Nutrition Challenge 2012

Day #14

2012-02-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

We are at the half-way point! Hopefully you are starting to feel better and get some of your energy back. Try to stay away from the Valentine sweets today. If you must have something chocolate, I found a great brownie recipe from http://paleomg.com

Sweet Potato Brownies

Prep time: 35 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 5 mins
Serves: 5-8

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
3 eggs, whisked
1/4 cup Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
1/3 cup raw honey
1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
3 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

Instructions: Time to bake that sweet potato. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, use a fork to puncture holes all around it, then throw in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Once your sweet potato is soft and cooked through, peel off the skin and mash it up in a bowl. And turn your oven down to 350 degrees.Now add your wet ingredients: coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and whisked eggs to the bowl and mix together. Then add your dry ingredients: coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips. Mix well to incorporate all that goodness. Pour into an 8×8 glass baking dishBake for 30-35 minutes. Let rest to cool a bit.

Day # 8

2012-02-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS!

If you are reading this, hopefully that means that you have made it through week one of your nutrition challenge. Keep it up and let us all know how you are doing!

Day #4

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am working this weekend (Saturday and Sunday)! I don't do that often. Weekends are usually a little more difficult, so make sure you have a game plan and remember this:

Day #3

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

I know, I know...it's getting a little harder, the sugar cravings are really kicking in at this point. Hang in there and don't give in!

Day #2

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to mention a few food items that are now allowed in the Paleo diet that we didn't allow previously:

1. Cashews - they are a nut - some say no because they cannot be eaten raw. You can determine for yourself http://paleoblocks.blogspot.com/2009/12/cashews-paleo-or-not.html

2. Sweet potatoes/yams - allowed, but sparingly. Good for athletes post-workout. High on glycemic index, so should be avoided if trying to lose weight.

3. Green beans, snow peas - more pod than bean - so are allowed.

Keep us all posted on how you are doing!

Day #1

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is ready for this! If not, get out and go shopping NOW! You will never make it, if you don't have the right food available to eat. As I have said before, the hardest part for me is the in-between meal snacking - so I will be sure to load up on some trail mix ( I make my own with almonds, walnuts, cashews, and dried cranberries). I also found a great recipe for banana-walnut muffins (gluten and dairy free!) - those saved me last time! You can find the recipe a few posts back.

It is also a good idea to keep a food log for the first few days or week to make sure you are getting enough protein and fat. Aim for 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbohydrate. Try to include protein and fat (avocado, olive oil, nuts) with every meal and this will help you from feeling hungry all the time. I like this site for a diet log: http://www.fitday.com/

Nutrition Challenge 2012

2012-01-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Fitness Estrella's 3rd nutrition challenge!

The goal of this challenge is make us all aware of our eating habits and do something to improve them. In the past we have done "paleo" challenges, supporting a paleo diet, which consists of a diet of lean meat, vegetable, fruit, nuts and seeds. While we still encourage everyone to try this diet for 30 days, we want everyone to participate in some way. So, if you are not up for the paleo, please choose something to eliminate from your diet for 30 days and make a conscious effort to eat more fruits and vegetables!

Please leave a comment and let us know what your challenge is! We start February 1st!

Post-Paleo Pizza Party

2011-05-31T00:06:00.000-07:00

When: Friday, June 3, 2011 5:00pm
Where: Picazzo's @ 14970 W. Indian School Rd.

I know, we should be eating Paleo pizza, but you all deserve a cheat day! I hope everyone had a good experience and will continue to incorporate Paleo into your diet's!

Check-In

2011-05-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

Is anyone out there? Sorry, I have not done well keeping up on the blog...too many blogs! Anyway, how is everyone doing with the paleo challenge? I must confess that I slipped up a bit this past week, but it was actually a good thing! I had a cupcake on my birthday and it definitely was not worth it...did not taste good. So, we went home and had the apple crisp that I had made in place of birthday cake - much better. Yesterday, I made some Rice Krispy Treats for the kids (one of my favorites) and again, I had a small piece, but it did not taste right, so I actually had no problem avoiding them after that.

Check-in and let us all know how the paleo is going for you!

Muffins

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with some "paleo" baking. During last year's challenge, I tried a couple of recipes which were complete failures (a carrot cake and almond cookies). Morgan's pumpkin muffins were so good, that I decided to give it another try. This resulted in some awesome banana-walnut muffins. Even my super picky-eater daughter said, "Mom, I don't like them, I LOVE them!"

Banana-Walnut Muffins
3 Eggs
1/4 c. olive oil
2 bananas (mashed)
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Mmmm....Smoothies

2011-05-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

We love smoothies! I made a new one tonight which was very good.

Almond-Banana Smoothie
2 ripe bananas
2 cups vanilla almond milk unsweetened
1 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 c. ice (or use frozen bananas)

Mix together in blender. Pour into glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

My all-time favorite:

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
2 c. frozen strawberries
1 banana
1 c. orange juice
1 cup vanilla almond milk

Paleo Potluck

2011-05-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Paleo Potluck is tonight @ 6:30pm! I can't wait to stuff myself full of some paleo food. This week has been somewhat challenging, but I have done well resisting temptation through Nurse's Day treats and my son's birthday (I really wanted a piece of his birthday cake)! Luckily, I had Paul and Sandra there to help me stay on track. Thanks guys!

Some Quick Meals

2011-05-03T12:32:00.001-07:00

Picture 1 - Ham, Onion, Avacado and Mustard wrapped in Cabbage.
Picture 2 - Chicken Stuffed with Ham and Spinach, Zuchini and Yams. (I know... brain fart. We are not allowed Yams. I forgot and was at the station) - Paul
Picture 3 - Chicken Stir Fry

Paleo Challenge Starts Today!

2011-05-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

We start today! I hope everyone has a house full of meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts...if not, you may be very hungry today. Log in at the end of the day to let us all know how the first day went.

Paleo Challenge!

2011-04-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

I am excited and nervous to start this challenge! For some reason, I think it will be harder for me this time. This blog site was used last year for our nutrition challenge, so feel free to look back through the comments and see how we all did. You may also find some good recipes or tips.

It is a good idea to log your meals in the beginning to ensure that you getting enough protein and fat. Your diet should consist of 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbohydrate. This is a good online site to use to as a diet journal: http://www.fitday.com/

Paul and I will be hosting a Paleo kick-off BBQ on Saturday, May 7, so find a good a good paleo recipe and bring enough to share!

Please post any questions you may have.

Friday, March 26, 2010

2010-03-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

We are almost there! I just want to say that as challenging as this has been, it has been a great experience. I have learned more about diet and nutrition in the last 30 days than in my lifetime. This experience has definitely changed the way I think about food and made me more aware about what I am putting into my body. The results for me have been great: more energy, less cravings, better sleep. I hope that this has been a positive experience for the rest of you.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

2010-03-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Only 9 days to go! Didn't do so well on Friday and Saturday while on our trip, but I definitely ate better than I normally would have. Friday we ate the continental breakfast at the hotel: they had eggs, but no fruit so I had 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1/2 bowl of oatmeal, coffee. Did OK while at Disney (just brought snacks): apples, trail mix, beef jerky, split a candy bar between the 4 of us. We had dinner at Olive Garden: Chicken Marsala with potatoes and bell peppers (of course I had to have a bread stick) and garden salad (I also ate the croutons!). We stopped at the grocery store after to stock up on snacks (apples, bananas, strawberries, beef jerky, deli meat). Paul made the mistake of buying red licorice...

Saturday: the continental breakfast had fruit this morning, but no eggs! I had 1 bowl of oatmeal, strawberries, coffee, 2 bites of a donut. Did OK on snacks (except for the ice cream sandwich). dinner was on the drive home. We stopped at Subway for sandwiches (could have been worse). Oh, I forgot the Starbucks caramel macchiato before we started the drive...

Sunday: Back at home and have not deviated! My digestion feels 100% better than last night!

If you went out of town or took a road trip, tell us how you did!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

2010-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

I felt some big improvements today during the workout! Actually, I felt great all day. I slept well, didn't have any sugar crashes during the day, and ended up working out even though I was planning on taking a rest day.

I hope that all of you are starting to feel the same and noticing some improvements whether it is your body, energy, sleep, or performance!

Have a great Spring Break!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

2010-03-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

2 weeks down, 2 weeks to go! I must say this week was much better than the 1st. It is getting easier, craving sugars less, have not really missed dairy at all, and the biggest challenge with breads and grains is finding something to substitute for them in a meal. I have yet to try almond flour/meal, but I am interested in trying it out.

We are taking a short family vacation this week during spring break, so it will be interesting to see how the eating goes while on the road and away from home.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

2010-03-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am finally over my gastrointestinal illness and food has never tasted better! Words of advice: never eat deli meat if you do not know how long it has been sitting at room temperature, especially from a hospital cafeteria. I will go for the grilled chicken from now on.

I had a pretty tasty lettuce wrap for lunch today. Used one cabbage leaf (I found the trick is to wet the leaf in water then microwave for about 1 minute to soften), turkey bacon, avocado, and chopped red onion. Would have been even better even if I had tomato - a paleo BLT.

Please post your recipes, if you come across anything good or different!

Keep it up, we are 1/3rd of the way there!

Monday, March 08, 2010

2010-03-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am very proud of everyone for getting this far, however I am not sure that I, personally, will be able to continue this for 3 weeks. I am going to suggest that we allow 3 "cheat" meals per week. You can have these all in one day or spread out through the week. Please read the following blog on Level 1 Paleo, I think that this will be much more realistic for us to reach our goals.

Tell me what you think!

Sunday, March 07, 2010

2010-03-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

We have made it through week 1 of the challenge! Only 3 weeks to go! Seriously, it seems like it has been 3 weeks. Even as I write this, I am feeling irritable, lightheaded, and HUNGRY! Paul and I were trying to tempt one another to cheat last night, so that we both could and not feel as guilty. Fortunately (or unfortunately) neither of us wanted to be the weak one that gave in first. The hardest part about this nutrition challenge is the meal planning, having the necessary food items on hand, and having the time to prepare good meals.

Tonight I am making a Stuffed Cabbage Casserole. This is a non-paleo recipe that I adapted to fit a paleo diet. It is cooking right now and smells good!

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can diced tomotoes
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Brown ground beef, place in large bowl and mix all ingredients together. Pout into an ungreased casserole dish, cover and cook for 60 minutes.

Is everyone hanging in there!!!??

Friday, March 05, 2010

2010-03-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

I encourage all of you to visit Crossfit Santa Clara's Nutrition Blog daily. They are also doing a 30-day paleo challenge and are much more knowledgeable than I am on the subject.

Please read the post from March 3rd - it inspired me to carry on...

Thursday, March 04, 2010

2010-03-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, the cravings are really getting bad! I broke down a put a "splash" of creamer in my coffee this morning, just to take away the bitterness. Night time seems to be the most difficult as far as the cravings for sweets go. Of course, the kids are still getting their dessert, so that doesn't help. Our dessert has been berry smoothies with OJ, frozen berries, and a banana.

Let me know what the worst time of day is for you and how you get through it!

Monday, March 01, 2010

2010-03-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

Nutrition challenge starts today!

No more sugar, dairy, or grains.

Be sure to comment and let everyone how your day went. If you already started, let us know how it is going and how you are feeling.

Sunday, February, 28, 2010

2010-02-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

We start tomorrow!

I had a hard time this weekend, luckily we are not official yet. I encourage you all to check out this website http://www.feastingonfitness.com/ . You will find an in depth explanation of the paleo diet and also rationale for arguments against it, as well as some great recipes.

Good Luck!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

2010-02-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah! I'm proud of you all for taking on the challenge! We do not officially start until Monday, March 1, but I know that some just couldn't wait. For myself, I have made a conscious effort this week to cut back on cereals, grains, breads, dairy, and sugar. I even resisted the brownies sitting in front of me all day at work! But I will be creaming my coffee up until the last moment.

For the first few days some of you may want to track what you are eating. This is a good idea to ensure that you are eating enough protein and fat. The following website is a good tool to use: http://www.fitday.com/ . Your daily diet should contain 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrate.

If anyone would like to have their weight and measurements done before starting, see Paul.

Fitness Estrella 30-day Nutrition Challenge

2010-02-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

I am recruiting the athletes of Fitness Estrella and anyone else who may be interested to participate in a 30-day nutrition challenge. The purpose of this challenge is to better your personal nutrition and diet, improve athletic performance, and improve your general well-being. Nutrition is a huge part of maintaining and improving overall fitness and health, so let's see what it can do for us.

For 30 days we will follow a strict Paleo diet. For those of you not familiar with this, I have provided some resources for you. It is basically restricting your diet to lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. There are NO breads and NO dairy. Also NO SODA - even diet soda. You will be allowed black coffee and tea (for those of us with caffeine dependence). The good part of this diet is that there is no calorie counting or food logs, just don't eat the restricted foods.

This will definitely be a challenge, but I think with some support we can all do this! We will officially start on Monday, March 1, 2010. Please sign in and tell us a little about you and your eating habits to start.