Hi Cathochick! I lost most of my weight calorie counting. Lean proteins and things that grow. The last bit and most of the inches have come since going primal. Fats, protein and things that grow

I think a lot of folks find that they lose weight quickly at first and then learn as they go. Tweaking calories and fat percentages ... particular food sensitivies ... toying with different exercises and so on.

Hi Cathochick,

I've lost weight on a dozen different diets. This past New Year's I resolved to change my lifestyle, not just my diet. That's how I see primal -- a lifestyle inclusive of much more than just a way of eating. It emphasizes health, not weight loss, but surely includes weight loss if needed. I think the ideas behind primal are superior to Weight Watchers long term.

I do not count calories or even carbs. I counted both for about a week, carbs alone for another week, then felt like I pretty much had it figured out. This is not a rigid diet plan. There's room for variety. Finding what works for you is key. Counting calories and macros helps some stay focused. It also drives others nuts. So whatever works is the most stress free primal option.

That doesn't mean there's not rules and guidelines. I recommend the books, Primal Blueprint and Good Calories Bad Calories. In it's simplest form, this is an elimination diet. It eliminates all grains, all refined sugars and oils. That's all sweets not in the form of fruit. It also limits fruit and nuts. Think of them as as needed only. There's a billion products made from refined seed and soy oil. Avoid them. Acceptable fats for cooking are all animal fats, butter, coconut oil, olive oil and nut oils. The mere elimination of these things will make you practically primal, cut your cals, improve health markers, and help control your appetite. It's grains and sugars that stoke appetite. As your budget allows stick to grass fed pastured meats, free range chicken and eggs, organic dairy and veggies.

Daily carb intake is discussed at length in the book. People lose and maintain on a variety of carbs. The basic guidelines are between 100 and 150 for maintenance, between 50 and 100 for steady weight loss, under 50 for obese seeking rapid weight loss.

Welcome to our thread whether you convert or not.

See, I knew if I just waited a little bit that two of our experts would give some great answers!

So my 2 cents? (other than I responded to you on another thread) DITTO what they said!

Did I tell y'all I was going on vacation next week?

And did I tell you that vacation was a camping trip?

And did I happen to mention that for that camping trip we have about 60 people going--AND I am doing all the menu planning, shopping and cooking..........AND...... wait there's more......and I have not made my FINAL menu plan or grocery list!

I am such a silly fool!

SO I think I can make a menu that will frugally feed the huge group and yet still be 90% primal for my family!

Thurs pm Steak Fajitas! (we will have corn tortillas if any)
Fri AM- grits, cheese, eggs, bacon (we may or may not have the grits)
Fri Noon- egg salad sammiches, veggies
Fri PM - soup (lentil, chili, veggie) Sammiches (grilled cheese, and PBJ)--(my family will have Soup, and will pack some roasted turkey, and cook steak for days like this)

Sat AM- Cold Cereal, and Hot Cereal, Fruit (we will have cottage cheese, blueberries, maybe some left over meat?)
Sat Noon Burgers and Hot dogs and watermelon, and salad (naked burgers and salad for us
Sat PM Haystacks (that is basically taco salad makings with chips on the side and you construct your own (we will have without the chips)

Sunday AM Breakfast burrito, Oatmeal Pancakes (we will have buritos on corn tortilla)

HMMMM, sounds like this forum helped me finalize the menu, and no, I did not have to do much altering for my family

Thanks for the replies! I'm working up the courage to let go of the Weight Watcher's crutch. :-)

I love to go camping. We dont go as often as we used to. We are to go Labor day weekend but we havent booked anything yet. Other then the cookies & chips that are normally taken my family usually does pretty good meal wise. Hamburgers, hot dogs, bratts, steaks, pork chops, eggs, bacon, sausage ect MMM sounds good.

Great menu Mikkijoe considering you'll be in the wild! Maybe you can hunt and gather! JK!

Just stopping by to say hello, I'm VP of the PTA this year and schools in full swing so I don't have much free time. Hopefully this weekend I can catch up on more postings.

Have a great day!

Kara,

I just noticed that you are nearing the 100 lb lost mark!!!! That is amazing.

Thank God for people like you who are here and in it for the long haul. Such a great role model you are.

Hugs,
Sandy

Two things real quick, then I will post more later:

Daughter weighed in yesterday and has dropped almost 4 pounds since Sunday! I did not weigh yesterday, and am a little hesitant to.....but maybe tomorrow morning.

They made butter chicken last night and it was ready when I got home! If you have ever had Butter Chicken at an Indian restaurant--oh man that stuff is good! BUT they were not thinking and made brown rice to serve under it. I did have half a cup, and then only ate about half of that. BUT guess what, I had a headache within 25 minutes...coincidental? Maybe, maybe not. And 2 hours later I was starving, Would that be a gluten reaction?
Anyway the butter chicken was fantastic, and we decided to use the sauce for an Indian inspired tomato soup at the campout. We will add some sweet potato cubes maybe.....spicey, rich, and primal friendly YUM

Mikki, it doesn't surprise me at all that you got a headache from the rice... Butter chicken can you post the recipe?

Just back from a nice slow bike ride, I'm tired today from the day trips we've been doing the last few days... Tonight we are going historical fort for an evening ceremony, DH and I love these things...

Haven't been very primal this week I don't even want to get on the scale...

yup, I will gather the recipe!

SO, just when I was going to start doing some weight lifting (for serious!) I pulled some ligaments in my shoulder and have some bursa damage. And I wish I had some great story of how I was holding 5 gallon water jugs and doing lunges on the beach---but no. I was rolling over in my bed and I felt pain and instant hot in my shoulder.
So I am in a sling part time for the next 2 weeks, no heavy lifting at all.
Interesting, the doctor--of whom I have never seen before--said not to take pain medication if I could bear it at all, she said it would very possibly sabatoge all efforts of primal as it severely effects insulin levels--especially in women. BUT she said if I am in alot of pain take it anyway of course. Or if I find my blood pressure rising take Motrin. I have a high tolerance for pain, and she said I would probably be more aware of the BP going up than needing pain meds. ANYWAY, I know that huge run on paragraph probably does not make alot of sence, but I am hurting right now, and I know you will extend me some grace. (And yes, I am taking Ibuprofen right now, probably will need to all day since she about ripped my arm off during the exam and xrays LOL)

Other than that, life is good. Will be interested to see how the no weight on my arm for 2 weeks will go, especially with camping! She wants me to use it but not abuse it.

Aww Mikkie sorry to hear of your pain... Did your Doc know you were primal hence her reasoning that it would sabotage your insulin? Very cool doctor it that's the case...

I've been primal today, so far, we are not going out for supper and I'm happy for that...I want my own food today, I'm tired of restaurant foods, unusual isn't it?

Actually the doctor did not know anything about me being on Primal until she suggested going home and having a nice cold beer and relaxing......I told her I was primal and cavemen did not have Budweiser! lol
She was familiar with the basics of primal, and how it works, which actually surprised me

Smart doctor!!

So I got on the scale today –not my official weigh in. BUT I have a 5 pound loss already. I am also keeping in mind that I went from a low cal, low fat diet with plenty of water into the Primal diet with plenty of water….so I am not considering that to be all water weight. I am counting it as ‘fat be gone!’ Daughter has lost at least 6 and DH at least 9!

But my official weigh will be this weekend. I may even have some additional water weight since I ripped my shoulder (torn ligaments and muscle) and I have some inflammation. But none the less. I am wearing my sling and it is helping a little with the pain. Hard not to use my right arm.

Super busy this weekend planning for our trip. We had a short night last night, we all got up at 2am and drove about half an hour to the bass of the pass over the cascades (in order to get away from city lights) to watch the sky show! It was fantastic. We got back home about 4am, and I went back to bed for a bit, then got up for work.