversion to a certain food group! This leads me to feel annoyed with my situation, or angry that a friend can gorge on pizza and I can't. It is funny though that when I do feel this, I never act upon it when it comes to my meals. I haven't eaten any bread, pasta, or any other grain/legume/bean food concoction. No, when this happens, I snack and snack and snack on 'Paleo-ish' foods. For example, today my lunch consisted of 50g of Vegetable Crisps, a handful of blueberries, and no less than 10(!) chocolate dipped dates!! Why did I need 10? 2 would have been plenty. None of these foods, except the fruit, are really paleo. They are the more paleo options than say regular crisps, or an actual chocolate bar, yes, but it is definitely cheating.
Last night I made a Paleo dinner for me and my best friend. She has had to listen to me rattle on about Paleo this, Whole30 that for a couple of years now. I have tried to convert her; numerous articles infiltrate our facebook messages, Whole30 books end up on her desk. She appreciates where I am coming from, but she says she loves grains too much! Doing this dinner wasn't an attempt to have her cross over to the meat-and-veg lovers side; she loves all food, it was more a way for me to share what I eat with friends.
I made Juli's, from PaleOMG, pork tacos, and Michelle's, from Nom Nom Paleo, Chocolate pots de creme. YUMMY.
They went down a treat! Definitely will be making those again!
Finding new recipes does get you a bit more focused and renews your faith in the lifestyle. Hopefully when I go home for 5 weeks on Saturday, I will be more focused and more positive.
Lifting heavy weights also helps...I'll try and write a bit about my workout ways soon.
 

Friday 15 February 2013

Grrrreat Granola

This week has been a mix of successes and failures.
Failure- Ate far too much chocolate with a friend while hiding from all the loved up couples on Valentine's Day and watching various Nathan Fillion films. I love him.
Success- Got a really good plan set up for my dissertation. I now know what I am doing!
Failure- I dropped my toothbrush in the toilet this morning. Fished it out, washed it, about to put it in my mouth when I had a change of heart! I need a new toothbrush.
Success- Made a Ratatouille from my new Paleo Slow Cooker recipe book. Delicioso.
Failure- Got lost on campus, at midnight, trying to get to the bus stop. I have been at this University since 2009.
Success- Managed to up my weights quite significantly in the gym. In particular my triceps and chest press. Woohooo!

I'm finding it hard to stay on track with the eating side of things. I keep reaching for 10p sweets or Lindor chocolate eggs. Eugh Easter candy. I have decided to come up with a list of foods that are 'Worth It' and 'Not Worth It' to help me stay on plan and not feel guilty. For example, artificial crap like haribo sweets are definitely NOT worth it. I don't even really like them! They are just an instant sweetness to pop in your mouth aimlessly. A square or two of dark chocolate with some sea salt is worth it. I'll keep working on it and give you a peek at my list once i'm done.

Tried another new recipe today...Pumpkin Paleo Granola which I found on the fabulous PaleOMG website that I religiously follow. Juli is hilarious and so down to earth! Go check out her blog. You won't regret it. I wanted something a bit different for breakfast that wasn't focused on spinach and eggs in various ways. I am a bit dubious as to whether it will keep me satisfied as there is no protein in it but I shall give it a go. I can always have a side of boiled eggs or something!
Here is my finished product:

Crunchy, pumpkiny, thanksgivingy, lovely. Great with coconut milk too!


Tuesday 5 February 2013

Re-adjusting

My first week post-Whole30 has been somewhat of a success and somewhat of a failure! All of my meals have carried on being compliant (why wouldn't they? They are so tasty!) but it is the added extras that haven't. I blame the supermarkets and the massive commercialisation of Easter. Ok, and myself a bit too. I love chocolate. I never used to be a massive fan of it and, to be honest, I didn't think about it for the 30 days, but after that Lindor chocolate egg last Tuesday, my sugar demon reared it's ugly head and force fed me more. A night out with friends also re-introduced me to the delights of alcohol. Though having said that, I didn't feel the need for cheese smothered chips or kebabs. I had one sausage from the kebab shop and it tasted well, not food-like. It was a bit gray in colour too. I was going to ask if it came from organically reared pigs...

So, I am trying to pull my socks up and get back on track! I'm just going to do a Whole7 and then go through the reintroduction phase how I should have done in the first place! Instead of just introducing some dairy for the first few days I jumped in head first with chocolate, frapuccinos and alcohol, so of course I felt like crap. I hadn't missed feeling bloated or groggy that's for sure.

Culinary creations this week include the 'Italian Eggplant Strata' from this book that I don't believe I have mentioned before...'Well Fed';)  It was delicious. Surprise, surprise. Layers of eggplant (aubergine to us Brits), sausage meat, and tomato sauce. Think lasagne, but better. I made a huge batch and it lasted a few days!

Moving wise, took a bit of a break for the past week. I did 3 workouts so not too bad but nothing overly sweaty! Went to Body Pump this morning an upped my weights a little. Ouch. My triceps hurt. Pilates was good again; I can see myself getting in on that. My aim for the year is to be able to touch my toes and I think Pilates will help with that! Flexibility is so important. Perhaps even more important than strength sometimes. Especially on the preventing injury front. I know that my tight hamstrings are not doing my knees any favours.

Happy February everyone! January is officially behind us. Thank God. Now onto Pancake day!

Have you tried out any new workouts this week?


Wednesday 30 January 2013

Pesto Pimping

Another 'Well Fed' creation! I am truly obsessed with this recipe book. May I introduce to you Basil and Walnut Pesto. I think we are going to be great friends.
One thing on the Whole30 and Paleo in general, sauces are hard to come by. No BBQ sauce, Hellmans mayo, ketchup, normal pesto has cheese in it etc. So here is the answer to my troubles! Going to roast some chicken thighs and slather them in pesto later, along with some cumin roasted carrots...it will be a 'Well Fed' extravaganza!

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Whole30 Round-up

I have finally finished my first Whole30! So I want to take some time and go over the good bits and the not so good bits. Not going to lie, I had to think long and hard this morning about this post. Reflection if you will. But first a little recap of what I have and haven't been eating in the past 30 days.

GET IT AWAY:
  • No added sugar of any  kind- including honey, agave, artificial sweetners like Splenda, aspartame
  •  No Grains- including wheat, rye, oats, corn, rice, bulgar
  • No Legumes- including all peas, peas, lentils, peanuts, and all soy products
  • No Dairy- from any source, so no cheese, yogurt, cream, milk etc
  • No White potatoes
  • No Alcohol
GET IN MY BELLY:
  •  Meat
  • Seafood
  • Eggs
  • Lots of vegetables
  • Occasional fruit
  • Healthy fats- Ghee or clarified butter (i.e. the milk proteins been removed), coconut oil, avocado etc
Whenever I mentioned to anyone what I was doing the usual response was "Well, what do you eat then?!" And the answer is good, clean food. Many people are stuck in this idea of cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, pasta and potato based dishes for dinner. Paleo is the complete opposite of this, and in my opinion, is the right way to eat. One day I will do a science post about it.

So what was positive about my experience on the Whole30? Using the founders llooonnnggg list of consequences of it, I have compiled my own!
  • No bloating
  • Feeling stronger
  • My knee problems that I have had for a year and half rapidly improved
  • A more regular cycle (seriously, with PCOS my cycle is all over the place but this was 4 weeks to the day. NEVER happened before ever.)
  • Sleep loads better
  • Constant energy levels
  • Healthier relationship with food. Not worrying about every calorie going into my body has done wonders for my psyche. I no longer feel a slave to the calorie.
  • Fewer cravings for sweet things
  • Much more knowledgeable about nutrition.
  • I stuck to something 100% for 30 days. 30 flippin' days! I feel really proud of that. 
I can't believe how much better I have felt throughout the 30 days. Not feeling bloated, or guilty, or obsessed. It has been rather stress free on the food and health side. I feel like I have gotten more focused when working out too. I feel stronger and capable of lifting heavier weights. Me and a friend also have started going to a pilates class, something I swore was never for me! I like to sweat and be out of breath, not lie on a floor and breath deeply for an hour. I was wrong. This isn't what pilates is about.

Ok so those were the positives. Now onto the negatives. To be honest, for me there is one big one that definitely overshadowed the achievement I felt when I first woke up this morning. Weight loss. Or rather, the lack of weight loss. I was expecting and hoping for some shift on the scales. I knew that the Whole30 is designed for health and not necessarily weight loss but the majority of people do lose weight. I wanted to be one of them, but I wasn't. I will admit, there were tears. From the age of 12 I have always been dieting, always trying to lose weight, so the scale has been a massive part of my life! I always tell myself that the numbers don't mean anything; I know I am healthy and fit, but deep down the numbers do matter to me! I wanted to have lost around 4lbs. I am great at maintaining a weight between 147 and 150lbs. My goal for the end of the year is to be 140 and I hoped these 30 days would be a good jumping off point, so to have lost ermm nothing. Well. Darn.

I have had a few hours to ponder on this and really take a look back. Just because I haven't lost any weight doesn't mean that this has been a waste of time. If anything it has fueled me on and made me believe in Paleo as a lifestyle even more. High fat way of life? Yes please. The food is gorgeous. But there is the problem for me I think. I took the fat recommendation side of things a bit too liberally. I think I was consuming too much fat for weight loss. I was eating a diet between 1200 and 1500 calories a day, and during the Whole30 I have been eating WAY more than that. So to have stayed the same weight...well that's really interesting. Science works. Cut out the inflammatory and insulin spiking grains and sugars, cut out dairy that we humans are naturally intolerant to, up the fat, protein and vegetables, and you have a perfect lifestyle!

So what am I going to do now? Well, today me and my best friend are going to a Body Pump class then having a spa day; jacuzi, steam room, massage, reelllaaxxx, with a latte from Starbucks of course (that is the only thing I have been craving all 30 days.) Then we are going out for dinner. I won't go crazy though.
Tomorrow, I am going to carry on with the Whole30 principles but just cut back on the fat. I know the science, I know the baseline, now I need to adapt it to my needs. Too much fat? No problem, I can change that. Weight loss needs to be a slow and gradual process to be maintainable. I like this lifestyle; it isn't a diet. It works if you cater it to your needs. Right now my needs are to lose a few pounds. Once that has happened, I know that I can up the fat slightly, introduce the odd latte, and i'll be a mean, lean, fighting PCOS machine.

Monday 21 January 2013

Radio Silence

I apologies for the lack of updates; essays are kicking my a**.
One week to go on the Whole30! I can't believe that it has gone so quickly. Food wise, I think I need to tighten up a little for the last week. A few too many dried fruit handfuls after lunch!

I went to a PCOS specialist clinic today. What a joke. The basic jist of the conversation was "Metformin is the best solution right now. Losing weight is the best way to help your PCOS so try harder with diet and exercise."
I was this close to punching him in the face! What did he think I have been doing for yyyeaarrrs? My weight was the original reason why I found out I had PCOS; inability to lose anything, rapid weight gain etc led to scans. If I got a penny for every time a medical professional has told me to 'try harder', or eat a 'well balanced diet', or 'take the stairs as opposed to the lift', I would be very rich. I felt a bit patronised when he started to explain that the body releases this hormone called insulin. I KNOW. He even got out the BMI chart thing which is a load of crap. I have had this appointment booked for a few months now and was really looking forward to it. My regular GP doesn't know much about PCOS so I was hoping to be able to talk to someone who did. He obviously knew all about it, but it was not a worthwhile experience.

Self education is so important now a-days. I told him that I eat a clean Paleo diet and he just stared at me blankly. Ok so Paleo is not as big in the UK as it is in America but he should have heard of it! My goal from now on is to find what is right with my body. Doing the Whole30 has helped to regulate my period; 3 weeks early this time...amazing compared to going usually going 6-12 weeks without one! This was 4 weeks on the dot. I have been spending a lot of time trawling the internet listening to podcasts, reading literature, and just generally becoming more educated on both PCOS and Paleo. I feel like I am taking control of my body. And I love it.

Anyone else had any bad experiences with doctors?

Or have you got a doctor or met a specialist that was brilliant?

Sunday 13 January 2013

Cup Half Full!

I have reached the halfway mark with my first Whole30! And to celebrate I am going to see Les Mis! I feel that this cinema experience will be better than my last; I have discovered toasted coconut and will be snacking away on that instead of carrot sticks.
I thought by this point I will be ready to give up and cave (if I hadn't already) but my cup is half full. I'm looking forward to the next 15 days of health:) Again, the only thing I miss is latte's. That is what I will be having on day 31. The rest I am going to keep the same! It is easy, fun, healthy and filling. What more could you want?

I made a new recipe from Melissa's recipe book 'Well Fed'; Cauliflower Rice Pilauf. I paired it with my own beef meatballs which I very generously seasoned! I think I put almost a cup of herbs in it...a bit overpowering!
I stuck to the recipe for the 'rice' but added some shredded coconut, to boost up the fat a little. Also, the recipe said it served 6...I made it serve 2. Oops! I didn't have any other veggies so I didn't feel so bad about it though. An excuse to make more!
I apologise for the shocking photography. I love photography and outside, I am pretty good. But inside, the lighting sucks, and it smelled so good that I couldn't be bothered to mess around with the exposure settings! I wanted to TUCK IN.


For the last half of the Whole30 I think I need to tighten up on a few things. One being not snacking between meals. I am getting better at this but I think I need to not be afraid and just do it! Also, I am not going to buy coconut...I eat way too much of it! I think that I am getting more fat than I need which may be why my weight isn't dropping. I'll still stick to the guidelines of the fat, but aim for the lower end at each meal. 

Now if you excuse me, I have to go warm up my vocal chords in preparation for Les Mis. Oh the whole cinema audience is going to hhhhattteeee me.

How is your Whole30 going?

Have you seen Les Mis yet?!

Thursday 10 January 2013

My New Saviour....the Crock-Pot!

I am now back at University, in my student house, with my friends, stressing about this final push before graduation. Unfortunately for me:

Work + Studying + Stress = I WANT TO STUFF MY FACE WITH CHOCOLATE

You can see why I said I was only around 80% Paleo compliant!
Though I haven't caved! Day 12 of Whole30 and still going strong. I thought that the move back to university might upset the balance. Temptation everywhere, plus the stress, and random hours in lectures will have me reaching for an easier option. So far, so good.
I have found it almost easier than before. For ages now I have been eating Paleo and counting calories. This adds so much more stress to my day! Having exact rules on the Whole30 means that it isn't a question of shuffling things around so you can have an extra something and fit it into your calorie count; it is either yes or no. This is exactly what I need!

One bad thing about being in a student house is that things go wrong. For example, our oven broke for the third time in 3 months on Monday, while I was roasting vegetables. Deep breathing was called upon here. But never fear because I got a crock-pot for Christmas! Now I am a crock-pot virgin. I have never cooked a meal in one. But here was my chance.
I took inspiration from Erika over at the Everyday Paleo site. She has some great recipes over there and this one immediately jumped out at me.
Creamy? I love cream. Chicken? I love chicken. Soup? Erm hello, it's winter! Click on the link and it will take you straight to the recipe I used:)

Putting my ingredients into the crock-pot was odd. It was just a mass of raw things and for hours it looked like nothing was happening. Had I done it wrong?

 9 hours later, this is what materialised....

I know it doesn't look the most appetising of things to eat but it was hearty, and warm, and creamy! Next time I will add some more seasoning as it was a little bland, but for a first attempt, not too shabby.

Another thing I am loving on the Whole30 is toasted coconut. So delicious. I could eat my weight in these. I think I need to cut back a little on this though. I am finding myself grabbing handfuls throughout the day when you aren't supposed to be snacking. It isn't even because I am hungry, i'm not. But they are just so crunchy! This is what I like most about them. That satisfying crunch that you only really get from crisps or crackers; toasted coconut replicates this. I'm such a child...all about the texture.

Saturday 5 January 2013

Week 1 Complete!

I have to say, I feel pretty darn fantastic right now. I have resisted every temptation, every opportunity to slip, and stuck to the Whole30 like glue. And my body is thanking me for it!
I don't feel hungry at odd times of the day, I don't feel sleepy one minute and wide awake the next, none of these insulin peaks and crashes making me feel like crap and make my PCOS come out to play.
I feel healthy.
It is also great not trying to keep track of every single calorie that enters my body, or leaves it via exercise. After counting calories for so long, it was second nature, but also an obsession. I wouldn't say I had an eating disorder (please, I'm overweight!) but I definitely thought and worried about calories most of my waking hours and panicked on  daily basis about it. No-one wants to be weighing carrots or crying over accidentally drinking regular coke. I would slip, eat a bunch of bad stuff, and yes I would enjoy it at the time, but the next day, and the day after that, I would want to punish myself for it.
But now I am eating good proper food...with fat! Oh my word. When I was dabbling in Paleo, I would ignore their suggestions about fat intake; I felt that that was a sure fire way of ballooning, and it would have been actually. As I was not 100% Paleo, the dairy and other 'treats' that I was eating daily would have made me put on weight if I ate a bunch of fat too. My body would get it's energy from sugar, while happily spreading the fat to my stomach!

 I know I know, it has only been a week! I am sure that I will change my mind about some of this, but for right now I am happy.
Today I spent the day making food to take back to University with me tomorrow, so that I will have some Whole30 meals ready to go for the first week of term. I made cumin carrots, Tex-mex scotch eggs, and a hhuugggeee shepherd's pie again! It is going to be tricky once I am back at uni. Going out with friends will be challenging, and living with other people will test my will power, but I am confident that I will see this through. I want that massage at the end of it!


Thursday 3 January 2013

Returning To Normal...For Now!

After the anger filled, craving packed, cranky, tired day that I had yesterday, I woke up this morning hoping for a better day. And it worked...eventually! I woke up just how Melissa and Dallas Hartwig (Whole30 God's) said that I would on days 4 and 5:

"Day 4 dawns and you tentatively step out of bed, expecting to feel like you took a strike from Thor’s hammer in the temple. Instead, your head is surprisingly clear. Your limbs all feel functional. This could be a good day! You walk into the kitchen and as you’re greeted by the smiling face of your significant other you are suddenly overcome…with the desire to punch them in the face for smiling this early in the morning"

Well, at least I know that what they are preaching actually works. My symptoms were down to a tee! However, the rest of the day has been surprisingly clear and peaceful. An extremely emphatic greeting from this cutey helped get my mind away from punching my family members in the face...

 A long walk was what I needed to clear my head and re-evaluate. I came back, caked in mud and dog slobber, tucked into some scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, and felt rejuvenated. Then it was off to a coffee shop with my brother for a black coffee (not quite as yuck as a few days ago!) and some studying. Tonight I am off to my cousins for dinner. This will be my first test at a meal at someones home while on the Whole30. I've warned her that I will be picky! My plan at the moment is to eat before I go; this will feel weird but I need to learn to put my goals first and not cave to temptation.

According to Dallas and Melissa I will constantly wanting to be napping over days 6 and 7. If you don't hear from me for a couple of days...you will know why!

How is your Whole30 going?

Have you taken any new exercise classes this January? Or started a new workout routine?

I know that I have been ignoring the moving part of this blog...I will tackle that soon!




Wednesday 2 January 2013

Sugar-Less Haze

Day 4 of the Whole30 is nearly over. Thank god. I thought this was going to be fairly easy. I smirked to myself a little when my Whole30 Daily newsletter on days 2 and 3 told me I was probably feeling tired and grumpy. 'Not me!" I gayly cheered and sprang up to eat half of a scotch egg, moaning in satisfaction at the yummy, meaty, goodness! Then I woke up on day 4.

The novelty had worn off, and I was left in a crashed, sugar-less state. I felt lethargic and dozy. I even felt a little angry; "What is the point in all this? Surely a diet coke or a nibble of some chocolate will do anything to me. Those aren't the problem." It didn't help that I had arranged to go to the cinema to see The Hobbit with a friend. The cinema is like a utopia for me...pic and mix sweets, chocolate, diet coke, popcorn, and all other types of sugary goodness. I never have gone crazy like you see some people do; a tray of nachos dripping in fake cheese in one hand, a large popcorn in the other, an even larger drink under one arm, and a sharing size bag of M+M's that they are clinging to with their teeth. No, I get a drink and a small amount of sweets and leave it at that. Today, I had brought with me some carrot sticks. And boy was I not impressed. I munched on them with disdain while sipping a soda water. I could hear those chocolate covered brazil nuts that were quite literally calling out to me "Jenniiiffeerrr, just one bite, we won't do any harm!" Thankfully I ignored them and got sucked into Middle Earth.

I felt proud that I hadn't caved; that I had stuck to my guns and not given into temptation. But I also felt weak. It is only day 4 and I am already finding it tough! !here are another 26 days that I need to contend with yet. Also, what happens after the 30 days? I truly believe in the Paleo lifestyle, and I have to say, that up until today, my body felt so much...well...cleaner I suppose because of the past few days. I will obviously be eating Paleo after this Whole30, but it did make me realise that there are things in my usual Paleo diet (perhaps not everyday but often enough so as not to be justified as a treat) that definitely do not fit into the Paleo framework! How will I contend with those? Well, I have a few weeks left to work this out. Luckily, there is great help and support on the Whole30 forum and I am sure that it will all become clearer once my brain has come out of the sugar-less fog that currently surrounds it! Bring on day 5. I have a feeling that it will be much better than today. I shall leave you with a festive giggle that I found here...

 Anyone else feeling a bit crappy? Whether it is from the Whole30, a detox, or an extended hangover from New Year!