Tools for Staying on Track page

[Opie]

Hello all -

I have been Primal for about 2 or 3 months. I am a high functioning 24 year old athlete. However, I am struggling with coping on cravings. I am also an ex smoker which can make issues a bit harder. I also have a fairly muscled, lean body. I want to make the lifestyle permanent, but when their are few consequences presently (i.e. I don't gain weight, I do not see a loss of muscle mass) it is hard to not eat like all the other 24 year olds. It also seems prevalent in my age group for athletes to eat whatever the hell they want based on physical activity. Does anyone have coping skills that worked? Maybe even mental tricks they played to get past that line of thought? Thank you all!

- Emilie

[RenegadeRN]

Hi Emilie,

What I am about to write may not do a thing towards helping you to stay on track...BUT-

Those feelings are the same whether you are 24 or 42. Whether you have a little extra fat around your middle or not. Humans can justify ANYTHING if we really want to. Please make the conscious effort to live this lifestyle everyday. One day at a time.

You can do a 90/10 or 80/20 to make it a bit easier on you peer-wise. If you do not , the years will pass and stuff will just happen- outta the darn blue! Wham! You have an autoimmune disease....time going by...WHAM! Another autoimmune disease! Crap....... herniated disc....time, the little bugger......heart attack.....You get the picture.

Then you will be saying to yourself.." damn, when I was 24 I did the Primal lifestyle and I felt and looked so good, what happened?".

Giving in to the cravings repeatedly, not giving your body what it needs to be healthy and stay that way over the years- the years WILL jump up and smack you upside your head! Not an if -but a when.

You are young, you will not always be young. Don't waste it. I wish there was a Primal Blueprint back in 1984 when I was 24.
I might have avoided the joint injections i had this afternoon in both knees for meniscus tears and chondromalacia. ( osteoarthritis)

A lifetime of sports and jobs that were very hard on my aging body may not have trashed it so badly if I had been Primal since the age of 24.

Just speaking my truth. You have the information ... Only you can use it to your advantage.

Good luck kid!

[Huntress]

Think about what you are craving and when you are craving it - what's the trigger? See if you can substitute the craving for something primal that satisfies you in the same way. For example, I don't really eat potatoes much but find if I'm craving carbs / bread products I make myself some home made chips with coconut oil and that seems to do the trick. If craving something sweet I love just fresh blueberries in cream (again, not something I have often, but when I'm craving something sweet it is really satisfying).

Find out what works for you to satisfy the craving in a primal way.

The biggest thing you can do to help yourself is never keep anything in the house that isn't primal. If its not in the house you can't get at it easy.

And then as RenegadeRN said, don't forgot your 80/20 rule for those social occasions or times when you just want what you want ;-)

Good luck - you will be glad you did as you get older and watch everyone else fall in an unhealthy heap around you!!!

[Opie]

I really appreciate both of the above inputs. I appreciate the substitution idea. I happen to be allergic to coconut, so it cream based isn't the best. However, substituting with some fruit and occasional primal pancakes I think would be helpful. As for the aging thing, I appreciate the input of someone who has done sports and suffered some of the consequences. I am trying to do this young to avoid problems later. I wish I'd started as a teen athlete, but I think this age is reasonable enough. Thank again both of you!

[Huntress]

No worries - and with the substitution thing the trick is to find something that satisfies YOU so that you no longer want the 'old SAD' food you find yourself craving, ie over time you replace the old craving with the newer healthier one.

If you have ever heard of a book called 'The power of habit' it is a really intriguing read and applies to all aspects of life (including food).

[Gilleh]

Does anyone have coping skills that worked? Maybe even mental tricks they played to get past that line of thought? Thank you all!

- Emilie

Where would we be without Jedi mind tricks?