Paleo?

Options
lablamires
lablamires Posts: 83 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Alright, I've been a little afraid to post this because I heard it will start "forum flame wars," but I've just heard different things about it and I was wondering exactly what it is and why it may be good/bad for you. What are the pros/cons? Have any of you tried it?

Sorry in advance for any arguments this thread may cause....
«134567…19

Replies

  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    bump
  • Veslus
    Veslus Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    If you want detailed information as to why paleo is good for you, you're probably better off checking out google. But I'll give you some of my personal pros and cons:

    Pros:
    -Bacon.
    -More energy
    -I wake right up in the mornings now.
    -I feel better when I'm putting healthy stuff in my body.
    -Weight comes off pretty easily, especially at first.
    -Encourages you to cook at home since it's easier that way.

    Cons:
    -That initial carb flu blows.
    -My wife had some minor lactose issues to start with, but after months of not regularly dairy it's evolved into a full lactose allergy. This also happened to my best friend. I, however, had no issues with dairy to start with and can still cheat with it just fine.
    -Going out to eat and being paleo good can be difficult depending on what restaurant you end up in.
    -If you don't devote enough time to food prep, it can really suck.

    I guess to sum it up, if you have any issues with eating grains or dairy to start with, paleo is a great lifestyle. I would definitely say it's not for everyone though. I eat paleo and I love it. My wife and I stopped eating paleo for a while and realized we were miserable. Since we've gone back, we've definitely noticed how much of a difference eating paleo makes for us.
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    If you want detailed information as to why paleo is good for you, you're probably better off checking out google. But I'll give you some of my personal pros and cons:

    Pros:
    -Bacon.
    -More energy
    -I wake right up in the mornings now.
    -I feel better when I'm putting healthy stuff in my body.
    -Weight comes off pretty easily, especially at first.
    -Encourages you to cook at home since it's easier that way.

    Cons:
    -That initial carb flu blows.
    -My wife had some minor lactose issues to start with, but after months of not regularly dairy it's evolved into a full lactose allergy. This also happened to my best friend. I, however, had no issues with dairy to start with and can still cheat with it just fine.
    -Going out to eat and being paleo good can be difficult depending on what restaurant you end up in.
    -If you don't devote enough time to food prep, it can really suck.

    I guess to sum it up, if you have any issues with eating grains or dairy to start with, paleo is a great lifestyle. I would definitely say it's not for everyone though. I eat paleo and I love it. My wife and I stopped eating paleo for a while and realized we were miserable. Since we've gone back, we've definitely noticed how much of a difference eating paleo makes for us.

    Thanks for your response :) Yeah, I don't drink milk anyway (I actually have almond milk in the fridge) so I figured it might be remotely easy to cut out the rest of the dairy and I've been trying some paleo recipes lately that I really like but I could see how it would be hard to eat out.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    Alright, I've been a little afraid to post this because I heard it will start "forum flame wars," but I've just heard different things about it and I was wondering exactly what it is and why it may be good/bad for you. What are the pros/cons? Have any of you tried it?

    Sorry in advance for any arguments this thread may cause....

    Pros - Get to join the cult of paleo, may also be accepted to the cult of crossfit

    Cons- Unnecessary for weightloss and health (medical reasons not withstanding), wheat, legumes and dairy are pretty tasty
  • Sonicz90x
    Sonicz90x Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    Pros: Mostly whole, minimally processed foods

    Cons:

    -Arbitrary food restriction
    -Eating according to a silly title
    -No benefits of grains, legumes, and dairy

    These are facts. Food choice, energy levels, etc will come down to the individual's preference and how they respond.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    Why do you want to try it if you don't know much about it?
  • Sonicz90x
    Sonicz90x Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    Alright, I've been a little afraid to post this because I heard it will start "forum flame wars," but I've just heard different things about it and I was wondering exactly what it is and why it may be good/bad for you. What are the pros/cons? Have any of you tried it?

    Sorry in advance for any arguments this thread may cause....

    Pros - Get to join the cult of paleo, may also be accepted to the cult of crossfit

    Cons- Unnecessary for weightloss and health (medical reasons not withstanding), wheat, legumes and dairy are pretty tasty
    This is literally no joke. Paleo and Crossfit go hand in hand with their holier than thou preachings. People that follow them literally get washed into thinking their way is the only way and if you're not doing them then you're wrong. More harmful than helpful to the fitness industry IMO.
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    Alright, I've been a little afraid to post this because I heard it will start "forum flame wars," but I've just heard different things about it and I was wondering exactly what it is and why it may be good/bad for you. What are the pros/cons? Have any of you tried it?

    Sorry in advance for any arguments this thread may cause....

    Pros - Get to join the cult of paleo, may also be accepted to the cult of crossfit

    Cons- Unnecessary for weightloss and health (medical reasons not withstanding), wheat, legumes and dairy are pretty tasty

    Wheat would definitely be the hardest part of going paleo in my opinion.
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    This is literally no joke. Paleo and Crossfit go hand in hand with their holier than thou preachings. People that follow them literally get washed into thinking their way is the only way and if you're not doing them then you're wrong. More harmful than helpful to the fitness industry IMO.

    Weird. Well, I know this calorie counting and exercising I've been doing works... So Paleo is definitely not the only way.
  • explosivedonut
    explosivedonut Posts: 419 Member
    Options
    Another con: anthropologically inaccurate diet.

    The diet itself might be fine, but it certainly isn't "caveman" or "what we used to eat back then."
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,841 Member
    Options
    Pros - Get to join the cult of paleo, may also be accepted to the cult of crossfit

    Cons- Unnecessary for weightloss and health (medical reasons not withstanding), wheat, legumes and dairy are pretty tasty


    QFT.
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    Why do you want to try it if you don't know much about it?

    Well, I had heard about it (mostly good things, honestly) but I didn't really know any details about what "eating paleo" entails. I knew they didn't do wheat or dairy, but I didn't know about the legumes (which I've learned on this thread) I'm also just looking for people's personal experiences/opinions on the Paleo diet. Honestly, I was only thinking about trying it for about a month, just to see if I could do it and If I really felt any different/better, and if I did then I would consider continuing it.
  • Sonicz90x
    Sonicz90x Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    This is literally no joke. Paleo and Crossfit go hand in hand with their holier than thou preachings. People that follow them literally get washed into thinking their way is the only way and if you're not doing them then you're wrong. More harmful than helpful to the fitness industry IMO.

    Weird. Well, I know this calorie counting and exercising I've been doing works... So Paleo is definitely not the only way.
    Paleo is merely a means to an end. People's success is not a product of Paleo per se, but rather much simpler principles that aren't necessarily exclusive to it.

    Inb4 I get jumped by an angry caveman for sacrilege of the word.
  • Veslus
    Veslus Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    Weird. Well, I know this calorie counting and exercising I've been doing works... So Paleo is definitely not the only way.

    Exactly. We eat that way because it works for us and fits well in our lifestyle. We've weighed the pros and cons and found that, for our situation, the benefits are worth giving up a few foods we knew we shouldn't be eating that often anyway.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    Why do you want to try it if you don't know much about it?

    Well, I had heard about it (mostly good things, honestly) but I didn't really know any details about what "eating paleo" entails. I knew they didn't do wheat or dairy, but I didn't know about the legumes (which I've learned on this thread) I'm also just looking for people's personal experiences/opinions on the Paleo diet. Honestly, I was only thinking about trying it for about a month, just to see if I could do it and If I really felt any different/better, and if I did then I would consider continuing it.

    Like you said, counting calories and working out works for you (as it does for most), so stick with what you know. No need for extremes.
  • pennyllayne
    pennyllayne Posts: 265
    Options
    I have been mainly paleo for a few years, but I have always had an aversion to many grains anyway. I knew I had difficulty digesting them but I ate them because I thought they were ever so good for me, but when I found out that they actually offer very little in the way of nutrients compared with other foods and contain substances that block the absorption of certain minerals and contain things that irritate the gut I didn't hesitate to cut them out completely. I am also quite carb sensitive and I stopped believing that I somehow needed refined carbohydrates and realised they are not very good for you. I also had major issues with sugar and cutting it out has helped me lose weight and feel better.

    There is absolutely nothing bad about paleo. It's simply about eating whole nutrient dense real foods and minimising stressing out the digestive system with hard to digest foods and toxins. Some people might find it difficult or restrictive, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with having some flexibility and having not so good for you foods on occasion. It's great for people who are suffering with their health and have sensitive stomachs or digestive problems. It's also very freeing to accept that saturated fat is not bad for you and low fat foods are not the amazingly wonderful healthy foods many people think they are. I feel very satisfied with my meals and they keep me going for long periods. When you don't have to make space in your diet for refined grains you have more space for healthy proteins and fats.

    I would add though that I don't claim to follow a strict paleo diet because I don't like to follow labels. I have naturally gravitated towards a paleo style diet because I find it the best for my body and I allow myself to go off track occasionally if I really just want something "bad".
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    Why do you want to try it if you don't know much about it?

    Well, I had heard about it (mostly good things, honestly) but I didn't really know any details about what "eating paleo" entails. I knew they didn't do wheat or dairy, but I didn't know about the legumes (which I've learned on this thread) I'm also just looking for people's personal experiences/opinions on the Paleo diet. Honestly, I was only thinking about trying it for about a month, just to see if I could do it and If I really felt any different/better, and if I did then I would consider continuing it.

    Like you said, counting calories and working out works for you (as it does for most), so stick with what you know. No need for extremes.

    I agree with the no need for extremes (like have you heard of people who dip cottonballs in orange juice and eat them? Gross.) but I actually like some of the recipes I've tried for the Paleo diet, and was just wondering if I'd actually like the whole diet itself. Which would be the point of me only trying it for a month. If I decided I didn't like it, I would go back to just simply counting calories and exercising.
  • pennyllayne
    pennyllayne Posts: 265
    Options
    This is literally no joke. Paleo and Crossfit go hand in hand with their holier than thou preachings. People that follow them literally get washed into thinking their way is the only way and if you're not doing them then you're wrong. More harmful than helpful to the fitness industry IMO.

    Weird. Well, I know this calorie counting and exercising I've been doing works... So Paleo is definitely not the only way.

    It's actually pretty easy to gain weight on a paleo diet if you overdo it with fats as they are so calorie dense, so calories still matter and if you have a tendency to overeat or gain weight easily you'll still have to watch your intake. But, for many people, eating this way is much more satiating than a standard diet high in processed and refined grains and is certainly healthier.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Con - cuts out legumes which are some of the healthiest foods there are.
  • lablamires
    lablamires Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    Weird. Well, I know this calorie counting and exercising I've been doing works... So Paleo is definitely not the only way.

    Exactly. We eat that way because it works for us and fits well in our lifestyle. We've weighed the pros and cons and found that, for our situation, the benefits are worth giving up a few foods we knew we shouldn't be eating that often anyway.

    This is the only reason I've been thinking of trying it... Because the recipes I've tried are delicious, and I feel like I get more nutrition from those recipes than from my regular meals. I also think it may fit well in my lifestyle.

Categories