Paleo vs. Clean eating?

cwolfman13

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

We don't judge the diet. We judge the imaginary "caveman" philosophical underpinnings and the bogus reasons to avoid commonly eaten staples.

If you're eating staples, you're doing it wrong...

that has to hurt like a *****

harrlea8

Paleo is basically going back to how your ancestors lived, there we're not chocolate bars on store shelves, no Mr Noodles, no Frozen Lasanga.... i have been living Paleo for a month - I chose Paleo because of poor health, lack of energy, no desire to do anything, and my dr couldnt find anything wrong with me.
So, now i am full of energy, i can think straight again, i have lost inches, and am WAY easier to get a long with.
I dont eat anything processed, this includes, BREAD!.
If i want a chocolate treat, i mix some Organic Powedered unsweaten Cocoa, with some honey, and dip some dates in it, or Orange slices or whatever.. NOT COOKIES
I do eat Dairy, so, some would banish me from the Paleo Group.... Greek - 0 Fat - Yogurt... And i put half n half in my coffee.
And yes, i still drink coffee.
For the most part my diet consists of , Fresh washed fruits and vegetables, 100 Meat products, no Frozen pumped full of chemical chicken breasts.
to Sum it up, read the label, if it contains any form of sugar, and any ingredients that are not naturally part of the product, dont eat it!
Email me if you would like more tips, i am going on 6 weeks, and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

bcattoes

Paleo is basically going back to how your ancestors lived, there we're not chocolate bars on store shelves, no Mr Noodles, no Frozen Lasanga....

There were not cows or chickens or coconut oil or coffee or many other things allowed on the diet.

There were grains and legumes, though, and our ancestors ate them.

Acg67

Paleo is basically going back to how your ancestors lived, there we're not chocolate bars on store shelves, no Mr Noodles, no Frozen Lasanga.... i have been living Paleo for a month - I chose Paleo because of poor health, lack of energy, no desire to do anything, and my dr couldnt find anything wrong with me.
So, now i am full of energy, i can think straight again, i have lost inches, and am WAY easier to get a long with.
I dont eat anything processed, this includes, BREAD!.
If i want a chocolate treat, i mix some Organic Powedered unsweaten Cocoa, with some honey, and dip some dates in it, or Orange slices or whatever.. NOT COOKIES
I do eat Dairy, so, some would banish me from the Paleo Group.... Greek - 0 Fat - Yogurt... And i put half n half in my coffee.
And yes, i still drink coffee.
For the most part my diet consists of , Fresh washed fruits and vegetables, 100 Meat products, no Frozen pumped full of chemical chicken breasts.
to Sum it up, read the label, if it contains any form of sugar, and any ingredients that are not naturally part of the product, dont eat it!
Email me if you would like more tips, i am going on 6 weeks, and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

Not sure why you need to lie about your diet, just today you ate processed frozen blueberries and processed fat free greek yogurt. Pretty sure our ancestors had neither

And your greek yogurt has lactose no? that is a form of sugar

geebusuk

I mention a McDonald's MEAL (breakfast in my statement) and then you flip it asking about just the burger! Which obviously is how everyone had the McDonald's - oh just the burger thanks hold the bun, crappy salad, sort of sauce stuff - no fries and left the coke!

Well, nice that you finally see, but it'd have been nicer if you'd have taken the time to READ the first post where I made it clear it was the meat, then the many after.
The reason I was seperating it out because it's easiest to compare like for like.
Otherwise we should probably be comparing one of their salads with an organge juice and some fruit.

I don't know.

Well, it would seem I know more than you now, as I took the time to read a good many articles about it until I found ones that had useful facts, despite it not being something of great interest to me.

As you don't know about the meat, did you really expect (from your earlier posts) that I would be confused about whether a selection of steamed vegetables had more useful micronutrients than a bread roll, sauce with a very small bit of salad?

Anyway, now we've cleared that up cheers, how about the final bit....

If you have already had enough micronutrients of that kind, do you think that having more will be beneficial?

nd most neglect to mention the fact that modern farm animals are the result of selective breeding and have different macros to the wild animal species they're descended from.

Indeed, the vast majority of foods we eat humans have used advanced (compared to 'nature') techniques to modify their genetic make up to suit our needs.
You could call this process, oh I don't know, Genetic.... modification?


Oh and in response to other posts - yes, I eat clean-vegan-paelo 66% of the time. The other 33% I eat real food.

As it goes, I DO actually go for 'whole foods' in that 33%.
Ok, the apple pie let me down today*
But I had frozen yoghurt - WHOLE pot
Ham - WHOLE pack.
Chicken Breast - TWO WHOLE breasts
Chicken Tagliatelle ready meal - WHOLE packet.
Beed and black bean 'take away' ready meal - WHOLE 2 serving packet.
* I only had 1/3rd of the apple pie - rest for tomorrow.

DamePiglet

Paleo is basically going back to how your ancestors lived, there we're not chocolate bars on store shelves, no Mr Noodles, no Frozen Lasanga.... i have been living Paleo for a month - I chose Paleo because of poor health, lack of energy, no desire to do anything, and my dr couldnt find anything wrong with me.
So, now i am full of energy, i can think straight again, i have lost inches, and am WAY easier to get a long with.
I dont eat anything processed, this includes, BREAD!.
If i want a chocolate treat, i mix some Organic Powedered unsweaten Cocoa, with some honey, and dip some dates in it, or Orange slices or whatever.. NOT COOKIES
I do eat Dairy, so, some would banish me from the Paleo Group.... Greek - 0 Fat - Yogurt... And i put half n half in my coffee.
And yes, i still drink coffee.
For the most part my diet consists of , Fresh washed fruits and vegetables, 100 Meat products, no Frozen pumped full of chemical chicken breasts.
to Sum it up, read the label, if it contains any form of sugar, and any ingredients that are not naturally part of the product, dont eat it!
Email me if you would like more tips, i am going on 6 weeks, and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

Not sure why you need to lie about your diet, just today you ate processed frozen blueberries and processed fat free greek yogurt. Pretty sure our ancestors had neither

And your greek yogurt has lactose no? that is a form of sugar

But she LOVE LOVE LOVES IT!
Stop being so MEAN!!!

lindsey1979

I have been eating clean for years, with an occasional cheat, I tried Paleo for a month with some friends, and found that I did feel less bloated, and felt like I had more energy. I am still abiding by the Paleo diet, with the exception of oatmeal, I teach fitness classes, and need a good carb that it going to sustain me for hours in the morning, and found that I just can't give up my oatmeal.
%85 is the general rule, and do the best you can.
I did try some recipes for cookies, brownies, for when I craved sweets, and they were really good, I just googled them.
My family liked the treats too, and didn't even notice the veggies I added to them, and that there was no sugar in them

For a Paleo/Primal version of oatmeal, you might want to give this a try: http://marmaladeandmileposts.com/archives/21240

I haven't tried it myself, so can't vouch personally, but it was recommended by a few others that love it.

geebusuk

So, err, how easy is it to grow these 'powdered cocoa' plants?
Because of course this food couldn't have been 'processed', could it!
And so on.

However, I'm certainly all for "100 meat products".
That's a lot of meat products, but then meat products do tend to be tasty!

lindsey1979

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

I am still mystified by this too. Mind boggling.

lindsey1979

Ive been eating paleo-ish. I was on a 3 month plateau until I started that and have lost an average of 2 lb a week since. I dont like to call it paleo but it basically is. I dont seek out all organic or grassfed though. When I have a good streak of it it makes me feel great & I havent touched my huge bottle of pepto in weeks lol. I have a cheesburger & soda every saturday. Really keeps me motivated all week haha

No, that basically is not paleo at all.

Thats why I said ish. & its a whole lot closer to paleo then other diets. & yes I follow the BASIC guidlines. Boo I guess im not paleo enough

I'm paleo too, except for the grains, legumes, potatoes and dairy.

That's what I find so...interesting about paleo. It's kind of like religion...I'm an X...except I don't really believe in the Y & Z part (which are usually kind of important to being X). I like how they also incorporate an "out"...in this case being 80/20 or whatever is fine...kinda like going to confession I suppose.

I think it's the only diet that really does this...I know a couple vegans and some vegetarians, and they don't have cheat days and eat steaks or whatever. I don't care one way or the other, I just find it all very amusing...which is good, because I need entertainment.

Where are these people? Are they on myfitnesspal? Because I keep hearing about them, and have yet to encounter them either on MFP or in my actual life (and I know a good deal of Primal/Paleo people)?

Do you tend to go around policing other people's religions and politics? Do you go on political boards and tell someone that they're not Libertarian enough, or because they disagree with one tenet of the Republican party, that they can't really call themselves Republicans? What about Jews, Catholics, Muslims, etc.?

I've never known a group of outsiders (religious, political or otherwise) to profess to know so much about groups of which they are self-described not a part of and then criticize those that do self-describe as part as not being "enough" of that religion, political group, or in this case, diet. It's just crazy to me.

tennisdude2004

I mention a McDonald's MEAL (breakfast in my statement) and then you flip it asking about just the burger! Which obviously is how everyone had the McDonald's - oh just the burger thanks hold the bun, crappy salad, sort of sauce stuff - no fries and left the coke!

Well, nice that you finally see, but it'd have been nicer if you'd have taken the time to READ the first post where I made it clear it was the meat, then the many after.
The reason I was seperating it out because it's easiest to compare like for like.
Otherwise we should probably be comparing one of their salads with an organge juice and some fruit.

I don't know.

Well, it would seem I know more than you now, as I took the time to read a good many articles about it until I found ones that had useful facts, despite it not being something of great interest to me.

As you don't know about the meat, did you really expect (from your earlier posts) that I would be confused about whether a selection of steamed vegetables had more useful micronutrients than a bread roll, sauce with a very small bit of salad?

Anyway, now we've cleared that up cheers, how about the final bit....

If you have already had enough micronutrients of that kind, do you think that having more will be beneficial?

nd most neglect to mention the fact that modern farm animals are the result of selective breeding and have different macros to the wild animal species they're descended from.

Indeed, the vast majority of foods we eat humans have used advanced (compared to 'nature') techniques to modify their genetic make up to suit our needs.
You could call this process, oh I don't know, Genetic.... modification?


Oh and in response to other posts - yes, I eat clean-vegan-paelo 66% of the time. The other 33% I eat real food.

As it goes, I DO actually go for 'whole foods' in that 33%.
Ok, the apple pie let me down today*
But I had frozen yoghurt - WHOLE pot
Ham - WHOLE pack.
Chicken Breast - TWO WHOLE breasts
Chicken Tagliatelle ready meal - WHOLE packet.
Beed and black bean 'take away' ready meal - WHOLE 2 serving packet.
* I only had 1/3rd of the apple pie - rest for tomorrow.

Sorry Dude, but if you are going to call me out for not READING things correctly get the facts straight. on Page 3 post 1 - I mention nutrient deficiency in a McDonalds breakfast (by the way I normally had double egg and sausage mcmuffin meal - extra hash brown - white coffee 1 sugar) compared to other alternative foods.

Page 3 post 4 - yes 3 posts after mine you then flip it to McDonalds burger (I never mentioned the burger) you changed the subject to just the meat and distorted my original statement - just saying (maybe best we leave this bit out of the book).

And in regards to comparisons I was comparing McDonalds against what I eat now - so if that is for argument sake an orange juice for a salad what has that got to do with anything.

Anyway if your happy with what you eat and it makes you a healthier and slimmer individual (or more muscular). Then great after all isn't that what we're all here for.

geebusuk

And if we're going back, the post you were quoted had me quoting about 'processed foods', then you started with "Since you seem to have very little understanding of the diet".

I'll agree maybe I should have taken the meat and eggs in a McDonalds breakfast, but a burger seems like a typical 'processed food' that so many love to hate and is a good food item to compare to the steak you mentioned when discussing whether 'processing' is bad compared to a paelo (sic) alternative - which in this case you don't know if it actually is bad or not.

Me, I'm with Number 2 for why I'm on the forums!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zalndXdxriI&t=6s

lindsey1979

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

We don't judge the diet. We judge the imaginary "caveman" philosophical underpinnings and the bogus reasons to avoid commonly eaten staples.

I judge the diet. Caveman aside it makes completely false assertions like legumes are unhealthy. Legumes are not unheatlhy or toxic.

I don't care if people eat legumes or not, and I don't care what diet strangers choose to follow. But I judge the paleo diet to be a pack of lies! Beans are good food!!

You may not agree with the explanation, but there is a basis. That basis has to do with lectins. You may disagree with the ultimate conclusion that lectins are unhealthy, but there is a reasonable basis for the assertion of why they should be avoided.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Paleo is basically going back to how your ancestors lived, there we're not chocolate bars on store shelves, no Mr Noodles, no Frozen Lasanga.... i have been living Paleo for a month - I chose Paleo because of poor health, lack of energy, no desire to do anything, and my dr couldnt find anything wrong with me.
So, now i am full of energy, i can think straight again, i have lost inches, and am WAY easier to get a long with.
I dont eat anything processed, this includes, BREAD!.
If i want a chocolate treat, i mix some Organic Powedered unsweaten Cocoa, with some honey, and dip some dates in it, or Orange slices or whatever.. NOT COOKIES
I do eat Dairy, so, some would banish me from the Paleo Group.... Greek - 0 Fat - Yogurt... And i put half n half in my coffee.
And yes, i still drink coffee.
For the most part my diet consists of , Fresh washed fruits and vegetables, 100 Meat products, no Frozen pumped full of chemical chicken breasts.
to Sum it up, read the label, if it contains any form of sugar, and any ingredients that are not naturally part of the product, dont eat it!
Email me if you would like more tips, i am going on 6 weeks, and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

I'm sorry, but this whole thing is ridiculous beyond reason for me. You don't eat ANYTHING processed? What part of honey, powdered cocoa, yogurt, and oranges aren't processed? (Yes, even oranges are processed, especially if they came from an HLB quarantined area in Florida or Texas.) I'm sorry, but I am completely confused by all of your advice given the foods you admit you eat.

Edit to add: And as far as your assertions about the origin of the Paleo diet, see all of Neandermagnon's posts on the subject.

Holly_Roman_Empire

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

I am still mystified by this too. Mind boggling.

Who's upset? I find it ridiculous and somewhat entertaining to see posts like the one I just quoted.

lindsey1979

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

I am still mystified by this too. Mind boggling.

Who's upset? I find it ridiculous and somewhat entertaining to see posts like the one I just quoted.

Of course you do.

DamePiglet

For the debate of restriction vs. no restriction, I personally find that the decision turns on what the benefits you receive from the restriction -- whether that result makes it worth it to you. If you can achieve the same goal in a different manner, you may opt to ditch the restriction. But if the restriction gives you what you want, you often will stick with it due to that positive feedback loop.

For example, when I went Paleo/Primal, I was shocked by how much better I felt. Just shocked. So, it was easy for me to keep eating that way because I just felt so much better than I did before -- my whole concept of "normal" for me shifted dramatically. And when I go back to eating grains, I go back to feeling poorly. So, that's an easy restriction for me to adopt into a lifestyle.

I now know I have an underlying condition that probably contributed to that or was the sole cause as I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis -- an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Research isn't definitive, but some thyroid specialists believe that gluten or other items in grains set it off -- just as it is suspected to do for other autoimmune disorders like Celiac, certain rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Are there other things I avoid that maybe I don't need to avoid? Maybe. I started to add back in dairy and found I had no problems with it, so that's when I shifted from stricter Paleo to the more permissive Primal. I don't generally eat legumes, but they aren't generally things I miss. The only exception is peanut butter. But I like almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts just as much if not more, so the substitution is an easy on for me.

I had a similar experience when I started to cut back the carbs, and then later learned I was insulin resistant. And a low carb diet is specifically recommended for that disorder. Again, the diagnosis came long after the diet change (and, man, do I wish I'd known about these issues 10+ years ago -- would have saved me a LOT of grief).

So, my guess for a lot of people that love Paleo/Primal, keto, low carb, etc. lifestyles it's because there is a real reason they react so much better to those diets -- some reasons that they know about, some that they don't and some that they may never know about (i.e. disorders/sensitivities that are too mild for a formal diagnosis or whose symptoms largely clear up with the different diet). After all, I was told for YEARS everything was fine by my doctors. My fiance feels similarly. He doesn't have any issues that we know of but he says he just feels a ton better eating Primally, especially without the grains. He doesn't know what it is specifically that does it -- but the combo works great for him and he saw increases in his sports performance which was the big deal (he comes from some serious genetic freaks in that department).

Others without any sensitivities or underlying conditions try the diets and go "what's the big deal?" because they feel the same on them as they did on their previous diet. So, to those people that have the luck to be able to tolerate different diets rather well, the restriction seems silly, faulty or just plain not worth it.

But, at least for me, I never would have realized that a change in my diet could lead to feeling SO SO much better. And, it is what ultimately pushed me to push my doctors on figuring out what was up with me as for the previous 6-8 years, they told me everything was "fine" when it really wasn't and I'm finally getting the treatment that is needed and on the best diet for my situation. I think you'll find a lot of similar stories on Paleo/Primal websites -- people just feeling much better or having previous issues just clear up or get remarkably better, and they never really know why necessarily.

Here's the thing, Lindsey: you have health issues that are alleviated when you eat this way. It's certainly a good choice for you. I will always think the name "paleo" or "primal" is dumb because its not an accurate name. I describe your diet as "beneficial for Lindsey (or "insert name here") because that's what it REALLY is.

However, OP is intrigued at the thought of different eating styles, yet she doesn't actually have any dietary / health issues ( at least none she disclosed). Most of us are actually saying the same thing you did: it's probably not worth it for her.
In her case, it probably won't be sustainable... It will end up just being a "fad diet". And there's where the discord enters... No one really wants people to suffer through fad diets. Again, even though its not a fad for you, other people wear it like a trendy accessory.

lindsey1979

For the debate of restriction vs. no restriction, I personally find that the decision turns on what the benefits you receive from the restriction -- whether that result makes it worth it to you. If you can achieve the same goal in a different manner, you may opt to ditch the restriction. But if the restriction gives you what you want, you often will stick with it due to that positive feedback loop.

For example, when I went Paleo/Primal, I was shocked by how much better I felt. Just shocked. So, it was easy for me to keep eating that way because I just felt so much better than I did before -- my whole concept of "normal" for me shifted dramatically. And when I go back to eating grains, I go back to feeling poorly. So, that's an easy restriction for me to adopt into a lifestyle.

I now know I have an underlying condition that probably contributed to that or was the sole cause as I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis -- an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Research isn't definitive, but some thyroid specialists believe that gluten or other items in grains set it off -- just as it is suspected to do for other autoimmune disorders like Celiac, certain rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Are there other things I avoid that maybe I don't need to avoid? Maybe. I started to add back in dairy and found I had no problems with it, so that's when I shifted from stricter Paleo to the more permissive Primal. I don't generally eat legumes, but they aren't generally things I miss. The only exception is peanut butter. But I like almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts just as much if not more, so the substitution is an easy on for me.

I had a similar experience when I started to cut back the carbs, and then later learned I was insulin resistant. And a low carb diet is specifically recommended for that disorder. Again, the diagnosis came long after the diet change (and, man, do I wish I'd known about these issues 10+ years ago -- would have saved me a LOT of grief).

So, my guess for a lot of people that love Paleo/Primal, keto, low carb, etc. lifestyles it's because there is a real reason they react so much better to those diets -- some reasons that they know about, some that they don't and some that they may never know about (i.e. disorders/sensitivities that are too mild for a formal diagnosis or whose symptoms largely clear up with the different diet). After all, I was told for YEARS everything was fine by my doctors. My fiance feels similarly. He doesn't have any issues that we know of but he says he just feels a ton better eating Primally, especially without the grains. He doesn't know what it is specifically that does it -- but the combo works great for him and he saw increases in his sports performance which was the big deal (he comes from some serious genetic freaks in that department).

Others without any sensitivities or underlying conditions try the diets and go "what's the big deal?" because they feel the same on them as they did on their previous diet. So, to those people that have the luck to be able to tolerate different diets rather well, the restriction seems silly, faulty or just plain not worth it.

But, at least for me, I never would have realized that a change in my diet could lead to feeling SO SO much better. And, it is what ultimately pushed me to push my doctors on figuring out what was up with me as for the previous 6-8 years, they told me everything was "fine" when it really wasn't and I'm finally getting the treatment that is needed and on the best diet for my situation. I think you'll find a lot of similar stories on Paleo/Primal websites -- people just feeling much better or having previous issues just clear up or get remarkably better, and they never really know why necessarily.

Here's the thing, Lindsey: you have health issues that are alleviated when you eat this way. It's certainly a good choice for you. I will always think the name "paleo" or "primal" is dumb because its not an accurate name. I describe your diet as "beneficial for Lindsey (or "insert name here") because that's what it REALLY is.

However, OP is intrigued at the thought of different eating styles, yet she doesn't actually have any dietary / health issues ( at least none she disclosed). Most of us are actually saying the same thing you did: it's probably not worth it for her.
In her case, it probably won't be sustainable... It will end up just being a "fad diet". And there's where the discord enters... No one really wants people to suffer through fad diets. Again, even though its not a fad for you, other people wear it like a trendy accessory.

Dame Piglet (great moniker btw) -- the one point of my story that I think you're missing is that I didn't know I had any issues for years. Yes, the later diagnosis definitely connected the dots for me as to why it worked for me. But, before that diagnosis, I just know that I felt a lot better -- that it was the only thing that I'd seen a real definitive difference in fatigue in particular. I don't believe my story is singular in that regard.

From what I know of people that tried the diet, is that an amazing number of them reported things similar to me -- that they felt a LOT better on it, clearer thinking, more energy, digestive issues cleared up or went away, headaches they used to be plagued by vanished or greatly reduced, sleep a lot better, etc. I do believe a lot of these people, like myself, probably have some underlying issue that the diet alleviated. But, like myself, I bet you a lot of them are undiagnosed or are told by their doctors that it's stress (such a common answer for doctors when no "disorder" is readily apparent). Or simply it's a food sensitivity that they were unaware of until they weren't eating it a lot whatever was causing them issues. I certainly had a huge shift in what was "normal" for me.

Accordingly, I believe that's why so many people that have such experiences praise it so highly. In many ways, it did "cure" them. Was is the only "cure"? Maybe, maybe not. Do they feel a lot better on it? Yes. Does that encourage them to continue it? Yes. If it doesn't work, then they simply stop. It's really nothing that rises to the level of "suffering" that you reference. It's meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables, good fats, nuts, dairy (if it works for you) -- at least for the Primal I follow. There are a lot of choices -- very little "suffering" (#firstworldproblems).

So, you can call it a fad all you want, but I've read a lot of the nutritional science behind many of the concepts, and many of them are reasonable from a biological, biochemical and physiological perspective. Definitive, no. Reasonable, yes. Not everyone agrees with the conclusions -- and that's the nature of so much of science.

What I still fail to understand is where people like you or others on this board care about the semantics of the label, the anthropological accuracy (that's not really what a real Caveman ate!), or other peripheral non-sense. It's not a movement that you're a part of, so why do you care? Why not just keep your eyes on your own paper? If you disagree with the science of the nutritional precepts, fine. State so and enter a lively debate about them. But, most of the anit-Paleo/Primal assertions I've seen are conclusory statements, mockery, ridicule or baseless assertions. Or frankly, self-righteous puffery, which is terribly ironic coming from the very same people complaining about insufferable pretention coming from the Paleo/Primal people. Pot or kettle?

Also where are these people that wear their diets like trendy accessories? I live in Northern California, a place that is pretty focused on food and healthy living, and I've literally never met them. I've met plenty of other types that are plenty obnoxious, but none that brag about their diets -- whether Paleo, IIFYM or otherwise. Do you find them hanging out at the juice bar in the gym or something?

It's almost as if Paleo/Primal did such people some ancestral wrong or ran over their puppy -- that's the level of irrational hostility I see from many (not aimed at you in particular) on this board. It really feels very similar to religious or political zealots who invest themselves in trying to tear down all other ideologies in order to give themselves greater comfort for their own beliefs (or doubt therein). Just what I've observed...

Qskim

I agree Lindsey. I don't even follow primal. Closer to IIFYM with a dash of fasting. But I've had a somewhat similar journey. I also think that there are underlying issues sometimes that aren't obvious.

If a friend says to me I am thinking about doing Paleo...I'm all for it. They'll learn their boundaries and modify. I think, well, it's not oil pulling.

I mention "macros" to some of my RL friends (never had to lose weight) and they tell me it sounds like a tosser term for meat and 3 veg Are they going to try and discourage me to a point I give up? No.

If I did Paleo, they would point out the flaws in the packaging. But they would also see and understand the core of it and why it may resonate with some and in general not be a useless exercise.

neandermagnon

why do people get soo upset when someone mentions Paleo diet!!?? If that's what they wanna do then the more power to them , who are we to judge?? Geesh!!

I am still mystified by this too. Mind boggling.

Who's upset? I find it ridiculous and somewhat entertaining to see posts like the one I just quoted.

Of course you do.

it annoys (not upsets) me that it calls itself the paleo diet. There's enough ignorance about human evolution and palaeolithic people out there, (mostly due to creationinsts and the fact that schools are scared to teach human evolution or anything connected to it for fear of being "contravertial") without self-proclaimed internet gurus adding to it by promoting a whole lot of other myths and stereotypes about palaeolithic life and palaeolithic people. So I will come on these threads and correct the science, and encourage people to look to sources based on peer-reviewed research to find out about human evolution and the diets and lifestyles of palaeolithic peoples. I'm pretty sure after doing that you won't want to eat like them (but if you do then kudos to you, just stick to middle palaeolithic and later, because the modern human immune system doesn't seem to be adapted to the lower palaeolithic diet which involved eating raw, scaveneged meat).

also, one of the main reasons for people failing at fat loss is failure to stick to the diet long term. Excessively restrictive diets are more likely to result in long term failure, hence why people come on threads like these and tell everyone that that level of restriction isn't necessary for success. It's only necessary for people who are allergic/intolerant to all those foods. The "paleo" diet (which needs a different name) is a good diet to promote to people who have multiple food intolerances, it is excessively restrictive for everyone else, and a lot of people have better long term success sticking to a diet that's a lot less restrictive. Add the fact that the "paleo" aspect of the diet is pseudoscience..... you should be able to see why there's such a backlash against this diet. If it works for you because of your issues with food intolerances, then great. Ditto anyone else. But the pseudoscience + implication that *everyone* should eat this diet, is the issue.