The Paleo Lifestyle

A Toast to the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Paradise
The Riviera Maya was outstanding and much needed. A week full of indulgence: drinks, fresh food, afternoon snoozes, intimate time with the love of my life while being entertained and soaking up the sun.

It was incredibly simple to stay on the Primal diet with the variety of food they offer. I had fresh fish every day, tons of delicious vegetables and fruits - smoothies were frequent and often. Drink of choice: Disaronno on the rocks (9 carbs/oz). Desserts were divine. They fired up fruit (peach and banana) flambés and Mayan coffee for our table. If you ever visit the Palace resorts, you must try the Mayan coffee - fantastic!

*Picture is view from our concierge suite.

2011
This was a hard year:

I worked very hard at a job that I wasn't appreciated or respected. Not going to go into much detail here as I'm in a better place now.

Mark and I got a puppy...we had no idea what we were getting into, but we wouldn't change a thing. I love my little gremlin Gizmo.

I found the Paleo/Primal lifestyle and it has changed me for the better. I used to get so angry at myself for abusing my body the way I did. Binging on junk, not exercising and just taking my health for granted. Getting pissed off at anyone that cared enough to say something to me. I didn't know how to fix it and I didn't know where to look. Thanks to my friends we stumbled onto Paleo and I haven't looked back.

Looking forward to 2012
I'm writing this before a holiday weekend. Everyone who hasn't taken today off is in a cheerful mood. I'm currently working at my Dream Job - succeeding through the grueling interview process from November when I had 6 interviews for 2 different positions.

*Dream Job = Administrative Services Specialist, managing existing programs and centers (related to physician training, healthcare and research) and launching new ones for the University. I don't supervise anyone and I don't want to (last position I did that and found out I'd rather manage myself).*

By God's grace, and a good measure of my own, I managed to secure this wonderful opportunity that has huge growth potential have an amazing and supportive supervisor - we are a great team.

Paleo/Primal
I plan on staying on the Paleo/Primal bandwagon and proving my doctor wrong ("Everyone that does that diet quits after a year and gains it all back"). Not to mention all of the other obvious benefits that I've already repeated in other posts.

I hope to keep blogging as often as I can. November and December have been a whirlwind between going through the interview process, exiting a position/training others, taking on a new positions/getting training from others, not knowing what I'm doing in the new position (getting more comfortable everyday), going to Mexico, going to Chicago for my Birthday and the holidays with friends and family.

This new position seems like it will keep me pretty busy and challenge me every day so I will blog updates/tips/recipes/answer email questions when I can.

I hope you have a healthy and prosperous 2012. Let's reign in the New Year right: Paleo/Primal style.

Health, wealth and happiness to all.
Krista

Celebrating the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:33:00 +0000

This year I found a fantastic recipe in Cooking Light Magazine for Almond Cookies. They have 6 ingredients and are so simple and delicious! See for yourself:

Ingredients

2 cups blanched almonds (save 24 blanched almonds)
2/3 cup sugar
4 tsp lemon rind
1 egg
Dash of salt
Cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 325. In a food processor pulse the blanched almonds until finely ground. Add the sugar, lemon rind, egg and salt and mix until dough forms a ball in the processor. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and shape the dough into 1" balls. Sprinkle cinnamon over all of the almond balls evenly and then press a blanched almond into the top (see picture). Bake for 16 minutes and then let cool on wire racks.

These had the most amazing texture and the lemon, cinnamon and almond combined were just plain tasty. Perfect with tea or coffee.

I saved money at the store by purchasing regular almonds and blanching them myself. This process took an hour, but it was worth it and I didn't mind with Christmas movies playing, the fire place roaring and my Christmas tree glowing. Oh wait, it's almost Thanksgiving?! Oh well! I'm losing a week out of my favorite time of year in Mexico so I'm rejoicing early.

My family will be enjoying these Paleo/Primal friendly treats this year.

Happy ~~Christmas~~ Thanksgiving readers!

Krista

An encouraging email...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:17:00 +0000

Last night I received an email from someone who follows my blog, thanking me for writing about Paleo/Primal and how she is doing following the lifestyle. Thank you for your email - it is encouraging to know people are actually reading my blog and that I'm not just writing for my Mom (Hi Mom!) and friends.

24 Days until the Riviera Maya and I'm not doing as well on my strength training as I would've liked.

Here's why:

Mark (husband) is currently on a surgery rotation in medical school. He works 18 hour days - everyday - with an occasional day off. This means that on top of my full time job and taking care of Gizmo, I need to do everything else from paying the bills, to cleaning, cooking, errands, etc. Because all he can do is eat, sleep, find time to study, and work. This doesn't leave much time to exercise so I've been strict with my diet, because I gotta eat!

I just spent the past 3 weeks prepping and interviewing for my Dream Job - and I got it!!!! So I've been very stressed with that, not to mention I was asked to interview for another position so I had a total of 5 interviews in a couple weeks.

Since I haven't been exercising as much, being strict with food and under a lot of stress I'm weighing in at 133lbs and my clothes are falling off. I need to go shopping this weekend (darn!). I'm not skinny fat, just skinny skinny. I need to get some workouts in now that Mark will be done with a crazy surgery rotation and I landed my perfect job. Wahoo!!

Krista

Is Paleo a diet or not?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:12:00 +0000

Paleo is confusing for people. At first glance, the concept of eating like our paleolithic ancestors is so different from our norm. The norm being what the media and money driven companies have created over the past few decades.

Confused people come online for answers and can easily find their way into more confusion. I did. Once site would say to eat this, another that. Work out like this or try it like that. Paleo is a diet, no Paleo is NOT a diet. Wait a minute. What the heck am I supposed to do?!

Is Paleo a diet?

Yes and no. Yes, as in the technical sense that the actual word "diet" means in relation to food. When Paleo bloggers/writers stress that it isn't a diet we mean that it isn't a "fad diet." A fad diet is something we hear about a celebrity doing to lose a large amount of weight quickly that everyone tries for a week or two before they are on to the next fad diet.

How do I "go Paleo?"

Make Paleo choices. Choose to eat more meat, vegetables, fruit, and fat. Choose to not eat grains and legumes. Choose to go for a walk this afternoon. Choose to get an extra hour of sleep tonight instead of watching that reality show you don't really care for.

Choose to feel better, because you will.

Krista

Stress and 32 Days til Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Remember my post from a couple weeks ago about why I haven't been posting as much....well it's still going on and I will hopefully have an outcome next week. This "project" has turned into two potential opportunities, which have been eating up my spare time and stressing me out. My face hates my stress = lots of little pimples. Yuck.

I truly cannot wait until this week is over so I can blog more and have a pimple free face again. Hopefully my efforts will be rewarded - I can't wait to share with you all if they are!

Have you guessed yet...? :o)

Meanwhile....32 DAYS UNTIL I'M ON A BEACH! I'm not excited or anything.

Picture on right is the view from our room during the Honeymoon. We are going to the same resort with good friends. Wahoo! More pictures to come!

Krista

Day 4 Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:34:00 +0000

Stomach is nearly the same as it was in my 'After shots' from August. I've been doing the Primal Blueprint Fitness Routine (sign up for Mark's site to get it - it's free)!

Currently advancing in planks, push ups, squats, sprints, lunges, and pull ups 3-4x/week.

Proof is in the puddin' so I'll try to post an update every Friday. Apologies for the lighting (sun isn't up yet at 6:45 anymore) - plus I'm no photographer.

Have a great weekend all!

Krista

Staying Strong

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Well into the morning of Day 2 and thus far I've been strong in sticking to my Primal fare and working out more....though it is only Day 2.

Motivation

Surround yourself with what you desire: I have pictures of the Riviera Maya surrounding me at work. I envision myself there splashing in the waves is enough to keep me from digging into those pumpkin bars a coworker brought in.

Drive

Knowing you can do it: I've been strictly Primal before for more than a month and knowing that helps me to keep going.

Success

Signs that you have achieved your goals: I feel fantastic! NO physical signs yet, as to be expected, but I do feel wonderful. Full of energy, mind is sharp and I've been in a great mood all week.

How do you stay strong to achieve goals?

Krista

How I lost 20lbs and kept it off

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:39:00 +0000

You want to know what works. You want to know the fastest way to get your desired results. Krista, how did you really lose 20 pounds and keep it off? What's your secret? These are the questions I get asked most often so I decided to write a post on it.

3 required actions to get real results

The first thing I did was get in the right mindset. Truly. I did my homework on the Primal lifestyle and I knew what to expect. I knew not to count calories, but carbs. I knew not to count mistakes, but successes. I also knew to ignore the scale and instead watched my clothes fit better. Getting in the right mindset is one of the top reasons people have a hard time sticking to a "diet."
Low carb. Low carb. Low carb. Get the point? For the first 6 weeks I ate strictly Primal in the lowest carb intake phase (ketosis and accelerated fat burning stage). I ate as close to 0 carbs a day that I could, my number was usually around 20g/day. Now I consume about 100g/day easily maintaining.
Move! Here is my actual workout routine: Walked the dog 1-2x/day = 4-5 hours/week of walking, strength training 2x/week, and sprints 1x/week.

That's it. That's all it took to lose 20, well 21, pounds and to maintain for the last 16 weeks.

Yes, I'm ecstatic with my results, but I'm so proud of myself for having the willpower and discipline to keep at it for this long.

42 days and counting until my vacation in the Riviera Maya and I want to look tighter/toned in my bikini. Tomorrow is day one of incorporating more strength training, no soda pop (not even sips of Mark's anymore), and less sweets (Paleo pudding, strawberries with sweet clotted cream, candied pecans, etc).

Krista

Halloween, Ruts and Bellies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:59:00 +0000

The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy. Hopefully, my efforts come to fruition and I’ll write about what I’ve been up to when they do. Can you guess?

Wheat belly

I have been 75/25 for the past 2 weeks and haven’t been working out as much as I should be. Just walks with Gizmo. I haven’t gained any weight, but I don’t look as great as I did in late summer.

My family ate at Texas Road House for my brother’s birthday. If you know anything about their sweet rolls, you know it’s nearly impossible to resist – so I didn’t. It’s amazing how one sweet roll can give you a bloated belly that looks like you’ve gained about 5lbs (when you haven’t). Thankfully, that got out of my system and the stomach is flat once more.

In a rut

Once again on the carb roller-coaster – I need to find more indulgences that don’t involve high carb loads. Any new recipes? I do love Paleo Pudding, but it would be nice to try something else that is easy to throw together and tastes fantastic.

Recently, I made a Fig Tart in a Hazelnut Crust from Mark’sDaily Apple Contest. It was time consuming to make, but delicious on day 1 and the fridge killed the any flavor it had on day 2. Definitely one of those eat fresh for a special occasion desserts.

Halloween

I do love Halloween. Watching the scary movies on tv, enjoying spiced cider, and creating fun costume ideas. Last year I was Kim Kardashian and my date was Justin Bieber – that wouldn’t apply much this year. For Halloween this year, I’ll spend it siddin’ some cider and watching scary movies (we don’t get trick-or-treaters in our key entry building).

Mark will be working. Friends aren’t having a party since it happens to fall on a Monday this year, we all have the joy of working the next day. Plus we live in a college town, which means if you want to see some weirdos, drunk guys or scantily clad “ladies” they will be everywhere – and I mean everywhere. My couch is more enticing.

Can't wait for the years when I will be dressing up my little ones to take around the neighborhood, only to trade in the majority of their finds for something more Paleo (maple roasted pecans, dark chocolate, etc) - aka healthier.

How will you spend your Halloween?

Krista

Paleo rock(s).

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:36:00 +0000

How do you succeed?

What makes you accountable?

Who is your rock?

The past few weeks I haven’t been the best Primal role model, but I have learned something about myself. My husband is my rock when it comes to my health.

There are many people out there that don’t want their spouses to comment on their bad choices: junk food, cigarettes, or alcohol and I’m included in that bunch. If he says anything about me having a brownie during my least favorite time of the month on how it isn’t Paleo…well, let’s just say he gets an earful.

However, over the past few weeks he has had a sporadic schedule and hasn’t been home every night for dinner. This gives me the sole responsibility of making that decision to eat right. Eat Primal. It isn’t always that easy though.

One of the nights I ate a pizza and loved every minute of it. I savored that pizza like it was my last. Now, it probably isn’t, but you get the idea. I felt HORRIBLE an hour later and didn’t sleep well that night – my body knows how to punish me. I don’t want a pizza for a long while.

Then I got mad at myself for giving in to a lousy pizza. How could I do that? Subject myself back to the carb cravings all over again. Needless to say I was very disappointed in my action.

The carb cravings did come back and it has been difficult, but my rock has been around to make it easier. He helps me to be accountable even when I don’t want to be and I appreciate him for it.

Who grounds you and helps you to be a better person?

Krista

Why Paleo is the black sheep of the diet family

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Many days I just want to shout, “Wake up you dolts! Paleo is the answer to what you are missing!” You probably know someone that needs to change the way they eat or workout to improve their quality of life. When we find something that works we want to share that knowledge and help others lead a healthy life. So why don’t people listen? Why do they look for excuses? If this really works, then why don’t more people know about it and follow it?

Yes, this is me in the picture.

Money

The Paleo lifestyle doesn’t have any nifty little products to package and sell on your local grocery store shelves. It doesn’t have a line of “magic presto pills,” meals that come to your door or a piece of essential fitness equipment.

Public: OK – but can’t that be seen as a good thing too? I’m not getting scammed if you aren’t trying to sell me something, right?

True, however, that’s also why people don’t know about Paleo. Nothing to sell = no $$$ = no publicity. No celebrity spokes model is out there to market and sell Paleo to you.

Carb Lovin’

It’s not easy to convince people to give up crusty bread, flour in their baked goods, and sweet corn on the cob. Many of our comfort foods are derived from grains. Combine that temptation with the media telling us to eat our comforting whole grains, we nod like lemmings and continue on the path to self-destruction.

Fad Diet

The Paleo/Primal lifestyle often gets lumped into the “fad diet” category, which is comical since it is adopted from our ancestors. You really want to compare that kind of history to the grapefruit, master cleanse, raw diets out there? Well, not eating grains seems like a radical idea so it must be a fad. Please improve your ignorance and do some research before you shove Paleo aside! There is a reason we have a community growing by the thousands with hundreds upon hundreds of REAL success stories.

How do I convince loved ones Paleo/Primal really works?

Lead by example and others will take notice. They will complement your appearance and ask what you are doing. It’s important to reach out to family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors if they express health concerns or interest in your lifestyle. Read and recommend The Paleo Solution or The Primal Blueprint to get into the nitty gritty of Paleo/Primal.

When people ask me about my diet, I smile and say, “I’ve been eating more protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.” That’s where I stop unless they dig deeper. Otherwise, you will receive odd stares or turn people off if you go into no grains or dairy, “caveman” diet, etc. They will write it off as a bizarre fad diet, whereas the media has made protein, veggies, and ‘healthy fats’ socially acceptable.

Until more people wake up and realize Paleo isn’t the crazy aunt no one invited to the party, we must stay strong in our actions with a friendly and confident approach.

Are you having difficulty explaining your Paleo/Primal lifestyle to others? Do people treat you differently when they find out you are Paleo/Primal?

Krista

My Primal Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Hi all-

Here is a general blueprint of my daily diet and workout for those interested. Each line represents a different option (not in addition to the previous line) and goes in order of frequency = most often to least.

Please note that I drink coffee with heavy cream every day, have a glass of wine 3-4x/week, and a variety of aged cheeses that strike my fancy 1-2x/week. Wait....what diet?

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Dessert
1-2 Eggs Nothing (not hungry) 1 Egg & 1 slice of bacon or sausage Almond Pancakes (Sunday)	Salad* Leftovers from dinner night before (meat/veg combo) 1-2 Eggs	Broiled Chicken w/veg* Primal Burgers w/salad Pork chops/loin w/veg Fish (baked/smoked/ or broiled) w/veg BBQ Ribs w/veg	Paleo Pudding – no joke Strawberries/blueberries with sliced almonds and coconut milk Piece of dark chocolate Maple roasted pecans

*Salad: Mixed dark greens/spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and/or grilled chicken/tuna. Mix this option up a lot (different in season fruits and vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette). Yum!

*Veg: Whatever’s in season – broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and kale.

Workout

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
15-30 min walk w/Gizmo	15-30 min walk w/Gizmo 20-30 min Circuit Training	15-30 min walk w/Gizmo	15-30 min walk w/Gizmo 20-30 min Circuit Training	15-30 min walk w/Gizmo	Rest/Play	30 min walk w/Gizmo 30 min Sprints

My workout schedule varies depending on how busy the week is, but above is what I try to stick to. If not, everything shifts a day.

Status: I’m currently still at 134lbs according to the scale this morning (down 21lbs from peak weight). I’ll post a picture from my brother’s wedding last weekend so you can see for yourself as soon as my mother sends me them.

If you have comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Krista

80/20 Deconstructed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:02:00 +0000

The 80/20 Primal rule might be the most ambiguous to follow. Why? It seems pretty simple, right? Well, 80/20 means something different to everyone: whether you are new to Paleo/Primal or have done it for years, or whether you allow yourself dairy, alcohol, chocolate, and carb concentrated foods or not. From what I’ve read around the web 80/20 is as unique as the individual.

For Beginners

It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. In the first 1-2 weeks of implementing the Paleo/Primal diet into your lifestyle the carb cravings can be very intense. Some need the piece of dark chocolate to satisfy the after dinner sweet tooth or others want that glass of wine while relaxing to unwind from the day. It is a "cheat" to look forward to until your body adjusts to less crapola (i.e. grains) circulating through the pipes on a regular basis.

For Intermediary

It’s a treat. Whether you’re going out with friends for pizza or having cake on your birthday, you become more of a food snob with what you waste your carbs on and make the most of it! No more Hy-Vee Chinese, instead you upgrade your carb-load to P.F. Chang’s if you are going to splurge and feel icky (technical term) later.

For Experienced

Only when necessary, if at all. These are folks that have stuck with Paleo/Primal for the long haul and have felt the amazing results. If they eat a cookie, they feel awful after and they no longer desire the sugar bomb. There are veterans that follow the diet strictly and either cut out 80/20 or make it 95/5. Eating clean feels so great, why would you want to subject yourself to a carb crave, nightmares, or aches and pains?

I’m definitely in the Intermediary stage. After I eat grains or load up on carbs, like clockwork, my stomach is ready to take me out back and give me a good wallop. Where do you fit in?

Krista

Paleo for One Please

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I’d like to start this post off giving kudos to anyone out there that is single or lives alone and practices the paleo/primal lifestyle successfully.

Back story: My husband has been completing his pediatric until round in another town (couple hours from home) for the past 4 days this week and I have learned that it is difficult to cook for one person. Especially if you are a lazy person.

Monday

While driving home from work I realize how easy it would be to just grab a quick Chinese take-out dinner…...it's on the way...warning Will Robinson! Warning! Think of the carbs/msg/nastiness!

Devil on left shoulder: Yes, but you don’t eat out often and you could go right back to 100% primal.

Angel on right shoulder: No – go to the grocery store and you can treat yourself to a little Hagen Das instead of that take-out “food.”

Krista: Well….Okay. *rushes off to the store*

I literally argued with myself for a good 5 minutes, but I made it to the store and treated myself a bit. The smoked salmon looked great, a little prosciutto, couple figs, a fine cheese, some wine….hey this isn’t so bad. What was I thinking earlier?! This is a ready to eat delicious mix of primal goodness that would last me a couple dinners.

Tuesday

Made a quick batch of Hell-O it’s not Jell-O for dessert to go with my BBQ brisket and dark greens (leftovers from weekend).

Wednesday

Ate amazing leftovers from Monday. Food that good shouldn't be called leftovers. What do you think of free previous food= F.P.F.? Spread the word.

Thursday

Hubby is coming home so I will throw together a pork loin with broiled zucchini.

Lessons learned:

If you are cooking for one, make a large meal over the weekend to finish for F.P.F. during the week.

Keep it simple. Buy food that can be easily prepared (rotisserie chicken, salmon, breakfast, etc).

Make one of your favorite meals. You'll enjoy it more than any old fast "food."

Have a glass of wine. Turn on some music or a cooking show. That makes cooking more exciting and enjoyable.

There is little motivation to cook an elaborate meal for yourself when you have other things to get done.

Krista

The Cost of CW Beauty Standards Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:20:00 +0000

To be considered decent, the American woman must not leave the home without: showering, styling her hair, applying sunscreen/lotion, and makeup. Let’s not get into coordinating outfits and accessories, because I’m not so great at that nor do I want to be. After all, we do need clothes (usually), but we don’t need everything mentioned above.

According to the Daily Mail, "1 in 3 women will not leave the house without a full face of makeup on and 1 in 2 women prefer wearing makeup rather than going out bare faced."

A survey done in the UK found that on average "...women spend 330 days of their lives applying makeup."

Let’s break down the cost of the products most women use daily (concealer, mascara, and a touch of lipstick/lip-gloss) that you would find at a local drugstore/makeup department. Low end and higher end:

Average cost for Cover Girl, Maybelline, and Revlon:

Mascara	$7.50
Concealer	$7.00
Lipstick/lip-gloss	$6.83
Total	$21.33
Total Annual Cost (Quarterly purchases)	$85.32

Average cost for Clinique, Estee Lauder, and Sephora:

Mascara	$18.67
Concealer	$17.67
Lipstick/lip-gloss	$17.33
Total	$53.67
Total Annual Cost (Quarterly purchases)	$214.68

Please notice the word average. These cost breakdowns will vary based on your location and how much product you apply. It also only contains the “bare essentials,” excluding eye shadow, eye/lip liner, blush, and instruments to apply the products.

Save money by going Paleo/Primal

Here is where you can save money by incorporating more Paleo/Primal choices in your life. Cut back on applying makeup to weekdays or special events. If you don’t feel like wearing makeup, then don’t. Save the time and money for play, cooking, spending time with family/friends or tackling something you’ve put on the back burner.

Many people that first try the Paleo/Primal lifestyle often complain about the cost for food. Well, that food contains nutrients and vitamins that we need to be healthy. You are what you eat. If you are giving your body nutrient dense calories you will see the benefits through weight loss, glowing skin, strong/thick hair, strong nails and teeth. You will not need as much makeup/skin/hair products because you are naturally enhancing your beauty through a healthy diet. Less products = More $. Not to mention the health care bills you will incur later on (Diabetes II, Hypertension, medications, etc) with an unhealthy diet.

Lately, I’ve been leaving the house with less makeup (if any), not using skin care products (tap water rinse), and running a brush through my hair and the world seems fine with it.

Have you cut back on the number of products you use regularly? Have you seen your natural beauty emerge by going Paleo/Primal?

Krista

The Cost of CW Beauty Standards Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:51:00 +0000

“What is your beauty tip/secret you can share with our audience?” - Entertainment Interviewer

“Drink plenty of water and apply sunscreen every day.” –Celebrity

BARF! If I have to read/hear this response one more time…I’m going to rant. Sorry to those who believe this garbage, but hanging out in the bathroom all day smelling like coco-nutty chemicals doesn’t make you beautiful.

You don’t need to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Remember, there is water in food and if you eat healthy food (whole/unprocessed – NOT GRAINS) you will not need as much water as you would if you ate a standard American diet. So where did we get the 8 glasses a day myth? In the 1940’s the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine stated we needed to drink 1ml per calorie consumed while promoting the need for 2000 calories a day = ~2 liters or 8 eight ounce glasses. What was not as widely advertised: most of that water comes from our food. It gets better. The more water sucking grains and carb (sweet tasting) you consume the more water you will need/crave. Drink water when you are thirsty – don’t guzzle it down to make your quota for the day.

You don’t need to apply sunscreen every day.

But the sunscreen companies would like you to. So women are supposed to shower, exfoliate, apply lotion and sunscreen, and then put on makeup? Every day? Hmm, sounds time consuming and sticky to me. How about a real answer: eat foods high in lycopene (tomatoes, carrots, watermelons, and papayas) to protect your skin from the sun rays.

Over the summer I was out on the lake boating with my family. I’d been consuming tomatoes and carrots for several weeks and while they were slathering on the sunscreen, I was already out on the inner-tube soaking up the sun. No sunscreen. No sunburn. In fact, I had a nice tan, but that was probably built up from spending time outside walking/sprinting/playing. Now I do think sunscreen has a time and a place. If you have fair skin, haven’t been outside for a lengthy period of time in a while, or are going near the equator for a vacation then sunscreen is a good idea. You don’t need it if you are going to be outside for 10 minutes going to and from work.

You may be investing more money into your food by being Paleo/Primal, but you are saving on sunscreen and your water bill. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but it will definitely help you on my next topic: Makeup.

Krista

The Science Behind How Paleo Works

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Have you seen Dr. Robert Lustig's speech on Sugar: The Bitter Truth? It's quite long, but worth it. It explains the science behind why low carb diets work for the majority of people. Be sure your brains are turned on (coffee) before you watch or you will doze off like I did the first time.

It's refreshing to hear why Paleo/Primal work in relation to chemicals and hormones in our body rather than "it's how the caveman ate." You will win a lot more arguments with those influenced by Conventional Wisdom and be able to convince more people to try Paleo if you can explain the scientific background.

If you feel like snoozing through your Monday or want to clarify some points in the speech, see below:

Eating low carb will lower insulin (hormone released to regulate carbs).
When insulin is low, you will not crave carbs (not as hungry) and have better leptin sensitivity.
Insulin blocks leptin, thus making you feel hungry when you body is not (example: eat Chinese Food, you will be "hungry" 1-2 hours later).
Lepin regulates hunger and energy - so by being more leptin sensitive you will be able to better control your appetite and have increased energy with less insulin.

Hopefully, the video will help you to better explain why Paleo/Primal works without referencing our ancestors (ensuing rolling eyes and saber tooth tiger comments).

Have a good Monday!
Krista

Family Matters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:47:00 +0000

Sorry I haven’t updated in a little while. It’s been a busy week at work, at home, trying to get a template (that I like) to work, and updating the blog with static pages (menu bar). Hope you like it! Also, I didn’t feel inspired by any topics until I had dinner with my in laws.

Questions from family & friends

Ever since I went Primal successfully, several family and friends have thought about trying it. They ask a lot of questions that get me to think and look up answers. I’m terrible at explaining things – you don’t want me to tell jokes or funny stories…it’s just bad. For some reason I can’t put stories/explanations into words successfully without getting word vomit. You don’t want that in your carpet so I send links to websites or books to explain.

Family successes & spreading the word

The other night my Mother-in-law was telling me of her success on Paleo. She read the links I’d sent her and changed her diet/workout accordingly and lost 6-7 pounds in a few weeks. This is really great for her because she has tried so many diets over the years, until recently she would practically starve herself (600-800 calories/day + chronic cardio) just to drop 1-2 pounds in a month. We were so proud of her and now she wants to start cooking this way for my Father-in-law – great! Now he is in great shape for his age and he is concerned with his cholesterol and eating saturated fat than losing weight. To avoid word vomit, I just told them how I’d read several examples on Paleo/Primal lowering cholesterol for many who live by the diet. I don’t find it very convincing telling someone that you read something somewhere, because you can read about Elvis being abducted by aliens, probed, and is now back among us but that doesn’t make it true. So I followed up with some links today (click here if interested).

My Mother-in-law also told me about how she is pickier with what she eats. They were just returning from a class reunion and she told me that she is now thinking more about what is available and asking herself, do I really need that or maybe I should wait and see if a better option is put out. Like comparing instant mashed potatoes out of a microwave to having Paula Dean make them for you herself with all the fixin’s (I know which option I’d choose). I laughed as she was telling me this, because the other day my Mom was telling me about how she is pickier about the carb options she consumes. My Mom has been going as low carb as possible, not fully Paleo, but she has seen the benefits and believes it can work (lost a total of 12lbs in 6 weeks) - great results for not a full 100% effort.

How to get your family interested in Paleo/Primal

Nothing speaks louder than actions. If you would like to get your family started on the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, the best way is to lead by example. Do not approach them about what you are doing and what they should be doing. No one wants someone else’s beliefs shoved down their throat. People want to make their own decisions. Wait for them to come to you – trust me, if they care about their health they will come.

How are you doing with Paleo/Primal? Has your family questioned your “diet?” Do you try to get them onboard?

Krista

Please excuse our mess....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:19:00 +0000

...I'm working on a new template. Html has decided not to be my friend, but I will try to convince it by tomorrow!

Coming soon: A better template with a menu bar to static pages (not blog posts) that will describe what paleo is, FAQ's, Recipes, Before and After shots, etc.

Krista

Weak moments

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:49:00 +0000

We are human. We are going to have weak moments and make mistakes. Some days those extra donuts your co-worker brings in is just going to keep screaming at you until you silence it in your belly. Other days you are going to be stressed and cooking a meal may not be a priority on your list of things to get done. Guess what. It’s okay.

When we start a diet, we get it in our heads if we cheat or mess up once that we have to start completely over. That’s not how it works. You just start where you left off. :) Many people, including myself at one time, think that once cheat then you may as well cheat the rest of the day because you blew it. Wrong again! If you are going to give in and indulge, the most important thing is not to feel guilty – enjoy the indulgence! Otherwise it isn’t worth it. Don’t use one treat as an excuse to over indulge the rest of the day either, that’s coming from guilt.

Yesterday my boss brought in mini pastries for everyone in the office in appreciation of our hard work. I enjoyed them for about 30 minutes. I slowly ate the croissant and black berry turnover – savoring them since it is a rare treat to have pastries. After about 30 minutes, my stomach wasn’t happy with me. I had an ‘ache’ that wouldn’t go away for a couple hours. A good reminder of why it is good to rarely treat yourself to pastries.

Normally, I would’ve ignored the carb loaded free breakfast garbage to save my 20% for other treats I enjoy more (chocolate, ice cream, etc.), but it was a special time of the month. I don’t know what it is about that time, but I always have a little less self-control, which sounds pathetic but it’s true. Because you are in some pain (cramps) and have some additional emotions expressing themselves, you feel like ‘what the hell, I deserve this.’ Maybe we do deserve the treat, but recognize (and I did) why you are letting yourself have something you normally wouldn’t and enjoy it.

Again, Paleo/Primal isn't a fad diet, it's a lifestyle. You can treat yourself once in a while, but not everyday. So be sure to enjoy it and then go back to your regular meal plan on the lifestyle. That's what makes Paleo/Primal work for me.

Today I was in line for coffee and a large woman in front of me ordered a Double Skinny (skim milk) White Mocha Latte and asked if the scones had blueberries – they did – so she purchased one as well. She was trying. With the skim milk in the latte and the blueberries in the scone, this is an example of CW affecting our health choices. I wanted to reach out to her, but most people don’t want you offering health advice unless they ask for it.

And hey – I could be wrong. Maybe she is following a healthy lifestyle and she had her weak moment of indulgence today, just as I had mine yesterday. I didn’t say anything. I let her have her moment, just as I would want someone to let me have mine. Sometimes we need to stop being so overly critical of what others are doing. Step back – you don’t know their situation or what they are going through.

Life lesson I need to follow more often is not to judge another person buy their actions.

Okay, enough sappy crap. Where’s my 3^rd challenge?!

Krista

Day two begins with a picnic

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:45:00 +0000

Today US Wellness is donating a whole cow to the winner of this challenge! That's awesome - except I have no storage space for a cow, dead or alive. :-P

Have you heard of US Wellness meats? They sell only grass fed products for a great price and ship it right to your door. You must order a minimum of $75.00 of product to purchase, which I'm still trying to convince my husband about. I really want to try Pemmican (like a primal candy bar, but with meat). ;-)

"The winners will receive sirloin, brisket, short ribs, back ribs, rib-eye steaks, T-bone steaks, NY strip steaks, Delmonico steaks, filets, bottom round roasts, center cut roasts, chuck, tongue, liver, heart, kidney, beef tallow, marrow bones, beef stock, and an oxtail."

Since the prize has raised the stakes, the challenge can't fall short. Somehow I need to gather eight friends and have a primal food picnic with a fun primal activity. Yowza! I don't even have 8 primal friends (that live in Iowa). May need to involve the family for this one!

Luckily, the submission isn't due until October 3rd...I can do this. :)

Are you up for the challenge? Any primal 'activity' ideas? So far all I got is climbing a tree or beating my brothers with sticks.

Krista

Now is the time

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Have you been thinking about joining the Paleo/Primal lifestyle? Now is the time to jump in and go for it!

The 2011 Primal Blueprint 30 day Challenge begins today!

30 day challenge includes:

30 days of contests
Thousands of dollars in prizes $$$$
Motivational articles
You will have increased energy
You will start to lose fat
You will put on muscle
You will be proud of yourself!

If you don't want anything from the list above, this contest is not for you. If you are interested in anything from the list above, then start the challenge with me! I will take on this challenge and blog the progress along the way.

The more the merrier - this should be a fun challenge to achieve a healthier lifestyle!

I have been Primal for almost 12 weeks now, but that doesn't mean that I can't improve my personal blueprint. This challenge should give me the motivational tools to get those lifting workout in (now that my strength training inspirational shows are over - The Jungle & Expedition Impossible).

Read the challenge flyer below for more details and watch today for the first challenge (not posted yet).

Who's with me?! *Insert Rocky Training Montage Music*

Krista

UPDATE:

The 1st challege is a retweet for Vibram shoes. I have been wanting a pair of these!! :)

I had to create a twitter account. Follow me (@PrimalKrista)!

Beautiful Morning...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:29:00 +0000

It's rare to wake up to mornings like this. Gorgeous sunrise, perfect temperature, and it's FRIDAY! Wish I could just lay in bed and enjoy, but alas, I must get up and walk Gizmo before work.

The scale reads: 134.5lbs (again, don't remember the last time my weight was that low...early college or late high school). The problem is now that I need a new wardrobe because now all of my clothes are too big. Not a terrible problem to have, but I don't have hundreds of dollars laying around for a new wardrobe either.

Note: Sorry for the lines (screens on the window).

He enjoyed the walk this morning too.

Plans for the weekend? I'm watching football, catching up on shows from the week, playing video games, running Gizmo around the neighborhood, making paleo cuisine, and just enjoying life.

Which college football team are you cheering for this season?

Here is a hint. :)

Go Bucks! And go Hawks (he doesn't have a jersey for them).

Krista

Baked brats...say what?!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Now before you call me crazy and stop reading the blog, you must at least give the recipe a try - you will be surprised when you take that first bite!

It was 100° outside and I absolutely loathe wasting food so I got creative with what I had in the fridge.

Ingredients:

4-6 bratwurst
1/2 cup onion roughly chopped
1/2 cup apple roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped bacon
6-8 whole garlic cloves peeled
2 medjool dates roughly chopped

Sea salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º
Sear the brats in a medium saute pan over medium high heat (get a nice crust).
Spread out all remaining ingredients on a foil lined 9x13 baking pan. Use enough foil so that you can tent the brats later during the baking process.
After the brats have a nice sear, add them to the baking pan.
Tent the foil ( /\ = like that ) over the pan and bake for 45 minutes.

With this recipe you get the full spectrum of flavors: sweet n' salty, sweet n' tangy, mixed with savory goodness.These brat are perfect for tailgating, when it's too hot or too cold outside, the grill is out of order, or even for a nice simple dinner with family.

Note: I didn't sear my brats when I tried this, which is why the picture leaves much to be desired. Recipe directions were adjusted for searing.

Enjoy,
Krista

Food this week...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:21:00 +0000

Say Cheese

At the store this week I found some interesting cheese from England, right next to the clotted cream, and decided to give it a go. What a treat! This Wensleydale cheese was so soft and laced with cranberries - it paired perfectly with a dry white wine.

This 2nd cheese is a 5 layer mix of delicious different traditional English cheeses. I call this my 'Hawkeye' cheese (Black and Gold for those that aren't fans) - very appropriate for the football game tomorrow! It's fun to taste all of the layers though and goes better with a red wine. I still prefer the Wensleydale with cranberries (above). Hard choice, but the flavor won me over. If you see these at your store, snag them before someone else does! I'm on the hunt tonight!

What goes better with cheese and wine than some candied pecans. Oh yeah, nothing! Another simple Paleo/Primal snack you can throw together and trick your taste-buds into thinking you are indulging in the forbidden. See recipe below.

Ingredients:

2 cups pecan halves

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh crack black pepper

Dash of sea salt to your taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450°

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Pour and spread out over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Back in the oven for 5-6 minutes - watch closely or they will burn and taste awful.

Enjoy!

On to real food.

Problem: You have brats that needed to be eaten before they go bad and it's 100° or -100° (uh oh, you've got bigger problems than brats!) outside.
Solution: Bake 'em! Say what?! That's sacrilege (I can hear my mother now)! Yes, I seared and then baked the brats and they were fantastic! Better than grilled - IMO. Here's a preview, recipe to follow.

Have a great weekend!
Krista