Current State of Health

Holly over at Holly Would If She Could put out a challenge for everyone planning on doing a Whole 30 in January to write a 'Current State of Health' post, so here goes:
If you asked me prior to our Christmas party on the 15th and then  Christmas weekend, I would have told you that I was kicking ass and taking names. Dave and I both have been really good about being Primal. I've also continued to religiously track my total caloric and carb intake as well. I know that goes against the Paleo/Primal philosophy, but through trial and error I have determined that it is a necessity for me. I've spent too long as a food addict, I just can't trust the brain to stomach communication. Maybe someday I will. But not yet.

That said, I will do the Whole 30 as intended. Meaning no calorie counting. But in that case, my foods are so limited (translation: the yummy hacks are not allowed) that I'm not so worried. But I digress.

Exhibit A of Foods I Have Been Overeating: Paleo Cinnamon Buns courtesy of Homesteading and the City

Yeah, they're "allowed" but they're still high in total calories.

After allowing waaaaaay to many non-primal foods down my gullet over the weekend as well as just too much of the good stuff (but it's Christmas!) the bloat has been unbelievable! Don't get me wrong, I'll get a food baby after eating some fruit, but it goes away after an hour or two. This has been lasting for days. It's just so...ugh. And the fact of the matter is, this used to be normal! I used to not even notice it. It blows my mind, what we learn to accept as normal.

I have not been sleeping well at all. Pre-Primal I had started having trouble sleeping but it got waaaaay better once I started eating Primally. (it's a word, now) And bathroom issues, of which I had a few, cleared up too. Guess what's back? (um....eeew)

As of Christmas evening Dave and I both said, "Ok, it's been fun, but ENOUGH." As a result I am feeling better already. I'm starting to deflate and the bathroom issues are starting to sort themselves out. And the best part? I'm craving the good foods.

And the good news is we have not slacked at all in our Crossfitting. (also a word, now) In fact, we kept to our regular schedule and then some. So at least I have that going for me. It was oddly quiet in the box last week, so I finally made Dave take a cliche' Look-At-Me-Crossfitting pic.

This would be so much more impressive if I wasn't still using a band...and a green one at that.

I know, I know. Patience, grasshopper.

I won't actually be starting my Whole 30 until January 22nd. We're going away (the location is a surprise) for Dave's 40th birthday and there is no point in starting it before then. Which I actually think will be for the best for more than one reason. There are so many awesome folks on the interwebs starting on the 1st or 2nd, I can just follow along and steal all of their recipes, tricks and tips. Muahahahahaha. But to sum up the State of My Body, forays into CW eating for the Holidays and subsequent consequences aside, I've been in the best shape of my life. However, I do still get wicked sweets cravings and have plenty more fat to lose off of my body. Those are the two things I'm hoping to see the Whole 30 have an affect on, fingers crossed.

In closing, here is a picture of Joey and Badger, because cute:

They look guilty for a reason, I'm sure.

PS If you've been reading this and have no idea what the Whole 30 is click here.

A Primal Day in the Life

I'm proud to say stupid TS Isaac did not thwart our plans for a little Crossfitting at home last night. We waded to the Shop and made up our own little routine.
Warm-up
   20 jumping jacks (instead of the quick jog 'cause of the flooding)
   Usual series of active stretches
   3 rounds of 10-5-10 squats/push-ups/sit-ups
Casa de Fuchs WOD
  3 rounds of:
  30 Squat and Tosses with our 10 lb medicine ball (30 each, back and forth to each other)
  50 jumps on our jump ropes.

Short, sweet and sweaty, just hows I like 'em.

And now a quick rundown of what I'm eating today, 'cause I know you care...

Not the prettiest of breakfasts, but it tasted good.

Breakfast was 1/2 an avocado, Jimmy Dean Turkey Links, and one egg scrambled (using coconut oil) with spinach. The eggs are from my own chickens. That's about as Primal as you can get. Go, me! The Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage links, not so perfectly primal. They're cool in that they are all protein, but some may argue to the fact that they are mass produced and I'm sure there is a bit of sugar in them. But for my personal Primal Plan they are included. So there.

Some day I'll learn to take pretty blog-food pics, like the cool bloggers. But for now we'll go with gritty realism.

So what we're looking at here is a Red Delicious apple. I really wish I could branch out more into other types but RDs really are the only ones I like at all. The bag o' nuts are a 1/2 cup of pistachios. They make me happy. The weird thing is that I only discovered I liked them a few months ago. I swear I've had the palate of a four year old most of my life. The mess in the container is a Primal Shepard's Pie that is AMAZEBALLS. Here's the recipe. I kid you not when I say that it is every bit as good as any other Shepard's Pie I have EVER had. And I'm a bit of a Shepard's Pie connoisseur, my friends. Of course, the only real difference is that we're using Mashed Cauliflower instead of Mashed Potatoes. If you've been on the Healthy Train for any time at all then you already know about the magical illusionary powers of cauliflower. For the record, Blogger seems to think that illusionary is not a word. But dictionary.com disagrees. Suck it, Blogger. Anydistraction, whether you are into the Primal thing or not, try the Primal Shepard's Pie, you will not regret it.

Moving on.....

This is a very boring picture. I apologize.

I like to have a snack on the way home from work. I find that 3:00 is too early, and once I get home it is too late. Today it is carrots and turkey jerky. Say "turkey jerky" out loud. No, really. I'll wait. Tell me that didn't make you smile. Anyturkyjerky, I often have macadamias or pistachios, depending on whether or not I had them at lunch, as my commute snack. But Dave brought home a bunch of Jerky the other day, so why not?

Dinner tonight will be steamed asparagus and a crockpot Rump Roast dish courtesy of the lovely Julie at Paleomg.com. It's supposed to look like this when it is done:

Some how I sincerely doubt mine will be that pretty.

So my Jerky Turkeys, that is shaping up to be what will be going in my mouth-hole today. I hope only good things find their way to your's as well.