starting in march and I am genuinely pretty nervous that I won't be able to do it. I eat pretty healthy (and paleo) for the most part, but I love me some processed sugars

I searched for other threads but didn't find much. if there are other similar threads already plz feel free to direct me towards them and we can shut this shiz down.

2/15/2012 4:22:21 PM

I googled it and every result was trying to sell me something.

Why don't you tell me what it is?

2/15/2012 4:23:46 PM

Why don't you tell me what it is?


[Edited on February 15, 2012 at 4:55 PM. Reason : why don't I just read some blogs about it lol]

2/15/2012 4:33:39 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uagcVWISNWM

2/15/2012 4:34:21 PM

And I get suspended for fabricating an anecdote. Glad to see you've got your priorities in order.

2/15/2012 4:42:38 PM

Off Topic, I am seriously considering going paleo

2/15/2012 4:44:15 PM

yeah I don't think I could survive going strictly paleo for that long. I feel like I've done a good job cutting out processed and refined but it still creeps in there

2/15/2012 4:47:21 PM

it's 30 days of eating "CLEAN" (or paleo). there are several versions and I guess some books and stuff (for people to make money, because someone always has to be making money).

some people do it as a detox, some people do it to ween themselves off shit and into a better (permanent) lifestyle, some people do it to lose weight, some people do it for the sheer challenge. I'm doing it for a little bit of all of that.

http://www.findingmyfitness.com/2011/09/what-is-the-whole-30-challenge/


minka - yeah, my old roommate was hardcore paleo. it was very interesting to watch, but I could never do it the way he did (and permanently) - WAY too expensive, WAY too time-consuming, and WAY too much I'd be missing out on. life is too short to not have nacho cheese and mint chocolate chip ice cream every now and then.



[Edited on February 15, 2012 at 4:52 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2012 4:49:32 PM

I have done a pretty strict 30 day Paleo diet before and lost a good amount of weight, felt good, but I would never do it again. Not really worth it in my opinion, I like things like cream in my coffee too much.

2/15/2012 4:56:36 PM

I did it a few months ago, though I didn't give up the small amount of dairy I intake. I lost about 15 lbs and felt great, but I attribute most of the loss to the simple fact that I took in so many less calories than usual. I ate pretty healthy to begin with, but it made me realize just how much grain I was eating. I'm eating a lot less grains and more vegetables now, but still probably not as much as I should. I've definitely been eating way too many refined sugars lately (no sodas but lots of sweets). When I was doing paleo the thought of sugar made me want to vomit.

2/15/2012 5:09:45 PM

Everyone gripes about Paleo/Primal/Whole 30/whatever being so time consuming and expensive but I don't get the argument. Whats time consuming about scrambled eggs and vegetables? Or a steak? What it boils down to is being lazy; people complain about not having enough time to cook eggs for breakfast...get up earlier.

Its takes 10 minutes to throw something in a slow cooker and set the timer for when you get home from work.

Expensive? Whole foods aren't cheap but they will last you a couple of meals and will always be a better value than eating out. I don't go crazy and eat only 100% grass fed because I can't afford that so I will give the naysayers that point.

I started off strictly Paleo but now I eat small amounts of dairy and legumes. My biggest gripe about this whole lifestyle is people bitching about anti-nutrients, etc. Guess what? Beans and peas probably have more good nutrients than anti-nutrients. And you are going to tell me that some caveman didn't come across a wild potato and eat it?

/Rant.

Otherwise this is the best shape/feeling I have had ever been in. I would never go back to eating grains unless I had to. Its been about 6 months since I started and will have some bloodwork done in a couple of weeks and will be interested to see where I'm at.

2/15/2012 5:34:30 PM

Uh, he had all kinds of various animal fats imported, weird eggs from weird farms shipped in on dry ice, all kinds of meat, etc. He made EVERYTHING from scratch, and sometimes cooked some pretty elaborate stuff.

Its not sustainable (or ideal) to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast every day and grilled chicken every night.

2/15/2012 5:38:20 PM

It is definitely time consuming considering you pretty much have to cook all your meals or severely limit your choices when eating out. When I was eating stricter I would cook big meals and then eat the left overs for several meals and that definitely helps but still takes a decent amount of planning. If you don't have anything prepared it can be pretty difficult to grab a quick meal.

Call it lazy if you want, I just got really damn tired of cooking all the time.

2/15/2012 5:41:03 PM

*has access to all the modern conveniences of the richest country in the world*


*chooses to eat the diet of a cave man*

2/15/2012 5:59:47 PM

Quote :

"What it boils down to is being lazy"

qft

2/15/2012 7:45:46 PM

I've looked into it before and currently eat very clean but because my food allergy limits me from eating certain foods, going vegetarian and/or paleo just kind of cuts me off more

I do make a lot of vegetarian and vegan dishes. It's kind of fun to experiment but more props to those who can do it all the time

2/15/2012 8:07:48 PM

so what about seasonings?

2/15/2012 8:12:15 PM

I did it and it was AWESOME.

The first three days sucked, felt like I was quitting smoking again.

On day three, I have the mental and physical energy of a coked out squirrel. It is basically awesome. I don't get the afternoon slump. I sleep better. I can concentrate for longer.

Cooking for myself wasn't that big of a pain. Eggs for breakfast, chili and veggies for lunch, nuts for a snack, meat and vegetables for dinner. Not that expensive either.

I highly recommend it to anyone.

2/15/2012 8:45:30 PM

Tried something similar for 17 days. No grains / preservatives. Nothing artifical. No high GI fruits (so mostly blueberries). It was interesting.

Can preface I'm an extremely picky eater and I was able to survive. It was really tough finding calories though - there were days I barely cleared 1000 calories and was not hungry at all. I'm weird and hate eggs and most meats though, so it was hard scarfing down enough nuts/beans/butter to get there.

I tried to run during the process - that was fun haha.

Don't know how paleo specifically differs, but if you can eat black beans there's a black bean pasta at Earthfare. It tastes okay - just lather it in olive oil and marinara (without sugar). Black beans are ridiculously filling.

Definitely miss not having the midday slump.

2/15/2012 9:27:34 PM

I don't quite get the time-consuming part either. Yes, it takes a little time to cook food. But if you are eating real food (not fast food) you're going to take time to get it anyway in driving there, waiting to be seated, having your order taken, getting it brought out, paying your check, etc. It takes me a lot less time to make dinner at home than it does to go out. Unless we're talking fast food.

Some people just simply don't like cooking all their food, and I can't judge them for that. Just don't act like it's impossible to cook your own stuff. Because it's not.

And I can kind of understand the argument that it's hard to eat clean/paleo on the go. But only kind of. If you can stop at a fast food place or gas station, you can stop at a grocery store and grab some fruit, jerky, w/e. The former is just easier.

2/15/2012 10:28:38 PM

Whenever I hear a man say he is going to do Whole30, then say one of the following:

"But I just *can't* eat vegetables without butter!"

"I'm too lazy to cook."

"How can you drink coffee without cream???11??!!!"

"I couldn't LIVE without pasta/bread/sugary crap cereal!!!!"

I feel like he is more of a pussy than I am. Whole30 is not that hard people. Don't say you really think you should do something, then stop halfway through and constantly whine because you need cream with your coffee.

2/15/2012 10:51:10 PM

I don't see the point. I'm not going to eliminate legumes and dairy.

All of the supposed benefits of this kind of protocol can be achieved with similar, less restrictive diets. Fasting yields the same kind of "focused state" and is pretty damn effective for fat loss. On the plus side, you don't have to fuck with 3-5 meals a day. 1-2 big meals will suffice.

It's true that you can't really expect to have a decent diet if you're not preparing stuff at home. Almost all restaurants give you a shitload of carbs and not nearly enough protein. If you're also doing strength training with the goal of also losing fat or limiting fat gains, food prep is even more important.

I'm basing my understanding of this off of http://whole9life.com/2012/01/whole-30-v2012/

A lot claims being made there.

[Edited on February 15, 2012 at 11:50 PM. Reason : ]

2/15/2012 11:42:50 PM

Quote :

"I don't see the point. I'm not going to eliminate legumes and dairy. "

Uh, not to be a bitch, but this challenge, and therefore thread, probably isn't directed at you.

Also, I'm on my iPad and don't feel like typing a shit-ton but I will say for those "confused" about (and the benefits of/science behind such a lifestyle) might benefit from doing some research. It really just makes sense.

2/16/2012 12:19:59 AM

Quote :

"Fasting yields the same kind of "focused state" and is pretty damn effective for fat loss."

Yeah, not really an ideal solution for "fat loss".

2/16/2012 12:21:53 AM

^Why not?

Quote :

"It really just makes sense."

Gonna need a little more than this. Where is the evidence that milk and beans are "gut irritants"?

[Edited on February 16, 2012 at 12:43 AM. Reason : ]

2/16/2012 12:41:12 AM

Everyone is somewhat lactose intolerant. We aren't really meant to consume a lot of dairy from an evolutionary standpoint. A lot of people who cut out or cut back on dairy become much more regular and have less gas, less bloating, etc.

2/16/2012 1:24:22 AM

Dairy I can see why people cut it, milk sugared products also create a high GL(but low to med GI)

Beans...no...it's a staple

[Edited on February 16, 2012 at 8:23 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2012 8:22:43 AM

^agreed. Just because something "sucks" or is "hard" to do doesn't make it better than other diets. Not saying this is unhealthy and it's certainly healthier than most Americans' diets, but I agree with the fact that you can live just as healthy with a less restrictive diet.

My wife and I are very health conscious. Along with this, I eat vegetarian 99% of the time and consume limited amounts of dairy (small scoop of frozen yogurt with my protein shakes and light cheese with some dishes) and she eats vegan. I completely agree with avoiding processed foods and using healthy whole ingredients in my meals.

Obviously I have a different perspective as a (mainly) vegetarian, but I personally feel eliminating whole grains and legumes from your diet is just too restrictive if you don't have Coeliac disease or a gluten sensitivity. I've never been convinced in the "benefits" of grain and legume restriction that paleo lovers have preached.

Also for some reason "30 day challegnges" to eat "clean" or "detoxing" just annoy me for some reason. Eat whole, healthy foods consistently with small deviations here and there to enjoy life and try new things. I don't get the point of 30 day restrictive diet challenges. /shrug

[Edited on February 16, 2012 at 8:56 AM. Reason : ]

2/16/2012 8:27:55 AM

Quote :

"I feel like he is more of a pussy than I am. Whole30 is not that hard people. Don't say you really think you should do something, then stop halfway through and constantly whine because you need cream with your coffee."

More like, after a month of eating strict paleo I asked myself, what is the point of going this strict? Do the benefits outweigh the cost? Not really.

There is really no point to a 30 day challenge. 30 days out of your entire life span is essentially nothing. Sure if someone eats like crap they will probably lose a bunch of weight and feel better but I guarantee I could put them on a diet that includes grain, dairy, and legumes for 30 days and they would lose weight and feel better.

I mainly see the benefits of limiting grains and that is something I implement in my regular diet. I still eat grains and don't lose sleep about it but unless you have a health condition, eliminating dairy and legumes seem to provide minimal benefits.

2/16/2012 9:39:37 AM

The premise is really no different than that of any type of behavior modification. Its what, some 23 days before the brain is accustomed to the change?

On a side note, do artificially sweetened or the stevia line up of products still cause a spike in insulin to combat the supposed sugar you pretended to ingest?

2/16/2012 11:35:42 AM

Quote :

"On a side note, do artificially sweetened or the stevia line up of products still cause a spike in insulin to combat the supposed sugar you pretended to ingest?"

Nope.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2923074

2/16/2012 11:40:38 AM

Whole 30 is great to kickstart better dietary habits. I say do it twice a year.

The rest of the time I'm 80% Paleo...with full fat organic dairy, but only because it doesn't negatively affect me.

2/16/2012 12:07:21 PM

^ever had raw milk?

2/16/2012 12:26:49 PM

Did someone say raw milk?

2/16/2012 12:38:42 PM

Quote :

"Its not sustainable (or ideal) to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast every day and grilled chicken every night."

lol wut? I eat scrambled eggs pretty much every day. They're cheap, fast, and incredibly nutritious.

I'm actually grown pretty tired of arguing with people about paleo. There's massive hate against it in several communities and the media seems to have its own special grudge.

If someone isn't willing to change up their shitty diet, you aren't convincing them of anything.

2/16/2012 1:48:57 PM

my point was that eating the same thing every single day isn't sustainable (realistic or ideal) for most people, myself included.

I wasn't arguing that scrambled eggs aren't delicious, cheap, easy, and paleo.

2/16/2012 3:09:08 PM

k. still not clear which part is unsustainable, but I guess they could get boring for some.

2/16/2012 3:28:22 PM

why do people get so pissy about what others choose to eat?

and what makes other diets shitty compared to paleo?^^^

[Edited on February 16, 2012 at 3:30 PM. Reason : r]

2/16/2012 3:29:47 PM

^actually, my whole point is I actively try not to care these days

Quote :

"and what makes other diets shitty compared to paleo?^^^"

see, this is the part where I don't argue with you.

I didn't mean all diets were shitty in comparison to paleo. I meant most people's diets happen to be shit and if you try to point that out, you'll realize quickly that they don't want to hear it

[Edited on February 16, 2012 at 3:48 PM. Reason : sadasf]

2/16/2012 3:46:24 PM

Quote :

"my point was that eating the same thing every single day isn't sustainable (realistic or ideal) for most people"

what do most people eat every single day? i would imagine if you compared someone who isn't eating for their health, their diet would have a trend of the same types of foods, be it sugary wheat one day or sugary corn the next for breakfast

i say i eat healthy ~90% of the time and do vary my foods quite often, i use this template

1 serving protein
1 serving carbs
1/2 serving fat
green veggies

it is cheap, it is sustainable -- its about overcoming laziness and apathy

2/16/2012 4:18:19 PM

omg.

nevermind.

2/16/2012 4:33:57 PM

The only thing I got out of this thread was we are suppose to eat an paleontologist every day for 30 days...

2/17/2012 2:08:23 PM

Personally, I'm fond of the atheism diet:

Eat a baby a day to keep the doctor away.

2/17/2012 2:27:05 PM

im 2 weeks into this and havent had a single headache

probably the longest ive gone without one in my entire life!

far less gassy and bloated as well; im guessing my body doesnt agree with something ive cut out.

very happy so far!

2/27/2012 3:36:42 PM

I am so glad to hear that - I have basically accepted my headaches as a way of life. I also get very bad ones nearly every time I work out, and aside from taking large doses of advil beforehand (which I don't really like to do), I cannot figure out how to avoid them (much less why they're happening).

we're starting on Thursday - wish us luck!! (my roommate and I - will make it more fun, and have someone to cook with and be accountable to).

a few situations where I will be verrrry tempted to cheat: out at my dropzone (season starting this weekend, beer abounds), a trip to DC to be wined and dined by my new lovah, and a few client dinners.


willy - I'm compiling some cool recipe sites, planning resources, etc. You got anything you'd like to share?

p.s. congrats on two weeks!

2/28/2012 10:13:52 AM

http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-diet-recipes/

ive cooked several things off this site so far, and my girlfriend uses another site which i cannot remember right now (but its also good).

and she bought a book at barnes and noble. we havent had the same thing twice yet, but i can definitely recommend the egg drop soup, zucchini cakes, thai chicken curry soup, and spicy pulled pork off of the site i linked you.

next to try is the beanless chili and creamy tomato baked scallops!

ive been eating bacon or steak and eggs every morning with 100% grapefruit juice. got some spicy organic chicken sausage as well (a lot of these supposed health foods are tastier than the non healthy equivalent, just dont store as long).

i havent had stomach cramps or taco shits in 2.5 weeks either (another record).

oh, and at least one interesting sauce i made where i just winged it. mixed red curry paste with apple cider vinegar and then added honey to thicken it up. pretty much came out to replicate sweet and sour sauce at any given chinese place. i was pretty happy with that.

i also walk 2 miles after work each day, so im sure thats helping me feel better as well.

2/29/2012 9:54:09 AM

http://paleosummit.com

Several days of paleo talks (they post 3 a day for free, but only for 24 hours).

For today, I would recommend Mat Lalonde (aka The Krakken), especially for skeptics. You'll enjoy how he rips apart standard paleo logic.

2/29/2012 11:14:24 AM

first day down - this is going to be very expensive and very time consuming. but I feel very optimistic

I bought two cookbooks - "Everyday Paleo" http://everydaypaleo.com/ and "Paleo Comfort Foods" http://paleocomfortfoods.com/, both recommended to me by a "hardcore" and longtime paleo couple I'm friends with. both are chock full of delicious-sounding recipes and I'm actually excited to start cooking again.

"everyday paleo" has a 30-day meal guide in the back, with grocery lists for each week. holy shit. that is going to take me to the poorhouse, and I'd have to quit my job to have time to prepare it all. I actually spoke to another friend who was paleo for about a year but said she can't do it anymore because of her tight teacher budget - that is pretty unfortunate, to actually want a healthy, sustainable diet but be limited by financial constraints.

this is what I made for us last night - 6-layer portobello "burgers" (the portobello was supposed to be the bun but I only got 2 instead of 4 so it ended up being more of an open face sammy). grilled portabello, grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, red onion, and arugala. I think I overheated the coconut oil because it fogged up my kitchen and made the mushrooms taste weird. need to research more about cooking with coconut products.



I also made an AMAZING avocado salad dressing - 2 avocados, a little olive oil, a little red onion, cayenne powder, a couple garlic cloves, 1 1/2 cups green salsa, juice of one lemon, salt, and pepper (and water for a more dressing-like consistency). thrown in the blender. it is BOMB and I cannot wait to eat lunch today for that reason alone. we are also planning on using this with our paleo wings

3/6/2012 11:21:09 AM

****ALSO***


I just looked back at some of my posts ITT and I realize what a complete bitch I came across as. I PROMISE that was not my intended tone.

3/6/2012 11:34:23 AM

I have felt much better since going paleo-ish. Not 100% yet, but I keep on edging closer. My two biggest problems are protein bars and gluten free cinnamon raisin bread.

3/6/2012 11:50:52 AM