Paleo lifestyle change? Did anyone hate it?

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  • Babeskeez
    Babeskeez Posts: 606 Member
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    I like my life and food too much to change to Paleo.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    I would hate giving up legumes for even a week. I eat them pretty much every day. I would miss grains (a lot!), but I would be totally miserable without my hummus, beans, peanut butter, etc.

    Are you certain you'd be miserable? You might surprise yourself if you tried it. I thought I couldn't live without cheese, turns out that for me, life is better without it!
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    I was ok with it, but my intestines hated me. I feel MUCH better eating some grains.

    After about 8 months (of paleo), I added back occasional non-gluten grains. I could take 'em or leave 'em, but I do enjoy a little rice in my bowl at Ghengis grill :)
  • tegantheaverage
    tegantheaverage Posts: 142 Member
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    I followed it very strictly for 30 days as a trial run/experiment (with no slip ups) and felt awful from days 2-6 but then slowly felt better. By the end, though, I felt exactly the same as I do normally except that I was having a lot of trouble sleeping. I would be super tired when I went to bed but wake up a couple of hours later and just not be able to get back to sleep. I'm not sure why I wasn't sleeping but I did wonder if the statements I read talking about how much better people felt after changing their diet were from people who eat a lot of junk food and takeaway normally maybe? I eat pretty healthy (can't get enough of my veg!) so the diet wasn't a huge change and mostly involved giving things up rather than introducing healthy foods so I did sort of wonder if that's why I didn't feel any better. Just a thought!
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    ...and mostly involved giving things up rather than introducing healthy foods so I did sort of wonder if that's why I didn't feel any better. Just a thought!

    I feel like getting the pasta and bread off my plate opened it up for trying lots of new things! But then again, I wasn't a big veg eater before...
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    I've been eating a low carb paleo/primal diet since July 2012 and have absolutely nothing bad to say about eating this way.

    I feel fantastic. I honestly really love what I eat on a daily basis, and don't miss what I don't eat anymore. I don't feel restricted or deprived in any way.

    I chose to eat this way because I had health issues I was hoping I could get some relief from by reducing internal inflammation. I also needed to lose a significant amount of weight. It's worked and continues to work. I got rid of arthritis, several tendon/ligament inflammatory issues, skin problems, mood disorders, sleep trouble, digestive probs, etc.

    It's also seemed to help immensely with PCOS symptoms and associated hormonal imbalances. I've lost 55 lbs since July and am still going strong.

    Regarding exercise--I wasn't up to it for the first week. On the second week I started going out for walks. I walked for a few weeks and rode my bike around, then I took up kettlebell training and got really into it. I added in strength training with barbells and dumbells by the third month. I'm still doing all those things regularly and making great progress.
  • rabt6f
    rabt6f Posts: 37 Member
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    I've been eating a low carb paleo/primal diet since July 2012 and have absolutely nothing bad to say about eating this way.

    I feel fantastic. I honestly really love what I eat on a daily basis, and don't miss what I don't eat anymore. I don't feel restricted or deprived in any way.

    I chose to eat this way because I had health issues I was hoping I could get some relief from by reducing internal inflammation. I also needed to lose a significant amount of weight. It's worked and continues to work. I got rid of arthritis, several tendon/ligament inflammatory issues, skin problems, mood disorders, sleep trouble, digestive probs, etc.

    It's also seemed to help immensely with PCOS symptoms and associated hormonal imbalances. I've lost 55 lbs since July and am still going strong.

    Regarding exercise--I wasn't up to it for the first week. On the second week I started going out for walks. I walked for a few weeks and rode my bike around, then I took up kettlebell training and got really into it. I added in strength training with barbells and dumbells by the third month. I'm still doing all those things regularly and making great progress.

    Thank You! It's great to hear you don't miss the old way you used to eat and that all the issues you had have gone away. Many of the issues you list (minus PCOS), but including hormonal issues are why I have chosen to switch to this way of life. It's refreshing to know I may have made the right choice. I hope I have as good of luck and dedication that you have had.
  • sparky38351
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    I started a Whole 45 right after Christmas and it totally changed my life! The first week I had carb/sugar flu, and then it hit me again around day 30, but it passed. I have followed a Paleo diet more or less since! I have been able to rid myself of medications for both my ulcers and my migraines. It turns out grains were causing all of my troubles. Since I started eating all protein/veggies/fat at every meal my energy has went through the roof and I sleep very very well!(As long as my hubby isn't snoring! lol)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I would hate giving up legumes for even a week. I eat them pretty much every day. I would miss grains (a lot!), but I would be totally miserable without my hummus, beans, peanut butter, etc.

    Are you certain you'd be miserable? You might surprise yourself if you tried it. I thought I couldn't live without cheese, turns out that for me, life is better without it!

    I know enough about eating disorders (medical, not psychological) to know that I could, in fact, give up anything for my health. But, to answer your question, Yes, I know I would be miserable without legumes. I would be willing to bet that since I started eating solid food, there has not been a full week go by where I didn't eat them. And very few days. I love them. And the fact that they are so nutrient dense is just a great plus. I can see no reason how my life could be better without them. Legumes really are a "super food".
  • BullletproofPaleoman
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    After a few health issues, I've decided to make the lifestyle change to eating Paleo. For me, this is about a life style change, not just a 30 day diet to loose weight,. I"m probably not following the diet super strictly, but I am eating mostly meat, veggies, nuts, and a little fruit. My goal is to try at least 30 days to see if I feel better, then decide my options from there. I'm on day 6 and feeling pretty good. I'm down 5lbs, although I'm sure it's all water weight. The first 3 days were hard, I'm pretty sure I had the carb flu. I've started sleeping better, no aches and pains, and I"m getting used to the constant energy level, instead of the massive roller coaster of energy I was getting from sugar. I haven't felt good enough to start exercising again, but I'm getting there soon.
    Did anyone try to make the change to Paleo and hate it? Why?
    Did anyone try it and not see changes in how you feel? Any thoughts on why?
    Did anyone have negative affects from it?

    I LOVE how I feel when I eat and move according to Paleo guidelines. Energy and mood are like a million times better. As far as negative affects... it seems like I can't tolerate carbs or processed foods without going into a sugar coma.

    I'm new to this board, but frankly I'm surprised by how many posts I've read by people who aren't losing weight, who then list all the processd carbs they eat. When I eat bagels or pretzels or bread or whatever, my body will store every freaking molecule as fat, plus a bunch of water to dilute the inflammation that stuff has caused.

    Welcome to the Paleo Lifestyle!

    Do you think you would have had different results if you'd given up the processed crap, but not followed a Paleo Diet?

    Yes.

    No.
    At age 39 I read Neanderthin (similar to Paleo) and followed those guidelines VERY LOOSELY. I lost weight like crazy and couldn't believe how much energy I had. Now, 10 years later, I'm pretty much down to meat and eggs and low carb veggies to feel happy and energetic. I had my thyroid checked last year, and my numbers were pretty screwed up. That is probably a result of years of smoking, quitting with the help of anti-depressants, starting back, etc.

    Last year I tried adding beans to my diet after reading 4 Hour Body. They made me sluggish, bloated and weight gainy. Which stinks, cause I really love beans....
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    After a few health issues, I've decided to make the lifestyle change to eating Paleo. For me, this is about a life style change, not just a 30 day diet to loose weight,. I"m probably not following the diet super strictly, but I am eating mostly meat, veggies, nuts, and a little fruit. My goal is to try at least 30 days to see if I feel better, then decide my options from there. I'm on day 6 and feeling pretty good. I'm down 5lbs, although I'm sure it's all water weight. The first 3 days were hard, I'm pretty sure I had the carb flu. I've started sleeping better, no aches and pains, and I"m getting used to the constant energy level, instead of the massive roller coaster of energy I was getting from sugar. I haven't felt good enough to start exercising again, but I'm getting there soon.
    Did anyone try to make the change to Paleo and hate it? Why?
    Did anyone try it and not see changes in how you feel? Any thoughts on why?
    Did anyone have negative affects from it?

    I LOVE how I feel when I eat and move according to Paleo guidelines. Energy and mood are like a million times better. As far as negative affects... it seems like I can't tolerate carbs or processed foods without going into a sugar coma.

    I'm new to this board, but frankly I'm surprised by how many posts I've read by people who aren't losing weight, who then list all the processd carbs they eat. When I eat bagels or pretzels or bread or whatever, my body will store every freaking molecule as fat, plus a bunch of water to dilute the inflammation that stuff has caused.

    Welcome to the Paleo Lifestyle!

    Do you think you would have had different results if you'd given up the processed crap, but not followed a Paleo Diet?

    Yes.

    No.
    At age 39 I read Neanderthin (similar to Paleo) and followed those guidelines VERY LOOSELY. I lost weight like crazy and couldn't believe how much energy I had. Now, 10 years later, I'm pretty much down to meat and eggs and low carb veggies to feel happy and energetic. I had my thyroid checked last year, and my numbers were pretty screwed up. That is probably a result of years of smoking, quitting with the help of anti-depressants, starting back, etc.

    Last year I tried adding beans to my diet after reading 4 Hour Body. They made me sluggish, bloated and weight gainy. Which stinks, cause I really love beans....

    If you hadn't eaten beans in years and just added them back, of course you got bloated and sluggish. The same would happen if you went vegetarian for years then added back meat. It's the reason foreigners often have GI trouble when trying local cuisine. Our gut produces the enzymes needed to break down the food we eat. If you stop eating grains, it stops producing enzymes to digest grains. If you stop eating meat, it stops producing enzymes to digest meat. If you stop eat beans ... same thing. You'd need to give it a little time to see if they give you ongoing problems.
  • rabt6f
    rabt6f Posts: 37 Member
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    After a few health issues, I've decided to make the lifestyle change to eating Paleo. For me, this is about a life style change, not just a 30 day diet to loose weight,. I"m probably not following the diet super strictly, but I am eating mostly meat, veggies, nuts, and a little fruit. My goal is to try at least 30 days to see if I feel better, then decide my options from there. I'm on day 6 and feeling pretty good. I'm down 5lbs, although I'm sure it's all water weight. The first 3 days were hard, I'm pretty sure I had the carb flu. I've started sleeping better, no aches and pains, and I"m getting used to the constant energy level, instead of the massive roller coaster of energy I was getting from sugar. I haven't felt good enough to start exercising again, but I'm getting there soon.
    Did anyone try to make the change to Paleo and hate it? Why?
    Did anyone try it and not see changes in how you feel? Any thoughts on why?
    Did anyone have negative affects from it?

    I just found out its not the carb flu. Im pregnant! We have been trying for 2 years with reoccuring miscarriages and we are finally pregnant!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    After a few health issues, I've decided to make the lifestyle change to eating Paleo. For me, this is about a life style change, not just a 30 day diet to loose weight,. I"m probably not following the diet super strictly, but I am eating mostly meat, veggies, nuts, and a little fruit. My goal is to try at least 30 days to see if I feel better, then decide my options from there. I'm on day 6 and feeling pretty good. I'm down 5lbs, although I'm sure it's all water weight. The first 3 days were hard, I'm pretty sure I had the carb flu. I've started sleeping better, no aches and pains, and I"m getting used to the constant energy level, instead of the massive roller coaster of energy I was getting from sugar. I haven't felt good enough to start exercising again, but I'm getting there soon.
    Did anyone try to make the change to Paleo and hate it? Why?
    Did anyone try it and not see changes in how you feel? Any thoughts on why?
    Did anyone have negative affects from it?

    I just found out its not the carb flu. Im pregnant! We have been trying for 2 years with reoccuring miscarriages and we are finally pregnant!

    Oh, wow!! Good for you! Congratulations!! :smile:
  • abbyrae1
    abbyrae1 Posts: 265 Member
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    I LOVE LOVE LOVED it. the only reason I fell off the wagon was due to a lot of business travel for my fiance and I. but we both did it and both felt great (but did it with some modifications...)
    Some of our modifications:\
    --we could still have alcohol 1-2 days/week if we wanted, usually drank liquor mixed with water or club soda instead of diet soda and wine instead of beer
    --we still had cheese (but instead of buying the pre-shredded kind in the bag, I started buying block cheese which had only 3 ingredients or less...all of which i knew what they were and could pronounce).

    I felt great, had a nice energy level, didn't even really "crave' bad food after awhile...best part, while on that diet, my man lost about 17lbs in the first 4 weeks and I lost about 12 (both of us gained about 3-4 back over the last few weeks of not following the routine).

    I liked the variety of things you could come up with for recipes and there are a ton of blogs out there too! My suggestion....when you first start, try to limit the amount of fruit you eat for the first week to two weeks, this will help with your sweets cravings too, i stuck to veggies and protein for every meal for the first 2 weeks and i hardly wanted anything that would have been sugary or sweet.
  • teaelcee
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    I did the Whole30 last year. I did lose some weight, but it didn't make me feel more energetic and it didn't help with my digestive issues. Ultimately, I didn't find it to be a sustainable way to eat for my lifestyle.

    My other problem with the Whole30 diet is that consuming that much meat is not good for the environment.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I hated it so much when my friends told me about it that I would never try it. Peanuts, bread, chocolate, ice cream.....all yummy foods that I refuse to do without. I could think of more, but those are the important ones.

    Best of luck for trying it, but most of the people I know that have tried it find that they like yummy foods too much to stick to it.
  • Darlin8893
    Darlin8893 Posts: 10 Member
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    Congratulations!
  • hdlb
    hdlb Posts: 333 Member
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    I eat mostly paleo, with no problems. But I don't have a huge choice. I can't have dairy, gluten, oats, peanuts or soy either way, so it wasn't a big jump to Paleo.

    *ETA - Congratulations!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I would hate giving up legumes for even a week. I eat them pretty much every day. I would miss grains (a lot!), but I would be totally miserable without my hummus, beans, peanut butter, etc.

    Are you certain you'd be miserable? You might surprise yourself if you tried it. I thought I couldn't live without cheese, turns out that for me, life is better without it!

    No one should be without peanut butter. I truly feel sorry for people with peanut allergies. It's one of the best foods ever invented. George Washington Carver was an American hero!