Grain Free/Primal/Paleo for Spring!!! - Page 7

[joanna0707]

Originally Posted by Panserbjorne 

I think the biggest thing for me over the last 6 years is to notice when I deviate (cause I mean, it's gonna happen now and again) is that I wake feeling bloated.  It takes forever to get out of bed and when I do I feel sluggish.  With no grains/starches I really feel much more alive and ready to greet the world.  I also love waking with a flat stomach!

I can say the same about dairy, which I can't resist (I love cheese) and indulge in from time to time

[fluffywandering]

Another cheese lover here! My husband absolutely refuses to let it out of the house... so I go ahead and enjoy it too! ;)

[Koalamom]

I am going through a phase where I am actually totally bored with my diet and I think constantly about going back to grain so I will actually enjoy cooking again. Tell me this will pass.

[Panserbjorne]

it will.  as someone who's BTDT it usually offers excitement for about a week, maybe 2.  Then you just have a rut that includes new foods and you feel crappy.  Better to inspire yourself in other ways!  Hopefully we'll get some bites on my thread-lol.  I'm right there with you!

[Millie Ivy]

It will pass, I know from experience.  But it helps to go reread stuff that convinced you to try grain free in the first place, try new recipes, break out of a rut with your food if you are in one. 

Eat more meat and fat if you've eaten less lately, eat more fresh and lively salads if you've been slacking there.  

Hell, eat LESS meat and fat if that's what floats your boat.  Just switch it up. :-) hth. 

(incidentally Im feeling like this too, but after several incidents of eating grain this month, and several gf beers consumed over the past 2 weeks, my gut is just killing me. That's enough for me!)

[karen1968]

Just a note on how grains/sugars might affect us...I started getting my hemorrhoids zapped around the time I started Paleo (about 5 weeks ago). I've had o/off perineal itching forever, and it went away! I chalked it up to getting treatment for the 'rhoids. I figured they were the cause in the first place (since I'd ruled out an infection of any kind, including yeast).  BUT last weekend I indulged at a friend's birthday dinner - a couple of pieces of crostini, some chocolate mousse. Then I had a cake pop at the coffee shop, figuring it was no big deal...but then mid-week, the itching started up again! The ND I'm seeing for the hemorrhoids said I was having a flare of some sort, and he agreed it could be due to my grain & sugar indulgence. It's giving me the motivation to keep off the grains. I've been so tempted lately!

Now, if my IBS would just go away completely!

Otherwise, I'm loving this grain/sugar free thing (dairy free, too, except butter, but that's because of my DD). I've lost 9 pounds and 2% body fat since I started, and feel stronger every day. I still have a lot of stiffness, and feel like my muscles and joints are still dealing with inflammation. I'm hoping that goes away eventually, too.

Does anyone here do CrossFit in addition to being Primal/Paleo? I have a couple of friends who swear by it, and I'm intensely interested, but balking at the cost, since i already belong to a gym. I've thought of doing it just for a couple of months, then setting up a home gym. But I"m not sure I have the motivation to keep it up alone.

[Panserbjorne]

we owned a crossfit for several years, so the answer is yes.  We just sold it last year.  I'd say whether it's worth it depends largely on the trainers.  As a result some facilities are great, and some are....less so.  Crossfit is changing rapidly but you can still find good places.

[Piglet68]

Had my first big carb craving today after a couple weeks of not having any. But then I only started seriously two days ago. I totally cheated on dinner (went drive-thru, need I say more?). So I'm feeling a bit bummed. Not so much because I cheated, but because the cravings were so strong and nothing "healthy" appealed to me. I fe.t like I was sick of nuts and meat and veggies. I'm sure this will pass, but it was discouraging to get a big craving so soon into it. I'm determined to get back on the wagon tomorrow, but this was a challenge. 

[Koalamom]

Milly Ivy, what you said was so good, but so simple. Thanks!

Yay Karen! Go grain free!!

Piglet, I hear you about nothing sounding good. I try to always have turn to foods if I am feeling like I need to splurge, but not all day foods, like super dark chocolate, favorite cashew butter, grapes, or even the dreded potatoes chips. But I have learned that just the pure joy of eating is important too in being healthy. I am trying to not hate food without my old faves, dairy and bread. Off to have leftover apple crisp with almond flour for breakfast...

[Piglet68]

Well, despite my cheating the other day, I stepped on the scales today. I appear to have already lost about 2 - 3 pounds and the week is not over yet. That itself has been a big boost to my motivation. Here's hoping it continues!

[fluffywandering]

Originally Posted by karen1968 

Just a note on how grains/sugars might affect us...I started getting my hemorrhoids zapped around the time I started Paleo (about 5 weeks ago). I've had o/off perineal itching forever, and it went away! I chalked it up to getting treatment for the 'rhoids. I figured they were the cause in the first place (since I'd ruled out an infection of any kind, including yeast).  BUT last weekend I indulged at a friend's birthday dinner - a couple of pieces of crostini, some chocolate mousse. Then I had a cake pop at the coffee shop, figuring it was no big deal...but then mid-week, the itching started up again! The ND I'm seeing for the hemorrhoids said I was having a flare of some sort, and he agreed it could be due to my grain & sugar indulgence. It's giving me the motivation to keep off the grains. I've been so tempted lately!

Now, if my IBS would just go away completely!

Otherwise, I'm loving this grain/sugar free thing (dairy free, too, except butter, but that's because of my DD). I've lost 9 pounds and 2% body fat since I started, and feel stronger every day. I still have a lot of stiffness, and feel like my muscles and joints are still dealing with inflammation. I'm hoping that goes away eventually, too.

Does anyone here do CrossFit in addition to being Primal/Paleo? I have a couple of friends who swear by it, and I'm intensely interested, but balking at the cost, since i already belong to a gym. I've thought of doing it just for a couple of months, then setting up a home gym. But I"m not sure I have the motivation to keep it up alone.

I just started cross fit a couple of weeks ago. I can only go twice a week so I use it as my "lift heavy things" as outlined on marks site. I still need to add in sprints every week and walk more though. I have no motivation to exercise unless someone is really pushing me... otherwise I think I would just do it all at home.

[karen1968]

Originally Posted by Panserbjorne 

we owned a crossfit for several years, so the answer is yes.  We just sold it last year.  I'd say whether it's worth it depends largely on the trainers.  As a result some facilities are great, and some are....less so.  Crossfit is changing rapidly but you can still find good places.

Interesting. You think Crossfit is changing in a "bad" way? This is the place where my friend works out; I am joining her for a free class on Tuesday if the scheduling works out: CrossFitXFactor

I finally hit 10 pounds lost. Some of the "symptoms" I had before starting went away in the first couple of weeks and now have come back. :( I don't feel like I'm "cheating" much or at all, so I'm not sure if those symptoms are diet related as I thought they were. Which is disappointing - I was so looking forward to being DONE with IBS and itching, and feeling like I'd found the answer.   I'm not giving up this lifestyle, though. It feels good to me in many other ways.

[Panserbjorne]

I wont' say bad.  it is no longer what it was when we started 7 years ago.  some may prefer what it is now.  We're simply not in that group. 

[Koalamom]

So neat- Yesterday was dh's b-day and I made him and the kids a GF and DF carrot cake. I decided to have some and I am so happy that I am not reacting that much. I watched my intake, but I think I could atleast splurge on grain for a holiday if I felt like it. I do have minor inflammation, but not a big deal. Last time I trialed rice or eggs a month and a half ago, I was doubled over hurting and paying for it the next three days.

[karen1968]

Originally Posted by Panserbjorne 

I wont' say bad.  it is no longer what it was when we started 7 years ago.  some may prefer what it is now.  We're simply not in that group. 

Well, that leaves me still confused, because I don't know how it changed or what it was like when it started. That's OK, though!

[IsaFrench]

Karen1968 .... thanks for the invite, have 7 pages to catch up reading !

you too have itching then (for me exclusively anal itching, but I cannot sleep at night because of it ...)

in the past some anti candida oral treatment worked a few times , but no longer the case right now

(don't know if it's because I've had so many small lapses over the last few months or if there's another trigger that I've not identified yet ....)

am really hoping that reading all of these 7 pages will help me keep up with my eating plan ....

[Karamom]

Hello everyone! i have not read all 7 pages but did skim through a few pages.

I started eating paleo for my whole family 3 weeks ago. That first week was hard but now I can say that I have very little desire for grains anymore and I have been a complete sugar addict for years. i used to eat several cookies a day. I think the thing that made a huge difference in our ability to stick with it is my purchasing 2 new cookbooks. Everyday Paleo and the Primal Blueprint Solution Cookbook. There are so many yummy recipes in there i actually feel like we are eating much better now, the food is so good!

Ds is allergic to almonds and eggs so it has been a bit harder to feed him but i found that since cutting out sugar and grains he has become much less picky. He has been eating tons of broccoli and cauliflower which was unheard of before. I am hoping to heal his eczema and tooth decay.

unfortunate I haven't been buying anything Organic or grass fed, etc. I really desperately wish that we could but we just cannot afford it. However our diet is 99% whole real foods.

I've lost 8lbs so far

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by karen1968 

Well, that leaves me still confused, because I don't know how it changed or what it was like when it started. That's OK, though!

ah, sorry.  so in the beginning it was really technique oriented, very primal in focus, very based on a person's individual needs and safety.  There were no politics behind closed doors, no shenanigans etc.  Now it's a very different game.  Anyone who wants to be a trainer just has to pay the fee (before they invited people with a good reputation and solid background.)   I've seen people get cert'd who have worked out for a month of their lives (no exaggeration.)  It's a "hardcore contest" for the most part (how many times did you puke during the workout?  places will boast about the number of puke buckets needed in the facility and show how many people shredded their hands on the kipping pull ups.)  You can still find quality places if you look hard enough, but it used to be that all places were quality and without the crazy stigma.

Now, only one or two organizations will insure crossfit facilities because they way many run them it's a dangerous operation.  It's just different. 

[karen1968]

Originally Posted by Panserbjorne 

ah, sorry.  so in the beginning it was really technique oriented, very primal in focus, very based on a person's individual needs and safety.  There were no politics behind closed doors, no shenanigans etc.  Now it's a very different game.  Anyone who wants to be a trainer just has to pay the fee (before they invited people with a good reputation and solid background.)   I've seen people get cert'd who have worked out for a month of their lives (no exaggeration.)  It's a "hardcore contest" for the most part (how many times did you puke during the workout?  places will boast about the number of puke buckets needed in the facility and show how many people shredded their hands on the kipping pull ups.)  You can still find quality places if you look hard enough, but it used to be that all places were quality and without the crazy stigma.

Now, only one or two organizations will insure crossfit facilities because they way many run them it's a dangerous operation.  It's just different. 

Interesting. Thanks for explaining. There are MANY CrossFit places here in Portland, and only one or two seem like the hardcore/competition place. Many many of them cater to middle aged overweight women, it seems!  The place I am looking at runs trainings, so I'm guessing it's one of the good ones. 

IsaFrench said:

 

you too have itching then (for me exclusively anal itching, but I cannot sleep at night because of it ...)

Mine is anal/perineal itching, too.  Which gets worse at night. I've had it checked out and no signs of yeast or bacteria (or pinworms). I've currently seeing an ND to "zap" my hemarrhoids, thinking that they were the cause...I started that abot the same time I started Paleo, so honestly I don't know which had the effect of easing the itch. Or if perhaps it's hormonal (recently got my periods back after DD's birth). Whatever the cause, I'm ready to be DONE with it! I swear I've had it for 2-3 years, at least.

[jenniepaige]

Originally Posted by CCJWGM 

I see a big difference in the food budgets of people who have allergies/intolerances and those who don't.  I cater to gluten, dairy, and soy free.  Sometimes it seems gluten and soy are in EVERYTHING.  Sometimes I get a little sad that I have to pay $7 for a silly bottle of mayo when everyone else gets it for so much less but at least I have my families health. 

redclover, the reason I'm going grain free is the starches and gums in GF left my blood sugar going haywire and my belly bloated.  I was feeling truly horrible.  I've recently gotten rid of all the starches and gums.  I mainly use almond flour now with a little bit of coconut flour. 

I personally would love not to cook all the time but I've given up on that.  I've just renamed the kitchen the "living room" since it seems to be where I am.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how not to cook all the time?  That is, other than eating out.  That's not an option here. 

Do you cook in batches? This is the only way that I don't LIVE in the kitchen. We eat about 95% from scratch. Simplify breakfast for one thing. You can do batches of muffins, etc. and freeze them. Serve them with a coconut kefir smoothie in the morning or with eggs.  Make extra for left overs or to freeze for later.