Primal Journal - NeoPaleo page

[NeoPaleo]

Ok, so I'm going to start journaling my eating and activities. Mainly to help keep me on track food-wise (feel free to heckle remorselessly if I stray without good reason!), but also to maybe help others out just by being able to see one person's approach.


So, for today (Sat, June 27):


B - 4 eggs, scrambled, 1-1.5 cups strawberries and blueberries, yerba mate (a kind of tea from South America).


L - Large salad (lots of lettuce, cucumber, a carrot, half an avocado, few cherry tomatoes, a few dried currents), topped with a can of tuna, and as a dressing, olive oil and oregano.


S -Handful of almonds, cup of coffee with a tiny splash of milk and a wee bit of sugar, and a small piece of dark chocolate (I'm currently trying to eliminate coffee altogether - I'm down to once a day now - once I eliminate it, I won't have any more use for dairy or sugar).


D - Chicken breast wrapped in bacon, brussels sprouts (about 14 I think), small salad with olive oil and balsamic.


S - 1-1.5 cups strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. About 10 almonds.


Between breakfast and lunch I went to a local park and did some bare-foot trail running. About 3 miles worth of sprinting, jogging and walking. I've just started doing a lot more bare-foot and I'm loving it. This was the first time doing the whole 3 mile loop bare-foot. Previously I'd start out w/ shoes, then take them off about half-way through. My feet are certainly getting stronger and tougher. Then, to wash all the mud off I waded along the creek there at the park. Lots of small and medium stones gave my foot muscles a workout - they're still sore.

[Conan]

Looks like a solid day. What are your goals?

[NeoPaleo]

Goals?? Um... er... good question. I guess just to be as fit and healthy as I can. I've been eating pretty healthy (well, by CW standards) and I've been pretty active for years now (gym, trail running, a little bit of capoeira, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, trying to learn to surf, playing games on the beach, that kind of stuff) - so I'm in decent shape already, but I'd love to loose the last bit of fat (5-10 lbs?) around my mid section and get a bit stronger in general. I don't play any organized sports or practice any martial art or anything, I'm just really attracted to the whole primal lifestyle from a philosophical viewpoint.


I've been a web-programmer (freelance) for years, but am currently studying for a personal training certification. I can't stand sitting around all day - I need to move! Just a couple weeks ago I found out about Erwan Le Corre and movnat.com and I'd love to be able to get involved with that somehow.

[Conan]

Do you lift heavy weights infrequently? That might really help you drop the last few pounds.

[NeoPaleo]

I lift 2 or 3 times a week. Usually 3. Mostly big compounds - squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, pull-ups, etc.


Although I've been eating "mostly" primal for the last month or so, I think I've been cheating too much. That's one reason I want to keep a journal here - a bit of peer pressure.

[Conan]

Well you are doing everything right with diet and excercise. I know that my cheat days really derailed my weight loss efforts until I started spreading them out. Instead of once/week I tried to only cheat once every couple of weeks. It also helps to modify your cheat days from a massive beer/pizza binge to maybe a moderately sized meal at your favorite ethnic restaurant or a giant sandwich from Quizno's. Something that still has some nutritional value and a few less carbs/calories.

[NeoPaleo]

For today (Sunday, June 28):


B - 4 scrambled eggs, a small bowl of berries

L - A can of anchovies in olive oil and a big salad

S - Coffee with a splash of milk and pinch of sugar (damn sugar!!), and a small piece of dark chocolate.

D - Organic spare ribs BBQ (at my parents house - the sauce had some sugar in it, but at least no HFCS), green beens, small salad with olive oil & balsamic.

S - A small bowl of berries.


No exercise today as I got a decent amount the last 3 days. My foot and calf muscles were sore from yesterday's barefoot run and creek walking. But good-sore!!


I ate so many ribs. I'm thinking that tomorrow I'll probably not want breakfast.

[Diana Renata]

Sounds like a good day. Have you ever tried stevia? I use it in place of sugar and it works nicely in coffee. Some people say there's an aftertaste but I don't taste it. There's nothing like a good cup of coffee.


The ribs sound delicious. I don't think eating any other meat feels more Primal than gnawing on a rib- lol.

[NeoPaleo]

Time for the next entry - for Monday, June 29


B - nothing (those ribs yesterday were filling!)

L - 4 scrambled eggs with some swiss chard cooked in, leftover Moroccan spiced lamb sausage (organic, from the farmer's market), a salad w/ olive oil & balsamic

S - Coffee with a splash of milk and a pinch of sugar - less sugar than yesterday (can I get down to zero sugar???)

D - Half pound salmon fillet, zucchini (Green AND yellow! Ooooo... Fancy!). Two hard-boiled eggs afterwards.

S - Small piece of dark chocolate - now I'm all out.

S - Scoop of almond butter and a few dried currents


Workout - 45 minutes of kettlebells at the gym at 10:30am - on an empty stomach. I actually like workout out on an empty stomach now. Back in the carb-days, I couldn't do it. I'd get all light headed and have no energy.


@Diana: I haven't tried stevia. Does it taste like sugar or does it have a "different" taste to it? I should just buy some and see. And yes, ribs and drum sticks are my favorite things to eat right now. I LOVE gnawing on the bones! (And to think, I was a vegan for a year and a half!!! But then I got better...)

[FlyNavyWife]

ooh the salmon sounds so good.


I find that the stevia tastes different... I don't like it in coffee (but I don't mind coffee black as I grew up with it that way). My husband hasn't noticed a difference (in coffee). I thought it was fine in the whipped cream I made last night, too and would probably work fine in any recipes.