TPM Tidbit: How I Get Back On Track
July 31, 2012 in Food Issues, Practical Tips, TPM Tidbits
With the stress and sleep deprivation of last week (along with being displaced from my home for four days), I fell off the sugar wagon. I found myself eating banana chips, much more fruit than normal, and fairly excessive quantities of chocolate (and more semi-sweet chocolate as opposed to just sticking with my normal 80%). At least I had the sense to stay soy-free and dairy-free (and I don’t touch grains with a 12-foot pole, so that wasn’t an issue either). I also ate more coconut and macadamias (which I’m typically okay with in small quantities, but I had enough last week that I’m sure they contributed to my current lichen planus flare). Yes, I’m pretty sure the last thing my body needed while still recovering from the Great Tomato Debacle was a high carb week of near constant snacking (I have learned through much trial and error that snacking does not work for me since I find it very difficult to stop eating).
So, now I am reigning in the bad habits and getting back on track. My tried and true strategy for doing this has three components. First, I eat enormous meals with tons of healthy protein, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats (fish and avocado), and tons of non-starchy veggies and a little fruit (the goal isn’t to go crazy low carb which tends to shock my system after a bad week). I eat until I can barely move. Yesterday, my breakfast consisted of 2 whole kippers (smoked herring), about 1 cup of leftover cauliflower rice, about 1 cup of braised spinach and a peach. My lunch consisted of a large slice of homemade grass-fed beef liver pate served on half of a large English cucumber, sliced, carrot sticks, and another peach (I got these amazing organic peaches at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday). Supper consisted of half a grilled avocado, a large grass-fed beef hamburger patty, about 1 ½ cups of sautéed mushrooms and onion, 1 cup sautéed sweet potato greens (another Market find), carrot sticks, kombucha and chocolate avocado pudding for dessert (very little honey to sweeten and a whole avocado, recipe from Practical Paleo). Yep, BIG meals. But, they keep me satisfied until the next meal and after 2 or 3 days, I will be able to scale back a little and still avoid snacking (note, that it’s common for me to gain weight with a bad week but lose it quickly even with this quantity of food). I took 2g L-glutaminebetween meals and made sure I took my Vitamin-D3this morning. I drank tea and lots of water between meals. The other two components of my strategy are to make sure I get to my yoga classes and/or go for a walk (part of keeping busy between meals) and, very importantly, go to bed early.
Stress and sleep deprivation are a killer combination for me and it is typical for me to relax my eating habits as a result. I always try and pull it together as quickly as I can and this is what works for me. It’s been two days and I feel back on track already.
i hope you get back on track soon!
I’m so thankful for this post! It’s been a stressful summer for us (good AND bad stress) and although I’d hoped for a shiny clean slate of Paleo eating, it hasn’t worked out that way. I have been feeling very discouraged as a result and I like that you have provided specific suggestions rather than generic “I just grit my teeth and get back on track!” advice.
Well, it’s still kinda like just gritting my teeth.
It’s taken me a long time to learn how to pull myself together quickly and efficiently after a slip. I hope my strategies can help!
Yes, thank you. I currently have 3 kids 4 and under, the youngest who is 4 months, nursing nonstop, and over 20 lbs! Also, we just bought a new house and are packing the house constantly.
I completely fell off the wagon, and found it impossible to get back on. But now something that I am trying, is to give up one thing at a time. So I’ve given up caffeine first, and after a few days, maybe I’ll work on sugar?
Hope it works, and good luck to you,
Alexis
You can do it. Sugar is sneaky and it slips up on you and then you’ve lost what you know you want to do.
What I appreciate most about this post is that you didn’t just tell us why it’s BAD to eat sugar, but also how to get yourself dusted off and back on track.
Keeping it real. It’s why I read your blog first!
Great, practical advice! Thank you!
I’m curious. When you fall off the wagon, do you suffer stomach issues as well or just the flare-ups? I ask because I always suffer a week or two of digestive distress before I can climb back on the wagon and even think about getting back on track. Before Paleo, I used to just each easy to digest foods (rice, bread, potatoes), but now, I’ve been struggling with what foods are easier to digest or at least soothing to the intestines. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
Amy
Yes, I have digestive symptoms, but not as bad as I used to when I would fall off the wagon. This time I had some mild stomach aches and a little bloating, but that was about it. Great recovery foods are bone broth, coconut oil, well-cooked vegetables, liver, fish, and bananas (in moderation). You could also drink aloe juice or eat fresh aloe, but do this on an empty stomach between meals since it can reduce stomach acid (and that’s not very helpful when you need to digest food).
This info is so helpful; thank you! I will try these foods! I’ve been taking aloe but not on an empty stomach. I have issues with stomach acid already and I certainly don’t need any help reducing it (I do it so well on my own). Thank you for your reply; I really appreciate it.