Paleo lifestyle... Have you tried it? How did you feel?

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Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.

    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
    I find it all too tedious. Like don't get me wrong, I'll order a burger minus the bun to limit my wheat.. but for me it's trying to find the best diet for good skin, and I think i have a wheat/gluten/refined sugars issue. But I refuse to do anything now that isn't sustainable long term, I don't want to roll these efforts backwards in a year because I didn't learn how to eat balanced in the first place.
  • The Paleo diet has it's pluses and minus, as do most "diets," and the evidence actually supports that it is effective, at least in the short term. Some other posters have astutely mentioned the issues with adherence, and those issues are also clearly supported by published evidence. From a personal perspective, I used to be very tight on what was essentially a Paleo-type of diet (although I included some dairy), and it was very effective in getting lean, but I hit what seemed like a performance plateau with development of size and strength. Diets like Paleo, Atkins, Keto, etc., all have plenty of books and testimonials that discuss issues like chronic inflammation/immunologic issues from gluten, "carb" addiction as a neurologic issue etc., and there are actually some good studies to support some of these findings, but the bottom line - while these issues certainly may play a role in the obesity epidemic, there is not enough evidence to say that the success of these programs in dieters is more based on these issues rather than simply the creation of a caloric deficit based on removal of entire classes of foods. I tend to tell people there are two easy ways to look at diet - you can do something like the Paleo Diet if you don't want to track calories, because the deprivation by its already very restrictive nature will help you lose weight, or you can use a more "flexible dieting approach" where you track your macros and calories, and allow yourself a little more room to eat with greater variety. From a performance perspective, I have had greater results with a flexible approach to bulking and cutting, but that is just my own anecdotal story.

    Ultimately, I think there is sometimes value in starting with something like the Paleo Diet because it's actually pretty easy, and you don't need to worry about tracking calories, etc., but I would HIGHLY recommend at least considering learning more about flexible dieting concurrently. That way while you're dropping pounds on a Paleo plan, you'll also have the tools to successfully transition to a broader variety of foods without regressing back to gaining weight, which seems to be the case with a lot of people. It's a little easier for some people who have a lot of weight to lose to start with something like Paleo, and as they lose weight and gain confidence and motivation, they find themselves much more willing to track calories and macros because they are actually seeing success in the mirror and on the scale.

    Anyway, good luck in whatever way you choose to go! I'm always just happy to see people on here taking the first step to better fitness. Once you've decided to make a change, regardless of how you choose to go, you're headed in the right direction!

    Mike Sracic, MD
    www.ironcookclean.com
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.

    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    You must be buying different meats and veggies than I am, as my grocery bills have gone up (although my alcohol bill is down and I eat out less often). That said, I've more or less lifted my budget on food, as I want to ensure I'm enjoying the foods I eat if I'm taking the time out of my day to prepare fresh meats and veggies. If a locally raised steak costs $20, so be it if it's delicious and fits my macros.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Ultimately, I think there is sometimes value in starting with something like the Paleo Diet because it's actually pretty easy, and you don't need to worry about tracking calories, etc., but I would HIGHLY recommend at least considering learning more about flexible dieting concurrently. That way while you're dropping pounds on a Paleo plan, you'll also have the tools to successfully transition to a broader variety of foods without regressing back to gaining weight, which seems to be the case with a lot of people. It's a little easier for some people who have a lot of weight to lose to start with something like Paleo, and as they lose weight and gain confidence and motivation, they find themselves much more willing to track calories and macros because they are actually seeing success in the mirror and on the scale.

    I've always encouraged people doing paleo/keto/etc. to still track their macros/calories, at least once they're past the initial few weeks of the diet. If you have to weigh/measure everything to track your carb intake already, where's the harm in following a few other macros like protein and calories. As you said, that lets people easily transition to a different macronutrient composition without really altering their daily routine. Great post btw. :smile:
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.

    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.

    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    meaning, I will eat all the foods and be satisfied with my results....restrict nothing, enjoy food.

    I have no desire to eat like a caveman. I still don't think cavemen had access to ribeyes, or veggies soaked in fat...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.


    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.

    isn't that what Paleo is? Eat like Paleoithic Man - AKA cavemen ....?????
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I love doing the Primal/paleo thing. It feels so . . . earthy. ;)

    It saves me money as I buy almost no processed foods, just protein, tons of veggies, nuts/seeds, and a little dairy.

    It's so easy because I eat a very simple menu, nothing fancy.

    If you don't like baking and fancy recipes, this is for you.

    If you think you need stuff that looks and tastes like processed food, then it's probably going to take up a lot of your time and money.

    The way to really look at this lifestyle is to ask, what did my ancestors eat? Did they really add coconut oil and butter to their coffee or eat gluten free noodles? Not likely. So just keep it simple, basic, healthy, and you'll do fine.

    This I don't understand, because eating paleo/ primal is so much more expensive and time consuming than how I eat now. I literally was spending more money on just me, eating primal, than what was being spent on my husband and three kids, for all their food combined. Nuts and seeds are really expensive, meat is pricey (especially if you follow the 'rules' and get grass fed, locally raised etc), organic (again, those rules) vegetables and fruit are pretty much double in cost etc etc. And eggs-1.89 for conventional eggs vs. $5 for 'free range' local eggs?!

    And the time involved in making all my meals from scratch, from home was absolutely ridiculous. It's great that you found something that you like, but I honestly don't know how anyone can say this way of eating is cheaper and less time consuming :huh:

    We also save money in our household eating this way.

    Every week I spend $22.00 on a Coop share of fruits and vegetables. We have access to raw dairy from the Amish that live in our area (raw milk, raw cream, raw milk cheese, butter), grass fed meats, free range poultry and eggs and heritage certified pork.

    We spend about $100-150 / month on meats, eggs and raw dairy products. About $80-100 on fresh fruits and vegetables. So in total for the month, we spend $180 - 250 a month for 2 adults in my household.

    As far as being convenient for meals at home. Sunday is prep day. Crock pots, stock pot going with meats, throw a chicken and / or a roast in the oven. Wash and cut up fruits and vegetables and put in baggies so they are ready to go for snacking, eating, etc. We also boil a dozen eggs for snacks.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,002 Member
    I was eating "paleo" before each contest for about 4 months back in my competition days. Now granted that muscle definition was the goal so I was in calorie deficit, but once the contest was over, I was HAPPY to eat the celebratory pizza and beer every time. I never ate "paleo" in the bulking phase.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,231 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.


    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.

    isn't that what Paleo is? Eat like Paleoithic Man - AKA cavemen ....?????
    Only in gifs. It's basically consuming whole foods with a long list of restriction put on certain foods based on research that shows a collision with more modern food interventions. The basic problem as I see it, is it's taken to the extreme and not all of the factors that have contributed to diseases of civilization should be solely placed on the food supply. Basically it's the old adage of context and dosage which is generally neglected in most if not all dieting theories. imo
  • Loulady
    Loulady Posts: 511 Member
    Going Paleo has been the best decision I've ever made. I made the switch in August of last year and will never look back. I'm dropping weight consistently, never feel deprived with my food options, and I've never felt better mentally or physically as I do right now.

    congrats on finding a way to create a calorie deficit….

    Well, yes. I don't understand why people get snarky about this point.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    I love doing the Primal/paleo thing. It feels so . . . earthy. ;)

    It saves me money as I buy almost no processed foods, just protein, tons of veggies, nuts/seeds, and a little dairy.

    It's so easy because I eat a very simple menu, nothing fancy.

    If you don't like baking and fancy recipes, this is for you.

    If you think you need stuff that looks and tastes like processed food, then it's probably going to take up a lot of your time and money.

    The way to really look at this lifestyle is to ask, what did my ancestors eat? Did they really add coconut oil and butter to their coffee or eat gluten free noodles? Not likely. So just keep it simple, basic, healthy, and you'll do fine.

    This I don't understand, because eating paleo/ primal is so much more expensive and time consuming than how I eat now. I literally was spending more money on just me, eating primal, than what was being spent on my husband and three kids, for all their food combined. Nuts and seeds are really expensive, meat is pricey (especially if you follow the 'rules' and get grass fed, locally raised etc), organic (again, those rules) vegetables and fruit are pretty much double in cost etc etc. And eggs-1.89 for conventional eggs vs. $5 for 'free range' local eggs?!

    And the time involved in making all my meals from scratch, from home was absolutely ridiculous. It's great that you found something that you like, but I honestly don't know how anyone can say this way of eating is cheaper and less time consuming :huh:

    We also save money in our household eating this way.

    Every week I spend $22.00 on a Coop share of fruits and vegetables. We have access to raw dairy from the Amish that live in our area (raw milk, raw cream, raw milk cheese, butter), grass fed meats, free range poultry and eggs and heritage certified pork.

    We spend about $100-150 / month on meats, eggs and raw dairy products. About $80-100 on fresh fruits and vegetables. So in total for the month, we spend $180 - 250 a month for 2 adults in my household.

    As far as being convenient for meals at home. Sunday is prep day. Crock pots, stock pot going with meats, throw a chicken and / or a roast in the oven. Wash and cut up fruits and vegetables and put in baggies so they are ready to go for snacking, eating, etc. We also boil a dozen eggs for snacks.

    A big part will come down to what's available in someone's area, and while you may be able to get good deals like this (very jealous by the way :smile: ), I wasn't able to, even though I live in a farming community. Going to the local farms by us is great, but dang do they charge premium prices for their stuff :grumble: The CSA was $100 a month and did not include everything I needed. So then I'd head to the farmers market and spend another $15-25 a week to supplement it (mostly fruit and then those $5 eggs). This did not include any meat or dairy, which meant I had to head to another local farm, where beef, chicken, and pork was raised right there on the farm, and sold for very steep prices. A whole chicken was $20, a pound of ground beef $6 etc etc.

    My family of five's grocery budget is $90 a week, and that includes things like toilet paper, dish soap, shampoo, stuff for three packed lunches, 5 days a week for my kids etc. I ended up fudging our budget to pay for eating the way I was, and after a while I had to step back and go 'wth am I doing'?! I couldn't keep justifying it and that was one of the reasons I ended up quitting.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.


    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.

    isn't that what Paleo is? Eat like Paleoithic Man - AKA cavemen ....?????
    Only in gifs. It's basically consuming whole foods with a long list of restriction put on certain foods based on research that shows a collision with more modern food interventions. The basic problem as I see it, is it's taken to the extreme and not all of the factors that have contributed to diseases of civilization should be solely placed on the food supply. Basically it's the old adage of context and dosage which is generally neglected in most if not all dieting theories. imo

    but it is supposed to based on how humans supposedly ate like 10,000 years ago or whatever, correct?
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    I love doing the Primal/paleo thing. It feels so . . . earthy. ;)

    It saves me money as I buy almost no processed foods, just protein, tons of veggies, nuts/seeds, and a little dairy.

    It's so easy because I eat a very simple menu, nothing fancy.

    If you don't like baking and fancy recipes, this is for you.

    If you think you need stuff that looks and tastes like processed food, then it's probably going to take up a lot of your time and money.

    The way to really look at this lifestyle is to ask, what did my ancestors eat? Did they really add coconut oil and butter to their coffee or eat gluten free noodles? Not likely. So just keep it simple, basic, healthy, and you'll do fine.

    This I don't understand, because eating paleo/ primal is so much more expensive and time consuming than how I eat now. I literally was spending more money on just me, eating primal, than what was being spent on my husband and three kids, for all their food combined. Nuts and seeds are really expensive, meat is pricey (especially if you follow the 'rules' and get grass fed, locally raised etc), organic (again, those rules) vegetables and fruit are pretty much double in cost etc etc. And eggs-1.89 for conventional eggs vs. $5 for 'free range' local eggs?!

    And the time involved in making all my meals from scratch, from home was absolutely ridiculous. It's great that you found something that you like, but I honestly don't know how anyone can say this way of eating is cheaper and less time consuming :huh:

    I think the cost is about the same (if you aren't preparing two separate meals for you & the rest of the fam). Basically, what I spend on buying eggs & meat from the local farmer, I save in not going out to eat as much and the produce at the farmers market is cheaper, fresher & tastier than it is at the grocery store. Also, after a while you find things that you can stretch. For example, a large head of cabbage can be worked into 2 or 3 different recipes that make 4-6 meals each. But, if you're buying the cabbage for you and pizza, mac & cheese, pepsi & chips for the family... yeah, it's going to cost more.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    that's great that you have had good luck with weight loss but what about biomarkers? isn't it a lot of meat? (that's what I have heard)

    It shouldn't be a "lot of meat". It should be a lot of veggies & healthy fats with a moderate amount of meat.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"

    What did you eat before, twinkies and donuts? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

    Seriously though, this isn't exactly difficult to figure out with diet that has a list full of things that "humans aren't supposed to eat" based on pseudoscience.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.


    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.

    isn't that what Paleo is? Eat like Paleoithic Man - AKA cavemen ....?????
    Only in gifs. It's basically consuming whole foods with a long list of restriction put on certain foods based on research that shows a collision with more modern food interventions. The basic problem as I see it, is it's taken to the extreme and not all of the factors that have contributed to diseases of civilization should be solely placed on the food supply. Basically it's the old adage of context and dosage which is generally neglected in most if not all dieting theories. imo

    but it is supposed to based on how humans supposedly ate like 10,000 years ago or whatever, correct?

    And this, my friends, is why I hate the word "paleo". Of course, I love it because it's very handy when googling recipes and researching "the paleo diet" really helped me out 2 years and 30+ pounds ago when I was sick & fat and desperate for change, but to think that I am really going to "eat like a caveman", while cute, is utterly ridiculous. So... I like to call it the "real food diet", or the "this is how I eat because it helps me maintain my health and weight".
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"

    What did you eat before, twinkies and donuts? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

    Seriously though, this isn't exactly difficult to figure out with diet that has a list full of things that "humans aren't supposed to eat" based on pseudoscience.

    Nah, I hate donuts. Always have. I did like twinkies at one time though... :happy: I have found that by not filling my plate up with things like breads & pastas, I've opened up to way more vegetables, tastier (and healthier) fat options and just gotten more creative in the kitchen overall. Anyone can boil pasta or open a can of ravioli, but to take some fresh veggies and a fresh cut of meat and create a tasty meal takes a little thought/effort, which in turn means a more enjoyable meal, IMO.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"

    What did you eat before, twinkies and donuts? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

    Seriously though, this isn't exactly difficult to figure out with diet that has a list full of things that "humans aren't supposed to eat" based on pseudoscience.

    Nah, I hate donuts. Always have. I did like twinkies at one time though... :happy: I have found that by not filling my plate up with things like breads & pastas, I've opened up to way more vegetables, tastier (and healthier) fat options and just gotten more creative in the kitchen overall. Anyone can boil pasta or open a can of ravioli, but to take some fresh veggies and a fresh cut of meat and create a tasty meal takes a little thought/effort, which in turn means a more enjoyable meal, IMO.

    Are you still confused about the meaning of "unnecessarily strict?" If eating loads of veggies helps with satiety, more power to you, but to take the extra leap and say "one must not eat breads and pasta" is not necessary. And, if your idea of pasta is canned ravioli, then I am truly sorry.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    Paleo lifestyle... Have you tried it? How did you feel?
    Polite opinions only please.

    To answer you, OP:

    I started down a "paleo path" about 2 years ago when I was sick (and overweight) and needed to feel better (doctors couldn't help me, they just kept telling me to take OTC drugs that only masked my issues and didn't solve them). Through the switch to paleo, I got over many of my health issues and lost over 30lbs. I feel much better when I eat this way. I have done the Whole30 a few times which has really helped me to pinpoint what my body tolerates and what it doesn't. I started out not very strict (slowly eliminating grains, dairy, sugar & artificial sweeteners) until I was strict paleo/whole30 and then started to ease up again (adding back in things like rice that I am apparently not sensitive to). I have found that gluten makes me very, very sick (for about 7-10 days!!!!!) and that I can tolerate occasional small amounts of dairy. I have also found that eating a lot of sugary foods (like candy) makes me cranky & tired and seems to cause me to "lose control" of my eating (ie... I can't seem to eat just one or two pieces!). This is all personal experience, and everyone's experiences are different. My advice is to give it a try, but don't make yourself crazy with the whole "is this paleo?" thing.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"

    What did you eat before, twinkies and donuts? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

    Seriously though, this isn't exactly difficult to figure out with diet that has a list full of things that "humans aren't supposed to eat" based on pseudoscience.

    Nah, I hate donuts. Always have. I did like twinkies at one time though... :happy: I have found that by not filling my plate up with things like breads & pastas, I've opened up to way more vegetables, tastier (and healthier) fat options and just gotten more creative in the kitchen overall. Anyone can boil pasta or open a can of ravioli, but to take some fresh veggies and a fresh cut of meat and create a tasty meal takes a little thought/effort, which in turn means a more enjoyable meal, IMO.

    Are you still confused about the meaning of "unnecessarily strict?" If eating loads of veggies helps with satiety, more power to you, but to take the extra leap and say "one must not eat breads and pasta" is not necessary. And, if your idea of pasta is canned ravioli, then I am truly sorry.

    I don't care who eats bread & pasta, but let's face it, the majority of Americans (and probably other countries too) probably get too many calories from bread, pasta & sugar and not enough from vegetables. A lot of people still believe that "low-fat, no-fat" foods are better for them than coconut butter and fresh eggs. If you can tolerate pasta & bread and it you enjoy some dishes with them, that's fantastic, but it shouldn't be what makes up the majority of your meals, should it?

    *edited for spelling
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Simply because it's not necessary to be so strict with your diet, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be strict with your diet. Some people do well with structure, while others do well with complete freedom. Of course you don't have to give up bread to lose weight, but some people find it much easier to lose weight when they do give up bread. What's unnecessary is people pointing out "but you could do IIFYM!" in every thread that's not about IIFYM. :wink:
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    It is an unnecessarily strict diet and unnecessarily strict diets often interfere with diet adherence.

    this

    Please tell me how it is "unnecessarily strict". I eat a wider variety of foods now than I ever did before "going paleo"

    What did you eat before, twinkies and donuts? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . .

    Seriously though, this isn't exactly difficult to figure out with diet that has a list full of things that "humans aren't supposed to eat" based on pseudoscience.

    Nah, I hate donuts. Always have. I did like twinkies at one time though... :happy: I have found that by not filling my plate up with things like breads & pastas, I've opened up to way more vegetables, tastier (and healthier) fat options and just gotten more creative in the kitchen overall. Anyone can boil pasta or open a can of ravioli, but to take some fresh veggies and a fresh cut of meat and create a tasty meal takes a little thought/effort, which in turn means a more enjoyable meal, IMO.

    Are you still confused about the meaning of "unnecessarily strict?" If eating loads of veggies helps with satiety, more power to you, but to take the extra leap and say "one must not eat breads and pasta" is not necessary. And, if your idea of pasta is canned ravioli, then I am truly sorry.

    I don't care who eats bread & pasta, but let's face it, the majority of Americans (and probably other countries too) probably get too many calories from bread, pasta & sugar and not enough from vegetables. A lot of people still believe that "low-fat, no-fat" foods are better for them than coconut butter and fresh eggs. If you can tolerate pasta & bread and it you enjoy some dishes with them, that's fantastic, but it shouldn't be what makes up the majority of your meals, should it?

    *edited for spelling

    If you are now saying that breads and pasta should not make up the majority of the average diet at the expense of necessary fats and protein, but that they may be eaten in moderation, then that's not paleo, and I would not disagree. But paleo isn't about moderation. It is about elimination of these foods.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,231 Member
    Try the paleo group. You'll find a lot of people there who can tell you their experiences.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group

    This. I'd love to talk about my experience and success with a ketogenic version of a Paleo lifestyle. But not here. I'm done with people telling my how "bad" (omg cutting out whole food groups!) or "restrictive" (cuz eating ribeye steaks, side pork, and vegetables soaked in delicious fats, etc is so terrible) my lifestyle is when I absolutely LOVE, it makes me healthy (we've been lied to), and I lose weight effortlessly. Whatever.


    PS. It is cheaper to eat this way, and I can explain how. (I've kept track of my spending for years.)

    ill take the steak, pork fat, AND the bread, dairy etc...and I will have no problem comparing my results to yours any day of the week...

    and I am sure that our paleo brethren were munching down on ribeyes, side pork, vegetables soaked in fat, etc while they were sitting around the cave grunting at each other...sounds legit.

    Comparing my results with yours? See that's the BS I'm talking about. You are a man. I'm a woman. Do you know my health situation, my life experience, etc? What's yours? Wow, you definitely have bigger muscles than me- what am I doing wrong?!!!

    PS. Stop with the caveman bs. I do model my diet somewhat after my Inuit neighbours, which was as high as 90% fat, but I'm also stuck accessing the same stuff as you. So caribou, muskox, char are pretty biologically appropriate and I eat them as much as I can get but I'll eat other animals too, and vegetables that my ancestors never knew existed. Why am I still talking... what a waste of time. Bye.

    isn't that what Paleo is? Eat like Paleoithic Man - AKA cavemen ....?????
    Only in gifs. It's basically consuming whole foods with a long list of restriction put on certain foods based on research that shows a collision with more modern food interventions. The basic problem as I see it, is it's taken to the extreme and not all of the factors that have contributed to diseases of civilization should be solely placed on the food supply. Basically it's the old adage of context and dosage which is generally neglected in most if not all dieting theories. imo

    but it is supposed to based on how humans supposedly ate like 10,000 years ago or whatever, correct?
    No, that's impossible.

    Here's ground zero for most of the information that paleo is based on........

    http://thepaleodiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Origins-and-evolution-of-the-Western-diet-health-implications-for-the-21st-centuryabstract.pdf
    Abstract: There is growing awareness that the profound changes in the environment (e.g., in diet and other lifestyle conditions) that began with the introduction of agriculture and animal husbandry 10,000 years ago occurred too recently on an evolutionary time scale for the human genome to adjust. In conjunction with this discordance between our ancient, genetically determined biology and the nutritional, cultural, and activity patterns of contemporary Western populations, many of the so-called diseases of civilization have emerged. In particular, food staples and food-processing procedures introduced during the Neolithic and Industrial Periods have fundamentally altered seven crucial nutritional characteristics of ancestral hominin diets: 1) glycemic load; 2) fatty acid composition; 3) macronutrient composition; 4) micronutrient density; 5) acid-base balance; 6) sodium-potassium ratio; and 7) fiber content. The evolutionary collision of our ancient genome with the nutritional qualities of recently introduced foods may underlie many of the chronic diseases of Western civilization.
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I refuse it to call if "paleo or primal" as you get people going "did cavemen eat "peanut butter" or "ribeyes"? As I told my dr, I feel best when I'm not eating grains and sugar and when I am eating a lot more fat.

    As for cost, if you are buying both SAD and paleo food then your food bill with double. I get meat and eggs from a butcher (all pastured), is it certified no, do I care, no. I eat more frozen and fresh veggies than most of the vegatarians I know. I grow my own veggies and go to farmers markets. In the winter, I buy cheap things from organic bins and conventional the rest of the time (let's face it a convention pepper is healthier than a "insert heaviely processed food" anyday).

    I eat 60% fat, 25 to 30% protein and the rest carbs. My blood test HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER. My tryglicerides were over 300 3 year ago, after a year of mostly paleo they were 70. My HDL were in the thirties and they were over 60. My total cholestrol was under 200.

    The surprise benefits are :
    my skins glows and is so soft
    my hair is shiny
    my depression gone
    my constant neck pain gone
    my sinusitis gone
    I sleep less but deeper
    I love life
    weight loss
    all sugar craving are gone
    appetite control
    no mood swings from hunger

    It is not easy to stick to, I have fallen off but I have always gone back as the restrictions are worth the zest for life I get in return.

    With that being said, would I recommend this way of eating for anyone that is just looking for weight loss. No. I wouldn't. It is hard at first. It can be a pain. But if you are looking for health and willing to have the side effect of weight loss, yes I would recommend it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I felt like...

    captain-caveman.jpg

    But in all seriousness, I found it to be over the top restrictive and completely unnecessarily so. Even so far as to demonize foods like legumes (which I make a big batch of pinto beans from scratch every Sunday) which I consider to be perfectly good whole foods.

    On the plus side, it got me to eating a whole lot more whole, nutrient dense foods...but ultimately I decided I'd rather just have a more flexible way of eating that was well balanced and included a whole lot of those kinds of foods...but allowing me to enjoy my ice cream or chocolate souffle or whatever for desert...or just a gummy bear when I wanted one.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    I have ended up on what amounts to being pretty close to a paleo diet but not because I thought it would help me lose weight. I have fibromyalgia and have spent the last few years working through eliminating foods that I react to and by the time I was done, paleo. I do sometimes feel deprived but I also feel my best physically eating this way. And I'm even stricter than straight paleo because I can't do night shades either. Potatoes, corn and gluten are my biggest triggers and result in me barely being able to crawl out of bed. I can tolerate small amounts of dairy but It's a lactose issue with it so I do pay the price but in a different way.

    It's a pain in the butt sometimes. Eating anywhere but home is difficult and there are very few "convenience" foods available to me if I want something besides fruit. Costco's rotisserie chicken has been a lifesaver for me on nights I don't want to cook. My idea of fast food any more is the chicken with some salad supplies. I sure eat healthier though!

    If you think it will magically make you lose weight, it might depending on how you've been eating before going paleo but it will likely be because you were eating stuff that didn't satisfy you as much and now you're satiated. One thing I can say about it is all the vegetables, meat, eggs and fruit do make it hard to reach calorie goals some days. But since I do need to lose weight it's okay for me. Thankfully I can do sweet potatoes or I'd have a heck of a time getting carbs!
  • mmipanda
    mmipanda Posts: 351 Member
    Simply because it's not necessary to be so strict with your diet, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be strict with your diet. Some people do well with structure, while others do well with complete freedom. Of course you don't have to give up bread to lose weight, but some people find it much easier to lose weight when they do give up bread. What's unnecessary is people pointing out "but you could do IIFYM!" in every thread that's not about IIFYM. :wink:

    :drinker:

    I personally find calorie counting incredibly restrictive and boring. Apparently having 1/4 of a cup of icecream or 3 chicken mcnuggets is just SO much more rewarding than making a paleo banoffee pie and eating as much as you want.
    I felt like...

    captain-caveman.jpg

    But in all seriousness, I found it to be over the top restrictive and completely unnecessarily so. Even so far as to demonize foods like legumes (which I make a big batch of pinto beans from scratch every Sunday) which I consider to be perfectly good whole foods.

    On the plus side, it got me to eating a whole lot more whole, nutrient dense foods...but ultimately I decided I'd rather just have a more flexible way of eating that was well balanced and included a whole lot of those kinds of foods...but allowing me to enjoy my ice cream or chocolate souffle or whatever for desert...or just a gummy bear when I wanted one.

    No two people should have the same paleo diet. Its pretty much about eliminating problem foods, not demonising everything. You start strict and reintroduce foods slowly. If you have no negative reactions, feel free to eat them. I eat legumes, tomatoes, potatoes, sometimes feta or haloumi. I don't touch wheat & gluten because it hurts me to do so.