beginner-?s

brenbrenm

Hello everyone,

I have been interested in this type of diet for quite some time now. I am sick of feeling sluggish and am quite leery of all of the chemicals found in most foods. However, I can almost guarantee I will not be sticking to this program 100%. Does anyone here follow a somewhat moderate version of either plan? In other words, while I am on vacation with my family, I will not stress my family or myself out worrying about what I can or can't eat. Same thing with holidays or even the occasional ice cream cone. And let's not forget the beloved wine! Now, this is not to say that once I start this program and start to feel better, I won't change my mind! Anyway....a few questions:

I haven't bought any books yet. Which is the best, in your opinion?

Is there a way to ease into the diet? This is a big one for me. If I restrict myself too much all at once, I tend to end up binging later on.

Is 100% cocoa powder allowed? What can you use for sweeteners?

Also, what's the verdict on sweet potatoes/yams?

I'm sure I'll have many more questions as I go along!

Thanks for any advice you have.

Dragonwolf

Check out the "Recommended Reading" thread and try to read some of the stuff. It will likely answer most of your questions in depth.

In a nutshell, though:

Yes, you can ease into it, and you can also do a more "moderate" version. Remember, it's a lifestyle change, not a "diet". You make decisions to or to not eat certain foods. For example, I can't bring myself to like avocado, and I've chosen to keep peanut butter in my diet (because I can moderate my intake of it). Surprisingly, many people have found it easier to just cut out chunks. ie - instead of just trying to "cut down" on the wheat stuff, they'll cut it all out at once. Where it doesn't get overwhelming is that they're not cutting out wheat AND dairy at the same time. Alternatively, some people find it easier to find replacements before cutting something out. For example, in my house, we've replaced regular spaghetti with spaghetti squash, which has stepped my husband in the Paleo direction.

Yes, cocoa powder is allowed. Chocolate is actually allowed, in moderation. The key is that it's dark chocolate (the darker the better, aim for at least 80%, and try to avoid the soy-based additives). Cocoa is loaded with antioxidents and flavinoids that are awesome for your body (see: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-you-should-eat-and-drink-high-cacao-dark-chocolate ). The same actually goes for red wine. Even outside of the Paleo circles, studies have shown that a glass of red wine a day is actually beneficial (just watch, it's got quite a bit of calories).

Sweeteners depends more on what path you're looking to follow. The more strict the path, the fewer sweeteners. That said, the most common ones are maple syrup (real maple syrup, not the stuff in the Mrs. Buttersworth containers), honey (preferably raw wildflower), and Stevia. Molasses is sometimes used, but be careful with it, because it is still a "processed" food. The first two, and molasses, aren't just sweeteners, but are rich source of micronutrients and other beneficial properties. Stevia is considered okay, because its sweet flavor doesn't come from sugar, so it doesn't affect the body in quite the same way as sugar (in face, studies have shown it to lower blood sugar, which may or may not be a good thing). Of course, you still need to make sure you watch your intake, because most of these are still sugar (and therefore, carbs), if you're looking to lose weight.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of nutrients, but are pretty high in carbs. They're favored over white potatoes largely due to their glycemic load. Yes, they are "Paleo", but not recommended for people looking to lose weight due to the carb amount. Also, keep in mind that they're part of the Nightshade family, which can cause reactions in some people. If you can keep it within your carb goals, and don't notice any adverse reactions, have at it, though. Just don't load it down with sugar and marshmallows.

brenbrenm

Thank you...that post was extremely helpful. Can you eat any old sausage for breakfast as well? Turkey, regular? I thought foods with nitrates were a no-no? Also, are you allowed vinegar?

Dragonwolf

Thank you...that post was extremely helpful. Can you eat any old sausage for breakfast as well? Turkey, regular? I thought foods with nitrates were a no-no? Also, are you allowed vinegar?

Added nitrates are generally frowned upon, even outside of Paleo. You can have sausage (yes, even pork sausage), just be mindful of what's in it and where it comes from. Getting it straight from a farm or butcher, or making it yourself, will be best, because you can find out exactly what went into it. You don't want any "byproducts" and whatnot in your foods.

Vinegar depends largely on the type. Apple cider vinegar is generally considered okay as long as you don't react badly to it (the acidity can negatively affect your body and aggravate things like GERD), but white vinegar is generally made with wheat and therefore can still contain gluten. Mark Sisson deemed Balsamic Vinegar to be Primal, but again, it comes back to how your body handles it.

http://thepaleodiet.com/uncategorized/vinegar/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-paleo-balsamic-vinegar-chestnuts-apricot-kernels-chitosan-nori/
http://paleohacks.com/questions/120227/is-vinegar-bad-even-if-non-paleo

If you ever want to know if a specific food is "Paleo" or not, just do a Google search for "[food item] paleo". Usually, the first few hits will come from PaleoHacks, marksdailyapple, or thepaleodiet, which are generally fairly reliable.