The following is how today went down and how it ultimately led to My New Plan.
For breakfast/lunch, I prepared a very familiar (to me) concoction. Rosarita refried beans from the can, a slice of cheese (pepper jack in this case), a small handful of rice, a generous topping of salsa, a couple green onions, and some guacamole we had sitting around. I heated it all up and wrapped it in a whole wheat tortilla and had this beast for breakfast and for lunch. Sounds yummy, eh? It is. I've been having this meal on and off SEVERAL times a week since I was about 19 years old. I'm 34 now.
Anyway. Today, I finished the lunch version of this meal and caught a glimpse of myself passing a mirror. Now, I've lost ALL of my pregnancy weight and am back to where I started. Yes, it's still 20ish pounds from where I want to be, but I've been doing well. However, my eye caught a bulge in my stomach. I looked 5 months pregnant. Gross. I also felt sluggish, and a little cranky. Kind of like a sloth. It didn't feel good.
You see, I pride myeslf on "eating well"--I rarely eat sugar/candy/soda/pies/cakes....barf. But I had to stop and think. I'm 20 pounds over weight...why? And why do I feel crappy. Low on energy, slothy, cranky, quick to anger, and with a pregnant-looking belly to boot.
And then the wheels started turning. It's a combination of some posts I read on Facebook recently-- friends getting into Crossfit, getting into Paleo, PREACHING how great they feel. Yes, yes, I can give this a try. If you scroll through the paltry amount of recipes I've posted so far, I think you'll see I have Paleo tendencies as it is. I love seafood, chicken, good beef, pork, love all my green veggies, love the right fruits. I guess the problem is I've been loving too many carbs as well.
I can easily binge on a whole can of refried beans in one sitting. Often on top of rice and rolled in a tortilla. This kind of meal all of a sudden is just not ringing as right to me. If a portion of food should be about the size of your fist, there is something very wrong about being able to put down two tortillas filled with beans and rice and cheese in one sitting. And it's not like I'm running a marathon everyday and need to have these glycogen stores filled.
So before I get too far off track... One thing led to another and I've decided to try the 30 day paleo challenge. I went out to the store (Safeway and Trader Joe's) today and bought the following:
Pork tenderloin
Bone-in french cut pork chops
Grass-fed organic ground beef
Organic chicken legs
TJ's frozen chicken breast tenders
Shrimps
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Onions
Garlic
Green onions
Zuccini
Celery
Spinach
Gem lettuce
Arugula
Walnuts
Almonds
Salsa
Apples
Oranges
Blackberries
And I have a well-stocked pantry to start.
Tonight, I'm making sauteed pork chops that I've marinated in garlic, olive oil, and lemon. I'm adding a gem lettuce salad with cucumber and avocado. I'm EXCITED. For the first time (about food) in a long time. I already feel great.
So. For the next thirty days, you'll see me posting the best paleo food I can come up. I might get inspired and post an old meal that's not paleo, but I'll always post a disclaimer. I'm really excited to try new recipes and feel like a new person. I know it's going to happen.
And finally, my pork chops marinating for tonight. To be enjoyed after some home-based crossfitting and a dog walk:
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