Thursday, March 31, 2011

Lolo Day 4

Just a quick update because I'm exhausted.
Awesome day. Got flowers from a client and it was gorgeous out. I love the sun. Food was great.
breakfast was chia pudding-- chia seeds soaked in almond milk with walnuts and prunes and nutmeg and cloves.
lunch was tofu, seaweed, and an apple. I know that soy isn't paleo, but as I said before, this time the rules are less about what "the rules" are and more of what works for me. And sometimes I have crazy tofu cravings. I have no idea why, I just crave blocks of raw tofu. It's just yummy to me.
Snack was carrots.
Dinner was brussel sprouts with olive oil and cayenne, and a salad with avocado, romaine, tomato and a bit of bacon and hard boiled eggs and some tahini lemon dressing that I made which was yummy and another apple.
My goal here is balance, health and vitality. I definitely don't want to lose weight this time around. One thing that I loved last time around that I haven't been doing enough this time around is once or twice daily meditation sessions. I want to put that as a goal for tomorrow and next week. Helps me to just feel happy and peaceful for most of the day.

The Honeymooner - Day 4

Cucu here, doing the LoKomotion!

It’s been 3.5 days of blissful bacon and sausage, apples and semi-frozen berries, veggies galore, coconut oil and nuts (as in cuckoo, or Cucu!). I’m keeping it simple to start, and hoping long-term to whip up Paleo recipes with gusto and ease (think Julia Child with a duck), as well as up my energy, exit a nagging funk and trade flesh for flesh (sorry piggies, chickies, moo-moos and various sea critters!).

This journey starts at the tail end of taking very poor care of my body for quite some time, after success and equal failure with various diets, after major life changes. But more on that later—like the post’s title states, I’m in the honeymoon stage! It’s all enjoying the retraining of my palate, asking Koko (goddess of nutritional and other wisdom) annoying questions and tracking the diminishment of junk food cravings.

I feel successful thus far in keeping on track with my meal plan, getting in some exercise and strolling on by several sample stations at the grocery store featuring baked goodness, chips and cheese, with nary a second glance! Though it did take Herculean effort to not buy roasted-salted macadamia nuts (or put my mouth under the bulk food nozzle). Only raw nuts for me (that’s what she said).

I just wanted to say a quick hello, and thanks for inviting me to share here and there. And uber gratitude to Koko, for both introducing me to Paleo and giving me all manner of encouragement.

Well, like Little Miss Lolo, I like me a hearty poop. I’m off now, as Jerri Blank from Strangers With Candy once said, “to pass what will hopefully be a very memorable stool.”


Smooches,
Cucu

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Koko - Day 3

Another fine day. Tons of sun here so I feel like my Vitamin D stores are getting stocked way up. More fruit than is probably good for me, I had watermelon, an apple, some raspberries (these frozen with half a LARA bar, a leftover kid-snarfed banana, some cacao nibs, and coconut: shredded and milk). I took the caveboy out for an ice cream and ignored his bossy 3-year-old dictate that "I have MANGO and YOU have CHOCOLATE, mommy." I, in fact, had none. I did have some eggs, I think some meatloaf? a LOT of pork roast, sauerkraut and charden from our garden, all covered in yummy pork roast drippings and full of garlic.

What else? Just some walking. I'm noticing that, historically, it may be that I get my exercise groove only after a couple solid weeks of the paleo eating. This seems to have been the case the previous two rounds - first I get the food sorted, then the manic nighttime running happens.

I don't know. It's a busy week. I have loads to do in life and jogs and thrice-weekly bar videos are not (yet) happening again.

I'm laughing as I reread the posts from last time: all enthusiasm at the beginning, full of "never again, this regimenting is stupid" as time goes on.

I realise I never feel on an even keel with food. I am either hungry but feeling light and energetic, or I feel slothy, full, ravenous and insular. I wonder what it would take to just feel even and good most of the time.

More sleep, to start.

good night.

Lolo Day 3- Accountability

Today was one of those days where I really wanted a bagel and cream cheese. And then I really wanted to go to Walgreens and buy 4 cream eggs and put them in the freezer and them eat them frozen. Then, after dinner, I wanted frozen yogurt.  But I didn't because of me and koko's new challenge.  I realized then that this is why we do it. Not to be insanely strict or to be obsessive, but to be accountable and get support for this. I already know that I'm planning on eating some bread on Saturday and perhaps having a Paleo grade drink on Saturday evening, and that's fine. It's planned, though not a planned binge, and this blog and our dedication to each other is what makes this doable. It's what makes me say, "no bagel today, no chocolate today. Not no forever, just no for now." And I like that. Especially these days when I'm having lots of anxiety. For various reasons, anxiety and I have become great friends in the past month or so. We spend all our time together, frolicking, canoodling, in fact, we hardly get any sleep and spend many nights awake just being with each other.
As for food, 'twas a nice meaty day today.
Breakfast was tofu and butter (wtf?) Tea with almond milk and a whole bunch of kelp
Lunch was Salad with chicken and balsamic vinegar and oil
Snack of maybe 3-4 handfuls of almonds
Dinner was a small salad, one whole avocado and a very, very, very large greasy burger with cheddar cheese.
I'm pretty full, but thinking I might have an apple before bed because lack of fruit = lack of poop and you know how I love to poop.

Okay. Lolo out!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Lolo- Day 2

Today was fine except for my little potato binge. The goose was eating a crepe and he doesn't eat the potatoes that go with it, so I got 'em. I'm not totally anti potato, but I can overdo them. So that can be problematic. But otherwise, good day, with lots of fruit, apples, dates, and lots of veggies, carrots, beets, kale and lots of salmon, almonds, and chicken. Plus a bit of dairy, some feta cheese and cream in my tea. Speaking of tea, who knew that Samovar had a paleo plate? Yum! It's kale, beets, carrots, smoked salmon (or tofu or chicken or whatever you want!). And tomorrow I'm going to make this Chia pudding for breakfast. I love anything that makes me poop.

Koko Day 2 - Now with Accidental Gluten?

Great day! I saw the Eadweard Muybridge exhibit at the MOMA and really enjoyed the homoerotic motion studies - barely clad blacksmiths coming at you!


I had a really good dance class in which I didn't feel like (much of) a total spaz, a had a short, nice conversation with a Tunisian cafe owner who has set up shop near a place I go every week. I told him I was glad he was saving me from patronizing Starbucks and we talked about Turkish baths, massage, and why my coffee choice (black, no sugar) made me "healthy, like a French person." Why, merci beaucoup, monsieur. You do go on.

I ate some meatloaf that was totally unpaleo, I'm sure. I ordered it at my favorite little coffee place near work before realizing that meatloaf is generally made with breadcrumbs, not almond meal, as it is in my house. So Day 2 and I'm imperfect already. But perfection is unrealistic and hardly my goal.

Home cooking tomorrow. This is key for me for keeping on track.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Lolo Day 1

So happy that Lolo and Koko are back. Have been feeling out of control with food lately and uncomfortable with sugar. Have been eating lots of ice cream and chocolate and cream eggs. Yummm... cream eggs.
My goal for this time around is not to get obsessive. I plan to eat a bit of bread on Saturday (though not go crazy) but then get right back on. I also will incorporate a small amount of soy and dairy and a very moderate amount of legumes (beans every so often, though not a ton) because for some reason I crave tofu and chickpeas often and I feel good when I eat them. This time I won't go crazy with coconut because it gave me f**ed up periods last time and I won't go crazy with nuts because I think it triggered my eczema in an intense way. But I definitely feel much, much better off of gluten and sugar and booze and caffeine. I've been mostly off the booze and caffeine for a while now though, so that feels nice. 
Am feeling good emotionally.
Food was fine today, after my weekend Ben & Jerry's binge.

Breakfast was 3 handfuls of almonds and an apple.
Lunch was a bowl of miso soup with seaweed in it and some of my leftovers from dinner last night.
Dinner was same as lunch leftovers from last night which was kale, onions, garlic, butternut squash, chickpeas, cashews and tofu sauteed in olive oil with sea salt, cayenne and tumeric. Pretty delicious.
That's all for now.

except that i wish cream eggs were paleo... le sigh...

Koko - Day 1

Strong start to the new Whole 29 thing. Meat, veg, eggs, half of the kid's banana and half of his clementine. Coconut milk in the morning coffee, some coconut oil to cook with, almond meal in the meatballs, black coffee in the afternoon, in the absence of coconut milk and committed again to see how I work with a strict no dairy policy. All of my potential bingey things were kept well in check. Even the Lara bars and chocolate atop the frigo were left untouched. So I feel good!

I do notice I feel more hungry right now, even though I'm well-fed. My body misses its preciousssss, the sugar, the sugar. I'm excited to feel the cravings die away, and happy to have more time to exercise in earnest later on in the week.

As for my specific goals for this time around. . . Well, my main goal is that I plan to complete the whole 29 days rather than fucking off the last several in a fit of the gimme-gimmes. And now, some after-dinner crunches and push-ups. Then: house cleaning! Tomorrow's impromptu landlord visit has my attention more than food, glorious food talk.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Lolo- Right Before Day One

Goshdarn sugar hangover... this has been a bad weekend with food. But that's okay. Happy to get back to a saner, gentler Paleo-ishing.   I'm also going to allow tofu and some legumes, like chickpeas both which i crave a lot.
March 27-April 26. Looking forward to it. Having tea with tea sandwiches next weekend. Won't restrict the bread, but will be moderate with it. Other than that, no exceptions that I can think of for the next 30 days.

Koko T-minus-1 Part Two: Synchronicity - Without the Silly Outfits

Let's first get out of the way that, while the Police were pretty great, their clothes in the Synchronicity era were undeniably silly. (By the way, I love the way this particular video gets all John-Woo-does-doves-and-streaming-things up in here. Oh la la, l'80's!) Not that you'd ever see the Great Master Sting doing a double-gun anything (unless that's a new Tantra position I don't know about).

. . .Anyway.

Synchronicity came in the form of a text from Lolo today, asking if I'd be down for another 30 days of paleocity, beginning tomorrow. An enthusiastic YES. It's great timing since I had plans in place to do a little Whole 29 number with our friend Cucu (as she shall henceforth be known here). Cucu is new to the paleo thing, and while I've had some happy success these past couple of months, I've been slacking hard this past week +, this season of St. Patrick's Day soda bread, fatty meats, colcannon, whiskey and Girl Scout Cookies. Realistically, that one holiday came and went, but the huge container of Samoas-flavored ice cream (which I will call seasonal eating at its best and I dare you to differ) lingered not long enough in my freezer. Worse, it spawned a whole lot of lazy eating and the time is now to buck up and get back on la plan.

I will not be doing 30 days. I will be doing 29, knocking off one day early to celebrate Easter in the grand and Cadbury-glutted method to which I have little doubt will still delight me when I'm through this month of sugar-free existence.

So that's where I am- beginning a near-month of paleo tomorrow: no booze, limiting coffee, ditto not abusing nuts, coconuts or dried fruit products. Welcome meat, vegs and fat. I'll keep on loving you, barre work, belly dance, light jogs and - hell, perhaps the new kettlebell video. Not to be a cliche, but dang if the things don't seem to create some hella hot bods.

I'll chime in with more specific goals tomorrow and plan to update daily (though I am not interested in obsessive tallying food consumed this time around). For now, if I may propose a toast: I raise my (last) glass of wine (for a while), sending love to Lolo and a "Welcome, friend" + love to Cucu, and celebrate our already warm hearts, sharp minds and hella hot bods.

Lolo Here-- How About Another 30 Days?

I'm considering doing another 30 day Paleo stint. I've already been off booze completely for about 30 days and I've all but given up caffeine. I think I might try it again except, learning from last time:

1.)No o.d.ing on coconut products, nuts, or Lara bars.
2.)No getting obsessive. If I need a non-fat latte' or a diet coke, I'll get one, but that doesn't mean every day.
3.)I'm allowed the occasional bowl of bran cereal, because sometimes, all that meat is hard on the intestines if you know what I mean.
4.)I'm not going to go super strict on the dairy thing.
Okay, I'll check in tomorrow with food.