Primal/Paleo Diet

staceyb2003

Can someone tell me what you can eat on this type of diet? I know you can eat meat, fruits, and veggies. Can you eat root vegetables or potatoes? I've read that you can't eat legumes, are green beans considered a legume? I also didn't think you could drink milk? I've thought about trying this diet. Thanks for the help, Stacey :happy:

Sidesteal

I'm not trying to steer you towards or away from anything but I am curious: Is there a reason you would choose a diet that would mandate that you eliminate entire categories of food?

_Bro

Paleo is interesting and in vogue.
It is a bit too strict for me, however.

If anyone has a link to a reputable place where I can purchase t-Rex meat in bulk I would appreciate it

DixiedoesMFP

If you really want the guidelines, google "Whole 31". It's very, very restrictive and I would imagine quite difficult to maintain. How about "clean" eating instead?

juliagulia624

It depends on how closely you are planning on following the diet. yes you are right. No legumes, no dairy. It basically a low carb diet...thats how it seems to me at least. Bc you dont consume any grains and usually get most of your energy from healthy fats instead such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil. I believe any fiberous veggie is a go. Green beans are good for you so I dont see any since in eliminating them! But I dont believe potatoes are allowed. Just look it up on the internet and you will find plenty of helpful info to get started!

hottottie11

Can someone tell me what you can eat on this type of diet? I know you can eat meat, fruits, and veggies. Can you eat root vegetables or potatoes? I've read that you can't eat legumes, are green beans considered a legume? I also didn't think you could drink milk? I've thought about trying this diet. Thanks for the help, Stacey :happy:

Before embarking on this new eating plan, be sure you are willing to live without those restricted food groups permanently (or at least long term). Otherwise, there is no point.

staceyb2003

I eat a clean diet and I've just seen a lot about this diet lately and thought I would give it a try. I've been trying to give up grain to follow what I have read about this diet and it is hard.

songbyrdsweet

There's really no 'way' to do it. Some people are as casual as eliminating processed foods/grains, while others are so strict they only eat raw dairy. I quite enjoy all the food. I eat limited dairy, mostly in the form of yogurt and a little cheese. Being lactose intolerant I never ate much anyway but I do love fresh mozzarella! I never ate bread either, or anything bread-like, because I don't like sandwiches. So it was really easy for me. I still eat carbohydrates from nuts, fruits, and veggies. In general it's a way to keep insulin levels very low, which is required for fat breakdown.

scarletleavy

I eat pretty much Paleo. I'll occasionally have some dairy, I'm actually moving towards eating only fermented or raw dairy products. I don't eat grains of any kind and for me it wasn't at all hard to give up, they gave me all sorts of digestive problems so I was happy to be rid of. I wouldn't say I'm low-carb by any means, I still eat ~100 or so g of carbs a day, but from fruits, veggies, nuts. I don't eat vegetables like potatoes, corns or peas, but I do eat sweet potatoes. It's a really easy natural way of eating for me. For me Paleo=clean eating. I eat local organic produce and meats and a lot of it.

mgmlap

paleo is no dairy..primal adds dairy..

here is a link...
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-shopping-list/#axzz1gRwNmUZl

as far as it being restrictive..every diet is restrictive in its own way. Speaking from personal experience..I do better eating primal..than when I add pasta/grains to my diet. I have been doing this since the beginning of November..

But with that being said...there are those who eat primal/paleo for most of the week..and once in a while..splurge..thats what I do..it has helped me lose 3% body fat in 6 weeks..which is awesome..

andreaeose777

I ate this diet for awhile, and it's just pretty much how I eat on a normal basis anyways. Some good blogs to read are "Marks Daily Apple" He is primal though and not Paleo which means you can eat dairy. "Everyday Paleo" is a good podcast and a good website, I also have her cookbook which is pretty good, and "Rob Wolf's" Site is also really good and he has a podcast. I feel pretty good eating this way now, but I'm not strict. I try to stay away from most grains in every day life anyways, just because wheat makes me break out in a rash. Good luck with your search, and find something that works for you, what I've found is that a diet doesn't need a name or a trend, it's how your body feels the best, is what foods you should be eating.

Sidesteal

every diet is restrictive in its own way.

But not every diet eliminates entire categories of food.

songbyrdsweet

every diet is restrictive in its own way.

But not every diet eliminates entire categories of food.

I've seen paleo/primal diets with potatoes...it's really what you make of it. Some indigenous peoples eat mostly tubors and fruits, and others eat mostly meat and fat. The point is to eat a diet that's nutrient-dense, filling, and non-insulinogenic. The only grains I was eating were whole wheat pasta and oatmeal. I can certainly eat oatmeal if I want, but it doesn't stick with me like eggs.

staceyb2003

Thanks for your tips. I didn't really want to give up my Fage Yogurt at lunch. I really don't see a reason to eat grain but I do think milk provides a lot of great nutrients. I will definitely check out these sites.

UponThisRock

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

Jeff92se

Pepperoni! hahaha

jsv454

I do Primal, so I have a bit of full-fat dairy. Not a ton, because I am slightly intolerant, but I put (local) feta in my salad, and snack on an ounce or two of sharp cheddar. I never drank milk anyway, so I don't miss that at all.

As for potatoes, it depends on how many grams of carbs you are aiming for. Since I have a lot of fat to lose, I stay under 100 grams of carbs per day, and usually even under 50. I don't eat potatoes, as it would slow my fat loss. However, plenty of Primal/Paleo folks do potatoes, especially sweet potatoes. They are great for people who are super-active. Most people do eat green beans, because the proportion of bean to pod is pretty low. I also do sugar snap peas once in a while for a treat.

As for the people who yell, "it's unhealthy cutting out a whole food group," well, why *shouldn't* I cut out a food group that made me feel like crap? I ate grain all the time and felt awful all of the time, and never made the connection. I decided to cut them out to see what would happen, and instantly felt so much better. No more stomach pain, excessive gas, bloating, blood sugar spikes and slumps, and constant lethargy and hunger. If you can eat grain without those issues, great! You couldn't pay me to start eating them again.

As several posts above have said, Mark's Daily Apple is a great resource for all aspects of the Primal Lifestyle (and it *is* a lifestyle, not a diet). The great thing about Primal is everyone can tweak it to work for them. If cold turkey works best for you, do that. If a gradual change sounds better, do that. If you tolerate dairy, have some! And so on. While organic and grass-fed is best, just buy the highest quality food you can afford. I can't afford grass-fed meat right now, but I do try to get it without antibiotics and hormones. I also like the 80/20 rule that says follow the plan 80% of the time and have sensible treats for 20%. It's enough to give you some wiggle room without guilt from "cheating on your diet."

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you find something that works well for you, cause that's the most important thing!

shanolap

bump for later

Jeff92se

Some are allergic to wheat/grains?

MrsCon40

Pepperoni! hahaha

And mayonnaise!

kennethmgreen

I am vegan. Except for bacon and the occasional hobo.

Contrarian

I am vegan. Except for bacon and the occasional hobo.

That reminds me. I have another shipment of frozen hobo ready. Shall I send it tomorrow?

ilookthetype

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

Silly, you still can.

CaptainGordo

I am vegan. Except for bacon and the occasional hobo.

I hear it's really gamey, as opposed to farm-raised people. Is that true?

Elizabeth_C34

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

or bacon.

tidmutt

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

LOL, for sure, although you CAN eat pancakes and ice cream. Primal for example suggests you follow the 80/20 rule, pancakes and ice cream would just fall into the 20% category. In fact, if you think about it, it's a pretty good guideline for eating in general.

I spent quite a while considering the Primal diet and when you cut through all the hype you're looking at a diet that:

- Promotes eating whole foods
- Includes lots of vegetables
- Lots of protein
- Foods high in omega 3
- You can eat plenty of carbs if you like
- Potatoes, some types of bread are allowed in moderation.
- Encourages plenty of exercise
- Has a vibrant online and offline community

To be clear, Primal != Atkins.

Whomever said it eliminates entire food groups is not correct, at least for Primal. These sorts of diets are relegated as fad diets where people eat like cavemen and probably dress like them too, it's just not the case. It's a great WOE.

UponThisRock

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

LOL, for sure, although you CAN eat pancakes and ice cream. Primal for example suggests you follow the 80/20 rule, pancakes and ice cream would just fall into the 20% category. In fact, if you think about it, it's a pretty good guideline for eating in general.

I spent quite a while considering the Primal diet and when you cut through all the hype you're looking at a diet that:

- Promotes eating whole foods
- Includes lots of vegetables
- Lots of protein
- Foods high in omega 3
- You can eat plenty of carbs if you like
- Potatoes, some types of bread are allowed in moderation.
- Encourages plenty of exercise
- Has a vibrant online and offline community

To be clear, Primal != Atkins.

Whomever said it eliminates entire food groups is not correct, at least for Primal. These sorts of diets are relegated as fad diets where people eat like cavemen and probably dress like them too, it's just not the case. It's a great WOE.

Please explain the health benefits of limiting/moderating my potato intake. Thanks.

Grokette

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

In my household we make Paleo Pumpkin pancakes and Vanilla Coconut Milk ice cream.

tidmutt

Please explain the health benefits of limiting/moderating my potato intake. Thanks.

My point wasn't to argue the finer points of the WOE but to illustrate that it's not restrictive and does not eliminate entire food groups completely. To prove the point, here is a post from the site on Potatoes:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/paleo-potatoes/

You can agree or disagree with parts of his narrative but the reality is, he says make up your own mind based on your own n=1.

UponThisRock

You can agree or disagree with parts of his narrative but the reality is, he says make up your own mind based on your own n=1.

If that's what it all boils down to, why wrap in mythology about how out ancestors ate and put a fancy label on it?

UponThisRock

In my household we make Paleo Pumpkin pancakes and Vanilla Coconut Milk ice cream.

I'll stick with the real mccoy. Probably more tasty, and not nearly as much of a pain in the *kitten*.