Paleo People - Unite! Need some feedback.
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cmcinerney93
Posts: 10 Member
So I decided to give Paleo a try. I can definitely see why it would work. But for starters... I feel like the Paleo community is all over the place. Some say you can eat this while others say the opposite. Me, personally, I'm pretty lenient about it. Like apparently peanuts is a controversy? Milk can even be a controversy? I think they're just fine as long as I'm not consuming refined sugar, grains, and carbs, I think I should be good. I believe you have to start easy on yourself - give yourself goals you can actually reach.
But the main reason why I have come here for comments/tips/advice is meal choices! I feel like everyday is the same. Eggs for breakfast, veggies for snacks, (I'm usually completely lost for lunch and just end up making a fruit smoothie or making a salad or putting some almonds over Greek yogurt - which I know is also a controversial food!) And then I do your typical chicken or fish or turkey (I don't eat red meat) with some veggies. Sometimes I'll throw an avocado in there somewhere or a cheese stick but like I just feel like things are getting way too repetitive. I've been sitting around trying to think of ways to spice things up but I'm completely lost. And I'm scared I'm going to give up because I'm going to get tired of eating the same things over and over!!!
Next point - anyone here not much of a cook? I'm 22. I'm an EMT and a Nursing student and I work. Cooking isn't a huge part of my life but I feel like with Paleo, because of its huge demand for meats, it leaves you with no other choice but to cook. I've just always been a grab on the go kind of girl and it pains me to come home feeling completely drained and have to bake a chicken.
And finally... this one is for all of my sushi lovers. If you don't love sushi, you don't have to read further. I absolutely love sushi. It is definitely my favorite food and I used to eat it like at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes even more. Would it be the end of the world if I treated myself every once in a while to sushi? I realize the rice is most definitely not Paleo but I've heard very little rice (preferably brown rice) can be acceptable if you're new to it or struggling with it. But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
Thoughts thoughts thoughts! I would love to hear from fellow Palegoers
But the main reason why I have come here for comments/tips/advice is meal choices! I feel like everyday is the same. Eggs for breakfast, veggies for snacks, (I'm usually completely lost for lunch and just end up making a fruit smoothie or making a salad or putting some almonds over Greek yogurt - which I know is also a controversial food!) And then I do your typical chicken or fish or turkey (I don't eat red meat) with some veggies. Sometimes I'll throw an avocado in there somewhere or a cheese stick but like I just feel like things are getting way too repetitive. I've been sitting around trying to think of ways to spice things up but I'm completely lost. And I'm scared I'm going to give up because I'm going to get tired of eating the same things over and over!!!
Next point - anyone here not much of a cook? I'm 22. I'm an EMT and a Nursing student and I work. Cooking isn't a huge part of my life but I feel like with Paleo, because of its huge demand for meats, it leaves you with no other choice but to cook. I've just always been a grab on the go kind of girl and it pains me to come home feeling completely drained and have to bake a chicken.
And finally... this one is for all of my sushi lovers. If you don't love sushi, you don't have to read further. I absolutely love sushi. It is definitely my favorite food and I used to eat it like at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes even more. Would it be the end of the world if I treated myself every once in a while to sushi? I realize the rice is most definitely not Paleo but I've heard very little rice (preferably brown rice) can be acceptable if you're new to it or struggling with it. But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
Thoughts thoughts thoughts! I would love to hear from fellow Palegoers
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Replies
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If you don't like to cook or eat at home, Paleo would be very hard to commit to. The mainstream Western diet is all about bread, other grains, sugar and starch. Modern convenience eating and hunter/gatherer eating are complete opposites by nature.
I'd recommend starting a Pinterest board of only things you can/would eat, and read up on nutrition as much as you can. The more you know, the more passionate you'll become. Teach yourself how to cook and/or creatively prepare raw foods and learn to love doing it. You don't need to consume an excess of meat but you should be eating tons of veggies.
If you have access to a salad bar at Whole Foods, or something similar, use that when you just can't prepare your meal yourself, and just choose things with no grains or dairy. Also, Chipotle salads can be made with no rice, no corn and no sour cream & cheese. And they're very satisfying.
Research local eateries (using Yelp?) and keep a list of places that have a Paleo option that you enjoy (possibly with omissions) and frequent those places, avoiding others (except on Cheat Day, Saturday!).
Hope this helps - good luck!0 -
One of the most important aspects of a diet is whether it will satisfy you and whether you'll adhere to it. It sounds like you have a lot of reservations about eating paleo and there are many things you wouldn't want to give up that are "forbidden" in the paleo scheme. Why even try it? It won't make you lose fat/weight any faster than any other diet and it's no healthier than just eating a balanced/moderated diet of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
As long as you maintain a caloric deficit, nothing you eat will "set you back" or "negate days of hard work and diet". A caloric deficit is a caloric deficit no matter what diet you're eating or what name it's been given.0 -
I'm not a paleo diet follower, nor do I like sushi, but there's a really active paleo/primal group here on MyFitnessPal that would probably be a good place to go for information and ideas: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/37-primal-paleo-support-group0
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CICO (calories in vs calories out) is the most important part of dieting followed by micronutrients (vitamins) and macronutrients (protein/fat/carbs) and fiber. Where you get those calories and macros/micros from is up to you. Most popular diets tend to be branded fads that make it way more complicated than it needs to be. None of the eating fads are magic. A well balanced diet that incorporates treats, that you can sustain long term will not only be the easiest, it's all you really need.
Just start by reading up on, cico and macros. Find out why each macro is important. This basic knowledge will help you sort out the fads and nonsense from actual good information.0 -
If it doesn't seem feasible to you to do that style of eating, i would recommend not doing that type and just watching your calorie intake as best you can instead. If doing that doesn't work, make better choices to help you better count calories. Calories in vs calories out is what helps you lose weight, it doesn't matter what you eat to maintain a deficit.0
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I like to low carb, not Paleo, and if I was unable or unwilling to cook it would be very challenging. I'd imagine Paleo would be near impossible. Focusing on clean eating and calorie in calorie out would be more logical. Anyway, good luck.0
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DivineLotus wrote: »I like to low carb, not Paleo,
Interesting. A day in the life of the average low carber (< 150 carb grams) eliminates the same things paleo does. Although paleo is not nearly as restrictive as low carb. If you can do low carb, you can definitely do paleo. And paleo does not require home cooking of all foods.
Breakfast at a diner: 2 scrambled eggs, bacon, 1/2 grapefruit, tea or coffee with artificial sweetener - Paleo! Lunch at a middle eastern restaurant: Roasted lamb with garlic and tomato sauce, vegetable kabob, green salad with oil and vinegar dressing, one cup of fresh squeezed juice - Paleo! Dinner at an Italian restaurant: Italian sausages sautéed with onion and pepper, sautéed eggplant and artichoke hearts, side of broccoli, slice of melon with prosciutto - Paleo!
Very cool. The OP will, maybe appreciate that! I don't know squat about Paleo and honestly have zero interest in it. I find low carb to be a challenge. She doesn't eat red meat, but there's always chicken shwarma.
I though Paleo was very strict about food so the quality of the ingredients of say a sausage would come into question, if imagine, but maybe not.
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Blueseraphchaos wrote: »If it doesn't seem feasible to you to do that style of eating, i would recommend not doing that type and just watching your calorie intake as best you can instead. If doing that doesn't work, make better choices to help you better count calories. Calories in vs calories out is what helps you lose weight, it doesn't matter what you eat to maintain a deficit.
Yes, this. It doesn't sound like Paleo is for you.
It's much simpler to eat things you like within your calorie limit.
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DivineLotus wrote: »I though Paleo was very strict about food so the quality of the ingredients of say a sausage would come into question, if imagine, but maybe not.
Yes, some (actually a lot of) paleos go in that direction with it. All organic, farm raised, roaming in wild pastures, no pesticides, no bottled oils, no corn feed, no hormones or antibiotics fed to the animal, and so on.
But just sticking to the very basic premise and foundation of classic paleo, which is the elimination of grains, legumes, white potatoes and added sugar, there's a lot more leeway.
Not to mention paleos on a budget. Elite eating is very pricey, on any food plan.
From what I've read "classic" paleo also eliminates dairy and legumes which might make it more restrictive especially for someone who doesn't like to/doesn't have time to cook.
Primal would include dairy.0 -
cmcinerney93 wrote: »So I decided to give Paleo a try. I can definitely see why it would work. But for starters... I feel like the Paleo community is all over the place. Some say you can eat this while others say the opposite. Me, personally, I'm pretty lenient about it. Like apparently peanuts is a controversy? Milk can even be a controversy? I think they're just fine as long as I'm not consuming refined sugar, grains, and carbs, I think I should be good. I believe you have to start easy on yourself - give yourself goals you can actually reach.
Paleo is no legumes (including peanuts), dairy, or grains. Carbs are fine -- paleo dieters I know all seem high on stuff like plantains and sweet potatoes, for example. Robb Wolf's current thing is how paleo got it wrong by being anti carb.
Also, obviously, there are carbs in milk.0 -
Considering how it seems totally wrong for your lifestyle and what you're giving up, I don't see why you're looking to do paleo. Plus that being said, why not just do the even more simple method of calories in vs calories and eat whatever you want ...
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I do not follow paleo but wanted to provide some advice on some of what you said.cmcinerney93 wrote: »So I decided to give Paleo a try. I can definitely see why it would work.
Paleo will only work if you are in a calorie deficit.I believe you have to start easy on yourself - give yourself goals you can actually reach.
This is very true and a great mindset to have.And I'm scared I'm going to give up because I'm going to get tired of eating the same things over and over!!!
To be successful you have to enjoy what you are doing. If it gets tiring, you likely will give up (that is not supposed to sound negative). If you find it is too restrictive for you, perhaps it is not the best plan for you.And finally... this one is for all of my sushi lovers. If you don't love sushi, you don't have to read further. I absolutely love sushi. It is definitely my favorite food and I used to eat it like at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes even more. Would it be the end of the world if I treated myself every once in a while to sushi? I realize the rice is most definitely not Paleo but I've heard very little rice (preferably brown rice) can be acceptable if you're new to it or struggling with it. But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
There is no paleo police that will come find you of you don't adhere to someone else's idea about eating. So if you want sushi, eat sushi. Just because you eat grains does not mean you are going to undo your hard work.
To be honest, it seems like you are more worried about what people will think/say rather than choosing a way of eating that best fits you. At the end of the day, how many calories you eat determines of you lose weight. You seem to enjoy a lot of food that many would not consider "paleo" and that's fine! Perhaps paleo is not the right choice for you.
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Paleo is just an elimination diet that's been poorly named. People who stick with it - which includes me - agree that it makes them feel better than they've ever felt in their lives. Like Kgeyser said, join the paleo group and add friends from that group. The eat-everything moderationists are very opinionated on the paleo subject and you'll get nothing but discouragement from them.
Because it's just that, a diet, not a sustainable way of life. As with any "diet" whether it ends up being paleo, primal, Dukan, raw food, weight watchers, 5:2 etc it's all comes down to, in the end, a calories in vs calories out for weight loss/gain/maintenance. It is simple science.
Losing weight is difficult enough for most people so why make it more difficult on yourself by restricting food groups and eating stuff that will make you lose more pounds in your wallet than your waist?
If lifestyle and budget wise it works for you like paleo, then cool. But the OP is asking our opinions on it and something as really restrictive as primal or paleo seems completely wrong for her lifestyle and she'll only set herself up for failure (which is the most common mistake in weight loss journeys) if she does it.0 -
Paleo is just an elimination diet that's been poorly named. People who stick with it - which includes me - agree that it makes them feel better than they've ever felt in their lives. Like Kgeyser said, join the paleo group and add friends from that group. The eat-everything moderationists are very opinionated on the paleo subject and you'll get nothing but discouragement from them.
Because it's just that, a diet, not a sustainable way of life. As with any "diet" whether it ends up being paleo, primal, Dukan, raw food, weight watchers, 5:2 etc it's all comes down to, in the end, a calories in vs calories out for weight loss/gain/maintenance. It is simple science.
Losing weight is difficult enough for most people so why make it more difficult on yourself by restricting food groups and eating stuff that will make you lose more pounds in your wallet than your waist?
If lifestyle and budget wise it works for you like paleo, then cool. But the OP is asking our opinions on it and something as really restrictive as primal or paleo seems completely wrong for her lifestyle and she'll only set herself up for failure (which is the most common mistake in weight loss journeys) if she does it.
Paleo is a "diet" in the sense of the types of foods it includes, like vegetarians or vegans. It's not a weight loss method - that's going to be calorie deficit no matter what. But just because it is restrictive does not mean it is not sustainable - there are people with all sorts of medical issues who have to eat restrictive diets and manage to sustain that, so I'm not sure why people think diets other than "eat all the foodz" can't be sustained.
I agree that paleo doesn't sound like it would necessarily be a good fit for the OP based on how she described her lifestyle, but she also didn't say what her goals are, so perhaps the change in the types of food she eats the majority of the time (with sushi breaks) is what she is going for. I recommended the group so she could see what people who are following the paleo/primal diets are doing, and hopefully that will help her determine if that is right for her.0 -
cmcinerney93 wrote: »And finally... this one is for all of my sushi lovers. If you don't love sushi, you don't have to read further. I absolutely love sushi. It is definitely my favorite food and I used to eat it like at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes even more. Would it be the end of the world if I treated myself every once in a while to sushi? I realize the rice is most definitely not Paleo but I've heard very little rice (preferably brown rice) can be acceptable if you're new to it or struggling with it. But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
I think the reason paleo works for some is that they give up foods that they overate and end up in a deficit. NOT because there's anything wrong with grains (especially whole grains) or legumes or dairy, or even added sugar in moderation. Also, if it means you switch to cooking from buying foods, it increases the time commitment required to eat, so food is relatively less available and you have to think about it more before eating. You can do a similar thing by focusing on cooking from whole foods without going paleo and, of course, if you don't like cooking it's not going to be that enjoyable for you (although I'm a huge proponent of people figuring out how to rely more on home cooking when possible).
But anyway, the reason I'm jumping in is that I know lots who do paleo and white rice, oddly enough, is one of the foods that is technically prohibited but many think is an exception or a so-called "safe starch" (like sweet potatoes and often potatoes and plaintains, etc.), despite being a grain. I don't actually buy into any of the anti grain argument, so am not posting this because I agree, but because it's something that seems quite common in the paleo community. (Most of the paleo-leaning people I know are also quite active and focused on building muscle, so they tend not to be low carb and like white rice for fueling reasons also.)
Anyway, here's a discussion of rice: http://paleoleap.com/about-rice/0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »cmcinerney93 wrote: »And finally... this one is for all of my sushi lovers. If you don't love sushi, you don't have to read further. I absolutely love sushi. It is definitely my favorite food and I used to eat it like at least 2-3 times a week. Sometimes even more. Would it be the end of the world if I treated myself every once in a while to sushi? I realize the rice is most definitely not Paleo but I've heard very little rice (preferably brown rice) can be acceptable if you're new to it or struggling with it. But I have also heard that once you consume grains, carbs, sugar, etc. you're setting yourself back A LOT and ultimately negating days of hard work and diet. And when I say "every once in a while" I mean like once every 2 weeks or something.
I think the reason paleo works for some is that they give up foods that they overate and end up in a deficit. NOT because there's anything wrong with grains (especially whole grains) or legumes or dairy, or even added sugar in moderation. Also, if it means you switch to cooking from buying foods, it increases the time commitment required to eat, so food is relatively less available and you have to think about it more before eating. You can do a similar thing by focusing on cooking from whole foods without going paleo and, of course, if you don't like cooking it's not going to be that enjoyable for you (although I'm a huge proponent of people figuring out how to rely more on home cooking when possible).
But anyway, the reason I'm jumping in is that I know lots who do paleo and white rice, oddly enough, is one of the foods that is technically prohibited but many think is an exception or a so-called "safe starch" (like sweet potatoes and often potatoes and plaintains, etc.), despite being a grain. I don't actually buy into any of the anti grain argument, so am not posting this because I agree, but because it's something that seems quite common in the paleo community. (Most of the paleo-leaning people I know are also quite active and focused on building muscle, so they tend not to be low carb and like white rice for fueling reasons also.)
Anyway, here's a discussion of rice: http://paleoleap.com/about-rice/
Good read on white rice inclusion into the Paleo diet. I find it interesting though that it states white rice has no nutritional value outside of carbs. Most sources say that one cup of cooked white rice has 4 gm of protein and about 10% of RDA iron. Not high amounts, but not nothing.0
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