PALEO: pros, cons and whatever else you may think?
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Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.0 -
Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.
Derp. Calling IIFYM a diet while also calling Atkins/Mediterranean Diet/South Beach Diet/Paleo/Primal/whatever a diet is pointless.
IIFYM is not a diet by your definition because it does not have anything to do with the foods a person, animal, or community habitually eats. It doesn't prescribe or recommend any particular food, and it doesn't ban or discourage any particular food.
It's just a saying that means (and comes from) "you can eat whatever you want as long as it fits your macros."0 -
Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.
To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.0 -
Your probably going to get a lot of flack here on the main boards, but I eat mostly Paleo (actually more Primal) and I love it. To be truthful, I've just cut out grains for the most part. I came to the diet because I wanted to drop about 8 lbs and was tired of being hungry. By cutting grain, I actually lost 10 lbs, no longer have cravings, am rarely hungry, and am leaner and lighter than I was in high school.
Pretty much identical story here- I was at a plateau-ish phase, cut out grains and added sugars, and promptly dropped another 5-10lbs. That weight came off in about six weeks, as opposed to the strict calories in-calories out model that I was following previously, where it took me much longer to lose the weight, even with the same 500 calorie deficit every day.
In my body, I've definitely come to the conclusion that a calorie is not just a calorie. When I ditched grains and added sugar, which was terrifying at first.. I was thinking WHAT THE HECK WILL I EAT?! Well, honestly it was pretty easy to replace bread with avocados. And tastier in my opinion.
Also, I no longer have crazy sugar cravings. I can eat a Fuji apple and consider it a dessert, and it tastes awesome with cinnamon sprinkled on it :-)
The only things I consider to be cons of my eating switcheroo is the cost of decent meat and all the people on this site that tend to attack anyone who doesn't think carbs should make up 40% of your caloric intake for the day.0 -
Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.
To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.
Exactly. You can employ IIFYM in the context of any diet. You can do IIFYM while following the Mediterranean Diet. You can do IIFYM while eating paleo. You can do IIFYM while eating a raw food diet. You can do IIFYM while cutting, maintaining, or bulking.
It doesn't matter. IIFYM is not about any particular foods. It's just a saying that encourages people to eat whatever they want to eat as long as it fits their nutrient targets.
It's not a diet by any definition of the word diet.0 -
Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.
To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.
Well, not my diet, but yes.
I like pedantic.0 -
IIFYM doesn't work for everyone - especially those with lower calorie needs or those who are trying to use food to assist healing health conditions.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
Great article on livestrong about paleo snacks:
http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1008207-18-paleo-snacks-under-200-calories/0 -
PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
There is ALWAYS the need for counting calories. Always. Your weight is an equation of calories in vs. calories out. That's IT. There are no magical foods. If you eat 10,000 calories worth of organic salad in a day, you will gain weight. If you eat 1,500 calories worth of KFC in a day, you won't. All food plans are basically shams. If they work, it's only because it manages your calories without you realizing it. And that's why people get off them when they reach their goal and then gain everything back. You need to learn to manage your calories with your everyday diet. No, NO food plan will teach you that. Only you can, using the food you already eat every day. That's the only reliable way to get lifelong results.
I strongly disagree. A calorie deficit might be necessary to lose weight (may not be necessary to lose FAT though), but that does NOT mean that counting said calories is necessary. For some people (like myself), just eating (mostly) "paleo" allows them to lose/maintain "weight" without ever COUNTING anything. I use the word "weight" loosely because I focus more on body comp than my weight on the scale.0 -
One reasonably healthy typical Subway sandwich can be a half a day's calories.
The obvious inference, then, is that for you a "typical Subway sandwich" is not, in reality, a "reasonably healthy" option.0 -
IIFYM doesn't work for everyone - especially those with lower calorie needs or those who are trying to use food to assist healing health conditions.
Then you do not truly understand the concept and philosophy. It absolutely does work...it doesn't mean eat whatever you want to eat...it means that you hit certain macro goals that are optimal for whatever your other goals are trying to achieve. I've gotten off 6 medications following the IIFYM philosophy combined with a largely Mediterranean/South Beach dietary approach...but I still apply IIFYM to garner the most optimal results for my conditions and my fitness. That's all it means.0 -
PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
There is ALWAYS the need for counting calories. Always. Your weight is an equation of calories in vs. calories out. That's IT. There are no magical foods. If you eat 10,000 calories worth of organic salad in a day, you will gain weight. If you eat 1,500 calories worth of KFC in a day, you won't. All food plans are basically shams. If they work, it's only because it manages your calories without you realizing it. And that's why people get off them when they reach their goal and then gain everything back. You need to learn to manage your calories with your everyday diet. No, NO food plan will teach you that. Only you can, using the food you already eat every day. That's the only reliable way to get lifelong results.
I strongly disagree. A calorie deficit might be necessary to lose weight (may not be necessary to lose FAT though), but that does NOT mean that counting said calories is necessary. For some people (like myself), just eating (mostly) "paleo" allows them to lose/maintain "weight" without ever COUNTING anything. I use the word "weight" loosely because I focus more on body comp than my weight on the scale.
Calories count but you don't have to count calories...0 -
I'm Primal, which is laxer than Paleo in some respects. It's not a lifestyle everyone can do. I know others will say, "or should do," but to me that is a personal choice. I don't force my lifestyle on others and I don't want others to force their lifestyle on me. I tried it last year and was successful but like others stated, it's hard to exempt whole food groups. Fast forward to a year later and I have an auto immune disease that requires me to refrain from gluten, nightshades and grains. So I'm back on Primal for good this time and I'm once again succeeding in weight loss as well as the war on my health. I love Primal because I can still enjoy dairy and I will eat gluten-free bread, that's made from brown rice. I don't go super low carb like others choose to do but I definitely am lower carb than when I was eating a SAD. Good luck in whatever you decide and don't be bullied to make a decision. Stay true to yourself and you'll always be a winner. :flowerforyou:0
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PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
Does not compute.0 -
PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
Does not compute.
Good lord. Another one.
You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.
Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?
I'm taking my ball and going home.0 -
To me that's the long term goal: a happy life, healthy relationship with food AS I DEFINE IT and no counting, while maintaining a healthy weight.PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
Does not compute.
Good lord. Another one.
You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.
Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?
I'm taking my ball and going home.0 -
So...South Beach is a plan or a philosophy around which my diet is based. Got it.Any diet that has a name is silly.
So, say there is a way of eating that masses of people follow for generations. It's healthy and sustainable. Then, someone comes along and gives this way of eating a name, say for example, the Mediterranean Diet. Now this time proven healthy diet is suddenly silly? I don't see the logic there.
But there is no such thing as the "Mediterranean Diet" in real life. It only exists as a marketing concept in books and diet programs.
Hell, there are at least three distinct "Italian Diets" alone, never mind all the other ethnic groups ringing the Med.
Exactly. The "Mediterranean Diet" just doesn't exist as a natural thing anywhere. It's a fad diet.
IIFYM is not a diet. It's a general nutrient intake strategy. Just like "counting calories" is not a diet with "good" and "bad" foods. IIFYM is literally "make sure you consume nutrients in the quantities supported by science."
definition of Diet - the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Whenever someone discusses their "diet", this is the definition I assume because it is the definition I think about my own diet. Yes, IIFYM is a diet.
To be pedantic: IIFYM is a plan or philosophy around which your diet is based.
Well, not my diet, but yes.
I like pedantic.0 -
PROS:
It can work well and quickly for weight loss
No need for the hassle of calorie counting
Can help regularise cravings
Can help with digestive discomfort
CONS:
Restrictive food choice
Lack of cake
Can be expensive
Can be hard to implement into day to day life
Did I mention lack of cake?
Does not compute.
Good lord. Another one.
You need a calorie deficit but you don't need to actually count calories on a conscious level to achieve that.
Unconscious competence as an end goal? Anyone? No?
I'm taking my ball and going home.
IMO, if you take some who has been obese for their entire life, and told them to go onto a Paleo diet, calorie counting will still be needed on average. For those that are calorie conscious from previously counting and are educated, I would think that they would have at least a decent idea how many calories they're consuming. Those that have done it for a while, probably won't need it. But saying that simply going on Paleo will eliminate any need of calorie counting as a blanket statement makes very little sense.
You learn through time and effort how much calories you're consuming within a margin. Not because you all of a sudden cut grains and diary.0
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