Paleo Diet with or without Crossfit

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Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I do more of a primal diet so I can do yogurt and cheese. For me...eating too many carbs doesnt sit well because I am Insulin Resistant...and the carb bloat can be up to 4 pounds for me. My body treats carbs way different than most others out there...

    I try to stay within 50-100 grams of carbs..which mostly consist of fruit and veggies. Once in a while..if I do bread...I do whole grain...but at the end of the day..you have to do whats right for your body...
    So you eat carbs and gain water weight... Exactly how is that different from everyone else "out there?" Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles to assist with quick energy bursts, and one pound of glycogen requires about 4 pounds of water to store. Sounds like your body handles carbs just like everyone else.

    The main problem I have with Paleo diets in general, is that they are based on a lie. They have absolutely NOTHING in common with how paleolithic humans actually ate.

    Please explain to us how they ate then?

    I think the paleo diet is way closer to how they ate than any of the processed crap people eat now.

    Well, to start with, the Paleolithic Era consists of about 2.6 million years, so where would you like me to start? Paleolithic Era diets range from 95% grass and berries, to 95% roots and meat, to mostly tubers, to agriculture, beans, and baked breads. Yes, humans were farming, settling, and baking flat bread on rocks toward the end of the Paleolithic Era, as well as raising and domesticating animals. Also, there's lots of evidence that Paleolithic Era humans were cannibals.

    So trying to market a "Paleo Diet" by eliminating any particular food (usually beans and grains) is based on a lie, as humans ate all of these things during the Paleolithic Era.
  • ceebs9
    ceebs9 Posts: 511 Member
    Also, there's lots of evidence that Paleolithic Era humans were cannibals.


    Humans are totally Paleo. :wink:
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    I remember from Sunday School class that in the Biblical times, people made and ate bread, so grain consumption goes back at least that far.
  • darkangel45422
    darkangel45422 Posts: 234 Member
    The Biblical era is NOT that old at all; it's FAR more recent than the Paleolithic Era. And while yes, agriculture began at the very tail end of the Paleolithic era, I believe the Paleo diet focuses more on the majority of the era (aka, pre-agriculture) when it was just meats, veggies and whatever else could be gathered.

    And really, there's a lot of scientific studies backing up the ideas that grains and legumes are not processed well in the body.

    Like a number of Paleo books and blogs say, instead of bashing it without trying it, try it for 2 months and see how you feel. If it doesn't work for you then that's fine, you don't have to do it and you haven't lost anything, but if it does, then what could you gain? There's nothing UNhealthy about Paleo (it's not like it says to eat nothing but cabbage or chocolate every day like an unhealthy fad diet) so rather than taking issue with the historical part, look into the actual diet.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Basically it's the "caveman" diet. No processed foods, lean meat, lean poultry, fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables (w/ some exclusions), etc., no grains, no dairy, no sweets. I must say that since I've started it (even though as I said before, I'm a notorious cheater) I have more energy, I feel better, and my body's functioning better...I'm cutting down on the red meat to see more weight loss though...

    http://altmed.creighton.edu/paleodiet/Foodlist.html

    I am a fellow Paleoer, but not cross fitter.

    I am lucky that I lose better with eating lots of grass fed beef and limited raw dairy.
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    Basically it's the "caveman" diet. No processed foods, lean meat, lean poultry, fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables (w/ some exclusions), etc., no grains, no dairy, no sweets. I must say that since I've started it (even though as I said before, I'm a notorious cheater) I have more energy, I feel better, and my body's functioning better...I'm cutting down on the red meat to see more weight loss though...

    http://altmed.creighton.edu/paleodiet/Foodlist.html

    I am a fellow Paleoer, but not cross fitter.

    I am lucky that I lose better with eating lots of grass fed beef and limited raw dairy.

    For some reason, the Crossfit organization seem to be promoting the Paleo plan quite a bit. lately, pressuring members to take a 30 day Paleo challenge, etc.

    I am not at all a fan of the Crossfit organization, as they are known for pushing everything to the extreme. So personally, I would not put much stock in Paleo or anything else they promote. The gym I belong to has a nutritionist, but they don't insist that members do a certain diet plan. If they did, I would switch gyms.
  • Jenbtech
    Jenbtech Posts: 21 Member
    Ive lost almost 30 lbs since Jan 1st eating paleo. I say if you can do the crossfit, do it. Im still too fat to keep up with the crossfit group near my home. But soon. :)

    And make sure you are eating fat. It should only be lean meat if its not organic to limit the hormones and chemicals the animals are fed that ends up in their fat. If the meat is free range and grass fed without hormones, eat the fat up! Its the best for brain function, cell regeneration, hair and skin health. I eat about 30% of my diet as fat.

    Eating fat does not make you fat. Its a lie.
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    Ive lost almost 30 lbs since Jan 1st eating paleo. I say if you can do the crossfit, do it. Im still too fat to keep up with the crossfit group near my home. But soon. :)

    And make sure you are eating fat. It should only be lean meat if its not organic to limit the hormones and chemicals the animals are fed that ends up in their fat. If the meat is free range and grass fed without hormones, eat the fat up! Its the best for brain function, cell regeneration, hair and skin health. I eat about 30% of my diet as fat.

    Eating fat does not make you fat. Its a lie.

    Congratulations on your weight loss. I do not eat Paleo, as I find the food restrictions too limiting, but I do agree that eating fat has a undeserved bad rap.

    Of course it's up to you, but I would suggest staying away from Crossfit. Their fitness routines are so extreme that people who are in excellent shape are sore for days after doing some of their workouts. and I know some VERY fit people that were injured doing some crazy stunt in the Crossfit Workout of the Day. Besides, Crossfit is WAY overpriced!

    This article from the NY Times -- "Getting Fit, Even If It Kills You" has some eye opening info on the Crossfit program

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/fashion/thursdaystyles/22Fitness.html?pagewanted=all

    Instead, I would suggest either a non-Crossfit personal trainer or joining a gym where they have a good variety of fitness classes so you won't get bored.

    Good luck!
  • katiejoycecross
    katiejoycecross Posts: 34 Member
    Crossfit is designed to go at your own pace and abilities.

    Sure, the WOD's have a lot of exercise in them that can be demanding and challenging, but reading any introductory information, or going to an actual gym as a beginner, will show that everyone encourages you to start out where you can and build up your abilities from there.

    I still do push ups from my knees and am nowhere near being able to do a handstand pushup. Does that mean I do it? No, because you scale it to your abilities. If the lift is hurting then stop doing it or bring your weights down. Are you going to do a marathon the day after completing a C25K program? Nope. Should marathons be shot down because they're dangerous and intense? Nope.

    Just sayin'

    Also- where is the proof that crossfit been pressuring people to do Paleo? Off the website or individual gyms run by individual people?
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Basically it's the "caveman" diet. No processed foods, lean meat, lean poultry, fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables (w/ some exclusions), etc., no grains, no dairy, no sweets. I must say that since I've started it (even though as I said before, I'm a notorious cheater) I have more energy, I feel better, and my body's functioning better...I'm cutting down on the red meat to see more weight loss though...

    http://altmed.creighton.edu/paleodiet/Foodlist.html

    I am a fellow Paleoer, but not cross fitter.

    I am lucky that I lose better with eating lots of grass fed beef and limited raw dairy.

    For some reason, the Crossfit organization seem to be promoting the Paleo plan quite a bit. lately, pressuring members to take a 30 day Paleo challenge, etc.

    I am not at all a fan of the Crossfit organization, as they are known for pushing everything to the extreme. So personally, I would not put much stock in Paleo or anything else they promote. The gym I belong to has a nutritionist, but they don't insist that members do a certain diet plan. If they did, I would switch gyms.

    Paleo and crossfit go hand in hand. If I could afford it, I would be doing crossfit also.

    You must not put too much stock in clean eating as that is all the Paleo plan is. A very clean eating plan and lifestyle.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Crossfit is designed to go at your own pace and abilities.

    Sure, the WOD's have a lot of exercise in them that can be demanding and challenging, but reading any introductory information, or going to an actual gym as a beginner, will show that everyone encourages you to start out where you can and build up your abilities from there.

    I still do push ups from my knees and am nowhere near being able to do a handstand pushup. Does that mean I do it? No, because you scale it to your abilities. If the lift is hurting then stop doing it or bring your weights down. Are you going to do a marathon the day after completing a C25K program? Nope. Should marathons be shot down because they're dangerous and intense? Nope.

    Just sayin'

    Also- where is the proof that crossfit been pressuring people to do Paleo? Off the website or individual gyms run by individual people?

    Very well said.
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
    Basically it's the "caveman" diet. No processed foods, lean meat, lean poultry, fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables (w/ some exclusions), etc., no grains, no dairy, no sweets. I must say that since I've started it (even though as I said before, I'm a notorious cheater) I have more energy, I feel better, and my body's functioning better...I'm cutting down on the red meat to see more weight loss though...

    http://altmed.creighton.edu/paleodiet/Foodlist.html

    I am a fellow Paleoer, but not cross fitter.

    I am lucky that I lose better with eating lots of grass fed beef and limited raw dairy.

    For some reason, the Crossfit organization seem to be promoting the Paleo plan quite a bit. lately, pressuring members to take a 30 day Paleo challenge, etc.

    I am not at all a fan of the Crossfit organization, as they are known for pushing everything to the extreme. So personally, I would not put much stock in Paleo or anything else they promote. The gym I belong to has a nutritionist, but they don't insist that members do a certain diet plan. If they did, I would switch gyms.


    Paleo and crossfit go hand in hand. If I could afford it, I would be doing crossfit also.

    You must not put too much stock in clean eating as that is all the Paleo plan is. A very clean eating plan and lifestyle.

    I agree Paleo or Primal is just a very clean eating plan and lifestyle. You still need a caloric deficit to lose weight. A lot of paleos/primals can eat this way for months on end with no weight loss putting it down to the fact that their body is healing. they forget that calories still matter.
  • darkangel45422
    darkangel45422 Posts: 234 Member
    Basically it's the "caveman" diet. No processed foods, lean meat, lean poultry, fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables (w/ some exclusions), etc., no grains, no dairy, no sweets. I must say that since I've started it (even though as I said before, I'm a notorious cheater) I have more energy, I feel better, and my body's functioning better...I'm cutting down on the red meat to see more weight loss though...

    http://altmed.creighton.edu/paleodiet/Foodlist.html

    I am a fellow Paleoer, but not cross fitter.

    I am lucky that I lose better with eating lots of grass fed beef and limited raw dairy.

    For some reason, the Crossfit organization seem to be promoting the Paleo plan quite a bit. lately, pressuring members to take a 30 day Paleo challenge, etc.

    I am not at all a fan of the Crossfit organization, as they are known for pushing everything to the extreme. So personally, I would not put much stock in Paleo or anything else they promote. The gym I belong to has a nutritionist, but they don't insist that members do a certain diet plan. If they did, I would switch gyms.


    Paleo and crossfit go hand in hand. If I could afford it, I would be doing crossfit also.

    You must not put too much stock in clean eating as that is all the Paleo plan is. A very clean eating plan and lifestyle.

    I agree Paleo or Primal is just a very clean eating plan and lifestyle. You still need a caloric deficit to lose weight. A lot of paleos/primals can eat this way for months on end with no weight loss putting it down to the fact that their body is healing. they forget that calories still matter.


    Actually, Paleo/Primal isn't JUST clean eating; it cuts out grains and legumes (and dairy for some Paleos) that would be considered clean (cutting out is not severe for some, as many proponents go with moderation, etc.). And actually, if you stick with a purely Primal/Paleo diet it would be hard to go over your caloric intake because there aren't that many calories in veggies (which is the bulk of the diet). I'm not saying you're wrong that calories do matter because they do, but it'd be pretty hard to eat way over your calorie limit eating mainly vegetables with meat and maybe some fruit, nuts and seeds. If you're eating a balanced and varied Paleo/Primal diet and still moving around a lot you probably won't be gaining fat.

    Another point is that you might not be losing weight but you might lose fat while gaining muscle; many people who live purely Primal/Paleo lifestyles and have done so for a while now (aka, have reached their pinnacle of health and are not still in progress) are extremely muscular. Muscle weighs more than fat, so many have indeed gained weight but lost body fat percentage points. The scale isn't all that matters in terms of health.
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
    The scale isn't all that matters in terms of health.

    Amen. Just because you're losing weight or "skinny" (Vomit... I hate that word) doesn't mean you're healthy.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat, so many have indeed gained weight but lost body fat percentage points.

    I for sure agree with most of what you said, I just wanted to point out that muscle does not weigh more than fat (a pound is a pound/a kg is a kg), but it does take up less space than fat!
  • ceebs9
    ceebs9 Posts: 511 Member
    Crossfit is designed to go at your own pace and abilities.

    Sure, the WOD's have a lot of exercise in them that can be demanding and challenging, but reading any introductory information, or going to an actual gym as a beginner, will show that everyone encourages you to start out where you can and build up your abilities from there.

    I still do push ups from my knees and am nowhere near being able to do a handstand pushup. Does that mean I do it? No, because you scale it to your abilities. If the lift is hurting then stop doing it or bring your weights down. Are you going to do a marathon the day after completing a C25K program? Nope. Should marathons be shot down because they're dangerous and intense? Nope.

    Just sayin'

    Also- where is the proof that crossfit been pressuring people to do Paleo? Off the website or individual gyms run by individual people?

    THANK YOU! We have people of all ages, sizes and abilities at our box. They all work hard, just at different levels of intensity and weights and they scale to their abilities. They ALL get a great workout in! There isn't a trainer in my gym who would push anyone past their ability. Makes me insane to read people say that Crossfit is too extreme.

    As for boxes "pushing" Paleo. Haven't seen that at my gym, although it certainly is prevalent due to the increase in performance a lot of people see.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Personally, I would not recommend the Paleo diet unless someone has a lot of grain allergies. Most health experts say that whole grains and beans are good for us, so why eliminate they from your diet unless you really have to?

    "most health experts" where are you getting this from? Those people who recommend 6-11 servings of grains a day are paid very well by the people who grow corn....not experts in my book!

    Totally agree!! I don't what it is about these Paleo eating threads that always seems to bring out those that feel the need to defend Conventional Wisdom and put Paloe or Primal down. For the record, I am not Paleo. I do follow a Primal diet. The thing that bothers me are statements like "I would not recommed a Paleo diet". I don't remember the OP or any poster since asking for a recomedation as to whether they should do it or not.

    The info on how many in the population suffer from gluten issues or celiac is pretty available. Additionally, why is it that we get gas from beans? Could it be the saccharides undigestible by humans. Also what about the issues with grain phytates inhibiting the absorbtion of minerals and cultures whose diets are primarily grain based tend to be mineral deficient.

    How long ago the events in the Bible took place and what they ate or the whole anthropology of it is not really the issue in my opinion, it's eliminating things that can cause allergies, reactions and inflamation and eating clean, hoemone and pesticide free foods. Why is it that the person who ahs not done the research or attempted the diet is always the self appointed, uninformed nay saying expert??
  • spunkydels
    spunkydels Posts: 3 Member
    I do more of a primal diet so I can do yogurt and cheese. For me...eating too many carbs doesnt sit well because I am Insulin Resistant...and the carb bloat can be up to 4 pounds for me. My body treats carbs way different than most others out there...

    I try to stay within 50-100 grams of carbs..which mostly consist of fruit and veggies. Once in a while..if I do bread...I do whole grain...but at the end of the day..you have to do whats right for your body...
    So you eat carbs and gain water weight... Exactly how is that different from everyone else "out there?" Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles to assist with quick energy bursts, and one pound of glycogen requires about 4 pounds of water to store. Sounds like your body handles carbs just like everyone else.

    The main problem I have with Paleo diets in general, is that they are based on a lie. They have absolutely NOTHING in common with how paleolithic humans actually ate.

    Please explain to us how they ate then?

    I think the paleo diet is way closer to how they ate than any of the processed crap people eat now.

    Well, to start with, the Paleolithic Era consists of about 2.6 million years, so where would you like me to start? Paleolithic Era diets range from 95% grass and berries, to 95% roots and meat, to mostly tubers, to agriculture, beans, and baked breads. Yes, humans were farming, settling, and baking flat bread on rocks toward the end of the Paleolithic Era, as well as raising and domesticating animals. Also, there's lots of evidence that Paleolithic Era humans were cannibals.

    So trying to market a "Paleo Diet" by eliminating any particular food (usually beans and grains) is based on a lie, as humans ate all of these things during the Paleolithic Era.
  • spunkydels
    spunkydels Posts: 3 Member
    I think that your statement about eating "Paleo" is based on a lie is somewhat harsh, as yes, there was primitive forms of agriculture in this era, but if you note, the foods they did process are foods that are mentioned as 'allowed' on a paleo diet.

    Things such as leeks, onions, taro, rush nut, yams, arrowroot bamboo, etc...

    I think that Paleo is not a 'marketable' idea either, it is simply a way of living a healthier lifestyle.
  • eatcakeliftweights
    eatcakeliftweights Posts: 1 Member
    Muscle is more dense but does not weigh more than fat. 1lbs = 1lbs
  • gatimm
    gatimm Posts: 1
    I started crossfitting when I turned 50. I have always been athletic and health conscience, but around 45, it seemed like no matter what I did workout wise, my body had ideas of it's own!! Finally I gave in to the Crossfit buzz. After about 6 months, I gained lots of muscle mass, but still had not lost the inches around my middle and my upper arms. I most certainly didn't have any definition anywhere but my legs, which really wasn't a surprise because when I was younger, I was a long distance runner. I was to the point that I could RX most WODs minus some Olympic lifts, so why wasn't I getting the results that most members were getting? Like most CF boxes, members are always talking about Paleo. I caved and after much research, decided to give it a shot. After much web surfing, I came across Paleo in the box. It made perfect sense. As my fitness levels changes, my diet needs to change. Now that I know this I wondered how I could have missed it! Paleo diet in the box, showed me how to eat according to my fitness goals and needs. I am including the link for you and fellow crossfitters and hope that it is as helpful to you as it was to me. I was so frustrated after being so dedicated and not getting the results. I am sure my age has everything to do with it, but this information helped me lose the inches (17 total!!) and look much younger that 52!! The education is worth it. Thanks for letting me share it!!
    http://4f40809nz5yn6-iomhtmqk6xd2.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=XFITBOX
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Is anyone on here following the paleo diet? Specifically crossfitters?

    I've been doing CF for about 3 months now and after gaining close to 10lb (which i would assume to be muscle since my measurements are about the same) I'm looking to drop all that and more. I've been doing (and also cheating pretty badly) the paleo diet for about 4 weeks now, but realistically I should count this week as my first REAL week since I've been watching and not really cheating...

    Any feedback would be great!

    Take a look at the primal blue print ( paleo and very fitness driven).
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Muscle is more dense but does not weigh more than fat. 1lbs = 1lbs

    So same a bricks and feathers!!!
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    I do more of a primal diet so I can do yogurt and cheese. For me...eating too many carbs doesnt sit well because I am Insulin Resistant...and the carb bloat can be up to 4 pounds for me. My body treats carbs way different than most others out there...

    I try to stay within 50-100 grams of carbs..which mostly consist of fruit and veggies. Once in a while..if I do bread...I do whole grain...but at the end of the day..you have to do whats right for your body...
    So you eat carbs and gain water weight... Exactly how is that different from everyone else "out there?" Carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles to assist with quick energy bursts, and one pound of glycogen requires about 4 pounds of water to store. Sounds like your body handles carbs just like everyone else.

    The main problem I have with Paleo diets in general, is that they are based on a lie. They have absolutely NOTHING in common with how paleolithic humans actually ate.

    Hi tiger world

    How long did you follow the primal diet for and what bit didn't work for you?
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