Ugh, what a week! It started with Thanksgiving dinner at family friends of my boyfriend... I had a small helping of everything to be polite. Ever since then I've been craving sugar and bread. Also, I'm stressed because I start a new job tomorrow. There have been numerous cheats every day, although I have tried to redirect it to fruit instead of desserts.

14/10/09
Breakfast:
6 slices bacon
Lunch (out at coffee shop with friend):
Chicken parmesan wrap

Dinner:
Paleo beef/carrot/celery stew

Dessert:
Mixed drink

Tomorrow I have to pack lunch for the first time in AGES... I guess I'll take the last of the stew, and my raw nut mix for snacks. If they want to go out for lunch I guess I'll see what Paleo-ish options the cafeteria has (working on a University campus).

Notes on the last week: Felt much less bloated overall, even with the cheats. Have been best about avoiding grains. Still having occasional heartburn.

So yes, I'm still around. I have been in lurk mode which is normal for me   Things have also been a little haywire with starting a new job and getting back into the swing of both of us working all day. My BF is making an effort to join me in Paleo eating, which is nice--as long as I serve a side of veggies with the meat, he's happy, although he still eats/drinks a lot of non-Paleo f00d.

I've had some small successes over the last few weeks:
a) I've really shown myself that wheat/gluten/grain-containing foods DO NOT agree with me. Digestive upset and heartburn are sure to follow anything with those ingredients.
b) I tried dark chocolate (75%) as a treat and was rewarded with intestinal cramps and digestive upset. Not sure if it was that particular brand or not. I do not crave chocolate like some people, so I might just cut it out instead of trying different brands/kinds.
c) I cut cream out of my coffee cold-turkey today and enjoyed my coffee! I can now honestly say "I like my coffee black just like my metal"! I've been thinking about doing this for a while because this is the LAST bit of dairy in my diet.

The no-dairy thing is huge, for me. If asked 6 months ago if I could cut dairy, I would have said, "Over my dead body!". I loved cheese. I couldn't imagine coffee without cream. Butter is delicious. (I quit drinking milk a few years ago, it just started testing gross.) But after only a few weeks without cheese, it kind of turns my stomach, and I noticed cream in coffee was starting to leave a weird aftertaste in my mouth. Butter is still delicious, but I don't have any reason to use it without bread and potatoes.

I bought a crockpot a week ago, and I'm sooo happy with it! Tonight I'll make soup in it, with a leftover chicken carcass and some miscellaneous beef bits and some celery and carrots.

I have more to write, but this is getting a bit long... and isn't really a food log. :S

1. By New Years' 2011, I will have visible abs. This will likely entail losing 4 inches around my waist. I have 1.5 months. Is this doable?

4 inches in 1.5 months?  To be honest, I don't think that's doable in a healthy way.  Maybe you should target new years 2012 instead; that ought to be doable if you stay on the wagon.

You will know when you reach your perfect weight because you will steady out at that weight.  Heavy exercise will add weight by adding muscle.  Don't really concentrate on weight, body fat or MBI.  Concentrate on reaching the body composition you want.  I still need to lose some fat around the middle and add muscle to my upper body but I am at a fairly low body weight.  I guess now I am skinny fat.

No offense but goals that aim for 1.5 months to see huge results, sound like fad diet goals.

Also it will absolutely never happen with you using dairy, sugar and processed protein supplements.

You will know when you reach your perfect weight because you will steady out at that weight.  Heavy exercise will add weight by adding muscle.  Don't really concentrate on weight, body fat or MBI.  Concentrate on reaching the body composition you want.  I still need to lose some fat around the middle and add muscle to my upper body but I am at a fairly low body weight.  I guess now I am skinny fat.

Yeah, I would love to be rid of it the excess fat around the middle, butt and thighs. Definitely a body comp issue... I rarely get on the scale as it varies too much day-to-day to be useful.

If you want to measure progress and a weekly look in the mirror won't do, you can always buy 5buck calipers and measure body fat.

Good idea, I'll pick up some cheap calipers. Do you pinch horizontally or vertically, or does it not matter as long as you're consistent?

Good idea, I'll pick up some cheap calipers. Do you pinch horizontally or vertically, or does it not matter as long as you're consistent?

Will say on the manual. Go on youtube and check some vids to learn how to use them. And know that you won't be able to measure less than 1% variations.