Back on the horse! Let's talk substitutions

Ok, so I royally messed up but now I'm back on the paleo horse... working out... eating delicious clean foods... and getting back on track. YAY!  I've also started writing for frugivoremag.com in an attempt to spread my paleo seed all over the planet! (as gross as that sounds)

Today I thought I'd talk a little about substitutions.  Everywhere I look I see it.  Paleo banana bread, paleo cookies, paleo ice cream, paleo pizzas, paleo beer... just kidding about the last one (p.s. hate to burst your bubble but gluten free is not paleo, it's made with buckwheat and a special brewers yeast... still grains).  And I think it's funny because the whole point of paleo is to be eating what our ancestors ate and I seriously doubt they were eating paleo cookies... seriously doubt it.

I hear your argument... I can hear it in my head right now... "but it's better than actual cookies."  Hmm, is it? How so?  I'd be curious to hear how you justify it.  Because there isn't any gluten or wheat or dairy or soy and it falls under all the "rules" of paleo?  Right, yeah.  But what is the point of paleo?  Let's talk about sugar.

If you are at your goal weight... and you're no longer addicted to sugar... and you cheat maybe once a month... and you can deadlift exactly what you want and you are supplement and disease free.. I see no issue with substitutions.  But if you're trying to lose weight and kick the sugar, then no substitutions.  NO SUBSTITUTIONS.

I'm not saying you can't do it at all but I can say in my 30 days the only two subs I had were coconut milk and almond butter.  The point is to kick the sugar and carb addiction and if you're eating a bowl of "paleo" ice cream every night chances are you aren't doing that.  Not to mention you are setting yourself up to cheat.  If you're a first timer to paleo I recommend staying away from the subs until you're more advanced.  Like until you know you can control it.  I had this trainer named Corey who was a badass and she would buy a brownie... it would literally take her an entire month to eat it.  She had self-control like I've never seen.  I learned the one bite and let it go method from watching her.  Like after a night of drinking a fifth of vodka we got hotdogs and Corey still ate hers without a bun (although I argue that because I threw my hotdog up out of a moving cab that mine didn't count either).  But we are talking about someone who had been doing this a long time.  Subs are dangerous for first timers.  Subs can lead to cheats.  You need to just get it in your head that food is fuel right now and you need to eat only what you need because for your whole life you were eating what you wanted.  That's why you're fat and disgusting.  So stop it.

Yep...I messed it ALL up...

Ugh the entire 30 days of straight Paleo almost a complete waste...yep that's right because I followed it up with almost 30 days of complete crap..and not working out on top of it...and so what happened you asked? I am not sleeping well..I've gotten a little fatter, slower, more bitchy and less positive.  Tomorrow I turn 28 and I ask myself how far am I really from where I was 3 years ago?  Because there are fundamental psychological things that I still have yet to change...

1. I am bad with money

This is a lesson I am learning the hard way.  It is also my #1 excuse for when I cheat.  It is cheaper and more available to go to wendy's.  Plus its still delicious to me and probably always will be.  Then I get in a cycle..and I can't get out.  The truth is paleo is not my budget problem and when I sat down and actually looked at my finances and then went to the store and started shopping smarter I can manage.  Duh.  Yeah almond meal is $12 a pound.  But chicken and veggies? Super cheap.  Knocking out the substitutions is the best thing I ever did.

2. I love instant gratification

If it looks delicious and I'm not be held hostage by a 30 day paleo promise? I WILL eat it..and eat a lot of it. Its something I've dealt with my whole life.  I am always afraid if I don't partake in something I'll be missing out.  It also believe it or not has a direct impact on #1..jeez go figure all of this stuff is related.

3. I don't have time

Recently my boss did an exercise in time management.  It truly was amazing.  There are 168 hours in a week. Go through you're actual schedule including everything you can think of and I promise you, you will have at least 2 hours left over to make your food.  The killer? Get up an hour earlier to workout/prepare for the day and see what happens.

These are really the biggest problems for me and I have been avoiding them for a while.  Now I'm tackling them head on.  I am tired of failing or succeeding and then failing.  Its time to make some serious changes for myself.  I am back on paleo and I'm also working on intermittent fasting ie. eating all my calories for the day in a 7 hour period.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Tomorrow when I turn 28 (i'm stopping counting after this one by the way)  I will no without a doubt that I'm better off than I was because I have the knowledge and the tools to be successful.  I have realized where my weaknesses lie and now I'm ready to destroy them!  Come on! It'll be fun...

Yes I'm awful and the worst blogger in history....but here it is

I realize that I finished my 30 days of Paleo almost 30 days ago.  Like I get it and you all have been waiting on pins and needles I'm sure.  To be honest with you I have been doing not such a great job since then.  I have been eating ridiculous nonsense, not working out, and being a total loser.  There are several reasons (excuses) for this.
1. I work literally like 75 hours a week and barely have time to grocery shop much less cook my food.  I could get up early and do it and work out but I struggle to wake up early because my diet is so bad and I haven't been sleeping well.  Yep, duh.

2.  I have been super broke adjusting to just working one job and I'm not kidding when I say I have had to eat on $20 for an entire week.  Yep, michaelina's lean meals are .88.  Judge away trust me I am paying the price. 

Because of my weakness as a human being and my horrible decisions I am feeling it this week.  I feel horrible, I actually have allergies, and ps right after I went off Paleo I got a horrible stomach virus and threw up for 2 days straight.  I know.. duh.

All this has shown me is of course it works but obviously you have to stick with it.  And trust me my little babies I am getting back on the horse.  Hopefully this shows you that I am not perfect, I do trip up, and I pay the price.  But don't worry...as long as you get back on it you can reverse the damage.  The problem is sticking to it when life gets in the way.  duh.

So here are my pictures.  No video because I couldn't get my imovie to do anything.  But at least you can see that I actually have done something.  These are from before I EVER started paleo to now.  Here's the proof folks.