The GrayGhost is going Primal

Discussion in 'Survival of the Fittest' started by GrayGhost, Apr 24, 2016.


  1. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    I've gotten a lot of inspiration here, and now it's time. Changes are in order.

    Not a whole lot of changes needed, but enough to make a difference I'm guessing. I rarely eat sweets, but I can't hardly say no to some biscuits and gravy, or a big hunk of buttered bread.

    Went shopping for a few needed ingredients today....and this is going to be the hard part: this food, fruits and quality meats especially, are effin expensive! It's gonna be tough to eat good on the cheap.

    Details to follow...here we go.
     
    ditch witch, Gator 45/70, GOG and 6 others like this.
  2. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Welcome to the club..... you will appreciate the changes!!!!!
     
    GrayGhost and Ganado like this.
  3. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I think that is one of the hardest issues with Primal is the rise in the grocery bill. Since summer is coming, you will have access to some cheaper produce, though Farmers markets are not the place to save IMO but the grocery usually lowers their produce.

    Good luck @GrayGhost
     
  4. AD1

    AD1 Monkey+++

    @GrayGhost

    Congrats on the new direction.
    i started Jan4 hovering between 246-250 lbs @ 6 ft tall by all measures of BMI obese.

    Today, I am on the road in Seattle and dont have my scale here but when I let home I was about 213.5 lbs

    My goal was 210 by my birthday at the end of May so I am there.

    Now shooting for 200 ish by that date but I have almost 3 weeks of business travel to " challange me"

    Big thing for me was to cut all alcohol. Business travel has a way to pump up the consumption.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2016
  5. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    The added cost is the primary reason I have not joined in.
    Best of luck.
     
    GrayGhost likes this.
  6. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Thanks all for the words of encouragement. I'm feeling pretty good about all of this.

    I threw a stuffed London broil (spices, anaheim chiles, green onions and a little cheese) on the grill last night. Also had a spinach and green leaf luttuce salad, crumbled bacon on top with olive oil as a dressing. Passed on a beer and had a glass of red instead. Today has been an egg, avocado, bacon crumbles and another spinach salad. Feeling satisfied.

    Stats:
    6' 04"
    252 lbs
    2xl shirt
    38" waist

    My workdays average about 18hrs or so...up about 2:30a and hitting the rack around 9p. Dog tired at the end of the day. Average day is around 15,000 steps, with plenty of heavy lifting/moving objects and equipment throughout the day.

    I'm not too concerned with my overall weight as is....shoot, I've worn a 36" waist pants since high school. I'm just hoping to have a little more gas in the tank at the end of the day, after all's said and done.
     
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  7. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Yeah...that's a tough one. But if I can feel better being on this, it'll definitely be worthwhile. Not only for me, but the family as well.
     
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  8. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    I boiled a head of pineapple in my crawfish boil last weekend.
    Somehow I don't think it qualifies as low calorie fruit after that?

    The ladies loved it!
     
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  9. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    It's more expensive to eat this way, no doubt, but the payoff is worth it. My energy levels doubled and I quit slogging into 3 PM needing a nap.
     
    GrayGhost likes this.
  10. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Sounds good...though I prefer my bugs spicy!
     
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  11. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    ^^^^ This is exactly what I'm hoping for! I jumped into a thread a while ago about supplements and such, wondering what I needed to get to where I wanted to be. It dawned on me recently that what I needed was not additions to my diet, but rather, deletions.

    I haven't purchased any guides, books, etc on this matter yet, but the basics I believe are: no grains (carbs), no processed foods at all, plenty of protein and good fats, good water, and exercise. I think these are the basics, and are what I'm starting with for now.

    If anyone has any recommendations/suggestions, feel free to offer them. This is a new journey, and I'm taking the first steps.
     
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  12. AD1

    AD1 Monkey+++

    The ruff part was the first week with the "carb withdrawal hangover". Very noticeable, but that was short lived.

    Make sure you have some "me" time besides work. I walked everyday with the wife for 3 miles even if the boss wanted to talk(i consult from home and travel) i said call me in 1.5 hours.

    On the walks it was nothing about work or the new lifestyle.....it was about nothing more than doing some little thing for me/us that helped big time.

    When i travel for work like now(in Seattle for 2 weeks) I shop at Wholefoods and make my own meals/lunches at the Marriott Residents Inn(full kitchen in the room) and that is a big help.

    I eat organic carrots by the 10lb bag from Costco, boiled eggs or almond butter and apples as a snack.


    I have not gone hungery, but if I dont feel like eating and miss a meal, the empty gut feeling is not a detriment to where i feel like I could eat the leg off of a coffee table.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2016
  13. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    The hardest part for me was not going 100% carnivore. I'd be happy eating nothing but bacon and steak, however I've gotten a lot more amicable to incorporating fruit and veg in my food. Avocados are pretty much a staple around here now, always have a bag of them in the fridge. A salted avocado and a couple strips of bacon are my favorite lunch. Lucky for me it's gardening time so here in a few months I'll be able to put a lot of fruit and veg on the table again without going bankrupt.
     
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  14. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Yeah..."me time" is something that doesn't really happen. I'm either on or off. I need to see what I can do about that.
     
    AD1 likes this.
  15. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    I hear ya on the bacon! I just need to find a local source...minus the nitrites/nitrates. Same for local beef. Got some digging to do.
     
  16. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    An 18 hour work day needs to be reigned in IMO...... Once you hit the 12 to 14 hours, productivity and thought process is dismal... creating a potential safety issue as well, depending on your job. I see a major drop off in work productivity after 10 to 12 hours with my crews.... After about 14 hours I will put my guys in a hotel so they are not running down the road half asleep.... not worth the potential accident that may happen.
     
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  17. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Day 3

    It was a good one. Took the kids to the park. But instead of sitting and watching, did a handful of pull-ups, push-ups, hanging knee lifts and some sprints with the kids. I felt kinda shitty when my son said "Daddy...I didn't even know you could run. " Well, that's changing. Only had a few smokes today too....that will be changing as well...I can feel it.

    Grilled salmon and leafy greens tonight, couple of mushrooms, and handful of radishes and jalapenos, and a hard boiled egg. Skipped the beer again, had another glass of red. Feeling good....and excited.

    Edit: The starting weight was clothed. Tonight I'm at 243...still down maybe a couple of pounds though.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2016
    kellory, AD1, GOG and 1 other person like this.
  18. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    Not an 18hr work day...usually about 13.5-14. The rest is coummute, etc. But yeah, productivity does drop with those hours. I will, however, do what I can to take some of the load off my crew. I lead by example...and when it's needed, they step up and perform. I don't know any other way. If something needs done, I'm not one to watch.
     
  19. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    That's consistent with what we hit in wayback times doing big construction. 6 -10 hour days was about it for the longer hauls, measured in months.. 7 - 12s was the max push rate before losing control of production after just one week.
     
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  20. GrayGhost

    GrayGhost Monkey+++

    And that's the way it was when I was building cell sites. Seven days...then a day/night out on the company dime...lather, rinse, repeat....
     
    Yard Dart likes this.
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