Starting - looking for encouragement

Songbird1104

Hello all!

My husband and I have decided to start Mark Sisson's 21 Day Transformation. Tonight I'm going to clear out my pantry.

Looking ahead, I see a few hurdles and struggles, such as ditching sugar (I love to bake pies and desserts) and pasta. Also, it's gonna be a bit tough to follow the routine exactly because he works 24-hours shifts at a time, so our schedule is not typical. However, I think we'll be okay.

I'm just looking for a few words of encouragement and support, maybe some success stories, tips on how to get through the carb-withdrawal stage, et cetera.

Thanks a lot!

MikeFlyMike

Pre cooking is your friend. Have lots of fresh food on hand! The 24 shift should not be a problem if you cook ahead of time. I did 21 day transformation after attending a seminar put on by them. It was a relatively easy transition and I was fully compliant in about 3 days - I just did it. I haven't gone back. It is not a diet at all for me. My results were far more than weight loss and I LOVE my food now. Just do it! it is the best thing you can do for your body.

Songbird1104

Pre cooking is your friend. Have lots of fresh food on hand! The 24 shift should not be a problem if you cook ahead of time. I did 21 day transformation after attending a seminar put on by them. It was a relatively easy transition and I was fully compliant in about 3 days - I just did it. I haven't gone back. It is not a diet at all for me. My results were far more than weight loss and I LOVE my food now. Just do it! it is the best thing you can do for your body.

Thank you for your feedback. We went to Whole Foods and stocked up the fridge with veggies, fruit, and meat. My husband does pack a lunch when he goes to work, so we'll just have to make sure he's packing well. For me the biggest thing will be no sweets. I'm going to buy some dark (75% or higher) chocolate I think. :happy:

Frankenbarbie01

You will do WONDERFULLY!!! Any change you make that complements a healthier life style is good!!
You obviously have this site for support and Mark's website Marksdailyapple.com
My advise to you would be to stick with it for the whole 21 days...work through the carb flu (it's temp...will only last a few days, I promise!!) You will be amazed at how good you feel if you can work throught that. Another really good site is the Whole 30 or Whole 9.
Good Luck!!

tigger9759

I'm wrapping up day four and its strange because I've had some really bad headaches and muscles cramps, but I have felt amazing and my energy levels are through the roof! So I'm just hanging on and hoping the yucky carb flu will go away shortly. Fr me, the key is planning ahead and having things prepared and accessible. And I have a horrible sweet tooth and I've just gone cold turkey and while it sucks, the cravings are diminishing; and because of that other things are now tasting sweet to me if that makes sense. Hang in there

hilliardjoe

Don't be afraid of fat. I know it took me a week or so to get over the drilled into our heads mantra that fat is bad.

Make sure the ingredients in the foods you buy are simple things that you know what they are.

Buy normal butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. Compare the ingredient list between real butter and margarine.

Say good bye to low or no fat products (unless they are that way in nature).

I used to be the biggest pasta and bread eater with a huge sweet tooth. After switching over I just didn't get the cravings for those foods anymore. For the few times when I want to eat chocolate I eat the 90% cocoa stuff, it doesn't have much sugar and definitely satisfies the sweet tooth.

It can be so liberating to be in control of what you are eating instead of filling hungry all the time and just stuffing whatever crap happened to be around.

kerrylee54

I'm just starting day 3, and so far so good. I did do a great deal of "pre-cooking" this weekend - I feel that being organized will help me stick to my plan. (Although talk of a "carb flu" has me a little worried about what's in store for the next couple of days!)

Best of luck to you!

Kerry

bikermike5094

all good advice.. i started on 1 jan. took me about 3 weeks to get past sweet cravings.. but when i got them i ate grapes and honeydew melon. now milk chocolate is nasty.. its just waaaay to sweet for me. those cravings for refined sugars do pass.

evilmj31

I have been eating paleo for a few months now and I amazed at how much easier it is than I thought. I don't have cravings at all these days.

For pasta I have a 'spiraler" ...no idea what is i really called. I make pasta out of zucchini and sweet potato, all kinds of stuff and it is great! I Use cocnut milk to make sauces.

For sugar I bake using honey or Maple Syrup, there are all kinds of paelo friendly baked goods out there. And of course I eat a lot of berries.

It is not as restrictive as you think. I am allergic to dairy and quite probably soy, and I can't consume artificial sweetners so Paleo is working really well for me. Give it a try!

degan2011

For sugar I bake using honey or Maple Syrup, there are all kinds of paelo friendly baked goods out there. And of course I eat a lot of berries.

I love to bake... what types of flours do you use, which have you found that work best?

spirit80

Good thing i'm a grill master. So full from the main course you have no desire for desert. I little tip from your uncle Earl!

Songbird1104

Thank you all so much for you advice and tips! These first 2 days have a little challenging not because of the diet itself, but because I've been running around and not at my own home, so it's much harder to control what food is available. Like today, I had a bowl of carrots for lunch because the only other options were pancakes or pasta. :laugh:

Songbird1104

For sugar I bake using honey or Maple Syrup, there are all kinds of paelo friendly baked goods out there. And of course I eat a lot of berries.

I love to bake... what types of flours do you use, which have you found that work best?

I've heard that coconut flour is the best substitute. It has slightly different taste, but is yummy and so healthy. Check out MarksDailyApple.com for recipes.

Songbird1104

I used to be the biggest pasta and bread eater with a huge sweet tooth. After switching over I just didn't get the cravings for those foods anymore. For the few times when I want to eat chocolate I eat the 90% cocoa stuff, it doesn't have much sugar and definitely satisfies the sweet tooth.

This is me, 100%. I hope the cravings won't last too long! Thanks for you tips!

each_day_stronger

Hey I wrote a post maybe a week ago lamenting about how I could never give up bagels. Lol.

And for whatever reason (probs all the positive feed back from this group) I've gotten much more serious about getting primal this week. I've had a few sugars, but generally am keeping my carbs as low as I can and am pretty serious about grains. Weirdly the more I do it, the easier it is. My cravings in general have decreased. When I'm hungry, I get a feeling of "hmm, I'm sort of hungry what's something good for me that I can eat?" vs before when it was "OH MY GOD BLOODSUGAR SO LOW I NEED TO EAT AND I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS" I'm losing weight faster than ever (it almosts worries me). My energy level is WAY UP, my moods are better, I feel confident and strong.

DO IT you deserve to feel awesome.

cmain11699

I use almond flour also. Pinterest has a lot of Paleo approved desserts and a really good cookbook is:

http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Indulgences-Healthy-Gluten-Free-Cravings/dp/1936608685

For sugar I bake using honey or Maple Syrup, there are all kinds of paelo friendly baked goods out there. And of course I eat a lot of berries.

I love to bake... what types of flours do you use, which have you found that work best?

I've heard that coconut flour is the best substitute. It has slightly different taste, but is yummy and so healthy. Check out MarksDailyApple.com for recipes.

evilmj31

Sorry I missed the question but as others have said I use ALmond Flour and Coconut flour. THere are some really good reciepies on the internet. Paleomg has some good ones, just do some searching of various paelo sites, almost all them have some great reciepies.

each_day_stronger

Also my favorite baking flour is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour. Trader Joe's Almond Meal works well for if I'm making fried chicken and need bread crumbs. Ultimately I would suggest using it only for treats though if you're goal is weight loss. It's a billion times better for you than regular flour, but at the end of the day carbs are carbs. So you know use with caution

Songbird1104

Thank you for all of your tips! We have been doing Primal for a month or more now, and it's going well. My husband has lost 20 pounds, and I'm down 17! (I'm now within my goal range! Yes!) We're amazed at how much energy we have, and can easily go a whole day without eating but without losing steam. I don't "wilt" (i.e. crash) like I always have, and we feel really good. Now if we have to eat processed food, it upsets our stomachs and we crash later in the day.

I'm still struggling with cutting out sugar... any tips on good snacks to curb those munchies?

pattyproulx

Great work! Keep it up!

For sweets, I find that avoiding them altogether is the best way to avoid the cravings. Stick with veggies as snacks. Eggs are great too, and nuts are good, in moderation.

If you must have something sweet, we often treat ourselves to some dark chocolate. Berries and other fruit can be great too.

I also find that drinking a lot of water helps with my sweet cravings.