Getting back on track.

This past weekend my eating has been off, especially today on Easter. I enjoyed the day, but my body is so ready to get back to real foods!
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Replies

  • GrokRockStar
    GrokRockStar Posts: 2,938 Member
    I didn't do too great during Easter either, but I managed to stay close to my plan. I'm with you!
  • Niki_Fitz
    Niki_Fitz Posts: 951 Member
    I’m going to get back on track, starting today. I have to be really strict with myself at first to start feeling good, so that the healthier choices become more automatic. So today I’m giving it 100%.
  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    I have been off all week, my daughters’ birthdays are a week apart and Easter was in the midst. I want to track everything I eat for the next 3 weeks, starting Saturday. What do you all do to keep up with tracking?
  • GrokRockStar
    GrokRockStar Posts: 2,938 Member
    I have been off all week, my daughters’ birthdays are a week apart and Easter was in the midst. I want to track everything I eat for the next 3 weeks, starting Saturday. What do you all do to keep up with tracking?

    I currently don't track, but when I did, logging was a fixed part of my morning routine. I would log my food in advance at the start of each day, and at any deviation from my food plan, I would go back into MFP to update. It helped to keep me honest and accountable.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    I track everything (or...have tried to).

    Note that the past two-three weeks (okay month) I have lied to myself a bit and haven't fully accounted for everything I ate...and I stepped on the scale today and WOWZA!! It's amazing how a few weeks of crummy food can really change my body and my mind. I kept saying ..."today is my last day of eating bread" or "just this one meal". I think that pushed me into sugar/bad carb heaven as I have been eating mindlessly again.


    So, as of today, I am back to tracking everything and instead of shooting for 80/20 paleo, I'm shooting for 100% for a few weeks as I need to be very strict again for awhile to detox myself. Long story short, I guess I can't get lazy with my logging.


  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    Sounds good. I am going with a mini challenge of tracking everything, mostly paleo/primal, only dairy is cream in coffee and limited butter, and limiting myself to 3 glasses of red wine a week. If I have wine I am not eating any fruit. Good luck everyone!
  • Niki_Fitz
    Niki_Fitz Posts: 951 Member
    edited April 2018
    I’ve been doing pretty well, logging everything, and the 80/20 mentality is helping me. I’m committed to eating fabulously 80% of the time. If I want junk food I ask myself if it’s really worth it. But I’m allowed. And what I’m allowed is limited. I’ve dropped two pounds of bloat this week since getting back on track.

    @madwells1 I hope I’ll get into that stricter mindset soon, to start feeling even better. @curltess033 good plan. How’s everyone this weekend?

    Question, how do we really decide what 80/20 is? I’m using a rough calorie estimate. Otherwise would a person measure volume?
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    Thanks @wellnesschaser !

    Today has been great. Yesterday was great up until 8pm when I accidentally opened a box of wheat thins that were supposed to be for guests next week. Note to self, add wheat thins back to the grocery list :s

    As far as 80/20, I think its an estimate, where you can feel free to use either calories or volume. The key for paleo/primal/whatever life style is to be able to live with it forever, right? If that means we cut down as much processed stuff as possible, that is a whole lot better than not cutting anything...at least that's my philosophy, which doesn't mean much in the world probably!

    I try to put it in a 'week' time frame as I can allot all my food consumed. This way if there is one day I have a major blowout (unintentional wheat thins for example), but the other 6 days I am perfect, technically (even if I ate all processed food that one day), then that week I come in around 86% Now, that assumes that I ate crummy the WHOLE day, which usually isn't that case, but you get the picture. Puts it into a bigger box which helps the motivation as it is a lifestyle, not a diet.

    I rambled, sorry. Must be the post wheat thin sugar crash.
  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    I've been reading the primal blueprint recently and Mark talks about 80/20 - and he says to strive for 100% because it's impossible to be perfect so if you strive for 100 with little slip ups you should fall to 80+. A couple of other things in the book that resonate with me are: 1) once you realize it's a lifetime journey to move away from conventional wisdom, you are in less of a hurry; 2) you need to weigh the importance of being very lean with the amount of effort it takes to determine if it is worth it for you personally.

    I am 34 currently 5'9" and 160 lb. In the summer of 2016 I was around 153 lb using primal/low carb. I have been 160ish though since around the end of 2016 (I gained when attempting keto). I have been primal/whole30/low carb/keto off and on since then. But for some reason over the past couple of years I am doing more unplanned eating and mindless snacking and I'm NEVER consistent with one approach.

    Whole30 doesn't work for me for weight loss and the restriction always backfires. It did help me find the only things that make me feel bad is snacks and sugar (and of course too much alcohol). So it is nice to know I can eat peanut butter and have cream in my coffee. If I eat grain free food with limited dairy and wine, AND stop eating before I overeat, I feel really good. And I have decided if I feel good and don't lose weight I should get used to this weight because I don't need to start the yo-yo/restriction process at 34 years old. Life is too short and my husband finds me attractive. I am trying to work out the mental game of only eating what I have planned. Primal doesn't feel like deprivation so I'm motivated to stick with it indefinitely. I may dabble with keto next winter but right now I just need to do the simple things - keep to my calorie budget, avoid poisonous things, and mind the carb curve. I think calorie counting for a few weeks a couple times a year to keep myself in check is something I can do lifelong to ensure I maintain a healthy body weight. Counting every day for the rest of my life is not something I plan to do.

    My weekend was not good with tracking, but I did a huge meal prep yesterday so I should be good for a few days. Breakfast and lunch will be the same until at least Thursday.

    Today: breakfast: shake with 5 cups baby kale, 1/2 an avocado, 1 scoop collagen peptides
    Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, 1 tsp mayo + 1 tbsp dijon mustard, bed of mixed greens w/ herbs
    Dinner: Monday: chorizo cooked with cabbage; Tuesday: chicken thighs with garlic, mushrooms and broccoli; Wednesday: split skin on chicken breast with green beans; Thursday: chicken salad on salad; Friday: pizza omelet (the family will have either take out or homemade pizza).
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    I've been doing primal-ish for about 5yrs, but recently have started allowing a bit more than 20% non-primal, what with Easter and a few events with meals included etc. I'm a healthy bmi, but have gained a few pounds and want to stop it now. In the past, I've definitely lost weight more effectively in a group, I've been logging food for 500+ days but feel I need a bit of community support.
    Today's food has been: bulletproof coffee, espresso with a little cream, large chicken salad, green tea with some dark chocolate, homemade salmon cakes (skipping the cod in batter that everyone else had), camomile tea and some cashews.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    Support is here!! So nice to know everyone is going through the same things sometimes!!
  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    edited April 2018
    @eve70 I’m looking for support too, but I can only handle keeping up with a few people. Hopefully we can motivate each other! What tracking tips do you have for a repeatfailure tracker like me? 500 days is impressive!
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    @curltess033 I make tracking part of my morning routine, so I sit on the floor, drink my bulletproof coffee and check my Fitbit app and then myfitnesspal. Then I'll do some yoga and Headspace. By making things routine/habit I find it easier.
    I'm good at logging, and although I've made some fitness progress recently, I really need to get back to the food. Far too many non-primal/paleo stuff and often not eating a decent lunch due to days out etc. over the Easter holidays. I'm trying to make sure I have some protein snacks to cover busy days.
  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    That's good thinking! So far, so good today. Tracking is so eye opening! what type of foods are you eating for your meals these days?
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    This morning I had:

    One hardboiled egg
    8 oz canteloupe
    Cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers kalamata olives and .5 oz fresh feta
    Homemade greek yogurt (plain, 4 oz) with 1 TBSP raw honey

    For lunch I had a mixed green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and grilled shrimp with oil and vinegar.For dinner I will probably have homemade chicken soup as I made it this weekend and if I go to the gym, probably a sweet potato.

    Note: I eat hard cheeses and feta as well as homemade yogurt on 'my' paleo plan so, yes, I know these are not paleo....but they work for me.

  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    Sounds good!
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    @madwells1 I also eat some grass-fed butter, hard/unpasteurised cheese and yoghurt. I found it works for me, and giving up dairy full stop was too hard, as long as I limit it it's ok.
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    So yesterday, I made a version of paleomg's bbq chicken casserole. I used left over beef taco meat, instead of rotisserie chicken with bbq sauce, mixed with eggs, shallots and sliced peppers (I skipped the spaghetti squash) and topped with a little grated parmesan, shallots and oregano. It's a mix it up and put it in the oven dish. It was yesterday's dinner hot with cauliflower rice and salad and cold for brunch today.

    I'm trying to eat bulletproof coffee, coffee with maybe a splash of cream, brunch/lunch, snack if I need it, dinner. So mostly eating between 12-7:30pm, but paying attention to how I feel hunger wise.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    @eve70, dinner sounded great! I am not a fan of spaghetti squash so your dish sounded awesome to me!!

    I have a problem with bullet proof coffee. I just can't get past putting ANYTHING in my coffee.

    I did great yesterday, and the day before, so I am on a roll! This morning (I am a grazer between 7:30 am and 2:00 pm when I am at work) I will have:
    • canteloupe
    • apple
    • avocado
    • cherry tomatos
    • turkey sausage
    • hardboiled egg
    • Coffee!!!! 2 shots of espresso thrown in

    For dinner I am going to have homemade paleo Korean BBQ chicken breasts I made last night in my instant pot paired with some fresh broccoli. So excited!!

    Tracking is really helping me so thanks for putting up with my long and detailed posts. What a difference just a couple days of eating no junk makes me feel. :D Have a great day everyone!!!!

  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    Tracking is going well for me too! It is amazing how good I feel, and how soft my skin is! Outlook is good. Those recipes are very enticing. Tonight I’m going to roast chicken breasts with olive oil and herbs and add potatoes and carrots to the pan. I like to cook that at high heat to get the skin really crispy. I forgot that I bought swiss chard this week, so that will be my side. Also doing a little IF today, I am out of the house until 230, which is when I’ll break my fast. I did have bulletproof coffee this morning. Also got my workouts in. Jessica Smith at home workouts are really excuse proof. There is something for any mood I am in. Also watched Fed Up last night, which isn’t paleo/primal, BUT it is anti-sugar. My husband was inspired by it and we’re taking the 10-day sugar free challenge with my kids, but waiting until after their school vacation which is next week. That gives me 11-12 days to clear all the sugary stuff out of the house. No one in my house has a weight problem luckily but I know everyone does better with less sugar!

    B: BP coffee
    L: kale, 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon
    D: 6 oz chicken, chicken skin, swiss chard
    Dessert: 1 square Lindt 90 w/ 2 tsp almond butter
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    Dessert: 1 square Lindt 90 w/ 2 tsp almond butter

    My kind of dessert!!!!!

    Good luck on the sugar detox!! Does this include honey and natural sugars in fruit or just processed sugar? I would have a hard time not eating honey or fruit....
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    Everyone's food sounds delicious! @madwells1 I think you have to go with what works for you, if that's black coffee, then go for it. I've been doing the bulletproof coffee thing for ages, so it's just routine now.

    We're going to have chicken too, chicken thighs in the slow cooker with chinese 5 spice/bbq spices and loads of salad. I'm really enjoying the spring produce, after lots of soups and stews.

    Yesterday was:
    Bulletproof coffee
    Mid morning espresso with a splash of cream
    Brunch/lunch: cold beef taco bake
    Green tea and some 70% lindt
    Gluten-free/low carb venison sausages with roasted veggies, steamed asparagus, cauliflower rice and salad leaves
    Primal blueprint stewed rhubarb (with grass-fed butter and a little maple syrup) with a little vanilla whipped cream

    @curltess033 good luck with the sugar free, I did mindbodygreen's no sugar week last year, it was easier as it went along.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    @eve70 -- Your dinner looks amazing!! You technically had me at the espresso, but when I got to the venison and rhubarb, I wanted to come over!

  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    @madwells1 ☺ Thanks. I've made a whole pot of rhubarb and froze some and the venison sausages are from tesco's (I'm in the UK), we often have them as they are easy, taste great and are low carb. I put them on a baking tray in the oven with onions and tomatoes to roast. I've been going through my recipes on Pinterest for some inspiration.

    @curltess033 dark choc and almond butter, yum!

    Thanks for all the inspiration, I'm feeling better for eating better already. My slim fit jeans feel a bit loose today too.
  • curltess033
    curltess033 Posts: 15 Member
    edited April 2018
    The detox is refraining from all added sugars, but not avoiding things that naturally have sugar in them. It will be a big step in the right direction! I am excited. Lindt 90 and PB is like heaven to me! If I could have that and martinis/red wine in a diet plan, what else would I want? :-)

    @eve70 - I can't wait for my jeans to feel better. Still trucking here! I ended up eating some turnip with dinner last night. It was so good but it took me up to the high end of carbs.

    Today I've been hungry so going with it, my IF went pretty well yesterday but I"m home all day today and find it harder to not eat, how about you guys?

    B: Cottage cheese with sun-seeds and PB, plus broccoli
    L: eggs with veggies
    Dinner: chicken salad with salad
    Snack: string cheese
    I should also mention every day starts with a coffee with 1 tbsp heavy cream =)
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    @curltess033 I eat more at home all day too, also if I'm tired, I have to really watch what I eat . If I'm out and about and busy, I tend to forget to eat. It's still the Easter holidays here, so the kids often want to eat more often than I would.
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    How is everyone doing?

    I was quite hungry yesterday, so I had:
    Bulletproof coffee
    Mid morning coffee with a splash of cream
    Lunch: 2 97% gluten-free pork sausages, some leftover southwestern chicken and salad
    Snack: green tea, a little manchego cheese with black grapes
    Dinner: baked wild salmon with low carb teriyaki dressing, steamed veg and cucumber,
    Camomile tea, dark choc and cashews

    @curltess033 how's the sugar detox going? I love dark choc and nut butter too.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
    @eve70, you are doing great---!!!

    Me, I have been doing pretty good myself. Today I had:

    fruit and hard boiled egg for breakfast
    Made vietnamese chicken salad for lunch (broccoli slaw, shredded chicken breast, cilantro, jalepeno, coconut sugar, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce)
    and for dinner I am going to have pan seared salmon with fresh tomatoes.

    Hope everyone is feeling great and having a wonderful weekend.
  • eve70
    eve70 Posts: 55 Member
    @madwells1 that Vietnamese chicken sounds delicious! We've got friends over for dinner, so I have bbq pork in the slow cooker with a little maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, chinese 5 spice, garlic and chilli (the original recipe has loads of brown sugar and sherry vinegar, so I've massively cut down on the sugar) with probably red cabbage coleslaw, green salad, yoghurt mint dip, veggie sausages for the vegetarian, flatbread for those that eat carbs.

    I did go on the scales and have lost the 4lbs I had put on over Easter, which is great as I've still been having more (dark) chocolate than I would normally. I will gradually decrease into next week.