Primal Journal Julesy - TELL ME NOT TO EAT TORTILLA CHIPS page

[julesy]

I think I need to hear every day from someone - anyone - why I shouldn't eat tortilla chips.

I'm on my second shot at a "Paleo reset" and this time around finally finished Mark's "Primal Blueprint" book. Now I know why I can't eat tortilla chips (sort of), but still have a hard time convincing myself since a good friend who has Celiac desease (diagnosed) eats corn tortillas and tortilla chips (she's vegetarian).

I decided to start a primal journal because I seem to make lots of excuses and have lots of stumbling blocks (including the tortilla chip thing) and thought if I wrote everything down and maybe had some encouragement along the way, I might stick to it. If I just end up babbling to myself that's fine too.

Goals:

Lose last 10-15 pounds (I've lost 25 pounds since January of 2012)
Reduce inflammation per direction of Chris Kresser
Inflammation reduction goals to:
- rid myself of chronic back pain
- rid myself of joint pain
- rid myself of chronic sinus headaches
- improve gut flora to rid myself of chronic indigestion and digestive issues

Maybe I should just rid myself of my body. Anyone want to trade?

From everything I've ready about the Paleo diet, I should be able to do all of these things hence my wondering why I find every excuse not to stick with it. Here's my start to dedication!

Current weight: 143 (former weight almost 170 - YIPES)
Height: 5' 5 1/2" (always thought I was 5'6" but I guess I'm shrinking)
Age: 46
Current workout - am doing the JCORE 40 day video series - started last week (normally do core power yoga and Jillian Michael's 30 day shred) - have built in errand running on bicycle and walking

Started one week ago but had tortilla chips over the weekend. Blast!

Today:

b:
(before workout) - 1/2 grapefruit, banana, black coffee
(after workout - brunchish) - more black coffee (mostly water filtered decaf), chicken salad with 4 oz chicken, leftover roasted veggies (cauliflower, garlic, onions, brussel sprouts), avocado, cucumber, mixed greens, olive oil and apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper

snack: about one ounce smoked salmon and more roasted veggies

snack II: macadamia nuts and sparkling water

snack III: kefir with fresh blueberries and pomegranate seeds

dinner will be 6 oz grilled salmon and sauted spinach (maybe with coconut milk)

OK ONWARD! ANY help along the way would be MUCH appreciated!

XXOO - Jules

[Orannhawk]

Jules
Although there are some varying schools of thought regarding this, there is gluten in corn too ... granted it is not the same type of gluten as wheat, but it has gluten in it nonetheless. For some of us (Celiacs, and those who are gluten sensitive) it is better to avoid all forms of gluten, which obviously covers wheat, but also rye, barley, millet, sorghum, quinoa, white and brown rice, corn and oats.
Tortilla chips are also usually cooked in various vegetable oils that are high in PUFA's ... toxins that we want to avoid ! And then there is the fact that a lot of the corn has been genetically modified, and the fact that tortillas and chips are processed foods, they are not in any shape or form Paleo.

I have to say, I'm hungry now for roasted veggies after reading your meals ! Keep writing down everything that you eat, and make notes on how you are feeling, especially if you slip up on non Paleo/Primal foods ... I have found that the cleaner I eat, the less issues I have with digestion as well as joint and muscle aches and pain.
I'm halfway through my first round of Whole30 and although I had little to eliminate, it has made an astounding difference in how I am feeling as well as how my body is responding with fat loss, strength gains, energy, etc.

Don't buy any tortilla chips, so there's none at home or work to munch on ... and avoid them if you are out and about ! NO more tortilla chips ! Ah, a new mantra for you ... grinning, NO more tortilla chips !

[Siobhan]

Don't go by what other people do. I have a good friend who has had three strokes, and she won't give up smoking. Those chips are no good for your friend and they are no good for you. At the very least they are empty calories with very little nutritional value. At the worst they are poison.

[julesy]

Jules
NO more tortilla chips ! Ah, a new mantra for you ... grinning, NO more tortilla chips !

Ha! Thanks for the mantra, Orranhawk!

[julesy]

Thanks. I need to hear that. Just a caveat - I'm fortunate enough to be living in the bay area and the tortilla chips I'm talking about are made at a local grocery that sells really wholesome foods (any of you shop at Berkeley Bowl?) That said, even though I know there's no preservatives, I never considered the source of the corn! Probably not organic.

No more tortilla chips!

[julesy]

PS - on the food for the day:

- actually only ate a little over 4 1/2 oz of salmon
- added a couple of squares of dark chocolate. Can't and won't be giving that up - especially since I was pleased to read in Mark's book it's the same dark chocolate he eats - Trader Joe's 85% cacao chocolate lover's chocolate bar.

[JoanieL]

Okay, you asked for it:

1. Even if it weren't a grain, corn is a nothing food. Few nutrients and a good amount of sugar.
2. Monsanto sucks.
3. Starting this year, GMO corn hits your local grocery store for human consumption. It will be in corn chips. We don't know what GMO foods will do to us over time. Do you want to grow another breast? And what if it grew out of your back?
4. Monsanto sucks.
5. I haven't found any chips of any persuasion cooked in good oil. I hear tell of a potato chip cooked in olive oil, but since even olive oil is suspect in this country, I wouldn't eat them.
6. Corn chips = soft fat saggy asses.
7. Did I mention that supporting Monsanto is like kicking a small farmer in the teeth?

If what you're missing is something salty and crunchy, you could buy a mandoline, slice some veggies/potatoes, and fry them in good lard.

If it's corn chip specific, you could move to Mexico. They raise over 25 different kinds of corn there and are trying to keep GMOs out.

Good luck!

[julesy]

PS - on the food for the day:

- actually only ate a little over 4 1/2 oz of salmon
- added a couple of squares of dark chocolate. Can't and won't be giving that up - especially since I was pleased to read in Mark's book it's the same dark chocolate he eats - Trader Joe's 85% cacao chocolate lover's chocolate bar.

Just went to Paleo Track per Mark's book suggestion nd was surprised at how many cabs I consumed today - bananas - oh my. Here's what today looked like:Screen shot 2013-02-11 at 7.07.10 PM.jpg not too bad, but not great either - I think.

[julesy]

Okay, you asked for it:

If what you're missing is something salty and crunchy, you could buy a mandoline, slice some veggies/potatoes, and fry them in good lard.

If it's corn chip specific, you could move to Mexico. They raise over 25 different kinds of corn there and are trying to keep GMOs out.

Good luck!

Thanks! Good idea about the mandoline....wish I could move to Mexico!

[Orannhawk]

Jules
I grew up eating corn, grown by my Dad's first cousin ... all natural, no chemicals, nothing. We ate it fresh, we froze it, we waited for the fields to dry and then we picked the dry corn, shelled it ourselves and had it stone ground at a little mill for our cornmeal. That's what I really miss ...

And, like Joanie says "Monsanto SUCKS" !
When I want corn (of any kind) I think about the fact that there are farmers and ranchers who are still feeding livestock corn to fatten them up (obviously another reason to stick with grass-fed !) ... and that along with the chemical crap is enough to sway any possible cravings !

I lived in the Bay Area in 2007, close to Berkeley (love Berkeley btw) but I missed out on getting by the Berkeley Bowl before I moved back to Texas.