Easing into Primal living page

[Neroli]

Hello all!
Hoping for some advice... My husband and I agreed to try going Primal on March 1st of this year. The problem is I have read the PB twice and have done a lot of research into different paleo-type diets and am pretty well informed about what I'm getting into. My husband basically has the cliff notes version. I'm trying to slowly ease my family (husband and 2 kids) into eating differently. I have started out by cutting out our grains completely. This has turned my husband into a junk-food addict coming off his last high. Last night we were watching a movie and he would randomly say things like "mmmm chips" and "i miss bread". I know this will pass eventually but omg it makes it hard! So my question is would it be better to take out everything that is non-primal at once or take out a few things at a time and let them adjust as we go? Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks!
Neroli

[denasqu]

From Mark's "21 Day Total Body Transformation".

"action item #1 ELIMINATE SAD FOODS"

I tried to ease into it a couple years ago. While it seemed to work for a few months, the gray are between primal and SAD became humungous and long story short, I was MUCH worse off a year and a half later (now).

This time around I am toeing the line. I don't believe half-measure will avail me any long term benefit, certainly not half. If you can accept the premise that grains cause inflammation of all kinds then you just have to ask yourself "how much inflammation do I want today?".

[Kate Ruckman]

This time around I am toeing the line. I don't believe half-measure will avail me any long term benefit, certainly not half. If you can accept the premise that grains cause inflammation of all kinds then you just have to ask yourself "how much inflammation do I want today?".

OH, that's an excellent approach. Yeah, how bad do I want to feel...NOT.

I didn't ease into it, so I can't say it would be easier or harder, I'm afraid...I just decided to do it, and (for the most part) did it. I don't eat sugar (other than the bit in my dark chocolate), soda, bread. crackers, grains, pasta, and feel much better for it. Once in a while when we eat out and there are croutons on the salad I'll eat one or two, but that's very infrequent. No cravings, which is WONDERFUL. Your husband's very new in it, and cravings will pass if he has enough of other foods he likes, I think. And starts to feel better...

[klamb]

I started in January. Week one I cut out all artifical sweeteners (diet coke addict). Week two I cut out all processed foods, sugars, grains, starchy vegetables, etc. Week three I tracked my foods in Myfitnesspal to make sure that my carbs were 75 or less (I am trying to lose weight). I eat 85% chocolate when I am craving something sweet. Week four I added exercise. Week five to date, I am focusing on organic, grass-fed, and raw dairy - if I can find and/or afford it. I would say my transition is slow but I made the big cut all at once. I still occasionally think mmm, chips but not often especially not when compared to diet programs out there that make you hungry.

[jhc]

All I am going to say is whatever you do you need to make it hard to cheat; bolster your willpower with your laziness.

[lamoka]

I say go for it all at once.. and stop letting your husband watch tv lol!!! just kidding.. it does make it harder though when your taste buds take over..

[Neroli]

Thanks for all the posts. Hubby has cheated twice (once with pizza and once with BBQ) and he felt HORRIBLE. He was very surprised that just a few sclices of pizza would be enough to make him bloat like a thanksgiving day parade balloon. He is happy to eat whatever I put infront of him now I am slowly throwing out non-primal food and restocking with the good stuff. Kids don't even ask for cookies when I keep grapes and apples around! We may not be completely primal yet but getting there!

[GoPrimalPast50]

Easing in can work - if you approach it as a plan with goals. It's how I did it. At 379 pounds I was morbidly obese and I tried going the cold turkey route, but that didn't last long. What I did is for the first 3 weeks, I ate 3 eggs for breakfast every day (scrambled, omlete's, over easy etc.) with onions and peppers or avoacadoes or salsa, etc. - with no grain or sugar products at all. I didn't change what I ate for the other meals. After 3 weeks, I then stopped eating all grain and sugar laden foods for my dinner meal. I did that for 3 weeks. So now I was grain and refined sugar free for two of my meals. After 3-weeks, I did the same for the lunch meal. After 3-more weeks I cut all grain and refined sugar foods out of all meals and snacks and drinks.

This was much easier for me with little in the way of cravings or discomfort. Plan it out, and follow the plan. Keep tabs on the calendar. By the time you get to cutting out the junk during the snack and drink phase, you'll do it automatically and forget about the calendar.

You never need to count calories and eat when you want and eat until you are full. The other thing you need to do is move more. If you are big like I was, I suggest walking at least 30 minutes a day 5-6 days a week. It is the easiest exercise to do and it works and will lead you to want to do more vigorous exercises and lifitng heavy things.

It took over 18 months, but to date I have lost 130 pounds and am down to 249. At 6'3" I'm told I look pretty good, but I want to close the gap on that 200 lb mark. I know with time I will get there. This lifestyle is too easy not to make it.