Wrong time to start again page

[aprilleigh1974]

It's kinda the wrong time of year to try to start this again, but I really need to get back on the Primal wagon. Me and hubby went primal about 8 months ago, for 2 months, and we both loved it, lost weight and felt terrific. Then I had to get a part time job (on top of my full time job) and I just don't have the time I used to have to dedicate to food prep. I need ideas and (encouragement!) to get this going again. I need as many crock pot ideas as possible because three days a week I get home after 11:00pm (and I work weekends) and if I hadn't already made something, we usually end up at the only place that's still open - Whataburger or Taco Bueno. So obviously in the past 5 months since I got my PT job, I've gained all the weight back, gotten the normal cold/flu and pneumonia, and we just feel like crap. My energy level is so low all I want to do is sleep between jobs and I end up drinking alot of coffee just to keep going.

Here's an idea of our typical day:
Hubby is a plumber, so I need ideas for his lunch w/out access to microwave
I work in an office 8 hrs, get off at 4:00 and go to part time job at 7:00. Work from 7-11 come home and try to sleep after drinking coffee earlier to keep up with 2nd job.

When I put it like that...it seems like there should be time for everything, but during the times I'm not working I just want to sleep.

Help if you have any ideas, please. I know this is the plan we need because it works. I just feel so lost trying to get back in it.

April in Texas

[r_squared02]

Hey April! I don't think there's ever a wrong time to start...more challenging maybe! Everyone (IRL anyway) has nay-said my whole30 challenge for myself this month because "it's the holidays!". It just makes me more determined, lol.

Anyway, when I have time, I make extra meatballs and cook extra ground beef. I also throw chicken thighs in the crockpot with some stock and shred it. I keep meal sized containers of these in the freezer for quick, "go to" meals. This is probably not the most primal thing, but I stock up on frozen veggies too. That way I know I have them and they won't go bad so quickly. Instead of microwaving them (which would be ok too, just not as flavorful) I usually pan sautee them with some butter or bacon or roast them in the oven.

If you take a quick look through the forum, I know there's been lots of threads lately on quick dinners and crockpot dinners.

[aprilleigh1974]

Thanks for your response. I work at a bookstore, so I will also look at Mark's cookbook that I haven't gotten yet. Maybe that will help, I kinda forgot about it till now.

[aprilleigh1974]

Oh, and I'm looking at the Whole30 thing right now, too. I'm an all or nothing kind of gal, so I'm sure I'll attempt that.

[BarbeyGirl]

For portable lunches, you can't beat cold, sliced meat (cook up a turkey breast or roast beef or pork and use it all week) with a couple hard-boiled eggs, some sliced veggies/avocado, and maybe a primal energy bar (recipe on this site).

ETA: It would probably be worth your while to look at those open-late restaurants' menus (sometime when you're NOT hungry or in a hurry) and list out some primal options for when you're really in a bind. Bunless burgers, etc...

[iniQuity]

Oh, and I'm looking at the Whole30 thing right now, too. I'm an all or nothing kind of gal, so I'm sure I'll attempt that.

I'm doing whole30 right now, but I have TONS of free time. However, I cook 90% of my meals in the mornings. I wake around 6:30 and cook from 7 to 7:30 (after a workout or just after sitting on the computer for a bit) but most of my meals are quick stir frys or something similar.

I don't know if given your current situation you should attempt something so restrictive as whole30, especially if you have a tendency to get down on yourself from failure to complete something. If sometimes you have no choice but to eat something you didn't prepare you may run into many issues trying to find something whole30 approved.

Personally, I think you should work on a routine of making good meals for you and your husband and finding times throughout the day (or a few days a week) to cook for a couple of days. I think you should shoot for as much compliance as possible without putting yourself through the psychological aspect of being 100% "on" all the time. It can be pretty taxing.

[Grizz]

Oh, and I'm looking at the Whole30 thing right now, too. I'm an all or nothing kind of gal, so I'm sure I'll attempt that.

April,
IMO, you need to stop spending so much money. Learn to live on less.
* Buy stuff at garage sales, flea markets, resale stores. Make the rounds every week.
* Find a food salvage store nearest your house. Canned goods typically 50% off
* Sell stuff you don't need at a yard sale
* Start a veggy garden, learn to can your foods
* Raise chickens

* Get out of debt every way possible is most important.
* Cut up the credit cards and never use them again.
* Stop spending money on useless junk
* Get rid of cell phones & go back to 1 landline phone
* Get rid of cable tv, ( or satellite TV) and watch the regular TV channels, get outdoor antenna if required
* No electronic games for the children. Make them play outside
* Combine trips and shop from a list to avoid wasteful driving, car pool with neighbors

LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS.

Best to you,
Grizz

[Saoirse]

April,
IMO, you need to stop spending so much money. Learn to live on less.
* Buy stuff at garage sales, flea markets, resale stores. Make the rounds every week.
* Find a food salvage store nearest your house. Canned goods typically 50% off
* Sell stuff you don't need at a yard sale
* Start a veggy garden, learn to can your foods
* Raise chickens

* Get out of debt every way possible is most important.
* Cut up the credit cards and never use them again.
* Stop spending money on useless junk
* Get rid of cell phones & go back to 1 landline phone
* Get rid of cable tv, ( or satellite TV) and watch the regular TV channels, get outdoor antenna if required
* No electronic games for the children. Make them play outside
* Combine trips and shop from a list to avoid wasteful driving, car pool with neighbors

LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS.

Best to you,
Grizz

did i miss something?

[Grizz]

did i miss something?

Yes,
You missed that they are financially stressed out. Wife working 2 jobs & husband a plumber. No time to stop and eat. This is a terrible life style that they are into. We used to be there, and pulled ourselves out. I pointed out the many tricks we used to get out from that lifestyle.

Grizz

[Minxxa]

I get you on the busyness. I'm working full time and in grad school, plus have the kidlets and hubs is in the military so gone a lot.

Anyway... I agree with iniquity not to press for something too strict. I know you said you work weekends, but not sure what kind of time you got. But what I do (with hubs when he's here) is just mass produce food for the entire week in about 2 hours one day (usually Sunday). So i'll make a bunch of hardboiled eggs, a big thing of tuna salad, a mixed veggie stir fry, some scrambled eggs and bacon, maybe something else like one crockpot meal or just cook up a bunch of chicken thighs in the oven. Then I pack it all up (freeze some) for the week. I spend about 10 minutes in the evenings packing my meals for the next day. Some examples I do:

Bacon and scrambled eggs.
Eggs and sweet potato
tuna salad with avocado and tomato
taco salad (lettuce, ground meat, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado)
BAS (usually chicken, I just bring the chicken thigh with me and cut up before eating)
Shephard's Pie (super easy to make and good)
Chicken and veggies (sometimes I use frozen and just pour in the container, throw in a couple of chicken thighs and that's it, maybe add some sauce/dressing if I have it.

For me it works, cuz it's fast and easy. Like I said, I do spend about 2 hours cooking a LOT of stuff (sometimes three of a lot is going in the oven). But that's usually it for the whole week.

I also have emergency packs of nuts (which I don't eat often just if I get caught somewhere or run out of eats), healthy beef jerky. If I'm really hungry and out I often go to 7-11 and get a banana, some cottage cheese, sometimes they have those hard boiled egg packs.

And on occasion I've been stuck out and will get a bunless burger, or a taco salad and don't eat the shell... but I try not to cuz of the oils they use. But still... better than the alternative!

And try not to be too hard on yourself, the stress of that is worse for you than eating something off once in a while.

Good luck!