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alitheamateur · 5 years

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The Grind- Chapter 4

Warnings: Language. Angst.

Just shy of 3 months had swiftly come & gone. We spent most of our days together, and the easy casualty, and effortless chemistry between us still stood firm. The whirling wind of our relationship only just picking up, and I was intently reading the blatant, yet blindly mysterious novel that was Colton Ritter. He was romantic in the brawniest of ways, always keeping a solid arm around my waist, or his wide fingers locked around my bony hands when we explored the crowded sidewalks on our outings. Or on the rare occasions he decided to sleep over, he’d never settle to sleep in any position other than nestled into my back, his warm steady breaths exhaling into my hair, & limbs locked around me. There was a period when I had to reassure myself that he did indeed know my proper name, and wasn’t just calling me ‘his girl’ every time he addressed me to cover his flighty memory.

The fight was just shy of two weeks away, give or take. Two painfully anxious, grueling weeks away. Rightfully so, Colton delicately began to isolate himself a bit, applying his metaphorical “game face” makeup, if you will. However, tonight he had promised to skip out his usual third training session of the day & let me have him to myself. I tidied the throw pillows on the sunken leather couch on my way to answer his knock, and fluffed some fingers through my hair.

“Hey, babydoll.”

He crossed the entryway with a wet peck to my lips & dropped himself to be seated on the center cushion of my couch, kicking off the heels of his gray trainers with a grunt. How on earth a man could make a sweat stained, beat-up hoodie look like a 3-piece suit, was an enigma I’d yet to solve.

“How’s my girl?” he smiled, using two fingers to playfully seduce me to fill the empty spot next to him. I made a pit stop grabbing the remote control so I could ready the DVD I had rented for us, then plopped beside his now relaxed frame. The ‘right at home’ manner he felt at my place, made the tiny space feel all the more cozy.

“Perfect now,” I answered with smiling satisfaction, nuzzling into the warm crook under his arm. As a woman, I never like to think of myself as weak or fragile, small even. But the way his full, sizeable arm made me feel almost like a helpless child protected in the safe space of their own little hiding spot was an exception.

We’d barely made it 10 minutes into the movie before the tongue I’d been biting to keep quiet, broke free. “How’s the training coming? Is your hand still giving you trouble?”

Earlier in the week, I’d met him at Mac’s per his request, & found him wincing as the trainer pressured his obviously swollen, irritated mitt. He brushed off my evident concern, saying he had probably just “over did it a bit,” but the trainer shot me a clandestine glance, indicating that it indeed was something I should maybe be concerned with.

“It’s all good, babe. Nothin’ to worry yourself about, honest. Relax, huh?” He held up the wounded hand, wiggling his fingers as if to prove to me he was as healthy as a horse, and pressed a kiss to my temple.

I nodded my head at the obvious lie, resisting the urge to push the issue of my growing regard for him. My silky legs tucked under me, I lifted from the couch to retrieve some popcorn from the kitchen, strategizing the best way to mind my own business would be to excuse myself from the room for a brief moment or two.

I couldn’t have made it 3 small strides in exit before I was wrangled like a farm animal from behind.

“Hey 2-1, think fast!” He declared referring to the peeling vinyl number on the back of one of my dated team sweatshirts from high school.

Not allowed a moment to resist, he pounced from his seat, captured my limber body, & heaved me over his stony shoulder, adding a saucy pat to my rump for good measure. I squealed with pleasure as he whisked me off in the direction of my bedroom, shouting giggly words of objection mixed with powerless slaps to his widespread back along the way. We entered the bedroom threshold where he chucked me atop the plush white duvet of my full-size bed, my hair bouncing and scattering across my face. My arms outstretched slackly, he situated himself above me, dangling studiously rubbing nose-to-nose with me. I closed my eyes lazily with desire, anticipating the puffy lips I knew were approaching me.

“Highlight of my day about to be what’s between those soft legs of yours, Livvy,” he purred, causing me to shiver involuntarily as his gifted hands slid toward a southern destination. The airy hairs across my bloomed skin raised on end, the grips of his fingers leaving white scraps of pressure along the way.

The moment couldn’t have been more laced with passion, and elevated craving, and yet the wandering mind of mine I often coursed for overthinking, wouldn’t slow down.

“Colt, are you sure your hand’s okay? I just wanna make sure you’re in perfect condition for Mendez. I can’t have you going into this thing if you’re not 100%, babe.”

I knew right off I had made a hasty, unsuitable move. His sculpted jaw clenched, nostrils flaring with outrage. I searched his face for the man I’d grown to know, the one who held me in such high regard, always so playful & gentle. But this was Jekyll. His pupils almost rattled with offense, and I heard his neck crack from the fuming build inside him.

“Really? I told you I’m fine, Liv. Damn it!” He scoffed, and pushed himself off me, heavy feet stomping promptly down the hall, his sock feet ruffling over the area rug. I tossed myself over the foot of the bed after him, regretfully chastising myself for the poor timing.

“You write articles about sports. You’re not a trainer for God sakes. I said not to worry about me, & I meant it, ‘ight. Just back off!”

I barely managed to hear the muffled last three words he’d growled at me from behind the door he’d nearly breached from hinges on his way out. I wasn’t oblivious to the fact that he held some tendencies of fuming anger, and maybe the occasional tendency for a tantrum. There had to be a dark hole of hostility buried in his psyche, let’s be honest. The guy made a career of bashing in the face of his fellow man. But never, did I expect to see those flashes of dander thrust upon me.

I spent two days following his outburst lost in a thick fog of muddled questioning. The independent, headstrong woman in one corner was brushing off the barefaced disrespect and hissy fit he’d thrown, advising that I didn’t deserve such, and to run away with my head held high. However, the lovesick girl in the opposing corner who just felt the desire to be valued by a good man, told me to forgive my sometimes darkly pensive partner. He was under an extensive amount of pressure to make weight, and make sure he was properly armed on every level to defeat Mendez. So, I called a draw between my battling emotions like any indecisive twenty-something woman would do. I decided there was no way I’d go groveling for some answers since I was clearly the innocent party in the episode. But, offering to hear him out when he did show his face, seemed rational.

Arriving home from work that rainy Tuesday, spitting curses to myself when someone had swiped my front row parking spot, there he stood. I picked the dry skin from my lip, organizing my plan of attack. I couldn’t go too easy on him and run childishly right into his arms. No, I was too unwaveringly thick headed for that. Earning my forgiveness wasn’t a simple task, but it wasn’t an impossible one either. As I ascended the concrete steps closer to the looming figure pacing near my door, I noticed he was drenched. His heather gray sweatshirt, now shaded to charcoal, and his teeth gently chattered behind blotched lips.

“It’s freezing out here, crazy! God, Colton! Come inside.”

I left him standing on the doormat to retrieve a set of clothes he’d left one morning after a jog that had led him here. A tingle eased up my legs remembering the shower fiasco that had resulted from his impromptu visit.

“Here, put these on before you catch freaking pneumonia.”

He emerged from the bathroom, his dripping hair standing in all directions messily just how I liked it. “What were you doing out in the rain, Colton? Are you out of your mind?” I knew deep down realistically there probably was a part of him that indeed was, but that was beside the point.

“I ran from my place to Mac’s this mornin’, before the rain. Except I couldn’t focus on my damn session for thinkin’ about you.” He snapped in my direction, tossing his arms up in a seeming surrender.

Was he blaming me for the fact that he couldn’t train? Trying to fault me for his lack of focus?

“Look, Liv. I ain’t the type a guy who gets into much of the feelings bullshit. But, I do know that I owe you an apology for runnin’ out on you the other night… and the yellin’. I’m sorry for that, too. My pop didn’t raise me as the type ‘a man who speaks to any woman like that. I need ya’ to know that I can promise, you’ll never see that side of me again, outside of the cage. Understand?”

He hadn’t looked to me until that moment. It was almost like the little speech he had just given, was partially aimed as a smack on the wrist for himself, too. I could tell he was sincerely ashamed of his erratic behavior, and who was I to deny the forgiveness his now child-like eyes desired.

“I get it. I shouldn’t have nagged you about the hand. That part of your life is none of my business, and I swear to stay out of it.”

The last words had barely escaped me before he swooped my nervous hands into his.

“Woah woah, hold it, babe. The fighting IS your business. Sometimes, you’re prolly gonna wish it wasn’t, truthfully. That’s not at all what I meant. You’re my girl now Livvy, so anything in my life, I want you a part of. The problem is, the other night when you kept askin’ about the injury, it wasn’t that I was mad that you were concerned. It’s just, I was tryin’ my hardest to pretend it wasn’t a problem. I didn’t wanna have to face that something could’ve really been wrong with my hand, or that the fight may not happen at all because I lost my damn temper during a spar. This fight is all I got right now, ya’ know? It could be make or break for me. I thought maybe pretendin’ it wasn’t hurt, would make it go away, I guess.”

How could I not forgive him? In that intimate moment between the two of us, only the pattering of raindrops on the concrete to hear, he’d revealed himself to me. A part of himself that I had the strong inclination most people didn’t get the pleasure of knowing. I was ready to dive completely in, head first, to whatever was slowly igniting between the two of us.

My small hand embraced his now stubble lined face. “Thank you. For welcoming me into your world, and for the apology.”

He slept over that night, my last conscious memory for the evening being tucked neatly into the deep pit of his arm and dozing off into sleepy oblivion to the light strokes of his hands to my hair. Heat waves rising from his naked chest, to my own creating a pocket of comfort amid the cracks of thunder.

I awoke at daylight with an intense stretch to be a messy, pink penned note folded in the now empty spot where he had slept, his indention left heavy next to me.

Liv,

Didn’t wanna wake you. Headed to Mac’s to have doc take a look at the hand. Good luck today. Give that shit head Mendez hell for me.

Colt

TAGS: @eap1935 @torialeysha

#Tom Hardy #tomhardyfanfic #tomhardy #tom hardy fanfiction #elizabeth olsen #tommy conlon #tommy conlon fanfic #thegrind #tomhardyfan #tomhardyfanfiction

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paleorecipecookbook · 7 years

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The Complete Guide to Shopping Paleo

When you go shopping for the first time on the Paleo diet, the grocery store can seem like a completely foreign place! When you’re not used to operating within certain food restrictions, it can be overwhelming knowing what to buy.

Take a deep breath. We’re going to walk you through this! Until you get the swing of things, I recommend printing a copy of this guide (or pull it up on your smartphone) to have with you at the store. I’ll explain how to read nutrition labels and share some tips for saving money on Paleo. But first, let’s get an idea of what it means to eat and shop Paleo.

Foods Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Meats: any kind, ideally pasture-raised or grass-fed, including organ meats

Seafood: any kind, ideally wild caught

Vegetables: any kind, ideally organic and local

Eggs: any kind, ideally pasture-raised

Fruits: in moderation, ideally organic, berries are best

Nuts and seeds: all kinds, in moderation, ideally organic and with no added oils

Some oils and fats: avocado oil, coconut oil, palm oil, extra virgin olive oil, lard, tallow, ghee

Other Paleo staples: full fat coconut milk, almond flour or another Paleo-friendly baking flour, spices, raw honey or another Paleo sweetener, and other products made from the above ingredients

Foods Not Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Grains: including gluten and non-gluten containing grains (this category also includes most “gluten-free” packaged goods)

Examples of grains NOT allowed: corn, corn derivatives (i.e. maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, etc.), rice, wheat, quinoa, oats, barley, spelt, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, beer, flour, etc.

Legumes:all beans, soy, peanuts, hummus, etc.

Examples of legumes NOT allowed: all beans (black beans, pinto beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, hummus, peanuts, etc.), all soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy lecithin, etc.).

Exception to the legume rule: green beans, snow peas, green peas and other fresh (not dried) green legumes in pods are allowed on the Paleo diet.

Dairy: dairy from any type of animal (cow, goat, sheep, etc.)

Examples of dairy products NOT allowed: milk, creamers, yogurts, kefir, cheeses, cream, ice cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, powdered milk, etc.

Exception to the dairy rule: ghee (clarified butter) is allowed on the Paleo diet. Many people also do fine eating grass-fed butter.

Most liquid vegetable oils: due to the presence of unstable polyunsaturated fatty acids, most liquid oils are not Paleo.

Examples of oils NOT allowed: vegetable oil, corn oil, canola (rapeseed), safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, cottonseed, soybean, margarine, etc.

Exception to the liquid oil rule: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, walnut oil are allowed on the Paleo diet. Small amounts of sesame oil, flax oil, fish oils, hemp oil, and other low smoke point oils can be used, but should never be used for cooking.

Refined and artificial sweeteners: most sweeteners are not allowed on the Paleo diet, but here’s some allowed Paleo sweeteners

Examples of sweeteners NOT allowed: cane sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, agave, refined honey, brown rice syrup, non-nutritive (zero-calorie) sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, Sweet n’ Low, Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda, etc.

Processed, hydrogenated, and refined foods: there’s a lot of grey area here, but in general, if you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce an ingredient on the label of a food, it’s probably not Paleo.

Click HERE for a full list of allowed & disallowed FOODS on the Paleo diet.

Click HERE for a full list of allowed & disallowed DRINKS on the Paleo diet.

In general, you’ll want to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store (meat and produce sections) for your supplies. It’s a lot easier to find organic produce, pastured meats, and other Paleo-friendly goodies if you shop at a health food store, but it’s not always necessary. Many regular grocery stores have Paleo-friendly options. It might not be of the highest quality, but it’s still likely a ton better than what you were eating before.

Health Food Terminology

If you’re new to the realm of health food, it’s kind of like speaking a foreign language at first. When you enter the Paleosphere, you start hearing terms like pastured, free-range, organic, in season, and other foodie lingo. These terms are used to describe the quality of foods.

In an ideal Paleo world, we would only consume foods that are free from pesticides and other chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, GMOs, and more. The meat would come from animals that were fed food appropriate for their species, having lived a happy and healthy life outdoors (as opposed to being raised by humans in confined spaces).

That’s the ideal situation, and if you’re able to buy the best quality foods, that’s great! However, this isn’t always possible for people, and it certainly isn’t a Paleo deal-breaker if you can’t swing buying only grass-fed/pastured/organic/wild-caught food.

Here’s a chart to help you determine the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ types of food in each category and the buzzwords to look for when you’re shopping.

Remember, if you can’t afford or find grass-fed meat and organic produce, it’s definitely not a Paleo deal-breaker! You will still reap the benefits of eating Paleo even if you can’t afford organic produce and grass-fed meat.

A Paleo diet consisting of conventional produce and grain-fed/caged/farmed meat is still a million times better than the Standard American Diet (SAD)! And if you think eating Paleo is too expensive, consider all the ways that you’ll save money eating Paleo.

Paleo Shopping Guides

To further assist you in your shopping endeavors we have additional shopping guide resources:

Trader Joe’s Shopping Guide

Whole Foods Shopping Guide

3 Tips for Shopping Paleo at Walmart

Thrive Market Paleo Shopping Guide

How to Shop Vitacost Like a Paleo Pro

Nutritionist Favorite Product Recommendations

The Ultimate Paleo Kitchen Cookware Guide

How to Read Ingredient Labels

When you’re first starting out on a Paleo plan it can be really hard to know whether or not various packaged and pre-made foods are Paleo. Things like full-fat coconut milk and almond flour are obviously processed foods, but they’re allowed on Paleo because they are still close to their whole form.

Because marketing (particularly food marketing) can be so deceiving, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of reading food labels, especially the labels on processed and prepared foods. While most processed foods are not Paleo, some companies have started making Paleo-friendly pre-packaged snacks and foods that you can find in health food stores and online. But if you’re not buying from a reputable company, it’s really handy to know how to read food labels to quickly determine whether or not a food is Paleo.

Is it Paleo? Quick Tips For How To Read Labels

Print or download onto your smartphone a copy of this blog or the YES/NO List of Paleo Foods list to reference at the grocery store. All meats, vegetables, and fruits are Paleo, so you’re good to go there. It gets trickier with the packaged/processed foods.

Look for the Nutrition Facts panel on each product. Some foods (like deli turkey), may not have it displayed and you might need to do a quick Google search on your phone (many product labels are available online if you do a Google image search), or you can ask a store employee to hunt down the information for you. I also email companies directly for this information if they don’t have it online. When companies don’t display their product nutrition information and all of the ingredients online, I am immediately suspicious.

Look at the Ingredients listed at the bottom of the Nutrition Facts label. All packaged foods are required to list the product’s ingredients on the label in descending order of predominance by weight, meaning, the most abundant ingredient in the product will be listed first, and the least abundant ingredient (by weight) will be listed last.

Avoid products containing grains, legumes, dairy, most liquid oils, and other non-Paleo foods. Please reference “Foods NOT allowed on the Paleo diet” (towards the top of this blog) for which ingredients to avoid. Stick to the foods listed under the “Foods Allowed on the Paleo diet” section instead.

Avoid these ingredients for sure:

Anything hydrogenated

Refined foods

Nitrates, Nitrites

Sulfates, Sulfites

Artificial anything (food colorings), artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners

Preservatives

(Note: this is just a small sampling of ingredients to steer clear of)

Be logical when reading food labels. If the first ingredient listed on a product is sugar you should probably put it right back on the shelf. A food is almost certainly not Paleo if sugar is the most abundant ingredient by weight.

Watch out for condiments and dressings. We have some favorite Paleo-friendly condiments in our Nutritionist Product Recommendations page. In true Paleo fashion, most condiments can be made from scratch at home using real food ingredients, like these DIY recipes for making homemade mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard.

A Note About Sugar on Nutrition Labels

It’s great to avoid sugar on labels, especially if it’s listed first. However, you’ll notice that sugar often appears as an ingredient in bacon and other “low-carb” foods. When you look at the total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts panel of these foods, it will read zero. That’s because sugar is used as a stabilizer in some foods, but it is added in such small quantities that it doesn’t contribute towards your daily carbohydrate intake.

I had a friend who refused to eat bacon because he said “it has sugar in it” and he was trying to eat low carb. While it’s true that sugar was the second ingredient on the list (there were only two ingredients: bacon, sugar), his rationale that he wasn’t going to eat bacon because it contained sugar was sort of irrational. In such a small amount, the effect of this amount of added sugar is negligible. If a very small amount of sugar or soy lecithin is added to a product, it may or may not be a deal breaker. You’ll have to decide for yourself. Having said that, if you’re battling an autoimmune or another chronic disease, you may need to more strictly avoid ingredients that are non-Paleo (at least for awhile)… in an effort to ‘reset’ your immune system by fully removing known triggering agents (especially gluten, grains, seed oils…).

3 Quick Rules to Know If It’s Paleo

1. If you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably not Paleo. 2. If a product contains a long list of ingredients, it’s probably not Paleo. Most Paleo products contain around 10 ingredients or less. 3. If the total carbohydrate count is more than 20-30 grams per serving, it’s probably not a good option (even if all of the ingredients are Paleo), as this is likely a high glycemic food that will spike your blood sugar in unhealthy ways. Or just plan on eating this food in conjunction with fat and/or protein.

Unfortunately, food manufacturers have figured out how to hide ingredients in fancy names. For example, corn might be listed as HFCS, malt syrup, or dextrose. And dairy might appear on the label as caseinate, lactose, casein, or whey. Neither corn or dairy are Paleo. Most baking powder contains cornstarch or aluminum. You’ll want to make your own baking powder or choose a Paleo-friendly baking powder instead. Most importantly, be patient with yourself as you redefine your understanding of “healthy” and re-learn how to navigate the grocery store. This can be a big learning curve, and it won’t happen overnight. But with continued experience and practice, soon enough you’ll have an arsenal of go-to items and brands that you trust, and be able to spot a Paleo imposter an aisle away!

7 Tips for Shopping Paleo Affordably

A common question we often hear is: how can I save money on Paleo?

Since Paleo groceries can range anywhere from $100/mo per person to $600 a month per person (and beyond), it’s an understandable question. There can be a lot of variety in the things people buy, where they buy them, and what quality food they’re buying. Here are some practical ways to help slash your grocery budget without sacrificing quality!

1. Buy only what you need.

People usually over-buy groceries when they first start eating Paleo, and end up wasting a lot of food as a result. Don’t let this happen to you! Exercise restraint and don’t buy more food until you really need to. This means you’re going to have to keep tabs on what’s in your fridge at all times, and eat or freeze stuff before it starts to go bad. It’s better to have to run to the store more frequently at first versus wasting a bunch of money as food goes bad. After you’ve been eating Paleo for awhile, things get a lot easier to plan and anticipate. After 7 years of Paleo eating, I only go to the grocery store twice a month!

2. Buy local and in season.

Buying locally grown meats, eggs, and vegetables will save you a ton of money in the long run, but it may take some time to find the good hookups. Stick to produce that’s in season and local to where you live. You’ll recognize these because they will be the least expensive vegetables and fruits in the produce section. In a perfect Paleosphere, we would eat only organic produce, but that can get really expensive and may not be a possibility for some. If you can’t afford to buy all organic, check the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists of veggies and fruits with the most and least pesticide residues, so you know which veggies to prioritize eating organic.

Search locally (or online) to find a rancher selling pasture-raised/grass-fed meat for much cheaper than you’ll pay in stores (around $3 – $5/lb. hanging weight is a fair price). You can often buy a quarter or a half (or whole) cow or pig and save big when you buy in bulk. Be sure to ask for the organs, bones, and fat when you’re getting your meat from the butcher, as these parts of the animal are some of the most nutrient dense! Here’s a tutorial on the process of buying local meat.

3. Buy in bulk.

Buying meat, Paleo baking flours, and other Paleo ingredients in bulk is one of the best ways to save money eating Paleo. If you see a good deal on something in bulk, scoop it up then freeze the excess for later use. Buy vegetables when they are in season and dirt cheap, then blanch and freeze, can, or dehydrate them for later use in soups, stews, stir-frys, desserts, or whatever! Most foods retain their nutrition pretty well when frozen or canned (albeit fresh is always best). (1) Consider investing in a Costco or Sam’s Club membership. These stores are carrying more and more organic products every day!

4. Buy cheap meats.

It can be expensive to buy grass-fed and pastured meats on the Paleo diet, however, if you buy tougher cuts of meat they will be much cheaper than steaks and other fine cuts. Try slow cooking or pressure cooking these tougher cuts of meat to make them juicy and delicious. Buying whole chickens is much cheaper than buying the individual parts. Also, buying the less expensive parts of chicken (thighs, legs, wings, etc.) will not only save you money, but the dark meat will also provide you with more nutrition and healthy fats than the more expensive white meat! Buying grass-fed organs is also quite inexpensive. When chopped up into small pieces and mixed with ground beef, you have a really cheap, nutritious blend of protein and fat, and you won’t even know the organ meat is there!

5. DIY.

There’s a lot of luxury items you can make on your own that will not only save you money, but end up being a lot healthier as well! Try making your own:

Jerky

Chocolate

Sausage

Mayonnaise

Trail mix

Bone broth

Tallow or lard

Paleo ice cream

Bread

Granola

You can make these things at home for a fraction of the price it costs to buy them at the store!

6. Shop deals.

I’m sorry, if you’re shopping at high-end grocery stores (read: Whole Foods), you’re going to be paying a lot more for items that are available for cheaper elsewhere. Do some research and cost comparing to see which stores sell your products for cheapest, and buy accordingly!

I save a lot of money by clipping coupons and waiting for sales. I know it sounds old school, but I love it. I even have a small plastic accordion folder that I organize my coupons in and leave in my car, so I never forget my coupons at home! There are apps that you can download that compare local sales for you. Many stores will match sales prices from their competitors, so don’t be afraid to ask! Also consider store loyalty or reward programs which can sometimes get you exclusive discounts.

7. Order online.

For many items, it’s actually cheaper to order them online. Order online from companies you trust. I buy most of my shelf-stable grocery products online, and two of my favorite stores to shop are Vitacost and Thrive Market. Both of these companies have a Paleo search filter that you can apply to quickly see all of the Paleo-friendly products available (be sure to double check ingredients just in case). They also list the ingredients and nutrition facts for every product, which makes it a lot easier to figure out which products are Paleo. Here are a couple of shopping guides to help you navigate these online stores: How to Shop Vitacost Like a Paleo Pro Thrive Market Paleo Shopping Guide

Another favorite online store specializing in Paleo goods is One Stop Paleo Shop. These guys have Paleo, AIP (Autoimmune Protocol), and Ketogenic snacks and foods available on their site, with shipping available to the continental US. They specialize in everything Paleo and always carry the new and exciting Paleo goodies.

Get Paleo Food Delivered

Speaking of shopping online, there’s actually a lot of great companies who are sourcing, making, and delivering Paleo pre-made foods and snacks, grass-fed meats, and other healthy living supplies. Here are a few of our favorites!

Butcher Box—Grass-fed, pastured, and organic meats

U.S. Wellness Meats—Grass-fed, pastured, and organic meats, bones, organs, etc.

Kettle & Fire—World’s first shelf-stable, grass-fed, and organic bone broth (chicken or beef)

Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club—premium, fresh-harvest extra virgin olive oil

Ava Jane’s Avocado Oil—100% natural, unrefined, extra virgin avocado oil

Primal Kitchen—Paleo mayo, Paleo salad dressings, supplements, and more

Siette Paleo Tortillas—Incredible grain-free tortillas

PaleoLife Box—Paleo Life Box is a monthly box of Paleo snacks delivered to your door, with shipping available to the United States and Canada. I love the variety and tasting experience that I get in my box each month and it’s a great bang for your buck, too. Expect a mix of meat snacks, bars, cookies, veggie chips, granola, chocolate treats, seed and nut mixes, dried fruit, and more.

POTG—Paleo On The Go is a certified gluten-free kitchen and Certified Paleo company that prepares and ships pre-made (frozen) Paleo, Autoimmune Paleo (AIP), and low-carb meals right to your doorstep, anywhere in the US with guaranteed overnight shipping! Their turkey pot pies are my absolute favorite!

Eatology—Paleo, Primal, and Paleo-Zone gourmet cuisine delivered nationwide to your doorstep. In fact, they were the first company to start delivering pre-made Paleo foods in the US, so they definitely have experience under their belt!

Trifecta Nutrition—100% Organic Paleo (and Vegetarian/Vegan) meals and “a la carte” items shipped (with free delivery!) nationwide in the US. The meals and a la carte side dishes arrive frozen, ready to be popped into the microwave or oven (or warmed up on the stovetop) or you can keep them frozen for up to six months.

PaleoPlan’s Nutritionist Favorite Products—a chart of our some of our favorite products

Paleo Kitchen Overhaul

If you’re looking to eat strictly Paleo, then I recommend removing the non-Paleo items from your kitchen and home. Aligning your outer environment with your inner goals will help keep you on track and it’s much easier to avoid temptations when they aren’t staring you directly in the face! Here are some guides to help you at Paleoizing your life:

How to Purge your Kitchen & Make it Paleo

How to Replace Toxic Cookware with Healthier Alternatives

If you are sharing kitchen space with someone who eats foods that you’re working to avoid, consider setting up different areas or shelves that have clearly defined boundaries. There are organization baskets and Tupperware containers available that are useful for subdividing shared storage space.

Bottom Line: How To Shop Paleo

The moral of this (Paleo) story is to EAT REAL FOOD! Our bodies are engineered to utilize the nutrients found in whole foods, in their natural form. The same cannot be said for man-made chemicals that are now abundantly found in our food supply. Our bodies are not equipped to handle these foreign chemicals and altered foods and they make our immune systems go haywire, and can trigger countless diseases.

Some people complain about the cost of eating Paleo foods, but trust me, you will end up saving more money with time and practice. I personally don’t spend more than $200 per month on food for myself, and only go to the grocery store twice a month. Now, I’m only cooking for two people, but the point is that I’ve drastically cut down on my grocery bills (and trips to the store) as I’ve refined my Paleo shopping skills. Be patient and soon you’ll be there too!

If you’re asking yourself whether or not the cost of eating Paleo is worth it, just consider all the money and energy you’ll save on healthcare and foods that are actually hindering your health goals instead of supporting them. Seems like a no-brainer to me!

P.S. If you want to get weekly Paleo meal plans delivered to your inbox, try ours free for 14 days!

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BELTANE HISTORY

Humanities › Religion & Spirituality

Beltane History - Celebrating May Day

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Beltane is a great way to celebrate the fertility of spring.

SOURCE, THOUGHT CO .COM

by Patti Wigington

Updated March 31, 2016

THE FIRES OF TARA

Beltane kicks off the merry month of May, and has a long history. This fire festival is celebrated on May 1 with bonfires, Maypoles, dancing, and lots of good old fashioned sexual energy. The Celts honored the fertility of the gods with gifts and offerings, sometimes including animal or human sacrifice. Cattle were driven through the smoke of the balefires, and blessed with health and fertility for the coming year.

In Ireland, the fires of Tara were the first ones lit every year at Beltane, and all other fires were lit with a flame from Tara.

ROMAN INFLUENCES The Romans, always known for celebrating holidays in a big way, spent the first day of May paying tribute to their Lares, the gods of their household. They also celebrated the Floralia, or festival of flowers, which consisted of three days of unbridled sexual activity. Participants wore flowers in their hair (much like May Day celebrants later on), and there were plays, songs, and dances. At the end of the festivities, animals were set loose inside the Circus Maximus, and beans were scattered around to ensure fertility. The fire festival of Bona Dea was also celebrated on May 2nd.

A PAGAN MARTYR

May 6 is the day of Eyvind Kelda, or Eyvind Kelve, in Norse celebrations. Eyvind Kelda was a Norwegian martyr who was tortured and drowned on the orders of King Olaf Tryggvason for refusing to give up his Pagan beliefs. A week later, Norwegians celebrate the Festival of the Midnight Sun, which pays tribute to the Norse sun goddess. This festival marks the beginning of ten straight weeks without darkness.

THE GREEKS AND PLYNTERIA

Also in May, the Greeks celebrated the Plynteria in honor of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle, and the patroness of the city of Athens (which was named after her). The Plynteria includes the ritual cleansing of Athena’s statue, along with feasting and prayers in the Parthenon. On the 24th, homage is paid to the Greek moon-goddess Artemis (goddess of the hunt and of wild animals). Artemis is a lunar goddess, equivalent to the Roman moon-goddess Diana – she is also identified with Luna, and Hecate.

THE GREEN MAN EMERGES

A number of pre-Christian figures are associated with the month of May, and subsequently Beltane. The entity known as the Green Man, strongly related to Cernunnos, is often found in the legends and lore of the British Isles, and is a masculine face covered in leaves and shrubbery. In some parts of England, a Green Man is carried through town in a wicker cage as the townsfolk welcome the beginning of summer. Impressions of the Green Man’s face can be found in the ornamentation of many of Europe’s older cathedrals, despite edicts from local bishops forbidding stonemasons from including such pagan imagery.

JACK-IN-THE-GREEN

A related character is Jack-in-the-Green, a spirit of the greenwood. References to Jack appear in British literature back as far as the late sixteenth century. Sir James Frazer associates the figure with mummers and the celebration of the life force of trees.

Jack-in-the-Green was seen even in the Victorian era, when he was associated with soot-faced chimney sweeps. At this time, Jack was framed in a structure of wicker and covered with leaves, and surrounded by Morris dancers. Some scholars suggest that Jack may have been a ancestor to the legend of Robin Hood.

ANCIENT SYMBOLS, MODERN RITES

Today's Pagans celebrate Beltane much like their ancestors did. A Beltane ritual usually involves lots of fertility symbols, including the obviously-phallic Maypole dance. The Maypole is a tall pole decorated with flowers and hanging ribbons, which are woven into intricate pattern by a group of dancers. Weaving in and out, the ribbons are eventually knotted together by the time the dancers reach the end.

In some Wiccan traditions, Beltane is a day in which the May Queen and the Queen of Winter battle one another for supremacy.

In this rite, borrowed from practices on the Isle of Man, each queen has a band of supporters. On the morning of May 1, the two companies battle it out, ultimately trying to win victory for their queen. If the May Queen is captured by her enemies, she must be ransomed before her followers can get her back.

There are some who believe Beltane is a time for the faeries -- the appearance of flowers around this time of year heralds the beginning of summer and shows us that the fae are hard at work. In early folklore, to enter the realm of faeries is a dangerous step -- and yet the more helpful deeds of the fae should always be acknowledged and appreciated. If you believe in faeries, Beltane is a good time to leave out food and other treats for them in your garden or yard.

For many contemporary Pagans, Beltane is a time for planting and sowing of seeds -- again, the fertility theme appears. The buds and flowers of early May bring to mind the endless cycle of birth, growth, death and rebirth that we see in the earth. Certain trees are associated with May Day, such as the Ash, Oak and Hawthorn. In Norse legend, the god Odin hung from an Ash tree for nine days, and it later became known as the World Tree, Yggdrasil.

If you've been wanting to bring abundance and fertility of any sort into your life -- whether you're looking to conceive a child, enjoy fruitfulness in your career or creative endeavors, or just see your garden bloom -- Beltane is the perfect time for magical workings related to any type of prosperity.

Humanities › Religion & Spirituality All About Beltane

Celebrating the Fertility of Spring

by Patti Wigington

Updated April 04, 2017

April's showers have given way to rich and fertile earth, and as the land greens, there are few celebrations as representative of fertility as Beltane. Observed on May 1st (or October 31 - November 1 for our Southern Hemisphere readers), festivities typically begin the evening before, on the last night of April. It's a time to welcome the abundance of the fertile earth, and a day that has a long (and sometimes scandalous) history.

Depending on your tradition, there are a number of ways you can celebrate this Sabbat.

RITUALS AND CEREMONIES

There are many different ways you can celebrate Beltane, but the focus is nearly always on fertility. It's the time when the earth mother opens up to the fertility god, and their union brings about healthy livestock, strong crops, and new life all around.

Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying—and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.

Setting Up Your Beltane Altar:

Here's how to get started decorating your altar for the Beltane sabbat. Celebrate Beltane with a Maypole Dance: The Maypole dance is a time-honored tradition. Here's how to host your own! Beltane Bonfire Ritual - a group ceremony Hold a Family Abundance Rite for Beltane: Celebrate the abundance of the land with your family.

Honor the Sacred Feminine with a Goddess Ritual. Beltane Planting Ritual for Solitaries: If you're practicing solo, this simple planting ritual will get you into the spirit of the season. Handfastings and Weddings: Plenty of people are tying the knot during the Beltane season - be sure to read up on all the things you need to know!

BELTANE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Interested in learning about some of the traditions behind the celebrations of May Day? Learn why the Romans had a big party, and who the popular fertility gods are.

Beltane History: Beltane has been observed for a long time - let's look at some of the history behind the tradition. Deities of Beltane: There are gods and goddesses from all over the world that are associated with the Beltane sabbat and the greening of the earth.

Maypole History:

Maypoles are for more than just a dance - they have a long and colorful history. Who Were the Mother Goddesses?

Who Is the Green Man?

The Green Man archetype is a well known one - but who is he, and why is he important? Cernunnos, the Wild God of the Forests: In Celtic legend, Cernunnos is the horned god of the forests, and is associated with the fertility of Beltane.

The Greek God, Pan

Morris Dances and Mummer's Plays: The British custom of Morris dancing and mummer plays is tied to the Beltane season.

Legends and Lore of Beltane

Legends of the Bees: Did you know bees are a popular topic of folklore and mythology? Let's look at some of the legends surrounding bees.

May 6: Honoring Eyvind Kelda

Floralia: The Roman May Day Celebration:

The Romans honored the goddess Flora during this time of year.

Walpurgisnacht

The May Queen vs. the Queen of Winter Faerie Lore Welcome Faeries to Your Garden

The Secret Language of Flowers:

In Victorian times, people sent each other secret messages using flowers to tell their story.

BELTANE MAGIC Beltane is a season of fertility and fire, and we often find this reflected in the magic of the season. Let's look at some of that spring magic, from ritual sex to fertility magic, along with the magic found in gardens and nature.

Ritual Sex and the Great Rite: Beltane is a time of passion and fertility, so for many people, it's a time for ritual sex. Here's what you need to know.

Fertility Magic and Customs:

There's a lot of folklore surrounding fertility. Let's look at some beliefs from around the world.

Chocolate and Sex:

Chocolate as an aphrodisiac? You bet! In fact, it's scientifically proven.

Make Magic in Your Garden

Sacred Plants of the Beltane Season: Let's look at some of the plants that are considered sacred to the Beltane season. Plant a Magical Moon Garden: If you're a night owl, consider planting a moon garden, full of fragrant plants that open and bloom at night.

The Magic of Dandelions:

Dandelions are everywhere in the spring, so let's look at some of the magic and folklore behind them

Reposted by, PHYNXRIZNG

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