Paleo diet, can someone tell

eric_sg61

stick to foods that work for you and take out foods that don't.

This is the easiest form of dieting in existence.....just don't give it a marketable name and ruin it

ecdce

You've gotten good information here already, but I would add (because it was confusing to me in the beginning) that there's really no 'right' way to eat paleo/primal/caveman/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. I think those terms initially meant specific, slightly different things, but they're mostly used interchangeably now from my experience. There's the general guideline of no legumes, no dairy, no grains, etc. But from my experience everyone does it to varying degrees. Some people eat sweet potatoes, some people don't. Some people eat things like peas, which are legumes I think, but can be eaten raw. Some people don't eat any added sweetener, some people only eat less refined sweeteners as a treat, some people eat artificial sweeteners. Some people even monitor their insulin response to food to see what's okay for them personally. Some people eat that way 100% of the time. Some aim for 85% (or whatever works for them). Some people have 'cheat' meals or non paleo days. Some people change their exercise habits to be more in line with what they'd consider paleo, too.

So, where Atkins has a rigid plan and structure that most people who do Atkins would adhere to, the paleo diet/lifestyle is just more a way of eating. If it's something you're interested in, but don't want to go without dairy, for example, don't let that stop you from giving it a try -- there are some paleo people who can be sort of militant about their approach and see any deviation from their approach as sacrilege and offensive, but they're the exception, not the rule. There are plenty of people who do paleo+dairy or paleo+dark chocolate or paleo+whatever. Most people seem to have a 'do what works for you and if eating x doesn't hurt you, then have x in moderation'.

pluckabee

Thanks for the scolding. Chill out and relax. Your gravy sounds horrible. Btw.

Poor lamb has never had real gravy before. Pity.

Tigermum9

Thanks guys!!! I have a better idea now, I did look it up first but just got a loa of flashy advertising shpeel. And even thought I dont want to be part of the gravy war. Gravy is gravy. I HATE dry food.

shannashannabobana

You can make all sorts of gravy/sauces on a paleo diet so I wouldn't worry about that! I agree with the previous poster, it's basically eating real food, try to stay away from processed foods, grains (some people make exceptions for rice), legumes (although there are better and worse preparation), and soy/vegetable oils. Also, sugar

But you can be as strict or as open as you like. I aim more at primal, which includes dairy, because I love cheese and I throw cream in my coffee.

When I make gravy, I do go ahead and chuck in a bit of flour but gravy is more about the liquid and fat, the flour is just for thickening. You can do without.

OH! Almost forgot - it differs from Atkins because it's not so restrictive and you can make it higher or lower carb as you like. Fruits, potatoes, root veggies, etc...all included to the levels you choose.

erica_bunny

I started eating Paleo in January and lost 25 pounds in 3 months... then took a break for my birthday week, which turned into a month, and then 2 months after the death of my grandpa. I just started Paleo again this Monday. Surprisingly, I didn't find it as difficult as I thought, as long as you get past the headache in the first few days (mine is currently today) then you'll be fine. And don't be afraid to be creative! My Paleo friend makes his own "paleo mayo" which I would rather just stay away from, but I'm sure you can figure out a crafty way to make some gravy Give it a shot... just hold on past the headache stage and you'll feel much better. Great results so far too... no more pain, better sleep, more energy, and weight loss.

Good luck - I hope you try it. The books are helpful, but sticking to a basic Eat/Don't Eat list works just as well

fastfoodv

The Paleo diet is one that’s based on how people ate over 10,000 years ago. It includes those foods that one could “hunt and gather.” So it’s a high protein diet that excludes food groups like grains, sugar, dairy, legumes, potatoes, processed oils or more modern foods 10,000 years or younger. I don’t recommend it.

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mosseho

Paleo is great and easy diet. Easy from that point of view that you don't need to care about calories, you don't need to count anything. You just eat what you want and as much as you want, until you are full.
What is quite difficult for some peple is that you have to remove some foods from your list... - no grains, no dairy, no processed food. All you can eat is meat, fowl, fish, eggs, vegetables, oils, fruits, nuts and tubers. It might seem you cannot eat almost anything, but actually, there are plenty of recipes for very tasty foods.
Basically the Paleo diet works in the way that your body takes energy by burning fat while on todays food your body gets energy from burning carbs. What that means is that your body is getting hungry all the time...
After just about a week on Paleo, you will be able to see the improvement of your lifestyle. You have more energy, you sleep better, there are some people that their allergies were gone... And if you want to loose weight with this diet, you will have to control how much fruits and nuts you it, because those two are the only sources of sugar.
Paleo is definitely worth a try, even just for 30 days. Than you can decide to continue or go back to your previous lifestyle. Just choose recipes you like at http://paleofoodcooking.net/ and set up your meal plan and go for it.;)

darkangel45422

Like others have said, there's no one strict definition of Paleo/Primal; most agree with not having many grains or legumes but dairy is usually a harder point; some allow it in moderation, others suggest lumping it in with grains and legumes. The easiest way I see it is try to eat natural goods that are minimally or not at all processed - meats, vegetables, eggs, healthy oils, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc.

But the most important thing I'd say is to make it your own. Experiment and see how your body reacts to different foods. A good way to start is eliminating everything (no grains, legumes, dairy, processed foods, sugar, etc.) for 21 days, and then slowly reintroduce one food at a time to see how you react. No bad side effects? Then you can probably eat some of it as part of your diet (though don't make it a staple). If you don't react well, then you know you're sensitive and should avoid it most of the time.

This is a lifestyle, so its really about finding a way to be healthy and happy.

KyleinSD

Atkins is a diet. The basics are high protein and low carbs. As with any diet, you will see short-term results from following this plan. The problem is sustainability. The right kind of carbs are essential to good health, and restricting a macronutrient from your diet isn't a good recipe for long-term health.

Paleo differs in that it's really more of an eating lifestyle than a diet. The restrictions are: no grains, no dairy, no legumes, no sugar, no vegetable oils and no preservatives. You can eat all the carbs you want from fresh fruits and vegetables. You basically are just eliminating all the processed foods and sugars found in the typical American diet.

At the end of the day, weight management is a simple, calories in vs calories burned equation. That's why tracking your intake with a tool like myfitnesspal is so valuable. With Paleo, you can pretty much eat as much as you want as long as you eat the right kind of foods.

I thought is sounded a bit restrictive at first. And I have to admit that I'm far from perfect in terms of following it to the letter. But since I started Paleo about 6 months ago, weight management is no longer an issue for me. Here's a link to a great Paleo recipe book if anyone is interested: http://getleandiet.net

Crohns2013

No gravy.

:sad:

That is rubbish!! You just make your own like everyone used to before the invention of Bisto!!!
The other night I roasted a piece of beef, when it was done I took the beef out of the roasting pan and poured some boiling water into the pan. I put the pan back on the hob, added some salt, pepper, herbs (you can also add coconut flour for a heavier consistency but it's really unnecessary) and used a wooden spoon to get any leftover beef and drippings of the bottom of the pan and stirred it for a few minutes --- voila! The most tasty, natural gravy in the world!

We make gravy the same way, and it's delicious.