Starting A "Paleo" lifestyle change: Gluten-free, grain-free

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  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    I only have one question....since your body requires certain enzymes which come from grains, how do you get around that?

    Enzymes from grains? The best enzymes that the body needs is from raw food. The enzyme Amylase is needed in order to digest carbohydrates. Lipase for fats, and Protease for protein digestion. The Primal Blueprint does recommend that you supplement with a good probiotic.

    Livestrong has a list of high enzyme foods: papaya, raw fruits & veggies, raw nuts & seeds, and sprouts. This doesn't include the bread basket from The Olive Garden.
  • mjslazak
    mjslazak Posts: 179 Member
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    Thx for the reading list suggestion!
  • ResilientWoman
    ResilientWoman Posts: 440 Member
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    Does Paleo/Primal work? See my profile, friend me. LOL
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    There are a number of *paleo* blogs and websites you'll find by simply googling as a search term. This website has a basic primer for what the eating guidelines are about: http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-101/ (note I have no ties or whatever to this site or person).

    I've been moving toward *paleo* for over a month now and have altered my MFP goals to reflect paleo percents for protein, fat & carbohydrates. It's been difficult to get sufficient protein (I don't use supplements) using real food (meat/poultry/fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts) and easily hit the carb max for the day by eating certain fruits, and a 3 to 4 times a week indulgence in espresso which has sugar (and I'm steadily reducing the sugar--virtually the only sugar remaining in my diet). As a result of tossing grains, dairy (mostly) and sugar out of my diet, many days I don't max the calorie goal and interestingly, also don't feel hungry because what I *do* eat satisfies my body's needs.

    One poster on another thread commented Paleo is a stupid name and as any marketer knows, branding is everything :-) When asked about it, I tell friends it's a *real food* diet. Unlike some people who are eating paleo or primal or evolution or whatever, I don't try to mimic the foods we've become accustomed to such as bread, cake, cookies, pasta etc. using nut or root flours. That's just my decision and the choices others make are what works for them. Let me just say it hasn't been easy--I'm in my 50s: changing a lifetime of eating to something contrary to what was 'normal', and with the pervasive influence of prepared and processed food literally at every turn (they have coffee shops & hamburger franchises at Home Depot ... arrrgh!)--I can only say it takes a committment. I was known for making wonderful multi-grain loaves, foccacia, sweet baked goods, and homemade pasta, and my adored stand mixer now only gets used for making sausage. Seems almost a shame, eh? :-) I could have saved myself a small fortune in mixing bowls, baking pans, waffle & panini makers et al haha!

    Results for me have been no more achey joints and a slow but steady reduction in weight--but more satisfying to me is the belly bloating is gone and I've lost an inch off each thigh, and off my waist and hips. Throughout my adult life I've struggled to reduce my 'thunder thighs'--it's where I've always carried fat regardless of what I did, and until five years ago that was running, weights, ballet, and martial arts. I used to think it was so unfair that you could see every bone in my rib cage and still had these saddles on my legs! For how I now feel physically, mentally and emotionally every day, this is how I want to live the rest of my life; it's better than garlic bread or chocolate peanut butter cake :-)

    Results may vary for anyone who tries it, and the committment to making a lifetime change to what is regarded as 'food' will also vary. Like anything in life, nothing worth having or doing will happen unless you're willing to work at it and believe you deserve it.
  • SammySweetheart
    SammySweetheart Posts: 25
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    Thanks for the inspiration, Zeromilediet!
  • SammySweetheart
    SammySweetheart Posts: 25
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    Thanks for the portobello cap pizza recipe, davidwhitt! I totally LOVED it! I used Cadia's Organic Roasted Garlic Tomato Pasta Sauce, Trader Joe's nitrate-free black forest ham, fresh basil and onion chives from my herb garden, and a sprinkling of parmesan! It was FANTASTIC!
  • BodyByBrusselSprouts
    BodyByBrusselSprouts Posts: 49 Member
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    Glad you liked it! I am a bit of a foodie. I love food. That had been the problem. And that is why I like the primal lifestyle. It is easy to stick to because everything I cook tastes so damn good. The fact that I am using things like bacon, butter and steak and still losing weigh astounds me. I started my weight loss journey doing the cleansing diets from Dr Hyman's books. I REALLY had to work to get my food to just taste ok.

    dave
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I'm with David on Primal/Paleo being the most delicious WOE out there! I've turned into a total foodie, and LOVE food porn. It DOES it for me!
    It's so easy to stick to b/c it's the best food I've ever had, both taste-wise, and health wise. Eating out is so much less stressful, and I'm not worried about eating 6 meals a day. I eat when I'm hungry, and my friends who want to eat out and used to freak out over helping me stick to my previous diet now get the answer "We can go anywhere that has meat & veggies". Which is, like, EVERYWHERE!
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
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    I googled gluten--just trying to figure out what is bad about it. I only found a description of what gluten is. I read that it is bad if you have Celiac Disease. Is anybody willing to fill me in? I was wondering why gluten and grain should be avoided. Can anybody help me out? :happy:
  • Mandz1984
    Mandz1984 Posts: 84 Member
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    I've also been thinking about going primal. I've been doing weight watchers and I've lost weight, but I'm ready to move on to something healthier and involving less processed foods. I've done atkins in the past and know it works, but it really has to be a life change with low carbing or the weight comes back fast. I've been reading a lot on marksdailyapple.com and I think I might buy the book this weekend.

    My husband is a runner and doesn't think he can give up his grains. Any primal/paleo runners out there?
  • Mandz1984
    Mandz1984 Posts: 84 Member
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    I googled gluten--just trying to figure out what is bad about it. I only found a description of what gluten is. I read that it is bad if you have Celiac Disease. Is anybody willing to fill me in? I was wondering why gluten and grain should be avoided. Can anybody help me out? :happy:


    Here is an article about grains: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    My husband is a runner and doesn't think he can give up his grains. Any primal/paleo runners out there?

    *raises hand*
    Your body will inevitably convert just about anything you give it to glucose. I went a week meat only, and my body did just fine! I'm just a scrawny 5k'er (definitely more sprinter than long distance, as much as I work toward the latter, my massive quads argue otherwise)
    Primal doesn't have to be LC, either. I have no trouble getting over 100g carbs on Primal eats when I want to.
  • roqoru
    roqoru Posts: 31 Member
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    I'm going to start paleo/primal (not sure which, yet, but prolly closer to primal) tomorrow. I'm hoping it will help with my mood swings (I was diagnosed bipolar in 2002.)

    Is there any evidence that this lifestyle helps you out mentally as well as physically?
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I have some mild anxiety problems (and probably some untreated depression as well), roqoru, and have noticed an improvement on Primal :)
    (I think it's the chocolate!)

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