My sister-in-law's diet... page 7

[JoanieL]

I have a friend who prays before eating at McDonald's and Taco Bell as well.

This made me laugh. All I could think was, "Damn, I'd probably knock out a prayer or two also if I was eating that shit."

[primal_alex]

Any ideas/constructive suggestions would be happily received, or just feel free to vent about your OWN instances of encounters with horrific diets if you feel the need. Getting this out has made me feel slightly better, actually.

Eat (and move) according to the PB and get the results.

A moment will come where she will say that "yeah... ok, you think it works, but I'm sure your blood exams are all messed up".
That's where the real fun begins. What I do in these cases is making a bet: we do blood exams and the one who has the worst pays for both.

I know, it's kinda cynical to play a game I know in advance I'm gonna win

[Moll]

And she's just like "i know that I cannot do that, for sure." Just too hard.

You know, I used to actually have the same thoughts. Like, there's NO WAY I could ever give up bread. But I just got so inspired when I discovered this website (I read all 22ish pages of the success stories in like...2 days) that I decided to just *try* - and now I just don't have cravings for carbs hardly at all! I get so MAD because it's pure addiction making people believe that changing is impossible...but not the recognized "bad for you" addictions like drugs or alcohol - grains are labeled HEALTHY and so people can't see their carb addictions for what they are. I feel so lucky to have found this site because finally I was reading something that my poor body had been trying to tell me all along...I just kept telling it to shut up because I knew what was "healthy" for it!!! So I do have hope that when people reach the tipping point of appetite/urges versus feeling like crap, there ARE resources out there for them!

[Moll]

Eat (and move) according to the PB and get the results.

A moment will come where she will say that "yeah... ok, you think it works, but I'm sure your blood exams are all messed up".
That's where the real fun begins. What I do in these cases is making a bet: we do blood exams and the one who has the worst pays for both.

I know, it's kinda cynical to play a game I know in advance I'm gonna win

LOL well I'm sure the person on the other side *knows* they're going to win too, based on their version of facts. So I can't see anything wrong with your system hahaha!

[Moll]

I have a friend who prays before eating at McDonald's and Taco Bell as well. Like he thinks that food will ACTUALLY nourish him. I just quietly roll my eyes and hope he doesn't notice.

Remember folks, God gave us REAL,WHOLE foods and animals to eat. WE gave ourselves MickeyD's and Taco Shit. Frankly, I think that if God exists, he would be watching from heaven and thinking... "Wait, I gave them all this bounty and they voluntarily chose THAT crap instead?" Then I imagine him doing a giant, cosmic facepalm.

YES and that cosmic facepalm image is so apt!

[Moll]

This made me laugh. All I could think was, "Damn, I'd probably knock out a prayer or two also if I was eating that shit."

Yeah, maybe a prayer for safety rather than nourishment lol.

[Antiochia]

Hi -- Where religion is involved, a person does not want to compromise. I know -- I'm an Eastern Orthodox Christian, and there are certain times during the year when I fast from meat (Lent, Advent, etc...) -- I have a little bit of a reprieve though -- on Fast days, certain seafood is permissible for us. So, I'm understanding a little of where your sister is coming from. You say she is a sweet person. She probably doesn't want to put you to extra work cooking for her, so she just opens a can of veggie meat. It doesn't sound like she's trying to convert you. Here are a few things I do on Lenten-type days:

For breakfast sometimes I make a "cereal" -- I layer in a bowl: berries, walnuts, hemp seed heats, sunflower seeds, a little ground flax seed, and shredded coconut. I sprinkle with a little flax seed oil, and then pour on a milk alternative (I use a mixture of canned full-fat coconut milk, and unsweetened plain almond milk -- the straight coconut milk is too rich for me). You can also add a few raisins for more sweetness. Then I eat it just like cereal.

Another breakfast that is amazingly good is a green smoothie made with 1 cup cold green tea (just make "sun tea" with 2 tea bags in a quart jar of water -- keep in the fridge), 1 chopped apple, 1 half lemon (pulp scooped out with a grapefruit spoon), and 1/4 avocado. Whir at a smoothie setting in a blender. Then add up to 2 cups greens (spinach is the mildest, but you can use kale, collards, parsley, etc..... even romaine lettuce) Yum! I find if I add the avocado I don't need much sweetener if any -- I used to add truvia, but I find I don't need it any more. My tastes have changed.

For other meals, I like the Shirataki noodles -- you get them at an Asian store. They are made from an Asian variety of yam. They have no calories! (They come in a package with liquid. You drain the liquid, then rinse well, then simmer them in broth for about 10 minutes before adding a sauce. Mark reviewed them and said they were okay -- he didn't particularly like them -- but he doesn't have a weight problem. I think they are great and keep me full for a while.) I like them with mushrooms and marinara sauce. Not much protein so I have some almonds and dark chocolate for dessert.

Also I found a good recipe for a curried sweet potato, coconut milk, and peanut butter soup. You could substitute almond butter for the peanut butter. I've also started to investigate raw eating on lenten days -- there are some good blender soups containing avocados. Also greens are particularly important. Lots of salads and green smoothies.

Personally, I've come to the conclusion that healthy fats are at least as important as the protein or perhaps more important. I try to emphasize avocados, nuts, and olives, on lenten days. Of course, my lenten eating is only temporary. It would be hard to be vegan year round. Anyway, let her eat her thing, and try to emphasize the foods you both have in common. You are both true believers in your own ways of eating, so you probably won't change each other. Finding what you both can eat could be something that could draw you together!

Good luck and God bless!

[Moll]

Thanks for all the meal ideas!

[Antiochia]

Also -- DH and I have totally quit eating rice. Here's what we do instead
Cauliflower "Rice" Recipe - How to Make Cauliflower Similar to Rice This works great with any meal with a sauce. We also use it with a vegetable curry -- sprinkle cashews on top for a little more protein -- also add a few little red skinned potatoes, and frozen peas to a curry -- they do add a certain amount of protein, even if not ideal from a primal standpoint. Homemade pea soup or lentil soup is another of my staples during a lenten day. Probably if you join your SIL with a cup of it, it won't do too much damage to your primal diet -- you could always add bacon to yours!

[divadevilsmom]

My sister and I were messaging today, and she was struggling with gas/bloating. Her trigger was cookies (sugar/wheat/milk) dunked in milk, after a meal of home made pasta (white flour) and sauce (tomatoes, garlic, onion w/eggplant -- so many nightshades!). I just mentioned off hand that since going off dairy and grains, I no longer have gas and bloating.

And she's just like "i know that I cannot do that, for sure." Just too hard.

This got me thinking: My husband eats what I cook. He takes leftovers for lunch to work. So, as long as I am cooking consistently at home he is eating primal. But he refuses to give up soda. That is his vice I guess. And he has nondairy flavored creamer in his coffee. On the days we may go out to eat he certainly doesn't order in a paleo manner either. Last week we went to a restaurant where I ordered a steak, grilled zucchini, and a nice big salad. He ordered a hamburger and french fries. He ate all of it! Later that evening I remarked to him "Now that you have been eating what I cook regularly and haven't had wheat in a while, I want you to pay attention to how you feel after what you ate tonight". I'll have you know that he spent the next two days with a tore up stomach! So, even though he hasn't given up sugar completely, he hadn't had wheat in a while and it certainly affected him when he did.

We both have had frequent heartburn in the past. As a matter of fact, often times we were taking a pepcid complete acid reducer on a daily basis. We ran out and I had not thought about it. He asked me last week if I had made sure to buy some when I was at the store. I said "No, I don't have a need for it. As long as I am eating clean I never have heartburn!"

There are definite moments when my husband can see the benefits and I'm hoping it won't be long until he decides to give up his vices! HAHA!