*Pearls Go Paleo* Challenge – What Type of Paleo Eater Are You?
Alright! The day has arrived for our *Pearls Go Paleo* Challenge! I’m so excited to embark on this journey with you. It won’t always be easy. Some days will better than others. But one thing is for sure, we will continue to stay the course and have FUN in the process. If you fall off, jump back on. Hey, you are human so don’t beat yourself up if you want an occasional “treat”. You may have to learn to enjoy a treat in a different way or simply indulge in your treat in all it’s glory and splendor and move on. {In the coming days I will do a post on comfort foods to enjoy while eating Paleo.}
I don’t know about you but when I want something, I want it then and now. This is why I think I don’t always do best with strict eating plans. So for me, I am committing to a 90/10 plan for eating Paleo. This means at least 90% of the foods I eat will be Paleo. The other 10% I will reserve for the occasional adult beverage, dessert, or for whatever else I choose. 
Even during these times, I will not overindulge. For me, at least, I want to be healthy and ultimately have a bouncing baby in my arms in the very near future {like yesterday if that makes sense} so I need to truly focus on healing my body!
I want you to decide this for yourself, too. Where do you stand when it comes to your commitment to Paleo eating? What “type” of Paleo eating lifestyle will you choose for yourself? Remember, this is a lifestyle not a diet so make sure you look at all the options so you can decide what is best for you!
- Strict Paleo eliminates all legumes, dairy and many other foods {I followed this plan for about 3 weeks. Within the first week I felt like a new woman and even had one period on my own which hadn’t occurred in over 10 years. I recommend this highly! This is the way I will eat most of the time…my 90%.}
- Dairy Moderate includes some forms of dairy into a Paleo eating plan. Mark Sisson explain’s his perspective. All dairy is not created equal so choose wisely. {This is the eating plan I will most likely adhere to because I like a bit of cream in my coffee and cheese is one of my favorite foods. Even though I can’t have a lot of it, I like that I have the option to have some from time to time. However, I will be following the Strict Paleo Plan when planning my meals. The dairy will be part of my 10%.}
- Fruit Exclusion or very limited fruit intake. {This one’s not for me. Fruit curbs my appetite for sweets and I enjoy grabbing a banana as a quick snack at work.}
- Raw Paleo is just what is it. Raw foods. Now this is a bit extreme for my tastes {pun intended}. I do like raw foods like ceviche, oysters, veggies and fruit, but I LOVE a hot meal so this will not be a full time plan for me. But for you…what do you think?
There is a lot of information on the web as well as many books about the Paleolithic lifestyle. As always, please consult your doctor before making changes to your diet. This information is meant to help educate you about some resources and choices. I am not a doctor!! Continue to educate yourself and learn as much as you can to make this a lifestyle you can sustain!
I can’t wait to hear what type of eating plan you choose for yourself. Leave me a comment. Don’t forget to check out the Mother of Pearls PCOS Facebook page. You will find posts about Paleo and other issues that affect our PCOS!!
Thanks for taking the challenge! Now go forth and eat like a cavewoman {or caveman if you are taking the challenge with us} :)
~Love and Blessings, Mother of Pearls
Pearls Go Paleo: Preparing for the Challenge ~ Days 3 – 14
You’re back so I’m so glad you have decided to jump on board the *Pearls Go Paleo” Challenge! Because the blog is quite a few days behind on giving you Prep Challenges, this post will catch you up on what you can do to continue preparing for our healthy lifestyle. On Wednesday we are going FULL PALEO! If you haven’t yet made the committment, well come on already! Whatcha waitin’ for??
Day 3: Try a Paleo meal or two this week
- What meals look yummy?
- Find a new recipe to try!
- How can you change your favorite meal or go-to meal to make it PALEO?!
Day 4: Kitchen Success! Do you have all the utensils you will need to cook and plan meals? Here is a short list of items that will help.
- Measuring spoons/cups, cooking utensils
- Knives, pots, pans
- Food storage containers for fridge and freezer
- Lunch bag or small cooler for work and food storage containers for lunch
- Reusable water bottle(s)
- See Day 2 for a food list
Day 5: Journaling
- Find a journal you will use to document your Pearls Go Paleo journey.
- You can use the comments section here on the blog, the Mother Of Pearls PCOS Facebook page, your personal blog or Facebook page, or buy a journal to handwrite your experiences.
- Whatever you do, plan on how you will journal.
- Begin journaling the day before we begin the official Pearls Go Paleo Lifestyle Challenge. Or, why not begin today??
- Why do you want to go Paleo? Write down 3 reasons.
Day 6: Make a Plan for Eating Away From Home
- Think about your favorite places to eat away from home. Is it a friend or family member’s home? Your favorite restaurant or coffee house?
- What of you forget your lunch or don’t feel up to making dinner?
- Where can you order for a fast Paleo-friendly meal?
- Do the places you frequent have choices that are conducive to the Paleo lifestyle?
- Search for options at your favorite eating spots! Going Paleo doesn’t mean giving up your favorite things. You just have to make different choices that will taste great and heal your body! Make some choices ahead of time so when you are eating out you can order without being “tempted”.
- Plan to succeed by locating places that will be Paleo-friendly to you.
Day 7: Plan to Shop Paleo
- Locate local farmer’s markets
- Which grocery stores in your area offer grass-fed beef, hormone-free meats, locally grown veggies and fruit, organic and natural products?
Day 8: Books and Resources
- Search online for books, recipes and other resources you will use to help you understand and navigate the Paleo lifestyle.
Day 9: Create a meal plan
- Plan your first week’s worth of meals. Breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner.
- For some, automating your breakfast is the easiest thing to do especially if you leave for work each morning.
- Being prepared with a meal plan will help you shop!
Day 10: What is Your Anchor? (This is a little something I learned in Weight Watchers)
- Find a small object that you will keep in a place where you can see it each day. This will be your “anchor”. Your anchor should be something that reminds you to KEEP GOING! Everyday will not be easy. You have to have something that reminds you of why you started and why you shouldn’t give up.
- It can be as simple as a coin, a seashell, a picture. You choose what is best for you!
Day 11: Emergency Paleo Food
- Dried fruit, jerky?
- What will be your Paleo emergency food?
- How will you make sure you always have the food with you or easily accessed?
Day 12: Prep Your Kitchen
- Look through your fridge and pantry and put non-Paleo foods in a way, way back out-of-sight place for you. Now only do this if your entire family will be Paleo! You don’t want a family revolt!!!
- Your main goal is to set your kitchen up to be a place where Paleo is easy. The majority of the foods in your home should be Paleo. I would go as far to say, if you are the only one in your home, all things Paleo only! Why sabotage your environment?
Day 13: Shop
- Look over your meal plan, make a list, and GO shop PALEO! Only 2 days away from the beginning of new, healthy US!!
- Remember: You can double your list to double your recipes or meals if they will be freezer friendly!
Day 14: Cut veggies, fruit, prep meals, defrost meats and JOURNAL
- Prepackage foods in portion sized containers for quick grab and go snacks.
- Prep a couple of meals and even turn on that slow cooker and throw in your first Paleo meal
- If you freezer cook, make a week’s worth of meals and freeze them!
- Do a journal entry about the new adventure you are embarking on to heal and *cure* your PCOS!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
WE CAN DO THIS BECAUSE WE ARE WORTH IT!!
WE ARE NOW READY TO BEGIN *PEARLS GO PALEO LIFESTYLE CHALLENGE* TO *CURE* OUR PCOS!!!!
~With Love and Blessings, Mother of Pearls
Pearls Go Paleo: Preparing for the Challenge ~ Day 2
It’s Day 2 of the *Pearls Go Paleo* Prep Challenge! If you missed yesterday’s post make sure you read it so you can jump in and continue with the challenge.
We are spending the first 14 days educating ourselves and preparing to go Paleo. Hopefully, you will decide to stay the course and join in with us on cleaning up our eating in an effort to *cure* our PCOS. Sound exciting? Hey, there’s nothing to lose, only exciting health benefits to gain. After reading yesterday’s post about a woman who used the Paleo diet to improve her PCOS health, I was inspired and motivated all over again! We owe it to ourselves to heal our bodies. PCOS causes such a wide range of health issues that tackling it can seem overwhelming. I know it feels that way for me. If healing myself with food will give me a better quality of life, more energy, and help me bid good riddance to crazy PCOS symptoms…I’m all in!!! How about you?? It’s now time to talk food. Correct food = Paleo success!
“Pearls Go Paleo” Prep Challenge #2:
You will need:
- printer and paper
- 2 clear sheet protectors
- dry erase marker
- tape, push pin, and/or magnet (to secure lists where you desire)
- Review Robb Wolf’s Food Matrix.
- After you read the article, print two or three copies each of pages 2 and 4. Page 2 will become your inventory checklist. Page 4 will become your reusable shopping list. Place all page 2 sheets in one sheet protector and page 4 sheets in the other. You can reuse the lists if you write directly on the sheet protector. However, I like having extra sheets on hand. That’s why I had you print a few of each. I recommend that you keep page 2 on the inside of your cupboard door and page 4 in a place you designate for making your menu plans and grocery shopping lists. {Pinterest has some clever cute ideas if you wanna get fancy with this but for now we are going to simply post with a magnet, tape, or push pin. Don’t let perfection keep you from getting in there and doing this challenge!}
- Look all around your kitchen to see which items you have and check them off your inventory list using your dry erase marker. Post this in your cupboard when you’re done. This will be your running list to update when you need to stock up on items and after making purchases.
- Next, use page 4 and begin creating a shopping list from the remaining items you didn’t check on page 2. You don’t need everything on the inventory list, but start thinking about stocking your freezer with a variety of the protein and your pantry with the spices and fats.
- Buy what you can over the next 12 days. Look for sales. If you’re like me, I love a good sale! As for the produce, we will get into that in a later challenge. You don’t want it to spoil so stocking up is not recommended for these foods. I usually try not to buy what I can’t use in a week.
Easy enough? You can do it! Your health is worth it!!!
“Pearls Go Paleo” Pondering: How many items from each category of the Food Matrix did you already have in your kitchen? *answer in Comments section or Facebook*
See you back tomorrow for the next *Pearls Go Paleo* challenge!
~With Love and Blessings, Mother of Pearls
Pearls Go Paleo: Preparing for the Challenge ~ Day 1
Many of you are probably saying “Where have you been?”. I’m back! Life has been happening so fast these past few days. I really had to tell myself to get back on track and reassess some things. It seems that my life hit a super busy whirlwind which left me very little time to do what I love which is blogging and connecting with you!! With that said, I want to thank you for still hanging in here with me!
If you have been following Mother of Pearls on Facebook, you know that I have from time to time mentioned that I would do a Paleo challenge. Well, now is the time! In getting back on track I figured that means I need to get my eating back on track as well.
Confession time! Over the past week I have been so off my eating plan. Let me run down the list of “now you know that ain’t Paleo but you ate it anyway” foods in which I’ve indulged: garlic bread, white rice, pink beans, conch fritters, a piece of fried chicken, red velvet cake, beer, mini tacos, mixed drinks, soda, ice cream. Goodness gracious alive! When I write it all out it seems sooo bad! Oh well, I’m not gonna sit here and beat myself up. Oh wait, I also had fried conch and a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Frappiccino. Bad, bad, lady!!!
Now that I got all that out, I am recommitting myself to eating Paleo again because I am just a wee bit out of control, you think??
First things first. We have to prepare for this. We are not just going to jump in without fully understanding what the Paleo lifestyle is all about. Over the next 14 days the focus is to get educated and prep our lives and homes to eat Paleo, get healthier, feel better, lose some weight, and ultimately *cure* our PCOS. Now if you don’t have PCOS, then of course please still take this challenge because cleaning up your eating will have many health benefits.
As with any new lifestyle change, please consult your physician before you begin. I hope you commit to taking the “Pearls Go Paleo” Challenge with me! The Paleo way of eating is a lifestyle change, not a diet. By changing my way of eating I hope to *cure* my PCOS, get pregnant, and have some healthy babies!!
Ready for the challenge??? Here we go! Each day I will give you a different challenge. For the first 14 days it will be prep work. Then the next 30 days we will be all in!!
“Pearls Go Paleo” Prep Challenge #1:
- Read this article to learn about the Paleo lifestyle
- Read this success story about a woman with PCOS who used Paleo eating to improve her health.
“Pearls Go Paleo” Pondering: What 2 things do you find intriguing about Paleo eating? *answer in Comments section or Facebook*
See you back tomorrow for the next Pearls Go Paleo challenge!
~With Love and Blessings, Mother of Pearls
Homemade Lemony All Natural Dishwasher Liquid ~ I love this stuff!
A couple days ago I was looking around on the blog of Andrew Weil, M.D. If you don’t know who he is, you should know! He is a great resource and expert on all things natural! For our PCOS, he is a go to for wonderful natural tips, recipes, and lifestyle suggestions.
Lurking through the comments on one of his posts on natural cleansers, I came across a recipe for all natural dishwasher liquid. This inspired me to make some of my own. As of lately, my dishwasher has not been cleaning as well as it should so I wanted to make this cleanser right away. Plus, to help *cure* my PCOS, I am putting forth extra effort in all I do to convert my household and lifestyle to bring in the natural and get rid of all chemicals.
For my dishwasher, I usually use Cascade liquid. When I ran out of liquid about a month ago, I decided to pick up a bottle from Publix while I was doing some grocery shopping. I chose the Publix brand lemon scent. {Oh, I do love me some ANYTHING that smells lemony fresh when I clean!} Now, I really really like Publix brand items…and Publix period, but it just wasn’t doing the trick for me. It could also have something to do with the broken release latch on my dishwasher soap dispenser but…whatever! 
This recipe looked really easy and I had everything I needed to make it. So why not give it a whirl I thought! Guess what, I LOVE THIS STUFF. Love is usually reserved for people and other living beings, not things, in my book. But, I LOVE this stuff! Yes I do!!! It cleaned so well, smelled bright and pleasant, and it left my dishes all clean and sparkly {or spark-a-dee as my cousin’s daughter would say when she was younger}.
Thanks to the individual who left this recipe in the comments section!
Ingredients:
- 3 lemons
- 14 oz water
- 4 oz white vinegar
- 1 cup salt
Cut lemons and remove all seeds. Chop lemons into small pieces. Put cut pieces in blender with water and blend at maximum speed until smooth. Pour into a stainless steel pot, add salt and vinegar, and stir. Cook just below boiling for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally if needed. Let cool slightly, stir, then store in glass containers. {If your blender is not super powerful, strain final mixture with a thin mesh strainer.} Fill the dishwasher soap dispenser and also put a small amount on the inner side of the dishwasher door. You can also use it to clean your counters and stove! I would test a small area first just to be sure. Don’t want to be the cause of ruined household parts! But it worked really well for me.
Here’s a glimpse of what the finished product looks like:
I used a 3-cup Pyrex bowl to store the dishwasher liquid. The recipe makes a little more than 3 cups though. I filled this bowl to the rim and still had some left over. So use something a little larger. I’m going to buy some mason jars to store it next time I make a batch. Here is the bowl I used:
By the way, I like the way this stuff tastes! Now I didn’t eat a huge bunch, just licked a bit off the spoon…okay I took a couple of big licks…mmm. {Disclaimer: Don’t go shoveling this stuff by the spoonful! It has WAY TOO MUCH salt in it and the lemon will scorch your lips and tongue from the acid. Tasting, okay…eating, NOT okay!}
It made me feel so good to make a cleanser that contained all ingredients safe for human consumption. Especially because all of the things in my dishwasher in one way or another touches everything we put in our bodies.
Try it and let me know what you think!
Challenge Time!!! Who’s Game??
It’s challenge time!!!! From time to time I will post a challenge for you. Some will be easy, some hard, some fun, some may seem even downright weird 
But hang in there with me and take the challenge if you dare!!!
If you’re a Pearl {I refer to you as a Pearl if you have PCOS}, take the Pearl Challenge this week:
- Starting today through Saturday, tell at least 10 people you have PCOS. Yes 10! I mean, 1 in 10 women have it right? I know that’s a lot and may seem a little scary. But, by the time you tell a least 5 people I bet you will probably hear something like this…”I have it, too!” or perhaps, “My ______ has PCOS!” It will get easier and easier.
- Next, let them know about Mother Of Pearls. Ask them to visit the blog and fb page to get to know us. We all know the importance of awareness and a support system!
- Comment on this post to let us know what happens along the way and do a final overall post on next Sunday about your experience!
If you’re an F.O.P. {Friend Of Pearls: A PCOS supporter, friend, family member, awareness builder without PCOS} take the F.O.P. Challenge this week:
- Starting today through Saturday, tell at least 10 people that you were reading a blog about a woman with PCOS.
- Now, wait for the reaction! Did they say, “I have PCOS, too!” or perhaps, “My ______ has PCOS!” Next, let them know about Mother Of Pearls. Ask them to visit the blog and fb page to get to know us. We all know the importance of awareness and a support system!
- Then mention exactly what you read and what interested you about this site just to strike up conversation. Can you tell them three facts about how PCOS affects women?
- Comment on this post to let us know what happens along the way and do a final overall post on next Sunday about your experience!
I am excited to come back each day to find out what happens during challenge week!
Will YOU complete the challenge?? On your mark, get set, GO!!!!
~Love and Blessings, Mother of Pearls
I am an extraordinary woman, with extraordinary ovaries that exude extraordinary powers over my body {and my life, too!}. I have PCOS. I am a Mother of Pearls. Please join me on my journey as I use this forum to connect all {mothers, sisters, husbands, friends, family members, and those diagagnosed} who have in some way been affected by PCOS.
Javonne 