Paleo Diet?

nycnettie
nycnettie Posts: 44 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Anyone try the Paleo way of eating? Started yesterday and was wondering if anyone else has experience with it? I've been having stomach issues for most of my life and decided to eliminate the processed food from my diet. I'm also lactose intolerant so the Paleo diet seems like a good way of eating for my issues.
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Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    It is healthy, but fairly restrictive, which bring up compliance long term as a cave bear bone of contention.......:smile:
  • bc119
    bc119 Posts: 34 Member
    Sorry I can't help as I haven't tried it but it kind of reminds me of the South Beach or Atkins diet (high protein, low carb). I did try South Beach a looooong time ago and had some results but I was 19 at the time had a hard time sticking to anything long-term.

    I too have had stomach issues but have never been diagnosed with anything so I'm curious if I might have a lactose or gluten allergy that I don't know about.

    Good luck with it!
  • vampyr7071
    vampyr7071 Posts: 1
    I've been working with what I call "semi-Paleo". I keep my eating clean and mostly carb free, most definitely refined sugar, artificial sweetner, preservative, and wheat free. I include limited dairy (lowfat milk and greek yogurt mainly) because I think that the calcium and vitamin D is good for you. You're right when you say its fairly restrictive but after a while you learn to eat creatively. Especially when you have a toddler and a picky hubby like I do. They don't follow a Paleo lifestyle, and nor do any of my other family members, so I have to get really creative going out to eat when and where they do so I joke that I eat a lot of chicken and lettuce. The hard part is keeping your calorie count up, but high calorie foods like avocados and nuts like almonds help with that. I know that most restaurants probably don't use preservative-free, antibiotic-free, free-range organic chicken and hand corn fed fish, but you do what you have to do sometimes, and most of us can't afford a lifestyle like that, hence the "semi-Paleo". I guess it could also be called a "working mom's Paleo lifestyle". Either way, its worth it. I've lost almost 30 lbs in the past 3 months and I feel wonderful! I think tweaking the diet/lifestyle to meet your needs but keeping the underlying roots is a pretty good route to go when starting out, and I know, the hardcore Paleo's will choke when they read that but it really does work for me that way. There are lots of websites with great recipes and guides on how to keep up the lifestyle on a budget, just google. Hit Pinterest and search "Paleo" if nothing else! Eating this way takes some getting used to, I won't lie, but once you are used to clean eating, fried food, rich sweet foods, and the like aren't even good anymore! :) GOOD LUCK!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Go into the groups area...I'm pretty sure they have a dedicated group. It is very healthy, but definitely a lifestyle...not really meant to be a "diet" that you start and then stop. It's too restrictive for me..could never do it, but it is a very healthy lifestyle.
  • kelr0110
    kelr0110 Posts: 213 Member
    I lost 150lbs on WW. Because it was "tried and true" for me, I was petrified to switch to anything else. However, I have been up and down and not making anymore progress since losing that initial 150 since August 2010.

    April 15 I started the Whole30 challenge, which is essentially Paleo but no sweets, grains, dairy.
    http://whole9life.com/2012/08/the-whole30-program/

    Like I said I was mortified to try anything else because there is no tracking, weighing your food or weighing yourself on this program. Another "hard to let go of" habit because journaling and tracking is so so so important in WW. 15 days into this though I am completely sold. I admit I had to weigh in becasue of a work contest (biggest loser buy in) and I was down 13 lbs in 11 days. For once in my life I also feel SATISFIED and let me tell you I can put away large amounts of food :) (You don't get to 387lbs eating like a bird).

    Even though the Whole30 is extreme, come May 15 I plan to keep Paleo mostly and reintroduce some things and see how they truly affect me or not. Before going on it, I was a frozen yogurt junkie....also love wine and beer. My first thing I am pretty sure will be a glass of wine :)

    Anyway, I also love how the design the program to be realistic - saying that they know you're not going to eat like that all the time. "regular" paleo you can use almond or coconut flour to make paleo friendly desserts and stuff so I'm diggin it.

    Good luck whichever way you go. You may not want to go Whole30 obviously, because I just personally needed that extreme to jumpstart me back on track, but I am wholeheartedly a believer in this way of eating even if it's 90/10.
  • ThePolishExperiment
    ThePolishExperiment Posts: 32 Member
    i have been Primal, since before christmas, and in my opinion it is the best way to eat out there, ever, and it is not restrictive whatsoever
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    If you already have to cut dairy why do you want to cut out other things as well?
    For example then you would cut out soy milk.
    It's much easier to eat clean without restricting food groups. I was Paleo for like 2 days.
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    i have been Primal, since before christmas, and in my opinion it is the best way to eat out there, ever, and it is not restrictive whatsoever

    :huh:
  • mrguse
    mrguse Posts: 17 Member
    Paleo is a diet filled to the brim with great ideas... and then taken to bat-crap-crazy extremes.

    Lower your gluten and carbs? Good idea. Minimize the dairy on top of it? Swell... we Americans tend to eat way too much gluten and dairy (it is, after all, a national pastime to put cheese on anything that sits still more than 5 minutes).

    But paleo takes that to levels it doesn't need to be at. A little gluten isn't bad, and dairy can actually be downright good for you.
  • ThePolishExperiment
    ThePolishExperiment Posts: 32 Member
    Primal and Paleo are two different ball games, Paleo is quite restrictive, but if you eat the Primal Blueprint way, its far less restrictive, and in fact you can eat dairy, the recommendation is just not to eat breads, pastas, rices, noodles, etc. hardly that restrictive, thats one group of foods.
  • kelr0110
    kelr0110 Posts: 213 Member
    Paleo is a diet filled to the brim with great ideas... and then taken to bat-crap-crazy extremes.

    Lower your gluten and carbs? Good idea. Minimize the dairy on top of it? Swell... we Americans tend to eat way too much gluten and dairy (it is, after all, a national pastime to put cheese on anything that sits still more than 5 minutes).

    But paleo takes that to levels it doesn't need to be at. A little gluten isn't bad, and dairy can actually be downright good for you.

    I agree with this generally. While I'm doing Whole30 I do feel it's a bit extreme, but honestly like I said I'm sold and it works. I intend to reintroduce a bit of dairy, grains and alcohol when it's over separately to see if it truly affects me, kind of like an experiment. But I can say right now I feel really good and am having fun finding new foods and recipes to try and I'm seeing results. So I would say just try it for a few weeks. :)
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I agree with what has been said in here, it took good ideas and ran away with them.

    Following the general guidelines would not be a bad idea, but I can't imagine completely eliminating dairy personally.
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
    If it's called "The ________ Diet", I'd advise against it.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Primal and Paleo are two different ball games, Paleo is quite restrictive, but if you eat the Primal Blueprint way, its far less restrictive, and in fact you can eat dairy, the recommendation is just not to eat breads, pastas, rices, noodles, etc. hardly that restrictive, thats one group of foods.

    Look, I have a Grok t-shirt (I did the whole carbs/insulin/Taubes/AHS thing) but even I can see it's restrictive AND not really based on any solid science.

    Sisson's carbohydrate curve has to be the most laughable thing ever.

    I don't deny that focusing on whole foods has to be a good thing but, as others have said, it does encourage drifting into borderline eating disorder territory if you do not have a medically diagnosed problem with certain foods.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Primal and Paleo are two different ball games, Paleo is quite restrictive, but if you eat the Primal Blueprint way, its far less restrictive, and in fact you can eat dairy, the recommendation is just not to eat breads, pastas, rices, noodles, etc. hardly that restrictive, thats one group of foods.

    I agree that Primal probably makes more sense for the long haul. I would have a quite a bit of difficulty going without dairy, as it is a major source of protein for me (red meat aggravates my arthritis). I use the cleanest kind of dairy I can find--organic raw milk cheddar from grass-fed cows, organic yogurt and New Zealand whey protein. I do eat organic eggs (every day) and a bit of chicken and fish. I eat a lot of vegetables and some low-fructose fruit every day. Never get any cravings other than for really healthy things. Believe it or not---I actually crave spinach.

    I think that it is likely that sugar (and perhaps gluten) creates appetite distortions that keep us from responding to what our body actually needs. A friend of mine, who enjoys great health, teaches that it is important to listen to what your body "hums" for. She says though, that it is impossible to hear it "humming" when "the band is loudly playing the sugar-song" :wink: I do find that there is an inverse relationship between sugar consumption and the desire to eat nourishing food. The more sugar you eat, the less desire you have for nourishing food. (Ever notice, during the holidays, how the healthy foods sit in the frig and rot while everyone is busy noshing on cookies?)

    Going Primal was a bit of a process. I never eat ADDED sugar (sucrose) and haven't for three years. I don't ever miss it and am happy just to eat a serving of fruit when I get a desire for something sweet. (I figure it is my body's way of letting me know that I need something in the fruit.)

    Then I cut out all wheat about two years ago (I have something of an intolerance for gluten anyway). But I was still eating one piece of organic whole-rye sourdough bread a day. Then, a few months ago, I decided to stop that to see if going completely gluten-free (rye has gluten) would be good. My arthritis improved immediately, and now it is so much better that I decided to stay gluten-free for life. I still eat a serving of steel-cut oats (they are gluten-free) on my heavier exercise days. And I eat starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots, etc. for my carbohydrates. Works for me, I am completely satisfied with the diet I eat, and I feel better than I have felt in a very long while.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Primal and Paleo are two different ball games, Paleo is quite restrictive, but if you eat the Primal Blueprint way, its far less restrictive, and in fact you can eat dairy, the recommendation is just not to eat breads, pastas, rices, noodles, etc. hardly that restrictive, thats one group of foods.

    Going Primal was a bit of a process. I never eat sugar (sucrose) and haven't for three years. I don't ever miss it and am happy just to eat a serving of fruit when I get a desire for something sweet. (I figure it is my body's way of letting me know that I need something in the fruit.)

    So you only eat fruits that don't contain any sucrose?
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member


    So you only eat fruits that don't contain any sucrose?

    curious as well
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    If you are going to eliminate things from your diet, do it because your doctor recommended it as a way to alleviate a health problem. For example, if you are pre-diabetic, eliminating simple carb sources will make sense for you. Likewise, if you have trouble digesting dairy, don't eat it.

    But to eliminate entire food groups for imaginary reasons is in my opinion both unscientific and irresponsible. Legumes, for example, are a fantastic food group that we should all be eating more of, yet Paleo does not permit that. Red meat, on the other hand, should be consumed in moderation--both for environmental and health reasons. Yet Paleo encourages you to eat meat in large amounts.

    Here is a very informative talk on the evidence we have as to what the paleolithic diet was really like:

    http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Debunking-the-Paleo-Diet-Christ
  • mlinton_mesapark
    mlinton_mesapark Posts: 517 Member
    Since the beginning of the year, I've alternated between eating completely grain- and dairy-free, and falling back to just gluten free. Cutting out gluten has been amazing for my skin and seasonal allergies. Cutting out dairy helps my voice (important, because I'm a singer), and my skin and allergies, too, to some extent. I've lost a little weight and an inch all around, and I wasn't that big to begin with.

    I have read the Primal Blueprint (Mark Sisson) and the Paleo Solution (Robb Wolf) and while there's probably some level of speculation in both cases with regards to the details of nutritional and fitness advice, the inflammation/insulin/Omega-3 fatty acid information presented is based on a number of rigorous scientific studies, cited in both books. I'd be interested to know what specific objections people have.

    I do think different solutions work for different people. It has to be the right combination for your psychology, personality and genes.

    Personally, I find that a high fat/high protein/low carb diet satisfies me on fewer calories, so it makes it easier to stay under my calorie limit on MFP (just under 1600). I have more energy, more consistently throughout the day, without big peaks and crashes. I think if you carefully watch how your body feels and reacts as you track what you're eating, you'll find the strategy that works best for you.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Primal and Paleo are two different ball games, Paleo is quite restrictive, but if you eat the Primal Blueprint way, its far less restrictive, and in fact you can eat dairy, the recommendation is just not to eat breads, pastas, rices, noodles, etc. hardly that restrictive, thats one group of foods.

    Going Primal was a bit of a process. I never eat sugar (sucrose) and haven't for three years. I don't ever miss it and am happy just to eat a serving of fruit when I get a desire for something sweet. (I figure it is my body's way of letting me know that I need something in the fruit.)

    So you only eat fruits that don't contain any sucrose?

    No--I am aware that there is some sucrose in most fruits, but it is minor compared to the nutritional benefits of eating the fruit. I don't like bananas and most other fruits that I do eat are low in total sugars. Sorry, I was speaking of ADDED sugar. I have edited the previous post to say that.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    If you are going to eliminate things from your diet, do it because your doctor recommended it as a way to alleviate a health problem. For example, if you are pre-diabetic, eliminating simple carb sources will make sense for you. Likewise, if you have trouble digesting dairy, don't eat it.

    But to eliminate entire food groups for imaginary reasons is in my opinion both unscientific and irresponsible. Legumes, for example, are a fantastic food group that we should all be eating more of, yet Paleo does not permit that. Red meat, on the other hand, should be consumed in moderation--both for environmental and health reasons. Yet Paleo encourages you to eat meat in large amounts.

    Here is a very informative talk on the evidence we have as to what the paleolithic diet was really like:

    http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Debunking-the-Paleo-Diet-Christ

    Yes--I love a good bowl of lentil soup on occasion and I think the Paleo diet is unnecessarily restrictive on that point.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Since the beginning of the year, I've alternated between eating completely grain- and dairy-free, and falling back to just gluten free. Cutting out gluten has been amazing for my skin and seasonal allergies. Cutting out dairy helps my voice (important, because I'm a singer), and my skin and allergies, too, to some extent. I've lost a little weight and an inch all around, and I wasn't that big to begin with.

    I have read the Primal Blueprint (Mark Sisson) and the Paleo Solution (Robb Wolf) and while there's probably some level of speculation in both cases with regards to the details of nutritional and fitness advice, the inflammation/insulin/Omega-3 fatty acid information presented is based on a number of rigorous scientific studies, cited in both books. I'd be interested to know what specific objections people have.

    I do think different solutions work for different people. It has to be the right combination for your psychology, personality and genes.

    Personally, I find that a high fat/high protein/low carb diet satisfies me on fewer calories, so it makes it easier to stay under my calorie limit on MFP (just under 1600). I have more energy, more consistently throughout the day, without big peaks and crashes. I think if you carefully watch how your body feels and reacts as you track what you're eating, you'll find the strategy that works best for you.

    I would agree that everyone needs to find what works for them. I eat "lower carb" because I have blood sugar issues when I eat a lot of carbs. But I do not stay in ketosis. I ususally average about 100 grams of carbohydrate per day---more on my cardio days, less on my rest days.
  • Defren
    Defren Posts: 216 Member
    I have eaten primal for quite a while now, and it's become second nature. Paleo was just a bit too hardcore for me, I like my dairy and have a high fat ratio compared to protein, my carbs are always as low as I can physically get them, but always under 25g a day.

    I see primal and paleo as a lifestyle choice opposed to a diet. I like eating absolutely clean with nothing processed so this works really well for me.

    I always say don't bash something until you have tried it, I have tried some zany things but due to trying different ideas I have found the way, plan. diet. lifestyle choice, what ever you wish to call it that works for me.

    I also don't agree with trying to push any idea onto others, what works for you may not work for the next person.

    The best fruits for low fructose and carbs are berries. I eat them most days and they are fine for my BG (I am T2 diabetic).
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    I have eaten primal for quite a while now, and it's become second nature. Paleo was just a bit too hardcore for me, I like my dairy and have a high fat ratio compared to protein, my carbs are always as low as I can physically get them, but always under 25g a day.

    I see primal and paleo as a lifestyle choice opposed to a diet. I like eating absolutely clean with nothing processed so this works really well for me.

    I always say don't bash something until you have tried it, I have tried some zany things but due to trying different ideas I have found the way, plan. diet. lifestyle choice, what ever you wish to call it that works for me.

    I also don't agree with trying to push any idea onto others, what works for you may not work for the next person.

    The best fruits for low fructose and carbs are berries. I eat them most days and they are fine for my BG (I am T2 diabetic).

    I would agree totally that everyone must find a diet that suits their particular needs.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    I've been following a paleo/primal way of eating since last July and it's been good for me, for the most part. I didn't start eating this way to lose weight so much as to deal with my health. It's been fantastic for me as far as getting healthier. I've lost a bunch of weight as well, but that's due to calorie counting and exercise. I don't believe these ways of eating are going to magically make anyone lean and thin.

    What I dislike about it are some of the more overzealous followers. There are a lot of total weirdos who follow this way of eating (kinda like you see with vegans...and some vegetarians). They can be very unpleasant and self righteous, and have some really f'd up ideas about food, and will try their best to inflict them upon anyone who will pay attention to them for more than two seconds.

    Avoid these types like the plague--be very very wary of someone telling you how to do paleo/primal. Find out yourself by reading books, reading websites, doing your own N=1 experiment. The whole point is to eat in a way that is appropriate for your body, not to eat just like Mark Sisson or Robb Wolf or "Grok" or whatever internet weirdo you run across. Be patient, try lots of stuff, don't feel like there are some sort of RULES you must follow or else, etc.

    Don't get hung up on how compliant you are or aren't. It's not worth it. Eat in a way that is most pleasing and that works best FOR YOU. For your health, budget, lifestyle, etc. Don't feel bad or discouraged if you can't afford to eat 100% grass fed organic beef all the time, or can't afford organic this, free range that, etc.

    Just read a variety of books, do lots of listening/reading on the internet, and find what's best for you. Ignore the nutcases. Ignore the people who tell you fruit is bad/not paleo/not primal etc.

    Ignore the people who tell you to eat a diet made up almost entirely of fat and no carbs.

    Find your own way!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    If it's called "The ________ Diet", I'd advise against it.

    This.

    And this from "Paleo Diet Is Nonsense Science," by Matthew Yglesias in Slate:

    Any sufficiently stringent, somewhat arbitrary set of dietary restrictions is likely to lead you to snack less and be more mindful of what you're eating. But the paleo concept is a marketing gimmick that doesn't have much basis.
    (http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/03/12/paleofantasies_marlene_zuk_says_paleo_diet_is_based_on_bad_science.html)

    That is not to say that individual food sensitivities are to be ignored nor that processed food is good for you. Whenever I hear we would be better off eating like some conception of how cavemen ate, I think about caveman life span. I think I'll not reject food to emulate people who died very young.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Anyone try the Paleo way of eating? Started yesterday and was wondering if anyone else has experience with it? I've been having stomach issues for most of my life and decided to eliminate the processed food from my diet. I'm also lactose intolerant so the Paleo diet seems like a good way of eating for my issues.

    if you have digestive issues, paleo is the way to go, along with taking a high quality probiotic.

    i love eating this way.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    If it's called "The ________ Diet", I'd advise against it.

    This.

    And this from "Paleo Diet Is Nonsense Science," by Matthew Yglesias in Slate:

    Any sufficiently stringent, somewhat arbitrary set of dietary restrictions is likely to lead you to snack less and be more mindful of what you're eating. But the paleo concept is a marketing gimmick that doesn't have much basis.
    (http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/03/12/paleofantasies_marlene_zuk_says_paleo_diet_is_based_on_bad_science.html)

    That is not to say that individual food sensitivities are to be ignored nor that processed food is good for you. Whenever I hear we would be better off eating like some conception of how cavemen ate, I think about caveman life span. I think I'll not reject food to emulate people who died very young.

    cavemen died young because they... lets see... lived in caves and fought sabertooth tigers.

    did you know the current generation of kids is going to be the first to have a shorter lifespan than their parents? that's what GMO and processed foods are doing. Cutting those things out of your diet and eating whole foods as close to their natural state as possible is nonsensical?

    huh.
  • GreenChile3
    GreenChile3 Posts: 65
    THIS ^^^^^^^^

    finally someone with some sense! Thanks CoachReddy!
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    I don't eat any specifi way as such ..I have just cleaned up my diet, not following any one structure. I avoid processed/boxed/packaged foods as much as I can and if it must come in some sort of packaging - I find the least processed and minimal ingredient products I can. Cook fresh, love the veggies and fruits, and drink that water! :) I did this to phase out foods that caused me issues such as gluten and dairy and it's been the easiet way to manage by getting fresh foods that aren't overly processed.

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