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General Weight Loss Tips

Going Primal

I decided to delete my last post after a I received a comment from Richard over at Primal Fed. I always double check sites that leave comments mainly because I get so many spam comments. I started reading Richard and Amanda’s blog and l was intrigued by their success and recipes on the Paleo plan. Paleo is very much a factory-free plan and I just thought…why not start there?

I’d heard about the Paleo plan and did a little research months ago and qucikly decided that it wasn’t for me. This from the girl who used to down bun-free burgers, bacon and sugar-free sweets with wild abandon on Adkins. I lasted about 6 months and lost a lot of weight. And then I ate a biscuit. And well it was pretty much over from there. I did not (do not) want to go down that road again. So Paleo went on the back burner for me.

But yesterday I could not stop reading blogs about Paleo/primal eating. Blog after blog after blog. Thinking could I do this? Could I go down this road again, even if the road has been re-paved, the scenery much nicer? Could I face another holiday meal where I’m the one bring the “weird food” or having people asking me if I’m doing ahhhddkkiiiinsss again.

Paleo, is not primarily low-carb nor is it extremely restrictive. The foods that aren’t allowed are the same ones that (surprise) I have the most trouble not overeating. I’ve read recipe after recipe and most of my favorite foods are included. If not, there is a way to modify them. What I like most about Paleo is that it is about making real (dare I say) lifestyle changes rather than being on the latest fad diet.

You can read for yourself here, here and here. There are so many sites and blogs though.

There are ways to enjoy pancakes, suasage and gravy, and even pizza if you really need it. You can find recipe modifications for pretty much anything you enjoy eating.

Paleo is basic: no sugar, no grains, no legumes or beans, and no starches.

What you can have is pretty endless though. Most cuts of meat (there are debates regarding high fat vs/ low fat cuts), poultry, sea food,  vegetables, fruits (mostly the low sugar variety) and nuts. Some people still eat small amounts of dairy- I will be one of those people. Raw, organic butter, and cheese is recommended. I can have sweet potatoes, and cauliflower which have endless options and ways to cook. You can also have coconut milk and other coconut products- this is a big deal for me as I looove coconut milk for thai/indian food.

Another expection that I am making for myself (and my husband) is rice. Rice is not technically Paleo, but if I want to be serious about this, I can’t go long stretches without eating it. I’m justifying this choice by stating that 1) I do not have an issue with overeating rice. 2) I do not crave rice, this is not a trigger food for me 3) when I do eat rice I always measure it out in 1/2 to 1 cup portions 4) I eat brown rice at home (mostly) 5) I have never felt that sushi/maki was nothing but a healthful meal for me, I rarely get the Americanized versions (mayo, cream cheese, and tempura). This is not something I can justify cutting out of my life and it’s not a long-term solution for me. Rice isn’t a trigger food and is not the reason why I’m 150+ pounds overweight.

I will do a weekly progress report on Paleo and let you know how it’s working in the weight loss department. Another side effect of Paleo is productivity, energy and helps with depression.

Here we go!

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General Weight Loss Tips

No Factory Food Week

I want to try an experiment next week, and I’d love to have you guys join along. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m excited. I noticed this week that a lot of the foods I have trouble with overeating are what I would call factory foods. Food that was manufactured or processed in a factory. This includes commercials meats.

A lot of the foods I eat on a daily basis have been processed some way or another: bread (sandwich thins), pickles, cheeses (that aren’t local/raw), frozen meals (even ones I consider to be healthy), condiments, snack foods etc.

This means that for one week (starting monday and ending the following Sunday) I’m only going to consume foods that are in their natural state. No fast food or eating out. Meat, dairy, and bread products will be purchased and made locally. That leaves produce, nuts and beans as my other main sources of nutrition. In short: if it has commercial packaging, marketing, tons of ingredients it’s off the list.

Time to get my menu and list ready for the farmer’s market tomorrow.

Leave a comment if you’d like to join in!

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General Weight Loss Tips

Yogurt Brownie Sunday

My sweet tooth knows no bounds. As soon as I declare “self, let’s get serious about this whole weight loss business” I start craving sweets. Seeing as how this is the year without refined sugar with a couple exceptions (I’m looking at you Beaches Resort) I’ve had to get a little creative.

And here friends, is a Sunday, just as good as any old ice cream thing you’d find elsewhere. The star is, of course, the brownie. But how?

Meet The Pure Bar (organic, raw, refined sugar free). The main contenders are dates, agave nectar, cashews, cocoa, almonds and a proud “and that’s all!” at the end. I love them and buy them so often that our local grocery store has a hard time meeting my demand.

To me, the taste is very similar to a Little Debbie brownie. My husband would disagree and actually does not understand my love for these bars.

You guys remember the rumor about Lara Bar cherry and pecan pie bars tasting just like the real thing and we all went to the store and some of us (no names mentioned) bought a box on Amazon hoping that somehow someone finally figured out how to make dates and nuts taste like buttery crust and gooey filling? And then, well, it tasted more like fruit and nuts than gooey pies and we all cried? No?

This bar is so good, if you’re not my husband, go buy some and thank me later. Word on the street is that Trader Joe’s has them, Amazon has them and my local Food Lion stocks them just for me (I think).

All you need is 1/2 C whole plain yogurt, one Pure Bar Chocolate Brownie, 1 T all-fruit jam (melted or stirred in with the yogurt) and 1 T shredded coconut (optional).

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