Oh yes.. the Paleo diet ...

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  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,022 Member
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    There is good reason to believe a calorie deficit will incur weight loss, but I eat first and measure later with MFP every now and then to see where I stand. I feel that if it is as natural as being able to listen to my body, then there must be something wrong with the foods that prevent me from following what my body tells me it needs.
    There's more than good reason to believe a calorie deficit results in weight loss. It's thermodynamics. It's fact. It's not theory. If you lost weight, then you were at a deficit. Just because you didn't feel hungry, doesn't mean you weren't at a deficit.

    how do you measure the food after you eat it? I'm not sure there's a PG13 answer to that.

    I add things via memory, eyeballing what I have eaten. I would also like to point you to this http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/metabolism/thermodynamics-and-weight-loss/
    I'll adjust how much and what I eat based on my farts....seems to work. I believe farting gets by the out side of the energy balance equation as well.....a win/win situation. j/k
  • armaretta
    armaretta Posts: 851 Member
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    There is good reason to believe a calorie deficit will incur weight loss, but I eat first and measure later with MFP every now and then to see where I stand. I feel that if it is as natural as being able to listen to my body, then there must be something wrong with the foods that prevent me from following what my body tells me it needs.
    There's more than good reason to believe a calorie deficit results in weight loss. It's thermodynamics. It's fact. It's not theory. If you lost weight, then you were at a deficit. Just because you didn't feel hungry, doesn't mean you weren't at a deficit.

    how do you measure the food after you eat it? I'm not sure there's a PG13 answer to that.

    I add things via memory, eyeballing what I have eaten. I would also like to point you to this http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/metabolism/thermodynamics-and-weight-loss/
    eyeballing? really?

    And do you realize that your silly little article actually supports thermodynamics?

    I think you also need to lesson on scientific research which is properly supported by PEER REVIEW articles with citations and controlled, unbiased studies. Blogs do not count as peer review, scientific journal articles.
  • armaretta
    armaretta Posts: 851 Member
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    Hey everybody look! A squirrel! ========>>>>>>
    Sorry your thread got hijacked and sorry for my part in it. I hope you find what works for you! I just hate seeing people put bad information out and sway others into believe nonsense.
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
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    I have come a long way from the word diet. To me its a four letter word, oh look it is a four letter word its right up there with fack and dumb and *kitten*. You notice the first three letters of diet are "die" and say the word out loud "di" - et" get it "die - it" ... I digress.

    My pointless point is that I have learned that if whatever you are doing can be phrased as a "diet" you are doing it wrong. Diet's are temporary solutions. As others have put it much more eloquently as I, you will eventually fail if you do not make it apart of your lifestyle.

    The medifast diet, the paleo diet, the atkins diet, the eat red tomato soup and onions diet on monday and a rhubarb pie on tuesday diet, are all diets. I guess use it what they are intended for if you so please, which is temporary weight loss.

    But be forewarned

    Be forewarned... most "diets" I have tried in the past yielded awesome results in March and I was back to square one in April. But this is just me, I am not a doctor nor do I consider myself a pro at just about anything other than converting oxygen to co2 and even that sometimes I mess up.
  • weathergirl320
    weathergirl320 Posts: 331
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    I think the issue is in a lot of threads, a fantastic unsubstantiated claim gets made, people ask for proof as the burden of proof is on the claim maker and then things go downhill. Basically if you're going to make a claim just be sure you can support it. I don't discount N=1 situations but to then apply that to a whole group or population is wrong.
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    It's not negativity, it's showing that what some of these "paleo" people are spouting out their mouths isn't accurate. If you are seeing weightloss over an extended period of time you are eating at a deficit, meaning not eating the amount of calories your body needs to sustain it's current weight.

    I eat paleo... I eat it because I have no self control when I eat bread and cheese. Over the course of my transition on and off of paleo over two years I have also noticed that gluten causes some digestive issues. Dairy doesn't. I will incorporate dairy fully back into my diet when I reach my goal weight. Right now paleo is teaching me self control. I know a lot of people scoff at the 80/20 approach but it is the best way I've found to teach myself moderation.

    It's not a be-all end-all to dieting and eating. It's not sustainable for A LOT of people.
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    It is really not that interesting, it is the internet. It happens.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Re: Metabolic advantage

    Veldhorst MA, et al. Presence or absence of carbohydrates and the proportion of fat in a high-protein diet affect appetite suppression but not energy expenditure in normal-weight human subjects fed in energy balance. British Journal of Nutrition, Nov, 2010; 104 (9): 1395-1405.

    http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7918254
  • weathergirl320
    weathergirl320 Posts: 331
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    It is really not that interesting, it is the internet. It happens.


    Haha. I'm just sick of being called a zealot for truly believing what I am doing and the results I am seeing. It's annoying but oh well. I don't expect much more from people who have never tried something but have their opinion on it anyway. I have tried both ends of the spectrum and I found the one that works for me. But I'm a paleo touting zealot.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    I think the issue is in a lot of threads, a fantastic unsubstantiated claim gets made, people ask for proof as the burden of proof is on the claim maker and then things go downhill. Basically if you're going to make a claim just be sure you can support it. I don't discount N=1 situations but to then apply that to a whole group or population is wrong.

    Agreed with Acg67... and the fantastic unsubstantiated claim is that you can lose weight while eating paleo without a calorie deficit. That type of claim bothers me too. It is not possible to lose weight without a calorie deficit.

    Now... maybe on paleo you don't have to focus on counting calories and you don't have to focus on a deficit- the high protein, high fat makes you feel more full and so you just naturally don't eat as much as you would if you were eating carbs, but whether you believe it or not, admit to it or not, if you are losing weight YOU ARE EATING AT A DEFICIT.

    I'm really not trying to be rude here... it's just simple fact. You MUST have a calorie deficit to lose weight. Whether you focus on that or not is irrelevant.

    You do understand why such a claim would be irritating, right? I mean... the trolling that always follows is... well... just the way it is. People are exerting social pressure to discourage false claims. Some exert that social pressure in nicer ways than others. But... it's just so frustrating to have people say things that make no logical sense. None.
  • digitalsteel
    digitalsteel Posts: 374 Member
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    I love how easaly the calories in = calories out idea can be blown by those that lose more weight by consuming the same number of calories however of a different type of food. Just cause you blow off information does not mean its wrong, especially if I can prove it works with my own body.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I love how easaly the calories in = calories out idea can be blown by those that lose more weight by consuming the same number of calories however of a different type of food. Just cause you blow off information does not mean its wrong, especially if I can prove it works with my own body.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html
  • digitalsteel
    digitalsteel Posts: 374 Member
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    I love how easaly the calories in = calories out idea can be blown by those that lose more weight by consuming the same number of calories however of a different type of food. Just cause you blow off information does not mean its wrong, especially if I can prove it works with my own body.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-context-of-calories/#axzz1plx2UaJS
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    I love how easaly the calories in = calories out idea can be blown by those that lose more weight by consuming the same number of calories however of a different type of food. Just cause you blow off information does not mean its wrong, especially if I can prove it works with my own body.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-context-of-calories/#axzz1plx2UaJS

    and if you asked Sisson to support this "Keep your carbs low enough long enough and you get into ketosis, a fat-burning state that creates what many now refer to as the “metabolic advantage.”

    He wouldn't be able to, because it is a fantasy
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    @labrat... Would you say this diet is more for someone who has more than 15 lbs to lose? I have worked very hard to gain muscle but am having a hard time losing the fat. I only have about 10 lbs to go and I will be exactly where I want to be. So I do not have an excessive amount to lose. Would you think doing something like the Paleo diet would be a little over kill?

    I don't know the answer for that. That would require someone way more specialized in nutrition and exercise than me (I have very little training in that area, aside from some human physiology courses). However, I think it really depends on how you will respond to the low carbs. All I can say is 'try it'. You might like it. Or you might hate it. Those last 15lbs are hard to lose, I've heard.

    Honestly, the only people I'd really recommend paleo (or any low carb diet) to are people who are insulin resistant or diabetic. For those people, low carb is probably the right strategy (or at least a very good one). For everyone else, it's a personal preference thing. I don't like it. I don't see the need for it. I don't think there's anything wrong with grains. BUT it's not going to hurt anyone (unless you've got some metabolic disorder, in which case, talk to your doctor!) and some people do think grains are evil and so some people really like eating low carb.

    I answered this on another thread so I cut and pasted and adjusted to fit this topic

    PALEO IS NOT A "DIET" nor is is "LOW CARB"

    Here is the basic gist of the Paleo LIFESTYLE in a nutshell - eat meat, eat veggies, eat fruit, eat good fats, eat nuts...if you want to swing to the Primal LIFESTYLE - add in dairy - use natural sources of sugars, like honey and maple sugar sparingly

    what to basically leave out - added sugars, grains, beans

    Does it work for everyone - NOPE....does everyone want to drop certain things from their way of eating NOPE....

    IT IS NOT LOW CARB...my goodness - everytime I see someone complaining about not wanting to try Paleo because they have to watch thier carbs or they won't get enough fiber I want to bang my head in...veggies and fruits have carbs and fiber....

    IT IS NOT A DIET either...it is a lifestyle way of eating... To many people get hung up about not being able to eat grains and beans and such if one CHOOSES to follow this way of eating - that's great if you dont' want to eat that way then don't - I get tired of people bashing the lifestyle who really don't know much more than reading some Paleo blogs...and Paleo blogs are pretty much written by hardcore Paleo people...these are people who live, breathe, eat and sleep Paleo...for some it is even their livelyhood so they are going to be on the defensive when it comes to their choosen way of eating...

    No one is going against the calories in - calories out model - in the basic sense that is still true no matter what lifestyle you choose to eat...you burn off more than you take in you should loose weight...

    Basically to me it is the difference of say having 400 calories of Pasta with chicken and veggies vs having 400 calories of Arugula, pecans, chicken breast and tomatoes...both have the same amount of calories...both have some carbs, fats and protien...I simply choose the meal without the pasta...

    I can eat 3000 calories a day and rack up 400 grams of carbs and still be eating within the Paleo lifestyle... so therefore it is neither a weight loss diet nor is it low carb...There are SPECIFIC DIETS designed for weight loss that use the Paleo lifestyle as a base...Atkins, South Beach - BUT you can't lump Paleo with them...

    Maybe it is the NAME - Paleo - yes it comes from the idea of eating what our ancestors ate before the invention of actual crops...yes I am sure they ate grains at some point...the basic gist is that the basic diet of today simply does not work for some people...so some of us have read and researched and decided to try this lifestyle way of eating and found that not only do we feel better, but we find it is sustainable over the long haul....

    Obviously it isn't for everyone and if someone feels they can't or won't give up something they are eating then that is their own perogative and decision for thier own eating habits.

    I have been on a 2 year journey to clean up my diet...after trying different eating styles - low fat, low carb, vegetarian, etc...and reading and reading and reading and all along the way slowly cutting out things here and there it got to a point where I was eating clean about 80% of my diet and that 80% pretty much followed the Primal blueprint...after reading more I decided to cut down that remaning 20 % which lead me to eating strict Paleo for the past 30 days - first to see if I had the willpower and dedication within myself to do it...after all it is only 30 days...and 2nd to see if I found it doable and sustainable within my current life structure.

    My conclusion is FOR ME it is doable and sustainable for a long haul...however, I have decided to add back in some of the dairy things I like - butter, some cheeses and if and when I decide I may want a treat (like some popcorn or a fancy starbucks drink :) ) then by god I'm going to eat a treat - heck just this morning I had a bacon egg souffle from Panera...oh I ate some grains...no biggie...but the bulk of the thing is - this is the first time in over a month I had grains and it will probably be quite a while before I choose to eat something else with grains...(especially since I was a little gassy and my stomach was a bit queasy after eating it...but that is my issue and may not be someone elses)

    Since I am looking for some weight loss with my eating lifestyle it is THE SAME AS anyone else who is watching thier intake...just on a more narrower perimeters - for example I DO want to watch my carbs for the time being...for me it was easy enough for me to look back a week on my food diary and see where I was getting the bulk of my Carbs - humm from my 2 servings of fruit a day...ok easy enough cycle that down to one a day and choose a lower carb/sugar fruit...so I now eat a lot of frozen blueberries and fresh strawberries and upped snacking on things like red pepper strips, nuts, jerky, cucumber...an easy switch for me...

    The thing is at least for me - I don't MISS the sugary snacks or the big bowl of pasta so I don't feel deprived in any way - I feel better not having processed foods, grains and beans in my diet so i choose not to eat those types of foods. Not saying it is a BETTER way to eat for everyone...but for ME it is...

    With any way of eating the only way you know if it will work for you is to try it out for yourself because everyone is different - everyone is going to have a different reaction...
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    I love how easaly the calories in = calories out idea can be blown by those that lose more weight by consuming the same number of calories however of a different type of food. Just cause you blow off information does not mean its wrong, especially if I can prove it works with my own body.

    This is what I found...when I was doing calories in - calories out - even on a clean diet I was loosing maybe 2 lbs a month overall...since I changed what I was eating in my clean diet and dropped out things like grains and beans (thereby naturally lowering my carbs since I was eating steel cut oats and whole grain crackers and breads for part of my eating habits) and upped my protiens and fats I have been loosing about a lb a week...exactly what MFP has set for me.

    So at least for myself getting weight off is two fold...1 - calories and 2- what those calories are made of...fats, protiens and carbs

    I know for others they do just fine with reducing calories and they can easily loose weight - but not everyone is like that
  • weathergirl320
    weathergirl320 Posts: 331
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    @labrat... Would you say this diet is more for someone who has more than 15 lbs to lose? I have worked very hard to gain muscle but am having a hard time losing the fat. I only have about 10 lbs to go and I will be exactly where I want to be. So I do not have an excessive amount to lose. Would you think doing something like the Paleo diet would be a little over kill?

    I don't know the answer for that. That would require someone way more specialized in nutrition and exercise than me (I have very little training in that area, aside from some human physiology courses). However, I think it really depends on how you will respond to the low carbs. All I can say is 'try it'. You might like it. Or you might hate it. Those last 15lbs are hard to lose, I've heard.

    Honestly, the only people I'd really recommend paleo (or any low carb diet) to are people who are insulin resistant or diabetic. For those people, low carb is probably the right strategy (or at least a very good one). For everyone else, it's a personal preference thing. I don't like it. I don't see the need for it. I don't think there's anything wrong with grains. BUT it's not going to hurt anyone (unless you've got some metabolic disorder, in which case, talk to your doctor!) and some people do think grains are evil and so some people really like eating low carb.

    I answered this on another thread so I cut and pasted and adjusted to fit this topic

    PALEO IS NOT A "DIET" nor is is "LOW CARB"

    Here is the basic gist of the Paleo LIFESTYLE in a nutshell - eat meat, eat veggies, eat fruit, eat good fats, eat nuts...if you want to swing to the Primal LIFESTYLE - add in dairy - use natural sources of sugars, like honey and maple sugar sparingly

    what to basically leave out - added sugars, grains, beans

    Does it work for everyone - NOPE....does everyone want to drop certain things from their way of eating NOPE....

    IT IS NOT LOW CARB...my goodness - everytime I see someone complaining about not wanting to try Paleo because they have to watch thier carbs or they won't get enough fiber I want to bang my head in...veggies and fruits have carbs and fiber....

    IT IS NOT A DIET either...it is a lifestyle way of eating... To many people get hung up about not being able to eat grains and beans and such if one CHOOSES to follow this way of eating - that's great if you dont' want to eat that way then don't - I get tired of people bashing the lifestyle who really don't know much more than reading some Paleo blogs...and Paleo blogs are pretty much written by hardcore Paleo people...these are people who live, breathe, eat and sleep Paleo...for some it is even their livelyhood so they are going to be on the defensive when it comes to their choosen way of eating...

    No one is going against the calories in - calories out model - in the basic sense that is still true no matter what lifestyle you choose to eat...you burn off more than you take in you should loose weight...

    Basically to me it is the difference of say having 400 calories of Pasta with chicken and veggies vs having 400 calories of Arugula, pecans, chicken breast and tomatoes...both have the same amount of calories...both have some carbs, fats and protien...I simply choose the meal without the pasta...

    I can eat 3000 calories a day and rack up 400 grams of carbs and still be eating within the Paleo lifestyle... so therefore it is neither a weight loss diet nor is it low carb...There are SPECIFIC DIETS designed for weight loss that use the Paleo lifestyle as a base...Atkins, South Beach - BUT you can't lump Paleo with them...

    Maybe it is the NAME - Paleo - yes it comes from the idea of eating what our ancestors ate before the invention of actual crops...yes I am sure they ate grains at some point...the basic gist is that the basic diet of today simply does not work for some people...so some of us have read and researched and decided to try this lifestyle way of eating and found that not only do we feel better, but we find it is sustainable over the long haul....

    Obviously it isn't for everyone and if someone feels they can't or won't give up something they are eating then that is their own perogative and decision for thier own eating habits.

    I have been on a 2 year journey to clean up my diet...after trying different eating styles - low fat, low carb, vegetarian, etc...and reading and reading and reading and all along the way slowly cutting out things here and there it got to a point where I was eating clean about 80% of my diet and that 80% pretty much followed the Primal blueprint...after reading more I decided to cut down that remaning 20 % which lead me to eating strict Paleo for the past 30 days - first to see if I had the willpower and dedication within myself to do it...after all it is only 30 days...and 2nd to see if I found it doable and sustainable within my current life structure.

    My conclusion is FOR ME it is doable and sustainable for a long haul...however, I have decided to add back in some of the dairy things I like - butter, some cheeses and if and when I decide I may want a treat (like some popcorn or a fancy starbucks drink :) ) then by god I'm going to eat a treat - heck just this morning I had a bacon egg souffle from Panera...oh I ate some grains...no biggie...but the bulk of the thing is - this is the first time in over a month I had grains and it will probably be quite a while before I choose to eat something else with grains...(especially since I was a little gassy and my stomach was a bit queasy after eating it...but that is my issue and may not be someone elses)

    Since I am looking for some weight loss with my eating lifestyle it is THE SAME AS anyone else who is watching thier intake...just on a more narrower perimeters - for example I DO want to watch my carbs for the time being...for me it was easy enough for me to look back a week on my food diary and see where I was getting the bulk of my Carbs - humm from my 2 servings of fruit a day...ok easy enough cycle that down to one a day and choose a lower carb/sugar fruit...so I now eat a lot of frozen blueberries and fresh strawberries and upped snacking on things like red pepper strips, nuts, jerky, cucumber...an easy switch for me...

    The thing is at least for me - I don't MISS the sugary snacks or the big bowl of pasta so I don't feel deprived in any way - I feel better not having processed foods, grains and beans in my diet so i choose not to eat those types of foods. Not saying it is a BETTER way to eat for everyone...but for ME it is...

    With any way of eating the only way you know if it will work for you is to try it out for yourself because everyone is different - everyone is going to have a different reaction...


    Heck I had creme brulee for desser last night! Wasn't "paleo" but it was my birthday and I freaking wanted it lol. Did I bloat? No did I binge? No did I fall off the wagon? No did I gain weight from it? No! For me its not about restrictions. It's about health.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Notice how when the thread was mostly paleo supporters and some intelligent people with things to contribute, there was no negativity and lots of support for the op. Then it got hijacked and all the anti paleo turned this into a negative nasty insulting thread. And the paleo people are supposed to be the zealots. Seems like the grain lovers get a little touchy when someone says the truth about their beloved crack...er I mean grains. Interesting.

    Seriously? You believe that? Seems to me like everyone was saying, "It's a great way to eat for those who shouldn't eat grains or dairy." It only got fuzzy when the people who think it's the ONLY way to eat started posting.

    I mean... you yourself said you're not strict with it, and from what you say, it sounds as though you wouldn't avoid grains if you didn't have tolerance issues. So why should those who don't have issues avoid it?
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    @labrat... Would you say this diet is more for someone who has more than 15 lbs to lose? I have worked very hard to gain muscle but am having a hard time losing the fat. I only have about 10 lbs to go and I will be exactly where I want to be. So I do not have an excessive amount to lose. Would you think doing something like the Paleo diet would be a little over kill?

    I don't know the answer for that. That would require someone way more specialized in nutrition and exercise than me (I have very little training in that area, aside from some human physiology courses). However, I think it really depends on how you will respond to the low carbs. All I can say is 'try it'. You might like it. Or you might hate it. Those last 15lbs are hard to lose, I've heard.

    Honestly, the only people I'd really recommend paleo (or any low carb diet) to are people who are insulin resistant or diabetic. For those people, low carb is probably the right strategy (or at least a very good one). For everyone else, it's a personal preference thing. I don't like it. I don't see the need for it. I don't think there's anything wrong with grains. BUT it's not going to hurt anyone (unless you've got some metabolic disorder, in which case, talk to your doctor!) and some people do think grains are evil and so some people really like eating low carb.

    I answered this on another thread so I cut and pasted and adjusted to fit this topic

    PALEO IS NOT A "DIET" nor is is "LOW CARB"

    Here is the basic gist of the Paleo LIFESTYLE in a nutshell - eat meat, eat veggies, eat fruit, eat good fats, eat nuts...if you want to swing to the Primal LIFESTYLE - add in dairy - use natural sources of sugars, like honey and maple sugar sparingly

    what to basically leave out - added sugars, grains, beans

    Does it work for everyone - NOPE....does everyone want to drop certain things from their way of eating NOPE....

    IT IS NOT LOW CARB...my goodness - everytime I see someone complaining about not wanting to try Paleo because they have to watch thier carbs or they won't get enough fiber I want to bang my head in...veggies and fruits have carbs and fiber....

    IT IS NOT A DIET either...it is a lifestyle way of eating... To many people get hung up about not being able to eat grains and beans and such if one CHOOSES to follow this way of eating - that's great if you dont' want to eat that way then don't - I get tired of people bashing the lifestyle who really don't know much more than reading some Paleo blogs...and Paleo blogs are pretty much written by hardcore Paleo people...these are people who live, breathe, eat and sleep Paleo...for some it is even their livelyhood so they are going to be on the defensive when it comes to their choosen way of eating...

    No one is going against the calories in - calories out model - in the basic sense that is still true no matter what lifestyle you choose to eat...you burn off more than you take in you should loose weight...

    Basically to me it is the difference of say having 400 calories of Pasta with chicken and veggies vs having 400 calories of Arugula, pecans, chicken breast and tomatoes...both have the same amount of calories...both have some carbs, fats and protien...I simply choose the meal without the pasta...

    I can eat 3000 calories a day and rack up 400 grams of carbs and still be eating within the Paleo lifestyle... so therefore it is neither a weight loss diet nor is it low carb...There are SPECIFIC DIETS designed for weight loss that use the Paleo lifestyle as a base...Atkins, South Beach - BUT you can't lump Paleo with them...

    Maybe it is the NAME - Paleo - yes it comes from the idea of eating what our ancestors ate before the invention of actual crops...yes I am sure they ate grains at some point...the basic gist is that the basic diet of today simply does not work for some people...so some of us have read and researched and decided to try this lifestyle way of eating and found that not only do we feel better, but we find it is sustainable over the long haul....

    Obviously it isn't for everyone and if someone feels they can't or won't give up something they are eating then that is their own perogative and decision for thier own eating habits.

    I have been on a 2 year journey to clean up my diet...after trying different eating styles - low fat, low carb, vegetarian, etc...and reading and reading and reading and all along the way slowly cutting out things here and there it got to a point where I was eating clean about 80% of my diet and that 80% pretty much followed the Primal blueprint...after reading more I decided to cut down that remaning 20 % which lead me to eating strict Paleo for the past 30 days - first to see if I had the willpower and dedication within myself to do it...after all it is only 30 days...and 2nd to see if I found it doable and sustainable within my current life structure.

    My conclusion is FOR ME it is doable and sustainable for a long haul...however, I have decided to add back in some of the dairy things I like - butter, some cheeses and if and when I decide I may want a treat (like some popcorn or a fancy starbucks drink :) ) then by god I'm going to eat a treat - heck just this morning I had a bacon egg souffle from Panera...oh I ate some grains...no biggie...but the bulk of the thing is - this is the first time in over a month I had grains and it will probably be quite a while before I choose to eat something else with grains...(especially since I was a little gassy and my stomach was a bit queasy after eating it...but that is my issue and may not be someone elses)

    Since I am looking for some weight loss with my eating lifestyle it is THE SAME AS anyone else who is watching thier intake...just on a more narrower perimeters - for example I DO want to watch my carbs for the time being...for me it was easy enough for me to look back a week on my food diary and see where I was getting the bulk of my Carbs - humm from my 2 servings of fruit a day...ok easy enough cycle that down to one a day and choose a lower carb/sugar fruit...so I now eat a lot of frozen blueberries and fresh strawberries and upped snacking on things like red pepper strips, nuts, jerky, cucumber...an easy switch for me...

    The thing is at least for me - I don't MISS the sugary snacks or the big bowl of pasta so I don't feel deprived in any way - I feel better not having processed foods, grains and beans in my diet so i choose not to eat those types of foods. Not saying it is a BETTER way to eat for everyone...but for ME it is...

    With any way of eating the only way you know if it will work for you is to try it out for yourself because everyone is different - everyone is going to have a different reaction...


    Heck I had creme brulee for desser last night! Wasn't "paleo" but it was my birthday and I freaking wanted it lol. Did I bloat? No did I binge? No did I fall off the wagon? No did I gain weight from it? No! For me its not about restrictions. It's about health.

    Yeah I think people get their noses out of joint when they read that under Paleo you arent' supoose to eat grains and beans, etc...and they latch on to the "don't eat" - it isn't a Don't Eat...it's simply saying - this is the lifestyle this is the way we eat - the world isn't going to come crashing down if someone who follows a Paleo lifestyle chooses to go off grid for a meal...that would be deprivation...and that isn't good....it really in a nut shell comes down to choices - choices you have to make for yourself and how your body reacts to those choices...

    I am siting here with a bag of roasted Seaweed i bought thinking it falls under the paleo lifestyle i am trying to maintain - maybe it will be good and give me a crunch...yeah...good thing I only paid .99 cents for it cause it is nasty...

    hummmm now I am dreaming about creme brulee... :)

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