Holy Paleo...

Hypsibius

Hello, FitnessPal! It's been awhile. After an awesome 3 months with p90x -- I kept up some soft workouts but went back to my SAD diet -- slowly regaining creeping back up to 230 (I'm 6'1). My love for pastas, pizzas, breads, sandwiches is hard to go back to in moderation.

So I said screw it and decided it to try this Whole30 thing. Now on p90x I consumed a LOT of dairy, legumes, and complex "grains" (quinoa) so the idea of restricting to meats and tons of veggies/fruits seemed like an interesting challenge (my wife and I love to cook and cook every day).

In 22 days of a strict Paleo I've shed the weight VERY quickly. Two belt sizes and noticeably thinner in neck, face and waistline. But I was surprised to also note that since hitting the gym a little harder, that the muscle wasn't "gone" as I thought. Back and shoulders and arms and legs still look good, I think they were just covered up?

Anyway without rambling too much -- has anyone tried Paleo? I'm shocked. I eat really well, too (steaks, fish, almond-crusted chicken strips, sweet potatoes, TONS of veggies like brussels, roast carrots, etc.).

For paleo folks (or non-paleo folks) anything to try or watch out for?

Cheers,

Danny

Whitezombiegirl

Been paleo for 8 years ( not strict). It is great for my ibs. I lost 30lbs but.... Im.l considering going back veggie ( but no label) because i just dont like meat. Its a chore for me to eat it.

I don't want to go back to the carb heavy grain laden veggie diet though - so im having to do a bit of research.

kommodevaran

No advice, just want to say well done for researching and finding something that works for you! I personally believed I would be miserable without my daily choc and chips, but now I eat better than ever and don't miss anything - and I'm shocked too

MelanieCN77

I look at a lot of paleo recipes as starting points for my meals as they are often a good healthy base. This probably won't impact you too much if you're not on very low calories but I do notice they are quite high in fat a lot of the time. Same with strict veggie and vegan diets. Way more nuts and avocado than I could fit into my cals when aiming to lose.

cbelc2

I am losing right along at about a pound and a half a week while eating daily avocado and nuts. A recent study from the PREDIMED randomized controlled trial demonstrated weight loss with a relatively high fat Mediterranean diet. The olive oil group lost the most weight. What I HAVE given up is refined grains, added sugars, most red meat, all fried food, large amounts of potato, and all dairy except plain fat free yogurt.

Traveler120

Yeah I tried it for a few years and ended up with high cholesterol from all the meat and saturated fat. My digestion wasn't great. And I developed cold intolerance which is common on low carb diets and a sign of thyroid problems. I gave up paleo 2 yrs ago, started eating a 95% plant-based diet and having meat only a few meals per month and my cholesterol went back to normal, digestion improved due to reintroducing starches like whole grains, beans, potatoes etc. And my intolerance to cold disappeared.

In short, paleo was bad for my health. Also, the low energy due to low carbs made it hard for me to be active and weight loss was a struggle. After quitting paleo and eating as high as 75% carbs, I've lost 30+ lbs and have maintained 120 lbs +/-5 for 2 yrs now.

hpwc1lee

I am R2D2 of Whole30! It is life changing! I lost 14 lbs in 30 days but more than that I feel amazing and cravings and "hunger" are things of the past. Congratulations on your success!

toxikon

I find it much much easier to lose weight when I follow a low-carb diet - which is quite similar to Paleo. Just a focus on fresh meats and veggies. It's a very satiating way of eating which is why it works well. It also gets rid of a lot of water weight and bloat, so you LOOK thinner quickly.

Hamsibian

Trying to gain weight, but I'm on the Autoimmune protocol, which is an elimination version of Paleo. I am also low carb (not keto), and I eat everything cooked. Obviously, I'm not going to be in the elimination stage forever, but I have to say that it's been oddly liberating. I have tried so much stuff to help manage my Crohn's, but my symptoms kept getting worse. I was struggling at work, in pain and discomfort all the time, depressed, tired, etc. I had a horrible relationship with food due to the pain it caused. This diet has made life so much more enjoyable. I miss the convenience of picking up take out, but I don't miss most foods themselves. Except cheese....and peanut butter. And most homemade Middle Eastern dishes. Luckily, I think I'll be able to eat most of those foods again in moderation someday

Hamsibian

Plus, I eat more of a variety now than I was on the SAD. Sardines, anyone?