Day 4 of eating like a caveman!

This morning I jumped on the scale curious to see if I lost a pound yet. To my astonishment, Kevin & I have both lost 4lbs! However, my energy levels have been pretty low, but my crossfit trainer has told me to stick with it for a month and see where it takes you. 

Before starting Paleo, I've been worried about the fat intake that this lifestyle has. A friend of mine who is a board certified nutritional therapy practitioner has helped ease my mind about the fat intake. Here are her words:  "Our bodies were actually meant to survive on fat. We need cholesterol to function properly. Cholesterol is the precursor to every single hormone in the body yet people don't eat it today and wonder why we have diabetes, thyroid problems and a host of other diseases. Eating lots of carbohydrates is what actually causes inflammation in the body. Paleo to me isn't about looking good. It's about feeling good and being healthy; once that happens, your physique will fall into place." 

This morning for breakfast, I ate a couple of boiled eggs, 1/2 grapefruit, and have attempted drinking Kombucha tea. Have you ever heard of Kombucha tea?  Here is a picture of it:

After reading online about Kombucha tea, I was really confused. Is it good for you or not? It states online that it helps the immune system, digestive system, and prevents cancer; however, it's not proven. First of all, never believe everything you read online. So once again, I asked my friend from above, and this is what she had to say about it:
"Kombucha is one of the best things for you. It's full of natural pro-biotics and B vitamins. It does boost your immune & digestive system. We need a good balance of bacteria in our gut for it to work properly and with today's standard diet of inflammation it's something everyone needs. I brew my own because it's $3 a bottle at the store but will still spend the $ in a pinch. I can't quote the anti cancer properties but in a round about way, yes, it would help. Preventing cancer is about reducing inflammation and ridding the body of toxins and chemicals." Also, here is a link to find out more information about kombucha tea: http://balancedbites.com/2012/12/easy-recipe-home-brewed-kombucha.html#.

My experience with Kombucha tea: It definitely has a distinct taste. The one above is the Gingerade. It's pretty strong. I don't know if I like it or not. I also bought another flavor called Multi-Green.  Maybe the latter one is much better... I hope.

My biggest challenge today is preparing for drill. Going out of town can be a huge temptation in all sorts of ways. Kevin is also accompanying me as well. My only option is to pack our meals the best I can. For lunch Saturday I made a salad accompanied by a Larabar:

 I also packed Kevin a salad too with beef jerky.
For dinner Saturday night, I packed us both garden meatballs with marinara sauce. Luckily I made these awhile back and froze them. The meatballs isn't my favorite meal, maybe because of the texture of them. I do plan on trying a different recipe in the future.

Lunch for Sunday will be 1/2 grapefruit, apple-chicken sausage, and cucumber:

Breakfast will be a green drink for Saturday morning as we travel to drill, and 1/2 grapefruit & banana for Sunday. I have also packed extra Apple-Chicken Sausage for a snack. And I might add some celery with Justin's Hazlenut Butter for something a little extra in case I didn't pack enough. 

Wish us luck. 

Day 3 of eating like a caveman: the Paleo way.

Last night for dinner, Kevin & I went to Texas Roadhouse to use our gift card that we have received for Christmas. I was worried about being tempted into eating badly, especially those yummy rolls with cinnamon butter. It was for sure a test for the both of us. However, we did so good. He ordered a 6oz sirloin, veggies, and a salad with no cheese and croutons. I ordered the veg plate with green beans, veggies, salad no cheese or croutons w/ olive oil and vinegar, and a plain sweet potato. The rolls were never touched! Yay for us =) I read in Bob Harper's book The Skinny Rules, that you should go to bed a little hungry. I definitely went to bed that way and woke up feeling so good.

This morning we had our natural detox water (see pic from previous post). It was actually very tasty. In fact we filled it again with water for tomorrow morning. For breakfast we had 2 hard boiled eggs and a huge green drink that was very nutritional: 

The recipe for the green drink:

1 Cup frozen pineapple.

1 Cup frozen banana

2 Cups spinach

1 Cup water

Blend on high

Finished product:

This drink was so good! Honestly I was worried about the amount of spinach that was called for, but you don't even taste it! I liked it so much I made it again for lunch accompanied by a larabar!

For a snack I ate some beef jerky. Kevin & I spent the ENTIRE day priming our bedroom walls. This kept our mind off food and gave us a bit of an arm workout. 2 Gallons of paint later and we have finished!

Kevin made Paleo Orange Chicken for dinner tonight. If you know me, then you will know that my favorite food is chinese food. It's the half asian in me. It was delicious too!

 Paleo Orange Chicken Recipe:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite size pieces)
• 3 T fat (coconut oil works well here)
• juice of 2 oranges*
• zest from 1 orange
• 1 t fresh ginger
• 3 T coconut aminos or wheat-free soy sauce
• 1 t chili garlic sauce or sriracha
• 3 green onions, chopped

Directions:
In a medium size sauce pot, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, coconut aminos and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Set over medium heat and let simmer to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks. In a saute pan, heat 3 T of the fat of your choice, over medium high heat. Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook until a nice brown crust has developed on the chicken pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce pot and stir to coat with the orange sauce. Serve topped with sliced green onions. *Taste your oranges. If they don’t taste orange-y, then neither will this dish. Use tangerines if you gotta or add a teaspoon of sweetener until you’re satisfied with the flavor.

I found this recipe on the following website: http://www.health-bent.com/poultry/paleo-orange-chicken. This website has a lot of great free paleo recipes! Will definitely be using this website a lot!

I also went ahead and made tomorrow's lunch: Mixed Salad.

Recipe:
Mixed greens
Boiled Egg
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Homemade salad dressing (See previous post)

This weekend I have drill, which will be challenging due to the fact that I won't be home to cook. My plan is to pack a lunch for both Sat & Sun, and possibly have dinner packed as well if the hotel has a microwave. I hope all goes well.

Until next time =)

NEW YEAR, NEW ME

First, I have to acknowledge how good 2012 has been to me. I'm usually a negative person that looks down on myself and I am going to change the way I look at life by reflecting on how much I have achieved in this last year. In April, I finished my Bachelor's degree in Radiologic Sciences. Although it didn't get me a pay raise or a management position, it was more of a personal goal to focus on while Kevin was deployed. I also started a new job at Alliance Urgent Care, where I enjoy the different scenery from the hospital. I have made some great friends there.  In June, Kevin & I purchased our first home! I can't tell you how many houses we had looked at before we finally found the "one." Some we didn't even bother getting out of the car! In July, I traveled with my Army band on tour for the very last time. It was a very bitter sweet moment. The 395th has been my family since I was 18 years old. I will cherish every moment that I have had with them. In August, I transferred into the Air Force National Guard. It has been a goal of mine for quite a few years. Nowadays, it's all about who you know to get what you want. Also in August, I traded in my Mazda 3 for a 2010 Toyota 4Runner and it's ah-mazing. My fear of driving in the snow has been slowly diminishing thanks to the 4WD. In November, I flew to Texas to meet with my previous co-workers and have a relaxing girl's getaway weekend in Marble Falls. It felt so good to see these ladies again and hope to continue our annual reunion each coming year. At the end of August, Kevin & I traveled with some friends to Cancun, Mexico, which was a great time to finish 7 books. I love to read. And finally, in December, my childhood friend Brittany Dilley came to visit me for an entire week! We accomplished so much! She just left today and I miss her already. 

New goals for 2013: Be healthier, stress less, further my education, travel the world, and grow closer to God. 

Kevin & I have decided to change our way of eating. I wouldn't call it a diet bc it's a lifestyle change. I am so sick of the way I feel after stuffing my face with processed food. I hate the feeling of being so full I want to lie down and sleep. I have come to realize that I love the way I feel when I eat lighter and eating natural, unprocessed foods. I already have high blood pressure, I don't need diabetes as well (runs in the family). Therefore, this new year is a new start for me to focus on my health, starting with a detox (don't mind our friend Z, lol):

It's simple:

2 lemons, 1/2 cucumber, 10-12 mint leaves, and 3qts water fuse overnight to create a natural detox, helping to flush impurities out of your system.

Due to my busy work schedule, it's very difficult for me to find the time to cook a healthy meal. Therefore, I have to prepare my meals for the week on Sunday, my only day off usually. I try to have a salad ready at all times in my fridge. And keep in mind that just bc you're eating a salad, doesn't mean it's healthy for you. Salad dressing can really dampen your healthy meal. I found a homemade salad dressing that is so healthy you can drink straight out of it. (Not really) 

1 cup olive oil, 1 cup red wine vinegar, 2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, 2 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 2 tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard, Mix together and shake well. Store at room temperature tightly covered. While sitting it will eventually mix.

This week I plan on making paleo: orange chicken, broccoli beef, buffalo wings, grilled pineapple, "green" drink, and a colorful salad. 

That's all for today, more next time!

CrossFit & Paleo

Kevin and I have been really good at sticking to eating Paleo.We just need to make a better effort into going to CrossFit more. We definitely wrote down some goals that I hope to accomplish within the next year. My goals are:

1.) Eat 80% Paleo
2.) Do a handstand pushup
3.) Snatch squat 70 lbs.
4.) 10 toes to bar - consec.
5.) Run 2 miles in 15 minutes
&
6.) Make it to CrossFit 4x a week!

Does anyone watch The biggest Loser? Bob Harper has been incorporating CrossFit into his workouts and it's amazing that CrossFit is finally getting the attention it deserves. I recently purchased these awesome reebok CrossFit shoes:

Kevin & I have been enjoying cooking a lot lately. We enjoy cooking paleo meals and preparing our meals throughout the week. We have some favorite recipes that we would like to share.

"Pecan-crusted Chicken"

This is the easiest recipe ever. Whisk together 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard with 2 tablespoons raw organic honey. Take 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts and roll it in the mustard-honey mix and the dip it into 1 cup of finely chopped pecans (Separate bowl). Cover it all in it. You can sprinkle some sea salt if desired. Bake for 45 min at 350*F

"Morning Glory Muffins"

Lately I've been having a sweet tooth. These muffins totally fixed that problem. These are definitely yummy in my tummy. ha They have a coconut taste, but the raisins help bring out the flavor.

"Spaghetti Squash"

This is definitely a healthier version of spaghetti. Just don't forget to poke holes in the squash before you heat it up or it will explode. A friend told be that.






"Tomato and Orange salad"

Kevin loves tomatoes and he pretty much devoured this entire meal in seconds and went up for more. Recipe: Place 2pints of grape, cherry, or sungold tomatoes (halved cross-wise) in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 small shallot and ~zest of 1 orange. Use a potato smasher and mash tomatoes so they release their juices. Stir in 2 tspns fresh-squeezed orange juice (from the zest orange), 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tblspn red wine vinegar, 2 tblspns fresh chopped basil, and ~salt & pepper. Yum!

Some other meals that we enjoy include broccoli beef, chorizo poppers, spicy chicken wings, asparagus wrapped with prosciutto, london broil, brownies, and banana bread. Here are the paleo cookbooks we cook out of:

Until next time!