Primal/Paleo Diet

Paleo is interesting and in vogue.
It is a bit too strict for me, however.

If anyone has a link to a reputable place where I can purchase t-Rex meat in bulk I would appreciate it

It depends on how closely you are planning on following the diet. yes you are right. No legumes, no dairy. It basically a low carb diet...thats how it seems to me at least. Bc you dont consume any grains and usually get most of your energy from healthy fats instead such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil. I believe any fiberous veggie is a go. Green beans are good for you so I dont see any since in eliminating them! But I dont believe potatoes are allowed. Just look it up on the internet and you will find plenty of helpful info to get started!

I eat pretty much Paleo. I'll occasionally have some dairy, I'm actually moving towards eating only fermented or raw dairy products. I don't eat grains of any kind and for me it wasn't at all hard to give up, they gave me all sorts of digestive problems so I was happy to be rid of. I wouldn't say I'm low-carb by any means, I still eat ~100 or so g of carbs a day, but from fruits, veggies, nuts. I don't eat vegetables like potatoes, corns or peas, but I do eat sweet potatoes. It's a really easy natural way of eating for me. For me Paleo=clean eating. I eat local organic produce and meats and a lot of it.

I ate this diet for awhile, and it's just pretty much how I eat on a normal basis anyways. Some good blogs to read are "Marks Daily Apple" He is primal though and not Paleo which means you can eat dairy. "Everyday Paleo" is a good podcast and a good website, I also have her cookbook which is pretty good, and "Rob Wolf's" Site is also really good and he has a podcast. I feel pretty good eating this way now, but I'm not strict. I try to stay away from most grains in every day life anyways, just because wheat makes me break out in a rash. Good luck with your search, and find something that works for you, what I've found is that a diet doesn't need a name or a trend, it's how your body feels the best, is what foods you should be eating.

every diet is restrictive in its own way.

But not every diet eliminates entire categories of food.

I've seen paleo/primal diets with potatoes...it's really what you make of it. Some indigenous peoples eat mostly tubors and fruits, and others eat mostly meat and fat. The point is to eat a diet that's nutrient-dense, filling, and non-insulinogenic. The only grains I was eating were whole wheat pasta and oatmeal. I can certainly eat oatmeal if I want, but it doesn't stick with me like eggs.

Any diet that says I can't have pancakes or ice cream isn't one I want any part of.

I do Primal, so I have a bit of full-fat dairy. Not a ton, because I am slightly intolerant, but I put (local) feta in my salad, and snack on an ounce or two of sharp cheddar. I never drank milk anyway, so I don't miss that at all.

As for potatoes, it depends on how many grams of carbs you are aiming for. Since I have a lot of fat to lose, I stay under 100 grams of carbs per day, and usually even under 50. I don't eat potatoes, as it would slow my fat loss. However, plenty of Primal/Paleo folks do potatoes, especially sweet potatoes. They are great for people who are super-active. Most people do eat green beans, because the proportion of bean to pod is pretty low. I also do sugar snap peas once in a while for a treat.

As for the people who yell, "it's unhealthy cutting out a whole food group," well, why *shouldn't* I cut out a food group that made me feel like crap? I ate grain all the time and felt awful all of the time, and never made the connection. I decided to cut them out to see what would happen, and instantly felt so much better. No more stomach pain, excessive gas, bloating, blood sugar spikes and slumps, and constant lethargy and hunger. If you can eat grain without those issues, great! You couldn't pay me to start eating them again.

As several posts above have said, Mark's Daily Apple is a great resource for all aspects of the Primal Lifestyle (and it *is* a lifestyle, not a diet). The great thing about Primal is everyone can tweak it to work for them. If cold turkey works best for you, do that. If a gradual change sounds better, do that. If you tolerate dairy, have some! And so on. While organic and grass-fed is best, just buy the highest quality food you can afford. I can't afford grass-fed meat right now, but I do try to get it without antibiotics and hormones. I also like the 80/20 rule that says follow the plan 80% of the time and have sensible treats for 20%. It's enough to give you some wiggle room without guilt from "cheating on your diet."

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you find something that works well for you, cause that's the most important thing!

Some are allergic to wheat/grains?

I am vegan. Except for bacon and the occasional hobo.