PREPARATION!! Not the kind with the H!

Do you ever have one of those moments where you look back and think...wow - this isn't so bad after all? I am just coming up to the finish of week 1 of the Lurong Paleo Challenge.  This is a 9 week very strict challenge that involves eating very clean Paleo and then taking into account that we are working out as well. 

I have to say that this weekend proved to be an awesome weekend and it was all because I was prepared.

Back up to last weekend.  Last weekend I had 5 Starbucks in 2 days.  I had 3 grande americano's with heavy whipping cream and 2 grande chai latte's - in other words milk and SUGAR!!  On top of consuming way too much dairy and sugar I also started preparing for the challenge that lay ahead of me...because at 12:01 am on Monday September 17th...it was  3, 2, 1, GO!!

I bought and chopped cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and celery.  I made frozen treats out of bananas, strawberries, and coconut milk - blended and stored them in the freezer.  I made trips to DC Meats, Meijer, Walmart and Target for groceries reading label after label after label.  On Sunday I prepared my juice of kale, spinach, cucumbers, celery, peppers, apples, and an orange.  I cut peppers and onions and froze them for quick fajitas. I hard boiled 1 dozen eggs for any protein emergencies I might be faced with.  I even cleaned my house and did all the laundry.  Washed, dried, and put away.  There is something about total organization that leaves you with a nice calm feeling.

So Monday arrives and  along with this challenge I am finally back to wodding at the gym.  It's a fresh new "RE-START" for me and I'm super excited.  Now, it's time to change a few habits.  I ALWAYS leave the gym and drive straight to Starbucks for my americano with heavy whipping cream, instead of taking a right onto CR6 early Monday morning I made sure to turn left and go straight home.  I did not enter any establishment that resembled bucks for 3 days....where I changed a habit...so easily I had an americano with a splash of cinnamon. 

The week went well and Friday arrives.  Normally Friday's we take the easy route and get carry out of some sort.  Back to preparation, I made sure to start my chicken breasts early because I knew I would be gone from 5-7 taking Brooke to Bill's.  I cooked my chicken breasts in a crock pot and they were nice and ready to be added to my bag of peppers and onions when I got home.  From the time I walked in the house until I had a spinach fajita salad sitting on the kitchen table was under 20 minutes.  Topped that baby with some salsa and avocado and it was more yummy than take out.

An exciting outcome from the chicken breast - I asked Angela how she made her homemade chicken broth. So I took the bones, juice, and skin from the chicken that I had cooked in the crock pot for our Friday night dinner and added  filtered water.  Put the crockpot on low and left it sit there for 2 full days and strained out all the bones and skin and I have now got an entire bowl of homemade chicken broth.  Now, that's what I call using the whole chicken.  No added sodium and I know where my chickens came from!! 

Alvin was pretty excited about this too, I make his dog food and instead of water I added my new homemade chicken concoction...he lapped up his food so fast and licked his chops!  It was awesome to see that someone appreciated my efforts!

This weekend proved to be more of the same.  The more prepared I was the better it got.

I found out that when the food is on, it's all on. 

Jim and I celebrating our 1 yr Anniversary - I love this man SO much!

Laundry done and house cleaned before our party on Saturday.  After consulting with my 2 Lurong friends we had a nice selection of everything we could eat.  Ended up having a party and not consuming 1 oz of alcohol or 1 bite of sugar.

Pulled pork with a smoky spice blend that I cooked in my crockpot all day, I made chicken legs that I topped with coconut oil, lemon, and pepper, Jon made his chicken wings and even left out the butter and the beer so we could eat them - I cut up veggies and mixed salsa with an avocado for dipping.  Holly cut up fruit and made a faux carmel dip out of dates, coconut milk, and cinnamon.  We laughed and joked and had fun while eating GOOD FOOD!

Cathy made us dessert of nutty protein balls that were TO DIE FOR!!

Today, Jim and I stopped at Meijer's after church and picked up some canned goodies that we can keep in stock.  Tomato puree, tomato paste, coconut milk, pumpkin puree, and many others.  When we got home Jim made a big pot of Paleo Chili while I researched a recipe for biscuits with NO SUGAR!!  I ended up making biscuits that used sweet potato as my sweetener and they were so delicious.  Spicy chili with sweet potato biscuits. What more could a girl ask for here?!?!?

It's now Sunday evening and at our house we call this day ICE CREAM SUNDAY!!  Yeah, I know tradition is great for your kids.. it's transition day in our house, our kids are either leaving or coming home so to ease transition day we claimed it ICE CREAM SUNDAY instead!! 

I hear Jim secretly asking Brooke what she'd like from Dairy Queen, I know they are trying to protect me.  So, I come up with a plan.  I'm just going to make my own ice cream.  A little research and 10 minutes later I am making Coconut Colada Ice Cream.....in my ice cream maker.  No sugar, no dairy.  Fits the requirements of the challenge and I'm still celebrating ice cream Sunday with my family. 

Week 1 down and 8 to go.  I'm excited to see what I learn along this journey.  It's nice to try new things and move along in my journey of health.