Primal Journal - svelting page

[svelting]

Demo:
46 years old
Female
187 cm (6' 1.75")
weight: 207
location: Southwestern Ontario

Goals:
Lose body fat (continuing recent 55 lb weight loss)
Figure out how my body is intended to look
Get/increase my sanity about food
Stabilize my energy and mood

Challenges:
- tendency to mild depression, which gets worse in fall winter (I do light treatment)
- family history of hypothyroid issues; my last levels were within acceptable ranges but I have symptoms -- hairlessness, cold hands and feet, low body temperature, fatigue)

History
- SA(C)D from childhood through young adulthood
- no major dieting history except recent weight loss while on VLC (<30 net), VL calorie (≈ 900 kcal), low fat program
- weight gained mostly from inactivity resulting from move to a high-rise building in a suburban car-dominated area, and plantar fasciitis
- trichotillomania (hair pulling) which disappeared with topical anti-fungal treatments started 11 months ago. My urges seem to rise occasionally. Uncertainty and anxiety are emotional triggers, I'm not sure what food(s) makes those emotions more intense and less manageable

First primal steps for next 30 days
- taper off the processed foods I've used to date
- get fat to 55% - 60% (at about 50% for last 7 days)
- get calories up to 1500 - 1600 per day

[svelting]

Grains: No significant grain consumption since early July 2010 (probably less than 1/4 cup of wheat flour in the 4 months)
Legumes: a fair amount of soy, minimal peanuts/peanut butter
Daily Supplements: a multi vitamins and minerals (iron-free), 5-8000 IU D3, 1 mg fish oil (500 mg DHA, 425 mg EPA)

Macronutrient history for last 3 months, approximate monthly averages. Some days are missing -- I went a bit rogue with the food. Had I faced the truth about those days, the calories, carbs and fat averages would probably be slightly higher. <shrug>
30 days recorded in August:

• 804 calories
• 37 g carbohydrates (19%)
• 26 g fat (30%)
• 101 g protein (51%)

19 days average in September

• 812 calories
• 43 g carbohydrates
• 24 g fat
• 107 g protein

25 day average in October, started shifting toward PB by increasing fat intake with coconut oil and 18% cream:

• 1148 calories
• 61 g carbohydrates
• 53 g fat
• 112 g protein

Data is power!

[Greensprout]

Welcome.

Good start, but from what you have shared, definitely add more calories and more fat to what you're eating. 1200 calories a day seems way low.

[svelting]

Greenprout Thanks for the welcome and the suggestion. For sure, more calories and fat are my first set of measures to change.

[tooround]

Hi Honey! It's Susan, srmb60 from 3FC.

[svelting]

Hi Honey! It's Susan, srmb60 from 3FC.

Hi Susan! I never would have guessed from your name... you're anything but too round! =D

[svelting]

Sunday 31 Oct
B: 2 eggs, 1/4 c egg whites, 1/4 18% cream, coconut oil, 2 x coffee with 18% cream, 1 apple
Snack: almonds (about 12?)
L: none really -- a highly dissatisfying and disgusting tasting "protein" bar
D: roast chicken leg & thigh, roasted sweet potato (butter & chicken fat), broccoli
Supplements: 7000IU D3, multi-vitamin, 1 g Fish oil (500 mg DHA, 425 EPA), 120 ug K2*, 150 mg Mg (time release chelate)* (*=new)

Note about eggwhites & 18% cream: I'm using up supplies. Why waste them? I will mix the 18% with heavy cream this week.

Lesson learned real food good, processed "health" food unpredictable; need to plan real food.

Physical I feel good having real food and am loving the increased fat. I felt great for about 2-3 months but for the last couple of weeks I have had this weird tiredness and lack of focus. I can't figure out what might be causing it. It's not presenting the way the seasonal depression usually does, the "tired behind the eyes" feeling I call it. It's more of a tired around the eyes. Could I possibly have high-fat flu instead of a low-carb flu?

Monday Nov. 1
B: 2 eggs, 1/4 c egg whites, 1/4 18% cream, coconut oil, 2 x coffee with 18% cream, + sweet potato/onion/apple casserole
morning: 2x coffee with half/half
L: pizza toppings (cheese, pepperoni & veg) about 4 - 4x4 in pieces (really thin on the cheese, though )
D: almonds and salad, coconut oil off the sppon

Notes: not nearly enough veg or good fat (pizza store pepperoni and cheese, really? ) Tomorrow, some zucchini with breakfast, maybe some mixed berries; dental appointment so maybe something easy to chew... big salad with avocado & tuna for lunch, we'll see about dinner

Supplements:
7000IU D3
multi-vitamin
1 g Fish oil (500 mg DHA, 425 EPA)
120 ug vitamin K2
150 mg Mg (time release chelate)
multi-mineral (all citrares)
kelp (750 ug iodine)

[primalmaven]

Another thread that I will have to subscribe to...
My DH is getting annoyed with my forum compulsions...

[svelting]

Another thread that I will have to subscribe to...
My DH is getting annoyed with my forum compulsions...

Hi ... I guess I should have read the book about hiding out in plain sight ... I imagine tip #1 reads: "Don't use the same name." I'm happy to be found. Nice to see you and thanks for posting!

[svelting]

Tuesday & Wednesday -- I was recovering from the dental work and then feeling a bit sorry for myself -- gave myself excuses to eat crappity-crappy processed crap. Jaw and gums seem to have recovered 90% so back to basics!

Ok, back in the journaling groove

Thursday Nov. 4
B -- my new fave: 2 eggs + egg whites (almost gone) + cream, cooked in coconut oil, coffee + cream
snack (hungry before lunch meeting) 1/2 cucumber
Lunch: big salad (spring mix, broccoli, onion) with salmon, 1/2 avocado, EVOO dressing
D: mashed cauliflower & goat cheese (so good!), almonds, 2 tsp coconut oil in the mash and off the spoon

1200- 1250 calories & over 55% fat! There's room for a

Supplements: I think the changes I made earlier this week in my supplements have improved my fatigue. since then. Maybe it's the iodine in the kelp. Whatever it is it's working. Should it stop, I'll investigate and adjust.