david58

Three weeks ago I embarked, with my dear bride, on the Paleo Diet. Well, my holdout was for beer - I still allow myself the occasional (or more than occasional) pint.

So far, I see some weight loss, not drastic - 'bout a pound a week. My cycling has been really dialed back, so I'm sure that getting it back on track will help, too.

What are your experiences with the Paleo Diet? Did it / does it work for you? Did you modify it to match your training? If you stopped it, how come? Success stories?

Just curious, and looking for support. I miss my bread and my beans!

helmet4000

I use a Mediterranean/whole foods diet. Slow but steady weight loss. I avoid red meat and eat chicken/fish occasionally.

With a 1985 Peugeot (PH-501/Ventoux) road bike and Ozner's Miami Mediterranean Diet (here is a review: https://www.livestrong.com/article/38...erranean-diet/) I went from 244 to 195.

I recently got a newer (2001 or so) Italian road bike. Clipless pedals and much fun. I think the nutrition really helps the cycling. I avoid fast foods and processed foods. Never felt better in my entire life.

grant_110

I have done the paleo diet for two months - while doing 4 crossfit sessions a week, 2 x 40km cycling sessions, 1 x 100km cycling, a couple of small runs, 1 at least 20km run and 3 swim sessions a week.

The exercise levels were the same before paleo. I eat 4 cooked meals a day when i can to avoid weight loss (am 6 foot 1 and 85 kg) but found strength and muscle became more obvious. It took a few weeks to feel the same energy levels as prior (and i still drink a bit of beer) but when i stopped the diet (which i am still of) I felt like crap once i reintroduced all the stuff i had avoided. If you are disciplined (which im not) i think it would be a good lifestyle.

k_randomfactor

I did the "Primal Blueprint" for awhile, very similar to paleo. I lost 30lbs in 4mo, and after the transition, felt better and got sick less through the winter. I had more energy, and slept better, and woke up feeling much better. I sleep poorly anyway, so this was a huge factor for me.

I've gained back about 5lbs since I quit.

The first couple of weeks suck as you adjust to the new lifestyle. Drink lots of water to help flush your system. Lots and lots of salads (which I got to actually enjoy), and any "diet" that includes Bacon! and eggs as a major part is tops in my book.

I found it easy to transition into it over a couple of weeks, cutting out one or two things a week to make the transition easier.

I didn't follow the 'program' 100%, as it frowns on dairy, but I like cheese on my salad and a cup of yogurt for breakfast. They can deal, and I still lost weight.

The biggest downside I found is that eating paleo/primal can be pricey. Fresh veggies and fruit aren't cheap, especially in the winter. This was the main reason I quit, as I hit a rough financial period, and rice, beans, and ramen is much cheaper.

I'm slowly trying to transition myself back to the paleo/primal plan. I really like it.

clones2

I've done the paleo diet for a few periods of time now. I would keep my carb intake to under 50 grams a day for a couple weeks at a time. I would still treat myself every couple days to some low fat frozen yogurt or some multigrain bread here and there.

I always felt good though, and when combining paleo with cycling workouts... the pounds would melt off. I went from 185 to 170lbs since June. 6'1".

The tough part with paleo, or other low carb diets, is always feel like Im withholding certain foods from myself...and after awhile it gets to me and I struggle. I always afford myself a small treat here and there.

good luck

k_randomfactor

I found cravings to be a major problem for me too. I dealt by doing the diet strictly for the first couple of weeks, then I'd allow myself one 'cheat night' a week, usually Friday, where I'd get a pizza (my real downfall) and have a couple of drinks.

It probably slowed my weight loss, but knowing I had an "out" built into my plan helped me mentally deal with the cravings the rest of the week. The "founder" of the Primal Blueprint wrote that while you should strive for 100%, if you follow the lifestyle 80%, no real harm. Using that philosophy allows you to enjoy the occasional night out, or nice dinner, with friends and family without feeling guilty and beating yourself up over it.

May not work for everybody, but I had success with it.

junglemoth

I tried to go full "paleo" but found it nearly impossible to cut out everything that I was supposed to. As someone who is already skinny and can't afford to lose any weight, I felt like I was not getting enough calories. Everything I read about paleo kept mentioning weight loss, which for me was not an option.

So I basically made my own diet that works for me. I give the paleo diet credit for introducing me to healthy eating/lifestyle choices that have helped me to stick with my current "diet". I don't even like the word "diet" because for me it's more about a lifestyle choice.

My food intake consists of: No dairy except Ghee (I'm lactose intolerant anyway), no wheat or gluten, minimal grains in general except for rice and quinoa which I eat frequently, no processed garbage, minimal sugar intake (except for fruit), and unlike Paleo I do eat beans mainly in the form of hummus (one of my favorite foods). My one crutch if corn chips (I get an organic, slightly healthier kind) because I absolutely need something to dip into my hummus.

I think that the Paleo diet is a great start for people looking to eat healthy and lose some weight, but I don't think it's essential to stick to it 100%. Modify it for YOUR needs. Everyone is different. If you feel fine eating beans, then eat beans.

The thing about these diets is everyone claims that theirs is the best and can present hundreds of "studies" to back up their claims. Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo, etc people all think that their exclusive diet is the healthiest, but I really think it comes down to the individual.

Listen to your own body and do what works for you.