Getting back in the saddle

I know it's been a while since I've posted on here. Work has been really really crazy lately. I finally decided what I needed to do. I put my big girl panties on and really started primal. And oh my has it been an adventure this week. Since Tuesday I have lost 6.1 pounds. I can't believe that this happened so quickly. It really has amazed me how easy this can be. Now mind you I do have carb flu right now. I don't really care for the constant headache but the diet is totally worth it. I have noticed that I have my circulation back. My husband is so thrilled! I find myself getting hot during the day. A friend of mine told me to expect this since it's my body using my fat stores to fuel my body. I may have to get a cheap fan for work lol.

Day 3

Yesterday was the start of my work week after 4 glorious days off! Going to work and being primal does present some challenges. For 1 I no longer have the time to be able to cook whatever I would like to take with me the next day as most days I come home completely exhausted. Secondly our fridge at work always winds up looking like a toxic waste land and I would rather not put anything in there for fear of it being eatten by the green mound of stuff in the back right corner. Since we had no left overs from the night before, DDH and I both had the cup of ramen soup for lunch. Carbs in a cup...blah. I did however sneak in some raw bell peppers to snack on early in the morning so I'm hoping that it offset the Carb count.

Last night for supper, we had Shake-N-Bake chicken breasts along with Mac & Cheese and steamed veggies. Yay more carbs! I must have some sort of food allergy because when I do carbs before bed I wake up with my sinuses stopped up. Maybe it's just that time of the year since it finally got cold in the deep south. Who knows.

Day 2

The second day didn't go as bad as the first! My DDH (darling diabetic husband) and I started the day off with scrambled eggs with sauted mushrooms and home made hamburger steaks. Since we got such a late start yesterday morning we just did brunch instead of breakfast. That kept me pretty full for a while. Later on in the day, I started feeling the Carb cravings. So what do I do?! Go make a batch if sugar cookies. Epic fail for me! I mean what was the point of making guac and chopping up bell peppers to snack on?! DDH and I ate all of them! I would love to stop being an enabler at some point.

For dinner last night, we roasted a spaghetti sqaush in the oven and defrosted some of our special meat sauce. This was our last pack in the freezer so we are going to have to make another batch. To go with all that primal goodness? Cheesy gsrlic bread...from a box. If only I could convince DDH that doing this would be good for the both of us. That hasn't happened yet. Maybe I can wear him down. I'll need to try Paleo Comfort Foods to see how is their biscuit recipe.

Easy Smothered Cabbage

So going with the whole "eating cabbage on New Year's Day will bring you money in the new year" theme, I wanted to share my mother's quick and easy way of smothering cabbage. It's more of a saute really but since it's already cut down into small strips it just tastes like smothered.

1 bag of Dole Classic Coleslaw in a bag (yes the one with the carrots)
Up to 1/2 stick of butter (suited to taste really)
1/2 - 1 cup of trinity (onions, bell peppers, garlic)
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt some of the butter in a very large skillet or a Dutch oven. You can use as much as you like as long as you reserve some for later. Saute the trinity until the onions become tanslucent and the bell peppers are softened. Being from south Louisiana we do it all at one time but please do as you would prefer. Add to the mixture your bag of coleslaw mix. We prefer the one without the purple cabbage. You will need to add more butter to coat the mixture as it reduces. Taste often! Once the mixture has reduced, then salt and pepper to taste. We like to use a seasoning blend called Tony Casherie's but anything that gives it that last kick is good enough.

Enjoy with friends and family!

Day 1 Continued

I started the day off to a good start. For lunch I had a big ass salad with oil dressing, a bite of black eyed peas and smothered cabbage. If you don't know about South Louisiana you must have the last 2 for a good new year. I felt good for a while then the carb cravings came back. So I made some guacamole for my husband and chopped up some bell peppers for me to snack on. I've never been a fan of the mushy gold (as my husband likes to call it) but I found I could handle it if I used the bell peppers.

The downward slope started when I found that we had hummus in the fridge. So I snuck a few bites and instantly started to feel it. You know that feeling, like gum stuck in your gut. I thought to myself that this is very bad! How can I feel this pain/pressure in my gut just on day 1 of going paleo?! It shouldn't be possible! So I listened to my stomach and gave it up ASAP!

Later on in the evening, the real true hunger started. I think it was because up to that point I have yet to have any decent amount of protein. And that with the beginning of my demise. A cheeseburger with french french fries called my name. Along with the Cajun penecillin...GUMBO! And with this gumbo you can't possibly forget the rice and potato salad. Needless to say I was super sleepy by the time I got home and got up this morning with a Carb hangover. What a way to start the new year. Maybe I need to get into this a little more slowly than I thought. Someone point me to the kiddie pool please!

Day 1

Wow! Another year, another New Year's resolution!

A little background information about myself. I'm a 33 year old happily married south Louisiana girl with PCOS. Needless to say I'm not one of the lucky thin "cysters". I have been over weight almost my entire life and do not know what a day is like without having pain from carrying such a heavy burden. This past year I finally went on too many medications to regulate all the side effects and am need of a drastic change in my lifestyle. I just can't see living the rest of my life popping pills. As for dieting, I've been there and done it all...sometimes even have gotten lovely t-shirts (extra large that don't fit mind you).

I have been looking into going Primal or Paleo for about 4 months now. To me this just makes sense! I have this gut feeling (or so the constant bloated feeling tells me) that I'm just killing myself with the amount of junk that I consume. So here I begin, hopeful to avoid the Carb flu. Ever hopeful that my life will be longer. Constant vigilance!

So easy to say on day 1. My first goal (of the so many I will be setting this year) is to fit into my size 22 jeans. I used to love those jeans! No stretchy material in them. No give, no take. Oh jeans...how I have missed thee!