what are people's thoughts about the paleo diet

animatej24
animatej24 Posts: 25
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
hey just trying to get a feel for what people think about the paleo diet so please let me know what your thoughts are on it
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Replies

  • sweetsarahj
    sweetsarahj Posts: 701 Member
    My trainer pushed me to try the paleo diet, and although I was skeptical, I decided I had to give it a real shot before discounting it. It's taken me a couple months to adjust but I feel great, and I've slimmed down quite a bit. Now when I go overboard and eat non-paleo food, it's obvious in my body. Add me if you want to see my diary.
  • swall0810
    swall0810 Posts: 148 Member
    I would love to do it, I just love dairy too much.
  • beckywilkinson46
    beckywilkinson46 Posts: 9
    I am going to try it.....just starting a training program for triathlons and a personal trainer suggested I try it....
  • karaj1
    karaj1 Posts: 2
    I have been doing the Paleo diet since mid December. It is excellent. I feel awesome. I am losing weight without any hunger. I look at my grocery cart each week beaming with pride because I know I am fueling my body with unprocessed healthy foods.

    I have also had one awesome change. I used to be cold all the time. I live in South Florida and would wear long sleeves and jeans all the time. Within a week I was much more comfortable all the time. It's been great, I can wear shorts without freezing.

    I wholly encourage you to try it for 30 days. Also the book I would recommend The Paleo Solution by Rob Wolff
  • KJLIII
    KJLIII Posts: 225 Member
    I have been doing quite a bit of research on effective, healthy weight loss, calorie spiking, and remedies for getting over plateaus in dieting (and a number of related topics) - and the Paleo diet seems to be cropping up (or slightly altered versions of it) from numerous sources. I have seen a number of YT videos made by medical doctors, and there were 3 that have made a deep impression on me. The first one I want to mention is one where a Dr. Terry Wahls spoke at a conference on "Minding your Mitochondria". She was a Medical doctor who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, eventually became disabled and immobile, but ended up beating the disease by changing her diet. The diet she used was a diet suitable to "feed her mitochondria", and it is remarkably similar to the Paleo diet. I was amazed, because my father contracted Multiple Sclerosis at age 36 and died at age 41. I was in High School when he got it, and watched the deterioration of his body happen quickly before my eyes. He tried the newest and best medicines they offered at the time, and it didn't help. The video Dr. Wahls posted is here if you would like to see it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc - and her diet info is at the end. Amazing story.

    The second video was by a Medical doctor in Kansas and what she found to be true about obesity and losing weight. She's a bariatric Doctor - one who specializes in Bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery), which includes a variety of procedures performed on people who are obese. It was eye-opening for me - but mainly because the conclusion she comes to runs parallel with the Paleo diet ideas of adding protein, fat, and many veggies, but lowering carb intake. Here's the link, if you have time and want to view it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3M75cYpx2w&feature=bf_prev&list=ULYTwqb3Tj7pg&lf=mfu_in_order

    And the third was by a man who had diabetes, found he could control his blood sugar levels through a low carb type of diet, and wanted to publish his findings (he had experimented on himself, and had amazing success!) in medical journals. They rejected him because he was not an MD, so he went back to school, got his degree, then went on to pioneer many new developments for helping diabetics. His name is Dr. Richard Bernstein, you can find a write-up on him on Wikipedia if you want to read it. He has a number of videos on YouTube, but again, he advocates lowering carb intake, eating more of a high fat diet, and exercising. Funny how it all dovetails. Here's a video of him : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VaNJO7KMgg&feature=related

    Sorry this post is so long, but hopefully it will help you be a little better informed. I have just begun to try eating this way (this week) and already have seen a 2 lb. loss without feeling as hungry as the previous weeks. I think I just might like this!! :)
  • karaj1
    karaj1 Posts: 2
    There is also a movie free on hulu you may want to check out. It isnt so much about Paleo, but a lot of the evidence supporting this guys theory will help you understand Paleo better. Its under 2 hours and actually pretty entertaining.

    Look up 'Fat Head' on Hulu.
  • coronalime
    coronalime Posts: 583 Member
    I love the idea of it. I follow it with moderations of course. I doubt few people follow it 100% all the time. I am gluten free and dairy free so following the diet is not hard for me.

    Heres the deal: The "diet" makes you eat like a caveman. So..guess what..you cant eat processed ****. You have to make most if not all of your food. You cant stop at McDonalds you cant eat dinner at Baskin Robbins..SO of course its healthy. Fruits, veggies, meats (organic), nuts..You can over eat on it. A calorie is a calorie so if you eat cups of nuts in a day it will add up.
  • Cathyvil
    Cathyvil Posts: 230 Member
    I think if it works for you go for it as long as you keep in mind this is something you will be doing for the rest of your life. If you can't stick to that then don't bother.
  • busygirl1
    busygirl1 Posts: 217
    i am also considering it, just ordered the book from Amazon. I hope it will be a change for me, I have counted calories/ points/ syns etc for so long I need something new to concentrate on! I have seen lots of great posts about it on here. Good luck x
  • realpure
    realpure Posts: 156
    Marking my place. Great information. I have blood sugar issues and have just started researching ways to eat to repair my own health problems. Thank you for the links and information.

    I have read The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf, and Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It, by Gary Taubes this last week. I am now looking at implementing all that I've read into the life of my family.

    Thank you again. Sarah
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    I think try it out and see if it works for you.

    With that being said I think if paleo era people had access to wheat/grain they would have eaten it.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    I think its too tough to maintain forever. I mean how on earth are you seriously meant to get enough calcium and iron in from that diet when it pretty much bans legumes and dairy and even grains?

    You're talking of eliminating essential foods for a modern human beings diet to sustain healthy existence and function. You're talking about taking away things and foods people enjoy regularly which never affected their health and weight loss in the past.

    Most people get their iron from red meat, legumes (beans etc) and wholegrains and their calcium from the same sources and dairy. Plus calcium in dairy is known to help reduce the amount of fat absorbed by the body and when working out, you need more iron and calcium to support your blood and bones. Especially choosing low fat dairy options is great.

    We are no longer cavemen, we don't need to devolve to this. We just need to eat less, move more and eat better quality foods in the right proportions.

    It's the same with people doing this low carbs rubbish.

    It's not sustainable or healthy and leaves you feeling wiped out, especially if you work out hard.

    In my eyes, before all these rubbishy fad diets came in force, people managed to lose weight in other ways and you don't need some con of a principle/idea to help you lose weight. You need commitment and discipline and not waste your money on somebody cashing in on your naivety.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    i'm not on it but i disagree. there are some good things about it. eating foods in their natural state is good. not eating processed foods is good. i may not agree with all of it but i don't think "it's trash"
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I've done it, no different in results to any other calorie controlled diet with sufficient macros.

    Now I eat whatever I want, hit the numbers & doesn't matter if I eat what a caveman did or not.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    i'm not on it but i disagree. there are some good things about it. eating foods in their natural state is good. not eating processed foods is good. i may not agree with all of it but i don't think "it's trash"

    But that's not paleo so to speak, that's just eating better quality foods. Paleo actually eliminates other things that are healthy like grains (corn, maize, barley, rice, oats etc) , salt, dairy etc and even legumes! Madness!
  • daisydieter
    daisydieter Posts: 118
    I have found it helpful over the years when trying to lose weight and feel good to only have 1-2 dairy serving per day (ideally low or non-fat)... and 1-2 gluten containing, such as wheat, daily servings which are ONLY high grain. Then I avoid like crazy the processed flour and sugar stuff, reserving it as a "treat" only. I also count booze in the sugar category as body processes it the same plus on top of being damaging to my liver.

    My challenge is consistently sticking with it. I feel GREAT when I eat this way... I look good. So why on earth do i get back into that cycle of eating what tastes really yummy, convenient but ultimately makes me feel like crap?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    What little I know about it, it sounds healthy enough if followed properly. I personally wouldn't do it because I don't want to give up grains and legumes. Those have been a big part of my diet for decades and I'm perfectly healthy so I just have no reason to cut them out now.

    Even though I think the diet is probably healthy enough, the concept of eating like a caveman seems silly to me since my lifestyle is about as far from the life of a caveman as possible.

    But I believe eating whole natural foods is absolutely a good idea. But I also believe that can healthily include whole grains and legumes.
  • adamsilva
    adamsilva Posts: 261 Member
    I've done it, no different in results to any other calorie controlled diet with sufficient macros.

    Now I eat whatever I want, hit the numbers & doesn't matter if I eat what a caveman did or not.


    thats my kinda of diet!
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    What little I know about it, it sounds healthy enough if followed properly. I personally wouldn't do it because I don't want to give up grains and legumes. Those have been a big part of my diet for decades and I'm perfectly healthy so I just have no reason to cut them out now.

    Even though I think the diet is probably healthy enough, the concept of eating like a caveman seems silly to me since my lifestyle is about as far from the life of a caveman as possible.

    But I believe eating whole natural foods is absolutely a good idea. But I also believe that can healthily include whole grains and legumes.

    I like this answer a lot.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    i'm not on it but i disagree. there are some good things about it. eating foods in their natural state is good. not eating processed foods is good. i may not agree with all of it but i don't think "it's trash"

    But that's not paleo so to speak, that's just eating better quality foods. Paleo actually eliminates other things that are healthy like grains (corn, maize, barley, rice, oats etc) , salt, dairy etc and even legumes! Madness!


    right... i dont' agree with all of it like i said. but that doesn't make it "trash"... that's all i'm trying to say.
  • kcmg0730
    kcmg0730 Posts: 96
    Dairy is one of those tricky things; I am not following Paleo, but rather the Primal, which advocates non processed meat, veg and fruit,nuts, fats, etc. but also a sensible amount of dairy, if you can tolerate it. Also, keep in mind that this isn't a diet...it's a lifestyle change and it IS sustainable, surprisingly enough.

    This kind of eating plan has been recommended since the 1800's (post caveman, era, obviously!:smile: , so it's not a fad diet by any stretch; plenty of people who are sensitive to wheat/gluten/grains probably model their diets closely to this one. Most of the carbohydrates that we eat now are processed (think cereal, bread, white flour, etc.), and there isn't any evidence to suggest that carbohydrates are dietary essentials. There is some good science to support the Paleo/Primal lifestyle...check it out!!

    Good luck...it's life changing!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    One of my pet peeves is when people say a diet is or is not sustainable. Unless we are talking about a person who is held captive or in some other way has had all decision making re: food removed, or we are talking about a diet that is actually lethal when followed, whether a diet is sustainable is a completely individual thing, influenced by many things including culture, psychology, and physiology.
  • ImaSongbird
    ImaSongbird Posts: 126 Member
    Try checking out Mark's Daily Apple: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz1mSiUsmXX

    Give it a month and if you feel healthy and fit, stick with it!
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    And what needs are those? Birthday cakes and pizza?
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    i'm not on it but i disagree. there are some good things about it. eating foods in their natural state is good. not eating processed foods is good. i may not agree with all of it but i don't think "it's trash"

    But that's not paleo so to speak, that's just eating better quality foods. Paleo actually eliminates other things that are healthy like grains (corn, maize, barley, rice, oats etc) , salt, dairy etc and even legumes! Madness!

    Your definition of healthy differs from others.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    And what needs are those? Birthday cakes and pizza?
    It's a fad like anything else. Some people tought Paleo like is something magical eating plan from the heavens. When in fact all your're doing is eating in a calorie deficit. It's no different then me being in deficit eating protien, twinkies and greens. There has not been one proven studying stating that eating paleo is anything healther then a traditional calorie deficit diet.

    I suggest you all read this:
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-lose-fat/

    You can thank me later.

    Good luck with your fitness goals in 2012.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    And what needs are those? Birthday cakes and pizza?
    It's a fad like anything else. Some people tought Paleo like is something magical eating plan from the heavens. When in fact all your're doing is eating in a calorie deficit. It's no different then me being in deficit eating protien, twinkies and greens. There has not been one proven studying stating that eating paleo is anything healther then a traditional calorie deficit diet.

    I suggest you all read this:
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-lose-fat/

    You can thank me later.

    Good luck with your fitness goals in 2012.

    Your argument is no better than mine. We don't need whole grains, or twinkies, or any other junk food, so why should anyone feel the need to eat them? The Paleo diet is a naturally satiating diet, whereas a junk food diet leads to chronic hunger and overeating.

    Oh and that website is very stupid. It is simply pointing out the obvious (fat loss = caloric deficit) and ignoring all the complications that can prevent that caloric deficit from even happening. Hormones, too low caloric intake, macro-nutrient ratios, excessive exercise, etc. can all prevent a caloric deficit from happening in ways the person couldn't predict. That website does a disservice to the people reading it.
  • ramonasowner
    ramonasowner Posts: 136 Member
    I think for short term to clean out your body of impurities in your diet it's awesome, long term it's expensive, time consuming and you will miss bread. Lifestyle change is much easier.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    its trash..like all fad diets.

    we are not cavemen..we have evolved since then..and have different dietary needs

    And what needs are those? Birthday cakes and pizza?
    It's a fad like anything else. Some people tought Paleo like is something magical eating plan from the heavens. When in fact all your're doing is eating in a calorie deficit. It's no different then me being in deficit eating protien, twinkies and greens. There has not been one proven studying stating that eating paleo is anything healther then a traditional calorie deficit diet.

    I suggest you all read this:
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-lose-fat/

    You can thank me later.

    Good luck with your fitness goals in 2012.

    Your argument is no better than mine. We don't need whole grains, or twinkies, or any other junk food, so why should anyone feel the need to eat them? The Paleo diet is a naturally satiating diet, whereas a junk food diet leads to chronic hunger and overeating.

    I have provided a link backed with facts and you provided.... nothing. That's the problem with the Paleo crowd. You all talk a big game but when it's comes to the science, you have none. I am glad you enjoy eating the way you do but just like in life thier are no absolutes.

    And Paleo is most definatly not the end all, be all. Now, let me finish eating my large bowl of fruit loops just before bed. Whoops, I only had two meals too! I will surely get fat. :rolleyes:
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