paleo

Return to Basics

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I feel like I’ve turned into a recorded message on here:

“Sorry for the long silence.”

“Sorry for not posting.”

“Sorry for falling off the wagon.”

First and foremost, who am I apologizing to? You, the readers? Myself? The skinny woman I wish to be? I’m not 100% sure. I don’t think it’s healthy that I’m feeling so much guilt, sadness, and depression over it, though, so I’m going to work on that moving forward.

The last few weeks have been challenging, as I’m working 30-35 hours per week as a Producer (promotion – woohoo!), 40-45 hours at my full time job (recently promoted there, too!), and attending graduate courses two nights per week.

I’ve been sleeping on average of 2-2.5 hours per night, catching up on sleep on Friday and Saturday nights.

I’ve eaten healthy (for the most part), but the long hours and high stress have resulted in a slight weight gain. Here’s the kicker: I’m not actually weighing myself. Instead, I’m going off of how my clothing fits. I’ve really tried to break my addiction to the scale, and I’m proud to admit I’ve only weighed myself three times in the last five weeks. I can tell I’ve gained a little weight because my jeans are a bit more snug, but the size fours still fit – for now.

Before things DO get out of control, I’ve decided to pick back up on my strict Paleo diet. It always worked very well for me, wasn’t restrictive, and left me full and satisfied. I only slacked on it because it required advanced planning and, well, I’m admittedly lazy. However, I spent my Sunday morning grocery shopping and stocking my pantry, fridge, and snack drawer with caveman-friendly foods, so I officially have no excuse.

When I did strict Paleo before, I never counted calories …in fact, I probably ate double the calories on Paleo, but I dropped weight like it was a secret talent. When I first tried the Paleo diet in August 2012, I dropped 22 lbs in three months and actually exercised less: and I was constantly eating. While I definitely don’t have 20 lbs to lose, I wouldn’t mind shedding these 10 lbs – the 5 I put on over the holidays, and the 5 I couldn’t get off before (when I was constantly eating junk).

I won’t make promises about posting here daily, but I’ll try to check in 2-3 times per week. And if I don’t? Well, I won’t be sorry about it.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Purchased an UP!

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I’ve been wanting to get a fitness tracker for a long time. I’m a tech-addict, and I currently use about 10 different apps on my iPhone for tracking my diet, my exercise, and my overall well-being.

All of these apps are currently on my dock:

  • MyFitnessPal
  • GymPact
  • RunKeeper
  • FastPaleo
  • WebMD
  • Paleo 101

Now that I work 18-20 hours per day, I’m positive that my metabolism has changed. I’m constantly hungry and have seen my cravings/body changing (not necessarily for the good) the past six weeks. I decided that the UP by Jawbone would be perfect for me to get a better understanding of what my body goes through every day so I can aim to properly fuel it.

With the announcement of the iWatch in production, I noticed that the Fitbit and UP by Jawbone both started to go down in price. I’ve been watching them for weeks, and – out of the blue – the UP went down from $80 (compared to the UP24, the newer model, that’s around $139) to just $50!!

Seriously, $50? I couldn’t say no. The mobile app looks super easy to use and synch to my other apps, so I’m pumped that this new accessory might simplify my mobile-life and finally give me a better understanding of what my body needs and wants on this new schedule.

It should be here next week, so definitely look for some posts in the new future either raving or complaining about it! 🙂

On that note, bon appetit my friends!

~ Tori

Trying to Get Back on the Wagon

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Man… it has been a rough few weeks when it comes to my health/fitness.

My weight has continued to go up, week over week, and my sweets-cravings are through the roof. I am a STRESS eater and I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Candy has become my best friend …and the worst enemy of my waistline.

I’ve promised myself I won’t weigh-in until Friday, but I can tell you the scale and I did NOT have a pleasant interaction this morning. I worked out 5x last week, but I also indulged in tons of cookies and salty snacks – more than I could cancel out with even the most intense workout.

I’m hoping that one week of rigid discipline will get me back on track, so I’m going to post my calories/meal plan on here for accountability and to try to keep myself on track.

Here’s my food plan for the day:

2am: Quest Cookies and Cream Protein Bar (180 calories)

5:30am: Two OIKOS Plain, Fat Free Greek Yogurt Cups (160 calories)

9am: 100 Calorie BetterOats Oatmeal and 1 cup Blueberries (170 calories)

12pm: 2 cups raw spinach, 3 oz Oscar Mayer Rotisserie Chicken, 1 cup sliced carrot chips, Spicy Guacamole (224 calories)

3pm: Sugar Free Chocolate Muscle Milk (100 calories)

5:30pm: Natural Almonds Snack Pack (100 calories)

8pm: Grilled Chicken Breast and Stir-Fried Veggies (approx 280 calories)

By eating every few hours, I anticipate never feeling “out of control” with my hunger and I’m hoping to quell sweets cravings by snacking on fruit (blueberries) and chocolate protein shakes.

If I can stick to this diet all day (I’m good so far — as of my 9am meal), I will allow myself a 90-calorie Chocolate Pear Squeeze Treat (sooooo good). If I hit the gym (as planned) and do at least 30 minutes of cardio, I’ll swap out the Chocolate Pear Squeeze Treat for one of the 150-calorie Paleo Brownies I made last week. 🙂

It’s all about compromise, preparation, and holding myself accountable this week. Wish me luck!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

 

Healthy Baking

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After a discouraging weigh-in this morning, I decided I needed to wage war against my constant, nagging, inescapable desire for sweets …by baking my own healthy alternative!

I use a Paleo Recipe app called FAST PALEO, which has an amazing collection of dairy and non-dairy Paleo recipes that are quick and easy to make. The best part? You can actually search for recipes based on what you have at home to work with for ingredients!

After an exhaustive 13 hour day between two jobs (mind you, that was with leaving the second job three hours early), I didn’t feel like stopping at the grocery store. I knew I had eggs, coconut flour, cocoa powder, and avocado at home – and I’ve heard avocado is GREAT in Paleo baking – so I tested my luck and did an ingredients search.

Voila: 23 different dessert recipes popped up, most using just those ingredients or one or two more. I settled for this one:

DARK FUDGEY PALEO BROWNIES

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I’m normally bad about adhering to recipes, but I stuck to this one pretty closely: only difference was that I had cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate.

I doubled the ingredients list because I wanted to make sure I had extras to freeze:

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I used two 12-count cupcake pans, which needed only 16-18 minutes to cook at 350 degrees.

Because I used cocoa powder and not baker’s chocolate, I’ll admit that my finished product was more cake-like than FUDGEY, but it was overall delicious and the perfect portion size. If I were to make this exact same recipe again, I would ADD A CUP OF UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE (or mashed ripe banana) to make it a tiny bit sweeter and more moist.

Here’s my finished product:

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I plan to eat them slightly warmed with a little spoonful of coconut ice cream or some mashed raspberries. To the tune of 150 calories, they pack more then I wanted for a snack, but they’re so full of protein (eggs and sunbutter) plus healthy fats (coconut oil and avocado) that the pros outweigh the cons.

The app is totally free, so if you’re a Paleo dieter like me or just looking for some grain-free/gluten-free alternatives, I definitely suggest checking it out!

Bon appetit, my friends!!

– Tori

An Ounce of Prevention …

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You know the old saying:

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Well, I’ve been prone to eating BAD food the last few weeks, mainly because I haven’t prepared myself for the constant hunger that comes with working (and being awake) more than 21 hours per day.

Snacking has become a survival technique, and when healthy food isn’t easily available, I’ve been grabbing anything I can get my hands on.

To prevent this in the new week, I’ve done some proactive grocery shopping:

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Ignore the trashy magazines: I swear, I don’t buy them! 🙂

Already cut up fruit salad, healthy meal replacement bars, fresh fruit, and other easy to chop/prepare snacks!

I’m going to slice up the zucchini and squash and eat them with little 100 calorie packs of spicy guacamole. Hoping to cancel out the two pounds I gained last week with a strong, healthy, and well-planned week three of this new, hectic life!

Wish me luck!

Bon appetit,
– Tori

The Hiatus Has Ended

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Whew.

That’s the longest I’ve gone without posting on here in, well, ever.

I think I went almost two full weeks without logging my diet, regularly hitting the gym, watching what I eat, and posting about all of it on here.

Last Friday was my 30th birthday and I vowed to spend the week ENJOYING it versus stressing about it. I ate cake (lots and lots of it), drank craft beer, and spent almost an entire weekend in a bikini (kayaking, beach, etc).

It was GREAT.

As a result of this hiatus, though, I must admit the weight has jumped up. I went from 123.4 a few weeks ago to back up to 129.6 this morning.

Yikes.

A watched pot may never boil, but an unattended pot will most certainly boil over.

I’m not stressing the weight gain, as I know if I lost it once, I can do it again. I had planned to jump back on the bandwagon Monday, but my grandmother spent the day in town so the gym wasn’t an option. I did my best to eat well (she’s the anti-healthy eater, unfortunately), but still felt like it wasn’t the start I wanted to the week.

So, today is a new day. I’m back to focusing on mostly Paleo (allowing for moderate dairy), but avoiding grain, avoiding soy, and avoiding sugar as much as possible. I’m using MyFitnessPal to log my food, GymPact to log my veggies/fruits and workouts, and RunKeeper to set a mileage goal BEYOND what I do at the gym.

This week’s goals:

  • Hit the gym at least 5 times, preferably 6.
  • Eat at least three veggies per day (thank you, GymPact).
  • Maintain the Paleo diet as best as possible, with a cheat meal allowed on both Friday & Saturday.
  • Stay under 1,600 calories daily (this has been a challenge lately, so aiming for 1,600 and then reducing down to 1,300 when I get control of my appetite again).
  • Walk 15 miles in the week (Sunday-Saturday) in addition to my workouts. I walk my dogs three times per day (about a third of a mile each day), so it’s really just sneaking in a few more quick walks each day.

I don’t want to become obsessive (I have a tendency to do that, especially after a weight spike), but I also don’t want to stray past the 130 lbs benchmark, so I really need to kick it into gear.

On that note – it’s great to be back! I missed writing here daily and I’m sure a few of you were starting to get bored of the silence. 🙂

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Monday Accountability Report

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I had class today (as usual on Mondays), so I couldn’t make it to the gym.

Fortunately, I managed to stick to my high protein, low(er) carb diet throughout the day, staying under 1,400 calories.

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The peas are a higher sugar/starchy vegetable, but they’re my favorite and I managed to NOT eat a cupcake or chocolate of any kind, which is an achievement all on its own.

Hope everyone had a great Monday!

Tori

Super Simple Paleo Breakfast Quiche

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Tired of Greek yogurt every day, I decided to throw together these super simple crestless quiches for breakfast during the week.

Seriously, these took less than 5 minutes to prep and only 15 minutes to cook. They are endless customizable and store well in the fridge or freezer.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A cupcake/muffin pan
  • Cupcake liners (these are optional, but the clean-up is MUCH easier)
  • 12 whole eggs (or 6 whole, 8-10 whites whipped together)
  • Chopped turkey bacon, turkey sausage, or meat of your choice.
  • Assorted chopped veggies (onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc)
  • 1/2 cup low fat cheese (or, if you’re strict Paleo and don’t use dairy, Daiya-brand cheese alternative works!)

Instructions:

  • Preheat over to 350 degrees.
  • While it heats, put the cupcake liners into your cupcake pan.
  • At the bottom of the liner, add in crumbled turkey bacon or a few (small) pieces of turkey sausage. I used Jennie-O Turkey Sausage links and could only fit about 1/2 of a link into each tin.
  • If you’re mixing in veggies, make sure they are THAWED or cooked. These cook too quickly to use anything frozen. I’d recommend no more than 1 tbsp of chopped veggies unless you’re using a BIG muffin tray.
  • If you’re using WHOLE eggs, crack a single egg into each cupcake liner. If you’re using the egg white/whole egg blend, fill the tin to 3/4 full.
  • Salt & pepper to taste (I also added a 1/2 tsp of onion flakes, as well, because that’s my thing).
  • Right before you toss in the oven, sprinkle on a tiny bit of cheese/cheese alternative. I didn’t even use the full 1/2 cup I had set aside, but you can be as generous as you’d like.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes. I checked mine a few times, as I was trying to keep my yolk soft and my whites cooked, but you can cook it a little longer (up to 16 minutes) without the egg becoming rubbery. Don’t OVERCOOK them if you plan to store them, as reheating them in the microwave could make them tough if they are already well-done.

 

Here’s what my finished product looked like:

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Using whole eggs and a 1/2 turkey sausage link in each, my crustless quiches were roughly 95 calories each. Not bad! I had two for breakfast this morning and plan to enjoy them over the weekend, as well. I’ll freeze the extras for future enjoyment or a quick and easy snack.

These are great for Paleo dieters, low-carb friends, or anyone that needs a quick, protein-filled breakfast in a hurry.

Bon appetit, my friends!

Tori

Monday Manifesto

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As of today, I’m officially 54 days from my birthday.

This is the big one, the birthday I’ve been dreading for years: THIRTY.

This is the birthday that officially says goodbye to the naivete and excuses of youth and slams me smack-dab into the center of adulthood. I’m old enough to know better and yet young enough (at heart) to recognize what I’m missing out on.

I envisioned my life to be very different by 30. When I was a teenager, I imagined that with my 30th birthday came children, a minivan stocked with soccer equipment, and the body of a fitness model.

(For some reason, I always thought a minivan was cool – perhaps because I was the only one of my friends that didn’t have siblings and I found the conveniences of a minivan to be luxurious beyond measure. Broaching 30, I’m kind of excited I don’t have a minivan.)

While 54 days isn’t enough time to pop out a football team (hallelujah!), it is enough time to recommit to my fitness goals and see tangible results. Since my fitness/nutrition/health is the one thing I am in control of in this crazy, hectic world, I’m dedicating myself to it for the next two months.

Today’s starting weight: 131.2

Goal weight (by July 11th): 119 or less.

Current jean size: 26/27 (between sizes 4-6, depending on brand)

Goal jean size: 24/25 (size 2)

Diet plan: Mostly Paleo, but allowing dairy.

Calorie goal: Under 1,300/daily.

Fitness plan: 60 minutes elliptical/5 days per week. Walk 60 minutes per day. Strength training 3/week.

Accountability plan: doubling my bets on GymPact and taking weekly measurements/photos/weigh-in to post here.
(Look for the infamous “Weigh-in Wednesday” posts to return!)

So, there it is. Here’s my Monday Manifesto, my public declaration of goals in the hopes that all of you can help me stay focused, stay centered, and stay motivated.

On that note… bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Almond Flour Waffles: Paleo!

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I woke up this morning with a severe hankering for a soul food breakfast. I wanted waffles. I wanted maple syrup. I wanted doughy, fluffy goodness. I wanted to cheat on my diet with everyone bone in my body and taste bud on my tongue.

I was given a waffle maker nearly seven years ago, which I have probably used twice, maybe three times in my life. Since switching to the Paleo diet in 2012, I’ve never even opened the cabinet in which it has been stored, patiently waiting to be put to its purpose.

Instead of going to iHop or Mimi’s Cafe and completely ruining my diet on this foggy, Sunday morning, I decided to get creative and construct a Paleo alternative that would satisfy the fiercest of cravings.

The following recipe makes three full-sized waffles.

Basic Ingredients List:

  • 1 3/4 cups almond flour.
  • 3 whole eggs.
  • 3/4-1 cup of So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (I used just a little over 3/4 cup, but you can water it down to a full cup and the texture is the same).
  • 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder.
  • 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract.

Mix-In Ideas:

  • 6 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes.
  • 4 tbsp Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.
  • 1/4 cup blueberries.
  • 1/4 cup diced banana.
  • 1/4 cup diced pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
  • Get creative! You can stir in just about everything as long as it’s not liquidy. If you do add fruit (such as the blueberries), so with just 3/4 cup of coconut milk in the recipe above.

Instructions:

Spray your waffle-maker with a non-stick spray. If you’re a true Paleo-follower, avoid canola or soy-based sprays, which are the most common on the market. I actually found a coconut oil spray at Whole Foods a few weeks ago, so it’s been my standard for cooking everything lately! You can also just dip a paper towel in cooking oil and rub the waffle-maker if you don’t have any sprays.

While the waffle-maker preheats, combine all ingredients from the waffle-base ingredients list. Stir until well-mixed. It should be a little thicker than normal pancake batter but thinner than a brownie batter. Once fully combined, stir in any mix-in ideas from above. I added coconut flakes and the Enjoy Life chocolate chips – I was going all out! I also added a tbsp of cinnamon, a personal favorite. I think cinnamon accentuates the flavors in chocolate and the homeopathic benefits make it a win-win!

A huge bowl of batter.

A huge bowl of batter.

Once the waffle-maker is warmed up, spoon batter into each of the four compartments. DO NOT OVERFILL. I used about 1/4 cup batter per section, which covered the bottom but did NOT fully hide the metal indentations. The waffles will fluff up, so you need to leave room for them to grow without overflowing the machine. My waffle-maker has preset timers on it, so I didn’t have to pay attention to cook times, but I would say it was roughly two minutes per side.

This sucker is HUUUUGE.

This sucker is HUUUUGE.

I will admit, these waffles pack a substantial caloric punch: for my recipe (with coconut flakes and chocolate chips), each waffle was about 700 calories with roughly 29 grams of carbs, 58 grams of fat, and 26 grams of protein. Fortunately, I found it to be sweet enough without any syrup and it was EXTREMELY filling. I’m STUFFED.

I’m going to try to modify the recipe to bring it down under 600 calories – perhaps a blend of coconut flour and egg whites will help. I’ll have to play around with it! In the meantime, this recipe satisfied every craving and paired perfectly with a hot cup of coffee this morning.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori