Ada’s Paleo Diet Story

I have had a big stomach my entire life – I am the apple shape. I assumed this could not change. I could work out until I’m exhausted, lower my food intake, cut down on happy hour drinks, and it would never go away. Then I tried the paleo diet.

Jake mentioned the challenge, and I ignored his enthusiasm. Cutting out sugar, dairy, grains, wheat, potatoes and legumes sounded crazy – what was left to eat? Meat, eggs, fruit, veggies and nuts. It sounded like an impossible diet. But Jake told me it would only be difficult the first week – then my cravings would go away. If I could make it thru the first five days, I could make it for 7 weeks.

The first week of Paleo was the most difficult. I was not used to eating so much protein. I was starving the first two days because, as Jake said, “You need to eat more food with eyes and a soul.” I never realized how often I snacked on crackers, cookies and sweets until they were forbidden – making smart food choices took effort and planning.

Three weeks into the diet, I lost 4 pounds. It became easy to make good food choices. My body craved veggies and protein instead of sweets and crackers. My pants started to feel too big for me for the first time in 10 years.

Five weeks into the diet, I lost 11 pounds. I started to feel lighter – it clicked in my body how my food choices were literally weighing me down in my life. On a couple occasions, I ate restaurant food that had white flour in it, and was amazed how terrible I felt right after eating it and how the sweets craving kicked in immediately. I never really understood how sweets were running my life until this. I thought some people were just more disciplined, but now I realize that what I put in activates a different response.

When we took the “after” pictures, I did not expect to see results – I’ve always had this big stomach, and I expected to be disappointed. It is the strangest thing to see a picture of myself from the side, and not recognize it as myself. I still have a lot of work to do, but the results so far in just 7 weeks are so encouraging. I plan to continue on the paleo diet indefinitely – I will allow cheat days when I go out with friends, but I like the way I feel now more than ever. I am lighter, happier and more alive, and I have the Paleo diet and Jake to thank for it.

Ada’s Paleo Diet Story

Jan, Thur, 04/01/10

Breakfast: two eggs, coffee
Lunch: almonds, banana
Dinner: grilled sausages

Jan, Wed, 03/31/10

Breakfast: two eggs, coffee
Lunch: banana, almonds, almond muffin
Dinner: grilled ribs

jeremy update

Senior leaders course + snowboarding accident (no crossfit) = Paleo challenge gone bad. Still eating clean but beer on the weekend with all my buddies. Sorry, only get to see them once in a while so have to crack em.

Ada: Mon – Wed food

Monday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: vegie scramble w ham
Dinner: BBQ ribs

Tuesday:

Breakfast: paleo muffin, scrambled eggs and coffee w/ almond milk

Lunch: ground beef, cabbage and scrambled eggs (gross!)

Dinner: meatloaf

Wed:

Breakfast: Paleo muffin, scrambled eggs and coffee w/ almond milk

Lunch: I think I’m going to make a big salad

Dinner: grilled steak w/ steamed broccoli

Jan, Mon., 03/30

Breakfast: two eggs
Lunch: two bananas, almonds
Dinner: ribs

Sun, 03/28/2010

Breakfast: Corned beef, steamed veggies, fruits (5&Diner)
Lunch: banana
Dinner: lots of BBQ food w/ eyes and a soul.

Ada – Weekend Food

Friday:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs and coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: left over meatloaf w/ steamed cauliflower
Dinner: more leftover meatloaf

Saturday
Breakfast: banana and paleo muffin + coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: sashimi ahi, salad and miso soup
Dinner: shrimp, grilled chicken salad and steamed broccoli

Sunday:
Breakfast: spinach, bacon and mushroom omelet w/ fruit and coffee
Lunch: skipping lunch because having early dinner w/ neighbor
Dinner: lots of BBQ food w/ eyes and a soul.

Jan, Sat, 03/27/2010

Breakfast: scrambled eggsLunch: Sushi Ken (no rice, still hungry)
Dinner: a tiny piece of grilled chicken breast, *almost* got some food at Tilted Kilt’
fell of the band wagon and had a Belgium beverage (under coach supervision)

Jan, Fri, 03/26/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, almond cup cakeLunch: Meatloaf w/ grilled veggies
Dinner: Meatloaf made by Ada

Jan, Thur., 03/25/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, almond cup cake, coffee
Lunch: Beef jerky, almonds, banana
Snack: leftover grilled chicken
Dinner: meatloaf, fruit

Ada – week so far

Oops! I forgot to post since Monday!!!

Monday Food:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ ham and coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: green salad w/ turkey and walnuts
Dinner:

Tuesday Food:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ ham and coffee w/ almond milk

Lunch: shrimp coconut soup (see picture)
Dinner: caprese salad, almonds and a paleo muffin

Wed Food:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ ham and coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: Steak Salad and shrimp appetizer (yum!)
Dinner: roasted chicken and sliced tomatoes

Thurs Food:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ ham and coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: green salad w/ chicken, walnuts, grapes, avocado, strawberries, tomatoes and carrots. yum! (see picture)
Dinner: TBD…either meatloaf or BBQ ribs…not sure yet.

2010 03 25 12 21 19 012

2010 03 23 12 10 59 755

Jan, Wed, 03/24/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, almond cupcake
Lunch: beef jerky, banana, almonds
Dinner: grilled chicken

Jan, Tues, 03/23/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, almond cupcake, coffeeLunch: almonds, banana, (natural) beef jerky
Dinner: coconut soup … yummy!

Jan, Mon, 03/22/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, Almond cup cake, coffeeLunch: Almonds, banana, grilled chicken breast
Dinner: grilled sausages, scrambled eggs

Jan, Sun, 03/21/2010

Breakfast: eggs, Almond cup cakesLunch: grilled chicken salad
Dinner: sausage, tomato/basil/mozzarella salad

Ada – weekend eats

Saturday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs w/ ham
Lunch: burger at CK grill – no bun
Dinner: broccoli and grilled sausage

Sunday:
Breakfast: paleo eggs benefict: banana muffins (made w/ flaxseed, almond flour and honey), poached eggs and ham…no hollandaise sauce
Lunch: grilled chicken w/ arugula, walnuts, grapes, carrots and avocado. yum!
Dinner: grilled sausage and caprese salad (YES – with mozzarella!!!)

Jan, Sat., 03/20/2010

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with hamLunch: Meatloaf and Belgium beverage at CK Grill
Dinner: broccoli, grilled sausage

Jan, Fri., 03/19/2010

Breakfast: one (the last) eggLunch: mixed nuts
Dinner: beef stew, shrimps, couliflower

Jan, Thur, 03/18/10

Breakfast: two eggsLunch: salad
Dinner: beef soup

Friday

Breakfast
I had 3 eggs with hot sauce
Steph had 2 eggs

Lunch

I had a salad with mushrooms and chicken
Steph had some nuts and snacks

Dinner
We had chinese
But I had beef and mushroom and some sesame chicken with very little coating. Also two ribs
Steph had rice with her meal

I did have a small peice of Flaum (sp) somebody made from scratch. I couldn’t pass that up.

Friday Food

Breakfast: ground flaxseed w/ bananas, honey and almond milk + coffee
lunch: leftover beef stew
Dinner: sauteed shrimp in lemon garlic butter with pureed cauliflower and arugala. yum!!!

Wed – Ada Food

Breakfast: eggs, ham, coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: scrambled egg w/ spinach and tomato + smoothie (not enough food!)
Dinner: small grilled cheese and ham sandwich, 1 filo wrapped sausage bite + tons of sauteed vegies
(had to be polite at bookclub and eat. Stomach felt terrible – not used to white carbs. that won’t happen again.)

Jan, Wed, 03/17/2010

Breakfast: two eggs
Lunch: vending machine – disgusting salami
Dinner: yummy beef-vegetable soup

Breakfast

cheated by eating part of the croiSsant on a bk sandwich.
Sausage bacon egg and chz with half of one piece of the sandwich.

Lunch and dinner I have been eating with multi national members of the armed forces so plz excuse the lack of some pictures.

Jake I know…FRAT!

Jan, Tues, 03/13/2010

Breakfast: two eggs, coffee
Lunch: chicken sandwhich no bun
Snack: chicken wings
Dinner: chicken wings, salmon, asperagus

Ada – Tue food

Breakfast: eggs and ham + coffee w/ almond milk
Lunch: sauteed cabbage, spinach and tomatoes w/ scrambled eggs + fruit and cabbage smoothie
Dinner: baked salmon, steamed asparagus, and sliced tomatoes

tues food log

4 HB eggs coffee for breakfast
Fast for the rest of the day…..tomorrow is height and weight day.

I miss my crossfit peeps, but training is outstanding so far.

monday meals

4 HB eggs

sliced turkey
cabbage
Side salad

Baked fish
Cauliflower
Spinach
Side salad