Want to try paleo, but it seems so BORING.

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  • Kayciemae02
    Kayciemae02 Posts: 58 Member
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    I haven't completely switched over, but I really like it. If nothing else, it makes me pay attention to what I'm eating more and be aware when I am eating crap. I made baked chicken fajitas and had them in a lettuce wrap along with cilantro riced cauliflower the other night. Turned out pretty darn good - the fact that my boyfriend had 2 helpings of the rice was incredible! I have a hard time completely diving in to something - I prefer to slowly change over. Once I get a better handle on snack ideas, I may try the whole 30 myself...
    Like others said, there are a ton of recipes online and if you are on Facebook there are a ton of pages that help post recipes all the time! Just Eat Real Food is one of my favorites!! It's not all paleo - but many are. In general they post some great healthier alternatives for recipes!
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 941 Member
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    Why would you want to try paleo?
    Exactly.
    It's just another fad diet, and it's based on a flawed premise.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    The original post made me laugh.

    I could be just as creative as a cook restricted to paleo, as I a unrestricted. Sheesh.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    oh, and check out paleomg.com, there's more out there.
  • ChasingKatie
    ChasingKatie Posts: 331 Member
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    There is no snacking during Whole30, problem solved.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
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    I feel like I'm going to get so bored
    It seems that way when you're starting out, but then you realize you can have a ton of variety. Grains are mostly filler, anyway. Experiment with different vegetables, sauces etc cooked differently. I have been roasting cabbage and it's freaking awesome. I had halibut with a lemon/dill/butter/caper sauce monday night.

    It's not all bacon and eggs.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
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    Lamb Stew with Dried Plums - Essentially you braise the lamb in stock, add in sweet potatoes, onions, veggies, and dried plums (prunes) and let it slow cook for an hour or so. It is supposed to be served over wild rice, but is plenty delicious to eat on its own.
    This is going on my list.
    "nom nom paleo"
    I definitely am going to check that out!
    I'm just used to snacking on things like string cheese
    I am doing a little more ‘primal’ which is not quite as strict as what you’re doing but it allows cheese. I snack on cheese, when I snack. Also olives.
    I thought you couldn't have potatoes of any kind or jerky of any kind whether homemade or store bought... please correct me if I'm wrong!
    You can definitely have potatoes, but if you are trying to keep carbs lower you may want to not have too many. Ditto fruit. I don’t know what would be wrong with homemade jerky – it’s just meat. (I’m not doing whole30 though, I understand those rules are quite strict. I’m just inching towards the whole thing)
    It's absurd to call it an obviously inaccurate name.
    What does it matter what it’s called? A rose by any other name and all that. The premise is eating good whole foods as unprocessed as you can, and staying away from grains which some people have problems with.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    It is not "absurd" to eat whole natural foods. It's absurd that so many people don't think that what one eats affects health.

    It's absurd to call it an obviously inaccurate name.

    I wish people could get over the hang up with the name. We humans like to put labels on things. I don't agree that this lifestyle should be called a "Paleo Diet" either, but that doesn't change how my health has improved by living this way. Paleo/Primal/ketogenic does not have to perfectly match what we were eating historically to still have huge benefits. And, I eat quite a bit of wild meat, so I'm happy to accept that I am eating close to what my ancestors ate while still enjoying many of the foods available today.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I absolutely love a variety of foods in my diet and I've never been one to cut out specific food groups. However, I'd like to give paleo a try, more as a personal challenge to myself than anything else. I've been eating pretty badly lately and I think really cracking down for a month or so would be good for me. Plus, I'd be trying something new, which is never a bad thing. For this reason, I've decided to try the Whole30 program by Whole9 (it's basically just really strict paleo for 30 days). After I finish that I'll probably try to keep eating mostly paleo, but allow myself treats in moderation.

    Here is the shopping list for the Whole30 program: http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Shopping-List.pdf

    Based on those foods, I just feel like I'd be so bored and go nuts after three days of this thing!! I have friends who have done Whole30 and everyone says they loved it and the results were amazing. But I just don't see how anyone could "love it." Based on the shopping list here's how I picture a day of eating:

    Breakfast: egg scramble with veggies
    Lunch: grilled chicken salad with olive oil dressing
    Dinner: steak with broccoli and sweet potato
    Snacks throughout the day: fruit and nuts

    That doesn't sound so bad for a day at all... but EVERY day? I feel like I'm going to get so bored... How do you paleo people do it?

    I eat a variety of meats to include bison, venison, free range chicken and wild turkey, grass fed beef (many cuts)......I also eat seared liver, cow tongue, cheek and etc....

    I also eat a variety of vegetables.... all salad vegetables, bok choy, cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkin, butternut squash, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc.........

    Fruits.....watermelon, berries, cantelope, peaches, apples, bananas, etc.........

    The fruits and vegetables I eat what is in season and available at the farmers markets and in my CSA box every week. Right now we are coming to an end of strawberry season and blueberries are to die for good.

    I have a few cook books if you want to download them for variety and I can also email you a couple of websites that publish their recipes for free.

    Please message me if you want the above mentioned.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    If you wanna do it, just do it. Just get started. As you are doing it more ideas will occur to you and you'll find more recipes as you go along. Don't talk yourself out of trying something especially as a challenge if you really want to do it. Unless you don't really want to do it, which is okay too. IIFYM works fine too. I do that, hubby does paleo. I've lost weight, he's gotten healthier. It's all good.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    Why would you want to try paleo?
    Exactly.
    It's just another fad diet, and it's based on a flawed premise.

    ^this bs gets annoying after awhile. How is focusing on whole foods and limiting processed foods a "fad diet"? I do not consider my lifestyle a diet and it's interesting that so many general threads are about "diets" when Paleo/Primal people usually talk about "lifestyle" and "health" instead. Except for a few people first "trying Paleo" I do not know anyone who thinks of Paleo as a temporary diet.

    Based on a "flawed premise"... which is? Oh yeah, processed food must be so much more healthier than what we used to eat when we were hunter/gatherers cuz we died so young back then (have you studied anthropology in regards to "diseases of Civilization"?-perhaps with such a strong opinion you should)... Time to learn the difference between correlation and cause. Living in the natural world was dangerous and we didn't have surgeries and drugs to artificially prolong our lives back then, but we were NOT dying of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, etc. If I'm going to live to 90, I'm happy to now do so without being sick and obese. I was practically dead last year and now I feel like superwoman so if other people consider my lifestyle a "fad" that's their problem.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
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    I don't know if you use pinterest, but I have found loads of easy recipes and ideas on there. I have a 'primal' board that I pin yummy looking food to and I use it for ideas when meal planning.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Thanks for the ideas everyone!! I'm just used to snacking on things like string cheese, greek yogurt, air popped popcorn, peanut butter toast, etc. As well as occasional treats like ice cream!! So it's just a little hard to fathom eating ONLY meat, fruits, and veggies, you know?

    Also I'm a HUGE fan of The Hunger Games so whoever suggested looking into that, I'm in love with you haha. The thought of eating like Katniss just motivated me like 10000x more :D

    I'm pretty picky about my meats and will only eat chicken, steak/beef and occasionally pork (I used to be vegetarian and most meat still grosses me out). So that limits my options somewhat but I think I can live with it.

    I will check out that paleo app, sounds cool.

    Also, part of the Whole30 program is that since it's only 30 days, you're supposed to not try to "re-create" your favorite foods paleo style. They claim that defeats the purpose of learning to eat like this. I don't know how much I buy into that so I may break that rule :P

    If you don't have sugar cravings there is NO NEED to do a whole 30............just jump in and eat off the list of approved foods and feel free to recreate your favorite recipes Paleo / Primal style......

    JERF (Just Eat Real Food).
  • CatSaysKnit
    CatSaysKnit Posts: 4 Member
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    I've been Paleo of almost a year and boring it isn't!! not about the 30 day challenge but we have very good meals. Tonight we're have Walnut Basil Pesto over Spicy Sausage and Zucchini, tomorrow night, Crock Pot Beef Tagine with butternut Squash, and Cashew Chicken on Friday. It's just a matter of finding good sites for recipes. Some of my favorites are:

    PaleoTable
    Civilized Caveman
    Everyday Paleo.

    Snacks are great. Homemade Lara bars are the best and most of the real larabars are Paleo friendly too.

    It is truly a great diet and easy once you really get some good recipes!
  • CatSaysKnit
    CatSaysKnit Posts: 4 Member
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    I agree. people always ask me when i'll be done with this diet . . . Diet has such a bad tag with it in the US. I tell them that it's a lifestyle and I don't ever want to stop eating this way.
  • Delicate
    Delicate Posts: 625 Member
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    I found it quite liberating not feeling like i had to eat pasta or sandwiches everyday for lunch, now that is boring especially when the same ones only seem to be available.

    Who knows even if you decide 'paleo' isnt for you, you may keep some of the recipes for your general use. Its good to learn new things
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Right, there's no reason you have to begin with a Whole 30, unless of course you're dying to give it a go that way. I didn't start with a Whole 30 and did just fine. Since you like cheese and you didn't mention any sort of dairy issues, you might start out with a primal diet and see how that goes.

    There are tons of great recipes all over the web, for paleo, primal, and a lot that are just based on Whole 30 foods. Just google and you'll find all sorts of great stuff. There's no reason to eat boring foods...you're just going to have to do a bit of experimenting in the kitchen.

    Some of my favourite recipe sites:

    Nomnompaleo
    The Clothes Make The Girl
    Everyday Paleo
    Civilized Caveman
    Paleomg
    Chowstalker
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    It is.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    Thanks for the wonderful recipe sites and suggestions, guys! Maybe I will try primal first. One of the things I was most concerned about was giving up dairy, so if primal involves dairy that may be a better fit for me. Thanks again.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Thanks for the wonderful recipe sites and suggestions, guys! Maybe I will try primal first. One of the things I was most concerned about was giving up dairy, so if primal involves dairy that may be a better fit for me. Thanks again.

    I see this ALL over the boards, so I don't mean to single you out...why does it have to be all or nothing? Why not just take the principles from Paleo and tweak it to fit your individual tastes? (80/20 principle) Rather than searching for that "named" diet that allows you what you want and are comfortable with? Even though I may not agree with the absolute strictness of certain "named" diets, I completely endorse thier premise. Anything that gets people to eat real, whole foods is a good thing. I am "mostly paleo" but I have a greek yogurt and a cheese stick with my lunch. It doesnt derail things. Maybe once a week or every other week, I have a dinner than has some beans in it. Maybe once a month I'll cook up some pasta.
    I think people set themselves up for failure when they attempt a super strict diet and can't hold it 100%. I'm a huge fan of the 80/20 principle.

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