Challenge

Alright, this last weekend was my mother's sixtieth birthday party and for the most part I did O.K. Day three I am very ashamed to say I kind of face-planted off the bandwagon. That is why I am doing this five day challenge for myself!

It wasn't really a three day party, but it did involve a visit to see my sister and her family which culminated at the New Mexico State Fair. (Oddly enough, this is not where I fell off the bandwagon). I loved the fair though, I got an amazing jar of raw local honey! It's about half as dark as molasses and has a very rich taste. Mmmm.

I have already begun today with my challenge of being 100% Paleo for the next five days to combat the weird cravings I'm having after more than a little cheating. I always strive for that but I have been about a month in the 85/15 maintenance program. I also need to be drinking more water. I'm usually someone who drinks lots of water all day long, but when you're stuck in a truck and you're not sure when your next bathroom break will be...

What is 85/15?

For those who have gone through their initial Paleo phase, some elect to go to what many refer to as a "maintenance" phase which is 85% of the time they are Paleo and 15% of the time they can essentially cheat, though it is not recommended to do this with gluten unless you are a glutton for punishment. (The bloating, the cravings, so not worth it!) This 15% equates to 3 meals a week as "freebies".

This challenge is going to be a little tough on me because our call volume at work has sky-rocketed and we are currently working 16 hour shifts. In fact, this week I'm working four 16 hour shifts in a row! I want a nap! Time for those great Paleo-on-the-go snacks! (We also like to call these fruits and vegetables). Just kidding, I like to supplement these fruits and veggies with fun stuff too, like little sandwiches, plantain chips, or veggies wrapped in toasted seaweed. Actually, I haven't made kale chips in a while, I should do that!

Another Confession:
We did have a little time around supper-time when there was a lull here at work and I dragged my partner into World Market. The good news is she thought it was a pretty cool place, the better news is... I got more dishes! Is there a World Market addicts group?

While we were out my partner grabbed a jump rope from the local sports store (because sometimes that's all we have time for and we hate being idle!). Of course, she grabbed a jump rope and I snagged a cup of coffee and some prosciutto! (I did not buy the prosciutto at the sports store.) Recipe coming soon to a blog near you...

Bunny trail regroup.

Okay, so my challenge to myself is this. Five days of 100% Paleo. 5 days of at least a 30 minute workout of any kind. I just need to stay mobile! I know that exercise will help me feel less hungry and it will increase my energy as well as improving the quality of sleep I get, which is critical since it won't be very much the next several days.