I decided a few days ago that I wanted to go Primal.
My interest was first piqued after reading my friend Elyse’s blog on the subject, and even more so after realizing how unhappy I am with my current lifestyle. Weight is a part of it. I’ve ranged from obese (over 200lb) to emaciated (under 100lb) in the same year ((A story for another time.)) before finally stabilizing at a healthy weight, but for the past four years since then I’ve been slowly growing out of my clothes. I haven’t stepped on a scale in a long time, but I’d estimate that I’m somewhere between 160-170lb. I would much rather be somewhere around 120-130lb. But while losing weight is part of it, it’s about so much more than that. It’s about becoming healthier mentally and physically; it’s about becoming a better version of myself.
I was diagnosed with Major Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder when I was still in middle school; about ten years ago. A lot of my issues with weight gain and weight loss have stemmed from the medications I was prescribed to manage these disorders, and while it was definitely beneficial during puberty, I have since stabilized. And I’ve noticed that on or off medications, I still feel unmotivated, unsatisfied and unhappy (particularly in Fall and Winter). I’ve also noticed that I seem to do much better on the days that I’m outside, exercising and eating healthy. It all sounds so obvious and agreeable, and yet it is the hardest thing in the world for me to get up and do.
Society makes a healthy lifestyle seem like a chore—everything is so conveniently instant and efficient. If it takes more than five minutes, we don’t have the patience for it. We drive everywhere. We eat fast food. We work eight hour days, come home when the sun is starting to set, and sit down in front of our televisions and computers and gaming consoles. Obviously, I love my computer and convenience, too—but no wonder we’re all so unhappy. Humans were not made for this kind of lifestyle and our bodies have not evolved to cope with it. Obviously, I’m no scientist or nutritionist, but the Primal lifestyle is something that inherently makes sense to me. Much like Paganism’s appeal to me, Primal is about getting back to our ancestral roots.
Long, rambling story short—I will be starting the 21-Day Total Body Transformation
Major props to you for deciding to make the commitment to living healthier! :) I’m seriously thrilled for you, girl.
Also, I want to say that I agree 150% with your entire third paragraph about “society mak[ing] a healthy lifestyle seem like a chore”. I’ve always felt the same way myself, and it’s…kinda sad, actually, how screwed-up our priorities have become over the years.
Thanks, Jessie! I’m very, very excited and equally nervous. ;)
Ben will be less resistant once he sees the results, and not just the weight loss, but the general well being, too!
I agree with Jessie on giving kudos to the third paragraph. I was just talking to Randy about it last night — our bodies WANT to be healthy, WANT to work well, WANT to be at their ideal weights. So it really shouldn’t be a chore or all that challenging to get there if you can give your body the kind of nutrition it needs. Primal is really effortless once you get past carb flu and start realizing you crave grains less and less. And that’s how it should be, because that’s how our bodies have evolved to be!
I guarantee, after a few weeks of doing this, you’ll see your progress and marvel at how little you feel you’ve worked or sacrificed. It’s awesome :D
I think part of Ben’s issue is that he doesn’t understand, exactly, what primal is; I think he’ll realize I’ve been cooking pretty close to primal already. It’s him giving up the processed foods he eats for lunch (ramen, microwaveable meals) and pizza that will be the biggest roadblock for him joining me. We already discussed that he’ll be responsible for any non-Primal foods he wants, and I’ll take care of everything else. :)
He’s convinced that I’m silly and that all I need to focus on is carb-in/carb-out. Pff! Maybe if I didn’t care about anything other than weight…
I am so, so terrified of the carb flu! But then I tell myself; I already feel awful and unhealthy, so if I’ve been headachy and miserable for this long I can handle another really terrible week or so. It’s truthfully my main reservation, but totally worth it for the results I’m sure!
I hear you. Randy’s resistant in that way, too. He has some serious issues with the exercise component, but also hasn’t bothered to read anything either.
I read that you don’t eat pasta much to begin with? Your carb flu might not be that bad. I didn’t experience it at all, or if I did, it was only a couple of days and the difference wasn’t that noticeable from the general level of shittiness I felt otherwise.
Yeah. Ben also comes from a wrestling background when it comes to physical activity, so there are… lots of things playing with his view of healthy weight gain/loss (which, if you know anything about wrestling, those methods aren’t healthy at all). Neither has he struggled with weight like I have. We’ll see what happens, but I’m okay with whatever he decides.
I’m not big on bread/pasta/et cetera. I wouldn’t say that I don’t eat them at all, but they’re not usually an every day sort of staple for me (or haven’t been recently, anyway). Hopefully that means my carb flu will be mild.