I thought I was a purist , but after reading..

[hawk]

I thought I was a purist but there is no way I can be. I eat a Dilettantes PP and as close to purist as I can. It depends on what I can find. The closer I get ,the less headaches I have and the better I breathe. I have sources of fresh organic chickens ,turkeys, and beef and a hunter who gives me venison. I eat mostly salads and berries . Very little dairy. Rarely have dressing. Drink distilled water ( preference) and coffee . Coffee is not purist.No legumes,and no processed food.
No grain,no alcahol.no sweetners not even honey. If I'm dying for a sweet, I will splurge on half a banana when I have eaten alot of protien first. That is my trip to the honey tree. I also will occasionally squeeze a little fresh orange on my salad.

[Shadow]

Lynn - I think a lot of people straddle the boundaries :). I just strive to do the best I can with what is available to me.

[banshee]

I have to admit to hedonism. ;) I know I would probably be even healthier if I moved toward the purist approach, but I just can't give up my sugar-free chocolates and other low-carb convenience foods. We used to be able to get nice no-hormone grass-fed beef (and fairly cheap!) when my brother-in-law was raising cattle, but sadly he no longer does that, so we have to make do with what we can find at the grocery store now-a-days. If I can ever get the garage cleared out to where we can easily reach the freezer, I might try to find someone selling this type of cow in the area and convince my in-laws to go in with us on a whole cow. That's what we used to do - split a whole cow between us.

[Shadow]

Mary - Believe me, I'm a confirmed hedonist too ;). But I try to meet some of the dilettante requirements now and again :p.

[gator8me]

I'm definitly a hedonist! lol Although I try to stay away from alot of the LC convience foods I am in no way shape or form anything but a confirmed hedonist. lol What can I say, I am a rebel at heart! ;)
Ally... hmmm where is the devil smilie? lmao!!!!

[Gabriel Guzman]

It's hard for me to say that I'm only hedonist or only dilettante... Actually I could be all three during the same day. I'm mostly hedonist but for some foods I may be dilettante and a total purist with respect to trans-fats.

[banshee]

It's hard for me to say that I'm only hedonist or only dilettante... Actually I could be all three during the same day. I'm mostly hedonist but for some foods I may be dilettante and a total purist with respect to trans-fats.

Oh, well if we're going to get specific... :D

I too adopt a purist approach to several things - no trans fats, and no "real" sugar are my big ones, although I'm dillettante in that I do use artificial sweeteners. I found that I actually get sick if I have real sugar, so it's really on my "never" list now. I'm purist about alcohol most days. I'm dillettante with my fish products - the only fish I ever eat is tuna, but I make sure it's canned in water. (I don't like the taste when it's canned in oils.) Lately I've been experimenting with increasing my fish oil supplements, but I think I increased too fast. Went from 1 gel straight to 4 and I've been having some intestinal issues. So I'm going to gradually ramp up to the higher doses and see if that helps.

[Mitra]

I don't quite fit the categories either. Because of the things I do eat - grains, unrefined sugar (within appropriate carb limits) - I'm a hedonist, but there are a lot of things that I don't eat. I don't eat any artificial sweeteners, or any soy products (though that's mainly because I don't like them), I don't eat protein powders (there's so much delicious real food and so little time to eat it - why would I want to waste valuable eating opportunities on funny tasting powders?), and I eat organic as much as I can, and buy unpasteurised cheeses most of the time. I have my own mental model of Paleolithic, Agricultural and Industrial eating styles. Paleolithic eaters eat only food you could catch or pick (and I think you'd have to eliminate most of the modern highly bred varieties of fruit), and it's effectively the same as Purist. Agricultural (or Neolithic) eaters would eat only what you could grow or rear and prepare in an artisanal kitchen. Industrial would embrace all the highly refined foods that can only be produced with larger scale factories.

I'm not trying to "sell" my model, it's just the way I tend to think about it, and the way I eat fits into eat more neatly than it does in the Hedonist, Dilettante, Purist one.

I don't think the PPLP categories are intended to make anyone feel guilty about being a hedonist - and the book says they're not something you need to stick to rigidly: you can move between them at different times. There was a quote that for some reason stuck in my mind from one of the books, but I can't remember which one, so it may not be exact, but something to the effect that, "there is no food that you cannot eat at some time in some quantity."

[Gaelen]

I'm one of those confirmed hedonists...but like everyone else, there are things I don't eat. I tend to focus on eating good fats...and avoiding transfats as much as humanly possible. I do eat soy, and protein powders...but also support local farmers and growers and make full use of our year-round farmers' market and organic growers at the supermarket. Having been a vegetarian for nearly 25 years from the mid 70s to the late 90s, I tend to favor vegetarian sources of protein but I also enjoy meat...it's just that I can't afford organically raised meats unless they're chickens. ;)

And since I'd rather use small amounts naturally occuring sugars than most artificial sweeteners or even stevia, and IMO chocolate IS a food group, I guess I'm solidly in the hedonist camp. ;)

Gaelen

[gator8me]

Having been a vegetarian for nearly 25 years from the mid 70s to the late 90s, I tend to favor vegetarian sources of protein

Gaelen,
Would you please be so kind as to give me a HUGE list of whatever vegetarian sources of protein there are out there? I am at a loss as to how to get my mom her protein in besides using protein powders at this point. I'm thinking if I can get a list of things to go over with her maybe we'll find some that we can both live with :D hehehe!
Thanks ~ Ally:cool:

[Shadow]

Ally - Until Pat gets back on board for more specific answers, have you checked out the Vegetarian forum? There is some great info there that Pat had written up for the old board. Just some reading material until she can give you a more complete answer ;).

I'm with everyone else - I incorporate all 3 levels into my eating. I have definite do's and don'ts that I follow. A lot of my limitations come from what is or isn't available where I live along with what I can or can't afford ;). I do splurge on good oils - olive, coconut, etc - but when it comes to something like vegetables, I have to buy what I can find, trying to get the best that I can given the market here.

[dvdmon]

I'm a wannabe purist. I do my best, but I think without a large income or living on an farm, it's difficult to say the least! I would say I'm almost a purist at home - I try to only get organic produce. I don't eat any grains, and the only beans I eat are the occasional black soybeans. However, the meat I get is not free-range. Sometimes it is, but often it is just minimally processed. Since we're on one income now, it's hard to get the grass-fed/free-range stuff. Eggs are always cage-free but not "organic." I've given up on all milk, cream, and half-and-half because the stuff you can buy at the store is either ultrapasteurized, homogenized, or both. For a while I was actually getting raw cream and milk and making my own half-and-half, but then the buying group that I was using ceased operations :( I still use butter occasionally, but try to get European kind which you can at least tell more definitely whether it's ultrapasteurized or homogenized. For cooking I only use coconut oil and olive oil for the most part. For fish, I only buy wild, and try to make it from sources I know are have relatively low mercury levels. I eat a lot of sardines packed in olive oil.

My main problem, and I suspect this is with most people, is in going out. The problem is I have no idea what is in the food I'm eating. I could be eating anything! I could try to get the exact ingredients, but my feeling is that I'm probably not going to like what I hear. I need to simply start packing lunch for myself and cut out this unknown variable. I only really go to a few places for lunch: Chipotle ( where they DO have free-range pork, but are they using some kind of bad oil to saute it?); Panera (where I get salads, but my guess is their dressings probably aren't olive-oil-based); The Corner Bakery (salads or a combo of tuna salad, chicken salad, and egg salad - but these all have mayo which I'm sure contains soybean oil); and a BBQ place (where there grill could very well have soybean oil as well).

So while I can be very good about resisting some things in order to be more purist, in other ways I somehow convince myself that what I don't know won't hurt me :( Gotta figure out how to work some other options in...

[Mitra]

Is the milk different in America? I buy mine from the supermarket, and it's organic, pasteurised (but not ultra) and not homogenised. And I buy organic double cream (50% fat) and creme fraiche (cultured cream) that's not organic, and I think is about 40% fat. I don't think we have half and half over here.

[dvdmon]

Mitra, it depends on which state, but most have laws that ban raw dairy. More states at least allow for raw cheeses and so I try to get these when I can, but standard cheese isn't usually ultra-pasteurized or homogenized. However, milk, cream, and half-and-half seem to ALWAYS be one or the other, or both - at least here in Virginia - and I look in organic-oriented stores... Speaking of which the labeling law in the U.S. currently says only 95% of something has to be organic in order to get the "organic" label. With produce it seems unlikely this matters, but I'm not so sure about organic dairy. Luckily it's almost time for the farmer's markets to reopen here, and I have a little more faith that local farmers will be 100% true to organic principles than the huge conglomerates like Horizon (which is the largest organic dairy producer her in the U.S.).

[Mitra]

Over here shops aren't allowed to sell raw milk (only the farms that produce it), so raw milk is pretty hard to find, but you can get milk that's not homogenised, and isnt ultra-pasteurised quite easily. And you can get unpasteurised cheeses even in supermarkets.

[gator8me]

Ally - Until Pat gets back on board for more specific answers, have you checked out the Vegetarian forum?

Thanks Shadow and yes I have been checking it out somewhat. I must confess that its just really confusing for me but I'm thinking thats because my heart just really isn't into the vegetarian bit. lol Know what I mean? I plan on having a talk again with my mom and see if she can give me specific answers as to why is it again that she SAYS she doesn't want to even eat eggs or any other kind of dairy product. Its hard to say because in this area she is so wishy washy so its not like its something shes doing for religious reasons etc. She pretty much is very easily swayed so I'm hoping that I can sway her into at least getting protein from fish and dairy soon!;) I am going to be talking to a nurse friend of hers that she listens to and see what she has to say. Maybe between the two of us we can get her on a good plan for HER. :)
Ally

[Shadow]

I must confess that its just really confusing for me but I'm thinking thats because my heart just really isn't into the vegetarian bit. lol Know what I mean? Ally

Absolutely :D!

Maybe between the two of us we can get her on a good plan for HER. :)
Ally
I wish you the best of luck, Ally!

[gator8me]

So do I sound like I am thinking along the right track at least? Or am I just being a "butt"? lol
Ally

[Shadow]

Ally - I think you're definitely on the right track with your thinking!!! If someone would've just given my mother the right diet advice, I know she would've been around much longer than she was - and wouldn't have died in such poor shape :(. Unfortunately, that was before I discovered PP - but knowing my mom, it would've taken years to convince her :rolleyes:!

[Joli]

I'm firmly in the Hedonist camp, with a few Dilletante points thrown in. I avoid all hydrogenated oils and I buy organic cookies, crackers and chips for my kids (which are doled out in small quantities), although they still get hydrogenated oils from the snacks at church and when Daddio gets them a cookie from the grocery store. I also avoid anything with HFCS in it, but I'm not averse to using Splenda.

I personally rarely eat grains of any kind, but aside from the snacks for the kids, I don't buy organic due to expense. I just talked to a lady at church today, though, who said they are trying to start an organic foods coop so that anyone who is interested can purchase organic foods at closer to grocery store prices. I hope they get that up and running. That would be awesome!

[Mitra]

Although I often buy organic, I'll always put flavour and careful production standards before the organic label. Non-organic vegetables from the farmers market, grown by a market gardener who cares about the quality of his produce are usually better tasting and fresher than organic supermarket veggies. And I buy my meat from the butcher, even though it's not organic, because they know and care about what they're selling, and it's properly hung (3-4 weeks for beef) and tastes much better than the supermarket meat, even though I could get organic meat from the supermarket.

If I can, I'll get organic veggies from the farmers market, and if the butchers have organic meat in, I'll get that, but I won't buy it just for the label. I rarely get organic cheese, because I like to buy unpasteurised cheeses made by small artisanal producers who would rather concentrate on the quality of the cheese than the vast amount of paperwork needed to get organic certification.

[backpacker]

I am a dilettante, with a some purist points.

1. Avoid all cereal grains and products.

This will happen very soon. The *only* grain product I ate was a fantastic 3g ECC per slice bread. The jerks discontinued it this week. I was crushed, but alas my grain is gone!

2. Eat only organic, fresh produce.

Been this way for a while. I no longer go to the big grocer. I shop exclusively at my local coop where the veggies, fruits, eggs, meats, etc are all orgainc. Not all of the meat they carry is organic, but they carry a good variety of organic meats that I choose from. I buy only grass fed beef, and free range chicken. All meat is grown locally by small family owned farms.

3. Eat only natural meal, poultry, or game products.

See above. I was getting a lunch meat for my sandwiches that was uncured, nitrite and nitrate freee, no preservatives, made from organic meat, and gluten free. All it really had in it was sea salt and a few other minor things. But now that my bread is gone, I doubt I'll get it any more. I make my own beef jerkey with no preservatives other than sea salt.

4. Avoid all legumes.

Still eat a small amount of peanuts from time to time. I also eat green beans and sugar snap peas (love these in my stir-fry's), and a few other "green" beans.

5. Avoid all dairy products.

Never. I *LOVE* cheese. Sorry, not going to budge on this one. I also use sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy whipping cream in my cooking. I'll never give up my creamed spinach!

6. Avoid all processed foods.

Very close on this one. My processed food intake is very minimal, especially since my bread is gone (can you tell I miss my bread). There are very few processed items I eat. Anything that is processed, I read the ingredient list very carefully and won't buy it if it has anything at all un-natural. If I don't recognize something I'll go home and read about it. If I decided it's okay, I'll buy it the following week.

7. Avoid all sugars but honey. Use only liminted amounts of the honey.

Yep.

8. Eliminate all artificial sweeteners. The only exception is stevia.

Yep.

9. Eliminate all sources of caffeine. Herbal teas and decaffeinated coffee allowed.

Nope. I drink oranic green tea which has 28mg of caffeine per tea bag. I have another I love that has 19mg per bag. I drink 2 cups of tea per day. Considering coffee has 90-110mg per 8oz cup, I'm nowhere near what most coffee drinkers intake, or what I used to intake (2-12oz cups per day). I ditched coffee about 3 months ago. I miss the flavor, but I really love me tea, and especially the benefits of green tea.

10. Eliminate all alcohol.

HA! HA! That's funny! Whew... I needed a good laugh this morning. Gimme a break, I'm Irish. :D I love red wine, Jameson whiskey, and the occasional Miller Lite or Bud Select (don't like either of those beers though!). Every once and a while I'll treat myself to a guinness, but that's rare these days (10-20 carbs per can/tap depending on the batch). The red wine is get is usually Spanish or other European wines since they tend to use much less pesticides (if any) than US wine vineyards (from what I have read and heard - I don't know this for a fact).

On top of this, I eat no MSG, nitrates, nitrites, or processed meats (other than my own jerky). I cook only with cocoanut oil or olive oil (or butter if it's low heat and I want that flavor). I won't consume anything with high fructose corn syrup. I'd say that 99% of what I buy has no preservatives, and is organic.

What does all this add up to? A very very large grocery bill. :eek:

My exceptions come when I go out to eat. There is nothing you can do about it though. I do my best and usually get a "meat" with veggies. Luckily this is less than 10% of my food intake.

[dvdmon]

HA! HA! That's funny! Whew... I needed a good laugh this morning. Gimme a break, I'm Irish. :D I love red wine, Jameson whiskey, and the occasional Miller Lite or Bud Select (don't like either of those beers though!). Every once and a while I'll treat myself to a guinness, but that's rare these days (10-20 carbs per can/tap depending on the batch). The red wine is get is usually Spanish or other European wines since they tend to use much less pesticides (if any) than US wine vineyards (from what I have read and heard - I don't know this for a fact).

Happy St. Pattie's Day! :) When you drink green beer, doesn't it count as a low-carb veggie? ;) Actually, I thought I remember hearing that Guinness was only 5g per serving. Perhaps that was a self-dellusional fantasy.

What does all this add up to? A very very large grocery bill. :eek:


That is the rub, eh? Eating this way can be expensive. I am hoping to grow lots of veggies this year, but I'm not sure if that's going to save that much, since meat seems to be by far he most pricey item. This is one thing that motivates me to eat smaller portions - something that has always been a challenge. I think if we constantly remind ourselves (thos of us who choose to try to be as purist as we can) that we are choosing quality over quantity, that can help us not only eat less (which is an issue for some of us), but also to keep our grocery bills lower than they could be...

[Mitra]

I try to keep a little bit of a lid on the bill by trying to avoid wastage. If we have roast sirloin on the bone, even the bones get cooked up again to make stock. And the drippings from the roast are collected to use as cooking fat. I try to have a sort of rhythm to the cooking and eating, so that most things I cook will run through several meals in different forms. And, of course, pork, liver, oily fish etc are relatively cheap - but we still do spend a lot on food. It's something that's important to both of us. We'd rather eat well than go on holiday, have a fancy car, buy lots of things for the house ... most things really.

[Billie]

I have so much enjoyed reading and re reading this thread.

Janet I think I am heading towards your thinking about food, Gabe has long time been there. I never thought this program was particularly expensive because I rarely eat out. Watching my co-workers 4 out of 5 days go out for lunch has really put a perspective on my thinking about the cost of food and the relative importance it must make. While I was bringing left overs from beef or chicken, or bringing some tuna, salad or salmon, whatever, they were going out and beside eating whatever, they were usually spending most days $5.00 to 7.00 on lunch.

You are right Janet, using every part of the beef bone or like last night we made a vegetable thickening for the pot roast with left over mushrooms, squash and zucchini.

Sometimes for me at least, it is more the imagination that I may lack in cooking, not so much the expense. When you really get into the heart of PP, I think you start looking at what can you do to this or that without the expense of carbs and also the expense of eating.

[cmcole]

Have you ever tried to make your own bread, or should I leave well enough alone, now that you've lost your supply?

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/recipes/recipe-bread21.html

[cmcole]

I guess I would have to fall somewhere between the terms, as well.

I tend to stay away from processed foods as much as possible.

I will use a little Splenda or Sugar Twin.

I don't drink diet drinks with or without aspartame (some have Splenda, but I don't usually head for those, either).

I rarely consume alcohol

I will, however, have caffeinated tea or coffee

I will eat tuna, salmon, sardines, kippers, etc., in oil, broth or water. I would like to be able to get them in a more natural state, but that is not always possible.

I try to get fresh produce, but that is not always possible, so I have to make up the difference through the winter with frozen.

I avoid most wheat products (the exception being vital wheat gluten, on occasion).

I avoid most legumes, with the exception of green beans (fresh, in season), snowpeas and occasionally peanuts. I hadn't even thought about the fresh beans as being legumes (stupid, or what?). I was only thinking of canned or dried beans as being legumes.

Occasionally, I will eat soy products - tofu, TVP, soy milk (rarely)

Now that my hubby has been told to watch his sugar content, he is bringing more "convenience" foods into the house, so I have to be more diligent in avoiding those.

Also, I will use protein powder, but usually in baking.

[Hellistile]

Due to age, allergies and medical conditions I do PP in a purist fashion, sticking to mostly meat, fish, fowl, eggs, butter, coconut oil, lard and very few veggies, no fruit or nuts, no legumes (so no soy), no grains whatsoever, no dairy with the following exceptions:
Coffee and tea (no more than 3 cups per day) with stevia and coconut milk in coffee
1/2 grapefruit almost daily

I have tried different combinations of low carb plans but with my allergies and medical problems it looks like I have to stick to the above very closely.

[hawk]

Hellistile, What is your menu like? I have to pretty much take the same rout and am always interested in what a purist has a a daily menu.

[Mayflowers]

The only thing I disagree with in low carb is honey. Raw Honey. Honey is natural. A 1/2 to a tsp a day has kept away my supposed "severe" allergy to rag weed. It also has greatly helped my spring allergies to tree and grass pollen. Since honey was eaten by our paleolithic ancestors I think it deserves more merrit than being treated as a "sugar". It contains healthful enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. If not eaten by the 1/4 cup full I don't see a problem using it.

[deirdra]

I never thought this program was particularly expensive because I rarely eat out. Same here, plus I used to require $1-2/day worth of antihistimines, decongestants and asthma drugs to breathe and lots of advil, aspirin & tylenol for headaches & joint/muscle aches & pains. With no grains/soy in my diet, I don't need them anymore.

My high-carb diets may have been cheaper, but the high-carb binges they brought on were not. I don't crave carbs now, so I no longer have budget-blowing junkfood binge days. I don't think many factor these in when they complain about the cost of LC; they only think of what it cost to eat when they were being "good" on their high-carb diets. In the mid-80's I could eat for $1/day (homemade low-cal vegetarian foods) ON the diet, but could eat $10-20/day of processed/junkfood when OFF the diet! And one binge led to more binges.

Like others, I'm a purist on some things (grains, soy, transfats, artificial sweeteners), the things that I react badly to, and a dilletant on thinks I like and do not react badly to (a cup of coffee and a cup of tea each day with a tiny bit of cream). I eat organic meat and veggies iff the quality and price are reasonable (I leave old grey organic meat & veggies in the store and opt for local fare).

[Mayflowers]

Does anyone recommend a creamer for coffee that's non dairy and non soy?

[Gaelen]

you could try unsweetened nut milk, like almond milk, if you have to avoid dairy or soy for some reason.

[lowcarbgirl]

I myself am a dilettante leaning towards purist. I only eat organic for veggies and fruits (berries for me please). Meat has to be at least free range but preferably organic. Also organic raw dairy and organic eggs. I have removed all chemicals from the diet and eat only whole foods. I also only use all natural health and beauty aids as well as cleaning supplies now.

So what makes me not a purist you ask? I make organic brownies with organic cocoa and xylitol. I also add organic black soy beans to my chili once in a while and I have the rare cup of black coffee (ok not a whole cup anymore a few sips of the stuff can get me wired these days!!!! :cool: ).

hugs,
Willow....who took a long long time to get to this but gets healthier all the time

[Mitra]

You don't need to look as far as the brownies and soy ;). The raw dairy isn't purist, either - but I wish I could find some :(. I can get unpasteurised cheeses easily, but not milk or cream. Over here, farms that produce milk are allowed to sell it directly without pasteurising, but shops can't, and it's not easy to find a farm that does and is close enough to make a regular supply feasible. I don't know if all the health claims for raw dairy are true or not, but processing and preserving change the flavour of most foods as well as the nutritional value, so I would like to have the chance to make a comparison.

[miralin]

Man, I straddle some serious lines here.

No grains, no sugar (I'm not giving up my splenda, but I don't use very much of it), very little soy (my stir fry still needs a little soy sauce but my thyroid doesn't like it otherwise), as much free-range meat as I can afford (which frankly isn't much, very often), mostly organic on the veggies (that one's easy, I live in LA and we have lots of local farmers' markets). I don't eat eggs, so no worries there. And I've cut my dairy way back, but I am not willing to eliminate it completely. Beyond that, I try to avoid processed foods, and well give me a couple weeks and we'll see how I feel.

That's my plan, anyway. Today is day two of round two . . . rah rah!

[lowcarbgirl]

I don't know if all the health claims for raw dairy are true or not, but processing and preserving change the flavour of most foods as well as the nutritional value, so I would like to have the chance to make a comparison.


There is a tremendous difference in taste. Even if you can't get raw, if you just got organic/natural you would notice a big diffence. Personally I like raw the absolute best. I consider it to be the way nature meant me to have it.;)

hugs,
Willow

[Mitra]

I do get organic, non-homogenised milk, and I wonder if something is different about the pasteurisation over here - when I've bought milk in America it tastes sort of sweetish (like milk that's been cooked), and seems to keep for longer than I'm used to. It may be because I was buying a different sort - perhaps I was mis-translating the labels ;). I'll still keep looking for a source of raw milk to try.

[Gaelen]

Mitra, pasteurized *homogenized* milk tastes much different (and a bit sweeter) than pasteurized non-homogenized milk. Also, spring milk (cows on fresh grass) always tastes different from winter milk...

Gaelen, from dairy country ;)

[Mitra]

Thank you. That would explain why I could never get my coffee to taste right when we were staying with my BIL!

My supermarket sells Jersey milk, which is not homogenised, and is very yellow and 5% fat, but not organic. I'm always torn between that and the non-homogenised organic milk (white, and about 4% fat). One of the organic brands says the kind of cows, but I can't remember what they were. I've noticed the spring/winter taste effect in cheese. I like the pecorino that's about 3 months old, but often eat older ones through the winter, then switch to very young ones in the spring because the cheeses made with winter milk just don't taste the same. Interestingly (well, it's interesting if you're a food-geek ;) ) when I commented in the cheese shop that I only like Stilton in the winter, the shop assistant said that's because it's made with the summer milk, then suggested another blue cheese which is coloured yellow, using carotenes, and said that they compensate for some of the deficiencies fo the winter milk - and, when you think about it, milk (and chickens) are more yellow in the spring, because of the carotenes in their diets, so it makes a sort of sense that adding some to the milk would help it out in the winter (it still wasn't quite the same as the real thing, though).

[Carmen Sandiego]

I think technically I'm a hedonist, but only because of the cost of free-range/organic meats and eggs in my area. Otherwise I'd be a dilettante! :D

I really try to avoid grains and don't miss them too much! I have a love/hate relationship with dairy! :p I love cream and cheeses, but I suffer some nasty head congestion after I have them!

I'm an occassional coffee drinker, but mostly during the colder months.

[bigdawg_SLC]

Count me in for being a confirmed hedonist (kind of makes me think of being a heathen -- whatever that means :p ). I like to many things that don't fit in the purist or delittante scheme.

I've found that at first it was easier just to watch the carbs. Now that I'm starting over -- it just about carb counting....Once I get respectable again -- then I can refine! No matter what the outline -- I know PP works -- been there done that even kept the t-shirt -- now just to fit back into the t-shirt!

[paleogirl]

Dilettante but verging on Purist for me. Strictly no grains, soy, legumes, starches, dairy or chemical junk, no oil except olive oil, but I still drink organic green tea and a little wine. Always free-range organic eggs, always grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, free-range pork (ok it's bacon, but it's from free-range piggies with no nitrates etc!) :p Always wild fish, not farmed. Oh, and I still eat canned (wild) fish. Only ever organic veg/fruit though. If they don't have what I'm looking for in organic, I get something else that IS organic. Figure that way I'm getting more variety anyway. Oh and I threw the microwave away last year. :)

[momuvfour]

I'm different everyday, it depends on what mood I'm in. Mostly I try to be a purist, but I'm a rebel at heart too.

[ruthla]

I'm on the "what ruthla can tolerate" plan. ;) This means no gluten, very low amounts of gluten free grains, no dairy except butter, no legumes except for tiny amounts of fermented soy (wheat free tamari used as a seasoning, but no soy used as a protein source) or a bit of soy oil in mayo. I can't tolerate artificial sweeteners either.

I can't afford to buy all organic foods, so I don't. I need my coffee (with stevia and coconut milk) to help prevent migraines.

So my diet is mostly "Purist" but I'm not following the book for a list of foods to eat or avoid. I'm following my body, and then seeing that what's left closely resembles the "purist" plan.