PaleoPlus New Year's Tip #9 - Shop, Chop & Prep

Happy New Year's Eve!

If you are embarking on your new PaleoPlus lifestyle tomorrow - you have a bit of work to do today.  If you are waiting until Monday (like my family!), you have a day or two to get your arms around this.

Today's tip is about setting yourself up for success every week.  This is not a one-time thing you do to get psyched up to change your life or some housekeeping thing that takes an hour or two and then you never have to do it again.  This one is a commitment - to your health, to your new way of life and to your overall sanity and stress levels!

As I've said, and hopefully you've researched and agree with - the very best way to Kick Start your metabolism and cleanse your system is to commit to 30 DAYS of Squeaky Clean Paleo eating.  That means no sugars or artificial sweeteners - NONE, no grains, no gluten, no legumes (this includes all beans except green beans, snow peas and snap peas), no soy, no dairy, no peanuts, no alcohol and no preservatives.  Clean, Clean, Clean.

This will allow your body to rid itself of stored up toxins and start reaping the benefits of eating only whole, natural foods that our bodies were designed to eat.  You'll be surprised at how quickly you start to feel like a different person.  (Don't forget to check with & work with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.)

For most people, this is a radical new way of eating.  Until you start paying attention, you have no idea how many of the foods labeled "healthy" or "lite" or "fat free" are full of sugars, artificial sweeteners, glutens and preservatives.  I had to learn an entirely new way of shopping.  And it was difficult and really time-consuming at first.  95% of the staples I bought every single week were now off-limits to me and my family.  The 'convenience' foods I kept on hand for busy weeknights and mornings were also not on my Squeaky Clean eating plan. 

That meant I had to be creative and READY!  This goes beyond the Meal Planning I talked about yesterday - this involved some actual food preparation and chopping and storing so I could have dinner on the table or in a lunch box in 15 minutes or less.

Which brings me to today's tip - Shop, Chop and Prep

Shop - use the Meal Plan list you made yesterday and make a shopping list. 

Think whole foods - from the produce and meat sections, along with a few pantry items from the organic & specialty aisles and, since it's winter - 100% natural (no sauces, no extras) frozen veggies - remember, corn is not considered a vegetable, it's a grain with very little nutritional value - you have to let it go!  This is the easiest way to attack the grocery store for the first time.  You can also print off shopping lists from a variety of Paleo web sites.

Here are the pantry staples I can't live without:

• ghee
• organic avocado oil
• almonds (for snacking and to make homemade almond milk)
• coconut oil (unrefined, expeller-pressed)
• unsweetened almond butter
• organic, unsweetened, vegetable oil-free salsa (or make your own)
• Tessamae's cracked pepper dressing
• unsweetened jarred marinara
• full fat coconut milk
• coconut aminos
• unsweetened bone broth (pretty hard to find, worth it to make your own)
• non-gluten flour of choice (almond flour, coconut flour, tapiocha starch, etc)
• arrowroot powder
• unsweetened coconut flake

(I'm honestly not trying to sell anything, but for local DFW residents, I am offering a Clean Eating Kick Start program that includes a 'starter kit' of 10 full-size, specialty Paleo pantry staples and a sampling of non-gluten flours and paleo snacks that will save you all the searching and shopping)

Chop - once you've got it home - get it ready to use!

I hate to waste anything and when I was new at having a refrigerator full of produce, if I didn't get it chopped up and ready to use, it would go bad and I'd have to throw it into the compost pile or trash.  So, I devote 2 hours or so every week to washing, chopping and portioning produce for the week.  This is now a weekly chore for my kids - they prepare their lunch snacks for the week.

Here is what I chop every week, no matter what:

• 20 snack bags of carrot sticks
• 20 snack bags of celery sticks
• 30 snack bags of red, seedless grapes
• 20 snack bags of cauliflower and broccoli bites
• I wash at least 1 dozen apples (my son's favorite snack)
• I buy 5 pounds of overripe bananas and peel and freeze them (for smoothies)
• I make 1/2 gallon bag of trail mix from raw nuts and unsweetened dried fruits
• I juice 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice and lemon juice
• I roast one head of fresh garlic and finely mince 2 heads of fresh garlic
• I dice 2 medium yellow onions
• I slice 2-3 bell peppers (red and orange are my faves)
• I slice a 12-16 ounces of fresh white button mushrooms
• I chop 1 gallon (about 3 1/2 pounds) of sweet potato cubes
• In the summer months, I also cut up 2-3 melons

Prep - there are a few things I cook ahead every single week - I spend another 3-4 hours prepping (in addition to the shopping and chopping) every Sunday afternoon to get ready for the week (it really is worth it!)

• cauliflower rice (1 head)
• root vegetable mash (32 ounces or one large plastic container's worth)
• 16 ounces of homemade mayo (half I leave plain, half I use to make paleo ranch dip)
• 9X9 frittata (great for on-the-go breakfast or any quick meal)
• 1 quart of roasted root vegetables
• 1 pound of ground meat (I like ground turkey), seasoned to use in lettuce wraps or skillet meals or omelets
• 2 pounds of meatballs (I have shared a couple of different recipes - but the basics are ground meat, 1 egg, spices, garlic, 1 T non-dairy milk and 2 T non-gluten flour)
• 1 quart of chicken salad
• 1 quart paleo pickles or pickled veggies (I may only have to do this every other week, but we really enjoy them on burgers and salads...it depends on how fast we use them up!)
• 2 quarts of paleo chili or soup (freezes and thaws beautifully for later in the week)

The other trick I swear by is - on the evenings when you have time to cook - make extras and freeze them in individual portions (Amazon has great reusable freezer-to-microwave containers, sold in sets of 10-20)

I know this is a lot of information and seems like a lot of work, but if you don't want to find yourself in a drive thru ordering a super-sized meal and sugary soda, you need to do a little Shopping, Chopping and Prepping every week!

Tomorrow - the final steps to a PaleoPlus New Year!

PaleoPlus New Year Tip #7 - Meal Plan

Getting lean and feeling better on a Paleo diet is surprisingly easy.  Learning to prepare healthy, nutritious Paleo meals is tougher.  Especially when you lead a normal, busy life.

The solution is MEAL PLANNING.

I'm not talking about creating a 4-course menu for each day of the week with details and picture-perfect plating.  I'm talking about knowing what you like.  Being realistic about how much time you can devote to cooking each night (plan for at least one "didn't go as planned" emergency meal each week).  Knowing the elements of a basic Paleo meal.  Simple meal planning, not extravagent meal planning.

After that you can go shopping, do some chopping and freeze something (tomorrow's Paleo Tip).

But for today - sit down with pen and paper or your favorite list making app and write down:

• Favorite proteins (fish, chicken breast, pork loin, steak, eggs, etc)
• Favorite veggies (that can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed or roasted)
• Favorite healthy fats (avocado, raw/unsalted nuts (no peanuts), organic olive oil, ghee)
• Favorite fruits (usually eaten raw or using the juice (from the whole fruit) in a sauce or marinade) 

A basic meal if you are doing 30-Days of Squeaky Clean Eating (the very best way to restart your system and get optimal results) should include:

• 4-8 ounces of lean protein
• 3-4 servings of veggies
• 1-2 servings of healthy fats
• Fruit should be eating sparingly*

*I have a very picky child, so she ate more fruit than is intended, but considering she was no longer eating fast food, grains, glutens and dairy - I knew she would still benefit (and she did!)  You have to be realistic if you are cooking for kids or doubters. 

I also needed a few snacks.  We didn't snack a lot, but I found the adjustment to eating food that my body could easily process was a little bit shocking.  I clearly remember the first time I woke up and thought I was starving. (I wasn't, but it was a very new kind of hunger!)  So, I found a couple of things I could keep in my purse or car or desk drawer that were really yummy and on my clean eating plan.  Once again - think about what flavors and textures you really enjoy - things that will satisfy you.

Don't get caught up in searching recipes and creating Pinterest boards (believe me, that will come later if you love this as much as I do!) and getting overwhelmed before you even start.  Just think about the whole, real, unprocessed foods that you already like or the foods you've always wanted to try and make your list. 

Feel free to message me on my Facebook page (Wildflower Kitchen) or leave a comment here or e-mail me at wildflowerkitchencafe@gmail.com with any brand name or specific food questions.  I have found through a lot of trial and error and expense what foods are compliant and taste the best - and I am happy to share that knowledge with you.

The benefits of a Paleo lifestyle are amazing and worth the effort - but don't sabotage your success before you really have a chance to experience them (usually around the 14-15th day) by not doing a little planning ahead of time!

Tomorrow - Tip #8 - Prep, Shop & Chop

Looking Back on a Paleo Year

This morning I've been sorting, editing and uploading photos off a variety of cameras, recorders, tables and my phone - it's that time of year, I guess. 

Many of my pictures reflect the change my family has made to PaleoPlus eating.  There are pictures of meals, plates, ingredients, me cooking, my kids cooking and a variety of shopping trips.  That is to be expected when you experience such a big change in something as everyday as what you eat.

But beyond those pictures - I'm a mom and have a phone full of pictures of my kids.  The change in their body composition is extraordinary.  My daughter makes a grunting sound every time she looks at an older picture of herself...she has always been an athlete and very active, so we never thought of her as heavy.  But Paleo changes your body composition - it make you lean!  My son has been able to develop muscle tone that he couldn't accomplish before changing his eating habits.  Also an athlete and pretty religious in the weight room - it's still shocking to see what a difference cutting out certain foods can make in a teenager.

And then there's me.  The most significant change hasn't been in the way I look ... although that's pretty significant.  It's that there are actually pictures OF me out there.  I used to avoid the camera like the plague.  I could ignore my weight in a mirror or by putting on sweats, but in a picture - it was right there!  And it hurt my soul. 

And now, when someone points a camera my way, I just smile!

This morning I took an "after" picture - in the same place as my "before" picture - taken the morning I decided to change the way I ate for 30 days.  My initial goal was to lose weight - and I did - just over 17 pounds in the first month (70 pounds total!).  Then the other benefits came - sleeping through the night, no more aches and pains in my knees, feet and hips, no more bloat, tons of energy, clear skin, great hair & nails and an overall improved mood and outlook on life.  I could run with my kids again.  Walk my dogs.  Wear "regular-sized" clothes.  Walk in heels.  Go places I'd been avoiding.  Walk all day at a fair or shopping excursion.  Swim a mile every day.  And let my picture be taken!

It's rare when something so powerful happens to you that you want to build a life on it - but that's what Paleo has done for me.  I want to help as many others as possible experience the life-changing benefits of eating real, whole, natural foods instead of the stuff we've been eating.  That's why I started Wildflower Kitchen.  That's why I write this blog.  That's why I coach and cook and share as much information as I can.  It's too important not to tell the world!!!!

It's been a pretty incredible year - I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store for us!  Happy Almost New Year!

Interested in signing up for a 30-day Clean Eating Kick Start?  Check out my New Year's Clean Eating Kick Start page.  Experience PaleoPlus for yourself!

PaleoPlus New Year Tip #6 - Journal

Even though I KNOW that writing about almost anything helps me process it better, achieve more, feel better about the situation, etc...I've been a writer most of my adult life...Just for fun, I did some online searches for the impact of journaling on changing habits and keeping New Year's Resolutions and losing weight...WOW!

Which brings us to Tip #6 in the PaleoPlus New Year series - Journal

Beyond my personal experience - there is a TON of research out there that supports the notion that writing things down (not just making lists...although I am a fan of lists too!) helps you achieve more and has some pretty amazing everyday benefits.

Journaling can:

• reduce stress
• process emotions
• heal mental and emotional wounds
• boost immunity
• improve focus

Think about that.  How many of you have described yourself as a "stress eater" or "emotional binge eater"?  I know I had used those words dozens, if not hundreds, of times.  So, if journaling can help you reduce that stress and process those emotions - it stands to reason that you would be less likely to head for the pint of ice cream or giant bag of pretzels!

AND - if you started journaling today instead of waiting until the first day of PaleoPlus eating - you could sort out WHY you want to be healthier in 2016.  Which of the benefits of eating a paleo diet you are most excited about - improved sleep, weight loss, fat burning, better mood, more energy, less aches and pains.  You would "know your motivation" before you start.  Talk about a spike in results!  You would be focused on the positives of your commitment and not whining about how hard it is to change!  (That sounded harsh, but lately I've been talking to a lot of people who say they'd "Do Anything" to lose weight or feel better...and then they complain and whine and moan about giving up diet soda or dairy or something else and it's wearing me OUT!)

Throw in a little gratitude and a pledge to celebrate your successes, along with tracking your food, your feelings, your struggles and your favorite new flavors and you might just end up being part of the 8% of people who actually achieve their New Year's Resolutions!

Don't feel like you need to go out and purchase a fancy journal or food diary - you can use a spiral notebook or a free blog platform like this one (google blogger is included in the Google+ suite and is really easy to use) or download a journaling app for your tablet or smart phone.  I like to use Journey for Android (Free from the Play Store) because you can add photos and a video and it was simple for me to figure out!  But there are lots of free journaling apps out there - just find one that fits your style and that way whenever you feel like writing - you can!

So, get started today.  If you are following along with the other tips in this series - you can start by writing what you learned when you Did Your Research or how you felt the first time you went to the grocery after deciding to Phase It Out or jot down ideas on who will be your PaleoPlus Buddy.

Don't worry about your spelling or grammar or sentence structure - just write!  Support yourself and your health through this very simple exercise and journal your way to success!

PaleoPlus New Year's Tip #5 - Pantry Purge

Okay, the time is getting closer...2016 is just days away!  And for those of you who have decided (or may be still deciding) to start eating the way our bodies were meant to eat, you need to get prepared for success.

That brings me to today's PaleoPlus New Year's Tip #5 - The Pantry Purge!

Paleo eating removes all the things that have been shown to cause inflammation in our bodies or create an intolerance or other negative symptoms.  A Paleo diet removes the foods that are at odds with your health and replaces them with nutrient-dense, whole, unprocessed foods designed to keep you healthy and lean.

If you are like me - your pantry, cupboards and fridge are full of processed, non-Paleo foods.  Hopefully, you've already adopted Tip #1 Phase It Out.  If you've already stopped buying non-Paleo foods, you're kitchen is purging itself. 

I'll be honest, once I'd decided to make the switch to PaleoPlus Eating, I went cold turkey.  I knew in my mind and heart that I needed to do this, so I just stopped with everything that might be keeping me from losing weight and feeling my best.  Which meant I had to manually Purge my Pantry!

I grabbed a big plastic container with a lid and packed away anything we had that was unopened, but full of preservatives, sugars, gluten, soy and artificial sweeteners.  I packed up cans of beans and boxes of granola bars and bags of rice and quinoa.   The most eye-opening part was label-reading to weed out the items with added sugars. 

Once I started removing sauces, dressings, spreads with sugars - it eliminated 95% of the items in the doors of my refrigerator and a good part of the jars and cans in my cupboards.  I found sugar in all of my salad dressings, the pasta sauce, the chicken broth, the barbecue sauce ...too many items to list here. 

But it was freeing! 

Removing the temptations from your home kitchen and office desk drawers will help you stay true to your clean eating commitment during the all-important first 30 days.  Remember, my unhealthy food cravings were totally in check by day 11, but it was really helpful to not have sugary snacks and processed convenience foods at my fingertips while I was breaking up with sugar and dairy and diet soda and all the other junk I needed to get out of my system.

My kiddos kept eating their regular diet right up to Day 1 of our Squeaky-Clean 30 Days, so they managed to use up the ketchup and pasta sauces and pickles and opened boxes of granolas and jars of peanut butter.  Which was nice, because it meant I didn't really have to throw away that much.

(FYI - after our first 30 days on PaleoPlus, we decided to make the switch permanently, but it still took us another 2 or 3 months to donate all the unopened foods that we had stashed away.  It was all perfectly good, but we just knew we were never going back to our old way of eating, so we took it to the food bank and have never looked back!)

First of all, you need to decide what day you will officially start eating Paleo - January 1st?  For some, that is a family feast day, so think it all the way through.  My family will be doing a Squeaky-Clean 30 Days beginning the first Monday of the New Year - January 4th.  It's not a calendar-perfect way to do it, but avoiding sugars is easier when they are in their normal routine.

If you are interested in a program to help you through your first 30 days - check out Clean Eating Kick Start - a 30-Day Program, complete with full-sized pantry staples, Paleo snacks and a few portions of less-common ingredients to try as you prepare Clean Eating meals.  It really helps to have a guide and a real person to answer your questions. 

PaleoPlus New Year Tip #4 - Focus on the Positive

It is so easy to get caught up in sacrifice when you are trying to make a change.  Ask anyone who has tried conventional dieting or to quit smoking or to give up Candy Crush!  All you can think about is what you CAN'T do...what you CAN'T have...what you're GIVING UP.

I was a classic dieting failure.  So much so, that I stopped making weight loss New Year's Resolutions about 10 years ago.  It was too depressing to fail. 

And too dangerous!  I am a stress eater, so when I would fail early on in a diet - I would stress eat and gain even more weight and feel even more sluggish and have Resolution Guilt to top it all off...nobody needs that.

I'm not sure why I was successful when I decided to switch to a Paleo diet.  At least not in the beginning.  Once I made it through the first 2 weeks, I was 100% hooked on how great I felt.

I think one of the reasons I made it through those initial 14 days is because of an old Facebook friend.  She was on a journey to give up compulsive shopping.  It was something to read!  She spent money like I ate chips.  That's what made me relate to it.  And she worked with a professional therapist who had her do specific things to create new habits and a new reward system. I used both of these to help me during the switch to PaleoPlus.

The very basic premise of her success was learning to FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE!  (and not spend all her energy on what she was trying to give up)

Here is what we did (and are going to do beginning January 4, 2016)

Rewards and Celebrations
My favorite exercise was to create a list of non-food rewards to celebrate everyday things.  I used to take the kids for a slushy or an over-priced cupcake or ice cream when they got good grades or some recognition in school.  I would reward myself with my favorite take-out when I completed an unpleasant or difficult task.  Every night we would find a reason to have a dish of ice cream as a family.  It had become a series of unhealthy habits.

So, I made a list of things I enjoy that could substitute for the food rewards.  Taking the dogs to a dog park.  Playing my favorite computer game for 20 minutes without feeling guilty.  Watching an episode of whatever Netflix show I am currently binge watching.  Buying a new 'flavor' of EOS.  Getting a pedicure.  Hitting Five Below with the kids - you can easily spend $10 on cupcakes or ice cream, so I'd give them both $5 and let them loose! 

I also added 3 Real Food rewards.  I needed to break the mindset that healthy food is a punishment.  I found REAL foods that could be a treat too!  1.  Hot Cinnamon-Spiced Apple Tea (delicious without any added sugars), 2.  Frozen red seedless grapes (yes, they are high in natural sugars, but compared to a bag of cookies, they win!) and 3.  about once a week, I made "Nice Cream" (1 sliced frozen banana, 1 T dark cocoa powder, 1 t organic vanilla powder, 1 T coconut milk tossed into the food processor or blender - tastes like a Wendy's chocolate frosty, if you ask me!...this recipe is for 1 large or 2 small servings).  

Teamwork
Make your list!  Do it together with your Paleo Buddy or with your kids or spouse.  Think about how you can reward yourself with things other than food.  Or set a goal to do 10 things you've been wanting to do or visit 10 places you've been wanting to visit or see 10 movies you've been wanted to see.  The key is to make your rewards things that excite you.  Things that will motivate you to want to success - to want to "earn" these rewards.  That way you can celebrate every milestone in your first 30-days of your PaleoPlus New Year!  And you are bonding over the positives of your new real food commitment.

Share Something Positive Every Day
The other thing my that was suggested to my friend was to "share" her success stories.  She has a big Facebook friend group, so she would share hysterical stories and photos of her NOT shopping.  Funny captions that made breaking her addiction to shopping positive and upbeat and totally relate-able.

I started sharing my food and recipes on Instagram & Facebook and tagging them with #paleo and #cleaneating and #realfood and #whole30 and I found an entire community of people committed to Paleo and Primal eating.  I got some spam and thong-wearing women promising me a thousand followers too...but that comes with any social media.  I committed to at least 5 posts each week - which kind of forced me to be more creative when I was cooking or plating or packing a lunch because I wasn't about to post something unappetizing (it helped me clear the clutter out of my kitchen too...nobody wants to post their cluttered counter tops!).  If you are at all competitive - this will be a motivator for you - I promise!  I also shared the incredible health benefits I was experiencing with a small group of friends who I trusted to support me during my first 30-days.  Some of the benefits are kind of personal...no need to post that for the world!

Discovering New Flavors
I made a habit of buying something new every time I went to the grocery or farmer's market and we tried it as a family.  It was like Iron Chef judging at the table!  We all had to have at least one bite and we all had to give it a score.  Even if it was just a new type of apple or pear.  Some things, like winter squash and ground chicken, I would make 2 or 3 ways.  Sometimes it's not the ingredient you don't like - it's how it's prepared.  It made it fun for me in the kitchen too!

Victory Board
I didn't actually make a bulletin board (although that was my original intention) - we put post-it notes on our pantry door!  But every day I would add a post-it note with a small victory from my day "Didn't buy a cookie in the check-out line at Sprout's", "Walked an extra 20 minutes", "Packed healthy snacks and water for the football game", "jeans are fitting looser", "someone asked me if I'd lost weight (with a big smiley face!) and I would ask the kids to do the same.  My daughter and I got pretty competitive to see who could decorate their post-it victory the best or come up with the most creative words or situations.  And we tried to not duplicate any one victory during our entire first month.  I am certain we will do this again in January to make squeaky-clean eating more fun!

These are the things we did to be intentional about focusing on the positive.  Feel free to create your own ways to focus your attention on the great things you ARE doing and not on the couple of things you can't have.

It's not easy to change the way you've been eating your entire life - you have to give things up and learn to substitute and try new flavors, but if you get stuck complaining about how hard it is, you might lose sight of all the wonderful health benefits your are experiencing.  Or you might not get a chance to celebrate the strength of your commitment to your body or your phenomenal weight loss or your new-found energy because you gave up when all you could think about was what was negative...don't let that happen to you!

Stay focused on the positive - it really is worth it!

Buddy Up! - PaleoPlus New Year Tip #3

This could be one of the simplest, yet most impactful tips of this 10 Step series...if you are going to adopt clean, natural eating in 2016...Find a PaleoPlus Buddy!

I am a social being, so I find everything more enjoyable when I am in the company of others.  I also enjoy being alone.  I am very much like my mother in that I need a little time each day without any distractions.  Time to myself.  I like to think I am the "best of both worlds"!

BUT - I am positive that adopting an entirely new way of eating was easier because I was doing it with my family.  It gave me someone to commiserate with when I was missing bread.  It gave me someone to celebrate with when my jeans were loose.  It gave me someone to bounce meal ideas off of when I was stuck planning dinner.  It gave me a safe group that wouldn't try and sabotage my success (and yes, even your best friends will do this...for a variety of reasons, some of them not so flattering).  And it made it more fun and ultimately, easier.

If you read anything I have written about my PaleoPlus journey, you know that by Day 11, I was hooked.  My cravings had subsided.  My sleep had improved dramatically.  My body felt 10 years younger.  Aches and pains were disappearing.  And, although I was not stepping on a scale for 30 days, I knew I was losing weight faster and more effortlessly than I had ever lost weight in my entire life!  So, I could have probably let my family off the hook on Day 12, but they were experiencing the same benefits and I am first and foremost - a mom!

That's my story.

Do a little research on the internet or in medical journals or Shape magazine or wherever you like to get your information and you will find incredible statistics showing the benefits of having a partner or community when you embark on a major lifestyle change.  Quitting smoking, dieting, exercise, giving up alcohol, saving money, reading more books - everything improves when you do it WITH someone.

Making lifestyle changes without social support is hard.  Sometimes impossible to maintain.  When you have your family or best friend or coworkers around you to encourage you - or better yet - make changes WITH you, your success increases.  For all of you.  You support them, they support you - everybody wins.

I found that when I was having a less-than-committed day - my husband was on a roll and positive and encouraging.  When my kids were whining about not being able to eat the same things as their friends at lunch time, I was able to find the energy to add something special (and Paleo) into their lunch with a note or promise of a non-food reward for sticking to it.  It made us stronger as a family.

On a side note...switching to a Paleo diet is drastic if you are eating a standard, modern American diet, so be prepared for your family, friends and coworkers to tell you all the reasons you shouldn't switch to Paleo or look at you like you've lost your mind when you explain Paleo to them.  I have worked with clients who have had to "go it alone" at home, only to have their spouses and children make the switch once they started seeing the amazing results their Paleo partner was having!  So, you may not start out with your family on board, but there is a good chance they will join you when they see how much better you look and feel. 

One warning - picking the wrong partner is worse than not having a partner.  If you try and drag someone along with you (meaning, they really don't want to do this) - they will use every opportunity to try and get you to quit or cheat or be negative.  The opposite of why you picked a Paleo Buddy in the first place.  You need to have an emotional connection or mutual respect with your partner.  That way you will do your best not to disappoint each other and you will be sincerely happy for each other's successes.

If you can't find a buddy - I would encourage you to join a group or find a coach.  I will be coaching a group in January (check out Clean Eating Kick Start for more information) and there are numerous online communities where you can ask questions or find support.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about Focusing On the Positives of Paleo!

Do Your Research- PaleoPlus New Year Tip #2

Google the word "paleo" and you will get 42,700,000 results (in 4.5 seconds!).  That's a lot of information.  Or at least I thought it was a LOT of information when I was doing my research before embarking on a Paleo way of eating...

And I encourage you to do your research too - as much as you can read on whatever topics pique your interest.  But, in the interest of time and not overwhelming you - I thought I'd share my favorite sites to get you started.

1. Robb Wolf, Paleo Solutions   Robb Wolf has great, easy-to-understand basics on the Paleo diet AND he was a former research biochemist, power lifting champ, coach and author - I trust the information I find here and I tend to have a lot of questions!  Great podcasts too.

2. Mark's Daily Apple    Mark Sisson is my go-to guy for science and telling it like it is.  He's pretty funny, highly educated, an amazing example of the benefits of "Primal Living" and it was his blog that showed me that I wasn't a failure because I couldn't lose weight with traditional "diet and exercise".  It was one of his blog posts that flipped the switch for me and made it easy to commit to clean eating forever and not just for 30 days.

3. Paleo 101, Paleo Leap  This is just an easy, no science list for beginners on what you can and can't do on a Paleo diet "15 Easy Guidelines to follow to kick-start your Paleo journey".  I went back to this time and time again during my first few weeks.

4. Nom Nom Paleo  I love this site for recipes - she's great with kid-friendly recipes and since I did a Whole30 to start my new way of eating - she specifically states which recipes are Whole30 approved.  You MUST try her trail mixes and Cracklin Chicken....YUM!  She is also fun on Instagram and does some great Periscoping (is that a word?)

5.  Whole30  And here it is folks...the site that changed my life forever!  In one 90-minute period, one fateful morning, I was hit with information on the Whole30 (which I had NEVER heard of before) from 3 different places.  An interview with Dallas and Melissa Hartwig on the Today show, a blog post from a woman I follow about finishing her first Whole30 (she didn't post about it in the beginning because she wasn't sure she would "make it"!) and the amazing health benefits she was experiencing after 26 days and an announcement on Facebook from an old friend that she was starting her first Whole30 in 4 days.  It was a sign!  This site has lots of basic info, printables, support through different social media sites and if you are going to buy ONE BOOK - THIS is it!  (There are several different elimination diets out there designed to test your food tolerances, to get you started on a path to clean eating, etc, but this one is incredibly simple, incredibly strict and has well-documented results.)

I feel certain that once you get started reading about the Paleo Lifestyle, you will find other sites to bookmark that speak to your specific interests or needs or style of learning - please share them with me!  I will never make it through the 42,700,000 results, but will always check out a recommendation.

NOW - here is my disclaimer - I am not a doctor or nutritionist or specialist of any kind.  I am a Paleo success story and since discovering this new life - it's all I want to do.  I want to share this with others so they can experience the same life-changing benefits that my family and and I are experiencing.

Also, please consult your doctor if you are unsure about anything.  I was pretty healthy going into this - my blood pressure was getting sketchier with each annual check-up (now back in the all-good zone!), I had sinus migraines (all gone!), I never slept through the night (I am experiencing the best sleep of my adult life right now), I was sluggish most afternoons (just wait 'til you experience PaleoPlus energy!) and my feet, hips and knees ached daily.  I thought I was experiencing aging...nothing I could do about it, right?  I am happy to say that my hips and feet don't ache at all and the only knee pain I have is where I have a frayed meniscus and I over-do it...I can live with that!

I couldn't find any reason NOT to give up refined sugars and artificial sweeteners and processed foods and preservatives and gluten and all the other things that were causing inflammation in my body and keeping my system from functioning at its highest levels.  But that's me.  You have to do what you are comfortable with...

...but don't let "I could never give up..." (translate this to "I have a food addiction...probably sugars") keep you from trying and perhaps feeling better than you have in years.  Do your research and see what you think/learn/find/are interested in.

Tomorrow - finding a Paleo Buddy or Coach or Group to help you through your first few weeks of clean eating!

Phase It Out...PaleoPlus New Year Tip #1

One of the best things I did right before I announced to my entire family that we were "Going Paleo" on May 1st was to STOP buying non-Paleo foods when I went to the store. 

I am the most frugal (feel free to insert cheap here) woman I know.  I am all about a bargain!  And I am pretty obsessive about not wasting anything.  If I paid for it - we were going to eat it and not throw it out.  So, the day I decided I was switching to a diet of real, whole, unprocessed foods to optimize my health and not sabotage it - I stopped buying most of the staples of my weekly grocery shopping.  Bread, snack cakes, peanut butter (filled with sugar), rice, cheese, barbecue sauce, ketchup, jarred pasta sauces, pasta, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, butter and frozen pizzas.

On one hand - it was really freeing to know I had to eat what was in my cupboards and pantry and freezer - talk about a celebration of frugality!  On the other hand - it was tough (if you have kids...be prepared to hear them grumble)!  Gluten and dairy was included in virtually every meal and snack in our home.  Sandwiches, cheesy omelets and frozen pizzas were the go-to busy night meals.  I clearly was going to have to re-learn how to feed my family.

BUT - it also forced me to look at and learn about and prepare more vegetables and lean proteins and egg dishes.  I bought whatever fresh produce was on sale or affordable because it was in season.  I shopped the sale circulars for great deals on protein and I made the drive to Trader Joe's.  When it comes to certain specialty and organic items - Trader Joe's takes the sting out of buying healthier food.  They are committed to keeping prices low and in an effort to remain frugal - it was my first stop.

I have since learned how to shop online and at a variety of other stores to find the things my family loves the most...but that story is for another day!

Today's tip is PHASE IT OUT!  If you want to see how your health and overall well-being can change by switching to a PaleoPlus lifestyle - STOP buying the things that don't qualify as Paleo for the last 10 days of 2015. 

Get what you need for your big holiday meal if you must...by next year, you will know how to make all your favorite dishes with healthy, natural substitutions!  But other than feast staples...PHASE IT OUT!  

Start shopping the perimeter of your grocery.  Learn to read labels (the fewer ingredients and syllables in those ingredients - the better!) and accept the fact that change is always difficult.  But trust me - this kind of change is worth it!

Tomorrow - I'll share some resources to help you do your research on the Paleo Lifestyle.

Considering Paleo for the New Year?

My decision to switch to a Paleo diet did not follow my past patterns for making changes to improve my health.  Usually, I would do a New Year's Resolution or have a special event I was getting ready for, or the bathing suits were showing up in the stores causing me distress and anxiety.

Instead, it was a series of random events (3 in the course of about 90 minutes) that planted the idea and then flipped the switch.

I also know I had no intention of making this a lifestyle, but by Day 11 of squeaky-clean eating, I was SOLD!  I felt so much better in such a short time that there was no turning back.  I was sleeping through the night, the pain in my feet and hips and lower back was gone and for the first time in years and my jeans were fitting like jeans and not denim compression leggings...very exciting!

Anyway, I know from talking to lots of folks that Paleo is something they are considering or wanting to learn about for 2016, but it can be overwhelming.  There is a LOT of information out there.  And the changes are significant.

That's why I am going to share 10 tips over the course of 10 days leading up to the New Year to help you ease into a healthier, more natural way of eating.  10 things you can do to prepare a little bit each day to make the switch that can change your life.

I am a Paleo success story.  Not a doctor or dietitian or physician or personal trainer.  I am a regular person.  A mom with 2 teenagers.  A daughter of Alzheimer's.  A woman who's body was breaking down rapidly.  A life-long lover of bread and cheese and diet sodas.

And I did it!  We all did.  My entire family is healthier, thinner, more energetic and focused than ever since making the change.

And my hope is that everyone will give this a go.  So many of the things we eat every day - even the ones that we have been told are "healthy" or "better for us" are sabotaging our bodies with inflammation and all manners of intolerance.  Getting back to eating real food without glutens, grains, soy, legumes, dairy and all the refined sugars and artificial sweeteners is a way for us to celebrate our bodies.  To achieve optimal health.

Follow along from December 22 to December 31 for 10 easy steps to get you, your family and your pantry ready for a Paleo New Year.  And then, join me and my family as we spend the month of January eating a squeaky-clean diet of real, wholesome, delicious foods to get our systems back under control after this 'not-so-squeaky-clean' holiday season!

Super Quick Party Snacks

Tis the season...for holiday get-togethers!

Last week I gave you my top tips for surviving holiday parties while remaining committed to a healthy, paleo way of life.  I survived every party EXCEPT my daughter's 14th birthday party.  And it was a planned cheat.

I hate to use that word - Cheat.  I'm an adult.  I can eat whatever I want without guilt.  I make my own choices.  I know exactly what is good for my body and what will cause me pain.  So, by cheat, I mean choice.  I knew before I starting mixing the batter that I was going to have birthday cake with my kiddo.  I also knew that she wanted a "regular" cake for her party.  She wanted chocolate butter cream piled high!  I did substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil because I just don't keep it in the house and wasn't about to make a special trip to the store to buy something I will never use again.

Thank goodness for the internet and Pinterest.  I had never subbed coconut oil in baking before.  I use it in the recipes designed for coconut oil, but this was a first.  I learned that all your other wet ingredients need to be at room temperature in order for the substitution to work its best.  whew!

Anyway, I have a couple other events and even though I'm not "supposed" to bring anything...I know I will.  And, on occasion, I will wait 'til the last minute!

So, in case you are like me and need to figure out a quick social snack or maybe even a hostess gift - here are a couple of really quick appetizers that come together in minutes.

1.  Rosemary Sweet and Salty Roasted Nuts

I make these on my stovetop in a non-stick pan.  Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Make a spice mixture out of whatever you have in your pantry that you like...I used a pinch (1/4-1/2 t) each of garlic powder, onion powder, pink Himalayan salt, cayenne and finely chopped fresh rosemary.  Melt 1 T avocado oil and 1 T ghee in your pan.  Take whatever nuts you have (I used 1 cup of raw almonds, 1/2 cup of pecan pieces and 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds) and toss them in the melted fat to coat.  Sprinkle with your spice mixture and continue to stir/toss the nuts until you can smell their aroma - it takes 5-6 minutes.  Pour the nuts out onto the parchment paper to cool and drizzle with raw, local honey.  Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before pouring into a serving dish.  If you are planning to give these as a gift - let them cool completely before packaging in a glass or plastic container.

2.  Bacon-Wrapped Dates

I buy Medjool dates and keep them for baking and to sweeten homemade nut milks and granolas, so I almost always have these on hand.  I also always keep Paleo bacon in my freezer...if I find it readily available or ON SALE - I buy 4 or 5 packs and freeze them!  And every Paleo fan that I know has a stash of almonds in their pantry.  These take 5 minutes to prepare and 15-20 minutes to cook.  Easy!  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375°.  Slice the bacon into halves.  I then slice mine in half lengthwise to get more bang for my buck...but you can easily use an entire half piece for each date!!!  Slice each date in half and remove the pit.  Stuff one or two almonds in the center and wrap with bacon.  You can secure it with a toothpick OR place the bacon-wrapped date cut-side down on the baking sheet and it will secure itself during the cooking process.  Cook for 7 minutes, then flip each date over and cook for another 7 minutes.  I like to finish mine under the broiler to really crisp up the bacon for 4-5 minutes (depending on your broiler).  These are great warm or at room temp.  For an added kick, mix 2 T coconut sugar with a tiny pinch of cayenne and sprinkle over the top before putting them in the oven.  (Avoid this step if you are squeaky cleaning it)

3. Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus (sorry, no picture...we always eat them too fast!)

This is by far the easiest...but most expensive and you will probably have to go shopping for this one.  But hey!  if you have the ingredients in your fridge...invite me over for supper!!!  You need one to two bunches of thin asparagus, one 4-ounce package of prosciutto di parma, avocado oil or ghee and sea salt.  Cover a sheet pan with foil.  Wash and trim the bottoms off the asparagus and pat dry.  Lay the asparagus in a single layer on the sheet pan and drizzle with avocado oil or melted ghee and sprinkle with sea salt.  Cut the prosciutto into strips - one for each asparagus spear.  Wrap the prosciutto around each spear, spiraling it upward to cover as much of the asparagus as possible and place side-by-side on the sheet pan.  Put the asparagus under the broiler (about 6" away from the heat...it's the second level down in my oven) for about 4-5 minutes.  Remove and toss the spears or turn them over individually and place back under the broiler until the prosciutto is crisped and the asparagus is tender.  You can jazz them up with a drizzle of high-quality aged balsamic vinegar or some toasted sesame seeds.

All of these are really flavorful and no one will ask you why you're bringing "diet food" to a party.  Paleo isn't diet food - it's REAL food.  As long as you know how to prepare your ingredients and keep a stocked pantry - a delicious, really easy, super-quick appetizer is always less than 30 minutes away!

PaleoPlus Holiday Survivial

Well, it's official.  The holidays are here and everywhere I turn - baked goods!

I'm a sucker for baked goods.  All of them, if I must be honest....but especially those made with frosting.  Or icing.  Or a sugary glaze.  Or a sugary crumble.  So, all of them!

And yes, I can make compliant versions in my home, but those aren't the ones showing up at events and parties.  And I have been fine!  I won't lie and say I never think about eating something lovely and full of all the things that make me feel wretched, but I really have avoided temptation without any struggle.

Here are a couple of my strategies....feel free to add your survival tips to the comments!

1.  Bring something you CAN eat to the get-together.  And not veggies or fruits.  Those are always there (you just have to avoid the dip!).  Bring something you crave.  If I'm in a savory mood - I bring meatballs and a dipping sauce or these cauliflower sausage "puffs" that I just discovered.  If it's a sweet-tooth kind of day - I bring brownies or mini-chocolate chip cookies or coconut macaroons dipped in dark chocolate.  That way I can have the raw fruits and veggies that I know will be there AND have something really special without feeling deprived!

2.  Eat before the party.  Probably my absolute favorite perk of PaleoPlus eating is the fact that I never get bloated.  Never.  I can eat a full meal and everything stays the same size.   So, I can eat before putting on a cute outfit.  And let's be honest - everything is cuter when you are a few sizes smaller than last year's holiday parties!  So, I eat before I go to take the edge off any hunger pangs that might be lurking.

3.  Move away from the goodie table.  The best part of holiday gatherings is getting to catch up with friends you don't see all the time.  But I never stand by the food anymore.  It's too tempting to graze the entire time.  I get a drink, make a plate and move into the living room or at least out of arm's reach of the giant plate of sugar cookies...did I mention that I love baked goods?

4.  Bring sparkling water.  No one is surprised when you show up with something to drink, so bring your favorite sparkling water.  I am loving LaCroix Peach Pear and Passionfruit right now.  And the Trader Joe's Lime.  Those are my go-to drinks.  Add some orange slices or lemons and limes and it's a festive drink!  I tend to avoid alcohol at parties because I have to drive home, but also because alcohol loosens my resolve!  But mostly it's the idea of me in court facing a DUI!

5.  Find a friend who knows your journey.  If you've adopted the PaleoPlus lifestyle, chances are, most of your friends know about it.  Find one of them.  It's so much easier to stay true to your new habits when you don't have to explain yourself.  Most people won't notice what you are or aren't eating anyway.  You are the only one paying attention.  Be proud of yourself, but don't preach and don't try and convert anyone. 

6. I also try and get a workout or walk in before the party.  Moving always clears my head and sets me up for success.  Even just 5-10 minutes of stretching to release any stress before you head out the door - especially if you're a stress eater, will make it easier for you to make healthy choices.

My other motivation for staying true to clean eating is just how bad I feel after I have had gluten, dairy or too much sugar.  Those are my biggest triggers.  And I am too busy this time of year to feel like crap.  So, I guess that's why I've made it through the start of this holiday season without too much trouble.  Whatever the reasons or strategy or motivation - Paleo eating is the best thing I have ever done for myself and I'm not about to throw it away for a cookie!

Tiny Slips Can Give a Girl a Headache!

So, throughout this Paleo conversion - I have discovered many things.  My husband is a bulldozer/tank/military vehicle.  Nothing disrupts his system.  He definitely feels better eating clean, but he doesn't get the gut-busting reaction that the rest of us get.  My son can't tolerate soy.  It shows up all over his face almost immediately.

My daughter has a wicked reaction to gluten.  Not in her tummy - in her sinuses.  We thought she had allergies...you know, the airborne kind.  Everyone in Texas seems to be allergic to something flying through the air.  But she tested fine.  Not that testing "fine" made her feel better when she had a sinus headache in the middle of a math test!

Turns out, when she eats gluten, her sinuses fill up with gunk and she gets a classic sinus/allergy migraine.  I'm learning so much through this new lifestyle....

Anyway, over the holiday break, she had a few slip-ups.  Beyond the 'no-holds-barred' Thanksgiving feast (I told the kids what they needed to know, but gave them free reign to eat whatever they wanted).  She ate her weight in mac and cheese and then Daisy's weight in whipped cream out of the can...ugh!  And yum!...how is that possible!

So, since then, it's been a pretzel here and a cracker there and a few 'not-from-mom's-kitchen' chicken nuggets.  And it caught up to her.  She has had a nagging headache for 3 days.  And yesterday - it put a vice grip around her face in a full-blown migraine.  It was awful.  I felt so bad for her and even though I knew exactly what caused it - I didn't want to scold her when she was feeling so crappy.  BUT, I also wanted to make sure she understood the price she was paying for eating junk.

She is back on the clean-eating wagon and felt much better even this morning.  I have found the cleaner I eat, the quicker a bad choice gets out of my system.  I knew she felt bad and understood the consequences when she didn't even ask what we were having for dinner - she just ate what I made and didn't try and sneak even a morsel of gluten or sugar into her lunch bag today.

Bless her heart...but what a wonderful lesson to learn at 13.  I can't imagine the vitality and good health she will be able to maintain by omitting all the preservatives and artificial sweeteners and fake food stuffs from her diet.  I don't think I would've listened...but I wish my mom had found this when I was younger...maybe she would have been able to fight a better fight against Alzheimer's. 

Oh well, hindsight and all....we're on track now, and after this week's headaches - I think we'll be staying on track for a long time to come!

Nearly Driven to Drink...a Coke Zero!

It's been months since I had my last diet soda (my lifelong addiction).  And other than the first week of Paleo eating - it's been just as long since I craved one.

Until today!

The day started out really well.  I was in the groove.  The morning routine went off without a hitch.  The kids were lovely and on time and nothing important went missing or found in the dirty clothes.  Beds got made, healthy lunches got packed, the coffee was GOOOOOOOOD and the car-rider line was without thoughtless, bullish drivers.  Perfect!

I walked the dog.  I tidied the kitchen.  I was having a good hair day.  I ran an errand, saw my husband, had a bowl of spicy chicken and veggie soup and decided, since I was already on that side of town - to do a bit of Christmas shopping.

2 lackluster cashiers, 1 downright surly stock man, 2 computer searches, 2 phone calls (one from a lackluster cashier and one from me), a 25 minute drive, a lovely sales associate and a dismissive store manager of some sort later and I was an anxiety-ridden caffeine junky.  I was "Jones'ing" for a Coke Zero.

Not immediately.  But, as I was on hold with the corporate office and "customer relations manager" for the store that ticked me off, I walked into that haven of pleasant retail - Target and there they were.  Bottles of iced-cold Coke Zero with cute little holiday sayings (well done, Coca-Cola for this personalized branding campaign...brilliant!) in the coolers by the check out.

And I honestly had to talk myself out of buying and guzzling one right there.

Clearly, I have stress issues.  Anxiety caffeine needs.  And will always think of unhealthy, nostalgic, overly-processed foods and drink as a reward for a "tough day".

One pair of teenage boy pants and some pretty lousy training, attitudes, promotions and communication, coupled with a complete lack of giving-a-darn nearly pushed me off the wagon!

Food addiction is about so many different things.  And even though I have been so strong for so long - I was tempted today.  It was weird.  It passed, but it keeps flitting through my brain.  Sometimes I am so proud of myself for not giving in and sometimes I feel vulnerable that after all these months, I can still feel so weak in a stressful situation.

The best part is - the "customer relations manager" was patient and understanding and let me vent and seemed to actually care that I had the worst experience.  I still lost nearly 2 hours of my life to this, but I felt better for having gotten to tell my side and I didn't cave to the siren song of The Zero.

Yay me! Who knew Christmas shopping could be so dangerous!?