Friday, February 10, 2012

What is Paleo, and why am I trying it?

Looking at food options, my safest bet seems to be a modified Paleo diet.  In the interest of full disclosure, I will say I have done a rather strict Paleo diet for a month, about 6 months ago, and it *did* work - I lost about a stone (14 lbs or so).  So I know it works.  The trick is not wanting to kill everything in sight/get a divorce/etc when you go through the carbs withdrawl.  Let me explain...

My best friend Joe (who is a personal trainer, amazing resource on all things Paleo, and just a good chap) has many many posts concerning the diet/lifestyle, but it boils down to this:  You eat what the Paleolithic man would have eaten.  Nuts, berries, animal flesh, and veggies are all big winners.  Dairy products are out (Paleo man didn't farm yet), and grains (bread, cereals, pasta, and rice, all 'farmed') are also out.  You get your fiber from your veggies, not traditional grains.  Also, you avoid white potatoes and beans (nightshade veggies).  Caffeine is out, as is sugar.

I'll say it.  Fuck.

But I'll also say, once you get past the MASSIVE caffeine/sugar withdrawl headaches in the first week or so, you do feel better.  I had more energy, and was more clear thinking.  It's just really, really difficult to deal with if you aren't super prepared.  So, I am doing a modified Paleo.  I'm down with no dairy (I use coconut milk for my daily coffee cream), and I AM having a cup of coffee a day.  I'll have rice from time to time (my husband is Asian, we eat rice...a lot), but at least my rice is long grain, slow cooking, not that short boil in a bag crap.  I'm okay with no bread or pasta, and it will hurt, but no doughnuts.  I still don't understand the whole beans thing, I will have to ask him about that.  The best part about Paleo, though, has to be bacon.  Let me state this very clearly, because it is so super awesome I can't even stand it:

ON THE PALEO DIET YOU GET TO EAT A TON OF BACON, AND THAT IS AWESOME.

We have this cookbook, and every other recipe calls for bacon, and that...well, that is just plain awesome.


As with everything, do talk to your doctor first, to make sure whatever you are attempting is safe within your limits. I'm off to get more bacon.

4 comments:

  1. Beans are about two things: Lectins and nutrient density.

    Beans have a lot of antinutrient lectins that make them hard to digest and tear at the gut lining. You can minimize these by soaking and sprouting grains. They don't go away, but they get much better. So why do I still avoid those?

    Nutrient ratio. Beans have lots of calories and almost no nutrients. I figure if I'm going to eat, I want foods that have a high nutrient density. If I were not trying to lose body fat and I really wanted beans, I'd probably soak and sprout them and have some.

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    1. Counterargument: BEANS BEANS THE MUSICAL FRUIT THE MORE YOU EAT THE MORE YOU TOOT THE MORE YOU TOOT THE MORE YOU TOOT THE BETTER YOU FEEL SO LETS HAVE BEANS FOR EVERY MEAL.

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    2. Can I just say I prefer the British version - beans, beans are good for the heart, the more you eat the more you fat, the more you fart the better you feel so eat your beans at every meal.

      something just so more satisfying saying 'fart' than 'toot'!

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  2. I have a hard time refuting your toot thesis.

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