As promised, I’m bringing you guys some great posts from some amazing friends and bloggers while I’m away on vacation.  This post is brought to you by Caitlin.  You guys mostly know Caitlin as “Slesh” – one of my current roommates and besties.  In case you need some memory jogging, Slesh guest posted last December about making wiser beverage choices during the holiday season, and she’s also been featured in The Awk Spot.  Thanks Slesh for posting in my absence!!  🙂

My Experience with Primal Eating:  You Are What You Eat

I was really getting tired of being tired, working out for 1.5 hours 4-5 times a week with no results, and eating like crap.

My boyfriend has shared with me SEVERAL times, this blog:  Mark’s Daily Apple.  I finally gave it a read and decided, this was it, and this is how I was going to make these changes.  That being, primal eating.

Your body composition is 80% what you eat.  So plainly, you are what you eat.  You eat crap, you feel like crap.

There’s a lot of science that blogger and primal enthusiast Mark Sisson uses to describe this, and I’ll let you discover that on your own, but the main thing is:  your body prefers to burn fat, instead of sugars (from carbs).  So set up your body so that it does that.  Eat less carbs, and replace those with proteins and you will “effortlessly” burn fat.  Mark calls this “re-setting your genes”.

My issues with changes like this, like HUGE lifestyles changes, is that I am an “all or nothing” type of person, which usually sets me up for failure, and it did.  My first primal attempts only lasted 3 days, then I was off the wagon, only to try and fail, and then give up by the end of March.

My Turning Point

Around May 15th, I re-stumbled upon Mark’s Daily apple, and read it for HOURS.  Something clicked, it had to be right timing, the impeding bathing suit season, the few hot weekends we’ve had, I don’t know, but it was time to give this new concept a try.  So this is what is what I did…

• I signed up for the Mark’s Daily Apple 7-day email, which is FREE and gives you the basic concepts.  Keeping you motivated through your first week.

• I also bought the book:  The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation:  A step-by-step, gene reprogramming action plan.  Got it on my Kindle for around $10.  I read it in the morning on the T to start my day on the right track.
• I started using the “Lose It!” Application, a phone application/online website that guides people tracking their calories/nutrients.  Calories aren’t a big factor in this program, but I use it to understand the balance of carbohydrates and proteins.

• I made a promise to myself that I was NOT going “all or nothing on this”.  It was too important for me to not fail again.  Be reasonable.  I give myself 1-2 days (depending on the week) off from this.  Ya know GO CRAZY, eat a burger with a bun, have a slice of ‘za, drink BEER(s).  I won’t even use “Lost it!” on the weekends.  I’m just conscious of what I am eating, and make it work into your life.  Who wants to be constantly calculating
  on the phone anyways?

What I’ve Learned

Carbohydrates
Here’s a great graphic from the “Daily Apple!”

[Source]

Says if you want to lose weight consume less than 100 grams of carbohydrates a day, from non-processed carbs (i.e. no breads, pastas, crackers etc).  It’s really easy to find replacements for these things with a little research.

To maintain weight:  100-150 grams of carbohydrates a day.

The thought here is, if your body burns quickly through those carbs/sugars, then it will look to the fat to burn for energy instead.

Proteins
Cavemen ate meat, eggs, then berries, nuts, veggies and so on.  The recommendation is .7 – 1 gram of protein per pound of weight, so I’m somewhere between 93-130 grams of protein a day.  Protein will make you feel full, and give you the fat you need to burn.  Fat does not make you fat! – It keeps you full!  [Source]

Eating this way, with higher protein and fat, I find that I don’t even make my “calorie budget” on Lose It!  I am full enough, where I don’t need to!

Fitness
I know I was stuck in a rut with my work out routine, doing the same things every day, over and over, leading me up to an injury.  After a ton of rehab, injections, possible upcoming surgery, and rest, this also had to change.  I don’t follow the “primal fitness” recommendations.  But have changed up my workouts somewhat to accommodate these aspects:

• 1-2 days of spin or cardio intervals on elliptical = sprints
• one day of zumba or cardio class = dance
• one day of walk/or yoga = move slowly
• 1-2 days of lifting for legs/arms = lift heavy things — I usually combine this on a day where I do cardio intervals, I often I do Fitness and Feta’s 35 minutes on the elliptical, LOVE IT!

I value cardio as a stress reliever too much to ever give it up!

Meal Planning
Don’t have time to constantly cook meat?  ME EITHER!

Some exciting quick foods and snacks:

• Hard boiled eggs
• Coffee or tea; or good ole’ H20
• Handful of nuts – usually a mix of almonds and whatever nuts/seeds I have around (no peanuts!) and a dash of sea salt
• Plain Greek yogurt with cinnamon (the full fat tastes like heaven, and will leave you full for HOURS)
• Berries/veggies
• Jerky
• Scoop of almond butter
• Canned chicken and tuna

Who would know you can get most of these at a 7-11!?

Delicious Discovery of the week:  Canned chicken strained with a scoop of 10% milk fat plain Greek yogurt. Seriously it’s amazing.

Drinks
Vodka and soda with a lemon/lime is good, or a Michelob Ultra <—link to my post when I discovered these!  But if I really really want something that I know may put me over in carbs, I’ll have it, and be mindful the rest of the day/next days.

The Results

And here are my immediate results (after a few months of on/off):

• Since March I have lost TEN pounds!!
• I am not as hungry all the time
• I don’t tire as quickly at the gym
• I sleep better, and wake up refreshed
• I don’t fart as much – Kind of funny/amazing.  Mark’s Daily Apple seriously has a post  about everything!  Here is his on farting.
• My goals are under 100 grams of carbs, and over 100 grams of protein every day.  Tracking this though Lose It!

Some Tips

Keep on hand quick, easy snacks to avoid temptation when you are hungry:  just set yourself up for success.  Also, keep a log of fun new recipes you like to try.  I store them on my phone and online.  Here is one I just tried for primal pancakes! [Source]

Almond Banana Primal Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• Large tablespoon of almond butter
• Butter

Directions

1.  Mash bananas and eggs, then add in almond butter.  I softened it first in microwave for 10 secs.

2.  Butter your pan!

Note:  Do not use olive oil, or your pancakes will look like this 🙁

3.  Pour over medium heat and cook until brown on each side.

4.  Finished product!

With blackberries, YUM!

Reflections

A big mistake I made with primal eating: not eating enough.  Since you feel full longer, you may forget to eat a meal.

The hardest part of this is going out to dinner.  Usually when you go out for dinner, you want to treat yourself.  And I do, I’ll get something I usually would get, sandwich, but compromise on the fries, replace with a veggie if you can!  And if I find myself not able to compromise with food/drink, just remember that the next day(s) after.  It’s all about
balance.

Also, now that it’s been consistent about a month, I’d like to start branching out and cooking some more primal recipes – as I will probably soon get bored with this routine.  I am using Mark’s Daily Apple and Pinterest to research recipes.  I am open to yummy suggestions!

What I am doing for myself is being more mindful of what I am putting in my body and using this as a guide to remind me the biggest thing I’ve learned so far, again – you are what you eat!

Will I do this forever? I’m not sure, but I can tell you now, I feel a lot better than I had in the past!

*DISCLAIMER: I am by NO means an expert in this; I am just trying something new!  Consult a physician prior to making any in your diet.*

Has anyone ever tried a primal lifestyle?  Anyone else follow Mark’s Daily Apple?  What do you think about primal eating?  Could you do it?

P.S.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAVORITE REDHEAD, BRIDGET!!!!