Flexibility of Body & Mind

 

Lovelies, I am taking a moment to celebrate the good: Every single member of my four-person family exercised yesterday! WoooooHooooo!

Hubby and I  had it all planned out: I’d have a delicious dinner prepared for when he arrived home from work, and then, after dinner, we’d all hop in the car and head to the gym so Hubby could work out, I could take a new yoga class, and the kiddos could hang at the kids’ club. Beautiful. When we’d signed up for the gym back in January, the kids’ club was part of my membership, and we thought that since we hadn’t used it yet, tonight would be a great night to do so.

Not so much.

Dinner was divine! Everyday Paleo’s Ground Pork and Apple Sliders [YUM!], roasted broccoli, cinnamon whipped sweet potatoes, and organic applesauce did not disappoint! Dishes were carried happily to the kitchen, gym-time entertainment was packed without squabbling. We even had time to run a quick errand together before class time. We should have known that the evening was about to nosedive.

Here’s the kicker: Though my membership includes access to the kids’ club, I still have to pay $4 for the first child and $2 for the second in order to use the childcare service! Sure, $6 isn’t a big deal, but still…

Anyway, to be brief, neither hubby nor I had our wallets with us, and instead of being cranky, we chose to be flexible.

I, not wanting to derail Hubby’s excellent exercise routine, took the kids home. We moved some furniture around, rolled-out yoga mats, and did a round of Spartacus (my most favorite workout EVER) followed by Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown. Afterwards, we piled back in the car to pick up Hubby from the gym. We laughed. We talked. We planned new fitness goals and adventures.

Had I wanted a zen-like yoga class with soft lights, gentle music, and a soothing guru gently guiding me toward a relaxed and thoroughly stretched state of being? Abso-freaking-lutely. I cannot express how much that was all I wanted.

But, by being flexible and in the moment, what I got was far better 🙂

 

Keep yourselves open to what life might bring to you today, Lovelies!

Paleo Plans: Birthday Gift #2

I admire people who are willing to research and explore this world, reach a conclusion based on their experiences and learning, and then faithfully hold that unique, fact-based perspective even as the popular opinion clings to outdated science, sentimental tradition, and the status quo.

I am doing my best to raise my children so that they may each become that kind of person.

The two greatest accomplishments of my 34 years
& the reasons I continue to pursue the healthiest lifestyle possible.

 

I won’t lie. It’s not always easy. I need guides. I need muses. I need information. Luckily, there is no shortage of any of these in the Paleo community.

 

One such guide is Dave Asprey. Even though he is not officially affiliated with “Paleo,” he is, in my belief,  a primal living guru. He views himself as a biohacker and has spent considerable time and money figuring out with the world’s leading scientists and researchers what is best for the human body. His website is vast and detailed, and you can check out exactly what it means to be Bulletproof at The Bulletproof Executive.

I was initially a huge fan of Mr. Asprey’s because he helped his wife overcome PCOS with his “Upgraded” diet, which he details in his Upgraded Chef Cookbook.

What continues to interest me about Mr. Asprey is his “Bulletproof Coffee” recipe.

I LOVE coffee. To a fault. As in it could be the only thing I drink. So, in learning about the benefits of Bulletproof Coffee, I decided to gift myself the Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Kit and give it a try.

My kit should arrive today, which means tomorrow morning is going to be Bulletproof. I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

All my best for a terrific Tuesday, Lovelies!

 

 

Whole 30 Challenge, Road Trip & Party Survival Guide

Lovelies! How are you all this morning?

On Day #10, I am soaring–yes soaring!–on the feel-goodness of this plan! I’d try to describe how wonderful I feel, but I’d rather just encourage you to find out for yourselves. Nothing is as effective and motivating as first-hand experience.

For those of you already Whole-30ing along to Melissa and Dallas Hartwig’s Whole 30 program, a word of motivation: Do it.

Don’t sort-of-kind-of-ooops-I-had-a-cookie-or-two do it.

Do it as it is written.

There is absolutely no gray area to dabble in. Like the Hartwig’s point out, every bite, every nibble of inflammatory foods puts you back at square one of the healing cycle. It’s commendable you’re putting in the effort, now reward yourself with commitment and follow-through for thirty days. It’s just thirty days. Thirty days that have the potential to be life-changing if you put in the effort. Your one-and-only body will thank you. And, when in doubt, listen to the wise advice of Master Yoda:

Pretty simple when you think about it, right? Either you do it. Or, you don’t. I’d do it if I were you!!!!

So, while I truly believe that the mental clarity and feel-good-body results alone are more than enough to promote the Whole 30 program, the physical body-composition results are equally impressive. Don’t get me wrong, I still have some weight to drop, but in just ten days, do you know what’s happened?

Let me explain…

On Day #1 I put on a pair of jeans that barely zipped and buttoned (A full size smaller than what I wore in January, but still, NOT pretty!). On Day #5 I put on the same pair of jeans without any struggle (or unsexy overhang–yay! Be gone, overhang!) Yesterday, even fresh out of the washer–even with it being “that time of the month”–those jeans had a little room in the waist and hips. Today, I. CAN. FEEL. MY. HIP. BONES. Holy moly! I can’t believe I have them! They’ve been buried as deep as Atlantis for the majority of my adult life, especially post-kiddos. So deep, in fact, that I think I believed they, too, were mere myths or legends. Not so! They do exist! Sure it’s going to take a little more work in the gym to see the ultimate results that I want, but the careful attention I’m giving to my food sure is paying off! Hip bones, by golly!

This is where I say: If I can do it, you ABSOLUTELY can do it! No fuss about busy schedules or liking milk too much to give it up. (Lovelies, you are NOT baby cows who need fattening!). I don’t believe any of it. Not one little syllable. You are exactly as capable of doing this as you believe yourselves to be. When you are committed, nothing can derail you–not even a 1,200 mile road trip to party with family! (Yes, I’m really doing that–in just a few short hours, in fact).

How am I going to survive 600 miles each way, plus two days filled with food, family, and fun? I will be packing my own eats and politely asking for the support (not sabotage) that I need. No questions about it. Black, white, not a shade of gray. Most of my family knows my plan and my goals–the rest will soon find out. I will not indulge in birthday cake, grainy-carby-finger foods, or sugary-dairy-creamy-debauchery of any kind. And, lest you think I’m a party-pooper, I say this: How can I enjoy the party if I am feeling less than my best?

Now that I know what my true “best” feels like, temptation is an abstract idea that affects others. NOT me. It is liberating!

Want to find out what your “best” feels like first hand? Here’s your three-step get-started plan:

1. Go to the Hartwig’s website. (Click here if you haven’t saved it from previous posts!)
2. Print out the four pages of the Whole 30 program.
3. Start. Now.

I believe in you! Keep us posted on your progress!

Whole 30 Challenge, Days #4-7

And just like that a week is over! Phew! What a whirlwind of feel-goodness! All I can say to anyone who is wondering about a Whole 30 is to just take the leap already! In only one short week, my skin and eyes are clearer; my often difficult female cycle continues to run like clockwork (and is accompanied by STABLE–dare I say pleasant?–moods); and I can feel energy humming through my body! No sugar cravings nip at me; hunger pangs are a distant memory; and my sleep is both deep and refreshing. Oh. Yeah.

This is no longer a Whole 30 for me. I want this feeling of health and well-being to be my Whole Forever.

Here are the links to the book I am using as a guide, as well as the website that accompanies it! Both are fantastic resources to guide you on your own Whole 30 & beyond!

Click the book to learn how to get a copy of your own! And, don’t forget to explore the entire website while you’re there! The Whole 30 Program is outlined for you FREE online thanks to the amazing authors who truly have your health’s best interests at heart!

The Good, The Challenges, and Opportunities for Awesomeness…

It’s that time, Lovelies.

The time where I need to re-evaluate my goals and the methods I’m employing to achieve them.

So, here’s my mid-March review:

Goal #1: 100% Paleo Eats, 80% of the time

The Good: I need to follow a Paleo diet. Not as a fad. Not for the here and now. Not because a friend of a friend is passionate about it. I believe in Paleo because the more attentive I am to feeding my body well, the better I feel, so this is definitely an area about which I will continue to be vigilant.

The Challenge: I notice that my percentages have fallen into the 100% Paleo, 60% of the time range, and my body is feeling the slip. Cramps, bloating, yuck, yuck, and yuck. I definitely need to tighten-up my “too free” with dairy tendency, as I know that this is the source of my dietary angst.

Opportunity for Awesomeness: Tomorrow I begin a Whole 30 Challenge. For 30 entire days (and quite possibly beyond!) I will make nourishing my body a priority by following the guidelines set forth here.

Goal #2: Moving, Shaking, & Faking

The Good: I have been active. I’ve been running in preparation for the Color Me Rad 5k with my awesome little cave gal, and I’ve been busy walking, playing, and stretching. I love activity, and I know that activity loves me back. So, it’s time to step-it-up!

The Challenge: I could be doing so much more! There is time in my schedule that I could be utilizing in a better fashion, and I am not. Shame on me. The gym not yet being open (April 1 is the new opening date–moved from Jan. 1, to Feb. 1, to March 1) is NOT an excuse for complacency.

Opportunity for Awesomeness: Insanity. Yes, you read that right. Shaun T.’s Insanity. I start tomorrow. If I never post again, you’ll know why…. Oh, by the way, check out what Insanity did for my friend Josh here!

Goal #3: Clarity

The Good: I have so many opportunities in front of me this year, and I am the type of person that fully submerges myself. I research, study, and then tackle things head-on. I thrive on learning and experiencing new things, so my mind is in total feast mode these days.

The Challenge: I have so many opportunities in front of me this year, and I am the type of person that fully submerges myself. I research, study, and then tackles things head-on. I burn myself out; however, when I burn-out, it isn’t my work or family or obligations that suffer. It is my head-space that approaches melt-down.

Opportunity for Awesomeness: I completed Day Two of Deepak Chopra’s 21-Day Meditation Challenge today. Participating in this Meditation Challenge is a segue into meditating daily, a practice that has more benefits than I can go into right now. (But, keep your eyes open for some future blogs!) Interested? Join here!

March may be famous for going out like a lamb, but  I can tell you that this Leo doesn’t see it going that way this year!

Join me for any or ALL of these Opportunities!

I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!

Five Tens and an Eight

What are five tens and an eight?

These are the hours dear Cave Hubby will soon be working…ten hours a day (don’t forget to add-in a total of three commuting hours each day) five days a week and eight hours on Saturday–possibly even six or seven tens if the work timeline continues to decrease by weeks at a time. Ugh.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining. I grew up on a construction schedule, so I understand that in a profession where it is either feast or famine and the wait list for work is at least a year long, we need to embrace the work when it is present and persistent. However, we here in the Klien Street Cave REALLY love our #1 guy, so, when he leaves home at 5 o’clock AM and doesn’t return home until 7 o’clock PM, our time with him is at an absolute MINIMUM. (Here’s a big shout-out to single parents–you are all superheroes!). And, in a coming month with three “holidays” (Election Day, Veterans’ Day, and Thanksgiving), all of which CH was scheduled to have off (Thanksgiving might be the sole survivor of the timeline push), things are looking a little hectic and a little stressful, to say the least. And I know that when things get crazy, I need a sanity-saving self-care plan.

So, what’s a girl whose family’s health is her main concern to do during such stressful, time-crunched, and fairly solo-parenting times? Let me tell you…

1.  Be Flexible

First, foremost, and forever, let go of rigid expectations in your non-essential plans. Yes, we all have obligations for work and school; however, the plans that don’t pay your bills or impact your professionalism need not contribute to your stress load. The more fluid you are about embracing schedule changes, the less power you give them to be a source of unhealthy stress. And, as we all know, stress can lead to unwelcome illnesses, which will continue to mess with your schedule. So, don’t subject yourself or your family to the stress-sickness cycle. Take a deep breath and bend a little. After all, what is the big deal about going grocery shopping on Monday instead of your usual Sunday trip? What’s wrong with taking a rain check for date night or declining an invitation to a non-obligatory event? When you step back and look at the forest through your bright, health-colored glasses, Lovelies, the answer is absolutely nothing.

2. Be Prepared

I think I’ve said it a time or two (or fifty) here at Perfectly Paleo Sisters, but preparation is KEY. Search for some Paleo recipes–the web is absolutely ripe with them. Write down the ingredients you need. Get thee to a grocery store. Load your cart with good, clean Paleo eats. Get home and prepare them. Stack containers in the fridge for grab-and-go meals, snacks, and post-workout noshing. Put in the effort on one day to eat well for the rest of the week. You can do it, and your health, as well as the health of your family, will reflect your awesome health-creating efforts. Remember: being busy is not an excuse to eat poorly. Don’t get caught in that trap–your health is too important during stressful times to eat food that doesn’t fuel you properly.

3. Treat Yourself Kindly

We don’t accept rudeness, intolerance, snide remarks, and undue criticism from others, yet many of us accept it from ourselves. If you want to make it through stressful times with your health and your sanity in tact, you need to be kind. Forgive yourself the pile (mountain?) of laundry that has gone unfolded on the couch. It will be there tomorrow. Did you miss a workout? Why beat yourself up when there is a whole other day waiting for you in the morning? Did the washer overflow, the car break down, and the dog run away with the cat? (Well, I suppose in this case my advice would be to ring a sitter,  get some tequila, and lock yourself in a bubble bath STAT). But, in all seriousness, Hakuna Matata. Instead of reviewing your self-perceived short-comings at the end of the day, ask yourself if everyone in your family is healthy, happy, and well-cared for. If you can answer YES to that question, then you have, by the most important measures, succeeded brilliantly.

4. You Time

I used to think that alone time was selfish. Now, not so much. In fact, on days when I have not been able to fit-in a head-clearing run or workout, and I have been surrounded by others non-stop, I am not above taking a book into the bathroom and reading for twenty minutes under the guise of stomach distress. Luckily, everyone in my house respects the bathroom isolation move. And, you know what? I emerge from the bathroom much happier than when I first entered (which is probably why everyone keeps “believing” my routine). I’m not suggesting the bathroom ruse is for you, I’m just saying that everyone needs twenty minutes to enjoy something just for themselves every day. Make it happen. Even if that means getting comfy on the throne.

What advice can you add to the sanity-saving self-care list, Lovelies?

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

XO

Nikki

Rules Schmules…

I’m cranky and hungry today (probably b/c I’m celebrating a regular female cycle–32 days instead of 28, but, hey, for us PCOSers that’s like clockwork). And because of it, I’m feeling a little devilish. In fact, I feel like breaking the rules. (Okay, so that’s not too much different from every other day. Thanks for pointing that out, Lovelies). Anyway…a short story first.

Once upon a low carb diet in a tiny house near the woods, a very hungry and unhappy girl fell in love with Shakshuka. (Not sure what that is? Read up at Wikipedia. I promise it won’t take you but a moment). With every flavorful bite the girl smiled a little bigger and felt a little better. Her bland, repetitive diet would bother her no more now that she had the magic of Shakshuka in her recipe box. The End.

Okay, so that is a terrible story, and, obviously, the girl is me. The point is that through all the ups and downs of my dieting history, I’ve returned to this dish over and over again and made it many ways–adding in a little, taking out a little, etc. However, my long-standing favorite recipe (not 100% Paleo) for Shakshuka is from the Smitten Kitchen. Check it out! While you are there getting lost in the deliciousness, take a look at the volatile comment section. I’ll give you a minute…..

Welcome back!

Who knew, right!?!?!?!?!?!?  Such controversy over a simple dish of tomatoes, peppers, spices, and eggs!

Well, like I mentioned, I’m feeling rebellious today. So, instead of deciding where the dish came from and who deserves credit for the ingenious invention of this delicious eat, (because, in all honesty, I really don’t care where it came from as long as it winds up on my plate) I’m just going to celebrate its wonderfulness and make some!

Paleo purists, so that your opinions of me don’t change for the worse, please stop reading now (okay, at the end of the paragraph) and visit The Paleo Diet Lifestyle‘s site for their wonderful version of Shakshuka. You and your 100% commitment (which I truly admire) are more than welcome to return when I’m feeling better behaved. Today, sadly, is not that day.

Okay, that was my warning. If you’re a purist who is still reading, just know that you forfeit your right to leave finger-wagging comments and that I love you. XO

Deviant Shakshuka

There are no measurements. Go figure. (If you’ve ever cooked in my kitchen with me, you know what I mean!) Use the pics, my terrible descriptions, and ask questions if you need to. I promise, despite my mood, that I’ll be nice and answer them.

Heat a pan with olive oil and sauté diced onion, green bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms until they are done to your liking. Feel free to add-in whatever else you’d like, too. This is cooking, not science.

Add-in a can of San Marzano tomatoes to your sautéed veggies. Break-up the tomatoes with a spoon, your fingers (don’t burn yourself), or whatever instrument it takes, to get them to reduce down into a nice bubbly sauce. Be patient. This might take a little while. Add in the spices of your choice to your taste. (Wonderfully specific, I know.) I used cumin and turmeric and paprika. Lots of cumin.

Once you have the fragrant sauce of your dreams, make two wells and crack one egg into each. Actually, to be fair, this step goes more like this: Make a well, pick up an egg, make the same well, crack the egg, try to scrape some sauce out of the way as egg is falling into the pan. Repeat. Cover your entire pan with a lid and let the eggs poach to your preferred degree of yolk set.

Once your eggs are “set,” you have a choice. I am about to do the unthinkable for most Paleo purists. But, you know what? I don’t care. I RARELY do this, and darn it, I deserve to enjoy my favorite dish of all time. I am going to add an entire…

OUNCE (one WHOLE ounce!) of feta cheese to my Shaksuka. I’m letting it melt. MMMMMMMMMMM. Don’t hate. Don’t judge. Let me indulge, please.

I use basil to garnish; you can use parsley. Whatever makes your tastebuds sing!

Breakfast is served!

 

Thanks for letting me break the rules this morning, Lovelies. 100% tomorrow. Promise.

XO

Nikki

To Schedule or Not To Schedule? Is That Even A Question?

Good early morning to you all! The sun isn’t even peeking up over the horizon here. The sky hasn’t yet lightened (but that pic is what it will look like when it does). CH is off to work with his cooler successfully topped-off with good eats. The kiddos are still snuggled and will hopefully wake to the smell of fresh coconut banana muffins wafting up the stairs in an hour or so. (And, my gosh, I will make a full dozen of those muffins because our little cave girl out-ate CH at dinner last night! We are expecting a growth spurt of Alice In Wonderland’s magic mushroom proportions!)

A couple days ago I was asked about how I prep my family’s lunches–particularly about how I cook larger portions of meat and then portion it out. Here’s what I did for today’s packed meals:

• I roasted two organic chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on) while I was already baking chicken legs for dinner. No extra effort there!
• After dinner clean-up last night, I popped Clean Eats in the Zoo’s Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake in the oven (you should all go make this, right now! It smells divine and tastes even better!), and while it was filling my kitchen with the most amazing cinnamon aroma, I plunked the chicken breasts into some wrapping and tossed them in the fridge.

• This morning, I cut one breast into strips for CH’s garden salad, and then the remainder of the breast I made into a creamy chicken salad for his afternoon snack. Easy peasy. (Why didn’t I do this last night? Well, I was feeling lazy, and, after a long holiday weekend, I was guessing that I might just need a little extra motivation to slip out from under our toasty covers).
• The remaining chicken breast awaits its carving hour for the kiddos’ lunches and my post-workout meal. (I know, I know, I could have done this while making CH’s bounty. What can I say? I wanted to get to blogging for you, Lovelies).

Ah, workouts…another question I received pertained to my workout schedule and routine. This is kind of a two-part answer: What I have been doing and what I am beginning today…let me explain.

The Old Way

Up until this morning, my workout routine consisted of three running days (just the standard Easy Run, Tempo Run, and Long Run) and three weight training days or HIIT days. I’d fit them in where I could, when I could. And sometimes missed one. Or a few. Or all of them.

I’ve definitely been better about making time for my workouts as of late (when you’re feeling better you are more motivated to sweat!), but the return of the school year has given me a gift: windows of time that are mine. To schedule health and fitness. To do something for me.

So today begins…

The New Way

I’m up with CH at 4:15 AM anyway, so I’ve decided to use the time between his departure and the kids’ rising to exercise. No, I can’t go running outside (that would be a very irresponsible cave mama!).

However, I can join the Queen over at Sweat It Out on her September “Back to Booty” group challenge. And, I can do it right from the comfort of our new workout room! All I have to do is push play and move my body along to the amazing rhythms of Beach Body’s Brazil Butt Lift program. (And, honestly, if all goes well, what better gift for our upcoming eleventh anniversary, right?) Today is my day one!

In addition to shaking my bum bum (boom boom) every morning, I also have a standing date with my best fitness pal over at Warrior Fit for three days (T, Th, & Sat) of HIIT (including suspension training). Did I mention that she is getting her personal trainer’s certification really soon? You can be sure she is putting me through my paces! Just look at the contraption she tortures me with!

And, lastly, my running.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays.

Recovery Run, Tempo Run, Speedwork, Long Run.

I am training for the D & L Heritage Half Marathon, which, if you are an autumn-lover-runner, is the half marathon for you! Riverside trails, crunchy leaves, crisp air. It’s like my running bliss trifecta. Plus, tech tshirts, cool finisher’s medals, and it’s a half marathon with room to grow. After this year’s half, I’ll be training for the full in 2013. (See what happens when you start feeling great–you become delusional! No, I’m joking. But, you do start dreaming a little bigger and following-through a little better!)

Hope you are full of great ideas, great actions, and great dreams today, Lovelies!

XO

Nikki

Mid-week Munchies

Have you hit a mid-week slump? Are you tired with the same old afternoon snack you’ve been enjoying for weeks on end? Eating Paleo should be a vibrant, varied experience, so here’s a quick snack idea to perk-up your routine (and use the last few local berries available)!

Dirty Berries

1 cup Strawberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
(Really, you can use any berries).
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 1/2 tsp. raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp. coconut or almond milk (or more or less, to taste)
1/4 tsp. vanilla

1. Wash and layer quartered strawberries and whole blueberries into a bowl.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend the whole almonds until they are a fine, dusty consistency (don’t puree too long, as you will wind-up with almond butter).
3. Add in the cacao powder and give the almonds another short blend. Set aside.
4. Combine your milk of choice with the vanilla and pour over the berries.
5. Dust the berries and milk with your cacao almond blend. (I like to stir it around a bit, too!)
6. Enjoy! (Preferably with a spoon so you don’t leave behind any tasty goodness!)

Perfectly Paleo Preparedness

This morning, though just a regular ol’ rise at 4:15 AM to leave the house by 5 AM morning for CH (cave husband), was “Back-to-School” morning for me & the kiddos. If you haven’t already experienced one, “Back-to-School” mornings are notorious for several things: 1. If you’re a teacher, there are inevitable coffee stains that appear on your whitest articles of clothing as soon as you reach the I-can’t-turn-around-to-change-my-shirt-or-I’ll-be-late threshold on your commute to work. 2. If you’re a mom, there are the, I-can’t-find-matching-socks-even-though-I-swore-to-you-on-my-life-that-I-laid-them-out-on-my-desk-last-night  moments as well as the, Mom-my-tooth-brush-fell-in-the-Qtip-filled-garbage-can-do-you-have-a-spare? moments, only to be trumped by the occasional, Mom-the-dog-stole-my-coconut-pancakes-and-got-maple-syrup-all-over-my-backpack fiasco. 3. If you’re both, well, good luck–or, so I used to think.

As it turns out, life doesn’t have to be so hard.

Embarking upon this Paleo Lifestyle journey has taught me that a little preparation goes a long way to prevent run-amok stress from ruling our decisions and responses, especially where food and other stress-related triggers (and sticky backpacks, missing socks, and waxy toothbrushes) are concerned. How so? Read on, Lovelies!

Our typical morning begins at 4:15 AM. Yes, Monday thru Friday. Year-round. CH is a hard-working, responsible, and not-salaried man. He works, we eat. He doesn’t, well, we eat much less. Which, in itself, is a stressful lifestyle for us adults. The last thing we want to do is expose our kids to our stress and compound it with poor choices. However, our choices were far from stellar. Very, very far.

Prior to Paleo:

I’d try to scrape myself out of bed at that pre-morning hour to make CH a sandwich, or two, pack some chips or pretzels, and call it a success. He’d also stop on his way to work for a bagel and an abnormally colored neon soda (that I’m pretty sure has been reported to remove paint from cars) in order to round-out his work-day meals.

Next, I’d pack the kiddos their eats for lunch: Special gluten-free bread. Special lactose-free cheese. Special gluten-free, lactose-free crackers. Carrot sticks. Apple Slices. Then, I’d get them their breakfasts: Whole grain cereals. Oatmeal. Almond Milk. Soy Milk. Bananas. Granola Bars. And, I’d eat whatever was floating around like some kind of scavenger animal, content to just live off of my family’s cast-off scraps as long as there was plenty of light & sweet coffee to chase it down.

Sure, this routine doesn’t sound like a lot of work, just a little unwrapping and pouring, but it was killing us–literally drowning us in a whirlpool of our own stress, fatigue, and malnourishment.

Cue Paleo:

I bounce out of bed first thing Sunday morning and shop for whole, fresh, organic (ad nauseum) foods. No exceptions. I prepare any meats for the lunch boxes when I get home. While they are cooking, I wash and cut and pre-portion any lunch box veggies and fruits that can be prepped ahead of time. I bake a batch of coconut flour lemon poppyseed muffins (everyone’s favorite) twice a week: Sundays and Wednesdays (our two free nights). We go to bed earlier because it feels good, and when that alarm clock goes off at 4:15 AM, our hands are already reaching for the off switch. I pack the pre-prepared goodies into the appropriate lunch boxes, toss a few things in my crock pot so dinner prep is easier when we get home, and off we go, each with a day’s worth of nourishment at our disposal.

It sounds more like work than our previous lifestyle, sure. But, that is just an illusion. One day of an hour’s worth of work certainly is not more difficult than scraping yourself out of bed with bitter reluctance each morning. To improve upon an old adage, “Nothing–not convenience foods, not sugar, not grains, not white potatoes, not dairy–tastes as good as healthy feels!”

And, when you feel alert and fantastic, the dog doesn’t stand any chance of stealing anything. Especially those delicious coco-pancakes! Remember, a small tweak or two to your routine each week will eventually add-up to big changes for you, your family, and your health. Patience, persistence, and preparedness are key. One day at a time, Lovelies…

XO

Nikki