Paleo Diet

Hey Everyone

I was just curious to see if anyone is currently following the Paleo Diet. I guess it isn't considered a diet but a way of life but I am considering trying it. I already am trying to eat pretty clean but Paleo takes it even further with no dairy or grains. I was just curious as to what others thought of this way of eating...if you have tried it or not. Maybe if you have tried it, some tips to sticking with it and ways to keep meals creative and satisfying.

You should definately talk to Lioness about this one. She is very passionate about this lifestyle and seems to be doing very well! Hopefully she will pop into this thread, otherwise I don't know how to direct you to her.

My question is:

Do you like dairy and grains?

If you do, why would you give them up?

If you don't then do some research to make sure that you can account for the proper nutrition and then go for it.

However, I will tell you that I don't beleive the diet will be any more successful than any other diet in terms of weight loss. There are a lot of different paths to the same destination. You need to decide which one you can stay on.

I don't see it as giving up things in an eating plan that make you feel horrible in the first place. I no longer have aching joints, water retention, bloated stomach, etc..............

I find a certain sense of freedom eating this way as you stay saited longer, so therefore eating less. I often eat 1 or 2 times a day and feel fantastic!!! That is called intuitive eating.

A lot of people like dairy and grains because they are "addicted" to them as they turn to sugar in the blood and contain a fair amount of sugar. Even natural sugars in large quantities are NOT good for you.

And even more people have intolerances to dairy and grains, that is even more the reason to give them up.

One tell tale sign if you are having grain or dairy intolerances is to give them up and if your weight loss picks up, then you have at least a small intolerance to one or the other.

Hey Everyone

I was just curious to see if anyone is currently following the Paleo Diet. I guess it isn't considered a diet but a way of life but I am considering trying it. I already am trying to eat pretty clean but Paleo takes it even further with no dairy or grains. I was just curious as to what others thought of this way of eating...if you have tried it or not. Maybe if you have tried it, some tips to sticking with it and ways to keep meals creative and satisfying.

Hi there. Yes, I am following a Paleo type plan now. I was following Atkins and found that when I started moving up the carb ladder to the beans / lentils, grains and dairy rungs on the carb ladder that my weight loss slows to a crawl or even stops all together.

I started experimenting and then started seeing a naturopathic Dr and a natural pharmacist. I found that I have intolerances to grains, but not dairy - if I do consume any dairy it is only Greek yogurt or raw dairy products - I have not purchased any regular dairy such as heavy cream, milk, butter in a couple of months now.

I would suggest doing some research on Paleo eating as there are different types of Paleo plans, some are more strict than others. I am starting out doing The Primal Blue Print and will more than likely move to the Neanderthin plan as I plan to get more strict. I will simply transition myself as there is not a big difference between the 2.

If you would like to talk in further detail about this, either hit me up here in this forum or send me a PM and I will get back to as soon as I can.

The food pyramid that I adhere to looks like this:

I don't see it as "giving up" dairy & grains since my body actually feels better without them.
I have been "enjoying" some lately and I can feel the difference! :grumble: :noway:
I quit drinking milk years ago because it made PMS symptoms worse.

My best weight lost has always included no dairy or wheat products.
It's amazing too.... that once you let go of these things, the cravings go away!
Besides, unless you are diligent about buying organic, these products are loaded with crap.

It's a CHOICE you make for your own good health. :flowerforyou:
Try different eating patterns and see what works best for YOU! :drinker:

You may want to check out the Blood Type Diet: http://www.dadamo.com/
Based on your blood type, you eat certain foods.
My "O" type is the original (hunter/gatherer) blood type = similar to the Paleo Diet.

LOL, I am not sure I believe the blood type plan though.............I am a type A and it says I should not eat any red meat and I lose best when I have lots and lots of red meat in my eating plan. The only part of that eating plan that I say for certain is that type A's need a very natural eating plan - which I believe everyone needs irregardless of what blood type they are.

It also sounds like you have intolerances where grains are concerned.

I know for me, the only grains I can eat without having any issues are oats and barley. I love steel cut oatmeal, but will eat that in the winter months when I am forced to not really have any fruit as eating paleo you eat the veggies and fruits that are in season for harvest at the time. (That is if you are following it strictly).

Well.... there we go! Different Strokes for Different Folks! :bigsmile: :laugh:
We have to read, research & try, try, try different things to see what fits out body's chemistry.
Ms. Lioness is definitely someone who does that! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Shucks....... too bad we don't get a 'My Body Instruction Manual' when we're born! :bigsmile: :laugh:

How strict do you want to go with eating Paleo? There are some very strict that do not even hardly cook their food, which is not my cup of tea, LOL............I don't think I could get past the texture of raw or almost raw meat.

The mainstay of the plan is lots of fats (natural occurring in meats, nuts, coconut oil), proteins and lot of fruits and veggies.

Think of it as if you can grow it in the ground or pick it from a tree and eat it as is, it is safe to eat with Paleo.

I will PM you some links with a lot more detailed information..........

We also have a low carb thread where 2 or 3 of us over there are eating within the Paleo standards.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/66050-low-carb-ers-challenge-to-choose-change?page=7#posts-843628

I'm not sure this is solely a discussion of fast weight loss or how the diet mavericks are robbing our pockets. Unless, you consider authors and outspoken supporters like Michael Pollan (Omnivore's Dilemma), Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint), Drs. Michael & Mary Dan Eades (Protein Power), Tom Naughton (Fathead), Gary Taubes (Good Calories, Bad Calories), The Weston A Price Foundation, Crossfit, Arthur DeVany, Lierre Keith (Vegetarian Myth) to be the powerful diet industry, then I'm not sure we're all on the same page here. There are varying degrees of this form of eating, but held constant across the board is that grains/legumes are eliminated or strictly limited and eating is generally lower carbohydtrate. These folks don't pound supplements down our throats, they don't exactly support Big Pharma, and they don't have licensed brands of special protein bars crammed with additives. Actually, they have a lot of good ideas and outside of the "OMG NO GRAINS" business, they're on the same page as everyone else on this site who preaches eating real food and avoiding junk.

I certainly never adopted this means of eating for some magic weight loss. What I've seen is slow, steady weight loss and less of the "hunger" pangs that traditionally accompany any dieting attempts. Because, quite simple, I'm not dieting. Sometimes I look at calories, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I eat a giant ribeye steak. Sometimes I eat a huge bowl of raw veggies.

I feel pretty liberated NOT eating grains and legumes, to be honest. And honestly, it's not that difficult. I don't consider it following a fad diet, either. More of a "no brainer" and a "I eat what makes my stomach happy. If it causes bloating, indigestion, or weight gain, it's NOT WORTH IT." There's more research that supports this means of eating...not only in the name of vanity or weight loss, but for the elimination or reduction of food intolerance, arthritis, GERD, and vitamin deficiency.

Unlike strict paleo followers, I follow a diet more similar to the Primal Blueprint, allowing some dairy (mostly butter / ghee in cooking, whole milk in coffee, and the random serving of yogurt or kefir). I also allow nightshades (restricted in the most strict of paleo eating).

I think most would be surprised that many people that eat or live like this aren't calorie counting dieting junkies or crazy about fad diets. This is also a challenge (and a pretty serious one) to the standard of exercise and fitness most envision with weight loss. Primal fitness - move slowly, sprint once in a while, lift heavy things, get out in the sun. Reduce stress. That's some serious freedom from being shackled to 1.5 hours of working out everyday and I'm seeing even better results It's um...almost a challenge to conventional dieting and "wisdom."

Most who live this way focus on eating lower carb choices, but do fuel with higher carb veggies/fruits if they're active/athletes. Many would also be surprised that there's a pretty large following of primal / paleo people...or cavemen/women, what have you.

Do what works for you. Eat real food. Avoid crap. Some of us will take that a step further and avoid other foods that don't agree with us. It's really as simple as that.

:flowerforyou: Thank you Lioness

I like indulging in chocolate a couple times a week, but there's a lot of supposed health benefits for that so I don't feel so bad.

Like the new hair-do Lioness!

Lioness,
I look at your The food pyramid.
Fruit is at the base. So there is no limit on # of fruits you eat a day?

If so.. I'm going to try this diet :happy:

Lioness,
I look at your The food pyramid.
Fruit is at the base. So there is no limit on # of fruits you eat a day?

If so.. I'm going to try this diet :happy:

Also, I wanted to mention that it is not a diet.

It is a lifestyle change and a way of eating that is different than Conventional Wisdom and the way most people eat.