Paleo Diet/Way of Life
Options
Replies
-
tracylbrown839 wrote: »Try to shop on the perimeter of the grocery store and that's basically Paleo -- "clean eating".
That is NOT basically Paleo.
I shop from the perimeter of the grocery store and I eat many, many, many things that are Not Paleo.
In fact, here's a list of foods, which most dieticians, health professionals and physicians would all consider quite nutritious.... but they are NOT Paleo
Chickpeas, snowpeas, sugar snap peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, beets, yams, navy beans, lima beans, black beans etc. etc. and even peanuts are a no-no (yes, peanuts are not Paleo - they are a legume)
Lest we forget oats, barley, yogurt.
And do we want to talk about fruits??? Like no, no, no bananas.
And of course some of the other things that you just "might" want to have from time to time - a touch of cream in your coffee... dare I say "a little sugar in your coffee" or maybe a bit of artificial sugar (yuk, anyway)
or.... maybe a beer on a Friday night???
or maybe a glass of wine...
So, you can ditch or reduce or even eliminate "highly processed foods" and focus on eating whole foods and fresh food and that doesn't make you Paleo.
added sugar…gasps…!!!! Oh heavens no….
wait, cavemen did not sit in the cave slugging down bud lights???
Of course they did! I saw it in a 30 second documentary! ... ...or was that just a beer commercial during a Paleo documentary?0 -
tracylbrown839 wrote: »Try to shop on the perimeter of the grocery store and that's basically Paleo -- "clean eating".
That is NOT basically Paleo.
I shop from the perimeter of the grocery store and I eat many, many, many things that are Not Paleo.
In fact, here's a list of foods, which most dieticians, health professionals and physicians would all consider quite nutritious.... but they are NOT Paleo
Chickpeas, snowpeas, sugar snap peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, beets, yams, navy beans, lima beans, black beans etc. etc. and even peanuts are a no-no (yes, peanuts are not Paleo - they are a legume)
Lest we forget oats, barley, yogurt.
And do we want to talk about fruits??? Like no, no, no bananas.
And of course some of the other things that you just "might" want to have from time to time - a touch of cream in your coffee... dare I say "a little sugar in your coffee" or maybe a bit of artificial sugar (yuk, anyway)
or.... maybe a beer on a Friday night???
or maybe a glass of wine...
So, you can ditch or reduce or even eliminate "highly processed foods" and focus on eating whole foods and fresh food and that doesn't make you Paleo.
I'm not paleo but I love some of the websites because the meat recipes are fantastic. Just wanted to add that sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, and fruit ARE considered "paleo".
0 -
tracylbrown839 wrote: »Try to shop on the perimeter of the grocery store and that's basically Paleo -- "clean eating".
That is NOT basically Paleo.
I shop from the perimeter of the grocery store and I eat many, many, many things that are Not Paleo.
In fact, here's a list of foods, which most dieticians, health professionals and physicians would all consider quite nutritious.... but they are NOT Paleo
Chickpeas, snowpeas, sugar snap peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, beets, yams, navy beans, lima beans, black beans etc. etc. and even peanuts are a no-no (yes, peanuts are not Paleo - they are a legume)
Lest we forget oats, barley, yogurt.
And do we want to talk about fruits??? Like no, no, no bananas.
And of course some of the other things that you just "might" want to have from time to time - a touch of cream in your coffee... dare I say "a little sugar in your coffee" or maybe a bit of artificial sugar (yuk, anyway)
or.... maybe a beer on a Friday night???
or maybe a glass of wine...
So, you can ditch or reduce or even eliminate "highly processed foods" and focus on eating whole foods and fresh food and that doesn't make you Paleo.
Yep. Also, pretty sure cavemen couldn't grab the bagged spinach like you can in the perimeter of my grocery. And ones who lived where I do couldn't buy salmon and tuna steak, etc.
0 -
I've adapted some of the paleo techniques, etc......but that's about it.....instead of protein bars as a "goto" for snacks......I've started to munch on nuts, berries, grapes, etc......between meals.....but other than that, that's about it.
Everything in moderation
0 -
tracylbrown839 wrote: »Try to shop on the perimeter of the grocery store and that's basically Paleo -- "clean eating".
That is NOT basically Paleo.
I shop from the perimeter of the grocery store and I eat many, many, many things that are Not Paleo.
In fact, here's a list of foods, which most dieticians, health professionals and physicians would all consider quite nutritious.... but they are NOT Paleo
Chickpeas, snowpeas, sugar snap peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, beets, yams, navy beans, lima beans, black beans etc. etc. and even peanuts are a no-no (yes, peanuts are not Paleo - they are a legume)
Lest we forget oats, barley, yogurt.
And do we want to talk about fruits??? Like no, no, no bananas.
And of course some of the other things that you just "might" want to have from time to time - a touch of cream in your coffee... dare I say "a little sugar in your coffee" or maybe a bit of artificial sugar (yuk, anyway)
or.... maybe a beer on a Friday night???
or maybe a glass of wine...
So, you can ditch or reduce or even eliminate "highly processed foods" and focus on eating whole foods and fresh food and that doesn't make you Paleo.
I'm not paleo but I love some of the websites because the meat recipes are fantastic. Just wanted to add that sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, and fruit ARE considered "paleo".
Sorry, Beans are "legumes" and Legumes are NOT Paleo.
Sweet potatoes and Squash are considered to be "quite starchy vegetables", so they are to be "strictly limited" on a Paleo diet (All my friends who are genuinely Paleo do not eat them, or eat them very rarely.)
Bananas are considered to have too much sugar - fruit is to be "limited" because of its sugar content. So, some fruits are okay, in "moderation" my Paleo pals do not eat Bananas.
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/what-are-legumes-paleo/
This is why many dieticians and nutrition experts find a lot of fault with the Paleo diet... it is very restrictive, including a lot of foods, like legumes, that are actually very nutritious.
See this list of "starchy tubers"... sweet potatoes.. things to generally avoid and some say "none at all."
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/paleodietcavemandiet/a/paleoforbidden.htm
Here's an ultimate Paleo guide list. It is quite clear to "avoid" starchy tubers - sweet potato, yams, beets, squash - unless you are an "athlete" - see the bottom notes about **
Fruit is also to be "limited" because of sugar content
Bananas gets a *
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/paleo-diet-food-list/
The irony about all of this, though, is that fruit is considered something that cavemen wouldn't be able to eat with that much frequency. However, the truth of the matter is - that if you're hunting it - meat isn't available every day, either! Look at any animal that is a true carnivore - they don't eat meat daily. (But that's a totally different argument - I'll leave that to the woman who's so great on history - Neandermagnon)
The other irony is that for those who are Paleo(ish) and find a sweet potato okay but not a regular potato - they are actually very nutritionally equivalent.
I think the truth of the matter is that a lot of people say they eat Paleo but they don't, in real point of fact, follow the diet's tenants all that diligently, because the genuine diet is very restrictive.
** Note my original post - someone said, "if you shop on the outside aisle of the supermarket - that's "Paleo" but that is simply not so because many of these items can be found in the fresh produce and are "whole foods" but are not Paleo.
A diet that focuses on eating predominately whole foods and limits/restricts processed foods is not, in and of itself, a Paleo diet.
0 -
I think you can safely say that most of us who follow a Paleo style do not follow it strictly. I for one eat dairy and follow an 80/20 rule of thumb as it is difficult in our society to follow it in its ancient form and even leading palaeontologists admit it would be virtually impossible as our food bears little resemblance to the foods of our ancestors.
I have been eating Paleo style for possibly 20 years, I just didn't know it. I try to always use natural foods and stay away from processed food and artificial foods. How could you not love it, with its approach which promotes an increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken fish. I would love to eat organic but it is far too expensive. I just buy the freshest and best I can afford.
Weight loss is not automatic whilst eating Paleo as there is so much amazing food available that you can easier overeat and you have to be careful and restrict the amount of fruit you eat especially once all the summer fruits start hitting the supermarket shelves. Ancient people would have only had a limited amount of fruit to choose from, we have a whole supermarket to choose from and that is a bit of a trap if you are trying to lose weight.
I know what you mean Steve when you said "I wish I had a dollar for every "key" to weight loss I have read about." but I don't see Paleo as just another diet gimmick. I see it as healthy eating and I will continue to learn and improve the way I eat in order to remain healthy.
I just wish I could give up wine.
0 -
I think you can safely say that most of us who follow a Paleo style do not follow it strictly. I for one eat dairy and follow an 80/20 rule of thumb as it is difficult in our society to follow it in its ancient form and even leading palaeontologists admit it would be virtually impossible as our food bears little resemblance to the foods of our ancestors.
I have been eating Paleo style for possibly 20 years, I just didn't know it. I try to always use natural foods and stay away from processed food and artificial foods. How could you not love it, with its approach which promotes an increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken fish. I would love to eat organic but it is far too expensive. I just buy the freshest and best I can afford.
Weight loss is not automatic whilst eating Paleo as there is so much amazing food available that you can easier overeat and you have to be careful and restrict the amount of fruit you eat especially once all the summer fruits start hitting the supermarket shelves. Ancient people would have only had a limited amount of fruit to choose from, we have a whole supermarket to choose from and that is a bit of a trap if you are trying to lose weight.
I know what you mean Steve when you said "I wish I had a dollar for every "key" to weight loss I have read about." but I don't see Paleo as just another diet gimmick. I see it as healthy eating and I will continue to learn and improve the way I eat in order to remain healthy.
I just wish I could give up wine.
maybe because it promotes a restrictive form of eating that is totally not necessary????0 -
I think you can safely say that most of us who follow a Paleo style do not follow it strictly. I for one eat dairy and follow an 80/20 rule of thumb as it is difficult in our society to follow it in its ancient form and even leading palaeontologists admit it would be virtually impossible as our food bears little resemblance to the foods of our ancestors.
I have been eating Paleo style for possibly 20 years, I just didn't know it. I try to always use natural foods and stay away from processed food and artificial foods. How could you not love it, with its approach which promotes an increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken fish. I would love to eat organic but it is far too expensive. I just buy the freshest and best I can afford.
Weight loss is not automatic whilst eating Paleo as there is so much amazing food available that you can easier overeat and you have to be careful and restrict the amount of fruit you eat especially once all the summer fruits start hitting the supermarket shelves. Ancient people would have only had a limited amount of fruit to choose from, we have a whole supermarket to choose from and that is a bit of a trap if you are trying to lose weight.
I know what you mean Steve when you said "I wish I had a dollar for every "key" to weight loss I have read about." but I don't see Paleo as just another diet gimmick. I see it as healthy eating and I will continue to learn and improve the way I eat in order to remain healthy.
I just wish I could give up wine.
maybe because it promotes a restrictive form of eating that is totally not necessary????
And peanuts. And peanut butter. No way I'm ever giving up that stuff.0 -
[/quote] maybe because it promotes a restrictive form of eating that is totally not necessary???? [/quote]
Most of the things I have given up over the years are the things that I really shouldn't eat in the first place. For instance, wheat - it makes me ill. Stomach cramps, headaches, bloating and that dreadful foggy feeling. I certainly don't miss any of that and I was reminded of that today. I went to my son's place for his birthday and had pizza and chocolate cake for dessert and I have suffered all day.
It actually becomes easier after a while not to eat these things. MSG, preservatives and such - honestly I do not miss any of that. Tonight I had lamb curry for dinner with heaps of vegetables (and a glass of wine). Honestly, it is not a hardship. Omelette with spinach for lunch and a banana and strawberry smoothie for breakfast. And all Paleo. What am I missing out on?
0 -
+ 100 to ndj1979
People can say that they eat Paleo - why - because it's a popular thing to say and it's a popular sort of diet right now... kind of cool.... eat like a caveman.
Saying you follow a Paleo diet and actually following a Paleo diet are two different things though. It's sort of like saying "Gee, I'm a vegetarian but I eat chicken and beef on Saturdays and Sundays". The person may, in fact, limit their animal sources of protein, but that does not make them a vegetarian.
This post was originally started by someone who was "considering Paleo" and wanted some advice. She has trouble "sticking with" a diet.
The truth is, that if you have trouble sticking with a diet, Paleo is not likely for you. Does this mean that the woman shouldn't ditch cakes, pastries, candy bars, chips, - eat more whole foods with a focus on fresh veggies? No, this is EXACTLY what any good, nutritious, modern diet would tell her to do. Doesn't make it Paleo.
Let's look at a modern balanced diet meal plan - Oh - Balanced - not a sexy word.
Breakfast - yogurt, fresh blueberries, and about 1/4 cup of whole grain granola on top (or not). And a coffee.
Dieticians would say - good breakfast, well rounded. Is it Paleo. Not remotely. Dairy - not on the list. Grain of any kind - not on the list. Paleo is a "Gluten free diet" and it is a low carb diet, too. Coffee is also not Paleo.
Lunch - Spinach and Arugula salad with chopped roasted chicken, sliced mango, pumpkin seeds, onion, red peppers with a small amount of blue cheese dressing. Is this Paleo? No. Not remotely. Mango is one of the sweetest fruits, most Paleos would avoid it. Blue cheese dressing off the list. Yet, dieticians would agree this is a great lunch with much nutrition. If you have enough calories you could have a small, multigrain roll - or not.
Dinner - Roasted Pork Tenderloin with sweet potato, and broccolini and mushroom stir fry done with garlic, olive oil and soy sauce. A 1/4 cup of applesauce on the side to go with the pork. Is this Paleo? A sweet potato is a starchy tuber, not on the list. The soy sauce contains wheat - it is NOT gluten free. The applesauce - even unsweetened, is a processed food. (Juices, even vegetable like a V8, or applesauce - a processed fruit, are not on the list.
Would a nutritionist say this is a good dinner? Absolutely.
Paleo diets seek to limit over-all carbohydrate intake so this meal plan would not fit because it is not that low in carbohydrate. This meal plan would simply be considered old fashioned balanced eating where protein, carbohydrate and fats are contained in pretty much every meal, no foods are "off limits" but fresh and whole food is preferred with sweets and highly refined carbohydrates are eaten "in moderation".
Paleo is
No Dairy
No Grain - it is "gluten free" and this takes care of a lot of products and "little things" like soy sauce that you might add in small amounts.
No Alcohol
No coffee or soda or juice
No legumes
No refined sugar - get rid of your BBQ sauce, Ketchup and any other item that you might choose to add, even in a small amount.
No salt
No vegetable or processed oils
This is why it ranks last with a panel of experts in nutrition. They see legumes as an important part of nutrition, with absolutely no reason to eliminate them. They see them, often, as a good protein source. They see dairy as a good source of both protein and calcium. They see oats, barley, brown rice, and whole grain products as being "beneficial" to health, with no reason to totally eliminate them from your diet. Oats, in particular, are not insulin spiking.
And mostly, they see the diet as so very restrictive as to greatly reduce the chances of "sticking with it" for a long or permanent period of time - And the ability to "stick with it" is a primary thing one must look at because permanent change of lifestyle is required for permanent change of your body.
So, again, I absolutely commend the op if she has gone to her cupboard and thrown out all the chips, cakes, pastries, sweets, packaged food, tv dinners, instant food etc.
Making a commitment to eating predominantly "fresh and real food" is wonderful and it does your health a world of good. Limiting sugar is also very good for you. But buying some real Paleo books and following a real Paleo diet??? I do know some people who genuinely follow a Paleo diet. Going out to dinner is murder for them. Eating at someone else's house is very difficult. Giving up even the occasional glass of wine at a meal is difficult.
And most of those people would actually be fairly offended with all the people who say "Well, I eat Paleo... but... and then the list comes out." They would be just as offended as the people who say "I'm vegetarian" but I eat meat... and then the list comes out.
So, it's one thing to trash the diet from a historical perspective (which is very easily done) but when "examining" a diet to see if it's a good one or not - you actually have to look at the real rules of the diet and their nutritional merit, or lack of them.
Lastly, regarding what type of protein people choose - red meat, in particular has well studied associations with cancer. So, even though protein is a very important nutrient, most dieticians and health professionals would prefer that you got your protein from fish, chicken, lean meats, and legumes and tofu, and limited your consumption of red meat. So, depending on how one interprets Paleo - it actually should NOT be construed as permission to eat steak every night. (And of course, the legumes and tofu are Paleo no-no's)
0 -
maybe because it promotes a restrictive form of eating that is totally not necessary????
Most of the things I have given up over the years are the things that I really shouldn't eat in the first place. For instance, wheat - it makes me ill. Stomach cramps, headaches, bloating and that dreadful foggy feeling. I certainly don't miss any of that and I was reminded of that today. I went to my son's place for his birthday and had pizza and chocolate cake for dessert and I have suffered all day.
It actually becomes easier after a while not to eat these things. MSG, preservatives and such - honestly I do not miss any of that. Tonight I had lamb curry for dinner with heaps of vegetables (and a glass of wine). Honestly, it is not a hardship. Omelette with spinach for lunch and a banana and strawberry smoothie for breakfast. And all Paleo. What am I missing out on?
Wine is not paleo. If the curry was spicy and included peppers, it was not paleo (nightshade). Someone above pointed out that bananas are not paleo (too much sugar). If your eggs weren't from organic free range chickens raised without man-made feed supplements, they weren't paleo.
You may not be missing out on anything, you just aren't eating a paleo diet. Giving up processed foods, MSG, preservatives, etc. and eating whole natural foods only doesn't = eating paleo. It's much more restrictive than that.0 -
maybe because it promotes a restrictive form of eating that is totally not necessary???? [/quote]
Most of the things I have given up over the years are the things that I really shouldn't eat in the first place. For instance, wheat - it makes me ill. Stomach cramps, headaches, bloating and that dreadful foggy feeling. I certainly don't miss any of that and I was reminded of that today. I went to my son's place for his birthday and had pizza and chocolate cake for dessert and I have suffered all day.
It actually becomes easier after a while not to eat these things. MSG, preservatives and such - honestly I do not miss any of that. Tonight I had lamb curry for dinner with heaps of vegetables (and a glass of wine). Honestly, it is not a hardship. Omelette with spinach for lunch and a banana and strawberry smoothie for breakfast. And all Paleo. What am I missing out on?
[/quote]
If you have a medical issue that makes you sensitive to carbs then I get that; however, for the rest of us that do not have said medical issue then carbs are not the devil, and we can eat them and lose weight.
I was also referring to the fact that paleo bans dairy and a host of other items that most of us can eat with no issue. I would rater eat all the foods, then restrict certain food groups because some idiot with a blog has deemed them "bad"....
Also, I did not know that our paleolithic ancestors sat around in caves sipping Pinot Noir...0 -
So...my diet has been like a rollercoaster ride. It has had it's ups and it's downs...and now I am looking for a change in my eating habits. I have googled the Paleo Diet and this is something that I am interesting in doing.
If any of you MFPers have changed to the Paleo way of life, can you give me some pointers/advice? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated
Here are some simple, practical pointers that may assist you. It is NOT Paleo, but it will help in general ways.
1) Go to your cupboard and throw out junk food that is highly processed. Chips, candy, cookies, pastries, tv dinners, kraft macaroni and cheese, colas, diet soda etc. Do it - today! Yes, just throw it all out!
2) Eat real food, 90% of the time. Do NOT keep it in your house. If it's not there, you can't eat it. The one exception is when you are a guest in someone else's house. Then, just eat moderately.
3) Do not eat at ANY fast food places.
4) Weigh, measure your food and stay on budget with a 1 pound per week setting. Just because you eat "real food" doesn't mean you can't eat too much.
5) Make food yourself - from scratch - that means NO DINNERS FROM PACKAGES. And if you are too tired or too lazy - guess that means that you are eating whatever is in the fridge that is edible - raw.
6) Take a 10 minute walk each day. Just 10 minutes (5 days a week)
This is actually totally drastic, without actually being Paleo. I think a drastic change is actually harder to sustain than simply working on one small improvement to your diet at a time, but you said you needed to do something and it seems you want something drastic. (You know yourself better than I do, clearly, so those are some ideas.)
0 -
We eat mostly Paleo. Some people here are correct. It is not a magic "diet" to lose weight. You can still eat too much of something (calories) and gain or not lose weight.
What you need to do is see it as a lifestyle not a "diet". Choose to eat Paleo because it is nutritious and healthy. You can eat a calorie modest diet and lose weight/maintain. But just because it is NON-fat yogurt for example vs. Full fat yogurt doesn't make it HEALTHY. It is well known that foods that say "low-calorie, non-fat" are not good for you. Hard to explain but I think it depends on your actual reason for wanting to go Paleo.
Most of the time foods that are marked non-fat or low fat have simply replaced fat with added sugar. So, you are very right. Simple, real yogurt, with "no additives" just milk product and bacteria is just great for you. It does come in different fat percentages, though.
So, truth is, people do need to read labels to determine what they are eating and many of the popular yogurt products are very sugary.
That said, real, natural, milk contains lactose - which is a sugar. So, any yogurt is going to have a sugar content simply because of the lactose naturally contained in the milk. Added sugar, is not great, and most fruit yogurts are yogurt with jam.
Best - real yogurts will be Plain - no flavors or jams added, and the side of the container will just say. ingredients - milk, milk protein and bacteria. Then, you add the real fruit, if you want some.
However - as mentioned in this thread earlier - milk and dairy products are not Paleo and the Paleo Diet does not include dairy products.
0 -
Most of the things I have given up over the years are the things that I really shouldn't eat in the first place. For instance, wheat - it makes me ill. Stomach cramps, headaches, bloating and that dreadful foggy feeling. I certainly don't miss any of that and I was reminded of that today. I went to my son's place for his birthday and had pizza and chocolate cake for dessert and I have suffered all day.
It actually becomes easier after a while not to eat these things. MSG, preservatives and such - honestly I do not miss any of that. Tonight I had lamb curry for dinner with heaps of vegetables (and a glass of wine). Honestly, it is not a hardship. Omelette with spinach for lunch and a banana and strawberry smoothie for breakfast. And all Paleo. What am I missing out on?
You probably aren't missing out on anything. I'm not at all anti the paleo diet (although I think the name is dumb), and think it works for some people. But as you yourself said, you don't really follow it, you ignore the "rules" that don't fit your own needs and preferences, like the restriction on dairy, and follow those that happen to make sense for you, for example you feel better without grains.
My question is why even call it "paleo" then or suggest that others should follow it or that it's more healthy for those who get along fine with grains, just as you get along fine with dairy. I personally prefer to eat grains quite a bit more sparingly than I used to (it's an easy way for me to cut calories without feeling it, since I prefer meat, veggies, and fruit anyway), but neither they nor legumes (which I think are healthy and a nice alternative to meat on occasion) have any more bad effects on me than dairy, so I don't see why it would make sense for me--or anyone else like me--to drop them. Without an actual reason for a restriction, I think it does feel, well, restrictive, and the paleo diet is marketed to far more than people who genuinely have negative physical reactions to all the prohibited items.
Anyway, like I said, I don't actually have any negative feeling about the diet (which I mean in the "way of eating" sense). I just don't understand--as a general matter, not criticism--why people say they are following it and then revise it, rather than just eating the way they think is healthy for them and not tying it to some pre-existing eating plan with rules.
I suspect it is because the idea of following some greater diet that others also do maybe creates some kind of community or aids in compliance, but dunno.0 -
There is much misinformation about Paleo in this thread. It boils down to eating the most nutrient dense foods. It's not all about how cavemen would've ate -- although that's a nice place to start when thinking about this lifestyle for beginners.
AIP Paleo that eliminates nightshades as someone above mentioned is NOT considered the standard for the average person. The AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) is specifically designed for those with autoimmune diseases/conditions. It's simply a template for people who are extremely ill and need to figure out how to best optimize their diet to help their bodies heal.
The note about Paleo ranking last among diets is quite funny. If you want to live and die by what government agencies say is best for you, believe those lists and studies. If you're a little more openminded, check out Denise Minger's incredible book, Death By Food Pyramid for a great introduction into the history of our food pyramid and how it was originally designed by a woman who was tasked to create the optimum food guide for Americans. Her work, when it was finished, looked identical to today's Paleo/Primal diet.
What happened? In a nutshell, our government fired her and flipped the pyramid so that grains were placed at the very bottom and they could gain the most profit from all the grain companies they were in bed with.
I feel functional when I eat real food. That's what Paleo is. Nutrient dense real food.0 -
A little late to the response on this, but I did want to point out that if you compare your 80/20 diet to most of the people who say "moderation, you don't need any diet" they would likely be almost identical in the types of foods eaten. It isn't comparing "super healthy whole foods" (whatever that even means) to "all processed fake crap". Neither diet is usually done in the extreme.I think you can safely say that most of us who follow a Paleo style do not follow it strictly. I for one eat dairy and follow an 80/20 rule of thumb as it is difficult in our society to follow it in its ancient form and even leading palaeontologists admit it would be virtually impossible as our food bears little resemblance to the foods of our ancestors.
I have been eating Paleo style for possibly 20 years, I just didn't know it. I try to always use natural foods and stay away from processed food and artificial foods. How could you not love it, with its approach which promotes an increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken fish. I would love to eat organic but it is far too expensive. I just buy the freshest and best I can afford.
Weight loss is not automatic whilst eating Paleo as there is so much amazing food available that you can easier overeat and you have to be careful and restrict the amount of fruit you eat especially once all the summer fruits start hitting the supermarket shelves. Ancient people would have only had a limited amount of fruit to choose from, we have a whole supermarket to choose from and that is a bit of a trap if you are trying to lose weight.
I know what you mean Steve when you said "I wish I had a dollar for every "key" to weight loss I have read about." but I don't see Paleo as just another diet gimmick. I see it as healthy eating and I will continue to learn and improve the way I eat in order to remain healthy.
I just wish I could give up wine.
I don't understand why people have to put a name on a diet when it's how a lot of people eat (focusing on nutrient dense food that they prepare themselves). And to top it off, they picked the world's most inaccurate name to make it "catchy" and to "sell" it (and the fact that people do sell paleo products, books, and supplements is why many people consider it a fad diet).
0 -
ComingUntrue wrote: »I feel functional when I eat real food. That's what Paleo is. Nutrient dense real food.
But I suspect those of us who don't eat paleo aren't under a belief that we eat fake food or something other than food, so I don't see how that distinguishes paleo. What is fake (or not nutrient dense, for that matter) about lentils or steel cut oats or dairy? Those are all foods that I not only enjoy, but that I eat at least in part because of what they contribute to the nutritional mix that I seek in my meals for one reason or another.
Like I said before, I think paleo is a perfectly decent way to eat for the right person (and I would agree with some of your criticism of the US News list and reasoning), but I really don't think it can be defended as simply seeking out the most "nutrient dense foods" or some such. Among other things, there's no real way to rank that, as it depends on what your diet is in need of, and once you meet those needs (which many include things like lower fat protein, fiber, potassium, etc., which the restricted items can help meet), you don't get extra credit for eating more (as others here have often pointed out).
Thus, a defense of paleo that suggests that non-paleo means you aren't eating healthy or eating "real food" fails, as NeedsToExercise pointed out already above.0 -
ComingUntrue wrote: »There is much misinformation about Paleo in this thread. It boils down to eating the most nutrient dense foods. It's not all about how cavemen would've ate -- although that's a nice place to start when thinking about this lifestyle for beginners.
AIP Paleo that eliminates nightshades as someone above mentioned is NOT considered the standard for the average person. The AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) is specifically designed for those with autoimmune diseases/conditions. It's simply a template for people who are extremely ill and need to figure out how to best optimize their diet to help their bodies heal.
The note about Paleo ranking last among diets is quite funny. If you want to live and die by what government agencies say is best for you, believe those lists and studies. If you're a little more openminded, check out Denise Minger's incredible book, Death By Food Pyramid for a great introduction into the history of our food pyramid and how it was originally designed by a woman who was tasked to create the optimum food guide for Americans. Her work, when it was finished, looked identical to today's Paleo/Primal diet.
What happened? In a nutshell, our government fired her and flipped the pyramid so that grains were placed at the very bottom and they could gain the most profit from all the grain companies they were in bed with.
I feel functional when I eat real food. That's what Paleo is. Nutrient dense real food.
so since paleo restricts carbs and dairy are those then "fake foods"....? Or are you going to tell me that paleo allows for carbs and dairy....?0 -
philwrightfitness wrote: »
Err except the human genome was set 100,000 years ago so what palaeolithic man ate regardless of its source is what your body is best programmed to consume, bugs? A source of protein, I doubt if you can find mammoth either , it's the principle not the detail, on a paleo diet human kind evolved to dominate the planet, grew larger, more intelligent, significantly increased its life span...on a modern diet...developed diabetes, cancer, obesity etc etcGuitarJerry wrote: »La5Vega5Girl wrote: »
It is helpful because the reasons for eating paleo are important. Some people are not aware that it's just a different way of creating a deficit. It's not magic. And, this is really an important point, for the vast majority of people, it is NOT sustainable. And, every time I say that, 20 people come in and say they've been doing it for X years. Awesome. But, MOST people cannot keep it up. It's far too restrictive for normal everyday life.
Most people that are successful with it, have to do it due to dietary reasons. Like they can't eat diary or gluten, or something. But, people who can eat all that stuff have a really hard time with it.
If you simply, instead, prioritize protein and minimize carbs, without calling it anything but healthful eating, it's easier. Much easier. And, if you eat carbs, or corn, who cares. I love corn, and I think the reasoning is stupid. And, I dislike the name. There are no paleo foods in todays world. So, it's not the same thing.
Also, the idea of it is lame. Paleo people ate what was available to them. They didn't eat a specific diet, and the people from different regions had different diets, due to the food that was available.
Are you also going to eat grubs? Because Paleo people ate a lot of grubs.
you took the words right out of my mouth...
+2
We only started dominating the planet when we started domesticating stuff like corn and grain and growing it.
We developed diabetes and obesity when we started eating way too much of everything.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 396 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 968 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions