Why is everyone here so obsessed with the paleo diet?

[Philociraptor]

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.

Is that like my distant cousin?

Paleo works. Add me to the "I do it because I feel best while on it" camp.

[jdanger]

I remember that time, and my suggestion follows:

Dooo EET!

Alas I can not find it nor do I remember the original joke. Though it did have something to do with babies and animals not counting calories.

The calorie is a calorie people always crack me up. No one ever wants to go on the protein shake and Snickers bar challenge.. but a calorie is a calorie right?

Oh you mean food is more than a source of energy? Holy sh*t, call Lyle!

[rkt]

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

This pretty well sums it up. If you are doing CI/CO without an eye toward hormonal regulation, you're going to reach a plateau pretty quickly. Now, you may be comfortable with that plateau, but it will still be there.

[bigm141414]

Alas I can not find it nor do I remember the original joke. Though it did have something to do with babies and animals not counting calories.

The calorie is a calorie people always crack me up. No one ever wants to go on the protein shake and Snickers bar challenge.. but a calorie is a calorie right?

Oh you mean food is more than a source of energy? Holy sh*t, call Lyle!

Because I have excellent forum-fu. A trip down memory lane for you jdanger.

[Anivair]

To be honest, the idea of paleo is to eat much the way we did as a species for the majority of our million years on the planet. It's sort of hard to call that a gimmick. The grapefruit diet is a gimmick. High quality natural foods is not really a gimmick. I'm not sure that there's anything hokey or new about "healthy meats and vegetables" in the good eating arena.

That said, a lot of people here are obsessed with it because it works. it's an easy diet to maintain, especially if you allow yourself the occasional cheat and most people do. Then making 90% of your food paleo-friendly is a pretty easy gig, and it works. People see better results doing that one easy thing than they ever did pushing themselves into grave depression and obsession on calorie restricted diets. So why would they NOT sing its praises?

there's two long term benefits to paleo. the first is weight loss and, no lie, a lot of it boils down to the inherent calorie reduction. but some of it also stems from insulin regulation and a healing of full body inflammation.

But the second long term benefit is sort of whole body health. I guess since the median age of rebels is about 25, we probably don't hear as much about it here, but I'm 35 and I saw a lot of huge benefits for the rest of my body as well. I sleep better, my diverticulitis is gone, my digestion is better, my energy is better ... all those creeping signs of age that w assume are just part of getting older crept out of m and I am now in better shape than i was in for most of my college career. that's not shabby for a gimmick.

[KellyElizabeth]

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.

I'm allergic to bacon. No seriously, I am, I eat it, but it could decide to kill me one day. I'm allergic. Seriously.

[jdanger]

Because I have excellent forum-fu. A trip down memory lane for you jdanger.

So good. Too bad I didn't post the avatar in that thread heh. But that's ok, babies and animals don't understand satire so it wouldn't help anyone.

[msuroo]

So good. Too bad I didn't post the avatar in that thread heh. But that's ok, babies and animals don't understand satire so it wouldn't help anyone.

You know, I remember that thread, but I forgot js290 was a part of it. Maybe that's why he only posts links, trying to use his own words wasn't going so well.

[rtalencar]

Alas I can not find it nor do I remember the original joke. Though it did have something to do with babies and animals not counting calories.

The calorie is a calorie people always crack me up. No one ever wants to go on the protein shake and Snickers bar challenge.. but a calorie is a calorie right?

Oh you mean food is more than a source of energy? Holy sh*t, call Lyle!

Edit to clarify: this is a gross oversimplification. Based on the law of thermodynamics, when it comes to strict weight, it is impossible to lose weight if you're eating more than you burn, and it's impossible to gain weight if you eat less than you burn. It doesn't matter if you're eating twinkies or spinach. That doesn't mean just eating twinkies is a good plan though. Getting in adequate macro and micro nutrients are also important for overall health and well being, which is why setting up smart macro goals for your needs and eating a majority of your foods from whole, nutrient-dense sources is beneficial. That being said, a lot of this has to do with how a certain paradigm suits you. Some people feel better on Paleo, don't have to be so careful with calories, and overall get to eat a lot of foods they really like. Some people have similar thoughts on IF. Truth is in the long run I don't think it really matters beyond your ability to stick with it. If you take two nutritionally comparable diets and make one paleo and the other non, I challenge you to find a study where there's any discernible difference. Now a very solid argument could be made that the paleo diet made it easier to hit the nutrient requirements or was better at satiety but that doesn't make one diet 'better' than the other, just different. I have the same thoughts on IF (and I like IF). The difference between IF and non-IF is so small that you're best off just picking the paradigm that suits your lifestyle best and that you're most likely to stick with.

Also I've done the protein shake challenge. Lost 10 lbs in a week and felt like crap. I still drink a protein shake or two daily though to help me hit my macro.

[jdanger]

grr

I know right. People misconstruing food for calories is a problem.

[Horsedog]

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 agree. I mean, weight loss boils down to the numbers (CI/CO) - plain and simple (I say simple, not easy). Every single dietary modification that has ever in the history of time resulted in weight loss (discounting water weight loss) has been due to caloric intake reduction below current body weight maintenance caloric requirements. Now, the types of calories can have monstrous effects on both the CI and CO sides of the equation (I'd argue more on the CO, but that's not really the point), but the equation itself is still valid.

Holistically, though, fitness/healthfulness goes WAY beyond losing weight/maintaining a healthy weight. I can lose weight by subsisting on pure sugar, but that's not (intuitively or analytically) a healthy way to fuel my body. Cost of foods, availability of foods, food intolerances, food preferences, pre-existing health conditions, and genetic predispositions for developing diseases are also considerations.

[jdanger]

Edit to clarify: this is a gross oversimplification.

I know. I'm not the one making it. You aren't disagreeing with anything I said. Notice I never said anything about paleo. That isn't an accident.

[rtalencar]

I know. I'm not the one making it. You aren't disagreeing with anything I said.

My apologies then, I misinterpreted your post. This whole line of discussion has a tendency to get me very frustrated and annoyed. Time to go eat breakfast.

[airen123]

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 can attest to this. I did about 80-90% primal for 3 weeks (until I had to throw a party), and let's just say I found a major difference in bathroom issues.

Now, I just try to eat as clean as possible on primal, avoid grains, breads, etc.

[jdanger]

This whole line of discussion has a tendency to get me very frustrated and annoyed.

You know, I understand. I used to be the same way. But in the end it really doesn't matter. People are either going to do the work and find out what works for them or they aren't. Counting calories, the paleo narrative and any and all other non destructive constructs we use to gain awareness and help guide our food decisions are all fine. The people shouting things like cavemen didn't eat this or that so you shouldn't either or a calorie is just a calorie are missing the entire point.

[Brah]

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

Yeah in terms of total health that makes complete sense. When I was in high school I exhibited pretty much all the major symptoms of hypoglycemia, but once I started eating better they mostly vanished. I still get shaky or lightheaded if go too long without eating. I don't advocate eating quite ANYTHING you want as long as your macros are in check and I eat mostly "clean" foods (if such a thing exists). I was really just wondering how paleo became the seemingly most popular diet here.

I didn't expect this thread to blow up like it has.

[bigm141414]

Yeah in terms of total health that makes complete sense. When I was in high school I exhibited pretty much all the major symptoms of hypoglycemia, but once I started eating better they mostly vanished. I still get shaky or lightheaded if go too long without eating. I don't advocate eating quite ANYTHING you want as long as your macros are in check and I eat mostly "clean" foods (if such a thing exists). I was really just wondering how paleo became the seemingly most popular diet here.

You pretty much answered it yourself. It makes people feel great. Everyone will continue with what makes them feel the best and also discuss what works best for them. (insert cocaine/crack analogy here )

In summary:

CICO works? Yes.

Paleo works? Yes.

CICO good path for everyone? No.

Paleo good path for everyone? No.

[spezzy]

I was paleo way before I found Nerd Fitness. I love it. My entire life improved once I started eating paleo. Seriously - I feel better on it, I perform better on it, my skin is better, my hair is better - every little detail. It's not a gimmick. It's a great diet that works for some people.

But that's because before I found paleo, I was doing the calories in/calories out thing and focusing on "what can I eat for as few calories as possible" and NOT getting the correct nutrients. Like, my skin was awful colors, I was worn down all the time, etc.

Also, when I was counting calories, I became obsessive with numbers. Paleo helped me get over a very bad eating disorder that WW and counting helped me develop (note: not an attack on either method. just MY PERSONALITY can not handle those things).

So while weight loss is calories in/calories out, you can do it and not be getting any nutrients at all. (Remember the twinkie guy?)

For what Steve promotes, he promotes paleo for a few reasons.

1) He truly believes in it and does it

2) It takes a lot of emotion out of the equation when it comes to eating. It's a hard "I can have that" or "I can't have that"

3) We hate counting calories.

4) It removes all of the chemical shit storm foods that people tend to lean towards when they have to start

5) If you're eating meat and veggies, some fruits nuts and seeds you're generally getting a pretty good amount of the correct nutrients.

If your goal is weight loss, you can easily gain weight on paleo if you eat too much still, but it's pretty easy for a lot of people who struggle with things like calorie counting out.

[jdanger]

Mea culpa everyone. I made a mistake in my original post. It was brought to my attention that I did not in fact create aforementioned avatar. It was the work of the gif master herself, Mama T.

Sorry for the confusion. Please continue doing whatever the f y'all gonna to do.

[rtalencar]

You know, I understand. I used to be the same way. But in the end it really doesn't matter. People are either going to do the work and find out what works for them or they aren't. Counting calories, the paleo narrative and any and all other non destructive constructs we use to gain awareness and help guide our food decisions are all fine. The people shouting things like cavemen didn't eat this or that so you shouldn't either or a calorie is just a calorie are missing the entire point.

Agree with you 100%. I have 2.5 lbs of chicken in the oven right now too so I'm feeling better already.

[Corbab]

I've tried pretty much every diet there is in the past few years—low-carb, low-fat, high-protein, calorie restriction, low-sodium, beans only, whole grain everything. I was decently active and wanted to lose some fat that had been hanging around since forever. Not a single one of the plans worked. At my worst, I was eating half of my BMR, lost 30 pounds, had no energy whatsoever, lost progress in my workouts, and looked only marginally "skinnier."

I laughed paleo off at first, not understanding the concept and thinking there was too much to give up. Finally, after an awful bout of obsessive measuring and calorie-counting, I jumped on the wagon. Now I'm faster and stronger than ever, have more energy, and am completely happy with the way I look. For me, it just. fucking. works. And it makes sense—give your body the basic ingredients it needs to function, in the most basic form possible, and don't fill yourself up with useless calories that don't do anything for you.

[msuroo]

You know, I understand. I used to be the same way. But in the end it really doesn't matter. People are either going to do the work and find out what works for them or they aren't. Counting calories, the paleo narrative and any and all other non destructive constructs we use to gain awareness and help guide our food decisions are all fine. The people shouting things like cavemen didn't eat this or that so you shouldn't either or a calorie is just a calorie are missing the entire point.

Post of the thread.

[cline]

what everyone else said goes for me (health improvements, etc.).

I add this: For me it was also already jiving with my desire and practice to eat properly and locally raised animals and veggies - it was such a natural philosophical fit for me. And boy do I feel better and look better.

and BAM my workouts also improved - I'm rarely hungry, my energy is sustained, and being fat burning has made a huge difference there. I do some pretty tough workouts on the weekends in a fasted state and I think it's really improved those workouts for me (because I'm fat burning and not just carb loading/burning).

Also, psychologically my relationship to food changed. I've always had a nice healthy relationship to food. What changed was "I need to eat before I work out or I won't make it through the workout" and "oh wow, I'm hungry already at 10 am after eating breakfast at 7a". I bought into the idea of eating a lot of small meals or I was "hungry" (psychologically and physically). Once I wasn't physically hungry, I realized how much was psychological.

[bigm141414]

Post of the thread.

Agreed. I wish I could as eloquent as jdanger.

[msuroo]

I wish I could as eloquent as jdanger.

Lol, no kidding.

The low bar back squat isn't helping anyone. How to do babies and animals low bar back squat?

Hahahahaha.