XNFA Paleo Diet Day 1

As I stated in my previous post, I joined a workout group called Cross Fit North Arlington. Calling it a "workout group" is too cautious, too easy, too kind. It's more a blood thirsty pack of masochistic wolves ready to tear at every muscle in your body. Aches and pains are mere figments of imagination to XFNA members.

As I stated in my earlier post, handicapped railing in bathrooms are a Godsend.

After beginning my journey to a better me, I've realized that the food I put inside my body is restricting me from becoming better. Therefore, I asked for XFNA's advice.

It's called the Paleolithic diet. I wouldn't exactly call it a diet, it's more of a nutritional lifestyle. Because we fat American's all know, DIETS DON'T WORK- long term that is. Diets such as the Adktins, South Beach, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc are only to help you jump start your way to a healthier you. Which in case and point the Paleo diet, is in fact not that. It's a lifestyle change -completely.

Now I bet you're ask what is the Paleo diet?

Basically, it's hell. Or at least hell for those of us who grew up on McDonald's, Wendy's, pizza, pasta, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and potato chips.

Basically, the principle behind the Paleo diet is to rid your body of unnecessary sugars, and then some. But before I continue let me forewarn you I am still learning about the Paleo diet, so do not take my information as strict dictionary facts. This is just my story, and my interpretation of the Paleo diet. "Meghan's Paleo nutrition", if you will.

As you see with many of the fad diets widely available for us obese Americans, the list of what you can NOT eat is four times as long as what you can. The Paleo diet isn't like that. There is only three simple rules:

No grain
No high fructose corn syrup/sugar
No dairy

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy, right?!

Not exactly.

If you're like me and the other billions of American's out there; we eat more than the recommended daily dose of carbohydrates in one day than we should for two weeks.

Yikes!

Quick story: When I was 16 years old, I became aware that I was gaining weight due to lack of exercise. I knew calories were something I needed to limit daily, but that was it. I assumed 2,000 calories a day was normal because that's what the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal box said on the side. "based on a 2,000 calorie diet". So I figured all it would take to lose weight is cut calories, right? WRONG. Cutting calories doesn't work when what you eat is junk food. Stupidly, I read the nutritional information provided on a loaf of white bread in our pantry. Roughly 100 calories per slice. Cool. Easy. Done. For about two weeks I ate nothing but white bread. Granted I was eating around 1,500- 1,800 calories a day... but still only in bread.

I stopped eating only bread after about two weeks because I was bored with it, and wanted some real food, like McDonald's. Granted I would still trade in a few slices of bread for my after school snack as replacement for potato chips and pretzels.

However, it wasn't until I took a P.E. course in college when I was 18 to realize what eating all that bread did to my body.

Too many carbohydrates= belly fat. Yikes again!

Since that P.E. course I've become more aware of exercise and nutrition. I've learned to watch the calories of what I eat and try to stay away from fatty junk food like oatmeal cream pies. (yum!!)

Back to the Paleo diet-

Today is day 1 of the Meghan's Paleo nutritional lifestyle change for a better me.

Before I go into telling you what I ate today, let me remind you that I'm not exactly sticking to a strict Paleolithic diet extravaganza- this is Meghan's adulterated version.

Breakfast:

1 scrambled egg, 2 lean Italian sausage patties and 2 strips of lean bacon

That was easy enough. I love eggs, sausage and bacon. After breakfast I thought this would be a breeze.

Lunch: Plain grilled chicken breast and a cup of fruit (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)

Pretty proud of myself, hadn't thought about a bagel, toast, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich yet. Though the plain grilled chicken wasn't exactly an array of different flavors in my mouth, it was rather dry and bland but manageable. It definitely could have used some Lawry's seasoning salt- but I can't have that. It contains sugar. :/

I went to class this evening. Totally cool, until 7 of my classmates showed up with frothy Starbucks coffee with whipped cream trickling down the sides of the plastic cup. That's when it hit me. THE AGONY! I watched every morsel of whipped cream tauntingly run down the side of the cup and onto the table. I don't even really like whipped cream! But class started shortly thereafter, so I was able to resist and divert my attention to the professor.

Dinner:

Class ended; and while driving home I thought the whipped cream was bad, passing Chickfila and Jack in the Box twice was even worse! The hunger pangs grew monstrously!!

Safely inside my apartment and free of fast food, I jump on some fruit. Then some carrots with a tablespoon of ranch dressing (which I know has sugar in it, but only 1 gram per tablespoon, so I allowed it as a reward for suppressing my Chickfila craving). But it wasn't until I opened my pantry to throw away some trash that the bread began to call my name. I have an extra large bag of animal crackers, a tub of un-popped popcorn from Blockbuster, graham crackers, half a loaf of bread, bagels, pita bread, marshmallows, Hershey's chocolate bars, tortillas and a huge box of double stuffed Oreos right in front of my face!!

OH THE TERROR! THE AGONY!!

Resisting, I heated up some chicken with Cayenne pepper on it, baked a sweet potato and called it a meal. UGH, can you imagine how dissatisfied I am after that.

If I could even imagine what a drug withdrawal would feel like, I imagine this is probably on the lower level of it but nonetheless a craving from withdrawal.

I'm anxious, unfocused, tired, excited, nervous, uneasy, exhausted, trapped, and feel very neurotic right now.

I almost gave in, I wanted to. But I knew the moment a put that sweet sweet animal cracker to my lips there would be absolutely no stopping until that bag was completely empty and I had turned the inside of the bag outwards. So I resisted, still am.

Unfortunately, I have a paper to write for class which requires extensive research and reading, but Lord knows there is no possible way for me to focus on my research when I have loaves of bread, and sugar plum fairies dance in my head.

I just pray the "3 day hump" is true.
Apparently, when a drug addict is in rehab, the first 3 days are the absolute hardest. But once you get past the first 3 days it gets easier. Dear God I pray that Day 4 gets here quicker than I can finish typing this post.

All in all, I am trying to keep my eye on the prize. A better, healthier, happier Meghan.

Support is definitely welcome, I need all I can get for this.

Day 2 tomorrow. More eggs, bacon and bland chicken I'm sure.