If you've done one of these challenges before, you know that day one is deceptively easy. It's all new and exciting and promising, and it hasn't yet sunk in that I'll actually have to go 30 days without my beloved chunky peanut butter or a glass of much needed wine after a stressful day. I guess I'll enjoy this moment.
Anyway, here's what I ate today.
Breakfast
Who says breakfast has to be eggs or cereal? Today I just reheated leftovers, which was some grass-fed ground beef seasoned with chili powder and cumin, peppers and onions, and mashed avocado. Oh, and coffee, of course. I find I stay full for a decent amount of time if I have plenty of protein and healthy fat in the a.m. This breakfast actually powered me through til 12:30pm. I actually had a registered dietician tell me that breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day and that each subsequent meal should get smaller, which is the opposite of how most of us eat.
Lunch
Lunch today was a big ole' mixed greens salad with chicken, walnuts, carrots, and red cabbage. All drizzled with some olive oil and vinegar. I'm lucky enough to work at a company that has a cafeteria with all organic ingredients and a pretty rad salad bar. After that I wanted something sweet, so I opted for an apple (from my parents' yard!) and sunflower butter instead of the Justin's peanut butter cups that were calling my name. Sunflower seed butter is one of my alternatives to peanut butter when I'm doing strict Paleo. So is almond butter, but it's so freakin' expensive. Thanks, California drought.
Snack
My lunch was pretty filling, so I actually made it to 4pm before I started to experience that late afternoon energy slump. Normally, I'd go grab a coffee and couple dark chocolate squares from the cafe at work, but since I'm trying to cut back a bit on caffeine and eliminate added sugars, that was out of the question. Instead, I had this chai tea/espresso mash up with a tablespoon of coconut oil mixed in. Sure, sounds weird, but it's actually delicious and was just what I needed to give me a little caffeine boost and take the edge off my hunger. It's sort of like a tea version of "bulletproof" or buttered coffee, minus the butter.
Dinner
Milo says HI EVERYONE! He also wants to report me for pup abuse since I did not give him any salmon. So yeah, here's my not-so-glamorous leftover dinner. It's pan seared salmon and an veggie noodle salad consisting of shaved carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, scallions and an Asian style sauce with lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, and almond butter (Normally I used peanut butter, which makes this MUCH tastier, but since it's a legume, that's off limits for the next 29 days!).
Snack
Normally, I wouldn't advocate snacking this late (full disclosure: I'm eating this now and it's like 11:30pm), but I'm starving, and honestly, I think my body just needed more food. This is an example of a pretty solid Paleo snack: Organic cashews, raisins, and unsweetened coconut flakes. It's a good mix of carbs from the raisins, and healthy fats, protein, and fiber from the nuts and coconut. Pro tip: If you're going to eat any kind of fruit or dried fruit, always pair it with something that has a little protein or fat. This will ensure you don't experience craving-inducing blood sugar spikes and drops. This goes for smoothies too--add some nut butter or another form of protein in there so you're not ravenous moments later.
Final Thoughts:
I think I had a pretty good day. One thing I struggle with, and that I know I have to work on, is getting my ass to bed at a reasonable hour. Lack of sleep messes with your appetite big time, and during a challenge like this, I can't afford to have my self-control compromised.
On that note, I think it's time for bed. Holler if you have any questions!
Peace, Love, and Perfectly Ripe Avocados,
Steph