ok...here goes.... page 2

[girlarchitect]

Okay. I think the transition is going to be relatively easy for you to the extent that you already aren't eating a lot of carbs and you are already eating a lot of foods that are primal. I'm a planner too regarding my meals so I totally get that perspective. The fact that you are used to cooking for youself in also good - many people starting aren't and that's part of the transition. You also don't need to eat lunch. Since you often skip it we can assume that will continue this week. Perhaps we can come up with a mid-day snack (mini meal) for you to pack that will work as I imagine your day is fairly hectic and I'll bet work is busy during the lunch hour as clients come in to get a trim. I skip lunch at least two days a week and sometimes as often as five days a week. I still get enough food and am not starving.
I'm a big fan of potato chips and tortilla chips too and that was and still is a hard thing to not eat so be warned that will be something you'll need to fight if you are anything like me. particularly on the first week. One thing I'd recommend it to make certain you have food in the house to re-heat (i.e. leftovers) - if you have food when you are hungry you will be less likely to go for the chips.
Start by assuming you are going to eat about 3-4 ounces of meat, 4-6 ounces of fish or 2-3 eggs with each meal. (I find that I eat a bit more fish than meat that's why I've upped it but your stomach will let you know how much you personally need.)

This is currently my rough weekly approach with the thinking behind it that may or may not help you get started:

With protein at every meal, I need t 19 - 21 servings of protein a week. Per meal, I am finding that typically eat about 2 eggs, 3-4 ounces of meat /poultry, or about 5-6 ounces of seafood. This is somewhere between 3.5 - almost 8 pound of protein which is a huge range for planning purposes. So I've broken it down further ..

I will typically have 4-6 salads a week for lunch to which I often include a can of tuna or salmon and half and avocado. I can get wild supposedly sustainably caught cans at Whole Food and - and buy in volume - 10-20 cans at a time. Cans are easy for the brown bag lunch and 'easy' works in the morning.

I typically eating 4-6 meals of fish per week. I usually buy my fish frozen from Whole Foods and Safeway (I can get a limited selection of sustainable fish there). I like the frozen packs that have two vacuum sealed 6 ounce portions per bag - typically I can find salmon, tuna, swordfish, cod and haddock. I find I can either defrost the fish in advance or pop the frozen fillet right in the oven wrapped tight in foil and vegetables - 20-30 minutes later I have a simple delicious meal. It's essentially a frozen dinner. If I am full and can't eat a full 6 oz, I can always make fish cakes with the leftovers. Because they are frozen, I have the flexibility of eating more or less fish & I try to keep at least 8 fillets in the freezer so I know I have the option. Typically, I eat the whole 6 ounces but when I'm not so hungry the remainder can be saved to add to a salad or to make a fish cake

I plan on 4 meals with eggs. Either (A)6 hard-boiled plus 2 scrambled/fried OR (B)one 8 egg frittatta that I will eat once hot and have leftovers for three meals. I like eggs and I know not everyone does. Frittattas and hard-boiled eggs are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner so it's not all eggs every morning. I am considering alternating eggs with an occasional Sunday roast (leg of lamb, roast chicken, brisket) that will contribute to about four meals. Basically, I buy a dozen eggs and immediately boil half of them or make a frittatta the next morning (this way I have ready food to eat for breakfast, lunch or a snack)

I try to make on big dish of some meat and veggie combination - these are typically stews and casseroles - again for the simplicity. One you might try is a Green Curry Chicken . I'd suggest you make the entire recipe so you have leftovers. It's great re-heated for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you decide to make this buy a head of cauliflower to make cauliflower rice which is surprisingly good.

All of the above gets me 16 servings of protein - which leaves me with 3-5 meals to figure out on the fly.

I know I will probably eat out for a couple of them. Other nights, it's nice to make something special. I love fajitas and I quite happy without tortillas provided I still get homemade guac. I also love a giant pot of steamed mussels, clams or crabs from the fish market which is only two blocks from my house.

I also usually have some bacon or Canadian bacon - these last for at least two weeks in the frig. It's not a major protein source but nice to have on hand.
Buy a good dark chocolate bar - 70% dark at least. It's fine on a primal diet and you will need something for your sweet tooth.

Obviously, you aren't eating lunch so you might not need to get the supplies for that.

Does this make sense? Thoughts? Concerns?

[girlarchitect]

I really didn't intend to do this but I did. I ran your height/weight/age on a standard calculator to determine the number of calories you should be taking in to maintain your current weight. I don't hold a great deal of stock in these calculators as they seem to run high in calories ... but it is a starting point to consider what it realistic.
According to the calculator, you need an average of 1700 to 1850 calories per day to maintain your weight. I'd bet an average of your weekly intake, considering the chips and ice cream comes out to about that level.
For perspective, I'm 44 years old (so we are about the same age)- 5'-9" and 160 lbs (but different body types). According to this site, I need 2100 calories to maintain my weight. According to conventional wisdom (which again, I don't hold a great deal of stock in but see as a starting point) I need to reduce my intake by 500 calories to loss a pound a week - essentially 1,600 calories. Currently I'm averaging about 1800 a day and basically maintaining my weight or maybe losing about 1 lb every other week. Right now, I'm essentially just starting living primal - on my second month (so take my thoughts with that in mind) - so I'm less worried about calories and more concerned about learning to eat this much without bread and chips which have been, honestly, a huge amount of my caloric intake before this. Along with that, I drink far too much wine and cocktails and that adds to the calorie load for me.
If you really have been taking in only 500 calories a day, I think your body is going to need to recover from essentially starvation rations. I'm betting you are actually eating more with the 'bad' food. A thing to keep in mind is that in reality the average intake over a week is far more important to look at than the daily intake.
Because I'm on a different time zone than you, I've finished my day and had dinner. I'd be happy to share what I've bought for the week and my thoughts/plans for the week if you are interested.

[girlarchitect]

Yikes .. I hope that was helpful!

[hottierockstar]

Yikes .. I hope that was helpful!

for sure! i appreciate your time!

[girlarchitect]

Keep us updated on how you are doing!!

[namelesswonder]

Just wanted to say welcome! I am a young "whackadoodle" and I definitely felt the same way you are feeling when I started out under a month ago. I messed up initially and was really not eating enough, and last week I just wasn't eating well, but I know it's going to be a process. My mind already feels much clearer, though I still have some off days.

[hottierockstar]

i started a journal...be warned, i ramble LOL


hottie(g)rockstar's journal | Mark's Daily Apple Health and Fitness Forum page

[WinkBlu]

Welcome hottierockstar! I can understand your need to know how much / what to eat / at what time...etc. And girlarchitech has given you LOADS of good information. I was the same way when I first started learning about the primal lifestyle. My previous "diets" were so structured (eat 6 meals a day, every 2-4 hours, x amount of protein w/each meal....blah blah blah) that at first the simplicity (or maybe just the common sense?) of primal freaked me out.

My best advice would be this: Go to the store and buy only primal goodies that you like (steak, fish, bacon, eggs, veggies, butter, coconut oil, almonds, berries). Cut up some veggies to last you a few days for salads; cook up some steak/fish/bacon and hardboilded eggs for leftovers. Be sure to pack something to take to work for lunch when you can manage one (or finger foods for a snack when your on the go).

Don't worry in the beginning about ratios/calories/portion size. Eat primal food when you are hungry, and stop when you are satisfied. In my experience, it will take a bit before you body gets used to being feed real food WHEN it signals for it. Trust me, even if you're worried about overeating (hell I must have gone thru a few pounds of bacon when I started!! ) as long as its primal food, your body WILL ADJUST and your hunger will align with your body and your daily activity.

I'll be following your journal

[hottierockstar]

thanks wink