Day #2 PaleoRefresh

Day #2 I was really busy at work today. After work I went to see my mother-in-law in the hospital. Thankfully I took my veggies because I wanted to eat everything in the vending machine. By the time I got home I was so tired I just went to bed. I did have a sweet craving later in the day but I was just hungry. Breakfast: 2 cooked eggwhites w/hot sauce 2 Turkey Sausage Links (Jimmy Dean) Lunch: Veggie Salad (Piada): Spinach leaf, grilled chicken breast, mushrooms, squash, peppers, etc, PM Snack: Carrots, cucumber, halved cashews. Dessert: PM tea

Day #1 PaleoRefresh

Day #1 I went grocery shopping yesterday and bought every veggie in my sight that looked good. I got a couple of apples and bananas, but I'm not much of a fruit person. I PLANNED for all meals and snack. Today was not a struggle at all :) Breakfast: Smoothie: Kale, frozen mixed berries, cranberry juice, banana Coffee w/Almond Milk AM Snack: 1/2 c blueberries Lunch: Chicken salad from chipotle PM Snack: 1 c cucumber slices 1 c carrot sticks Dinner: Taco salad: groud turkey, mixed salad greens, hot sauce, sliced green olives

Why Paleo?

About 5 years ago when I was still in college, I noticed I started to get extreme acid reflux with certain foods and drinks I would consume, and it would be rarely accompanied with heartburn. I didn't think much of it until it became more and more frequent in the past couple years, until I couldn't stand it any longer. I narrowed it down to pastas, cooked tomatoes(paste/sauces/salsa), and acidic fluids (mainly sodas and coffee). What I am feeling right now...bloated, tired, cranky, and just not myself, I usually do a fresh restart to get myself back on my feet. My fresh Restart happens about once a quarter - 6 days no carbs, no gluten (GE Diet found HERE) My doctor tested me for Celiac disease and although the results were negative he suggested I try a gluten free diet. I did. For three months I was gluten and tomato free. It was the hardest thing I ever did. And I felt better, much better. My usual symptoms of groggy, foggy, tired, grumpy, moody, bloated, etc etc...they were gone. I had more energy, less mood swings. I am going to be honest, after 3 months I really missed beer, and bread...mostly just beer. I started to introduce all things bread (rarely pasta) back into my diet and another surprise, I felt fine. Somewhere between eating bread and pasta on occasion turned into a free for all. My diet was the absolute worst, going on vacation, the beginning of summer, graduation...who had time to grocery shop, cook and eat healthy. I hated to admit it but the less I worked out the worse I ate. My dog ate better food and treats then I did. The guilty feelings arise when I watch my Biggest Loser competitions and see the winners - I think, I am not medically overweight, If they can do it then I can certainly do it. What I didn't get is the "lifestyle change". Why would I need a lifestyle change if I already know how to do it? I didn't have an addiction to food, I didn't have an overeating problem, did I have a problem at all? These last few months watching my diet and exercise plan plummet and get flushed down the toilet, I did learn that I DO have a problem. I hate this phrase and it is SO cliche but it is my life Motto. "If you don't PLAN to WIN then you are PLANNING to FAIL". That's it. I didn't plan. I didn't plan my meals, my dinners, my grocery shopping. I gave myself the perfect opportunity to FAIL and eat whatever it was I could find...or don't eat. So. What I am feeling right now: bloated, fat, tired, lazy, cranky, moody, exhausted, anxious, stressed, headaches, migraines, stomach aches...that demands a lifestyle change and I deserve so much more. I deserve to be happy and have energy and be who I desire to be, who God planned for me to be. People can make fun of me, tease me, tell me I jumped on the bandwagon. That's fine, maybe you should too because it is there for a reason, because it works for some people and not for others. Find what works for you :) Time to start this journey. Many people find their body going through many withdrawals and purges the first week. Let's pray mine isn't too bad!