What Everyone's Looking For: Results

"Is it the caveman diet?"

"Oh...that's Atkins, isn't it?"

"I just can't give up breads...don't you miss them?"

Answers: No, No, and No.

Let me explain...I've mentioned living Primal on here a couple times now. My first toe-in-the-water move was to engage with a new trainer. Remember? I also linked you to Mark's Daily Apple with this post about homemade salad dressings. I told you a little about my Primal workout schedule in Wednesday and Walnuts, just a few days ago. But perhaps the most revealing post wasn't linked to anything. But in it I told about all the energy I had. I shared my first results from living Primally. At the time I didn't realize how impressive having more energy was, but after reflecting on it, and beginning to read The Primal Blueprint, I'm pretty excited by wanting to get up and move.

In chapter 3 of Mark Sisson's wonderful book on page 67 he said something I thought was profound, and it hints at one of the reasons Primal living appeals to me most.

"When I say you will notice results quickly and dramatically, I'm referring primarily to the immediate increase and stabilization of energy levels, less hunger and mood swings...improved immune function, and a reduction in the symptoms of allergies, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions."

In this quote is the answer to the first question, "is it the caveman diet?" Living Primal isn't a diet. It's not a lifestyle change. It's just life...and it makes sense to me. To be fair, though, Grok is our Primal role model and some might call him a caveman.

I guess I just kind of responded to the Atkins thing too. Following the 10 laws of the Primal Blueprint isn't about eating nothing but meat. And it's more than a food plan.

Lastly, do I miss breads? Pasta? I really don't. I know, I was surprised too. But I think the main reason it that I'm not eating any of them. When I was doing Weight Watcher's I was trying to limit breads and pasta and eat the 'right kind' of whole grains. But eating them at all makes your body want more. One of the MDA members recently said something to the effect of "it's nice to know that what I always thought was lack of will power is actually physiological." Some of you may be hip to this tune already, but I'm just realizing it...carbs are addicting! I'm so satiated with the fantastic Primal fare I am eating that I don't miss pastas or breads at all!

Cool, huh?

So, all that to say...Primal Blueprint is a holistic approach. It speaks to diet, fitness, and mental health. My first step into it was moving more. Some people just in with both feet. Some people wade in even more slowly that I did. My first result was increased energy (and I do mean increased!). Everyone's looking for results, what will yours be?

I Am Just Me

I'm just one woman. Like so many others, though, there's a lot on my plate...not as much as some, more than others, but a lot by my measure.

Today I cried. A few times.

I was on the phone with Scott, crying, when Tyler's speech therapist showed up a few minutes early. Luckily she listened and told me it'll all work out. I like that reassurance.

I cried on the way to pick up the kids and on the way home. I cried just now too.

I'm good with crying. I think it's an important cue that I'm reaching my limit. And something needs to give. So here's a list of things that might give my tear ducts a rest.

Someone could knock on the door or email or call and offer to buy or rent our home. Not lead us on for a week only to decide they really don't want it. Not counter our offers. Someone to just say yes to what we're asking (which I truly believe to be more than fair) and maybe even brings their own pen to sign an agreement. If they don't have their own, I'll find one. No biggie.

Jace could start using the toilet again - for pooping purposes too, not just pee. I mean most of his urine makes it in the bowl, except for the stuff that somehow ends up on the base, under the bowl that I have to clean. But I'm really tired of the poop thing happening in his underwear. He's going to be 7 years old (that's two syllables) in a couple months and I don't think I should have to wipe his rear or clean his underwear as often as I do.

Scott's job could get easier or his online class become clear. Either would reduce his stress, and therefore mine.

I could not be met with disappointment when I pick the kids up from school and say we're going home. It's not such an awful place. Maybe if they didn't have any toys if would be...but it's not like they play with them now...so maybe giving away they're toys would work out OK. I'll have to think on that...

Until the time when one of these things happens, I'm going to make myself a second cup of tea. My first one got cold and then spilled, which is somehow worse than being spilled when warm. Probably something about adding insult to injury. But I think a second cup is in order.

Don't you?

Know what? I mean no offense, but it doesn't matter so much if you agree...I am just me. And I want some hot, comforting, soothing, calming tea.

Wednesday and Walnuts

It's Wednesday. I've written a few other posts about Wednesday. (This one and this one, for example.) Apparently it's a good day to babble on and I like the way it sounds in a post title!

On this particular Wednesday I'd like to share a couple things with you...

Wednesday is my new HIIT day. That stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Now, I haven't actually read Mark Sisson's book, The Primal Blueprint, yet. (Although I have started it! Yay!) I'm assuming he'll explain this in greater detail in there. But for now, what I've come to understand it as, from reading his blog, is continuous difficult moves for a period of time. What I've been doing for the last two weeks is setting a timer for 7 minutes. Then I do:
10 narrow push ups
10 crunches
10 wide push ups
10 lunges
10 squat thrusts
10 extended sit ups
10 squat jumps
10 leg ups
10 dips
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat
Until the timer dings.

I don't worry about the order and I don't take breathers. If I can't possibly do that 9th and 10th of something, then I don't and immediately move on to the next one. It's tough. It hurts and last week it hurt for a few days after too! But from what I've read, it's not supposed to be fun. In fact, someplace (I think it was Mark who said it) I read that if you look forward to it, you're probably not doing it right!

So, Wednesday is the day I have that brand of fun. And I don't look forward to doing my HIIT workout, but I do look forward to being done with it for the week! And, since I've been doing it first thing in the morning, before breakfast even, Wednesday is once again a day I look forward to! Most of it is resting and eating great primal food! Can I get a woo hoo?!

The second thing on my mind is walnuts. When was the last time you ate a walnut? Not in brownies or even as part of a salad. Not glazed in honey, either. I hadn't eaten them for a long time. If we got nuts they were usually cashews. And we often got trail mix, but for some reason walnuts weren't part of any of the mixes I bought. Chocolate candies were though. But that's not my point.

Living Primal allows for eating nuts as a snack and the other night I brought out a bowl for Scott and I to share. It was just an assortment of simple nuts. I was paying attention to something online and when I went to get a few I noticed all the walnuts were gone.

"Did you eat all the walnuts?" I asked Scott.

"Yup."

"I didn't know you had such a taste for walnuts."

"I do."

"I knew you especially liked cashews, but I didn't know about walnuts."

"I like cashews too."

"So, all these years (we've known each other longer than we haven't and have been married for a third of our lives, just about) you've kept this from me. What else don't I know?" I smiled. So did he!

Well, Wednesday is winding down...I should too. Good night.

Not Me! Monday

For anyone who's new to Not Me! Monday...it's a fun, little way to deny the chaos of life that MckMama began over at her fun, not-so-little blog. Enjoy my denials and head over there to read tons more!



Well, to begin with...I'm not writing this at almost 9:00 at night because I forgot today was even Monday. I most certainly haven't been waiting for Monday to come around so that I can write another Not Me! post only to completely miss that it was actually Monday all day today! Why does Monday always sneak up on me?

I didn't have so much fun writing my first Not Me! post that I thought about keeping a list of things I'd like to publicly deny. That would be silly. On this non existent list I wouldn't have written something like "hadn't showered for two days before going to get my hair cut." I'd never go two days without showering and I most certainly wouldn't go out in public and have a service like a little trim done if I did.

I did not almost pee myself the other day because I was really into a game on FaceBook. I'm over 30...I know how to get to the potty on time. Surely, I do. I didn't on the same day witness Gracie run like crazy from the office, where she was playing on the computer, to the bathroom yelling, "I've gotta go BAAAAD!" on the way. I wouldn't set an example like that for my children.

I did not start this post with great intentions and then realize that it's not only bed time, but I don't have that much to say! I guess it's good that I don't have to much to deny this week, right?

Walking

Have you ever recognized someone from far away by the way they walk? If you've ever met the submarine when it comes in...it's the only way to do it. The guys are all dressed the same. Your husband may have lost weight from not eating well or gained from not eating well which means searching out the body type you knew months ago isn't always helpful. So, you look for that walk that is clearly your man.

I'm sure there are other times, too, that knowing a person's walk can be ever so helpful. Just in case you ever need to identify my kids by their walk...here's what I've noticed.

Jace is a boy with a focus. He usually walks pretty quickly, only looking ahead. That is unless his focus is on the book in his hand. Then he plods slowly along, eyes in the book.

Gracie hardly ever walks. She skips, jumps, hops. Even if she's holding your hand - she skips, jumps, hops.

Tyler doesn't walk. You can't really blame him. His legs are short. Cute, but short. So he runs. And he almost always leads with his head.

Hopefully that helps you pick out these three little monkeys from the crowd. If you happen to not be looking for them... Well, you still might recognize Jace when he bumps into you because he wasn't watching where he was going and glances up long enough to mumble, "Sorry." Gracie will be easily identifiable when she bounces on your toes and stops for a quick giggle and, "Oops! Sorr-rry!" and is gone again. And you'll no doubt know Tyler when he rams you with his hard head yelling, "Awwwrrrrr!" Hopefully you're well balanced.

The Problem With Moving

First of all, I don't mean moving as in packing up and loading the truck. I don't want anyone getting all excited and hurting themselves by jumping around and bouncing into something. Ouch! That wouldn't be good. The movement I'm referring to is activity, exercise, you know...doing stuff.



That said, I've been moving more over the last week than in weeks (or months) previous. It's all part of becoming more primal. I'm walking almost daily, which is something I've wanted to do for a long time and something has clicked, finally, and I'm up doing it. I'm lifting heavy things, at this point mostly my kids and my own body weight, but that totally counts. You try lifting wiggly giggly kids...you'll see. I'm sprinting. I've actually only done that once, but I've only been at this a week, that's all I need to have done it. Pretty cool, huh? I'm playing and laughing. We've exhausted all the hiding spots in the house and need to move our game outside. We've chased each other around the woods and all of it feels good. I'm definitely moving.

But the problem with moving is that it makes you want to move more. I want to go for more walks, longer ones. I want to ride my bike. I want to use all this new found energy...but it's not always possible. I have two hours in the car every day. I have grocery shopping, meal prep, laundry...which have even become forms of movement for me, but aren't the luxurious long walks I'd like.

Even when I have time to take a walk, Mother Nature seems not to be cooperating. It's chilly here. Granted, it's not New York cold, but our highs have barely been in the 50's. I didn't get Tyler a whole winter getup because it's usually cold for a few weeks and by now the trees are starting to bud. Not this year. And I can't take Tyler out in the stroller or bike trailer on days like this. I have tried, but his little hands get so cold, even on short trips. So, I'll wait a week or two before moving even more...maybe by then I won't be sore from yesterday's HIIT workout. (That's another thing I'm doing. It stands for High Intensity Interval Training. I think there are lots of ways to do it, but what I did yesterday was continuous reps of 10 each of narrow push ups, wide push ups, crunches, oblique crunches, extended sit ups ups, squat thrusts, squat jumps, leg lifts, lunges ,and dips. Even peeling sweet potatoes last night hurt! But I can feel everything I worked even more today!)

Whether the weather or my soreness are the reason, today I'm taking it easy, even though I want to move more. And that's the problem with moving.

Three Wishes

We don't usually eat out very often. With that said, we've been to Chick-fil-a twice in the last two weeks. The cool thing about that is that they have really neat toys in their kids' meals. The other cool thing is that you can trade your toy for an ice cream cone if it's unopened. Pretty neat, huh?

Well, the first time we went the kids got a story CD from Between the Lions. I didn't give them the option for ice cream that time. They love stories on CD. Wendy's was giving them out over the summer and that's when they first discovered how much they enjoyed listening to stories in the car. This CD was no different, they enjoyed it just as much as the first.

So, when we went back the second time to meet friends for lunch, I didn't turn the CDs in for ice cream. They still got ice cream because their friends did turn their CDs in and I didn't want to fight that battle. So, I just paid the extra to get them cones and let them keep the CDs. We now have the complete set.

Today we listened to a story about a woman who was given three wishes. After the story I asked the kids what they would wish for if they were given three wishes.

"Barbies! And a Barbie car...or a truck!" Gracie shouted. I don't know why she shouts...the van isn't that big, but she shouted.

Jace asked, "How about a jeep?"

"Yeah...a jeep! Lots of Barbies and a Barbie car and a Barbie jeep!"

"What about you, Jace?" I asked.

"Well...I'd like a BB Gun, a real one. And a real 4-Wheeler and a dirt bike."

Gracie offered her opinion. "Jace...what if you had another wish? Then you could wish for a real video game too."

Jace whispered to her so I wouldn't hear. "No...I can't wish for that. Mama and Dada won't let us have video games."

"Oh," Gracie whispered back.

I smiled to myself and didn't explain that we were hypothesizing and he could have whatever he wants!