Highschooler, trying to get healthier! page

[trixie101]

Hello everyone

I've been reading MDA apple for a while now, soaking in the information, but I haven't really been ready until now to try to go fully primal.

Some background...
I'm a female in highschool. I'm not overweight (5'10", 135 lb) but after reading all of this for so long, I realize that this is a better lifestyle for the long term. I don't have too many physical issues except for unstable shoulders and knee pain that 5 months of physical therapy and several doctors have not been able to fix. Since I've started to up my vegetables and meat it's gone away a bit, but it's still present, mostly when I run and sometimes doing squats or lunges. I'm a polevaulter, so most of my workouts already fit with the primal lifestyle (weightlifting, sprints etc.) I love working out (not running, I hate running) and I currently go to polevault specific gymnastics strength training about 3-4 times a week. I have a very full courseload and I have a busy schedule. I usual day for me is waking up at 5:40, taking a shower, getting ready and making lunch, and then leaving for school(driving) at 6:50. After I get home from school at 4:00ish I get a snack and then I generally do homework until I have training at 8:30. On nontraining days I'll have a free hour or two. I don't walk as much as I should, but it's hard, when I don't have a ton of time.

I only eat free-range meat as a personal choice. I just can't eat meat knowing the animal had to suffer too much beforehand. My family has been pretty helpful with that, but I still don't have as much meat as I'd like to be eating. In a two week period I'll probably have fish two times and other meat once or twice. I love eggs, and go through probably a dozen a week. We usually have vegetables at my house.

The exercise and playing is easy for me, because I've been doing it anyway, but I've been having trouble with is the food. I love most primal foods but I'm still having issues with grains and sugars. If I lived alone, I could just throw out all of the bad food, but since I live with other people that's not an option. My parents would definitely not embrace this lifestyle. I've brought up some points in the past from articles I've read but they don't want to change their beliefs. I also love to bake and that's been an issue. I know I can bake with almond flour, but my parents won't buy it for me when they think normal flour is fine (and much cheaper). I can't buy much food myself, because I have limited funds. For breakfast, I usually have eggs in some shape or form and I'll pack a lunch with things like salad, cucumbers, peppers, apples, carrots or leftovers. Dinner is hard though, because I have to eat what the family is eating. I've been trying to modify our meals a little bit, like last week we had crab rolls and I just didn't use the bread. However, if I don't eat things that I used to love though, like garlic bread, they question it. I don't want them to think I'm anorexic or anything, when I am most definitely not.

So yeah! I figure with the challenge underway, now is a good time to fully begin! If anyone has any advice for a newbie like me that would be great! I know I've got it easier than most, not being overweight and living fairly healthy already, but it's still a challenge. I've read a ton of articles on here and other places so I'm fairly well educated, but it's a lot harder to actually get going. Thanks!

[Theresa92]

Hi! I just turned 20 and am in college, so I'm not that much older than you. That's great that your family is supportive of you eating meat from animals that have been responsibly raised. You said that in a two week period you only get meat once or twice. Is it because your family does not buy meat that often? Or is it because the grass-fed/pasture raised meat is too expensive for your family? If your family is hesitant about regularly buying grass-fed meat due to the higher costs, I can completely understand that. As a college student, I can't afford regularly eating this type of meat. Also, my family can not afford to regularly eat this type of meat as well. However, there are some money savings tips you should know when buying grass fed meat. First of all, I would never buy this meat in a store. Never. It is WAY to expensive in most stores. Instead, it is much better to buy it directly from a farm. Also, consider eating organ meets. They really aren't that weird. Grass-fed organ meats are about as expensive as regular ground beef. If you asked your parents to just buy you some pasture raised chicken hearts, it wouldn't be NEARLY as expensive as buying pasture raised chicken thighs or drumsticks

Also, it might be hard if you are the only one eating Primal in your family, but you can do it. Just tell them you are trying to eat more unprocessed and unpackaged foods They might not understand you if you say "I'm not eating any wheat or grains every again" but if you say "I'm incorporating more whole foods such as: fruits, veggies, and meat", then they will certainly understand Not everyone agrees with cutting out wheat, but almost everyone agrees with eating more whole foods.

One more thing: make sure you don't go too low carb. On this forum, you'll see a lot of people who are doing low carb. Some people(including myself) on this forum are trying to lose weight or get control of their blood sugar and so they(including myself) are focusing more on low carb. Some people also just do better on low carb. You have to know what works for you. Do not do low carb just because someone tells you it is best. Do not do high carb just because someone tells you it is best. Since you are doing sports, since you are not trying to lose weight, and since you are probably still growing, I'd say make sure you get in some really good healthy carbs like sweet potatoes. And do not be scared of fat. And make sure you eat tons of veggies!

[BennettC]

Nice to see other younger people coming on. I was feeling alone for a while! How old are you if you don't mind me askin? Nice that you can afford pastured meats. I just can't lol. I do get the canned wild Alaskan salmon which is a good inexpensive meal and luckily i can afford raw grass fed milk and pastured eggs

p.s. you dont need carbs to fuel your muscle contractions regardless of what others say. you can do it much more efficiently on fat. burning glycogen interferes with burning fat