Paleo diet.

MikeyVinny

Needing to jumpstart my weight loss again, I've been reading up on the Paleo diet. It seems to me, pretty basic and unlike a fad diet. Has anyone tried this? I'd love some input and feedback. Thanks!

vanguardfitness

somewhat. I never truly read up on it. But I know that my more rapid weight loss and overall feelings improved since I did the following:
-cut all processed foods outs and most things with added sugars
-stopped eating grains and legumes
-ate only 1 or 2 meals a day (but still getting ample calories in those meals). Occasionally I will go for a whole day without eating.

Been doing it since August.

Cr01502

I don't do it myself but I have heard alot about it.

The upside:

The elimination of processed food and trans fat

Improved satiety with meals

The Downside:

It can be quite restrictive and therefore hard to adhere to.

straightjacketjacob

Its alot like what I do when I start my weight cut for fights. Meat and vegies I always feel strong and it leans me out. The only other thing I take in besides h2o is coffee and 0 carb protien powder. Its hard to stick with I just get in that mode of this is what I am going to eat. I dont try to make it taste good or dress it up I just eat it.

lulabellewoowoo

Today is the 14th day that my hubby and I have been doing it. We haven't noticed any extreme changes, other than we have lost our "sweet tooth".; He has lost quite a bit around his middle, although the scale doesn't reflect any change. His strength training is just as strong. We still eat dairy, so we are more primal. The best thing he did was got a cook book (yup I'm one of those privileged women who has a husband who loves to cook) and has been experimenting. That way we don't get bored. Our challenges are like today when we are going to be on the road. He has found and called the Whole Foods in the area we are going so that we can grab something for all of us including kids. IMHO, give it 30 days. Then reassess what you can live without and what you absolutely can't.

MikeyVinny

Awesome input! It's definitely something to look into. I'm down 60-70 lbs and need that extra push.

FredDoyle

I've been eating that way for about 30 years. the difference is, I don't make arbitrary decisions about what I can eat. It has just worked out that way.
Man is an omnivore, an opportunist. it's what makes us successful as a species. We can pretty much just eat the first thing we come across. Since we don't live in the wild any more, or the majority of us don't, we just have to be careful to get our complete nutrient profile. Eat what you want, or makes you feel good, but take advantage of the scientific discoveries we have made in the field of biology and nutrition.
We live a lot longer, and are healthier than paleo man ever dreamed.

taso42

You jump start your weight loss by eating at a calorie deficit relative your TDEE.

Diets like Paleo are a lifestyle thing. If eating the paleo way is appealing to you and you can see yourself eating like this forever and feeling good about it, then go for it. But from a health and weightloss perspective, there is no benefit.

Edit: I'm about to get flamed by the paleo people now, aren't it?

Dean513

My diet is a hybrid of Paleo and Zone.

Sarauk2sf

You jump start your weight loss by eating at a calorie deficit relative your TDEE.

Diets like Paleo are a lifestyle thing. If eating the paleo way is appealing to you and you can see yourself eating like this forever and feeling good about it, then go for it. But from a health and weightloss perspective, there is no benefit.

Edit: I'm about to get flamed by the paleo people now, aren't it?

^^this, with one clarification. Some (not a majority) of people have certain intolerance to wheat or dairy and it can be healthier for them. However, for the folks that do not have these intolerances, it is no better than a well balanced diet for health or weight loss. The restrictive nature of it may help from an adherence perspective or it may hinder weight loss - YMMV.

Lupercalia

Yes--I've been eating a sort of cross between the paleo/primal methods since July 4, 2012. Besides the weight loss (45 lbs), it's also been very beneficial in eliminating the inflammation throughout my body which was at the root of a number of chronic health problems I was dealing with. Dropping processed foods, grains, and sugars did wonders for me, as did greatly increasing my intake of healthy fats.

I really enjoy my meals, never battle hunger pangs or weird cravings, and I feel fantastic! So for me, this way of eating isn't restrictive in the slightest, nor is it something I view as a "fad diet" or even a "diet" in the way that word is most commonly used. I see it very much as an every day way of eating, whether one needs to lose weight or not.

Barbellerella

I have first hand experience with this. I was 100% paleo for almost a year, without counting calories because supposedly if your paleo, you don't have to. And I actually PUT ON FAT in that year.

I am not saying that paleo isn't a good option for some, doing paleo for a year actually helped heal the symptoms in my sons autoimmune disease. But from a FAT LOSS perspective. Calories in vs out is the answer in my book.

jofjltncb6

You jump start your weight loss by eating at a calorie deficit relative your TDEE.

Diets like Paleo are a lifestyle thing. If eating the paleo way is appealing to you and you can see yourself eating like this forever and feeling good about it, then go for it. But from a health and weightloss perspective, there is no benefit.

Edit: I'm about to get flamed by the paleo people now, aren't it?

We're gathering our torches now.

ETA: Oh, and my experience on it is similar to Lupercalia's...excapt that A few months ago, I started adding things back in making it even less restrictive. So far, dairy (with lactaze pills since I'm lactose intolerant), sugars, and non-wheat grains haven't given me any problems at all. However, since adding these back, I've also gotten lax in my veggie consumption...probably just a coincidence, but if I need to eliminate them to get back to my excessive veggie ways, then that's what I'll do.

Dave198lbs

If eating the paleo way is appealing to you and you can see yourself eating like this forever

I respect the guy who said this BUT-

this is a very common statement when the non paleo folks come to feast on a paleo thread

the problem is - the statement does not make any sense

if you were to do a paleo type diet for 5 days or 5 months or 5 years it will or it CAN have benefits. If you do it for 5 months and then change to something else, like a mediteranian diet or anything, you will not die from quitting paleo

if you start paleo, there is no need to make a lifetime committment to get results....same with any diet

sure, it is good to find something that you can stick with for ever I suppose, but there is no need to do that if you switch from one good diet to another good diet

I switch things up quite frequently but my base is usually the same...clean good stuff, as much as I can

Bakkasan

Like many people say, the most important thing is "is it for you". Sure, it works, debate the reasons till you are blue in the face. Can you stick with it? Great, then enjoy. It is a very effective tool to to leverage.

Like the poster before me, it is not all or nothing. Do it a month, change it up. Whatever helps you keep going! I love shifting gears from low cal to low carb and back again.