Primal Journal - RitaRose page

[RitaRose]

Hi all!

I actually started doing Primal back on Monday, but I'll start up here anyway. I've been researching it for about a month now, and I can see the science is really there. It's a bit scary that this isn't what we're taught up front, but I digress.

I've noticed a pretty serious downturn in my health as of the last year or more. I got moodier (guys, you gotta love that!), I started getting more migraines and I was just plain tired all the time. My ADHD was acting up more too, and it was harder to control. In the midst of a severe "knife in the head for the 3rd day in a row" migraine on Sunday, I finally had enough. So now I'm here.

My stats as of Monday, May 9th...
Age - 46
Height - 5'6"
Starting weight - 168.7
Body fat - 30.6%

As of today, Wednesday May 11th, I'm at 162.5 lbs with 29.6% BF. I'm guessing this is probably due to a really hardcore work route yesterday (basically walking at a reasonable pace for 9 hours straight with only one 15-minute break), so I won't be upset if it's not permanent. I walk outside for a living, usually about 15 miles per day, 6 days a week, so I won't be doing much for excercise other than maybe some yoga on easier days.

Fortunately, I'm in a relationship now where my boyfriend is very supportive, even if he's not quite sure what the whole thing means. Monday night, I made a Coconut Chicken recipe I had from a long time ago when I did Atkins and he loved it. Tonight is steak for me and pork chops for him. He did a lot of research on vitamins and minerals, and I think he found some where I was seriously lacking. So I'm supplementing with a mild multivite, a sublingual B complex, Magnesium and a probiotic for now. I've got Iodine coming in the mail. But I don't expect to be supplementing forever - just until my gut gets back to where it should be.

For now, I'm eliminating dairy. Not sure if I'll be adding it back in again, but I hope so. I love me some Parmesan. And it looks like I've fallen in love with almond butter, so I think I'll have to watch that. Otherwise, it's looking good so far...

[RitaRose]

So it's been a week since I started and here are the stats:

Starting weight 168.7
Current weight 161.5
Net weight loss of 7.2 pounds

Starting bodyfat of 30.6%
Current BF% 29.1%
Net bodyfat loss of 1.5%

VERY happy!

My very favorite part of the week was today, though. I absolutely LOVE bacon, but I can't eat it because the sodium nitrite gives me a 3-day migraine. Even the ones that say they're uncured usually have celery salt or celery seed, and I get the same reaction. Sucks. But my boyfriend spotted a local butcher on the way to the grocery store, so I went in today and asked if he could cut me up some bacon, but without the stuff that makes it, well... real bacon. "Sure, no problem!" So tomorrow I can have BACON!!! Turns out he also sells grass fed beef, so it looks like I'm going to be a regular customer.

Also, when we were at the grocery store, I could see my non-Primal boyfriend eye some of the things he knows I can't eat. I told him he could still eat them if he wanted, and I would be okay. He replied "No, I'm eating what you're eating." Very cool. I've never been in such a supportive relationship before, and it feels so good!

[JKC]

Congrats on the loss - thats awesome!

I had bad migraines before starting primal - that is one of the things that has changed the most. I would get usually 2 migraines a week, and each would run a couple to three days, so I didn't spend much time out of migraine. Since going primal I have had one (maybe 2) and the one I can remember for sure was due to eating something my husband made with a bottled BBQ sauce. I think it has to do with dyes or preservatives that are common, because that is the one thing I don't have any more.

Anyways, good luck with your new way of eating. I have loved it so far.

[RitaRose]

I get the 3-day ones too, due to sulfites, sodium nitrite and maybe some stuff I don't even know about. But what's amazing to me is that the weather is changing, a storm coming in, which would have been automatic migraine, but... nothing happened. I'm absolutely thrilled!

[Bevaboo]

Welcome to Primal, RitaRose! I'm loving it, and I really hope it'll help with your migraines. My husband gets really bad ones, too, so I know how awful they must be. (His are caused by his spine being out-of-whack, unfortunately, so no relief in sight for him. )

It's awesome that your BF is being so supportive of you! Also awesome you've already lost body fat! I calculated mine before I began this, around 25%, but I haven't had the gumption to see if I've changed any. Same goes for body measurements. It's only been about a month (?), so I should prolly check my progress. Too bad I'm so lazy, huh?

[RitaRose]

Thanks, Bevaboo!

I'm twice divorced, and both exes were very critical of my weight, which never was all that high. Both of them were obese, probably morbidly. My BF is pretty skinny (with a tiny little sugar belly), but he's been great, never criticising and being super supportive of me going Primal. Ironic, huh?

I bought a bodyfat scale for about $30 a while back. I work about 15 hours of overtime a week, so I just don't have the time to do the measurements and calculate, but it seems to be pretty accurate as long as I do it at the same time of day (first thing in the morning).

Stormy today and no migraine! I'm loving this!

[JKC]

Yeah - that is what I have found too

Super stressful day....no migraine
Day before my period....no migraine
Weird humid weather.....no migraine
Eat chocolate....no migraine!

You gotta like it
It's great

[secretlobster]

I have come to hate body fat scales... They are incredibly inaccurate. I would venture to guess that your actual body fat percentage is much lower than 30%. The thing about those stupid scales is that they change day-to-day, sometimes by multiple percentages, based on what you ate or whether you drank a glass of water or whatever. Your actual body fat percentage does not change quickly. If you want to measure progress with body fat % then I highly suggest a more accurate method, like testing with calipers even just once a month. I got so sick of the body fat scale telling me I was 30% one day and 21% the next

It's awesome that your SO is supportive of the lifestyle. At least he gets to reap the benefits with you, which means lots of very tasty food. That coconut chicken sounds so good!

[RitaRose]

So far it has been pretty accurate, from what I can tell. I was measured with calipers once at the same weight, and the scale agreed, so I figure it's close enough for me. I'm more concerned with fluctuations from day to day, and it's been very consistant.

Unfortunately, I'll fess up to the 30%. One of the motivating factors for starting Primal was the migraines, but looking pregnant when you're 46 (and not) is just depressing, so that was a big factor too.

Up until last week, I was eating absolute crap. I only have one craving right now, and that's the frosted chocolate donuts from 7/11. Yeah, I know. Every day, I would have a shredded beef burrito for breakfast (with a Diet Coke - brilliant), then be hungry again a couple of hours later, so I'd grab a donut. Or two. Might as well get some more Diet Coke, and maybe some pretzels or chips for later, in case I got hungry before lunch. If the raspberry Zingers looked good, I'd grab one of them too. Mind you, all of this would be gone before lunch around 1:00.

If I was working a long day (which I do a lot), I'd swing by McDonald's and grab a 2 cheeseburger meal with another Diet Coke for a quick lunch I could eat in my truck. Get home around 3:00 or 4:00 and make some pasta or grab another burger. Maybe some ice cream before bed, and I admit that Little Debbie Nutty Bars were a pretty good friend of mine too.

So unfortunately the 30% is probably dead on, though I've got it down to 29.0% as of this morning, only 6 days after starting Primal. I'm sure it will slow down significantly once I'm a few weeks in and my body adjusts, but as long as it keeps going down, I'm a happy woman.

[RitaRose]

So here's the weekly update -

Loss of 3.8 pounds and .8% bodyfat this past week
Total since I started 2 weeks ago - down 10.7 pounds and 2.1% bodyfat

I'm definitely a happy camper!

Oh, and the bacon wthout the-stuff-that-makes-it-bacon that I was so excited about? Not tasty at all. Oh well.