Eating Like a Caveman

Well.. sort of.  I'm not one to jump on the "new fad" bandwagon, at least not before doing some research on the topic.  I can't say that I would even consider myself on the wagon.  It's more like, it's riding in a parade and I'm standing on the sidewalk, waving, admiring all the hard work that was put into the float wagon. I feel like that's OK. "Imitation if the best form of flattery", right?  Many people associate the "Caveman Diet" or "Paleo" with Crossfit.  Now lets not get crazy here people, me and Crossfit, I don't think so.  Honestly, I tried it once and I thought I was going to die.  That was the day I learned I had mild asthma.  I've never wheezed in my life!  Also, I feel that many of the Crossfit centers are not focused on form, which is so important to prevent injury.  Again, I did Crossfit once and ended up with asthma and a tweaked back muscle.  All the power in the world to those who do it, your bodies are akin to those of Gods, bravo!  Me on the other hand, I'll do my own routine and try to eat less junk.

It's actually pretty simple if you think about it.  Eat food, not chemicals.  At first I was gong-ho about eating Paleo.  I visited the Charlotte Regional Farmer's Market, grabbed all my local meats and veggies and didn't spend too much money in the process.  However, the food prep for the week was too much.  I am someone who enjoys cooking and baking and it was too much for me.  I was literally in the kitchen all Sunday prepping food for the week and I didn't even finish.  There were some items that couldn't be pre-prepped, like some of the veggies which I wanted to use for a side dish during the week.  It was too much.  I enjoy my weekends and John and I usually don't lock ourselves inside, we're out and about enjoying our weekend freedom.  A few weeks after my Paleo fail a co-worker told me about a Paleo delivery service.  I was intrigued.  I'm not usually for paying someone for something I could do, but if they delivered the food and I got to keep my free time, it seemed like a win.  John and I had the Paleo delivery meals for a few weeks and I supplemented breakfasts or dinners.  All in all the convenience was great, however, I can't say I liked all the meals, and the price was kind of steep.  So I decided to put the Paleo delivery on hold for a bit and attempt to make the majority of our meals.  Honestly, it's been going OK.  I can't say we're eating clean for every meal, but I feel like 80/20 is good too.

This Week:

• Bacon
• Marinated chicken breasts and thighs
• Mashed sweet potatoes (regular and thyme)
• Barbacoa- very good, spicy, but yummy with some avocados on top
• Mixed salad greens with a balsamic vinaigrette 

The only picture I took was of dinner the other night which consisted of the marinated chicken, thyme sweet potatoes, and salad.  

Overall, I've been trying to make us "cleaner" meals.  Meaning, no chemicals or preservatives.  The outcome is pretty tasty, but it does take some planning and time.  One tip - I do try to cook up a lot of protein at once.  That way we can use it up throughout the week with breakfast and lunch meals.  Also, sweet potatoes and roasted cauliflower are easy to whip up and will last you throughout the week as a side.  You don't have to be perfect, you can just strive to be better.