PALEO: pros, cons and whatever else you may think?

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  • TheFairyJester
    TheFairyJester Posts: 93
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    i love the concept of Paleo ,the simple basic eating ,

    i personally am not willing to give up cheese.
  • Phildog47
    Phildog47 Posts: 255 Member
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    Food without additives is always a good thing. Whether it's a "medical miracle" that cures all ails... is debatable. Maybe for some. It CAN get expensive.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    The fact of the matter is Paleo itself doesnt mean you don't have to count calories as you can still get fat, over eat, etc. It doesn't defy the laws of thermodynamics as you still need to be an a deficit to make it work.

    Why do you have to count your calories to remain in a deficit? Is counting calories really sustainable? Do you plan to count calories for the rest of your life?
    It's not the fact you're eating a paleo diet that is causing the weight loss. Its the overall deficit.

    So, what's the problem then? Same outcome, different path. What works for some doesn't for others.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    It's a religion.

    I believe people should follow their own conscience in such matters. If you are happy practicing it and you feel you derive benefit from it, then good on you.

    But when advocates of it start spouting it as 'the one true way', then I'm as suspicious of that as anyone trying to foist their religion on me.

    It's both perfectly possible to be healthy with it and without it, at the end of the day.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    The fact of the matter is Paleo itself doesnt mean you don't have to count calories as you can still get fat, over eat, etc. It doesn't defy the laws of thermodynamics as you still need to be an a deficit to make it work.

    Why do you have to count your calories to remain in a deficit? Is counting calories really sustainable? Do you plan to count calories for the rest of your life?
    It's not the fact you're eating a paleo diet that is causing the weight loss. Its the overall deficit.

    So, what's the problem then? Same outcome, different path. What works for some doesn't for others.

    Because you create the false perception that is somehow providing magical powers and causing you to burn fat simply by elminiating "evil processed foods". Yes, counting calories is sustainable. Yes, I plan on counting calories for as long as I'm physcially active, interesting in getting stronger, and maintaining a low body fat. Can you be in a deficit without having to count - yes, but its a shot in the dark to say the least.

    The problem is making blanket statements about misinformation as to how fat loss occurs. People here who are newer to the process see the information and think - "Oh all i have to do is remove potatoes and processed foods and I can lose weight, fantastic!". In reality, not how it works.

    I have no problem with eating whole, nutrient dense foods. However, I do have a problem with people trying to debunk science with a diet that isn't even founded on science.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    It's a religion.

    I believe people should follow their own conscience in such matters. If you are happy practicing it and you feel you derive benefit from it, then good on you.

    But when advocates of it start spouting it as 'the one true way', then I'm as suspicious of that as anyone trying to foist their religion on me.

    It's both perfectly possible to be healthy with it and without it, at the end of the day.
    Love this reply.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I was being a bit facetious with the sandwich example. Sabine gets what I am trying to say though. I skip the sandwich too for the reasons she stated. This all is relative too. I can't workout hard for health reasons and mt nearly 40 year old female body keeps weight off better and is less hungry when I eat a lower carb Paleo type diet. Feel free to disagree.
    Thanks. I'm not knocking iffym, just trying to get the 6'1" 200lb men to see that when you're small the amount of discretionary calories is quite small, and IFFYM can be pretty LOW CARB.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
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    Lol....the problem with myfitnesspal open forums is that everyone is the best certified nutritionist/exercise specialist on here....and half the time they have no clue what they are saying. I do give credit to the ones who seem to know, but some of you are very ridiculous... Be supportive people, and quit being snarky when you see something you don't agree with.
  • featherbrained
    featherbrained Posts: 155 Member
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    Yes, it's restrictive, but some personalities do well with restriction. I'm one of them. I lost 109 pounds a few years ago loosely following Primal. It's not as restrictive as Paleo, I don't think, because it still allows some carbs. I felt GREAT. I had no problem implementing it into any situation.

    But our financial status changed dramatically, and I had to gradually go back to a cheaper way of eating. And even though we still ate healthy, the weight crept back. I miss it! primal, that is. But it just isn't financially sustainable.

    Try it, see if it works for you. If you find it expensive, or it makes you feel bad, then stop.

    I also liked it because, unlike more traditional no-carb type plans, it focuses on health. Healthy fats with olive and coconut oils, avocados, etc. Lean meats. legumes and grains within whatever carb limit you set for yourself. Very little bacon and steak (unless that's they way you swing! ;) )

    I did continue to count calories while doing it too. However, eating proteins and fats made it so much easier to stick to whatever cal. deficit I had at the time without feeling hungry. Also got me started on IF, which is where I'm at now, and it's working great without breaking my budget. But again, I work better with some restriction. Too many choices are my downfall!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I was being sarcastic about the broccoli... My point is you can eat the sandwich and pair it with something else to make it more satiable.

    It's not one size fit's all in terms of the macros from the calculator. It is a baseline.... If I crunch my numbers they aren't the same either. My carbs are higher than is recommended on the calculator...

    No one is saying you must eat a subway sandwich, they are saying it is a possibility. Can I fit pizza into my macros? Yes. Will it take a large chunk out of my macros? Yes. Now, can I compensate and say eat just 1 slice of pizza and then have more macros to work with? Yes.

    Apply the same principles to the Subway sandwich.
    With most approaches (except possibly pale and atkins) you can eat subway. South Beach diet would be fine with a subway sandwich. No magic with IFFYM. I was just trying to get folks to see that a small, older woman doesn't get as much flexibility with IIFYM just as she doesn't with other diets. In fact, she gets fewer carbs than with some other plans.
  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
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    Looked on page 1. Looked on page 7. I'm sure whatever's in between is nothing but more of the same.

    Can't we all just get along? :sad: Why so much fighting?

    OP: If you want to try it, go for it. If it works, keep doing it. If it doesn't, then try something different.
    Good luck :smile:
  • rachjenn
    rachjenn Posts: 87
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    Hi Stephanie

    It's certainly a diet, rather than a lifestyle choice - as I agree with the posts which say it isn't great to cut out certain vitamins/minerals found in some foods, ie carbs.

    A colleague at my work does it, and has lost half her body weight.

    I started it yesterday but I'm not going to be as strict, as I want a lifestyle change rather than a diet. I can say it's working already... so far today I had 4 scrambled eggs for breakfast and now I've just had tomato soup. That's all in 7 hours. Having not being on this I would have eaten porridge, a banana, nuts, then tomato soup - in the same amount of time. Do not feel even slightly hungry whereas eating lots of carbs I was constantly hungry.

    Doing this has already made me open cook books, and read more into foods and recipes. For example I thought porridge and banana for breakfast would help me loose weight - I was wrong (although this isn't an unhealthy option) Opening a cookbook opens a world of new flavours by using things you already eat. I'm going to get sick of eggs soon, but I've read you can even have enchiladas by making the flat piece out of eggs. Brilliant!
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
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    "Oh all i have to do is remove potatoes and processed foods and I can lose weight, fantastic!". In reality, not how it works.

    I don't think very many people think/say that. That's very much over-simplifying it. It might be more like this:

    "Focus on eating plenty of good fat, fill your plate up with the best quality meat you can afford (about 1-2 palm sized portions) and the rest with veggies. Moderate your fruit & nut intake. If you are getting hungry between meals, try increasing your fat. If you do a lot of intense activity, be sure to include some starchy veggies like sweet potatoes & squash"
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    I was being a bit facetious with the sandwich example. Sabine gets what I am trying to say though. I skip the sandwich too for the reasons she stated. This all is relative too. I can't workout hard for health reasons and mt nearly 40 year old female body keeps weight off better and is less hungry when I eat a lower carb Paleo type diet. Feel free to disagree.
    Thanks. I'm not knocking iffym, just trying to get the 6'1" 200lb men to see that when you're small the amount of discretionary calories is quite small, and IFFYM can be pretty LOW CARB.

    Just throwing this out there... I'm 5'10" 165. Also have a handful of small females on my list who follow IIFYM eating around 1500-1600 calories with a fair share of carbs in their diet.
  • Kristine_7707
    Kristine_7707 Posts: 28
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    Any diet that has a name is silly.

    Any diet that strictly prohibits certain foods is silly.

    Any diet that does both of these is double-silly.

    By all means focus your diet on lean meats and veggies. But don't listen to what other people tell you are acceptable foods and unacceptable foods. Focus on your nutrients and eat things you enjoy.

    ^^Listen to this guy, he knows what he's talking about.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I was being a bit facetious with the sandwich example. Sabine gets what I am trying to say though. I skip the sandwich too for the reasons she stated. This all is relative too. I can't workout hard for health reasons and mt nearly 40 year old female body keeps weight off better and is less hungry when I eat a lower carb Paleo type diet. Feel free to disagree.
    Thanks. I'm not knocking iffym, just trying to get the 6'1" 200lb men to see that when you're small the amount of discretionary calories is quite small, and IFFYM can be pretty LOW CARB.

    I'm 5'8.5, 147 lbs. Just FYI.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I was being sarcastic about the broccoli... My point is you can eat the sandwich and pair it with something else to make it more satiable.

    It's not one size fit's all in terms of the macros from the calculator. It is a baseline.... If I crunch my numbers they aren't the same either. My carbs are higher than is recommended on the calculator...

    No one is saying you must eat a subway sandwich, they are saying it is a possibility. Can I fit pizza into my macros? Yes. Will it take a large chunk out of my macros? Yes. Now, can I compensate and say eat just 1 slice of pizza and then have more macros to work with? Yes.

    Apply the same principles to the Subway sandwich.
    With most approaches (except possibly pale and atkins) you can eat subway. South Beach diet would be fine with a subway sandwich. No magic with IFFYM. I was just trying to get folks to see that a small, older woman doesn't get as much flexibility with IIFYM just as she doesn't with other diets. In fact, she gets fewer carbs than with some other plans.

    IIFYM doesn't specify a carb intake.

    It's IIFYM. That's If It Fits Your Macros.

    If you want to eat low carb while doing IIFYM, then you just... do so.
  • elsdonward
    elsdonward Posts: 81 Member
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    Paleo - this term is really misplaced.

    Whilst there is no doubt that there are advantages in choosing fresh fruits and lean meats - you must think back to the paleolithic times. There was no additives in their foods whatsoever. If you go back and give a paleo a fresh chicken breast the chemicals and hormones would definitely make them ill.

    There are no merits in gorging on adulterated meat products. Sure in moderation and in combination with starches yes - but do not even begin to think that paleo is anything else but a myth - just a fad
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    If you choose to eat Paleo, do so because you believe in the tenants of Paleo and not because you want to lose weight. If you are "going Paleo" to lose weight or for a challenge, you will not stick with it and as soon as you stop depriving yourself of whatever you need to eliminate to "go" Paleo, you will undo most if not all of your progress.

    If you think you can stick with it. Listen to yourself talk about your food choices.

    If you say "I can't have that" rather than "I don't eat that" you aren't going to be successful long term.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    "Oh all i have to do is remove potatoes and processed foods and I can lose weight, fantastic!". In reality, not how it works.

    I don't think very many people think/say that. That's very much over-simplifying it. It might be more like this:

    "Focus on eating plenty of good fat, fill your plate up with the best quality meat you can afford (about 1-2 palm sized portions) and the rest with veggies. Moderate your fruit & nut intake. If you are getting hungry between meals, try increasing your fat. If you do a lot of intense activity, be sure to include some starchy veggies like sweet potatoes & squash"

    You need to look around more then. It is marketed everywhere as such.

    My current deficit has me eating at 2450 calories. I can easily exceed those calories by following the model above and not tracking my macros.

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