The word is getting out?

How popular is primal becoming? Can I rank it among the many diets that are people adopt?  Or maybe this one is different since it seems to be about a certain lifestyle? (We mimic the consumption and physical activity of our paleolithic ancestors)... I'll have to do some research before I discuss this further.

Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos

One popular website that I've been consulting for years - no matter what my diet style was, is NutritionData.com.  This site lets you search countless food options to obtain the food's nutritional value and breakdown.  And not matter what your food beliefs are, if you want to achieve health and fitness goals you'll need to know what is in your food.

Grok was recently perusing the site and noticed an article posted on the front page entitled, Are we getting the whole story on grains? We were happy to see an article on a popular site that was encouraging grain awareness.

The article is a quick read and gets right to the point: We see many studies about the heart-healthy benefits of eating whole grains.  But do we ever see studies about removing grains from our diet completely?

Good point.  I think you have something there!

A Day of Vices

Sometimes, you just need your fix.

Grokette has got her cravings and they have nothing to do with deficiencies in her diet.  I mean the stuff that you'd swear you could consume everyday for a lifetime.

Dark chocolate, red wine, cheese, artichoke hearts, strawberries, smoked salmon, shellfish, sparkling water.

I'm not sure what this list says about me, but I know that without this list I would be a very, very lost soul.  Everything on this list makes me feel so good. 

A few years ago when I looked to a croissant with nutella as being a favourite indulgence, I blamed the fat for making me feel terrible in the minutes that followed my eating it.  It wasn't until I started eating like Grokette that I realized that going primal didn't feel as restrictive as clean eating -- and I was blaming the wrong guy.  Sorry, Mr. Fat, please forgive me.  So long as I was eating grains, I was going to get a craving for more shortly after.  But with primal eating, I'm so much more satisfied after my meal and I don't have to watch the clock for my next snack -- I just eat when I'm hungry.  Not every 2-3 hours like clean eating recommends.

Today, Grokette indulged.

• She slept in;
• she ordered a big salad covered in smoked salmon, onions, capers and a serving of grapefruit vinagrette for lunch from a neighbouring restaurant;
• she had some 86% chocolate; and,
• she enjoyed a glass of wine after a softball game.

When I look at this list, I'm so pumped!  Measured against the Primal Blueprint, you should get lots of sleep (Grokette napped all the time and slept in when her body needed some extra rest), salmon is atop the list of fish full of good omega fats, and dark chocolate and red wine is totally game for your health as they're full of antioxidants. 

I wish that Grok had encouraged me to go primal sooner.  I've never been so happy making my body a little stronger and healthier.  I get my fix all day long.

The Cookie

Today, Grokette faced humpday with primal success... But not without sabotaging Grok's efforts...

In my work cave (a.k.a. my high-baffled cubicle covered in org charts and approval process maps) I plug away 40 hours of my week taking care of my boss and I supervise three worker bees.

I love my job mostly as I never know what is going to be thrown at me.  Much like Grokette who never knew what physical or mental challenge she would face.  I certainly couldn't escape a cheetah, nor weave a basket with leaves, but then again I don't think that Grokette could write a detailed memo.

Back to my work cave. 

I'm jumpy.  When people pop into my work cave unnoticed I have a tendency to jump 2 feet in the air.  Grok and I work in caves two floors from each other, and so this gives him the enjoyment of scaring me whenever he wishes.  Today was such a day.

Focused on my work, Grok snuck up behind me and loudly yelled in my ear, "WHAT'CHA DOIN'?"  I screamed, and promptly slapped Grok on the arm and called him a jackass.

I then looked at a wrapped cookie which was forced upon me by a colleague, and dangled it in Grok's face.  I told him that I had been a good little Grokette today and wanted to keep it that way, so I wanted Grok to be my knight-in-shining-armour and take the cookie away from me.

And so, I not only avoided poisoning myself with that cookie, but I got back at Grok's antics by giving him a sugar crash.

Sorry Grok, but you can say no to a cookie, too.

The lesson:  Grains make you crave sugar, so don't eat grains and you won't want a cookie. 

The second lesson:  If you don't like someone, give them a cookie.  They'll think you're making peace, and you'll know better.

(And no, I'm not really vindictive... This just made for a fun blog post!)