Loosing weight over the holidays

Every time we load up the van to head out for a 2 week visit to Alabama, whether that be Christmas or Summer a ton of worries roll through my mind.

Who is going to work out with me?
Who is going to care about serving my kids healthy food?
How will I get in a great workout every day if its constantly raining?
How much will travel affect my sleeping habits?
How can I suggest we eat healthier at someones else home without looking like a big jerk.

Well it worked out just fine this year. In fact I have lost about 2-3 lbs over the last month. I know that 1/2 of that is due to my new 99% Paleo Diet and the other 1/2 is due to mixing up my workouts over the break.

As far as food goes, I have great hostesses, my mom and mother in law who let me take over the kitchen and for the most part don't sneak my kids junk. I don't have the heart to say no to great grandparents so they went willy nilly at their homes, and as planed usually had a meltdown close to bedtime that day. I took my food with me to any great grandparents home and just avoided anything in the form of a casserole.

Looking back, my kids have become so good at eating everything on their plates since switching to a Paleo lifestyle. They love their lunches more and love helping me cook more. They love to proclaim that they are eating healthy and what God gave us on the earth to eat. In fact at a birthday party the other day Ribbit handed back half of her cupcake and just didn't want it. SCORE.

Other health benefits have been some clearing up of small acne on Goober's face and THE BIGGEST has been the clearing up of a skin irritant all over Baby Boy's back. I had actually begin to study up on gluten intolerance and thought that the bumps all over him could be related. Since changing our eating there are only two spots on his back now, compared to the all over bumpiness he used to have. For me, besides the weight loss (that I was not aiming for), I have also found that my nails are much stronger...like I am having to cut them now instead of them flaking off or getting snagged all the time. I am also really enjoying my meals now that I am worried less about calories and more about the quality of food I put in my mouth, including healthy fats. I admit to still having only one serving of everything(hello, shouldn't we all), and knowing the calorie count..its part of me, but I eat avocado now and cook with coconut oil knowing that are high in calorie but that they will get me through a workout like none other and that my body needs it.

I have also learned that the way I cut up foods or what I name them sticks with my kiddos and encourages them to eat anything. Like the "energy bites" I make for their lunches..made out of dates, almonds, almond butter, coconut oil, honey, vanilla and paleo chocolate chips. They LOVE them and I know they are fueling them well! I also have been making muffins, using coconut oil which makes them low in moisture and they keep their shape. I cut them in half and smear almond butter or homemade peanut butter on them  and call them a sandwich. Little do they know they are getting almonds, pumpkin carrots, coconut oil and honey! They also love eating boiled eggs, dried unsweetened fruit, nuts, jerky, big chunks of turkey, homemade apple sauce, homemade granola bars, homemade tortilla roll ups and fruits and veggies for lunch. Goober has said how much better he feels at PE since his lunch isn't heavy or full of sugar. They are also very into fish, now that its their "favorite fish"...they used to not touch any sea food!!!  They think breaking open pistachios is like the best thing ever and ask for them every day after school.

As far as my workouts went over the break I spent a lot of time thinking, listening to very interesting podcasts, challenging myself to beat PRs, time running with friends or at the gym. I ran outside at parks, neighborhoods, added in hills, did circuit training with weights and laps and did some rowing at my parents gym. I also had Goober run 5 miles with me one day and one day Ribbit cheered me on from the van as she held up signs she would color in the passenger seat that said "GO MOM",  " I LOVE YOU"...she was the key to beating my PR that day and running 3 miles in a little over 21 minutes..that a 7.15 mile....a full minute under my old PR. I love that my kids are showing interest in what I am doing and see importance in it.

I am so proud to say that our eating out as a family has almost completely vanished. No more milkshakes from Braums that leave us bloated or not able to move. No more Mexican meals consisting of all salt and cheese...I think we may all cringe a little. I admit that I did let them go to McDonalds once...with 3 other friends after church....I mean they are kids...and I did let them have a cupcake at a birthday party...whats life if you can't celebrate those you love. We have just made a family effort to not having that stuff in our home, to take care of the bodies God has given us and to honestly make sure we feel good. We know so many people who always feel bad, and if you look at their diet you know why.

Funny McDonald's story. You would think my kids hadn't seen a chicken nugget in 5 years the way that reacted. In fact Ribbit held up her first one and said " look guys, I forgot how chicken mcnuggets look like Jesus"...she even made sure she held it the right way so that we would "see Jesus". Geesh.

I was missing my running group so I selfied them to show I was with them in spirit. I'm wearing our " I train like a girl, try to keep up" tanks and my headlamp from Adam. Don't worry I ran in a well lit parking lot!..and you can see one of my crazy running musts....I MUST RUN WITH GUM!!!

My running buddy who ran a little under 4.5 miles with me....and yes, he wore the hat like that the ENTIRE TIME!

Spice rubbed and blackened tilapia, aspragus and tomatoes

YUMMMY bowl of cabbage, roasted veggies, salsa and homemade guacamole....SO TASTY!

TX Christmas morning breakfast. Eggs with homemade guac, REAL, 2 ingredient, all natural bacon and oranges....YUMMO!

One of my favorites, cabbage, tuna, relish, mustard and beets!!!! I think this is an acquired taste....most of my crew didn't want the beats or cabbage mixed in ;).

We obviously like our eggs and bacon for breakfast around here!

My Christmas meal at one of the great grandparents. Ham, squash, veggies and a sweet potato  I brought with my own no calorie marshmallow topping.

We made Santa paleo orange/cranberry muffins and paleo coconut/chocolate chip muffins. We ate the leftovers, fruit and bacon for breakfast the next morning.

My dinner at another great grandparents...My own sweet potato with honey and cinnamon, apples and veggies. I also had  a grilled chicken wing..YUMMY!

Running alone in the SUPER TARGET parking lot the day after Christmas has advantages. I found a $20 bill and 2 gift cards, both with moolah on them...it literally "pays" to exercise :). On this day I also listened to a podcast about "things you don't need to know"..and I learned that pinball machines were once outlawed and that we loose weight by breathing..apparently.

The kids "Jesus" chicken Mcnugget day was mommy's double turkey salad day with apple cider dressing from Subway day!

Leftover edamame, cucumbers, spinach and salsa!

Eating out is actually quite easy for a paleo person at a sushi bar. I had the sashimi salad..all raw fish with ginger soy and spinach.....OH GOODNESS, I am still day dreaming about this!!

Lunch with other greats..Ham, Salad, roasted veggies...This ham had brown sugar in it...but I had to have protein!!!

The last 5 miles of my year..I ended up running a little over 940 miles this past year...love setting goals and reaching them...new goals for this  year!!

Eating out with our friends as we watched the Auburn bowl game..I had a salmon salad with spicy vinegar dressing. I was so proud of myself for saying no to all of the other fried appetizers and entrees that were ordered and shared. This is the food that Adam got sick off..ugh.

Back at my parents home. Hambone soup with lots of veggies and sweet potato fries!

Dinner out with the seniors in Houston at the Passion Conference...I had a 6 oz tenderloin, grilled tomatoes and salad...SO GOOD!

Great long run at the hotel in Houston...treadmill running can be either great or a mental exercise in not releasing your full on crazy...this was the latter since the only other human alive at that time was in the gym with me and watching CNN. I did learn a lot about the upcoming election and can now have conversations with Adam though :).

Eating lunch on the way back from Houston. We stopped at BRAUMS..I didn't even want a milkshake, instead I got he apple, pecan, grilled chicken salad..I used mustard as the dressing!

Ribbit took this of me on our first day back to school after the long break. I had a cup of BLACK coffee and I needed every ounce of it!

Ribbit received an Easy Bake oven from a friend after the break and she made her own Paleo chocolate chip cookies that day. The kids also eat them all immediately!

 

Homemade butternut/carrot spicy soup with withered greens and chicken thighs.

Greek yogurt (which is debated in Paleo)...I was using up what we had here....but I topped it with fruit and the homemade granola bars..I may have just drooled looking at this!

Cooking up a storm for all of our lunches and breakfast meals for the week. We make much better food choices when things are prepared and when when all we have in the house our healthy options!!
Top to bottom-All paleo.
 Granola bars, "Pumpkin and almond butter sandwiches", applesauce with pecans and chocolate chips, egg muffins with broccoli, onions and turkey sausage

I am still learning so much about how to fuel our bodies and what foods trigger what for my own body. I really stress out if I wake up and my stomach is having digestive issues since I workout so early. This means a little dinner, small snack before bedtime and workout on a fasted stomach. My kiddos though need bigger meals at dinner to hold them through the night and then a lot of protein at breakfast. I tend to chug water first thing after my workout, then eat something small, drink coffee, then eat my second breakfast which is bigger since I can normally stomach food by then. However, once I start eating I have to keep it up as it really does awaken my metabolism monster!!!!