Curing a Modern Life

Today’s Successes:

Food - including a dinner out with friends
Workout
Some housecleaning
Spiritual practice

Alright!

Of course, I always aspire to do too much but tomorrow is another day! I was going to see a friend, but I think I’ll meet her after dinner in order to keep track of myself better.

I am very pleased I made a good restaurant choice - a pork loin with blackberry compote, asparagus and sweet potato. I’m happy they had small portions - I’m happy i didn’t drink and didn’t take dessert.

I am pleased I finally did a home workout! It seems I can only ever get through 30 minutes of that video, but this was really my best 30 minutes yet! I am really improving in my push-up ability!

I’m pleased that my initial post-holiday weigh-in was WRONG. I am not 158 lbs - I weigh 152 lbs. (Or I quickly lost some water.)

I started the Biggest loser Challenge on 3FC. I’m going to use it to keep me motivated. It turns out I have 4 weddings to attend this year!!! In April, May, June and September. I have a lot of reason to really whip myself into shape no excuse not to!!!!

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I have to say, I’ve missed the 3FC community and support.

In September I completed the Primal Blueprint Challenge, eating completely according to the PB plan. A lot of things have really integrated into my lifestyle, including eating organic and grass-fed meat and quality foods.

A family member of mine is getting married in Mexico in the coming summer and I have become terrified of my bathing suit body. It’s time to dust myself off and re-commit to losing the excess weight and be a happier, healthier person!

Yesterday I went shopping and tried on shorts, which I possibly haven’t worn since I was 14. Now - I’m talking short shorts (erm, not cheek sneak, but short.) I like how on one of my friends (a beautiful, curvy girl) they make her legs look nice and long.

When did the back of my thighs get quite so terribly dimply??? No way I can wear shorts. I never felt so adamant about hiding a part of my body before.

I am 10lbs heavier then I was last summer, despite the fact that the last month I have worked the most active job of my life, walking/cycling 2 hours daily, if not more.

I feel stuck:

When I blog/forum post, I get so obsessed! I waste hours at the computer!!!

When I don’t it’s too easy for hings to slide out of control. I may be active right now but my eating has been ridiculous.

Here’s a new plan:

One sitting per day, I can post on my blog and browse 3FC. I can’t start getting addicted and being on it online at work all day.

Eating modified paleo - limited beans, limited dairy, really limited nuts, daily fruit.

So I ate about 130g of milk chocolate today. It’s been a fair week of stress eating and indulgence. I’ve been falling into some bad habits.

Otherwise, my meals today were all paleo, which is a step up.It goes to show that sugar is my problem, that I should probably force myself to eat fruit often throughout the day. Let my body know it’s getting sweets so it doesn’t have to go for the bad stuff.

Today I baked a sweet potato and pureed it with some coconut milk and oil. I think a scoop of it with my lunch tomorrow will also be a nice treat to help keep balance - maybe even be like a dessert.

I’m working on a new blog idea. I think I’d like to do a May Whole30…

Let’s see if I can plan it, buy my groceries accordingly, and stick to it.

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Activity: Check. PBF, some walking and jogging.

Spiritual: Check.

Food: Check Chinese food for a birthday. Whoops.

Hydration: Check.

Homework: Nope

I’m looking forward to some cooking tomorrow:

Today:

I tried mashed cauliflower! It was … soggier than ideal, which I think I could make some changes too, but delicious. I should steam it instead of boiling, methinks.

Tomorrow:

Egg Muffins
Meatloaf (Thanks Nom Nom Paleo and Primal Palate)
Cumin-spiced chicken (Primal Palate), via crock pot.

That should suit me until Friday - and keep me on track with delicious foods.

It’s a sunny day, and I’m trying to be more positive, reminding myself that school is almost over and then I’ll have a lot more freedom. I was contemplating the kind of lifestyle I live, the kind I want to live… I found some great websites today about biking in my city, including maps of the bike path networks

Well, today I kind of let it all go to hell. Really - and I’m kind of feeling nauseous now, post pasta alfredo.

It’s easier to eat clean when I’m at home, when I’m not surrounded by the things I know I shouldn’t be eating. On this side of a day-long out of control, I’d like to do a two- week detox.  I have some stuf to throw out and some realities to accept. It doesn’t matter WHAT diet I’m on, if I call it paleo, primal, whatever. dairy and bread/pasta are bad for me. No. no. no.

Couldn’t help myself:

I just discovered Nom Nom Paleo

http://nomnompaleo.com/

Stop reading here and go there. K. Thx.

I’m going to make a grocery list now Too bad I don’t have a day off until Monday.

2 handfulls of spring mix salad.

A dollop of home-made mayo: 1 egg, 1/2c olive oil +magical mixture of tahini, apple cider vinegar, parmesan, cottage cheese, salt and pepper.(Thanks, Mark!)

1 scoop of homemade garlic liver pate (Thanks, Paleo Diet Lifestyle!)

1 hard-boiled egg

Delicious!

@ CBC’s Live Right Now, I calculated by “body age” - it’s 22.5. Yeah, I’m a little skeptical about that. Considering my knee trouble, I’d put myself a clot closer to 30, but that’s okay.

I write this posts as a conclusion to my Primal/Paleo Experiment.

It’s hard to change habits. It’s so hard not to eat pasta, not to eat cheese. The desserts are still the hardest part - they’re what i always struggle with in terms of diet.

Primal/Paleo is interesting. The principle of this way of eating is to stop eating grains/beans/foods high in carbohydrates. Without them, your body will begin to start burning body fat instead of blood sugar for energy. Your body will also produce less insulin (in response to few to blood sugar spikes.)

I’ve lost a solid 5 lbs… in a month? Really? I can lessen it, given that most of it was likely water, or the tendency to weigh myself first thing in the morning (I am heavier in the evening.) I have only invested a medium effort in this.

I know that low-carb eating is the way for me.

My energy levels have never been better. My stress eating response is much better. My past dieting ventures have shown me I get best results.

I have never eaten so much fat, so much BACON, so many really satisfying meals without always obsessing on what I’m eating next.

I love feeling NOT hungry for six hours straight. Wow.

You should try this.

And I should be trying harder if I really want to lose this weight.

MY Primal Plan

• Tracking what I eat on Fitday, as best as I can, in order to track total calories, macro-nutrients.
• Supplements: Omega 3, Calcium
• Intermittent Fasting will have its place 2- 4 times per month.
• Exercise is very important. Cycling, Fitness Videos with weights, and Primal Blueprint Fitness at the very least daily.  I need to do something cardio based 3 times per week and a lot more walking.I’d like summertime (June 1st) to be more intensive: bike downtown and back, biking for most modes of transport - even in the rain. Jogging twice per week. Go outside and enjoy myself! Learn to rollerblade! Swim as much as possible!
• FUN: I’m talking martial arts, dance classes; Swing, tai chi, karate, kung fu, zumba, salsa, hip hop…
• FOOD: More veggies. Veggies for every meal. Meat, too, wit a greater awareness of portion sizes.