Bay Area Newbie here page 2

[SoccerGrok]

@Westly...No need to travel. There's 3 in the city. Frankiln, Potrero Hill, and SoMa...rc, good on ya. Keep up the positive thoughts/work. Grok ON!

[sixpack-rc]

So an update. Kept on keeping on and now weigh in a 238.5. To put that in perspective, last time I weighed this much it was after a month of p90x followed by a month of intense heavy labor (We sell Christmas trees) and a bout of food poisoning which put me on a 3-day fast in which I lost nine pounds. Same starting point.

I feel stronger now than I did then.

Ironically, that food poisoning was part of what got me questioning CW. According to CW if I didn't eat for three days my body would go into starvation mode and then I would gain weight instantly when I started eating again. That didn't happen. I kept that weight off for months of my normal eating until my steady eight gain resumed and took me back up there.

~rc

[SoccerGrok]

That's awesome rc, keep up the good work. Those backflips are getting closer:-) Grok ON!

[kitoi]

Another bay area dweller, Fairfield here.

A few other places to get grass fed
Berkeley Bowl
Paradise Market
El Cerrito Natural Foods
Baron's Meats

[mommyrunmommy]

I'm also in Fairfield. I wish we had more options for Grass Fed closer to home.

[kitoi]

I'm also in Fairfield. I wish we had more options for Grass Fed closer to home.

Found this place in Paradise valley but didn't see anything about a local purchasing
Paradise Valley Beef, Grass Fed Black Angus Beef

[mommyrunmommy]

I saw that. $600 for a 1/4 seems high. I found this website that lets you search for grass fed beef farms and other 'natural' farms. There are a couple other places not too far away that seem a little cheaper, like this place: Pricing

Here's the website to search:
Eat Wild - Find Your State

I am trying to decide whether to buy a freezer. The grass fed beed is actually cheaper than buying at Costco, as long as you use it all. It's a big committment.

[sixpack-rc]

Thanks for all your encouragement and support! It has really helped me to know that you're all out there thinking good things

One of my neighbors is almost convinced to go primal, but he is already definitely convinced that we should go in on a grass fed cow together. We are still trying to find the best deal but he made a couple of points that I didn't know. The biggie was that cows whose DNA is wired to taste better with grain or corn and arsenic taste terrible if they are grass fed. Some farmers buy grain cattle and finish them on grass, he tried one of those one and it tasted rotten even though it wasn't.

We're trying to find one for about $1000 a side which should be be around $6/lb.

Update: tipped the sale today at 234.5. Total loss of 20 lbs in about 3.5 weeks total and 17 since going whole hog 16 days ago.

I have cheated with mcd's a few times and each time it stalled the weight loss of a couple of days even though I kept my carbs low with it and overall calories about the same. Other than French fries I don't miss anything.

Although I am careful not to let myself think too long about pizza. I think when I reach my goal weight I will experiment with double proofing bread and making my own culture. I have let dough ferment before making pizza with it and I think that might help with some of the inflammation issues.

I have been cooking a big roast or stew every few days and eating off that, then making bacon or sausage and eggs with veggies (need more veg) and maybe a lettuce wrapped bacon burger on a bed of spinach with asparagus or broccoli for variety.

I have a piece of fruit every day (except the days I went to mcd's) usually an apple, orange or banana.

Not working out other than golf 4 times a week (9-holes in the evenings) and shooting lots of newborn sessions.

I'm starting to feel up for LHT and maybe sprints so will try to do this week.

My LW is starting the 30 day challenge with me tomorrow so I'm very excited to being doing it together.

~rc

[sixpack-rc]

Update - feeling crappy and put about 5 lbs back on.

I almost put out a call for help on the forum but through reading other threads and revisiting the book I think I figured it out.

I was trying to eat a lot of veg, but wasn't really. And I was forgetting to eat or even purposefully missing meals.

The net net is that I started tracking calories and my calories were about 1100 to 1300 per day with not nearly enough protein. So I upped my veggies and started eating leaner meats and I feel much, much better. Also increased iodized salt and eating one apple, banana or orange a day + some grapes. Most days my carbs are around 50-60 with the occasional bump up to 115 or so.

According to SparkPeople I had a 1759 calorie deficit yesterday with my two hours of golf.

Weighed in this am at 239.5 but I think it was due to constipation the last couple of days. Eating extra veggies seemed to get things going again so hopefully I'll get back on track and continue to feel better.

One of the best side effects of getting insulin under control is not being chained to food or bathroom. I have had problems (IBS) immediately after eating breakfast for so it's really freeing to be able to just skip breakfast if I don't have time. I don't get that reaction as much anymore, but it used to be a catch 22. Eat and wait or go hungry and get the shakes. Several days where I've had early morning shoots I haven't eaten anything until 2 or 3 pm and still had great energy. The way my shoots are I'm constantly moving, constantly giving energy to my subjects and in hyper focus mode for hours on end. Not needing to snack is also great.

I think PB is doing what no other way of eating has ever done for me-breaking the mental exaggeration of food. Food is fuel and I need it. But I don't need it NOW! I need it on my terms, not as part of some irrational made up mythological rite.

~rc

[sixpack-rc]

Just thought I would update this thread since I don't really want to have a formal journal

I have finally figured out the eating and how much/little to eat of most things. I think that I still have some psychological objections to losing weight that I'm dealing with. Every time I start really dropping the fat, I start getting anxious so I eat some junk (nothing non-primal) and slow it down. Now that I recognize it I allow it. I just let myself plateau for a while and then I go into fat loss mode and ramp it up for a few days or a week and then let it plateau again.

My last post was at 239.5 and was about a 5 weeks ago. I'm currently at 228.8 so still seeing good results. I feel much, much better and stronger than I used to. Sometimes I feel funny trying to explain all of the things that have changed for the better since going primal but I feel like a late night kitchen device commercial. (You know: "It slices, it dices and if you order today...")

So I just mostly say I have more energy, I'm losing weight, I'm feeling better and I'm stronger. That pretty much says it all.

I'm hoping to break 200 in early 2012. Although I'm not really in any hurry anymore. Now that I know I will be eating this way for life and I already feel great, what's the rush? The urgency has diminished from when I thought my death was imminent.

~rc