fitness, inspiration, life, photography, writing

A Series of (un)Fortunate Events

  This morning I woke up to another 80 degree day. The third since Sunday. I let James sleep in while I did the dishes, tidied up the house and ...

dairy free, paleo, recipes, twofaced

TwoFaced: Olives

  In weekly installments, otherwise known as TwoFaced Tuesday, Melissa, blogger at CupcakesOMG, and I will choose a shared ingredient. Then, using our own culinary talents, we’ll make whatever delicious ...

fashion, life, photography

Outfit Post: Two for One

Dress – Dorothy Perkins | Necklace – Stella & Dot | Bracelet – Stella & Dot Dress – Queen of Hearts | Necklace – Stella & Dot | Ring – ...

Latest News

May 18, 2012 | 1 Comment

Dear Jenna: CrossFit Concerns

 

Dear Jenna is a new feature on The Paleo Project. Similar to an advice column, Dear Jenna was created by the questions I have received from readers. Topics include Paleo, crossfit, relationships, writing, photography, friendship, family and the like. It’s written in the style of Dear Abby with the candor of Carrie Bradshaw. Want to be featured on Dear Jenna? Send me an email at paleoblog(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject: Dear Jenna

Dear Jenna,

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

So my husband and one of my sons do crossfit, they love it and want me to join in.  My fitness level is, I would say moderate. I try to work out at least four times a week.  I do the occasional pilates class, kick boxing and a cardio strength class.  Regularly, I do a warm up on the bike, then a circuit of push ups/body weight squats/pull downs, I do 12-14, three times each. I then begin my workout, either machines or a kettle ball workout, depending on the day of the week.  I still have another 30lbs to lose to be where I was before five kids. 

I had always been thin, never worked out except in weight training class. Then I got pregnant at 18.  It has been a battle since then, with other pregnancies, breast feeding, age, etc.  I was scared of the gym until last September.  My husband, Jason, has been working out for about five years, had been trying to get me in the gym. It would happen, then we would get in a fight, I would get embarrassed/scared, or whatever and then that was it.  I had started jogging with my friend and doing pilates, but then I got pregnant with my daughter and was on bed rest and modified activities.  Flash forward: two years after her and I got motivated (went to a hot yoga class and had to stare at myself for 90 min, HELL!!)  and was ready to do it for me…finally! 

My husband, who had been doing crossfit on his own at the Y and a park for awhile, told me about Paleo about the same time I was really getting into working out.  We’re a very healthy family now, and I couldn’t be happier. 

A CrossFit gym oped up a mile from our home and Jason and my son Ethan both work out there.  Ethan actually works there cleaning so he can earn it himself.  Its a huge box, apparently the largest in our state, they even offer child care.   I am scared to try crossfit, I am so not competitive. I hate running, I have some social anxiety in new situations (I drag one of my older sons with me before I try a new class on my own), I don’t want to be ripped, I have no interest in big muscles.  The biggest fear…working out with Jason.  I like the idea of a very efficient, smart for your body work out. The personal trainer aspect of it is awesome too, no thinking about what I am going to do, just getting in there and doing it. However I feel like I wont be able to get through even one workout and everyone will be like, “THAT’S Jason’s wife”?!  I have no girlfriends that do crossfit and my husband and son wont tell me what I need to hear nor do they understand my fear of it…..

Sorry…that was a lot. You’re probably like okay crazy chic, time to block ya, but I hope not:)   Any thoughts or suggestions you have for me would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!!

Hilary

********

Hi!!!

I’m so glad you emailed me! What a story huh? It’s awesome to hear people’s personal stories of finally working out or getting healthy! How’s Bloom?!

Okay… you seem to have a really good workout regimen going and honestly, it sounds like you are many, many steps ahead of most first time crossfitters. See if your CrossFit gym has a boot camp or a free trial. That’s where I started. If the gym is as big as you say — largest in the state — then they probably have tons of new people signing up. Which means your first class will likely be with a bunch of newbies who are all feeling the same way you are feeling: uncertain, nervous, anxious, embarrassed etc.

Also, make sure you are open from the start about your feelings on weight lifting. When I began, I said flat out that I did not want to go over the prescribed weight for females. I had no intention of building muscle and while some people might argue that, you need to stand firm or you will bulk up. Trust me, I saw it happen to many girls. It’s not for me and it’s not for you.

You say you hate running. Well, I only ran two times at my Crossfit gym in a three month span. I completed sprints once and another time, the work out called for four laps, broken up, which equalled one mile.  Our coaches never had us run far. Another tip: I would always check the WOD online, and if I didn’t want to do that workout or run that far, I’d rest that day.

I think you are right in your fears and concerns but remember that this is all a choice. You can alter it to fit YOU. I totally did. Whether that made me stick out or not. Also — the CrossFit community is full of people who are so encouraging. Every workout is different and most of the time its “how many (insert task here) can you do in 20 minutes” not “can you finish a set amount”. It’s quite adjustable I promise!! I wish I could do a class with you for support. But I trust with the fitness drive you seem to have, you’ll be awesome!!! Plus, I am sure you will make a few friends quickly.

Xo Jenna

May 16, 2012 | 12 Comments

TwoFaced: Whole Roasted Chicken

 

In weekly installments, otherwise known as TwoFaced Tuesday, Melissa, blogger at CupcakesOMG, and I will choose a shared ingredient. Then, using our own culinary talents, we’ll make whatever delicious paleo dish we can think of. TwoFaced will be a dual blogging adventure. If you start here, you will finish there and vice versa.

************************************************************

Tonight, I have this feeling in my heart that hasn’t been there in a long time. I’m not sure what it’s called. I thought maybe you could offer some insight. Here, I’ll explain:

It started with a phone call. “They want to offer you the job…” and a feeling of shock, then relief washed over me.

Because of this new turn of events, I didn’t feel the usual pang of guilt when, after two years of wanting a set of chairs and a table for my front porch, I finally went out and bought them.

An empty space on my porch, much like the one in my life, was now being replaced with something comforting.

So I put a vase of flowers on it, because let’s face it, a table and chairs is simply a table and chairs. A job is a job is a job. And while you can fill an empty space, it’s important to fill it with something meaningful to you. This job, like this table, needed to be personal, it needed to fit into the space I had left for it. It needed to be something I could feel good about.

The vase was all well and good for daytime, but the sun was setting. So I got two glasses, a bottle of wine and a candle.

Sometimes things seem better in the daytime, but the night can bring a whole new set of feelings about an earlier decision. So I thought long and hard about each, and ultimately decided both were necessary, stable and exactly what I needed.

To celebrate this moment of clarity, this feeling of contentment, I served a hot, delicious, organic meal and shared it with the person who made the past few months of tableless, jobless, confusion and uncertainty all quite bearable.

I guess the feeling can only be summed up in one word: “ahhhhhhhh”.

Rosemary Honey Glazed Whole Roasted Chicken

1 (4lb) organic whole chicken
1/2 cup of organic light honey
2 tbs + 2 tbs rosemary
1/4 cup of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

Rosemary Honey
Total Time: 45 minutes

In a small sauce pan, over low heat, place honey and rosemary.

Bring to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat. Stir occasionally for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.

Whole Roasted Chicken:
Total Time:  1 hour, 15 minutes

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Remove the insides of the chicken. Rinse in cool water.

Place the chicken, breast side down, on a baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or a non-stick pan.

Pour olive oil & lemon juice over entire chicken. Sprinkle 2 tbs of rosemary evenly onto chicken.

Roast 15 minutes in the preheated (500 degree) oven.

After 15 minutes, reduce heat to 450 degrees F and continue roasting 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 425 degrees F and continue roasting 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Drizzle rosemary honey over chicken and spread with a spatula or cooking brush.

*I began cooking the honey about 15 minutes after I had placed the chicken in the oven. It timed perfectly.

Head over to Melissa’s blog for another spin on a Paleo Whole Roasted Chicken!

Pin It

May 14, 2012 | 20 Comments

We Were All Meant to Shine, as Children Do

 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. – Marianne Williamson

“I don’t know who I want to marry more, you or Taylor Swift” Grace laughed. She knew it was funny to say she wanted to marry anyone, but she didn’t know why.

The sun had finally shown its face after weeks of rain and overcast. New England does that. So I told Grace and Gabe we were going outside. It was 9am. Used to their active lifestyle, I was worried what I could do with my tender ankle. Chalk. A blanket. A book of stories. Snacks. Okay, let’s go.

Gabe appeared at the top of the stairs wearing a pink dress and knee high socks. Grace enlightened me, “His name is Ella. He’s my sister today.”

Alright, fair enough. “Hi Ella! Are you going to be hot in those knee high socks?”

Of course not. When it’s cold, they’re never cold and when it’s hot, they’re never hot. Until they are. And the outfit changes commence.

So off we went. Grace traced my shadow, then I traced hers. Then Gabe made us trace his bike.

We laid out the blanket and started in on “The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins”.

He took off his hat…..

“WAITTTTTT” yelled Grace, “I thought Bartholomew was a girl.”

If you listen close enough, children are usually consumed with one underlying thought. Something that they’ve picked up on in the past few weeks from home or TV or school. Their curiosity is piqued and they will test their limits as often as they can. I believe in it. I believe in letting children show me what interests them, and then working around that.

Not wanting to disappoint, realizing she was clearly on a kick, ”Well Grace, I think Bartholomew is a boy in this book from all the ‘hes’ and ‘hims’ used to describe him. See, look at this word, and this word.”

Grace nodded. She understood. She can read now.

Using the opportunity to teach her something, “But what would it take to change the story? How could we make this about a girl?”

Grace thought for a moment, “You can say ‘she’… and ‘her’”

Exactly.

So I did. It was harder than it sounds, but it made her happy. She knew he was a boy, and yet, she wanted to test me, and herself, and the book.

She knows Gabriel is a boy, and yet, she wanted to put her little brother in her old dress and call him Ella.

She knows that Taylor Swift would make an awful wife, and yet.

Grace and I are best friends. I feed her and take care of her. I am not family, exactly. I make her laugh and I keep her safe. What she knows of marriage lends her to believe that maybe she could marry me?

By the end of the story, Gabriel wanted to put on shorts and a tank top and ride his bike.

Grace was tired of her dress, so she changed too.

We decided to put the book away and do a scavenger hunt in the backyard.

It was the perfect Saturday morning with two best friends.

There are some people who might think that boys dressing up as girls means something awful. That girls wanting to marry girls is unrealistic.

Sometimes these ideas are just the innocent babbling of a child. Other times, they are the informed decisions of adults.

This weekend reminded me that I believe in both. I respect both. And I hope you do, too.

**The Winner of Eat Like A Dinosaur Giveaway is Christy!**

Congratulations! Email me at paleoblog(at)gmail(dot)com

May 11, 2012 | 7 Comments

Dear Jenna: Paleo Encouragement

 

This isn’t what it looks like. I know that writing letters to our younger selves is now a common trend in the blog world. This isn’t that. That letter would look something like,

Dear Jenna,

Stop plucking your eyebrows, start wearing your retainer, eat a vegetable for Christ’s sake, stop falling for the bad boys, BYE.

This is a new series on The Paleo Project in which I’ll be showing you the emails I receive from readers in regards to fitness, Paleo, relationships, healthy living, writing, photography, etc. I love when I get these emails. They fulfill that need I have to be everyone’s friend, and in the spirit of Dear Abby meets Carrie Bradshaw, have my own advice column.

I asked Ashley if I could share her email and my response in hopes that you can learn something from her experience. Or maybe this will answer the same question for you. If anything, it will show you how deep down, I really use this blog as a tool. A tool to help people and to build friendships with people I may never meet. If you have a question you would like answered in this fashion, email me at paleoblog(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject, Dear Jenna.

The below email correspondence is exactly how it was written, silly grammar, exaggerated CAPITALS and 100% honesty. Enjoy! If you have any further encouragement for Ashley, please provide in the comment section.

Dear Jenna,

So, I’m in need of some encouragement and I hope you don’t mind I turned to you.

Why is this so hard? I mean, it’s not. But it is.

Do you find it harder to eat clean when you don’t (could this be any worse English)? If some cheese or whatever slips in, does it make you crave things you shouldn’t eat?

I feel strange asking these questions of you because you seem to take a very laissez faire approach to paleo. You don’t seem obsessed.

Anyways! There are my random questions. I hope the ankle feels better, and the job search is going well :)

Ashley

 

********

Ashley! Can I call you Ashley? Okay. I’m going to. Breaaaaathe.

It’s hard. It’s SUPER hard. For me. For lots of people. Except for like… I don’t know… robots. I’m pretty sure Robb Wolf is a robot. So whatever. Ignore him. But listen, yes those foods send your tastebuds on like a frenzy. And your insulin levels are all like sharks that tasted blood. They’re all blood (except sugar) thirsty (I mean hungry)…. SO eating those foods = wanting more of that food = eating more of that food = zero progress.

I think the biggest piece of advice I can give you is this: do not, under any circumstance, take yourself too seriously. You will, I promise, learn and it will get easier with time. I don’t know what reasons you’re doing this for, be it weight loss, or for your skin, or for your health problems, or simply just because you want to feel better inside and out, you need to ease yourself into it if this is how you’re feeling, because I’m guessing, from my super perceptive personality, ;) that it’s freaking you out that you’re not getting an A++ on this lifestyle.

The reason I have stuck to this for two years is because I believe, even with setbacks, and fullblown non-paleo weeks, I have made progress. I am always improving. I am always making better choices, even if they are not ALL the time. For instance, I remind myself that I never, ever, drink soda, I never, ever, ever eat fast food and when I do cheat, I try to do it the best way possible: real food. real cheese. real fresh bread. whole, full fat dairy and unpackaged foods. And I remember how I ate a few years ago, and to me, that progress is enough to make me keep aiming for the best. Even though, I know, deep down, I’ll never be 100% committed or perfect at it.

Does that make sense?

I’m literally so antsy right now and can’t sleep, so thanks for the email… it helped me use some energy. GOODnight! Never hesitate to ask me questions or tell me things!!!

XO Jenna

May 9, 2012 | 4 Comments

I’ll Be Seeing You, Paris

images via pinterest

Lately, I’ve been daydreaming in black and white to a Billie Holiday soundtrack. I feel like Cinderella, but I’m the stepmother too and August is Prince Charming. No one’s making me do dishes or make the beds, but they should be done and I’m here to do them. So I make it all seem romantic while the music plays on my favorite Pandora station and visions of Paris take shape in my mind.

In three months we’ll board a nonstop flight to Paris for seven days. I’ll show James the reason I fell in love with it, one short year ago June. I see cigars and strong drinks, good coffee and great views, long walks and short dresses. It’s really quite romantic in my mind.

I don’t want summer to pass too quickly, but August in Paris is all I can see.

What’s your favorite Pandora station?

May 8, 2012 | 7 Comments

TwoFaced: Red Onion

In weekly installments, otherwise known as TwoFaced Tuesday, Melissa, blogger at CupcakesOMG, and I will choose a shared ingredient. Then, using our own culinary talents, we’ll make whatever delicious paleo dish we can think of. TwoFaced will be a dual blogging adventure. If you start here, you will finish there and vice versa.

To see all of our TwoFaced recipes, visit here!

***

Have you ever read Like Water for Chocolate? For those of you who haven’t taken fourteen too many literature classes, it is a love story woven with recipes and magic set near the Mexican border. The protagonist Tita, cooks with all of her heart. Sounds magical right? Her curse? Every emotion she is feeling while cooking is baked directly into that dish. At first bite, her guests are overcome by that same emotion. It’s great. There’s a film too.

If you were over for dinner last night, enjoying the following recipe, centraled around the TwoFaced ingredient of red onion, you would be a raging hormonal bitch by the end of the meal. Because that’s exactly how I felt during this rather painless process.

Every dice, slice, sizzle, whisk and pour was performed with seething anger.

Luckily, you weren’t over for dinner last night.

James on the other hand…. not so lucky.

Broccoli Crunch Salad

TwoFaced Ingredient: Red Onion
Inspiration: Whole Foods
serves 4

3 cups broccoli, florets only
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 cup raisins
2 pieces bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
handful of sunflower seeds, optional

Dressing:
1/2 cup homemade paleo mayo
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions

Prepare mayo, place in fridge until ready to use.

Cook bacon on stove top, blot with paper towels, crumble and set aside.

Place broccoli, onion, raisins, bacon and seeds in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk mayo with apple cider vinegar.

Pour dressing over salad and mix completely.

Serve cold.

Now, head over to Melissa’s red onion recipe which I’m sure was made with nothing but laughter and love!

Pin It

May 7, 2012 | 12 Comments

Things to Do While Broke (And All The Time)

 

While I could let people place me in the Unemployed, Bored, or Broke category, I like to refer to myself as “financially challenged”, “creatively provoked”, and my personal favorite, “freelance writer”. And yet, I have fun, sometimes with money, but mostly not. This is still difficult for me to grasp. I want to travel to all the places, I want to eat delicious steak off of fancy little plates, I want to buy a dress I don’t need. And usually, I do. But the result is conversations like oh, do we need cable James? No. Okay, we’ll just turn that off. That’s getting harder and harder to do. Someone turn off my school loans. Thanks.

Here are things I’ve been doing lately, things that have made me happy and hopeful and provoked me, creatively, if you will, all for the price of priceless:

1. Read. Just read all the books you can. And then reread the good ones. Hell, reread the bad ones, for all I care. It will help you. All the time. With writing, with understanding, with passing the literacy portion of the MTELs mostly. Read.

2. Take kids, preferably ones you know, to the park and let them be as loud as they want, get as dirty as they can, order an ice cream you know they won’t finish, and then tell them how smart and awesome and brave they are.

3. Head to the roof of your friend’s apartment and see the most beautiful view of the city you’ve ever seen. Allow your breath to be taken away. Take photos.

4. Send dumb videos back and forth in a group text with your sister and your brother and be happy that you can be the weirdest person ever and they still love you.

5. Take a screwdriver to your curling iron and remove the clip. Call it a clipless wand and curl your hair for no one. Be grateful you have lots of hair and even more free time.

6. Work out. I mean, it’s free. I haven’t been doing it so much lately, but nothing boosts your mood and tones your butt quite like 50 air squats. GO.

7. Just things like this in general. Never gets old.

What’s your idea of free fun?

May 4, 2012 | 44 Comments

Giveaway: Eat Like a Dinosaur Recipe & Guidebook

 

This book is set up perfectly for sharing with your family. So why not share it with yours? Eat Like a Dinosaur is not daunting, or overwhelmingly explanatory. It’s Paleo, which means it’s simple and it’s powerful. The gluten-free recipe and guidebook, written by The Paleo Parents, includes real photos of a real family who have entered this journey. The recipes don’t seem any different from what your children would expect for dinner or an after school snack. But the real payoff? ELAD has inspiring ideas to make shopping, cooking and consuming paleo meals exciting for the kids and effortless for the parents, with menu ideas, projects and themes that help implement a Paleo lifestyle into the family.

To win a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur, leave a comment below telling me who you plan to share this book with and why. (This will enter you into the contest and equal one entry.)

Extra Entries:

Tweet this giveaway, and mention @ThePaleoProject

Share on Facebook, and tag @ThePaleoProject

May 1, 2012 | 12 Comments

Reading Now: 50 Shades of Grey

 

If Pretty Woman and The Twilight Series had a baby, and that baby grew up to be a porn star with daddy issues: it would be this book.

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about the new EL James series, Fifty Shades of Grey. You might have listened to Ellen’s hilarious reading, in which she can barely choke back the erotic scenes played out in the novel. Your girlfriends might be in love with Christian Grey and wondering how they can get their boyfriend/husband/a kind stranger to go there. You might have heard it called soft porn, or maybe you haven’t heard a thing about it.

I started reading this today and can’t put it down. Mainly because I feel like I’m reading that pornstar hybrid I mentioned above and I’m so intrigued by this new trend. I feel the same way about it that I felt about Twilight, (a series I read quickly and became enthralled with) in that, I’m scared for the future of all relationships.

It makes me question what writers are trying to do to the female mind when they write these characters? Creating a female protagonist who is nothing more than a sweet, innocent, smart, shy, quiet, bookish, pale virgin and matching her with a male counterpart who is not only brilliant, but rich, handsome, built, elusive, mysterious, obsessive, protective, possessive and is so taken with this pale virgin, he can hardly control the impulse to have her, right then. Right there.

That happens all the time to you, right ladies?

Of course, this book takes the barely-able-to-touch-without-exploding aspect of Twilight and raises it about one million octaves, adds a few whips, nipple clamps and the lip biting fetish that Edward could never quite grasp because let’s face it, Kristen Stewart’s lip bite is horrendous. And there, in the same state where the Twilight series is based, you have yourself a racy plot that women can’t put down and men will never live up to.

The thing that freaks me out most about this book is the eerily similar scenes taken from my favorite movie of all time, Pretty Woman. I’m talkin about the breakfast scene at the hotel, the helicopter ride, the bath they take together, his passion for late night post-sex piano playing, and of course, a line stolen directly from the film, “Do people always do what you tell them?” Maybe some of you aren’t able to quote Pretty Woman, but I am, and I refuse to let this go unstated.

Regardless, it’s worth the read, and I’ll continue through the three part series, but I’ll be keeping my eye out for more shameless plot thieving and all the books about girls who hole themselves up in pristine mansions with abusive men they think they love. THE END.

Get your copy here, and join me in discussion.

Pin It

April 30, 2012 | 8 Comments

Weekend with my Sister

 

Today marks the last day of my sister’s trip home. She flew in from Colorado on Thursday night and tonight, she’ll fly back. It never seems long enough and we always try to do things that we’d do if we lived next door to each other, or in the same town, or the same state even. Like stay up and watch movies together on the same couch on week nights and snuggle under blankets. Or, go to the grocery store together and she’d help me decide what I really need, and which items are too expensive. We’d bake cookies, and cook meals, and drink lots of coffee. We’d fall asleep in the same bed after a too many drinks and laughs and secrets. And if we were really lucky, we’d never have to say good bye.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Hope you all had a fun weekend, and if you’re like me, you probably said yes to ice cream. Every time.

← Older posts