A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Part 4 - the power of habits

Habits are an important part on any journey. 

We are all creatures of habits whether we are aware of it or not. Driving is a product of habit. Habits are formed by continuous repetition.

When embarking on a new journey, we might need to learn or acquire new habits. For instance, over the years, you might be gaining weight, then you need to change habits if you want to start losing weight.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Albert Einstein

Weight Watchers know it and they work a lot on changing eating habits through their program. Once you lose the weight, you might need to change your eating habits again. Many people fail and regain weight because they don't actually go the extra mile and change their habits. They still have the same relationship with food. They eat when stressed, bored, excited, happy, or participate in social eating. In order to successfully keep the weight off, you need to change your eating habits completely.

According to research, it takes 6 weeks to change habits, until they become your new habits. During this time (don't get discouraged if 6 weeks are not enough, some habits might take longer), you might have slips as old habits might be hard to overcome. Use these slips as learning opportunities. As we discussed in a past blog post on this series, each mistake is just a learning opportunity. Embrace it, analyze it and make a specific plan for the next time you encounter a snag.

To learn more about the power of habits read Charles Duhigg's excellent book, The Power of Habit.

Source: http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/ 

A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Part 3 - setting short term and long term goals

Goal setting is an important step on any journey. Setting goals puts you on the path you choose to walk. It is not enough to just state your goal or goals.  
They key word for goal setting is: SMART.

Specific 
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time bound

Specific - In order for goals to be effective, the goal needs to be detailed. A short and concise sentence will work for this purpose. Make sure to avoid general statements like "I want to be thin." Instead, start your goal with something like "I want to lose x pounds in y time." This might change once you move forward on your journey; you can always readjust the goal. 

Measurable - The goal needs to be measurable. It is not enough to say "I will lose weight" or "I will start a business", you need to quantify you goal, this helps in making the goal more specific. In the case of losing weight, how much do you want to lose? 

Attainable - Your goal also needs to be realistic. You cannot expect to lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks, your goal needs to be attainable. Losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks isn't realistic for most people, and even if it happens it is most likely due to water loss. Do your research to make sure your goal is attainable and reasonable for what you are trying to achieve. 

Relevant - Although it seems obvious, your goal needs to be relevant to what you are trying to accomplish. This is a good time to figure out the "why" behind losing weight, if that is your goal .

Time bound - And last but not least, your goal needs to have a time frame. Don't leave an open loop, even if you need to extend the time frame later, you still can, but you need to set a reasonable time frame to attain your goal. 

Once you start working towards your goal, things can change and you might need to adjust your goal or some parts of it, but start with a stated goal and always make sure your goals are SMART. 

Here's a series of videos from the father of life coaching Tony Robbins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H2uNIChYtQ 

Favorite go-to short ribs recipe

The day before we indulge in lots of white meat, I changed things up and made grass-fed‪‬ short ribs in an Instant Pot. My favorite go-to recipe is from Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/…/pressure-cooker-porcini-and-tomato…

Real Salt makes a huge difference in punching of the flavor

Happy Thanksgiving!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Part 2 - Mistake are a learning opportunity

Once you start going step by step, you learn many things along the way. Knowledge is power. You need to learn your field -- whether it's business, health or even parenting.

Once you have knowledge you need to start using it.

If it is health related, for example, you learn that grains or sugar are not good for you, eliminate them and see how you feel. This is firsthand powerful knowledge.

Set up a plan and know that plans will often change, surprises will happen. Using the example of my friend (from previous post) who lost weight. She had a meal plan for the day, for the week. She had social events and needed to improvise. Experience thought her how to deal with changes in her plan. Mistakes or pitfalls are just learning opportunities and there is no need to get discouraged. The best thing is to anticipate that things will not always go exactly as planned and figure out how to do better next time.

My favorite parenting book is Positive Discipline by Jane Neslen, she teaches to acknowledge mistakes, reconcile and resolve them.

THE THREE Rs OF RECOVERY FROM MISTAKES 1. Recognize‐‐ “Wow! I made a mistake.” 2. Reconcile‐‐ “I apologize.” 3. Resolve‐‐ “Let’s work on a solution together.”

Read: http://www.positivediscipline.com/files/MISTAKES_ARE_WONDERFUL_OPPORTUNITIES_TO_LEARN.pdf

A real victory is when you notice yourself not repeating old mistakes and being able to avoid snags. It doesn't happen over night, but with time you learn to say "okay, I made a mistake, here is how I'll do it differently next time."

Our friend Diane Sanfilippo over at Balanced Bites has wise things to say about setbacks and failures: http://balancedbites.com/monday-motivation-setbacks-failures/ 

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Part 1

I often get asked "How do I get started?" Whether related to starting a business or making a diet change, the answer is still the same.

YOU TAKE A STEP, or as Nike puts it "Just Do It!"



https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/headshrinkers-guide-the-galaxy/201207/just-do-it

Whenever we want to make a change or start something new, fear is often a factor. There are many unknowns. What should I do? How do I start?

From my experience, the answer is just do something. One of my friends has gained a lot of weight over the years. The reasons are not important. She chose a wholesome weight loss diet plan and followed it. One step at a time. She had 60 lbs to drop. They dropped off slowly. Sometimes 2 lbs a week, other times 4 lbs a week, and some weeks showed no progress at all. However, she stuck with the program and as weeks turned into months, these few pounds turned from 10 lbs into 20 lbs, then 30 lbs and more. After about 7 months, she dropped 60 lbs and loved looking in the mirror again. She felt great. She learned on her journey that overthinking was tiresome, stressful and discouraging.

I believe that what helped her was focusing on the present. One step/meal at a time, one day at a time.

The first card in the Tarot deck is The Fool card. When starting a journey we all want to get somewhere. We have fears. We don't know what awaits us. We don't know the hardship ahead of us. We might fear different things, but we must take one step at a time and navigate the terrain. There is no other way. Step by step.


http://kathryn.mnsi.net/major/major.html 

Halloween

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. Here are my thoughts on upcoming holiday.

Why do we celebrate Halloween?

Halloween is a fun holiday. We dress up and go trick or treating. Some kids and adults wait a whole year for this day. It's an opportunity to unleash your creativity, but it is also a day when kids collect an enormous amount of candy, which can become a struggle for weeks and even months after the holiday. There are many healthified recipes for treats that might be an option for some, but we prefer to avoid this option.

What will you do this Halloween?

http://www.beyondhealthnews.com/wpnews/index.php/2015/10/the-scary-ingredient-in-halloween-candy/


Source: http://www.dietdoctor.com/convince-kid-eat-candy

Weight Loss In America The Definition of Insanity

Dr. Barbara Berkeley specializes in the care of overweight and obese patients since 1988. She recently had an interesting blog post on the topic of how weight loss advice in America has been promoting the same concept of calories in vs. calories out, exercise and of course, the good old low fat. 

"Insanity: A good diet is one in which we eat everything in moderation  Belief: There is no such thing as being moderate in a world full of addictive foods.  Can a cocaine addict be moderate in a crack den?   We have all been addicted by breads, cookies, sugar, pasta and other carbs.  Forget moderation.  You're living in a tsunami."

What do you think? 


Read more: http://www.refusetoregain.com/2015/06/weight-loss-in-america-the-definition-of-insanity.html 

Whole 30 Day 30 - Accomplishments and thoughts about the future

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. This is my final post about by experience!

Accomplishments:

1. I stopped snacking between meals, mainly between lunch and dinner. 
2. I have more control over what I eat. I actually choose what and when to eat, more often than not. Once in a while I still give in and munch on nuts, but the frequency is decreasing. I am not tempted by available/free food at social gatherings. I am more conscious of the unclean ingredients even in salads (like tuna salad is probably made with cheap mayo loaded with soy oil, or standard salad dressing is loaded with sugar and highly processed ingredients). 
3. I finally started to get a grip on what and how much to eat so that I feel satiated. 
4. My skin cleared up, almost completely. Before I started the Whole 30, I had a bad breakout on my chin (my oily area). Had another breakout while that one was disappearing but it was smaller and I immediately treated it with sulfur cream. It is now almost gone and I hope not to have any new ones any time soon.

What I would like to change next 

I would like to focus on the wanting/needed to eat "something" right after I finish my lunch. This is when in the past, I got into the habit of having chocolate and/or nuts as part of my lunch. I thought I will trick myself if I incorporate it in my lunch so I don't feel like snacking in the afternoon. But it is not exactly a nutritional must since I can get my nutrients from my actual food. 

I am still not sure how to handle this one but I will give it a thought.

Since I am very happy with this food template, I only have 2 items to question:
1. Should I go back to eating dairy? What and how much?
2. Should I go back to eating chocolate?

My current thought is that I would like to eat dairy, but in limited quantity. For example, I really like to take 2tbs of Heavy Whipping cream in my coffee, at least once a day. I am not crazy about coconut milk.

I am really happy I plunged in and did this. It isn't as hard as it seems, especially if you are already eating clean.

If you are even entertaining the slightest thought of trying it out, I highly recommend it. Give it a shot! Give yourself 30 days of clean eating and see how it affects you.
It's only 30 days -- you can do anything for just 1 month!

Whole 30 Day 29 - Big satisfying breakfast and avoiding social eating

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I can't believe 29 days passed already. It was a piece of cake!
It turned out to be not so hard to eat a clean diet.

I was at a social event yesterday, at noon, and they served a very nice catered lunch with hummus, salads, falafel, bread of course, puffs, muffins, brownies, cut veggies, cut fruit, dates......etc. There was absolutely no protein (unless you count the falafel and hummus as protein, although nutritionally they are not complete proteins as they lack some of the essential amino acids).

I was a bit distracted, but I was still full from my breakfast. I had the thought of having just cucumbers, but then reminded myself that I was not really hungry and it was not time for my lunch. So I just kept drinking tea. I went home and had my lunch when I was hungry. I did take 2 muffins and brownies for my kids..... wouldn't want them to throw everything away. ;-)

Today for breakfast I had Turkey Bacon, smoked salmon, strawberries, scrambled eggs and cherry tomatoes. YUMMY!!!!! I was full for hours! No wonder I wasn't hungry at the social event. But I learned a lesson about paying attention to WHY I want to eat something.

Stay tuned to my thoughts and accomplishments tomorrow on my last day of the Whole 30.

Whole 30 Day 28 - Really Easy, slight weight loss

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I am feeling very positive today.

I have seen people on the Whole 30 forum struggling towards the end, but for me it has been a great experience. The further I get into the program the better I am feeling. It is becoming easier, to a point where I'm thinking to stick with it for life.

To make it even better, the scale is showing 2lbs less today!

I am sticking with my simple staple, my favorite chicken and beef sliders back from June. Yes, I am making them again!

http://blog.grassfedjerkychews.com/2015/06/21dsd-day-2-easy-chicken-and-beef.html 

Since I know my kids won't eat them (deep sigh!) I will make these chicken fingers for them:
http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/poultry/coconut-chicken-fingers/

I will probably replace the coconut flakes and cashew flour with almond meal.

Whole 30 Day 27 - I've got the hang of it....Salmon Cakes

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I'm afraid I am becoming boring. At first I was struggling with snacking and thought of what to eat. But now that I am nearing the end of the program, I am really getting better. Snacking is becoming less and less of an issue. I am not worried about what to eat.

Today I went for some fish. One of my favorite recipes are from our friend Diane Sanfilippo which Sophia blogged about back in June when she was doing her 21 Day Sugar Detox.

http://blog.grassfedjerkychews.com/2015/06/21dsd-day-16-weight-lifting-my.html 

It's a simple yummy recipe and super filling.

Whole 30 Day 26 - It's really simple

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

All this time, I didn't mention that I was following the Whole 30 forum. I didn't post, but I have been reading posts.
http://forum.whole9life.com/ 

When I first started, I read a lot. I looked at Nom Nom Paleo and the Whole 30 Forum as I wanted to learn from others. But now when I am almost nearing the end of 30 days, I realize there's nothing to it. It's just really simple eating. I don't need to make it complicated. All I need to do is eat real food. I don't need recipes, shopping lists, approved items. Once you absorb the program guidelines, they become second nature.

I realized I'd rather spend money on Grass Fed Jerky Chews than on buying nuts, nut butters, different oils, bars and foods with LABELS that say Paleo or WHATEVER marketing jargon that's to persuade you to try overly processed options that don't remotely resemble real food.

With Grass Fed Jerky Chews the label is SUPER simple. My favorite Original flavor has only 3 ingredients, and made sans sugar and soy! That's unheard of and probably cannot be found in that many stores.

I am not saying it because I am biased. I just fell in love with the product. Initially I ordered few bags just so I had something with me for a long flight, but with time I grew to love it more and more.

Whole 30 Day 25 - Still working on forming new habits.....

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I am finding the sliders very filling. But to my disappointment my kids don't like them.
So I had to cook something else today just so the young generation is fed.

I made chicken breasts in a slow cooker as I was feeling rather lazy after all that frying yesterday. I seasoned meat with salt, put in slow cooker with Imagine chicken broth and homemade BBQ sauce (recipe from It Starts With Food or Nom Nom Paleo) and cooked on high for about 8.5-9 hours. Then I just shredded using 2 forks. It is yummy. My new favorite.

I also have this recipe that I intend to make some other day http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/poultry/best-bbq-crock-pot-chicken/ 

I also read the book, Fit2Fat2Fit by Drew Manning. Got this little book on buck book sale a while back and only got to it now. It was a quick read. This guy, a health and fitness nut and personal trainer did an experiment for a year. He decided to take 6 months to stop exercising and eat a Standard American diet, then 6 month to get back into shape. He gained 75lbs. 

One of the key takes from his book (and weight loss registry) is that you need a supporting community in order to successfully drop weight and maintain. It really resonates with me. When I was on Medifast I did really well when I blogged daily and participated in online discussions on the MF board. Supporting others and getting support from others was a life-saver for me. I knew I wasn't alone. Somehow I didn't get this feeling when I was on Weight Watchers back in 2007. 

Another key point from this little book is that you do need a certain amount of discipline and dedication. Only one meal at a time. One choice at a time. Not even a day. Just this minute. This step. 

I knew it already from working with coach -- training for a 5k two years ago. I only need to make the right choice at this minute. Not think far into the future.

And it feels great! Looking back is rewarding but looking ahead is daunting and discouraging.

Whole 30 Day 24 - Nothing new other than Sophia's chicken/beef sliders recipe

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I don't know how I forgot the sliders recipe. When Sophia posted it back in June, I was making it every week. But during the last few hot weeks, I didn't feel like frying or even turning on the oven. Now I suddenly remembered the recipe and made a huge batch of these tasty meat sliders. They are super filling and are a great on-the-go food. I can take few of them in a box with me and I don't need to refrigerate or heat them. I can probably throw in some shredded zucchini in there too....

Whole 30 Day 23 - Slight slip but generally getting better

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

Time really flies! This is totally doable as a way of life. I still haven't decided if I will eat dairy after I finish The Whole 30. Should I go back to my Fage 2% or full fat with 1oz nuts for breakfast? Should I do it twice a week or only once? I am not tired of eggs for breakfast but it might get boring after a while. I think this eating plan is ok for me. I will give it a try in a week and see how I feel. I think that once a week will not be problematic for me. 

As I mentioned yesterday, I slipped with pistachios after my breakfast. I was listening to a book on tape and just let myself have a handful of pistachios that somehow grew into two handfuls and then few more. 

I know that it was wrong. They looked at me from the shelf. I should have just closed the door. I shouldn't have looked on that shelf to begin with. I should have just left the kitchen. Looking back, it seems like self sabotage. I would have been better off going out for a walk. 
Which is another thing I really want to focus on. Daily walks. I am completely sedentary. I really need to move. It is not good for my health in any way. I am not aiming currently at running again or even getting back to T-Tapp or Callanetics or even dance workout. My excuse for quitting every workout is boredom. 

After I slipped with pistachios, I had my beef sloppy joe for lunch. 

I had my afternoon decaf coffee without coconut milk and was fine. 
By dinner time, around 7 I was ready to eat but not famished. I had a hard boiled egg, with persian cucumber and yellow bell pepper, 4 Applegate Apple chicken sausages. I was still a little hungry (well, I am not sure if it was hunger or wanting some more food) so I had 1oz of beef jerky (I really like Grass Fed Jerky Chews!) and called it a night with a cup of herbal tea. 

Yes I realize that new habits take time to establish. I am committed and am in the mindset of changing. I think that I always had this pattern of realizing a damaging habit, wanting to change it, making the change few times or just once and then slipping. I have learned that it is normal. A couple years ago I read this book The Power of Habit http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/ and the author does say that people always slip. It is a game of few steps forward few steps back. You want more steps forward than back, and with time the backward steps become less and less. 

I have never been good at setting goals and sticking to them. I actually do much worse when I set goals. But what works for me is just having a mindset. I also like to be different. So if I see others doing the same thing, it motivates me to stop doing it..... ;-) I like to be different. 

So here it is. Everybody snacks. I don't want to do it. ;-) 

Whole 30 Day 22 - changing snacking mentality

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I was determined and did not snack all day even though I did want to, not out of hunger. Yesterday I had my breakfast around 11 am and knew I wouldn't be hungry for a while. I considered intermittent fasting till dinner. But around 3-4 pm I did not hold up. My head gave in. I settled for a handful of nuts for my lunch. 

Now, in retrospect, it seems like bad logic. It is part of old brain, old bad habit. I don't expect it to go away or change in a day. But I am working on it.

Dinner yesterday was beef sloppy joe with lettuce and Israeli salad. Did not snack at night. 

Today though, I ate pistachios after breakfast. It is like I am rebelling, sensing that I am about to change. But I am determined. It feels better to just eat 3 meals a day. 

No more snacking today.

Whole 30 Day 21 - Thoughts about weight loss

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I started the day with 2 eggs and mushrooms cooked in ghee, and half of small avocado. 

I also cooked 6 hard boiled eggs. Just to have something handy for everybody around here.

I always have a bag of Grass Fed Jerky Chews on hand; in my purse for emergency.

I am not losing weight. Am I eating too much? I am thinking about food too much and yet I am eating a healthy diet. Perhaps my body is just recovering from years of bad eating and bad nutrition?

All I need to do is set some eating boundaries, stop snacking (especially nuts), reduce my meal size, no more eating while watching TV or in front of computer. 

Whole 30 Day 20 - Refuse to Regain thoughts

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

By now I already have the hang of it. I am feeling great, have no cravings and am not really missing anything. Not even dairy or my Fage Greek yogurt that I got used to eating for breakfast on the go. I am not missing the Heavy Whipping Cream in my afternoon coffee. I am not missing the little cream cheese I was eating nor the hard mozzarella cheese. I think I will stay away from them even after I complete Whole 30. It saves money, shortens my shopping list, creates more space in my fridge, eliminates foodification and focus on food. It boils down to - when I have the variety, I eat it. So if I am happy without it, why bother? 
Same logic worked for me with regards to grains. I am enjoying coconut milk in my coffee, so why bother with heavy whipping cream? 

I went back to Barbara Berkeley and the book Refuse to Regain. Chapter 7 was very interesting for me and I read it several times. I like the term S foods (S = sugar, starch). She is basically saying that even whole wheat/grain foods are not real foods as they have been grinded and not in their natural form and it is much better to eat the food in it's natural form (like veggies or meat). Also, they eventually translate into sugar in blood. 

What really resonated with me is her saying, "Experimentation often leads to maintenance disaster because, whatever its source, we can't seem to say no to food that is starchy or sweet." 
This is what basically happened to me gradually during these past 2 years and 15-17lbs. 

She says that S foods are newcomers to the human diet and thus are not essential. I tend to agree. 

I really enjoyed her short review of how our world became so super sweet. It is a short history on how sugar entered into our society and became such a huge industry. Even though I know these things, it was still a good reinforcement to read it again in her language. 

This morning I cooked 2 eggs in 1 tbs ghee with shredded zucchini and mushrooms and 2 Applegate chicken sage sausages. I forgot and didn't need the avocado. Since I was thinking about food while not keeping busy, I had a handful of almonds while watching the figure skating nationals (kids from our rink are competing now). This is something I need to address and change. 

I need a new strategy for dealing with just wanting to eat. I am not hungry, not at all. Yet I allowed myself to eat nuts. 

For lunch, I plan to have the bison sloppy joe I made yesterday with lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper. It is almost noon, I am not hungry and since I just had some nuts, I shouldn't be hungry for a while. I don't want to eat just because it is lunch time. Of course I will need to feed my kids since they are off school. 

I still haven't figured out what to have for dinner. I have leftovers of what I had for lunch and might just eat that. 

I need to lower my food intake if i want to lose weight. Interestingly, I lose weight without effort and tend to eat less when I am busy, moving and active. I've got to change my focus from food to just getting out of the house and stay busy. Gosh, it is hard to be a stay-at-home mom!!!! There are other challenges when both parents are working, but staying home does not come without it's own challenges. 

Whole 30 Day 19 - I am a creature of habit

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

Breakfast - 3 egg omelette for breakfast with a tomato cooked in ghee. 

Lunch - tuna salad, as I didn't have anything ready. It is a fast and easy option. 1 can of tuna in water, 1 hard boiled egg if I have one on hand, heart of palm, pickle, home made mayo (finally finished my first batch). 

I am still set on Pavlovian schedule and had some nuts in the afternoon. I am going to focus on changing this mentality. I think that perhaps my knee jerk mindset for snacking in the afternoon is keeping me in this state of having just something in the afternoon.  

Since I was eating much less fat and protein on Medifast (MF) meal plan, I am afraid that I got used to eating 6 times a day. Now that I eat more fat and protein, I don't need to eat anything between breakfast and lunch, I can't, I am so full after my eggs cooked in ghee and if I eat 1/2 avocado too that keeps me satiated for hours. Lunch is different for some reason. In my mind I have to have something between lunch and dinner, and many times after dinner.

MF mentality. I think that with lunch, I might not have enough fat and/or protein and perhaps I eat too fast. I will start to eat more slowly and see how that works for me.  I am also a creature of habit in the evening. My husband snacks a lot after dinner and it totally triggers me sometimes. I need to create new habits and be conscious. I will work on it and hope to change this habit.

As for dinner yesterday, I made sloppy joe from ground bison. I think I already posted this recipe but just in case you missed it:  
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/sloppy-joes-and-manwich-facts/

I did not use Swerve or Stevia, instead I used about a tbs of organic unsweetened apple sauce. I also added Cacao Nibs. 

I ate it in lettuce leaves. Really tasty! 

Whole 30 Day 18 - Paleofication no thank you

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

Few months ago I realized that all the wonderful Paleo recipes are healthier than the flour ones, but they are all still problematic. At least for me. They might be working for all these wonderful bloggers like Elana's Pantry, Practical Paleo, The Paleo Mom, The Paleo Parents and so on. However, for me, a stay-at-home mom with little time and a family that doesn't want to give up grains and hates the smell of coconut oil, who doesn't exercise and prefers simple and fast food with as little cleaning as possible... cooking like this doesn't work.

I realized that seeing all these recipes in my inbox and FB feed just kept me in an unhealthy food centric mode.

I unsubscribed from ALL the blogs and FB feeds. I cook the same things anyway and enjoy them. I have a good variety and have no complaints. When I want something new, I go to these blogs and search for recipes. It works much better for me. 

Now I really want to figure out how to drop the 15-17 lbs I gained during all the foodification.

I think the key for me would be to get busy. I need to change my focus from food to life. 

I think I got the grip with food. I can and will live like this. No tiramisu is more important than sticking to my healthy weight and not having cravings. I do not need or want any sweets. I am not feeling deprived. I am happy with my Grass Fed Jerky Chews, Thank You!

I learned that I love many healthy foods, like almond butter for example, but I do not feel satisfied after eating just one or two tbs. I don't know how many I need to feel full, but why bother? I would rather chew the almonds. For me, almond butter is foodification. Why is it a Paleo food? Wouldn't our ancestors just eat almonds? It is also cheaper. Why work and make the butter? It's only needed for my kids who have braces or people who cannot chew/bite. 

So I am not going there any more. 

I came across this article/video today, a talk by Michael Pollan, and really got thinking about how important it is to make food myself. It is something I already knew, but just now it is a bit more clear.

http://www.trueactivist.com/mcdonalds-transparency-campaign-backfires-prepare-to-be-shocked/

As to my eating today, it has been again omelette for breakfast. For lunch, I was at a Bat Mizvah and took just a tbs of tuna salad, few slices of cucumber, few capers, blueberries and a strawberry. I came home a little hungry but not terribly and finished my sloppy joe. 

I have this new habit, it seems like after I finish my lunch I am not satisfied. I am not even sure if it is psychological or physical. I just want something more. Where does this emptiness come from? My guess is it comes from not eating enough real food. So I will just eat more meat. 

It is evening, I had a hard boiled egg and Applegate chicken sausage. I still want something to eat but not sure if I am hungry. Am fixing myself chai and will add coconut milk to end the day satisfied. 

Whole 30 Day 17 - Thoughts about foodification

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I started my journey to healthy eating through Medifast. It's funny, my eating transformed.

When I quit smoking 15 years ago, I did not intend to do it. It just happened.
I started Medifast just to support my husband. He ended up not doing it. I did it. Initially I just wanted to lose the weight and then eat whatever I want in moderation. After few months on Medifast, I discovered the online community and through the wonderful people there got into a mindset of health. I got Dr. A's book, Habits of Health and intended to keep his recommended lifestyle. 3 meals and 3 snacks a day, 1/4 plate carbs/starch, preferably whole grain, 1/4 plate protein, 1/2 plate veggies. Medifast meals, or other meal replacement brands for snack on the go, fruit paired with protein.

When I was already at a healthy weight I read Wheat Belly, through one of the recommendations on MF board. I was shocked! I read a little bit more about it -- came across Gary Taubes, then Grain Brain...and only then I heard about Paleo. I really like living without grains. It was hard for me to eat in moderation. Even brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or whole wheat bread and oatmeal. I always wanted to eat more than the measured portion on my plate. Which meant for me, always having to rely on discipline and my will. It works sometimes, but not 100% of the time. 

So I've decided, since I don't miss grains at all, they aren't good for me and it makes life so much easier to just eliminate them from my life. I am not attached to them and already went through withdrawal, so why bother with them? I went through several phases. Breakfast was the most interesting to figure out as lunch and dinner are easy, just eat protein and veggies. Breakfast still was, in my head, a meal that needed grains like oatmeal, muffins, pancakes, waffles.

There are so many recipes out there. Many claim to be healthy; Paleofied and grain-free.

I made many of them. They tasted great, but I could not control my portions. Gradually the weight crept up. Then there where sweets at public events. I allowed myself to have just the cream from the tiramisu. Cravings came immediately. Appetite. Self judgement. Bad mood. Clothes started to fit tight. When I eat protein and veggies, just simple food, my appetite is stable and I feel great. 

In the meanwhile, my day was good. I had my omelette with shredded zucchini and half an avocado. 

For lunch, I had my sloppy joe with cucumber, and snacked on some nuts. Still can't give them up. Drank afternoon decaf coffee with 1tbs of coconut milk. 

For dinner, I had 3 Applegate Chicken Apple patties with roasted tomatoes, eggplant and cauliflower. 

Although the scale is showing the same number, I feel my body shrinking.

Whole 30 Day 16 - Uneventful routine day

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

Another day has gone by. Not very eventful.

I am half way through the program. I can feel my pants getting more comfortable, but more important is that I'm feeling good and positive. 

Made yummy Sloppy Joes today, added cocoa nibs for more flavor.

I really like Maria Emmerich's recipes, here's a great one.
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/sloppy-joes/

Made dinner with a side salad of my favorites: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers.

I got into a routine and I am not very bothered with food anymore.

But if I do want to explore some Whole 30 options, I will go and check out Nom Nom Paleo
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/42057515329/the-round-up-30-days-of-whole30-recipes 
Plenty of options there. 

Whole 30 Day 15 - Thoughts on eating healthy on an ongoing basis

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

When I started writing this blog, I wanted to log in my daily intake. But after 2 weeks I realized that it's pretty boring as I eat pretty similar foods every day, especially breakfast is one or another variety of eggs and veggies.

So instead of listing my food choices for the day, which were pretty similar to yesterday, I will focus today on the social eating aspect. I believe that a big part of over eating and food choices come from our environment.

It can be challenging to keep making good food choices when you are constantly facing temptations. Over the years, I have been on different food templates and I was always able to follow some rules, but only for a limited time. Even after I lost some 60lbs and managed to stay away from everything but meal replacement food, low carb veggies and protein, I was sure I would never be tempted again. Boy, was I wrong. 

Even though I thought "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" when I was looking at that Tiramisu, ice cream, and even recently strawberries at the farmers market, my old brain kicked in. Excuses followed. It's only once, I have to live. I don't want to deprive myself. I will not gain weight from only one time.

But somehow, only one time, ends up in several one times. I lost track. It wasn't a complete disaster, I am still healthy and at healthy weight, but only because I didn't let it spiral down more and probably because I am already following a wholesome Paleo eating template.

So here's what I've learned. No excuses. There's no reward in food. I do not deserve a cake or ice cream. I do not choose it.

When I eat enough meat at my meal, I am full, happy and nothing tempts me. If I am looking at something I know isn't good for me and entertaining the though of having it, it means I didn't eat enough real food.

Here's a suggestion for some real food recipes that can help you at a social gathering. If you bring it with you to share, you will be able to eat something real, as probably all the other choices will not be so great. Or perhaps you're better off just eating a good hearty meal at home?

http://whole30.com/2015/09/tailgating-1/

Whole 30 Day 14 - Exploring snacks

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I was busy all morning, so had my usual eggs with avocado and veggies at noon.  Had some raspberries. Snacked a bit during the day on some nuts, coconut butter and coconut flakes, had tea with almond milk. 

For dinner, leftover chicken, steamed cauliflower and broccoli with my fresh made BBQ sauce (made a new batch quickly yesterday for dinner).

I am feeling pretty good. This is totally sustainable way of living for me. I am not missing anything. Chocolate is not included in Whole 30, but once I finish the 30 days, I will try 100% chocolate. Not the one used for baking, it is very bitter. Here are a few brands I have tried before going on the program, and since they are not sweet, I tend to eat just a square or 2 to satisfy my chocolate craving. 

Francois Pralus Le 100% Criollo, The Grenada Chocolate and Domori. The last one is not my favorite but the first two are great. The only problem is that they are pricey! Nearly $10 each!

My favorite treat is beef jerky from Sophia's Survival Food. 

I wish I was not on the run so much.... :-) but that's how life is these days. 

Before I started the Whole 30, my most common snack on the go was Quest bar, they were convenient and cheaper, but seems like I am doing much better without them. No acne and cravings. I think that after I complete Whole 30, I will not go back to them and just stick with Grass Fed Jerky Chews. 

Whole 30 Day 13 - Nutritional self education

Hi all,

This is Rina. I have been working with Sophia for the past 6 months trying to spread the word about the wonderful Grass Fed Jerky Chews. I have been eating a pretty clean Paleo/Low Carb diet for the past few years, but still decided to jump right in and try the Whole 30. I'll be blogging daily about my experience for the next 30 days.

I am feeling pretty good today.

Watched some good lectures on YouTube on The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate living. A short lecture by Dr. Stephen Pinney was really useful and practical http://youtu.be/2KYYnEAYCGk and another lecture by Jimmy Moore, who talked frankly about his own weight gain and common mistakes while on Low Carb.

It's a long lecture and I am watching it in segments http://youtu.be/sXbV0gxRfPo

I had my two eggs with avocado and cucumber for breakfast, but then I made a mistake and let myself scarf down almonds with cashews. I didn't measure. I think it was around 2-3 oz of nuts. No more nuts for me. I have to get myself busy and out of the house. 

I am pretty full though, from all those nuts. Skipped lunch. Was pretty full till 7 pm. 

Had chicken strips cooked in coconut aminos and spiced with some salt & pepper and leftover steamed broccoli with zucchini cooked in tomato paste, mushrooms and greens. Left me feeling full. 

I was very thirsty all afternoon and am still pretty thirsty. Drinking PLENTY of water.

One more day. I am not missing dairy at all.

Note to self - need to eliminate nuts. They are a trigger food and thus dangerous for me.