Primal, Paleo, Low carb, oh my!

Tiabean86

I've been trying to cut gluten out of my life. I have been moderately successful at this. Not perfect but I am getting the hang of it. But as my diet keeps cycling I have come to realize one thing- I am addicted to sugar. I don't mean this in a hahah sense. I mean I literally seem to have a mental and physical addiction to sugar. I keep ruining my eating due to the sweet stuff and can't seem to shake it off. I have been thinking that maybe Paleo or Primal is the way to go but am hesitant. I like my sweet potatoes and making goodies from time to time with my gluten free flour (like I made sugar free, gluten free, 100% organic waffles today for me and the kids). I would hate to lose that. How do you use this diet in the real world. I'm a mom, student, and run my own business and work 10-13 hours a day. I'm not going to lie, I want it easy. If I have to do one day of massive prep each week that's ok but weekdays I just don't have the time. I need ideas on how to do this. Or modified Primal blueprints. Or just something to get me away from gluten and sugar for good!

nadia712

You and I could be related. I'm also a definite sugar addict and cut out gluten and am attracted to the Paleo lifestyle AND don't have a lot of time to cook. I'm in the middle of a Whole30 at the moment, which is a really strict, 30 day elimination period meant to tell you if Paleo is "for you." I've done one before and loved it - I'm doing this one to try and kick the sugar habit for good. I've been off gluten for about six months, but gluten free treats have gotten more and more frequent and.. you know how it goes.

I think the best way to make Paleo realistic is to not be dogmatic about it. Use its principles to guide you, not keep you in a cage - you don't have to say "I'm never going to have a gluten-free waffle with my kids again." Just don't do it every day, and know that your calories are better spent on more nutrient-dense foods. My rule is that I never, ever eat gluten, but I accept that I will eat grains (rice, oats) every now and again. I don't buy them, but if I'm at a restaurant and having a tough time finding something to eat, those are compromises I'm willing to make. I also don't eat legumes, but I never crave those so it isn't hard for me not to. To help with my sugar issues, another rule I have is that I don't bake my own treats (unless it's the holidays, I buy one at the store and that's it). It's hard to strike a balance - especially with sugar - but I think it's definitely doable.

To save time, I often cook a lot more than I need and store the rest and eat it throughout the week. I've also just bought a slow cooker, which I'm very excited about. Apparently they are great time savers, and lend themselves very well to Paleo food. I try to keep quick lunches on hand, too - like lettuce cups and unprocessed slices of meat, with avocado oil mayonnaise and mustard. Takes a minute to put together and you're good to go. Soups are great to make in bulk, too. Making your own salad dressings and keeping lettuce/spinach in your crisper at all times is another way to make meals really easy. Have a salad on its own, or grill up some meat/fish and you have an instant side dish.

Here's a website that specifically deals with Paleo slow cooker recipes: http://www.mypaleocrockpot.com/
And here's one that talks about strategies for cooking a week's worth of food in advance: http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/how-plan-and-cook-week-s-worth-healthy-tasty-meals

One thing I know for sure is that nothing has ever worked for me like Paleo does. I feel better mentally and physically. I definitely recommend you try it - even if it's a slow transition and you don't go all in at first.

camhappybunny

Well, I don't have kids to complicate matters, but I can speak to the sugar issue. I went very low-carb cold turkey. For two weeks, my brain told me I was starving, even when my stomach told me it would rebel if I crammed more food in it. I dealt with it by drinking copious amounts of jasmine tea (tastes kinds of sweet) and almonds. experience).

I then went pretty strict primal/paleo for about two months. Had sugar only a handful of times. Then I added in vegetables with more carbohydrates occasionally (like your favorite sweet potatoes). Having stuff for a quick salad is a great idea for lunch, and you can mix it up for dinner by making large quantities of curries, soups, roasts, etc. when you have time.

For me, the key was always having something to consume right there when a craving hit. Then suddenly, it was over. This might take longer for some people, but it is doable. Also, when you are trying to kick the habit, don't worry too much about calories or losing weight. Get past the cravings, then you'll have a much easier time with the rest of it. You WILL still occasionally want junk food, but once you get so that your metabolism is used to lower amounts of carbohydrates, you will feel more in control of your diet (from my