Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread page 441

[EllePatrick]

Your location: Scotland

Age (If you want): 25

How Primal are you:

Fully other than eating organic, the cost is just too much for us right now.

Do you consume dairy:

No, I have an intolerance.

Do you drink coffee or tea:

Nettle tea now and then

Motivator for switching to Primal:

Getting rid of GERD/Gastrits, losing weight and being healthy

Favorite exercise:

Long walks with my famiy

Favorite Primal food:

Steak

Best part about being Primal:

It just feels right

Worst part about being Primal:

Cost

[IMKarla]

Hi! I've been reading Mark's blog, reading the books, and eating primally for a while now. As you'd expect, I have many friends and family who think it's unhealthy. I wrote a blog article (Should you eliminate grains from your diet? « Grammar Parrot) about how I'm not missing anything by not eating grains and legumes, but they aren't convinced. My husband runs marathons and half marathons and is convinced he couldn't do it without the grains. He's lost 70 pounds in the past 2 years from running. My son is in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M and also believes the grains keep him going. I'm trying to live by example and started running, too, and will run my first half marathon in January. Off to train...!
--Karla--

[IMKarla]

Hi! I've been reading Mark's blog, reading the books, and eating primally for a while now. As you'd expect, I have many friends and family who think it's unhealthy. I wrote a blog article (Should you eliminate grains from your diet? « Grammar Parrot) about how I'm not missing anything by not eating grains and legumes, but they aren't convinced. My husband runs marathons and half marathons and is convinced he couldn't do it without the grains. He's lost 70 pounds in the past 2 years from running. My son is in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M and also believes the grains keep him going. I'm trying to live by example and started running, too, and will run my first half marathon in January. Off to train...!
--Karla--

I noticed I didn't fill out the "form" so here it is:
Your location: San Antonio, TX USA
Age (If you want): 53
How Primal are you: I avoid grains and legumes as much as possible.
Do you consume dairy: Yes.
Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes. Coffee in the morning and iced green tea the rest of the day.
Motivator for switching to Primal: Losing weight; digestive issues related to wheat.
Favorite exercise: Walking, running, biking, scuba diving...
Favorite Primal food: Rib eye steak cooked on the grill, still bloody inside, lots of seasoning outside.
Best part about being Primal: No constipation.
Worst part about being Primal: Too many temptations at work: Donut Thursday, Breakfast Taco Tuesday (I order the egg and bacon, eat the egg and bacon and throw out the tortilla--it's for charity)

I've read Mark's info about over training, and believe me, I'm not. I run at a 11-15 minute pace, 3-4 miles, 3x per week. I need to do better so I can run in the half marathon in January, but after that, only the occasional 5K. My main goal with the running is to lose the fat I have stored over the past 25 years of raising 2 kids and not giving a darn about myself. After I burn the fat, the struggle will be to continue to eat primally and keep active so that I don't put the fat back on again.

[usarmyretired]

Your location: Connecticut

Age (If you want): 44

How Primal are you: Very in the diet area. Not so much in the exercise, but I'm planning to transition from my current weightlifting approach to a more Primal one. Not so much on the sleep either, I'm always tempted to read one more online article or watch one more documentary before bed.

Do you consume dairy: Yeah, eggs and milk purchased from a local farm. Doesn't seem to be an issue, and I love eggs.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yup, a lot of both though I go decaf in the afternoon.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I tried Atkins about 9 years ago and lost about 25 pounds in 4 months. My cholesterol and blood pressure were never better. I slipped back into the SAD diet though, and now I'm back on cholesterol and BP meds. I dabbled in vegan and vegetarianism, but I don't feel they are sustainable. A friend of mine told me about Primal, and I bought the Primal Blueprint and devoured it in a matter of a few days. The light went on when I considered what I was reading and my success with low carb in the past. I was stupid to ever diverge from it, so I'm going back wholeheartedly. I can't wait until I cut weight and see my doc in a few months. He'll ask, "Have you been watching your fat intake?" and I'll say, "Yeah, lots of it!"

Favorite exercise: I still love a good bench press workout, but I'm working in more push-ups.

Favorite Primal food: Just one? It would have to be a good medium rare grilled piece of lamb.

Best part about being Primal: It's not a diet or something you do short term, it's a lifestyle. It's sustainable, and it makes sense.

Worst part about being Primal: That there has to be a 'primal' because of SAD. SAD should be primal! We shouldn't have had to suffer for 10,000+ years to figure this out!

[Jotun]

Your location: Northern Germany, Kiel
Age (If you want): 37
How Primal are you: Quite. I try to stick to the 80/20 rule, although I lately have been avoiding grains like the plague. My Achilles' heel is good ice cream.
Do you consume dairy: Frequently. Feta cheese, full-fat milk, Greek yoghurt, cream

Do you drink coffee or tea: Green Tea. Liters of it.

Motivator for switching to Primal: Allergies, beer/grain gut, just wanted to feel better all around.

Favorite exercise: Undecided between a good kettlebell session and pounding the crap out of an old truck tyre.

Favorite Primal food: Meat. Beef and lamb.

Best part about being Primal: No more crashes after meals.

Worst part about being Primal: It ain't exactly cheap.

[oldfashiongirl]

Your location: Minneapolis, MN

Age (If you want): 48

How Primal are you: 80%

Do you consume dairy: a little, mostly butter and full fat cream

Do you drink coffee or tea: Both

Motivator for switching to Primal: Reduce inflammation, lower my risk of diabetes, raise my energy level and hopefully to get my family to see the "primal light"

Favorite exercise: Walking

Favorite Primal food: Steak and Bacon

Best part about being Primal: Less pain and tons more energy

Worst part about being Primal: Kicking the sugar habit, I can do without the grains but ice cream and candy are my kryptonite.

[usarmyretired]

Nice post. I remember when I first went low carb, I was told to drink heavy whipping cream as a source of fat. Gained bc I didn't realize how calorie dense that stuff is lol. Now I eat just eat more fatty cuts of meat, local eggs, and local raw dairy

I know what you mean, there were some tenets of Atkins that people misinterpreted or misapplied. An overweight female friend of mine decided that Aktins meant she could stuff herself with fried pork rinds when snacking. She didn't quit smoking or add in any exercise either, so suffice it to say she wasn't very successful.

[Liral3n]

The Questions:


Your location: Texas

Age (If you want): 36

How Primal are you: Just starting

Do you consume dairy: only yogurt, cream and aged cheese

Do you drink coffee or tea: yes

Motivator for switching to Primal: Doctor prescription after gaining a ton of weight and bulk very quickly

Favorite exercise: daily living

Favorite Primal food: Not sure

Best part about being Primal: Not sure

Worst part about being Primal: Cost of food doubled

[BearsBeetsBG]

Your location: California

Age (If you want): 32

How Primal are you: Just started a month ago. Still learning and adjusting. Some days 100%, other days 75%.

Do you consume dairy: Just a little cream in my morning coffee most days. Sometimes butter.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Coffee. I'm trying to like tea, but so far no luck.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I'm overweight, have digestion issues, no energy... I want to feel better, get stronger, and lose some weight along the way.

Favorite exercise: I haven't started doing anything yet. I don't remember ever liking "exercise," so it's harder for me to get started on this part than it is changing my eating habits.

Favorite Primal food: Eggs, over easy. And avocado.

Best part about being Primal: I'm feeling better every day. My digestion issues have been clearing up (except when I eat something "non-primal" -- I totally feel it later). And I've already lost a few pounds.

Worst part about being Primal: Knowing how poorly I'll feel when I indulge in something that I've always loved (like cakes and things - I've been the family baker for years!) Also eating at other people's homes who aren't eating the same way I am and negotiating the waters between eating things I don't want to eat and hurting the cook's feelings. I know that people will get used to me eating this way over time - but right now it's new, and I'm sure they don't think I'll do it forever, and they don't understand why I'm not eating the mashed potatoes.

[marymac]

Your location: Pittsburgh, PA

Age (If you want): 33

How Primal are you: Just getting started. I think that I can maintain about 90%.

Do you consume dairy: Yes, but I have stopped using cheese as a snack by itself. Now, I just use it as an ingredient in a Big Ass Salad or an omelet.

Do you drink coffee or tea: lots of iced tea and some hot tea, preferably green

Motivator for switching to Primal: I was tired of being overweight and exhausted. I tried Atkins years ago and it worked wonders on the weight, but I continued to eat processed foods and "low net carb" grains so I always felt lethargic and had serious cravings for SAD food.
Favorite exercise: Zumba

Favorite Primal food: eggs or lamb

Best part about being Primal: increased energy

Worst part about being Primal: difficulty finding a quick bite on the road