Just starting out
MrsBailey149
Posts: 248 Member
Hello, my name is Nicole- I'm a total newbie with the Paleo diet. I've done research and considered it for a while, but never took the plunge. I am about 30-40 pounds over weight and suffer from severe acne. I also deal with bloating daily and other intestinal issues. After reading many success stories related to my issues, I am more convinced that ever that this is what I need to do. However, I also believe I am a sugar addict and kicking that habit is going to be extremely challenging. With that said, looking at tomorrow, Oct. 23rd as being my day 1. One question I was recently pondering...how do you know something is paleo acceptable? For example, I like to put chicken breast, a packet of ranch dressing, and a bottle of Frank'shot sauce in the crock pot and put it over some lettuce. If Frank's hot sauce is not paleo friendly, what makes it not? The sugar in it? What do I look for on an ingredients list to help me determine if I should include it in my diet?
Thank you!
~ Nicole
Thank you!
~ Nicole
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Replies
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Stick to mostly unprocessed foods and for those that do come in a package, read the ingredients. Commercial ranch dressing is a no-go for me but Frank's hot sauce is fine. I don't think my Frank's not sauce has sugar (I'm in Canada though so maybe ours is different), and doesn't have many ingredients at all. As for the ranch: soy and/or canola oil, sugar and a whole bunch of other crappy stuff. It will take time to learn about ingredients. When it's something you don't know, Google it. But it's just easier/better to avoid processed food in general. Homemade mayo and ranch dressing (mine is very modified and has no dairy usually) is the bomb.
The only way to kill the sugar addiction is to starve it to death. It's not easy but will get easier if you stick with it!
Welcome to the community. I know you will have great results if you commit to a Paleo lifestyle. I've been at it for over 2 years and have had awesome results. I have my struggles too but Paleo is easier for me to stick with than any other lifestyle. Feeling healthy is so much better than sick/dying.0 -
Welcome Nicole,
This is a lovely, helpful group of people and I know you will learn a lot from them.
My first piece of advice is buy yourself a really nice Paleo cookbook and let those recipes inspire you and then follow Akimajuktuq's mantra "never cheat with wheat."
Good luck.0 -
Welcome, you've come to the right place, there is tons of help here if you need it.0
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Welcome! I agree with Akimajuktuq about the ranch. I do eat Red hot, it doesn't have sugar or much in it. I make my own ranch by making homemade mayo with "Light Tasting" olive oil that I buy in bulk, and then add garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt, pepper and some almond milk. If you handle dairy you can do regular milk. For the mayo, I do one egg, some lemon juice (start with 1 T. and add to taste), a pinch of salt, and a pinch of dry mustard. Add all that to the blender, start it on low, then add light olive oil slowly until it gets too thick to blend. I also help it along with a spatula and kind of stir it if it seems too thin still. Hope that helps. Basically you are looking for real foods, that you can pronounce, and know what it is! Then you can determine if its Paleo by looking at the food lists, which are plentiful online.
As for sugar addiction the best way for me to deal with that is to go SUPER low carb (like 20-30 grams, subtracting out fiber)for a few days to a couple weeks until I no longer crave it. Right now though, with produce still being what it is, I am doing a more taper-down method which is harder, but not willing to give up my fruits right now! I look at it this way, its like ripping off a bandaid. You can do it slow and gentle and be uncomfortable for longer. OR, you can just rip that sucker off and suffer short term.0 -
Hi Nicole,
To repeat everyone else Frank's original is paleo. You will find a lot of us use it. Even though we all strive to use fewer processed foods when we find one that doesn't have a bunch of junk in it most of us jump on it. As for the ranch flavoring, if you are looking for a replacement of the powder look up some recipes online or use Cindy's above and just use the dry ingredients. My kids love a ranch "powder" on their chicken wings. That used to mean a packet in my house too. Now I make most of my own spice blends using Google and a little trial and error.
Other than that, welcome. I am very new to this group as well but the support so far is great.0 -
Welcome Nicole0
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Hi Nicole. I'm new to the group too. I started Paleo 10 days ago and am really enjoying it. Once you get your head round it, it's pretty straight forward. I really thought I'd find giving up grains and sugar hard but in fact found that very soon my cravings for sweet things stopped. Previously I'd eat a big dinner in the evening and then find myself craving chocolate or anything sweet. Now I'm satisfied with just the meal and am finding I recognise when I'm full quicker than before. It's not plain sailing, I have had brain fog and tiredness but as of today my energy has suddenly increased and I feel much clearer. I've also lost 6lbs since starting!
To get me going I downloaded nom nom Paleo a lovely recipe book and It Starts with Food and I've looked on the internet for Paleo blogs. There is so much information out there.
Good luck with your health quest.
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I'll point out that going low carb to cut sweet addiction means going higher protein and high fat. Don't try to drastically reduce calories while you're tempting the sugar monkey off your back. You can do that once the sweet is under control. And try not to get hungry. The hungrier you are the more likely you are to nosedive into a pile of stickiness.0
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MrsBailey149- Hi Nicole, so...how did your first day go?0
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This app saved me! http://www.nerdfitness.com/paleo-central/ I'm still kind of dabbling in paleo/ leaning primal but it gives you a simple yes or if it's not paleo, a quick reason why. It costs $1.99 I think but it is SO worth it, I promise! Also most hot sauce should be okay, but most opaque salad dressing isn't okay due to added sugar. Clear/ vinaigrette dressings are sometimes okay but it's better to just make your own.
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So I had the bright idea of Paleo when I started this discussion and then failed to continue with the plan. It's tricky with a house full of non-paleo food. Plus, I have a family who I don't plan to restrict as of yet. I plan to buy a book on Saturday and begin to transition into Paleo. know I need to- I have so many digestive issues and I'm fairly confident I have a gluten allergy. Thanks for support and advice!0
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You can choose to set an example for them, cook meals that are Paleo which they can choose to eat or make their own... no need to force (I feel differently when it comes to little kids though, but there can still be a level of compromise). I don't mind making potatoes or rice as a side dish, which my child can have as a treat too, for visitors but that's as far as I go. No wheat comes in my house, period. I have a guy friend who comes over occasionally and he LOVES my food. Who wouldn't love ribeye steak, fresh salad, mushrooms in butter, sometimes with a lobster tail with garlic butter thrown in?
You want the best health for the kids too, right? I've noticed some Paleo people still balk at the "missing food groups" when it comes to feeding their kids. Food groups are a total fantasy. There are only macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. And the grain food group is full of anti-nutrients.0 -
Any suggestions on what I can use to make sandwiches for my kids? They are so against switching over to Paleo after eating wheat and carbs their whole lives (and loving every minutes of it). But for my youngest who is 10 years old, he brings lunch to school and everyday it's a sandwich. What else can I give him as a substitute?0
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I buy the best lunch meat I can and I roll it up. Sometimes I roll bell pepper strips inside, sometimes a really good cheese. Sometimes I give them something to dip it in like homemade honey mustard. Also hard boiled or deviled eggs are a favorite.0
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Hmmm, lugo321, good ideas.... I might use them 0
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I don't substitute bread but I do put things in or on lettuce. People can adapt to change, especially kids. I only pack my child a lunch once per week. Today she took tuna, cherry tomatoes, rice crackers (I allow her them once or twice per week and they only have rice as an ingredient), and an apple. She loves veggies and fruit but it is sometimes hard to get the protein figured out. Sometimes she just has to go hungry if she wants to be too picky. Oh well, she won't starve to death.
The worst thing about packing the lunch is that our school bans all kinds of healthy foods such as oranges, and white fish (I sent tuna anyway!), and of course any kind of nut (cuz peanuts are nuts, right?! not). But wheat, soy, artificial sweeteners, and all processed/packaged foods etc is all just fine and dandy.0 -
famuv5 have you checked out Pinterest lately? They have all types of cool looking lunch boxes for kids...0
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I saw a recipe a few weeks ago for Almond meal muffin tops... that was recommended as a bread substitute. I even went onto Amazon to order the pan so I could make them.
Hasn't arrived yet.0 -
I have checked out Pinterest before, but I don't knowhow to navigate through the site very well, maybe I am not very computer savvy. I will give it another shot.
Almond muffin tops sound like a good substitute. I might try that as well.0
