Contest: Share Your Wisdom – Round 2
Last year I held a contest during the annual 30-Day Challenge called “Share Your Wisdom“. In it I asked Mark’s Daily Apple readers (you) for answers to 10 questions that would help newbies kick start their Primal lives. Things like “What do you think is the most important thing one should understand as they attempt to go Primal?”, “What was the biggest hurdle you experienced when going Primal and how did you overcome it?”, and “What do you eat for breakfast?”. I then compiled your answers into an ebook that all MDA newsletter subscribers receive for free called “Primal Living in the Real World”. It’s #5 in the list here.
Since the ebook’s release, I’ve had numerous people email me expressing how much they appreciated the insights from members of the community, and how they have helped them get started. I’d like to do another one of these ebooks – a follow-up (“Primal Living in the Real World: Part 2″) with 10 new questions and answers. And that’s where you and this contest come in. First, the prize…
The Prize:
A $150 gift certificate to Tropical Traditions. You’ll be able to stock up on Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, or some Grass-Fed Lamb, Beef or Bison. Or, if that doesn’t float your boat, you could pick up some massage oils, or something for your dog. The list goes on and on, and you’ll have your pick if you win this contest.
As if that wasn’t enough, the winner will also receive a canister of each flavor (Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Creme) of Primal Fuel.
That’s over $300 worth of Primal goodies, and all you have to do for a chance to win is…
The Contest:
Mark’s Daily Apple would be nothing without the support, the motivation and the encouragement readers like you provide to one another – in the comment boards, in the forum and with your success stories.
Your participation as a member of this community really does change lives.
So today’s contest is all about sharing your wisdom and experiences. All you have to do is email me your answers to any or all of the following questions at any length (a one sentence answer will do, full paragraphs are even better). Share your thoughts about transitioning into and living a Primal life and not only will you be entered to win today’s prize, but you’ll be helping thousands of people take control of their health for good.
Each question answered counts as one entry in today’s contest. Ten questions means ten opportunities to win.
- How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
- How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them?
- How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
- What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
- How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
- What do you do for fun/play?
- How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
- What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
- What does 80/20 mean to you?
- How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
Use the email subject heading “Primal Advice” when submitting your answers, so I can easily find and organize all submissions.
The Deadline:
May 31, midnight, PDT. Only two days!
Who is Eligible:
Anyone with advice to share with people new to the Primal Blueprint.
How a Winner is Chosen:
A random drawing will be held among all entrants.
Fine Print:
- I will be compiling select submissions into a digital book that will be given away to everyone that purchases my new book, The Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal, during a special offer I am putting together for its release. Stay tuned for more details on the special offer. The book is set to release next month.
- By emailing me your advice you are agreeing to let me use it in this digital book.
- To ensure anonymity, your name will not be published.
Many thanks to the forum members that replied to my thread offering up their ideas on questions for this contest. And thanks to everyone in advance for participating. Grok on!
Grab The Primal Blueprint Cookbook Today and Receive Free S&H and a Free Primal Blueprint Poster
Posted By: Mark Sisson
1- I don’t keep costs down. PB is very important to me and my life has changed so much because of it. Since I don’t have fast food any more, or the gluten free high cost “foods”, my food expenditure is the same. Bring on the wild caught salmon!
4-The biggest change is – and this is embarrassing- I thought everyone was bloated and gassy after each meal. I thought it was ” normal”! Within 2 days of PB, I had my aha moment. I will never go back.
7- Exercise has never been a concern. I was fat 6 years ago and started training for triathlons. I have had to dial it down by avoiding chronic cardio. I walk, run, bike and lift weights about 6 hours a week. Hill running intervals at altitude is my sprint session. It’s a killer!
1: we buy local produce and meat, we have farmer friends! We also watch the fliers for sales.
2: N/A no kids, we have a dog that likes to eat primal, lol.
3: I snack several times a day. Enjoying eggs, chicken, summer sausage, dried & fresh fruit & veggies, nuts, seeds, vitamix smoothies with protein powder with veggies/fruit.
4: I am only a week in, so I am really new
I feel happy and excited to be taking my health seriously and learning.
5: I have a great health team who is very supportive, whatever it takes to reach my weight loss goal!
6: We go sailing, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, walking, biking, camp fires, swimming, time with friends and family.
7: I go for a 20 minute walk at lunch before I eat when I am in the office at work Mon-Fri. I enjoy gardening, I have several gardens to manage and maintain (that is a lot of soil & mulch to haul around, lol). I have very active friends who inspire me to walk, participate in yoga, zumba etc. My husband is very active and he is my cheerleader to move my body. We also have a home gym and watch TV while we go on the elliptical or treadmill.
On Sunday I will make a big meal so that we can have leftovers when we are too tired to cook after work and our workout. This is where the vitamix comes in handy as well. Super quick to whip up a great drink or smoothie as our meal.
8. Not counting calories or tracking what I eat is very attractive to me. That always felt like a punishment.
9: 80/20 mean enjoying a glass of wine at sunset or a celebratory dessert with friends. Lets me let go of the guilt of not being successful.
10: I am blessed that my husband will eat what I prepare. I do all of the grocery shopping, food prep and cooking. I had the opposite problem with my husband as he would go without eating
He is now eating better and more often, choosing healthy foods that I have ready in the fridge!
Thanks for the contest but I’m happy to help.
1. I keep a keen eye on the sales flyers from the grocery store and stock up on meats and such when they are on sale. We don’t buy nut butter or grass-fed meats and eggs because they are too expensive. Despite this, we have found that we still eat better than we did on the SAD and we are actually saving money by eating Primal. We don’t buy the processed junk we used to fill up on, like noodles, Hot Pockets, packaged dinner items, etc. and now go to the store armed with a plan, not just a vague idea of what we want. I make a menu for two weeks based on what’s on sale and what we’re in the mood for, figure out a grocery listed based on that, and rarely deviate from the plan. Most of our veggies are frozen, which are cheap and just as good once steamed. Other than occasional quick trips for milk and eggs, we only grocery shop twice a month, which saves time and gas.
2. Our two-year-old is about 80% primal. She’s going through a very picky stage right now, and sometimes all we can get into her is a peanut butter sandwich and chocolate milk. Luckily, we’re very blessed that she is a huge fan of fruit and veggies, particularly berries and green beans. With her, it’s more important to us that she eat *something*, even if it isn’t the best choice nutritionally. It’ll improve, since this too will pass!
3. My partner and I aren’t really snackers at all, but if we do want something, it’s usually a piece of fruit, cut up veggies, or beef jerky. Our little one grazes throughout the day, whatever we can get her to eat. We just got a blender, so smoothies are rapidly becoming a favorite snack.
4. I noticed right away that eating out at restaurants was tricky. Usually, one can order a sandwich and just take off the bun, or get a salad. However, all the junk in salad dressings recently came to my attention, so I mean to get some vinegar and oil to stash in my desk at work.
5. I have yet to run into this problem. However, I had a problem with a personal trainer once. I told him that I have food sensitivities and follow a particular diet for it. He flatly ignored me and went on to brag about himself and the nutritionist he keeps on retainer to write diet plans. After telling him twice more, I solved the problem by getting up and walking out of the consultation.
6. DANCE!!! The little one and I are huge fans and sometimes just dance to the music in our heads. We also put on anything from metal to Middle Eastern, bagpipes to banghra – anything with a good beat – and jump, dance, and shake ourselves silly. We also like to go to the local park and play. In our house, summer also equals badminton season!
7. I get up before anyone else in the house (usually 5 or 5:30 AM) and have time to wake up and do whatever exercise I’m doing that day. I try to do incidental things like parking further away, etc.
8. It’s so darn simple! Eat this, don’t eat that. No quibbling, no guesswork, no counting calories, no food journals, no points, no nonsense. Eat meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, and eggs. Don’t eat the other stuff. Absolutely, totally, brainlessly simple. I love it.
9. It doesn’t mean much to me, since I try for 100% adherence. If I don’t try for perfect adherence, it’s entirely too easy for me to fall off the bandwagon…before I know it, I’m downing two bowls of ice cream heaped with peanut butter for an afternoon snack. I do much better when I’m very strict with myself.
10. Thankfully, I haven’t had this issue. We’re a Primal family and it’s wonderful! My partner knew he needed to lose weight also and wanted to make the change with me. He’s also a bacon fanatic and a steak lover, so it wasn’t like I had to twist his arm for this one. He has his cheat food (pizza) every Friday night, which doesn’t bother me because I’ve never been much of a pizza eater. He and I have each lost 40+ lbs. and are still going strong.
1. Buying veggies in season is crucial and often establishing relationships with local producers can reap some unexpected cheaper prices. That said, I’m willing to spend more for quality food, if I have to. I’d rather spend now and feel great than eat poor food and spend later on a doctor.
2. N/A
3. I usually snack at night during a 4 hour eating window. Nuts and berries, raw veggies or the occasional primal dessert, like banana-coconut milk ice cream.
4. Sleep- I finally sleep 8 hours a night. I used to be the typical over-trained, carbo-loading machine that slept about 6 hours a night. I always felt awful in the morning, but I thought it was the only way.
5.Honestly, I rarely interact with health professionals, but I have discussed primal/paleo with a few. Most are open to discussion in my experiences.
6.I’m the only primal member among my friends, though that is slowly changing, but my friends and I are regularly playing basketball, going to the beach, playing football, or doing anything to get out in the sun. They are the reason I don’t have a dog yet.
7. I make time to work rather than making time for my health. I have always been open about my healthy lifestyle and my bosses have never had a problem, so long as I get my work done. Another time saver is my lack of children, which I suspect take many hours of care. To the primal parents, I commend you on your dedication to yourself and your children.
8. It is not a one size fits all gimmick. I love that everything about it encourages experimentation until you find what works for you. I also love the results, but that goes without saying.
9. 80/20 means having a piece of dark chocolate, a glass of red wine, or having a night of debauchery with friends once in awhile (booze cruise coming up). My 20 is more like 5-10 because I typically go all in when I do something, but embracing the social aspect of life can sometimes require bending the PB rules. One night won’t make or break PB, so relax and indulge once in a while.
10. I’ve never had a significant other that was in a life threatening state of health, but I do have obese family members. For them, I give suggestions and even design workout and diet programs, If they want it. If not, that’s fine. Who am I to tell another how live their life?
1. We have recently started shopping in Lidl rather than Tesco – fruit and veg supplies vary week to week but this keeps our diet varied. Meat is all British and much tastier than anything Tesco has to offer. Best thing is 1.5kg of greek yoghurt for £1.50!
2. Don’t have kids, but when we do they will most definitely be primal… looking back at my diet as a kid, it was awful – a pizza bap and dr. pepper every day at school for a morning snack!
3. I probably snack too much. On a typical work day I’ll have a couple of handful of nuts (occasionally dried fruits), an apple and a square (or two!) of Lidl’s 70% dark chocolate.
4. Much more energy straight away and body fat swapped for muscle within a few weeks without too much exertion at the gym.
5. Not so much health professionals, but rather work colleagues – latest was someone trying to introduce me to Marks & Spencer’s new ‘guilt-free’ snacking range… honey and milk chocolate popcorn!
6. We’ve just moved to a new area of London near the River Thames and I’m enjoying exploring this area on foot by strolling, jogging or sprinting depending on my mood. Currently saving up for some Vibrams!
7. I get up an extra hour early and go to the gym monday to friday before work. The buses are much quieter too and there is less traffic! Now the weather’s fine, I want to start jogging to the gym/work (3 miles).
8. Bacon and eggs!
9. Not alot. Haven’t touched bread for 2+ months. Very occasionally have fries when eating out but I find theres just too much and I feel bloated and grumpy afterwards. Will have sweet potato and vegetable crisps if I have the craving I’ve become accustomed to for the past 25 years!
10. I’ve actually converted him to the primal blueprint (i cook all the dinners!) – although, he finds it difficult to resist the odd cheesecake!
GROK ON FROM LONDON!
@Caveman Sid: The nice thing for you, is that Tesco carrys grass-fed meat. I had a super time eating good meat while in London and England a few months back. The grain-fed meat here in the States is horrid, by comparison.
ooo… forgot to say – we live near a City Farm (yes, a farm in central London!) and they sell local eggs and meat. Was a bit sad when the cows stopped moo-ing one day though
– quality of the steaks soon turned that frown upside down! 
1. I buy 6.5 pound bags of frozen chicken breasts from Costco for $16.99, they are the finest frozen chicken breasts in the world, individually wrapped so you can eat one or a half dozen of them.
I get the ten lb. bag! What a bargain! And they cook up so nicely in the frying pan – still frozen! Just add butter and/or bacon fat. I add 1/4 cup organic shredded cheddar and there’s an easy, delicious dinner!
How does one get our answers directly to you, Mark?
Shoot me an email
There’s an email me hyperlink in the message under The Contest heading.
How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
Eat local. Grow your own food. Trade with locals (I trade my organic veggies for some meats from a local farmer) Shop using the “dirty dozen” list. Fast once in a while.
How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them?
Haven’t started my family, but when I do, it’ll be easy. Expose them to egg yolks, meats, etc as soon as they teeth and able to chew it. Serve veggies steamed in butter or salsa. Make sure to utilize flavors and a bit of quality salts so kids are attracted to real food in the future.
How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
Just listen to my body. I don’t worry about it. I don’t care what time it is. I don’t make sure to have my 250 cal snack at 2:30. When I am hydrated and my stomach is truly growling, I fix it with either a snack or complete, well-rounded meal.
What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
Leaner, faster, stronger, happier, healthier, flexible. Need I say more?
How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
I humble myself, say alright, yet realizing many times it’s not their fault, it was their training regime. I take everything (even non-nutrition related) things with a grain of salt, research on my own, and form my own answers and opinions.
What do you do for fun/play?
Challenging myself to something new as often as possible. Handstand walking, climbing stuff, sprints, pick up sports, wrestling with friends. Yet also relaxing things: lay in a hammock and practice breathing, Socialize with friends, Sit around a camp fire and tell stories at night. I’m sure my paleo ancestors did these things!
How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
By going with the flow. Taking five minutes each more to map your day out. But, expect things to come in the way. This lifestyle isn’t about scheduling life around exercise and activity, it’s about living life to the max, helping others, being a person of true character. Don’t be that dude (or girl) people think exercise 24/7. Nutrition takes care of your health and basic physique, play/sports/etc is a bonus to enhance it.
What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
The straight forward, simplicity of it. No bullcrap. No shortcuts. No magical tricks. Science, real results, fulfilling.
What does 80/20 mean to you?
means I get 4 when I divide it. Who cares about numbers. Do I eat 20% crap a day? A week? It’s too confusing once you add numbers. I’m over it. You know better than to eat junk often. You have a busy work week, yes? Commit to your eating like you do your job. Put effort into eating well as often as possible. Saturday night and you want to have a piece of cake? Fine and dandy. Eat it and move on. Wednesday night you want 2 slices of pizza? Enjoy and move on. Stress less, eat real food often, enjoy occasional treats.
How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
Then you keep setting an example. You keep being you, love them as you do yourself, and just keep living. Just like I teach my students, it’s not my job to force content and material down their throats. It’s my job to be passionate, excited, and enthusiastic about my content so that maybe they take interest in it and want to do it. When they see how much better it makes me, they get interested. Just takes time. We all have our niches. Our enjoyments. Being an example is contagious. Just be an example.
1.Buy from local roadside stands (when I can) and PriceRite!!
3. Between breakfast and lunch- macadamias! I love them!
4. Overall feeling of wellness. I had the carb-flu so about 4 weeks in I felt like a whole new person.
5. I know better so I don’t even take it into consideration.
6. Gardening and metal detecting. You are moving around a lot at a slow pace.
8. The fact that it has completely cured my Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
9. It means that I have a little ice cream every now and then.
#4. The biggest difference for me is my stamina. I already avoided processed foods and had verged well into the realm of “hippiness” with my diet, but I was still always.hungry. I carb loaded (with home baked bread) before training runs and while training for a marathon put on 5 pounds!
Now I can easily go for 8-10+ hours without eating, don’t feel like I’m going to pass out if I don’t eat, am sleeping better, and have already lost 10 pounds in 1 month. My running coach has also commented that I seem stronger.
1. I pretty much don’t worry about keeping costs down, but instead on saving money in other areas to have extra for what is really important: good food!! I use coupons for cleaning products, ride my bike instead of driving whenever I can (gas is pricey!!) and grow a lot of my own vegetables.
3. Not often; my eggs and meat in the morning keeps me pretty full. If I’m craving a snacky treat, I have dark chocolate covered almonds stashed in the cupboard.
4. The biggest thing is that my body got used to eating this way REALLY quickly (weeks). Now, when I eat something I’m not used to (like flour tortillas), I wake up with a stuffy nose and headache. Talk about motivation to NOT eat those things!!
5. Surprisingly, my doctor likes the way I eat…mostly . He subscribes to a “full plate” theory (half greens, quarter protein, quarter fruit), which is pretty comfortable. I do eat a little more protein and less fruit usually. It works for me. A family member sent me an article about the benefits of being vegetarian the other day. I ignored that. Then I ate some sugar-free bacon. Boom.
6. Lots of hiking. Doesn’t sound like fun or play? How about an adult Easter Egg hunt over several miles of forest? Oh ya, I’m talking about MORELS.
7. Weekends. That’s when we have the most time. We head to the cabin (we are pretty lucky to have one only about an hour away) and walk, hike, cut firewood, hunt, mushroom hunt, huckleberry pick…the list goes on and on. We really cram it in on weekends. You do what you can, when you can.
8. Not calorie counting. I hated that. It was NEVER effective for me.
9. Chocolate.
Let me say again…thank you Mark.
If you had not shared your information with us, then we would not be spreading the word and helping our family and friends to health also.
1. In the begining the cost was a tiny bit higher than what we normally spent on SAD foods. At six months in our bodies have changed so much, very little food is needed. I finally stopped forcing food down my throat after I read your series on fasting. I now only eat when I am hungry. Most days it is only once a day. We have to be careful what we buy or it goes bad, because no one is hungry enough to eat it. I can’t stress enough how finally being in control of my body has changed my self thought. I was always one to put myself down. Now I feel strong and love this lady I am becoming.
2.My kids are the yin/yang model. Our son loves food and will happily eat chicken and steak for breakfast. Our daughter hates everything and is a carb addict. We try and try with her, but at sixteen she has a job and buys herself SAD food all the time. I have not been able to break through to her how much better she would feel and how much better her skin would look if she just tried it without cheating for a month. It is rather like someone trying to push Christianity on a non believer. I have let it go and hope that our examples will show her the way.
3.We used to snack a lot. Now days our choice is nuts, and the occasional sweet potato chips that I make in coconut oil. My husband and son enjoy steak jerky.
4.My biggest change was losing the anxiety I felt every day all the time. I always had a pain in my chest, and was tightly wound. My husband is self employed and I have two driving teenagers…enough said! Now I am much calmer, not as quick to jump into anger. There has not been any pain…anywhere since the third week in. I feel so blessed to be headed toward perfect health living this clean lifestyle.
5.Our doctor has lost 90 pounds living Primal. He bought and sent us the book with a note telling us about his journey and hoped we would try it too.
6.I am one of the excercise haters. We mostly walk the dog a few times a week. I am lifting heavier things, and hope as I drop weight I will feel compelled to move even more.
7.We have had to drum it into our heads over and over…our health is more important than watching a tv show. We have been turning that thing off and getting up to work on projects or take a walk with the dog.
8.The simplicity of it. It really is not hard. Once you wrap your head around what eating SAD does to your mind and body and you begin to want to eat Primally all the time.
9.The 80/20 rule is for eating out with us. When you are invited to a party or dinner and have no control over what you are fed. We were invited to a grad party where the host made our plates. My husband and I sweetly ate the pasta and the enchiladas given to us…and later suffered the pain and bloating. I strive for 95/5, because I really like sugar in my coffee.
10. My spouse is my support. He has been wonderful about helping me drag our kids into this (because there was a snot-load of complaining and bitterness when we took away all carbs)He helps me put out a blog, so that our families and friends can share recipes that we have tried and liked.
Thanks again Mark!
How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
-As a college student without a lot of money to spare, I really have to work at this one. Besides the obvious (Sales and weekend specials) I’ve found that I’m able to save a lot of money by buying large portions of meat. For example, I buy an entire chicken or fish, instead of just a chicken breast or salmon filet, that I will prepare myself. Yes this takes more time, but I find that the money I save is worth it.
How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
-I snack often! Probably 3-4 snacks a day. My favorites are carrots with some guacamole, sliced apple with cinnamon and almond butter for dipping, or home made trail mix.
What do you do for fun/play?
-Besides playing sports, I like to take my dog to the park and chase each other. I’ll wait until he gets about 25-30 yards away from me distracted by the bushes or trees, then I will call his name and start running. My dog immediately breaks into a full sprint and ALWAYS catches me. We do this about 10 times and we’re both pretty exhausted by the end of it.
How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
-What I did was express to her how strongly I feel about this lifestyle. I told her that I greatly enjoy her company and I want us to live long, healthy, and happy lives together. She was able to see how passionate I am about primal living. I told her to just give it a shot for 30 days and then she can go back to eating the way she wants if she didn’t like it. She will be starting in a couple of weeks and I think that after the 30 days when she goes back to the non-primal food she will be able to feel the discomfort in her body.
9. 80 = Wonderfully tasty and satisfying primal foods. 20 = Ice cream and booze.
1. How do you keep costs down eating Primal? I watch for sales and only shop for produce that is in season. I bought a freezer pack from my local butcher, which was expensive upfront, but saved me a couple hundred in the long run.
2. How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them? They eat the same food that I eat. We all eat the same meals. At their dad’s, they eat a lot of unprimal foods unfortunately, and since I can’t change that, I just focus on what they eat here and hope they are learning good eating habits from me.
3. How often do you snack, and what do you snack on? Not often, but if I do, it’s usually on leftovers from the previous meal
4. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice? My body doesn’t feel horrible anymore. It was normal to feel aches or nauseated in my SAD days. Now that I eat properly, I don’t feel that way. It took about 3-4 days, after the carb-flu was over. I felt great!
5. How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with? Smile, nod, and carry on with my day.
6. What do you do for fun/play? My kids are still learning to ride their bikes, so I run with them and sometimes race them. We spend a lot of time at the park. Their favourites are Tag and Follow the Leader. On my own, I enjoy going for my walk – 6.2 miles!
7. How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.? While my kids are still in school (preschool and SK), I go out for a walk in the morning. I also own a treadmill and try to walk on that on the days I don’t get out. I don’t own a car, so we are forced to walk everywhere, like the park, grocery store, post office, bank, library, etc.
8. What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you? Being able to eat fats. I have spent years avoiding fats like the plague. I’m glad that I can eat the foods that I love!
9. What does 80/20 mean to you? Nothing. I go 100%. The 20% is if I make a mistake, but I don’t rely on the 80/20 rule to allow cheats. I want to eat healthy and be healthy. I don’t want 20% junk in my body.
10. How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them? You can only model something, not change a behaviour. It’s their choice. I’m not going to pressure anyone in eating like me, just as I wouldn’t want them to pressure me to eat like them.
1. Stock up on meat sales!
2. No kids yet, but the cat eats that Blue Buffalo stuff
3. I’ve reduced snacking, but when I do it’s usually almonds, berries and 70% chocolate.
4. My digestive health improved drastically within a month, and I incinerated 27lbs in 3 weeks…all of it from my skinny fat-guy gut.
5. Not something I’ve dealt with yet. Next time I go for a physical, we shall see what happens…..
6. Don’t really do much outside of lifting weights 3x a week. Was never good or had much interest in team sports or cardio.
7. I’ve switched to a standing desk at work, and I’m walking around pretty much all day. No real need to find time for a recreational walk.
8. I just love the logic behind it. Also, bacon.
9. You gotta live, so when I indulge in something outside the PB, there’s no guilt. That said, a ‘cheats’ are few and far between.
10. The wife is on board, though I do have to babysit her from time to time because she has a tendency to stray.
1- It took me a few months to acquire enough recipes, meal options, snacks, etc. to efficiently food shop so I wasn’t letting food go to waste. I have a good repertoire of meals I can center around canned salmon (about one-third of the cost of a wild salmon filet), grass fed ground beef (half the price per pound of grass-fed ribeye, which I occasionally buy!),
2- I do not have kids, yet.
3- I rarely snack anymore. I have been primal since October 2011. Before that time, I would always have a mid-day snack at 3pm with my afternoon cup of coffee (either nuts and fruit or a cliff bar). Once I went primal, it was only nuts and an apple, which later turned to just an apple, which has now turned into nothing. When I do need a snack, I usually have an apple, some berries, or some cottage cheese. I turn to nuts less frequently as I find them to be addicting, but when I do eat nuts, I go for macadamias and walnuts.
4- It’s a tie (one physical, one mental). My physique about one month after going Primal completely changed. My abs, which disappeared after high school, were noticeable again. My stomach fat completely disappeared. Additionally, my energy levels and focus were more stable. Typically, I would be so lethargic and unproductive after my lunch (because of what I was eating). About one month in, I was noticing better concentration during that time.
5- When I initially went primal, I asked my doctor what he thought. He was very interested since he promoted the paleo-diet at that time. He now promotes the Primal Blueprint!
6- I love boxing. I try to go to boxing classes twice per week. Outside of that, I enjoy golfing. I try to play 2-3 times per month when the weather is nice.
7- I live in Manhattan, so when I have the opportunity (weather permitting!), I walk wherever I go. Last night, I walked home from work (from Times Square to Soho – took approximately 45 minutes).
8- I can still eat the foods I have always enjoyed but used to exclude from my diet when I was mis-informed (i.e. less red meat and saturated fat and more whole grains/fiber)
9- It means “sustainability.” There are certain foods and drinks that I could never give up (i.e. BBQ, Mexican, craft beers, and whiskey). Knowing that I can break the rules every-so-often makes having these food/drinks more enjoyable.
10- Fortunately, neither my girlfriend nor immediate family members have habits that are harmful to their health. Everyone certainly doubted that the Primal Blueprint was the right way initially, but everyone has come to realize that the proof is in the pudding (i.e. my weight loss, lower blood pressure, better cholesterol results, increased strength, etc).
1. How do you keep costs down eating Primal? I think often times eating primal can be cheaper than eating a “normal” American diet. A good primal diet consists of very nutrient rich foods which don’t need to be processed or sold in funky packaging. The one trick is to plan ahead. If I’m hungry in the city or for lunch there are not very many primal options. Planning ahead with left-overs and packed snacks can keep you on track and relieve a little of the stress of running around looking for primal foods.
2. How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them? I don’t have children.
3. How often do you snack, and what do you snack on? I have a stressful job, and part of keeping my mind focused is properly snacking for me. I keep a bag of almonds in my bag, and will eat about a handfull per day. If I am dragging, especially on the day after a hard workout I will have a couple pieces of fruit throughout the day.
4. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice? I was lucky enough to not need to make many changes to become fully primal. Once I started relying on animal fats for energy I started noticing less fatigue through-out the day. I used to crave a quick carb burst to get some energy at work, now I have noticed that my blood sugar has not been fluctuating as much, and I don’t get these cravings anymore.
5. How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with? Ha. Well I am a health professional, so I am armed with a little more ammunition and can defend myself better than most. I’m lucky to work in a pretty open-minded setting, and most of the health professionals I surround myself with are very open minded. Any health professional who doesn’t live under a rock will agree that inflammation caused from sugars and other toxins are the biggest causes for CAD. Its proving that extra cholesterol in the diet does not necessarily increase blood levels of CHOL.
6. What do you do for fun/play? I fly fish a lot. This works well into primal living. I don’t keep many fish, but if I do they are primal! and it involves a lot of walking, I end up walking about 5-7 miles each time I fish. Also, rock climbing.
7. How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.? Fly fishing! I walk 5-7 miles each time. I try to go rock climbing 1 time per week.
8. What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you? The way I feel. I feel amazing with no highs and lows in my blood sugar. No cravings.
9. What does 80/20 mean to you? As much as I love the primal blueprint it is still important to me to enjoy things that I love, and that I enjoyed before the primal lifestyle. Beer, limited sweets. I am training for a 10 mile obstacle course and have been jogging about 4-5 miles 1x per week. There should always be a balance between your goals (primal blueprint) and everything else you enjoy.
10. How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them? I just continue explaining the thought behind what I practice. Eventually they end up seeing that it seems to be working for me and they will think about it with a little more open of a mind.
1. The answer to keeping costs down is 100% Latin mercados and Asian groceries. Good veggies and the supermercado here even has Australian grass fed beef because my primal venezuelan friend is their Sysco rep.
To me the easiest way to stay primal is to learn how to read nutrition labels and then buy nothing that has one. Instant primal!
I never answered last years questions, so to “What do you think is the most important thing one should understand as they attempt to go Primal?”
Time is like pie: the more you take, the more you’ll have.
3. I snack two to three times a day on either walnuts, almonds, almond butter, greek yogurt, fruit, cheese or some combo of protein and carbs. Sometimes the snack is a square or two dark chocolate (60 to 72%).
4. Reduced fatigue (within 2 days), no acid reflux (~ 10 days), very few GI issues (within just a few days), and rather than feeling like I have year round allergies I’ve only had issues this spring/summer.
5. Not particularly well, I do what I want. Sometimes I debate/argue and sometimes I just tell them what they want to hear and then do what I want to do.
6. Run, read, bicycle with friends, play MMORPG’s or other video games.
9. ~ 4 meals or snacks a week can contain a cheat ingredient is what 80/20 means to me.
10. I continued to prepare or buy my husbands preferred grains while introducing him to healthier options. He’s not eating primal but he’s no longer eating frozen breakfasts and Zingers for snacks either. I eliminated grains from dinner for myself and my husband eats what I prepare so he has one meal a day that’s high in proteins and good fats and vegetable carbs.
PRIMAL ADVICE
How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
Still working on this, but farmers markets, coops, keeping the middle man out of the equation works great. The barter system works well also, someone who fishes and needs computer work, someone who needs veggies but has plenty of meat, talk to people network, share resources.
How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them?
My kids are just learning about this as I pass info along to them, they have tried the vegetarian lifestyle and found it to be to much work, now they are embracing a Primal Vegan Vegetarian concept mixing it together, they are teens and have learned along the way what works for them, sugar is not a problem but the grains will take time to get out of the diet, they have to make the choice themselves I cannot force it upon them.
How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
Not as often as some other concepts suggest, I really don’t find myself that hungry that often, if so water or tea is my first goto it is always close, next used to be peanuts but we all the know the story on them, so I am working towards more sunflower seeds and more appropriate nuts and seeds, a piece of dark chocolate might fall into play sometime when the urge is insistent.
What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
Hope! I hate, hate, hate the idea of running on a treadmill for days on end, working out in a gym for hours at a time, the simple and productive exercise concepts that Primal inspires gave me hope, placed a light at the end of the tunnel and made future bright. I noticed it almost as soon as I understood all the laws and then noticed that I was no longer anxious.
How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
Google it! You are in charge of your health nobody else is going to look out for your best interest. Even with the amount of bad information out there it still is worth looking up information for yourself, look for trust worthy resources, compare information, ASK QUESTIONS, find a doctor you trust (find an anti-aging or naturopath or integrative doctor). Accept the fact that sometimes you are forced to play the game to get what you need from the broken system we live with, but don’t accept that as all you can do, look for options, use the medical system to get what only they can provide or your insurance will pay for then save and splurge on yourself for things that they might not cover, read, read, read, read, and when you get confused read it again, ask more questions, challenge the ideas and read some more.
What do you do for fun/play?
I play Racquetball like I was a kid in my 20′s, I laugh, scream, yell, dive, jump, run, bounce off the wall and love it all. I walk on the beach and look forward to the days in my future when I start playing soccer and softball again. I hope to ski more, and go out on inner tubes with my boys on the lake, I play in the sand at the beach in the creek at the campground, I pretend I am a big dorky kid (that might be because I am).
How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
I built a treadmill into my work desk and try to get in a few miles a day of just normal walking, I get out of the office and walk my sites often, I walk with my girlfriend on dog walks and beach walks, I do dorky little things like try to only use the upstairs bathroom. I still watch some TV because I can tune out (but just turned off cable). I am learning to get up earlier and let go of the world earlier at night. I schedule even the play or relaxation time.
What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
It is not a diet! It lives by an 80/20 rule that when you think back is more mental than anything else, often you don’t need or even want the 20. It does not fight our system but embraces it. Simplicity.
Bacon…..!
What does 80/20 mean to you?
It means I can mess up, it means that if I have a craving I can just go with it, it means that the pressure is off to be perfect, it means that I can be human.
How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
LEAD BY EXAMPLE! You can’t make anyone do what they don’t want to, they have to find their own path, my doctor says more than once the best eating plan or exercise for a person is the one they will do. I can only lead by example, let them see how well it works how good I feel. I can talk about the concepts share my insights provide the resources and set them on the table in front of them, but they have to pick them up, listen and take the steps on their own.
Thank you,
Carl Behmer
•How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
I do a lot of my own cooking and I bought a drop freezer. I drive four hours twice a year from Boston to Maine to buy a half an organic, grass-fed cow for $5/#. That cow comes with a lot of ground beef and we use that to make taco meat and serve over a green salad with vegetables from Costco, organic when possible. Makes up a lot of our meals and is relatively inexpensive.
•How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
I “snack” for dinner usually because I eat a big breakfast and a big lunch. So dinner is usually a smoothie with 2-3 macadamia nuts and some seaweed salad. Other times I snack on a piece of fruit (especially when traveling) or on full fat plain yogurt with thawed frozen berries.
I think the most important thing about “snacking” is making sure you have plenty of great food choices on hand so if you’re feeling that “snacky/bored” impulse coming on, you can go right to the fridge or freezer and pull out a delicious roast red pepper, olive & feta salad or spinach sauteed with bacon & onion.
•What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
Almost right away I noticed that my morning “smoker’s cough” that I’ve had since I was a kid (I’ve never smoked in my life) went away. It was a gluten reaction…
•How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
I have two neurologists on opposite ends of the spectrum. One is a total believer in the “forks over knives” theory of eating and that it makes a huge impact on disease progression, the other is totally “Big pharma fixes everything, diet is meaningless” Both are very accepting of my choices since I pay such close attention to my health, getting lots of exercise, eating lots of veggies, sticking to my drugs etc. I think that if your metrics don’t show that what you are doing is working (low blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides) then your doctor may have a point.
•What do you do for fun/play?
Take my two labs for a bike ride and a swim. We have a paved trail nearby with a hidden pond (I live IN the city of Boston, if I can find this sort of thing, I hope you can too)
•How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
Get rid of cable
•What does 80/20 mean to you?
It means I can still have dairy if it’s full fat, raw and fermented, I can still have some pineapple or other really sweet fruit every now and then. I can politely eat a few bites of whatever new gluten free dessert my family always cooks up when I visit (a few times a year) I can have some rice or rice noodles if my co-workers decide to have Japanese or Thai for lunch on a given week.
Emailed.
How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
- I try to shop local, farmers markets and load up on produce.
How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them?
- No kidlets but my friends kids like how I cook:)
How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
- I try and snack 3 times a day between meals. Nuts and fruit for treats. I try and keep my meals loaded with veggies and treats for a snack.
What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
- Leaner, more stable blood sugar
How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
- I openly disagree with them.
What do you do for fun/play?
- Weight train, run, hike, swim, bike, climb
How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
- I don’t own a car..so I try and walk everywhere:)
What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
- I like the lifestyle aspects, dark room, walk more, relax, have fun! We know these things we just don’t do them!
What does 80/20 mean to you?
80% primal 100% of the time. 20% room for treats.
How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
- Lead by example. The best way to help others is to transform yourself.
1) How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
I order 5 kilos of the best grass-fed beef at once, paying up to two months up front while waiting for slaughter… and it is so worth it. Other than that, not watching costs that much – but I am single, and saving buckets just because I don’t order pizza and croques anymore.
3) How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
Not much of a snacker… mainly veggies or meat balls/ chicken stripes if I need something in between.
4) What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
2 weeks in, my feet stopped hurting. Which was huge… this wasn’t just weight-related, the instep was suffering from inflammation. And after 2 weeks, it just went away, while I was actually resorting to crutches before that. (I have metal in one foot due to an accident two years ago, but the main pain was in the other foot. Go figure.)
5) How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
Change health professionals, if possible. I honestly don’t go much anymore, because the last advice I got was gastric surgery… yeah, right. As if.
6) What do you do for fun/play?
Visit my best friend and her toddler… nothing is better than romping in the yard with a little one.
7) How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
Not lots, unfortunately. I have started getting out earlier from my work bus, walking the last 3-4 stops or so. Use my off days to get down to the Alster (urban lake in Hamburg) to just hang out or meet friends. But that part needs improvement.
8) What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
It allows for human weaknesses, gives me room to decide for myself what *my* body needs (instead of extremely rigid rules) and is a very holistic approach – body, mind, and soul.
9) What does 80/20 mean to you?
Still need to lose many many pounds and tackle some health concerns… after that, maybe.
Nothing right now.
10) How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
Not a spouse, but parents… I finally got my dad (stroke, 2 heart attacks, diabetes, etc) to switch to grass-fed meat, and am bringing food along whenever I go, trying to wean him off carbs, too… I am hoping my good example will eventually be enough to switch him over.
Hugs from Hamburg!
Gila
I am looking forward to the e-book, I’ve only just started in January.
1) How do you keep costs down eating Primal?
I don’t worry a lot about costs; I don’t call certain foods expensive, I call them valuable. Valuable to my health, my skin, my digestion, and my athletic performance: valuable to me! I also buy almost completely whole foods instead of their packaged counterparts- buying raw almonds for almond butter can cut your costs in half, while avoiding added sugar and allowing you to soak some of the bad stuff out.
2) How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them?
No kids yet, but i can see that happening down the road a little and i’m so excited to build primal eating habits from the start. The boyfriend secretly may think i’m totally crazy, but he certainly doesn’t complain when i feed him, and sees it as a fun challenge to feed me.
3) How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
I don’t usually need to snack, except on refeeding days following an extended fast (20-24 hours), which i do 1, maybe 2 times per week. On these refeeding days, i’m grazing the whole day, eating whatever feels right (paleo, that is). I love almond butter with carrots, homemade jerky, whole cucumbers, and of course any berries.
4) What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
I started eating paleo in order to lose a little fat and get ready for bikini season last spring. I had already been without gluten, dairy, and refined sugars for a year before that because of digestive problems, but doing paleo, while more restrictive, allowed me to focus for the first time on enjoying all the foods I could eat rather than lamenting the ones I couldn’t. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t ashamed of eating fats, and was feeling great using them. I shed the extra weight quickly, won an abs contest at spring break, and have kept lean and feeling pretty great since.
5) How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
I haven’t needed to see a doctor in quite a while, but I do occasionally talk with my nursing and pre-med friends about paleo and intermittent fasting. They’re of course concerned and doubtful, but i remain confident and back off if it no longer goes in a constructive direction. I find that most people will share my belief that when you’re well in tune with how your body uses and sometimes reacts against the foods you put in it, you’re the #1 expert on it.
6) What do you do for fun/play?
I love to do bodyweight circuits (bodyrock.tv), run, and play ultimate frisbee with my college’s womens team.
7) How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
I don’t have a car, and while I live close to campus, most things are between 1 and 2 miles away. When i don’t have to carry a lot, i love to run ‘functionally’- not because i’m late, but because I feel like it. I run at all times of day, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, to where ever i’m going, and the mileage adds up!
8) What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
Avoiding (really, minimizing) toxins. It’s the simplest way to feel your best.
9) What does 80/20 mean to you?
Freedom and enjoying life with friends; taking stress out of the equation. Not worrying about having a woodchuck at a party, and feeling great about the occasional cozy night in with chinese takeout (no soy sauce, but plenty of rice!). Whereas veganism has these lofty moral constructions about what foods to never touch, paleo lets you discover for yourself what works for your body, and i think that’s pretty great.
10) How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
Dump ‘em!
That stubborn self-sabotage is something that will carry over to other aspects of their (and your) life. I’m not into nagging others about their food choices, there are other people out there who are as passionate as you are about the power of nutrition, and care about themselves enough to implement it.
1. How do you keep costs down eating Primal? By not buying junk anymore (bread, Ben & Jerry’s, popcorn), we find that we are able to buy the good (organic, grass-fed when we can) stuff without seeing a change in the grocery bill.
2. How Primal do your kids eat, and what do you feed them? We are happily married with no kids thus far, but when a little Grokling does enter this world, he or she will be as Primal as we can manage. Including getting dirty! No allergies in that kid’s future.
3. How often do you snack, and what do you snack on?
I find that I do not usually snack. I eat when I feel like eating (sometimes that means skipping meals), but if I have the urge, my go-to is the trusty nut. I learned to keep a close watch on how much I snack because those little delights are deceptively calorie-packed. I gained back 2 lbs in a week and could not understand why until I realized I was eating 3-4 servings of nuts almost every day. I calmed down, kept it to 1-1.5 servings per day, and the weight fell off again. Their fat content is enough to keep me going for hours if I ever do need a pick-me-up. My favorites are almonds, but macadamia and Brazil nuts are my other go-to.
4. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your life since going Primal, and how long did it take to notice?
It took two weeks for me to feel the difference going Primal made. I felt lighter, leaner, healthier, and more clear-headed in days. I never realized that consuming grains and potatoes was causing me to live in a fog. The biggest change was the disappearance of my GI problems. I was diagnosed with small-bowel bacterial overgrowth (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001269/) and was on medicine for over a year to “cure” the problem. After nearly 11 months of medication, it finally seemed to be working, but after 2 weeks of being Primal, my symptoms vanished. I do not know if I was incorrectly diagnosed or if it was the SAD that was making me sick in the first place, but going Primal cured me of an inconvenient, uncomfortable, daily nuisance. I am normal (and regular, which people truly take for granted, but I never will).
5. How do you cope with health professionals giving you advice you disagree with?
I have not shared my new Primal life with my medical professional, yet. I am healthier than I have been in years, so I am not going back until my yearly physical. However, my father, after being Primal for a month, wanted to ask his cousin, our family dentist, his opinion as a medical professional. He laughed and told my dad that he actually went Primal two weeks ago and was perusing MDA just before he walked in the room.
6. What do you do for fun/play?
Yard work (we moved in two years ago, and our property withstood 20 years of neglect, so we are trying to hack a yard out of the wilderness), hiking, martial arts, tennis, evening walks with my husband.
7. How do you find time to do lots of walking or other low-level exercise, play, relaxation, etc.?
As a high-school teacher, I am usually walking class-to class on a daily basis, so that’s nice. Outside of school, I always take the stairs, when I go out I pick spots in parking lots far from doors, I go to the gym 3 times a week, but for 30 minutes (tops) per session, as opposed to my old 60+ “marathons.”
8. What is the most attractive feature of the Primal Blueprint to you?
BEING HEALTHY! I feel better than I ever have in my life. I feel more alive, mobile, and aware of my surroundings. I am one of those “live to eat” people: I truly adore eating. And now my meals are not just delicious but satisfying. When I finish, I always wish there was more, but then I relax and realize how comfortably satisfied I am. And no more “food comas.”
Plus, I can enjoy delicious, high-fat meals without the guilt that came with the SAD. I ADORE cheese, and always buy organic, so I literally pile it on.
9. What does 80/20 mean to you?
Freedom! I do my best as often as I can (I shoot for 95/5) because I know how I will FEEL if I eat sugar or grains — it’s not about my waist-line, but I am still vain enough to care about that, too. That 20 is there for when I feel like I am at risk of depriving myself from an amazing-looking dessert at a nice restaurant, or from the best pizza in the state.
10. How do you handle a spouse/partner/significant other who refuses to change their own habits, even if they quite clearly are harmful to them?
It was my husband’s idea to go Primal, so we are 100% in this together, and we know we are the reason each of us took to it so easily. We shop and cook Primal, play and rest Primal, and we even started sleeping differently after finding a Sleep Posture post in MDA archives. What I had to learn was to stop trying to preach to my mother and sister, because they are stubborn and “happy” with how they eat, even though they are not happy with how they look or feel. They are a microcosm for all the others around me that I want to help, but I realized, that I can lead a person to the path of a delicious, vibrant, healthy lifestyle, but I can’t make them take their first steps. It’s like quitting smoking or any addiction: You have to WANT it.