Sun, May 6 - Day 11

945AM: I woke up about an hour earlier but was able to go back to sleep. Was in bed for about 9 hours, so got a little less. Felt fantastic. I think I am starting to see a correlation between working out and how well I sleep. I also am feeling good. A lot less bloated than before. .. and less gassy. And I'm also eating more greens than I have in a loooong time!

10AM: Between Larissa and myself, we finished the almond butter! She left me a last little bit, so I eat a spoonful. We also snack on a dessert Irena tried to make for us the night before but burnt when she fell asleep. =) It was SO tasty - coconut flakes (nothing added) sprinkled with lime juice and toasted. The combination was delicious! Definitely a snack/dessert I will make for myself again. .. as long as it's approved by Meghan, of course.

1030AM: We ran out of eggs so we run to the store. Larissa makes the two of us an awesome egg scramble: sliced turkey, sauteed eggplant, onions, and kale. We eat it out on the patio - it is a gorgeous day!

11AM: We spend the next couple of hours lounging in the sun - with sunscreen, of course! It feels incredible.

3PM: We have a late lunch of. .. more pulled chicken and greens! We still have smoked chicken left so decide to have another big salad. Yum. I finish my meal off with some more sliced pineapple.
6PM: Larissa and I have a few handfuls of almonds when driving to State College from the lake.
9PM: Mrs. Woskob makes us an amazingly delicious meal. She grills fish directly on the grill in an enormous paella dish. It's so tasty. She uses rosemary and the fish and vegetables smell as good as they taste. We also have a side salad with oil, vineagar, and sesame seeds. It's served in the coolest salad bowl ever.

12AMish: Head to bed in the plush Woskob guest home. So heavenly!

Sat, May 5 "Cinco de Mayo Irena Edition" - Day 10

9AM: Wake-up before I want to. Didn't have as great of a night of sleep as the night before. Took me awhile to fall asleep and definitely get less than 8 hours. The light came into the room (sort of the way it comes into my apt) and I woke up. I must say. .. even though it's only been a few days since I've been following Meghan's guidelines closer and eating more home-cooked meals, it has made me feel amazing. I am starting to feel better and better.

930AM: We didn't go to the grocery store yesterday in the rain, so we don't have any breakfast foods in the house. Oops. I have a Cashew cookie Lara Bar and a couple of spoonfuls of almond butter. I know, I know - I'm supposed to be getting in bigger breakfasts! We go to the grocery store right away to take care of that. =)

1130AM: We have a delicious, homemade breakfast feast. A paleo breakfast sandwich: two slices of eggplant, a slice of tomato, homemade guacamole (made by Irena, an amazing chef - avocados, diced onions, minced garlic, minced jalepeno, salt, pepper, lime, balsamic vineagar), and a poached egg. We each have two plus two slices of bacon. It really hits the spot. I love it. I helped chop - I'm definitely learning!

2PM: We lay in the sun for a little while but it gets cloudy. Larissa and I decide to come in and do 45 min. of yoga. I brought a great core yoga DVD along and it "hits the spot".

3PM: We head back out into the sun and have a small snack of the salad we made the night before (spinach and pulled chicken). I also have a couple of slices of fresh cut pineapple (thanks, Irena!).

4PM: We have intentions of going on a "cocktail cruise" but the motor of the boat won't start. Larissa takes me around the lake on the jet ski instead. We have an absolute blast.

5PM: We later decide to drag the boat out to the middle of the lake using the jet ski. Hysterical. We float and drift around the lake, laying in the sun. I don't have any cocktails but have a few more slices of pineapple and my last Di Bruno's beef stick.

715PM: We come in and start making dinner. Larissa and I snack on the homemade guac and sweet potato chips. (Admittedly, not homemade - from Terra but there are only two ingredients: sweet potatoes and oil.)

830PM: We have an amazing dinner: two turkey burgers (made by Irena, again - sauteed onions glazed with red wine, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, worcestershire sauce) on top of kale (chips and charcoaled on the grill), with homemade aioli (made by yep, you guessed it, Irena - egg yolks, garlic, olive oil, black truffle oil, lemon, salt, and pepper). Again, very yummy.

Friday, May 4 - Day 9

1115AM: I have the best night of sleep ever and get up super late. I am soOOOoo cozy in the Woskobs' guest home and could not be happier. I get 10 hours of sleep and feel amazing when I wake up. I probably could have kept sleeping but know that Larissa and I should get on the road and head to the lake house.

12PM: I have an amazing breakfast, homemade by Mrs. Woskob. Starts with a fruit salad: blueberries, pineapple, a little bit of dried apple, and a banana rolled in cinnamon and nutmeg. YUM.

Then she serves us an amazing egg dish: two poached eggs, ground turkey, spinach, flax seeds, and salsa. It was so much but I ate everything! We hit the road. .. and I'm full for the next 4-5 hours. Is this what you were talking about, Meghan - eating big meals?!? =)

6PM: The Woskobs strategically placed some amazing snacks at the lake - mostly paleo - they are so thoughtful! I have a few pieces of shaved coconut and slowly eat a small bag of nuts (and a few mulberries) rolled in organic raw cacao. Amazing. It's raining when we get to the lake so we just hang out in the house and lounge.

7PM: Mrs. Woskob bought us smoked chickens to bring to the lake. I have half of a pulled chicken on top of a bed on spinach with vinagrette, olive oil, and olives. YUM!

8PM: For "dessert", I have a few spoonfuls of almond butter. Can't resist. =)

1AM: Head to bed LATE for me but have a blast watching Thor with Larissa. Here's us on the coach goofing off.

Her friend, Irena and her boyfriend, Alex join us. They make a bonfire and drink. .. I partake in the bonfire (for 20 min) but not the drinks. Heehee

Thurs, May 3 - Day 8
*Note to Meghan - you will be seeing a lot of similarities between my and Larissa's blogs for the next few days! =)*

7AM: Wake-up. I am soooo tired. Larissa and I text to make sure we're both awake. For a split second, I debate whether or not I should keep sleeping. I resist the temptation (with her help) and get my butt to crossfit. I have a spoonful of almond butter before going. No more kind bars!

8AM: Crossfit. 79 lb. clean. 6x55M row (Sammy advises me to NOT run to help my ankle heal). Fastest time 13 sec.

10AM: I'm finally ready for a big-sized breakfast! I have half of the quiche I made the night before and left over chorizo from yesterday's lunch. The quiche: 5 eggs, spinach, eggs, 3 pieces of chopped bacon.

11:15AM: Get a massage. Feels amazing. I haven't gotten a massage in what feels like forever!

1PM: I have a lunch of ground beef (left over last night) on a bed of spinach with olive oil and white vinegar.

2PM: I'm running late. .. of course. Poor Larissa. We finally hit the road!

5PM: I have a few snacks on the road with Larissa (but not as many - because I had lunch and remembered what Meghan said about eating 3 meals a day!)     

1 beef jerky stick from Di Bruno's     
1 coconut water
Handful of almonds
Some butternut squash (that I also baked last night!)
Cashew cookie Lara bar - thank you, Meghan!

8PM: Arrived in State College, PA. We have dinner out with Larissa's parents. Her mom orders us a fantastic paleo meal that is ready for us when we arrive:
Spinach salad with bacon, egg and tomato some sort of vinaigrette dressing
Peppercorn crusted salmon
Broccoli

I don't have a glass of wine but admittedly eat a few bites of the buttered mashed potatoes. =)

The Woskobs home is unbelievable. I cannot even begin to describe how gorgeous it is. It is straight out of a movie. I love meeting Larissa's family. They are so welcoming and hospitable. It's no wonder why she is so lovely!

10PM: We have a blast with her family: her parents, her younger brothers, her cousin and even her grandfather! Her grandfather insists I have a few sips of wine with me. Larissa laughs and pours me a small class. We swim in the pool and hot tub. What a night!

Wed, May 2 - Day 7

930AM: Based on how tired I was yesterday, I decide to sleep in. And boy, did I sleep in! I slept for 10 hours and I woke up feeling energized and great.

945AM: I decide to tackle my final negotiations paper to finish off my LAST assignment at Wharton. Ever. My goal is to finish by 12PM - I take until 130PM, of course. But I finished with a bang. .. if I do say so myself. I eat a few spoonfuls of almond butter and a banana to start off my day.

1130AM: I have a snack of TJ's dried fruit and TJ's beef jerkey. Look on the back of the beef jerkey ingredient deck and notice that there is soy and wheat in it? UGH. I stop eating it. I also have some coconut water.

3PM: I grab chorizo and guacamole from El Fuego in between my beauty errands (mani/pedi - eyelash extension appt). What can I say? I've been holed up doing work for the past few weeks and am only getting around to some "beauty maintenance" now! I knew I needed more protein (so didn't go to Pure Fare) but shouldn't have waited that long to eat. I was starving.

6PM: Have my first meeting with Meghan. She gives me some awesome advice. Highlights include:
Things I need to stop doing

• Eating out so much. As Meghan pointed out, I really don't know what kinds of oils and ingredients are used.
• Eating kind bars. They have a whole host of additives in them that I don't need.
• Staving myself in the mornings.
• Eating so much dried fruit. There are essentially just concetrated sugar.
• Snacking so much. Meghan predicts that if I eat 3 main meals per day and space them out appropriately, I won't need so many snacks in between.

Things I need to start doing

• I need to make more of my own food, so that I control what ingredients go in it.
• I need to start eating a bigger breakfast, with lots of protein and some carbs. (e.g. Ground beef + sweet potatoes)
• I need to start eating more foods that aren't processed.
• I need to start preparing foods for myself ahead of time, and bringing them with me

Foods to try to incorporate into my diet

• Pureed sweet potatoes (can get them in the can)
• Cook with coconut oil
• Whole fruits
• Kale chips
• Sardines (in olive oil)
• Canned tuna (in olive oil)
• Ground beef
• Lara bars (instead of Kind bars)

7PM: I promptly head to Trader Joe's. Have a few more errands to run on the way so do have a couple of snacks. Nitrate free vermont beef stick from Di Bruno's (limited ingredients) and a cashew cookie Lara bar.

9PM: I successfully make ground beef for the first time! I cook it with chopped onions, shallots, and garlic (pre-chopped for me at TJ's), sliced black olives and a little sea salt. I put 1/2 lb on top of spinach, drizzle some olive oil and white wine vinegar. Yum! I save the other 1/2 lb for tomorrow's lunch. I also bake buttnernut squash and quiche, which I save for tomorrow. An awesome dinner and I feel GREAT afterward! Satisfied but not bloated. I'm turning over a new leaf.

10PM: Do feel like I need a little sweet hit. Rather than reach for dried fruit, I have a small spoonful of almond butter.

Tues, May 1 - Day 6

730AM: Wake-up for Xfit. Could definitely have slept much more! Got less than 8 hours of sleep and feel groggy. It's also raining which doesn't help. I meet Mau and jog down to Xfit.

8AM: Munch on a Cranberry Almond Kind Bar while at Crossfit. I eat half before the work-out and have afterward. Work on my snatch skills, for the first time in over 1 month! Sammy helps me get to my 55lbs, a personal PR. (I've only done snatch 1 other time.) I use a 20 lb DB to do the workout: 5 xs 30 sec weak arm, 30 sec strong arm, 30 sec off. I feel great afterward.

11AM: I run a bunch of errands and don't get my to my apartment for awhile. I am really hungry at this point and dig into a few spoonfuls of almond butter + a banana. I get my first blog comment - THANK YOU, Meghan! YAYAYAYAYAY. =) Can't want to meet with you tomorrow.

12PM: I meet Rider for lunch at Pure Fare. I get the green goddess soup (pureed kale & cauliflower, no dairy) and the raw brussel sprouts salad. We work on our end-of-year Leadership Fellow dinner.

230PM: I go back to Pure Fare and meet Nick for coffee. I take him up on his offer to buy me a smoothie and get Thai's favorite: kale, banana, grapes, with coconut milk. It's delicious and I feel good about getting some more green vegetables into my diet. I realize, however, that I've eaten very little protein today and it's making me hungry.

5PM: I have a TJ's fruit stick for a snack and 1 piece of proscuitto and 1 piece of salami.

630PM: I meet Amanda for a drink at Alma de Cuba. I don't have a drink but we do share a some truffled guacamole with plaintain chips.

8PM:  Dinner at Alma de Cuba with Angi Rassi, a good friend and past manager at General Mills, Amanda, and Ibraheem (all people who will be working with me at Mills). I get ostracized for not having anything to drink so agree to have a small pour of red wine. We then have a filling three course meal.

• Appetizers: I have small bites - 2 tuna tartare tacos, 1 bacon wrapped almond stuffed date.

• Main course: I have the scallops. Instead of potatoes, I get spinach instead. The sauce is pureed peas and butter. It's delicious.

• Dessert: I was happy to abstain but again get pressured into getting something. Lucky for me, they have coconut milk sorbet. Again, it's delicious. I love this restaurant!

1130PMish: Though my meal was super tasty, I must admit that I'm feeling stuffed and a little bit bloated and gassy. Think I may be a little backed up because I was running around all day. Also should be getting my period in 3-4 days. Awesome.

Things I need to ask Meghan about:

• What are more paleo-friendly grab n' go options?
• How do I get more protein?

Monday, Apr 30 - Day 5

9AM: Wake-up. Finally get an awesome night of sleep. Over 9 hours. I feel refreshed and more rested that I have in days. .. maybe even weeks.

930AM: A few spoonfuls of almond butter and a banana.

11AM: Am working diligently on my final Negotiations project. Want to get this done and sort of forget to eat. My body also starts to get real tired.

12PM: Finally get up and grab a couple of TJ's fruit sticks. Also eat 2 pieces of bacon.

130PM: I'm starving. Get dressed to go meet Mau for lunch.

2PM: We go to Village Whiskey. I am craving a burger (after reading Larissa's last blog post) but for some reason, really want the pulled pork. I get it without the bun, of course. And I request a non-fried pickle. I also get a side of the horseradish lump crab meat salad (made with mayo).

4PM: I was so incredibly hungry. .. but now I'm stuffed. I get real sleepy. Mau successfully distracts me from finishing my final project. Instead, we watch Iron Man.

730PM: I grab a burger for dinner. (Should have picked this up from TJ's). It's kosher and I make sure there is no gluten instead the burger patty. I get it with onions and mushrooms, and a little bit of guacamole. I also get a side of sweet potato fries but limit myself to how many I will eat.

11PM: Head to bed feeling good. I chat with Alex until about 1130PM. I usually don't have trouble falling asleep but tonight, I did. I didn't really fall alseep until after midnight. Perhaps it's because I didn't work-out? My body is still recovering from the Tough Mudder so I decided to take this week as a light work-out week.