A Spring Challenge: Day 10

We are at day 10 tomorrow which means only 11 days left! I want to share a link with you to a post from previous challenges. It's an interview of the author from 'Wheat Belly'. This podcast also persuaded me to try this lifestyle:) Enjoy it HERE.

I hope these links help you to stay focused. If you're not seeing all of your results just yet, be patient. I will also talk more about Mark Sisson's "80/20" concept when we get towards the end of the challenge for you to incorporate or you may want to continue to be strict for a while until you hit your goal weight.

Day 10 Agenda:

1. Eat whenever and whatever you want! I mean it... Eat dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Dessert for an afternoon snack or vice versa. Eat whatever sounds good that falls in line with the primal food pyramid. Now while doing this, get rid of any guilty feelings from eating or other emotions tied to eating and just enjoy your food. For the remainder of this challenge, ENJOY {primal, of course} FOOD.
2. Complete a sprint session! Do about 5min of a light warm-up such as jumping jacks, high knees, or jog. Then, put on running shoes and decide on a number of sets to complete. For example, you could complete 5-8 sets of 10-30 seconds of sprinting with a recovery in between {rest for about 60 seconds or until your breathing is back to normal} doing any cardio activity: running, rowing, bicycling, stationary bike, etc.

The benefits of sprinting: slight increase in human growth hormone {HGH} and testosterone production, increase in muscle fiber growth, toned muscles, and metabolic advantages.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- a dinner favorite or leftovers from last night!

Lunch- cheesy omelet and spinach.

Dinner- a lunch favorite or breakfast again like... cutting the top off of bell peppers, take out the pit, put in an egg or two and stuff with bits of meat/bacon/etc. and pop in the oven to bake until cooked.

Snack- PRIMAL DESSERT!

Dessert- apples dipped in hazelnut butter.

{Please try to find one other than this brand due to the sugar content!}

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-how you did with cutting ties between food and emotions

-sprint workout

-relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits

I made this last night...

I made the following recipe last night for dinner. It's super easy and delicious! If you haven't seen this on my blog yet, then here you go....

Zucchini Egg Bake with Italian Sausage

Ingredientes:

3 tbs butter
1 shallot, chopped finely
5 small zucchini, grated (or 2-3 large)
1/2 lb italian sausage link(s), cut into 1/2 inch chunks (or other meat)
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

*This is a spin off of a Mark Sisson recipe that you can add leftovers to. Last night I made this dish and added 4 small purple potatoes we had left over.

Set oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in sauté pan. Then add shallots and zucchini and sauté for about 7min or until zucchini is tender. Once zucchini is tender, put it in a colander and gently drain off the extra liquid. Add the italian sausage to the sauté pan (by themselves or with other leftovers) and sauté until slightly browned on all sides. Mix the zucchini and italian sausage together in a large pie dish or an 8x8 pan. Season with salt and pepper or other seasonings. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Smooth the top and add the grated cheese. Cook uncovered in the oven for about 35 min or until slightly browned around edges and cheese is crispy.

Great for dinner or breakfast!

A Spring Challenge: Day 9

Day 9 Agenda:

(1) Avoid eating foods that have a label. This might mean you will need to find fresher foods from co-ops or other whole food stores. This might give you the opportunity to learn how to make your own dressings, dried fruits, or nut butters!

(2) Avoid media. We spend so much time in front of computers, phones, our TV, etc. You may have to be in front of a computer all day at work, but if that is the case then limit the extra media you engage with. Set time limits for your media time twice a day. Focus on the most important things {email, news, etc.} and then close the device. Also, try to put on those screen dimmers/filters, such as f.lux, if not done so already to protect your eyes.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- crack in egg in each half of a pitted avocado, sprinkle a favorite fermented cheese or pieces of bacon and bake in the oven until egg is cooked.

Lunch- fry/grill some ground beef or bison patties and add a fried egg on top with tomatoes or avocados. 

Dinner- make a ratatouille dish from online with fresh ingredients and fermented cheese. 

Snack- make your own primal trailmix!

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-how you did with avoiding food labels and media

-relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits

A Spring Challenge: Day 8

I apologize for the late post. Here is today's challenge...

Day 8 Agenda:

1. Complete a very short, yet intense, tabata air squat workout. A tabata workout is usually 8 sets of a specified movement being performed for 20 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between. It is an amazing workout that you can get done in just minutes! Below is a large group of people performing this tabata style workout, so feel free to do it along with them or you may do it on your own:) Count your total reps and document.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- mixed eggs, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes poured in cupcake pan(s) and baked.

Lunch- find hot dogs/sausage that are antibiotic/nitrite/nitrate free and dab primal approved condiments on top {read those labels if not making your own condiment!} Add a side of greens.

Dinner- below is a big salad with homemade pickled radishes {never been a fan of radishes, but pickled are delicious!} along with baked chicken and remaining fried plantains.

Dessert- have you made/tried coconut milk ice-cream? Literally, just coconut milk and coconut pieces. Check your labels, or better yet, make your own!

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-tabata air squats total reps

-relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits

A Spring Challenge: Day 7

Tomorrow will be the completion of the first week of the 21 day challenge which means only 14 days left! I hope you are starting to feel and see the benefits of living a primal lifestyle:)

Day 7 Agenda:

1. On Day 3 I challenged you to try new primal approved meals for the rest of the week, so I hope you found one you really liked:) That being said, I also mentioned that on Day 7 you would SHARE this new meal {and other favorite primal dishes if you'd like} for a big Sunday dinner with your family and/or friends!
2. Rest... no strenuous physical activity. Spend meaningful time with your family by taking a walk or playing a game. You could also take this day to have some personal time to yourself: read, write in your journal about your primal experience thus far, or nap;).

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast-

Lunch- on Sunday's I go for the leftover's! Heat up leftover meat, soups, or you could even do a shepherd's pie by throwing all your leftovers into a casserole dish and bake it {it sounds weird, I know, but it is good!}

Dinner- beef round eye seasoned with  salt and pepper baked in the oven with a side of veggies {love beef round eye!}; fry some chicken and veggies with a side 

of fried plantains in extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.

Dessert-

Hot Coconut Milk

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 tsp 100% natural honey
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Put coconut milk in pot over low-medium heat. Stir until milk is hot and foaming around edges. Add honey, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Stir together and serve hot in large mug.

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-primal meal shared with family and/or friends

-what you did on your REST DAY

-relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits

A Spring Challenge: Day 6

What did you do for Day 5's PLAY day?

Day 6 Agenda:

1. Try a new aerobic exercise. If you find yourself at the gym for most of the time then get out and try something new! Go bike riding, try rock climbing, play tennis, {or if it is freezing outside...} jump on a rowing machine or whatever else it is you would like to try.
2. Forage. Go out to dinner with your significant other, best friend, or entire family to a nice restaurant and eat primally. You might need to substitute a side dish of buttery mashed potatoes for steamed vegetables or ask for olive oil and lemon for salad dressing or ask to hold the non-primal sauce on your steak...FORAGE!

{This was from a forage to Moe's Southwestern Grill.}

Meal/Snack & DESSERT Ideas:

Breakfast- shredded sweet potatoes with eggs atop and fried in a pan.

Lunch- asparagus wrapped in bacon and baked.

Dinner- pan cooked tilapia with seasonings in a pan using olive oil or coconut oil.

Snacks- pickles; deviled eggs; cucumber salad.

DESSERT- baked pears...simply delicious!

Baked Pears

• 4 small pears
• 1c hard apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1t cloves

Set oven to 400 degrees. Slice bottom of pears so they stand upright. Pour hard cider in a medium sized casserole dish. Add pears standing upright. Place cinnamon sticks and cloves in the cider and around the pears. Bake for 1 hour or until pears are tender and skin comes off easily. Let cool and enjoy!

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-new aerobic exercise

-forage experience

-relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits

A Spring Challenge: Day 5

We are on Day 5 tomorrow which means week ONE is about to hit the books. One down, two to go. These are the typical first week results that I hear: increased energy, decrease in cravings, decrease in hunger between meals, decrease in bloating/"my tummy is flat", "mental clarity", no headaches, and decrease in constipation.

Day 5 Agenda:

1. Play! Go play a sport you love, go on a hike with your family, play frisbee, go slack lining, go sledding/tubing in the snow, paddle a canoe or play basketball in a gym. Grab your family/friends and enjoy yourselves together doing what you love!
2. Sleep at least 8 hours/night. From here on out, plan ahead so you get enough sleep and take the time to relax 2 hours before bed {I know the mom's are thinking, "YEAH RIGHT!"} To make things more calming, turn off the TV, computer, put away phones and other gadgets. Dim the lights, read books with your kids, etc. Create a more calming environment to help everyone wind down.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- scramble eggs with mushrooms, peppers, spinach and onions; cook up some sausage with eggs and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Lunch- make a broccoli soup or other vegetable favorite.

Dinner-

Spicy Mexican Sausage Stew

• 4 large sausage links, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch chunks
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped into medium chunks
• 1 white onion, thickly sliced and chopped in half
• 1 tomato, diced into medium chunks
• 1/2 can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 can El Pato tomato sauce
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1T olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and add sausage. Stir sausage until brown on all sides. Set sausage aside. In the same pan, add all ingredients except for the cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook until tender. Then add sausage back to the pan, cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper as desired. Turn heat down to a simmer or 1-2 stove setting. Cover and let cook for about 2 hours. Let cool and serve topped with chopped cilantro or other garnish.

Document:

-how you increased your daily movement

-what your "PLAY" activity was

-hours of sleep and relaxation techniques tried
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
-satisfaction level with meals
-hunger level between meals
-struggles
-benefits