Back in the Saddle!

I did it! We all know what to think when we hear the phrase "The diet starts Monday!" But I actually did it this time!

As you might have read in the previous post, I had a bit of a bumpy start to this Paleo endeavor. But every day is a chance for a fresh start!

Monday morning, the only things I had in the fridge were a head of lettuce and some fruits. I also like to stash almonds at work, so as far as scrounging days go, I've had worse.

I was good yesterday. I stayed away from temptation during the day and resolved to shop properly after work.

I rode my bike to and from work, too, which made me feel like a bonus level champ. A very TIRED champ. Day one of Paleo, I felt very drained for a good chunk of the day. I wonder if it was psychosomatic, or if I legitimately felt some sort of rice withdrawal. I have no clue. Maybe one monster head of lettuce isn't enough fuel for a person to live on for a couple hours. Whatever the reason, I felt really burned out after my ride home. So I took a day-nap, which I never do, and I didn't hit the food store until late on Monday.

But when I did, I hit it HARD!

Broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, 4 cuts of steak, 2 pounds of chicken, bacon (YEEEESSSS!!!), lettuce, raspberries, pears, bananas, and a head of red cabbage. I've never cooked a red cabbage. It was on sale. What better time to try!

The shopping was the easy part. The subsequent "kitchen prep" was grueling.

But I was not deterred! I threw on the Nerdist podcast and for the next three episodes, I washed, sorted, cut, cleaned, packed, seasoned, and froze every last scrap of the treasures I'd bought. I'm pretty sure I'm all set for at LEAST a week. Definitely longer on the meat, but veggies don't keep as long.

For dinner, after all this work, I made myself a beef and green pepper stir fry with cut up tomatoes on the side. My only sin was soy sauce on the meat, which, woopsie, I didn't read until later was on the no no list. Agh! But it wasn't even a whole tablespoon, so I'm letting it go.

I also prepped lunch for work today -- broccoli and raspberries and bananas. Which, I guess sounds more meager than it felt like to me. Full disclosure, I'm wired funny when it comes to broccoli. Always was. I absolutely love the stuff. I bought 4 giant domes of it and it might not be enough. I like eating it just as it is. (Hey man, everyone's got their thing.)

Today was a good day, too. I had stuck to the lunch I prepared and I had a tomato salad for dinner. There was an event at work and I did have some chicken. Not a criminal sin, I think :-) I had tons more energy overall today, and the bike ride home was awesome. I rode pretty fast and I felt great.

I left some beef out from yesterday for dinner tonight, but I didn't feel like eating it. I read somewhere that eating Paleo was like that sometimes. Some days you feel like eating everything on the planet, while others, you don't feel hungry at all. They encourage people to eat when they're hungry instead of sticking to a schedule.

I don't agree with that. That's fine out in the boonies or on a hiking trail. But there is a lot of research that shows that eating just one meal at the same time every day can dramatically help improve your results for losing (or maintaining) weight. Over time, your body will learn when it's about to be fed, and you'll naturally retain less in fat stores as a result. It's a big help in regulating your metabolism.

I already eat a lot of my food on a schedule, just because that's what fits my day. I started it deliberately, years ago, and it helped me lose weight. It's a habit I never gave up. At this point, my metabolism is trained pretty well, so I genuinely get hungry at predictable hours. (I suppose that works out for me then :-)) But I definitely encourage anyone out there trying to lose weight to try eating at least one meal on the clock, no matter what your dietary poison is, and no matter how you're feeling. I promise you won't be sorry.

After work, I went back to the store today to pick up eggs, red peppers, avocados, onions, an eggplant and a pineapple.

I tried making a pineapple banana smoothie once a while back, and it was DELICIOUS. Incredibly filling, too. So when I saw the pineapple at the store today, I couldn't resist.

The eggplant, much like the red cabbage, is going to be a totally new experience. I like experiments!

Speaking of which, I'm thinking of trying to make a coconut and egg tortilla. I can't handle this 'no bread' thing forever, I'm going to start experimenting with what almond meal and coconut flour can really do! Someone mentioned omelets in one of the forums, it sparked an idea for a recipe I'm going to try later this week. I will, of course, report my findings. :-)

It feels good to be on track!
I mean, so far, right? It's only day 2. Har har har....