Just starting and feeling defeated! (Please forgive the ranting) page 2

[jammies]

It can be overwhelming when you realize just how adulterated most food has become. But remember the phrase "don't let perfect be the enemy of good". Just slowly work to improve the quality of your food over time realizing that by eliminating the large sources of crap and adding in amazing nutrient dense foods you are improving your health enough that small dietary insults are more easily handled.

[HelenLouise]

I'm also feeling very overwhelmed by food choices. My bro has always bought packaged ham and I was horrified to see what was in them, but I still put it in my eggs this morning because I had nothing else. But the rest of the day I ate a pack of rice crackers and lolly snakes and take away Singapore noodles for dinner. Feel terrible for caving but we barely have any veg left and the I wasn't in the mood for defrosting a pack of chicken when I'd only be eating 1 piece. Feeling very overwhelmed by it all at the moment.

[JackieKessler]

FYI: Wild Planet albacore tuna doesn't have any soy. One of my local supermarkets carries it. If yours doesn't, you could speak to customer services and request that they do. (40 g protein in one 5 oz can!)

[JackieKessler]

Feel terrible for caving but we barely have any veg left and the I wasn't in the mood for defrosting a pack of chicken when I'd only be eating 1 piece. Feeling very overwhelmed by it all at the moment.

Defrost a pack of chicken, cook it all up, and eat it over the course of a week. Or: cook it up, portion it out into single servings, put into plastic baggies or tupperware and freeze. Take out a single serving whenever you want, defrost in the microwave, and boom: chicken.

[Iron Fireling]

Don't stress about the details! Not all the meat I get is pastured/organic etc. (well most is pastured, cause meat around here generally is... but a lot is grain finished unfortunately). I can't afford to pay twice as much for meat when I'm under employed and have kids to feed!

As for the tuna, can you find a different brand? I am becoming more familiar with reading food labels and it helps a lot. There's usually a variety of choices when it comes to tinned seafood.

Peanut butter? You can replace it with other nut butters! I found a nut butter blend in my supermarket made of almonds, walnuts and something else (nope can't remember) and nothing else added! It's yummy and makes nice protein bars too.

Most of the time I do pretty well (I had a bad night tonight, but what can I say, I volunteered all day, came home starving, and couldn't be bothered scraping up something different for myself than the kids were having... so ate chicken parma... I think it's the first thing with grain I've had in an entire month!).

I guess the moral is don't sweat the small stuff, and don't think you have to be 100% perfect right away, or even all the time. If you've made changes and improved your health then you're already heading in the right direction. I still haven't given up sweetener! I like a sweet cup of tea occasionally, so sue me (no sugar or artificial sweeteners though!!).

I think sometimes we imagine we have to be perfect for things to be right, but we really don't. If you're eating something and find out it's got something you shouldn't have, then don't stress.. just try and find a substitute next time! I find if I focus on eating real food the majority of the time, then it's all good.

[Dr. Bork Bork]

what the heck kinda tuna are you eating that has soy in it? No need to give it up, just find a different brand and pay attention to the labels. Even if you can only afford meat from walmart, you're still better off than most non-Primalists who are still stuck in the CW SAD Matrix (I always compare discovering the blueprint to Neo taking the red pill).
Now just wait until you start reading the ingredient list on rice krispies & chex mix. They seem innocent enough until you get to the BHA & BHT-- both carcinogens!

try barney butter and justin's nut butter. Both are fabulous. And, honestly, I ignore the peanut butter rule. I love me some Peanut Butter & Co! However, our family of 3 only goes through a small jar each month, so we're not eating a lot of it. For me, it usually goes into a bowl of sludge (greek yogurt, pb, chocolate protein powder)

[KathyH]

Even if you can only afford meat from walmart, you're still better off than most non-Primalists who are still stuck in the CW SAD Matrix (I always compare discovering the blueprint to Neo taking the red pill).

Why is eating conventional meat OK? How about getting rid of processed foods and sugar which is way better than CW but not adding conventional meat which is very bad for you. Wouldn't that be better than suggesting eating hormones etc?

[JoanieL]

what the heck kinda tuna are you eating that has soy in it?

You'd be surprised. Just about every national brand. And when they take it out, the price goes up. Take out the BPAs also, and you're at $3.00 a can. That's about $9.00/lb. For precooked tuna in a can. Blech.

I think the freaking out comes from thinking that "tuna in water," should be tuna in water (how dare we think such a thing). That it's a nice low cost source of protein. It isn't.

It would sort of be like cracking open an egg and finding a MacDonald's french fry inside.

[Terry H]

Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bork Bork View Post
Even if you can only afford meat from walmart, you're still better off than most non-Primalists who are still stuck in the CW SAD Matrix (I always compare discovering the blueprint to Neo taking the red pill).

Why is eating conventional meat OK? How about getting rid of processed foods and sugar which is way better than CW but not adding conventional meat which is very bad for you. Wouldn't that be better than suggesting eating hormones etc?

Tsk, tsk. Yes, Dr. Bork Bork failed to give the whole PB plan(by the way, did you ever read it?) in one post, damn her anyway. You will invade a thread started by someone who is already stressed out by the # of choices and has gotten some good advice by helpful people addressing her concern specifically just to score some "point."

I wd. just add that the OP shd. read the Primal Blueprint if he/she already hasn't. O'wise I thought these other helpful earlier posters were spot on.

[cavequeen]

I have found that getting the cookbook Well Fed was very helpful with having tasty food prepared and already ready. Since I have hungry teenagers to feed, I cook food a day in advance so I have something on plan prepared and in the frig ready to go so I don't have to cook when exhausted or when busy with work and taking kids to sports.

I do my best to not eat processed food and buy better quality meat but feeding 5 we are still eating conventional meats a lot of the time. Our plan though is when we get a bonus to buy a big freezer and stock up on local grass fed meats. We are lucky and they are quite a few in our area and should end up cheaper as we have priced it. However, I know we are eating better than before so it's progress not perfection that we are striving to reach.

I am a perfectionist so sites like flylady have really helped me realize it's better to make baby steps then get frustrated but my inability to do things perfectly.