My Journey to the Paleo World...

[BooneGA]

I am not "paleo" but I think I understand what 120 is talking about.

As I stated in the Crossfit thread earlier. Paleo is A way to become more aware of what you eat and be able to make better choices for yourself. There are again, arguments both for and against it that are very convincing. Everyone needs to be ready to admit, as previously stated, your way is not THE way only A way.

There are some very good portions of the paleo method of thought, but occasionally some people go overboard and seem to follow the diet as a zealot as opposed to someone who is openminded to what the goal really is. Is the goal to religiously follow a set rule book and you are guarunteed dominate your sport physically? Or is it to be aware and make better decisions in order to better support your training objectives?

Rick

[gbackus]

At some point you'll need to introduce carbs. Sure, stay away from sugar and processed crap, but whole grains and complex carbs are good (and good for you).

Remember, it's all about creating a calorie deficit.

Bull poopy. The only part of your body that requires any form of sugar at all is your brain, and even then the equivalent of 4 teaspoons of sugar worth is more than enough to keep it running.

You do not ever at any point HAVE to reintroduce carbs you feel you function better without them. For myself, I learned that I suffer from IBS and so the choice to reintroduce certain foods was in a way already made for me.

[Kirkrv8]

Wow fitness and "nutrition" is almost as bad as religion and politics
To the OP good for you I was at 240+ and now and am 175, it can be done!

[dookie1481]

I said all that to say grains are bad. Good luck and it will change your life.

No, they are not. No food is inherently "bad", unless you are eating something that is giving off gamma radiation or something similarly absurd.

[aalmcc4]

Hey 120mm, My thoughts exactly. The human body is pretty much worn out at 40. We live longer than that with better quality of life now because of technology, modern medicine etc.

But 40 is when men's testosterone levels plummet, our eyes go bad, we get crepitus in our knees. We are more suceptible to injury and it takes longer for us to heal from them. In a primitive society with no dental care, by 40, you've probabaly lost some teeth already. By 40 we've had kids, and probabaly lived long enough to where they can (physically) take care of themselves (in a primitive society) and no lnger need us.

Sounds horrible but around 40, we're ready to die. (Again, in a primitive society).

My 2 cents.

Gobakus, complex carbs are the fuel for our muscles. We need them. Simple scientific fact. Without proper levels of complex carbs, over time, our body begins to feed off itself by breaking down lean muscle mass to use as fuel. Can someone dispute that? Just asking.

[Mr. Goodtimes]

I don't think paleo is the do all end all by any means, but I think it's a great guide to help us avoid heavily processed foods. A lot of health problems and cancers we have today can be linked to all the processed foods we eat and diabetes is a result of consuming too many simple carbs. We need carbs for fuell and energy but the carbs humans consumed 5000, or even 100 years ago were much different than what many people consume today.

[gbackus]

Gobakus, complex carbs are the fuel for our muscles. We need them. Simple scientific fact. Without proper levels of complex carbs, over time, our body begins to feed off itself by breaking down lean muscle mass to use as fuel. Can someone dispute that? Just asking.

A sugar is a sugar is a sugar. ALL carbohydrates must be broken down into the same basic components simple components(fructose, glucose, sucrose, galactose) in order to be utilized as energy.

There is one and only one part of your body that must run on sugar based energy, and that is your brain, and the amount you need can actually be gleaned through gluconeogensis because it is such a small amount(though i wouldn't recomend it because a single serving of any carb would be more than sufficient).

Every other tissue in your body can be run off of fat based energies. Your body needs protein to repair and maintain protein based structures(hair, skin, muscles, bone, etc.), your body needs fat to repair and maintain fat based structures(the cell wall of pretty much every cell in your body), maintain hormone production, and for energy. Your body does NOT need carbohydrate matter to repair or maintain any tissue in the body, and does not NEED(which is not to say it can't utilize) carbohydrates for energy production/usage.

[theblackknight]

What I've basically found thru my food quest is that any diet that has a word other than "balanced" in front is a fad, and prob just someone trying to sell you a program,book etc. Eating a balanced diet with the RIGHT kind of protiens,carbs,fats and sugars is what will do you well.

Crazy shit like eating like a caveman or taking all meats or animal products out of your diet is putting other personal issues above a good diet, and short changing yourself in the end.

[theblackknight]

and avocado with a chili paste, vinegar and sesame oil emulsion.

I MUST MAKE THIS

[ap1220]

Not trying to pile on but I have also read that cholestoral may become an issue with the Paleo diet, especially if high cholestoral runs in your family.

Glad it's working for you OP and others that are doing it, just be careful.