Paleo SHIFT

SnicciFit

I know there's a lot of dissent out there about the so-called "paleo diet," but I think this article sums up how I feel about it. It's not a "diet," it's not about restriction or "bad" foods vs. "good" foods. It's about what works for YOU. For me, NOT focusing on calories, but instead focusing on the quality of my food and avoiding the foods that were making me sick, was the key to getting healthy and finding & maintaining a healthy weight. (I know all the calories in/calories out people are going to jump in and say "that's because you ate in a deficit!", and I probably did, but that's not the point. The point is I didn't FOCUS on how many calories I was eating/using.)

As the article states:
"it eases you into making healthier food choices that work for your lifestyle instead of being based on someone else’s list of perfect foods."

http://primaldocs.com/opinion/paleo-shift/

Obviously, the author is looking to gain clients and earn money (and that's ok!), but all of this can be done without her. All you need is an open mind and willingness to try something new. It can really be as simple as replacing your pasta with veggies, filling half of your plate up with veggies and the rest with meat and healthy fats, trying to eat veggies at every meal. You don't have to call it Paleo. Call it "I eat mostly veggies & meat and occasionally have treats."

verdemujer

I like your post! My doc put me on Atkins last fall and we did it but its way restrictive. My bro has done Paleo and it's really worked for him. Until he was plateau-ing. Then he really looked at the calories of all those nuts and went "ooops". Me - I love my cheese. But I find I cook more Paleo-like than anything. We eat a lot of protein and veggies and some fruit. Once in a while we have some thing that is bread but I'm not going out of my way to bake those 'fake' paleo bread/cakes/cookies recipes. If I wanted those carbs, then I would never have gone to Atkins. I do still need to count my calories because I have a life time of not eating enough and when I don't eat, I don't lose. And since I can be very happy eating less than a 1000 a day, I have to track to know I actually eat more than that. Its all about eating what makes me feel healthy and happy and able to still function.

SnicciFit

Its all about eating what makes me feel healthy and happy and able to still function.

:flowerforyou:

ash8184

I agree! It's what works for each person. I have paleo friends and raw vegan friends, and everything in between. If they're happy and healthy, so be it. I am just like you though - I just don't tolerate yeast/gluten/sugar well, so I stay away from it. And "restrictive" is such a negative word... I think healthful is a better word. Cutting out sweets and breads/pastas isn't restrictive so much as healthful! Great job

extra_medium

Cutting out sweets and breads/pastas isn't restrictive so much as healthful! Great job

But it is not required to cut these out in order to lose weight and be healthful, in which case many people would see it as being pretty restrictive.

MUALaurenClark

I think for me, eating paleo is about putting foods into my body that our bodies were designed to handle.

Our bodies really weren't designed to handle bread and processed foods.

shardown

I follow a semi paleo diet. I have cut out a lot of carbs from my diet but will eat things like multi-grain bread and potatoes (on occasion). I agree that it is about making better quality food decisions and it's made me cook a lot more! So while I'm not 100% paleo, I still follow it as much as I can and have several paleo cookbooks!

Akimajuktuq

Cutting out sweets and breads/pastas isn't restrictive so much as healthful! Great job

But it is not required to cut these out in order to lose weight and be healthful, in which case many people would see it as being pretty restrictive.

Yes, for many people, it is a requirement to cut out these foods to be healthy. Just because you haven't experienced something doesn't make the experience of others invalid.

STC1188

I followed Paleo pretty hardcore, but I honestly believe there is nothing special about its food selection. Sure, the focus on meat and veggies and fruits is nice, but whenever I had a "bad" reaction to foods while Paleo was psychosomatic (or so my current eating habits have revealed). It's fine if you need to eat that way or need to somehow mentally discipline yourself, but it, strictly speaking, is not necessarily better or worse than any other diet (for example, if ALL you ate was pork and broccoli--both Paleo friendly--you would have just as many health problems as anyone else with a poor diet).

DatMurse

im glad that the people base their diet off of a time when the average age of death was 30

eric_sg61

im glad that the people base their diet off of a time when the average age of death was 30

We were only designed to live that long..............its only natural

iechick

Cutting out sweets and breads/pastas isn't restrictive so much as healthful! Great job

But it is not required to cut these out in order to lose weight and be healthful, in which case many people would see it as being pretty restrictive.

Yes, for many people, it is a requirement to cut out these foods to be healthy. Just because you haven't experienced something doesn't make the experience of others invalid.

:huh:

MyChocolateDiet

I know there's a lot of dissent out there about the so-called "paleo diet," but I think this article sums up how I feel about it. It's not a "diet," it's not about restriction or "bad" foods vs. "good" foods. It's about what works for YOU. For me, NOT focusing on calories, but instead focusing on the quality of my food and avoiding the foods that were making me sick, was the key to getting healthy and finding & maintaining a healthy weight. (I know all the calories in/calories out people are going to jump in and say "that's because you ate in a deficit!", and I probably did, but that's not the point. The point is I didn't FOCUS on how many calories I was eating/using.)

As the article states:
"it eases you into making healthier food choices that work for your lifestyle instead of being based on someone else’s list of perfect foods."

http://primaldocs.com/opinion/paleo-shift/

Obviously, the author is looking to gain clients and earn money (and that's ok!), but all of this can be done without her. All you need is an open mind and willingness to try something new. It can really be as simple as replacing your pasta with veggies, filling half of your plate up with veggies and the rest with meat and healthy fats, trying to eat veggies at every meal. You don't have to call it Paleo. Call it "I eat mostly veggies & meat and occasionally have treats."

which is exaclty what the slim fast plan tells you to do. only a little carbs too which I beleive Paleo calls "potatoes", so yeah how about I modify my Paleo to include other starches like brown rice and the occasional tortilla, and a little bit of legumes and slim fast and I call it Slim Fast. How 'bout that?

Mr_Knight

So...SlimFast is Paleo?

Cool.

SnicciFit

which is exaclty what the slim fast plan tells you to do. only a little carbs too which I beleive Paleo calls "potatoes", so yeah how about I modify my Paleo to include other starches like brown rice and the occasional tortilla, and a little bit of legumes and slim fast and I call it Slim Fast. How 'bout that?

If that's what works for you!

SnicciFit

I followed Paleo pretty hardcore, but I honestly believe there is nothing special about its food selection. Sure, the focus on meat and veggies and fruits is nice, but whenever I had a "bad" reaction to foods while Paleo was psychosomatic (or so my current eating habits have revealed). It's fine if you need to eat that way or need to somehow mentally discipline yourself, but it, strictly speaking, is not necessarily better or worse than any other diet (for example, if ALL you ate was pork and broccoli--both Paleo friendly--you would have just as many health problems as anyone else with a poor diet).

About the psychosomatic symptoms, I do believe that some of the "bad" reactions are simply due to your body not being used to those foods anymore, but after a year of being very, very sick with no explanation from any doctors and now a year with very little of those same symptoms, there must be something to it (for me). I did add back non-gluten grains and some legumes (and of course I have sugar once in a while!) without any ill effects (other than eating sugar makes me want to eat more sugar!). You are right, it's not necessarily better than any other diet, but I think it's a nice alternative to calorie counting (which I find tedious and annoying and NOT life-time sustainable!). If calorie counting doesn't drive you up the wall and you feel good and are happy with your weight (or where it's going), then that's great too!

MUALaurenClark

im glad that the people base their diet off of a time when the average age of death was 30

they lived in a time when they didn't have proper shelter...or grocery stores to buy food..they had to hunt...and escape from bears and crap...and didn't have doctors. No **** they live short lives.

ndj1979

I think for me, eating paleo is about putting foods into my body that our bodies were designed to handle.

Our bodies really weren't designed to handle bread and processed foods.

why are our bodies not designed to eat grain? Humans have been eating grains for thousands of years....

ndj1979

Cutting out sweets and breads/pastas isn't restrictive so much as healthful! Great job

But it is not required to cut these out in order to lose weight and be healthful, in which case many people would see it as being pretty restrictive.

Yes, for many people, it is a requirement to cut out these foods to be healthy. Just because you haven't experienced something doesn't make the experience of others invalid.

this would only apply to some kind of medical condition ..

you can eat carbs and sugar, be in a calorie deficit, and lose weight....

SnicciFit

im glad that the people base their diet off of a time when the average age of death was 30

they lived in a time when they didn't have proper shelter...or grocery stores to buy food..they had to hunt...and escape from bears and crap...and didn't have doctors. No **** they live short lives.

Ugh... and seriously... nobody believes they are REALLY eating like a caveman.

ndj1979

Irony = OP posts that one should do what works best for everyone, and then goes onto promote Paleo as healthy eating that we should all "try" to switch to...bahahahaha