Embracing Paleo - Grok On!

[cactusflower]

Starting Paleo, may as well do a journal to go with it. My main reason for going Paleo is because of all the “little tings” I have on a daily basis that are interfering with my productivity and mood. Wednesday was the deciding day. I woke up with extreme un-comfortableness!!! I felt like the Goodyear blimp, wanted to scratch all my skin off (especially my face, ears and throat) and for the first time in weeks...headache! Wednesday I went Paleo......That night I was exhausted and was in bed by 9.
Slept STRAIGHT THROUGH (except to get up to pee once) that’s a new thing!!!!. Woke up Thursday morning feeling good...NO FOG HEAD!!!! No allergy crap going on (my eyes still felt a bit funky but nothing compared to the day before. Drank my morning coffee with unsweetened coconut milk and some cinnamon...it's good/tolerable! Anyway, I knew there would be a light at the end of the tunnel and I know there could be more withdrawal symptoms but up to that point I felt 95% better than I did 24 hrs earlier! That evening when I got home I was still full of energy…I didn’t feel tired at all! I was ecstatic and surprised that I could feel so differently after taking out dairy and grains.

Last night I did an experiment and had some pizza, fries and some chocolate … I woke up this morning to swollen eyes, swollen fingers, extreme itchiness in the throat, ears, nose and was very congested. Ok, so now I know not to do that again.

Anyone not familiar with Paleo this is it in a nutshell:
• Meat - GRASS-FED, not grain-fed. Grain causes the same problem in animals as they do in humans.
• Fowl - Chicken, duck, hen, turkey…things with wings that (try to) fly.
• Fish - Wild fish, as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in farmed fish
• Eggs - Look for Omega-3 enriched eggs.
• Vegetables - As long as they’re not deep-fried, eat as many as you want.
• Oils - Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil – think natural.
• Fruits - Have natural sugar, and can be higher in calories, so limit if you’re trying to lose weight.
• Nuts - High in calories, so they’re good for a snack, but don’t eat bags and bags of them.
• Tubers - Sweet potatoes and yams. Higher in calories and carbs, so these are good for right after a workout to replenish your glycogen levels.

As for the workout portion of my journal, that will come too but as everyone knows, fitness is 80% nutrition!

[cactusflower]

I came across this post and think it's great. I didn't post all 30 because the author starts to talk about how amazing CrossFit it. CrossFit isn't my thing. I have tried it and wanted to love it but I just do not like the Oly lifts. If it was everything else i'd be in. But oly lifts...no thank you.

30 Truths in 30 Days

1. The first 3 days do not expect miracles – Do not even expect a good mood. You will be having carb-withdrawal symptoms and feeling ****ty and lethargic and like it’s all not worth it. Be a bitch if you need to. Have a cry. But push through, it’s worth it. Remember you are choosing to do this, because you choose life!

2. The first week your body will detox and you will find yourself flushing out - Don’t be too worried about the frequent bathroom trips. Your body will react strangely to increased fat consumption, but no fear, it’s only temporary.You may find crushing cravings hard, but just say no! - Every day you make it through without slipping off the wagon, the easier it becomes and the stronger your ability to exercise will power. Just do it.

3. You will not feel like exercising at all for about the first two weeks - Just do what you can. Your body is becoming fat adapted.

4. You will begin to analyse food labels and then realise, if it has a label, I shouldn’t be eating it – Shopping trips become shorter (and a bit more expensive and a bit more worth it!) as you only skim the outside of the supermarket for the fresh groceries and meat and fish supplies. You only brave going down the aisles when it’s time to top up your extra oils, herbs and spices.

5. As you begin to enter the third and fourth weeks, your energy levels begin to return to normal - In fact, you start to feel the beginning of what will become amazing, all day, constant energy. Say goodbye to three-thirty-itis!

6. Your emotions will stabilise – I haven’t really had any “low” days since I started. Not that I was prone to this particularly, but I just feel happy, all the time. I suppose no sugar influencing my state?? It’s nice.

7. Coconut was God’s gift to our Neanderthal ancestors. Seriously – The milk is delicious, to drink, to cook with, and in coffee! The meat is a great snack and so filling! And the oil?! Where do I begin…makes everything tasty, is great to eat off the spoon for a snack (amazing if you have tendencies to binge, for it completely kills all cravings after just one spoon and 15 minutes!) and it makes your hair, skin, and nails so luxurious!

8. You learn to love fat - It adds texture and flavour and will keep you full for hours. Plus it’s a fantastic energy source!

9. Your stomach knows no time/meal constraints - You eat when you’re hungry, and you stop when you’re full. All the protein and fat usually means you don’t feel like snacking and you’re not bound by the clock (so liberating!)

10. All cravings for anything artificial, sugary, overly-processed literally disappear – You may feel discomfort for a week while you actively control your eating, but then it becomes second nature, and that ice cream or bag of chips you once craved now looks more like a day or two of insane intestinal discomfort and close proximity to a bathroom.

11. You learn to become quite a whiz in the kitchen – Step aside Jamie Oliver! The fresh and natural foods mean more prep time and more meal planning, but your performance in the kitchen improves exponentially and you learn to have fun turning old neolithic recipes into paleo-friendly feasts!

12. You never get bloated. Ever. Ladies, not even when it’s ‘that time of the month.’ Bring on the six packs!!

13. You don’t have to give up your social life – Caveman liked to seek pleasure too, and I’m sure they partied. Let me introduce you to the NorCal Margarita (but be warned it will stall your weight loss or fitness efforts).

14. You realise you can make any meal at a restaurant Paleo-friendly if you just swap a few sides and ask for no dressings. Easy!

15. Can anyone else smell that? – If you having gone Very Low Carb (VLC), like I have, and have started to supplement with Fish Oil and the likes you may find that your body odour changes and your breath may smell. If you need, try chewing on some peppermint leaves.

16. You need to consume water like it’s going out of fashion – The extra protein requires more water for your body to wash out toxins and waste. VLC will also find you need tons more water just to feel hydrated and to stop your mouth from drying. Drink up!

17. Go Sleep! Trust me you need it. – Without sleep everything else is basically not worth your efforts. Shut that screen off and go get your 40 winks. If you’re doing it right, you should sleep like a log every night, and be able to wake up without an alarm clock. Did anyone order a healthy dose of rest and recovery?

18. Going VLC may disrupt your sleep due to a decrease in insulin levels, try using Vitamin D and Magnesium just before bed time. Caution: Lucid dreams at own risk! (I never used to remember my dreams, but since using Vit D and Magnesium, it seems every night I have a whole nother life going on in my dreams…kind of awesome!)

19. Expect your skin blemishes to clear up, your eyes to brighten, your hair to be shinier and to feel an all round glowing feeling!

20. this was a crossfit tooting one....i took it out lol

21. was Crossfit related lol gone!

22. You may feel heavy after a big protein meal, or like you’ve put on 3 kg, but you haven’t – You eat less for the same feeling of satiety and while your meals may be more calorie dense, you are still losing weight! But forget the scales, take measurements and judge by the way your clothes fit. Also keep check of how your physical performance improves. Expect to be amazed!

[baker]

Good for you on the Paleo. I have a lot of trouble with flour and grain products myself. Will follow along to see how you do.

[cactusflower]

Good for you on the Paleo. I have a lot of trouble with flour and grain products myself. Will follow along to see how you do.

Awesome! It'll be an interesting journey I am sure!

[izzygrant]

In and 2nd!! Whaaa.... no Oly lifts still... it's ok, I still <3 you

[cactusflower]

In and 2nd!! Whaaa.... no Oly lifts still... it's ok, I still <3 you

LOL you betta...we gettn hitched yo!

[HoosierHardGain]

In for da Paleo!!!!

[cactusflower]

In for da Paleo!!!!

Awwweeeesooooommeeeeeee!!!

[HoosierHardGain]

The people demand an update.

[cactusflower]

The people demand an update.

The people will have to a wait a little longer

Thanks for coming by and checking for one though!

[whatevergirl]

I did paleo for a while, and loved it...honestly, i'd probably still be doing it...if i could have come up with more creative dishes. it can get a little boring. love how you explain it, for paleo is one of those 'ways of eating' that there seems to be lots of misconceptions around.

good stuff in here!

happy new year, and good luck with all this!

[cactusflower]

I know I haven't posted in a while but it was kind of intentional. Partly my MAC harddrive is being replaced and i'm using my mom's tablet in the meantime but it's not the same (and its an android...so not the same).

Here's some quick updates:
I've been doing more and more "research" on paleo and like it more and more. There are even cookbooks out there for paleo. I found one and it's paleo cooking in your crockpot!!
What I like is all the health benefits you get from it and it completely goes against the grain of what SAD (standard american diet) says. A lot of people feel results within days and see results within a couple weeks. By eating this way, my body will lose excess fat and i'l lean out "naturally". Soooooo I thought hmmmm, if my body is going tolean out on it's own and I'll have tons of energy and feel and look fabulous, how can I show it off to the world? COMPETE! So with that I have my eye on July 20 IDFA and would like to do the Toronto Pro Supershow weekend May 31-June 2. Since diet is 80% of your results Im going the diet alone. I'm even going the training alone. However I have contacted a well know Fitness Model (Toronto native) with regards to being my "monthly check in". Let me know how my physique is doing, tweaks to be made etc and if tweaks need to be made for training. I have also asked her to work with me on walking and posing..... EXCITING STUFF!!!

It's been stupid cold here (-20 +) and going to the gym just didn't seem possible lol.

[HoosierHardGain]

Keep warm, CF!!! Find a nice blanket and curl up next to a fire.

[kingscross]

hmm what is this journal aboot? In.

[pastorpritch]

Hope the trainin' is going well
Keep at it!

[moshvr]

Subbed ... what's going on in here??

[cactusflower]

Hellooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I know, it's been forever since I have posted. Everything has been undecided and crazy. As of right now, it doesn't look like a competition is going to happen. So I am focusing my attention on Monica Brant's FEM Camp at the beginning of April! Why am I focusing on that? Because I went last year had ana mazing time however I wasn't physically where I wanted to be for the photo shoot! Since it's at the beginning of April there is potentially time that I could do May or July. I have gotten my hands on workouts and a diet that will definitely shape me as I need. I have 8 weeks. I can do a lot in 8 weeks!
I have also reached out to a past trainer ....I don't know what his fees are (he's on vay cay) and i am going on the assumption it'll be too $$ so I have a back up plan. I will post workouts and food, although the food will pretty much the same day in day out.
I hope you will follow...I'll need the support but I'm excited about the changes to come in the next 8 weeks!!

[HoosierHardGain]

Go CF!!! Eight weeks is doable....you got it!

[izzygrant]

Here to lead your cheer squad, as always <3

[baker]

Good luck with the prep. I recently discovered Robb Wolfs podcast on Paleo. Very interesting stuff.

[cactusflower]

Go CF!!! Eight weeks is doable....you got it!

THank you HOOS!!!!

Here to lead your cheer squad, as always <3

WOO HOOO!! Captain Cheerleader!

Good luck with the prep. I recently discovered Robb Wolfs podcast on Paleo. Very interesting stuff.

Tres itnteresting and thank you!



This week I have not been well. My stomach has been bothering me a lot and I have been feeling crappy in general so it shouldn't be a surprise that this week no workouts were done. I'm feeling better and I think my acid reflux was what was making me feel awful. It seems to have calmed down on its own. YAY!
So this afternoon I'll be going to the gym (i'm going to see if it's less busy....) and do my FIRST prep workout on my own. I am cautioning you and really me...one exercise is mountain climbers....100 of them!!!! Good god! HA HA ... i'm sure i'll get through it somehow lol....*groan*

If there is one thing you will learn about me it is that I have very little patience lol. I want everything now and yesterday...including physical results and changes. Clearly I know this is no possible but I do want to know how long something will take...including results. As per usual I went on the net to search results after 8 weeks of dieting. I came across a website of a woman who is the "body transformation specialist". Im going to post a couple of her before's and afters. Transformations are pretty much everywhere however what totally peaked my interest was the time frame in which these transformations happened! the shortest one I saw was 4 weeks. Mind you the girl was slim to begin with. The more dramatic ones were 6-8 weeks! My time frame! I emailed her yesterday but looking at her ******** it appears that there is a show today in CA and I am going to assume she will be wrapped up in that with her "girls". So who knows when i'll hear back. In the meantime, I am going to use what I have and go from there. Of course, in the end everything is a question of money! I watched a couple of her you tube videos answering questions and from what I can gather she does several small meals (possibly smaller than the norm) to achieve these results in record time. There is very little mention of her workouts. In one video she says she does SLOW cardio for 30 min everyday on an incline to help her butt (i don't think she has one naturally lol - I do, so no worries there lol). With that I'm going to start at a lower calorie level than is suggested from the information I currently have because I don't have 16 weeks or even 12. I've got 7.5!!!

I will post workout later. I would post a vid but it's my first workout, I look very out of shape atm and I have no idea how busy the gym will be. So stay tuned!!!!

I can't post 'em cause they are on FB. Oh well ... lol Besides, I know you would rather see MY transformation ... lol - the idea of putting up a starting pic is frightening... but it's not going up until there are some good progress ones to share lol!

OK time to go and start my day .... at 10:55 am lol.

[cactusflower]

WHOLLY SHEEET! That workout was hard! It's been 5.5 hrs since I finished training and I can already feel where the doms is going to be....I don't think this will be pretty!!!!

Ok...the workout: This workout is a circuit. Each circuit is 2 exercises. Alternate between the exercises until all the sets are done. THEN you can rest.....%$@#!

In random order:

tri pushdowns: 17.5 x10x 4
DB bicep curls: 10x10x4
2 min rest

DB Swings: 10x20x4
Squat press: 10x15x4
2 min rest

Mountain climbers: 100x4 <-----------your ARE reading that correctly!!
Bicycles: 100x4 <-------and that too!

Needless to say, depending on how I feel tomorrow will depend on what workout I do

[costahobo]

The biggest change that I had in my health is when I bought a juicer from the store and started juicing veggies. I can't stand eating veggies, so my wife and I drink a glass of them daily. The energy is unreal, and you'll be surprised at how fast your health improves. Now that I'm in my mid 30s, things just start hurting. Joints creak, back starts hurting, etc. Juicing somehow just cured all of that. I feel so much more alive now. Try it, a juicer costs like $50.

[pastorpritch]

Costa, my wife and I want to juice as well. What kind do you have?

CF ... killer workout!!! Great start now keep with it!

[cactusflower]

The biggest change that I had in my health is when I bought a juicer from the store and started juicing veggies. I can't stand eating veggies, so my wife and I drink a glass of them daily. The energy is unreal, and you'll be surprised at how fast your health improves. Now that I'm in my mid 30s, things just start hurting. Joints creak, back starts hurting, etc. Juicing somehow just cured all of that. I feel so much more alive now. Try it, a juicer costs like $50.

I've tried juicing and it's gross lol. I like veggies so I would much rather eat them than drink them!

Costa, my wife and I want to juice as well. What kind do you have?

CF ... killer workout!!! Great start now keep with it!

It was killer!

[moshvr]

Good stuff CF!

[cactusflower]

Good stuff CF!

Thanks Mosh! I'll post how I am tomorrow...lol

[moshvr]

Sore is my bet Pain is good

[cactusflower]

Sore is my bet Pain is good

LOL well you are right. What's odd though is the only place i feel it is in my upper quads. I hate it when you work other body groups just as hard and you don't feel it....wtf? lol

[mandimeoutof10]

In on this. I've been considering crossing over to Paleo myself and am interested to see how this goes. Good luck!