So apparently, this Paleo thing really works, and I thought I'd tell you all about what I'm experiencing so far.
I've lost 4 pounds since starting it, which doesn't sound like much, but the scale literally hadn't budged an ounce since Christmas, no matter what I ate or how much I exercised. So that's something! Just to be totally clear, I haven't gone 100% Paleo. I eat hummus sometimes, and we've been drinking beer with dinner for the past week, because, well, it's in the fridge, and I still use coffee creamer, because I just can't give that up. I'd say about 90% of what we've been eating is Paleo approved, and all but a few things have been delicious and things I would love to eat again. There have been a couple of way-too-spicy recipes I've made that Kyle would rather not revisit, but those can be saved with a few changes.
After eating pretty strictly all last week, I planned for us to have a treat meal at our favorite BBQ place that serves BBQ NACHOS. Yes. So exciting, right?! Well, I thought it was at first. We ate and it was delicious until about halfway through, but then I started feeling like total crap. It felt like there was a brick in my stomach. Real cute, I know.
So I ate great all week, felt good all week, only to reward myself with a delicious meal of misery. Makes total sense.
I don't know that the nachos will be our treat meal next time.
I've also noticed just how hard it can be to eat this way without some serious planning. On Friday, we were running low on food, so I just packed Kyle the last of the leftovers for his lunch and I planned to just get something at the store on my break from work. I went to Fresh Market, which you would think would be filled with options. Nope. Not really. I got some soup and some blood oranges. The soup was fine, but not what I really wanted, and it didn't fill me up like some of the previous lunches I'd been having. It just didn't really cut it.
I've often fallen victim to trying new things based on what others say, only to be disappointed in the end…like that really expensive face cream I bought that everyone was raving about and said it would brighten my skin overnight. But with this, I have yet to be disappointed, and my skin is looking better all the time, and not because of the face cream because I accidentally left it in West Virginia. Usually when I wake up, my skin is red and sort of looking like someone has slapped me, but today I woke up to this.
Whaa? Yes, I look sort of sleepy (damn you, daylight savings), but my skin isn't red. Or splotchy. Or uneven. I totally think it has to do with what I've been eating (and not eating). And just to be clear, I was not eating candy or McDonald's or potato chips before starting Paleo. I was just eating what I thought was healthy and easy. Frozen Healthy Choice meals, granola, low-fat cheese and whole wheat crackers. These things don't sound that bad, but apparently, something about them wasn't working well with my body, and now that they're gone, I feel better and my skin is evening out. I don't think that's a coincidence, and if something can make that happen for me, I will love it with my whole heart.
Also I feel like I should say this…these things might totally work for some of you, but they stopped working for me.
When my dad first started getting interested in Paleo, and he and I were talking to our family about it, I said "Don't eat bread, dairy, beans or processed foods," and my sister said "Well, what do we eat, then?!"
Good question.
Here are a few recipes I've made so far that were delicious.
This was the recipe that almost killed Kyle because it was so spicy. Take note of the amount of heat you like if you decide to follow this recipe.
Zucchini Pizza Bites
These also were pretty spicy because of the cayenne pepper. Again, take note.
I'm planning on making a Paleo-ized version of my mom's meatloaf this week, too.
So there are some ideas. The links to those recipes are from the three main blogs I've been reading and getting ideas from. Here they are again, just in case.
I'm entering into my fourth week of Paleo, and I'm weirdly excited. Here's to more adventurous cooking and better health.
love.
krq.
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