So, I've gone back to our roots...sorta. As of Jan 1, I've only eaten red meat I've shot myself. Lots of "wild caught" store bought fish. Most of the fish was smoked by Yours Truly. Ate some chicken, but tried to keep it free range. No potatoes other than one batch of fries last Sunday. No rice. Some quinoa. Butt loads of greens and mushrooms. No chips, no pasta. My one "hell, no,I'm not giving that up"? Beer. Like good beer. But I've limited myself to 3 or less (sometimes none) per night. So far I've not felt "hungry". I'm not a sweets guy so that's not going to be a problem anyway. I've already lost 8 steady pounds and know that as soon as I start running again (next week, it's been too damn cold) another 10 will fall off like nothing. Anyone else gone paleo? Recipe sharing?
Far worse. 5 years ago, my doctor had me give up gluten to ease stomach issues. I hate it when the doctor is right. Feel much better but other than meat, potatoes, veggies and fruit, not much else you can eat. Haven't lost much weight, I was already fairly thin, but I don't put weight on in the winter months when I'm not hunting or really working hard outdoors.
Recipe for Ropa Vieja (literally, "Old Clothes" - tastes much better than it sounds) Take a 2 pound wild game roast, season with salt and pepper, brown in coconut or avocado oil (should be very rare inside) Add 1 whole chopped white onion, 5 garlic cloves (or minced equivalent) 1 chopped green pepper, 1 cup water and 1 cup stock(your choice) simmer for 1 hr Remove roast, dump stock and veggies. Shred roast with a fork. Chop 1 white onion, 1 green pepper, 1 shallot, and another 2-5 garlic cloves/minced equivalent. Add all to stock pot, with 2 bay leaves, 1 28oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of tomato paste, 1 cup beer, 1 cup water, 1 cup stock. Simmer for 30mins or until peppers are soft but not mushy. Pour over spaghetti squash, quinoa, bed of lettuce, or eat in a bowl like a stew.
Baked green beans, asparagus, cauliflower, and broccoli with olive oil and seasonings baked fish in the same olive oil and seasoning. Brown rice or better wild rice is even better.
Technically rice isn't paleo but I modify for long and/or wild grain... You can put cauliflower into a food processor and rough chop it it's a pretty good doppelgänger for rice. And I'm not normally a cauliflower fan
My wife has been eating healthy for the last year and a half, that means I am eating healthy too, I do most of the cooking and venison is prized for it's whole free ranging low fat protien, I just think it tastes good.
Marinate it lemon evo olive oil with sea salt and fresh ground pepper bake at 400 until the edges brown up, it is good even to a moderate fan of cauliflower.
I normally eat pretty healthy and even tho I slipped a bit the previous couple months I was still in normal weight range. But in the past 2 seasons I've been lucky enough to bag an elk and 3 deer; and all/part of that was still in my freezer. Couple that with my dad's somewhat recent heart attack and the fact I'm closing in on 40...I decided to cut out beef and pork entirely (until I shoot me a wild boar.) lose the potatoes, cut down on the rice, add a bunch of veggies I don't normally eat...feeling good so far.
Life is good. I have always had this phobia of turning into that "little old fat man." Well I can't do anything about the little or the old but I can take care of the fat man part!
Processed food is also on the do not purchase list, also soda, fast food. It is funny once you kick all that stuff if you have some it seems so salty. The hardest time i have is when I travel for work it is pretty much restaurant food feel bloated after eating that stuff for a couple of days.
The problem I have with paleo is that it doesn't allow beans (legumes) and potatoes. I'm all for real, natural diets, but if I can grow it in my garden, it should be good for any diet IMO.
I'm not big by any means 5'8" and around 175lbs but I have attempted to eat healthier the last month or so. I'm trying to find a balanced diet that I like.... I've cut out all beer during the week (used to have 3 or 4 a night), 0 pop, no fast food (chipotle every once in a while), and drink a gallon of water a day. I didn't weigh myself before I started... Just going to keep on this path as I'm bound to lose weight over the next few months. It's crazy how much better you feel when you eat/drink clean. Sure wish I had gotten a deer this year to work into my diet.
All the grains, rice. corn, etc. are really grasses. Paleo diet concept is interesting, but wouldn't work for us. My wife cooks Japanese so we have rice at every meal. We usually have seafood along with a couple of other meat dishes, and four or five different kinds of vegies. Our daughters take their lunches to school. They don't eat the school food. Take a walk through the grocery store and note all the prepared foods and snack foods, including the sugary dessert snacks. My wife will allow none of that in the house. Oh yeah, I'm 5'10" and 155 lbs. My wife is 4'7" and 72 lbs. and a better shot than me.
No processed foods at all come into our home at this point, we don't drink soda or any premade bottled beverages. Organic milk or water for the children. We belong to a farm cooperative and get a weekly fruit and vegetable allocation from March though November. Local meats from a meat market supplement what I kill. Carefully purchased fish, cheeses and additional fruits and veggies and groceries come from a local market that has a huge assortment of whole foods and all natural foods. We do however eat out probably two or three times a month. Never fast food and rarely any type of corporate chain restaurant. I do 90% of the cooking at my house. The downside to all this is two fold. First it takes more planning for me, since I hardly ever shop a super market. Shopping has become basically a different three store event and it takes more time. It also take more time and thought to planbetween shopping trips. The second down side is the cost. we are easily spending 75% more on food then we did before. Granted I am not very frugal and I place a high value on my time so price becomes secondary. However I can very well see how if you were on limited budget this would be very taxing or impossible.
Yeah eating quality food is more expensive unless you have the room to grow your own food, but still buying produce in the winter is not cheap.
I have plenty of room, it's time that I am short of. The farm coop is a great thing. We get a weekly delivery to my wife's office with a share. You are also able to go to the farm/farms anytime and take fruits and produce. While it's not cheap, it is still cheaper then the market.
Local grown is a better option or priority imo than insisting in organic food only. Organic is like recycling it all sounds so good on the surface but the true cost or carbon footprint or safety is ignored.
Cost can be high. My wife tends to focus on winter keeping vegetables this time of year, like carrots, turnips, daikon, potatoes. She cuts back on stuff like cucumbers and peppers.
