Primal Primate's Journey to find his inner Grok page 2

[Primal Primate]

"One turkey dinner down...one to go!"
Got up this morning feeling about 85% so I think I can say I am on the mend. Breakfast consisted of a cup of coffee with cream, some lettuce, a 2 egg omelet and 3 sausage. The first of two thanksgiving dinners today consisted of a rum and coke (not good) some ham, peas, carrots, and pickles. Feeling pleasantly satiated not full. One more meal to go! I'm hoping we can sneak in a short walk before the next meal tonight. I'll try to write more later.

Short term goal for this weekend: maintain current weight, not gain any.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[Primal Primate]

Turkey dinners done!
Second dinner done and while the majority of my family is sitting in carb induced commas I'm itching to get out walking. Dinner two consisted of some white and dark turkey meat, a large bowl of Greek salad, some steamed veggies, and carrots. I did enjoy a strongbow and some iced tea. Both high in sugar but all in all I think I succeeded in eating more or less primal style. Now let's see who will go for a walk...

[Primal Primate]

"I Give Thanks for Thanksgiving Being Done!"

Well the turkey left overs have been divided up and the first major holiday since I went Primal has passed. I am pleased with how it turned out. I set the goal that I would try to stay as Primal as possible over the two big dinners that I knew I would have to enjoy. I also set the goal that I would at the very least maintain my weight over this weekend. In the past my weight could skyrocket over the Thanksgiving weekend and I would spend till Christmas trying to get it back to pre Turkey feast numbers. At the most I wanted to see it drop for the first time on a holiday weekend in as long as I can remember. Although tomorrow is not a normal weigh in day I will make sure to weight in when I get up tomorrow to see if I accomplished this goal.

I woke this morning with tons of energy and went out to partake in a hobby (more like addiction) of mine, geocaching. It meshes well with the walking aspect of the Primal lifestyle and seeing as how everyone was still asleep I figured why not. As there is a new power trail (100 caches) in the area I was staying I decided to integrate the caching with my weekly sprinting workouts. As I made my way to the 100 caches I would sprint from the truck as fast as possible to the cache, sign the log and sprint back again - its was only about 15 to 20 meters to each cache and the same back to the truck each time but it sure did add up. As a result I managed to pick up all 100 caches in less than 2 hours and I came home feeling like I got a decent workout in.

Although I endured several comments like "what no stuffing?", "have some mashed potatoes there are lots to go around" and my favorite "come one just a small piece of dessert is okay!" I managed to stay focused on my goal this year and feel really good about the food I did consume while visiting with family and friends.

Grok on!

[Primal Primate]

"Return of the sickness…"
I went to bed last night feeling pretty good and with the plan that I would get up today and get a workout in before work. I woke this morning feeling like crap. No, let's be honest to feel like crap I would have to be feeling better than I am! It would seem my cold has come back for round two with a vengeance and this is going to be a knock down slobber knocker before I gets better. I'm exhausted which leads me to believe that although I got several hours of rest it was either not that good deep REM sleep or it simply was not enough sleep. I've decided that if I still feel this bad at the end of the work day today then tomorrow I may have to make a date with my bed and just sleep the day away. I hate doing that as making the sub plans is almost as painful as just coming into work but this cold is really taking it out of me.

On the bright side it would seem I managed to maintain my weight through the holiday weekend and thus managed to achieve this short term goal. Now to get healthy and get back into dropping that excess weight I still carry.

Breakfast this morning: 1 garden ripe tomato, four slices of mozzarella cheese, 1 can tuna with some mayo and hot sauce, 2 hard boiled eggs. 2 big glasses of water with lemon juice added, 1 cup herbal tea (peppermint)
Lunch: homemade Greek salad with 1 green pepper, half a cucumber, half a red onion, 1 can of olives, feta cheese and homemade salad dressing. 2 big glasses of water with lemon juice added.
Supper: ??? will have to see how I feel at the end of the day.

[Jena]

Blech! Colds are the worst! Just search the forums for cold remedies, you will get a million suggestions to knock it out, lol. In reality... it pretty much has to run its course. Definitely get some rest though! You'll feel better soon

[Primal Primate]

"Sick Day"
I finally took a sick day today. I hate doing it but sometimes it is a necessity. I spent the majority of the day on the couch alternating between sleeping and watching some TV. Around 4:00pm I woke up and felt almost 100%. Other than a slightly stuffed up nose I still feel fine and I'm hoping a good night's rest will finally kick this cold for me. I found homemade chicken and veggie soup with lots of garlic and some hot pepper flakes in it seemed to help open up the airways and get some much needed fluids and energy into me. Also heavy doses of citrus fruit for Vitamin C seemed to help as well. Although I do not usually take meds for my colds tonight I plan on taking a cold and flu tablet to help make sure I get a good night of sleep. Here's hoping tomorrow I am up for a walk or a short stint on the stationary bike (the fresh snow has limited me to the stationary bike and not the mountain bike) I have done no physical activity since Monday and I am itching to get out and do something.

Breakfast: Garden fresh tomato cut into four pieces, each topped with cheddar cheese, garlic pepper, and tuna with hot sauce and garlic mixed in.
Lunch: a bowl of homemade chicken and veggie soup, two lemons (like them better than oranges) and water to drink.
Supper a second bowl of homemade chicken and veggie soup with water to drink.
Evening snack: cup of black licorice tea and a handful of almonds

[Primal Primate]

First Snowfall of the Season!

Woke this morning to find a blanket of white covering everything outside the window! Also woke to find for the first time in days I could breath out of my nose! Feeling good so far, and hoping I can say the same after work.

Depending on how I feel after work I may start to slowly get back into working out. I don't want to over do it but at the same time I am tired of not doing anything - does that make sense? I think low level cardio might be the best way to go about slowly getting back into the swing of things.

Breakfast: decidedly not very Primal but I was running a little late.
Morning snack: granny smith apple
Lunch: Some of that homemade chicken and veggie soup -mmmm can't wait!
Supper: Steak, steamed asparagus, homemade caesar salad with garlic.

[Primal Primate]

Just finished reading Mark's e-book on PB Fitness. I've decided to take the rest of this week and weekend to get fully over this cold and then revamp my weekly workouts to follow his advice. Monday will be the self assessment and then from there I'll work out a weekly schedule to follow. I'm curious to see how badly out of shape I have let myself become but also look forward to bettering myself. So revisiting my goals.

1. Goal weight is still 180lbs.
2. Get off the BP Meds.
3. Design and follow a workout plan to improve and then maintain a healthy body according to Mark's e-book.
4. See a marked improvement in body and overall health in the next 10 months before my wedding.
5. Summit at least 3 mountain peaks next summer - I hiked to the summit of Prairie Mountain this summer and loved every minute of it. The feeling when you reach the top is amazing! Next summer - Ha Ling/Miner's Peak, Mount Yamnuska, Sulfur Mountain

[Jena]

I have been pretty lax on the "fitness" portion of being primal. I have been heavily focused on diet, but I think I have hit my permanent plateau as far as weight loss goes until I kick it into gear. I need to read the fitness book. I read the other one. I don't want to read the fitness book, lol that's one step closer to having to do stuff! Just kidding, I am getting there! How's your cold? Hope you are feeling better! My friend came over seeking cold remedies yesterday. I gave her lots of goodies now if I catch it I am up a creek and she'll have to go to the store for me! Tis the season I guess! Feel better

[Primal Primate]

Day 1: Back on the journey to Grok-dom…

I woke this morning feeling great for the first time in a long time - all traces of the cold that had me down and out were gone! I felt so good I got up this morning and did some light cardio on the stationary bike before breakfast. I was a little surprised at how well I felt considering the events of last night...

I fell off the PB wagon big time yesterday! I caved in to cupcakes at the end of the day and carb dense breads for supper. Not sure why, but the cravings got the best of me. I enjoyed the sugar rush but knew it would not last, and soon enough the sugar high was replaced with the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, which eventually became an over whelming sick feeling. Not a feeling of wanting to get sick but that gross feeling you get when you have over ate and you know the carb coma is coming. I guess I should not be too surprised, all the little cheats here and there were leading me down this path and I should have turned off it way before today. So we are back to day one… again.

Today was weigh in day and sadly the scale tipped the wrong way. 5 pounds on instead of off! So there is the motivation I need to get my ass back on the wagon. I'm moving ahead with plans to incorporate the workout routine and going to try and stay away from all non-primal treats as the temptation seems to be too much.

Breakfast today: 3 egg omelet with 1 cup spinach, mushrooms, garlic and feta cheese filling cooked in 1Tbsp coconut oil. 3 pieces of bacon, 1 glass of milk (skim - I can't drink the other stuff just tastes wrong as I was raised on skim)
Morning snack: 1 handful of almonds
Lunch: 1 grilled chicken breast, 2 cups lettuce and homemade caesar salad dressing. Water to drink.
Supper: Not sure yet.

Morning workout: Light Cardio on the Stationary Bike: 11.1km, 30min

By the numbers:
Starting weight: 292lbs
Previous weight: 282lbs
Current weight: 287.5lbs
Next weigh in day: Oct. 19, 2012.

First test of the day - presented with a pumpkin scone from Starbucks - said no thanks I don't eat that stuff. It's a small victory but I will take it.