_Amy_Budd Member

My boyfriend is about a half an inch shorter than me. He is the best man I've ever known - kind, sweet, funny, respectful, attentive, loving, sexy, great kisser, passionate, handsome, smart, goofy, adorable... I could go on and on. He treats me better than anyone in my life has ever treated me. My ex-husband was 4 inches…

Respectfully, some of us do very well without the grains and sugars that account for most carbs. My father is a type 2 diabetic, and has had a leg amputated, as well as half of the other foot, and he's in kidney failure hoping for a transplant. I was very obese, and a carb/sugar addict, and headed for the same fate as my…

I met my boyfriend on OKCupid, and he is the best man I've ever known. We are very happy together. :)

Thanks for the advice, all. To answer your question, dawnemjh: I do eat a small amount of dairy and cheese on Primal - about an ounce of raw milk cheese in a recipe, and I have a whey protein shake made with coconut milk almost every day. I also eat nuts and nut butter - I love almond butter, and macadamias (or…

I follow the Primal Blueprint... Bacon is a mainstay for me. I buy organic, uncured, unsalted, and stick to the 2 slice serving size, but I have it all the time. Primal/Paleo folks LOVE bacon - "It's like meat candy!" As a matter of fact, I often cook my veggies in bacon fat. Yeah, you read that right. And check out my…

"Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it." ~~ William Durant” "Don't look back - you're not going that way." "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal." "Your resentment is delicious." - Sue Sylvester, Glee "Give me all the bacon and eggs…

Simply fantastic. You are a poster child for Primal living! Great job! Well done! Go you!! :) Amy

^^^Exactly. This is key. My story is similar to other posters - was in a very unhappy marriage, suffered through an incredibly brutal divorce. I swore off "love" - thought it was a fool's game for stupid people - and just started working on myself. Walked a rocky and winding road that eventually led me to self-acceptance,…

I eat about 20 grams (half a serving according to most labels - a couple of squares) almost every single night - I have a few favorites. I do the Lindt 85%, the Godiva Santo Domingo 85%, Valrhona 85%, and my current favorite is Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 85%. Hasn't hindered my progress one bit. Long live dark chocolate!!…

Does Primal count? If so, I've been blissfully Primal for almost 10 months, which accounts for just over 100 of my pounds lost. Feel free to add me. :) Amy

Oh, yes - definitely this. :)

Okay. I went back about a week in your diary. I see a good deal of high carb and high sugar stuff thrown in among what is otherwise very healthy eating. You know my thing - I say cut out those grains and sugars, and keep it to one serving of fruit in a day. Watch your sodium closely. And track your water - you don't need…

marksdailyapple.com - you'll find everything you need to know there. In a nutshell, it's about eating clean, healthy, whole foods, avoiding processed foods and those things that make your blood sugar spike and crash, getting the most out of functional exercise without burning out from chronic cardio, getting enough sun,…

I believe that this is 100% true. I've eliminated all wheat and grains, and I've never been healthier, or happier, and I don't feel deprived AT ALL. I just posted my one-year success story, if you'd like to see the visual effects of living without wheat:…

You are completely right. I was talking to my parents about some nutritional things that I've learned, and my mom (who has always been thin) was questioning some of it (not in an unsupportive way at all, just a conversational back-and-forth), and my Dad yelled at her - "Don't question her - she's lost over 100 pounds!" -…

Anyone who wants to knock Paleo/Primal, you go right ahead. There are those of us who know better, and we'll be living it up (happy, healthy, active, low-stress, all while eating super-delicious foods) while the nay-sayers keep riding that sugar addiction. Have fun with that!! :)

Yes, I agree with this. I've been under 50 grams a day of carbs for over 8 months, to the tune of 96 pounds lost in that time. I eat super-clean - organic, grass-fed, cage-free, wild, etc. - and keep my macros at no more than 15% carbs, and 30% protein and 55% fat. My daily calorie goal is 1,400 before exercise, and some…

I eat under 50 grams of carbs every day, without too much effort. I try to get to 100 grams of protein every day, and most days I hit it - if not, I come very close. It's working really well for me. :) Amy

Forgive yourself - don't let the voice in your head be hateful. You *do* deserve health and happiness. :) Amy

I just use my regular metal colander/strainer-thingie... I put some water in a pot, bring to a boil, put the veggies in the thingie and then a pot lid over them to keep the steam in. Works great. :) Amy

When I signed up for MFP, it was a little less than 11 months until my 40th birthday. At that point, I was so huge and inactive that I couldn't run 4 steps... and I decided that I was going to completely change my life, lose weight, get strong and fit, and celebrate my 40th birthday by running 4 miles. And I did. :) Amy

I think it is totally worth it. I like Polar - I have the FT40, and it has been incredibly helpful to me. Hands down the best purchase I have made with regard to helping with weight loss and fitness. :) Amy

Love it. I noticed myself getting tighter and stronger right away, and the camaraderie and support from the coaches and classmates at my box is just incredible. There's a group on here called "CrossFit Love" - lots of great info there. :) Amy

I think you're doing really well - thoughtfully considering all of these issues, and figuring out what works best for you. Sorry to pull out a cliche, but if you're serious about it, then this really is a long-term lifestyle choice, and it takes some playing around to discover the particular "formula" to which your body…

Another vote for Baked, not fried...

My ex tattooed my name on his arm after our wedding, and called it a wedding gift for me. The problem is that I really don't like tattoos, and it's pretty much the last gift that I would have wanted. Probably should have been a big red flag... Wonder how his new fiancee feels about it. Ha!

Changed it back - you may return to "on guard". ;)

^^^^EXACTLY. Naysay all you want, but it's sure been working for me. :) Amy

I made these truffles for my birthday party - they were INCREDIBLE. All my non-Primal friends were raving about them, too! http://nomnompaleo.com/post/14764008847/nom-nom-chocolate-truffles :) Amy

Nope, I don't do any bars. Feels too "processed" to me. But I know that there are lots of recipes out there for make-your-own Primal/Paleo-friendly protein bars, and if I felt like I wanted to do protein bars, that's probably the way I would go. :) Amy