So at the meeting, when I asked how many of you were doing the LBN challenge for the first time, more hands shot up than had ever before. This causes my brain to do things: 1) freak out because OMG how am I going to explain this to these people without causing them to run for the hills and 2) start planning on HOW I’m going to get you all through this and come out of it with a new self of control over your diet, your body, and your health.

First, if you’re part of the QCCF Members page on Facebook, I’ve uploaded a bunch of PDFs into the Files – shopping lists, a few articles, etc. I will continue to do this to give you guys as  many resources as possible. If you’re not on the members page, let one of us know and we can add you (it’s a private group so you need to be friended and then added by an admin). If you’re not on FB, shoot me an e-mail and I’ll get them to you (andreanna.mclean@gmail.com).

Second, one of the times we did LBN I wrote pretty frequent blog posts with resources and links and just a general Q&A to keep everyone focused and in a good mental place. I’ll be doing this again every few days and posting some recipes and things.

I’d also like to go over the rules a bit clearer. I was able to speak with Josiah today regarding the 3-day a week membership at the gym and how it may be an unfair disadvantage to those members. We’ve decided that the most points you can earn per week for going to the gym will be three. So you have a total of 21 points to earn by attending the classes.  There will still be a sign up sheet at the gym (it may not be up til Thursday or Friday this week as we combine all the sign ups into one for both gyms) where you will check off when you’ve attended and at the end of the week, whether or not you’ve “cheated.” Again, this is an honor system but we really want the bottom line to be a reward for those people who work very hard – we want you to see the best results!

The rest of the rules were laid out pretty clearly in my first post here.

So the contest in a nutshell: we want you to follow a strict “Paleo” diet for the next seven weeks. This means what?

1) No grains, dairy, legumes, or alcohol.
2) Focus on eating clean meat, fish, eggs, healthy fats, and lots of veggies.
3) Sleep. 7-8 hours, in a dark room. (Yes I know some of you have babies, so just try your best to get rest when you can.)
4) Lift heavy. Get  your butts to the gym and work hard. Make those muscles do what they were meant to.

If you want to know WHY we feel the Paleo lifestyle is the one in which we feel your bodies and health will thrive, there are lots of books and websites out there for you to do your own research. I truly feel that the more you learn and read on your own, the more you’ll understand. THEN, as your body begins to change in response to the clean way you’re treating it, it will all fall into place.

• Here are some books I recommend.
• Here is a huge list of websites for you to peruse – both informational and recipes.
• Here is a post I wrote about what foods you should be buying when shopping and where you can find them.
• Here is one I wrote about how to be prepared – which I truly believe is behind any successful strategy, especially in eating well.

Sidenote: A few people have asked about salad dressings and condiments: For mayo, Duke’s brand is the only one I’ve found that has no added sugar (found at Schnucks). Also, there is a brand on the market called OrganicVille (I get mine at Schnuck’s but I think HyVee carries it too).

They have ketchup and dressings minimally sweetened and only with organic agave. Though I don’t LOVE agave as it can be heavily processed, it is technically allowable in the Paleo diet. Also, don’t forget to read the ingredients: can’t pronounce it? Don’t eat it.

Lastly, a few people have asked about what a typical shopping list looks like or what their meal plans should be. My husband and I have a routine that I think really helps us stay focused. Sometime on Saturday, we’ll sit down and talk about what we’re in the mood to eat. Then I’ll make a quick meal plan around it – be flexible, things can change. From the meal plan, we’ll create a shopping list. Here is what mine looked like this week:

I’ll share these with you each week (I’ll get it up Sunday nights or Monday morning) and it would be really cool if you commented on the post with yours. It will keep you accountable to creating one and help others by sharing new ideas!

I’m not a shy person but anyone in front of a group of people sometimes forgets things.  Is there anything I didn’t cover at the meeting or in the posts above that you have questions or concerns about? Do you guys feel prepared? What is your biggest worry?