How to go primal (without really trying) - join me?

woggie · 27-02-2012 12:41PM

Well done DCD ...have you set yourself a new goal ? Are you family on board? My hubbie still laughs at me and refuses to listen to my Gary Taubes arguments, my teenage daughter is trying paleo "one meal at a time" lol, currently she eats dinner paleo style but we've yet to replace her dailly lunchtime panini...little steps I guess.:rolleyes:

is anyone else finding the audio quality of the summit interviews quite poor?

Dotcomdolly · 27-02-2012 01:09PM

woggie wrote: »

Well done DCD ...have you set yourself a new goal ? Are you family on board? My hubbie still laughs at me and refuses to listen to my Gary Taubes arguments, my teenage daughter is trying paleo "one meal at a time" lol, currently she eats dinner paleo style but we've yet to replace her dailly lunchtime panini...little steps I guess.:rolleyes:

is anyone else finding the audio quality of the summit interviews quite poor?

My family are most certainly not on baord, my husband thinks I am mad & I still feed my kids the same crap I used to eat

- and feeling increasingly guilty about it - listening to Sarah Fargoso does not help ease this guilt...If my husband was on board I would definitely try to change the kids diet but I can't face that battle alone. So off they go to school with
their spongy white bread rolls <sigh>

My only new goal is to be more organised & start food planning & doing big cooks etc. But I've alway been a bit of a slattern so this is a big deal...I barely can motivate myself to do the washing up:D

woggie · 27-02-2012 01:51PM

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

But I've alway been a bit of a slattern so this is a big deal...I barely can motivate myself to do the washing up:D

...lol...i bet cavemen/women didn't do the washing up either

Dotcomdolly · 27-02-2012 02:28PM

I just had some chocolate, my first in 4+ weeks (can't remember!), 3 squares of 85% lindt - so good with a cup of cardamon coffee - I'll probably be bouncing all afternoon, might even do the washing up! :eek::D

HELM · 27-02-2012 02:42PM

Well done Dotcomdolly!
I have been following your progress for the 2 months and it is very inspiring and motivating.
I also had a listen to a few of Sarah Ferguso's podcasts at the weekend and they were excellent & make this primal way of eating seem like something that can be maintained in the long term.
Like most of us I have been brought to think 'fat - bad' & 'wholegrain/brown carbs - good' so it will take a lot for me to change this mindset but I plan to try now and to continue learning.
Can anyone recommend a good book on this paleo/primal topic - I was going to go with Sarah's but then thought maybe Robb Wolf's might be better to start with as I would like to understand more behind the science?
Any recommendations would be appreciated and well done to everyone who has posted in this thread.

noworries · 27-02-2012 03:52PM

Robb Wolf's book is excellent if you want the every(wo)mans science version that is actually a light enough read. It includes a 30 day intro to the 'way' (I refuse to call it a diet anymore:D) Including the shopping lists for each week.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paleo-Solution-Robb-Wolf/dp/0982565844/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330354035&sr=8-1

The other book I have on the subject is Mark Sissons The Primal Blue Print. Its an easy read with some great info.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Primal-Blueprint-Reprogram-Effortless-Boundless/dp/0982207786/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330354146&sr=1-3

The 3rd book I am about to read is the original from Loren Cordain - The Paleo Diet - no idea what community it is aimed at but I believe it is an easy read like the others.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paleo-Diet-Weight-Healthy-Designed/dp/0470913029/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330354244&sr=1-3

Dotcomdolly · 27-02-2012 04:29PM

Thanks helm, much appreciated.
I'd go with mark sissons, the primal blueprint , the HB is pretty cheap on book depository too.

LoTwan · 27-02-2012 09:23PM

I have read Robb's & Sarah's books and am now trying to get Marks as an ebook. To be honest they are all telling the same story but the best one to read is the letter you write yourself at the end of a month. :-)

I am coming to the end of week 8 and I still haven't thought of a good reason to stop eating this way. It's not a diet. It is the way that I eat.

My 2 boys still eat a standard Irish diet (although they are dairy free) but because I am not cooking white potatoes they aren't having them (at home at least). The snack options are pretty much only fruit now. And coconut chips :-) there is bread in the school lunch but I promise myself I am going to try to get that out this week. There is no more McD's (it's at the end of the road that the school is on... Not a good location) or Subway. I was serving pasta with some meals but I have pretty much cut that out now. There was Cheerios but now that I think about it they have pretty much stopped asking for them. Unfortunately they go to carb heaven 2 days a week and I have no control over that. But when they are with me they have protein for breakfast and their moods have settled and the constant "Mamma I'm hungry" has almost stopped. They had pancakes last Friday and MAN ALIVE every other sentence the tall boy said was "Mamma I'm hungry".

I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to talk to people about it. Ready to share the love :-)

I had half an avocado (that I ripened myself <-- very proud of that) on paleo chilli for dinner and it was fantastic.

woggie · 27-02-2012 09:56PM

i found Mark Sisson's book really patronising with the 'gork' (or was it grok?) character, i felt he was 'dumbing it down', would definitely recommend Robb Wolfs and of course Sarah Fragoso's excellent cook book.
LoTawn i'm findind all the avocado's rock hard these days, i put them in a brown paper bag with a banana, usually does the trick! fair play to you trying to cut the bread out of the school lunch - what will they take in with them? My girl comes home for lunch so it would be pretty easy for me to replace hers but at the moment she's not budging (same on the shreddies for breakfast!)
Tonight though, without any of them realising it they had a complete paleo dinner, didn't even do the hubbies mandatory spuds! I did the curried veggie hash from everyday paleo and added some left over chicken. no complaints!!!

LoTwan · 27-02-2012 11:13PM

My plan is to find a power bar recipe that he will eat. I reckon he will only need about the size of my thumb to replace the calories in the sandwich but it will be way more nutrient dense than a tahini sandwich

SteelyDanJalapeno · 27-02-2012 11:19PM

Sisson's is full of good information, but it is targetted at the average I feel.

Gummy Panda · 28-02-2012 08:59AM

woggie wrote: »

i found Mark Sisson's book really patronising with the 'gork' (or was it grok?) character, i felt he was 'dumbing it down', would definitely recommend Robb Wolfs and of course

I found the grok stuff really annoying especially his comparison between grok and modern western man. It felt like I was reading a kids book when he described grok shrugging his shoulders after a near death incident.

noworries · 28-02-2012 10:22AM

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I found the grok stuff really annoying especially his comparison between grok and modern western man. It felt like I was reading a kids book when he described grok shrugging his shoulders after a near death incident.

Agreed it was a simplification of the ideas for the masses especially the 'mericans. However, consider the above quote. Paleo (Wo)Man would probably have faced unbelieveable (by todays standards) challenges every day. Being subject to these challenges he would have a very high tolerance for what we would call near death experiences and probably just got on with it.

Meanwhile, if someone takes our car space outside our houses, some one cuts in line, a politician claims too much on the mobile phone, etc etc etc etc. people ring Joe Duffy, post on forums give out ad infinitum therby raising cortisol levels in the body keeping the stressors alive for no physical reason whatsoever. Added to the high carbs of the western diet, reduced insulin sensitifity - recipie for disaster.

So, Sissions restates the same message that is central to the Paleo way but for a mass audience. The message is still there but couched in terms that Joe the Plumber gets it.

woggie · 28-02-2012 11:54AM

lol@grok phoning a caveman Joe Duffy...now there's a conversation i'd love to hear.
I guess take a bit from all the books - most of them have great websites now anyway you probably don't need to buy one particular one - though its always nice to have a hard copy to refer back to.

Gummy Panda · 28-02-2012 11:56AM

noworries wrote: »

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I found the grok stuff really annoying especially his comparison between grok and modern western man. It felt like I was reading a kids book when he described grok shrugging his shoulders after a near death incident.

Agreed it was a simplification of the ideas for the masses especially the 'mericans. However, consider the above quote. Paleo (Wo)Man would probably have faced unbelieveable (by todays standards) challenges every day. Being subject to these challenges he would have a very high tolerance for what we would call near death experiences and probably just got on with it.

Sorry but I still find it rubbish. I dont think any hunter gather would shrug his shoulders and laugh at losing his killed prey to another predator, considering levels of body fat and opportunities for another calorie rich catch. It seems like idealising of cave man life and a demonising of western life. Also I can't take him serious when he is plugging an over priced whey protein in his book.

noworries · 28-02-2012 12:02PM

woggie wrote: »

lol@grok phoning a caveman Joe Duffy...now there's a conversation i'd love to hear.

Caveman Joe: Go ahead caller...
Grok: Joe, a sabre toothed tiger took my womans baby and wrecked my cave while I was gatherin' nuts for dinner.
Cave Man Joe: My idol, that's terrible caller, and how did you feel?
Grok: It's a disgrace Joe.
Caveman Joe: I don't know, I don't know..back after these. Ug.

noworries · 28-02-2012 12:10PM

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Sorry but I still find it rubbish. I dont think any hunter gather would shrug his shoulders and laugh at losing his killed prey to another predator, considering levels of body fat and opportunities for another calorie rich catch. It seems like idealising of cave man life and a demonising of western life. Also I can't take him serious when he is plugging an over priced whey protein in his book.

Of course it's idealising the caveman diet and demonising the western diet. That;s why its called the Paleo Diet.

Apart from bone fragments who can say what went on in prehistoric days except that the evidence (as presented by Paleo proponents) state that our ancestors were much taller, stronger and leaner and did not suffer from 'modern diet-inflicted diseases'.

Sissions chapter on Grok V Korg is an allegory. Don't take it too seriously. The message remains the same.

Gummy Panda · 28-02-2012 12:51PM

noworries wrote: »

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Sorry but I still find it rubbish. I dont think any hunter gather would shrug his shoulders and laugh at losing his killed prey to another predator, considering levels of body fat and opportunities for another calorie rich catch. It seems like idealising of cave man life and a demonising of western life. Also I can't take him serious when he is plugging an over priced whey protein in his book.

Of course it's idealising the caveman diet and demonising the western diet. That;s why its called the Paleo Diet.

Apart from bone fragments who can say what went on in prehistoric days except that the evidence (as presented by Paleo proponents) state that our ancestors were much taller, stronger and leaner and did not suffer from 'modern diet-inflicted diseases'.

Sissions chapter on Grok V Korg is an allegory. Don't take it too seriously. The message remains the same.

Robb Wolf take on it is much more centered in reality. There is arguments they didn't suffer from "diseases of affluence" due to low body fat (due to restricted calories) and most died at ages before these diseases usually manifest.

kate.m · 28-02-2012 12:59PM

noworries wrote: »

Of course it's idealising the caveman diet and demonising the western diet. That;s why its called the Paleo Diet.

Apart from bone fragments who can say what went on in prehistoric days except that the evidence (as presented by Paleo proponents) state that our ancestors were much taller, stronger and leaner and did not suffer from 'modern diet-inflicted diseases'.

Sissions chapter on Grok V Korg is an allegory. Don't take it too seriously. The message remains the same.

I've never heard that our ancestors were taller before. Or that their strength capacity was larger. Always the opposite, wondering if you know where I could read about that?

Regarding the lean aspect, well it's kind of assumed considering the manual work to rest ratio they would have had in comparison to the more sedimentary ones we have now.

noworries · 28-02-2012 01:04PM

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Robb Wolf take on it is much more centered in reality. There is arguments they didn't suffer from "diseases of affluence" due to low body fat (due to restricted calories) and most died at ages before these diseases usually manifest.

Sweet. I love reading about this stuff - could you throw up the link to that last sentence please.

noworries · 28-02-2012 01:15PM

kate.m wrote: »

I've never heard that our ancestors were taller before. Or that their strength capacity was larger. Always the opposite, wondering if you know where I could read about that?

Regarding the lean aspect, well it's kind of assumed considering the manual work to rest ratio they would have had in comparison to the more sedimentary ones we have now.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/lecture03/r_3-1.html

It is mentioned on this page when comparing late Paleolithic and Neolithic early agriculture tribes. It's basically a tenet of the Paleo movement. Sorry can't provide a peer reviewed anthropological source as I have never looked for one but my interest is piqued now.;)

Gummy Panda · 28-02-2012 01:21PM

noworries wrote: »

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Robb Wolf take on it is much more centered in reality. There is arguments they didn't suffer from "diseases of affluence" due to low body fat (due to restricted calories) and most died at ages before these diseases usually manifest.

Sweet. I love reading about this stuff - could you throw up the link to that last sentence please.

Here is the link to restricted calories - http://www.ajcn.org/content/71/3/665.full

In work on my phone so restricted Internet access.

Dotcomdolly · 29-02-2012 09:31PM

I'm more interested in the food than the science

Tonights dinner was
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2634103005/whole30-deliciousness-dorie-greenspans-when-in-doubt

Really tasty, and :eek: the kids ate cabbage!

I have to thank whoever suggested the avocado in the pan - rashers & avo is a regular breakfast now, keeps you full for so long!

BraziliaNZ · 01-03-2012 02:12PM

Dolly, sorry I read a fair bit of this but not all so you may have mentioned it already, but did you lose any weight during this program? Do you look better, skin etc? Your meals look delicious though, your husband is a lucky man.

Dotcomdolly · 01-03-2012 07:11PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Dolly, sorry I read a fair bit of this but not all so you may have mentioned it already, but did you lose any weight during this program? Do you look better, skin etc? Your meals look delicious though, your husband is a lucky man.

Thanks!
I was concurrently doing a 6week weigth training programme from a p.t so I'm pretty sure I was gaining strength & muscle so I didn't drop a lot, maybe 3ish lbs, but I did lose 10cm off my belly!
Lotwan did the "Whole 30" and lost sh!tloads, nearly a stone!
But it's not meant to be a weightloss diet per se, just a healthy eating & living plan.

mcballer · 01-03-2012 08:50PM

I shall be eternally grateful for this thread as it brought kale crisps into my life. Love them so much can't quite believe they are not bad for me!!

LoTwan · 01-03-2012 10:16PM

I wish I had taken my measurements at the beginning of my Whole30. I lost 11.5lbs in the first 30 days and another 6 in the next 27. Having said that my waist is significantly smaller than it was. I put on my "I shouldn't have been wearing them at the start of January" jeans this morning straight out of the dryer and within an hour they were falling down.

On Thursday morning I put away my scales and started training with Jason Seib (from Everyday Paleo). I am really glad that I made those two decisions. I saw photos of myself in my underwear from when I was at my lightest 2 years ago and to be honest I don't want to be that shape when I get to that size.

This way of eating MAKES SO MUCH SENSE! But it only works if you are doing it. There is no "paleo for the most part" or "Paleo most of the time". You are eating eating paleo or you aren't.

Dotcomdolly · 01-03-2012 10:28PM

Lotwan - you got the training programme from EP? I thought it seemed good value for $20 a month. You find it good?

LoTwan · 01-03-2012 10:47PM

I was following another training program but the nutrition part of it was "eat every 3 hours and have dairy and pulses during the day" including a HUGE push on protein powder all of which really goes against everything paleo. I checked out EPLF and liked the look of it and I really felt I was missing a group of people who were eating the same as I am where a multitude of subjects are being discussed... as opposed to this single thread... so I ponied up the €15.30 for the first month and I love it already. I don't get to graduate out of the baby class until I can do a squat properly and a pushup at all LOL My squat isn't bad but it's not great but I have difficulty doing a wall push up (my shoulder girdle tone is dreadful and my triceps are weak).

The focus is really on your shape rather than your weight and I love the paleo fitness instruction of "lift heavy things"

Dotcomdolly · 01-03-2012 10:51PM

Cool, I'm focussing on running at the moment but once I've done my race I will give it a go.

How to go primal (without really trying) - join me?

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