Paleo lifestyle change.

taxidermist15

hey guys, after talkign to my trainer today he suggested changing my eating habits to a paleo lifstyle.
From what ive gathered its basially eating anything that would be eaten back in uncivllised days.
Lots of meat, lots of protein, nuts, green veggies, little or no carbs.
I dont know how well id do with this. i love my slice of wholegrain toast in the moring, and snacking on fruits through out the day. Beacuse i want to loose weight and gain muscle at the same time he said this was the best way. Im already eating clean where i can, its harder than it looks. Ive cut out processed foods all together, same with fizzy drinks and sugars (no more chcolate for me).
I just want to know if anyone out there has done this, should i try and gradually cut out my wholegrains altogether? or cut them out completly? i dont eat eggs and i thik i would struggle eating so much meat in one day.
any info/advice would be appreciated as im only in the forethoughts of starting this.

Pebble321

Is he a registered dietician and is recommending this specifically for you and your body type and lifestyle, or just promoting something he has heard about that he thinks is a good idea?

In my (humble) opinion, you have to think carefully before cutting out whole food groups (like wholegrains), especially if it is something that you enjoy. I don't know the answers to these questions (and I don't think there is a "right" answer), it's something you have to decide for yourself.
- are you going to feel better eating this way?
- are you going to be healthier?
- is it going to be sustainable or are you setting yourself up to fail after the initial novelty factor wears off?
- will you be able to fit this kind of eating into your lifestyle?
- is there any VERY good reason to cut out chocolate altogether, forever? (I can't think of one!)


But hey, if it sounds good to you, try it - I know lots of people swear by such an eating plan, I'm just not one of them!

I'm also sure that I've read lots of things about the difficulties in losing weight and gaining muscle at the same time (not sure if you can do it) - but I'm sure someone with more knowledge about this will have comments for you.

AdAstra47

I got a prescription from my doctor: to stay healthy, I need to eat fewer than 30 carbs & at least 250g protein per day. That diet ends up looking a lot like the paleo diet.

The best way for me was cold turkey. Clean out my fridge and cupboards and never look back.
My other piece of advice is to do a search here on the forums as well as google searches on the wider web: there are LOTS of great helpful tips out there and lots of recipes to help you get the flavors you love without compromising the diet.

Check out Mark's Daily Apple, it's a good place to start.

Good luck to you!

Jessb1985

Check out this website:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101/#axzz1jgrAS56t

And if you can read the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sissan (who runs the website)

I've been primal for over a month now and I've never felt better, energy wise, mentally. I suffer from insulin resistance and stopped taking tablets on this diet.

Good luck with your decision, feel free to add me if you would like to see my diary

Jess

AdAstra47

BTW, don't worry about cutting out chocolate: there are very good chocolate protein powders out there. I have a chocolate shake several times a day, and sometimes make chocolate almond flour muffins. I understand that stricter versions of the Paleo diet disapprove of processed food of any kind, but giving up chocolate forever is just crazy talk.

Cr357

I understand the reasoning and concept of Paleo, but I'm also a firm believer in the human body's ability to adapt. If I'm not mistaken you are allowed grains that are prepared properly (i.e. sprouted), correct? Not to mention I get extremely cranky and agitated on low carb diets. I hope it works out for you.

Ange_

Hi,

I find this paleo trend a bit strange to be honest.

From what i've read it seems like the belief behind it was that paleolithic peoples were healthy people and that they somehow naturally ate what was a diet designed for their (and our) bodies.

Now as an archaeologist, i know these things are false. Paleolithic peoples first did not all eat the same thing. They would have eaten what was available to them in whatever region they lived in. Thus for example Ancient Australian Aboriginal people did eat grains in the form of ground seeds from grasses and trees etc which they probably made into some kind of bread.
So the no grains thing is not anything to do with what people actually ate in the past.

The other big thing is that paleolithic people didn't live very long. Probably only to about 40 years old max. They were also a lot shorter in general due to malnorishment.
Our modern diet has actually done a lot to improve our longevity and health.
The other thing is depending on which part of the paleolithic you are talking about, we have actually evolved somewhat as a species and subtle changes to do with our metabolism are bound to have occurred even more recently with the advent of agriculture - they are just a little more difficult to study archaeologically as some of the physiological changes that have happened in humans as a species are not likely to show up in our bones.

The other thing i find amusing is how is it really a paleolithic diet if you are having things like flavoured protein powder. That is a very artificial, modern food source. I'm not saying it is a bad food source, in fact it is an example of how modern advances and technology are improving nutrition.

Some of the ideas behind the paleolithic diet are probably sensible, but not because they have anything to do with the paleolithic. Such as cutting down foods with added sugar. But now that is just common sense. I think everything in moderation. Dark chocolate is wonderful and is full of antioxidants. Wholegrains are full of fibre, protein and minerals. All of these foods are good and important for a balanced diet.

Only cut out healthy food groups if you have an allergy or intolerance.

Grokette

hey guys, after talkign to my trainer today he suggested changing my eating habits to a paleo lifstyle.
From what ive gathered its basially eating anything that would be eaten back in uncivllised days.
Lots of meat, lots of protein, nuts, green veggies, little or no carbs.
I dont know how well id do with this. i love my slice of wholegrain toast in the moring, and snacking on fruits through out the day. Beacuse i want to loose weight and gain muscle at the same time he said this was the best way. Im already eating clean where i can, its harder than it looks. Ive cut out processed foods all together, same with fizzy drinks and sugars (no more chcolate for me).
I just want to know if anyone out there has done this, should i try and gradually cut out my wholegrains altogether? or cut them out completly? i dont eat eggs and i thik i would struggle eating so much meat in one day.
any info/advice would be appreciated as im only in the forethoughts of starting this.

Get some books and read them.........

For a quick start for Paleo though.....

Fats, adequate natural fats are very important
Moderate amounts of protein
Carbs come from vegetables, some fruit and minimal nuts and seeds.
Dairy is allowed in the Organic form if YOUR body is tolerant to dairy products (raw dairy is preferred, but is hard for most people to source)

If you can find and afford grass fed and pastured sources of protein, this is preferred also. If you have to buy coventional CAFO meats, then buy lean meats and supplement your fats with coconut oil, olive oil, grass fed butter.

Ditch the sweeteners.

Kymmu

There is a Paleo group on MFP take a look!

Grokette

Hi,

I find this paleo trend a bit strange to be honest.

From what i've read it seems like the belief behind it was that paleolithic peoples were healthy people and that they somehow naturally ate what was a diet designed for their (and our) bodies.

Now as an archaeologist, i know these things are false. Paleolithic peoples first did not all eat the same thing. They would have eaten what was available to them in whatever region they lived in. Thus for example Ancient Australian Aboriginal people did eat grains in the form of ground seeds from grasses and trees etc which they probably made into some kind of bread.
So the no grains thing is not anything to do with what people actually ate in the past.

The other big thing is that paleolithic people didn't live very long. Probably only to about 40 years old max. They were also a lot shorter in general due to malnorishment.
Our modern diet has actually done a lot to improve our longevity and health.
The other thing is depending on which part of the paleolithic you are talking about, we have actually evolved somewhat as a species and subtle changes to do with our metabolism are bound to have occurred even more recently with the advent of agriculture - they are just a little more difficult to study archaeologically as some of the physiological changes that have happened in humans as a species are not likely to show up in our bones.

The other thing i find amusing is how is it really a paleolithic diet if you are having things like flavoured protein powder. That is a very artificial, modern food source. I'm not saying it is a bad food source, in fact it is an example of how modern advances and technology are improving nutrition.

Some of the ideas behind the paleolithic diet are probably sensible, but not because they have anything to do with the paleolithic. Such as cutting down foods with added sugar. But now that is just common sense. I think everything in moderation. Dark chocolate is wonderful and is full of antioxidants. Wholegrains are full of fibre, protein and minerals. All of these foods are good and important for a balanced diet.

Only cut out healthy food groups if you have an allergy or intolerance.

The grains of today are nothing like they were thousands and thousands of years ago, especially with all the GMO's. There is no reason to eat grains as they have to be highly processed to get them into an edible form and the nutrients are stripped from them and then fortified with some vitamins. Grains and legumes also contain phytates. Phytates actually bind to the magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron in your intestines and take them OUT of our bodies.

So why would you want to eat a food item that is going to keep your body from absorbing key nutrients? And there are no nutrients in grains that aren't found more abundantly in other food sources, such as vegetables and fruit.

And our ancestors were very much healthier than we were and lived to ripe old ages. The reason the lifespan is seems so short is because yes they didn't have the technology to heal themselves with doctors and hospitals and infant mortaility was really high.

A good book to read that delves very deep in depth to this is Wheat Belly.

Ange_

And our ancestors were very much healthier than we were and lived to ripe old ages. The reason the lifespan is seems so short is because yes they didn't have the technology to heal themselves with doctors and hospitals and infant mortaility was really high.

Sorry but that isn't actually true. The study of the bones of paleolithic peoples shows they were riddled with diseased caused by nutrient deficiencies. Things like iron deficiency, rickets etc. These are things you see today mainly in countries with famines such as Africa.
Modern medicine would simply prescribe a multivitamin and a better diet. And the height of people is also a very clear indicator of how our nutrition has improved with modernisation.

There is obviously a lot of propaganda that goes along with this diet, just like any other extreme diet such as raw-veganism etc.
Eat what you like, but if you might be better off reading about the diet of ancient peoples from a history book rather than some website on the latest pop-nutrician-fad.

And as far as GMOs go. GMO isn't necessarily bad for your health. In many instances it is actually much better as the genetic modification has been made to make it more nutritious (although other modifications are about productivity of the plant etc). The bad thing about GMO is that it creates a mono-crop culture. So if a disease hits then probably everything will be wiped out as there is less genetic diversity. The introduced genes can also spread into nature and influence other plants in a non controlled way that isn't always good either.
Simple solution - buy certified GMO free grain if you feel so particular about them.

There are also plenty of options such as wild rice. Yes grains have changed over time but this is mainly that they produce more.
Sorry to burst your bubble but without agriculture there is no way the world can sustain anywhere near the number of people that has currently (sort of, obviously it isn't really even supporting them since there is so much poverty).
Without agriculture we also would have never had the industrial revolution which which eventually lead to the development of computers and internet which created a forum for this propaganda to begin with

Sorry if i i came off strong. But i hate psudoscience.

Acg67

The grains of today are nothing like they were thousands and thousands of years ago, especially with all the GMO's. There is no reason to eat grains as they have to be highly processed to get them into an edible form and the nutrients are stripped from them and then fortified with some vitamins. Grains and legumes also contain phytates. Phytates actually bind to the magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron in your intestines and take them OUT of our bodies.

Neither are fruits

Acg67

Eaton et al. Paleolithi­c nutrition revisited: A twelve-yea­r retrospect­ive on its nature and implicatio­ns. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1997) 51, 207±216

"The typical carbohydra­te intake of ancestral humans was similar in magnitude, 45±50% of daily energy, to that in
current affuent nations, but there was a marked qualitativ­e difference­."

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:1UEZw0qt9ZgJ:www.direct-ms.org/pdf/EvolutionPaleolithic/Eaton%20Paleo%20Nutri%20Review%20EJCN.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgocex_XGmIxa7R3OrrndCKNPu5bLB5RJ0w45usPiJbhursUBGZFYD_6rm9gcPw_Q7a_jaC_FSp5D-0YNbnrXzkiUOm_8c-zvg6r93o9-V8klzXgQtaN3c5hshxOQwgNEpoGC_j&sig=AHIEtbRJcxDOf5ur0c0swrCaxvLUqKHB1A

Pebble321

Hi,

I find this paleo trend a bit strange to be honest.

From what i've read it seems like the belief behind it was that paleolithic peoples were healthy people and that they somehow naturally ate what was a diet designed for their (and our) bodies.

Now as an archaeologist, i know these things are false. Paleolithic peoples first did not all eat the same thing. They would have eaten what was available to them in whatever region they lived in. Thus for example Ancient Australian Aboriginal people did eat grains in the form of ground seeds from grasses and trees etc which they probably made into some kind of bread.
So the no grains thing is not anything to do with what people actually ate in the past.

The other big thing is that paleolithic people didn't live very long. Probably only to about 40 years old max. They were also a lot shorter in general due to malnorishment.
Our modern diet has actually done a lot to improve our longevity and health.
The other thing is depending on which part of the paleolithic you are talking about, we have actually evolved somewhat as a species and subtle changes to do with our metabolism are bound to have occurred even more recently with the advent of agriculture - they are just a little more difficult to study archaeologically as some of the physiological changes that have happened in humans as a species are not likely to show up in our bones.

The other thing i find amusing is how is it really a paleolithic diet if you are having things like flavoured protein powder. That is a very artificial, modern food source. I'm not saying it is a bad food source, in fact it is an example of how modern advances and technology are improving nutrition.

Some of the ideas behind the paleolithic diet are probably sensible, but not because they have anything to do with the paleolithic. Such as cutting down foods with added sugar. But now that is just common sense. I think everything in moderation. Dark chocolate is wonderful and is full of antioxidants. Wholegrains are full of fibre, protein and minerals. All of these foods are good and important for a balanced diet.

Only cut out healthy food groups if you have an allergy or intolerance.

Thank you for a rational, educated response!
Like you, I think there are some good ideas in the Paelo concept but I read so many rosy viewpoints about how ancient people lived that I'm sure are based much more in myth than reality. However, if eating "paelo" encourages people to eat more actual food and less processed "food-like substances" (to quote Michael Pollan) then that seems to me to be a good thing. I would never cut out rice, pasta or bread though so it's not for me.

meghan_cr

Thank you dirtbooksun! Couldn't agree more! As a physical anthropology major in college, this whole paleo diet thing drives me nuts.

Sidesteal

hey guys, after talkign to my trainer today he suggested changing my eating habits to a paleo lifstyle.

I have nothing personal against anyone who chooses to eat a certain way, but I would urge you to find out very specifically why you were recommended the above and based on the answer I would consider firing your trainer.

secrets_out

Speaking as a fatty mcpatty with a chuncky daddy....if you deprive yourself you WILL binge...I am reading peleo brueprint and there are interesting things in it, as the poster above stated there is no way there could one set way because there would have been different foods available. I have also wondered if they really would have eaten more meat because there would of been no way to preserve to meat so I'm thinking they would eat more vegetables and grain..but That's just coming from a fatty patty

Acg67

hey guys, after talkign to my trainer today he suggested changing my eating habits to a paleo lifstyle.

I have nothing personal against anyone who chooses to eat a certain way, but I would urge you to find out very specifically why you were recommended the above and based on the answer I would consider firing your trainer.

You are obviously unaware, the paleo diet makes you much better at kipping ;D

Sidesteal

You are obviously unaware, the paleo diet makes you much better at kipping ;D

LOL. PMing you in a sec. ROFL