The best thing about my favorite speakers in the Paleosphere - Try it and see if it works for you (it's okay if it doesn't)

My favorite Paleo Speakers are all lined up! PaleoFx 2015

I'm looking forward to meeting speakers and writers at PaleoFx 2015.   I've noticed common threads practices for my favorite go to leaders.

Try it,  and change or move along to something else if doing this doesn't work.

Here's what I've noticed:
0. All of my favorite Paleo People are feeling better eating this way.
0.5  They share their stories.
1. Try it for 30 days (or more) and if it doesn't work, that's okay, move along.
2. The resources are almost all either free online, free down loadable materials,
3, Or a book you can check out at the local library or buy for very, very low cost.
4. There is usually a podcast you can download about the topic you are interested.
5. If a leader's thinking & learning  and current thought processes changes, they will change themselves and their recommendations.

Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson, Sarah Fragoso, Jason Seib, Michelle Tam,Terry Wahls, MD, and more.

Their message is clear to me. Think for yourself. Experiment on yourself. Try it yourself.

All of them have tried it, adjust it to themselves,  their lives, their epi-genetics, their age, their culture, their family, their tastes, and to some - their  auto-immune disease.

If it doesn't work, walk away and try something else. Or modify. They don't say there's only 1 way. Or it's their way or the highway. I highly respect that. There isn't one way, but I'll bet there's 2-3 ways that will work better for an individual. Based on many inputs to the self equation. I respect those who find the way that works and share their stories with others.

Hey! PaleoFX is live streaming on two stages. For Free!

What's working for me 

0.  I feel so, so much better eating grain free, mostly sugar free, dairy free, legume free, and nut free.
0.5 I enjoy sharing my story.
1. I tried it and never stopped self experimenting.
 2  I read new research, books, & approaches, and thought processes with a continuing education mindset.
3. The best takeaways are inexpensive or free. Google and my library card and Amazon Prime rock.
4. Podcasts, I'm a a fan.
5. If I have to change things up, I do. And managing that change is essential. Since Feb 2012 I've removed dairy, nuts, dried fruits, most forms of soy and rice.

What didn't work for me in the past:
0. Moderately eating grains, sugars, dairy, legumes, and nuts.
0.5 I did not feel comfortable being myself. Or being boss about what I put in my body.
1. I thought that because WW was the #1 ranked plan, that I was a failure if it didn't work for me.
2. I couldn't get off the sugars and grains long enough (AKA withdrawls) to see if it worked or not.
3. I paid for a lot of weight loss and weight maintenance items without owning the mindset first.
4. Life before Podcasts was "less fun" ;)
5. I didn't manage my life changes as well. Moderating the foods that triggered my binge eating kept me stuck for a long time.

Okay, who are your favorite thought leaders and why? Paleo or non-Paleo. Paleo is just a tool I use for long term health. It's one tool. Not totally one stop shopping, but close! What helped you the most when you were making your permanent changes to weight management?

More Book Discussions- Better Than Before- Grechen Ruben (with Robb Wolf)

 iTunes Episode 265- The Paleo Solution Podcast with Gretchen Ruben

From Robb Wolf's website

Karen's note: If you are a moderate eater and doing well, there are plenty of blogs for you. Move along. Celebrate your moderation wellness smugness and eat all the things.  I wish you well.

 If you are exploring abstaining, not doing well moderate eating or just wanting thinking for yourself,  or change a few things to help your health, weight, pain, then read on...

• Habits are discussed through out the podcast
• Moderating all foods vs taking out some, is it orthorexia? No!  (16 mins)
• Abstaining discussed. No Thin mints vs ALL the thin mint! (17 mins)
• Abstaining easier than moderation for some (18 mins), 
• Risk assessment discussed (20 mins)
• Why is it so hard on a national level to the abstinence message ?(21 mins) 
• The answer is not one size fits all (21 minutes)
• YOLO and excuses discussed (22 minutes)
• Loophole spotters (29 minutes)

Karen's note: I used to use loopholes to feed my sugar addiction and as a result I chose to obesity for about 40 years. Maybe 30 years if you consider I was too young at age 6-16 to really figure it out.

• False choice , moral licensing, questionable assumption (31)

• Addictions are discussed around 33 mins into the podcast

Good news, I bought the book and I'll be reading it in the next week or so. I'm thrilled that my favorite book authors are teaming together to help  other people get off what I consider to be very addictive substances.

There are just tons of moderating resources. It's way, way past time for more health, low inflammatory, wellness tools that involve abstaining. I know, I know, OA, FA, AA has everyone beat. For many decades they've recommended it, very quietly and anonymously . That's cool. I know Dr. Berkeley in Refuse to Regain recommends removing processed sugar (and all S foods- sugar, starchy, etc) in her 2008 book Refuse to Regain. 

So glad that there are additional voices and resources joining what I've found to be a very valuable tool and health in long term weight maintenance.


What's working for me:

1. Thinking, experimenting, testing, n= 1 For myself, then letting you all know how it's working
2. Abstaining and not moderating sugar, grains, and dairy, legumes, nuts, too. I didn't come all this way to have inflammation from dairy.
3. Continuing to learn from my favorite authors Robb Wolf, Grechen Ruben, and Barbara Berkeley.
4. Respecting groups like OA, FA, AA. for being the early adopters. It probably wasn't easy.

What's did no working for me in the past:

1. Going along with the moderation crowd and thinking I was not strong/good/smart enough.
2. Eating lots of sugars and grains and binge eating for 40 freaking years.
3. Just following the same old moderation theme using calorie tracking, or WW point counting, intuitive eating, and NOT learning anything new.
4. Not being open minded enough to get out a plan that wasn't working quickly 2-6 months.

Okay, has anyone heard the podcasts or read the book?   It's awesome if you moderate. I even lost 60 pounds before I got pregnant with my kid. But I was still sick and inflamed and binge eating.  Better late than never!

Underground Wellness (Sean Croxton) interviews Grechen Ruben- daily weighing and abstaining discussed

Sean Croxton interviewed Gretchen Ruben about her new book- Better Than Before- Mastering the Habits of our Everyday Lives

Link to the interview

If you are downloading in iTunes, the show is #326, Underground Wellness

To take the Quiz mentioned in the interview, go to Gretchen's website.

Oh, holy heck. My heros. Both of them.

• I used to be an obliger, now I'm an upholder. Putting myself first and telling everyone else to deal with their own stuff.

• I love, love, love daily weighing as weight management tool. Data. I can take action quickly day-to-day, only when needed. 

• Abstaining from sugars (and grains) is also a huge tool in weight management.  Clear mind, clear food choices  honors my genotype and epi-genetics.  I  have the genes to be high risk for obesity, but not have the phenotype. Even after 40 years of yo-yo dieting and being morbidly obese.  3 years in the normal.

Thank you both Gretchen and Sean for helping me understand my transformation in a deeper way. Putting myself first feels awesome,as does food sobriety now that I'm off sugar and grains. Managing the whole thing with daily weighing. Yeah, life is sweet without the sugar.

 I'm a whole new person inside and out!

What works now:

3 years, daily weighing

1. Listening to podcasts to keep my knowledge fresh and renew as often as possible- life long learning.
2. Daily weighing. Reversing trends when they are small
3. Abstaining from sugars (and grains)
4. Thinking for myself.
5.  Putting myself first.

What didn't work in the past:

1. Not moving on and learning a better way.(example counting WW points for years!) when something wasn't working.
2. Avoiding the scale, in hopes I could just wing it.
3. Eating sugars (and grains) in moderation.
4. Thinking I was doing the right thing because most others ate in moderation. I thought I must be wrong.
5. Putting myself absolute last and training others to do the same thing to me. Ugh.

Okay, readers. Have you listened to the podcast. If you read the book, I'm interested in what your thoughts are. Good or bad. I know daily weighing is not for everyone. That is okay. Honor yourself and what works.

Long Term Weight Maintenance 3 years, 2 months - Lots of opportunties to own it like a boss

3 year 2 month check in

Highest weight 187.4
Current weight 117.8
Pounds lost 70-ish
Goal range 113-118
Time at goal weight +/- 5 pounds:  3 years, 2 months
Time yo-yo dieting 40 years
Age 49
Menopause : 2 years
Food template : Paleo-ish, modified AIP

Another month in weight maintenance. I celebrate everyday. Really. 40 years of trying and not accepting or learning what I needed to do. Every meal, day, month , year is a total victory.


 Stress was higher this month. But I kept repeating what is working.


Every day I choose this.

Meals and to screw it up and start binge eating per day = 3
Between meal slippery slope opportunities per day = 3

That's 6 opportunities per day to eat like I used to eat and think like I used to think.

Per week 42
Per year 2,184
For the last 3 years 6,552

Not to say I haven't started to binge eat  or thought about it. In the first, second, and occasionally the thrid year of weight maintenance. In the first year: I ate a lot of Lara Bars, nuts, and other things that were problematic before I dealt with my food and my thoughts. Second and third years were easier. Every day is an opportunity to stick with my food template or return to stinking thinking.

There's a lot of day-to-day, meal-to-meal decisions.
I'm just glad for clear thinking, a great food template, and a lot of wisdom and good sleep.

Onward.  Weight Graphs. You know the drill.

What works now:
1. Paleo-ish food template.
2. Daily weighing
3. Stopping stinking thinking in its tracks. 6 Times a day.

What didn't work for me in the past
1. Counting WW points- Skinny Cow ice-cream, loads of Easter Candy
2. Scale avoidance. Because. Loads of Easter Candy. And Skinny Cow Ice Cream is on sale a lot.
3. Telling myself eating all the sugar and grains would make me well and that I could drop a few pounds, "no problem". I can any time I want to by counting points.

I'm less likely to manage what I don't measure or track. Owning it like a boss for another 6 opportunities.  The magic fairy isn't going to descend and do the work. That's my job.

Time Restricted Eating- intermittent fasting- did it work for me? 2015 observations

 In January, Dr. Berkeley invited us to give the Time Restricted Eating Window a try. Yes, some might call this intermittent fasting. I know myself really well, so if this was "dangerous", binge promoting,  or just not right for me, I could pull the plug at any time on my experiment.

 Read Dr. Berkeley's post here:
 Time Restricted Eating- does it work, you tell me (Barbara Berkeley, MD, Refuse to Regain)

Here are the inputs to my experiment

n= 1  Self experimenting is the best thing I can do, even 3 years into long term weight maintenance.

Self-efficacy : Yes, I can think and choose for myself. I know it doesn't work for everyone. That's okay.

Conclusions; 

1. Yes, a time restricted eating window works just fine for me. Another great tool in my weight maintenance practice.  

2. I found time restricted eating to be an effective way to eat very low in my calorie range with little to no hunger.

3. Weekend time restricted eating windows are the best fit for my current life.

Here are the observations that I made during my experiment.

Dates:  1-19-2015 to 2-2-2015

Food Template: Paleo-ish, modified AIP, already what many would consider "Fat Adapted" :

 Imagine any of my lunches or dinners with a fried egg and 1 more serving of veggies. For more photos of what I eat in weight maintenance:  Follow my Paleo inspired account here

Protein,  eggs, grass-fed beef, organic chicken, lamb, salmon
Carbs from lots of non starchy veggies and occasionally berries, squeeze of citrus on salads and fish
Fats from natural sources: coconut, olive, and avocado oil, grass fed beef, liver
Spices: sea salt, other spice mixtures made at home
Life into Living: a square or two of 85% chocolate per day.
Coffee: yes, black or with cinnamon, 3 cups before 2pm

Food strategy: Take my regular lunch and put a fried egg or two on top of it. Delish!

Eating times:  9:30am and 6 pm

Weight: I stayed in stable weight maintenance +/- 2 pounds. Normal for me. I did lose about a pound the second week, probably more from the cold than anything.

Hunger: Wow! Not hungry between meals. A little hungry some mornings, but nothing bad.

Calorie intake:  Here's were I learned something. I could not eat above 1,300 calories at all. 

Normally I eat between 1,400 to 1,700 per day*

*NOTE: (Please, don't lecture me about not enough calories,  I'm super short and post menopausal, post thyroid disease, desk job most days.) I've never fit any BMR or TDEE calculations in my whole life. If I ate the way books and trainers told me, I'd be sick. I feel full. I like well. Thanks!

 Here's a good example where thinking for your self is critical.  Think. for.yourself. Do.what.works.for.you.

Macros- Fat- Protein- Carbs: Seems like I did eat slightly higher carbs say 50-60 grams per day vs 40-50 grams. All from veggies and a few berries. It was not noticeable, really.  15-16% per day vs 11-14% per day of my total intake.  **

**Note: If I eat above 16% carbs, don't sleep. I like to sleep. So be it. Sleep quality is queen at my house. I highly prioritize sleeping and food quality and home food prep. Such a happier life.

 Good sleep is a huge component of a great life. Are.you.still.thinking.for.yourself.?. Not.thinking.for.yourself.is. most. dangerous.of. all. Boom y'all.

Glucose prior to IF

Glucose monitoring:  Week 1 was usual. Week 2 I had a cold virus, so I ran higher than my normal, but overall good glucose control, without spiking after the larger than usual meals.

I was concerned that the higher protein amounts in my 2 meals a day could effect my glucose (spiking or higher) but I did not see this effect.

Strength: Yes, I was able to work out on my normal gym 2X schedule.  Strong as ever. Great energy.

Endurance: Yes,  I walked 5-6 miles per day.  No problems there.

Fasted Walking: I did 1-2 miles fasted walking with no problems at all. I felt energetic and lean. Fat adaption for the WIN!

Sleep: Yes, I slept well, most nights.

Mind: Yes, clear. Positive thinking.

Note: There's a lot of negativity out there. Have you noticed? Eyes on your own recovery, plans, circus, the only monkey mind you must manage is your own. ;)


Social fit:

Morning meal: Not as great at work. My eating time didn't fit with my current work schedule. My co-workers are used to me eating Paleo, but heating up a big bowl of curry or bison bowl at 9 am was a bit of a change. Plus, it didn't work well with my  current meeting schedules in the morning.

Evening meal: It did fit well into my dinner plans with family and friends.

Weight during IF

Weekends: Yes, it fit the best into my weekend schedule. Lots of time to run errands, walk, and be active between meals.

What works for me:
1. Current practice. I do feel pretty good when I eat in a restricted window, any weekends or holiday. I will practice a 2 meal day ONLY if I wake up feeling not that hungry. If I feel hungry early in the morning, then I'll eat 3 meals. Typically I can have a 2 meal day once or twice a week. Maybe three  times max,if I have a 3 day weekend. Example: I'm currently on a 3 day weekend but only time restricting 2 of the 3 days.

2.  I enjoy thinking for myself.

What didn't work for me
1.  Past Practice:  Eating lots of carbs and processed foods many times a day because my blood sugar was spiking so high, I almost got type 2 diabetes. I got hypoglycemic "shakes", too.

2. I did what other groups told me should work and fell off the cliff like a lemming. I didn't think for myself.


My final take aways:
Okay. Another great tool in my weight maintenance tool box. I love experimenting and thinking for myself is another adulting practices that I feel are not used enough. When did we stop thinking for ourselves? Ugh!

Have any of my readers experimented with this? I know people in real life who either are not fat adapted OR have metabolisms that just don't allow for this style of eating. They have to eat every 3 hours or so or they will pass out cold. That would be dangerous for them. That's okay. We are all different and should think and do for ourselves.

Easter 2015- another food sober holiday weekend

Easter.  This will be the 3rd Easter in a row that I've celebrated in food sobriety.

No sugars, No grains. And yes, fun.  In the past 46 years, Easter candy fueled multiple binges. Not fun. Getting off sugars helped so much.

I still celebrate. Good friends. Good hiking. Dying Easter Eggs. Making an Easter basket.

I just don't celebrate with sugars and grains. No big deal. Easy. But in a way, it is a big deal. A really BIG DEAL.

 Not numbing myself up and out with sugar. Not buying and eating all the candy. Not going to the store after Easter to get a good buzz good deal on junk.



 If you are abstaining or have just stopped celebrating with junk food, please know you are not alone.

What works

1. Visiting friends
2. Walking with friends
3. Non-food Easter Baskets
4. Lamb Crock Pot Stew
5. Guacamole deviled eggs
6. NSNG weekend

What didn't work in the past

1. Visiting with friends so I could eat their Easter Candy
2. Walking with friends but being embarrassed to wear shorts in the hot weather
3. Easter baskets pre-made with tons of candy.
4. Lots of ham and Hawaiian rolls. LOTS of point counting. With weight gain!
5. Jelly beans. LOTS of them.
6. Weeks and months of binging from the Easter Candy.

All Right. If you celebrate, have you changed to meet weight loss or weight maintenance goals or food sobriety states? I'll be having some 85% chocolate, if I feel like it.

NSNG LA Meetup March 2015- my top 10 favorite things from the weekend

NSNG LA March 2015 Meet-up

 I attended the first NSNG LA March 2015 Meet-Up.

It was:  AWESOME

1. The People:  Wide variety of people who are No Sugar, No Grains and fans of the podcast.

The people who attended made this meet-up so, so great. The stories of where we were and where we were going.

Each person had a story to tell and their transformations from where they were and the good changes from not eating sugars and grains.

2. The Hike: Topanga Canyon. Great location. Great work out, up hill, down hill, common flowers, Phacelia grandiflora. OVERTHERE! Inside joke on the hike.

3. The Podcast: Two live podcasts in the hotel. We all got a chance to tell our stories. Incredible. Transformations. Strength gains. Performance gains. Diseases reversed. Lives changed.


Lots of joking around: No it's not a fad or a cult. Download the podcast from iTunes. Episode 372-    I'm interviewed at around 39 minutes in.

(** there is some language, so if you have young kids, headphone time **) 

4. Watching 2 live podcast recordings: I was fascinated by the whole recording and interview process. Live. Vinnie, Anna, Andy, Tallulah. Pure pro's at the podcast interview.  My mind is blown. And YES, Anna Vocino is the best voice in podcast radio. :)

Podcast Snacks NSNG

Do you see it? Phacelia grandiflora- GRANDIFLORA

5. The physical gifts we brought: I brought some NSNG podcast snacks. There was lots of coffee, adult beverages, good meals eaten out. Rides to the hike and to the restaurants. NSNG Loot.

6. The personal gifts we brought: our stories, a guitar and songs,  meditation, work out tips, training tips, jokes, stories.


7. Location: Calabasas.  LA,  Great views, warm weather, easy to arrive.

8. Meditation: Serena Scott Thomas lead us on a guided meditation. Mind blown. Very relaxing. And Chi running, form, too.

9. Personal Training: Yep! We could ask Vinnie questions and he helped us with form. I learned the correct way to lunge. Push-ups, squats.

Vinnie really knows his stuff. He's a great trainer.

10. One-On- One chats with the attendees. So fun to meet Anna Vocino, Wendy, and everyone.

Vinnie Tortorich- live podcast, Angriest Trainer #372

The only tough thing is saying goodbye and going back into a processed food, grain, sugar filled world.

Oh well!  Plans for NSNG 2016 are in the works. 

Anna Vocino- Live Podcast, Angriest Trainer #373