Now a quick disclaimer: I am not advocating that this is the BEST diet for everyone, even though I believe a significant amount of people can benefit from it. People tend to forget everything is dependent on each person's specific goals. If you want to gain 50 pounds and are bulking, I would not recommend eating strict paleo. If you are a body builder and enjoy eating pop tarts or candy post workout because it fits your macros, I don't think switching to paleo will help you with your figure goals. BUT, if you are someone who wants to lose weight, maintain weight, decrease your risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, or just FEEL both physically and mentality healthier (so basically you fall within the majority of the population) following a paleo diet will help you attain those goals. If you adjust your calories accordingly, eating paleo can help you lose or gain weight. The quality of food is where you reap the most benefits for your overall health. (Remember, anyone can lose weight eating pizza and then running 10 miles, but it doesn't mean they are healthy for doing so).
So what exactly is the paleo diet, short and sweet?
By just removing sugar, grains, processed foods from your diet, you are already heading towards the path of preventing a large number of lifestyle diseases. Obesity is so widespread in our country that the CDC has declared an "obesity epidemic." I believe this is due to the ever increasing amount of processed, nutrient deficient, hormone injected, and artificially flavored food made so readily available to our citizens. This is the largest benefit I believe paleo has given my body. It has made me more aware of the value of eating real foods, organic and grassfed meats, and how efficiently my body can function when I feed it what it needs. Many Paleo diet supporters also note the benefits they feel from avoiding gluten when they stopped eating wheat, rye, and other processed grains. If you want to learn more about celiac disease and gluten intolerance, Robbwolf.com has some great articles.
Dairy is also not seen on this paleo pyramid. I am lactose intolerant and so are many others, so I drink almond milk and really enjoy it (soy milk is a no-no). I am considering myself only 80/20 paleo due to the fact that I will have grassfed butter with my vegetables and greek yogurt as a substitute for mayo or as a snack, so the paleo elite would shun me I guess. Unlike them, I believe in seeking additional information outside the paleo world, and John Meadow's Mountain Dog diet introduced me to the benefits of grassfed butter, so I enjoy using it to cook with in addition to coconut oil. It works for me, but I recommend you follow a strict 100% paleo diet for at least a month and then decide what your body can or cannot tolerate. Some with the ability to purchase fresh, raw milk have told me it works fine for them.
Paleo is not "low carb" but it gets labeled that way quite often. If you are a CrossFit athlete or olympic weightlifter like myself, I do not think a ketogenic, paleo diet is going to help us reach our athletic potential. If you work out for 1-2 hours a day 5-6 times per week, carbs are very important in providing quick and usable energy, as well as replishing our glycogen stores in our muscles for our workout tomorrow. So just because I am paleo, I still eat carbs. The type of carbs is where the difference is apparent. Instead of crappy protein bars with a long ingredient list, or devouring a box of krispy kremes, I opt for eating grilled chicken or beef with sweet potato, quinoa, or rice (rice and quinoa are not Whole30 strict paleo approved, but that can be for another blog post!). I get my carbs in without eating a bunch of fructose and red dye #2. And if you do not workout often because of work or just lack of motivation to get to the gym, eating less sugar and more vitamins and fiber found in natural foods is always a good idea for your health.
So to wrap up with some final thoughts, I hope you focus more on the quality of food you ingest, and make more of an effort to eat a high protein, high fat, low sugar and low processed garbage diet. I feel the difference in my stomach when I have a refeed day or cheat meal with dairy, bread or fried food. I much prefer the way I feel when I am eating my homemade paleo meals. As a human being, I also believe in enjoying the company of others and going out to eat once in a while, so I give myself a day where I can enjoy something not-so-paleo (this is the 20% of my diet). I hope you have a better understanding of the paleo diet. My next post will be what my shopping list consists of to help you get started on making healthier decisions at the grocery store!
Never Quit, Never be Satisfied,
Leighann