Paleo Diet & Lifestyle

[CigarNut]

3 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients
• 3 Tbsp Almond meal
• 3 Tbsp Cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• A few dahses of salt
• A few dashes of cinnamon

Directions
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a microwave safe mug.
2. Microwave for two minutes.
3. Enjoy!

[Fordman4ever]

Those sound amazing

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by Fordman4ever

I'm trying really hard to stay Paleo but my wife "just can't give up bread" so its in the house all the time. I have very little will power when it comes to carbs and sweets. I grew up pretty poor and candy was such a treat that any time we got it we were super excited. I keep throwing all kinds of paleo literature my wifes way, but she refuses to give up grains and bread and corn and potatoes and candy etc. etc. etc.

Living paleo is super easy when I'm deployed because I have to actively get all my own food and we have access to all the veggies we want. Maybe staying active on this thread will help me out. who knows

I am in a similiar -- but reversed -- situation. I like my bread/pasta/potatoes while my wife can mostly do without.

However, I have cut way, way back. We don't often have bread, pasta and potatos around anymore, but once a month or so we will get a small amout of some really good bread or fresh pasta or a nice potato for baking. My wife will pass on the pasta, but she might have a little potato and she will definitely have some of the bread.

So, most of the time she is strict Paleo but once in a while she has non-Paleo foods. I mostly follow Paleo -- and we are both doing OK and happy with the way things are going.

[Commander Quan]

I went for my annual physical last week, and got the results back from my blood panel. Individually all the numbers were good, more importantly the ratios were stellar

Your Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio is: 3.46 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 3.5) IDEAL
Your HDL/LDL ratio is: 0.452 - (preferably over 0.3, ideally over 0.4) IDEAL
Your triglycerides/HDL ratio is: 1.250 - (preferably under 4, ideally under 2) IDEAL

Compared to a couple years ago before I started Paleo which looked like this

Your Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio is: 4.64 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 3.5) GOOD
Your HDL/LDL ratio is: 0.427 - (preferably over 0.3, ideally over 0.4) IDEAL
Your triglycerides/HDL ratio is: 6.477 - (preferably under 4, ideally under 2) VERY HIGH RISK

So this morning to celebrate I ate 7 pieces of bacon instead of 4.

[357]

Good to know Derrick. I've heard good things. It's another to see real numbers.

[Commander Quan]

I agree. "It's one thing to say I feel great" it's another to have quantifiable results.

[dannyboy]

Began Crossfit a few months back and am currently 3 weeks into a "Paleo Challenge" which is to eat Paleo for 1 moth. Been strict on it and have seen some interesting results. Started out at 174# by the end of week 1 I was done to 168#, then down to 164# by the end of week 2, but I had absolutely no energy! I would start a workout and within 2 minutes I would be completely gassed out. After speaking to the trainers I was encouraged to eat more, especially more carbs from sweet potatoes and fruit. Since I started mixing in the sweet potatoes I feel like I have limitless energy in the workouts and have noticed great results. I have actually gained 2# over the past week, but it seems to be muscle. Still haven't started leaning out through the belly area, but I am sticking to this thing for 2 months, as several people have told me that it wasn't until 6-8 weeks that they saw major changes in their bodies.

I actually like eating this way better. My meals are tastier and fairly easy to prepare. I spend one day a week grocery shopping and prepping food for the week. I missed bread like many of the people in this thread and found some great recipes for muffins/pancakes that I eat almost daily.

5 eggs
1 cup sweet potato puree (or banana or apple or pumpkin)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda (I know its not Paleo, but it is minimal and gives good texture)
Seasoning to taste (i.e. cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, etc.)
Mix it all up real well and put in a muffin tin and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or pour onto a griddle to make flapjacks

The toughest part of this diet is that you have to plan out your meals and prep food. My meals are better than what I ate before (tonight's dinner was salmon, sweet potato puree and brussel sprouts vs. my normal of Jack in the Box or pasta). My work provides meal for us, but I have to pack my lunches now as our cafeteria usually serves rice and pasta dishes. When they do serve meat it is usually in a sauce with lots of sugar added, so I can't eat any of it.

I am 3 weeks in a feeling good, but not seeing lots of results in the mirror yet. Glad I spoke with several people who have done this before and encouraged me to stick to it for 2 months, otherwise I would have quit already.

[Fordman4ever]

Sounds like you're making some pretty good progress to me. I didn't really see any visual progress until about 2.5 months after starting paleo and even then, it took someone saying that it looked like I had lost weight until I saw it. Just keep it up and you'll see the results in no time.

[hotreds]

The key, methinks, is to not get too carried away. I still have bread when I have a burger at red Robins. I'll have bread when we travel and stop for lunch at Wendys or McDonalds. I usually take 3 Glucomanan caps b4 eating bread as this helps absorb some of the carbs. I also take an Acarbose tab that slows down the digestion of carbs. But, french fries, potato chips, baked potato, pasta are all pretty much history for me. I got some Japanses noodles that I use i/o pasta. Not nearly as tasty, but they have zero carbs and absorb the sauce pretty much- and are not disgusting to eat.

Many if not most people don't realize that what you need to do is find something you can live with.

[Fordman4ever]

I usually have 1 cheat day a week where I just go crazy and eat whatever I want. I feel like crap the next day, but it helps me stay on course for the rest of the week. This past week has pretty much been all cheat days since my birthday was Wednesday and I have family in town. Next week is going to be a "cleansing" so to speak. I'm gonna eat super clean and drink tons of water. I've put on 3 lbs this week with the way that I've been eating.

[hotreds]

When I go visit my folks and they take me to the great Italian restaurant I sure better have my usual plate of pasta or else I will be excommunicated! But, having the tab and the caps should mitigate the damage somewhat. I agree with Earl- make it a habit, not an addiction!

[Commander Quan]

Dan what you initially experienced is not uncommon especially if you are working out while making the transition. My wife and I did Whole 30 in January and she had a hard time running the first 2 weeks. Use your activity level to gauge your carb intake. Periods when you are more active you will perform better with 50 or so extra grams than without. Ultimately there is no one solution for everybody but with some self experimentation you can dial in on a sustainable plan that gets you to look, feel, and perform your best.

[363]

I did the Whole 30 about 2.5 months ago and it was a lot tougher for my wife then me. I am still doing Paleo for the most part with quite a few cheat days recently.. I need to get back into it more seriously but I have enjoyed it this far for sure. It has definitely helped me loose some weight. My wife found a photo of me from last October and the difference is crazy! I never realized how much I have shed until I saw the photo. Not much to add to the conversation but oh well

[Commander Quan]

Thanks for you input Brendon. How did you sleep during Whole30? I've never slept as hard as I did during that month, ever.

[363]

I slept like crap, Always have thou.

[CigarNut]

My wife made these tonight and they were fantastic:

Spicy Salmon Cakes from Quick and Easy Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield

1 lb. canned wild-caught salmon
.25 cup paleo mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 tbsp. finely minced green onions (green and white parts)
2 tsp. Siracha sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. EV olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the 1 tbsp. EVOO in a medium bowl. Form into fish cakes (patties) of equal size. We suggest 2-3 inches in diameter and .5 inches thick.

2. Heat the EVOO in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, if need be, cook the salmon cakes for about 4-5 minutes per side. Or until golden brown and hot. Alternatively, you can finish these off in a 350 degree oven should you chose for about 8-10 minutes.

[Gogi73]

Paleo Is great, some say it is too restrictive, but there are thousands or recipes. It keeps me experimenting in the kitchen.

[MTB996]

Originally Posted by Gogi73

Paleo Is great, some say it is too restrictive, but there are thousands or recipes. It keeps me experimenting in the kitchen.

Agreed. Been Paleo for a couple years. Did it to maintain after dropping 50 lbs via shear exercise (Insanity). I've found a million recipes and food choices out there to keep it interesting. In fact, I definitely prefer Paleo food now. I actually find it almost impossible to gain weight when on Paleo. My Dr. analysis has shown great results and I've never felt better. Can't go wrong!