Going Paleo/Primal/Grain-free in MAY!!

[OvenSeeksBun]

I hope I'm not stepping on any toes by starting a new thread. The April thread just has me

My food so far:

Breakfast (6AM)
2 eggs, friend sunny-side-up in butter
Apple slices
Walnuts
Cup of white tea

Lunch (12:30)
Large salad of romaine/iceberg, cucumber, zucchini, radish with homemade vinaigrette with a can of wild sockeye salmon
Watermelon

Snack at home (currently)
Pistachios
Mango
Spiced tea

Supper will be grilled rib-steaks with steamed carrots and a green salad.

[cristeen]

I don't think anybody owns it, so fine by me... I totally forgot it was a new month already. The effect of SAH.

I got a fair bit of exercise in yesterday - a friend invited us to fairyland, so we walked down and around and around and around chasing her 15 mo while my 7 mo slept the entire time. Definitely want to get an annual pass - think it'll be a great place to walk w the little on a reg basis. And boy am I sore today. Doing okay on the food - heavy on the cottage cheese right now. But little guy just fell asleep so I think I'll go rustle up some actual lunch.

[Millie Ivy]

subbing!

Feeling so good about going grain free/mostly primal. My mom is reading The Primal Blueprint and ate according to plan today (except for raw honey which helps her allergies sooo much) and she just called me to tell me her carbs were at 100, and she felt great.

<3 love it!

[sahmmie]

I never heard the term "primal" in regards to a way of eating. Is this a new trend? Is there a book that promotes it?

I'm curious because I've been doing some reading (The Makers Diet, and Fiber Menace) which really makes me think about doing away with grains. I know I feel better when I eat fewer or no grains.

So, when you eat grain free/primal do you eat rice? Or is rice considered a grain?

[Millie Ivy]

This thread tends to cover a variety of eating/lifestyles under the grain free-ish umbrella. Sort of like 5 people in a room identifying as Christians but being very different from different paths. (Ooh, icky, sorry for the religious reference. lol)

My path? I have celiacs disease, and have eaten gluten free, traditional foods, for about 2 full years now. My weight, while not horrible, always creeps up higher than I want, due to my poor control over how much I eat. Sweets, even really "healthy" things derail me. I am a fairly addictive/habitual person and one day of something gets to be a pattern pretty quickly.

I have a lot of success with low carb for weight control, but always felt so icky about so much "franken food" in that community (Sorry, blanket statement. Just my experience, and I know it's not the only way to do it) and I missed the variety of veggies that I love to get locally. I only recently read "The Primal Blueprint" (well, I am about halfway through) and watch Marks Daily Apple blog. But that's not the only "paleo/primal" way to go. I like Mark Sisson, he is sarcastic, and enthusiastic, but balanced and very realistic.

I personally do not eat rice, though it's admittedly one of the easier to digest and some people include it, properly prepared. I don't plan on it being a staple for my life though. Once I am very established, I will treat with occasional corn in my meals. I miss corn. Corn tortillas made the transition to GF so painless.

Sorry for the novel.

[Millie Ivy]

One more point. For me, keeping the fat intake high is key as well. Many moons ago I lost weight low fat and counting calories. 1500-1900 calories a day sometimes was horribly difficult and painful. If I worked out? It was torture. Now I eat about 65% at least of my calories from fat and I can have a day of full satisfaction from my meals, never feel faint and starving, or weak, and still clock in sometimes at 1600 or so. I don't really care about the calories so much and I don't work to keep them low or anything, I just was really fascinated by the difference in how easy it is to be moderate when I feed myself this way.

[FairyRae]

Millie, I really like your description of the range here. Primal/paleo/grain free, even just gluten free--all of these terms can sort of describe/be included in this group/month-to-month thread I think. Grain free (or grain-light) kind of covers most of us (or what we are trying to do).

I, like Millie, have also been kind of turned off by the frankenfood and maybe the weight loss focus of low-carb stuff. (Not that I think there is anything bad about weightloss! I just prefer to focus on health, with the side effect of a great diet being natural weightloss/getting to the right weight for you. I've also found a lot of low-carb sites out there quite helpful, but only after letting go of my own personal negative connotations to dieting, low-carb in general, etc...) I really like the paleo/primal idea/label (moreso than low-carb), as it jives well w/ my traditional foods beliefs (what could be more traditional than eating like paleolithic hunter gatherers ate?) I also really like Mark's Daily Apple as a source of info and inspiration, and love his realistic, light and funny attitude/outlook on all this. I do much better when I am gentle w/ myself about food, and his 80/20 concept really helps me to stick to this kind of diet/make this manageable. Dark chocolate and starchy tubers, along w/ honey and stevia sweetened baked goods certainly make up a lot of my 20% (if I am to label myself as 'primal'), and certainly help me stick to all of this. I highly recommend checking out the Primal Blueprint 101 section to learn more about his philosophy on this, as I think he shares a lot of helpful info in a manner that is easy to understand and can be easily modified to meet a variety of different folks' needs...

So glad you've started a thread for May OvenSeeksBun--I got a TON out of the April one (which I'm linking for my own easy access--sooooo many fabulous recipe ideas!!) and am excited to continue this convo!!

[Millie Ivy]

Lauren, I like the way YOU describe it all too! I also feel much more, I don't know how to describe it, whole? Grounded? With this way of eating. A lot of people I am sure find that when they switch to traditional foods, I sure did. Then to just another degree with Primal (of course with my "20%" occasionally. Love me my dark chocolate and red wine!)

Plan today to fast a bit this morning, enjoying my coffee with heavy raw cream right now. May not eat until lunch depending on my hunger. I ate three full meals yesterday and I am finding that I go full then light in my eating, if I listen to my hunger.

I really want to try some of the coconut flour biscuit-y stuff recipes out there. I don't really miss bread so much now, but I miss the bread texture as a vehicle for other stuff. Like clotted cream, or almond butter.
Anyone grind their own almond meal?

[nettlesoup]

I hope you don't mind me joining in here. I tried going primal last month. I have a really sweet tooth and sweet tea is my weakness. Grain has been easy enough to avoid, but sugar has been the ultimate challenge. I managed to go two days without sugar and really felt the effects in a positive way. But then my daughter went through a very angry patch, and also had a bad night time cough which kept us up a lot. So all motivation went out the window and I went straight back to my sweet tea and snacks. I'm really feeling the effect of eating how I usually do. I've found that my diet affects my moods which is one of my main reasons for going primal. I'm also concerned about my teeth and want to make them healthier.

So I'm going to try again now that my daughter is back to normal. I've stocked up on lots of meat from the farmer's market, and we're going to the shops today to buy food for lunches and snacks. The problem is I do love baking, and there's a recipe I found that I really want to try. So maybe this time I'll make it more gradual. For dinner tonight it'll be roast beef and veg, so that's a good start! It'll be good feeling healthier and happier again.

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

I think I'm finally going to participate rather than just lurk in this thread.

We've been grain-free/primal-ish for about 4-5 months now and gluten free since last summer. My DS1 has soy and gluten allergy (most likely celiac, but we're not going to subject him to the biopsy) and also intolerances to rice and oats and several other things.

I did eat a loaf of bread (for the first time since we went gluten-free) the other week and felt awful with a stomach ache and rash, so we're thinking I might have gluten issues too.

We do have corn (homemade tortillas and corn/quinoa pasta) and quinoa on occasion, but that's pretty much it. I love baking with almond and coconut flour.

I struggle with my sugar addiction (and my family can attest that it makes me really cranky!). I was doing really well for about 3 months on only honey and maple syrup, but I lapsed and am having trouble cutting out the sugar again.

My DS1 does so well on grain-free. He's sleeping better, better digestion and better temperment. My DH came along for the ride willingly but without much choice and is so glad he did. He's lost 30lbs, sleeps better and has more energy.

I am bfing my DS2 and struggle a bit to keep the weight on being grain-free. I feel like I eat and eat and eat all day and still lose weight some weeks. I eat lots of eggs, raw dairy, and some meat or fish every day. We can't really afford 'good' meat right now, but I would certainly eat more of it if we could.

[sahmmie]

Thanks everyone for all information and explanations! I'll check out The Primal Blueprint.

One thing I know for sure is that I feel so much better when I don't eat grains! I've never done it long term though. I get discouraged because I can't figure out what to feed my family.

[MyLittleWarrior]

I'm here again too! I find that I can do really well for 3-4 days, and then I slip up. And 1 bad snack turns into a bad meal turns into a bad day turns into a bad several days before I get my tush back on the wagon. I initially lost about 6 lbs, and have put back on 2, and have been hanging steady there. I guess that's better than gaining, which I had been slowly doing ever since my daughters birth (she's almost 5 months). I had been doing green smoothies for breakfast, but after some threads on MDA about zero carb breakfasts being better, I may move them to the lunch slot and try to just use berries as the fruit (bye bye my most beloved banana ) I work from home about 4 days a month, and those days I'm parked in front of the comupter all day with breaks only to nurse the baby and settle toy squabbles for the boys, and I finish up right about dinner time, and almost always order a pizza. It's a hard habit to break, since they deliver, and it's kind of a treat for the kids since I'm not the worlds most stellar mother on the days I work. I really need a better option for dinner those days. Also weekends really trip me up. We often eat with one or the other of my grandparents, and they don't really understand the whole 'grain free' thing.

I also have trouble getting moving. For about 2 weeks DH was getting home from work in time for me to put the baby on my back and take a 3-5 mile walk while he put the boys to bed, but he's been working later again, and I just don't see any way to get the excercise in while the boys are awake! I know mornings are an option, but I'm horrible at getting up in the morning. Maybe that will be my new goal this week, to get my tush out of bed before the boys wake up and get my walks in. If I go in the morning I can even leave the baby and work in some sprints.

So here's to a new month, and back on the wagon!

[listipton]

I'd like to join! We struggle with Primal living and love the idea...in theory. Like many pp, we start out with good intentions and then get lazy and order pizza. I'm slowly purging our cabinets of grain and I really hope to make this the month of good change!

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by Millie Ivy

One more point. For me, keeping the fat intake high is key as well. Many moons ago I lost weight low fat and counting calories. 1500-1900 calories a day sometimes was horribly difficult and painful. If I worked out? It was torture. Now I eat about 65% at least of my calories from fat and I can have a day of full satisfaction from my meals, never feel faint and starving, or weak, and still clock in sometimes at 1600 or so. I don't really care about the calories so much and I don't work to keep them low or anything, I just was really fascinated by the difference in how easy it is to be moderate when I feed myself this way.

my mom is attempting to eat lower carb (im guessing not less then 100 grams a day) and low calorie, at about 1500 cals per day, and its not working for her as well as she hoped. i am trying to gently explain what i have heard and believe to be true, that when you restrict calories at a semi-starvation level like 1400-1500 cals a day (accoridng to http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-...768&sr=1-1Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes this is a semi-starvation diet), you're body decides you are straving and holds on to fat for safety. its hard to get accross the point to folks unfimiliar with this, that calorie intake isn't the be all end all of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

personally, i eat at least 2000-2500 calories every day, less then 100 grams carbs and do not gain weight.

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by MyLittleWarrior

...I really need a better option for dinner those days. Also weekends really trip me up. We often eat with one or the other of my grandparents, and they don't really understand the whole 'grain free' thing...

my kids enjoy pizza we make using grain/gluten-free pizza crusts from a local bakery that uses almond meal and parmigianno cheese for the crust, which i top with canned organic pizza sauce (look for one with no added sugar), mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. i have seen some recipes online for a similar sounding crust. ours come frozen and it takes all of 10 minutes to make this meal. add a lot of green veggies (sauteed kale in olive oil and garlic and salt!) and you're set!

other kid friendly meals- a whole roast chicken roasted with veggies of almost any kind (cut up, pre-frozen butternut squash works well, as do potatoes, cauliflower, parsnips), basted with a bit of butter or coconut oil, lots of good fresh herbs (garlic, ginger, cilantro, whatever) stuffed inside the cavity. the prep for this is usualy 10-15 minutes and it bakes slowly for 1.5 hrs at 350 degrees. voila, a gourmet meal with not much fuss.

hamburgers, no bun, with or without melted cheese, with fresh, raw veggies and some sort of dipping sauce (homemade ranch, vinegrette etc.), homemade fries made from sweet or white potatoes fried or baked in a bit of duck fat.

[nettlesoup]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a huge sugar weakness! We are starting properly tomorrow, so I'm currently having my last cinnamon swirl and cherry coke. I'm really going to miss my tea with sugar though; I don't like it without
But I am looking forward to feeling better mentally and physically.

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

Originally Posted by nettlesoup

. I'm really going to miss my tea with sugar though; I don't like it without
But I am looking forward to feeling better mentally and physically.

That's my big thing with sugar too. I can handle giving up 'sweets' in general, but I love my tea and it just doesn't taste good to me sweetened with honey or not sweetened at all. I'm going to try to slowly wean off the sugar in tea by trying to use a bit less each time. Maybe then I'll learn to like it without sugar.

[my_baby_love]

My DH and I are trying to go grain-free (and I am trying to go sugar-free), so I thought this thread might be a good place for me to get some inspiration. We both want to lose some weight and I am curious to see how I feel after cutting way back on grains. We have decided to eat about one serving a day of grains to start and try to wean ourselves off from there . We were wondering, though, what about corn and rice and beans? Are they considered grains? I know rice, properly prepared, is easy to digest and we love rice so I am tempted to still have it about once a week. DH says he considers corn a grain but I would love to keep making tortillas once in a while. Anyway, I am looking forward to this thread!

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by nettlesoup

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a huge sugar weakness! We are starting properly tomorrow, so I'm currently having my last cinnamon swirl and cherry coke. I'm really going to miss my tea with sugar though; I don't like it without
But I am looking forward to feeling better mentally and physically.

i dont know how much tea you drink but honestly a half a teaspoon of sugar a couple times a day is not the end of the world. 1 tsp sugar has 4 grams sugars/carbs, 1 tsp honey has 5 grams sugars/carbs. whereas 1/4 cup wheat flour, rice flour, grain-flour of most kinds has about 22 grams carbs (which rapidly turn into sugar in your blood after you eat things with wheat). even mark of www.marksdailyapple.com says he has about 1 tsp of sugar in his coffee occaisionally. honey isnt magically better for you then plain white sugar, in fact some folks believe it could be worse as it is 80% fructose and white sugar (sucrose) is only about 50% fructose and there is evidence that fructose is an especially dangerous form of sugar for our bodies.
see this interesting post re; fruit and fructose; http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fruit...ility-seasons/

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by my_baby_love

We were wondering, though, what about corn and rice and beans? Are they considered grains? I know rice, properly prepared, is easy to digest and we love rice so I am tempted to still have it about once a week. DH says he considers corn a grain but I would love to keep making tortillas once in a while. Anyway, I am looking forward to this thread!

i eat rice maybe once a week, i certainly find it easier to digest then gluten grains like wheat or spelt. but it is just as high in carbs/sugars as wheat and if your into grain-free eating from a paleo/primal perspective, our hunter-gatherer ansestors didnt eat grains and our bodies may not very adapted to eating them.