Why is everyone here so obsessed with the paleo diet?

[Brah]

When browsing this forum I can't help but notice lots and I mean LOTS of you are on a paleo diet. I've always felt dieting simply boils down to the calories in vs. calories out equation. What made paleo the sort of de facto diet of choice on NF? Don't get me wrong I definitely think it CAN work, but in terms of calories in vs. calories out lots of diets CAN work. I may be a bit biased but paleo seems kind of gimmicky to me, and I find it a bit strange that so many of you are on it.

And yes I know not all of you are, but it still seems pretty prevalent here.

[SusieBlu]

Paleo at first does seem gimmicky but if you put some research into it or give Steve's The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet/ a read. In terms of calories: not all calories are the same. Eating a bunch of high calorie fruits and vegetables are going to affect you differently than a bunch of calories for a chocolate cake. It the idea that you a out run a jelly donut. "If I eat x many calories I need to burn x+y amount to lose weight. As Steve has said, along with several other, fitness is mostly nutrition. You will find several people that through diet alone has lost weight and are now looking for that exercise piece to continuing to level up.

Paleo for me isn't some gimmick you do for 6 week and than go back to eating whatever it is a lifestyle change that I made to eat better and be healthier through my diet.

[Mr. Decay]

I'm not sure if it's gimmicky at all. What is gimmicky about eating just the essentials that your body needs? It's really just an incredibly clean and straight forward way to eat.

The reason I've subscribed to the Primal lifestyle (a slight variation of the Paleo lifestyle) is simply because it has results, just pure results. I've never had to restrict how much of anything I eat, I've never had to count calories. I dropped 50 lbs in 2.5 months and gained muscle mass while simply being slightly more active (Read: 6 hours of World of Warcraft a week instead of 12+ and occasional bike riding) and adhering to a clean diet.

[Avalon]

This is Nerd Fitness. When something helps us level up, we get obsessed with it, be that PR's on the deadlift, a faster mile time or a new way to think about eating that helps us stay or get healthier.

Primal's worked for me - 61lbs worth of "worked for me", really. You'll notice folks here don't tend to push it too much unless someone's already ASKED for advice on it, but when something gets results in the way that primal/paleo eating does, it tends to get around. And it has. But then so has a lot of fantastic advice on lifting, cross-fitting, running/rowing/swimming/biking, gymnastics and parkour, and a hell of a lot of really good book and tv recommendations. NFers share what makes their lives awesome: for a lot of us, the paleo or primal style of eating makes our lives awesome, simple as that.

Also, to be fair, the word "diet" is a pretty loaded word in our modern lexicon. For a lot of folks, "paleo" isn't really a diet in the sense that it's deprivation, but rather a diet in the traditional sense of the word that simply means one's way of eating. Personally I've never felt restricted since starting to eat primal seven months ago, and actually find myself having to work extra hard to consume ENOUGH calories in a day. All those delicious meats and veggies and fats are damn filling!

[Mr. Decay]

Also, to be fair, the word "diet" is a pretty loaded word in our modern lexicon. For a lot of folks, "paleo" isn't really a diet in the sense that it's deprivation, but rather a diet in the traditional sense of the word that simply means one's way of eating. Personally I've never felt restricted since starting to eat primal seven months ago, and actually find myself having to work extra hard to consume ENOUGH calories in a day. All those delicious meats and veggies and fats are damn filling!

I'm glad you pointed that out. I purposely avoid using the word "diet" in my posts regarding Primal/Paleo as I feel it implied a sort of temporary betterment. You sum up my feelings well, and for that you have my thanks.

[Sphynx]

I think there are a few reasons for it's popularity.

a) It's the choice of our Illustrious Leader, we pretty much all read his articles.

It's easy to understand and implement, although not so easy to actually do (In fact, I think that might be part of the allure in a community like this: We've all done this, you can do it too! Rah, rah, rah!).

c) If your goal is to lose a few pounds and feel a little better, it not only CAN work, but DOES work. At least, it works often enough that you can't swing a stick in here without hitting a story like Mr. Decay's, here.

Now, I don't personally dance the paleo, though I have successfully in the past and for me, it boiled down to calories in/calories out as you so astutely observed. So it might seem less gimmicky if you don't think of it as "following the traditions of our ancient ancestors" but thought instead, "Damn, I'd have to eat a lot of broccoli and beef to make up for the calorie deficit of not eating cookies and sandwiches."

[Raincloak]

Steve Kamb goes on and on about paleo diet on the Nerd Fitness blog, and people who are on the forum are mostly those attracted to the blog. If you found a blog going on and on about vegan diets, the forum tied to that blog would be full of vegans. Simple as that.

p.s. I'm not in the paleo diet camp myself; I like my bread too much. Not everybody here is a paleo groupie, just lots of us.

[Waldo]

In general the paleo people here talk the loudest. There are a lot of calorie in/out folks, but since it isn't a diet and it works, in general there is nothing to talk about.

I'm not sure why dieting based on numbers isn't bigger among nerds though.

If there were a success stories forum among NF, I bet you'd find CI/CO is much bigger among the group that is at or surpassed their goal weight.

[Brah]

@ Susie: I would agree that it is better to get your calories from things other than chocolate cake. But realistically, if your chocolate cake has the same amount of carbs/fat/calories as some other combination of say.. fruits/veggies/nuts, then solely in terms of body composition it really shouldn't make a tremendous difference. I think the real problem with chocolate cake and veggies is lots of people will consume a whole lot more calories of cake given the two options.

@ Mr. Decay: I didn't mean it's gimmicky in the sense that you can't get ample nutrition from it. I just don't think paleo is the be all and end all of dieting. Your body can survive on virtually no carbs (keto), but that doesn't mean carbs are bad.

@ Avalon: I agree success in it can definitely lead to support.

Alright after that I agree with the rest of you. If Steve Kamb is plugging it it doesn't surprise me it's big on the forums. It definitely can work but I still think the best diet is the one with around the right macro levels (carbs/fat/protein) that you will actually follow. So if those of you on paleo are following the diet, then great. But if you're about to abandon ship because you want a slice of toast, it might not be right for you.

[Zorch]

When browsing this forum I can't help but notice lots and I mean LOTS of you are on a paleo diet. I've always felt dieting simply boils down to the calories in vs. calories out equation. What made paleo the sort of de facto diet of choice on NF? Don't get me wrong I definitely think it CAN work, but in terms of calories in vs. calories out lots of diets CAN work. I may be a bit biased but paleo seems kind of gimmicky to me, and I find it a bit strange that so many of you are on it.

And yes I know not all of you are, but it still seems pretty prevalent here.

1. In general, people here aren't the type that conform to the "System" - the "System" general consists of mass-produced, commercial food products and fewer people eat that way here compared with the population at large. (This may be "gimmicky" to some - but there's no doubt that certain lifestyle choices tend to follow certain personalities)

2. You're correct that on some level it is about calories in vs. out for weight loss, but it's not quite that simple - adequate protein is important no matter what diet you're following - and there may be a few other subtleties as pertain to micronutrients. And perhaps most significantly, while calories in - out is a primary determinant of weight loss/gain in the short to medium term, long-term health is far more complex, and encompasses much more. This is where, over a few weeks, 1000 cals/day of junk food may give similar results to 1000 cals/day of meat, fruit, and veggies - but over the long haul, the health impacts will be quite different.

it might seem less gimmicky if you don't think of it as "following the traditions of our ancient ancestors" but thought instead, "Damn, I'd have to eat a lot of broccoli and beef to make up for the calorie deficit of not eating cookies and sandwiches."

Also, this is key. It's a hell of a lot harder to overeat on meat + veggies than it is on grains and other calorically-dense products with lots of added sugars and/or fats. CI/CO still applies to body weight gain/loss, but all calories are NOT created equal when it comes to appetite regulation. This last point has been shown conclusively through research.

@ Mr. Decay: I didn't mean it's gimmicky in the sense that you can't get ample nutrition from it. I just don't think paleo is the be all and end all of dieting. Your body can survive on virtually no carbs (keto), but that doesn't mean carbs are bad.

PALEO IS NOT NECESSARILY LOW-CARB. Many paleo eaters eat relatively low-carb, but low-carb isn't part of the paleo definition(plenty of starchy root veggies are "paleo"). It's just that omission of grains by default tends to lower one's carbohydrate intake, making the typical paleo diet lower in carb intake than the typical non-paleo diet.

[leadchipmunk]

I'm a bit surprised nobody else has said this. I am paleo because it is a diet (lifestyle) that says you can eat as much bacon as you want and it is still healthy.

On a more serious note, one thing that people haven't mentioned is that it is also a relatively hypo-allergenic diet. It is believed that around 75% of adults have some form of lactose intolerance, and 10% are gluten intolerance, and many others. Paleo gets rid of most things that people's bodies are intolerant to (except certain things like seafood and nuts, which are easy to get rid of), even slightly, and it is a good base to start figuring out what works for you and what doesn't.

[Eurydice]

So if those of you on paleo are following the diet, then great. But if you're about to abandon ship because you want a slice of toast, it might not be right for you.

Being paleo doesn't mean you can never ever have toast in your entire life, though. Even the people here who are the really hard-core paleo evangelists will eat off-paleo on special occasions and none of them really worry about it. You're still talking about it in dieting-forum terms, where if you eat a cookie you've blown your diet and might as well give up and start having pizza every night. I understand that things are a little different on other forums, but on this one paleo is generally treated as a way of being healthy, not a diet like the South Beach Diet, or something like Whole30 where even the tiniest deviation means you've ruined everything you were trying to accomplish and have to start over.

You're thinking "diet" = "way you eat to lose weight." Think "diet" = "way of eating, period," and maybe it will be a little clearer why people might choose to avoid processed foods and empty calories as much as possible over the course of their lives.

[EightDigit]

I'm a bit surprised nobody else has said this. I am paleo because it is a diet (lifestyle) that says you can eat as much bacon as you want and it is still healthy.

On a more serious note, one thing that people haven't mentioned is that it is also a relatively hypo-allergenic diet. It is believed that around 75% of adults have some form of lactose intolerance, and 10% are gluten intolerance, and many others. Paleo gets rid of most things that people's bodies are intolerant to (except certain things like seafood and nuts, which are easy to get rid of), even slightly, and it is a good base to start figuring out what works for you and what doesn't.

I'm one of these folks- pretty much paleo through default. I've been lactarded for years, so cheese and milk never had a lot of appeal to me. About a year ago I took part in an elimination diet mostly to support a friend. Turned out that when I cut grains I felt pretty awesome- unbelievably so. I stuck with it, not actually realizing I was more or less already eating paleo-ish before I hit the site.

It works for me but I'm pretty laid back about it. When I go out I'll have a beer or three. But for the most part I don't sweat the small stuff. I eat well, I train, and I'm healthy. I just feel *good*. That's what's important to me.

Oh, and I worship daily at the altar of bacon-jesus.

[Diezel]

One unexpected benefit that I have had on the diet that nobody has mentioned is that I don't crave foods like I used to. I find that when I get hungry I might have a preference - maybe I feel like some fruit, or maybe I feel like some bacon, but my mid-afternoon sugar craving has disappeared. It took a while, but I don't crave cake anymore. In fact, since I have been on the diet (~4 weeks) I have been in the situation where everybody around me is eating cake and I don't feel deprived at all (that happened 3 times in the 4 weeks). Not having to put up with hunger (if I'm hungry I can eat) and not being a slave to my cravings makes the lifestyle a no-brainer imo.

[realbrickwall]

I'm a bit surprised nobody else has said this. I am paleo because it is a diet (lifestyle) that says you can eat as much bacon as you want and it is still healthy.

Yeah, that was pretty much what I was gonna say. Paleo is not only demonstrably effective, it is sincerely enjoyable. I don't miss grains, and I only miss milk a little. And, as others have mentions, I can have something off-paleo once in a while (and I do) without it being a big deal.

Welp, time for me to make some more bacon!

[CowboyMisterIndependent]

Tl;Dr - it works.

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[rtalencar]

I'm an IIFYM guy myself, which is basically just one step more complicated than CI/CO. I used to have a lot of issues with Paleo/Primal folks before I came to this website. From MFP you'll see a lot of more extreme cultist types saying if you eat a slice of bread you're basically taking a BFG9000 to the stomach. That extremism is what I had an issue with. Coming here I got to know a little bit more about the less crazy folks of Paleo. The folks who were specifically 80% or 90% Paleo, and the ones who don't have a high horse about how they're so much better than me because they eat different.

I think one of the basics for Paleo is really good: eat food from whole, nutritious sources. Also for a lot of folks, satiety on a diet is an issue that can be aided by a Paleo type format. I'm not quite as concerned for myself about processed foods or bread or what have you, but if other folks don't want to eat it...more for me.

[msuroo]

In general the paleo people here talk the loudest. There are a lot of calorie in/out folks, but since it isn't a diet and it works, in general there is nothing to talk about.

I'm not sure why dieting based on numbers isn't bigger among nerds though.

If there were a success stories forum among NF, I bet you'd find CI/CO is much bigger among the group that is at or surpassed their goal weight.

I basically agree with this. (And I eat mostly paleo.)

There's a couple paleo camps - the "eat whenever you're hungry and don't count calories and paleo will work it's magic" folks, which is where the gimmicky feeling comes into play. And the "you can't fight CI/CO, but I feel/perform/meet my goals best eating paleo foods, and that's why I choose to eat this way" folks. The latter are generally pretty sensible.

[Ryan Sannar]

Bacon.

Seriously though I follow a mix of the two. I think that its a good introduction to diets and a good way to change things up. It works well for me and meats my protein levels just right.

[msuroo]

Bacon.

Seriously though I follow a mix of the two. I think that its a good introduction to diets and a good way to change things up. It works well for me and meats my protein levels just right.

[jdanger]

I'm hoping this discussion escalates to the point where I can bust out that philosoraptor avatar I created after the last ride on this merry go round.

[Brah]

This generated a much larger response than I was expecting. I think I actually underestimated the paleo support on here haha. I'm not criticizing it, honest!

2. You're correct that on some level it is about calories in vs. out for weight loss, but it's not quite that simple - adequate protein is important no matter what diet you're following - and there may be a few other subtleties as pertain to micronutrients. And perhaps most significantly, while calories in - out is a primary determinant of weight loss/gain in the short to medium term, long-term health is far more complex, and encompasses much more. This is where, over a few weeks, 1000 cals/day of junk food may give similar results to 1000 cals/day of meat, fruit, and veggies - but over the long haul, the health impacts will be quite different.

Also, this is key. It's a hell of a lot harder to overeat on meat + veggies than it is on grains and other calorically-dense products with lots of added sugars and/or fats. CI/CO still applies to body weight gain/loss, but all calories are NOT created equal when it comes to appetite regulation. This last point has been shown conclusively through research.

PALEO IS NOT NECESSARILY LOW-CARB. Many paleo eaters eat relatively low-carb, but low-carb isn't part of the paleo definition(plenty of starchy root veggies are "paleo"). It's just that omission of grains by default tends to lower one's carbohydrate intake, making the typical paleo diet lower in carb intake than the typical non-paleo diet.

First off, of course I agree that adequate protein is essential. I was not saying you can eat ANYTHING as long as your calorie count is good. The macros are important regardless of diet, how you achieve the macros... not so much. I do not agree with the idea that "calories are not created equal" and that this idea "has been shown conclusively through research." There have been a few studies supporting this idea, but most of them have been pretty laughable. One just a few weeks ago had journalists from everywhere writing about calories not being created equal, but most of them don't know a thing about nutrition. I was not impressed, to say the least. I have tried eating "clean" calories and "dirty" calories, and the results have been the same. Keep in mind this is purely in regards to body composition, e.g. how I look.

I may have worded my point on no carbs badly. I was actually referring to the keto diet not paleo. I simply meant that something your body doesn't NEED isn't necessarily harmful to it. And I totally agree that it is easier to overeat certain foods. That is a matter of willpower though. If we're talking purely on CI/CO hypothetically you wouldn't be overeating. I admittedly don't know that much about the paleo diet which is why I made this thread in the first place. You guys have brought up some really interesting points.

And to the IIFYM guy, I see I'm not the only one! Haha, I wouldn't say IIFYM is necessarily more complicated than CI/CO... CI/CO isn't really much of a diet in itself, just an idea.

[bigm141414]

I'm hoping this discussion escalates to the point where I can bust out that philosoraptor avatar I created after the last ride on this merry go round.

I remember that time, and my suggestion follows:

Dooo EET!

[bigm141414]

I do not agree with the idea that "calories are not created equal" and that this idea "has been shown conclusively through research." There have been a few studies supporting this idea, but most of them have been pretty laughable. One just a few weeks ago had journalists from everywhere writing about calories not being created equal, but most of them don't know a thing about nutrition. I was not impressed, to say the least. I have tried eating "clean" calories and "dirty" calories, and the results have been the same. Keep in mind this is purely in regards to body composition, e.g. how I look.

One of the benefits of the paleo diet is a control of insulin response in the body. There is a growing body of research about insulin/blood sugar and its affects on the overall health of an individual. Eating 500 calories of chocolate cake is going to spike your insulin levels really really high and cause issues for a number of people (not everyone has the same response mind you) as opposed to eating 500 calories of steak veggies and fruits. I used to be a hard core CICO person but that was because I was losing weight for short term, but now that I am starting to read up more on how the body processes food it does not seem to be as simple as that for long term sustainability.

As others have mentioned my favorite thing about paleo is a license to eat bacon

[Wicked Pixie]

Read "It Starts with Food"

It answers the OP's question with lots of Science-y reasons along with Real Life success/improved health stories.