14th October - Day 21 - MEGA SLIP HANGOVER!

I've somehow lost a day!?

I'm not amending every entry so apologies!

So how am I feeling today after yesterday's mega slip?

Tired.  Had to drag myself out of bed.

Stomach not bad so far (touch wood!)

Tired.

Zits!

Tired.

Breakfast - Savoury Paleo Muffin (I added chilli flakes and cheese though :)) I also need a deeper muffin tin as the paper cases were deeper than the tin and when I added the egg they splurged a bit!  Also, not so much chill next time!  Also the muffins stuck to the paper so might need different cases.

Lunch - Paleo sushi (quinoa cooked and mixed with sushi vinegar, filled with red pepper and anchovies, wrapped in nori.

Dinner - Zoodles and meatballs from Nom Nom Paleo (but using my own sauce of fried onion, garlic, apple, celery, red pepper, mushroom, cooked with chopped tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper, chilli powder, squirt of ketchup - all blitzed and then whole olives added.

Snacks - Strawberries x 4 with flaked almonds and natural yoghurt.

After the first 4 lbs I haven't lost any more weight though I've had compliments :)
I think I need to eat more mindfully and slowly to prevent overeating and mindless eating as well as watch the banana intake, the dairy intake and the cheating!!!

Also exercise more.  I'm generally quite active in the house, walk a fair bit and carry shopping home from the supermarket but I could do some of Mark's workouts too!

8th October - Day 16 - Paleo nut bars! :P

Breakfast - Paleo Nut Bars

Lunch - Crispy Bacon (place on a wire rack and cook at gas mark 4 for about 25 minutes) and Guacamole.

Dinner - Fishcakes (cod, parsnip, onions, cheese, egg) with veg.

My migraine, period pains and PMS have not been as severe this month... coincidence?

1st October - day 9 - Migraine and Paleo Pancakes UK recipe

MIGRAINE!  However it wasn't severe enough to require medication :)  Dissipated after a good night's sleep.

Breakfast - sweet paleo pancakes (plain) UK measurements!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 x Banana
Vanilla Essence
Nut butter (I used almond butter which can be bought at Holland and Barratt)
1 x Egg
Pinch Cinnamon
Pinch Black Pepper
Fat for frying (unsalted butter or coconut butter are good)

Mash the banana, mix in the nut butter, spices and vanilla.  Whisk the egg in another dish before mixing that in too.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, pour out the batter in about 3 large splodges.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden then flip and do the other side.

Serve with fresh fruit or 100% fruit jam or maple syrup or honey.  Or just eat them plain.

Lunch - Cold cooked beef filled with cottage cheese & basil with cucumber.

Dinner - Mashed butternut squash with butter and black pepper, peas, tomato, minted lamb burger from local butcher.

Snacks - crisps, Leerdammer slice,

24th September (Day 2) - Energy Crash!

Day 2 and no stomach problems as of tea time yesterday.

Breakfast - Mango, unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

Lunch - I improvised an apple egg pudding with cinnamon and honey.  It was gross but I ate it anyway :(

Dinner - 2 x sausages, carrots, peas.

Snacks - 2 x handfuls of nuts (at different points in the day, coconut macaroon, piece of Wensleydale cheese, banana.

My energy levels were fine until after lunch when I had a MAJOR energy crash!  I think I need to remember to snack.  I had a banana and a coconut macaroon and started to feel better.  After dinner I felt fine.  I guess that's carb cold turkey!

I also learned that it's okay to eat a little bit of dark chocolate... WIN! :)

23rd September - Day 1 and coconut macaroon recipe

Last night I binged a bit because it was my 'last night' of conventional eating!  No surprise then that I had stomach issues and couldn't sleep...

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with red pepper cooked in butter with frozen peas (cooked of course!)

Lunch - Tuna mayonnaise with basil plus mixed salad greens and cucumber.

Dinner - Lambs leg steak (fried), boiled beetroot, sprouts and carrots.

Snacks - 1 banana, 1 coconut macaroon (recipe found in 'Paleo for Beginners: Essentials to get Started' published by Rockridge Press or there is a similar alternative here.

Despite my new eating plan going okay my stomach is still playing up :(

Hello Paleo!

In an attempt to combat my various health problems I've decided to go Paleo and keep a track of my progress here.

This is me 14 days in :)

I used Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint as a starting point and am now 20 days in.  I've lost about 4lbs so far but, more than that, am looking better, more well constructed I guess, and people have noticed!

I also have much better energy levels, more satisfying sleep, fewer aches and pains and generally feel far healthier.

I've also had lessened frequency and severity of mood swings and migraines associated with the hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS.

Can't say if it's helped my stomach yet (gastric reflux) as I have been on Omeprazole prescription which is quite effective at preventing attacks.  I have been weaning myself off the tablets as suggested by my doctor so I'll monitor the situation.

I'll add details of my progress and recipes, I've tweaked some Paleo recipes to suit me better as well as tweaking some 'civilian' recipes to be more Paleo.

I'm not super strict.  There's no point being miserable, and I don't think I have too much of a problem with dairy!  Also who can afford grass fed meat and local organic veg very often!?

I also want to try other means of sorting out my acne and plan to try cleansing with oils and steaming, and food supplements such as brewers yeast and cod liver oil.

I'm also currently researching Mastic Gum if my reflux returns!

So that's the size of it, we'll see how it goes.

Holly x