cara

*Sigh* The holidays did me in big time. My sweet tooth won! I didn't gain any weight because I exercised, but I felt all around horrible from all of the sugar I ate. My kids and I made two dozen cookies for Santa....and of course he did not need that many! My mother-in-law had every single pastry at Christmas dinner and so I had to taste each one. Literally, she made every dessert that I cannot turn down-red velvet cake, key lime pie, fudge, cookies, and muffins! Why???? Who needs all of that sugar. And, I had to have some, because she gets her feelings hurt if I don't. This has been the worst week yet with no walking and only a couple days of exercise. Feeling pretty low right now...

I read an article where a mother cooked a bunch of meals on the weekends and used these meals on every day of the week to ensure she has healthy ready made meals. I love chicken, and I always buy chicken in bulk. I was wondering if I could cook a whole bunch of chicken on Sunday and use this chicken in my meals Mon-Fri. I am concerned about food safety-because these meals are for me and my entire family. Thanks!

I suffered from the carb flu as well. I went from eating almost 300 grams of carbs a day to 100 grams and I thought I was never going to feel good again. I even questioned the idea of going paleo. But, I did exactly what you did and I slashed my carb intake so drastically that my body didn't know what to do. After two months going paleo though, I cannot tell you how much better I feel. Before this way of life, I would come home from work bloated and tired, but forced myself to exercise. I felt deprived and depressed. I learned that what works for me is to eat a meal high in protein for breakfast. I love eggs and bacon!! I am so full from breakfast, that I normally just have a light lunch and I am no longer bloated and full during the day and have tons of energy. Whoever said you are what you eat sure was right.

I agree with PP. I think that if you stick with meat, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, fruit and veggies you will do ok. I have eaten these foods for two months now, and have lost and kept off six pounds. Previously, I ate bagels and whole wheat grain sandwiches for lunch and exercised my butt off with no results. Going paleo changed my life and I will never go back. I eat all of those foods I mentioned above everyday and at my last physical, the only number out of range was my cholestrol (because it was too low!!). I am no longer bloated and have a flat stomach after having two kids to which my mother said "every mom has a little pudge". Well not me!!

Sounds like my week. I think the holidays are stressful and with work and school your life can just get so busy. I think doing something is better than absolutely nothing, so I try to do at least a couple of push-ups or sit-ups when I am watching tv or after reading a magazine. It is amazing how much better I feel after getting my heart rate up for even a little bit. I think the fact that you are doing planks and squats is awesome, even despite your busy schedule!

That is a good idea! I should try to break up my walks. I noticed that I have lost a pound, and I am really not sure why. I haven't changed my diet and I am worried I am losing muscle from not walking anymore. I try to eat at least 100 grams of protein a day, which I feel is a lot based on my weight. I don't think I have changed anything else in my routine besides not walking a mile a day. I really want to resume this goal, but I am really lacking the time and energy!

Last week I did really good on all of my goals, except one. And that is walking a mile. I could not fit it into my schedule and I know that is no excuse. My dog gets so excited when I put my tennis shoes on, but lately, he doesn't even believe I am going to walk him anymore and he just looks at me. No excitement anymore. Poor puppy! On a seperate note, I got my lab result back from a physical. My employer has enrolled all of the 550 employees in a wellness program, so we all had to have a physical and blood work. My blood work is really good! My total cholestrol is really low at 135, and I hope that is ok. The range they had was like 160-240 mg/dL, so I was below the range. Considering almost 40% of my diet is from fat, I think that is pretty good!

I researched both. I like both diets because wheat and processed foods are eliminated. I love cottage cheese on everything, so I guess that makes me more primal. I like how simple food choices are and the health benefits. I don't think I can ever go back to eating the way I used to. I have more energy and I am not bloated anymore. My mom has celiac's disease so I am trying to get her on board. She thinks as long as it is glueten free she is eating healthy and that just isn't true. Sugar is as bad as wheat. That is what I have learned from my research.

You sound so much like me. I dropped 6 pounds in one month with no exercise, just paleo. I have found that when I eat something that is not primal, I don't feel good. It may be mental, because I know what that food is doing to my body. I don't think I will ever touch anything from Baskin Robbins or Dunkin Donuts again because of this. I feel like cheat meals aren't worth it, but of course I indulge more than I should.

This is a good question that made me think! I love cardio when my mind is feeling foggy. Nothing wakes you up better than running around the block a few times. My husband and I lift weights together in our makeshift gym in the garage and that is our hobby, so to me that is what I do for fun. So, I don't know which is better lifting weights or cardio because I do them both depending on my needs for the day.

I had an ok week this week. I did not walk a mile a day, but some days I walked two miles. I have found that walking in the morning makes me really tired at the end of the day, so I am now walking after work. I haven't walked in a few days though. I haven't had a cheat meal, but I have been eating foods that are not paleo at all, so I feel like I am not doing well on this goal. Friday, I started eating clean again, and I already feel much better. Darn those comfort foods!!! I wish I could remind myself how horrible these foods make me feel BEFORE I eat them!! I have been practicing pull ups everyday. When I am home I do pull ups and I am getting much better. Even if I have to kip and jump to get over the bar, I feel like I am achieving my goal. As for my cleans, I feel like I have literally mastered the technique. I don't want to add to this goal yet, but I do feel awesome I about getting my form down. On a seperate note, I started making my protein shakes with almond milk and this has made me love protein shakes again!! I am not making my own almond milk yet, but I want to. Maybe that will be one of my goals for my second challenge.

I have similar issues. I also eat around 1300 calories a day, which is fine on days that I just go to work and come home, with no exercise. I used the LoseIt! app to track my calories and nutrients so I know how much of my diet is fat, protein, and carbs. This is a really motivating app. It also tracks your exercise. My only problem with it is: you must track everything you put in your mouth and that can get annoying. But it is supposed to make you conscious of the foods you are eating. A poster in this community told me to eat nuts and fat on days that I exercise to get extra calories so I don't crash and this has caused some weight gain for me. It is difficult to find what works best for your body.

Thank you for posting this. I was really wondering what was going on with me and I would like to say that I had a similar experience. I have been paleo for two months now. I did great the first month and lost weight quickly. Of course, with all things status quo seemed to kick in and I didn't have the incentive of weight loss to keep me motivated. I started to watch my friends eat Taco Bell all of the time, coupled with their diet cokes and I really felt like I was missing out on something. On Thanksgiving, I had key lime pie and felt really sick afterwards, and that had never happened before starting the paleo eating. I got so sad and moody!! I realize now that this is a way of life and a way of eating that is beneficial for my health, mind, and body, but that doesn't mean that transition is easy. Thank you for posting. You have made me feel somewhat normal again!!

My daugther concentrates on the negative things in her life way too often. I always tell her that happiness comes from within. When you worry about things, you are not focusing on the blessing in your life. Try writing down the things that you are grateful for and thank God for them. Do this every day if you have to. I tell my daughter that no one controls her happiness either, not me or how many friends she has. If you are cool with yourself, you don't need anyone else to make you happy. Try it and let me know if it helps your frame of mind.

I am doing 45 pounds on the cleans. I think I could do more, but I really want to get my form down. I was hit by a car last year walking across the street to get to work so I have back issues. My husband that it would be nice to buy me my favorite Christmas cookies last night though. I just don't know how to say no. I knew that if I didn't eat one, my husband would feel like I didn't appreciate his thinking of me. He thinks I should just enjoy the holidays...but I have a challenge to do!!