Going Paleo

[fetus]

A friend told me that going Paleo was a wonderful decision, and that it made her feel so clean. Considering I eat like a hog, I thought I'd like to try it. I'm just a little lost on how to start. I have nocooking skills whatsoever. I'm a minor who lives at home, so if I wanted to start eating differently, I would still be surrounded by other foods. My family would still cook french fries and bring home doughnut holes. I would have to just watch. Perhaps this is really about self-control.

But I really want to do this. My body is young, but it won't be forever. I need to start changing how I eat. It'll make me feel better, both in mind and in spirit.

 

[Xann]

Mark's Daily Apple

I would start slowly, learning how to prepare a new meal or two a week and eliminating the more noxious grain and sugar products from your diet little by little over a 2-3 week period, maybe after christmas is over. Substitute apples and carrot/cucumber sticks for unhealthy snacks, this is easy to do and you'll quickly get addicted to them. If no one else in your family is willing to get on board with this, learning to cook is a must. Luckily, cooking is a very enjoyable and easy pasttime if you have the time for it. Unfortunately since you are so young availability of ingredients (and money to purchase them, especially for quality meat products) will be hard to come by unless you're going to be getting some financial help. The best thing to do in my opinion is just to read through various paleo sites on the web like the one i linked above and slowly introduce new concepts and ingredients into your life, and don't go extreme one way or the other all at once because it's very easy to get burnt out on something like this. The archives on that site are amazing. Very first step - cut out all sugary drinks (even fruit "juice") from your diet because they're going to hold you back big time from processing harder to break down foods and slow your metabolism.

 

[kyuuei]

Let me preface this by saying any fad diet is just that--a fad diet. The core of paleo is naturally nutritious foods that doctors and dieticians have been recommending for years now.. so it isn't a bad thing to try. But paleo IS very expensive, and VERY limiting, and any time you limit yourself you need to compensate in other areas. (I.E. if you don't like veggies and you cut out carbs which is the other major fiber source, you'll need to replace your fiber). I recommend doing research, reading evidence based things, and seeing wonderful blogs like gokaleo.com that have a sense of balance and flexibility that is practical for a life style change.


But. Having said that, and having done paleo before for a short time, and in the spirit of letting people do as they wish.. Paleo is an alright short-term thing. Find niches of foods you love (soups, salads, meat+side dishes, etc.) and then research paleo recipes that match. Like I said, it gets expensive quick especially with little cooking skills.. so pick recipes with similar ingredients and eat those throughout the week.

I will say I am a fan of how many veggies go into paleo recipes, so I do borrow from paleo recipe blogs. They do crazy things like cauliflower oatmeal and stuff which is a cool way to put veggies into a stereotypically sweet dish.

 

[21%]

I think cutting out processed food and sugar alone is going to do wonders already. When you have to cook stuff from scratch, you become way more aware of what you're eating, and you develop a healthier kind of relationship with the food you eat. It's hard to explain, but I went "whole foods" for a while and it changed how I view diet issues.

 

[Dyslexxie]

I'm paleo-lite (which means I'm paleo when I cook, but I won't be picky with what other people cook usually), and I quite enjoy it. I was already lactose intolerant to begin with and I don't really care for grains but LOVE protein so it was an easy transition for me.
These two blogs are my favorites for recipes: Yum Paleo and Nomnom Paleo.

 

[Eilonwy]

My nephew's wife tried The Whole 30 diet and seems to like it and is able to stick to it even though her husband and children aren't eating the same diet. It might be worth looking into. Once I'm back on my feet, I'm going to see if it's a change in eating I can live with. Or maybe modify so that I can live with it.

[h=3]The Whole30 Program Rules[/h] Yes: Eat real food.
Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive detail in our free shopping list.
No: Avoid for 30 days.
More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.

• Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
• Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
• Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
• Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
• Do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients. Continuing to eat your old, unhealthy foods made with Whole30 ingredients is totally missing the point, and will tank your results faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” Remember, these are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, regardless of the ingredients.

One last and final rule: You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program. This is about so much more than just weight loss, and to focus on your body composition means you’ll miss out on the most dramatic and lifelong benefits this plan has to offer. So, no weighing yourself, analyzing body fat or taking comparative measurements during your Whole30. (We do encourage you to weigh yourself before and after, however, so you can see one of the more tangible results of your efforts when your program is over.)
*A few off-limits foods that fall under this rule include pancakes, bread, tortillas, biscuits, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, pizza crust, waffles, cereal, potato chips, French fries, and this one recipe where eggs, date paste, and coconut milk are combined with prayers to create a thick, creamy concoction that can once again transform your undrinkable black coffee into sweet, dreamy caffeine. However, this list is not limited to these items—there may be other foods that you find are not psychologically healthy for your Whole30. Use your best judgment with those foods that aren’t on this list, but that you suspect are not helping you change your habits or break those cravings.

 

[ceecee]

A friend told me that going Paleo was a wonderful decision, and that it made her feel so clean. Considering I eat like a hog, I thought I'd like to try it. I'm just a little lost on how to start. I have nocooking skills whatsoever. I'm a minor who lives at home, so if I wanted to start eating differently, I would still be surrounded by other foods. My family would still cook french fries and bring home doughnut holes. I would have to just watch. Perhaps this is really about self-control.

But I really want to do this. My body is young, but it won't be forever. I need to start changing how I eat. It'll make me feel better, both in mind and in spirit.

It is. I think whole grains, lowering sugar, not drinking any (even diet) sodas, adding vegetables (at least one salad a day but try for two), limiting dairy and drinking water + exercise is the key. And watch your portions. You can have a doughnut hole, you just can't have 10.

 

[InherentApocalypse]

I've done paleo, and while I still generally adhere to some of the core principles (whole foods, good saturated fats, plenty of exercise and sleep) I've came to realise that a higher dairy, higher fruit diet is better for me. I'm young and female, and the addition of fruits and low fat dairy has meant: better skin and teeth; less painful periods; a more stable mood; a more stable weight; better digestion; and better energy. This is just my personal experience, of course; not everyone is the same, and a high fat diet may well be good for you. Just wanted to put it out that if you find yourself miserable following paleo, there are other healthy alternatives.

 

[Thalassa]

Um, paleo isn't remotely scientific, it's been voted worst or second worst American diet for health by a medical panel two years in a row, and the guy who "invented" it isn't fit, trim or athletic. He's mildly overweight with a pouch belly and a neck waddle.

Paleo is stupid. Don't be stupid.

 

[Thalassa]

I think cutting out processed food and sugar alone is going to do wonders already. When you have to cook stuff from scratch, you become way more aware of what you're eating, and you develop a healthier kind of relationship with the food you eat. It's hard to explain, but I went "whole foods" for a while and it changed how I view diet issues.

This is exactly what it is. Any benefits people are getting this is because of eating whole foods and more vegetables, less processed, less sugar. There's absolutely no proof that early man didn't eat grains, and one of the worst things about the speculation is that NO ONE ever ate that much meat before the 20th century unless they were an Eskimo tribe that poached whales....a scavenger diet was more likely nuts, berries, plants, seeds, grains...and occasional meat when you could get it. Humans are terrible hunters, and their systems can't handle raw meat, and the digestive track is more similar to herbivores.

The paleo diet is exploitative and based around first world privilege.

EDIT: if anyone sees this as an opportunity to argue against veganism, I assure you that it placed 15-20 spots higher than paleo, in the middle of the studies I mentioned, because of restrictions and need to take a B12 supplements. ..and don't be like "ah B12" either when you all don't have goiters, from fortified iodized salt, and you've been drinking vitamin D milk your whole life...there's no such thing as "vitamin D milk"...raw milk isn't a good source of vitamin D. People used to get more B12 from plant sources due to dirt, and bacteria in natural fertilizer (feces) but modern human are so sanitized, and have farmed the earth so poorly, that B12 has to be taken in supplement when one rejects animal foods. A whole foods plant based diet is cheaper than a omnivores diet, especially when one avoids most processed or frozen vegan products. Veganism has also been linked to lower breast cancer risk, less heart disease, lower cholesterol and longer life in informed people who are doing it right. Not to mention that it frees up food for the destitute and is better for the environment.

 

[Thalassa]

It is. I think whole grains, lowering sugar, not drinking any (even diet) sodas, adding vegetables (at least one salad a day but try for two), limiting dairy and drinking water + exercise is the key. And watch your portions. You can have a doughnut hole, you just can't have 10.

Yes limiting dairy is also good. Many people are mildly lactose intolerant even if they don't get full blown intestinal issues. People are supposed to stop consuming milk as toddlers.

 

[entropie]

I am eating paleo since 5 years. Sixpack and a good climber, its good