Zephyr's Design

Hey All!! I'm looking for a Rebel supporter/sidekick that either works at Nissan North America in Smyrna or knows someone who can provide me with support and accountability in getting back into a healthier way of doing things. I've slipped pretty bad over the past few months and while I'm not un-fit I'm not where I had hoped to be. I work afternoon shift on the Truck Line so if you can help or know someone who can help I'd be oh so grateful. I find that getting back on track is easier when I have someone besides myself to hold me to my promises. My family doesn't get it and most of my zone co-workers look at me like I've grown multiple heads when the healthy foods start showing themselves in my lunch box so it would be great to have someone like minded I could go to when I'm tempted to fall off the resolve wagon or need just a nudge in the right direction. Wouldn't mind a pre-shift workout partner either. Thanks in advance! Kristina

Beaucastle, I hear you about the sugar intake deal. I cut out sodas, juices and most candies last year when I gave up corn syrup but I somehow manage to justify those Nerds since they have less than 2% corn syrup in them. My morning cup of tea has honey in it and I drink water with lemon and cranberries in it the rest of the day. The only time I really really slip with my drinks is when I'm at my mother's because she makes and awesome sweet tea. I'll have to try your idea for trail mix. I make paleo crackers with sunflower and sesame seeds. The recipe is over on Mark's Daily Apple. It lets me enjoy the occasional pepperoni and cheese craving.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've already made the move to honey and maple syrup and I have several recipies that I use almond flour for so now I'm looking into a responsible source for palm oil. I've decided I'm going to steer clear of the muffins and stuff after all and see what I can do about mixing up trail mixes and homemade fruit leathers/sauces that will travel with me so I can get that quick "sugar" fix on my small breaks just to hold me over until my dinner or when I get home and can throw something together. I'm learning that my energy levels are better with the higher protein and just a hint of fruit based carbs.

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! Having a job I love and that demands I actually put forth some effort was a big step in the right direction for me. I have a three day weekend after a long shift today so I'll be able to recharge my batteries and prepare for the next three months of working six days a week. The GF prepackaged products have now been banished from my cabinets and refridgerator but I'm still having problems with the once a week fast food run and my consumption of SUGAR. I put that in caps because my major weakness when I work my 10 hour day every week is a good size box of Rainbow Nerds to keep me going. Somehow my massive multi-vitamin with Iron and the energy supplement I take daily just don't cut it for those extra two hours and even with adding extra protein to my diet over the past couple of weeks I'm fading out before midnight when I need to keep going until at least 3am. Any suggestions would be great since I'm approaching my first year anniversary with the whole lifestyle/diet change and I'd like to make it a clean sweep soon so I can be free of JUNK.

Hi guys!! I'm back to trying to get my diet back on a more paleo/primal level and have been going through some of my favorite sites for snack and meal ideas that I can make ahead once a week and take with me to work so I can resist the vending machine and fast food stops. There are tonnes of recipes out there that I can't wait to try but some of the ones that I really want (trail mix bars, "muffins", and other baked type goods) call for coconut in some form or another most particularly coconut oil. The problem with this is that I'm allergic to coconut. I know I can swap out coconut flakes for raisins, slivered, nuts, and other dry things but it's really the coconut oil that's the problem since a quick internet search hasn't really been helpful. So the question is does anyone have any suggestions on substitutions for coconut oil, coconut flour and coconut sugar? I'd really like to make some of these treats so that I don't constantly crave the chocolate bar or box of Nerds! Thanks in advance!!

So just about a year ago I joined Nerd Fitness with all of the best intentions. I started eating a diet closer to primal than paleo, I bought and began the workout in the Convict Conditioning book (which I personally find awesome because it doesn't automatically assume you can immediately do something like a squat or a pushup straight off) and then something really horrible started to happen..... I got complacent, I started listening to all of the people around me at work that couldn't understand that the weight/inches I was loosing was because I was doing something besides going home from my very sedentary desk job and plopping down with a book or a movie, I let my mother talk me into trying all the "gluten free" (and still carb laden) foods that her doctor recommended when we found out she's allergic to that horrendous GMO wheat protien and I let my body weight exercises slide. I am ashamed.... and things would have kept on in that vein if I hadn't started getting bullied at work and treated like a slave and a doormat. Three-ish months ago I realized that things were only going to get worse where I was when one of my long time sales guys (an incedentally someone who I had up until that point highly respeced) went completely totally ballistic when I ordered a single thin crust vegetarian pizza for several employees who have legitimate health reasons for no eating meat during a building wide meeting but refused to order a thin crust meat pizza because that's what he (all by his lonesome) prefers to eat. The very next day I took a long lunch an applied for a job that every single person (with the exception of my best friend who now lives in CT) told me I would never get or survive. A month later I started working the assemby line at Nissan in Smyrna, TN helping to build SUVs. Yes, it's a complete turn around from years and years of desk work but damned if I don't love the movement and sense of accomplishment I feel at the end of the shift because I actually contributed to something in a tangible manner instead of just processing hundreds of phone calls and pieces of paper. I'm 10 days away from being there for 2 months, the body aches are mostly under control (with the exception of a single finger on my right hand), my appetite isn't quite as voracious as it was in the first few weeks, I'm loosing inches in all parts of my body as my muscles take over with constant movement and use, and I'm ready to amp up this transformation even more. After this week I'm determined to clean my diet up to what I'd been doing before: No more gluten free breads, pretzels and cookies! After this week I'm going back to the beginning of the Convict Conditioning circuit: Wall Push-ups here I come! After this week I'm not letting ANYTHING stop me! 12/25/13 Update: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays fellow Nerds!! As I sit at my mother's laptop in her empty (except for me and three dogs) house in Nashville, TN I thought I should give you a quick update on my progress. The workout schedule is going great, the diet... could still use a little work. It's been a bit easier this week since I'm on holiday break from work and can't in any way justify a fast food stop (yay) but those gluten free products are still popping up despite my best intentions. I can't help loving GF toaster waffles with my bacon and eggs for breakfast and maufin (rice straws) with my stirfry and soups. Maybe if I solemly swear not to buy any more? Maybe a few of you can give me some pointers on quick, easy and portable snacks to take with me when work starts back up on Jan 2? That's where and when I know things are likely to go really downhill fast. I love the nuts and dried fruit option but I could really use some variety so any help would be awesome thanks!!

So it looks like goals 3 & 4 are the only ones working for me this week. I had my "serving" of cheese yesterday as 1oz of smoked gruyere nestled inside a 3 egg omlet. I'm pretty much okay getting up at 5:30 this week and will continue at that time for one more week. Saturday's weather is supposed to be phenomenal so no excuse if I don't make it to yoga class that morning.

Time to strap on the pedometer for Cardio walking!!

Okay, so this week is so not cool in terms of goals. Saturday I did 40 minutes of stretching and Yoga videos because of the weather which was basically in line with what I had intended for the day so yay, kudos for me. I've managed to get up at 5:30am yesterday and today. Check, moving right along with that bit of progress. No cheese since last Tuesday. Okay yay me. Now comes the shameful part... I haven't exercised since Saturday. While I'm not excusing that fact, I will admit to feeling poorly but I skipped last week too and that's bad. I really have to get myself in gear.

Congrats on your progress! I think I'll stop by your house for a meal this coming week. I'm actually planning on a crock pot jambalaya (sans shrimp) with cauliflower rice and a kale salad on Tuesday when I have friends come over but most of the rest of my food is off the cuff the night before or the morning of.

I'm slightly ashamed of myself so far this week. While I did really well getting up on time without crawling back into bed and I only had cheese on Tuesday with dinner, my strength training and workout goals kind of hit the toilet. I skipped two days of workouts this week with only the specious excuse that I was achy due to the weather's effect on my cerebral palsey. I'm going to cardio tonight and intend to make it to yoga tomorrow, but there's a possibility that there will be enough snow here overnight that the road I live on won't be safe to drive in the morning. Does popping in both a stretching video and an A.M. Yoga video count if I can't get out to the actual class?

Sounds like you've got some awesome goals! I myself have just recently started with the Paleo plan and have been digging through recipes that are easy to make on the weekends so that I can have leftovers for most of the week without feeling like I should hit the vending machine or ordering a sub at my desk. As for those paperbacks.... feel free to donote them my way. I'm a big fan of ebooks but I still love to pick up an actual book from time to time. If you want to swap recipes don't hesitate to let me know!