3 week of mostly Paleo

3/6/2013
So it's been about 3 weeks since I've started eating mostly paleo - I still have those 2 cheat meals a week.  In general, I feel happier and leaner, although I haven't lost much weight yet, perhaps I need to cut back on the dried and fresh fruit.  I have noticed that I'm eating less at each sitting and on cheat meals, I'm getting full very fast.  Chivo seems to think I'm not really doing well on Paleo but I think I'm doing better than he thinks.  I really do stick to mostly paleo stuff and if I do cheat, it may be something minor or just a bite of something non-paleo.

I still haven't been able to let go of my sugary lattes, which I know is so not paleo and I think it drives Chivo a little insane.  He gives me these looks and tells me how much sugar is in them.....but I can't helpful, they are sooo good.  I think I have a problem.  I'll admit, I'm addicted.  Do they have a Lattes Anonymous?  I should probably join.  haha.  But for real, I really should cut back on these sugary lattes.  Most of the time I get them iced.  I could always try an iced coffee and just add honey or stevia to it.  It just doesn't seem the same, but I'm sure my taste buds will adapt once I start eating less sugary foods.  I've always had a major sweet tooth.  I can stay away from candy and cake because I swap it for fruit and still get my sweet fix.   

3/11/2013
I didn't have any iced lattes or coffees over the weekend, and I survived!!  No headaches, nothing.  Pretty happy with myself.  :)  I did order a small iced coffee this morning, but only took a few sips out of it and threw it out.  Maybe I really don't need these lattes, maybe it's just a habit??

Chivo loves cinnamon rolls and we saw a recipe for a Paleo Cinnamon Rolls so we just had to make them.  We used a recipe from the Cavery, Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls.  I think Pumpkin Butter is out of season, as we couldn't find any at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods so we used apple butter instead.  We did find everything else in the recipe though.  I had to add a lot more almond milk to the batch than the recipe called for, to make it runny as the recipe stated. While it was easy to make, it didn't taste anything like a cinnamon roll.  So Chivo and I are going to continue testing paleo cinnamon roll recipes until we find some pretty close to the real thing.  I'm confident that it can happen, not so sure that Chivo is so confident though.  Atleast with this past recipe, I found a great way to make Paleo Crepes.  I love crepes!

Clean Eating VS Paleo

I've been toying with the idea of Clean Eating instead of Paleo.  Chivo is happy with the Paleo Diet, but I wouldn't mind including legumes and whole grains into my diet.  Although recently, I've noticed that after eating beans like kidney or black beans, or white potatoes, I've felt miserable.  Like bloated, extremely full and just plain uncomfortable.  I would just need more information about it, see how they make me feel and if I can still lose weight while eating clean vs paleo.  I like the fact that clean eating isn't quite as strict as paleo.  Of course, this will have to wait until after Lent since I've already decided to stick with Paleo.

The information below (word for word) is from this blog Clean Eating Vs Paleo

Clean Eating vs "The Paleo Diet"

Yesterday in conversation, someone asked me the difference between Clean Eating and "The Paleo Diet" ( wherein you mimic the eating habits of our earliest ancestors who yes, did not eat Pop*Tarts ) I think its an important distinction, and one worth investigating.

Clean Eating: The removal of all processed foods from your diet. If it grew on a bush or tree, or walked/swam the Earth - you can eat it. Clean Eaters do not drink alcohol, and use things like salt and food preservatives very sparingly if at all. Water consumption and 5-6 meals a day are promoted. Many Clean Eaters adhere to a "if it has a barcode, I'm suspicious of it" feeling on food..

Clean Eating Food Pyramid ( Thanks again, Tiffany! )

Paleo Diet: Eating those foods that were only accessible to our most primitive ancestors - meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and berries. No alcohol, salt, oils, beans, or grains. Foods that were only developed in the last 1,000 years ( dairy products, for example ) are not consumed.

Paleo Food Pyramid:


Major differences: Clean Eaters will eat organic, whole wheat pastas and grains, organic dairy products and oils ( in moderation )

Paleo eaters will not. eat the above.

Paleo : They do not eat foods we eat now that would not have been around 100,000 years ago - like milk form a dairy cow. They do not eat grains, as grains were cultivated by humans only in the past 12,000 years, approximately.

I find Paleo interesting because behind it seems some facts that are hard to argue: Modern man has bent agriculture to suit his will, and the result is non-nutritious food are bodies can't digest very well ( processed foods ). Clean Eaters maintain that foods that are as minimally processed are preferable, and food is a good thing as long as it is nourishes the body with as little chemicals and preservatives as possible.

Neither "camp" is right in this instance. I personally find the Paleo Diet too limiting, I'd really prefer to have dairy and grains in my diet as well - in limited quantities, of course. The main difference, I believe, are the inclusion of "clean" dairy and grain elements in CE, and the exclusion in Paleo.

There are many crossover recipes from Paleo which are well suited to the Clean Eater - and I encourage you to look out for Paleo recipes which would be great for the Clean Eater - and vice versa!