Paleo Challenge - Day 1

Well, I did my first day ever of all Paleo.  Hanscom Warrior Training Center (HWTC Crossfit) (http://www.hanscomwarriortraining.org/) is doing a 33 day paleo challenge.  Here are the rules of our challenge if you are interested: http://www.hanscomwarriortraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/HWTC-Paleo-Challenge-2015-rulebook.docx.  Note, the rules of this challenge are more restrictive than some other Paleo and less restrictive than others.  I learned that Paleo means different things to different people. 

I was completely ignorant about paleo when I started this.  But I love competition, and I want to slim down, and my friends at HWTC Crossfit are doing it, so it all works out.   My family says I am crazy.  My wife, Jen agreed to help, but it is a lot of added work for her.   So I agreed to help her out as much as possible.  Here is my summary of Day 1.

Weighed-in 192lbs which is pretty good for me (I did a Paleo/Clean soft start last week so my body would no go into shock today).

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs with Pepper and Bacon.  Eggs were fried in coconut oil. Lesson learned, having Ghee or Coconut oil in the house were essential for success here.  I am used to using PAM.

Snack: Raw cashews, raw almonds, raisins and craisins.  Oops scratch the Craisins; thanks to The Paleo List, http://thepaleolist.com/2014/04/24/are-dried-cranberries-or-craisins-paleo/ I learned after putting them in that Craisins (Dried Cranberries made by Ocean Spray) have sugar in them.  Picked out the craisins.   Taking this snack with me to the supermarket was ESSENTIAL to success or else, I would not have made it to lunch. 

Colorful Paleo food from Hannaford's

Shopping adventure: To help Jen, I went shopping with her to pick out some foods to survive this Paleo adventure.  Boy did I learn a lot.  There is a lot of added sugar in a lot of products that are organic, no additives, etc.  Even my favorite Hormel Honey Ham lunch meat has added sugar.  Also, learned that even though most of my food came from the outside of the store, there was plenty of junk on the perimeter as well. 

Colorful Lunchtime Salad

After Hannafords, we went to Roots in Leominster http://www.rootsnaturalfoods.com/
to pick up Red Boat Fish Sauce, Ghee (Indian clarified butter from Grassfed cows) http://www.amazon.com/Grassfed-Organic-Ghee-7-8-Oz/dp/B0032RPLSY, Paleo Wraps, Unsweetened Almond Milk (I only found Almond Mill sweetened with Cane sugar or other less friendly additives at Hannaford's).  For this I spent another $50 on top of my Hannaford's grocery bill.  Came home so famished, that I could have slipped on my new paleo way.  Instead, I snacked on apple as I threw together this Salad with apples, chicken (good thing for precooked and frozen chicken strips, carrots, raisins, grapes, and paleo granola (tree nuts sweetened with honey).

NomNom Paleo's Tasty Spicy Tuna Cakes

This afternoon: I made some of NomNom Paleo's (Hat Tip) Tasty Spicy Tuna Cakes:  http://nomnompaleo.com/post/91332244628/spicy-tuna-cakes.  
Great recipe and great tasting.  Had 3 to get me through to dinner

Dinner - Sausage Peppers and Onions

Great first day.