Day 10

Eggs, onion, mushroom, and pepper

Bacon

Espresso, almond milk, and stevia

Cashews

Ahi Tuna/Avacado/Mixed Greens Salad with Balsamic

Sashimi of Salmon, Tuna, and Yellow Tail

Pickled Ginger

White Wine

White Wine

I made it through the day relatively well, considering I had social obligations in the evening. I probably didn't need TWO glasses of wine, BUT IT HAPPENED and white wine was on my Paleo approved list of alcohols. The fish was wonderful and fresh and I have to give a shout out to my friend Steven who gifted me such a wonderful dinner and introduced me to some of his awesome family members along the way. The Tuna, in every incarnation, was glorious. Everything was so glorious that I didn't take a picture for the blog until it was almost too late. So here. Have this tuna with ginger and a flower.

I also spent time preparing for this week by doing a bit of shopping and preparing some snacks/fruit for the first day of the Bill Lowe (the pillow) shoot. Food is supposed to be provided but I'm not sure whether it's stuff I can eat, so we'll see! Just want to make sure I can stay on track. I also had to pack up some options for costumes so the designer can choose what she wants me to wear. She sent some drop box images and it doesn't seem too hard bring her stuff that fits the mold. The character is a nerdy girl who plays a lot of D&D and is a bit snarky. 

What a stretch. Heh!

But yes! I'm off to bed to get some beauty sleep now so I can be ready for my closeup in the morning.

A Paleo Guide to Alcohol

Let me preface this with the fact that IF you are trying to lose weight, drinking is just a waste of calories. However, I know that if you're trying to make a lifestyle change, that you're going to run into celebratory or social evenings where you will be expected or would like to partake. So, with that weighing heavy on my mind (due to Halloween), I will deliver some of the information I have collected from the interwebs.

Technically, the distillation process should get rid of any gluten still in the drink, but if that were the case, we would have gluten free options, because you can never truly tell if that has 100% happened.

Therefor, it is best to avoid BEER. Yes, I'm sorry. Barley and Wheat feature heavily on the ingredients list for this evil concoction, so it is definitely best to avoid it. Even gluten free beer is made from sorghum which is a gluten free grain, so therefor, not exactly Paleo, but if you want a beer super bad, it's the best option.

I like to substitute a low sugar hard cider- mostly made from pears or apples. It is best to avoid the brands with extra sugar. Good= ACE, Strongbow, Crispin. Bad: Angry Orchard, Woodchuck. Those are just some suggestions. Just check the label to see if there's a ton of added sugar or anything before you buy it.

For the Renaissance Faire inclined, like myself, you'll be happy to know that it LOOKS LIKE MEAD'S BACK ON THE MENU BOYS! Yes mead is made from distilled honey so it checks out 100% and it can be sweet and delicious if that's what you're after. 

Wine, both Red and White is often the best recommended alcoholic beverage according to my research. Red is more recommended than white. It comes in organic brands, it can be good for your heart, and contains antioxidants. White wine is stripped of the antioxidants which, as far as I can tell is one of the only reasons it's not as recommended as red. I don't particularly like red, so I'm glad to see that white is an alright option. It should do me well during the holidays. 

When it comes to harder alcohols, Vodka made from potatoes and grains is bad, but vodka made from fruit is alright. Rum made from sugar cane and not molasses is ok. Brandy and cognac seem to be made from distilling wine, so they pass. Tequila is made from agave, so it passes as well.

Definitely avoid Bourbon, Scotch, and Gin. 

With all that information, you can see that even if you want to make this into a lifestyle, you don't have to be afraid of social situations or suffer from anxiety over what to choose. Now you have a few go to options. However, I just want to iterate that I am not claiming that drinking is healthy OR that it will help you lose weight. This is just a guide to help you do the least damage if you are going to have a drink or two along the way and I wanted to put it out there as the holiday season comes upon us because that's often the hardest time for people to stick to whatever lifestyle choices they're making. There are lots of other, more detailed guides out there, but I wanted something quick and dirty for my readers. Feel free to post any other articles or research in the comments. What's your favorite Paleo cocktail?  

End of First Week and Back to Hu Kitchen

Bacon

Espresso with Almond Milk and Stevia

Banana

Mixed Berry Smoothie

Espresso with Almond Milk and Stevia

HUKITCHEN DINNER!!!!

Meatloaf

Sweet Potato

Broccoli 

Paleo Key Lime Bar (seriously wish I had the recipe. I checked the ingredients and they alllll checked out. It was EXQUISITE.)

I definitely feel the switch of my body from burning carbs as a primary source of energy to burning protein first, but ultimately I know it will pass. In the next few days I know my body will balance itself out. I made the mistake (in my exhaustion after a long work day last night) of not buying groceries on my way home. When I woke up on my day off this morning at 11, my body was screaming for food and when I rose to appease it, I felt super faint and weak. There wasn't time to go to the store and THEN cook. I actually didn't know if I could make it. So, I whipped up the bits and pieces of what I did have. It was strange, but it was definitely food. 

Honestly what's getting to me most right now is all the constant cooking and washing of dishes. Of course, I pre-cook some things. I mean, it's totally necessary and I need to suck it up, but ugh. I'm thinking about making up a huge vat of Paleo chili this Sunday so that I can just reheat things for dinner for a few days instead of having to make part of all of a meal each time. Tonight I went to Hu Kitchen so that I wouldn't have to deal with cooking. I had some amazing paleo meatloaf, broccoli, and sweet potato with a Paleo key lime bar. I also picked up some Paleo chocolate bars to review on the blog in the future. This place is so expensive but it was worth it to me and I always find it delicious. I wrote a review a while ago and every time I go back, I love it more.

I also did some research on Paleo cleared alcoholic beverages that I'll share with you tomorrow to celebrate Halloween. I'm headed to a party where I'll probably be a casual Leia, via my hoodie, or a casual Ewok via my new hat and gloves. What I can officially say is that I found some Pumpkin Apple Cider that meets the Paleo guidelines, so that is definitely happening.