Learn to "live" Primal as normal!

With the New Year's resolutions being pursued full force in January I see alot of discussion around the different forums worrying about which restaurant to go to, what to eat at a party, what to eat on planes, etc...I think it is great to plan ahead for these events when starting out - but the long term goal needs to be to learn to adapt and reach a place mentally where you are not living in a strange foreign land with strange food and backwards customs.


I believe the same goes for physical activity/exercise - so much worrying about the details, routines, etc....but the bottom line is it needs to become normal for you to and also be enjoyable. Bottom line with both the food and exercise is if it is not enjoyable it will not stick! Even if you have the mental strength to make it stick - do you really want to live the rest of your life struggling with a lifestyle that you are forcing?

I can honestly say today - almost 2 years (officially 23 months and 2 days), minus 180 pounds, minus the Standard American Diet - that I feel normal and everything I have adopted "feels" normal. Actually I feel more normal now than I ever have - even though most of my new beliefs and practices are contrary to most of the conventional wisdom. It did not happen overnight - but  following this basic stepped approach I have made each small change part of my "normal".

Looking back making small steps was a large factor in maintaining normalcy. The sum change is the same in what I did progressively and what I would do today if I could implement everything all at once, but the shock to the system and lifestyle between the two would be huge. Consider the transition made in my progression below and imagine doing that overnight!

Steps 1-4: Dietary Progression

1. High Carb                         ----> Low Carb
2. Low Carb Processed        ----> Low Carb Whole Foods
3. Low Carb Whole Foods   ----> Low Carb Whole Foods No Sweeteners*
4. Primal Food                      ----> Primal with Primal Eating Patterns**

 Steps 5-6: Physical Activity/Exercise Progression:

5. Minimal Activity              ----> Normal Activity
6. Normal Activity               ----> Moderate Primal Exercise

* a.k.a Primal Food
**Periodic Intermittent Fasting.
So for those out there worrying and struggling - stop, take a breath, and consider thinking about how you will make all these changes normal. It is OK (or in my opinion preferable) to chunk off your resolution into small changes, attack one, make it your normal, and then move on! Before you know it you will be at the goal you wanted all at once - but you will have an excellent chance of never going back!

For any one new looking to make changes have a look around, read about ditching the Standard Approach (Part I and Part II), and consider the Beginning Weight Loss Journey Guide as a start!


-LL

My Calorie Manifesto

I frequent a lot of lowcarb, paleo, and fitness websites and blogs and it seems there is a persistent "discussion" regarding whether one needs to count calories when low carbing and/or eating primally. Some folks insist they can eat whatever they want as long as they eat under X grams of carbs. While others insist anything over 1500 calories per day and they stop losing weight and gain.

So I would like to join the discussion by saying yes and no!

Let me explain....

No they don't count:

If you have a lot of weight to lose, have been eating a high sugar, and refined/processed diet - than initially calories aren't nearly as important as reducing the carbs and normalizing your insulin levels. This was me the first year or so - I lost over a 100 lbs. without watching my calories only the carbs.

I will not say that I ate huge calories over the whole time though because as the weight dropped and insulin response improved I ate less calories (how much I don't know and don't care). So this is where the calorie side of the argument says see it's just the calories and that they do count.

It is six, half dozen, one or the other..... the whole argument to me is stupid. For the person losing the weight initially what matters PRACTICALLY is that if they can start by reducing the amount of carbohydrate than they will lose weight.  Why burden them with counting calories on top of everything - with the obesity crisis in full swing we need to start people down the right road as soon as possible with the best chance of them sticking to it.

If we could only get people to reduce carbs and go to whole foods without ever mentioning calories - what a HUGE monstrous impact we would have on the obesity problem.

With that said....

Yes they do count:

Results Oriented: -167.8 Pounds, +2 Pull-ups, -9 Pants Sizes, and- 3 Shirt Sizes

New weight as of 6:30am this morning is 247.2 for a total loss of 167.8 pounds so far.

So about 5 pounds or so in the last month which is slightly slower than the previous, but that month included a week long vacation with luxurious heapings of primal food and a wedding where I had quite the good time and numerous servings of lovely red wine.

It's an amazing number as it seems I have lost about what an average person weighs. I haven't weighted anywhere near this since I was dating my wife so at least 10 years if not 11. I have gone from approaching a quarter ton to less than an eighth of one :)

And oh by the way since I am so proud of it - I am going to mention again that I can now do exactly two pull-ups at that weight!

And oh one more thing since I am proud of this as well I have gone from 56 pant size to a very loose 38 - that is 9 pants sizes.

And one last thing I have also gone from 4XL shirts to XL that's 3 shirt sizes.

Posted this the other day, but here it is for good measure:

Highest Weight to Current 9/2010

Here is my updated weight chart:

So for all those who are afraid less carbs and some IF will make you shrivel and waste away - I am gaining strength and maintaining muscle mass while losing inches and fat!

Paleo/Primal, and Lowcarb saving my life one day at a time.

Previewing this it seems a little like bragging. Did I post all these new stats to brag? A little - but mostly to say to those out there depressed and trapped that there is hope and you can do it too. Just get started with little steps.

-LL

Be Careful Too Much Paleo Can Do this to Your Face!!!

19 months of chronic exposure to wholesome food and moderate activity:

Back from Vacation and Into a Fast

Back from vacation and busy catching up with work and the yard work, etc...as well as full primal mode.

I typically fast a couple times per week on an Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) type schedule (24-36 hours on/24-36 hours off) which for me has been the capstone to my primal transition. While on vacation with all of the nice fresh seafood and some awesome steaks - I ate the typical three a day (all pretty much primal) and by the end of the week I felt rather sluggish and slightly bloated which reminded me of why I love both ADF and Intermittent Fasting (IF).

They allow for the body to have some down time periodically to take a break from the work of digesting food and crank up some of the built in survival mechanisms in the body including increased immune function and GH release. I never realized before how the constant stuffing of my digestive system really dragged on my energy levels. After a decent 24 hour break from eating everything is empty and cranked up to efficiently receive the next round of food.