Report & Week 3 Goals

Food & Exercise Diary for Sunday 1/31
Breakfast - Banana and a few mixed nuts, multi-vitamin, iron supplement.
Exercise - Ran 5.5 miles outside in the gorgeous sunshine! Burned 460 calories, 10:15 average pace/mile.
Post Exercise Snack - Protein Smoothie (vanilla yogurt, vanilla protein powder, frozen mixed berries).
Lunch - Salad with lettuce, tomatos, yellow bell pepper, carrots, cabbage, and a couple pieces of chicken breast.
Snack - Carrots and a glass of milk.
Dinner - Salad with lettuce, carrots, tomato, snap peas, black olives. Small serving of spaghetti noodles with italian sausage marinara sauce. Small piece of blueberry pie. Know this meal wasn't paleo. I was eating with family and chose to increase veggie/protein intake while decreasing the amount of carbs I would have eaten in the past. For example, I avoided the garlic cheese bread and took a very small amount of noodles.

Week 3 Goals
Considering that my busy week busted my paleo diet and I have another busy week coming up, I'm not going to add any new requirements, but give a second try to what I already have. Today I need to go shopping and purchase food for the week. I plan to cook some extra things tonight so I can grab and go in the morning.

Report for 1/30

Food Diary for Saturday 1/30
Breakfast - Banana, Yogurt, Onion Bagel. The bagel was definitely not paleo and I soon regretted it. My digestive system didn't like it.
Snack - Apple, Mixed Nuts & Dried Fruit.
Dinner - Salad (spinach, egg, red onion, vinaigrette dressing). Pizza (fresh tomato, basil, garlic, olive oil, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses). Went to "Chicago Fire Pizza" to celebrate a family birthday. Knew I would have a hard time eating paleo. Healthy salad and some thin crust pizza. Not too bad.

Didn't accomplish too much today. Skipped lunch and took a three-hour nap in the middle of the day. Need the rest after three nights of poor, interrupted sleep. Including early Saturday morning when my neighbor screamed and threw objects around her place. Called 911 about a domestic disturbance. Not the first time I've called the police about her antics. Ridiculous.

Binge Madness

So I am tired, pissed off, and disgusted with myself. I've had an incredibly long work week. People are not designed to be on their feet in a professional capacity for 14 hours, especially two days in a row with a night of horrid sleep between them. To top it off, with stress my self control flies out the window and I eat like crap. Thank goodness I kept my usual exercise routine or I would be even worse. If there was anything good produced by my falling so far off the "Paleo Boat" these last three days it was proved that my body was really liking the change. Once I started ingesting non-Paleo foods including way too many sweets, my digestive system went on rampage and my sleep was deeply disturbed. I can practically feel the fat cells collecting on my lovely butt and thighs. I can't continue like this... the binge stops tonight. (I've got to call it what it was.)

Next week won't be any easier, but I've got to do better. I started off this week well, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions right? Not this next week. I will succeed, despite eating lunch and dinner out. I have ice packs and Tupperware for a reason.

Although to be fair I should post my food diaries for the last few days, I just can't. I'm too disgusted with myself. Tomorrow is another day. With what I have planned for the weekend, tomorrow won't be easy, but I will do better. I must make that promise to myself, because right now - I feel like crap!

Report for 1/26 & Complaints

Food & Exercise Diary for Tuesday 1/26
Breakfast - Plain greek yogurt with frozen berries, banana, 1/2 multi-vitamin.
Snack - Orange
Lunch - Chicken breast with red pepper sauce, butternut squash soup, carrots. It was leftover day!
Exercise - Hill repeat workout on treadmill. 5 repeats.
Dinner - Scrambled eggs and ham, mixed veggies (from frozen).

I'm a little concerned about my right foot. It continues to ache. Think part of the problem is spending a lot of time on my feet at work in shoes that aren't so stellar. Need to break open the wallet and buy a quality pair.

On a different note... my body stats may not have changed, but I'm liking the way I've been lookin' and feelin'. Only one problem area I'm concerned about. Why when I'm 26 in good shape do I have to fight cellulite? It sucks! Some who see me in all my glory tell me to shut up and stop worrying, but I'm a woman - that's impossible.

By the way, while I'm in this mode... avoiding sweets (especially dark chocolate) is really hard! yesterday I must admit I had a small chocolate chip cookie at a professional development seminar. It was before dinner and I was starving - I'm talking stomach quaking, low blood sugar starving. I forgave myself. Today I resisted temptation, but it was hard. I hope it gets easier?

Report for 1/25

Food & Exercise Diary for Monday 1/25
Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal with frozen berries, 1 tb flaxseed, cinnamon. 1/2 multi-vitamin.
Snack - Carrots
Lunch - Chicken breasts with red pepper sauce, apple. Sauce was spicy and tasty!
Red Pepper Sauce Recipe: Boil 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 tb parsley, 1 tb basil, 1/4 ts thyme, 1/8 ts cayenne pepper, and 1/4 ts pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree in blender. Pour over cooked chicken breasts.
Dinner - Salad with lettuce, tomato, yellow pepper, broccoli, cabbage, pinto beans, balsamic vinaigrette.
Exercise - 35 min on treadmill. Rainy weather again.
Post Exercise Drink - Glass of 1% Milk

Body Stats Report
Weight - 106
BMI - 19.38
Chest - 32"
Waist - 24.5" *
Hips - 34.5"

*Only thing that changed. Decreased 1". Not sure I believe it, may be operator error.

Report & Week 2 Goals

Food & Exercise Diary for Sunday 1/24
Breakfast - Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt. Still feeling full from my indulgent meal last night. Needed something, but didn't want much.
Exercise - http://www.runnersworld.com/corevalues
1. Plank, 2 x 30 sec
2. "Weight Around," 3 x 8 reps, 8 lb. Twisting weight from side to side.
3. Tick Tock, 2 x 16 reps on each side, 8 lb.
4. Samurai Chop, 8 reps each side, 8 lb. I was not very good at this, need practice.
5. Abs Matrix, twice through routine, 5 lb.
6. The Cheerleader, 5 reps on each leg, 5 lb.
7. Crunches, 5 x 16 reps, alternating front to each side.
Did this workout at home, didn't have all the equipment, or heavy enough weight, had to modify. Didn't feel that tough, will complete at gym next time and up the demands.
Lunch - Salad (lettuce, carrots, snap peas, cabbage, yellow bell pepper, pinto beans, vinaigrette).
Dinner - Butternut squash soup (AMAZING!), steamed broccoli, and ham.
Soup Recipe: Roast squash until soft. Saute 1/2 yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp curry powder. Put onion mix in blender. Add squash and 1 cup veggie broth. Puree. Pour into pot on stove. Add remaining squash and 1 cup veggie broth, puree. Pour into pot. Bring to boil, simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt on top (optional).

Week 2 Goals (Monday 1/25 - Sunday 1/31)
Avoid butter/margarine, sweets, alcohol, popcorn. Continue to avoid processed foods like cereal and granola bars. Purchase a meat thermometer.

Report & Thoughts for 1/23

Food & Exercise Diary for Saturday 1/23

Breakfast - 1/2 banana. Mixed nuts and dried mango. 1/2 multi-vitamin, water. I've never had mixed nuts for breakfast, and never before a run. Hopefully they will help rather than hinder.

Exercise - 8 mile run. Average pace 10:30 min/mile. 6 min run/1 min walk. 682 calories. In the beginning, my energy level was a little low so I ate a couple Sport Beans to get a little kick. Wore compression socks. First time running in them. Felt comfortable - a little warm for the calves.

Post-Run Snack - In a blender I pureed frozen mixed berries, Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Yogurt, and a scoop of EAS Vanilla Whey Protein Powder. This post-run recovery smoothie was amazing! Very tasty. It remains to be seen what effect introducing protein powder to my diet will have.

Snack - Raw carrots & broccoli dipped in light balsamic vinegar. 1/2 banana. Been in snack mode today rather than larger meals. Have a birthday BBQ tonight. May be a challenge to eat a paleo-friendly dinner there.

Dinner - Um, yeah about that. Hamburger, chips and salsa, margarita. Totally blew it here. Feel the benefits of my run slipping away. Was a a party, no healthy options available and I decided to go with it. I know it's okay to splurge once and a while, but I need to get better at this.

Thoughts

Usually I run with friends; this morning I ran by myself. Sometimes I need that. I need 90 minutes of personal time. My thoughts fade, my brain shuts down, my body takes over... "left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot." Along a tree-covered path I was the only person pounding the pavement. An occasional fisherman, bicyclist, or family would pass by, but it was mostly me. The environment was glowing after a week of heavy rains. The color green never seemed so vibrant.

Report for 1/22

Food Diary for Friday 1/22

Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal, mixed berries, 1 tb flaxseed, cinnamon. 1/2 multi-vitamin. Starbucks tall non-fat chai tea latte. A splurge. I just needed a warm caffeine jolt this cold morning after not sleeping well.

Snack - Baby Carrots

Lunch - Salad (lettuce, chicken breast, tomato, broccoli, snap peas, cabbage). Two pieces of dark chocolate. Another splurge.

Dinner - 2 egg scramble with a small potato. Flavored with fresh garlic, ground pepper, and a little ketchup. Steamed broccoli. Realize that a potato is not paleo and was on my list of foods to avoid this week, but it is a good pre-run carb.

Don't think I'm drinking enough water recently. Not good considering I plan to run 8 miles tomorrow morning.

Report for 1/21

Food & Exercise Diary for Thursday 1/21

Breakfast - Banana, Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt, 1/2 multi-vitamin.

Snack - Mixed nuts and baby carrots.

Lunch - Taco Salad. Sweet treat - 2 small pieces of dark chocolate.

Snack - Apple

Exercise - 30 min run. On Treadmill again, weather is ugly.

Dinner - Veggie stir fry (broccoli, carrots, snap peas, carrots, ginger) over brown rice. Added a little soy sauce. Have to admit - the other stir fry I had this week was a lot better! Better flavor from spices.

*Eventually I will add brown rice to my list of foods to avoid, but I'm not ready to yet. It's so tasty when topped with veggie/meat goodies.

A little planter fasciitis in my right food again. Thursday is a long work day. Adding a run afterward exhausted my tired feet. I need better work shoes. Almost forgot! Need to buy whey protein powder tomorrow so I can make a homemade recovery drink after my long run this weekend. Off to Walmart tomorrow!

Report for 1/20

Food & Exercise Diary for Wednesday 1/20

Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tb ground flaxseed, mixed berries, cinnamon. 1/2 Banana, 1/2 multi-vitamin.

Snack - Apple, donut. I couldn't help it - the temptation was too great when I was offered the sweet snack. Oh well.

Exercise - 40 min run. Hill workout on treadmill (nasty weather outside).

Lunch - Taco Salad

Snack - 1/2 Banana, apple juice.

Dinner - Rosemary Chicken and Broccoli.

Rosemary Chicken Recipe: Mix together chicken broth, chopped onion, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Cook in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hr and 15 min.

After completing the marathon last December, taking a few weeks off running, and slowly getting back into it, completing today's workout felt really good. Pushing those muscles once more!

Report for 1/19

Food Diary for Tuesday 1/19

Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tb ground flaxseed, mixed berries, cinnamon. 1/2 multi-vitamin, water.

Snack - Apple

Lunch - Taco salad, carrots.

Taco salad recipe: brown 1 lb lean ground turkey, add bell pepper, onion, and taco seasoning mix. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives. Very tasty!

Dinner - Veggie stir fry (kidney beans, red bell pepper, onions, corn, chili powder, cumin, lime juice) over brown rice. Two mandarin oranges, one See's Chocolate. I just couldn't resist that chocolate!

Sometimes after eating a salad for lunch, I quickly feel hungry again. With the ground turkey, I felt content until dinner time. Helps stop snack cravings!

Report & Comments

Food & Exercise Diary for Monday 1/18

Breakfast - Banana, Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt, orange juice, 1/2 multi-vitamin.

Exercise - 30 min easy run. Light arms/abs weights.

Lunch - Salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, tomato, red pepper, vinaigrette. Apple, water.

Snack - couple handfuls of popcorn.

Dinner - Serving of carnitas. Salad with romaine lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots. Slice of cornbread.

Energy level back up today. May be have recovering from a busy work week. Discovering that it will be difficult to eat "paleo-style" when visiting friends and family. Will have to pick and choose foods.

Purchased fish oil capsules and ground flaxseed. Both good omega-3 sources. I've never consumed fish oil but I've heard about the burps. Thought two different sources may help. Couldn't find whey protein today, will have to try another source. Don't need it until after Saturday's long run.

Report & Week 1 Goals

Food Diary for Sunday 1/17

Breakfast - Banana, Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt, orange juice, multi-vitamin.

Lunch - 2 egg scramble + 1/2 potato. Orange, water.

Snack - 1/4 cup mixed nuts and dried cranberry mix.

Dinner - 2 small pizza slices (pepperoni/veggie). Small piece of garlic bread. Salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, tomato, black olives. 1 small carrot cake piece. Water. Small glass of port wine.

Dinner with family again. Tasty meal but definitely not paleo. Heck, I wasn't going to starve! :)

So far I haven't changed much, except for increasing the number of salads that I consume and avoiding processed snack foods. This weekend my energy level seems low and my stomach dissatisfied. This will take some time getting used to.

Goals for the Week (Monday 1/18 - Sunday 1/24)

1. Replace a couple of starches (potatoes & white rice), wheat products (bread & pasta), and a dairy product (cheese) with veggies, fruits, and lean meats. I'm not ready to give up brown rice and oatmeal yet.

2. Purchase whey protein powder, to be used in post-exercise homemade sports drinks. Also purchase fish oil capsules (omega-3 fatty acids) because I don't foresee myself eating much seafood.

Pre-Trial Report

Food & Exercise Diary for Saturday 1/16/10
Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal with frozen mixed berries and cinnamon. 1/2 banana, water, multi-vitamin.
Exercise - 7 mile run. Average 10:30 pace. 6 min run/1 min walk. 597 calories burned. Had a few Sport Beans during exercise.
Post Exercise Food - 1/2 banana. 1/2 Odwalla Protein Drink.
Lunch - Salad with romaine lettuce, red pepper, tomato, carrot, and red pepper vinaigrette. Orange juice. Snack - 2 mandarin oranges and a few nuts with dried cranberries.
Dinner - A small portion of fettuccine with marinara (Italian sausage and veggies mixed in). Salad with lettuce, carrots, broccoli, tomato, etc. Slice of carrot cake for dessert.
This was a special family dinner celebrating two birthdays.

The Plan

I am enjoying this research. I have a plan. Over the next month I will phase out non-paleo foods and replace them with natural options. My goal? Build a diet based on fruits, vegetables, lean meats and (gulp) seafood. Did I mention I don't like seafood? I will record what I eat and how I feel. I will record the changes to my body - whether positive or negative.

Here's the part where I get brave and post some details about myself. Used only to evaluate how this diet is affecting me in a biological manner.
Height = 5' 2"
Current Weight = 106 lbs
Current BMI = 19.38 (Normal)
Chest Width = 32"
Waist Width = 25 1/2"
Hip Width = 34 1/2"

Food & Exercise Diary for Friday 1/15
A fairly typical day for me. Not paleo (although parts may be).

Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal with frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries). Multi-vitamin and water.
Snack - Banana
Lunch - Salad with romaine lettuce, chicken, black beans, red bell pepper, tomato, carrots. Red pepper vinaigrette dressing.
Snack - 1/2 Odwalla Protein Drink
Dinner - Cranberry chicken and white rice. Salad with spinach, apple, onion, feta cheese, granola. The chicken was so good I have to share the recipe: 6 boneless chicken breasts, 1 can whole cranberry sauce, 1 package french onion soup mix, 1 cup catalina dressing. Place chicken in glass baking dish, pour mixed ingredients on top, bake @ 350 degrees for 75 minutes.

Sources:

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/
Where I started. The site has a lot of basic information about the paleo diet and answered some of my questions.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance
By Loren Cordain and Joe Friel
Somewhat verbose but interesting. Will reference this as I prepare for and recover from long training runs and races.

http://liveprimal.com/
A paleo recipe collection is available for download.

Here goes something...

A little about me. I'm a 26-year-old marathon runner. That's what I like to say anyways. I completed my first marathon last December. Last week I began training for my second marathon. I also started eating healthy, at least what I like to think is healthy. Lots of veggies and fruits. Lots of salads. More protein. More water. Less fat, sugar, and processed foods. WAIT! That sounds like the Paleo Diet, something my brother told me about. Hmm, interesting. Started the web research, bought the book. How to figure this out? Is this healthy? Will it help me achieve my next athletic goal or will it hinder my efforts? Time will tell. This blog will tell. My first blog. An adventure.