Primal Diet

Emlyn314
Emlyn314 Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I've followed a primal diet before and found it really good (I was able to lose some weight and I felt healthier following it, not as tired or sluggish). But I find that its really hard to follow, so I was only able to keep it up for a couple of months. I want to get back into trying it again. Does anyone have any tips on good ways to eat primal? Particularly, what do you do when you go out to eat? Any advice is appreciated! :)

Replies

  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
    Are you talking paleo? I am not super familiar with primal, but I tend to eat fairly processed-free/whole foods. When I go out, I basically ask them to alter things for me. Hold ingredients I don't want, dressing on the side, serve the burger with no bun, etc. For instance when we go to breakfast, no toast, no potatoes, and I ask them to just sautee some veggies as a side to my eggs. I am also super selective with where I will go, unfortunately.

    You may also want to try to not be so black and white about it. If you follow it 80% of the time, that's pretty good! One meal or one part of a meal really isn't the end of the world.
  • LeenaGee
    LeenaGee Posts: 749 Member
    Emlyn, have a look at the Primal/Paleo group on this site. Lots of great advice.
  • Emlyn314
    Emlyn314 Posts: 6
    glasshalffull713 wrote: »
    Are you talking paleo? I am not super familiar with primal, but I tend to eat fairly processed-free/whole foods. When I go out, I basically ask them to alter things for me. Hold ingredients I don't want, dressing on the side, serve the burger with no bun, etc. For instance when we go to breakfast, no toast, no potatoes, and I ask them to just sautee some veggies as a side to my eggs. I am also super selective with where I will go, unfortunately.

    You may also want to try to not be so black and white about it. If you follow it 80% of the time, that's pretty good! One meal or one part of a meal really isn't the end of the world.

    There are two different diets - paleo and primal. The main difference (from what I know) is that primal allows more milk/dairy products than paleo does. Right now I am eating about 80% paleo, I've heard that is a good way to do it, especially when just starting because its hard to follow.
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    Emlyn, have a look at the Primal/Paleo group on this site. Lots of great advice.

    I didn't know there was a primal/paleo group, I will go look for that! Thanks! :)
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    If you find it hard to follow I'd advise against doing it in the first place because, like before, you probably won't keep it up and you'll gain the weight back. You'll feel healthier and less sluggish by losing weight in general, no matter how you do it.
  • Wantingtolose1
    Wantingtolose1 Posts: 139 Member
    I have followed primal on and off for a while and now trying to do the 80/20 approach with it as I think that's more realistic for me. Also the inclusion of dairy makes it easier then following a full on paleo diet. I have cut out gluten in the past which made me feel 100 times better so I know its grains that are my problem and not dairy. Eating out I normally get salads or meat/chicken/fish with veg. Potatoes have also been included in the whole 30 diet which makes it easier to eat out
  • Navtendon
    Navtendon Posts: 168
    Emlyn314 wrote: »
    I've followed a primal diet before and found it really good (I was able to lose some weight and I felt healthier following it, not as tired or sluggish). But I find that its really hard to follow, so I was only able to keep it up for a couple of months. I want to get back into trying it again. Does anyone have any tips on good ways to eat primal? Particularly, what do you do when you go out to eat? Any advice is appreciated! :)

    What specifically do you find hard about it? Maybe there's something that can be easily fixed. I've been eating primal for 2 years, and I find it extremely easy, despite the fact that I used to be a total junk food addict in my past, so that's saying something. Do you follow Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint?

    When I go out to eat, I do try to scope out the menu beforehand online, which helps and only takes a few minutes. You can even do this from a smartphone making it even easier. I think a safe bet is always the entree section of the menu, and they often serve wild fish in restaurants. 100% grass fed beef is impossible to find on a menu, but there are restaurants that occasionally serve wild game if they are upscale. I often skip the sugar/garbage laden gluten free desert. It's not hard watching others eat desert b/c I'll know that in 15 minutes I'll be home to my dark chocolate or I'll even take some with me if I know that I'm not going home right after the meal.

    It takes a bit more forethought than people who aren't primal, but it's really minimal and easy to get into the habit.
  • Emlyn314
    Emlyn314 Posts: 6
    extra_medium wrote: »
    If you find it hard to follow I'd advise against doing it in the first place because, like before, you probably won't keep it up and you'll gain the weight back. You'll feel healthier and less sluggish by losing weight in general, no matter how you do it.
    I have a gluten sensitivity, so following this diet actually makes sense for me, and it makes me feel a lot healthier too. yes its hard, but I want to and technically with my digestive problems I should be following this.

    Navtendon wrote: »

    What specifically do you find hard about it? Maybe there's something that can be easily fixed. I've been eating primal for 2 years, and I find it extremely easy, despite the fact that I used to be a total junk food addict in my past, so that's saying something. Do you follow Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint?

    Thanks for the advice! When I go out to eat I normally look up menu's online beforehand but that is because I'm a very picky eater. Sadly I don't really like dark chocolate so that doesn't really help me much.
    Yes I do follow Mark Sisson's blueprint. The hard part is finding time to make the food. I'm a graduate student and I have a part time job, so I'm very rarely home. I've been making lunches the night before, and I find that has helped me a bit. Getting rid of the pasta and bread isn't too difficult. They bother my stomach so I don't each much of them anyway. It just gets difficult when school/work gets busy and I barely have enough time to get 6 hours of sleep, let alone take extra time to prepare healthy food (tv dinners and eating on campus, especially Tim Hortons, make up more of my diet than I care to admit). But I'm getting a bit better at it, trying to find time to make food. I'm following an 80/20 right now, so that does make it a little bit easier.

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