Food train - choochoo!!!

So 2 friends at crossfit invited me to join their food train. They prepare enough foods for eachother for the week that are paleo friendly. They have been doing it since the paleo challenge and really enjoy it. They asked me to join and I jumped at the chance. I made the lunches this week - 15 salads in total. I made Cobb ( with no cheese), spinach salad with strawberries, pecans and grilled salmon and chicken Waldorf salad. All of them came out delicious if you ask me. In return i got omlettes, scrambled eggs with sausage and almond muffins for breakfast. I also got a few dinners that I have even looked at all of them yet. Tonight was mango chicken and carrot salad. This is a great idea and I hope it works! My only hesitation is that I am not sure ill like reheated eggs and my job often has lunch or dinner meetings . Not sure if ill be able to eat everything.
Keep calm and food train!

This ain't easy!

Anyone who has ever said change was easy obviously has never done a lifestyle change. Changing eating habits is so very hard. It's mind over matter. I realized that I think about food a lot. When I wake up - what will i have for breakfast, eating breakfast - what will I have for lunch, eating lunch - what will my afternoon snack be, snack - what can I make for dinner. Food is all around and I love it. I do, i really love food!! I love eating it and making it ( i love eating it more). Paleo has been rewarding in a sense that I feel great and I'm losing weight but i've also struggled because there are so many comfort foods that I miss. Carbs and cheese. I could get buy with no sweets but I really love Carbs and Cheese. I do - whomever created the Grilled Cheese was a Genius! Finding a balance of paleo living and some comfort foods I have not found out. I'm back on track and eating well. Making choices that allow me to be filled but not full. The first few days back on the diet I have a headache (caffeine,sugar withdrawl) and also a little nauseas ( I don't think i'm eating enough and I'm probably a little dehydrated). My day is just soo busy at work with meetings after meetings I forget to fill my water cup. I need to be more aware of this and drink more WATER, especially on days when I crossfit. I'm also very tired. I should have a ton of energy from eating clean and working out right? Instead I'm tired all the time. I wake up and after I snooze, check facebook, read my horoscope and check the weather, i think about how many hours before I can get back into bed. I need a day with NOTHING and I can just catch up on sleep. Would that ever work? Can you catch up on sleep? Many people are out on vacation this week in my office so temptations have been less. No big meetings with leftover sweets in the chill zone, not as many people asking to order out and no freshly baked goods being brought in as a friendly gesture. Everyone on vacation has actually been good for my waistline and commute. I like routine and the last time i did the diet ( 30 day challenge) by day 12 I was eating the same things and continued to just rotate the same foods in. It was easy, i liked them and i knew i could lose weight eating what i was eating. yes it was boring but hey - i lost 10 lbs. Now i'm only down 7.5 lbs ( i'm hoping some was muscle gain) and I want to be down 10+ again. I have started eating what i ate in January again and i'm beginning to get sick of. there are so many good paleo website, i need to look at the recipes and really lean in on making new exciting recipes. A slow cooker should really become my friend! At crossfit our owner talks about setting a goal and having metrics to measure it. Not just, i want to lose 20lbs. What is the timeframe and how will you do it. So here it is, I want to lose 20lbs. I will do it but continuing my crossfit training 3-4times a week, running outside or on a treadmill at least 1 additional day to crossfit, eating paleo lifestyle 5-6 days a week. I plan on losing 20lbs by 9/1. That's only 5lbs a month... i got this. Keep Calm and Set Goals

Here I go again!!!

Ok -I'm back on a self 30day paleo challenge. I'm challenging myself to get back to the paleo lifestyle. It's the day after Easter and all the delicious foods and candy - I need a restart. I've gained a few pounds back according to the scale but clothes are still fitting great so I'm hoping the scale has gone up because of muscle gain. I know eating a Paleo diet helped me lose weight and feel great before And i want to see/feel that again! Summer is coming and is really like to feel confident in Wearing a bathing suit. Maybe even wear a Bikini for the first time! Today I already had a few cheats - couple mini Cadbury eggs. Other than that I refrained from carbs and dairy! I went grocery shopping and I'm ready to go for the week! Today at crossfit it was a doozy of pull-ups, lunges, wall balls and thrusters! My legs are already so sore! Tomorrow walking up the stairs may be a little challenging!
Keep calm and back on paleo track!

Birthday Weekend/Week

I just celebrated my hmmmmppp 32 Birthday! Had a great weekend celebrating with friends and family! This Birthday when I blew out he candles on the DELICIOUS Chocolate cake I wished for something different than i normally do. Fingers crossed this year continues to be YOS ( year of sara) Along with the celebration came drinks and awesome food! It's Birthday weekend, obvy I'm going to have some of my favorite foods and I did :) Getting on the scale this week - the little line did tick up a little but nothing too drastic. This week has proven to be a little tricky because i have such AWESOME work friends and they brought me cupcakes, we went bowling ( beer and bowling food) and we went out to lunch. All in all, i've been making good choices and I'm proud of that. I was only able to go to Crossfit on MOnday this week as I had an Early Morning meeting today and had to miss the 6am class. Though I HATE getting up so early to work out, I've made some really nice friends at the 6am class and it's nice to get to class and know tht you have friends motivating you and working hard alongside you. The crossfit games start tomrrow and though i didn't register I will still do the perscribed workouts at Friday's class. Last year's first workout was 7 mins of Burpees. 30 seconds of burpees is awful, I can't even imagine was 7 mins is like! I'm still trying to stick to eating as much of the paleo lifestyle as I can. I still make the pistachio pesto with spaghetti squash at least once a week. My friend Barbi just sent me a recipe for an egg quiche with sweet potatoes that looks ahmazzing - i'll be sure to let you know how it comes out when i make it. Keep Calm and Birthday week!

Still strong

I just wanted to Check in - I'm still doing good on the diet and I'm down 9.4 pounds. So yes, I gained a little back but all in all I've remained close to the 10.2lbs I lost right after the challenge. I still haven't had pizza or a bagel! I've avoided dairy except for a splash of milk in my coffee. No cheese, yogurt or creamy dressings in daily diet. I honestly don't have any desire to have it. I had frozen yogurt from my favorite place Peach Wave over the weekend but that's it. Carbs , haven't really had any. I'm kind of craving a sandwich on a roll but I want to make it a reason to have it or be someplace special, not just my Wednesday lunch. I'm going to a Mardi Gras party this weekend and the famous muffalata sandwiches will be made. Now that's a sandwich to splurge on! Sugar- I did have some chocolate and some peanut butter but other than that I've been good. I would still really like to continue to lose weight so I'm sticking to the diet. I'm going to try and kick up the cardio. I am feeling good and being a little lighter - maybe running will be a little easier! Next goal - train for a 5k
Keep calm and stay motivated!

Adam Levine

Oh Adam... What an Ahmazzing concert tonight! I went to MSG in NYC to see the Maroon 5 concert. Show was so fantastic and Adam Levine is beyond gorgeous and talented if you ask me! I now have to look online and see where I can see go see him
Again. I have been doing very well keeping up with the paleo lifestyle. Tonight I gave in a little. I had beer, nachos and chicken wings! It was all so delicious. No desserts but I did have dinner items that I haven't had in over 50 days! It all tasted so good but I do feel guilty for having them. I'm glad I went to the gym this morning! It's days like these that I don't feel like I can 100% live a paleo lifestyle. I enjoyed having a drink at dinner, a drink at the show and a drink after. It wasnt excessive and it was over the course of 5 hours. I'm on the train home and I feel a little swollen in My hands and my restless leg syndrome is kicking in. I know it's from being overtired. I go to bed at 1030-11 and it's 225am and Still not off the train :( soon enough.
Keep calm and Adam Levine!

Happy Valentine's Day???

I usually love holidays... I do - everything about them. However, when you are single and actively searching and not meeting the right guy or any guy for that matter - the superficial Holiday of Valentine's day is awful. Awful, i mean just awful! I tried to put on a happy face. I baked a sweet treat for my friends at work, I wore an adorable neon pink blouse from Jcrew with my black skirt and bow heels, I gave my roommates a little valentines gift and I wished all my friends and family a lovely day! That being said, I can't help but be jealous of all the girls around me who recieved flowers today at work, had a special card left on the counter when they grabbed their coffee, have dinner plans tonight or in general have that special guy to go home to. Though I'm trying to be really really good about staying on the paleo diet... once I finish my report I'm going to go home and enjoy a glass of wine and something chocolate. Why be completely sad when a chocolate treat will help. My calendar says it best -why fall into LOVE when you can Fall into Chocolate! Keep Calm and Love Chocolate.