I am feeling really well since starting; because I had already been eating based on the Paleo Diet, the difference isn't really as drastic, but I have more energy, I feel better after meals, my performance has improved, my mood is better, and I know that I am eating the most nutritious foods I can get my hands on.
The two rules from the challenge that I've found the most...uhm, challenging...is drinking a gallon and a half of water everyday and not eating at restaurants. I've had at least one gallon of water daily, but getting that extra half gallon in is usually a struggle; it's so important to stay hydrated though...I will definitely start committing more to that. Not that I usually eat out a lot anyway, but I do love my Wahoo's and Red Lobster once in a while. Because I've recently found myself in a new relationship (weee!), it's made it rather difficult to avoid restaurants as a whole. Dates, especially when first seeing someone, usually consist of dinner and a movie or something of the like, but because we're awesome, we've managed to avoid eating out. Last night, we had "Date Night", but instead of going to a restaurant, paying too much for food that we shouldn't be eating, and breaking the rules, we made a delicious Paleo meal and watched movies (well, I fell asleep half way through the first one).
Our menu:
Our menu:
- Lean, grilled turkey burgers w/ homemade, fresh salsa.
- Grilled vegetable 'kabobs.
- Sautéed green beans.
- Fresh salad :)
Oh my gosh, it was so delicious; I could literally eat this everyday...and it was ALL Paleo! This salsa (I will post the recipe) is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I put it on everything from scrambled eggs to chicken to cucumbers.
Another obstacle we overcame this weekend was a Halloween party. Usually parties are full of temptations like alcohol and high-calorie snacks, but it's so important to stay on track even when socializing. I always eat before going somewhere that might veer me off track; I definitely make better decisions when my hunger isn't the one calling the shots. Also, even if it is awkward, I bring a "snack pack" with me: carrots, raw nuts, broccoli, cucumber, grapes, or apples are all good choices to bring with you to a party. This way, if everyone else is eating, you can too, but you'll be making wiser choices. Usually everyone hounds down my healthy snacks anyway...don't judge me and then hog my carrots, bitch.
Workouts this week were pretty beast mode! I treat Saturdays and Sundays as my rest days, so today I am making sure to stay hydrated, work on mobility, and get rid of any soreness so that I can give tomorrow's workout maximum effort. Yesterday was a rest day, but I went to Bootcamp at 24 Hour Fitness (where I work); it's a really fun class and I always recommend it to everyone; plus, we got to dress up yesterday (I was Robin), so I just had to go. Other than that, there was a lot of upper body work, some jump roping, burpees, snatches, pushups, squats, and running this week. Yay for burpees...HA.
As I previously mentioned, I love salsa. Before I found the recipe for the salsa I eat now, I was just using store-bought salsa; this is fine as long as you read the ingredients and check for preservatives, sugars, or any other garbage. Sodium and excess salts are the primary reason that I'd rather avoid processed salsas...also, mine is more delicious anyway :)
Paleo Salsa:
- 2 red tomatoes, seeded & diced.
- 1/4 cup diced onion.
- 1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper.
- Juice of 1/2 lime.
- 4 Tbsp. chopped, fresh cilantro.
- 1 clove minced garlic.
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt & black pepper.
Combine all ingredients & enjoy on eggs, cucumbers, salads, burgers, steaks, or spoons.
I think that's all I have for this post, but I'll check back in soon with new recipes, Paleo adventures, and complaints about sore muscles.
Happy Halloween!! :) :)
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