Paleo Diet

wexfordlad

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone here has any opinions on or experience with the paleo diet. I've just ordered three paleo books, "The Paleo Solution", "The Paleo Diet" and "The Paleo Diet Cookbook"! I'm still waiting for them to arrive. I started to lose weight in 2010 and started off at over 23 stone, getting down to 14 in January of this year.

I do crossfit 4-5 times awake maybe twice a day and cut out junkfood etc. However, my diet still isn't up to scratch. I feel sluggish and tired the whole time, I haven't changed my diet at all since I started training and always found I had loads of energy but somethings changed now, I don't think I'm eating enough or the right foods to keep me going!

I'm interested to see what opinions people have on this diet, the pro's and con's. I eat a lot of grains and gallons of milk so it'll be extremely tough, I also hate vegetables with a passion but willing to give it a go.

Also, has anyone got any suggestions for basic, straight forward paleo breakfasts and lunches? The dinners are no problem, but I find it very hard to get up in the morning and cook something that takes a lot of effort - something that will have to change I think! :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this has been posted up before!

siobhanoh

Wow you look great!

I know nothing about the Paleo diet but I did see this new business that might help you

http://www.paleomealdeliveries.com/

Good luck!

wexfordlad

Thanks Siobhan, that's a great idea for a business..unfortunately a bit too pricey for me! But got a few ideas from their menu..so thanks again.

meijin

See this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056501032
The steps in the link there are easy to follow to get you switched to paleo/primal.

About being tired - I get that when I eat wheat or milk by mistake, especially wheat (beside the rash... :mad:) If I'm careful to avoid it - full of energy.

Torakx

Are you getting enough carbs before you exercise?
Im trying to stick to a ketogenic diet but alot of the time slp between that and just a low carb diet.
I dont eat grains or fruit.
Mainly protein, veg and fats.

But i do see a large difference in energy when out jogging,if i have slipped out of ketosis and had not eaten much or any carbs before jogging.

In ketosis i get around 3-4 laps which takes 5 mins to run with 10 pushups each lap.
But when i slip out and i am low on carbs for energy, i try 1-2 laps without pushups and i can feel i am nearly out of energy.

I havent really read alot on paleo diets.grains and milk im guessing are a part of it.
It may be suitable to try a regular healthy diet with low carbs.
About the veg...you really have to just take the hit
After a while on a healthy diet you will get used to and start to enjoy the flavours in veg.

Dont know if you can eat coconut chicken curries on your diet, but that is one easy way to introduce alot of veg that you normally hate.

Its how i got myself into eating broccolli,which i love now.
If you cant eat it in a homemade curry then its purely psychological me thinks.

Im impressed after seeing your before and after.
Well done! a great example to others,that it can be done with the right motivation.

meijin

Torakx wrote: »

Are you getting enough carbs before you exercise?
Im trying to stick to a ketogenic diet but alot of the time slp between that and just a low carb diet.

I'm not too sure about that... I don't have much carbs, or none at all, before exercise (1h bodyweight, or running, up to 45 min recently), but have no problems with energy. I try to have almost all of my carbs in meals after the exercise. It takes a while to get used to this though.

Torakx

meijin wrote: »

I'm not too sure about that... I don't have much carbs, or none at all, before exercise (1h bodyweight, or running, up to 45 min recently), but have no problems with energy. I try to have almost all of my carbs in meals after the exercise. It takes a while to get used to this though.

Whats your main energy source?
I had thought if not on a keto diet burning fat, you would need at least some carbs for fuel an hour or so before heading out.
Do you just use your glycogen stores for energy and then replenish after each session?

Ive been considering just switching to a low carb for the long run diet wise.
I am reading keto isnt healthy and isnt for the long term.

Ps, to the op, eggs are probably one of the best ingredients for a healthy breakfast.Easy to make and you can cook them in a good variety of ways so it doesnt get too boring.
I eat them alot with spinach or broccoli.

Or you could cook big dinners and take left overs from the fridge the next morning.

meijin

Torakx wrote: »

Whats your main energy source?

I tracked food for 6 weeks recently and on average got fat/protein/carbs (kcal%) - 53/26/21 (the plan was 50/30/20, however a trainer I know suggested even 45/35/20, but I found it too difficult to get in that many proteins - meat is not cheap and takes some time to prepare, and I don't want to use shakes too much). So the main energy source is fat.

I have meat + nuts for breakfast, 3h later meat, salad (mixed leaves, various veggies, olives, olive oil), nuts, apple or avocado.
I have my session after first or second breakfast (depends on the day), about 2-3h after the meal. Post workout whey + high GI carbs. 1h later meat + some medium GI carbs (rice or quinoa).

PS I'm not very strictly fully primal/paleo

I had thought if not on a keto diet burning fat, you would need at least some carbs for fuel an hour or so before heading out.

IMO that would be counterproductive to losing fat actually... But, it takes time to get used to it.

Do you just use your glycogen stores for energy and then replenish after each session?

I suppose Or fat. I don't know how that works exactly.
If I were to run a race, I would probably get some carbs before

Ive been considering just switching to a low carb for the long run diet wise.
I am reading keto isnt healthy and isnt for the long term.

I have no opinion on that, but to me it seems quite extreme.

Ps, to the op, eggs are probably one of the best ingredients for a healthy breakfast.Easy to make and you can cook them in a good variety of ways so it doesnt get too boring.
I eat them alot with spinach or broccoli.

Or you could cook big dinners and take left overs from the fridge the next morning.

I'm way too busy (and lazy) to cook every day...:D I bake big portion of meat - chicken fillets or drumsticks, portion of ham, or roast, etc. and have it for few days, and always ready for breakfast. I make huge bowl of salad twice a week. Broccoli/cauliflower/green beans steam in about 5-10 min, so easy to prepare. Eggs are nice too, but I don't like them every day, maybe 2-3x a week, 4 scrambled eggs each time with onion, tomatoes, rice/quinoa.

--Kaiser--

wexfordlad wrote: »

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone here has any opinions on or experience with the paleo diet. I've just ordered three paleo books, "The Paleo Solution", "The Paleo Diet" and "The Paleo Diet Cookbook"! I'm still waiting for them to arrive. I started to lose weight in 2010 and started off at over 23 stone, getting down to 14 in January of this year.

I do crossfit 4-5 times awake maybe twice a day and cut out junkfood etc. However, my diet still isn't up to scratch. I feel sluggish and tired the whole time, I haven't changed my diet at all since I started training and always found I had loads of energy but somethings changed now, I don't think I'm eating enough or the right foods to keep me going!

I'm interested to see what opinions people have on this diet, the pro's and con's. I eat a lot of grains and gallons of milk so it'll be extremely tough, I also hate vegetables with a passion but willing to give it a go.

Also, has anyone got any suggestions for basic, straight forward paleo breakfasts and lunches? The dinners are no problem, but I find it very hard to get up in the morning and cook something that takes a lot of effort - something that will have to change I think! :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this has been posted up before!

That's tremendous weight loss, well done.

I've been on a Paleo diet for around 2 years, never looked back to be honest. Once you stop eating bread and pasta you don't really crave them anymore, real food tastes much better and makes you feel much better.

As for breakfast, I either skip it and eat more later on (intermittent fasting) or bring in a tupperware with egg muffins or a parma ham and cheese salad and eat that at work (I'm not generally hungry when I wake up)

karlitob

wexfordlad wrote: »

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone here has any opinions on or experience with the paleo diet. I've just ordered three paleo books, "The Paleo Solution", "The Paleo Diet" and "The Paleo Diet Cookbook"! I'm still waiting for them to arrive. I started to lose weight in 2010 and started off at over 23 stone, getting down to 14 in January of this year.

I do crossfit 4-5 times awake maybe twice a day and cut out junkfood etc. However, my diet still isn't up to scratch. I feel sluggish and tired the whole time, I haven't changed my diet at all since I started training and always found I had loads of energy but somethings changed now, I don't think I'm eating enough or the right foods to keep me going!

I'm interested to see what opinions people have on this diet, the pro's and con's. I eat a lot of grains and gallons of milk so it'll be extremely tough, I also hate vegetables with a passion but willing to give it a go.

Also, has anyone got any suggestions for basic, straight forward paleo breakfasts and lunches? The dinners are no problem, but I find it very hard to get up in the morning and cook something that takes a lot of effort - something that will have to change I think! :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this has been posted up before!

Wow. Fantastic change. Congratulations.

Well, I love Paleo. It allows me to eat what I want (I love meat, I love veg, I love fats). I cut out all diary (except butter and cream) and I try (unsuccessfully) to avoid sugars (Sweet tooth). When I eat, I am full but I never get stuffed anymore, I never feel that my stomach is a million miles around. My energy levels have stabilised. My bowels have stabilised. If I have sugar - I get cramps, nausea, fatigue, diarrhoea. I basically feel like crap for a few days. Totally not worth it.

Have meat for breakfast. Cook more of you dinner and have it for lunch.

karlitob

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

real food tastes much better and makes you feel much better.

As for breakfast, I either skip it and eat more later on (intermittent fasting) or bring in a tupperware with egg muffins or a parma ham and cheese salad and eat that at work (I'm not generally hungry when I wake up)

I couldnt agree more with the first statement!!!!!

I do a bit of IF also. I just eat when Im hungry.

Blueskye

Wow well done, brilliant achievement.

I started eating mostly paleo about a year ago and after a few months, the cravings for bread just disappeared. I felt great on it. But I'm pregnant now and finding it harder but will get back to it hopefully.

Robb Wolf has a good podcast which is worth a listen, as is "relentless roger and the caveman doctor"

I think Robb Wolf recommends less crossfit, i.e. 3-4 times a week max. He emphasises getting enough sleep and reducing stress, fish oils and vitamin d are just as important as what you eat. So that might be worth looking at?

Eggs are great for breakfast.
Meat, veg and fats for each meal, try to keep it simple.

This was a great thread, definitely worth a read
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76664761

It's a big adjustment so take your time and good luck!

El_Dangeroso

karlitob wrote: »

I cut out all diary (except butter and cream).

Sorry, no offence intended but this made me chuckle! (Big dairy fan btw)

Dotcomdolly

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Sorry, no offence intended but this made me chuckle! (Big dairy fan btw)

MDA/primal diet "allows" double cream and butter because of the high fat to dairy content ratio.

Thanks blueskye, almost 1 year on now

El_Dangeroso

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

MDA/primal diet "allows" double cream and butter because of the high fat to dairy content ratio.

Thanks blueskye, almost 1 year on now

Oh yeah I know, but it's like saying I've cut out all meat except for chicken and lamb.:D

alanladd

Well done wexfordlad. Great inspiration.

I notice in your post you say that you go to Crossfit 4-5 times a week sometimes twice a day.
Would love to know where you go because I also go to Crossfit, here in Waterford, and have been told that I should not do the WOD's (Workout of the Day) more than once a day. This is to allow the muscles recover from the stress they are put through.

Also, as regards Paleo, there is a trainer in Crossfit Waterford who gives advice on the Paleo lifestyle. Not sure if it is the same in other Crossfit operations but surely it is worth asking.

From looking at the WWW it seems to me that Crossfit and Paleo go quite well together.
I have looked at the Paleo Lifestyle and am still looking. I haven't made the move to it yet as I need to look at menus etc. and it also affects the rest on the family but I have already included some of the foods that they recommend.

If I could just sort out my extremely over active sweet tooth then I'd be sorted!

El_Dangeroso

alanladd wrote: »

If I could just sort out my extremely over active sweet tooth then I'd be sorted!

Two of these before bedtime will sort that out nicely:

http://www.iherb.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Chromium-GTF-200-mcg-100-Capsules/227

Or just eat fruit, the healthiest sugar going!