Paelo Newbie struggling already!

[wannabefit]

Hi All! I've spent probably 10 years freaking out over my weight! I remember sitting in the bath when I was around 19 and seeing a roll of fat around my belly - urgh! Nothing much has changed over the years (well, it may be a little worse now!) apart from my attitude to food and exercise. I eat more frequently than I used to and have made my NY resoultion to exercise each day for a minimum of 30mins (just about stuck to that but if I do miss the very odd day, I double up the next day).

The thing is, I've only ever wanted to be thin (I could do with losing around 20lbs) and nothing else will make me happy. It wasn't until I started to use MyFitnessPal at the start of January anything began working. I've seen a small weight loss and a reduction in my waist measurement but somebody pointed out the NF website and I suddenly found myself questioning everything I've ever wanted. I had my Eureka moment reading about Staci. I no longer want to be thin, I want to be fit! I want tone and definition to every part of my body. I want to feel strong and supple. I want a flat, defined tummy (and show it off!). I want to feel healthy and more energised. I want to lift weights. I want to be able to do a full set of push ups. I want to do my first ever pull up!

After reading a few articles on this website, I suddenly feel like I can do it! I now want to adapt my diet to help me to achieve my goal. I've known for a while that bread is the devil but I just never know what to make (especially for a quick lunch). I love meat, vegetables and eggs so I've got a head start there ;-) but I don't know what meals to make (breakfast will be tough because I'm always in a hurry first thing). It seems like a very plain diet having plain chicken and vegetables with no sauce/ gravy.

Does anyone have any recipies to help me along? Also, a list of suitable foods to stock up on would be helpful. For instance, I do like a salad (esp, with tuna/ chicken) but I like to put balsamic vinegar on it - is that ok?

I'm aiming to ease into the diet and then really absorb the lifestyle at the start of Feb. Any help as to where to start would be amazing!

Thanks all and good luck on your journey!

Bx

[Sco]

Welcome! Awesome motivation. Sounds like you've definitely thought about this quite a bit, and you have a good idea of goals you want to achieve. That's a really, really good place to start!

Go check out the Caveman Guild. I know that people post recipes all the time on the forums, and I'm sure there are people who can help you out with those questions.

Best of luck, and keep that enthusiasm!

[msuroo]

Welcome! There's tons of support here to help you find what works and doesn't for you - the Caveman Guild is certainly a great place to start.

As to breakfast - I'll usually boil up a bunch of eggs on Sunday to have them ready for the week. I can always make time for a couple of hard boiled eggs and a few berries in the morning.

For lunch, I personally find that the quickest lunch is leftover dinner - so I try to keep that in mind when I'm cooking at night. That said, sometimes it isn't always feasible (or there's only enough leftovers for either me or my wife, but not both), so you definitely need to have a "go to" lunch. Mine is chicken and vegetables, like you mentioned, but you'd be surprised how easy that is to dress up and make delicious. My personal favorite things to add are salsa and avocado.

There's a lot of recipe resources out there, including free resources like Mark's Daily Apple, so check them out and see what you like.

Keep us up to speed on your progress!

[wannabefit]

Thanks both! I think the key will be preparation but I guess when you've only got clean food in the house, it's easier to see what to have - I'll get there eventually!

I've ended up having an omellete with red peppers and a small amount of cheese (not sure how I'm going to give that up!!!). Watch this space...!

[Guest guest4729]

One thing I JUST ate for the first time yesterday for dinner (and just again right now) is spaghetti squash! As someone who used to eat actual spaghetti once or twice a day, it was kinda hard to cut it out of my diet. But now...now that I've found spaghetti squash...SO easy to cook, SO easy to prep and SO delicious to eat.

Also, Paleo requires some creativity. I've bought a lot of spices and tried a lot of new things with cooking. As a college student I'm poor so I eat a lot of chicken. Spices are now my best friend. One day I'd like to make some Paleo soups but I'm REALLY picky with my soup, so I just need to find a recipe that I like. Also, things can get a bit pricey, but just imagine how much you're saving by skipping out on all the junk food!

[msuroo]

One thing I JUST ate for the first time yesterday for dinner (and just again right now) is spaghetti squash! As someone who used to eat actual spaghetti once or twice a day, it was kinda hard to cut it out of my diet. But now...now that I've found spaghetti squash...SO easy to cook, SO easy to prep and SO delicious to eat.

Also, Paleo requires some creativity. I've bought a lot of spices and tried a lot of new things with cooking. As a college student I'm poor so I eat a lot of chicken. Spices are now my best friend. One day I'd like to make some Paleo soups but I'm REALLY picky with my soup, so I just need to find a recipe that I like. Also, things can get a bit pricey, but just imagine how much you're saving by skipping out on all the junk food!

Spaghetti squash is one of our staples. My wife isn't really doing Paleo so much because she wants to, but more because that's all I'm cooking now - and even she prefers spaghetti squash to actual pasta.

[Ryan Sannar]

I love spaghetti squash. Try using tomato juice and canned tomatoes to make soup with.

[amandolin]

Egg Muffins, these are the one thing I continue to eat from my attempts at going paleo (another which will probably be starting soon).

You can use whole eggs or egg whites then toss in whatever goodies you want really. My favorites were sweet potato homefries, spinach, bell peppers, and bacon. Just type "PaleoEgg Muffin" into google and tons of recipes will come up.

But definitely check out marksdailyapple.com its an amazing resource with tons of information and recipes.

[wannabefit]

Thanks all! I'm happy to report that apart from a naughty meal out on Saturday, I've kept up with Paleo and I feel amazing for it! It may sound wierd, but it's like my insides are getting a clean! I haven't actually tried squash but a friend at work mentioned it yesterday so I'll put that on the shopping list! I've read about the egg muffins and will give them a try on the weekend too I think!

Off to google a crustfree quiche now!