Obligatory forum Introduce yourself thread

In other forums I've been a member of in the past - at least for small communities - there's been a 'introduce yourself' thread with some questions that people can answer. I know that there are people reading this forum that are fully primal, partially primal, and are considering it. I thought that I'd put some questions together to cover these things just to get an idea of who's out there.


The Questions:


Your location:

Age (If you want):

How Primal are you:

Do you consume dairy:

Do you drink coffee or tea:

Motivator for switching to Primal:

Favorite exercise:

Favorite Primal food:

Best part about being Primal:

Worst part about being Primal:

1



Your location: Brooklyn, NY

Age (If you want): 32

How Primal are you:

Mostly Primal. I don't consume grains or refined products. I'm more interested in eating healthy good food today than the semantics of what 'grok' may or may not have eaten 10k years ago.


Do you consume dairy: Yes. But, I'm going to experiment without it in a week or so.


Do you drink coffee or tea: Only herbal iced tea when it's warm out.


Motivator for switching to Primal:

Initially I started by switching to the P90x phase 1 'low carb' eating plan. Then I started doing more research about low carb and found that it's a more healthy way to go. I read Protein Power and am reading Good Calorie, Bad Calorie to learn more about it all. I was already working on weeding out most processed food in my diet, this just takes it to another level. Partially it's to lose more weight, but also to hopefully avoid eventual Type 2 diabetes and other health related issues.


Favorite exercise:

I've been enjoying P90x, but have been enjoying running/jumping in the park with my Vibram FiveFingers. There's a great big stair case up a side of a hill that's a lot of fun to jump up and down.


Favorite Primal food:

A nice grass-fed steak.


Best part about being Primal:

Steak.


Worst part about being Primal:

Eating out - I live in NYC, sometimes it's unavoidable.

[JonesJitter]

1



Your location: Phuket, Thailand (born scandinavian though - I'm a permanent vagabond)


Age (If you want): 22


How Primal are you: 100% grok'ish almost all the time. I have maybe 2 non-grok meals a month, if I'm eating out on a special occasion and is only in it for the taste and experience.


Do you consume dairy: Almost never - a couple of times a month I'll have some natural youghurt because of the healthy probiotics.


Do you drink coffee or tea: I almost never drink coffee - but I drink green tea a couple of times a week. Not because I'm addicted though, only because it should be healthy.


Motivator for switching to Primal: Being as healthy and fit as possible is like a sport for me. I love to experiment with the way I live. But being healthy, having a lot of energy, looking good and being in shape to do whatever life throws at me is the major ones.


Favorite exercise: Deadlift. I have no place to do it at the moment though.


Favorite Primal food: A big juicy steak.


Best part about being Primal: I have almost never problems with my stomach anymore. I've suffered from such problems a lot.


Worst part about being Primal: Don't any have any problems about being primal.

[madMUHHH]

1



Your location: Germany, not too far away from Hamburg

Age: 17

How Primal are you: Hard to say. I don't eat any grains or refined sugars, but I still consume some processed foods and non-organic meats/vegetables. That's because it's a matter of cost and I'm also not 100% responsible for what I eat and what our family buys. Gradually getting more primal on that though.

All in all I'd say around 85%.


Do you consume dairy: Yes, my body seems to get along with it quite fine. But I'm trying to limit myself here. Not really improving at the moment and I also think kefir and yogurt on a regular basis don't do that much harm, since they also have loads of good bacteria.


Do you drink coffee or tea: Yes, both, but not daily, like every 2nd day.


Motivator for switching to Primal: When I started it was mostly about muscle growth, but the primal lifestyle has so much more benefits, I don't even know where to start.


Favorite exercise: Hard to tell. I like bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups quite a lot, even though I don't do them too often at the moment, but that's gonna change soon again.


Favorite Primal food: I don't know where to start. I really love my weekend super-duper breakfast omelettes, but there are so many more great things out there.


Best part about being Primal: Once you stopped eating all the refined sugars and stuff within processed food, you really learn to appreciate the taste of real food!


Worst part about being Primal: The social aspect. My friends still don't really get what I'm doing and are joking about it quite a lot, but I can't even blame them. But I've already started to make them understand the primal-lifestyle and its benefits, but there's still a long way to go. (Honestly, who of you really gave a f*ck about what he/she ate at my age?)

[Tarlach]

1



Your location: Australia

Age (If you want): 33

How Primal are you: I have been eating hardcore paleo for longer than there has been a MDA. I just cruise by to look for good info...

I do not eat:

• Grains (wheat/rice/oats etc)

• Dairy (milk/yogurt/butter/cheese etc)

• Refined foods (salt/sugars etc )

• Nightshades (peppers/tomato/eggplant)

• Tubers (potato/arrowroot etc)

• Legumes (soy/beans/peas)

• Modernly palatable (cashews/olives etc)

Do you consume dairy: No. None. Not even butter (Yes butter is dairy too)

Do you drink coffee or tea: I will drink coffee (it's a seed so BACK OFF!)

Motivator for switching to Primal: I started paleo eating as it made sense for good health.

Favorite exercise: Lugging my sandbag or swinging a sledgehammer

Favorite Primal food: Pork belly on the BBQ (followed closely by grass-fed steak on the BBQ)

Best part about being Primal: Being healthier, having more energy, building muscle, not getting sick...

Worst part about being Primal: Talking to the muggles about food - "What do you mean wheat is bad???"

[JonesJitter]

1



madMUHHH > I did - became fanatic about what I ate at around age 16.. so you're not alone. My friends joked around a lot too.... but you'll keep joking about them, long after they're dead from nasty diet-related illnesses! ;-)

[marci]

1



The Questions:


Your location: NYC

Age (If you want): 46

How Primal are you: fairly

Do you consume dairy: yes (local and raw)

Do you drink coffee or tea: yes mostly tea

Motivator for switching to Primal: my doctor & MDA

Favorite exercise: biking, yoga and lifting heavier & heavier weights!

Favorite Primal food: turkey (was vegetarian for 20 yrs so I'm going slowly)

Best part about being Primal: not getting the hungry horrors like I did when I was vegetarian

Worst part about being Primal: not losing any weight!

[Ecala]

1



Whee! I'll jump in


Name: Ellen

Your location: Massachusetts, USA

Age (If you want): 45, almost 46

How Primal are you: about 75%

Do you consume dairy: raw only

Do you drink coffee or tea: coffee

Motivator for switching to Primal: I want to look as good as Mark when I'm in my 50s- which is quickly approaching. Plus it just makes sense from a health standpoint.

Favorite exercise: resistance training, kettlebells and mountain biking

Favorite Primal food: MEAT and leaves

Best part about being Primal: the lack of grains

Worst part about being Primal: Hmmm... lack of refined sugar maybe? But I don't miss it.

[Ecala]

1



High 5 Marci Same age/sorta same regional area

[deepthought]

1



The Questions:


Your location:

Sweden

Age (If you want):

35

How Primal are you:

More and more, but since have a three year old at home, some processed food(fishfingers) slips in sometimes. Working on converting my wife(vegerarian since twenty years). In numbers 80%

Do you consume dairy: yes, butter, yougurt, cream and sourcream, cheese (mostly ecological)

Do you drink coffee or tea:

Yes coffee

Motivator for switching to Primal:

started out as an experiment, half a year ago, and I found it fantastic, no sugar dip before meals, and no after meal "coma"

Favorite exercise:

Running, intense wheightlifting, traditional Jujutsu

Favorite Primal food:

All

Best part about being Primal:

Makes me feel good

Worst part about being Primal:

None

[Karin]

1



Your location: Chicago area

Age (If you want): 32

How Primal are you: depends on the day...aspiring to be moreso.

Do you consume dairy: pretty much every day. yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese cheese.

Do you drink coffee or tea: seldom for both.

Motivator for switching to Primal: trying to lose weight/avoid some of the health problems that run in the family (heart attacks and diabetes).

Favorite exercise: inline skating.

Favorite Primal food: avocados. I've given up cutting as much fat as possible and gone back to enjoying nuts and avocados (portion controlled, yes).

Best part about being Primal: Not feeling like i have to cut nearly all of the fat from my diet. (I was doing weightwatchers online and boy do they ever penalize eating fat...)

Worst part about being Primal: Semi-vegetarian (I eat fish) low-carb fast food barely exists. (And a pile of iceberg isn't enough calories for a proper lunch). I make my own lunches when feasible.

[jpippenger]

1



The Questions:


Your location:Michigan

Age (If you want):33

How Primal are you: Dietary I am 99%, physically about 10%

Do you consume dairy:no

Do you drink coffee or tea:coffee

Motivator for switching to Primal:Pain, anxiety, obesity

Favorite exercise:Walking

Favorite Primal food:steak

Best part about being Primal:Can't believe how much I love fruit now. Love feeling more energetic.

Worst part about being Primal: Explaining myself when I pass on birthday cakes or meals served by others that aren't primal.

[egmutza]

1



Your location: Indianapolis, Indiana


Age (If you want): 31


How Primal are you: 80-90%


Do you consume dairy: Yes. I gave up dairy for a while on the diet, but suffered from crippling night-time leg cramps. Tried calcium supplements, but found that only a daily yogurt and a little cheese made them go away. I only do raw milk products.


I'm actually severely lactose intolerant, so I'd like to phase dairy out some day if I can get the muscle cramps resolved. Lactaid isn't cheap! I've also noticed that my chronic elbow rash has returned along with the dairy. Going to see if I fare any better on goat's milk.


Do you drink coffee or tea: tea w/coconut oil


Motivator for switching to Primal:

I was a vegetarian for nearly 10 years and it caught up with me the past few years. Last winter I caught 10 colds! A few of them developed into sinus infections and/or eye infections (both eyes at once). I had frequent canker sores, sometimes as many as a dozen at once. Had a positive ANA blood test. Doctors thought I might have lupus. That's what got me researching diet and autoimmune disease. Stumbled across paleo/primal and the rest is history.


Favorite exercise: Pull-ups. I could literally only do 1 this time last year. I'm up to 20 now.


Favorite Primal food: Steak


Best part about being Primal:

Not being sick all the time. Not being embarrassed to take my shirt off at the beach (I was textbook skinny-fat). Easier, tastier meals!


Worst part about being Primal:

Having to explain to everyone that dietary fat is good for you!

[ReachWest]

1



Your location: Calgary - Aberta - Canada

Age : 50

How Primal are you: 90%

Do you consume dairy: butter and cheese very occasionally

Do you drink coffee or tea: coffee and tea

Motivator for switching to Primal: tired of being tired (and fat)

Favorite exercise: P90X

Favorite Primal food: eggs - all veggies - steaks - salads

Best part about being Primal: dropped over 25 lbs of flab around my torso since starting primal last January - feel better - sleep better.

Worst part about being Primal: eating out - still tempted by traditional burger on a crusty roll

[Jude]

1



Name; Jude...who'd have guessed!

Your location: Wisconsin but originally from England.

Age : 36

How Primal are you: I haven't jumped into being Primal yet, although I'd say without even trying, I'm well over 50% of the way there.

Do you consume dairy: Yes, currently

Do you drink coffee or tea: Coffee

Motivator for switching to Primal: Really liking how I feel during P90X Fat Shedder stage. I feel less bloated and more lean and have more energy. I know going primal will only make me feel even better.

Favorite exercise:currently, anything P90X/P90x+

Favorite Primal food:Avocado!

Best part about being Primal:I can eat lots of avocado? =D

Worst part about being Primal: Not sure yet but I'm guessing no beans in my chilli is going to suck.