[Lag a'mhuilin]

I currently weigh more than I've ever weighed in my life. I can't remember the last time the scale has trended down. The scale isn't everything (blah, blah...)--I know. It's also true that I am the strongest I've ever been and have more muscle mass than ever. I'm not sure what my ideal weight is; it has to do with being unhappy with my gut and waist size, not dreading clothes shopping, etc. I think I'll know it when I see/feel it.

 

I work out pretty intensely three times a week in full Warrior mode and on the weekends I practice tai chi, but I need to make some changes in the kitchen as well. My diet isn't horrible. I don't really eat all that many processed foods, but I probably eat too much. I eat until I'm full instead of not just until I'm not hungry.

 

This challenge I'm going to experiment with something. I have one goal: Eat full paleo every day. The last time I did this was about 10 years ago, and it worked very well for almost a year, until I just stopped. While it was working I felt great, better than great--amazing! The more I stuck to the plan the easier it was to stick to it. The more progress I saw with weight loss the more productive I became in every other aspect of my life. So my experiment is to recapture that sense of indomitable progress and productivity.

 

I tend to make my challenges too complex and they just kind of peter out at the end. This time my goal is one day at a time with no rollover judgment or guilt, and just see how I do and how I feel afterward.  I'm actually starting today, after some preparatory shopping over the weekend, but I have ideas for the next grocery run as well.

 

Hey, I want you all to look at me when I say this...
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[Elastigirl]

A nice simple plan! What made you stop Paleo last time? Maybe you can pre think through some of what led to that and see what you could change for even more success.

 

Is Scotch allowed on Paleo? I know on Whole 30 wine and chocolate was not allowed, which is why Whole 30 and I didn't work well together.😉

[Harriet]

15 minutes ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

This challenge I'm going to experiment with something. I have one goal: Eat full paleo every day. The last time I did this was about 10 years ago, and it worked very well for almost a year, until I just stopped. While it was working I felt great, better than great--amazing! The more I stuck to the plan the easier it was to stick to it. The more progress I saw with weight loss the more productive I became in every other aspect of my life. So my experiment is to recapture that sense of indomitable progress and productivity.

 

Sounds great. If it worked before, then going back to it would seem like the right move.

 

15 minutes ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

I tend to make my challenges too complex and they just kind of peter out at the end. This time my goal is one day at a time with no rollover judgment or guilt, and just see how I do and how I feel afterward.

 

Alas, me too. One goal, one day, no recriminations, just a new chance every morning. Sounds like a plan.
 

[Lag a'mhuilin]

1 hour ago, Elastigirl said:

What made you stop Paleo last time?

 

It was a huge family gathering for Thanksgiving with some of the best homemade bread. A combination of travel and great food destroyed a well-oiled momentum and will-power machine. That's probably also about self-judgment. There's no reason not to just start again. Hence the one day at a time part.

 

1 hour ago, Elastigirl said:

Is Scotch allowed on Paleo?

 

Uhh suuure. Why not?! I drink so infrequently that I'll go ahead and allow wine and scotch for myself. Whatever I do will only work if it's flexible and sustainable. I already have a complicated relationship with Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar! I've quit soda multiple times no problem for long periods and see absolutely no change in diet, energy level, or body composition, so I'll probably allow it during meals.

 

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

One goal, one day, no recriminations, just a new chance every morning.

👍

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I'm always up to follow someone with an older forum account than mine.

[Elastigirl]

4 hours ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

It was a huge family gathering for Thanksgiving with some of the best homemade bread. A combination of travel and great food destroyed a well-oiled momentum and will-power machine. That's probably also about self-judgment. There's no reason not to just start again. Hence the one day at a time part.

 

The one day at a time is a great approach. I'm also a big believer in  just enjoying holidays, and  then getting back to it. I don't think it's Thanksgiving or  Christmas  that affects our weight so much as what we eat in the day to day.

[sarakingdom]

I love one goal challenges. So focused. So elegant. I would have one myself if I didn't need so many reminders to keep different plates spinning right now.

 

And we need more monks right now, so welcome back.

 

8 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Is Scotch allowed on Paleo?

 

An important question, if I've sounded out this username correctly.

 

(But yes, it definitely allows wine, and I'm pretty sure the hard stuff is fine, too. And paleo is sort of 80/20, not the strict 100% compliance of Whole 30, so that'd be a pretty easy thing to justify, being keto and thus paleo-adjacent.)

 

 

[Lag a'mhuilin]

16 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I'm always up to follow someone with an older forum account than mine.

 

You've almost joined the 10 year club!

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 1 Progress

I'm going to try to spam this channel with daily updates because it helps keep me focused on the goal.

 

Breakfast: Chicken

Lunch: Tuna, salami, cheese, plate of veggies w/vinaigrette dip

Snack: Handful of pistachios

Dinner: Leftover stirfry with the noodle meticulously picked out and 😲 thrown away!

Notes: I think I need to incorporate more healthy fats or really anything that will be more filling into my meals. Or maybe I'm not actually consuming enough calories when I cut out the carbs 🤷‍♂️. It was good that I had some nuts on hand for snacks because otherwise I really don't have much in the way of paleo snacks at the moment. My methods from 10 years ago are slowly coming back to me: I need to stock up on eggs for breakfasts, on lettuce so I can wrap :all-the-things:, and I'll probably have to do more veggie and fruit runs than I currently do. (Apples + almond butter!)

 

Biggest Success:

This is the Costco stirfry kit, maybe available at your Costco too. It comes in a long container in the

prepped food section (like near their giant caesar salad kit). I add garlic and ginger when I cook it.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

54 minutes ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

Notes: I think I need to incorporate more healthy fats or really anything that will be more filling into my meals. Or maybe I'm not actually consuming enough calories when I cut out the carbs 🤷‍♂️. It was good that I had some nuts on hand for snacks because otherwise I really don't have much in the way of paleo snacks at the moment. My methods from 10 years ago are slowly coming back to me: I need to stock up on eggs for breakfasts, on lettuce so I can wrap :all-the-things:, and I'll probably have to do more veggie and fruit runs than I currently do. (Apples + almond butter!)

Protein and fiber are your friends. Remember all those paleo friendly carbs too, don't neglect your sweet potatoes and fruit.

[Lag a'mhuilin]

34 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

don't neglect your sweet potatoes

I wish I actually liked the taste of sweet potatoes. It would make some stuff easier. I need to figure out how to make them less sweet, either more savory or just flavor neutral.

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 2 Progress

 

Breakfast: Chicken

Lunch: salad with chicken

Snack: apple with peanut butter (I know... it's what I had. Not a huge deal)
Post-workout: Most of a protein shake

Dinner: Lettuce wrapped chicken tacos. (These were effing amazing!)

 

Notes: So much chicken! It's been two days, and I'm tired of chicken, even if it tastes good and it's flavored differently every time. I bought a couple of sweet potatoes to experiment with.

How do I feel?: It's hard to say. I have a side project going right now that ends tonight that has been causing me to lose some sleep. I was so tired at the gym last night. I had plenty of energy, but I was just tired. So I'll have to reassess after I get real sleep. It feels good to have a goal and be taking steps toward it though.

[Kishi]

21 hours ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

I wish I actually liked the taste of sweet potatoes. It would make some stuff easier. I need to figure out how to make them less sweet, either more savory or just flavor neutral.

 

What about regular potatoes? If sweet potatoes are okay on paleo, then so should the regular kind be, and they're a useful source of starch and fiber if your paleo journey allows you this.

 

Also, cool to hear that you do taiji! What style do you do?

[Lag a'mhuilin]

1 hour ago, Kishi said:

Also, cool to hear that you do taiji! What style do you do?

 

It's a shortened form of Yang style. I've been practicing for about a year and 3 months now, once a week. With influxes of new students we focused a lot on the first third of the form for the majority of that time, but we're finally at a place where I have learned the moves for the whole thing. I just need to do it from start to finish 10,000 more times! 😛

 

Check this out. It's my instructors' master breaking down the form into several easy-to-follow sequences: https://www.thetaichilife.com/classroom.html

 

My instructors know a couple more more active forms that I might start learning next.

 

What do you practice?

 

1 hour ago, Kishi said:

What about regular potatoes?

 

Yeah, this is probably fine if they're not fried. I kind of want to jump start weight loss first before adding more starches back in.

[Kishi]

4 minutes ago, Lag a'mhuilin said:

What do you practice?

 

These days, mostly Muay Thai and BJJ, although my history is in Shotokan as filtered through K-1.  I've got a little judo in there too, but it's honestly not very good.

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 3 Progress

 

Breakfast: Eggs & bacon

Lunch: salami & salad (felt like I couldn't eat another piece of chicken!)

Snack: apple, cashews 
Dinner: Salmon and about half of a sweet potato, roasted

 

Notes: Maybe I do like sweet potatoes and I just don't like yams 🤷‍♂️! I roasted it with a ton of spices though, so that may have helped (chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dried rosemary). Next time I'll try doing it the same way I like to roast potatoes (salt, pepper, diced garlic, and fresh rosemary).

How do I feel?: I could still use some more sleep, but I'm feeling really good. I have had zero issue with acid reflux since I started. I wonder if I'm a little bit gluten intolerant.

[Elastigirl]

Chicken is an awesome way to get lean protein in. But, I agree, it does get boring after a bit. 

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 4 Progress

 

Breakfast: Eggs & bacon & a slice of pineapple

Lunch: Leftover salmon with the other half of the roased sweet potato, and some more pineapple

Snack: --
Dinner: Lettuce-wrapped Frontera chicken fajitas kit from Costco. Never had this before and it was great. It's just chicken, onions, peppers, and sauce.

 

Notes: I'm due for another fruits and veggies grocery run tomorrow. I should dig out some old recipes I used to make. The pineapple was amazing and I still have some left. I'm definitely not feeling as hungry as I did the first two days.

How do I feel?: Really good. My energy level is high, and I have not been eating to the point of fullness anymore. I still need more sleep. This is what I get for training myself to wake up with daylight (Phillips Hues alarm clock)! Going to the gym today (Friday) hopefully.

 

[Scaly Freak]

On 6/16/2022 at 11:53 AM, Lag a'mhuilin said:

Notes: Maybe I do like sweet potatoes and I just don't like yams 🤷‍♂️! I roasted it with a ton of spices though, so that may have helped (chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dried rosemary). Next time I'll try doing it the same way I like to roast potatoes (salt, pepper, diced garlic, and fresh rosemary).

 

I like roasting potatoes with oregano and thyme as well.

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 5 Progress

 

Breakfast: Eggs & bacon

Lunch: Salami, turkey, plate of assorted veggies with salad dressing dip

Snack: pineapple & cashews

Post-workout: protein shake
Dinner: Lettuce-wrapped chicken fajitas, pineapple.

 

Notes: The gym was rough. I felt a little weaker than usual, but I also did a lot, and was running on lack of sleep, so who's to say if it was real?!

How do I feel?: Pretty good. Sore from the gym. Got more sleep last night. I need to head out to get breakfast and stock up on groceries.

[sarakingdom]

On 6/15/2022 at 12:46 PM, Kishi said:

What about regular potatoes? If sweet potatoes are okay on paleo, then so should the regular kind be

 

Traditionally speaking, no, that's not the case. I'm not certain why that decision was made, but I suspect either, like beans, on the grounds on anti-nutrients it contains that inhibit absorption of something, or due to how high the glycemic index of most potato foods is (often higher than bread or sugar), or possibly due to rates of food sensitivities. Those are the main paleo rationales, when you get under the hood - common subclinical allergy, anti nutrition, and wild or prolonged insulin spikes.

 

Paleo since then has flirted with "Maybe a little potato, maybe the occasional rice," without really settling on why, except, I think, that there's always been the "don't get too dogmatic about your eating, have the occasional whatever" idea, and homemade Chinese food or a steak and baked potato are far better ways to do that than a beer milkshake and a French fry pizza.

 

On 6/16/2022 at 1:53 PM, Lag a'mhuilin said:

Maybe I do like sweet potatoes and I just don't like yams

 

A plain sweet potato generally isn't much sweeter than, say, a butternut squash or a carrot. It'll do okay in recipes for either of those, or most regular potato recipes - it doesn't crisp up much, but it'll roughly do the job. (Loaded baked potatoes, or as much as your take on paleo will allow, for instance. Bacon and green onions, yes please.) It should do fine with the garlic and rosemary.

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 0, Day 6 Progress

 

Late Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with sausage, bacon, bell pepper, & onion. Assorted fruit slices.

Lunch: --

Snack: --

Dinner: Pork tenderloin w/ pomegranate sauce. Roasted sweet potato w/ olive oil, salt, pepper, (dried) rosemary, thyme, sage, and chopped garlic.

 

23 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

It should do fine with the garlic and rosemary.

Notes: Yup. It was nearly like roasted potatoes except that they unfortunately didn't brown. Late breakfast was my first restaurant meal since starting the challenge. I go to a local breakfast diner every weekend. Usually I get the scramble with a pancake (They have the best pancakes!), but it was good with the fruit. When I switch to maintenance mode I will likely have to allow the occasional pancake!

Went grocery shopping. Emptied my fridge of any perishable non-paleo items, except for a brand new, unopened package of those uncooked flour tortillas from Costco that I bought the day before I started all this. I'm kind of peeved I did, and not sure what to do about them now!

I also prepped a ton of food:

• 6 lbs of chicken breast, cut and portioned into 1/2 lb servings, tenderized and cooked sous vide (w/ just salt and pepper) at 145 for 3 hours. These can be frozen and easily defrosted for meals for the next couple of months.
• 2lbs of chicken minced, ready to be used for a recipe where I will try to copy P.F. Chang's chicken lettuce wraps. I'm going to need to find someplace that sells Chinese rice wine around here. Not so easy in Montana. Modifying this recipe: No rice sticks, sugar, or corn starch, but I'm not going to be picky about anything in the sauces. https://thefoodcharlatan.com/pf-changs-lettuce-wraps/
• Romaine lettuce torn, washed, put in a big tupperware, ready to be used for salads, fajitas, whatever.
• Celery washed, chopped, ready to be used for snacks, salad, whatever
• I also bought 3lbs of ground beef/chuck to grill some hamburgers this weekend. 

How do I feel?: While I was doing it, a bit tired of food prep, but I got it all done in one burst, and this is all stuff I do anyway (except for the lettuce wraps). I don't have to do that sous vide process very often, and the time it saves later more than makes up for it. 

 

Let the real challenge begin!

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 1, Day 1 Progress

 

The biggest news today is that it was my 1-week weigh-in. I honestly wasn't expecting much because I figure my body is still getting used to using fat for energy, but I'm down 6 lbs, from 194 to 188! I haven't seen an 8 in the 10s spot on the scale in a long time.

Breakfast: (slept in)

Lunch: Salami, turkey, cheese, peach

Snack: Mixed nuts and cheese

Dinner: Left-over pork tenderloin with roasted sweet potato

 

Notes: This was more of a relaxing day, aside from the lawn mowing. I have, however,  almost gotten through every chore goal I wrote down for this weekend, and I have a 3-day weekend, so there's still time! I recognize I didn't eat enough vegetables yesterday. I'll definitely incorporate them today. I had planned to add them to both lunch and dinner, but in both cases I stopped eating after realizing I wasn't hungry anymore. I think dinner was okay, but that probably means I can cut back on the lunch meats and/or start with veggies.

How do I feel?: Normal & cautiously optimistic. 

[Kishi]

That's awesome, dude! Glad to hear!

[Lag a'mhuilin]

Week 1, Day 2 Progress

 

Breakfast: Eggs & chicken sausage

Lunch: Homemade PF Changs chicken lettuce wraps, peach

Dinner: Sesame chicken & broccoli beef from a local restaurant. Half a fortune cookie mindlessly devoured before I came back to the present!

 

Notes: Prepped 3 lbs of the chicken lettuce wraps filling that can be portioned and frozen. It came out really good. I think that consistently consuming filling breakfasts has been a huge factor to my success. I finished the majority of my to-do list for the long weekend and even got to an item not on the list -- practice painting. It turns out I haven't painted in so long that all my paints are not the right consistency. The titanium white is like marshmallow fluff. I still used it for clouds. The texture is pretty amazing, but ultimately it's not really usable because it doesn't blend well.

How do I feel?: Still good. Going to the gym today (Tuesday)