Day 90 (2 days after Christmas)

The day before Christmas I weighed 15st 1lb that is 23lbs lost from day 1. I did stay Paleo over Christmas but I ate an incredible amount of food and I did have some booze (naughty Paleo cave monkey) which added 4 lbs to my weight. Anyway here are the photos:

Day 1

Day 90

Cajun Pork Chop, Swede Wedges,Coleslaw with Mustard

Ingredients:

• Pork Chop
• Swede Cut into Wedges
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Olive Oil
• Cajun Spices
• Coleslaw
• Whole grain mustard (Paleo? delicious yes)
• Courgette thinly sliced
• Lemon
• Pepper

Method:

• Marinate the pork chop in some olive oil mixed with Cajun Spice
• Slice the swede into wedges place in a bowl, add some olive oil and grated Prmigiano-Reggiano mix it up
• Roast the Wedges at 190C for 15 minutes
• Grill the pork chop
• Quickly griddle fry the courgette slices with a drop of olive oil, drop of lemon juice and pepper
• Add the mustard to the coleslaw... I pictured it sitting on top but stir it in
• Eat! Enjoy!

Body only exercise

Each month I am trying to make an improvement to my lifestyle. This month I have added some body only exercises into my regime.

Upper body day (Going easy to begin with)

• Push-ups (x30) currently doing these at an angle against something around kitchen work top height (makes it easier)
• Chair dips (x30) Sit on a chair, put your hands on the front edge, slide off of the chair and then lift yourself up and down using your arms
• Pull-ups (x30) Place a bar between 2 chairs, lay underneath and hold the bar lift yourself up, lower yourself down.

Lower body day (this really hurts the next day and the day after!)

• Squats (x30) stand with feet at shoulder width, squat down until you are nearly touching the ground with your arms stretched out in front, stand back up.
• Lunges (x30 each leg) stand straight with your hands behind your head, extend one leg back until the front leg is 90 degrees with floor bent from the knee, dip the back leg knee to the floor, return to standing position bringing back leg to meet front leg.
• Leg raises (x30 each leg) Stand straight hands by your side, lift one leg straight up behind you until at bum height as you bend over and touch the floor with the opposite hand. Return to standing position

Seasonal Food

Wishing everyone at https://www.facebook.com/groups/paleouk and all Paleo followers a Happy Christmas  :)

January
Blood Orange, Cockles, Seville Orange, Whelk, Cabbage, Clams, Clementines, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Mussels, Oyster, Parsnip, Pheasant, Pomegranate, Salsify, Satsuma, Sea Bass, Venison
February
Cauliflower, Leek, Purple Sprouting, Rhubarb, Cabbage, Clams, Cockles, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Mussels, Oyster, Sea Bass, Venison
March
Sardine, Spring onion, Blood Orange, Clams, Cockles, Mussels, Oyster, Sea Bass, Venison
April
Crab, Lamb, Morel, Rocket, Watercress, Wild Garlic, Cockles, Oysters, Sardine, Spring onion
May
Asparagus, Chicory, Gooseberry, Raddish, Samphire, Crab, Lamb, Morel, Rocket, Sardine, Spring onion, Watercress
June
Broad beans, French beans, Mackerel, Mangetout, Peas, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tomato, Asparagus, Chicory, Crab, Gooseberry, Lamb, Raddish, Rocket, Sardine, Spring onion, Watercress,
July
Apricot, Aubergine, Beetroot, Cherry, Chicory, Courgette, Crab, Cucumber, Fennel, French beans, Globe artichoke, Greengages, Kohlrabi, Lamb, Mackerel, Nectarine, Peas, Peach, Radish, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Rocket, Runner beans, Sardine, Spring onion, Strawberry, Swiss chard, Tomato, Watercress
August
Apple, Apricot, Aubergine, Beetroot, Bilberries, Chicory, Cobnut, Courgette, Crab, Cucumber, Fennel, French beans, Globe artichoke, Greengages, Grey mullet, Kohlrabi, Lamb, Marrow, Nectarine, Pepper, Radish, Raspberry, Rocket, Runner beans, Sardine, Scallop, Sea bass, Spring onion, Sweetcorn, Swiss chard, Tomato, Venison, Watercress
September
Apple, Aubergine, Beetroot, Butternut squash, Cabbage, Chicory, Cobnut, Damsons, Fennel, Fig, Globe artichoke, Grey mullet, Grouse, Lamb, Mackerel, Mussels, Oyster, Partridge, Pear, Plum, Pumpkin, Radish, Raspberry, Rocket, Scallop, Sea bass, Sloe, Swiss chard, Truffle, Venison, Watercress, Wild duck
October
Apple, Cabbage, Celeriac, Grouse, Kale, Medlars, Mussels, Oyster, Partridge, Pheasant, Pumpkin, Scallop, Sea bass, Sloe, Swede, Swiss chard, Truffle, Venison, Wild duck, Wild mushrooms, Winkles
November
Apple, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Celeriac, Chestnut, Clams, Cranberry, Horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, Kale, Mussels, Oyster, Parsnip, Pheasant, Pomegranate, Pumpkin, Salsify, Satsuma, Scallop, Sea bass, Swede, Truffle, Venison, Wild duck, Winkles
December
Clementines, Turkey, Apple. Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Celeriac, Chestnuts, Clams, Cranberries, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Mussels,Oyster, Parsnip, Pheasant, Pomegranate, Salsify, Satsuma, Scallop

Gammon, sweet potato and pea soup

Ingredients
Stock from a gammon (cooked the day before)
Ripped up gammon pieces
Sweet potato chopped
4 handfuls of the best peas

Method
Heat the stock
Add the vegetables and meat
Bring to the boil
Simmer until the sweet potato is soft
Blend the soup
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Serve!

Chilli chicken over vegetable marinated vegetables

Ingredients:

Chicken breast chopped
Chantenay carrots
French beans
Petit pois peas
Vegetable stock
Tomato and chilli marinade

Method:
Marinate the chopped chicken in the tomatoes and chilli for at least one hour
Place vegetables in microwave dish cover with hot vegetable stock
At the same time add the chicken and marinade to a hot frying pan
As you nuke the vegetables in vegetable stock for 4 minutes
Stir fry the chicken and marinade for about 5 minutes
Strain the vegetables and serve the chicken on top
Bon apetite!

Sea bream over Leek carrot and bacon broth

Ingredients
Sea bream
Leek chopped
Carrots chopped
Slice of smoked bacon chopped
Vegetable stock
1 lemon
Seasoning salt and pepper

Method
Heat olive oil in a sauce pan add chopped Leek and bacon
Soften the Leek and lightly brown bacon
Add chopped carrots
Pour over vegetable stock
Simmer until carrots are softened

At the same time heat oil in a frying pan
Add trimmed sea bream
Sprinkle with a little salt zest lemon over the fish
Add lemon juice by crushing the lemon in your hand catching any seeds

Fry the fish for about 5 minutes either side until crisp skin and cooked through

Add vegetable broth to a bowl and place fish on top
Enjoy!

Isometric exercise

On my rest days between weight training I have added isometric exercise to my regime.

Grip pull: hook your hands and then hook them together and pull against them as hard as you can
Elbow pull: cup one hand and rest the opposite elbow into it... Push with your elbow pull with your hand.. Same with opposite.
Potato push: rest bottom of 1 fist on top of the other top fist pushes down bottom fist pushes up.. Then swap.
Chair grip: in the seated position grip sides of chair underneath the seat.. Try to stand up.. Thighs vs arms
Flamingo stance: stand behind a chair hold top with both hands, raise one foot up until knee is at a right angle hold for a while few seconds then swap legs.
Plank: go on hands and knees place arms on floor wrist to elbow, extend legs out until you have a straight line from head to ankles, hold your weight for as long as you can

Breakfast sausages apricots and watercress

• Get the best sausages you can afford 
• Dried apricots 
• Water cress 
• Throw it on a plate 
• Enjoy! 

Day 60

Today is day 60 of being Paleo, I have been astounded by the results. In just 60 days I have lost 20lbs in weight, I feel really healthy and now my family and friends are beginning to notice.

Day 1

Day 60

All I can say is if you are considering going Paleo do it!

Asparagus and Sweet potato soup

Ingredients:

• Asparagus chopped (keep the spear tops seperate)
• Sweet Potato peeled and chopped
• Onion (half) chopped

Method:

• Chop the onions and add to saucepan with oil cook until soft
• Chop asparagus save the spear tops add rest to pan
• Allow to soften a bit
• Add chopped sweet potato
• Cover with vegetable stock
• Bring to the boil with spears sat above in metal sieve so they steam
• Once the sweet potato is soft blend the soup
• Serve into bowls add the steamed spears

Breakfast: Bacon, Kiwis and Satsumas

Bacon, Peaches and Kiwis

Ingredients:

• Bacon
• Peaches sliced
• Kiwi sliced

Method:

• Fry the bacon
• Add the peaches allow to soften in the bacon fat
• Add the Kiwi slices about 1 minute before serving

Delicious!

Chorizo Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes on a bed of Leeks

Ingredients:

• Leek chopped
• Cherry tomatoes halved
• Mushrooms sliced
• Half Chorizo ring sliced

Method:

• Soften the leaks in a frying pan with oil or butter
• In a saucepan add the Mushrooms, Chorizo slices and Cherry Tomatoes
• Allow to soften then put the lid on the tomatoes will provide the juice
• Serve!

Salmon with Leeks, Peas and Courgette Ribbons

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillet
• Leek chopped
• Peas
• Courgette sliced into ribbons
• Lemon slice
• Butter

Method:

• Cook salmon in tinfoil parcel with a little butter
• Melt butter in frying pan
• Add leeks allow to soften
• Add courgette ribbons
• Pour boiling water over your peas leave for 3 minutes
• Serve with a slice of lemon!

Yesterday's Vegetables Omelet with Gammon and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• Yesterday's vegetables (I cooked too much for my evening meal)
• Mushrooms sliced
• Gammon slice torn
• 2 eggs
• Splash of water
• Seasoning (Salt and pepper)

Method:

• Add the vegetables, mushrooms and gammon to a frying pan, fry in oil of choice
• Beat 2 eggs and add a little splash of water 
• Wait until the mushrooms are soft
• Pour over Eggs
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Allow it to lightly brown on the underside
• Fold over and leave in the pan for maybe a minute longer (no need to flip the heat will cook the top when folded over)

Papaya with lime

Ingredients:

• Papaya (big as you can get)
• Lime

Method:

• Slice Papaya
• Slice Lime
• Crush Lime over Papaya 
• Eat!

Spinach based Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• Onion chopped
• Garlic crushed
• Red Pepper (1/2) chopped
• Courgette chopped
• Carrot chopped
• Chicken stock (home made)

Method:

• Soften the onions and garlic until the onions start to go translucent
• Add chopped courgette and carrot
• Add chopped red pepper
• Toss in the Spinach and allow to wilt
• Add stock
• Bring to the boil then simmer until carrots are softened
• Blend
• Add seasoning (salt and pepper) to taste

Enjoy!

Day in the life of a paleo lifestyle

After 8 hours sleep (2 disturbances... child and dog!) I went for a brisk walk about 2 miles.

Then I had breakfast which was some very good quality sausages from my local butcher grilled and served with chopped plums (picked locally).

Unfortunately my job is sedentary so I was then sat for 4 hours (a small amount of standing). At lunch time I managed another brisk walk but less than a mile (I usually try to walk about 3 or 4 miles).

Lunch was Tuna and chopped red pepper mixed with mayonnaise (olive oil based... which for me is good oil) served over a plate of fresh spinach and some chopped tomato's.

 
Then another 4 hours of sitting for work.

And then my treat of the week (I try to do something special at least once a week). Roasted duck breast with a swede and sweet potato mash, green beans, parsnip roasted with Parmigiano-Reggiano and some roasted red onion.

Raw ingredients

Cooked, eaten, enjoyed!

White crab with a Spinach Salad

Recipe:

• White crab meat
• 1/2 red chilli
• Lime (1/2 juice) and zest
• Salt and pepper
• Spinach

Method:

• Lay the spinach out on your plate
• Mix the rest in a bowl
• Lay over the spinach
• When eating I made parcels with the spinach leaves

Just moved down a jean size!

Less than 3 weeks and I have lost enough weight to move down a jean size!

Recipe: Chicken ratatouille

So far this is the best thing I have cooked that is Paleo...

• Chicken thighs
• Mushrooms chopped
• Pepper Red/Yellow sliced
• Tomato chopped
• Courgette sliced
• Onion chopped
• Garlic clove crushed
• Glass of wine (I used home made)
• Tin tomatoes

Method:

• heat some oil (your choice) in a frying pan
• brown your chicken thighs on all sides (about 10 mintues)
• add the mushrooms, peppers, garlic, courgette
• Allow to soften
• Add the chopped tomato

• Wait until everything is softening

• Then add to a perspex dish (very paleo lol) and cover with tin tomatoes (chopped) and salt and pepper (by next year I hope to be using just fresh tomatoes but its autmn and I dont have the resources right now!)

• Season for me this means sprinkle with salt and pepper possibly add any herbs you want (I didn't this time)
• Add to a pre heated oven 230C wait 30 minutes

• Serve..

• Scoff! but save half the sauce for tomorrows lunch!

Breakfast Mango's and Bacon

In the main I am trying to eat whole foods with little fuss... was a nice taste combination!

Salad for Lunch

• Spinach
• Tomato
• Carrot
• Snap Peas

I don't know if it is psychological but everything tastes better, I can taste food like never before.

Breakfast

Just Pineapple!

Also today I walked to the shop to get the weekly vegetables, about 3 miles but 1 and half of it carrying 2 heavy bags of vegetables.

Paleo so far..

How I feel

Admittedly it is only the beginning of my 3rd week but I thought I would note down what I have been doing and how I feel so far.

The truth is I feel really good I really do have new levels of energy and it is strange not feeling sluggish after eating a meal.

Foods removed

• Bread was no big loss to me as I went off of it a long time ago.
• Potato's seemed hard at first but once I discovered swede wedges and how I can use sweet potato's in my cooking then that is no longer an issue.
• Pasta I think will remain very hard for me... Italian food has been a big part of my adult diet and of course that included pasta. In fact looking back over the last 2 weeks I have hardly had any Italian based food.
• Rice I am going to miss wild rice it was also a big part of my weekly diet.
• Milk in my teens I loved the stuff but as an adult I have always found it a horrible drink and it definitely  aggravated my asthma

The change to my diet

In a way being paleo is a bit like being vegetarian but you can eat meat (a life without meat would not be worth living for me...). I can honestly say I have never eaten so many vegetables and such a variety of vegetables in any given day.

Some of the paleo people I have interacted with on social networks have made attempts to replace rice and pasta using all kinds of combinations but I have decided I am not going to do that, if its not pasta its not pasta.

Breakfast

This seems the most limited meal of the day as so far it has been eggs and something (bacon / veg) or fruit and nuts.

Lunch

This has been a really good meal I have made some lovely soups and salads. I have tried to use tuna in this meal as I want the protein for my exercise.

Dinner

I have really enjoyed the challenge of this, it is actually very easy... it has been very exciting coming up with various combinations of foods. As a hobby chef it has been an invigorating experience to try and think of interesting things to do.

Effects and lessons learned

I have not weighed myself this week (my reference scales live at my parents house) but I have lost weight (5 lbs in the first week) and possibly a bit more since. My shape has changed a lot, suddenly all the hard work I do with weights is showing.

Happily friends and family have also noticed and commented so that is really pleasing. I am probably going to be forced to replace my jeans / trousers as my waste line shrinks :)

As I mentioned above my energy levels are really good and I do not feel sluggish after eating. It has had no impact upon my exercise regime either so I am really pleased about that.

When you tell people what you are doing they think you are mad, I prefer to think of it as being more aware of what I am putting into my body.

I will remove sweetcorn (I only had it twice in 2 weeks) I guess in my mind it was a vegetable I just didn't think!

So overall I am eating more vegetables and I have had some really nice meat and fish!

The Future...

I can see that I am going to stick with this, the paleo diet is not a diet it is a lifestyle and I have changed mine. I have been convinced scientifically by the likes of Kurt Harris http://www.archevore.com and Robb Wolf http://robbwolf.com/ This is not a fad it is how I am going to live my life with confidence it is scientifically correct.

I plan to do more of the following:

• Source the best food I can
• Try to become more seasonal
• Gather some of the foods that are freely available growing around us (I already do this with fruits for my wine making (for my purposes cave men ate fermenting fruits and I am not giving up this hobby))
• Cook with fire (Will be gathering wood) although this will only be at weekends due to time constraints
• Add a bit more exercise into my regime.

The bottom line

Going paleo has been a great experience and I will be continuing with it. If anyone reads this and you are thinking about doing it then I would recommend you research it properly but definitely do it.

Sweetcorn Chowder (with Wild Carrots)

Recipe

• Onion chopped
• Wild carrots chopped
• Pepper chopped
• Sweet corn (non paleo lol I didn't think about it... lesson learned!)
• Vegetable stock (home made its easy!)
• Pinch of mixed herbs or carriander

Method

• Chop the onion
• Soften in the pan using your choice of oil
• Add the chopped pepper wait until it is soft
• Add chopped carrots
• Add sweetcorn

Stir it up before pouring over the stock

• Add the stock and bring to the boil and then simmer until softened

• Blend! Eat! Enjoy!

Today's Food

Breakfast: Bacon and mushroom omelet
Snack: 2 slices of pineapple
Lunch: Cod (I ran out of salad need to adjust my weekly shop so had it on its own lol)
Dinner: Chicken with stir fry vegetables with a Jamaican Jerk seasoning

Jerk Chicken With Stir Fry Vegetables

I cheated I brought the seasoning! Really tasty

Recipe:

• Chicken breast chopped into chunks and coated in Jerk Seasoning (I left this to marinate for about 8 hours)
• A stir fry vegetables pack
• I added extra broccoli and pepper slices

Method:

• Stir fry the chicken until cooked properly through (you can rip a piece open to check)
• Set the chicken to one side
• Stir fry the vegetables for about 3 minutes until just softened (you can go longer but I like to have a bit of crunch)
• Tip the veg into your bowl
• Give the chicken one last blast in the pan if it isn't hot enough
• Serve and enjoy!

Sunday Dinner Roast Pork with Spring Greens, Carrots and Parsnips

The pork was delicious!

Exercise

Just thought I would make a note of my exercise regime.

I am following a style of exercise known as periodization this is where you exercise using low weights high reps for 2 weeks and then heavy weights low reps for 2 weeks. The idea is that you work slow twitch and the fast twitch muscles and therefore you get maximum growth.

I am only working on my upper body because my leg muscles are pretty massive due to the cycling and walking I do.

So this is the routine:

Day 1: Chest and Triceps

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Tricep Pullovers (I do this laying on my back as standing up hurts my elbows)
Dumbbell Extensions

Day 2: Rest

Day 3: Back and Biceps

Bent over 2 Dumbbell Row with palms in
Bent over single Dumbbell Row
Hammer Curls
Dumbell Curls

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Shoulders and Forearms

Dumbbell Deltoid Raise to the front
Dumbbell Deltoid Raise to the side
Dumbbell Raise (arms by sides raise up so your elbows point out)
Shoulder press
Palms up wrist curl
Palms down wrist curl
Dumbbell supination

Day 6: Rest

And repeat... this gives you a spare day if you need it in a week to miss a day.

Also try to do the pilates plank and scrunch sit ups every day though currently not managing that... must be more disciplined.

Walk at least 3 miles or more a day.

That is all I have time for in my life at the moment.

BBQ Lamb, Sweet Potatoes, Wild Carrots and Roast Parsnips

• Lamb BBQ'd (trying to cook over fire at the weekends)
• Sweet Potato Roasted with Red Onion with orangde juice, honey and chilli flakes
• Roast parsnips and potatoes (paleo 2.0) just a small portion
• Wild carrots (Purple, Yellow, Orange)

Meat should be cooked over fire whenever possible!

Yummy!!!

Lunch: Tuna Salad

Shredded carrots, cabbage (various colours)
Tuna, Mayo and Sweetcorn
Cherry Tomatoes

Breakfast

Bacon and Eggs... with big glass of Orange Juice... Paleo is not difficult!

Might eat a pear in a while too.

Recipe: Rainbow Trout with a medley of vegetables steamed in wine

• Lay sheet of tinfoil over sized into roasting tin
• Chop 1 leek
• Chop 1 pepper
• Throw in handful of cherry toms
• Chop some mushrooms
• Add a few chopped prawns
• Slice 1 lemon add to the mix, juice the 2 end bits over it all
• Pour over glass of wine (or 2 ;) ) I used my own home made wine
• Seal over tinfoil so you make a bag with room for everything to steam

Add the vegetables to the tinfoil

Lay the trout on top

After roasting for about 30 minutes

Served... and enjoyed!

Breakfast

I will only post up when I have something different... but this was today's breakfast.