I guess for me I just don't want to have that kind of a relationship with food. I saw someone today posting that she was many many calories over today and was bummed because she'd eaten her "allotment" day after day when she wasn't hungry. Everyone seems to emphasize "eating all your calories" and to an extent, I get why. But why not also follow natural body rhythms? I am rarely hungry when my period comes, and ravenous just before. Why not eat when I'm truly wanting to?

And yes, "if it fits your macros". I've seen diaries where they hit all their macros, without a single thing I'd call "food".

I get that some folks can't eat intuitively. And I have a few ideas why that's the case for some. A "healthier" diet may actually help with that, but I won't say that on the main boards.

And yes, the mocking and ridiculing of my personal experience, and calling me out when I stand up for anyone NOT eating at SAD/IIFYM style diet. Mine's not sustainable? Well, guess what I've sustained if for a decade at maintenance. So I'd say it works for me. cheers

I guess for me I just don't want to have that kind of a relationship with food. I saw someone today posting that she was many many calories over today and was bummed because she'd eaten her "allotment" day after day when she wasn't hungry. Everyone seems to emphasize "eating all your calories" and to an extent, I get why. But why not also follow natural body rhythms? I am rarely hungry when my period comes, and ravenous just before. Why not eat when I'm truly wanting to?

And yes, "if it fits your macros". I've seen diaries where they hit all their macros, without a single thing I'd call "food".

I get that some folks can't eat intuitively. And I have a few ideas why that's the case for some. A "healthier" diet may actually help with that, but I won't say that on the main boards.

And yes, the mocking and ridiculing of my personal experience, and calling me out when I stand up for anyone NOT eating at SAD/IIFYM style diet. Mine's not sustainable? Well, guess what I've sustained if for a decade at maintenance. So I'd say it works for me. cheers

Oooh, that's the thing I hate the most - the "it's not sustainable"/"not balanced"/"not healthy" crowd. They somehow have it in their heads that "balanced" equates to eating everything that's even vaguely considered edible. Seriously, I never see anyone make that argument to a vegetarian, why do it to us?

I think Akima isn't far off, but I think part of it, too, is that grains/sugar really are addictive. The arguments/justifications I see from a lot of the people that mock Paleo for not being "balanced" or whatever are similar to those made by people addicted to other things (not necessarily ingested substances, but also things like gambling or whatever).

How often have you seen that people eat (or eat certain things) for emotional reasons? "I do this to cope with my pain."

How often do you hear them say that going Paleo means no more going out with friends? "I need this to be social."

Claim they can stop eating X whenever they want, but they choose not to? "I'm not addicted, I can stop whenever I want."

Claim Paleo doesn't work, because the first week (and only week they tried it) was miserable? "I want to stop, but treatment doesn't work."

Use the "you only live once" line? "We're all going to die, anyway. Might as well spend it like this."

How is that healthy in anyone's mind? Of course, they all say that anyone can lose weight if they just eat less and move more, but no one questions why a) people are eating more to begin with, or b) why counting calories is required for so many people to stay on target.

Anywho, done with my rant. I need to go to bed.

I am always shocked at the amount of judgment I receive when people learn that we are paleo and so are our children. They always say "they do not need to loose weight" ... and I am always like "your right" they are not loosing weight...and that is not why we eat paleo. I cook from scratch every meal breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack while they "loving" fill" their little Johnnys lunch with twinkes, lunchables, sodas and bags of chips. Sometimes I just shake my head. I have been told it is abusive or that I am ruining their little tummies etc. We started this journey because 2 of the family are lactose intolerant, and 2 are gluten intolerant and a few have issues with auto immune disorders and it worked for us. Period. I cringe a little when I have to explain why we do not wish to participate in "taco" night or whatever as it generally tends to inflame people. I think, "Live and let live!".

SAD?

Thanks! I appreciate that...it is not easy to work and still totally embrace the lifestyle change needed to be serious Paleo/Primal. I can anything I can to avoid the sugars and high sodiums. I make the mayo, the "ranch", plum ketchup...all the condiments as well as all the daily meals. But hey my family and I are worth it!

We have this problem at school too and it drives me nuts! My kids are given candy as rewards for doing well academically. I have mentioned that I don't want them rewarded with food on the start of year information sheets (and that we we are GF) but it is ignored. Luckily, my gluten intolerant son cares about his health and understands the consequences but he is still offered crap all the time. Right now the school is having a contest for February where, if the child achieves 60+ items on a checklist they get a t shirt, the items include getting 60 minutes of exercise, eating 5 fruits and veggies, and, yes, not having candy or soda. Um, way to sabotage when they get candy at school.

I don't understand the need for food rewards and supplying processed food at school. Nothing with a brand name should EVER be offered in a school! I'm not even allowed to send my own food for afternoon snacks because the kids will "fight". So snacks are usually crackers, cookies, processed fruit snack, jello, pudding, etc. Nothing but crap and only occasionally an apple or cut up veggies.

My child won't avoid the foods on her own, and because she knows that crap is in the cupboard, she has been caught in the classroom "stealing" food. Unfortunately, we have many kids that don't get enough food at home so food in the school is a necessity, but…. Behavioural/health problems are also the norm so I don't understand why providing healthier food isn't a priority. The breakfast program are commercial cereals and bread and then it's crackers in the afternoon and then we have a bunch of special ed teachers for all the "bad" kids.

My child is VERY spirited and behaviour is a constant issue. The school knows what I do at home but won't follow the guidelines for her at school. Many of the staff don't even know how to read a label or understand what things contain wheat, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. It really sucks. I can only imagine how much better all the kids would be if they were provided real food. No oranges, nuts, fish, etc allowed in school due to allergies (maybe people should be questioning why so many healthy foods are now hurting kids!) and they even say they have a "no sugar" policy… not even close. But the smoothies are made with artificial sweeteners because of the police, but the cereals, jello, fruit snacks, candy rewards are acceptable….. I'm so confused!

Most parents I talk to here say that candy as a reward in the school is a necessity. What?

We have this problem at school too and it drives me nuts! My kids are given candy as rewards for doing well academically. I have mentioned that I don't want them rewarded with food on the start of year information sheets (and that we we are GF) but it is ignored. Luckily, my gluten intolerant son cares about his health and understands the consequences but he is still offered crap all the time. Right now the school is having a contest for February where, if the child achieves 60+ items on a checklist they get a t shirt, the items include getting 60 minutes of exercise, eating 5 fruits and veggies, and, yes, not having candy or soda. Um, way to sabotage when they get candy at school.

I don't understand the need for food rewards and supplying processed food at school. Nothing with a brand name should EVER be offered in a school! I'm not even allowed to send my own food for afternoon snacks because the kids will "fight". So snacks are usually crackers, cookies, processed fruit snack, jello, pudding, etc. Nothing but crap and only occasionally an apple or cut up veggies.

My child won't avoid the foods on her own, and because she knows that crap is in the cupboard, she has been caught in the classroom "stealing" food. Unfortunately, we have many kids that don't get enough food at home so food in the school is a necessity, but…. Behavioural/health problems are also the norm so I don't understand why providing healthier food isn't a priority. The breakfast program are commercial cereals and bread and then it's crackers in the afternoon and then we have a bunch of special ed teachers for all the "bad" kids.

My child is VERY spirited and behaviour is a constant issue. The school knows what I do at home but won't follow the guidelines for her at school. Many of the staff don't even know how to read a label or understand what things contain wheat, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. It really sucks. I can only imagine how much better all the kids would be if they were provided real food. No oranges, nuts, fish, etc allowed in school due to allergies (maybe people should be questioning why so many healthy foods are now hurting kids!) and they even say they have a "no sugar" policy… not even close. But the smoothies are made with artificial sweeteners because of the police, but the cereals, jello, fruit snacks, candy rewards are acceptable….. I'm so confused!

Most parents I talk to here say that candy as a reward in the school is a necessity. What?

Ugh. I'm glad my line of work can allow for working odd hours and at home (provided I find the right company or go into business myself). If my son's school was doing that, I'd start home schooling him pretty much immediately.

To be fair, I'm guilty of using candy as a reward (we're having trouble potty training him, so we've been using whatever works; for a while after Halloween, candy was one such thing, which we've weaned him off as he's phased out of it being motivation), but I'm still the parent, and it's ultimately my choice for what to feed him. If I explicitly tell them that something is off limits for him, I expect them to heed that.

I know not everyone can do that, so perhaps there's a way you could educate the teachers on reading labels (and maybe reading comprehension in general)? It would be one thing if they at least tried, and was keeping the obviously wheat/gluten stuff out, but thought, say, oatmeal, or the cream soup that uses flour as a thickener (but they didn't know it did), was okay. At least with that, they're putting forth a good faith effort. What they're doing with your child is just plain disrespectful.