what's your diet?

I have never understood the concept of "dieting." People diet for various reasons, but it stems from something you want to change about yourself. So...you "diet" for a given period of time, and it ends, and then what? Why does it end? You deprived yourself of certain foods, and when you reached your goal, you are suddenly done dieting. Most of the time, you go back to eating the same foods you were "dieting" from, and then gain back the weight you lost or a health problem you were trying to get under control. What was the point? Why the deprivation and hard work when it just goes back to how it was before you started the diet?

...Because I don't agree with "dieting, and I don't think it works. At all.

It might resolve something temporarily, but it's not a long term solution. There has to be a lifestyle change--a fix--something more permanent than losing 5 pounds only to gain it back when you eat a piece of bread when you are "done" with your diet. It's a vicious cycle that doesn't seem to end, and leaves you frustrated on a regular basis. The key is to find a way of eating and fueling your body properly where you don't feel like you're on a diet--where you feel great all the time, and where you're not depriving yourself of calories. At first it may feel like you're depriving yourself if you're used to eating certain processed foods and refined sugars, but once you detox from those things you will realize that eating properly will make you feel so much better than previously, so you won't want to go back down the processed path.

I'm not going to argue for a certain lifestyle change over another, but I want to talk about something that has helped me find a better balance in my daily eating habits, along with not fluctuating very much in my weight, having more energy, and minimizing cravings. Most people right now are calling it the "caveman diet," also referred to as "paleo." From what I've read, the GAPS diet seems to be very similar. There is also a book out called Wheat Belly that is part of this family. It's not just a gluten free way of eating, it also eliminates anything processed and refined (just because something is gluten free, doesn't mean it can't be processed). It focuses on real organic foods--grass fed meats, fruits & veggies, and healthy fats.

The main thing is to listen to your body, and stop fueling it with processed foods, chemicals, and genetically modified products. Stop giving your body fake energy. Once you start eating real foods, you will become more in tune with your body and will better know what it needs and doesn't need.

Whatever "diet" you start today, make it a lifestyle diet and commit to maintaining it from here on out. Enjoy a cheat meal or day once a week, and then get right back on track. You will notice the cravings subside, and you won't have a problem getting back on track the next day because you know how good your body feels when you are fueling it with the proper foods.

bon appetit!

my leftovers jambalaya

In continuing my 21 day sugar detox, here is a quick dinner I made to use up some of the food in my fridge.

Organic grass fed ground bison, red onions, mushrooms, garlic, & broccoli

Bon appetite! 

apple dijon bison burger

Here is another delicious healthy recipe from the Caveman that is super easy to make. I made it for dinner last night, and used bison instead of regular ground beef. 

Bon appetite! 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb grass-fed beef
• 1/2 cup shredded apple
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg

1. Place all the above ingredients except the egg in a bowl and mix well

2. Form 3 burgers, and grill

3. Fry an egg to place on each burger, and serve (I usually serve my burgers on lettuce)

zucchini & beef burgers

I'm always trying to find ways to eat more veggies and incorporate them into more of my meals. If you're like me (or more likely to have kids like me), and don't care for zucchini this is a great way to sneak in some veggies.

• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 lb organic grass fed ground beef
• Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
• Mix in a bowl, and make patties
• Grill in a pan (bbq might be a little hard as they don't hold together tightly)

I added grilled onions and avocado, and served on a bed of lettuce

Bon appetite!

"spaghetti" with roasted red pepper sauce

Here is a recipe I made a couple of weeks ago from Civilized Caveman’s collection. It was delicious, so I'm making it again (doubling it this time, to freeze half for another day)! You can use grass fed beef, turkey, or bison. I added mushrooms I had to the sauce. The spaghetti squash is super easy to cook too. Bon Appetit!

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Spaghetti Squash, cooked and shredded
• 1 Lb Grass Fed Ground Beef
• 1 Roasted Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 Roasted Serrano Chile Pepper, diced
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 20 Ounces tomatoes, diced
• 6 Ounces of tomato paste
• 1 Tsp Thyme
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Process:
1. Cook your spaghetti squash following the instructions above and set aside
2. In a sauce pan over medium heat saute your onions, garlic, and peppers until your onions are translucent.  You can saute them in the oil of your choice
3. Once translucent add in your ground beef and saute until your beef is cooked through
4. Add in all remaining ingredients and stir well, cover and let simmer for 10-20 minutes stirring occasionally
5. Plate your spaghetti squash and spoon your sauce over the top