Embarking on a Challenge

Hi All!

So this week I embark on a Challenge.  Kyle and I always work at our music camp for a week back at our college.  This week is always a FABULOUS time however, it means eating college cafeteria food 3 times a day.  Normally I would look forward to the week of chicken fingers with buffalo ranch, lasagna, Etown carrot cake, the ice cream machine.. but this year I've been dreading it.  I am finally hooked on something healthy. I LOVE this paleo lifestyle, and I love the fact that I've started to incorporate running and working out into my routine as well.  I feel like I am gaining control of my life, and I feel like if I went to that cafeteria, I would gain all of it back + some in a week.

So I did some thinking, and I committed to bringing all of my own food for the week.  I started saving leftovers in the freezer over the past couple of weeks, and planning out meals.  I made myself a chart, figured out I had about 18-20 meals I needed to be prepared for.  I knew I didn't want to do a lot of cooking, because lets face it, once you're out of college, college living looks pretty disgusting.  I planned out food that could easily be reheated in a microwave or on the stove.  I planned lunches that can be stored in mason jars (vs. salads that would be great, but tough to keep fresh throughout the week).  I need a lot of grab and go.

When I get back I will post about how it all went, and what a lot of the choices i went for.  I discovered a lot of recipes too that will be great for during the school year.  There is a Banana Vanilla Bean N'Oatmeal (non oatmeal) that I cannot wait to devour. It's like a custard-y chia filled delight.  This is from Diane Sanfilippo's 21 day sugar diet book, but she luckily posted it on her balancedbites blog for all to see.  I also tore up some rotisserie chickens and am going to bring a ton of veggies to cut up for veggie sticks - ie: carrots & cucumbers.

In addition, despite exhaustion I am going to TRY MY HARDEST to get out an run throughout camp. I won't be unrealistic and say it will happen every day, but I want to try to at least get out 4-5 days within the week.

PS I'm still floating around the number I hit last week - which is great! Considering we had a Carabba's cheat-night (thank you student given gift cards).  I am confident and feeling great. PLUS I just rocked a pair of pants last night that were way too small to wear last summer. Let's have a big GO ME. Always remember to be your own cheerleader. If you don't support yourself, you'll never be able to believe in yourself.

Just love him!

Wish me luck!

Love always - Jack

Reflections & a Protein "Shake"

Hello!

Well I just came back down to earth after a fabulous weekend. A great July 4th downtown enjoying every little bit of our great town Frederick, and some fabulous Fireworks.  Then Kyle & I accompanied my parents and nieces to Dutch Wonderland Saturday - it has been probably close to 15 years if not more since I've been there - and man that's a fantastic place! We had a BLAST and such a FUN day.  We did the water park, lots of rides, I took abbey on her first 'big' roller coaster (which was terrifying making sure she was comfortable and not scared - parents, I got a glimpse into your life), saw some shows and ended the day with princess dolls treated by Aunt Jax & Uncle Ky.

So now onto my "reflections" I again keep going back to my new "outlook" on food. How I look at food is so different, and it still throws me through a loop. Did I cheat this weekend? Absolutely! What could I really find paleo friendly at dutch wonderland (well there were salads but I ignored them).  But it felt so good to get back to my Paleo yesterday.  I was just telling a friend I always used to go to bed feeling "full", and that feeling is gone. I don't feel full, and bloated anymore.  I rarely have headaches anymore, and honestly I rarely have stomach aches at all anymore. It's fabulous. It's absolutely fabulous.

Also - I started running again today. Kyle and I got up together and did a, as I like to call, a "trot" through the neighborhood.  We did just over 2 miles (it felt like 13...seriously), but I did it. It was a start. It was a foot out the door. And it was HILLY, man is our neighborhood hilly!!  Later this week I'll be running with a friend, who will hopefully motivate one another next week while working at my College's music camp as well. I am excited to see the results of eating Paleo and working out and keeping myself fully healthy. =) Thumbs up!

Some Blogs: I have found that I am now OBSESSED with exploring Paleo blogs.  There almost seems to be a sort of group of women that all share each others blogs and encourage one another - it's nice to see in a competitive society. If you are thinking of going Paleo, or have gone Paleo here are a few blogs I highly recommend checking out:

http://paleomg.com/ (just ordered her book - the paleo kitchen)

http://balancedbites.com (diane sanfilippos - practical paleo creator - blog)

http://livinglovingpaleo.com

http://againstallgrain.com

These ladies are fantastic and not only have great recipes, but they have a lot of great things to say! Last night I made Diane's "Shrimp Pad Thai" from BalancedBites and it was PHENOMENAL! (Kyle loved it too - and of course we love those Zoodles!)

Onto the protein shake! I was thinking I should have a go-to protein 'shake' that is still fairly lite for when I get back in from a run. Something that won't make me feel like I'm going to vom (like when kyle eats ketchup eggs.. EW).  So I looked up a few recipes, I wasn't totally sold on, and I created my own.  I know there is debate about protein powder being paleo friendly, but frankly right now I am just going to use what's in my cupboard!  I just so happen to have Vanilla Organic "All natural" protein Powder.

Banana-Vanilla Protein Shake/Smoothie

1 Banana

1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder 

1 tsp Vanilla

5 ice cubes

1/4 cup of water

Put all in a blender and mix together - enjoy!  

Mine kept me nice and full, and did not make me feel gross and vom-like! Success!

Happy Monday!

Love always - Jack =)

So I took a Chill Pill....

So I took a Chill Pill... and I stopped weighing myself everyday.  I knew it was ridiculous, but I think in the first week or two I was getting so motivated and pumped up by the fact that I seemed to be moving every day.  Then of course, you hit the days that are not so great. SO I stopped weighing myself every day, and I haven't weighed myself in a week... AND... I AM BELOW MY NASTY NUMBER. You know, that number, that you can't remember the last time you were below that terrible number?  I am 1.1 lbs below it!! It took me a minute while I looked at the scale, is it right? Wait, why does it say _ _ 8.9? I thought I was below that? OH WAIT THE MIDDLE NUMBER IS DIFFERENT. What a great feeling.  I am also slowly working some working out into my routine as well, just like vegetables, I'm not a natural, so I have to slowly work it in and figure out what's good for me. Right now it's push ups, since I want my arms to look slammin'.  Since day 1 (we are almost at week 4) I am at approx 7 1/2 lbs lost. GO ME.

Let's all celebrate for July 4th with a happy dance!!

Anyway, I have 3 major things I have realized this week.
 1. Carb/Dairy cravings? Gone. All week we were cooking & eating paleo, as usual, and I have found that I am officially done sitting around craving other food. I no longer crave pasta, or cookies. If it's sitting in front of me that's a different story, but if I'm around my house I am not sitting around crying that I want some mac & cheese.. those cravings are really truly gone.
2. Veggies on Veggies on Veggies. I am also eating a ton of vegetables. A lot of my dinners are now Paleo creations i have found from Practical Paleo, or from Pinterest, and usually they are 80% vegetables. I used to really not seek out veggies at all, but now I eat them several times a day, and they are a large portion of my meal.
3. Lastly - the third big change, is that my perception of "healthy" is SO different than what it used to be. I look at rice and think "omg so unhealthy!", or I look at chicken fingers and think "yikes so unhealthy!". The idea of fast food disgusts me, and just overall things I used to die for now set off a red flag in my head. Do I judge people who eat them? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It's just different for me looking at things I used to salivate over, I am now shying away from quickly.  It's a bizarre feeling.

Recipe Recommend!! We had several successful Paleo recipes this week but my favorite was : Spicy Butternut Squash "Rice" with Tomatoes & Shrimp. It was fabulous. It tasted like Jambalaya, and the butternut squash resemblance to rice was uncanny.  Next time I think I will add some spicy sausage to give it even more of a jambalaya feel!  It can be found here! - Against all Grain - http://againstallgrain.com/2014/02/28/spicy-shrimp-butternut-squash-rice-tomatoes/ . She has a fabulous blog!

Mouth watering just looking at the picture.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY! I'll leave you all with this classy throwback of Kyle & I.

Who doesn't duct tape a flag to a Jeep?

Love always - Jack =)