Adventure time

This is currently what I look like. Not wanting to get out of this comfy hotel bed or start the 3 hour drive back home. It's been another successful trip to Austin. As usual, this city never disappoints. Lots of cooking, eating, wine, laughing and even got in some yoga at my favorite spot. I'm running out of reasons not to quit school and escape to the Caribbean and/or Central America and become a yoga instructor. But, for now I'll just go with the fact that yesterday sealed the deal on incorporating yoga back into my daily routine. I left the studio so clear headed, open minded and just radiating happiness. I  basically felt like I was in a tampon commercial. You know those ridiculous ads, where all of the women are running (in white pants) with unicorns on the beach, high on life. Anyway, not to be sappy, but I'm at this amazing, peaceful point in my life right now and I'm thinking it might have something to do with practicing yoga more often, not a new feminine hygiene product... for the record.

We discovered an awesome little sushi spot here in Austin called Kome Sushi Kitchen. Possibly my new favorite restaurant. We ordered everything we had never tried before; grilled baby octopus, grilled smelt fish, pickled sea bass, octopus dumplings and some other sashimi. So. Damn. Good. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of everything, because apparently that's embarrassing. Whatevs, I love food pics. Also, if you ever get a chance to try Vegan Chocolate Pudding, do it. The Whole Foods brand isn't technically Paleo, but it is dairy free and freaking delicious. I make my own version at home, out of avocados and cocoa powder, that is completely Paleo. I'll have to post that recipe soon- like tonight, because you need to try it as soon as possible. And yes, in case you were wondering, that last picture is indeed a homemade waffle with blueberry syrup and my cheat meal for the week.

Also, other exciting things are going on besides my obsession with food. My gym is running a Groupon (< see what I did with my fancy technology skills!) for the next few days. Ten classes for $29... which is actually a steal, so you should buy one if you aren't a member already. Amazing group of people and ALWAYS a good time. 

I know you all were just dying to know what I ate this weekend. So, I hope you got your fix of this terribly exciting life I lead. I'll write about the importance of micronutrients or something later this week, because I'm probably going to get banned from this hotel if I check out late again- so I'll leave you with this recipe. I made it Saturday night and needless to say, it converted a Paleo nay-sayer. +1!

Chicken-Bacon Alfredo

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

1 lb chicken breasts, sliced into strips

4-6 slices bacon, diced (or be realistic and cook the entire package) 

1 cup canned coconut milk

2 avocados, whipped or mashed well

2 tbs. olive oil

Dried basil

Dried parsley

Garlic powder

Dried oregano

Dried thyme

Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 475 and oil and spice up your chicken up to taste. I don't measure spices, that's just ridiculous. I poured a little red wine on mine, too. 

2. Cook your sliced and de-seeded spaghetti squash for about 25 minutes, or until soft.

3. Set a separate timer for the chicken, it only needs about 15-20 minutes at that temperature. 

4. While that's all in the oven, fry your bacon up then place on simmer. SAVE THE GREASE!

5. In a small saucepan, combine mashed avocado, coconut milk, bacon WITH grease, salt, pepper, and maybe a little garlic powder. Let this heavenly concoction simmer or medium-low heat until it's good and thick. 

6. Take chicken and spaghetti squash out to cool, then scoop out noodles. I left a little bacon grease in my skillet to cook the noodles in a little more, but whatever floats your boat. 

7. Done! You should probably double everything in this recipe and don't plan on moving for a few hours, you're going to eat about 3 plates. 

Strong is sexy

Hello lovers. I know I've been slacking lately, school is already kicking my butt. But, a sweet friend gave me a recipe this morning that I needed to share- which inspired me to write a little before I crash. Yes, my bed time is 9:30 p.m. Really quick, I want everyone to watch my gym's new commercial...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEzxvmwEnO4 Come out and play with us! You won't be disappointed.

So, I was writing my bio for the gym's website and touched on the fact that I wish more women would embrace the fact that being strong is sexy. Almost every new female that walks into CrossFit is scared of "getting bulky". In the beginning, I was one of them. On the first day, my words were, verbatim, "I just want to tone up." Now, hearing those words makes my skin crawl. But, I remember the days when I thought the same thing and honestly didn't know any different, so I think it's important to get the word out to prevent other ladies from walking around with the same misconceptions.

Misconception #1- I'll just go ahead and break the news- you absolutely cannot "tone" a certain portion or your body, or lose fat in one area. Your body only loses fat. Period. Not just on your hips, or stomach or arms. To see definition in your stomach, legs, arms, whatever- your overall body fat percentage has to go down. This is why the "Ab Roller", "Shake Weight", insert other infomercials, will never work. To look "lean" you have to little body fat. To look "tone", where you see muscle definition, you have to have low levels of body fat combined with muscular development. None of this is easy and there is no miracle answer or overnight results; it takes tons of hard work, dedication and clean eating, that's what makes it so great. So, if you're one of those people trying to cut corners- let me just say, you're wasting your time.

Misconception #2- We call the people who can wear the hell out of a sweater, but not so much a swimsuit- skinny fat. These are usually the people who are on the treadmill/elliptical/stair master for hours at a time and go home and eat a handful of lettuce. If you're one of the people who prefers that method, you are probably going to be offended by this entire post. I encounter someone every day who says that they need to run more/"do more cardio" and less strength, in order to lose weight. Doing more cardio like running will burn some fat, but it will also burn up muscle at the same time- from lack of anaerobic and strength training. Which will result in lots of frustration with the way your body looks and performs for a very long time. Trust me, I've been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

Proof that heavy deadlifts and squats > ellipticals/starvation

Misconception #3- You will never lift heavy and wake up the next day looking like a body builder. You can lift heavy, then go home and eat a pint of ice cream and drink a six pack of beer and wake up looking swollen and bigger. But, that would be fat you see in the mirror, not "bulky" muscle. Women:  you will never be able to create muscles that looks like men's. It's just not natural, or genetically possible for us, sorry, but it's a scientific fact. I don't care what exception you think you are to that rule, you're not. If you've been lifting and still feel like you're getting "bulky", clean up your diet/sleep/stress situations and train harder. Women lifters who look like men have literally taken steroids/other dangerous supplements to get that way. However, you CAN have a large amount of muscle mass and still look lean. The "bulkiness" is caused by excess adipose tissue, regardless of the amount of muscle you have. The excess adipose tissue acts as a shield, layered on top of muscle. So, like I said before, having a lower body fat percentage in addition to muscular development is the key.

Bottom line, "bulky" just means fat. If you want to look like an athlete, you have to train like one. Not only is it the most effective and fastest way to achieve results, but it's a damn good time. I can almost guarantee that if you asked any female athlete, or someone who looks "tone" and "lean", what they do to look that way, they would all say they spent years developing speed, power, stamina and strength. Not trying to be a hater, but it's not going to happen by just running, doing burpees, or any other bootcamp style workout. It will happen by moving HEAVY weight around FAST!  Everyone should watch this video! Amazing women, amazing message. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zvqNHDTf8Y

Thank you Abbie Pittman, for this awesome recipe! Can't wait to make it!

Paleo Cereal 

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpking seeds

1 cup crushed nuts of your choice (cocoa almonds are a good option, if you're feeling frisky)

1/2 cup almond flour

3 tbs. coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup raw organic honey

1 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in medium-large bowl and mix.

2. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes in a 10x8 glass baking dish.

3. At 20 minutes, take out dish and stir everything around again.

4. Place back in oven for 5 more minutes, or repeat until slightly brown.

5. All finished! Serve with almond milk or coconut milk. 

Hot to squat

9:30am: Alarm goes off.

9:32am: Hit Snooze.

9:45am: 2nd alarm goes off.

9:46am: Hit snooze again/throw phone under bed.

10:00am: Get up to make hot tea.

10:05am: Too cold outside, back to bed.

10:05-10:45am: Browse various medical journals/lifting articles/instagram.

10:45-11:30: Roll around bed/stretch/wallow in laziness/make a mental grocery list/think about how hungry I am. 

That's why I love Fridays. I don't love Thursdays; Thursdays used to be my favorite day of the week, not anymore. Now, Thursdays start off at 8:30 in a math lecture, continue on with more 2 hour lectures and end up around 1:00am, with me yelling at MyMathLab through my laptop. Not ideal. Anyway, during my little internet browsing session this morning, I found lots of good information on cholesterol and saturated fats, but as for something that people will actually find interesting, I discovered that the perfect life does, in fact, exist.

This lady, Rachel Brathen, (rachelbrathen.com) is a yoga instructor that travels all around the Caribbean, Central and South America doing workshops and teaching the practice. Pretty freaking amazing. Finding this made me realize two things: I really miss Costa Rica, and I need to put yoga back into my daily routine. When I lived in Austin, I did yoga on the reg. More for relaxation rather than a workout, but it has translated very well into what I do now (Olympic Lifting and Crossfit), and I really need it back in my life. There really is no one too old, too out of shape or too inflexible to do yoga. In my opinion, it is the best way to take care of your soft tissue and mobility issues. It allows you to slowly stretch your muscles and release any lactic acid that may be built up from continuous use; that stuff that cause stiffness, joint pain and tension. All of the extreme gains in shoulder, trunk, hamstrings, quads, core and butt strength and flexibility, will also translate into better posture and all-around body awareness. It's also been known to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Not to mention how stress-relieving it is. I dare you to try to go to yoga and leave in a bad mood. Spoiler alert: it won't happen. So, if you have ever seen me in the gym and wondered how I can do the splits/handstands/weird looking things on the rings when I'm warming up, or how my butt almost touches the floor at the bottom of the squat; not to toot my own horn, but it's because I have pretty damn good hip flexors and excellent mobility, which I owe to doing yoga over the past years. If you beat your muscles, tendons, ligaments, all-around self up on a regular basis doing Crossfit, running, biking whatever, it wouldn't be a bad idea to check out doing yoga a few times a week. That being said:

Sweet Potato Brownies

1 Sweet Potato, cooked and peeled

3 Eggs

3 tbs. Coconut Flour

1/3 cup Honey

1/4 cup Dark Chocolate, melted

1/4 cup Coconut Oil

2 tbs. Coconut Butter, melted

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

Handful or so of Coconut Flakes, optional

Some Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract 

Pinch of Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray (or melt more coconut oil and spread) glass baking pan. 

2. Mash sweet potato in medium size bowl until it's got a smooth consistency.

3. Mix in wet ingredients; eggs, honey, coconut oil, coconut butter, dark chocolate, chocolate and whisk well. 

4. Add dry ingredients; coconut flour, spices, coconut flakes, more dark chocolate chip chunks if you're awesome. 

5. Mix all together very well, again.

6. Pour into baking dish. 

7. Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes. Mine came out a little soft, because I was scared to burn them. So, if you want them firmer then obviously cook a little longer, but keep checking them. 

I topped mine with a little more cinnamon and a little more melted coconut butter. I'm so obsessed with both of those ingredients, it's ridiculous. I made these for a sweet friend's going away dinner tonight and  they are stupid good. It was really hard not to eat them all right out of the oven; one of the easier Paleo treats to make and definitely my new favorite. I'm aware I say that every time I make something new. Disclaimer: I don't encourage a diet solely of Paleo goodies, I've just been experimenting lately and had lots of reasons to celebrate. I'll make something else this weekend that won't be a dessert, promise! Have a good weekend!

"Most people have no idea how good their body was designed to feel."

Even though you're bipolar Texas, I still love you.. especially on days like this. Absolutely loving this weather. I may get crazy and go buy the first swimsuit of the season today. I've been feeling kinda crappy the passed couple days, so when I haven't been in class I've been in bed reading this little gem pictured below. (I've also been reading Fifty Shades of Grey, but that's beside the point.) Lots of good stuff in there. Check it out.

There's a pretty terrible flu-like virus going around the gym and at school. I don't ever get sick, like ever, (Taylor Swift voice) and I absolutely hate going to the doctor because I don't like the concoction of things they give you intended to make you feel better, but end up making you feel worse. But, yesterday I broke down and went to get a flu test just to make sure; because chances are if I got the flu I would probably fail the semester, miss my first Olympic Lifting meet, not get to spend my spring break in Austin, then end up jumping off my house. That last part was supposed to be dramatic, but I've jumped off of my roof before and it's not that impressive. Anyway, what I learned at the doctor yesterday was that the flu test is pretty painful and I don't have it. FYI, they stick a long q-tip up into your brain and swab it around, but the nurse told me my eyebrows were perfect while she did it so it ended up being okay. So, I went home and made the "Nature's Flu Shot". The only time I've ever gotten the flu was when I got the real flu shot when I was 16, then went to Houston for a soccer tournament  and spent the weekend in a really pathetic, miserable state; coughing all over my roommates for 3 days. They loved me. 

Nature's Flu Shot 

Juice of 4-6 Fresh Lemons

1 Bulb Fresh Garlic

2-3 tsp. of Ground Ginger, or fresh if you have it

2-3 tsp. Honey 

2-3 cups Pineapple Juice

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Powder

2 tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar

Combine all ingredients in blender and puree. Take 1 cup per day, up to 3 times per day; store the rest in a glass jar in the fridge. Also, make sure you have some food in your stomach when you take it, if not you could have some gnarly heart burn. It tastes like what I imagine swallowing fire, then getting punched in the mouth right after feels like. But, the tastes lasts about 5 seconds and the flu lasts/ruins your entire month, so suck it up. I drank 2 cups of this, then took a nap. When I woke up, I felt like a million bucks. I even made it to the gym and hit a snatch balance PR. Holla. 

Annnnnd I'm making these cookies for my kid's class tonight. My mom made them last week and I meant to take them to the gym, but with my stepdad and I in the house, they didn't make it that far.

Chocolate Chunk Paleo Cookies

1 cup almond flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

3 tbs. melted coconut oil 

2 tbs. honey 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbs. almond milk

1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine dry ingredients into medium bowl. 

3. Whisk wet ingredients together in separate smaller bowl. 

4. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix. 

5. Use a tablespoon to measure cookie drops, then pat each down lightly. You may have to use your hands to ball them up very small. My dough was a little crumble-y, so I added an egg to the batter and whisked, then they were perfect.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, or until bottoms turn slightly brown. 

7. Remove from oven and let cool about 3 minutes. They will come out soft, but give them a few minutes and they will harden up.

And when you're cooking, remember:

Blood and Skins

It's probably really weird how much I love buying school supplies. So, if you're looking to get me a present for my birthday (it's only 11 months away), get me an Office Depot/Target gift card and I'll go nuts. Anyway, if you aren't convinced already on why eating Paleo will put your body in optimal health and fitness, I'll lay down some more facts. And, since I just got out of class, I'm in the mood for some science. Lucky you. If you have a heart and blood in your body, this pertains to you, so don't skip it.

Hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure, or high pressure/tension in the arteries. Arteries are the vessels that carry/take blood from your pumping heart and deliver it to all other organs and tissues. Preeetty important things going on here.  You always hear doctors talk about why it's bad, what you need to do to fix it, commercials about medications and considering it affects nearly 60 million Americans, you most likely know someone who has it. But, do you really know how serious it is? Not only does it force your heart to work twice as hard to do it's job (keep you alive), it causes your arteries to harden, damaged blood vessels in the eyes, and excess pressure on critical organs such as kidneys, brain etc.; eventually, leading to heart failure, kidney failure, strokes, blindness and other things that you don't want to experience. And what's even scarier than all of that, is the it's known as "the silent killer" because most people don't even know they should be concerned until it's too late. Usually, there are no symptoms of hypertension. In severe cases, people experience morning headaches, epitaxis (nose bleeds), blurry vision, or a palpitations (fluttering in chest). A normal blood pressure reads 120/80. Anything between that number and 139/89 is called "pre-hypertension", a reading of 140/90 or above is classified as high. The top number represents the systolic pressure, which is the amount of force created while your heart beats. The bottom number represents the diastolic pressure, the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. In people under 50 years old, the diastolic blood pressure is a more important risk factor than elevation in systolic pressure. We will come back to diastolic pressure and resting heart rates in a minute.

                                    (Spoiler Alert: You don't need milk for calcium or protein.)

How does eating Paleo tie into this? Well, most people know that a high salt, or any other sodium, intake will contribute to high blood pressures, but most people don't know that other contributing factors are deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, and most importantly potassium (also, very important for proper cellular function). I'm aware you're not going to go around counting up how many grams of potassium you've had every day, but just in case you do, you need at least 174 per day. The easiest, fastest, best way to get these essential nutrients? Bread? Cheese? Milk? Wrong, wrong, wrong. Real, WHOLE foods. One cup of raw spinach contains 839mg of potassium, one cup of acorn squash has 437mg, fish has 534mg; avocados, sweet potatoes (also good for blood sugar regulation), bananas etc.. you see where I'm going with this. Also, fun fact: trans fats were developed to stray away from lard to help people their lower blood pressures/cholesterol levels, but ended up doing exactly the opposite, because the digestive system couldn't recognize such a foreign substance. Surprise! We're not made to ingest processed, genetically modified junk!

How does fitness tie into this? Exercise increases number of capillaries in the skeletal muscle, which increases blood flow, supplies blood and oxygen to organs and helps to remove wastes when needed. Physical activity also improves neural regulation of blood vessels and reduces peripheral resistance,  which is the resistance to the passage of blood through the small blood vessels. Post-Exercise Hypotension (PEH) is the temporary reduction in blood pressure levels immediately after exercises, that may last for up to 24 hours. PEH is part of the rationale for encouraging those with high blood pressure to exercise daily. Other controllable factors are to stop smoking, limit drinking to 2 drinks or less per day (excessive alcohol will effect magnesium levels and the liver's ability to produce renin and angiotensin), reduce sodium and saturated fat intake and definitely avoid processed foods/trans fat completely.

Bottom line, Paleolithic cavemen may not have lived a long life due to lack of modern medicine, warfare, infectious diseases and injuries, they damn sure didn't even come close to having heart disease. While, the Egyptians, on the other hand, loved their beer and bread....
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110415-ancient-egypt-mummies-princess-heart-disease-health-science/

Avocado-Chorizo Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

1lb chorizo
4 sweet potatoes
½ red onion, diced
2 ripe avocados, halved and seeds removed
½ lime, juiced
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cumino
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon almond flour

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.     Use a fork to poke some holes in your sweet potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft when you poke them. (Time will range depending on how fat they are. I used thin ones)
3.     While your sweet potatoes are baking, pull out a large skillet, place over medium heat and add your chorizo and onions to it. Use a wooden spoon to break up your chorizo while it cooks.
4.     When your chorizo is cooked completely through, put your chorizo mixture on a plate with a paper towel to soak up some of the excess fat and to cool.
5.     Plug up food processor.  Spoon a scoop out the inside of your two avocados and place in the food processor. Mix until you get a smooth paste.
6.     Add your lime, lemon, cumin and a bit of salt. Pulse until mixed thoroughly.
7.     Place your chorizo and ¾ of your avocado mixtures in a large bowl to incorporate. Leave the other ¼ of avocado mixture for toppings.
8.     When your sweet potatoes are done cooking, let cool, cut in half, scoop out insides (leaving about ½-1 inch of sweet potato still inside) of sweet potato,
9.     Use a pastry brush to brush on coconut oil on the inside and all around the sweet potato.
10.   Place back on cooking sheet and in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until crispy.
11.   Once potatoes are crispy, add your avocado and chorizo mixture into your sweet potato, top off with a little sprinkle of almond flour, and place back in the oven for around 5 minutes.
12.   Top off with leftover avocado mixture.

Not as hard as it sounds, I swear! I ended up making more and ate them all week as a side to whatever else I was eating.. definitely a new favorite. Totally making them again for the Superbowl. Peace!

Rutawhata?

Just wrapped up the first day of lab number one and I absolutely loved it.  We spent two hours talking about blood pressure responses, ventilatory regulation and other shenanigans.. it was a blast. Let me just be honest/nerdy and admit that I'm so happy to be back in a classroom. Wait, I mean ugh... it sucked, I hate school, learning sucks, I'm ready for summer etc. (insert other annoying college kid complaints). Actually, that last part is partly true; I'm totally ready for summer. Every time I think that I want to move to Colorado, I walk outside and remember that I'm unbearably cold even at 60 degrees. As my eyeballs were freezing on the walk from my car to the science building, all I could think about was how I'm so ready to live in a swimsuit and have 100+ face melting temperatures. Bring it on, global warming. 

Anyway, so I just got home and made a quick breakfast with possibly my new favorite vegetable, rutabaga! It's a cross between wild cabbage and a turnip. It has almost the exact same color, texture and consistency as a regular potato, but without the bad dietary starch and insulin-damaging properties.

 

I wasn't feeling creative so I just made my regular eggs, bell peppers and mushrooms, then added a side of thinly sliced rutabaga to act as hashbrowns. Whip up some homemade ketchup and you have a party in your mouth. Before I ate Paleo, I was really big into hashbrowns, so making this amazing substitute was exciting for me because I love experimenting with new foods and I'm really obsessed with breakfast. There are probably a million ways to make it, but I made mine pretty simply this time. All you have to do is peel it (like a potato) and either thinly slice and dice it, or stick it in the food processor. Then, throw it in a skillet in a little olive oil and add a little sea salt and pepper. Super easy and delicious. 

Here's some other info if you're a food nerd like myself.

Rutabaga Nutrition 

100 grams or 3 1/2 ounces

Nutrient	Cooked	Raw
Calories	39	36
Protein	1.3 g	1.2 g
Total Fat	.6 g	.6 g
% Calories from fat	5.1%	5.0%
Carbohydrates	8.7 g	8.1 g
Fiber	1.8 g	2.5 g
Calcium	48.0 mg	47.0 mg
Copper	.04 mg	.04 mg
Iron	53 mg	.52 mg
Magnesium	23.0 mg	23.0 mg
Manganese	.17 mg	.17 mg
Phosphorous	.57 mg	.58 mg
Potassium	326.0 mg	337.0 mg
Selenium	.7 mg	.7 mg
Sodium	20.0 mg	20.0 mg
Zinc	.350 mg	.340 mg
Vitamin A	561.0 IU	580.0 IU
Vitamin B1 ­ Thiamine	.082 mg	.090 mg
Vitamin B2 ­ Riboflavin	.041 mg	.040 mg
Vitamin B3 ­ Niacin	.72 mg	.7 mg
Vitamin B6 ­ Pyridoxine	.102 mg	.100 mg
Vitamin C	18.8 mg	25.0 mg
Vitamin E	.15 mg	.30 mg
Folate (folic acid)	.15 mcg	.21 mcg
Pantothenic Acid	.155 mg	.160 mg
Saturated Fat	.03 g	.03 g
Monounsaturated Fat	.07 g	.07 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	.04 g	.04 g

Since I worked a lot with a stethoscope today, that makes this picture not only the cutest thing on the interwebs, but also very relevant. Have a good day!

Life is too short for crappy tequila.

After an awesome trip to Austin, I'm back and ready to drop some knowledge bombs and feed your faces. Short version of my trip: stayed in an adorable little hotel, drank wine in a bubble bath and watched Sports Center (why yes, all at the same time), had sushi and sake bombs with a good friend, slept in and after discovering the nightmare of the hotel breakfast, I had room service delivered. Then, I did other boring things like go to the dentist. To top it off the weather was perfect. Pretty sweet little getaway.

The nightmare of a breakfast I'm talking about was actually the anti-Paleo devil. It consisted of cereal, muffins, juice, donuts and other temptress pastries. Admitting defeat, I paid a tiny bit extra to have a Mexican omelet and (double) order of bacon delivered to my door. I went back to sleep until it got there. Totally worth it. And just to clear it up, I'm well aware sushi, sake and beer aren't Paleo. Unfortunately, I'm not an alien and don't always eat perfectly. But, I really blame it on you readers because I hit 1200+ views on Thursday (with a total of only 5 posts) and I HAD to celebrate. So, thanks guys, thanks a lot. 

Also, congrats to my gym for kicking some seriiiious booty today at the Garage Games! They took 2 places out of each division; 1st and 3rd in RX Men, 2nd and 3rd in Scaled Men, 2nd and 3rd in Scaled Women. Y'all are all amazing competitors and I'm proud to call you mine! 

I've had some people asking more about naughty beverages that won't throw you off the wagon completely. Does alcohol fit into the traditional Paleo lifestyle? No, not really. Does it fit into MY Paleo lifestyle OCCASIONALLY? I'm going to give that a super conclusive and realistic yes. Eating Paleo can sometimes feel like living in a food jail. Though it would be a jail that has really amazing food, it's still hard for most of us to go to a restaurant and find meat/vegetables that aren't soaked in soybean oil and wheat flour. At times, this can cause us to just play it safe and stay home, causing a serious damper on social lives. I'm not saying eat clean 7 days per week then ruin it by drinking a 6 pack 3 nights per week, but I know that for me and most others, it isn't sustainable or realistic to think that I'm not going to go to happy hour every once in a while or have a drink at a birthday dinner. Like I always say, you have to pick your battles. It just takes a little prioritizing to figure out what's more important. A couple glasses of wine, beers (or whatever) every night or a faster 400 meter sprint and a clean and jerk PR? Things like that. I know for me, my happy medium is going out maybe once a week, and when I do I'm very careful. My life revolves around Crossfit, Paleo cooking, school and my family; that's what's important and fun for me, and that's okay. It's also okay if what's fun to you is drinking vodka out of a beer bong. That being said, let's talk about good choices. 

Beer

With the main ingredients being malt, water, yeast, hops and gluten grains; they're all mostly high calorie/high carb and make you swell, due to the grain content. Sorgum (gluten-free) beer does exist. I have tried it and wasn't a fan, but you may be. Consistent beer drinking leads to excess fat deposits due to how easy it is to sit and chug lots of them without thinking twice. Though a light beer has around 100 calories and a regular beer has 140, those 100 calories can turn into 300 in an hour or less. 3,500 calories equals a pound of weight. That means that if you add just five regular beers a week, without changing your eating/exercise habits, you can gain 1 lb. every 3.5 weeks.

Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey etc.

Despite what we have always thought, not all vodka is made from potatoes and rum from sugarcane. Most liquors are grain-based nowadays. And by now, I hope we all know that nothing good comes from any type of grain. If you're going this route, it's best to choose a distilled liquor. Distilled liquor turns from liquid to gas before reaching the bottle, meaning it isn't possible for gluten to exist in this environment. Some studies have shown that there is still some gluten content, so drink at your own risk. Notice how you feel when you drink one liquor vs. another. That's your body trying to tell you something.

Tequila

When you're picking out a tequila, go with 100% agave. This kind is absolutely not made with grains and distilled. Tequila is made from the agave plant, which looks a lot like a cactus. This is the best Paleo choice, despite its high production in naturally-occuring sugars. 

Mead

Basically, it's wine made with honey. It's delicious and a good Paleo choice. But, like the tequila its high in naturally-occuring sugars so watch out for the possibility of a killer hangover. 

Hard Apple Cider

Same as Mead, but made with apples. Look for cold pasteurized and organic apples, if possible. Watch out for additives like excessive sugars, sulfites, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, etc. These can cause allergic reactions, migraines etc. and are just not something we want coursing through our bloodstream.

Wine

Dry and red, preferably. Just like the apple ciders, look for organic, minimal sugar added, no sulfites etc.

As far as cheap, good wine goes.. I highly recommend this one. 

Mixers

Tonic Water- Skip it. Most of them have high fructose corn syrup, creepy sugar-like substances that you can't pronounce, preservatives and quinine. Quinine and tonic water gained their popularity in the early 1800s, to help with the prevention and treatment of Malaria. But, today it comes with some side effects. Quinine has been linked to thrombocytopenia, a drop in the blood's platelet count (causing internal bleeding) and kidney damage. Thankfully, low doses aren't enough to trigger these, but it's still scary stuff. The alcohol itself is poison enough. 

*Obviously, syrups, sodas and sugar-y juices are out; so suck it up and order it neat or on the rocks. If not, stick with seltzer, regular water or soda water. 

I can't stress it enough, read your labels! Ideally, we want everything to be gluten-free, free of additives and as close to organic as possible, so just check it twice. And if you're questioning how I know so much about alcohol, I worked in a bar for quite a while and they actually made me study these things. Also, I'm a junior in college. Now, go to the kitchen and make these!

Paleo Margaritas

(Not my picture, but that's what you need)

Sea salt

2 lime slices or wedges

1/4 cup tequila blanco

2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Rub a slice of lime around the rim of the glass, then dip the glass into a bowl filled with sea salt. Half a rim is better, the less the better.

2. Combine the tequila, agave nectar, and lime juice in a shaker and mix. 

3. Fill glass with ice and pour over. 

4. Keep your clothes on and don't dance on tables. Or do, whatevs.

Do not buy canned lime juice unless you want me to come to your house and throw it at you. Also, you use the agave instead of triple sec and use silver or white tequila from 100% blue agave (get the good stuff!). I've made these many, many times and never met anyone who didn't think they were delicious. I've also experimented and made them in a blender and used fresh squeezed oranges, lemons, honey, watermelon etc. All good ideas!

Bonus post! For the non-drinkers..

Hot Cocoa 

(I realize I need to step up my game with the pictures. I'll be breaking out the Canon Rebel soon.)

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 tsp. coconut oil

2-3 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder 

Lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie spice if you have it

1 tsp. (ish) honey or agave nectar

1. Simmer milks on low for about 5 minutes.

2. Whisk in cocoa powder, spices, oil, honey. 

3. Continue to stir, on a little of a higher heat, for about 3 minutes.

Because it's 4 degrees outside and I'm tired of hot tea, I made this tonight. Took about 10 minutes and all from things I had laying around the kitchen. So, so glad I did!