Update No.2
29/02/12 05:52
Well, here I am, another 6 weeks into the Paleo diet.
My observations are:
1. The weight loss slows down.
While I am still losing weight, the rate at which I am losing it has slowed down.
2. You need to be very careful that you get a balance of foods.
My green vegetable intake has been getting smaller and smaller as I concentrate on what I like (red meat, chicken, eggs, tomatoes, peppers, onions and sweet potatoes (occasionally)) and I have started having trouble with constipation. Your mileage may vary, but I have to do a rethink on my main meal balance.
This may also be linked to point one.
3. Water intake must be kept up.
I like fruit infusions, and I tend to drink them whenever I feel like a drink. This is probably not a good idea, and limiting these to early morning and after dinner would probably be better, with water being substituted at other times.
4. It's expensive to be on a Paleo diet.
Here in Scotland, the cattle are mainly out in the fields all year. There may be a couple of months in the winter when they are brought indoors and fed on hay, but most often they are left in the field all year and fed hay when fodder is low. I have found a good source of grass fed cattle that are not given growth hormones, but the cost is nearly double. I use this source sparingly, and buy from other "farm shops" around the area whose cattle may not be as scrupulously vetted. My reasoning is that I am nearly 60 years old and have been eating whatever the supermarkets have supplied for all those years, so any replacement of that stuff has to be a bonus.
5. My energy levels are evening out.
A couple of weeks into this diet, my energy levels were incredible (for me!). Now, I am finding that they are slowly dropping back towards my previous lethargy. Maybe point 2 has something to do with that...
Overall, I am still happy with the Paleo diet. It has improved many things for me - I've got weight loss, clearer skin, no catarrh, better energy levels, a better sleeping pattern (most of the time) and a coffee habit that is now under control.
Here's a basic curry recipe that I use with chicken, pork (usually a fillet ) or beef. Next time I get a rabbit, I'll try this recipe with it, too.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs Oil - I use olive, use your favourite paleo oil.
Curry Powder - I use mild and about 1 1/2 teaspoons is enough for me - adjust to your taste. You could use (or make) a curry paste also.
Meat of your choice - I use a single diced chicken fillet, a half a diced pork loin, or a handful of diced steak - adjust to your preferred meal size.
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into smallish chunks.
1 Onion - I like red onions, use what type you like. Cut into about 8 wedges.
200ml of chicken stock. I use a stock cube (see point 4 above), you can make your stock if you want.
300ml of coconut milk.
Heat the oil in a frypan ( a deep one), add the curry powder and stir once or twice to spread the curry powder, add the onion and fry for about a minute or so. Add the meat and sweet potato and stir until they are coated with curry, then add the stock and the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then drop back to a simmer for 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on this as the liquid can reduce quite quickly. Makes enough for me, adjust quantities if you need more.
This is a pretty mild curry because I don't like hot curries. You can, of course, do anything you want with yours :-) This recipe was found on-line somewhere, and I cannot remember where, so if the author is reading this, get in touch and I will give you credit.
Next update when I have time.
My observations are:
1. The weight loss slows down.
While I am still losing weight, the rate at which I am losing it has slowed down.
2. You need to be very careful that you get a balance of foods.
My green vegetable intake has been getting smaller and smaller as I concentrate on what I like (red meat, chicken, eggs, tomatoes, peppers, onions and sweet potatoes (occasionally)) and I have started having trouble with constipation. Your mileage may vary, but I have to do a rethink on my main meal balance.
This may also be linked to point one.
3. Water intake must be kept up.
I like fruit infusions, and I tend to drink them whenever I feel like a drink. This is probably not a good idea, and limiting these to early morning and after dinner would probably be better, with water being substituted at other times.
4. It's expensive to be on a Paleo diet.
Here in Scotland, the cattle are mainly out in the fields all year. There may be a couple of months in the winter when they are brought indoors and fed on hay, but most often they are left in the field all year and fed hay when fodder is low. I have found a good source of grass fed cattle that are not given growth hormones, but the cost is nearly double. I use this source sparingly, and buy from other "farm shops" around the area whose cattle may not be as scrupulously vetted. My reasoning is that I am nearly 60 years old and have been eating whatever the supermarkets have supplied for all those years, so any replacement of that stuff has to be a bonus.
5. My energy levels are evening out.
A couple of weeks into this diet, my energy levels were incredible (for me!). Now, I am finding that they are slowly dropping back towards my previous lethargy. Maybe point 2 has something to do with that...
Overall, I am still happy with the Paleo diet. It has improved many things for me - I've got weight loss, clearer skin, no catarrh, better energy levels, a better sleeping pattern (most of the time) and a coffee habit that is now under control.
Here's a basic curry recipe that I use with chicken, pork (usually a fillet ) or beef. Next time I get a rabbit, I'll try this recipe with it, too.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs Oil - I use olive, use your favourite paleo oil.
Curry Powder - I use mild and about 1 1/2 teaspoons is enough for me - adjust to your taste. You could use (or make) a curry paste also.
Meat of your choice - I use a single diced chicken fillet, a half a diced pork loin, or a handful of diced steak - adjust to your preferred meal size.
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into smallish chunks.
1 Onion - I like red onions, use what type you like. Cut into about 8 wedges.
200ml of chicken stock. I use a stock cube (see point 4 above), you can make your stock if you want.
300ml of coconut milk.
Heat the oil in a frypan ( a deep one), add the curry powder and stir once or twice to spread the curry powder, add the onion and fry for about a minute or so. Add the meat and sweet potato and stir until they are coated with curry, then add the stock and the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then drop back to a simmer for 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on this as the liquid can reduce quite quickly. Makes enough for me, adjust quantities if you need more.
This is a pretty mild curry because I don't like hot curries. You can, of course, do anything you want with yours :-) This recipe was found on-line somewhere, and I cannot remember where, so if the author is reading this, get in touch and I will give you credit.
Next update when I have time.
Update No.1
16/01/12 08:10
It is roughly three weeks since I changed what I eat on a daily basis.
Here are the results so far:
So, what steps did I take to get these improvements?
OK, here is my breakfast this morning:
King Prawn omelette with onion, celery and tomatoes
Ingredients
About 15 king prawns (cooked), 2 eggs, 1/2 an onion (I use red, use what you like), 1 celery stick, 2-5 button tomatoes. Black pepper to taste. Olive Oil
Hope you do to!
Here are the results so far:
I now tighten my belt by a further 3 - 4 holes (varies depending on the time of day)
I am now sleeping deeper and for longer periods - I actually slept through from 11:30ish last night till around 6:15 this morning without pills. Believe me, this is huge for me!
I can now wear jeans that I abandoned long ago on my journey to obesity.
I do not need to pee every hour, and peeing is more comfortable than it has been for a looong while.
My skin is less itchy than it was, and it feels smother. Doesn't look any better, just feels better to my touch.
I seem to be able to more evenly pace myself over the day - no burst of energy (coffee, starchy snacks) followed by the need to sleep put off by more coffee and starchy snacks, ad infinitum.
So, what steps did I take to get these improvements?
1. I cut my coffee intake down from 6 to 10 mugs of coffee (with milk and 2 sugar) to 1 mug (with milk and 1 sugar) per day. My coffee intake has remained steadily over the top for the last twenty years. My wife told me I drink too much, my colleagues told me, but my doctor never did (probably because I never told him how much I drank!) so I thought I was OK with it. Don't kid yourself like I did. I had really bad headaches for the first 4 to 5 days, but I persevered and now I don't have the headaches, and I enjoy my coffee - which is now made from beans in a cafetiere (aka French press) and is not instant. I think the reduction in sugar is a major contributing factor in the weight loss. It may also be a factor in the more even energy levels I seem to have. This was a big deal for me. I love coffee. I still love it, but now I appreciate it more.
2. I started walking again - 3 to 4 miles every second day ( first two days were really hard) When I was on the weight watchers diet I used to walk every day. It sure helped me then, and it will sure help me now. I hate regimented exercise - I think it's great for athletes and those with sporting goals, but for fat old men it is just totally undignified. Walking a reasonable amount each day or each second day is a non stressful way to improve your health with much less chance of injury than all that huffing and puffing.
3. I removed grains and grain products from my diet. This is not easy. Grains are in everything - every processed snack bar, every bakery item (bye bye muffins, I will miss you!), every cereal (so long Corn Flakes, I have known you since my childhood), and almost all packetised and processed foods.
4. I upped my intake of red meat. Easy for me, I love red meat. I am now working my way through our freezer stores of red meat, and loving it. I rediscovered liver, something I have not eaten for thirty years.
5. I eat so much more fresh fruit and vegetables. Each meal contains at least one of, sometimes more, lettuce, broccoli, celery, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potato etc. I eat more onions, garlic, tomatoes. I eat apples, bananas, grapes, pineapple, oranges.
6. I drink more water. I drink a Blackcurrant and Apple infusion instead of my first cup of coffee of the day. No added sugar, no milk. I drink hot water with lemon or lime juice to taste during the day. I drink a peppermint infusion after my evening meal. No sugar, no milk. And I drink my 1 mug of coffee around noon. With milk and sugar. And I love it!
OK, here is my breakfast this morning:
King Prawn omelette with onion, celery and tomatoes
Ingredients
About 15 king prawns (cooked), 2 eggs, 1/2 an onion (I use red, use what you like), 1 celery stick, 2-5 button tomatoes. Black pepper to taste. Olive Oil
Method
Put prawns on to heat in a pan with some olive oil. Keep it in the mid-range - we want to heat these through rather than cook them. Heat some olive oil in another pan, and put in the thinly sliced onions and thinly sliced celery. The aim is to soften these two, so not too high a heat for them. Add black pepper to eggs and whisk until a uniform colour.When the prawns are heated, add the eggs to the prawns, spreading evenly.When the base of the omelette is set, use a wooden spoon or spatula to move the base aside and tilt the pan so that the uncooked egg runs off the top of the omelette. Keep doing this until the top of the omelette is moist, but not swimming in egg mix. Add the onions, celery and tomatoes (which I leave cold) to the omelette. Fold in half and then flip over - often easier said than done, but with practise I am getting better!Finish to whatever consistency you like.I find it filling and delicious.
Hope you do to!