Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread page 154

[tugboater]

I live in Melbourne Florida

I am 53 years old
I am just starting into this lifestyle '4 days' sugar and grain free'
a little milk in coffee, some yogurt and cheese still not sure if cheese is OK.
yes I drink coffee, but it does not taste as good without sugar so I am losing my taste for it
I am 6-1 257 lbs. I have been puttin on about 1.5 lbs. a year for 30 years. I have a gut and big lovehandles, I am always tired and isulin yo-yo was killing me, a total carb addict.
walking bicycling, surfing are my favorite activities.
I love a new york strip steak with a side of shrimp and a huge salad. with avocadoes

Food is tasting delicious , I am not craving sugars, and in 3 days my energy and mood are already improving.
The worse part of being primal is answering questions to peopel that buy into the US food pyramid or believe that a restrictive diet of starvation and excessive cardio is the only way. Explaining insulin and refined frains and sugars to people I see their eyes glaze over.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Your location: Chicago

Age (If you want): 38

How Primal are you: I cook 100% primal at home. If work/social dictates, I'll cheat. I'd say 95%+ primal on food. A few beers/mixed drinks a week. I'm not too much of a stickler when it comes to condiments. If I make a stir fry that is all good meat and veggies, I don't sweat adding a little non-primal soy sauce or some store-bought stir fry sauce with a little sugar in it.

Do you consume dairy: Yes for cheese...trying to get all raw milk cheese now that I've learned. Occasionally for yogurt. I like almond/coconut milk more than cow milk so don't regularly have milk. If I'm out and a primal-friendly dish is made w/ dairy, I'd have no problem ordering it.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Green tea during the week. I'll drink black coffee on weekends as a treat. I'll occasionally get a coffee during the week if I'm dragging.

Motivator for switching to Primal: It seems like the most logical way to eat. I'm very big on studying humans from an evolutionary perspective.

Favorite exercise: Basic bodyweight exercises since I can do them at home. I used to run a lot, but am moving away from that. Started yoga and it kicks my entire behind. But, I recognize this is a good thing.

Favorite Primal food: Steak, anything pig (esp ribs), smoothies.

Best part about being Primal: It's livable, I'm not hungry, I'm content, It makes sense to me

Worst part about being Primal: The trade-offs required for social eating/drinking w/ friends.

[Christopher]

Hello, I'm living in Pittsburgh PA. I've spent 3 weeks primal...no grains, some dairy, some IM fasting. Lost 7 lbs, and feeling good. Not sure my energy levels are back to where they were previously though. Also, I'm training for a 1/2 marathon in May 2011. Still getting the hang of working out primally, but keeping my HR below 75% is feeling good.

Age (If you want): 36
How Primal are you: Very, eat only green veggies, and carrots, grass fed beef and chicken, whole omega 3 eggs, some whipping cream, almonds, walnuts and 65-85% caocao chocolate (treat).
Do you consume dairy: Yes, but considering trying a week without it.
Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes, 3 cups of coffee per day. black.
Motivator for switching to Primal: Finding a good way to loose excess bodyweight in prep for first 1/2 marathon...seems to be becoming a lifestyle.
Favorite exercise: running
Favorite Primal food: meatballs
Best part about being Primal: keeping it simple
Worst part about being Primal: being so new to it (for now)

Well, that's it. I'm looking forward to developing further as a member and as a hominid!
-Chris

[Christopher]

Hello HFF, wow your intro is great. I'm looking forward to seeing results like yours!

[BreeKN]

Your location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Age (If you want): 28

How Primal are you: 90% (I have just made the switch and I find that it's been a mental challenge for me...I really have had the worst sugar addiction ever!)

Do you consume dairy: butter and a few cheeses made from goat & sheep

Do you drink coffee or tea: green tea and coffee occasionally

Motivator for switching to Primal: I just want to be the best ME that I can be! I love the aspect of giving myself some parameters to work with and creating a healthy lifestyle. I also want to help motivate others to live a healthy lifestyle. Oh and I want to be lean!!!

Favorite exercise: I love push-ups, lunges and stair climbing

Favorite Primal food: Steak and seafood

Best part about being Primal: The way I feel and the way I look! My stomach is flat and my thighs are in shape. I don't worry about what I wear. I feel healthy, my stomach doesn't hurt, I'm full all the time, my skin cleared up, the dark circles under my eyes went away....there is no BEST part...there are sooooo many awesome parts!

Worst part about being Primal: SOCIAL Gatherings....It's so hard to explain that I don't eat sugar, grains, etc...then I have to explain what a grain is, what a legume is and why I don't eat them. I have also found that peer pressure is really hard for me at the moment and sometimes I give in when I should have just stood up for myself and my health. I'm getting better at dealing with it, but it's very hard for me.

[alwaysmt]

Your location: Fort Wainwright, AK

Age (If you want): 34

How Primal are you: just starting.

Do you consume dairy: yes

Do you drink coffee or tea: unsweet iced tea, hubby does sweetened hot or cold green tea

Motivator for switching to Primal: after hubby's weight gain after three surgeries and him not meeting military "requirements" in a tape test and my chubbiness, we decided it was time to switch. I saw how healthy and active my friend was doing on it and how much weight she lost! Also have Crohn's disease, so anything that will help lessen the symptoms is an added plus to me!

Favorite exercise: chasing after my hurricane of a 3yo

Favorite Primal food: haven't gotten a favorite yet, but I'm loving the fruits!

Best part about being Primal: haven't come across that yet, we're only 5 days in.

Worst part about being Primal: The ease of ordering up a pizza.

[marielle]

Your location: Cape Cod, MA

Age (If you want): 21

How Primal are you: 2 weeks....a youngin'

Do you consume dairy: yes

Do you drink coffee or tea: tubs of it. Hot, with cream, or iced black

Motivator for switching to Primal: I'm suffering from a myriad of health issues, low boy temperature, hair loss, IBS, weight gain, depression....I'm kind of at my wit's end, hoping that going Primal will make a difference. So far I've gained 2 pounds. So I'm going over to PB nutrition to see if I can get some help.

Favorite exercise: running with my dog on the beach

Favorite Primal food: any nut, and pumpkin seeds!

Best part about being Primal: I'm never hungry and I have no cravings.

Worst part about being Primal: I'm gaining weight. Isn't that exactly what's NOT supposed to happen?

[kbn1]

Your location: Minnesota

Age (If you want): 31

How Primal are you: 90%

Do you consume dairy: Only butter and a little bit of cheese. No milk or cream.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Pretty much only at parties or at bars. I have lost all desire for alcohol so coffee becomes a replacement in social gatherings.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I'm fat. Ha. Actually, my colon hydrotherapist recommended that I stop eating grains as it was quite apparent that my body couldn't digest them in any fashion. So I started reading up on grains and I came across MDA. So here I am. I have been pretty much grain-free since Thanksgiving and started incorporating PB stuff around the new year.

Favorite exercise: I find great joy in being able to do pushups now. I doubt that I had been able to do a pushup since I was 10 years old. They probably aren't pretty, but they are pushups. Planks are really something as well. My first thought was, "Oh, those look easy enough..." Ha.

Favorite Primal food: I am enjoying a pot of venison borscht right now.

Best part about being Primal: Progress

Worst part about being Primal: My subconscious still doesn't understand that although I am spending quite a bit more money on certain food items than I did before, my total food cost is probably less than it used to be. My brain is programmed that ground beef should cost $1.80/lb so there is a small wince when I pay for grass fed organic. I'll get over it soon.

[bhigh]

Your location:
Seattle, WA

Age (If you want):
36

How Primal are you:
I've been following the diet for about 4 months and have been pretty strict. Almost everything I use in my cooking is organic, and animal products come from grass-fed or free-range animals. Exercise has not been easy to work in due to other health issues, and I probably don't get enough sleep.

Do you consume dairy:
About 10oz whole fat for my daily latte. I use cheese and (non-homogenized) dairy in some cooking. Looking at switching to raw milk soon.

Do you drink coffee or tea:
Two shots espresso or about one cup of drip a day.

Motivator for switching to Primal:
My wife was diagnosed with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism earlier this year, which meant we had to go gluten- and soy- free. I had a back injury while moving, and gained about 15 lbs of puffy fat all over from the steroids my doctor gave me. Combined with an otherwise poor diet, I was getting sick with a cold every 3-4 weeks, hated the way I looked, and was heavier than I'd ever been.

Favorite exercise:
Lunges and squats. Really anything using my legs.

Favorite Primal food:
The World's Best Chili recipe from this site, but I use sirloin roast (beef or buffalo) instead of chuck roast.

Best part about being Primal:
I lost the steroid weight without even trying. I'm not hungry every 3-4 hours. My skin tone has come back. I can think more clearly. My teeth and gums are healthier. I haven't been sick since making the jump. My seasonal depression didn't affect me this year.

Worst part about being Primal:
Meal planning is an acquired skill, which I'm still learning. I have a sweet tooth and I miss candy sometimes, but a small square of Theo 84% dark chocolate helps with that.

[ELCO14]

Your location: 5280 above liquid

Age (If you want): 34 years young

How Primal are you: 85-90%, with a cheat day thrown in here and there.

Do you consume dairy: occasional full cream, no milk, some aged cheeses for the K2

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes

Motivator for switching to Primal: Heart and overall health

Favorite exercise: snowboarding and squats

Favorite Primal food:Eggs baby eggs!

Best part about being Primal:Not feeling like shit, because I eat like shit...

Worst part about being Primal:reduced lager intake:-(