Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread page 330

[heavyarms]

Your location: Bristol, UK (- anyone else from here get in touch )

Age (If you want): 26

How Primal are you: All times excluding PWO :P

Do you consume dairy: Yep (PWO)

Do you drink coffee or tea: I do IF, so go through a pot of green leaf tea every morning at work

Motivator for switching to Primal: Health.

Favorite exercise: Freebody squats – barbell, pistol, plyo, box… any!

Favorite Primal food: Organic grass-fed mutton from a local farmer

Best part about being Primal: Calorie-counting has gone out of the window

Worst part about being Primal: Getting up at 6am to cook the days food every morning 



Hello Everyone,
I started with the intention of a short, snappy intro; but have composed a rather tedious litany of my paleo transition – apologies for this. Feel free to hear my “hello world!” and leave it at that

I’m Chris and although I’ve been gradually transitioning to ‘primal’ since the fall of last year, I’m only just getting around to signing up to one of my favorite RSS feeds!

Originally, I began looking into primal due to the constant badgering by a facebook-friend of mine who’s incredibly clued-up on this stuff, as I was coming off a fairly heft ‘bulking cycle’ (I dislike this term and its steroidy-connotations, but cycling best describes how I manage my weight lol) and couldn’t face another 12 weeks of CKD (Lyle MacDonald, you evil man).

In June last year I peaked at around 195lbs (just under 14 stone) at 5’7” with a deadlift/ squat PB of 260 / 215 kg’s respectively. I only had one small problem – I was so tight I literally couldn’t put on my socks in the morning (sometimes I went to work without socks, I am not kidding), and my waist was around 36”.

It was at this point I first started trying IF, and although it took me almost a month to wean onto it (as in, +10minutes fasting per day, the hunger pangs were unbelievable!), I settle in at around 180lbs, or 13 stone, and a waist-line reduced to 34”. And I could touch my toes again.

However, prior to this 4-month bulk, I weighed in at just over 150lbs, or 11 stone, so knew I still had some way to go. Basically for me, I “get big” until I feel psychologically too big, then diet until I feel sick of dieting and “ready to go” once again. I still felt big.

So my friend pointed me in the direction of MDA, and it kinda went from there. As it turned out, I’d been eating a pretty primal diet already, with the main exceptions of my pre-workout porridge oats, and post-workout sugar-binge, so the transition wasn’t too painful.

For me the main changes were:

Out: Porridge, fruit juice, peanut butter (or any non-mac/walnuts!), MRP shakes when hungry

In: Animal fat, coconuts, more green stuff

Initially, I went through the “diet fog” that is typical when you start a low-carb approach after a period of hammering yourself with food, but after that things settled down. I stuck with “paleo approved” PWO shakes (banana, berries, egg-white powder, coconut milk etc), eventually stripping down to a weight of 155lbs (end of Jan 2012); but my lifts were suffering so I’ve been playing recently with what to do about post-workout!

I’m currently just under 165lbs (11stone 7), 33" waist, and still feel great despite the re-introduction of milk, dextrose, and maltodextrin into the mix. I do feel (and look) a tad less defined, but know this is just self-inflicted carb-bloat and nothing to worry about. My lifts are back up a bit (though obviously not quite back where they were when I was 30lbs heavier!) and I feel good.

I’m feeling about “ready to go” again, but due to impending holidays (ohnoes!) I’m shelving it until June. But I’m committed to going “Paleo except PWO” for the bulk, which will certainly be a new experience as I’ve never tried this without major (and I mean MAJOR!) carb-loading.

The amazing thing I’ve found about paleo, is I don’t actually crave any of the stuff I’, avoiding. I can state under oath I never would have expected that of my beloved oatmeal :P

[eljorgio]

Your location: Gainesville, Florida

Age (If you want):31

How Primal are you: 85%

Do you consume dairy: not too much, Chobani plain yogurt and cottage cheese on occasion. There is also dairy in some of my supplements.

Do you drink coffee or tea: one or two cups of plain black coffee or tea.

Motivator for switching to Primal: didn't really make a sudden switch, as i have become more fitness and health oriented and learned more about nutrition i naturally have been changing my eating habits.

Favorite exercise: P90X, Insanity, biking, swimming, running, lifting, and others.

Favorite Primal food: All meats.

Best part about being Primal: I can consume a larger amount of food

Worst part about being Primal: Don't think there is a down side since i am not a sugar or grain loving guy, although i might consume both on occasion.

[Xdru100]

Your location: Chicago, IL

Age (If you want): 44

How Primal are you: I am in the process of becoming fully Primal. On Jan. 5, 2012 I cut out all grains, dairy, sugar & fruit. Basically, I have been eating grass fed beef, organic chicken and cruciferous veggies with the occasional organic beef hotdog/chicken sausage thrown in. I just bought the 21 day total body transformation and will be implementing as I go.

Do you consume dairy: No

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes. Yerba Mate every morning (Teavana 'my morning mate' deelish!) & sometimes Oolong in the afternoons. The odd coffee here and there.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I became a father on Oct 13 of last year and ballooned up to 235lbs (5' 9"). I decided I wanted to no only live to see my daughter grow up, but to be a more healthy participant in life in general!

Favorite exercise: Right now, a super set of 30 push-ups, 12 dumbbell curls, 12 dumbbell military presses, 12 upright rows. I will add some kettle bell swings when I learn the correct form.

Favorite Primal food: Grass fed rib eye!!

Best part about being Primal: No more acid reflux. I couldn't leave the house without my Tums & Pepcid before cutting out grains & sugar - I haven't had either since the second week! No food hang overs. The improved muscle tone & the light feeling that losing 34 lbs gives you.

Worst part about being Primal: So far, nothing!

[kskline]

Your location: Boise, ID

Age (If you want): 51

How Primal are you: Probably 95%. I do cheat once in a while.

Do you consume dairy: Some cheese every now and again. I try to stick with raw milk cheese but I am thinking of cutting it out to see if has any effect on my sinuses after a while.

Do you drink coffee or tea: No. I've never liked coffee and the only time I really liked tea is if it had sugar and cream in it.

Motivator for switching to Primal: Weight loss and health. I was diagnosed as a T2 diabetic in 2008 and went zc for a while and had it under control but when I quit it became worse. Last March 2011, my A1C was 11.9. My last A1C in November was 5.6. I also had high blood pressure and am now off meds. Since I started primal the end of May 2011, I've lost 80 pounds.

Favorite exercise: I don't really like exercise but am currently walking on a treadmill until it gets light enough outside in the am before work so that I can walk outside and lifting weights (nautilus) 2x week, chest press, pull down, leg press, and compound row. Last week I also started to incorporate sprints 1x week via recumbent bike.

Favorite Primal food: Fatty steak.

Best part about being Primal: No more meds, more energy, not waking up with headaches anymore.

Worst part about being Primal: I do really miss sweets. I have a hard time with sugar.

I've actually tried a paleo diet back in 2000 but for some reason started eating raw vegan as I got kind of tired of eating meat and became a raw vegan which I did off and on for over a year. In 1998 I was on Atkins induction for a year and lost 120 pounds. It was pretty much a paleo diet as I didn't eat low carb fake foods. I had a lot of life changes after that year though and went back to eating SAD and gained all the weight back. I've done lc a few times over the last 10 years and lost some weight and gained it back. I know that this is a lifestyle change and that I cannot go back to eating SAD but sometimes it's hard and I just give in. I wasn't overweight as a kid and didn't start gaining weight until after I got married and started having kids. Then I really started putting on weight but my diet was pretty bad, ate lots of sweets. Once I hit my 30's my weight started getting over 200 pounds and I'm only a 5'4" female. My highest weight was 296 last May. That's enough about me right now.

Kim

[NYCtherapist]

First, I'm not usually one to join any crowd, but I like this one and I like the barefoot movement

I'm in the heart of New York City, and love it.

Age: 49 and feeling crappy, but am CERTAIN 50 is going to be like going to the ball!

How Primal are you: Was nearly there until two weeks ago when I got the AHA! (thanks to Mark) and cut grains.

Do you consume dairy: Luckily, I'm allergic to all cow dairy. I do enjoy some goat cheese from time to time, preferably from France.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Almost none. There is a time and a place for an espresso, though, and teas are used as medicine.

Motivator for switching to Primal: Sick of being sick. Despite extensive nutrition research, nothing has made a difference until now.

Favorite exercise: Used to be boxing, but became too ill to continue. Then swimming, but the chemicals were killing me. Now, Tai Chi. It's not bad, even if it is a bit slow

Favorite Primal food: That Hungarian Goulash was freakishly good, handy, and lasted a long time!

Best part about being Primal: The bloat is going down. Yesterday, someone said I looked like I was "glowing". For real.

Worst part about being Primal: I'm prone to Herxheimer's reactions when withdrawing a food substance. This is much worse than when I withdrew from coffee or potatoes. Hoping to survive it.

[workinprogress]

41 y/o male, base of ops is somewhere in Az. I'm working on becoming more primal/paleo everyday. Its a slow process since money is tight, and I'm the only one in the house remotely interested in this lifestyle. I do drink coffee and tea, attempting to minimize dairy and a few other foods, mostly due to allergies. I was turned onto MDA via google searches, and Paleo in general by a physician that told me my cholesterol was out of whack due to my Triglycerides, which were out of whack due to my carb intake. Fortunately she didn't buy into the conventional wisdom. She advised me there was ample research out there on the safety and efficacy of moderate fat and protein diets, and that the only thing to worry about is food quality.

[Rainmom]

Hello Everyone

Location: Cornwall, Ontario, Canada

Age: 32 (but I'm 25 on the inside!)

How primal are you: Food-90%, Lifestyle-75%

Do you consume dairy: Some greek yogurt occasionally.

Do you drink coffee or tea: I love coffee! Herbal teas have their uses.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I made a commitment to myself and my kids to be in the best health I can. Both my children are autistic, but my daughter needs more physical help and she's not getting any smaller which means I need to get stronger. My goal is to have the kids eating this way as well.

Favorite exercise: Chasing my kids around!

Favorite Primal food: BACON!! Also eggs and organic fruit, so much tastier than conventional

Best part about being Primal: I've struggled with depression and anxiety for years, after cutting out dairy and soy my moods completely leveled out. After I cut out grains my jaw stopped hurting (TMJ). I have more energy and I stopped smoking.

Worst part about being Primal: My job, I'm a manager at one of those Italian restaurants that offers bread and salad with every meal. Nothing organic or grass fed there! I work until midnight, and free food is one of my perks. There are only 3 things on the menu that I will consider eating. Then there's my best friend the nurse who looks at me funny when I pick the beans out of chili.

I started my journey to a stronger, healthier me in January. Three weeks ago I discovered the Primal Blueprint, watched Food inc. and felt relieved. With all the research I've done on the gut-brain connection for my kids, nothing has been so well explained or made so much sense. It's like everything fell into place.

[Hanna]

Hi!

Another newbie checking in. I actuallt registered here some time ago, but never really started participating. I think it's time!

Location: Middle of Nowhere, Sweden

Age: 35

How primal are you: I'd say 80%

Do you consume dairy: Yes. A little. Being Scandinavian I can tolerate it. And I love yoghurt.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes. One cop of coffee per day, a couple of cups of tea.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I've read MDA fo a long time, as well as other resources, and I have switched little by little. My main motivation was weight loss, but it has turned into a general health thing.

Favorite exercise: Running. And yoga.

Favorite Primal food: Eggs

Best part about being Primal: Feeling strong

Worst part about being Primal: Having people look at me like I'm crazy when I say No thanks to cake.

There. Introduced.

[tondalea]

Hi,
I am pretty much a newbie. Tried this a few months ago then decided I wanted to get into fitness and every trainer that I met didnt believe in primal so I tried it there way now I want to do it my way.

Fredericksburg, VA

35

About 85% Primal

Greek Yogurt is my only dairy right now.

Yes, trying to cut coffee but still drink one cup a day and drink tea.

I want to lose weight and feel great.

Don't have a favorite right now. Enjoy walks in the nice weather.

Bacon!!!!

Trying to get family aboard is the worst part.

[Popeye123]

Your location: I live in Western NY

Age (If you want):I will be 52 in April

How Primal are you:Working towards it. I started about 4 weeks ago. I have given up grains, and waht I called obvious carbs. No bread, bagels ect. I eat eggs in the morning or a smoothie shake, I can get through lunch and dinner fine. My down fall is I enjoy a few drinks in the evening.

Do you consume dairy: Only Skim Milk and yogurt in smoothie with banana and protein powder

Do you drink coffee or tea:yes, 2 cups daily

Motivator for switching to Primal:Frioend recommended it. I want to loose 15 lbs. But since I've started I've actually gained 5 lbs

Favorite exercise: Mountain biking. I will ride 1-2 hours 4 times a week and usually climb 700-1000 feet on each climb

Favorite Primal food:Steak,eggs

Best part about being Primal:I'm usually not hungry

Worst part about being Primal: Other family memebers aren't primal so on occasion they will want to order pizza and I need to have will power