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Zelko’s…
Monday, February 23rd, 2015

zelko

I haven’t been around for a while, I’m crushed if you haven’t missed me.  I’m also making a few changes, NOT retractions, to my format.  I want you to feel a more softer approach to “eating” a healthy lifestyle.  This means I will be taking a “whole food” approach to critiquing restaurants which is totally what I was doing(in my mind) to begin with, but it seems people are getting a little annoyed with the dogma that goes along with being Paleo. So! I am now a Lifestyle Nutrition Coach… Lets dig in!

Weather you are following the 21 Day Sugar Detox, the whole 30, Paleo, gluten free or Mediterranean diets, I want you to look at your menu for your #1. meat, #2. vegetable and #3. healthy fat options.  These selections might not be on the menu in one entree, but several small meals or a by making a substitution, and this can all be done without making a spectacle of yourself.  Always check out the menu before hand so you have an idea of your options and even call ahead to see if they have charges for substitution or vegetables that you like.  Healthy fat options come in the form of EVOO, Nuts, Avocado, Grass fed Butter, Coconut oil…that’s about it!

In the Beginning…The bread will cometh…NO Thank you!

The Salads are lovely but please ask questions as I found some foods not identified on the menu in the salads. If nothing else, I just hate to waste food or pick through it when if I had of known, it could easily have been left off.  The Farmers Crop-pile was great!  A mix of raw and cooked veggies BUT it did have corn in it and it came with Parmesan, whaaa… commence the picking.  The Harvest Lox Salad, again great, super clean, but the cheese was mixed in to the Salmon so it couldn’t be picked off.  If you do include dairy and sugar in your diet, You cant go wrong with the Cheese Block & Raw Honey.  I really only mention this because the Zelko’s started the Heights Honey Project and they naturally maintain around 100 hives, none near the restaurant!  They sell and infuse that natural sweetness throughout the menu, that’s pretty cool.  Learn more about the importance of Bee’s and their contribution to sustainable plant and crop growth in the ares they buzz around in.

honey bees

I’m going to say “No” to the sandwiches.  Now, if you are allowing yourself bread then I imagine any of these sandwiches would be a fabulous treat…enjoy the bloated belly the next day:)

Moving right along..Main course!

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Ok, I can’t save the best for last!  The ZB Meatloaf is bananas!  Just substitute the Yukon potatoes for a double serving of vegetable and you are set.  The Corned Beef & Cabbage Sprouts were a little less eventful, it was quit bland, but truly one of the cleanest meals on the menu and for that I was very satisfied.  Again, sans the potatoes and enjoy a double heaping of vegetables.  The Fish Tacos are super delish, but be-warned if you think you can just eat the insides and not the tortilla with all that yummy dressing soaked into it, you will be wrong!  My table mate fell victim…claims it was worth all the shame:) Also, the sweet plantains are very greasy, so opt for veggies to substitute.  The Charred Ribeye Block is the most gorgeous thing on the menu, again ask for double the veg and skip the bread.  In addition, be careful when you see soy, sweet soy, agave nectar, polenta, 3 grain salad, and simple grains.  Soy is not something I want in my body no matter how sexy it sounds, and the rest just equate to consuming to much sugar and carbohydrate, which = bloated face and belly the next day.

We had one of the best Pinot Grigio Doppio Cieco.  I always have club soda or San Pellegrino to curb the reaching for the wine.  With that said, easy on the fluids when you are eating, you don’t want to dilute your digestive enzymes.  Wait at least 30 minutes before consuming water after a meal.  There are so many reason that we don’t absorb all the nutrients from the foods we eat so play it safe when consuming fluids around meal times.  Also, chewing slowly aids in digestion in a really big way, as digestive enzymes are in your saliva!

 

The non-food diet
Tuesday, February 17th, 2015

The Non food diet.  5 Reason you can’t lose the weight

As I reflect on all the diets I’ve been on through my 40 plus years…with age does come wisdom, and something has become quite clear to me.  You can put all the right foods in your mouth, but if you expect to see the results you want, you have got to have the other areas in your life in check as well or it is all for not!  I am talking about 1. sleep, 2. stress levels, 3. spirituality, 4. positive talk/motivation  5. water intake.

sleep

 

Sleep: Most of us are unaware that poor sleep quality is linked to weight gain, diabetes, memory loss, depression, and even cancer. The Shawn Stevenson Model.  If I don’t sleep well that can equate to higher numbers on the scale just from foods not metabolizing well and that comes from a resting body.  Your stomach empties into your gut on your left side, so if your tummy ever feels upset or you just want to help the digestion process out a bit, get comfy on your left side.  Plus, tired skin is old looking skin

 stress

Stress: Cortisol has been termed the “stress hormone” because excess cortisol is secreted during times of physical or psychological stress, and the normal pattern of cortisol secretion (with levels highest in the early morning and lowest at night) can be altered. This disruption of cortisol secretion may not only promote weight gain, but it can also affect where you put on the weight. Some studies have shown that stress and elevated cortisol tend to cause fat deposition in the abdominal area rather than in the hips. This fat deposition has been referred to as “toxic fat” since abdominal fat deposition is strongly correlated with the development of cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.

spiritual 

Spirituality: “My name is Adrienne Daly and I pray to God.”  Creating space in my life for space has been life changing.

“ Take up your spiritual arms and move swift into the night, awakening one and all to the magic that is life itself.” https://www.facebook.com/DoreenVirtue444  Whoa, that just gets me fired up, what a visual!

Take a few minutes each morning, literally set the timer on your phone so you aren’t stressing on the time you don’t have, and be grateful for the people in your life and the lessons you are learning from the not so great things happening in your life, also.

Appreciate everything life sends your way, whether good or bad and know that “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie

positve 

Positive/Motivational daily words:  I’ve heard it said by many of todays thought leaders that we are a reflection of the top 5 people that we surround ourselves with.  Wow, Ok!  Who are my people and are they moving me forward?!  There was a time in my life where my top 5 were not so desirable and as I say that, I know that I have not always been someone else’s most desirable influence.  I am truly fortunate now that my plus 5 are moving me forward and loving.  But, if you don’t have uplifting, “pro-you” people in your life, create them!  #1 Podcasts.  Podcasts are talk shows on the go.  Whether you are interested in fitness and nutrition to fixing cars, there is a show for you.  It is smart upbeat people talking about and interviewing the experts in what ever interests you.  Just go to http://www.itunescharts.net/us/charts/podcasts/   I start my day with podcasts rather than TV or radio and it motivates me to be better and to stay on course…always!  #2 READ!  I do this to prep for meditation and to end my day.  For me, it’s always non-fiction, spiritual or,  “my industry” related reading.  #3 Super Soul Sunday… Oprah!!!  She is one of my favorite thought leaders and her sunday show interviews the rest of the best. https://www.facebook.com/SuperSoulSunday?ref=ts&fref=ts

water

Drink Water!  And I mean drink water!!  I start my day with a warm glass of spring water with lemon.  Warm water because it feels nice in the morning, it cleans the pipes as it moves through me, and it sets the tone for the drinking of water throughout the day.  If you want great skin, shed pounds, have tons of energy and relieve constipation…water!   My skin is better looking and feeling at 45 than it has ever been, and I never get tired of hearing that.  I get a gallon in on most days. If you drink at this level and are eating a clean diet, add a little extra Real salt to your food so your electrolytes don’t get out of whack.  And, for good measure, end your day with a Sleepy-time Tea…it all ties in.

 

 

You can always go home. My Paleo Lifestyle.
Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

The wonderful thing about finding Paleo as my “food” life style is it is Home for me.  When I get off track OR just make the choice to “enjoy” my life and not worry about the gut discomfort and complete body dysmorphia that will follow and just let my hair down.  I have a history of binge eating, I know those demons are always lurking and it can feel like a 24 hour job just keeping those little monsters at bay and then other times it can be smooth sailing in troubled waters.  I’ve had a few blips in my personal screen lately and it is so crazy after how far I’ve come, food and drink are always going to be my dirty little secret.  Finding Paleo (a diet of meat, vegetables, healthy fat options, nuts and some fruit) and now Ketogenic diet (high fat, low carb and moderate protein), have given me a place to completely circle back to AND get instant results, without taking myself through the turmoil of self destructive behavior.  It’s like I have the secret formula to controlling the way I look and I couldn’t have been given a bigger gift.

At one point I feared always being on a diet, until I realized, I’m Always Going To Be On A Diet!…and I felt very relieved by that notion.  I don’t want to feel tortured and disordered, but my reality is that the minute something isn’t working for me, mentally and physically, then I must change it up.  Nutritionally, that comes in the form of Low Carbs, or Low Fat/High Fat, or More Protein or Intermittent Fasting, to eating every 2-3 hours or eating twice a day.  What ever the method, it will always be there, the desire to look as good on the outside as I feel on the inside.  I put so much value on the way I feel and the energy I feel, that when I meet someone who is barely crawling along with this issue or that, I just want to help them… but not to many take me up on my offer.  What remains a constant is what I leave out of my diet.  Dairy, Grains and Processed foods.

Physically, that comes in the form of changing the workout plan.  Stop running/start running, lift heavy weights, do High intensity interval training, stretch more,  push harder/push less.  What ever it is, a shift needs to happen.  And that’s how my life will always be.

 Spirituality, my new favorite pastime.  I feel for the first time in my life, I can really take care of myself.  Spirituality is a key component to holistic health, true optimum health, to bring together the body and the mind.  Nutrition, Psychology and Spirituality, they all cross over.  To me Spirituality is an open dialog with myself, Why?, What to learn?.  It is something I can tether myself to that is pure and good.  It’s not a Christian god or a Buddhist god or any deity at all.   It’s as simple as practicing Gratitude or Silent reflexion and mindfulness.  When my head gets turned around, I read Buddhist teachings, I meditate, I listen to Podcasts, and I try to figure out what I can learn from what just occurred.  I love this feeling of love that I have.  I feel very secure.  This shows up in the way that I look.

When all three of these are in check, you really can control your destiny.  Wether your destiny is to be lean and chiseled, let spirituality give you the strength to see the strides that you’ve made.  To make a career change or leave a bad relationship, let a change in nutrition clear your head and physical strength to propel you forward in the right direction.

OH!!!  Sleep.  I read about a controlled study where a group of subjects were given the same meals  per body needs. Half the group got 5 hours of sleep the other 8 hours a night for so many months.  The 8 hours group lost an average of 5lbs more than the 5 hour group…Just sayin’, it could be YOUR missing link.??  Night!

 

Paleo Stay-Cay Downtown Houston
Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

mr.peeples batanga Hearsay bar at 218 Travis.

So, I’m coming of the high of a motivational Oprah Winfrey kick in the pants “live your best life” weekend.  And of course living my best life means pulling off Paleo in some of Houston’s best restaurants, before anyone even notices my slight of hand.  I’m going to cover 3 restaurants and hit the highlights.  Hearsay Gastro Lounge, Batanga Tapas+Drinks and Mr Peeples Steak and Seafood.   Also, With a shout out to The Honeymoon Bar, they prepared a perfect charcuterie plate and replaced crostinis with veggies…perfect mid day pick me up along with my prosecco!

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The HoneyMoon Bar.  Colorful Cauliflower in place of Crostinis!

 

Unfortunately, I don’t have many pictures because these were not planned reviews and truth be told my storage was full.

Batanga Tapas bar  Staff was great and very willing to make substitutions, in fact one of our brunch mates had a broken jaw and they went to the trouble of  tossing his meal in the Vita Mix…Yum!  Between all of us, we had Ropa Viega (meat, sweet Potato, poached egg and salsa…Blended!) Zucchini Tortilla, leave off the Cream Fraiche.  Chicken Skewers Cubano, very good.  Grilled Avocado…you must order like 4 of these, they are that good and leave off the cheese.  Albondigas (braised meatballs and tomato sauce).  Eggs Benedict (house cured lomo, eggs, hollandaise…no bread!)  The vibe is great in this restaurant and has live music!

Hearsay Gastro lounge  I had The Byrd Burger, sans the bun and Mac n Cheese and replaced with veggies,  no up-charge, always a plus!..Amazing burger!!  When I asked for a “lettuce” bun, they said “oh…Paleoize it?”… Loved it!  Vegetables come any way you like them. Everyone ordered The Byrd, Soooo…Thats all I have to say about the food here, however, service was very nice, AND they just opened a HEARSAY ON THE GREEN, so now you have more options when coming out of Toyota Center.

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The Byrd, sans the Sweet Bun and Mac & Cheese!

Mr Peeples  The Tuna Nicoise salad is always a no brainer..and exceptional!  I ordered a large serving of brussels sprouts on the side that were probably the best I’ve ever had.  Both Dinner mates got the Chilean Sea Bass, which was well worth blowing off the miso /no soy rule..again, probably the best I’ve ever eaten!  Say No to fried rice, and of course load up on the veggies.  If you are just ordering meat and veggies always have a HFO, like Avocado or EVOO, or even Butter if you can tolerate it, and if the veggies are cooked in oil, great!..bacon?…perfect!  The menu is fabulous and you should have no problem following your diet to a T.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions… How is Bearnaise sauce made?  What is the Oscar topping on steak or fish?  How is Hollandaise Sauce made?  All 3 of these have a lot of butter involved… and thats ok especially if you are following a Primal or Ketogenic diet AND, if you can tolerate the butter, which btw, doesn’t have a lot of the reactive properties in it that turns our guts up-side-down, like Lactose and Casein.  A Ketogenic Diet means high fat and very low carbohydrate and moderate protein.  Primal is Paleo that includes dairy.

I hope you found this helpful and keep eating exciting food!

Ruggles Black, Pale-OMG!
Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

ruggles black

http://www.rugglesblack.com/

Now, when I educate my clients on how to follow a Paleo diet to a T, it’s basically the same template over and over.  When you look at your plate, you want to see (1) Meat, (2) Vegetables, and (3) a Healthy Fat option(HFO). Thats it…Period.  Lets dig in!

The collaboration of Chef Molzan and Neera Patidar is absolute Paleo perfection.  The creative, delicious and anti-inflammatory meals are  wonderful.  Lets be honest, when you follow a Paleo diet, some, not moi, can put them selves in to a prison of Free Range Chicken breast and Organic Steamed Broccoli with A splash of olive oil.  Fearing Grains, Dairy, and flavor.

Eating out should be filled with excitement and passion and flavor.  You Get all of that Ruggles Black!

The Highlights.  STREET EATS:  I thought my days of picking up a taco or eating enchiladas were over.

Paleo Beef Short Rib Taco, Seared Tuna Taco, Snapper Taco, Veggie Taco and Paleo Tandoori Lamb Taco are completely divine, and here’s why you can enjoy them without the guilt or bloating.  The tortilla is made with Almond flour and Coconut milk and made very thin and crepey, so even though the fat content is there you don’t come away feeling heavy and stuffed as you do when eating flour and corn tortillas.  Also, (big Also) Tandoori is typically a marinade made with yogurt, so if you are dairy sensitive Tandoori is not for you.  This creative duo uses Green Papaya to tenderize and infuse the spices into the meat, instead of yogurt..you wont miss it!  The Crab Tower and the Paleo Angry Shrimp are must haves to start with   OR add a side of veggies to any of the above in bold and you will be completely satisfied.

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Crab Tower.  The Avocado and EVOO are your HFO

 

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Add Side Veggies to above or below for complete meal. Skip green beans and ask for heavy cauliflower mash or broccoli.

 

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Paleo Snapper Taco

Salads:  The two main things that I want to touch on is Soy and Dairy.  There is Miso in several forms throughout the menu and especially in the Salad dressings.  Paleo does not include beans… Soy is a bean and has been called a very inflammatory bean.  Miso is made from Soy…stay away from it!  I choose not to go there at all, but if I were to dine on some cheese it would be Goat Cheese, and goat cheese is all throughout the menu, especially on the salads.  Goats milk is low in Casein(which is one of the proteins in milk that is highly inflammatory to some), has less lactose, and fewer digestive issues.  Structurally and nutritionally it is similar to breast milk.  But if you want to stay true to your guns,  just say no to cheese.

Main course:  For the most part every thing is good to go.  Just look for foods like Rice Noodles, Red Quinoa, Red Quinoa Tabouli and Granola, and trade out for vegetables!  I say this more from a high carb load which is mixed with already rich restaurant foods.  You will feel bloated and it will take days for your body to de-bloat and stop craving more nutritional inferior carbohydrates.

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Paleo Chicken Enchiladas. Skip the Goat Cheese, you wont miss it!

The menu is very creative and there are so many things I want to try on the menu.  The next day I felt great, even though I know I overdid it, I had no bloating!

See you Next Week!

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