Primal Journal - Siobhan page 95

[DCarr10760]

Decided over the weekend to do the full on Whole 30. I will miss the cream in coffee but figure for 30 days I can do it. I'm not really expecting miracles because I've already cleaned up my eating so much this past month. But maybe it will shake a few more pounds off!

[merryish]

Good luck! That's the one hurdle I haven't been able to beat yet. The Whole30 program FAQ has this line that goes something like, "Don't tell us it's hard. Taking your coffee black for 30 days is not hard!"

I think about that line a LOT. While I'm putting cream in my coffee....

[Siobhan]

Actually, I disagree with them about drinking coffee black - for many people that cuppa in the morning is very important and a major pleasure in life. It's not hard compared to climbing Mt. Everest, or undergoing cancer treatment. But food-wise, it is hard. And I get annoyed when people devalue something that is important to me. BUT this has been a gradual process, and I have some substitutes. I know myself pretty well - if I feel I am giving up something, or being deprived, I will make up for it in another way. I have some locally-made almond milk, very expensive stuff, but it is an acceptable substitute. Almond milk, of course, contains carbs, not many but there they are. But I can keep it to a very small amount and balance it out with protein and fat. Mornings are critical for me - if I can get it right up until 11 AM, the rest of the day is a snap.

So - my first day, it is just after 5PM, according to paleotrack.com I am strict Paleo, sugar, grain, dairy, and legume free!

I keep repeating Tomi's signature line to myself - Will eating this help me reach my goals? Excellent line.

[merryish]

Actually, I disagree with them about drinking coffee black - for many people that cuppa in the morning is very important and a major pleasure in life.

I am SO VERY MUCH one of those people. I cut the sugar out of my coffee, and sometimes I do drink it black, but the cream is one thing I can't let go of.

For most people I totally agree with you. Me, though - I have autoimmune issues, and should be trying to eliminate dairy, eggs, and nightshades to see what happens. I just never make it more than a couple of days into that...

[Siobhan]

It's funny, we often crave the very things that cause problems - I don't know why it works that way, but it does. When I think of how I used to crave bread, and the dramatic positive changes that happened when I eliminated it, I am very suspicious of any food I think I can't live without. And there is the very real problem - you have to eat something! It is one thing to eliminate lots of stuff when I am alone at home, but when I want to go out and be social with other people, it is tiresome and embarrassing to have so many restrictions. So I am wrestling with that - I have a friend coming to stay for a few days, I hope it will work out. I think she is pretty understanding with food restrictions, though.

[DCarr10760]

Yeah, cream in my coffee is about all the dairy I consume these days, but here's the weird thing, at work I drink it black. Why? Because I'm too much of a scatterbrain to remember to get cream and bring it in. People have 2% I could use, but...hglugh! (that's the sound of me throwing up in my mouth a little). I'd just as soon drink it black...so I do.

So it's really not a big deal for me to drink it black at home.

But I'd really like a glass of wine...

[Siobhan]

Years ago I worked with a lot of Scandinavian women - yeah, they were all gorgeous. Slim, perfect skin, perfect teeth, unbelievably beautiful. They all gagged at the thought of drinking or using skim milk or low-fat anything. I remember one women actually berating the lunch lady for giving her 2% milk. "It tastes like nothing! Why would I drink that?" She actually raised her voice. To think I could have listened to those gorgeous creatures and been primal 25 years ago!

[Siobhan]

Just a couple more thoughts - up til now I have been consuming 100g/100g/100g - approximately 1700 calories per day. My average has been 1700-1800. But I have to dial down. I'm now in the 80g/80g/80g club. Actually, I'll need to go a little higher on the fat and a little lower on the carb - maybe 85/80/75. Who am I kidding, I can't quantity my food intake that closely! Basically I just need to eat less - not a lot less, but less.

Hey, I did the greatest shovelglove thing. I skipped a couple of lessons and did the CHARGE! The funnest thing ever! I'm going to try doing it on the hiking trails, hopefully with no one around or I might end up having to fight off the guys in white coats. Seriously, it is really fun to run around with the hammer pretending to be fighting for your tribe or something.

[JudyCr]

Yeah, I skimmed over the no cream in coffee.. I knew that would never work and would probably be the excuse I'd use to forget the whole thing.

[Siobhan]

Well, here I am in my second day and I have...gained half a pound. Very tired. Am going to look up symptoms of West Nile. Or symptoms that someone needs a vacation. Actually, I already know those and I have them. Back hurts, too. So far I unimpressed with the non-dairy thing.