I found my tribe: A journey through nutrition and fitness.

Beer goggles

2011-05-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

I spent a week celebrating birthdays and ate lots of sugar and gluten. There were cakes, beer, donuts, all the stuff I had stopped eating because it was healthier to go without it. I gave myself "permission" to cheat, eat stuff I hadn't in months. I justified it by saying, "it's a birthday and I get 20%, why not?"

After a week, I was miserable. Insomnia, acne, aches, fatigue and other symptoms plagued me. These were the things I dealt with before I changed my diet. And there was no way for me to minimize, justify, or rationalize how my cheats were ok. I couldn't do it, I was that miserable. I knew it was from the food and asked myself a question, while I sat in bed without sleep for the umpteenth night,if I had a food allergy would I cheat?

Really, would I? I have friends who have serious food allergies and I would never ever put them in a position where the food I served them could cause them grief. I have family who follow very strict dietary laws because of their religion and I give them the same respect. So why dont I give myself the same care and respect?

It's not that I don't like myself, have low self esteem or some other issue like that. I believe i really haven't wrapped my head around how bad my diet was and how it impacted me. Although feeling great after I started eating a paleo diet gave me some insight on how bad it was, I don't think the message really resonated with me until I was feeling like crap again. It really hit home, hard. Although we can have cheats, I'm not inclined today to partake in a donut at work, or beer with friends. I'll find something else, like a piece of fruit or a shot of tequila.

CrossFit dreams

2011-04-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Since my first FIT class I fell in love with the program. It wasn't boring, there wasn't spending endless hours on a stupid machine, no mindless repititions of light weights for "toning" specific muscle groups. It was fun, like when I was a kid and playing in the street with my bike, or climbing the jungle gym in the park, hauling rocks and logs for the neighborhood fort. All the movement in FIT was specific and precise but there was that challenge, besting my time or repititions, beating someone else's time, pushing myself further.

I just love it.

Now it has left the gym and come home. My husband and I are building an obstacle course at our home. We have a zip line, a rope bridge, soon we will work on a wall to climb over and then there will be the balance obstacle going over a fence. All I can think about is how much fun it is going to be.

Every day after my FIT class I'm telling my coworkers and friends about it, about how much fun I'm having and they think I'm nuts. When I tell them about the obstacle course they think it's nuts and fun. They really want to try it. What a wonderful thing to do, to play and work out without feeling like you are working out.

I have given up on telling my friends and coworkers about Krav Maga, FIT and the paleo lifestyle. It's too much for them and they don't want to hear it. They do see the results and that has more motivation for them than hearing me go on and on. If I can get some to come play on my obstacle course, that would be great.

Turkey brine is a wonderful thing

2011-03-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

On a monthly basis, several members of my family get together for a meal, time to catch up and visit. We rotate whose house we eat at and it is always a wonderful meal. I enjoy cooking and try to out do myself every time it's my turn and since I started eating paleo, I have sneaked several paleo meals on my unsuspecting family members. This month was no different. I made a turkey dinner with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans with bacon and paleo pumpkin chiffon pie for dessert.

For the turkey I soaked it in a brine for a couple days before cooking it. A brine keeps it real juicy and gives it great flavor. There isn't a recipe for any of my brines, I just use what herbs and spices I have on hand. Here is how this one evolved:
2 gallons of water
2 cups of sea salt
About 1 tablespoon of Allspice berries
About 2 tablespoons of Black pepper corns
About 2 teaspoons of dried thyme
About 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
About 2 teaspoons of dried Rosemary
6 green onions cut in large chunks

Throw everything together in a very large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for several minutes then remove from heat. Take your thawed turkey and place it in a food grade plastic container. Once the brine is at room temperature, pour over your turkey, ensuring the bird is covered with brine. If there isn't enough brine, add water until it is covered. Store in your refrigerator for two-three days before cooking. You can turn the bird when you check on it.

On the day of the feast, remove the bird from the brine and rinse it off to remove any herbs that stick. Let the bird drain and get your oven ready. When cooking the bird I place it on a rack inside a deep baking dish then for the first 30 minutes, the oven is at 500 degrees to get the skin nice and crispy. After the timer goes off, (it is always easy to remember when I use a timer) the temperature is reduced to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees in the breast.

This is a scrumptious bird. It takes several days to prepare but it can be done one stage at a time and isn't overwhelming. The brine flavors the meat wonderfully and keeps it very moist. This process can be used on other poultry as well.

Waffles!!!!!

2011-03-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite dishes is waffles and I have tried many different recipes to find an easy paleo one. Thanks to Tropical Traditions, I have found one that is relatively easy, very scumptous, freezes well and reheats in the toaster for a quick breakfast.

Servings: 8 waffles Depending on waffle maker
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2/3 cup organic apple sauce
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Dash of fresh ground nutmeg
Mix all the wet ingredients, except the egg whites. Beat the whites to foamy peaks with a pinch of salt. Mix all the dry ingredients.

Slowly fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Then continue to fold the mixture with the egg whites trying to preserve as much volume as possible. Cook as directed on waffle maker.

Ohhhh yum! Topped with fresh berries, almond butter or coconut milk they are very good. the egg whites help to lighten the batter but it does add to them being somewhat dry. The next batch will have some mashed bananas for moisture and to add to the flavor.

How true have I been?

2011-03-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

I was asking myself how true I had been to the lifestyle of primal/paleo and I don't think I have been following the 80-20 rule very well. It may be closer to 70-30. I decided to really track what I had been orating and it isn't "cheats" but the little bits that are creping into the meals.

I like coffee and enjoy it with a lightener: half and half or coconut creamer. I was using only the coconut creamer and it has evaporated cane juice in it, it's sugar, just not as refined. The half and half is dairy. So out of these two which is the lesser evil? Or should I learn to go without a lightener? It seems that the sweeteners are where it sneaks in the most.

I found a cake recipe for the paleo diet and it is fantastic. Some of the ingredients are eggs, coconut flour, unsweetened chocolate and sweetened with maple syrup. Of course, I made it for a couple different groups of people to show how wonderful this diet is and how one can still eat great food, with some treats. So within a month I made three of these cakes and took them various places to share and of course, I ate my part. This isn't including the time I made it into cupcakes. Boy oh boy, I was lovin on those cupcakes. Another area where the ratio went awry.

I have been very diligent this past week and my hope is that I will get back on track. I feel much better when I remove those substances, even in small amounts from my diet. Good meat, good fat, and good veggies make me feel better.

Man Card

2011-03-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

I was given a "man card" this week. It is funny this person gave it to me, he is such a character and is always going on about "manly" things: hunting, fishing, fighting, being masculine and avoiding anything remotely feminine. He frequently threatens to pull other men's man card away if they behave in a way that he deems not masculine enough. So it was pretty funny when he said "Girl, you earned your man card."

This conversation happened during a time when we were talking about what we do for exercise. Since starting Krav Maga and FIT classes, I have joined in the conversations with people at work who are very serious athletes. These are very informative and enjoyable. One of the enjoyable parts are conversations that end up like this one did.

I enjoy my classes so much that the "work" aspect of working out never enters my mind. The results of doing FIT and Krav came upon so fast that I didn't really see it happen. All of the sudden there it was: my pants were way to big, all of my shirts hung off me and it was hard to find items to wear to work that didn't look ridiculous. Of course, people at work noticed and we started talking about what I have been doing.

It has been great to hear other peoples schedules and processes for recovery. It helps me along quite a bit. What is nice is that I am able to share things with them as well. None of them were aware of the Paleo/Primal diet as well as Krav Maga and FIT. And they are interested.

Many times, when someone loses lots of weight quickly, they don't look healthy and are not in shape. That is often caused by starving themselves or using some sort of drug. When they engage in conversations with people who are athletic there is a lot of skepticism and questions about the overall healthy approach. I have not encountered this at all. They are really curious and interested. No one has said I look unhealthy, or questions the diet's healthiness.

One thing is certain, I am feeling stronger and healthier than I ever have in my life.

Chocolate buttercream frosting

2011-02-22T21:53:00.000-08:00

I love to cook but there isn't enough time in the day for me sometimes. I found a dark chocolate cake recipe, which is primal, and everyone loves it. I wasn't a huge fan of the frosting though. It was too heavy and I just wanted something different.

I kept trying different recipes looking for a frosting I would like that would go with this primal lifestyle. There was a lot of trial and error. Ok, there was more error than success during this process. But tonight was a success. Honey and chocolate go wonderfully together, matched up with organic palm shortening and some real vanilla, you got some fantastic frosting.

Following a primal diet is an adventure. Trying different recipes, looking at old favorites and making them primal while still just as delicious as before. When I did the vegan and vegetarian diets it was such a struggle to find recipes that were tasty, let alone filling. I remember feeling hungry all the time and very few recipes that were modified to fit a vegan and/or vegetarian diet were worth repeating. Those days were no fun for me. Let alone successful. I felt fat, bloated, hungry and bitchy.

Maybe bitchy was just the times but I'm going to blame it on the food.

Think Globally. Act Locally

2011-02-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

I saw this on a bumper sticker many months ago and really like it. It is amazing how much of an impact our everyday activities have on our communities and the world around us. What seems so insignificant has a great impact. We either support our communities or we bury them. We cultivate our families or abandon them. These actions are similar to throwing a rock in a pond; the ripples of water are created at the point of impact and spread outward, in all directions, until they meet the shore or greater resistance.

Our bodies are the same. We cultivate a healthy lifestyle and we, in turn, have a positive impact on our families and community. We become more invested in our daily lives not just sitting passively watching the days march by. We become less of a burden to our health care system, healthier choices lead to less illness. As we become more invested in our immediate surroundings, family and bodies, we look for what we can obtain to sustain it.

I enjoy supporting our local farmers markets and food co-ops. I find the incredibly interesting but they are also full of food that is so good for us. One place is called the Main Market Co-op. They stock their shelves with produce, meat, dairy and other items that are produced locally. Buying locally produced meat you tend to get a much better product than from a chain grocer. Main Market Co-op sells grass fed beef, free range chicken and lamb. How scrumptious! They offer freezer space for people who wish to purchase a large quantity of meat, say half a beef, but are unable to store it themselves. What a fantastic option. Fresh Abundance is another store that supports our local farmers. They do not have the freezer space, but sell grass fed beef, elk, bison, and raw milk. Even though I no longer drink dairy, the idea of being able to get raw milk is wonderful.

The freedom to have these options, to not be dictated to and forced to live with the rest of the sheeple (sheep + people) is liberating. To choose to live healthy, to choose to pick what is right, nice! These simple acts of going to a store a purchasing a gallon of milk helps to keep a local family doing what they love, get paid for it and support their family effects the county and state.

Healing

2011-02-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

On December 30, I hurt my ankle something awful. We were working on a ground/choke defense in Krav, as I was escaping my ankle rolled and down I went. It has been over a month since that happened and I'm not back. Holy jeez! It is much better but not 100 percent.

I was cleared to start working out, slowly and with modifications. I was not cleared to participate in the Bas Rutten first level instructor course. It is more than my ankle can take now. It really depressed me that it wasn't going to happen. My Krav instructor, Brayson, needed five students from his school to have the course and instructor come up to host it. There was only five of us and with me out I was afraid it was going to be cancelled. When I emailed Brayson, he informed me that there were other students coming from another school and it was still going to happen. Thank goodness for that, I would hate to be the one who ruined it for everyone.

FIT class was great! I was able to participate as much as the others and modified the workout when needed. I did a butt load of pull ups, which I want to get better on. I really don't like having to have assistance while doing them, but, at this point it is how they get done. I am getting stronger with the upper body, good progress and persistence. Monday I go back to FIT but Tuesday I'll be in Everett.

Ofc. Jaymie Beindl was killed by an offender and her memorial is Tuesday. I have worked in the prison system for a long time and the last staff killed inside was long before I started. Although I didn't know Ofc. Beindl, her death has hit hard for me. It is the proof of the danger I work in, this is why I do Krav and FIT. I need to be at the memorial for my brothers and sisters in blue.

PURA VIDA

2011-01-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

Pura Vida, the literal translation is "Pure Life". When I was in Costa Rica I was informed that this saying is one that the Ticos (people of Costa Rica) use and the use it for everything. Along the lines of Aloha, Mahalo, and Cool it is a saying that is used when something is good, life is good, food is good, or you are feeling good.

I like this saying for what it encompasses but I also love the literal translation or Pure Life. That is what I would like to strive for, a pure life full of goodness. Pure food, pure happiness, pure experiences. Costa Rica is a fabulous country and I loved every second I was there. I can see myself going back.

As for my follow through while I was on the cruise......I did ok until a couple days before the end. It was a dark and white chocolate mousse that was the beginning of the end for me. I love dark chocolate mousse. So when it w offered as a dessert, I caved. And once I caved it was real easy for me to justify, to myself, that another sugary dessert was ok. I did stay away from gluten, did use dairy in my coffee, and my enormous cheat was the sugar dairy combos. I did great for the majority of the time nd am proud of that. It gives me more to work with, see where I can improve. It wasn't too hard to stay paleo and if I could do it for the majoritymof the time, I could have done it for the entire time.

Follow through

2011-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Saturday I will be venturing into the world of vacation! I am excited but worried about not being able to find good Paleo meals. I will be taking a cruise through the Panama Canal and all of the food is provided. There should be plenty to pick and choose from so that I can stay on course.

Of course, cruises and vacation are times when I indulge in the alcohol a bit. Currently, there is a 30 day Paleo challenge I'm participating in and alcohol is verboten. That will be the bigger challeng for me. Who doesn't like to sit in the hot tub with a bucket of beer at their elbow? Who would turn down one of those fruity drinks that come with an umbrella while sitting on the deck watching world go by? It is highly probable that I will not be 100 percent compliant on my challenge and have some wine or tequila.

Without Internet access I will keep a log of my meals, and my cheats, to share with everyone. The gym is the first place I intend to visit. I have workouts planned and cruises always have plenty of exercise classes offered. Maybe this ship will have the rock climb wall, I would love to get through my heights/falling phobia. It does interfere on so many fun things!

Food brings people together

2011-01-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

This community of people who live the paleo lifestyle have common denometers: fitness, diet, and a view of how the interact with each other. I have found so many people who have traveled this road longer and farther than I have who are willing to share their experiences and insight with me. It is a wonderful network. The sharing of ideas on meals and exercise is open for anyone. I have been inspired by their guidance and direction.

One thing that is true the world over is that people come together over food. Holiday meals, lunches with coworkers, or providing when a meal when someone is unable. The recipes shared throughout the paleo community are no different. I found recipes that I have shared with others, borrowed other peoples and have made my own little changes to them. Here is one for a soup that is perfect during cold miserable days.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

1 Butternut Squash
1 Leek
3-4 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil
1 ½ quarts of water (more or less) or chicken stock
1 chicken bouillon cube (if not using stock)
2-3 cups of Sugar free Apple Sauce (homemade is best)
Salt & pepper to taste
Sage & Thyme or Cinnamon & Nutmeg to taste

This recipe was inspired by Mrs. Cara B. of Primrose and Paleo. I added the apple and loved the results, so did everyone I shared it with.

Roast the squash in the oven until soft, at 350 degrees for about 45-60 minutes. While that is in the oven; chop the leek and sauté it in the olive oil in a large soup pot. Once the leek is transparent, add garlic and sauté. Be careful the garlic doesn’t burn. After a couple minutes add the stock/water and bring to a simmer. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool some. Slice it open to remove the seeds and skin. Cut the squash into chunks and add it to the soup pot, bring it to a boil.

When the squash is soft enough to mash with a spoon, turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree everything. If the soup is too thick add a little water to thin it out. I thought about using my blender at this point but it could not have taken all of the soup at once and it would have created more of a mess, the immersion blender works perfectly. If you don’t have one, a potato masher would work for the squash but the leeks and garlic would still be whole. That is not bad or wrong, it just gives the soup a different consistency. At this point add the apple sauce, adjust the amount to your liking. Add the salt and pepper to taste then chose either sage and thyme or cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Either way, savory or sweet, it is good.

I used sage and thyme then topped it off with crispy bacon chunks. Very good! The next time, I am going to roast/bake the apples and add the chunked up bits with the squash instead of using apple sauce.

2011-01-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

In September 2010 I started my first class of Krav Maga. I decided to take the selfdefense class because I needed to prepare for the inevitable and knew that it would be better to start now. What I didn't realize was what else came with the Krav classes,FIT and nutrition. It is very similar to CrossFit training and improved my conditioning in a short period of time. Brandon is the FIT instructor and also coaches on nutrition,he is the main force behind Spokane Primal. Both he and Brayson, the Krav instructor, advocate a Paleo lifestyle and you can see the results in them.
The idea of changing my diet was not new to me. I had done it before, several times in fact, all in attempts to find health. As a teenager and young adult food was a problem. At 5'9" i weighed around 100-110 pounds. Too thin for my frame and height. Now, I'm not rambling about this to have anyone go "Oh poor Ginger, we feel so sorry for her." Nope, I don't want it or need it. I want to share that food has been one of the substances in my life that had a HUGE impact. The pendulum swung in the other direction and I became around 40 pounds over weight. When this happened, I tried many quickie diets to slim down and even did radical overhauls to my diet routine. Needless to say, the results were few, far between and I felt like crap.
After my first FIT class, Brandon talked about nutrition and the Primal/Paleo diet. It made perfect sense to me. I understand completely that diet is an everyday Concern, not just a few weeks at a time. Good health depends on maintaining a good diet. Getting rid of gluten is something I had done once before and the results startled me; I felt better then I had in years. So I was willing to chuck it again. Dairy was One of my staples where I was concerned about. Removing the majority of dairy was much easier than I thought. I may have coffee with some cream now and again but it is very infrequent.
After four months of regular and very enjoyable exercise plus a new diet lifestyle, I have dropped about 30 of those 40 pounds. And I feel great! I sleep better, I don't have heartburn anymore, my skin is beautiful. It is amazing what a change this has brought about. I am now doing a 30 day primal challenge and got the husband on board. Everything has been 100 percent from my end and it is wonderful.
The network of Primal/Paleo people is the most supportive group I have encountered. I truly feel that I have been wandering adrift and alone for so long and now have found my tribe, my network, a fantastic support.
Thank you all.