Paleo staple lunch

My standard paleo lunch - salad greens, hard boiled egg, avocado, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tuna.

I like tuna packed in olive oil, and i get mine from Trader Joes because I have heard their tuna has lower levels of mercury. Not sure if it is true.

However, I often leave the tuna off if I am bringing it to work/school because I fear being the smelly eater :).

Week 2 was great! (Great Pot Roast)

It has started to feel like fall in Raleigh, so on Thursday (day 9) I cooked a pot roast! I only had to make a couple of modifications to my normal recipe to make it paleo! Instead of the potatoes it called for, we used turnips that we had received in our CSA last week (recipe is below).

Over the weekend we flew to Pennsylvania to visit my husband's family. It was a great trip, but I was worried about keeping strict paleo. I went to the grocery store once we got to town, and it wasn't that bad!

Paleo Pot Roast:
(This is basically "Emeril's Pot Roast" recipe that has been changed a little to make it "paleo")

- large cast iron enameled pot with lid
-  3.5 lb boneless chuck roast
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1.5 teaspoons of salt
- 3/4 teaspoons of pepper
- 4 tablespoons of coconut oil
- spice mix (1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1.5 cups of chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup of carrots
- 1 cup of turnips
- 2.5 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves

- Preheat the oven to 300'F
- With a small, sharp knife, make 1.5 inch deep slits all over roast on all sides.  Insert the cloves of garlic into the slits.  Rub the roast with the salt and pepper on all sides.
- heat the large cast iron enameled pot over medium high heat.
- add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. and when hot, add the roast and sear on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.
- Remove the roast from the pan and sprinkle with spice mix on all sides.
- Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, stir oil constantly - scraping the drippings from the bottom for about 5 minutes.
- Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, carrots, and turnips and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves, and stir it to blend.
- bring to boil, return roast to the pan, cover, and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours
- Remove Roast from oven, turn meat over to expose the other side, recover, and return to oven to cook for 1.5-2 hours longer.
- remove from oven
- remove bay leaves
- enjoy!

Day 8 - Wednesday

Breakfast: smoothie (banana, blueberries, almonds, ice, whey protein)

Lunch: salad (greens, onion, evoo, red wine vinegar); water

Dinner: shredded pork (carnitas) with jalapeños, avocado and tomatillo salsa; water

 

Day 9 - Thursday

Breakfast: pear and homemade lara bar
Lunch: Salad (greens, hardboiled egg, grilled chicken, onion, tomato, evoo, red wine vinegar), and water
Snack: homemade Lara Bar
Dinner: Pot Roast, salad, water

 Day 10 - Friday
Breakfast: apple, mango smoothie (no added sweetener/dairy), 16 oz of water
Lunch: grilled chicken nuggets and a side of fruit (chick-fil-a on our trip), water
Dinner: steamed shrimp, broccoli, vegetable soup (ate around the potatoes), water
Snack: pear
 
Day 11 - Saturday
Breakfast: mexican eggs (eggs scrambled with salsa), bacon, water
Lunch: two hotdogs (no bun), water
Dinner: slow cooked pork bbq, brussel sprouts, baked sweet potato fries
Snack: apple and almond butter

Day 12 - Sunday
Breakfast: fruit salad
Lunch: Salad (greens, hard boil egg, mushrooms, tomato, evoo, red wine vinegar)
Dinner: left over pot roast, water
 
Day 13 – Monday
Breakfast: two egg omelet, with wilted arugula, onions, red pepper, avocado; water
Lunch: sweet potato fries, salad (w/ tuna, greens, onion, red wine vinegar, evoo); water
Dinner: chicken (pan seared) with cauliflower and brussel sprouts, kale chips; water
Snack: homemade lara bar

Day 14 – Tuesday
Breakfast: poached egg over sautéed arugula, onions, and peppers, with sliced avocado; water
Lunch: salad (greens, hardboiled egg, avocado, onion, evoo, red wine vinegar); water
Dinner: Salad (greens, tuna, avocado, onion, evoo, red wine vinegar); water

Day 15 – Wednesday
Breakfast – 2 eggs scrambled with sautéed veggies (swiss chard, onions, and peppers), and avocado; water
Lunch: salad (greens, arugula, onion, hardboiled egg, evoo, red wine vinegar); water
Dinner: left over pot roast; water
Snack: apple, almond butter

Over-half way through the challange! - xoxo, Sarah

Tailgating and Day 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

Sorry for the lapse in posts! I really doubt I will post every day.

This weekend was the first NCSU home game of the year! We are big wolfpack fans at our house, so we were excited to tailgate.  However, being on the 30 day challenge meant I had to prepare paleo friendly food. 

I knew there were plenty of meat options, but I didn't want to eat just meat. After a few "paleo tailgate" searches on google I had lots of great ideas! We had: Paleo deviled eggs (recipe below), prosciutto wrapped asparagus, grilled sausage, paleo chicken wings, olives and pickled veggies, and celery dipped in guacamole!

Paleo Deviled Eggs - I modified my recipe from one I found on CavemanForum
Deviled Egg Ingredients
• 7 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 cup of paleo mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
•   salt and pepper to taste
•   pickle relish (not sweetened) (Trader Joes has a great dill version that does no have added sweetener)
•   paprika for garnish

Paleo Mayonnaise Ingredients
•   2 egg yolks
•   3 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
Directions for Mayo:
Place the egg yolk and 1/2 tsp lemon juice in a bowl and start whisking furiously. Begin to add the oil very slowly. Start with just a drop or two at a time. when the mixture begins to thicken you can pour the oil in at a faster pace. Once the mayo is thick and the oil is added pour the rest of the lemon juice in.

Directions for deviled eggs:
Cut eggs in half along the vertical and remove the yolks and set aside in a small bowl.
Use a fork to mash the yolk.
Add Paleo Mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt and pepper, mix well.
Distribute the yolk mixture evenly into the egg halves.
Sprinkle with paprika!

These were a delicious hit! My brother said they tasted just like regular deviled eggs! The game was a lot of fun, we even won! GO PACK!

Day 3 - Friday
Breakfast: prosciutto wrapped egg/veggie muffin, 16 oz of water
Lunch: salad - arugula, spinich, onion, leftover chicken, hard boiled egg, evoo, red wine vinegar; 16 oz of water
Dinner: blueberry with mint and greens salad; chorizo and shrimp over zucchini and squash; 16 oz of water

Day 4 - Saturday
Breakfast: prosciutto wrapped egg/ veggie muffin, 16 oz of water
Lunch: I think I skipped lunch b/c we were preparing for the tailgate (oops)
Dinner: Tail gate - Paleo deviled eggs (above), prosciutto wrapped asparagus, grilled sausage, paleo chicken wings, olives and pickled veggies, and celery dipped in guacamole; lots of water.

Day 5 - Sunday
Breakfast - banana, V8, lara bar
Lunch - protein shake, apples and almond butter; 16 oz of water
Dinner - cauliflower (fried rice style, w/ bacon and egg), zucchini and chicken stir fry (will post recipe later); 16 oz of water

Day 6- Monday
Breakfast - Smoothie w/blueberries, banana, almonds, whey protein, ice/water
Lunch: Roast beef, lettuce, tomato; 16 oz of water (I was at a lunch meeting and sandwiches were provided, so I ate it without the bread)
Dinner: Salad - greens, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, grilled chicken, evoo, and vinegar; 16 oz of water

Day 7 - Tuesday
non-paleo :(, I had a lunch meeting again and thought there would be a paleo friendly option and there was not.

I hope if you are doing a challenge your first week went well!

xoxo - Sarah

Day 2 - time to grocery shop!

Always good to start a challenge with a good trip to the grocery store to motivate! Here are some of my paleo pantry necessities!

Coconut oil - Any recipe that calls for vegetable oil or butter, I use Coconut oil instead.

 

Almond Butter (w/out any added sweeteners) - This is a great source of protein. I eat it with apples for a sweet snack or dessert, or by the spoonful, and it is a key ingredient in my homemade lara bars (a staple to my challenge).

 

Veggies of your choice - I am lucky in the fact that I love veggies! To eat strict paleo, you should really be getting at least 3 servings of veggies a day.  My favorites are brussell sprouts, beets, arugula, cauliflower.


Spaghetti Squash - Cut in half and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Scrape out the flesh of the squash with a fork and you will get strands of squash that resemble spaghetti (hints the name)! It is sweet and delicious.  I serve with the same toppings I use when I eat pasta (no cheese)!

 

Avocado - Packed full of protein! - I add to a salad and will eat with my eggs

 

Eggs! - I cook all sorts of ways, but I usually eat at least one a day. I usually hard boil some on Monday to have the rest of the week.

 

 

I also buy meat depending on what we are cooking that week. I try to get grass fed, antibiotic free.

 

Here is what I ate today:

 

Breakfast: 2 prosciutto egg/veggie muffins, pineapple, blueberries, and 16 oz of water

 

Lunch: turkey, lettuce, and tomato (I was at a catered lunch at school where sandwiches were pre-made. Not the best for paleo, so I just ate the sandwich with out the bread). 16 oz of water

 

Snack: homemade lara bar, and 16 oz of water

 

Dinner: spaghetti squash with paleo meatballs (will post recipe later).

 

Headed to Thursday night yoga!

 

xoxo - Sarah

 



1st day - prosciutto wrapped egg muffins

Its day one of my challenge!

This morning I made a delicious recipe from Nom Nom Paleo. It is for delicious paleo prosciutto wrapped egg muffins.  I love this recipe because it makes 12 and one is filling enough for breakfast.  I pop the rest in the fridge and can eat the rest of the week as a snack or meal.

A little warning - this will mess up your muffin pans, even if well greased.  You can always use muffin liners and put the prosciutto (or cooked sausage or cooked bacon) in as bits in the batter.

I make a few modifications.  I use whatever veggies I have (this morning: spinach, tomato, onion, garlic), and I always add cholula or some type of hot sauce.

Breakfast: 1 nom nom paleo prosciutto wrapped egg muffin, 16 oz of water
Lunch: Salad (mixed greens, onion, cucumber, grilled chicken, evoo, vinegar), 16 oz of water
Snack: Homemade date bars (see previous post), 12 oz of water
Dinner: coconut chicken, 16oz of water (will post recipe soon ).

This morning at boot camp:
25 squat jumps
150 meter bear crawl
100 jumping jacks
4 times!

Feeling pretty confident about day 1!

xoxo - Sarah

I am back!

Where did I go? 

Well we went on our honeymoon the first half of August and then school started back. 

I am finally back in the swing of things and am keeping it paleo!

Plus, a new challenge starts tomorrow at my bootcamp! So I will be posting my meals and workouts.

I got a head start today:

Breakfast: Homemade Paleo Lara Bars, banana, 16 oz of water

Lunch: Arugula and baby spinach salad (w/ onions, tomatoes, hardboiled egg, prosciutto, evoo, red wine vinegar) (Pic below), 16 oz of water.

 

I am excited to share this 2nd 30 day challange with you!

xoxo - Sarah

Done with the challenge, but continuing with Paleo!

So technically I am finished with my 30 day paleo challenge.  The last day was Sunday, but I have not finished posting my meals so I will continue to post what I ate the remaining days. 

However, I wanted to announce that I am continuing with paleo!  I gave myself a cheat meal on Monday (Hamburger w/ a bun and French fries) …it was delicious, but my tummy was not happy.  I’ve decided that I am so happy with how my body looks and feels on paleo that I will continue.  Now that it isn’t a competition, I will let myself cheat when we go out to eat somewhere special or if it is a special occasion.

Speaking of special occasion … our honeymoon is August 1 – 11 in the Virgin Islands.  I am not sure what our food options will be, but I am going to try to eat as paleo as possible (without getting on my husband’s nerves too much).  Plus, while on my honeymoon I plan to have a few cocktails, something I haven’t done for the past 30 days!

Any who, now that the challenge is over I probably won’t post all my meals from day 30 forward.  It is getting a little repetitive (how many salads and eggs for breakfast do y’all want to read about), and I obviously have a problem with daily posts.  My posts will probably be limited to a new recipe I have found, or situations where paleo was difficult and I found a way to find an option.  I will also post more about the workouts from boot camp!

Day 16, 17, 18 - work travel and dinner w/ friends on paleo

Day 16, July 10^th

8:30 - 12 oz of water. Hardboiled egg, banana, and blueberries
10:30 – 16 oz of water
11:00 – home-made Lara Bars (see recipe on Day 15 post)
12:00 – left over chicken with asparagus and guacamole (from day 15). 16 oz of water
3:00 – 12 oz of water
5:30 – butter lettuce, almonds, orange slices, oil and vinegar. 12 oz of water
7:30 – salad w/ lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, tuna, 2 hardboiled eggs, evoo, vinegar. 16 oz of water
10:30 - 16 oz of water


Day 17, July 11 Beach outing with my work
8:00 – banana, homemade lara bar, 24 oz of water
12:30 – 16 oz of water. Turkey and roast beef cold cuts, cucumber, watermelon, cherries
2:30- 12 oz of water, fruit
7:30 - shrimp, claims, sweet potato, pickle, fruit, 16 oz of water
10:30 - 16 oz of water.

This summer I am interning, and everyone in my office went to the beach for the day (not complaining). However, food for lunch was provided and it was all sandwich stuff. Needless to say a meal of deli meats was not exactly thrilling, and it prevented me from getting my goal of 3 daily servings of vegetables.

Day 18, July 128:30 - fruit, home-made lara bar, 16 oz of water.
12 - salad (with greens, mint, prosciutto, evoo, vinegar, tomatoes), 16 oz of water
3:00 - apple, 16 oz of water
7:30 - salad (greens, 2 hardboiled eggs, prosciutto, tomato, carrots, mushrooms, evoo, vinegar), 16 oz of water
10:00 - 16 oz of water

Stay Paleo strong! If I can, you can.  xoxo, Sarah

Half-way there!

I can't believe I was half-way through at this point! I have a sweet treat recipe below that really helped me through my last 15 days!

Day 15, July 9th

10:30 - apple and almond butter
12:00- salad (hardboiled egg, avocado, pepper, onions, and tomatoes, evoo, vinegar). 16 oz of water.
3:00 - apple and almond butter. 16 oz of water.
4:00 -  home made “Lara” date bar.
8:00- Sautéed Chicken (cooked in Coconut Oil), with guacamole (chopped avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, onions), asparagus (cooked in evoo). 12 oz of water  (meal pictured below!)

Home-made Paleo Lara Bars!
This is a paleo modification of a recipe I saw on “100 days of Real Food” blog.

1 cup of medjool dates (pitted)
1 cup of raw cashews
¼ cup of almond butter (no sweeteners in almond butter)
1 tablespoon of water

Combine all in food processor and run until mixture is finely chopped and mixture starts to stick together.  If it looks dry add another tablespoon of water.

Remove from food processor; pick up date mixture and using your hands work to squeeze it together into one big clump.

Mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands (or a knife) to make the edges straight.

Slice into 12 even squares.  For best results store in the fridge, although bars can be kept at room temperature.

These are so delicious and really got me through my sweets cravings at the half way point.  However, these are really nut heavy, so eat in moderation!

Can't wait to share the reaminder of my 30 day challenge with y'all!   - xoxo , Sarah
8:30 - banana. 16 oz of water

Half-way there!

I can't believe I was half-way through at this point! I have a sweet treat recipe below that really helped me through my last 15 days!

Day 15, July 9th

10:30 - apple and almond butter
12:00- salad (hardboiled egg, avocado, pepper, onions, and tomatoes, evoo, vinegar). 16 oz of water.
3:00 - apple and almond butter. 16 oz of water.
4:00 -  home made “Lara” date bar.
8:00- Sautéed Chicken (cooked in Coconut Oil), with guacamole (chopped avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, onions), asparagus (cooked in evoo). 12 oz of water  (meal pictured below!)

Home-made Paleo Lara Bars!
This is a paleo modification of a recipe I saw on “100 days of Real Food” blog.

1 cup of medjool dates (pitted)
1 cup of raw cashews
¼ cup of almond butter (no sweeteners in almond butter)
1 tablespoon of water

Combine all in food processor and run until mixture is finely chopped and mixture starts to stick together.  If it looks dry add another tablespoon of water.

Remove from food processor; pick up date mixture and using your hands work to squeeze it together into one big clump.

Mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands (or a knife) to make the edges straight.

Slice into 12 even squares.  For best results store in the fridge, although bars can be kept at room temperature.

These are so delicious and really got me through my sweets cravings at the half way point.  However, these are really nut heavy, so eat in moderation!

Can't wait to share the reaminder of my 30 day challenge with y'all!   - xoxo , Sarah
8:30 - banana. 16 oz of water

Beach Weekend

Almost halfway through the 30 day challenge - we headed to Beaufort for the weekend to visit friends.

Day 13, July 7th
8:30 - 2 eggs fried, tomato, salsa, 16 oz of water
12:00 - 16 oz of water, celery and salsa, strawberries, pepperoni
3:00 - 12 oz of water, 2 hot dogs w/ mustard (no bun)
6:00 - 16 oz of water, shrimp, chicken, and veggie kabobs (grilled).
8:00 - apple and almond butter
10:00 - 16 oz of water

Day 14, July 8th
8:30 - banana, 16 oz of water
12:30 - roasted chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, pickles, 16 oz of water.
6:00 - salad (veggies and steak, avocado, salsa). 16 oz of water.
8:30 - apple and almond butter. 16 oz of water.

It was hard staying in someone else's house and making sure I ate strictly paleo (hints the random hotdog meal).  We also had to stop on the road for food, and the paloe options are very limited.

Half- way point is up next! - xoxo Sarah

Week 2 went well... a little tired of salads

Day 11, July 5th
6:30 - 16 oz of water
8:30 - fruit (watermelon, pineapple, apples, blueberries). 12 oz water
10:30 - 16 oz water
12 - salad (greens, avocado, onion, tomato, evoo, vinegar, cucumber), brussel sprouts. 12 oz of water
3 - 16 oz of water, cashews and almonds
5:30 - 16 oz of water
7:30 - 16 oz of water
8:30 - salad (greens, tomato, onion, avocado, cucumber, pepper rings, tuna, evoo, vinegar) (picture below). 16 oz of water

Finished my day with an awesome Yoga class (led by coach Elizabeth) at Crossfit Invoke!

Day 12, July 6th
6:30 - 12 oz of water
8:30 - fruit, 16 oz of water
10:30 - 12 oz of water
12:00 - salad (greens, beets, peppers, hard-boiled egg, avocado, evoo and vinegar). 16 oz of water
5:30 - apple sauce (no sugar), 16 oz of water
8:30 - salad (greens, steak, avocado, salsa). 16 oz of water.
10:00 - 12 oz of water

Next up - our weekend at the beach! - xoxo Sarah

Happy Birthday America! - 4th of July

 This July 4th started with bootcamp bright and early; which motivated me to stick with my paleo all day and not cheat (even when at a cookout)!

Day 10, July 4th
8:30 - Omelet (3 eggs) cooked in coconut oil, with sauteed onions/zucchini, tomatoes, avocado and hot sauce. 16 oz of water. (picture below)
10:00 - 12 oz of water
2:00 - Salad (greens, hard-boiled egg, tomato, mushrooms, tuna, evoo and vinegar), shredded pork, 12 oz of water.
5:00 - 36 oz of water
7:00 - cookout at friend's house: burger (no cheese, no bun), avocado, jalapeno, tomato. fruit, roasted/grilled veggies. 24 oz of water.
10:00 - 12 oz of water

We did a chipper for bootcamp: 10 pistol squats, 20 burpees, 30 sit-uups, 40 mountain climbers, 50 squats, 60 step-ups, 400 meter run, 5 pistol squats, 10 burpees, 15 sit-ups, 20 mountain climbers, 25 squats, 30 step-ups, 400 meter run.

Sorry it has been so long ...

So I dropped the ball on posting my meals, but I have been eating strict paleo! I have a lot to update you on.

Day 8, July 2

6:00 am - 16 oz of water

8:30 am - hardboiled egg with 1/4 of an avocado. Banana. 16 oz of water.

10:30 am - 16 oz of water

12:00 pm - salad (greens, tomato, onion, cucumber, avocado, hardboiled egg, evoo, vinegar). 12 oz of water.

3:00 pm - apple, blueberries, almond butter. 16 oz of water.

5:30 pm - 16 oz of water

7:30 pm - roasted spaghetti squash; sautéed shrimp (in coconut oil); sautéed onion, tomato, asparagus; and arugula (picture below), 12 oz of water.

10:00 - 16 oz of water

Roasted spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta!  I cut the squash in half length-wise and roasted in the oven. Then I took a fork and scraped out the squash.  It comes out in noodle like pieces. Delicious!

Our bootcamp workout today was at Crossfit Invoke!  It was my first crossfit workout at the gym, and I loved it!  We did 15 overhead squats w/ a 400 meter run 5 times.

Day 9, July 3rd

8:30 - two fried eggs, sautéed swiss chard, 16 oz of water

9:00 - 12 oz of water, banana

10:30 - 16 oz of water

12:00 - 12 oz of water, left-over spaghetti squash with veggies

2:30 - 16 oz of water

7:00 - Steak, baked sweet potato (w/ coconut oil and cinnamon), brussel sprouts, 16 oz of water. (picture below)

10:00 - 16 oz of water

Rest day with 20 minutes of stretch!

Next up, how I made it through July 4th!   - xoxo Sarah

1 week in! ... Weekends are hard

1 week in!

I have completed 1 week of my 30 day paleo challenge and I am feeling pretty good about it!  My husband got back in town on Friday and I realized how much harder it is to eat strict paleo with someone around who is not.  However, I still have not cheated once! (pretty proud of myself).  Here are updates on what I ate over the weekend.

Day 6, June 30
8:30 am - 3 egg frittata (with sautéed onion, zucchini, tomatoes) (made in coconut oil) and chicken sausage. 16 oz of water.
10:30 am - 12 oz of water
1 pm - avocado, carrots, apple and almond butter. 16 oz of water.
3 pm - nuts and 16 oz of water
7:00 pm - (meal out) steak, sautéed spinach. 16 oz of water
9:00 pm - (movie) NO Delicious snacks; snuck in a 12 oz La Croix water so I could have something carbonated. (don't tell on me...hehe).
11:00 pm - 16 oz of water

Day 7, July 1
9:00 am - steak and eggs (cooked in coconut oil) (from left over steak from dinner). Sliced tomatoes and avocado. blueberries. 16 oz of water.
12 pm - apple with almond butter. 16 oz of water
3:00 pm - (my husband really wanted chargrill) Hamburger (no bun) w/ lettuce, tomato, onion, and peppers. 12 oz of water
8:00 pm - salad (greens, tomato, onion, avocado, tuna, cucumber, evoo and balsamic vinegar). 16 oz of water
10:00 pm - 12 oz of water

So I am not sure if you noticed that I ate at chargrill on Sunday.  My husband had been working on renovating our kitchen cabinets all day and the kitchen was a mess, plus we had waited until 3 to get lunch.  Both in foul moods, I told him to pick a place for lunch and I would make it work for paleo.  Supportingly (she says sarcastically) he picked Chargrill.  Normally, I would jump at the chance to eat a burger and fries, but it isn't paleo.  Not wanting to fight, I said fine.  I ended up with a hamburger (no cheese) and threw out the bun, ate it with a fork and knife and was completely unsatisfied.  Plus, I almost cried at the smell of his french fries.  I have never wanted fries so bad in my entire life.

I am really proud that I got through the weekend without a cheat.  I did notice that now that Collins is back in town we ate out a lot more than I did the first week.  Luckily we planned our meals to cook at home this week, and I am excited to share the recipes we have planned!

Today, I got to work out for my first time at Crossfit Invoke! More about that and the food I have been eating when I post on Wednesday!

xoxo, Sarah

day five, and feeling alive! ... er kind of

(late post from Friday)

So ... I am on day five and my meals for today and day four have not been quite as exciting.  I have been eating a lot of left-overs.

Day 4, June 28th
7:30 am - banana
8:30 am - two eggs (over easy) with sautéed swiss chard (in evoo), and chicken andouille sausage (organic). 16 oz of water
10:30am - 16 oz of water
1:00 pm- chicken andouille sausage. brussel sprouts & beets (left overs), peaches, olives. 16 oz of water
3:30 pm - cashews and almonds. 16 oz of water
5:30 pm (party at work) - grilled chicken skewers, raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes, peppers).  12 oz water
7:30 pm - Yoga at Crossfit Invoke w/ Coach Elizabeth. 12 oz of water
9:00 pm - Salad with green leaf lettuce, albacore tuna, tomato, cucumber, banana peppers, ev olive oil, red wine vinegar. 16 oz of water

Day 5, June 29th
6:00 am - boot camp (5 stations, 1 minute on each, 3 rounds: kettlebell lunges, jump rope, dips, medicine ball snatches, and situps).
8:00 am - 16 oz of water
9:00 am - 2 eggs scrambled wit sautéed swiss chard and salsa. 16 oz of water
10:30 am - banana
12:00 pm - (met a friend for lunch) Salad bar: spinach, mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, olives, hard boiled egg, oil and vinegar. 12 oz of water
2:30 pm - 12 Oz of water
3:30 pm - cherries, chicken (leftover from crockpot), brussel sprouts
4:30 pm - 16 oz of water
7:30 pm - (dinner out) - Seltzer w/ lime, salad (mixed greens, pears, steak, evoo and red wine vinegar).

Today, it was interesting to go out to lunch with my friend and dinner with my husband.

For lunch, we went to Weaver Street Market (a food co-op that is like a Whole Foods). It had a cold and hot bar.  Once I saw there were hardboiled eggs I decided to get a salad.  It was interesting how many items on the salad bar I couldn't eat.  Obvious items being dressings and cheese... but when I reached for my favorite food - beets, I was stopped by a sign listing what the beets were marinated in...SUGAR... erg.  Beets are delicious without sugar and now I couldn't eat them.  Luckily they had a sign listing the ingredients.  After making my salad, I went by the hot bar to see if I could get any more protein. I was so excited when I saw roasted chicken ... that was until I read the ingredients; the chicken had also been marinated in SUGAR.  I kept to my salad and hard-boiled egg and was satisfied.

I feel like I have been eatting a lot of the same things.  I am excited for Collins (my husband) to get back from CA tonight to give me some new ideas.  He is a great cook! Hopefully, we will help me keep with it over the weekend.

I forgot to mention, it is already 106 degrees in Raleigh, NC and supposed to be this hot all weekend.  I don't know yet what my physical activity will consist of, but I do know it will be indoors.

xoxo Sarah

Introduction to my 30 day Paleo Challange

Today is day 4 of eating strict paleo for a 30 day challenge with my local boot camp in Raleigh, NC (affectionately known as "booty camp" ... because our group is just ladies).  This boot camp is through a great gym in Raleigh -  crossfit invoke. Our fearless leaders, Meagan Burns and Elizabeth Upchurch, are leading the paleo charge.

Paleo (also known paleolithic diet) consists of eating mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts. It and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils. 

After reading that you may be wondering why anyone would submit themselves to what sounds like torture. Well, I eat pretty healthily and workout, and as it is and have seen a plateau in my results.  Also, I have some digestion issues (sorry if tmi) and I'm hoping that this will help.  We Americans tend to eat too many carbs and sugars and many of us are addicted to them.  We eat more than our bodies need or can use efficiently.

It has been off to a great start; I have not cheated once, but it has been pretty hard… especially around 3:30 when my work day is dragging.  I am using this blog as a way to track what I am eating and my exercises, and hopefully hold myself accountable.

I will start taking pictures of my food, but for now I want to list what I ate on the first 3 days.

Day 1, June 25
5:30 am (before workout) - banana
6 -7 am - boot camp workout (burpees and sexy back push-ups. We started with 1-1 and I ended at 13-13)
8:30 am (breakfast) - 2 eggs scrambled w/ salsa and sautéed swiss chard (in evoo). 12 oz of water.
8:30 - 11:30 - 16 oz of water
11:30 - blueberries and baby carrots
Noon - Chicken breast w/ chopped avocado, tomato, cilantro and onion.
12:30 -1:30 - 16 oz water
3:00 - almonds and cashews, and olives. 16 oz of water
5:00 - 16 oz of water
6:30 - beef short rib and steamed broccoli
9:30 - 12 oz of water

On the night of day 1, I prepared a whole chicken in the crockpot, so I could eat off that the remainder of the week.  I get an organic whole chicken and use this great recipe.  I add carrots and other veggies to the recipe.

Day 2, June 26
7:30 am - banana
8:30 am - 2 eggs scrambled w/ sautéed swiss chard (in evoo). 16 oz of water.
9 -10 am - 16 oz of water. blueberries
12:15 pm - 12 oz of water. Crock pot chicken w/ onions and carrots (recipe above). steamed broccoli
2:30 pm - 16 oz of water. Cashews and almonds. Olives
3:30 pm - 16 oz of water
5:00 pm - 16 oz of water. Cashews and almonds.
6:30 - 8:00- restorative yoga class
8:00 pm - Salad with mixed greens, albacore tuna, onion, tomato, banana peppers, olive oil and red wine vinegar (all veggies from our local CSA)

On the night of day 2, I roasted beets and cooked brussels sprouts to have veggies to eat during the week.

Day 3, June 27th
6:00 am - bootcamp (worked for 15 minutes to see how many rounds of 10 squats, 10 sit-ups, 10 pushups we could do. I did 9 rounds +10 squats).
7:00 am - banana
8:30 am - two eggs (over easy) with sautéed swiss chard (in evoo). 16 oz of water
10:00 am - 16 oz of water
10:45 am - blueberries and peaches. 16 oz of water
12:00 pm - crockpot chicken, carrots, and onions (recipe above). Brussels sprouts and beets.
1:15 pm - 16 oz of water
3:30 pm - apple, cashews and almonds.
5:00 pm - 16 oz of water
5:30 pm (meet a friend for appetizers)  -peaches with mint and lime juice, cucumber and onion with evoo and vinegar. 12 oz of water, unsweet tea.
7:00 pm - grilled chicken skewers. raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes).  16 oz water
10:00 pm - 12 oz of water

Day 3 was the hardest by far.  First, I was hungry all day, even though I felt like I was eating a lot.  Second, it is really hard to eat paleo at a restaurant. Luckily we were just ordering appetizers so I found something that worked, but if I was ordering dinner, I would have had to ask them to make something that wasn't on their menu and would have felt awkward. I guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it.  I also had a splitting headache most of the afternoon.

So far, I am happy with my commitment and dedication.  I would really like to cut out some of the fruit I am eating.  Strict paleo limits the amount of fruit intake and it should really only be berries.  I will be back to describe the remainder of week 1 later in the week.

xoxo - Sarah