Belated Fat Tuesday anyone on the Paleo Diet?

[hopecounts]

I'm considering starting it, I've hit a major plateau in my weightloss and am struggling with that last 10 lbs.
I exercise everyday but really can't squeeze in more than the hr I'm putting in at the moment, though I try to do more on the weekend.
I've been tracking calories with MFP and it has worked well but I think I need to switch it up to get to my goal weight and goal BMI of 21.
I have hypothyroidism so from the limited amount I know about Paleo it would be a good choice for me.

[ringstrue]

I don't do it but I have a friend who is doing it through FB and pins recipes for it often. She seems to be happy with it and sticking to it for a few months now. I think her whole family eats that way.

[cookiemdough]

My husband did it and weight just fell from him. I have graves disease and have been hypothyroid for years. It is a good diet for people with thyroid issues. I will probably try it once I have the baby. I wasn't that disciplined with it when my husband did it although I did see some results just from preparing dinners that cut out processed foods. Not any weight loss for me but I did feel better and have more energy. He did it for breakfast and lunch as well and therefore had good results with weight loss.

[dutchgirl678]

We started it in April and were 100% Paleo in April. In May we cheated a few times and now I would say we're 90% Paleo. It has been good for weight loss for both me and my DH. I lost 9 lbs in 2 months and he lost 14 lbs so far. Interestingly I lost the first 6 lbs in the first few days. Giving up grains has really given me the most bang for the buck. You have no idea how much bloat there is in your belly until you give that up.

[hopecounts]

Sounds like I should go for it. I'll have to start looking for recipes and ways to do it while feeding my husband and toddler during naptime.

[decemberwedding07]

DH and I no longer eat grains, but we do eat lentils and beans from time to time, and I eat dairy in the form of Greek yogurt. I couldn't give up my Greek yogurt (I love it too much), and I refuse to accept that lentils and beans aren't part of a natural diet intended for humans and that they're "processed." They soak in water over night and... that's it. I don't understand how hydrating something is more of a process than dehydrating something, and Paleo dieters are certainly fine with beef jerky.

I think the thing about that pisses me off is that the Paleo diet works because it's low carb, but you aren't replacing your carbs with animal fats that are easy to grab and down in large amounts, like cheese, but wording it that way makes it sound too Atkinsish. Therefore, the Paleo diet guy (can't remember his name), had to come up with some sort of BS reason for not eating letils and beans, instead of just saying, "Well, they're high in carbs."

[keh2oblue]

My husband has been eating paleo since last August and has lost 70lbs. He just recently started adding back in good carbs (sweet potatoes, long grain white rice, and some beans). If you want some recipes, I have a whole pinterest board of paleo/primal recipes: pinterest.com/karbear/recipes-for-matt/

[hopecounts]

Thanks I'm following that board now!

[downtoearth]

I'm a little curious about paleo. So you can have beef, sausage, bacon, hot dogs, and chicken, right? But you can't have lentils or beans? It sounds a lot like the Zone Diet or Atkins from a few years ago. Also similar a little to the Elmination Diet that people use for food intolerances except the focus on meat.

I know Paleo also emphasizes that all meats are natural, minimal processed/organic and same with all your veggies, which I think is good, but what about animal fats and long-term heart issues? I also only feed meat to my family about 2-3 nights per week, so it sounds really hard to do if you don't eat a lot of meat. Anyone do Paleo veggie meals primarily and get the same health/weight loss results?

We do eat beans, lentils, fish, and veggies more often than any meat. So what is wrong with how our bodies process all of those foods?

[jigsy]

I eat sort of paleo...I don't pay attention to any of the "no nightshades" bullshit and stuff like that. Basically, I've cut grains, starches, and increased fat. I also eat dairy still. I like it, I feel full all the time, still eat baked goods (using coconut flour). It's nice, I can go out and not feel weird, I just order steak and veggies.

[Deleted]

onceamonthmom.com/10-day-specialty-paleo-2012-menu/

I can't handle the bullshit reasoning about what is and isn't allowed, but if you can get past the marketing the actual diet is probably healthy enough. Not for me, but the onceamonthmom recipes I have made are kickass.

[brookles]

I still don't get all this Paleo jazz. What is it, just no carbs? Just another diet fad, yea?

[Deleted]

Jun 20, 2012 12:17:34 GMT -5 brookles said:

I still don't get all this Paleo jazz. What is it, just no carbs? Just another diet fad, yea?

No grains, legumes, dairy. They spin a good story about eating what we genetically evolved to eat (hunter/gatherer foods).

I would say that most people (me included) do eat too many refined carbs and grains. I don't think it's necessary to cut out giant swaths of my diet to be healthy, though. A world without cheese isn't worth living in.

[krystee]

I did more of a primal diet (no grains, but dairy was allowed) and I lost 47 pounds in 12 weeks (with a lot of exercise added in). Of course, when I fell off the wagon, it flew back on, but I had never felt better than when I was on that eating program.

[emilyj]

In simple terms, can someone tell me what the difference is between paleo and primal?

[eclaires]

I think the difference is dairy? Primal allows dairy, paleo doesn't?

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 20, 2012 12:40:30 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

A world without cheese isn't worth living in.

QFT

[msmerymac]

How incredibly hard would it be to do this if one doesn't eat meat? Would that just be a version of clean eating? Does this allow for fermented foods?

[Deleted]

Jun 20, 2012 15:24:34 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

How incredibly hard would it be to do this if one doesn't eat meat? Would that just be a version of clean eating? Does this allow for fermented foods?

I can't imagine a nutritious diet that cut out meat, dairy, grains, and legumes.

What's left? Fruits and veggies? Remember, no nuts or oils allowed either.

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 20, 2012 12:40:30 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Jun 20, 2012 12:17:34 GMT -5 brookles said:

I still don't get all this Paleo jazz. What is it, just no carbs? Just another diet fad, yea?

No grains, legumes, dairy. They spin a good story about eating what we genetically evolved to eat (hunter/gatherer foods).

Huh. I would think nuts would be some top gatherer foods.

[wawa]

Jun 20, 2012 15:42:45 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Jun 20, 2012 12:40:30 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

No grains, legumes, dairy. They spin a good story about eating what we genetically evolved to eat (hunter/gatherer foods).

Huh. I would think nuts would be some top gatherer foods.

Yeah, if squirrels and birds can run around eatign the nuts that fall from trees I'm pretty sure humans can figure that shit out too.

ETA: scienceblog.com/community/older/2002/F/20022752.html

Botanically most nuts ARE fruits. Or seeds. It's all just tree reproductive cells that taste good. I'd love to hear the reasoning behind cutting them from your diet beyond allergy elimination.

[Deleted]

Jun 20, 2012 15:59:22 GMT -5 mr+ms said:

Jun 20, 2012 15:38:35 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Remember, no nuts or oils allowed either.

Not true. Nuts & seeds of all sorts are allowed. Peanuts are legumes so technically not a nut.

Olive, coconut, palm, avocado oil and some others are fine in addition to fats from grass fed/wild animals. This guide provides info on fats:
www.balancedbites.com/PDFs/BalancedBites_FatsAndOils.pdf

Do you _really_ think this diet is a great idea for a vegetarian?

I sure don't. But I don't drink this kool-aid. I think any diet that cuts out all processed food would have a similar effect without needing the fairy tale about cavemen.

[curmudgeon]

Jun 20, 2012 16:04:40 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

I sure don't. But I don't drink this kool-aid. I think any diet that cuts out all processed food would have a similar effect without needing the fairy tale about cavemen.

So much this. Don't eat crap. Done and done.

[msmerymac]

Jun 20, 2012 16:04:40 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Jun 20, 2012 15:59:22 GMT -5 mr+ms said:

Not true. Nuts & seeds of all sorts are allowed. Peanuts are legumes so technically not a nut.

Olive, coconut, palm, avocado oil and some others are fine in addition to fats from grass fed/wild animals. This guide provides info on fats:
www.balancedbites.com/PDFs/BalancedBites_FatsAndOils.pdf

Do you _really_ think this diet is a great idea for a vegetarian?

I sure don't. But I don't drink this kool-aid. I think any diet that cuts out all processed food would have a similar effect without needing the fairy tale about cavemen.

The approach I want to take is to cut out processed food, i.e. clean eating. I just have to see if paleo/primal have easier "rules" to follow, or if it's just something I need to work really hard on.

Last night I had frozen flat bread from Trader Joes for dinner. I also often buy things like pre-packaged (refrigerated) ravioli, and serve that with a little melted butter and garlic. Pre-made pizza dough? I'm in. I feel like my kitchen could be transferred to the Trader Joes freezer section with few changes and look just like part of the store.

I know TJs doesn't use a lot of preservatives and uses a lot of organic stuff, but it's still things that I probably don't need to be eating. Being a vegetarian compounds that, because if I want a quick veggie burger/hot dog or "lunch meat" it's all super processed soy or gluten.

This would be both for my weight and the unknown environmental factors of what goes into our food supply.

[emilyj]

mr+ms, why are legumes frowned upon?

I know I could never do Paleo myself, so I'm really just asking out of curiosity. I truly don't understand how beans can be considered not a good food for you. Processed crap, yes. Beans? No.

[IIOY]

Jun 20, 2012 16:35:16 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

The approach I want to take is to cut out processed food, i.e. clean eating. I just have to see if paleo/primal have easier "rules" to follow, or if it's just something I need to work really hard on.

H&F went through this whole phase where it felt as though 90% of the board was all rah-rah clean eating. I got annoyed as hell, only because if you look at some of the recipes, they use processed items and are indistinguishable from regular recipes.

I digress.

If you look at all the variations on low carb - Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, etc. - they all have the same basic component at their core: cut down/out processed foods and simple carbs. This is solid advice for almost everyone. Whatever woo or non-woo is used to justify one way of eating over another, if someone can find among these plans a guide that helps them cut the crap, then yay for them. Some people need structure, some don't.

[basilosaurus]

If the justification for paleo is completely made up horseshit, then why would I buy its recommendations? Even if people lose weight and end up eating an overall better diet, I'd rather continue eating with both enjoyment and health in mind. Paleo sounds like it's all about eating for fuel and nothing else.

And, yeah, legumes are good for you. High in fiber, lots of nutrients, tasty, and cheap.

[secretlyevil]

My need for convenience tends to out weight my desire for clean eating. H already mostly eats meat. He'd pitch a fit if I tried to take his pb&j away (his lunch).

[basilosaurus]

Finally, citations from real journals. Oh, wait, nevermind. A blog post and a self published journal.

[emilyj]

But mr+ms, the next line in that paragraph that you quoted says "Deficiencies of both these nutrients are common in the developing world, and particularly in the case of infants, deficiencies of iron can cause developmental problems that persist throughout life."

I would argue that we most definitely do not live in the 'developing' world, so I would really question the accuracy of that statement.

I have to go with Sibil that those aren't great sources. Nothing in there makes me question why legumes might be problematic. Nothing in there is that convincing of an argument to me - at least not convincing enough for me personally to even consider cutting them completely out of my diet.