Help, I want my mojo back!! page

[aussiepossum]

Hi I'm from Downunder and first posting here! Been reading the site for 2-3 mths – have the PB Journal and just ordered the PBP book, however, feeling a little lost. Sorry - I know it's a bit long-winded )

Bit of background - *I'm 58, 164cm (5'4"), 69 kg (151 lbs) healthy. Exercised all my life, been in good shape & led what I thought was a healthy & nutritionally sound regime (according to CW) only to find out in last 10-12 yrs that I had set myself up for some seriously bad health outcomes. 6 yrs ago, diagnosed with hypothyroidism, 2 yrs ago, pyrroluria (the copper/zinc/B6 imbalance) and a year ago, found out I also have sleep apnea.*So that has meant extra few kilos, sleep deprivation (now better with CPAP) and generally feeling crappy. My challenges (not as great as many others) have meant trying lots of different ways of eating/exercising etc, and while I'm not obese, I have too much body fat (the belly pouch – the post-menopausal woman's curse!)
Been researching/studying nutrition/food/health for the past 20-30 years and don't follow CW on this or most other medical stuff – doesn't always work! (a generalisation I know, forgive me!)

Location: Australia

Age (If you want):58

How Primal are you: In the transition stage for past 6-7 weeks – but been concentrating on this for the past week – using myfitnesspal APP (found this better than Fitday) which concentrates on calories, so having difficulties with the calories vs carb/protein/fat intake.

Never smoked, don't drink alcohol/soft drinks (ever), don't have the evil sugar (use stevia & xylitol) and watch the carbs. Been big on grains and although I also have a wheat/gluten intolerance (not a celiac though) I have loved my oats! Now, the grains are gone.

Do you consume dairy: yes, don't have health issues with dairy but reducing it greatly – but can I keep my cheese and yoghurt/labneh (all organic of course!)???

Do you drink coffee or tea:rarely have a coffee; black tea (org earl grey) – usually 3 cups/day and do have milk - not dairy and it still is oatmilk (yeah, I know that is grain-based but only one that doesn't make black tea taste awful!)

Motivator for switching to Primal: Years of trying different ways to shed a few kgs and nothing has worked – I am highly motivated by this site and convinced this can work for me as it has for many others.*

Favourite exercise: Pushups, well they were until a badly fractured wrist 2 ½ yrs ago put paid to that – well, still can do some. Love doing weights workouts – usually 2 x wk. Also walking, do sprints once a week/10 days. Enjoy hiking and kayaking for pleasure. All this when I'm feeling well enough but have been able to keep up the gym stuff for past 5-6 mths.

Favourite Primal food:Probably eggs – eat them every day and also love chicken. Celery is my most favourite vegetable. (I love smoothies but Whole 30 suggests they are not the best - hmmmm).

Best part about being Primal: Hopefully being able to shed a few kgs and enjoying all the food I love without having to worry about the calories!

Worst part about being Primal: Being in this transition stage. Have been moving in this direction for past 6 wks or so, no grains, and currently working with a goal of 20% carb/25% protein/55% fat (100g carb/120g both protein and fat). My calories for the past 6 days – 1590-1890 (gross), and net totals (after exercise) 966-1470 cals, and no change in weight over past weeks despite regular exercise as above. And, I am hungry!!

A few questions:
Should I ditch the food tracking regime – (it is quite time-consuming)
Am I over-consuming (I don't believe that to be the case)
Or am I just a bit impatient (one of my faults ) and experiencing the carb-flu feeling?

Many thanks for any suggestions/advice and looking forward to be part of this community

Cheers!

[Lewis]

Worst part about being Primal: Being in this transition stage. Have been moving in this direction for past 6 wks or so, no grains, and currently working with a goal of 20% carb/25% protein/55% fat (100g carb/120g both protein and fat). My calories for the past 6 days – 1590-1890 (gross), and net totals (after exercise) 966-1470 cals, and no change in weight over past weeks despite regular exercise as above. And, I am hungry!!

Dont be. If you're hungry, Primal Blueprint thinking is you should eat more.

Eating a very limited number of calories and exercising a lot probably won't be helpful. All it will do is make you hungry, cause you to burn muscle, and cause your metabolism to slow down. If you don't eat because you're not hungry -- which might happen when you can efficiently access your fat stores -- that's fine. But making yourself not eat when you're hungry doesn't seem to work.

A piece on becoming a better fat-burner:

Your 2012 Weight-Loss Resolution: Become a Better Fat Burner | drcate.com

A few questions:
Should I ditch the food tracking regime – (it is quite time-consuming)

Yes. I would follow your instincts there.

Am I over-consuming (I don't believe that to be the case)

I think you're quite correct there. I think you should eat a little more, if you're feeling hungry.

Or am I just a bit impatient (one of my faults ) and experiencing the carb-flu feeling?

I don't know. Are you experiencing anything like dizziness, nausea, or sudden faintness if you stand up from sitting rapidly?

[aussiepossum]

Thanks Lewis – appreciate the time you took to respond to my questions, as my initial posting was a long one! I feel better already!

And I did check out Dr Cate's site – excellent! I think her Deep Nutrition book is worth a read too – it's on my list.

I've taken your advice and eaten a little more today and will for my evening meal - so far, so good. I've certainly long since believed in good fats (coconut oil/butter/ghee) and never supported the low-fat version of any foods. Guess it is just getting used to kicking the grains/legumes and learning to shake off the calorie-counting mindset! I would be so happy just to shed 5kgs – so many others have had such success in this area and I want it to be me too!

And to answer your question: I haven't been experiencing dizziness or nausea, so I guess it is the impatience factor in there )

[Lewis]

And to answer your question: I haven't been experiencing dizziness or nausea ...

You're all right then. :-)

That's the kind of thing people ususally call "low-carb flu". AFAIK, a little tiredness would be normal, but symptoms like that are unlikely to happen unless you're getting down to 50 grams of carbs a day or less. If you do get anything like that it often helps to take a little magnesium, to take a little broad-spectrum unrefined seasalt, and to drink enough to stay hydrated.

[aussiepossum]

Hi, thanks again Lewis (that's the name of my fav British TV crime series

Funny you should mention about magnesium - just decided to get out the Mg Oil again and have another go (have an arthritic thumb really playing up just now) - been thinking I could be deficient as I don't take a Mg supplement and exercise regularly. I have been using Celtic sea salt for ages and try to keep up the hydration, so I'll see how that goes.

[Lewis]

Hi, thanks again Lewis (that's the name of my fav British TV crime series

Funny you should mention about magnesium - just decided to get out the Mg Oil again and have another go (have an arthritic thumb really playing up just now) - been thinking I could be deficient as I don't take a Mg supplement and exercise regularly. I have been using Celtic sea salt for ages and try to keep up the hydration, so I'll see how that goes.

Inflammation there then. Removing foods that cause it, taking some magnesium, and making sure your vitamin D levels are high enough might help. You could also try some fish oil, or perhaps better just eat oily fish quite often.

Bone-broth is good for joints:

Heat, water, and acid break down the collagen. When making bone stock (by boiling bones in water with an acid source, for instance tomato sauce) you fill the water with molecules called glycosaminoglycans. These molecules act as joint growth factors, keeping the collagen in your joints healthy and facilitating the repair of damaged joints.

What do all the healthiest diets have in common? | drcate.com

[lissee]

Just chiming in. When you say you're hungry all the time, is it:

A) Real hunger, aka, stomach pains, fatigue, a bit foggy in the mind where you can't concentrate because you need food and now? type of feeling? or is it....

B) Head hunger. Where your mind is telling you that you want that bag of popcorn because you always have a bag of popcorn after dinner, and now your not, but your head really wants that popcorn, so then your thinking about popcorn, and then of course you want the popcorn, because you're thinking about it, but you can't have it and you feel deprived, and blah blah blah, the cyclical thoughts continue spiraling making you feel "hungry all the time".

You know, so are you really hungry? Or is your head telling you that you just want to eat more because that's what you usually do, is eat lots?

If you really are hungry, then eat more. In particular, up your fats (that usually helps me). And if it's all in your head, then you're going to have to re-train the way you think, by calling a spade a spade. Stepping back when you are feeling hungry, and then analyzing how you really feel. Recognizing the signals that your body is really telling you for what they are.

Good luck!!!

[aussiepossum]

Hi and thanks guys.

Lissee - your question about my hunger - I'm still trying to decide if it is real hunger or head hunger. Like right now as I sit and watch the Olympics (it is 10 pm here) - I am feeling hungry and trying to ignore it. And, ignoring it isn't working - I want some food and doubt I will get to sleep without something to eat, so will probably settle for some yoghurt.

BTW, was having a bit of a read through some of the other threads - the nutrition one - and there was a lot of confusing info there. In fact, one of the posts that lead to an out-and-out fight over CALORIES (Colpo attacking Dr Eades and Taubes et al) was so frustrating and confusing, it almost puts one off trying any of this - very destabilising. I have been most comfortable with Mark Sisson's approach to primal eating but as a newby, a lot of what I have been reading undermines what Mark is saying. Concerned why anyone disagreeing so vehemently with this regime wants to keep posting and attacking other proponents. Just interested in others' thoughts here - I plan on sticking with the primal regime even tho I am new at it and have to give it some time to work for me (hopefully with some weight loss).

Thanks for reading - think I will have to go for those nuts and some yoghurt )

Cheers from Oz

[Nigel]

I'm from Downunder!

Favourite exercise: Pushups, well they were until a badly fractured wrist 2 ½ yrs ago put paid to that – well, still can do some. Love doing weights workouts – usually 2 x wk. Also walking, do sprints once a week/10 days. Enjoy hiking and kayaking for pleasure. All this when I'm feeling well enough but have been able to keep up the gym stuff for past 5-6 mths.

G'Day Mate!

I started in March and only did HIT rowing 3x20 second flat out bursts, 3 times a week. I wasn't losing weight and started calorie counting, and still do.

Now that I am steadily losing bulk and not feeling so hungry, I started HIT strength training as advocated in Body by Science. I dropped the rowing to twice a week between the muscle building. Resting pulse now about 50 and I keep adding weights or increasing reps doing the BBS.

I love this HIT because it takes so little time (I'm an idle git) and still shows great results. I also walk quite a bit and carry the shopping home in a rucksack. As a poor old pensioner, one of my hobbies is assessing Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition teams in wild country which involves a bit more walking in great scenery.

I am not religious about Primal eating, apart from cutting out wheat. I do eat the occasional rice and rice noodle dish, perhaps once a week. OTOH, I do stick to calorie counting and won't give that up until I am what I consider to be the right shape. I want a six pack, not a barrel. I've lost some 31lbs since March and have a bit more than that to go I reckon. I'm not so worried about the exact weight as long as my waste is 36" or less and I look good in a cozzie.

I have an uncle & cousins around the Castlemaine area.

[lissee]

Hi Aussiepossum

Good for you for trying to figure out what your body is signaling. Don't worry, you'll figure it out eventually, it just takes time, patience, and introspection. It'll come together eventually. Sometimes I get a little hungry too at 9 or 10 at night (not ravenous mind you). Most times when that happens, I'll just go to sleep. Although sometimes I will eat a very small snack. I would think maybe 100, 200 calories at most, would be just fine late at night, if you're really hungry. (However, keep in mind, a late night snack will affect how many calories your body will pull from your fat stores while you're sleeping.)

I remember reading once, that once you are hungry, your body will send hunger signals to you, and after about 10-15 minutes if you don't eat, the hunger signals turn off and your body sucks a meal out of your fat stores. If you hadn't eaten anything, then about 45 minutes to an hour later, you'll get the hunger signal again, and again if you don't eat anything, then it'll suck another meal off your hips.

I would ignore the nutrition thread, and just look for those threads that are full of funny, inspirational thoughts. I stumbled upon the tongue in cheek, funny as all get out, "Frustrations" about Primal thread and really enjoyed the first half of the posts. The way to becoming fit and healthy is such an individual road, and everyone is going to have some pretty passionate perspectives on how it "should" be done. The thing is, find out what works for you, and draw from other peoples experiences.

For myself, I read Gary Taubes book a year and a half ago while I was living in Haiti. It was a clarion call, that felt like I finally understood what was happening with my body. Like all the lights in a football stadium had been turned on once, in a place where I was stumbling around in the dark.

Then that fall, I was fortunate to find a doctor in the States who is primal (although he doesn't know it), and he did a ton of blood tests. Among the things I learned from him, are that I was severely Vitamin D deficient, I was extremely insulin resistant, and I was allergic to gluten, wheat, corn, and eggs. (The doctor then put me on a paleo type diet.)

I didn't find Mark's site until five months ago, but it felt like coming home. A place of tolerance, uplifting inspiration, and a willingness to be open-minded and try to get back to the basics of finding nutritious food and finding greater health. Then I found the forum, and found lost of personal stories to draw from. It's been particularly helpful as I've searched to see if other people are fighting similar health problems to myself. I would ignore the people arguing in the other threads, take what most of those people say with a grain of salt, and find what works for you. Stick with the basics. IMO, Taubes and Mark are pretty similar in what they're saying. At the root of it, most paleo/primal people are.

As for weight-loss, for me, over the past nine months, I've seen the fastest weight loss with Primal eating when I've strictly cut out all sugars (including most fruit, remember I'm insulin resistant), all starches (no potatoes, etc.). When I cheat a little, I stopped losing, but I've been able to maintain the weight I've lost.

Good luck to you!!

And cheers to you from Austria, where they sell t-shirts and signs with the logo below. Which I always think is funny, because when I told people in the States I was moving to Austria, they would say something like, "Oh! I love Sydney," or "I love the Australian outback." And then I would say, no, I'm moving to Vienna, and they'd say, "Oh! I love the canals there, I had a great time in Venice." At which point, I'd just smile and nod my head, and shut up. lol

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