This is working for me.... page

**magnolia1973** · 12-17-2012, 10:32 AM

I dunno, I just wanted to post a postive PB post in Nutrition to counterbalance all the negative ones.

I eat Primal. I have no idea what my macros are. I eat fruit and starches without consequence. I eat a bunch of really normal foods. I eat a lot of bananas and sweet potatoes, the occasional rice and potato. I enjoy occasional cheese and cream. Probably too many sweets. I also cheat with grain on rare occasion. My diet is not limited and most normal people don't recognize that I am "on a diet". I have good energy, sleep well and work out pretty hard.

Sometimes I have non-primal foods- I may bloat or get a tummy ache if I over indulge, but for the most part, I am fine. I don't get debilitating pain or have horrid consequences like the time I ate shrimp.

I've been at this for about 13-14 months and have lost 35-40 lbs. Some months I gained a bit, some months I lost a ton. There have been stalls. It hasn't been some miraculously easy fat fall off a thon, but it hasn't been that hard of work either. There has been ice cream and chocolate on the way, some booze, a little too lax on workouts for a while. I did try and blame fruit and a few other things for some stalls that probably had a lot more to do with my love of Ben and Jerry's and decision to spend summer on my ass.

I get a lot of compliments on my appearance. I used to be complimented for being smart or having a nicely colored sweater. Now I get comments about being beautiful, gorgeous.... and to my chagrin a few old friends that "didn't remember me being so pretty". It's a glow of good health.

I did get sick this year, shit happens. My libido ebbs and flows, more related to working out than food, I think. Working out with the hot guys at the gym turns me on I guess. My husband finds me more desirable and enjoys showing me off. His libido is the same it has always been- he recently started eating meat.

Sometimes I'd rather have a pizza than a steak, but it is rare. I love steak, but it is expensive. I don't miss bagels, but I do miss doughnuts. I really like bacon and think I overeat it. January will be a break from bacon. Sometimes I want a burger ON a bun, but i never have buns in my house so the point is null.

I've enjoyed participating in the BB, but sometimes I think some posters are a bit nuts. When people post about bingeing on fruit, it makes me feel like shit. Since when is overeating fruit something to be ashamed of? I'm proud when I get the fruit cup instead of chips or fries or when I have a banana instead of chocolate. I feel badly for people who can't seem to make it work or have to do bizarre things to make it work. It sounds like a pain in the ass. I envy the people who think stevia is awesome. It tastes like ear wax to me.

There are a TON of hot people on this BB. Seriously, the before and after photos are off the charts on some of you. There are a few too many people who post that are really attractive and keep complaining about needing to lose weight and I'm not sure where it will come from. If there was a People Magazine Poll of the diet with the hottest followers, Primal/Paleo would win. I love the guys that bitch about finding shirts to fit their slim waists, broad chests and bulging biceps. They are like us big boob, small waisted ladies.

I think all those men would look great in V-Neck cashmere sweaters, very fitted. Maybe MDA needs a clothing spinoff with sweater wrap dresses for women and fitted shirts for men.

I'm sure the new year will bring many new people and I hope it works for them. Being healthy and attractive and eating great food without worrying about it is a great way to live. I just wanted to throw this up as a reminder that it can be fun and easy and work without much hassle. If it really doesn't work, and you give it a good try and some time, maybe there is another solution for you.

**primalrob** · 12-17-2012, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by magnolia1973

I eat Primal. I have no idea what my macros are. I eat fruit and starches without consequence. I eat a bunch of really normal foods. I eat a lot of bananas and sweet potatoes, the occasional rice and potato. I enjoy occasional cheese and cream. Probably too many sweets. I also cheat with grain on rare occasion. My diet is not limited and most normal people don't recognize that I am "on a diet". I have good energy, sleep well and work out pretty hard.

Sometimes I have non-primal foods- I may bloat or get a tummy ache if I over indulge, but for the most part, I am fine. I don't get debilitating pain or have horrid consequences like the time I ate shrimp.

Sometimes I'd rather have a pizza than a steak, but it is rare. I love steak, but it is expensive. I don't miss bagels, but I do miss doughnuts. I really like bacon and think I overeat it. January will be a break from bacon. Sometimes I want a burger ON a bun, but i never have buns in my house so the point is null.

I've enjoyed participating in the BB, but sometimes I think some posters are a bit nuts. When people post about bingeing on fruit, it makes me feel like shit. Since when is overeating fruit something to be ashamed of? I'm proud when I get the fruit cup instead of chips or fries or when I have a banana instead of chocolate. I feel badly for people who can't seem to make it work or have to do bizarre things to make it work. It sounds like a pain in the ass. I envy the people who think stevia is awesome. It tastes like ear wax to me.

I'm sure the new year will bring many new people and I hope it works for them. Being healthy and attractive and eating great food without worrying about it is a great way to live. I just wanted to throw this up as a reminder that it can be fun and easy and work without much hassle. If it really doesn't work, and you give it a good try and some time, maybe there is another solution for you.

it's the exact same for me on these parts. bravo to you.

**primalrob** · 12-17-2012, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by magnolia1973

I eat Primal. I have no idea what my macros are. I eat fruit and starches without consequence. I eat a bunch of really normal foods. I eat a lot of bananas and sweet potatoes, the occasional rice and potato. I enjoy occasional cheese and cream. Probably too many sweets. I also cheat with grain on rare occasion. My diet is not limited and most normal people don't recognize that I am "on a diet". I have good energy, sleep well and work out pretty hard.

Sometimes I have non-primal foods- I may bloat or get a tummy ache if I over indulge, but for the most part, I am fine. I don't get debilitating pain or have horrid consequences like the time I ate shrimp.

Sometimes I'd rather have a pizza than a steak, but it is rare. I love steak, but it is expensive. I don't miss bagels, but I do miss doughnuts. I really like bacon and think I overeat it. January will be a break from bacon. Sometimes I want a burger ON a bun, but i never have buns in my house so the point is null.

I've enjoyed participating in the BB, but sometimes I think some posters are a bit nuts. When people post about bingeing on fruit, it makes me feel like shit. Since when is overeating fruit something to be ashamed of? I'm proud when I get the fruit cup instead of chips or fries or when I have a banana instead of chocolate. I feel badly for people who can't seem to make it work or have to do bizarre things to make it work. It sounds like a pain in the ass. I envy the people who think stevia is awesome. It tastes like ear wax to me.

I'm sure the new year will bring many new people and I hope it works for them. Being healthy and attractive and eating great food without worrying about it is a great way to live. I just wanted to throw this up as a reminder that it can be fun and easy and work without much hassle. If it really doesn't work, and you give it a good try and some time, maybe there is another solution for you.

it's the exact same for me on these parts. bravo to you.

**Neckhammer** · 12-17-2012, 11:28 AM

Haha....good post.

**jakey** · 12-17-2012, 11:41 AM

right on!

**JoanieL** · 12-17-2012, 11:49 AM

If primal has done nothing else for me, it has turned my love-hate relationship with food into one of just love.

There are some experiences that we can all enjoy, whether we are rich or poor. Music, the beauty of our surroundings, sex, and food to name a few. We start building our relationship with food from day one. Whether because of genetics, bad education, weird parents, etc., I think some of us get into some unhealthy relationships with food. Low fat, six meals a day, anorexia, binge/purge, etc. Sometimes it feels like the mixed messages we get about food are so discordant, I'm surprised more people don't just say f*** it and go on the WholeVodka diet.

One day I noticed that without me really noticing, I really do shop 90+% around the perimeter of the grocery store. Produce, fish, meat, cheese, eggs. The occasional trip into one of the aisles is for not oft bought things like ACV, some tomato products, and some bags of frozen veggies or fruit. I talk to the produce folks, the butchers, etc. The fish guy knows that I'm going to be looking for squid and agrees we need more Italians here because then he could stock more squid and never be out. I get samples of cheeses from animals other than cows and from all over the world. I even found out that one of my local grocery stores stocks organic potatoes - they're not on the floor, you have to ask. I don't understand, but it's good to know that I don't have to depend on WFoods or wait 'til the Saturday market to get them.

It's such a different experience from the old snatch and grab and get out of the store asap that used to be my grocery shopping.

And I've returned back to the kitchen in a meaningful way. The laziest meal I make now is a burger with an avocado squished on top. But generally, I cook something nice. I appreciate that I'm not just eating calories, but something I took care in preparing. Not three hour meals by any stretch, but good, wholesome meals that taste delicious.

I always loved food, but I hated it too. So, maybe eating this way has been a bit of therapy.

I'm closer to 60 than I am to 50, and I have no pain (we all get occasional headaches). I can walk for miles easily. I wake up glad to face the day. My hair is shiny. And when I want to be really bad, I throw some tequila or vodka into some buttered espresso - damn, that's one fine primal (maybe) drink. So, while the weight thing is all well and good, I never realized how stressed I was about food until I made a conscious decision to eat the best quality food I could afford and find. And that made the stress go away.