The Girl in White Tiger Field page 14

[Byakko]

It takes like 6-12 months for many to heal their gut issues, so think about adding back grains like next summer if you do decide to experiment. Many consider white rice a fairly safe option though, so maybe later this fall you can experiment with that. Raw onions never bothered me when I was younger, but I think Ibuprofen overuse really did a number on my gut. I have been off the stuff (ibuprofen or "Advil") for about 1&3/4 years now (about the same amount of time that I've been eating this way) and I noticed earlier this year that wasabi (with sushi) no longer munched my stomach and since I have found that the raw onion is ok now too.

Let me suggest a recipe your family should all like because this is a hit with everyone I know (and none of them are primal).
Pulled Pork: (Pork roasts are quite cheap - so a bonus with the parents - I always get a big one)

In a crock pot, put about 6 pieces of bacon - line the bottom with it. Next add a couple of onions, either roughly chopped or simply sliced. Put pork roast on top and add a little salt (1/2 tsp) and black pepper if you like it (I put lots - like 2 tsp). Let it cook over night on low and some time the next day, shread it up with 2 forks and add a can of crushed pineapple, juice and all. Let it continue to cook until dinner. It's a little sweet and a little salty and totally yum! It can be served with BBQ sauce on buns for the bread eaters and with coleslaw for anyone else. The cole slaw I make is also super simple - either shread the cabbage and grate the carrot yourself, or buy the ready shreaded in the produce section at the grocery. Add a little mayo and some more pineapple (either crushed or chunks) with just a little of the juice. If you have no mayo, just add the pineapple and it's super refreshing.

I also like to put my crock pot out on my back deck so that the yummy pork cooking smell doesn't keep the family up at night.
There will be lots of left overs so plan to put some in the freezer for another day.

Thanks for the recipe suggestion. We do have a crock pot so one day I can try this. In all honesty I don't think it's too hard to find things my family would like to eat. Perhaps they're just being stubborn for stubborn's sake. They just don't want to be told or they aren't convinced by the science (or in dad's case won't listen.) Meat and vegetables is about as basic as you can get and as long as you're not vegan or have problems with digesting animal protein, they will eat it. In fact my dad has partaken of some things I've made, though I wasn't happy about it.

When I first made hamburgers, he ate one of them. The other night I made sweet potato fries and he had some. While I want them to join me, I don't like having my food eaten up when I have to depend on that. He's got snacks and things he can eat if he chooses, but I don't. I don't have a problem cooking/sharing paleo meals with others. But I don't appreciate my meals being eaten or being ordered to make something or even getting the side-eye because what I'm doing is weird to other people. Dx

But that's mostly my dad. The irony is he can watch Dual Survival, Survivorman, Bear Grylles and acts like a know-it-all when it comes to survival but won't even take the initiate to make his own food or serve himself and looks at ME like I'm nuts for wanting to eat clean meat. </rant over>

I have to ask, since I'm currently the only one who's eating paleo in the house, should I try to find recipes that have small servings? I'm worried about over making and then wasting food when it doesn't last as long. I make sloppy joe, 4 servings, but by day 4, mom said it was probably best not to eat it (it had been in the fridge.) I'm not an expert on how long food lasts in the fridge after it's cooked. I just don't want to waste food after making it because it goes bad before I can eat it. I made 6 (roughly 4oz) chicken legs and I'm not sure I could eat more than one at a sitting.

[JudyCr]

Good rant, sweetie. It's hard living with your parents when you grow up. You just have to be the strong one and continue on, you're doing better everyday. You can freeze your leftovers if you don't think you'll eat them within 3 days. Do keep the fridge about 34/36 degrees and everything should be fine.

I had to give DH the side-eye just now when he wanted to change channels. lmao

Mudflinger, that looks like an awesome recipe for pulled pork, pineapple in it, OMG, how great will that be. On my list, thx so much.

[Byakko]

Good rant, sweetie. It's hard living with your parents when you grow up. You just have to be the strong one and continue on, you're doing better everyday. You can freeze your leftovers if you don't think you'll eat them within 3 days. Do keep the fridge about 34/36 degrees and everything should be fine.

I had to give DH the side-eye just now when he wanted to change channels. lmao

Mudflinger, that looks like an awesome recipe for pulled pork, pineapple in it, OMG, how great will that be. On my list, thx so much.

If I may ask (and I don't think I have before), how did you find out about PB/Paleo and why did you decide to try it?

[JudyCr]

I had an easy time on South Beach diet when it came out yrs go, and I think I was either googling or at Amazon and searched low carb diets when paleo, caveman & primal popped up. Mark's book had great reviews so I ordered it.

[Byakko]

I had an easy time on South Beach diet when it came out yrs go, and I think I was either googling or at Amazon and searched low carb diets when paleo, caveman & primal popped up. Mark's book had great reviews so I ordered it.

Ah interesting. Everyone has different reasons for going primal.

---
Beware: Rant Mode

Feeling weary today...not that I was brimming with energy. It will probably take more time and more tweaking with nutrition before I'll stop feeling like a soggy bean bag. My feet and legs feel like I'm hauling logs with bricks tied at the end. My arms feel like socks filled with potatoes. I'm just gross all over. Not quite like the first two days of the diet but no better than I was before. For some reason my nerves seem more jangled, like I'm irritated or having trouble resisting. I'm not having powerful cravings but I just feel off.

I really didn't think I'd be met with tempting propositions. I know that it's just habit on the part of others (right now my grandmother and aunt) But I've said several times that I'm trying not to eat fast food. My aunt makes little comments like "oh do you ever look at the health score on the fast food restaurants?" or "this soda has no sugar/calories" or my grandma says "you can take the breading off". If push comes to shove, I will order the meal I feel is the healthiest I can manage (typically a salad with grilled chicken.) But I'd rather not partake at all if I can help it. I make an effort to bring a banana (and previously Larabars) with me when I'm out to hold me over until I can get home. Long story short: they order the food I don't want to eat and I'm trapped in the car with it; offering me some of it only makes me feel worse. (I suppose you'd call that "Diet Anger") Don't get me wrong. I refused politely "No, no thank you." or "That's okay. I have food cooked at home." I hate seeming like a bitch by not partaking (especially when inside I really want it.)

I hate coming home with a small touch of hunger and I can't just GRAB something. Crackers, cookies, toast, dry cereal, anything! I typically eat my "dinner" around 6pm or that's what I aim for. So when there's 2-3 hours to wait before I have supper, it's rough. I'd get nuts but they're so expensive. I'm out of my chocolate (which I try not to eat too much of and am not likely to replenish right now.)

I'm still worried about not having an appetite in the mornings, but I always try to eat something, even if it's not a loaded meal. It Starts With Food mentioned something about it being an indication of messed up hormones or something of that nature. Who knows.

[Mud Flinger]

Your rant about your Dad eating your food is actually a benefit. He likes your food! Just plan on him eating some when you make it. Double the portion of sweet potato fries or whatever and if he doesn't eat his, pop them in a lunch baggy and freeze them. A quick trip in the toaster oven in a few days and you'll be good to go. Same goes for whatever else your making. Make like 8 servings and freeze whatever is left that you won't eat the next day. Another yummy, quick go to meal is bacon wrapped chicken breast. Just wrap a piece of bacon (or 2 if they are big and you love bacon) around a chicken breast with the ends on the bottom and then bake in the oven at 350 deg until done (about and hour). Serve with the sauce of your choosing. A little honey mustard or BBQ sauce is yummy. It freezes well, so I like to make a family pack (about 8-10 chicken breasts) and freeze half for next week. They can each be popped into a lunch baggy for individual servings too. Put a frozen one in the fridge and it can sit a couple of days defrosting for when you are ready. This meal is great with either baked or fried sweet potato.

Sorry you are not feeling so well. I would get pissy after a while if people ignored my request to avoid junk food all the time too. Is there a way to avoid this part of the trip? Could they drop you somewhere (library, store, or park) while they get their food and eat it and then pick you up after. I realize that these ideas will sound a little crazy to your Aunt and G'ma, but it also may get your point across. Bring a sketch pad and draw or write while you enjoy some fresh air or find a new book to borrow and enjoy. Even shopping without buying can help you find a better/cheaper brand of a food item or a new motivational outfit when you reach a goal. Anything to get your mind off of deprivation. Maybe you'll find a new job possibility or meet a new friend. The possiblities are endless and all are better than sitting trapped in a car feeling unhappy.

[Byakko]

Your rant about your Dad eating your food is actually a benefit. He likes your food! Just plan on him eating some when you make it. Double the portion of sweet potato fries or whatever and if he doesn't eat his, pop them in a lunch baggy and freeze them. A quick trip in the toaster oven in a few days and you'll be good to go. Same goes for whatever else your making. Make like 8 servings and freeze whatever is left that you won't eat the next day. Another yummy, quick go to meal is bacon wrapped chicken breast. Just wrap a piece of bacon (or 2 if they are big and you love bacon) around a chicken breast with the ends on the bottom and then bake in the oven at 350 deg until done (about and hour). Serve with the sauce of your choosing. A little honey mustard or BBQ sauce is yummy. It freezes well, so I like to make a family pack (about 8-10 chicken breasts) and freeze half for next week. They can each be popped into a lunch baggy for individual servings too. Put a frozen one in the fridge and it can sit a couple of days defrosting for when you are ready. This meal is great with either baked or fried sweet potato.

Sorry you are not feeling so well. I would get pissy after a while if people ignored my request to avoid junk food all the time too. Is there a way to avoid this part of the trip? Could they drop you somewhere (library, store, or park) while they get their food and eat it and then pick you up after. I realize that these ideas will sound a little crazy to your Aunt and G'ma, but it also may get your point across. Bring a sketch pad and draw or write while you enjoy some fresh air or find a new book to borrow and enjoy. Even shopping without buying can help you find a better/cheaper brand of a food item or a new motivational outfit when you reach a goal. Anything to get your mind off of deprivation. Maybe you'll find a new job possibility or meet a new friend. The possiblities are endless and all are better than sitting trapped in a car feeling unhappy.

This may sound selfish but at this point I'd rather have the food for myself. My dad has a tendency to overeat and so there's no need for him to eat my food when he's already eaten. As for the sweet potato fries, he likes them with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I already have to divide up what I make just so he can have his (and he has an annoying habit of ordering people to do things, which ticks me off, even if he's not serious.) If he expresses interest in changing his eating habits or will make up for it by buying me more food (like replacing the potatoes or ground beef) I might consider it. I do want him to try and eat better but I still have a few more weeks to go before I can say I've done this for a month. Who knows what else will happen in that time? I hope good things, things they they all can see and I hope that is what gets them thinking.

Well quite honestly I accompany them to the physical therapist because my grandmother refuses to use a cane so I act as her support (though I think she's also secretly worried about leaving me at home alone, as if someone will come in the house and get me.) So my role there is not extensive. I'd stay home if I could. Hanging out with older people can sometimes be a bummer (hearing about ailments and medication and insurance and costs and all that crap is not fun, even if I bring my Ipod.) Could be worse yet it still is challenging. My aunt seems to want to keep convincing me that other things are okay and I just politely refuse. And although my grandma comes from the old school, grew up on a farm, tended cows, she's reached an age where she is consuming a ton of items, especially food and no longer wishes to cook. She lives off of TV dinners and doesn't seem very hungry (otherwise I might try to cook for her.) So even though she's come up through a lot of eras, she still has a CW way of thinking and thinks candy or sugar, rather is needed for energy (but she's diabetic and is highly confused.)

I can ignore it but it just gets a tad annoying. Hopefully if I work hard enough to get actual varied well rounded meals in place I won't have this to endure this sort of thing. And thankfully I am finding some basic things so yeah! I'm on a roll, on a mission to find at least 7 meals.

[Byakko]

Nearly forgot to log in the food.

M1: chicken leg and carrots again
S: banana
S: 1 Applegate Farms beef hot dog
M2: leftover salmon
S: grapes

Too much fruit, not enough vegetables and still lack of hunger (and probably a good amount of laziness.) What's wrong with me!? Dx

*sigh* My life is super disjointed atm. Heck I should probably be trying to sleep right now, but I want to talk to my friend and this is the only time I sort of get an extended time frame to speak with her. But she does understand that I have to sleep. Even so I feel if I don't speak with her I'll go nuts, since I'm trapped at home.

I'm feeling gross, probably from lack of fat or vegetables. I may have to force myself to eat veggies and force myself to give up grapes. They're too addictive (especially the red ones.) I'll keep bananas because they're handy (I don't eat more than 1 a day) and I'll try more nutrient dense foods (kale). Perhaps I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of vegetables I should be eating while trying not to overdo carbs. I don't know. Getting into a solid routine has been far harder than I thought. Knowing when to freeze or cook, having enough servings or ingredients. So many different things, plus not having much cooking experience. But I'm willing to keep at it even if it has been kind of all consuming. My only wish is that something starts to get easier soon.

TMI time. Went to the bathroom...wasn't the same as usual but didn't feel any better. I really hope my system will eventually start to improve. I believe the constipation is giving me fatigue.

That's it for today. I set my alarm...so...I guess I will try to get up around 7am (not normal for me) and eat. I'll take a nap if I have to I suppose, but eating late is not allowing me to get in enough food. I'm eating two meals a day but it's not nearly as rounded as it should be. I hate the idea of forcing myself to eat but I'm not sure what else to do.

[Byakko]

Last night was bad.

Stomach cramps, strong headache, feeling the need to go to the bathroom. First time I've felt IBS symptoms after going primal. I don't know WHAT caused it and it's bugging the hell out of me! Not enough of the right nutrition, no fat, no vegetables, too much fruit, not eating enough! WHAT!?

I still don't feel good and I just woke up, at the crack of lunch. No appetite as usual. When my stomach gets like this I get even more wary of eating anything. I don't know what's going on or if this is just a normal reaction to going primal.

[Byakko]

S: banana
M1: chicken leg w/ kale
S: orange
M2: 2 eggs
S: hotdog with grapes

I think I need to see the doctor for a general check up. I worry that there is some other issues going on that I don't know about. Plus I wouldn't mind getting a record of my stats so I can maybe compare them later when I hopefully will be healthier. I did not feel much better today but at this moment, I'm fairer. I hope that's reflective of the extra things I ate.

I suppose the good news is I finally was able to put together some guidelines for myself regarding meals, so here's hoping that Week 3 will be more well-rounded, restful and more active.