PALEO: pros, cons and whatever else you may think?

Acg67

Paleo approved bacon wouldn't be cured, preserved, smoked, etc. in anything but Paleo-approved ingredients, so yes, I'd say that most people would say that Paleo approved bacon ISN'T processed.

You're literally wrong. This statement is factualy wrong, logically wrong, pragmatically wrong, and vernacularly (is that a word?) wrong.

Bacon is pork belly that has been soaked for an extended period of time in a preservative solution. There is no definition of the word processing for which this is not processing.

And I guarantee you that Paleolithic people didn't soak their pork belly in preservatives and then smoke it.

I've stated MANY times that "durr caveman wouldn't have eaten that" is NOT the reason behind our food choices; again, you're getting bogged down in the caveman thing rather than looking at the science we base our choices on. I doubt you could find a single person who follows Paleo who says that the only reason they do it is because cavemen did; most would point to the fact that there IS some science to show these foods could be unhealthy. You CAN'T say they're perfectly healthy foods because there's science that shows they're bad, some that shows it could be bad, and yes, some that shows they're fine. That doesn't make them fine - that makes them undecided. We chose not to eat them; you choose (presumably) to eat them. That doesn't make your lifestyle any better than mine because you decide if it's not proven bad then it's healthy. What about the reverse - if it's not proven healthy then it's bad? Both are wrong in my opinion, but that's exactly the kind of logic you're arguing here.

The appeal to science is specious. This didn't start with someone excluding a bunch of foods from their diet because science said they're bad, followed by that person noticing "hey this stuff we're left with is how Paleolithic people ate!" It was the other way: it was someone deciding that a "Paleolithic" diet is good, forming a list of good and bad foods, and then trying to find science to support it. Problem is that it's not even how Paleolithic people ate.

http://robbwolf.com/2011/05/20/the-path-to-culinary-bliss-home-cured-bacon/

Oh look, a way of making bacon that doesn't include ANYTHING that isn't Paleo approved! Gosh, you must feel silly now for thinking it didn't exist? Especially since it's just one of MANY.

That's not bacon anyways and don't Paleo zealots disapprove of added chemicals to foods?

SnicciFit

There is SOME science that shows that red meat - even lean, grass fed beef - is unhealthy. Causes cancer and heart attacks.

I have never seen such science. There is some science that suggests a correlation between red meat and negative health outcomes.

You know what the difference is, right?

I was reflecting the language of the person I was quoting. Yours is more precise.

And yes, correlation is not causation.

I've never seen a study done using grass-fed, pastured red meat. These studies that are always touted on TV/internet..etc that find red meat consumption has health implications ALWAYS use conventionally raised/processed meats, which I find very frustrating.

ash8184

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities. If someone feels bloated on grains, they shouldn't eat them. IMHO, one of the reasons paleo has become so popular is because so many people have a gluten intolerance. Not an allergy, but just an intolerance. When these people start eating protein and veggies, the bloating, digestive problems, etc. will calm down or totally stop. So there are cases where a specific way of eating (ie cutting certain things out of a diet for the long-term) are a good idea.

JennaM222

I am following it slightly, but more primal! a Girl needs her cheese!!!!

KindredSouls

Biggest Con.

jonnythan

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities.

Yes it does. Don't eat food you're allergic to.

Easy right?

SnicciFit

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities. If someone feels bloated on grains, they shouldn't eat them. IMHO, one of the reasons paleo has become so popular is because so many people have a gluten intolerance. Not an allergy, but just an intolerance. When these people start eating protein and veggies, the bloating, digestive problems, etc. will calm down or totally stop. So there are cases where a specific way of eating (ie cutting certain things out of a diet for the long-term) are a good idea.
[/quote]

BAM!

MityMax96

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities.

That is not a problem of IIFYM though....
And even IIFYM will work for those people, they will just need to comprise a diet of foods they can eat.......

That is all you are doing with Paleo....

You have adopted a diet with foods that are "safe" for you to eat....... <-- Paleo
Then you decide how much of those foods you eat...... <-- IIFYM

tonynguyen75

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities. If someone feels bloated on grains, they shouldn't eat them. IMHO, one of the reasons paleo has become so popular is because so many people think they have a gluten intolerance. Not an allergy, but just an intolerance. When these people start eating protein and veggies, the bloating, digestive problems, etc. will calm down or totally stop. So there are cases where a specific way of eating (ie cutting certain things out of a diet for the long-term) are a good idea.

Fixed that for ya.

Gluten is the Aspartame of the last three years, the sugar of the last decade. It's this villain people are picking on, thus making people aware of something they, more than likely, don't have.

Is Gluten good for you? No. But for the majority of people it's not what's making you bloated or gain fat.

featherbrained

I think that's why folks subscribe to diets (and a diet is a diet, whatever you're consistently eating at any given time is your diet) in order to learn moderation. People throw that moderation word around like it's easy peasy... are YOU here because you practiced moderation in all things? Probably not. Some people need a hand in understanding what it means to be moderate. Plans help some people do that. And hopefully as they go along, they learn the rest of this stuff.

And I thought bacon, at its root, is a salt cured meat that may or may not be smoked? Salt is used as a preservative, but it is also completely natural. Not healthy outside the confines of MODERATION, but still, not something I'd call a chemical either.

I'm sure I'm wrong about that though.

Carry on.

jenn26point2

I chose Paleo as a framework to reach a healthy weight in March 2012. By August 2012, I had lost 37 lbs. I hit a few plateaus, veered off course a few times, and totally said *kitten* it a few times. Every time I veered off or said *kitten* it, I immediately gained weight and felt bloated, letharic, and just crappy in general. Since August 2012, I have dropped an additional 18 lbs to reach 55 lbs lost total.

No matter what anyone says, if you want to try it, try it. If you don't, don't. Some people are "pro", most are "anti" b/c they've either never tried it or only tried it half-a$$ed and didn't see results. I tried it and I loved it. I saw a ton of benefits from it beyond weight loss. Visit my profile page if you want to read my story.

Like I said, sometimes I veer off of the "paleo" path, but I'm quickly reminded why I chose that framework and why I need to stick with it. I didn't realize how crappy I felt before until after I tried paleo. I didn't realize that feeling tired at 2:30 wasn't "normal". I didn't realize that "food babies" weren't normal. I didn't realize how bloated I felt or how heavy my body felt. I didn't realize how easy it could be to run and lift weights. Paleo has been an amazing eye opening experience for me, and I can't bring myself to give it up.

I say give it a shot for a month. Try it out. See what you think. If you don't like it, by all means, go back to whatever you were doing before.

jonnythan

No matter what anyone says, if you want to try it, try it. If you don't, don't. Some people are "pro", most are "anti" b/c they've either never tried it or only tried it half-a$$ed and didn't see results.

This implies that you can't have a valid reason to be "anti" unless you've tried it.

MityMax96

I chose Paleo as a framework to reach a healthy weight in March 2012. By August 2012, I had lost 37 lbs. I hit a few plateaus, veered off course a few times, and totally said *kitten* it a few times. Every time I veered off or said *kitten* it, I immediately gained weight and felt bloated, letharic, and just crappy in general. Since August 2012, I have dropped an additional 18 lbs to reach 55 lbs lost total.

Sounds like the common problem of when people drop carbs either completely or drastically........and then have a couple bad days where they binge........then they blow up....

The thing with carbs is that it "encourages" that hungry feeling....
Thus with paleo, people who drop carbs, and go with protein and fats, the "hungry" feeling goes away a lot of times.....or it subsides considerably.......

MityMax96

People throw that moderation word around like it's easy peasy... are YOU here because you practiced moderation in all things? Probably not. Some people need a hand in understanding what it means to be moderate. Plans help some people do that. And hopefully as they go along, they learn the rest of this stuff.

I don't throw it around like it is "easy peasy", I say it because it is a fact of life, whether you like it or not.......

And for me, I am here simply for the food diary........
I do moderate my food intake......
But I have been doing that and working at it for over 15 years now.....so it is a choice I make, because I have certain goals and desires.

Do I allow myself junk food?
Yeah, when I feel like it.........
Then the next day I am back on my plan.

Acg67

I think that's why folks subscribe to diets (and a diet is a diet, whatever you're consistently eating at any given time is your diet) in order to learn moderation. People throw that moderation word around like it's easy peasy... are YOU here because you practiced moderation in all things? Probably not. Some people need a hand in understanding what it means to be moderate. Plans help some people do that. And hopefully as they go along, they learn the rest of this stuff.

And I thought bacon, at its root, is a salt cured meat that may or may not be smoked? Salt is used as a preservative, but it is also completely natural. Not healthy outside the confines of MODERATION, but still, not something I'd call a chemical either.

I'm sure I'm wrong about that though.

Carry on.

NaCl not a chemical? Hello cognitive dissonance

Bacon is cured (usually a mix of salt, sugar, sodium nitrate, aromatics) pork belly that has been smoked, unsmoked cured pork belly that has been air dried is pancetta

Wildflower0106

Or maybe better said a lot of foods blow my macros out of the water in a hot minute.

One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.

IIFYM works for everyone. You seem to be under the impression that IIFYM encourages people to eat pizza or something. It doesn't.

Eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your macros. Obviously things like preference, caloric density, satiety, etc will play a part in whatever foods you decide to eat.

IIFYM SHOULD work for everyone, but it doesn't take in to account food allergies or sensitivities. If someone feels bloated on grains, they shouldn't eat them. IMHO, one of the reasons paleo has become so popular is because so many people have a gluten intolerance. Not an allergy, but just an intolerance. When these people start eating protein and veggies, the bloating, digestive problems, etc. will calm down or totally stop. So there are cases where a specific way of eating (ie cutting certain things out of a diet for the long-term) are a good idea.

You are not understanding it... IIFYM works woth ANY diet. There are are no foods you have to eat to do IIFYM.

I have gasroparesis which mean my stomach doesn't empty properly and I don't digest certain foods properly. Fiber is my worst enemy and that means there are tons of food I have to stay away from. I still use IIFYM as the framework for my diet. I eat the foods I can (want as long as it won't make me ill) and meet my personal macros. IIFYM is very individual and doesn't specify what you can amd can't eat. My husband also does IIFYM but his diet is extremely different than mine, but IIFYM can be used for both of us.

bcattoes

It's a very healthy way of eating. I'm not sure why the people who want to eat McDonald's and Taco Bell all day keep arguing in this thread. Maybe it's to make themselves feel better, who knows, just eat the way that makes you feel good, and ignore the others.

What about us whole grain and legume eaters? I've made it to a healthy 52 yo by eating these things daily. Never had hypertension, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, bloating, hormone problems, or any other chronic medical problem. When you stick to a Paleo Diet for 30 years or so and can say that, then come back and argue how much healthier your diet is than mine. Come tell me how these beans and peanuts are killing me.

I did a vegan diet for the better part of the last 20 years. Tons of whole grains and legumes. It didn't end up being the healthiest thing for me.

"Tons of food" is rarely healthy for anyone. I'm kidding, of course. But a certain diet not being the healthiest for you, does make the foods you ate as part of that diet unhealthy for anyone else.

I am curiousas to why one would choose to follow a diet for 20 years if it was causing health problems, though.

I didn't eat tons of food - just that my diet was comprised primarily of grains (admittedly refined pastas and breads) and legumes. I never said that any of those foods are unhealthy. I have only pointed out the "pros and cons" as I see them and from my perspective. I still feel that a vegan diet can be extremely healthy if done right. I question whether I did it right and question my reliance on soy products and wheat It was actually 15 years (some of which was not vegan - pregnancies primarily). I followed it b/c I felt it was better aligned with my morals and because I felt it was the right way to eat. Autoimmune stuff also takes a long time to manifest, so I am guessing in retrospect that it could have been the cause. I also have a high stress life, which could also be the cause. I am only trying to eat this way not for weight loss (although I do find it easier to stay in my calorie range this way and would like to lose the vanity pounds) but to see if it helps on the health front. I don't find it a religion or anything. I am also not 100% and don't drink buttered coffee or cook with lard. I am focused primarily on eliminating gluten and increase good fats (things I neglected for years on a low-fat vegan diet).

If I could reverse time, I'd have tried to adopt a balanced, whole foods approach years ago. I think that is where it's at, but I am still going to try to give gluten free a good shot for 6 months.

That's all fine and logical.

Except the part where you said that you ate "Tons of whole grains and legumes" and then later admitted that you were really eating overly processed grains. It's quite possible that by switching to whole grains you could have solved some of your health problems. There are many gluten free grains, so gluten free does not have to be grain free.

Lyadeia

Any diet that has a name is silly.

Any diet that strictly prohibits certain foods is silly.

Any diet that does both of these is double-silly.

By all means focus your diet on lean meats and veggies. But don't listen to what other people tell you are acceptable foods and unacceptable foods. Focus on your nutrients and eat things you enjoy.

These are my thoughts as well. Labeling food as "good" or "bad" sets us up for disaster, whether physically or mentally...and mentally leads to physically.

On the one hand, what paleo lets you eat is healthy, varied, and nutritious. On the other hand, if you have no food allergies or sensitivities, there's no reason to cut anything out of your diet. No food on it's own is bad, only the dosage, and this is even true about seemingly benign things such as veggies or water.

paleojoe

Gluten is the Aspartame of the last three years, the sugar of the last decade. It's this villain people are picking on, thus making people aware of something they, more than likely, don't have.

Is Gluten good for you? No. But for the majority of people it's not what's making you bloated or gain fat.

Yep! Just because a food is not "good" for you, does not automatically mean it is "bad" for you. It could very well just be "neutral" and of no consequence.

Mr_Knight

And just to be clear, while I fully say that Renee's dressing isn't Paleo, the only non-Paleo ingredient is the canola oil (other than possibly xantham gum because I fully admit to not being entirely sure what that is) so you can see that I've still made the best of a bad choice by choosing a dressing that otherwise includes only approved ingredients.

The canola oil is the only part with calories. That dressing is as un-Paleo, un-Primal as you can get.

If you want to eat it, eat it! But be honest about it, and don't try to dress it up as anything but a SAD food.