MrsZimm's Wild Ride page

[MrsZimm13]

I started my journey on January 1, 2013 with my husband. He has a neurological issue with his legs where his muscles constantly contract and expand. In other words his leg muscles constantly jump. A Chiropractor friend told us about Paleo and that it reduces inflammation. We're giving it a try to see if reduced carbs will help him. I am trying to lose 40 pounds.

I started the journey by giving up bread, coffee and grains but I would eat legumes. A week later I gave up the legumes. I do eat some yogurt, raw milk, some cheese, eggs, meat, veggies, coconut oil, olive oil, bone broth daily, and some berries, citrus and bananas. I have cut down on the amounts of nuts I eat thinking they are inhibiting weight loss.

So, I was pretty disgusted with myself and didn't weigh before starting the plan. I believe I have lost 8 pounds in 6 weeks. That is a bit discouraging, but as my husband says if we are going to adopt this way of eating I will lose the weight I need and want to. We have committed to each other that we will do this for 6 months and evaluate where we are at that point. My husband has lost 22 pounds in the same amount of time and he looks awesome!

At this time, 6 weeks in I feel great. I have more energy than before, my clothes are fitting better and I am less anxious. I attribute the lessening of anxiousness to not drinking caffeine.

The hardest part, so far is dinning with people who are not eating primal. The bread basket at a restaurant is a little tempting! Tempting, but I have not given in! yay me!! I travel frequently for work and I will be eating out every meal when I do travel.

For exercise I walk my dogs twice a day one mile at a good clip. I like doing squats, plank and push ups when I am on boring conference calls- I work from home. I find it a great use of time to do a little workout while actively listening to a call. It's multitasking at its finest.

My husband hunts so we have a sufficient amount of venison for the year. We grow most of our vegetables and can or freeze to preserve them. We have a good life.

So, at this point I want to lose 34 pounds. I know I can succeed.

2/16

I am so happy! I changed the way I was doing things this week- I walked before eating anything and I lost 2 pounds! I only weigh on Saturday's and I was elated this morning. It sure did pump me up to do the cardio portion of p90x, walked a mile, then hiked 2 miles.

What I ate today:

Breakfast: 1 duck egg scrambled with onion and tallow
Lunch: venison sausage and vegetable soup
Snack: 2 T almonds
Dinner: butternut, venison lasagna with homemade tomato sauce
2 glasses red wine

We went to a farm that sells grass fed beef and picked up a shank, bacon, a dozen pasture raised eggs, 2 pork chops, and short ribs. All pasture fed and no grain. I can't wait to cook the short ribs for my husband.

2/17

Getting ready for the week ahead. I have 2 business trips that will take me out of town for 3 days. Today I made cream of broccoli soup, and vegetable soup and I am roasting an organic chicken for dinner.

The broccoli soup:
2 T Ghee, melted in soup pot
1 small onion diced
1 stalk celery diced
Cook these three ingredients to soften as you wash and trim 8 cups of broccoli florets, stems and leaves.

Add 1.5 cups chicken or beef broth and broccoli to pot cover and cook 20 min until broccoli is soft.

In small pan:
Heat 2 cups milk and 2T tapioca starch to thicken. Add fresh black pepper to taste and add 2 T butter.

Once thick and bubbly, add to the pot of broccoli. I used my hand emulsifier to break up the broccoli a little. I left chunks of broccoli for texture. This is a very nicely flavored soup. I sprinkled with parm cheese before serving.

E: walked dog 30 minutes
B: 2 eggs w/onion and pepper, 1/2 of butternut sq muffin, 2 slices bacon, 4 small figs sautéed in butter and balsamic vinegar. (9:30am)
L: not hungry
S: 4:30 pm 1 Cup broccoli soup
D: chicken and spinach salad with beets and dressing.
1 small Blood orange

[Crabbcakes]

Hello MrsZimm! Welcome to the MDA, and good job with Primal so far! My chiropractor absolutely supports Primal, even though it isn't from him I first learned about it. And that is an awesome journal name.

There is a subgroup of MDAers who have issues with inflammatory states, and there is currently a thread about avoiding nightshades to that end (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, some others - that botanical group) If you poke around there, you might pick up some tips and/or get into helpful discussions.

See you soon!

[MrsZimm13]

2/18
I had a long work day and have to travel all day tomorrow to NY and back. I am interested to know how this travel will be on PB.
Leaving the house at 6:25 am and returning at 10:30 pm.

I am taking 2 hard boiled eggs, a Baggie with almonds and raisins and will grab a salad with chicken for lunch. Not sure how I will handle dinner or if I will be hungry to eat.

My husband is dropping about a half pound a day. Jealous.

Today was a great day! I did P90X cardio before a conference call and felt really good. It was too cold to walk the dogs.

We brought home 4 hens and 2 roosters today. Soon we won't need to buy pastured eggs at the farmers market.

[ssn679doc]

Sounds like you are off to a great start! Don't stress too much over not losing weight as fast as hublet.... You are doing prettty well, just keep doing what you are doing...stick with it...

[Shelli]

Yes...focus on health - you are doing so well! Jealous of your new chickens, something I'd love to have in the backyard.
I have a bread obsession too, and an accompanying wheat intolerance. My son works at a Bakers Delight and brings home a loaf of fresh, delicious bread every day. I find if I've eaten enough fat, I can resist the yeasty lure.

[MrsZimm13]

Yes...focus on health - you are doing so well! Jealous of your new chickens, something I'd love to have in the backyard.
I have a bread obsession too, and an accompanying wheat intolerance. My son works at a Bakers Delight and brings home a loaf of fresh, delicious bread every day. I find if I've eaten enough fat, I can resist the yeasty lure.

Hi Shelli-
I had just taken 2 bread making lasses at The King Arthur Flour school in VT 2 weeks before starting PB. Talk about poor planning! I had no idea that my man would want to start BP on 1/1!

[Shelli]

Breadmaking classes with King Arthur would be great! Well, maybe if neither of you have trouble with wheat/gluten, you could make fresh bread an occasional treat? The only way I can limit myself to the bread I shouldn't be eating anyway is to put real butter on it. Wheat is like some bad street drug, I swear. With the butter to provide a saiety factor, I can eat just one (or two if it's a bad day) slice and be happy. Not happy about an hour after, but that's my fault for being such a big child.

And I think it's also excellent that you are supporting your partner in the PB endeavor!

[Paleobird]

Hi There,
You said your husband has lost weight. That's great. How is his neurological problem doing? I have done a lot of research into Primal from the neurological point of view due to having epilepsy myself. There is an interesting blog called Diagnosis : Diet by Dr. Georgia Ede that I think the two of you might enjoy. She is a psychiatrist who prescribes paleo eating for her patients for a variety of neurological issues. She also had written some interesting things on food intolerances and inflammation.

Worth a read.

Welcome.

[MrsZimm13]

I don't have any wheat issues, but I do want to lose weight....so, I have given it up for 6 months. If this way of eating helps me lose weight and helps my husbands legs then we'll keep eating this way. I gave my MIL all of my canned beans last weekend... That was sort of sad. But, we're not eating them so someone who is shoud have them.

The bread making classes at KAF are amazing! I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[MrsZimm13]

Thank you or your note. We're in our 7th week of PB and his legs are not any better. His carpul tunnel has not bothered him and we attribute that change to PB.

He had a tumor removed from his spine 2 years ago; the tumor caused nerve damaged thus the muscles twitching in his legs. We were hoping PB would help his condition. Still hoping.

He's down 23 pounds as of this morning.