Before and After Pictures

Some of my friends/family have already seen the BEFORE and AFTER in person and through my pictures, but I figured that I might as well put it all out there for those of you who need a little extra inspiration to get healthy.  Not only do I follow the Paleo eating plan for my weight, but also for health reasons and to prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, cancer, etc.

Questions about the science behind the Paleo plan?  Really - read the Paleo Solution Book - http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Solution-Original-Human-Diet/dp/0982565844/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321330558&sr=8-1

BEFORE - 2009-2010:

AFTER - November 2011:

October 2011

November 2011

November 2011

 As of today, Adam has lost 30 pounds (and he is now at his military weight...which he proudly says is 170 pounds....and he is 6'1") and I have lost 50+ pounds (how crazy is that).  I look at the pre-weight loss pictures and I'm really at a loss for words.   I didn't even realize I had gained so much weight.....it was unbelievable to me.....but after seeing these pictures....seeing is believing and I never want to go back.  :-)  Thank you to Cooper, Adam, and all my family/friends who have supported me in my efforts....love you all!

Recipe of the Day - Basic Paleo Biscuits

Basic Paleo Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 6 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup (40g) coconut flour
• 3/4 cup (120g) blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• dash of salt (optional)

Directions:

• In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are frothy.
• In a separate bowl, mix the two flours and baking powder, and then with a knife or a fork, cut in the cold butter (or coconut oil) and add salt if using.  You want to make a crumbly mixture.  Let this sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degree F.
• Remove flour/butter mixture from fridge, and gently fold in the egg whites, stirring to combine.
• Spoon the biscuit batter onto a greased sheet pan or into muffin tins (I used muffin tins).  
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Variations:  

If you do allow a bit of dairy in your life, try these with some shredded cheddar cheese (least processed) and chopped jalapenos mixed in.  Some crumbled-up bacon in these is also AWESOME!

Tips and Tricks - If you ever have a need/hankering for "breadcrumbs", use these biscuits!  Cut them in half and toast them in the oven to dry them out.  Toss them in a food processor or blender to get them broken down into the crumbs, lay them out on a sheet pan, and toast until crispy. 

Recipe of the Day - Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

 Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

This is a great fall recipe!  I love taking a classic pork tenderloin and making it even more delish - the other white meat reigns supreme tonight!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 apples, peeled and cored, cut into chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• Black Pepper to taste

 DIRECTIONS:

• Butterfly the pork tenderloin lengthwise and roll out to form a flat, uniform piece of pork.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place apples, cinnamon, lemon zest, and honey into food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like a chunky applesauce.  Careful not to overdo this.  Chunkier is better in this case. 
• Pour the apple mixture onto the flattened tenderloin and spread around evenly.  Carefully roll up the pork starting at the long side, then place on a non-stick baking sheet.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes (about 25-30 minutes per pound).  Remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches about 150 degrees F (75 degrees C).  Let rest in pan for 10 minutes.

  

SIDE DISH IDEA:

• Tonight I used a Trader Joe's veggie mix.  It was shredded brussel sprouts with red onions, hazelnuts, bacon and cranberries.  After cooking it in a pan with some EVOO on the stove for a few minutes, I took it off and glazed it with some homemade balsamic vinaigrette.  It was seriously delish....I could eat this stuff all the time.  Two thumbs up!

Tips that Helped Me and Could Keep You on Track

I have had a few friends email and call me to snag some sweet tips on how I made it through the first 60 days and how I stay full steam ahead on the Paleo track.  What did I eat when I was craving junk food?  What did I do when I was too tired to cook a fresh meal when I get home?  How in the H-E-double hockey sticks did I make it through Halloween with all that candy?  The secret to the last question is a nice glass of red wine!  :-)  Yes, you can have red wine on Paleo (in moderation).

Below are some tips that may assist ya'll:

• Too Tired to Cook?

1. Chipotle....!  I usually get the burrito bowl with fajita veggies, double chicken (or steak), mild salsa, extra lettuce and some guacamole.  It hits the spot and is a quick stop on the way home.
2. Whole rotisserie chicken from Wegmans, Whole Foods, Safeway or a grocery store in your area.  Most grocery stores carry these now for under $8.
3. Chicken or Pork Sausages - throw those babies on the grill or in a frying pan with a little EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and they are delish.  
4. Broil or grill a whole package of chicken breasts (we buy the big family packs) on Sunday and then put them in the fridge.  We like to have something quick and easy to heat up during the week.
5. Tuna Fish - get the canned tuna with no added salts from Trader Joes or a healthy food store in your area...add some red onion, celery, pepper or whatever you want and munch that down.
6. Make a stir fry ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to heat up on a late night home from work.
7. For quick veggies, use the frozen veggies that you steam in the microwave.
8. Cut up fresh veggies, mix in a bowl with EVOO and spices of your choice, then throw them evenly in a Pyrex or oven-safe pan/dish and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, stir, then another 8 minutes.

 Picture above is the amount of veggies that Cooper makes for three (3) days.  He roasts them and then reheats them at work.  He eats A LOT of veggies. :-)

• Tasty Treats

1. Greek Salad with Gyro Meat or Chicken on Top (the gyro meat with no breading filler)
2. Refer to my Chipotle Tip Above
3. A big burger wrapped in lettuce with pickles, tomatoes and onions.
4. Sweet Potato Fries
5. Fried Yuca (tastes just like regular fries) - YUM
6. Dark Chocolate (70% or above cocoa)
7. Spaghetti Squash (instead of pasta - tasty spaghetti squash and meatball recipe to come!)
8. Frozen Grapes
9. Make your own fruit and nut mix with cashews, almonds and dried cranberries.
10. Fried Chicken - made with almond meal - recipe to come!

• What kinds of foods do I have for breakfast?
1. 2 slices of Regular or Turkey Bacon
2. Fresh Strawberries or other Fruit
3. A Piece of Adam's Special Banana Nut Bread (made with almond flour) - recipe to come!
4. Eggs (scrambled or over easy)
5. Sausage
6. Coopers Egg Souffle - recipe to come!

• What kind of alcohol is Paleo-friendly?
1. Red Wine
2. Nor Cal Margarita (1-2 shots of tequila, squeeze of lime, salt on glass, soda water)
3. Vodka with a squeeze of orange and soda water.
4. Gin with soda water.
5. Any non-sugar drink you can create - no tonic water - only soda water.

• Tasty Snack Foods
1. Pistachios
2. Cashews
3. Almonds
4. Walnuts - good source of Omega 3 and healthy fat
5. Fresh Veggies
6. Fruit (reduce your daily fruit intake if your goal is weight loss)
7. Dried Fruit
8. Jerky (we make our own venison jerky)
9. Hard-boiled Eggs
10. Avocado
11. Paleo Apple Chips - recipe to come!
12. Fresh Tomato slices with fresh basil, drizzled with EVOO. 

• Taking My Vitamins DAILY
1. I take about 6-8 Fish Oil (Omega 3) Tablets Daily - this keeps up my energy - check the Paleo Solution book for how many YOU should be taking.
2. I also take two (2) Vitamin D3 tablets daily.
3. Check the Paleo Solution book for vitamins to help in your healthy lifestyle.
• LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Solution-Original-Human-Diet/dp/0982565844/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320454641&sr=8-1 

Good Article for Tonight's Read

Check out the below article.....I heard on the local radio today that Paleo restaurants were becoming established around our area....you better believe we will be finding them...!

http://www.fastcasual.com/article/185563/Paleo-Diet-inspires-new-restaurant-concept

We ate leftovers tonight due to after-work activities....so look for a new recipe tomorrow! 

Recipe of the Day - Frozen Grapes

I know....not much to it, hunh?  Frozen grapes, really??  Well....they are delicious and hit the spot when you are craving something sweet.......we buy the seedless green grapes, wash them and then put in the freezer.  It's an awesome little snack....thanks to Habel and Cooper....!  Here's to the simple things in life!



Paleo Quick Start Guide......

The first 30 days of Paleo are the hardest (as is with any diet eating plan).....you want everything you can't have....such is life.  :-) 

Paleo Quick Start Guide

1. Clean out the Pantry
2. Go shopping
3. Cook!
4. Go for a walk
5. Sleep!

1. Clean out the Pantry

We do not have self-control. PLAN AHEAD! Don’t have tempting foods in the house. Remove the bread, rice, pasta, cookies, crackers, puddings, ice cream, waffles, juice, sodas, cereals, oatmeal, artificial sweeteners, yogurt, teriyaki sauce, canned soups, chips, noodles…all refined, packaged foods. Bag it all up, take it to a food bank or homeless shelter. No, the kids do NOT need crackers and Goldfish. They might actually be healthier if YOU are healthier!

2. Go shopping
Now it’s time to fill your cupboards with food worth eating. 

Protein

Ideally these options are grass fed or wild caught. If you cannot find those should you eat a bagel? No! Conventional options are fine. Beans and rice do NOT count. Land: Pork, beef, lamb. Sea: Trout, salmon, shrimp, crab. You know…fishy type stuff! Air: Chicken, turkey, duck, ostrich. I know, ostrich is flightless don’t get cheeky. Round things out with some good quality bacon, omega-3 enriched eggs and some items like chicken apple sausage to help you with breakfast on busy days.

Veggies

Ideally these are local and organic, but again, this should not be a deal breaker. Our local mega-food chain actually has the best produce outside of the farmers market, and at an amazing price. Shop with the season, which typically means what is on sale. Mix up the colors.

Fruit

Limit fruit to 1 serving per day if fat loss is your goal. A serving is not a whole watermelon. If you want to screw things up and not make progress, eat all the fruit you want, it’s your nickel, ride the ride as you like. In order of preference: Berries, melons, citrus, apples, pears. Bananas, papayas and mangoes are great for athletes post workout but dodgy for folks who want to lose weight.

Fats
Olive oil (extra virgin) coconut, avocado (oil and whole), macadamia (whole and oil), almonds, walnuts. If fat loss is a goal limit nuts to 1-2 oz. per day.

Odds & Ends
Marinara sauce, herbs, spices-curry powder, garlic, ginger, cilantro, garam massala, chili powder, black pepper, lemon zest, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and basil. Get at least 20 herbs and spices to keep your cooking lively. Stock up on espresso, teas and mineral water as these are your beverages of choice.

3. Cook!
The majority of your meals look something like this:

• 4-8 oz of lean protein such as chicken, lean beef, turkey, pork loin or seafood.
• Several servings of vegetables, either raw, steamed, or lightly cooked.
• Finally, round out the meal with good fats from Avocado, olive oil or a handful of nuts such as almonds, pecans, macadamias or walnuts.

Keypoints:
• Protein every meal
• 3-4 meals per day
• Limit fruit to 1 serving if fat loss is a goal
• Limit nuts to 1-2 oz if fat loss is a goal
• Beverages are coffee, tea, mineral water. Unsweetened, this includes Stevia.

4. Go for a Walk!
Get outside and move. Gauge your fitness level and act accordingly. If you need help, find a trainer or coach.

5. Sleep!
Black out your room. No, REALLY black out your room. No LED lights from alarm clocks, fire alarms, TV’s etc. Do not watch TV or check email for at least 1 hour before bed. Go to bed early, get at least 8-9 hrs of sleep. You should wake up without an alarm, feeling refreshed.