Don't forget that breakfast doesn't have to equal traditional breakfast foods. This morning for breakfast I had a hamburger (no bun of course) and sweet potato.

Bacon is up to you - I started a Whole 30 today so regular bacon is off limits due to nitrites/nitrates/added sugar. Before this though, I was eating it. Do the best you can and you'll be miles ahead of the SAD eaters!

For coconut milk, you want the stuff that's in a can. The carton stuff is completely watered down and overpriced.

I eat the standard store bought bacon a lot. Hormel Black Label Maple is the best tasting bacon I know of, for instance. For almond butter, I love Barney Butter brand, which, aside from their new "Bare Butter" variety, is not particularly paleo (contains evaporated cane juice).

So yeah.... You don't have to be absolutely flawless in everything you consume. In the end, you have to choose how much being healthy makes you happy, versus how much eating the not-necessarily-healthy-but-good-tasting food makes you happy. At some point you come to equilibrium between the two and that decides how strict or not you are.

I have a package of Jimmy Dean Original sausage in the freezer. It's been there a while but only because I just don't eat a lot of sausage. One day, I'm sure I'll pull it out, thaw it, cook the whole damn thing and eat it.

I had blood work done, for the first time in my life, in August 2011 when I had been Paleo for a bit over a year and was still somewhere around 220lbs. I don't remember the specific numbers but my LDL was a single point over the "high" mark but given my age (then, 27) and weight (again, 220ish, 6ft tall) that was considered "OK", as my doctor annotated the paper. My HDL was several points higher than "good" and I think my triglycerides were in the low 80's, which is really good, I'm told. I plan on making another appointment this summer so I'll actually have something to compare to..

Its important to also look at your ratios and your vldl and ldl patterns. So.. that being said, with good trigs and good hdl, a high ldl may indicate large fluffy ldl (which is good) rather than oxidized small ldl (which is indeed bad). WHICH is probably exactly why your doc didn't care. Some docs will see an ldl 1 point over and write lipitor for you

A few thoughts in response to your questions....

Can anyone recommend some good breakfast ideas besides eggs?

As mentioned by others, 'breakfast foods' is a cultural expectation - a Chinese breakfast looks nothing like a western breakfast. Eat whatever suits you - meats, veg, leftovers, whatever.

I'm really not a fan of veggies with omelets, so that limits me.

While I'm not criticizing your likes/dislikes, I would encourage you to open your mind and reconsider your biases. Since a hunter/gatherer lifestyle (paleo and primal) is the consumption of plants, animals and limited fruits and nuts, one must be open to a large diversity of all these things. I, like you, was very limiting in the number of veggies I thought I liked - but I forced myself to expand my horizons, and now I shovel down veggies that in the old days would have gone straight from grocery bag to disposal.

I know we are allowed bacon and sausage ( I love turkey sausage), but there is no way I can possibly afford to make homemade sausage, and I know the nitrates in Jimmy Dean or the frozen ones are no good. However, is it THAT bad?

Sausage is not hard to make (bulk, not link) - if you can afford ground pork, you can make sausage. All you add is salt and a variety of spices, most of which are probably already in your pantry. Recipes abound on the net!

The main thing bad about commercial sausage is that you have no idea what is being ground up and put into it.

Can the bacon be regular old grocery store bacon?

Depends. 'Uncured' bacon is not nitrate-free - the nitrates just come from a natural source rather than the chemist. If it stays pink when you cook it - it's got nitrates. Buy a quality product, but use it with reason, because of the omega 6 factor (see above).

Personally, I order the pork belly (or side pork) from the butcher. These are the cuts that bacon comes from. Although you have to order 10-15 lbs, the price per pound is a lot lower than processed bacon. I have them slice it, then I divvy it up into half-pound portions, baggie it and freeze it. When I cook it, I hit it with enough Lawry's Seasoning salt to suit my palate, and cook until crisp. While it is brown instead of pink - it still tastes like bacon, And best off - no nitrates at all.

I can't stretch the budget to include all of the grain fed meats, butters, and dairy. I'm actually not even sure where to buy the butters and dairy.

Don't know where you live, but if there is a Trader Joe in the area, they are your lifeboat.

- most of the difference between grain-fed and grass-fed meat resides in the fat (omega3:6 ratios). If you buy grain-fed meat, buy the leanest cuts you can, trim off the fat, and cook it in a high-omega 3 oil (coconut oil or olive oil).

- just about everyone carries Kerry Gold butter. It is is from Ireland, from pastured cows. While it is not certified organic, it IS pastured.

- minimize dairy, and consider using goat and sheep dairy. Both are grazers instead of feedlot, so their products are usually pastured.

Is the coconut milk the regular SILK brand in the store, or does that need to be bought at a health food store as well?

Silk (and others) are NOT 'coconut milk' - they are coconut milk BEVERAGE (look closely at the label). Real coconut milk is in a can, and is either regular or low fat. The 'ethnic foods' aisle of the market will have it under 'asian foods'.

I wish you good fortunes on your journey - it will provide many benefits!

I love eggs but not for breakfast. In fact, breakfast is a hard one for me to get myself to eat most days. I have found that for me a smoothie works really well. I can blend up some vegetables and fruit, coconut oil, flax and whatever else I want into a tasty drink and just sip on it. I get LOTS of greens this way and I don't have to face an egg first thing in the morning.

Personally, I order the pork belly (or side pork) from the butcher. These are the cuts that bacon comes from. Although you have to order 10-15 lbs, the price per pound is a lot lower than processed bacon. I have them slice it, then I divvy it up into half-pound portions, baggie it and freeze it. When I cook it, I hit it with enough Lawry's Seasoning salt to suit my palate, and cook until crisp. While it is brown instead of pink - it still tastes like bacon, And best off - no nitrates at all.

Does $5.69/lb sound about right to you?

I think I pay $2.50/lb and another $.50/lb to have it sliced. Or maybe it was $3.00/3.50 - senility keeps tapping me on the shoulder. Prices may vary around the country; I'd also ask the meat counter at your supermarket as opposed to a butcher - there might be less markup.

Thank you, MonkeyDharma! I am easing into this VERY slowly. So slowly that my only change for this week is to follow WW and eliminate any nonsense snacking. No nibbling on chips, cake, ice cream, etc...just because it is here. I am only allowing it as a special treat. Ex: going out for an ice cream cone with family, birthday cake at party or cookout. Next week, I will eliminate those snacks as well, except for family vacations. I have a whole mini step system planned out! I will eventually get to all of the natural meats and grain fed butters, but for now I will take it one step at a time!

Have you tried roasted kale chips instead of chips. OMG, they are so delicious with the crunch of a chip and you can season them with whatever you like. I like a little garlic powder and paprika on mine and a little tiny tad of sea salt. Sooo good and good for you!

http://www.kalechips.com/

You can get nitrate free bacon and sausage at most grocery stores and super Targets.

I'll have to repeat: uncured is NOT the same as 'nitrate free'. Check the ingredient list; if there is celery powder , or kale powder or celery juice, then it has nitrates - it just comes from natural sources rather than from chemicals.

Bottom line: if it is still pink after you cook it - it has nitrates.