Paleo Anniversary

It’s one full year this very day since Trog Dad and I made the life-changing decision to go Paleo.

The choice was simple. We could either:-

a) succumb to the ravages of middle age and accept that we were getting a bit podgy around the middle, OR

b) put up a fight.

We chose B.

Summer 2011

January 2012

We had already been introduced to a Crossfit gym. It was hard core but addictive. We were feeling the difference in our muscle tone and strength, but wanted to see a more dramatic difference.

I can remember Trog Dad saying to me, “Let’s plan it properly and start in a couple of weeks. It’s such a big change.” I, impetutous as ever, suggested that that was a losing mentality, so we started. Right there and then. Best. Decision. Ever.

The enormous packets of rice and pasta which we had purchased that very week are still sitting in our pantry to this day, virtually untouched.

December 2012

I am pretty sure that most of our friends thought we were a little bit mental, partly experiencing a mid life crisis, and entirely unlikely to  last very long. But we’ve managed to navigate Christmas, rack up a significant number of PBs at the gym, engage our kids into the Paleo family, oh…and lose a lot of weight.

We are still very much a work in progress. At 51 and 46 respectively, these things take time, but it is a one way journey and we aren’t looking back.

Crossfit Boys

Time for an update on my amazing kids, methinks.

They have both embraced the Crossfit mentality with gusto and I could not be prouder of the efforts they both put in the gym each and every week.

This is George (the one with the awesome jump). He has just become a teenager and is, as a result, very conscious of his own body, its changes and his desire to become the best man that he can. He has adapted his diet significantly in order to take part in the family’s effort to turn Paleo.

Whilst George still eats the occasional sugary snack, he has virtually cut out grains from his diet. Gone are the morning cereals or toast. No longer does he queue at the school canteen for pasta at lunch time, but takes a healthy, protein filled packed lunch. He has even started to eat his vegetables!

As a result, he has managed to negotiate the tricky puppy-fat/pre growth-spurt period of the last year with fantastic results. He has grown upwards and inwards. He is super-lean and agile, and now tackling heavy lifting. That’s my boy.

Ollie is just 6 years old and has developed a mean squat.

It’s been notably more difficult to wean a child of this age away from biscuits and sweet snacks, so I have to confess that I haven’t pushed him too hard. He has a bad apple ‘habit’, but it’s better than chocolate, so I let him feed it.

Ollie has grown in flexibility and stamina, and has learned a new skill – skipping!

I cannot recommend highly enough that you introduce your kids to the sport of fitness. Get to your local Box and demand a kids’ class.

We are a Crossfit family in the fullest sense, and I rest easy at night in the knowledge that my boys are learning skills and habits which will serve them well in the fullness of time.

paleo crossfit

Banana and Walnut Heaven

Firstly, it’s worth mentioning that I have harboured a lifelong hatred for bananas. And I am talking deep, in-bred disgust for the heinous stinky things. But I LOVE this recipe, so it can’t be bad!!

I made mine in these tiny little mini loaf tins that I bought, mainly because they are cute and I wanted to dirty them up, but you could use a large loaf tin.

You will need:
1 1/4 cups ground almonds
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cornflour (or arrowroot if you have it)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp flax seed flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
4 tbsp melted butter
3 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Line your loaf tin with baking parchment & pre-heat oven to about 170 degrees.
Mash up the bananas in a large bowl until good and mushy.
Add the other wet ingredients and give it a good whipping to mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (except the nuts) to ensure each is properly distributed throughout.
Add the dry to the wet and mix well.

Finally, stir in the chopped nuts and add the mix to your loaf tin(s). I filled 3 mini tins.
I cooked mine for about 25 minutes, but for a larger tin I’d extend this to about 50 minutes. Keep checking them and take them out when you think they are ready, with a nice firm top and a clean skewer test.
Then smear liberally with organic butter and keep the kids away…