Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread page 479

[Marlene]

Your location: Vancouver, Canada

Age (If you want): 46

How Primal are you: just starting, nervously

Do you consume dairy: well, so far I do, but I haven't started my new regime.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes, both.

Motivator for switching to Primal: To lose weight and have better health from the inside out.

Favorite exercise: jogging, dancing, hiking.

Favorite Primal food: Steak

Best part about being Primal: No need to feel bad about eating bacon

Worst part about being Primal: Having to explain to food pushers why I can't eat what everyone else is. And trying not to drink alcoholic drinks (other than vodka and soda and lime.)

[mmSuzyQ]

Your location: Oshawa, ON Canada

Age (If you want): 50

How Primal are you: Doing slow-carb (incl. legumes/lentils & no other carbs)

Do you consume dairy: no - allergic to milk proteins

Do you drink coffee or tea: tea - plain

Motivator for switching to Primal: Difficulty losing weight so trying something different

Favorite exercise: Bodypump

Favorite Primal food: bacon (natural)

Best part about being Primal: weight is coming off w/o being hungry

Worst part about being Primal: giving up sweets

[firechick0228]

Hi all ~ I'm Jen, a mom of 3 and a 9 year FF/EMT. Prior to that I was a fitness trainer for 10 years, well-versed in all the misconceptions that make up our society in regards to diet/fitness. I taught them and lived them... and did fine until I grew older, kept getting hurt, and finally had twins at the age of 31. To get weight off I'd use sketchy supplementation, extreme caloric deficits (1500-1800/day), high mileage running and weight resistance 3-4 x/wk. I was exhausted and constantly injured, and stretching more than I was running in a given day to keep from hurting. Finally I literally hit the wall - 9 weeks of above diet/exercise (up to 30 miles/wk) and a total loss of 3 lbs body fat. So I quit. And gained 15.

I have many friends in the fitness industry and heard "paleo" now and again, but I've always shied away from "fads" so didn't give it much thought until I talked to my doctor. We realized a problem was hormonal imbalance, and she encouraged me to try changing my diet to eliminate grains, sugars and dairy (yeah, right) in addition to starting hormone therapy. Well after seeing some, but not great, results I went to a highly-regarded friend and trainer and he sent me to this site. I devoured the book in 3 days and I am a believer! I have completely altered my eating (not overly difficult since I was basically doing everything anyway, just incorporating gluten-free grains). Changing my exercise regimen, however, was hard to do - everything that has been ingrained in me for years thrown out the window. And go figure, not only do I love my workouts now (sprints, HIIT, Tabatas, hikes, mixing it up!), I feel no guilt when I don't work out. Bonus - my plantar fasciitis pain has significantly decreased since I started using five-fingers.

This is a realistic, practical and fun lifestyle... I live in OC and commute to Vegas for work - the time spent preparing and packing my food is SO worth the benefit of eating primally and feeling great! My energy levels allow me to accomplish more when I'm home, even after a sleepless night (yes, I know it's part of the program but tell that to the dispatchers). I enjoy my children more and relax at home, and I'm more productive and awake at work.

A bit of advise-seeking real quick - since I started the program I have developed full-blown acne on my face. I've always struggled with it but it is BAD. I have been undergoing some changes with the hormone therapy, trying to get within the proper ranges (and hoping at some point eating primally my body will adjust its own levels) but the past 2 weeks are severe and very embarrassing. Advice please!

The Questions:

Your location: Orange County, CA/Las Vegas, NV

Age (If you want): 35

How Primal are you: right now about 95% (only 3 weeks in, 2 non-primal meals)

Do you consume dairy: 1-3x/wk (full fat cottage cheese, sometimes greek yogurt)

Do you drink coffee or tea: Coffee in am

Motivator for switching to Primal: Sick and tired of being sick and tired! And weight loss is a motivator as well.

Favorite exercise: HIIT, Tabatas, Running ... changing it up all the time

Favorite Primal food: almond butter, coconut milk

Best part about being Primal: constant energy throughout the day, feel lighter and more bouncy

Worst part about being Primal: that DH thinks I'm loco and refuses to get on the wagon (although he has RH, and DS3 has some mild PDD, so rather than primal, trying to transition my family to primarily gluten-free, organic, and eliminate a lot (not all) of processed foods.

[Safari Lady]

Your location: Durban, South Africa

Age (If you want): 5_ ish

How Primal are you: Just starting and loving it !

Do you consume dairy: Butter, have never really enjoyed dairy as in milk and ordinary cream, love a nice Camembert or Stilton, enjoy yoghurt and creamy savoury dips and hectic garlic cream sauce!

Do you drink coffee or tea: have weaned my self off coffee, that was until I recently saw Paleo Mama's butter coffee! Other wise I now drink Rooibos tea strong with grated ginger and dried red chilli...

Motivator for switching to Primal: had to get rid of the two tyres around my waist, and TB (typists bottom)! I had tried the Atkins way a while ago, but I love my veges!

Favorite exercise: sailing, walking, especially in the bush. However tore the cartilage in my knees 3 years ago.. now just coming right so have to do lots of stretching again, walking in water has helped a great deal.

Favorite Primal food: bacon, pork rashers, MARBLED Steak, boerwors (spicy sausage with reasonably high fat content!) Lamb cutlets!

Best part about being Primal: Not having indigestion and bloat from gluten, losing weight without feeling as if I am being deprived of anything! So stoked I lost 5kilos within the 1st 3 weeks. I can eat a block of dark 80% chilli chocolate as my reward - Heaven!

Worst part about being Primal: Trying to convince others that low fat is NOT the way to go!

Looking forward to buying off the rack size 36 and wearing a swim suit IN PUBLIC with confidence again!

[Tamsyn8484]

Your location: Manchester, UK

Age (If you want): 28

How Primal are you: Just ventured over to the common sense world

Do you consume dairy: Minimal amounts, only cream and full fat greek yoghurts

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes, both.

Motivator for switching to Primal: To lose weight but mostly to feel healthy and happy and full of life and vitality

Favorite exercise: jogging, walking in the hills, weights, cycling

Favorite Primal food: Chicken and eggs

Best part about being Primal: No more bloated, painful stomach from wheat and grains! And no more (touch wood) binge eating

Worst part about being Primal: I am going to say explaining to others and eating at other peoples houses when I'm not cooking

[scribblergirlnz]

Auckland, NZ
38
Starting
Yes to dairy
Yes to tea and coffee
Aiming to be the best version of me mentally, physically, professionally, and spiritually.
Dancing, weights, walking, would love to do more swimming, rowing, kayaking and to try SUP.
Bacon and eggs!
No calorie counting and feeling full!
Don't see any downsides except for adjustments needed during social situations.

[firemanswife]

Your location: Florida or Kentucky

Age (If you want): 50

How Primal are you: Most of the time probably about 80%-85%. Could be more. I haven't given it much thought or math!

Do you consume dairy: small amount of cream daily, and I cook with butter for flavor

Do you drink coffee or tea:
1 cup of coffee w/Cream (there's that dairy!) and raw honey and cinnamon every morning.
Iced green tea in the summer when it is hot.

Motivator for switching to Primal:
Well, I switched to Primal before I was aware it had a name. But the motivation was to stop the inflamatory response in my body. Being able to breath or not can be a huge motivator and I had no desire to be medicated for the rest of my life.

Favorite exercise:
walking and hiking (would be for hours if I could have my way!)

Favorite Primal food:
meat-medium rare ribeye
veggie-most of them but probably asparagas
fruit-not a big fan unless very fresh
snack-almonds
sweets- only one, dark chocolate

Best part about being Primal:
I don't feel like garbage and I don't "have to" eat food I just don't like. I have never been a big fan of grains, beans or dairy. I have horrible inflamatory responses to almost all food additives, perservatives and dyes and I never understood what it was the food companies were putting in food if they were taking out fat, sugar etc. How is it still food "x" without the part that makes it what it is?

Worst part about being Primal:
It is all good. Well except that part when you are asked how you: lost weight? got so healthy? off your meds? and then when you tell folks (they asked!) they start arguing with you on how unhealthy it is to "eat that way." I usually just tell them that we are not all the same and we each must find our own path to happy healthy living and I am on mine.

[lonefrontranger]

Your location: Boulder, Colorado USA

Age (If you want): 44

How Primal are you: Been grainfree for almost a year (but not ultra "clean"); working on really minimizing dairy, sugar and past ten days have started 2x week IF.

Do you consume dairy: Probably too much; was mildly lactose intolerant as a kid, going to see if cutting helps sinuses.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Coffee yes (have really cut down), tea rarely.

Motivator for switching to Primal: the 25ish extra pounds that refuse to budge.

Favorite exercise: I am a competitive bicycle racer. I have gotten more into running and weightlifting in the past year; plan to take this to the next level.

Favorite Primal food: A braised beef brisket recipe I adapted from Cook's Illustrated. Also bacon.

Best part about being Primal: Having clear skin / zero adult acne for the first time in my life. Yes I am still overweight (5'4", 145-150) but cellulite is GONE since eliminating wheat ~10 months ago.

Worst part about being Primal: definitely dealing with the usual work lunch meetings (pizza, ugh).

I have been "messy Paleo" off and on for years. Been overweight for my height since I was a teen. Variously removed weight in my youth by moderately disordered eating. Was very skeptical about IF as it can be a bit "trigger-y" for prior disordered eaters. Completed my first week of IF with no problems, and I can already tell my clothes are fitting a bit better. Energy is up.

My impetus for this was catching a nasty chest cold ten days ago - probably because I'd fallen off the wagon with work stress and eating crap, then had 2 bouts of nasty insomnia. BOOM, chest cold, picked up from my colleagues (who have all been sick this month).

I immediately cleaned up the diet, went straight back to nothing but bone broth and clean healthy paleo/primal eating, interspersed with a couple of moderate fasts, and pleased to report the cough is 100% GONE as of today. Prior to clean diet, my usual experience was to catch a cold, have it migrate to my chest, then have a barking cough and lingering bronchitis / sinus infection for 6-8 weeks. I had pneumonia as a child and the Dr. told me I would always have "weak lungs" because of it. Bah Humbug.

I am most looking forward to seeing the 120s in weight again (at least that is my hope). I was very thin at 18-20 (low 100s) but it was at the cost of extremely unhealthy diet, amenorrhea and crazy blood sugar issues (I'd faint at the drop of a hat).

[firemanswife]

firechick-I feel compelled to respond to your post but I do not want to step on any toes or go against the rules. I don't think Iwill so here goes. Acne is the symtom of many things. You are obviously aware of that. IMHO I would do a little research on supplements, primarily anti-oxidents, that may help with the issue. Sometimes all our body needs is a for us to give it a little help when taking out the "garbage."
You may also want to see if you can achieve and benefit from doing without any type of grain. Just a thought.

firemanswife

[GladiatorGirl]

Your location: Texas, USA

Age (If you want): 44

How Primal are you: Most of the time. Occasionally I will eat rice, or tortilla chips, but for the most part am grain-free.

Do you consume dairy: In the forms of sour cream and cheese mostly. I haven't drank milk in years.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Coffee daily, and tea once in a while.

Motivator for switching to Primal: To lose a few poinds, but mostly to improve my health.

Favorite exercise: Working out outside with my bootcamp fitness group, 3 mornings a week, including weights. Otherwise, hiking.

Favorite Primal food: Steak, bacon, roasted broccoli

Best part about being Primal: Now that I'm at a good weight, I like the freedom to eat within a certain range without worrying about gaining again, and I LOVE how good real food tastes! Also, seeing how my husband and kids are benefitting from this way of eating.

Worst part about being Primal: Feeling so good and seeing people close to me who are unhealthy but don't want to give up their processed junk and would rather take medications to deal with their health issues than make dietary changes, or don't see the connection between the foods they eat and their health.