Beginning to Lose it

It has been a little over 6 weeks, since I began eating primally.  So far, so good, I'd say.  Although the weight loss has slowed down, I'm still losing, which keeps me motivated.  Even on the days when I weigh myself and I realize I may have done more of a 60/40 than an 80/20 (primal/non-primal ratio), I still feel better than I have in a very long time.

It seems to be less of a struggle to go out to eat than I was expecting, which probably isn't the greatest thing ever: I should definitely be eating at home more.  The price tag of fresh veggies and meat is much more expensive on the "outside" and I've found very few places that serve grass-fed meat.  I have been bringing my lunch with me to work, which is not nearly as social as going out with a group to a local fast or slow food eatery, but I feel better by using the groceries I've bought for the week and not spending extra cash.

Some of my recent foodie loves:

• Grass-fed Mozzarella balls (about an inch in diameter - they come packaged in water) drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  I know this would be yummy with tomatoes and basil, but even by it self, it must be tasted to be believed!  
• Grass-fed skirt steak marinated and then grilled to perfection
• Lunch meat (Whole Foods roasted turkey, roast beef, or Applegate salami or ham) wrapped in a delicious, fresh piece of red leaf or romaine lettuce
• Coconut cream (take a can of real, full-fat coconut milk and put it in the fridge for an hour or so - we just have the A/C on in the house and that is enough - and then open the can and scoop out the soft, fluffy, coco-licious cream at the top) over frozen cherries
• Bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, BACON! Yeah.
• Olives
• Mild Kim-chi
• Farmers Market fruit, for when I need something sweet
• Grass-fed, Beef summer sausage

Chorizo Buttered Veggies (with a bit of Chalula Hot Sauce)

Bacon Buttered Veggies
Last night I made myself a new amazing veggified bacon meal.  It's also amazing with chorizo and chalula hot sauce - don't skimp on the butter!  Here's the recipe (for 1 serving):

1 slice of raw bacon chopped up into medium sized pieces
1 big bunch of fresh veggies cleaned and roughly chopped (I used long purple beans (they called them purple asparagus's at the farmers market, but I think that's bologna), green beans, wax (yellow) beans, kale, and some crazy type of spinach where you can also eat the stems (it's purple and green))
Grass-fed butter (Kerry Gold, anyone?!) to taste (I probably used about 4 tablespoons)

Start with a cast iron pan on medium heat.  Once its toasty, throw in your bacon pieces and mix around until they are cooked through and a little crispy.  Then add about a tablespoon of butter (or two if you're in the mood) to the pan and let it melt.  As soon as it is melted, toss the veggies into the pan and toss to cover with bacon pieces and melted butter.  Add more butter if you feel like it.  Toss and wait a minute and a half and then toss again, on and on until your veggies are cooked to your liking.  I added some pepper and truffle salt.  It was yummy.  Check it out!

Primal-ish Vacation in L.A.

My hubby and I just got back from a vacation to Los Angeles.   We had a wonderful time.  I think we may actually move there in the not too distant future.  I would love to be closer to my parents and family (San Diego area).  I'd love to have hubby closer to the entertainment industry (that's his thing) and I'd love to be out of this terrible Chicago weather.  Sure, it's summer time and I can't really complain about it at the current moment, but here's the thing: When it's winter it is dreadful and all you can think about; when it's summer, the thought that winter is coming is dreadful and all you can think about.  At least that's the way it is for me.  It's sort of like looming darkness at the horizon.  But the very best, most wonderful part of possibly living in So. Cal. is the availability of fresh "beyond organic" veggies, grass fed/free range beef, poultry, eggs, and fresh seafood!  I mean, really... they even have "fast food" that is organic (I LOVE TenderGreens - more about that later).  So anyway, I'd like to move out there sooner than later.

While on our trip, we (did i tell you hubby is doing this too??!) were able to keep pretty darn close to our paleo/primal food preference during our trip.  Sure, it's probably because we were in one of the most image-conscious cities in the U.S., but still.  We found a great place for breakfast called Square One Dining.  We actually ended up going there for breakfast twice.  I got the skirt steak (grass fed?) and eggs (farm fresh), with organic mixed green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette and split an organic fruit bowl with the hubby.  We came back the next day for an exact repeat performance.  Now, this wasn't cheap (although looking back, we both agreed we could have totally skipped the $7.50 fruit bowl), but it was delicious.  Total yum-athon.

On my second day, we actually decided to drive down to Encinitas to visit some friends and visit with my parents.  For lunch with my parents, we went to King's Fish House.  I had the grilled Atlantic Sea Scallops and veggies and a side salad.  Not too bad at all!  The veggies in the meal were not organic, but I prefer not to be too overly picky about my veggies.  Quite delish, actually.

For dinner that night, our friends took us to an AMAZING Peruvian place called El Q'ero Restaurant.  OH MY GOSH!!!!  The food was so yum.  We all split an appetizer of quinoa breaded scallops.  (Perhaps I have an addiction to scallops?  Knowing is half the battle.  I think I get it from my mom.)  For my entree, I had the "appetizer special" of diced Ahi Tuna and Watermelon ceviche in a soy vinaigrette topped with tiny bits of basil and served over a piece of boston lettuce.  Now for all of you who are not into raw fish: I AM WITH YOU!  Seriously, not really a fan.  Kinda grosses me out.  But I decided to try this and it was ABSOLUTELY THE BEST THING I HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME (and I eat at some amazing restaurants).  So yeah.  I wish I could have it again, but alas, I do not live in San Diego or even California: YET.

Then there is my all time favorite "fast food" organic, local restaurant: Tender Greens.  If you live in L.A. or San Diego and you HAVEN'T been there... turn of your computer and GO RIGHT NOW.  Totally delicious.  Did I mention I had them cater my wedding in San Diego (and everyone was amazed at how great the food was?!)?  Ok, so the meat is all local as are the organic veggies.  Everything is tasty and fresh.  We ate at the one in Downtown Hollywood 2 times on our trip (only 4 days).  It really is that good.  Go there, and let me know what you think.  I love their "Backyard Steak" salad with red and golden beets, butter lettuce and radishes, and their home brewed iced tea (is it passion fruit maybe? -- not sweetened, but so good).  Also, check out their "side" of roasted veggies!

Tender Greens: Backyard Steak Salad and a half side of roasted veggies

Last but not least, if you have ever had the issue of lettuce going bad in your veggie drawer at home, try prepping your lettuce and sealing it into mason jars for easy travel and it'll stay fresh longer (they say up to 9 days!).  Check it out on lifehacker here.

Um, also, P.S. I actually LOST weight on my vacation.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Oh my! I love hearing wonderful news from old friends!

I have been kind of addicted to this whole paleo thing.  I mean REALLY addicted.  But you know what?  There are WORSE things to be addicted to.  I feel amazing.  I am healthy, strong, energetic, happy, and I WANT to exercise.  Now if you know me, that last part about the exercise... well, it just doesn't sound like me.

The hubby and I went out for a walk by the lake this evening and just for fun I decided I wanted to sprint.  I have exercise induced asthma (at least I did last time I checked - I haven't sprinted in maybe 4 years) so I wanted to just do a little and see how I felt.  I was wearing my vibram five finger barefoot shoes, so the grass under my toes felt amazing.  I only sprinted for maybe 7 seconds, but I gave it 100%!  Then I slowed down to make sure I wasn't going to have "the weasies," but I didn't.  I was just fine.  So I waited a minute and then did it again.  Hubby even did 2 sprints.  It is really great to know your body can perform like it was made to... just like a cave (wo)man!

Also, after I got home from work I checked my emails and had received a really great note from my old friend Gabi at BrokeAss Gourmet.  She writes a great blog with lots of yummy recipes and she even writes for exercise.com and treehugger.com.  She and I worked at Camp Tawonga together back in the early 2000s.

She writes:

Hi Anne!

Wanted to let you know that your Paleo post was incredibly inspiring to me! After I read it, I started looking at my diet and thinking about the ways I could move it in the direction of primal/paleo eating and, to my surprise it was shockingly easy to do. It's been about a week-and-a-half and my energy is boundless, I've lost almost 10 lbs and my hair, nails and skin look amazing. Normally I think diets are silly, but I now see why this one is so popular. At first I was worried that it would be impossible for a professional food writer to make it work, but it's amazingly doable--and I love the 80/20 rule, and feel quite certain I'll eat this way for the rest of my life.

Hoping all in your life is wonderful. Thank you so much for turning me on to such a great thing. Your blog is great!!

Love,
GLM


This is so great!  I love it.  I look forward to seeing more Paleo friendly recipes on your site and can't wait to hear more about your experience!


And yes, the 80/20 rule is a lifesaver!  It makes paleo so doable.

Ann Cooper talks school lunches | Video on TED.com

Ann Cooper talks school lunches | Video on TED.com

Watch this and wrap your head around it! Amazing change is possible.

We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

Hiking Photo and some "Habits that make you Fat"

Hiking at Starved Rock with my Crew.  Let's be honest, it was TOO DANG HOT to hike on Saturday, maybe a heat index of 100 or more.  But we did have a great time.  Let's do it again soon!

My friends came prepared with a cooler full of beer (I don't really drink), but I came prepared with snacks!  Artisan Cheese slices, string cheese, sliced cucumbers, carrot sticks, beef jerky, blueberries, grapes, and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember now.

I just saw this article on Yahoo Health:  20 Habits that Make You Fat.   Now, I don't really agree with all of these habits, but there are a couple I really appreciate.

FAT HABIT #1: Eating "low-fat"
It sounds crazy, but I want you to stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.
So this is totally what I'm all about!  I think we are coming up to a tipping point, hopefully sooner than later, when people start to realize that Low-Fat is not the answer.  Now that being said, he doesn't mention anything about getting rid of the processed foods or the carb-heavy meals, but at least we might be getting somewhere with baby steps.


FAT HABIT #4: Eating free restaurant foods
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.
As I've said before, "If it's free, it's not for me."  There are some exceptions though.  If there is a salad that comes free with the meal, I will gladly add that to my meal (skip the croutons).  I'm sure most aren't organic, but if you get too picky, it's hard to relax and enjoy your meal.  I would definitely suggest cutting out the free bread or chips you get with your meal.  They will only leave you wanting more (this is a characteristic of carb-laden foods).


FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet!
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.  
Seriously, this can change the way you feel.  It can also help you lose weight!  If you usually drink 20oz. of soda a day and completely cut this out of your diet, you can end up losing about 25 lbs. in a year.  But also, by limiting your liquid calories/carbs you can help your body regulate insulin better.  Check out "Fat Head" for more info.


FAT HABIT #9: Ordering the combo meal
A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.
By not ordering the combo, you'll be cutting WAY back  on your carb/processed food intake.  Your body will thank you by not being as hungry in an hour.


FAT HABIT #19: Drinking fruity beverages
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.
Once again, drinking your carbs is not exactly the greatest plan.  Its like giving your body an IV of sugar! 


Do you have any advice on Healthy Habits?

A little about Paleo - and 10 lbs. gone!

Ok, so here's an update.  After less than 2 weeks of strict Paleo (by strict I mean 80% of the time, and I still have a decent amount of dairy), I've lost 10 lbs.  I feel amazing.  My complexion is the clearest it has been since I was 12.  I love eating. 

Disclaimer:  I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a scientist.  I'm just a person who's into Paleo.  If you disagree with this stuff, that is OK.  If you want more info for the real facts, check the internet.  It has a ton of sources for more info. 

For those who are wondering here's a little list of the food ideas on the Paleo diet (at least what I'm doing - feel free to surf the net for more lenient or strict restrictions that will fit your needs):

• No Soda - diet or regular.  If I'm thirsty I drink water, iced tea, or on occasion a small glass of coconut water.

• No Processed food - Does it come in a wrapper and sit on a shelf?  Most likely, it's not that great for you.  There are some exceptions, but as a general rule: If you have seen marketing for it, it's probably processed and it's probably not so great for you.
• Grains - I know.  This part is a bit of a far reach for most people.  wheat, barley, oats, corn, rice, and everything you can make with these products are pretty much out.  There are two main issues.  One is the gluten in wheat; it can cause a ton of different issues, and we've been eating them for so long (our whole lives) we may not even realize that stomach aches, heavy gas, bloating, and other digestive issues are NOT normal.  Grains are also almost all carb with very little actual nutrition. 
• Fats: Eat them.  Obviously stay away from trans-fats and the "vegetable oils,"  but try out some new ones.  Coconut oil is my new favorite cooking oil.  It has a high smoke point and it smells and tastes amazing! 
• Switch your peanuts for REAL nuts.  Peanuts are actually legumes.  Switch to delicious nuts like almonds, cashews, etc.  Even switch your nut butters.  I like Almond nut butter. 

• Stop eating white potatoes.  Seriously. 

• I eat a moderate amount of dairy.  I'll probably cut back on that soon, but for now, I'm going at my own pace.

• Cut WAY back on sugar.  Way back. 

• Meat - try to stick to grass-fed whenever possible.   No farmed fish. 

• Don't eat beans.  
• I'm sure I'm missing something, but it's a good start.

A few of my favorite things to eat:

• Fresh Whipped Cream and Organic Berries:  Take some heavy whipping cream (organic) and put about half a cup into a medium sized mason jar.  Shake vigorously until it feels like the liquid is gone.  [NOTE: Do not shake for more than 5 mins; if you shake past the whipped cream phase, you'll end up with organic butter and buttermilk.  Delicious, but not what we're looking for.]  Wash your berries.  Spoon out as much whipped cream to top the berries.  Enjoy!

• Roasted Veggies:  I just wash and chop organic/local veggies from the farmers market and throw them in a gallon size zippy bag.  Toss in a few tablespoons of oil (you can do olive oil, but I found I LOVE the flavor of Coconut oil in this recipe) a bit of salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasoning/herbs/spices you're into.  Zip the zippy and shake that bag like crazy!  Once you feel like everything has a good amount of coating, toss it into a large baking/Pyrex dish and pop it in the oven on 425 for 20 mins.  Take it out, toss the veggies around a bit (make sure to get the bits on the bottom, so they don't burn) then put it back in the oven for another 15 mins.  If they're not roasted enough for you at this point, feel free to leave them in a bit longer, but keep an eye on them!  When they're ready, take them out and let them cool a little -- they will be hot!  Then enjoy.  If you're using coconut oil, make sure to heat up the leftovers so you don't get the solid oil grime from it being in the fridge. 
• When I'm going out to eat, I love ordering a Caesar salad with no croutons, dressing on the side and a big fat sliced skirt steak on top.  So yum. 
• Bacon.  Eggs. Sausage.  Love it.
• Beef (or other meat) Jerky:  When we were on our way back from Yosemite (120 route) we stopped by the Tie Dye/Jerky lady and got some amazing, delicious bison and elk jerky.  I've been craving more, but obviously, it's not that easy to get around Chicago.  I've found a recipe I'm looking forward to trying very soon.  

• Olives:  They have an olive bar at my local Whole Foods.  I get the black olives and the green olives stuffed with garlic.  Yum.

• Nuts:  Seriously, one of the best take-along treats you can find.  Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Macadamia nuts, cashews.  (My mom HATES walnuts and pecans, but if you dig 'em, toss them into your veggies while you're cooking!  They add healthy fat, a nice crunch, and the fat content will help you stay satiated [full] longer.) 
• Kimchi and Homemade pickles:  I like to buy "King's Mild Kimchee" that is available at my local Whole Foods.  Pickles… make them yourself!  They are amazingly easy to make.  Last week I made a batch of homemade dill pickled cucumbers and a batch of pickled radishes.  Radishes are my all time favorite pickled veg.  Wash, trim and cut up your radishes to the size you want the final product to be.  Put them in a jar with a couple teaspoons of salt sprinkled on them (this was for about 1/4 gallon of radishes).  Put cheese-cloth over the top and put a rubber band around it (this keeps the bugs out).  Come back in 24 hours and you'll see quite a bit of water drained from the radishes.  Take off the cheese-cloth and fill the jar all the way to the tippy-top with filtered water.  Put on the screw-top lid.  Flip it over.  Unscrew the lid a little at a time until you see a bit of the water come up around the edge of the rim.  This means you have a seal.  Place this on a kitchen towel on your counter, out of direct sunlight, for 1 week.  Screw the lid back on (if you forget, you may have a bit of a mess to clean up) flip the jar right-side-up and voila!  You have pickled radishes.  They might smell a bit funky if you're not used to naturally fermented pickles, but seriously, try them.  You might dig 'em.  You might hate them.  I think they're delish!

The Primal Blueprint

Over the past couple months, I've been listening to a bunch of "Paleo Diet" podcasts on stitcher.com (a streaming radio, like Pandora or slacker, but with podcasts instead of music).  At first, I was a bit leery of Paleo diet.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about from Wikipedia:

The modern dietary regimen known as the Paleolithic diet (abbreviated paleo diet or paleodiet), also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various human species habitually consumed during the Paleolithic era—a period of about 2.5 million years duration that ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture. In common usage, such terms as the "Paleolithic diet" also refer to the actual ancestral human diet. Centered on commonly available modern foods, the "contemporary" Paleolithic diet consists mainly of grass-fed pasture raised meats, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.

So yeah.  It seems a bit extreme: no grains; no dairy; no salt; no refined sugar; no processed oils.  [I know you just read that, but I'm telling you again, for affect.]

So I checked the internets for some more info and found that many people who follow a Paleo Diet have AMAZING success with weigh loss, as well as general improvements in health and energy.

In peeking through "paleo" on amazon.com I found a book that seemed like people really were into.  4.5 stars out of 5, reviewed by over 190 people... I figured I'd check it out.  It's called The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy.  The author has a website you can check out at www.marksdailyapple.com.

While reading the book, I really started to understand how grains and processed foods really ARE kinda toxic to our digestive systems.  The writing is technical, yet very approachable and surprisingly easy and quick to read.  After reading about the affects of grains, I tried to skip them, but gosh is that hard.  So Instead of having a burger, I'd have a burger minus the bun with sweet potato fries.  (Technically fried food in general is a no-no, it really is about moderation.)  You just do the best you can.  And slowly. And then when you're in the mood for it, you just switch to barely any grains and processed foods.  At least it was that easy for me.  Especially after learning/knowing how much the processed food chemicals affect our digestion and health, it was almost like knowing the negative effects, changed how I felt about the actual food.  [I did a similar thing with aspartame and soda a few years ago, now I barley touch the stuff.  When I see friends and family consuming these products I try to tell them about what the chemicals do inside your body.  I try not to be judgemental about it, but it's almost an evangelical urge to tell everyone I meet!!!]

The book also supports the 80/20 rule.  Where you stick to your healthy good food at least 80% of the time and the other 20% you can do what you want.

So far I've been easing my way into it over the past 2.5 weeks and just started being a bit more strict about grains and sugars (I already almost always avoid processed foods to begin with).  I thought it would be more difficult; after a while you just kinda eat what you should be eating, instead of craving things you shouldn't.

Have you tried the paleo diet?  What do you think?