Sally's primal experiment :) page

[Sally]

Well... I just read the Primal Blueprint book cover to cover in a day. I can't even express adequately how much sense it made to me. I started yesterday with the primal diet, but a word about the past:

Grew up doing 4-5 hours cardio daily (was a long-distance competitive swimmer)

Had 3 children between the age of 22 and 26, massive weight gain

Fluctuated between 135 (my target weight) and 200 ever since.

At 39, I decided I needed to do a triathlon before 40. Did one, with Team in Training, but immediately ceased most of the exercise when I completed it. Again bounced around from 140 to 160.

Three months ago, with weight again creeping way up (175!) I started to go to acupuncture, to treat depression, anxiety, fatigue and weight gain. So far acupuncture has been AMAZING (and so have the chinese herbs I'm taking in conjunction) but when it came to weight loss, their approach didn't seem workable. It was a severely limited calorie diet with two rice-protein based meal-replacement "shakes" each day, but no restrictions on the type of other calories I was choosing.

The rice protein didn't agree with my system much, so I was yo-yoing between doing it or not - the first week I lost 5 lbs, then the next 10 days I put 2 back on. Disheartened because I was hungry all the time, and the protein was making me sick, I nonetheless went back to the strict diet for another week - then I discovered this book. Bottom line is I like FOOD, not the same boring shake twice a day.

I know it's too soon to tell, but so far so good. I don't have a sweet tooth, so that's good. My activity levels are close to what's recommended, so I am thinking of adding my sprints via swimming - I have the moderate stuff down, and I need to add weight training. The hardest part exercise-wise is that swimming is my main cardio and it's difficult to keep my heart rate within the 55-75 recommended. I tend to go a single speed unless I am all-out sprinting. I think I'll just be doing more backstroke in my workouts.

Incidentally, I have uber-high cholesterol. 283 at age eight, tracked at 462 last year. My doctor (of course) wants me to take statins, but I've always had a gut-feel reaction that it wasn't good. Luckily I have great triglycerides, good blood pressure, etc. - in other words no other risk factors. Am interested to see if the "genetically high" cholesterol I've had my whole life is affected by this diet. I would love to surprise my doctor with that little tidbit.

Anyhow, I will track progress here and would love to hear from others with "genetic" cholesterol like my own, as to their success with primal eating.

[Sally]

So far so good, although I need to look up balsamic vinegar and balsamic glaze. Maybe a sugar-no happened yesterday, not sure. If balsamic glaze is just cooked down vinegar, does that count?

Anyhow, I ended up yesterday with:

Fat: 53g
Carb: 66g
Protein: 64g
with an overall 1415 calorie intake

Felt like I ate a ton, but I didn't get any meaningful exercise in.

Today's exercise is play: taking 5 teenagers to Pike Place Market in Seattle, so lots of slow walking. Oh, and foraging..hehe

Will check on scale after a full 7 days.

[Cosima]

Welcome, Sally! Sounds like you're doing great. I'll be interested to see how your cholesterol is affected by PB- I'm guessing you'll see changes for the better.

Have fun foraging!

[Sally]

hey, thanks for the welcome, Cosima.. foraging netted me lots of yummy things to make for dinner AND a cute pair of shoes.. heh

[Sally]

Since I just switched 5 days ago, from the rice-protein based cleanse I was on to primal, I'm not sure which one accounts for which - however, in the past 10 days, I lost 4 lbs. yay!

and I feel like i eat all the time - I also feel like it's primal that's working, since I had been on the rice protein meal replacement thing (mostly) for almost a month, with a net loss of 2.

trying to get the husband switched over with me, so I don't have to cook extra.

[Sally]

Trying to get back on track with the journaling - so far pretty good on the diet. Oh, and for anyone who is missing something crunchy as I was, www.skinnycrisps.com - they make low-carb crackers made primarily of nuts, seeds and chickpea flour. Finally, something to put my tunafish and eggsalad on.

[Randall]

Hi Sally, figured I join in on a new forum as a fellow newbie to the PB lifestyle....seems like you've adopted it pretty well so far, good stuff!!

How are you feeling with regards to your energy levels after the first few weeks? I'm also a couple of weeks in and whilst committed to sticking to it, its defeinately taking some getting used to?

Keep up the good work!

[Sally]

Hi Sally, figured I join in on a new forum as a fellow newbie to the PB lifestyle....seems like you've adopted it pretty well so far, good stuff!!

How are you feeling with regards to your energy levels after the first few weeks? I'm also a couple of weeks in and whilst committed to sticking to it, its defeinately taking some getting used to?

Keep up the good work!

Energy is actually really good - that's what is making it easy for me to stay on it, I just feel better. I did have one very emotional day about 10 days in, where I caved, ate a bunch of carbs and slept for about 10 hours straight, but nothing weird other than the one day. How is yours going?

[shannon]

hi sally, welcome and good luck;-)

[Randall]

Not too bad thanks, but I have been lacking on the energy front and i'm still finding i'm always wanting more , especially if i'm not kept busy. You know they say there's a thin line between boredom and hunger!!

Am going to try adjusting the carb intake upward a little as i've tried to be quite restrictive straight in and i'm quite active so I may be under-shooting my requirements a little, we'll see.