A New Life page

[ferash07]

Hello Everyone,

I have grown up most of my life in the world of processed foods and grains. My family was brought up with southern cooking from Tennessee (which is how my grandmother taught me) even though we lived in the city. Over there years, after leaving home for college I started eating more junk and processed food as it was more convenient... even though i was in small college town with great resources for eating natural, local, organically grown fruits and vegs and grass-fed, pasture range meats.

Now, I am newly married and have realized (through all the current stress) that I have a tremendous amount of weight... the most I've ever weighed. My husband and I have decided that in a few years we want to start a family. I am (we are) in no way in shape or healthy enough for a family.

Here is a little more about my history...

When my weight started giving me issues, I tried Weight Watchers like most people have I was able to lose 15# in about 2 months. But life got busy and I just couldn't keep track of 'points'. Next, I fell into Herbalife which seemed ok. I was able to lose the same amount of weight as Weight Watchers in 2 weeks (lost 15#) but with that I got tired of consuming shakes as my daily/main diet. And with the wedding planning in full swing I stress binged on horrible food and went back to fast food and processed foods.

My family has the history of diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol and cancers. I personally suffer from a back injury of a herniated/left bulging disk from L5-S2 and a un-normal irregular heart murmur. I have suffered chronic headaches/migraines (which have led me to believe it was sun related) which almost no OTC medication will help for.

I heard about the paleo lifestyle sometime last year, but have been a little skeptical about it. I have been reading some forums and have a friend from college years that has been on it and has outstanding results.

I have decided to venture into this lifestyle for the sake of my health and my future family's health; though I am lost on where to begin especially with everyone else in the house I live with is non-paleo (my husband thinks that there is nothing wrong with rice and legumes since he has wrong up with it all his life in India but yet he has gained waited and bloating has become an overwhelming concern of mine).

I have a very strict budget as I have been laid off twice from my job and we barely make ends meet with my husbands job. Does anyone have any suggestions that will help me start my journey into a paleo lifestyle that is free from all the fried southern, processed and grain enriched lifestyle I comfortably know?

Thank you!

[Annieh]

Hi and welcome, I am glad you have decided to change your diet for the good of your health and I hope you get spectacular results just like your friend.

To begin, I wonder if it would help you to focus on one meal at a time. Either, whichever is easiest for you to change, or start with breakfast seeing as starting the day eating primal makes it easier to keep up the healthy eating for the rest of the day.

You will do well though to straight away start avoiding all processed products (food and drinks), the processed oils, and wheat.

Think about basing your meals around meat (I thought I already did this until I tried it and realised that they were really based around rice or pasta etc). Your husband is bound to love this.

Some of my standby meals use the cheapest and fattiest cuts of meat. eg a rich and tender beef casserole:

Slice onions and carrots and place in the slowcooker. Cut the meat into chunks, toss in salt, pepper (and other seasoning if you like eg chilli or curry or herbs), and stir through a pottle of tomato paste. Add to the slowcooker and leave all day, stirring once if you remember. Before serving, drain off the liquid into a small pot and boil on the stove until it has reduced in volume, it will become much more intense in flavour also. Stir the liquid back into the meat.

Serve with green veges or buttered cauliflower or baked pumpkin. Your husband could also have rice or potatoes and green beans if he really wanted.

Try to make enough so there are leftovers, then you have tomorrow's lunch covered. Breakfast could be scrambled eggs and there you go, a basic meal plan for 24 hours. Good luck.

[LauraDork]

Oh yum, That casserole sounds good!
When I make dinner, if we are having something that traditionally would go with pasta, I will use my v-slicer to make zucchini that looks like spaghetti (you just blanch it in boiling water for a minute or so, so that it's still firm). If the fiance wants rice, then he can have rice and I'll steam some cauliflower and mash it up and add some butter (tastes way better than rice!).
It's coming into summer here is Australia, which is perfect for bbqing!

[Hedonist2]

Welcome. Food traditionally eaten by poor southerners was more primal than what we now think of from Paula Deen, etc. E.g., see this blog. Personally, I eat organic, gluten free cornbread whenever I feel like it. Not suggesting you do that.