I Survived a Week Without Pasta

I am thrilled to say that I've officially reached the halfway mark of the "Bekah Try-It Diet!" I've stuck to it with no minimal complaints, and I'm genuinely feeling better because of it. At the beginning of my Paleo diet for week #2, I had no idea that I'd be in such good company! When I wrote about my plans for eating paleo for a week, I was flooded with the best recipes and tips from those brave enough to go before me.  The real secret to paleo? Pinterest. Pinterest. Pinterest. 

What Was Easy

Because of the awesome advice at the beginning of the week, I was set up well for success. Day #2 and craving sweets? No worries! One of our local bakeries has paleo donuts! The one on the left is paleo-friendly, and it was delicious! I told them it was fine to put it in the same box as the donut for my husband. I was hoping the paleo donut could absorb some added sugar from the "real" donut. I also found a new favorite recipe for any week, whether I'm dieting or not: eggs in avocado. Here's the easy recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Place avocados in an oven-safe dish (I recommend foil, because the egg whites spill over!).
3. Scoop out the insides of the avocado (I saved them for later to eat with the finished product.)
4. Crack a small egg into each half of the avocado.
5. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes, or until desired done-ness is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.

This will be my new go-to whenever avocados are on sale. Who needs toast?

What Was Hard

Even with my triumphs this week, I quickly learned the true rule #1 to Paleo: don't buy anything prepackaged! Now obviously, it can get complicated when you combine anyone's schedule with the expectation of relying on fresh produce and homemade meals for sustenance. I had to adjust to the idea of pre-planning all of my meals so I knew that I would be fed each day.  Not all of my homemade meals tasted great....or even tasted like anything at all. Thankfully, I had a cold for a few days, so even if I had had a golden grilled cheese sandwich on my plate, it would've tasted the same as these veggie-infused salmon patties. The hardest part of all may have been choosing to say, "no" to certain things. To all of my celiac friends who have to say no, I feel for you. If we are ever dining together, please tell me that Olive Garden just doesn't work!

What's Next

Next week, I may be tackling the impossible: eating like Zach. His impressive weight loss a few years ago by using a fat burner for men has me excited to try it, but I'm a little worried the Zach grumpiness will come with it as well.