I love the way that eating Paleo makes me feel, but I really miss..._____!

When I first started eating like a "Cavewoman", I couldn't imagine life without grains, beans, or legumes. My cousin, friend, and fellow CrossFitter, Jenny, couldn't stand the thought of going a day without her beloved cheese. And, for Scott...well, he just seems to eat what I make for him. :)

While I haven't come up with a substitute for a good slice of cheese (she lives in the CA Wine Country, so you can only imagine what she's up against!), I have found quite a few recipes that seem to have worked in our household. So, this brings me to the question:

What foods or meals have you been missing!?  

I'd love to see what creative concoctions I may be able whip up, to satisfy those cravings. So, send them my way!

A Little Something About Me

My Introduction to CrossFit:

My husband, Scott, introduced me to CrossFit the beginning of 2009. He was going on a regular basis and was seeing amazing results, so I decided to drop in for my first WOD (Workout Of the Day)..."Linda". Yeah..."Linda". So, this is how it went down:

"Linda" (rx):

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of:

Deadlift (2x Body Weight or 270lb)

Bench Press (1.5x Body Weight or 202.5)

Clean (Body Weight or 135)

And, this is what I did:

Deadlift: 45lb

Push Ups (on my knees)

Clean (10lb Medicine Ball)

I was only able to complete rounds 10-6...and, I was barely able to move the remainder of the week. To be honest, I was shocked! I walked/jogged on the treadmill semi-regularly, practiced a few lifts, like the Sumo Deadlift High Pull (I had worked my way up to 20lbs and was feeling pretty good about that) and Back Squats (up to 55lbs), and overall, felt pretty "fit"...but, my random gym encounters had not prepared me for what I would now be encountering at CrossFit. Yes, I felt intimidated and a little nervous, but the thing I loved was that I was able to step in and do a WOD...yes, it was incredibly scaled, but I felt confident that my strength would increase and that I would be able to one day conquer these movements which, at that point, felt so foreign to me.

Although I was excited, albeit sore beyond belief, I didn't find myself ready to join until after my first experience (watching and cheering, not competing) with "The CrossFit Games 2009 Regional Qualifiers" in May. I was amazed by the lean physiques, mental determination, and physical prowess of the women competitors...I wanted that for myself and knew that the treadmill and strength machines at our local gym weren't getting me there. So, I committed to one month of CrossFit, at which point I would reassess my commitment. After the first week, I started to see positive changes; both physical and mental...six months later and I can't imagine not doing it.

My most recent run-in with "Linda" produced these results:

Deadlift: 135lbs

Bench: 70lbs

Clean: 70lbs

I completed the WOD, in it's entirety, in just over 13 minutes...and, the cool thing...I actually could have gone heavier. I LOVE CrossFit!

Food:

As far as eating and nutrition are concerned, I have always been interested in food (I love to cook AND eat!); not only the creativity that it inspires, but the way that it makes me feel and the way that cooking food and enjoying a healthy meal together, make others feel. My background is simply that, I love food and I've discovered that I have a talent for cooking and preparing it.

A quick synopsis of my lifetime of eating:

(The day I took Penelope to fair**...notice the pig earrings)

Age 10-22:

I was a vegetarian, with a couple of short (year or so) stints with vegan eating (I thought that I was lactose intolerant, so I decided it best to limit my dairy intake). **When I was 10, I raised pigs, turkeys, and chickens for fair and our family’s consumption...what should have been the best lesson in healthy eating turned out to be completely lost on me…from that point on, I refused to eat meat. During this time I experienced:

-skin issues (including eczema, random skin rashes/irritations, and blemishes)

-weight fluctuations

-fatigue, and

-digestive problems

Throughout this time, I felt that I was making the healthiest choices for my body and continued to eat this way, regardless of the negative impact it seemed to be having. My mom continually incorporated fresh vegetables and fruits into our diet, limited our sugar and processed food intake, and introduced me to quinoa, as a way of increasing my protein and amino acid consumption. Yes, I have a really great mom!

(My mom, Linda, in her garden)

 Age 22-27

I was a pescatarian, a vegetarian who eats fish. I was introduced to sushi and have been totally addicted since. I worked as a store manager for Starbucks Coffee and drank A LOT of coffee. My diet staples were black beans, brown rice, vegetables, and most things “California Fresh Mex”.

Age 27-31

I ate my first filet at a Ruth’s Chris in Portland, OR. Until my introduction to CrossFit and Paleo, I would eat a small (4oz) beef filet on occasion (maybe 3-4 times per year). My diet consisted of mostly fish, quinoa, barley, vegetables, fruit, and very little fat. Oh the lessons I’ve learned…

And, Today:

I still eat a lot of veggies and I've recently discovered buffalo and would be happy eating it every day…buffalo, sushi, and coconut. I'm no longer afraid of fat and I incorporate meat (although, I still don't eat pork or poultry) into my diet on a regular basis. The hardest food item for me to give up was definitely my grains (mainly quinoa and barley) and beans/legumes (mainly black beans, lentils, and black-eyed peas), but a month without bloating (thanks to omitting those items) or any other digestive issues to speak of, and I was no longer missing those "staples".

My Paleo experience began as a sort of experiment with eating. My intention was to “try it out” for a few weeks and see how I felt…after one month, I decided I was in for good. I have never felt better and want to keep experiencing the results. My eating will not always be perfect, but I hope that my food log and recipes will help you along the way.

I started this blog as a way to help myself stay motivated during my “Experiment with Eating”. I am continuing as a way to not only track my progress, but to help inspire others. Thank you for checking out my blog and Happy Paleo Eating to you!

How's it going with Paleo?

I am totally, 100% into the whole Paleo lifestyle and have decided to incorporate it into my life on a daily basis. Although it may seem limiting in some ways, the health and physical benefits (digestion, leanness, and overall feeling of well being) seem to outweigh the sense of deprivation that may be experienced in the beginning. I have found alternatives to a few of my normal meal staples (using "Nutty" Bread instead of Ezekiel Bread with my morning eggs, pureed root vegetables in place of lentils to pair with a perfectly grilled piece of fish, and coconut milk instead of cow's milk when I decide to drink coffee). With that being said, I have become aware of a few areas that I could make changes to in order to increase the health benefits of such a lifestyle:

1. I should decrease my egg consumption to less than 6 per week. I currently eat 10-14...yikes! I will begin eating one egg plus one egg white, in order to reduce my fat intake while still benefiting from their nutritional value.

2. I eat a lot of fruit. Yes, fruit is good, as it contains fiber, vitamins, and a lot of good stuff, but fruit also contains a lot of natural sugar. I will continue to eat fruit, but will begin to incorporate more vegetables into my daily meals, rather than fruit.

3. My lunches don't always, or don't usually, consist of a protein. I will make more of an effort to include a protein of some sort (likely fish) into my lunches.

And now, something that I learned from Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet, in the past few days:

Best-Good Oils:

1. Flaxseed Oil

2. Canola Oil

3. Mustard Seed Oil

4. Walnut Oil

5. Olive Oil

6. Avocado Oil

I was surprised to learn that canola oil was second on this list, for it's high levels of Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. I will continue to omit canola oil from my diet.

I use mostly organic, cold-press, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Olive Oil, Coconut, and Virgin Coconut Oils in my cooking but have recently begun incorporating walnut oil and avocado oil, as well (mostly in salad dressings/vinaigrettes).

And, speaking of oil...I take one spoonful of Carlson's Norwegian Fish Oil (has a nice lemony flavor and absolutely no "fish burps"), and also try to add freshly ground flaxseed when possible (to smoothies or in my homemade muffins) daily, to increase my Omega-3 intake.

So, with that being said, I will continue to live a Paleo-lifestyle. What does this mean for me? I will eat Paleo on a daily basis and will weigh the costs-benefits of eating or drinking something that doesn't fit within these guidelines (i.e. beer, wine, a really sumptuous dessert, something cooked in butter, if I'm out to eat or at a friend's house...). You get it. I will eat Paleo, I will document my eating, and I will drink and/or eat outside of what may be considered acceptable, from time to time...and, I'm sure I will suffer the digestive consequences of such decisions...and, there you have it...