Paleo Challenge - Days 10 - 16 - Green Eggs & Turkey

I know, I know...you probably think I threw in the towel on the 30-day Paleo Challenge, but you'd be wrong.  I did really well until Saturday (Day 13).  Why Saturday?  Because my friend had a party to celebrate her birthday Saturday afternoon and it seems like that party was a catalyst for a really rough weekend.   I went straight from the party to a not-so-paleo dinner with my kids, followed by a not-so-paleo Mother's Day lunch on Sunday (Day 14).  Woke up yesterday (Monday - Day 15), feeling pretty crummy.  Two days of off plan really messed with my energy levels, my mood, my digestion, and my sleep patterns.  Honestly, I wouldn't have believed it could have been so dramatic if I hadn't been so conscious of it.  Seriously.  When I say "not-so-paleo", that is what I mean...I didn't go back to my old ways, but there were more carbs (tortilla chips, potatoes) and some chocolate (M&Ms).  No baked goods, no pasta, etc.  Still, the deviations from the paleo food took their toll.

So, Days 15 and 16 have been all about getting back on track.  Day 15 was rough, but Day 16 (today) felt so much better.  My energy and my moods seemed much more in sync with my life load.  I am sure it had something to do with the amazing fritatta-like casserole from Paleo Comfort Foods.  Green Eggs and Turkey turned out to be a simple, easy meal.

I made a few changes to the original recipe:  instead of artichoke hearts (which my kids vetoed), I substituted mushrooms.  Also, I added a good-sized spoonful of garlic to the ground turkey while it was browning.  Also, I added the basil to the meat, rather than waiting to add it to the vegetables as the recipe dictates.  Other than that, I pretty much stuck to the recipe...it was easy and, again, surprisingly good.  As I'm becoming used to, my kids were pretty sure I was trying to poison them...right up until they took their first bite.  After that, they grudgingly admitted this was another successful paleo meal.  Pretty cool, right?

So, I fell a bit off the wagon last weekend, but I'm still sticking to the challenge.  I confess to being very concerned that I've completely derailed my 30 day progress, though.  Fingers crossed that I can come back from this and still have decent results at the end of the 30 days.  It kind of doesn't matter, though, because I've already decided to just keep going...I feel that much better eating this way. 

Days 8 & 9 - 30 Paleo Challenge - A New Driver's License, A Climber, and Some Egg Salad!

My computer has been having issues the past few days and with my IT guy still a little more than a month from being home on leave, it is making me crazy.  That doesn't mean we haven't been doing the 30 Day Paleo Challenge, though...some of us are still going strong.  (Some of us, not so much!)

So, let's get going!  First things first...my second child now has his driver's license...what a mixed bag for Mom, right?  Seriously.  I gave Valiant his last stern warning the day before he tested, as he was giving me a bit of attitude (your 16-year old son doesn't give you a bit of attitude?  really? hmmm...I'm not sure I believe you).  I finally looked at him and said, "Look...you are asking me to give you the power to kill yourself and/or others and the tool to do it with, so you're just going to have to deal with me being concerned.  This is the biggest act of faith your parents have had to go forward with, so cut me some slack."  I'm happy to report that gave him pause.  The next morning, he passed his driving test and became the proud possessor of a driver's license.  He's pretty darned tickled and I confess to being really happy to have another driver in the house.  Let the next parenting challenge begin!

In the meantime, while my Valiant is keeping me on the edge of my seat with visions of automobile disasters, my beloved little Buttercup (not so little, but still little to me) decided to jump in the fray with Women's Climb Night at REI.  Now, you need to understand something.  I've never thought of myself as afraid of heights and I don't really think I am.  However, I've never been one of those people who sees a rock wall and thinks to herself, "Man, I'd love to climb to the top of that...just to see if I can."  Seriously.  That is not who I am.  Ask me if I can lift something heavy and I'll be intrigued with the possibility...climbing, not so much.  But, because God has a sense of humor, that is exactly who Buttercup is.  Off to the rock wall we headed...

Making it look easy!

...and look who climbed all the way up her first try!  You guessed it:  my little Buttercup.  Sigh.

Listening to the belayer at the bottom...how can she hear her way up there?

She wasn't content to do it once, either.  Nope.  When her turn came around the second time, she scrambled right up.  She was frustrated we couldn't stay for her third run, but Valiant still needed a ride home from work, as this was BDL (Before Driver's License)...she really was itching to go again.  (I wonder if there is mountain goat is Superman's side of the family?)  Honestly, she was amazing.  I was in awe of her confidence and her mad skills.  Crossfit has been so good for her...I am so thankful we found it and a box opened near enough to our home to make it worthwhile.

 I didn't want to let her down, so I tried my hand at it.  Honestly, I didn't love it.  I'm not sure I'll ever love it.  Maybe it is just not my thing.

This was far enough for me...my arms were shaking...this is hard!

Still, I made it two-thirds of the way up before I was done.  Not bad for 48-years old...maybe next time I'll make it up to the top.  Oh, please, you know I'll have to go back and try again...now that I've failed, I have to make it up to the top at least once.  Sheesh...

Now on to the food!  Remember a few days ago, I made homemade mayonnaise?  Well, on Day 8 I used some of that wonderful mayonnaise to make some egg salad  (using my pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs) and it was phenomenal.  After sitting all night in the refrigerator, the mayonnaise was just, well, mayo.  I was worried that I'd taste the lemon and I didn't.   It really was better than "Best Foods"...who knew?

Dinner Day 8 was CORN: Clean Out Refrigerator Night.  We used up all the little bits and pieces left from the previous week and had a Paleo feast.  Dinner Day 9?  We had dinner with friends who did their very best not to undermine our challenge:  Steak, Salad, and Fruit Salad for dessert.  (They had potatoes available, but we declined.  Pretty cool, right?

Oh, and I made it to the gym both days...had pretty decent performance, too.  Got a new PR (personal record) for my 3x Deadlift on Monday and had a not-embarassing time on the scaled Diane (which was also a PR, but when it is scaled, I don't really count it much...I can't do a handstand, let alone a handstand push up, but, hey, they're on my CF to-do list!).    Rowed 2000 meters in under 9 minutes on Tuesday...pretty cool, right?

Day 7 - 30 Day Paleo Challenge - A First Job, Cute Toes, and a New Recipe

Woot!  The conclusion of our first week of the 30 Day Paleo Challenge...it seems silly to admit it, but I just wasn't sure any of us were going to make it this far.  Valiant has thrown in the towel, but Buttercup is chugging right along...sticking to it, despite some missteps.  Me?  I'm actually doing really well. Didn't manage to get enough sleep (although that might have something to do with the fact that we stayed up til almost 2:00 a.m.).  As for eating, I wondered how I'd recover from our deviation for Cinco de Mayo and I am pleased to report I had strict adherence today.

Cheerful Box Boy!

Did I mention that Valiant is now among the gainfully employed?  Yes, it is true.  His hard work (and great appearance) paid off and in one week he was offered two jobs.  He took the job that got the ball rolling first, but would have been happy with either of them. 

He has already worked a few shifts and can hardly wait for that first paycheck.  What is he doing?  Well, he's a "courtesy clerk" (box boy!) at a local grocery store.  The most amusing part?  He has to wear a tie.  That just cracks me up. 

A first job...what an exciting thing.  Do you remember yours?  After babysitting and housework, mine was McDonald's.

I ask him to pose for a picture before work today.  He even granted me a boon and gave me a small smile.  The things his mother asks of him...




Summer toes!

While the boy was at work, the girl and I headed off for some girl time:  pedicures!  Flip flops in hand, we headed out.  (Do you remember when flip flops were thongs and thong didn't reference lingerie?  Man, I'm old!)
I confess that I didn't really need polished toes as much as I "needed" to sit in the massage chair and soak my feet.  Don't you love those massage chairs?  Buttercup told me we needed one at home.  Being a good mother, I told her she should ask her father.  Poor man.

Anyway, she went with neon orange and flowers.  Aren't they cute?  Can you tell we are desperate for summer to get here?   These are definitely "summer" toes.


Finally, dinner tonight was a new one for me and it was a screaming success!  This one came from The Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals and lived up to the description.  It was a recipe for Pork Chops and Shredded Brussel Sprouts which was fabulously simple. 



A little deviation:  I added bacon to our brussel sprouts.

The best part?  After a day of being sure they were going to hate it, the kids told me it was fabulous.  Sadly, they didn't stop there and went on at length about how surprised they were that I fed them something edible.  Still, the praise was sincere, so I'm keeping it!

Day 7 was a good one...can you tell?

Days 5 & 6 - The 30-Day Paleo Challenge

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!  We're already concluding Day 6 of our 30 Day Paleo Challenge...can't believe we've made it through six days already! 

Day 5 turned out to be a fabulous one.   I got up early (for me!) and hit the road.  I spent five hours (including 2 hours of driving) getting my hair done by my oh-so-talented friend.  Not trying to hide my gray, but I do appreciate getting it blended in a little bit!

Look at this fabulous hair...it looks like Mother Nature painted it, doesn't it?

Doesn't she do a fabulous job?  The gray is still there, but didn't she do a wonderful job blending it in?  She is so worth driving for.



Dutch Oven Chicken, adapted from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook

Didn't hit the gym...I was still so sore from the workout the day before.  Still I made some wonderful Dutch Oven Chicken for dinner...it turned out fabulously. 

All in all, I think Day 6 was a productive and successful Paleo Challenge day.

On to Day 6 - Cinco De Mayo!!  I finally had a good night's sleep and got my point for sleepingWe stayed Paleo all day, until dinner.  Then, like much of the country, we headed out to our local Mexican restaurant and enthusiastically celebrated Mexican Independence Day!  Nope, not a Paleo meal...but that is okay, because I'd planned for a cheat meal and was strict for the day leading up to our meal.  My points for the day won't be good, but this is life, isn't it?

This is what it looked like after I initially blended together the egg, the lemon
juice, the first batch of oil, the salt, and the mustard powder.

Oh, and I made homemade olive oil mayonnaise!  Even better, it turned out well!  I'm so excited...I got the recipe from The Clothes Make the Girl.  Who knew you could make mayonnaise from scratch so easily!

This is after I drizzled in the one cup of oil!  It emulsified properly...woot!

Oh, and if your going to try it yourself, all the recipes talk about how the trick is to "drizzle" the olive oil oh-so-slowly to get the mixture to emulsify properly and I was scared to death that I'd ruin it.  I decided to put the olive oil in a squeeze bottle, so that I couldn't inadvertently pour the oil in tpo fast and ruin my mayonnaise.



The plastic bottle was the key to "drizzling" properly...

 It worked beautifully...

And Day 6 of the 30 Day Paleo Challenge concluded with a double feature:

Where the Boys Are for Buttercup,

followed by Blade Runner for Valiant.

I wonder if I'll convince him to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?...only time will tell.

Day 4 - 30 Day Paleo Challenge

Sorry for the late posting...Superman gave me grief because I didn't get this post up last night.  Don't worry, though, we haven't quit!

It is still early days and I'm trying to make this all work.  Day 4 proved to be our most challenging day so far. I am having trouble sleeping and 6.75 hours is just not enough (not to mention that it is costing me points!). 

Doesn't this look fabulous?

Lunch was a fabulous smoothie:  Spinach, coconut milk, 100% whey protein, strawberries, and frozen mixed berries.  Even the kids enjoyed it. 

There go the strawberries!

I really don't know why I'm not sleeping, but I'm not and it really showed at the gym.  I never got energized...I felt like my entire body was so heavy and, of course, it was a killer WOD.  I was surprised  how hard the whole thing felt...I never got in the zone where I got a rhythm and was just plugging away.  It has been a long time since I've contemplated accepting a DNF ("Did Not Finish"), but I felt terrible through the entire thing and was oh so tempted to throw in the towel.  I scaled the weight on the kettle bell swings (from 53 to 35) and had to back up a band (from red to blue) on my pull-ups...making that decision was really discouraging, but in the end, I was glad I did because I wouldn't have finished otherwise.  My results reflected my low energy, as I finished in 52:11 and, man, was I spent.  It was one of those days when I really feel like I didn't accomplish anything.  Still, I showed up and I didn't phone it in.  My all just wasn't much.

Need some water...it is too thick!

Valiant joined me at the gym and he pushed through, choosing not to scale and it nearly killed him.  I was so proud of him for plugging away at this workout.  Despite a not-so-great time, he can really be proud of himself for sticking to it and for keeping it at that level.  He was definitely my hero yesterday.

Now look at it churning!

Anyway, the workout had us at the gym an hour and 15 minutes later than I thought we'd be.  So much for my Dutch Oven Chicken...it was 5:30 when we got home and we were starved!  Combined with the serendipity of  hungry friends showing up at the gym to drop something off with me saw us headed to Carl's Jr. for dinner.  Buttercup and Valiant are really not happy with our challenge (Valiant more than Buttercup, but she's a close second in dissent!) and you would have thought I gave them each a $1000 when I said, "Fine.  We'll me The Friends for dinner."  Still, I tried hard to keep my goals in mind and just had two  hamburger patties and a Diet Coke.  (Yeah, look, I'm human and I'd been beaten to death by the workout!)  That meal cost me 2 points...grrr.

Terrific lunch for two!

Finished off the night with my homemade almond butter and a Granny Smith apple.  Perfect snack!

Day 4 is in the books! 

On to Day 5...

Day 3 - 30 Day Paleo Challenge

Well, we've finished Day 3 of our 30 Day Paleo Challenge.  It wasn't a perfect day...I confess that I caved and had a Diet Coke from my local Target food court.  I further confess that it was sooo good and I really should feel guilty, but I don't.  Not enough sleep, too much stress, and a killer headache weakened my resolve.  Other than that it was a terrific day for me.   I stayed Paleo in my eating, even resisting the temptation I'll tell you about below, and I hit the gym for my workout which went well.  Got a knew PR on my Front Squat, even with my messed up wrist.  I really can't complain.

For the kids?  The day wasn't so terrific, but we knew this day was coming and, as I explained to them before we started this journey, eating this way would be a lifestyle, not a life sentence.   They would need to allow for detours along the way and not beat themselves up over them.  Buttercup was tasked with bringing cookies to her youth group tonight and,while her cold/flu thing is too bad for her to to, she still wanted to make the cookies and get them to the other kids.  Part of her planning was pretty wise...she knew if she baked them, she want to try them.  So, she allowed for that.  She was willing to take the points hit and, as she told me, the cookies were fabulous.  If you're interested in a fabulous recipe for amazing chocolate chip cookies, you need to make Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Cookies.  You won't be disappointed.  According to the kids, they're as good as I remember them!

I tried something newish today.  Tonight we had our first-ever grass-fed beef steaks for dinner.  They were amazing.  Seriously amazing. Valiant barbecued it for us and did a fabulous job.  Even Buttercup, the girl who always says "no, thank you" to steak, was disappointed we didn't have more.  (And that was after I gave her a third of mine!)   The steak was accompanied by yellow squash and zucchini sauteed in ghee and seasoned with a little no-salt seasoning mix.  I finished off my plate with sauteed mushrooms and spinach, but the kids weren't interested in trying that.

Doesn't this all look good?  My mushrooms and spinach.

The sauteed squash.

And the plated meal. 

Look at the steam wafting off the squash!

 As you can see, we're not a bit deprived.

Oh, I saw a terrific interview with Bob Harper of the Biggest Loser discussing his conversion to the CrossFit way of life and how anyone of any fitness level and join in on the fun. 

Day 3 is put to bed...only 27 more to go!

Day 2 - 30 Day Paleo Challenge

Day 2 of our 30 Day Paleo Challenge!  You know what that means?  Only 28 more days to go!  Yes, it is like that...we're already counting down. Valiant is having trouble with this challenge...he broke on Day One and had a cupcake! A cupcake!!   On the flip side, Buttercup held firm, even in the face of spaghetti and garlic bread!  I was so proud of her.  To add to our commitment, Superman has let me know that he's giving up coffee for 30 days in solidarity.  Isn't that the sweetest? 

This morning was tough.   We had a hectic day that started really early and all anyone could think about was how limited they're feeling.   Throw in some serious stress and I really, really wanted some comfort food or, at the least, a Diet Coke.  I drove by my dealer, um, I mean, the gas station, where I normally get my Diet Coke fix and I just kept driving.   Valiant really, really wanted me to pull in, but I held firm. 

I even managed to make it to the gym to get my point for doing the WOD.  I didn't do really well, but there were aspects of my workout that thrilled me.  I am getting so close to being able to do a real pull-up.  I don't know if I'll make it before our one year anniversary at the gym (May 13), but I'll sure be close.

Dinner tonight was an experiement that turned out pretty well.  The kids prepared themselves for gross and were pleasantly surprised.  I used Superman's new wok (it was great, Honey!) to throw together some chicken stir-fry using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.  (Soy sauce has soy and wheat...both are paleo no-nos.)  Next time I make it, I think I'll add some beef broth for some depth of flavor, but I was really pleased with how it all came together.

Quick Chicken Stir-Fry

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts - cut up into small pieces
2 Zucchinis - cut into chunks
2 Yellow Squash - cut into chunks
a bunch of Broccoli florets
a cup of Baby Carrots - cut into chunks
Baby Bok Choy - chopped
4 Mushrooms - sliced
1/2 yellow onion - sliced into large chunks (so my daughter can pick them out!)
Sesame Oil
Chinese Five Spice seasoning
Coconut Aminos
Minced Garlic
Salt *  (I think that beef broth would make this unnecessary)
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
(Beef Broth)* - next time, I'll be adding this!

Get your pan (wok!) onto the stove and add the sesame oil.  Throw in the chicken, the onion, garlic, and a generous bit of coconut aminos and begin to cook the chicken.  As the chicken absorbs some of the liquid, add the beef broth, the five spice, and pepper until the chicken is done.  Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. 

Using the same pan, add in all the vegetables, a little of the coconut aminos (a tablespoon), and some beef broth and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.  Cook until the vegetables are done and then add back in the meat.

That is it...once everything is cooked, you just serve it up.  As I said, this wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darned good and I'm inspired to try it again soon.

30 Day Paleo Challenge - Day 1

Our Crossfit gym is hosting a 30-day Paleo Challenge that begins today.  In our wisdom, Buttercup, Valiant, and I decided participating in this challenge would be a good idea.  (This was obviously made in the haze of caffeinated happiness.)  To read the specifics of our challenge, you can head to the site here, but in a nutshell:  no grains, no legumes, no dairy, no sugar, and pretty much nothing processed. 

Now, this little subset of Nagles has already given up grains, legumes, and most dairy, but, we've really struggled since the holidays (four months, I know!) to get the sugar back out of our diet, thus our willingness to embark on this little journey.  We spent a week cleaning out our kitchen and getting rid of stuff that would tempt us.  I even ordered a dehydrator to make my own beef jerky (it arrived today)!

Which brings us here to Day 1...a day full of "whine".


Don't get me wrong, we're all committed.  No one wants to be the one to mess things up and do something that costs us points.  Still, the caffeine withdrawal headache has been horrible.  Buttercup has a nasty cold and can't taste anything, so she's craving processed food, and Valiant?  He's just hungry and is stubbornly refusing to eat fruit.  The games have begun...

Friday, the kids and I all had our weight and body fat % measured...it was a good/bad reality check.  This is what I wrote in my log book following that experience:

Of course I had to make my log book something cute!

"Reality checks are a difficult thing to deal with.  While my weight was a happy surprise, I have to admit that I was dismayed by my body fat percentage. All these weeks of slippery nutrition have taken their toll or, at the very least, slowed my progress tremendously.  Today's numbers helped my resolve to give this challenge my total commitment.  I'm curious what can be accomplished in 30 days of strict adherence."

It will be an interesting ride, don't you think?