And the bill for services was…

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

That’s what I’m referring to my weight gain on vacation: the bill. I am paying for all the great, amazing, and delicious foods I ate while in Spain. While I did my best to limit the carbs and grains, the truth of the matter is that I still ate enough to cause me to gain weight. The total? 14 lbs. That’s a lot! However, I need to consider that this isn’t all fat.

I’m bloated and swollen from the sugar and salt. My body swells whenever I have a lot of sugar, and in the past few weeks, I’ve had a lot more than I have in a year and a half. A good amount of my extra weight right now is water. I also haven’t had a solid bowel movement in a few days, and I’ve eating some big meals, so there’s that.

The weird part is that my clothes all still fit the same. I can see a loss of some definition on my stomach and lower arms, but that’s due more to swelling/bloating/water retention than anything else. This will go away within 2-3 days after eating right again.

So, while I’m not happy with the gain, I’m also not upset. I’m not worried that it won’t go away because I know it will. I know that just by eating right, I’ll get back down to where I was and then continue to my final goal. I know this because I’ve done it before.

After my first morning of eating Paleo, I already feel great. My stomach wasn’t over-filled as it has been for the past two weeks, and yet I’m not hungry. I feel a bit more alert not being so full, and knowing that I’m doing the right thing to get my body back where it needs to be is psychologically a big boost, too.

I don’t regret a single thing I ate or drank on my vacation. It was all worth it. Now, I’m paying the bill, and I do so with a smile on my face and a lifetime of great memories.

I didn’t explode

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

Something strange happened when I ate bread, drank hot chocolate, and ate churros: I didn’t explode. My body didn’t rebel in the way I thought it might. I actually handled it all quite well. Heck, my body didn’t even bloat or swell as much as I expected. Why is that?

There are a few reasons for this. First, it’s that I didn’t eat this kind of stuff all day every day, and even when I did, it was normal (or for Americans, known as small) servings. Second, the food that has added sugar here in Spain has a lot less sugar added than in the US. Third, I walked a lot. I mean at least 8-10 miles a day. That kind of extra exercise burns some calories and helps mitigate any increase in calorie intake.

This gives me huge hope for the future when I reach my final goal weight for being able to eat non-Paleo things here and there more often. In-n-Out Burgers is coming to Houston, and I want to be able to go and have a single with fries every now and then, or enjoy a pizza every once in a while. Right now, those things are off-limits to me in my self-imposed strict interpretation of Paleo.

I look forward to reaching my final phase of this Paleo journey: maintenance. I’m not quite there yet (heck, I’ve added some pounds I will now have to re-lose), but I’m close. Really close. And the nice part is that I know I will be able to have some treats here and there without totally screwing myself over.

Getting ready to go home and go Paleo again

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

This past two weeks has been amazing. My wife have had a great time with friends in Spain visiting Barcelona, Segovia, Toledo, and Madrid. Aside from the sights, as I predicted, the food has played a large role in our experience. Fortunately, most of the food in Europe is far lower in sugar than in the US, and portions are smaller as well. Also, food tends to be more Paleo-friendly to begin with, so that also helps. However, I’ve eaten off the reservation quite a bit.

I don’t know how many pounds I’ve gained; I will find out tomorrow when I get home. I think I’ve gained a tiny bit of size around my waist, but not a lot. My fitness level has dropped since I was only able to run twice in the past 11 days. These are all realities I’m going to deal with head-on when I get back home. I’m not demotivated, upset, or even worried. I enjoyed my time here, I made as many sensible decisions as I could, and those few times I completely threw caution to the wind in terms of consumption of food with sugar, grains, or alcohol, were completely worth it and I don’t regret them for a moment.

Even though I’ve had a great time and I am not ready for it to end, I am ready to get back to my Paleo diet. I feel better when I eat well, and I miss my running routine. I never thought that would be me, but here I am. I know it will take a bit of time for my weight to get back down to pre-vacation levels, but it will get there. I know the formula and the method, and I know how much work it will take. I’m ready for it, and looking forward to it.

Finding the time to exercise on vacation

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

It’s hard to do sometimes, especially when you plan on doing a lot of sight seeing. Getting exercise in during a vacation can be a low-priority, but it’s something that you have to keep up with. There are several reasons I’ve been adamant about exercising on vacation.

  1. My journey to living better through good health and fitness doesn’t get put on hold on vacation. I need to continue to be vigilant to ensure I don’t get into any bad habits that would hold over after the vacation ends.
  2. I need to keep my running going because as a National Guard soldier, I will be expected to be just as fit when I get back from vacation as I was when I left for it.
  3. I am eating more food while on vacation, and some of it is non-Paleo. While we’re walking 2-3 times as much as we normally would be at home as well as trying to eat as Paleo-friendly as we can, we are not skipping some of the unique foods that Spain has to offer (I’m looking at you, Paella!). That means we need to keep the fitness up to augment our good eating to keep the weight down.
  4. It is stress relief, plain and simple. I went a week without running (the first week here) and I felt my stress melt away on my first run since being in Spain. It really does help center me and clear my mind.

I know most people see exercise as something that has to be done only grudgingly,  but once you learn to embrace it (or, trick yourself into it like I did by faking to like exercise until you have convinced yourself that you actually do like it!), it gets a lot easier.

What happens if I gain some weight on my trip?

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

Nothing. It will mean that I had a good time, that I indulged in some delicious foreign foods, had some amazing experiences, and that I will need to get back to brass tacks and drop it again. I know what it takes for my body to lose weight, and I will do that again. It’s that simple.

I didn’t say it’s that easy. Being simple and being easy are two separate things. It’s simple because I know that I just have to eat the right foods in the right amounts. Being easy would mean that it takes no effort and can be done without effort. This is not true. After being on vacation for two weeks and eating delicious foods (albeit in moderation), it’ll be hard to go back to smaller portions. However, it helps that our Paleo food tends to be delicious and filling. So maybe it will be easy?

We’ll see. Either way, I’m not scared. I’m a little stressed about any possible (and likely) weight gain, but not worried. Whatever weight I put on will come back off and it’ll be back to business as usual in PaleoMarineLand.

It’s never too late to start.

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

I see people I know just now starting their journey to better eating and exercise, and it makes me smile. I am so happy for them! More than that, I’m proud of them. I know how hard it is to get started after years of living without eating right or exercise. I know all the tricks your mind plays on you; the doubts, the lack of motivation, and the fears. I felt them all. At some point, these people said, “ENOUGH!” and decided to start living healthy.

I’m almost 50. Someone asked me, “Why bother? You’re going to die soon anyway.” Well, maybe THEY are going to die soon anyway, but when I do, it won’t be because I let my health go. I will die kicking and screaming. There are no guarantees, but I am doing everything I can to be healthy and fit. It’s never too late to start. I’d rather have fewer quality years of life than another 20 or 30 without mobility, without energy, and without the ability to experience life to the fullest.

I am currently on vacation in Spain, and there has been NOTHNG I couldn’t do because of any physical limitation. I can climb stairs, ladders, walk all day, and then do it all again the following day without any pain. I don’t get winded on long walks up steep hills. I can carry my heavy bags up two flights of stairs and it’s really not a hardship. It feels AMAZING to be this free and fit! The best part is that I still have a long way to go in my own fitness, so I’m only going to get stronger!

Don’t put off getting fit or healthy because you think the best years of your life are behind you. They are only behind you if you don’t take  your life back and eat right and get fit. The things you can do when you’re not overweight is astonishing. I forgot just how awesome it is to be alive and able to do whatever you want without physical limitations. You can do this!

Making tough decisions regarding foods

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment
file-2
Sherry and I standing in front of a wall of ham at the Museo de Jammon in Madrid, Spain

Today, I’ve been good in regards to eating properly. Well, until I had that one candied orange with chocolate on it. But otherwise, I’ve been eating the right foods in the right amounts. I am doing my best. Honestly. But I’m not sacrificing my experience by avoiding everything. I just avoid eating everything at once.

I’ve been walking a lot. Later today or tomorrow morning, I’ll have my first run since going on vacation that will (hopefully) be the first of many runs. I’m really looking forward to it. I climb stairs when I can, and I try to make sure I’m as active as possible within the framework of our vacation and our friends.

Today at lunch, there were so many foods I wanted to eat and try, but I know we are going out tonight to have Paella, and since that has rice and probably some other things in it that aren’t Paleo, I held back. I decided to stick with chorizo and some boiled potatoes. The weird part: it filled me up. The amount was actually quite small, but I felt not only sated, but really satisfied with the flavors. Spain is proving to be a culinary cornucopia of unimaginable proportions. Truly friendly people, beautiful sights, and delicious foods.

It would be easy to over-eat or to eat foods that aren’t Paleo-friendly here. The bakeries are stocked full of stuff I would love to try, but honestly, I can do without. I do try a few things here and there with just a bite or a taste, but nothing more. And I’m okay with that. It’s a balance and I’m learning to live with it.

Food Choices on Vacation (in Spain

Published on by PaleoMarine1 Comment
file1-1.jpeg
The pastries of Spain are utterly amazing!

So far in Spain, the food choices have been actually pretty Paleo-friendly with a few notable exceptions. While the ham and bacon we’ve been eating have been Paleo-friendly, there have been times I’ve allowed myself to eat non-Paleo foods. Exceptions thus far have been Churros with Hot Chocolate at San Gines (a must do!), a croissant on the plane for breakfast (I left the yogurt and granola), some bread at two meals so far, and a few pieces of chocolate. We’ve been doing an incredible amount of walking each day, and I’ve been very selective in what I allow myself to eat that is not Paleo. I don’t know if I’m gaining any weight, but my clothes still fit the same, the belt holes I use are still the same, and my wedding ring is still loose.

I continue to try to make good food decisions as much as I can without missing out on any unique experiences. I think that there is a balance, and I feel like I’ve been finding that balance well. Looking around at the local Spanish population, they are a trim group. There isn’t as much obesity here as there is in the US. For that matter, it’s difficult to find people who are overweight, and even when I do find them, I hear them speaking English or German. Go figure. The food here is inherently far healthier than our foods back home in the US. The portions are smaller, sides that consist of grains or lots of carbs are actually very small compared to the meat/main course, and even desserts are not nearly as sweet as they are in the US. It explains why people here aren’t so large.

 

We are really enjoying our trip, and the food has been a big part of that. It’s tough sometimes to not just eat without abandon, but in picking and choosing the foods I eat, I’m finding that I still get to taste unique foods and I’m also maintaining a healthier eating pattern. I’ve yet to run here, however, and that is causing me some mental anguish. We are on our way to Barcelona, and I plan on running within 24 hours of arriving there. Whether that will be tonight or tomorrow morning is uncertain, but it will happen. I did 60 push ups in our AirBNB flat last night, and I will do more again the next time I run. I can’t let my run times get too slow; I have physical fitness tests to pass and troops to lead.

Am I a PaleoSoldier now, too?

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

img_4359aI’ve been asked a few times already since yesterday if I’m going to change my site’s name to PaleoSoldier since I’m now a soldier in the Army National Guard. The short answer is no. I was an active duty Marine for 11 years, and that will always be a large part of who I am. I will take my experience and knowledge from those 11 years with me to the National Guard and I will utilize it to the best of my ability to be the best solider I can possibly be. I will now also be a citizen soldier, a member of the oldest military service of our nation. I will be part of a long tradition of citizens who train and keep themselves ready for the call from our country. I am very proud of my service in the Marines, and I am equally proud of my service in the National Guard.

So, while I am PaleoMarine, I guess I’m now also PaleoSoldier. Or PaleoGuard. Or PaleoCitizenSoldier. Well, you get the picture. Ultimately, I’m E.J., a guy who was a Marine, got fat, got fit, and then became a National Guard soldier.Call me whatever you want, but don’t call me late for a good, hearty Paleo dinner.

Eating within the plan is very effective for weight loss. I know; it’s working for me

Published on by PaleoMarineLeave a comment

All week, I’ve been eating nothing but home-made food. Everything I’ve put into my body this week was made by my wife or me. The result? I’ve hit my lowest measured weight since active duty three weigh-ins in a row. 172.2 lbs. This is great, as my weight has typically been fluctuating +/- 2 lbs over the past few weeks as it trended lower. This time, it seems I’m set for another block of lost weight.

When I was losing weight more steadily and quickly, I would notice my weight stop at a certain point for a few days before shedding a few pounds. This was a trend I discovered after four months and it continued for about 8 months thereafter. I haven’t seen this with my weight for around five months, so to be seeing it again now is very motivating.

Analyzing my intake, I have been eating only home cooked foods, and even then, slightly larger portions. Each day has been:

Breakfast

Two eggs, sunny-side up
Three slices of bacon (no salt/sugar added)

Lunch

Meat Loaf/9 meatballs with Chipotle sauce/Shepherd’s pie
Side of either broccoli, sweet potato, or cauliflower rice

Dinner

Two deviled eggs
Meat Loaf/9 meatballs with Chipotle sauce/Shepherd’s pie
Side of either broccoli, sweet potato, or cauliflower rice
Paleo Almond Joy

As you can see, my dinner was slightly larger, but just a bit. This amount seems to be the right amount for my body and has allowed for me to start losing weight again. I’m hoping to be in the 160’s soon. Then, my final goal will be in view!