Getting in Shape

Is Paleo a fad diet?

I have been doing some reading on it and want to get GIS's opinion.

Fad or not?
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Re: Is Paleo a fad diet?

  • Weeeelllllllll.... I think it depends on how you do it.  I think there is a way to follow the basic principles that is healthy and sustainable for a lot of people, and is especially helpful to some people with different disorders and illnesses and issues.  But I think a lot of the books/sites/plans/etc are unrealistic and make absurd claims. 

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  • I agree with J&K (weird, right?)

    I'm not a huge fan of Paleo because I don't really like the idea of cutting out types of real food, but I don't think that the diet in itself is inherently flawed.  If you approach it as a lifelong (or at least long term) lifestyle change, then sure, go for it, but if you're only interested in it to drop 10lbs and plan on going back to normal, then it's like any other fad diet.
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  • I tend not to like diets that tell you to avoid entire food groups, and I am not a "low-carb" kind of girl, but as diets go, this one isn't *too* faddish. I guess my approach is always to think "Could I eat like this for the rest of my life?" I could not do paleo, because I would really feel like I was depriving myself, but I think many people could eat this way with no problem.

    (The other thing is, I don't know how strict you would be. I try to eat "clean" for the most part, but I also like some junk food every now and then so I don't sweat it when I decide to eat some Doritos or a piece of cake or whatever. Does paleo "allow" for that type of thing?)
  • Yeah, I also could not cut out entire food groups, but I do think it can work for people who can't eat dairy, or are gluten free or otherwise need a low carb diet for health reasons.

    I think it's something that should be done more for health reasons--for people that NEED to cut out those things.  I would never go on it just to lose weight, but I've heard it works well for people with thyroid problems and other health issues--which is what I was referring to in my original post. 

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    Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_paleo-fad-diet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:ae7a72f7-3ef4-4124-8a09-164937504764Post:393b3405-3b68-41a4-a15a-35e387e23c82">Re: Is Paleo a fad diet?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Yeah, I also could not cut out entire food groups, but I do think it can work for people who can't eat dairy, or are gluten free or otherwise need a low carb diet for health reasons. I think it's something that should be done more for health reasons--for people that NEED to cut out those things.  I would never go on it just to lose weight, but I've heard it works well for people with thyroid problems and other health issues--which is what I was referring to in my original post. 
    Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

    I totally agree. I'm all for eating everything you *can* eat; if you have conditions that restrict your diet, then of course, don't eat things that will make you sick or aren't beneficial to your health.

    I do have thyroid problems myself, and sometimes I wonder if I should try low-carb, but I just really like carbs. I would go bonkers without them.
  • I would argue that Paleo/Primal is actually far from a fad diet. I do a semi-modified primal, in that I do have raw dairy products, in addition to pastured butter and heavy cream. 

    I would also question why you wouldn't go on it to lose weight. I've known tons of people who lost large amounts of weight (and kept it off) by transitioning to paleo/primal eating, without the regain I've seen in my friends who did more traditional "just cut the calories" diets. It's (in my opinion), and extremely healthy way of eating. Grains and legumes provide no nutritional value that can't be found from vegetables, fruits, or meats.

    I also strongly believe that we are addicted to carbs (particularly carbs from sucrose and grains), and that they can be just as bad as cigarettes for those of us who are particularly carb sensitive. I no longer have the hunger, where I was constantly miserable when dieting. I no longer have binges. I no longer have issues with emotional eating. All of these were completely related to my carb consumption.

    I've already lost 25 pounds, and the side effects of how I feel mean that this is a way of eating for life for me.

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_paleo-fad-diet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:ae7a72f7-3ef4-4124-8a09-164937504764Post:ad5f4304-e569-47a5-964c-7788667d8c5f">Re: Is Paleo a fad diet?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I would argue that Paleo/Primal is actually far from a fad diet. I do a semi-modified primal, in that I do have raw dairy products, in addition to pastured butter and heavy cream.  I would also question why you wouldn't go on it to lose weight. I've known tons of people who lost large amounts of weight (and kept it off) by transitioning to paleo/primal eating, without the regain I've seen in my friends who did more traditional "just cut the calories" diets. It's (in my opinion), and extremely healthy way of eating. Grains and legumes provide no nutritional value that can't be found from vegetables, fruits, or meats. I also strongly believe that we are addicted to carbs (particularly carbs from sucrose and grains), and that they can be just as bad as cigarettes for those of us who are particularly carb sensitive. I no longer have the hunger, where I was constantly miserable when dieting. I no longer have binges. I no longer have issues with emotional eating. All of these were completely related to my carb consumption. I've already lost 25 pounds, and the side effects of how I feel mean that this is a way of eating for life for me.
    Posted by emyinpink[/QUOTE]

    I don't think anyone is arguing that this doesn't work for some people. All I said was that I couldn't do it, because I don't like diets (for me) that cut out entire food groups. I wouldn't ever be happy on low/no carbs, and I certainly would be ridiculously unhappy without grains and legumes. It would not be sustainable for ME. 

    Of course, it also sounds like I don't have the same issues as you did with binging or emotional eating. I can eat healthfully WITH carbs, so I don't see any reason to leave them out of my diet. You obviously had issues with carbs, so this diet makes sense for YOU.  If you are healthier this way, then then it IS a more healthful diet for you.
  • In the going on it to lose weight comment, I was actually referring to J&K10910. :)

    And Arwo, I do agree with you. Some people appear to not be carb sensitive, or have any poor reactions to grains or legumes (or dairy). My FI is one of them, he has a natural hunger switch, and doesn't have to worry about gaining any weight. 

    Depending on your thyroid condition, it might be worth trying out eliminating certain grains (specifically gluten) or trying a (lower) in carb diet, but really, it all depends on how you feel. I have Hashimoto's and am hypothyroid, and a low carb and primal diet is important for me to feel optimal (in addition to being on the proper medication). 

    There is also starting to be more and more research done to see if many of the "modern diseases" like certain cancers, diabetes, and auto-immune conditions are caused by the consumption of certain grains. (I'm on the science side of things so I've been quite interested in some of the newer work). The medical field is still quite biased however as a whole.


  • I have Hashimoto's but I'm not hypothyroid, and I'm not trying to lose weight, so I'm happy with my diet as it is. My doctor thinks one of the reasons that my thyroid function is still so good is because of my exercise habits. (I get a lot of exercise.) I suppose if my thyroid function every goes in the toilet, I'll think about changing my diet, but my TSH levels are totally normal now, and I really feel strong after getting a decent amount of carbs!

  • Pretend I said what arwo said though.  I said I wouldn't go on it just to lose weight.  I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone just for that purpose, because I believe that with moderation, nothing needs to be off limits unless you have health reasons.

    But in a case like yours, where you're able to cut carbs and you do much better, that's cool, and I'm glad it works for you.  I just don't feel like that sustainable for the long term for a lot of people.  Definitely some people, but not everyone.

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    Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
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