Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread page 493

[OptimizedIndividual]

Hey guys. My name's Joe. I am a 26 year old guy getting ready to start a health and wellness consultation business.

How Primal?: Currently; very primal. I don't eat grains except very rarely some sushi or some homemade salsa with organic blue corn chips

Dairy?: I consume raw butter. That's all for the moment

Coffee or Tea?: I drink green tea sometimes in the winter. No coffee

Motivator?: Improving my health

Favorite Exercise?: Chair push ups.

Favorite Primal Food?: Tough one. Switches day to day and season to season. Currently? Toss up between Warmed salmon sashimi with coconut or olive oil, and rare juicy lamb slow-heated in my oven on low heat.

Best part about primal?: Health benefits, connection with ancestors and nature, the earth, etc.

Worst part?: Social explanations, turning down "normal" things, sometimes time or money intensive, etc

That's it for me guys =) I love living a full life and honoring the food that we have always eaten on this planet.

-Joe

[Olivia]

HI, everybody, I’m newbie here…I just joined this community to get & share some more info about health and fitness with you all. I hope you will help in my future queries.
Thanks to you all!

[Stano]

The Questions:


Your location: Warrington, England

Age (If you want): 41

How Primal are you: probably 85% if you allow for not eating grass fed animals (down to cost) albeit I buy best quality I can. I try and ensure every breakfast, lunch and meal is either primal or 90%. I don't eat bread although I did bite a nan bread from the Indian restaurant last week......quickly stopped though. Stopped eating pasta 12 months ago and rice is now very rare. Not had a bowl of cereal for 12 months either.

Do you consume dairy: Yes, I love eggs and cheese, although I have cut the latter down significantly

Do you drink coffee or tea: both, black, coffee is no more than 4 cups a week, tea is Redbush and its caffeine free. Both are organic.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I watched a friend die of cancer nearly 2 years ago. He was too young and it frightened the hell out of me. He left a young son and I decided I needed to look hard at what I was doing to myself. I started increasing my fitness and then did things like changing white to brown bread and then to Spelt bread, the went to rice crackers then gave them all up; eating more Quinoa, cutting down on pasta and other carb dishes. I started losing loads of weight and it became noticeable to friends and family. I started at gym and discussed with the trainer that I hated doing long one tempo runs and also disliked weights machines. He introduced me to MDA and I haven't looked back. I have a new exercise regime around the primal movements and I was assessed only last week as having a fitness age of 31, a full 10 years younger than my real age.

Favorite exercise: pull ups although I am pants at them at the moment

Favorite Primal food: eggs and steak

Best part about being Primal: knowing that I've made a positive commitment to myself and my family

Worst part about being Primal: was getting through the initial ketone burning phase

[JorgeV]

Your location: Mexico born and raised in Arizona

Age (If you want): 38

How Primal are you: Very

Do you consume dairy: Cheese and just getting rid of milk

Do you drink coffee or tea: Tea all kinds of fusions and teas. Hibiscus, black, chamomile, etc.

Motivator for switching to Primal: I stopped being a natural primal at about 28 and am now a big fat guy.

Favorite exercise:Swimming or running hard to say

Favorite Primal food: I love eating most animals.

Best part about being Primal: It just feels right

Worst part about being Primal: A lot of little things like nachos and home made bisquits

[hilton]

Your location: Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Age (If you want): 37

How Primal are you: just started with paleo diet yesterday, after some 2-3 weeks reading. I've not taken milk and soft drinks for 12 years; candies are rarely consumed; chocolate is a problem; was a vegetarian for 1 year; social drinker; non-smoker; capoeira practitioner for 18 years (although 2 shoulder surgeries have been keeping me from most activities in the last 5 years)

Do you consume dairy: until yesterday, yes: cheese, condensed milk, yoghurt

Do you drink coffee or tea: yerba mate tea, from time to time - not since yesterday :-)

Motivator for switching to Primal: because of my shoulder surgeries, I have stood somewhat away from my beloved capoeira in the last 5 years - which lead me from 144 to 169 lb. Now I'm decided to drop these extra pounds.

Favorite exercise: capoeira, running, swimming, lifting

Favorite Primal food: I only learned to like vegetables at 17, but I learned it right - became vegetarian at 18, and stayed there for 1 year (at that time, exactly to drop some weight). Everything about primal food tastes nice to me - my meals until yesterday had everything the primal menu prescribes, except the carbs - but even then, they were not a ton.

Best part about being Primal: I've noticed a small weight drop from yesterday to today: 24 hours without sugar or carbs took 0.5 lb overnight. Ok, maybe it's just an empty bladder of difference, but I want to believe the drop is consistent. I'll take measures everyday to make sure. I still don't have "the energy" described by other users, but again, it's only 30 hours in the diet - no hurry.

Worst part about being Primal: the first 24 hours were hard - I got a sensation of lightheadedness, as if my skull were full of cotton :-) Anyway, the most difficult things to me are: 1) quitting chocolate 2) money - I really don't have enough cash to keep the meat at the base of the pyramid. It'll have to be at the second floor :-)

Best regards,
Hilton

[Beachman]

Your location: Mankato, MN

Age (If you want): 24

How Primal are you: I don't know. I eat plants and animals and play a lot, and I enjoy learning things and doing stuff with other humans. Sex is fun. And.. I just ate a steak.

Do you consume dairy: Occasionally plain greek yogurt or some really good cheese, but I can't handle much.

Do you drink coffee or tea: Black, Decaf Coffee. I love it. Usually put Cacao powder and a touch of Coconut Oil in it. Its awesome.

Motivator for switching to Primal: My friend is a dietetics major and the fun part about college is you get to learn what your friends learn. The sad part is none of what he's (we've) been learning is taught in schools (yet). Thank you, Primal Team.

Favorite exercise: Anything with other people.

Favorite Primal food: Bacon or Ribs. Praise the Lard.

Best part about being Primal: I have never felt better. I believe that there is so much truth to achieving a sense of balance and slowing down, eating what your body needs, and just... a happy, more human life.

Worst part about being Primal: Trying to eat out with anyone, because so many people I love want to go out to eat, and there's nothing there to consume except more of the same garbage... and more money and... i just wish we could turn back the clocks and have the company be the emphasis rather than the swanky restaurant environment with the fancy processed goo on the plate. I miss the home-inviting rituals. (Come over to my place for dinner? I'm making Ribs.) Its sad how many times my closest friends and family have offered for us to go to a chain restaurant instead because it was less work, and they didn't want to "go home for the night." What happened to communal dinners? I barely got a taste of them when I was little, even, because we'd always hit McDonald's. I really miss being with humans at a dinner table. There's something special about that.

[Sarina1027]

Your location: Federal Way, WA

Age (If you want): 52

How Primal are you: maybe 50% or so? just starting to adapt to the Primal way

Do you consume dairy: yes

Do you drink coffee or tea: coffee

Motivator for switching to Primal: age, weight, miss my vim and vigor

Favorite exercise: love workouts like P90 and BBL but my muscles and joints not so much. love to dance.

Favorite Primal food: Red Meat

Best part about being Primal: not sure yet!

Worst part about being Primal: realizing just how prevelant grains ARE in your diet even when you don't think you really overdo it much!

[wsh612]

Your location: Midcoast, Maine, USA

Age (If you want): 45

How Primal are you: Newbie...still learning what that really means

Do you consume dairy: Yes

Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes

Motivator for switching to Primal: Tried everything else to moderate weight

Favorite exercise: Hiking, running, triathlons

Favorite Primal food: Protein, butter, protein, butter....

Best part about being Primal: Animal fat!

Worst part about being Primal: I think I'm going to miss really warm, soft bread and sugar

[denzel711]

Your location: USA, Michigan, Boyne city (Northern MI)

Age (If you want): 23

How Primal are you: Testosterone plugs my pores. Just got back from killing a tiger with a pebble.

Do you consume dairy: Heavy cream (bullet proof coffee), grass fed butter, unpasteurized cheese

Do you drink coffee or tea: Lots of bulletproof coffee, occasionally drink chai tea and other black teas

Motivator for switching to Primal:see below

Favorite exercise: Squats/leg press, rear neck military press, heavy dumbell rows

Favorite Primal food: Eggs/steak

Best part about being Primal: Once ketosis is reached, energy levels are high. still feeling like im screwing something up though due to a 15 pound weight gain from the first week to the end of the 5th week.

Worst part about being Primal: Weight gain thus far, see below!

First off, thanks for the website Mark, thanks for everyone who is reading this, I appreciate any input on the subject as health and fitness is my passion. Second, I would like to give a quick background of myself. I am 23 years old living in northern Michigan (Boyne city). I work as a personal trainer and manage at a gym and am avidly researching more about nutrition and fitness, as well as sharing ideas in classes and hope to be in med school at U of M within the next year.

In April of 2011 I weighed 305 lb, had smoked cigarettes for 6 years, and was in catastrophic health. At 21 years old, my risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer was high to say the least. I decided to follow a HIGH CARB LOW FAT diet rich in fruit, vegetables, lean protein, and no processed food or liquids. No candy, no soda, only raw natural foods.. just low fat. In 8 months I was down 80 lbs, and lost 40 more in the following year. I seemed to be stuck at my new weight, and am very interested in cutting more in preperation for a natural fitness show. body fat % is upwards of 11-12% according to calipers. My weight before trying to reach nutritional ketosis was 179 and I am 5’10″.

Two months ago I decided to try nutritional ketosis by eating primal, high fat low carbs medium protein.. I found out about it while stumbling upon Dr. Peter Attia’s eatingacademy.com and reading the many AWESOME blogs on this site. Shortly after I heard “The Fat Burning Man” podcast. After 5 solid weeks of approximently 75/25 fat/protein ratio, and under 25g of carbs a day, I have gained approximently 15 pounds. I feel like I have grown slightly in muscle and strength, and have tested numerous times and AM in ketosis according to test strips. If I'm UTILIZING the ketones though I am unsure.
My food consists of egg yolks/grass fed beef and cheese in the morning, “bulletproof” coffee, chicken wings and legs, steak, green veggies, nuts, avacados, cheese, and copious amounts of coconut oil, olive oil, and grass fed butter. Occasional spinach salads with olive oil and fresh veggies, and am starting to implement POST workout sweet potatoes for muscle recovery, which has decreased immensely upon starting this.
I seem to be storing a bit of weight in the stomach (go figure). Vascularity in arms and shoulders remains the same, but am wondering if you can offer any advice or tips. I supplement with himalayan sea salt, potassium, magnesium, raw multivitamin, and fish oil. I religiously eat egg yolks and grass fed beef, veggies cooked in fat/butter/coconut oil, and eat about 2-3 times per day, only when hungry. I do 30-45 mins of cardio 5-7 times per week. I also do high intensity ,moderate – heavy, interval weight training 5 days a week. I fear the big “200″ and am at 195 right now. I am probably over-thinking it and haven’t given it as much time as I need to become “keto adapted” or "fat adapted" as I have read about a LOT.

If possible I would appreciate any tips you may have, and am aware of my selfishness of this post. Truly appreciate all you do for the paleo movement everyone . Lifts are up and down, endless (brain)energy, yet storing weight.
From one caveman to another, thanks for any input

[LorraineR]

Hello, my name is Lorraine and I was reading Dr. Terry Whals info and I ended up here!
I have tried to follow the paleo diet but so far was not quite as motivated as I am now.
I am going to learn all that I can because I have been diagnosed with PPMS, my two children need a Mom who will continue to be active with them and nothing will stop me from Learning how to change what I eat. I thought that I had RRMS when first diagnosed and now the neurologist is saying it is PPMS. Clearly I have the fight of my life to get through!
My husband and my daughter are vegetarian so we already have been a family avoiding meat to a degree. I have taken LDN for the past two years and now it's time to get serious about my diet. For me it's difficult to say diet because I only weigh about 105 because I am petite so I just can't afford to lose weight. I want to gain weight but must find a way to do that whilst avoiding so many foods. My Natropath Doctor said that I have many food allergies so possibly if I can find a way to eat enough then I can fight my way back to feeling optimistic about my health! Looking forward to learning more!