Jodi Goes Primal

Ratios:

1604 calories

56% fat

23% protein

14% carbs

Ate breakfast (3 eggs), Salad with Chicken Breast for lunch, Spicy Pork Stuffed Bell Pepper for dinner.  Fat intake was from eggs, chicken, heavy cream, pecans, ground pork, dark chocolate almond spread and avocado.  Working to eliminate the need for heavy cream in my coffee or at least reduce to only one cup.  Will be ordering different coconut products (oil, vinegar, aminos), which will give me me some variety.

990 calories

51.1 g Fat (48%)

54.3 g Carbs (22%)

35.9 g Protein (15%)

Trying to get back on solid ground again.  Menu made, groceries bought…house/pantry/family still not primal/paleo, but going to hold myself to at least 80% primal for this week.  Only alcohol will be red wine, no more than twice this week.  As usual, biggest challenge will be to get enough calories and the right ratios and eating breakfast.

B – coffee only

L – 3 oz. deli chicken breast, 1/2 cucumber, 10 Organic banana chips (dried bananas and coconut oil)

D – Homemade chili, 8 oz Pinot Noir, 1 teaspoon Dark Chocolate Almond Spread

Numbers were too low so added a snack:

8 small frozen strawberries, 2 oz. Coconut Milk, Whipped Cream

Today’s FitDay numbers:

I skipped breakfast and forgot my lunch.  I had honey.  Protein definitely low and carbs high in comparison to the amount of protein.

So having pneumonia and not being able to exercise gave me an excuse to have a three week lapse in judgment (which means I was primal maybe 50% of the time).  But, I’ve slowly introduced exercise back into the mix…only strolls around our property.  I intend to go back to full time exercising on Monday and I already have my menu planned for next week (three of the meals are courtesy of recipes found at FlyNavyWife’s site, Joyful Abode!  (Thanks for the inspiration!)  So here is the Menu for next week and I’ll reiterate my challenge (that I was supposed to start 3 weeks ago, but will begin this week instead.

Monday, April 26th, I will do the following:

1. 80% primal eating (or better);
2. Alcohol only two times in 30 days (no sugary drinks like margaritas);
3. P90X resistance workouts 3 x week (1 each – Shoulders & Arms, Chest & Back, Legs & Back);
4. P90X cardio and stretch workouts 2 x week (1 each – X Stretch, Cardio X);
5. Reduce fruit intake (small amounts of berries and melon only – no bananas, dates, etc. once per day) and reduce nut intake (only one nut snack per day);
6. Weigh and measure ONLY on Day 1 and Day 30 (will have to have my daughter hide the scale);
7. Play outside at least twice a week, work in garden at least three times per week;
8. Tighter control on insulin intake, glucose monitoring;
9. Record all food in FitDay;
10. See doctor at end of 30 days for new blood work.

So it looks like I will be able to handle the P90X workout…though I am trying to decide if I want to do the whole 90 days as prescribed first and then modify it to a more PB workout or if I want to modify right away. Right now I am going to continue using the borrowed dvds until I get a little stronger. Then I’ll buy the entire set and make a decision about how I’ll handle it.

The last 30 days I have eaten 80% primal. My exercise and desire to do so is really falling into place. Last Saturday was a great day (we have 26 acres of property (about 20 of it heavily wooded) and a few years back my husband and sons made a trail all through the woods. I’ve never taken the time to explore it…until today. The weather was beautiful and I walked throughout the woods and spent most of the day at our pond, fishing with my husband, son and some friends. It was a very Primal day…well until we rode all the trails on the 4-wheeler I even walked back to the house toting the full ice chest (there are 2 wheels and a handle) and I kept changing the arm carrying (to get an even resistance workout). It is funny how I now try to incorporate some type of exercise in every day, whereas I used to avoid it like the plague. Now, I just do something…anything wherever I can. Like lifts when I am pumping gas, on my heels and on my toes, planks on the floor at work, planks in my bed before I get out of bed, arm circles at the copier, etc. Just whatever I can to keep my body moving and getting stronger.

As of last week, I was about a month in now and officially down 16.5 pounds. Slow and steady. I lost about 8 pounds the first week and I’m averaging about 2.5 pounds a week now, which is right where I want to be. I have a feeling that I’ll lose a little more than that when I do start the P90x full time and that is ok too. I could lose a little faster if I reduce the amount of nuts and fruit that I am eating.  While losing weight is important to me, the bigger goal for me is to reverse my insulin dependent Type II Diabetes. It pisses me off that I didn’t do everything I could not to get to this point, but I won’t sit on that pity pot cause it does no good.

I’ve hit a plateau.  I keep losing and gaining 2 pounds.  So on to a new 30 day challenge….beginning Monday, April 5th, I will do the following:

1. 80% primal eating (or better);
2. Alcohol only two times in 30 days (no sugary drinks like margaritas);
3. P90X resistance workouts 3 x week (1 each – Shoulders & Arms, Chest & Back, Legs & Back);
4. P90X cardio and stretch workouts 2 x week (1 each – X Stretch, Cardio X);
5. Reduce fruit intake (small amounts of berries and melon only – no bananas, dates, etc. once per day) and reduce nut intake (only one nut snack per day);
6. Weigh and measure ONLY on Day 1 and Day 30 (will have to have my daughter hide the scale);
7. Play outside at least twice a week, work in garden at least three times per week;
8. Tighter control on insulin intake, glucose monitoring;
9. Record all food in FitDay;
10. See doctor at end of 30 days for new blood work.

We’ll see how it goes!

Wednesday, March 17th

Whew I feel good!
Breakfast – Coffee w/coconut milk creamer & Xylitol
Lunch – Leftover steak, 2 tablespoons mild salsa, 1 avocado, 1 cucumber, 1/4 cup coleslaw (made with EVOO and vinegar), Lemon-Ginger Tea
Dinner – Leftover Mediterranean Beef Roast w/baby carrots, mushrooms, Olives and a little cucumber-yogurt dip
Snack – dark chocolate chips, dessicated coconut flakes and pecans

Didn’t have time to enter all into FitDay, but I think I’m pretty good.

Workout!!!
First P90x workout: Chest & Back
I set reasonable goals for myself, used the bands, used smaller weights for now (5lb and 10 lbs) and COMPLETED the whole workout. I did the pushups on my knees, on a chest and eventually against the wall, but I did every workout. My arms are basically noodles right now but I feel really good!

I borrowed a few of the workouts from a friend before I decided to purchase the whole thing for myself because I wasn’t sure I could do them. But, after tonight, I am encouraged. We’ll see!

heard in the jodi goes primal household at 5:10 a.m.
“I’m going to have to go primal with you!”
spoken by my caveman who got on the scale and continues to see the number head back up to where it was before he got on the “diet” pills…

Please see the picture at the top right of the screen…I will drag him with me eventually!!

Tuesday, March 16th

Breakfast – 1 cup Coffee w/Xylitol and Heavy Cream; 1/2 cup Coffee with Coconut Milk Creamer

Snack – 2 oz. beef jerky

Lunch – Sushi (Dr. Keaty roll – crabmeat, jalopeno, masago wrapped with baked salmon and topped with red tobiko…not sure what the numbers are for this, but sooo sooo good and not typical sushi…no rice!)

Dinner – Turkey (I actually ate a piece I never eat…a leg with all the skin, still freaking about the tendons and veiny bits *shudder*) and 1/3 sweet potato w/a pat of butter

Snack – 1 oz dessicated coconut, 1 oz pecans, 2 dates (damn dates!!!!)

Estimated Numbers (because of sushi):

Total Calories/Fat/Protein/Carbs

1647/102.9g/101.9g/74.9

Percentages: F56%/P26%/C18%

Exercise:  My right knee is bothering me (supposed to do stepping) so going to do sit ups and push ups tonight and wait and try to do stepping or maybe walking instead tomorrow night.

Monday:

Breakfast – coffee with coconut milk creamer, 1 xylitol

Lunch – Grilled steak with steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) tossed with a tablespoon of  Balsamic and Italian Herbs Olive Oil Dipping sauce (a new find and oh so good), Frozen banana, Lemon-Ginger Tea

Dinner – Ground beef and homemade smoked sausage spaghetti sauce over zucchini ribbons sauteed in butter

Snack – mixed about 1/8 cup coconut milk, 1 oz pecans, 1 oz coconut flakes (unsweetened) and some melted dark chocolate pieces together and ate with a spoon (had to share with my husband).

Fit Day Numbers:

1442 calories, Fat 64% (106g) , Protein 17% (62.5g), Carbs 19% (70.9g) – yeah not enough protein and too many carbs (would be perfect without the banana).  I think I figured out that I need about 112g protein, so definitely need to up the protein.

Exercise:

Push/Press – 12 reps @ 20lbs x3

Sumo Squats – 12 reps @ 10lbs x3

Planks – 6 holding for 20 seconds each

So I busted it on my first attempt at Whole 30. I am weak, but determined so I’ll keep doing it until I complete a Whole 30, then I’ll do it again.

The positives:
No alcohol
No sugar
No processed foods
Long lasting insulin intake cut by about 30%, no more Metformin
I rarely eat out of boredom anymore (no more constant visits to the fridge or cabinets, looking for something to graze on)

The negatives:
Coffee
Splenda (1 a day in my one cup of coffee)
Heavy cream (1 oz a day in my one cup of coffee, until I bought the Coconut Milk Creamer Melissa suggested)
Small amounts of honey
More and more cheats allowing grains and legumes in

I see why I need to do 30 days of absolute Whole 30, because when you let something in, you eventually begin to let more and more in. First it was 4 tortilla chips. Then, I let the honey in, next thing you know, I had a few peanuts. Then yesterday some crunchy peanut butter on my celery. Last night, I ate a piece of fish with some breading.

I sometimes get discouraged, especially when I read forum posts where others complain or comment about people who just don’t get it. It seems like it so easy for some people. Grains and processed food are bad for you so you just don’t do it. I guess I am not to that point. I kinda stopped posting in my journal in the main forum I visit because of that. My journal contains comments about how hard it is to walk away from the oreos in my cabinet. Kinda makes me feel not worthy to be on that forum yet.

But, I am not focusing on the negatives. I am focusing on the fact that I’m eating more than 90% primal, that I continue to exercise (enough to the point that I am on the verge of buying the P90X program.) I started talking to my brother about it and he is going to get it and we are going to start at the same time and motivate each other. I’m getting stronger. I started with wall push-ups and can now do 30 girl push-ups on the floor. I am up to 6 planks (holding for 20 seconds each). I could barely lift my body for one before I started exercising. I still can’t do a pull-up, but I will.

The changes I am making are life changes and I know my food intake and cravings will get in line soon, so I am not stressing.

My body is changing. I see it a little in my face. Most of the weight I am losing now is from my butt, boobs and back. The fat on my belly is kind of shifting all to the front, which means I’m getting narrower. I haven’t re-measured yet, but I can see it anyway. It is visible in the way my clothes fit and other people are noticing too.

I’m just going to keep on keeping on. Now, I need to get off this computer so that I can go out and sit in the gorgeous sunshine we got going on! Hopefully that will help clear up this sore throat and sinusy stuff I got going on right now!