I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about this phenomenon that has appeared in the Paleo/Primal/ancestral diet community. It's this idea that food itself or eating habits in general are somehow moral issues, or directly tied to our worth as individuals. Paleo purists have become the Paleo Police. They troll other people's blogs and leave nasty comments when the blogger admits to having enjoyed a white potato, or a Paleo pancake, or (Heaven forbid!) some rice! Even Dallas and Melissa themselves have faced criticism for eating something non-Whole30-approved! (And let's not forget about how the Paleo Parents considered shutting down their blog, in part because Stacy was getting flack for "still being fat" despite eating a Paleo diet! That is nobody's business!)
They seem to have gotten this weird idea that food is somehow more than just fuel for our bodies - they think it's a road to some sort of salvation. As Alexis put it, "They have turned food into some sort of idol". I couldn't agree more! This idea that our diets define us is wacko. Even though my husband and I have agreed that we would like to continue feeding our family a Primal-style diet, we don't say, "we're primal". We don't identify ourselves by our dietary choices. It is not our religion - we already have one, thankyouverymuch, and it's about Jesus - not grass-fed beef.
So food is not religion, and people who eat a "perfect" Paleo diet are not deities. Not even a little. Sure, if you have found a way to eat that makes you feel better, lose weight, improve your bloodwork results and even clear up some nagging health conditions, then go ahead and share that news with people! Just don't cram it down their throats. Even the lovable Food Nazi keeps it real! She likes yummy things like dark chocolate and Paleo-ish treats, and even the occasional off-road treat. No Paleo preaching there!
Anyway, I'm in a ranting mood. I'll stop now. For a slightly more articulate take on this subject, go here.
Breakfast: Three eggs scrambled with kale and some sausage-seasoned ground pork. Two cups of half-decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: The LAST hamburger patty with the LAST of the coconut curry cabbage. I guess I'll actually have to think about lunch tomorrow.
Supper: A roasted chicken leg, a pile of green beans (steamed then tossed with a little ghee and salt) and cherry tomatoes (red, orange and yellow) with fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and sea salt.
Snacks: Three or four dates (is it bad that I can't remember?) and a small handful of macadamia nuts. A few cherries before bed.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Day 11 of 40 - On "Treats"
So who's sick of hearing about sex with your pants on yet? I know I am. I'm sick of thinking about it, worrying about breaking the rule, blah blah blah. I've decided to revisit this topic one last time, and draw my line in the sand.
The whole idea is that you're not supposed to Paleo-fy old junk food favourites. Just because you're using "approved" ingredients doesn't make it a good food choice. On my first Whole30, I just said, "screw this rule!" and made whatever I want, as long as the ingredients were clean. This time, I decided to go back and re-read the article with a more critical eye.
Here's the main reason behind the rule:
"If you come out of your program with the same habits, patterns and food choices you had when you started, what are your chances for long-term, life-changing success? After all, those very same habits, patterns and food choices are what got you into trouble in the first place!"
But here's the trip-up:
"Now, does this mean you can't substitute a poor food choice with a healthier option? Of course not. To help you critically evaluate whether you're attempting to engage in SWYPO, ask yourself this question. Am I trying to exactly duplicate or recreate the poor food choice with "approved" ingredients, or am I merely looking for a healthier, more nutritious substitution for that food?"
Okay. So doesn't that leave a lot of wiggle room? For me, eating meatza on our anniversary wasn't about trying to duplicate or recreate pizza, it was about finding a healthier substitution for pizza. And yet pizza is the food they use to illustrate their whole point in this article.
Basically, I don't think this rule is quite as black and white as I originally thought. I think it needs to be entirely personal for me. Since neither fried chicken nor pizza were ever my "problem" foods, I don't think eating Paleo versions of these things is going to screw up what I'm going for here. My problem foods were always in the true junk-food, no-nutritional-value-whatsoever realm. You know, like milk chocolate. Or ice cream. So one thing you'll never catch me doing is using cocoa (other than in chili as a seasoning) during a Whole30, even though I know that some Medjool dates pureed with cocoa, a little vanilla and some macadamia nuts is so very good. Why? Because it will still trigger that "I want chocolate!!" switch in my brain. And you'll never catch me doing the old frozen-banana-in-a-blender-tastes-like-ice-cream trick, either. Because that will just make me want Baskin Robbins. (In fact, bananas are so dessert-like for me, I've given them up entirely during this Whole40.)
Blah, blah, blah, right? I know nobody really cares about me dissecting all of this, but I feel like getting it out helps me to make my own ideas more concrete.
So. All that being said, I realize that even though there's nothing inherently wrong with me eating zucchini bread or banana muffins right now, it's also not the most conducive thing for my fat-loss goals. (Because it's yummy and I eat a lot of it!) So when it comes up, I won't beat myself up for sampling, but I'm not going to go out of my way to make it right now either. And I'm continuing to work on not eating dessert of any kind, and getting out of the habit of expecting something sweet after supper.
Breakfast: Tuna salad with sliced cucumber and grape tomatoes
Lunch: Hamburger patty with leftover cabbage.
Supper: BBQed pork chops (with homemade BBQ sauce) with grilled patty pan squash and eggplant. Oh, that eggplant was not good. We have one more from our veggie box, so we'll tweak our cooking method and try again, but HOLY COW that was just gross. Spongy!
Snacks: One date stuffed with two macadamias, some cinnamon and shredded coconut. One thick slice of the second attempt of the zucchini bread recipe. It's almost there - I'll post the recipe when it's good to go. (Deliciously gluten/dairy/soy/sugar-free!)
P.S. The rest of the zucchini bread is wrapped up and in my freezer.
P.P.S. Today was farmer's market day - in addition to a beautiful array of fresh veggies from our CSA box, we picked up a large cheddar cauliflower for $3. And by large, I mean 6.5lbs. Yeah, I weighed it. :)
The whole idea is that you're not supposed to Paleo-fy old junk food favourites. Just because you're using "approved" ingredients doesn't make it a good food choice. On my first Whole30, I just said, "screw this rule!" and made whatever I want, as long as the ingredients were clean. This time, I decided to go back and re-read the article with a more critical eye.
Here's the main reason behind the rule:
"If you come out of your program with the same habits, patterns and food choices you had when you started, what are your chances for long-term, life-changing success? After all, those very same habits, patterns and food choices are what got you into trouble in the first place!"
But here's the trip-up:
"Now, does this mean you can't substitute a poor food choice with a healthier option? Of course not. To help you critically evaluate whether you're attempting to engage in SWYPO, ask yourself this question. Am I trying to exactly duplicate or recreate the poor food choice with "approved" ingredients, or am I merely looking for a healthier, more nutritious substitution for that food?"
Okay. So doesn't that leave a lot of wiggle room? For me, eating meatza on our anniversary wasn't about trying to duplicate or recreate pizza, it was about finding a healthier substitution for pizza. And yet pizza is the food they use to illustrate their whole point in this article.
Basically, I don't think this rule is quite as black and white as I originally thought. I think it needs to be entirely personal for me. Since neither fried chicken nor pizza were ever my "problem" foods, I don't think eating Paleo versions of these things is going to screw up what I'm going for here. My problem foods were always in the true junk-food, no-nutritional-value-whatsoever realm. You know, like milk chocolate. Or ice cream. So one thing you'll never catch me doing is using cocoa (other than in chili as a seasoning) during a Whole30, even though I know that some Medjool dates pureed with cocoa, a little vanilla and some macadamia nuts is so very good. Why? Because it will still trigger that "I want chocolate!!" switch in my brain. And you'll never catch me doing the old frozen-banana-in-a-blender-tastes-like-ice-cream trick, either. Because that will just make me want Baskin Robbins. (In fact, bananas are so dessert-like for me, I've given them up entirely during this Whole40.)
Blah, blah, blah, right? I know nobody really cares about me dissecting all of this, but I feel like getting it out helps me to make my own ideas more concrete.
So. All that being said, I realize that even though there's nothing inherently wrong with me eating zucchini bread or banana muffins right now, it's also not the most conducive thing for my fat-loss goals. (Because it's yummy and I eat a lot of it!) So when it comes up, I won't beat myself up for sampling, but I'm not going to go out of my way to make it right now either. And I'm continuing to work on not eating dessert of any kind, and getting out of the habit of expecting something sweet after supper.
Breakfast: Tuna salad with sliced cucumber and grape tomatoes
Lunch: Hamburger patty with leftover cabbage.
Supper: BBQed pork chops (with homemade BBQ sauce) with grilled patty pan squash and eggplant. Oh, that eggplant was not good. We have one more from our veggie box, so we'll tweak our cooking method and try again, but HOLY COW that was just gross. Spongy!
Snacks: One date stuffed with two macadamias, some cinnamon and shredded coconut. One thick slice of the second attempt of the zucchini bread recipe. It's almost there - I'll post the recipe when it's good to go. (Deliciously gluten/dairy/soy/sugar-free!)
P.S. The rest of the zucchini bread is wrapped up and in my freezer.
P.P.S. Today was farmer's market day - in addition to a beautiful array of fresh veggies from our CSA box, we picked up a large cheddar cauliflower for $3. And by large, I mean 6.5lbs. Yeah, I weighed it. :)
Friday, August 3, 2012
Day 10 of 40 - Just a Short One
I'll keep this short and sweet (just like me!) because we had a rough night, an early morning, short naps, and bed time is drrrraaaaaggggging on. (I'm typing while lying on the floor outside the kids' bedrooms, trying to pretend I'm the one in charge of this zoo.)
I've decided to revisit my stance on SWYPO - but I'll save the details for another day.
Breakfast: World's greatest SWYPO. I sliced up the rest of the zucchini bread and a couple of the coconut banana muffins and TURNED THEM INTO FRENCH TOAST! (Yeah, I yelled it. It was GOOD.) Francis and I ate it covered with a pile of thinly sliced strawberries, and it was oh-so-good! No regrets. None. Well, not true. I regret the quantity of coconut flour I've eaten in the last two days. It kind of messes with my digestive system. Whatevs.
Lunch: Another win! Just leftovers - a hamburger patty chopped up and mixed in with some of that coconut curry cabbage - but just so delicious. I'm not sure I was actually still hungry after I finished my bowl, but I had seconds of cabbage anyway.
Supper: Three for three on the delicious scale today! Pan-fried haddock in an almond flour crust, steam sauteed bok choy with garlic, and some heirloom tomatoes dressed with olive oil, crushed garlic, fresh basil and a little salt. Heavenly.
Snacks: Half a banana muffin and 10 cherries.
Good night, y'all.
I've decided to revisit my stance on SWYPO - but I'll save the details for another day.
Breakfast: World's greatest SWYPO. I sliced up the rest of the zucchini bread and a couple of the coconut banana muffins and TURNED THEM INTO FRENCH TOAST! (Yeah, I yelled it. It was GOOD.) Francis and I ate it covered with a pile of thinly sliced strawberries, and it was oh-so-good! No regrets. None. Well, not true. I regret the quantity of coconut flour I've eaten in the last two days. It kind of messes with my digestive system. Whatevs.
Lunch: Another win! Just leftovers - a hamburger patty chopped up and mixed in with some of that coconut curry cabbage - but just so delicious. I'm not sure I was actually still hungry after I finished my bowl, but I had seconds of cabbage anyway.
Supper: Three for three on the delicious scale today! Pan-fried haddock in an almond flour crust, steam sauteed bok choy with garlic, and some heirloom tomatoes dressed with olive oil, crushed garlic, fresh basil and a little salt. Heavenly.
Snacks: Half a banana muffin and 10 cherries.
Good night, y'all.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Day 9 of 40 - Oops. SWYPOed!
So I made muffins last night for the kids, knowing that we were heading out for a playdate today. I wanted there to be at least one thing Baby Belle could eat, plus I prefer the older kids to not eat gluten either. Last night was an insanely bad night. (I dozed from 11 until 1, then slept from 4 until almost 7.) When we got up, we were already way behind schedule to get out the door, so instead of making breakfast, I grabbed two of the muffins. Now they are made of 100% Whole30-approved ingredients (I never add the honey that the recipe calls for), and this is a recipe I make frequently when I'm not doing a Whole30, so it's not like they make me crave "bad" muffins. They are just not an ideal food source for a meal. I don't feel too guilty about that one.
But that was not my only SWYPO today.
My sister-in-law was doing some baking for an upcoming trip when we arrived for our playdate. We got chatting, and I mentioned I'd never baked with zucchini before. She decided it was the perfect time for me to try, since she had some zucchini already grated in the fridge. Before I knew it, we were making zucchini bread with coconut flour. But here's the thing: even though we subbed olive oil for the butter, I forgot to mention that we'd need to leave out the honey. *sigh* I didn't want to be rude or ungrateful, so of course I had some. I feel a little bad about that, but considering it was only 1 tablespoon of honey in the whole recipe, I only feel bad on a technicality - I don't feel like I actually consumed enough honey to screw anything up.
A note about the zucchini bread: I liked it. I didn't love it, but I think with a couple of tweaks it would be fantastic. It called for pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon - I just don't think it had enough of either. And it could use to be a tad sweeter. I think I'll try making it again but adding an over-ripe, mashed banana to the mix and see if it helps.
And that is the end of my SWYPO day.
Breakfast: Two coconut banana muffins, two cups of half-decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: More tuna mixed with avocado and homemade mayo (probably half a can worth?), some sliced cucumber, grape tomatoes and cantaloupe.
Supper: (We ate after the kids went to bed. Love that!) Hamburger patty with coconut curry cabbage and a sweet potato hash. YUM!
Snacks: A medjool date pitted then sprinkled with cinnamon and stuffed with unsweetened coconut and a couple of macadamia nuts. About 10 cherries, and of course the zucchini bread.
But that was not my only SWYPO today.
My sister-in-law was doing some baking for an upcoming trip when we arrived for our playdate. We got chatting, and I mentioned I'd never baked with zucchini before. She decided it was the perfect time for me to try, since she had some zucchini already grated in the fridge. Before I knew it, we were making zucchini bread with coconut flour. But here's the thing: even though we subbed olive oil for the butter, I forgot to mention that we'd need to leave out the honey. *sigh* I didn't want to be rude or ungrateful, so of course I had some. I feel a little bad about that, but considering it was only 1 tablespoon of honey in the whole recipe, I only feel bad on a technicality - I don't feel like I actually consumed enough honey to screw anything up.
A note about the zucchini bread: I liked it. I didn't love it, but I think with a couple of tweaks it would be fantastic. It called for pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon - I just don't think it had enough of either. And it could use to be a tad sweeter. I think I'll try making it again but adding an over-ripe, mashed banana to the mix and see if it helps.
And that is the end of my SWYPO day.
Breakfast: Two coconut banana muffins, two cups of half-decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: More tuna mixed with avocado and homemade mayo (probably half a can worth?), some sliced cucumber, grape tomatoes and cantaloupe.
Supper: (We ate after the kids went to bed. Love that!) Hamburger patty with coconut curry cabbage and a sweet potato hash. YUM!
Snacks: A medjool date pitted then sprinkled with cinnamon and stuffed with unsweetened coconut and a couple of macadamia nuts. About 10 cherries, and of course the zucchini bread.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Day 8 of 40 - Home Alone!
My belated anniversary gift: a whole day to myself! My husband took the children out early this morning and brought them home just in time for supper. I spent the day doing a little cleaning and laundry, but mostly relaxing. I love that Francis does this for me as often as he can. I know full well that those three children can be exhausting to handle solo for an entire day! But he does it cheerfully because A) he loves me and he knows I need a break from time to time and B) he truly loves his kids and enjoys spending time with them, even when they're nuts. :)
Elena, some links for you: Snackballs in their most basic form, even better snackballs, and mayo. For the nuggets, I make a coating mixture of about a cup of almond flour, a tablespoon of coconut flour and then season it well with salt, a little pepper, garlic and onion powders and a little paprika for colour. I make my nuggets out of ground chicken (with an egg and salt mixed in), dip them in an egg wash, coat them in the "breading", and fry until brown in coconut oil over medium heat. Then I transfer them to a cookie sheet in the oven to make sure they're cooked through. They have a sweet/salty taste combination that my kids love.
Breakfast: Kale and eggs. Decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Leftover meatza.
Supper: Roasted chicken leg and roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
Snacks: Four medjool dates and a handful of macadamia nuts. Plus an extra cup of decaf because I was home alone and wanted to treat myself!
Energy: MUCH improved over the last two days!
Elena, some links for you: Snackballs in their most basic form, even better snackballs, and mayo. For the nuggets, I make a coating mixture of about a cup of almond flour, a tablespoon of coconut flour and then season it well with salt, a little pepper, garlic and onion powders and a little paprika for colour. I make my nuggets out of ground chicken (with an egg and salt mixed in), dip them in an egg wash, coat them in the "breading", and fry until brown in coconut oil over medium heat. Then I transfer them to a cookie sheet in the oven to make sure they're cooked through. They have a sweet/salty taste combination that my kids love.
Breakfast: Kale and eggs. Decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Leftover meatza.
Supper: Roasted chicken leg and roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
Snacks: Four medjool dates and a handful of macadamia nuts. Plus an extra cup of decaf because I was home alone and wanted to treat myself!
Energy: MUCH improved over the last two days!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Day 7 of 40 - Still Dragging
I popped in an exercise DVD this morning, and as soon as I started to warm up, I knew I was going to have my rear end handed to me on a platter. And I was only doing level 1. Wow. I just barely got through it! At first I thought, "Man, I can't believe my fitness has gone this far down hill in such a short time!" Then I thought, "Maybe it's because the whole family was wide awake from 3am to 5am." But then I remembered that I'm on day seven of a Whole30, and that often means general sluggishness. Hopefully this will pass soon, and my energy levels will start to rise again.
Breakfast: A bowl of shredded pork with grape tomatoes and banana peppers. Can't have kale and eggs every day! Two cups of decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Tuna salad salad! I mixed a can of light tuna with a quarter of an avocado and about two tablespoons of the homemade mayo I whipped up yesterday. (SO good!) Then I seasoned it with sea salt and curry powder, and ate half of it over a bed of mixed greens. YUM. Oh, and then I had 10 cherries. (Still love cherries.)
Supper: Rib night! I dry rubbed them and braised them for a couple of hours with some stock, then slathered on some Whole30-approved BBQ sauce (from the Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook) and Francis grilled them up with a side of grilled asparagus. Which we ate entirely with our fingers. We were quite the primal family. :) And then I ate six cherries. Seriously, can't get enough of them!
Snacks: Two small Paleo chicken nuggets that I'd made for the kids for lunch. Just enough to keep me going until their nap time when I could eat my own lunch. A small handful of macadamia nuts while cooking the barbeque sauce.
Breakfast: A bowl of shredded pork with grape tomatoes and banana peppers. Can't have kale and eggs every day! Two cups of decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Tuna salad salad! I mixed a can of light tuna with a quarter of an avocado and about two tablespoons of the homemade mayo I whipped up yesterday. (SO good!) Then I seasoned it with sea salt and curry powder, and ate half of it over a bed of mixed greens. YUM. Oh, and then I had 10 cherries. (Still love cherries.)
Supper: Rib night! I dry rubbed them and braised them for a couple of hours with some stock, then slathered on some Whole30-approved BBQ sauce (from the Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook) and Francis grilled them up with a side of grilled asparagus. Which we ate entirely with our fingers. We were quite the primal family. :) And then I ate six cherries. Seriously, can't get enough of them!
Snacks: Two small Paleo chicken nuggets that I'd made for the kids for lunch. Just enough to keep me going until their nap time when I could eat my own lunch. A small handful of macadamia nuts while cooking the barbeque sauce.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Day 6 of 40 - Ugh.
It was most definitely a textbook day 6 for me today. Dragged my sorry carcass around this morning, slept two hours this afternoon, then made a lazy supper. Glad Zumba is cancelled for tonight!
Instead of working out this evening, my body is begging for a long, hot bath with a good book and some relaxing music. My amazing sister-in-law brought me a bag of sleep-inducing bath salts, and today seems like the perfect day to take them for a test-drive. And then be in bed by 8:30pm.
Breakfast: What else? Kale and eggs and coffee (decaf) with coconut milk.
Lunch: Two chicken thighs, a drumstick and about a cup of cherries. What? I was really hungry and in a rush. Don't judge.
Supper: Breakfast! Two fried eggs, four pieces of bacon, sliced cucumber and sweet potato slices - fried in coconut oil with cayenne pepper and sea salt. YUM. Hard to resist having another cup of decaf with that kind of dinner.
Snacks: Three strawberries and a medium-sized snack ball.
Instead of working out this evening, my body is begging for a long, hot bath with a good book and some relaxing music. My amazing sister-in-law brought me a bag of sleep-inducing bath salts, and today seems like the perfect day to take them for a test-drive. And then be in bed by 8:30pm.
Breakfast: What else? Kale and eggs and coffee (decaf) with coconut milk.
Lunch: Two chicken thighs, a drumstick and about a cup of cherries. What? I was really hungry and in a rush. Don't judge.
Supper: Breakfast! Two fried eggs, four pieces of bacon, sliced cucumber and sweet potato slices - fried in coconut oil with cayenne pepper and sea salt. YUM. Hard to resist having another cup of decaf with that kind of dinner.
Snacks: Three strawberries and a medium-sized snack ball.
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