The Paleo Diet

[Rod]

I will not worry about staying on the diet while in the backcountry. I will need the extra calories. I will just get back to it after the hunt.

 

[Ray]

Short Old Fat Dude adding some personal experience to this thread.

I won't bore you with sad stories of my lifelong struggle with obesity, or my wonderful days in the gym being stupid fit many years ago.

In May 2012 I was obese and showing signs of insulin resistance. My old gym lifestyle was not working since I was too fat to get it on like I used to be able to. I also hate cooking these days. Way too much work and time. I needed something else. The Paleo Blueprint was recommended by way too many people, so I picked it up when headed out to work remote for a month.

After reading it, and learning things that college physiology classes did not provide, I said what the .....and tried it for 30 days. It works. Its easy. Even in a remote Alaska construction camp fueled by cafine and spagetti.

Things that have changed: down from 247 to 202 from May to September. Weight is holding due to being back in the office and not walking 5 miles a day on a construction site. Plantar Facitious (sp) in left foot went away before I lost more than a pound of body weight. Hunger cycle caused by carbs is gone. I can go through intermentent fasting without loosing my mind and starving. No more high blood surgar migrains that shut me down for days at a time. My skin is clearer. My bowel movements are regular. I sleep better. Loosing just the first 45 pounds has allowed me to move better. I had no issues hauling a caribou off the tundra this year. Last year it nearly killed me and was only a flat 100 yards from a road. This year was a half mile with a short hill between the kill sight and the road. Just a stroll in the park.

This winter I will be getting on the basic "lift heavy things" work outs. Looking forward to sprinting with the dog in the snow. When I get down to 180 I'll start more serious mountain hunting work outs to get ready for next fall.

Paleo is not high protein. Its high vegetables. My typical dinner this week is a terriaki chicken thigh with a 1 quart salad comprized of a head of romain, two large radishes, 1/4c of carrots, 1 green onion, 1/2c bell pepper, 1/4c zucchini. A little basalmic vinigear on top. And thats it. Pre cooking in batches makes for meal prep of less than 15 minutes. I am averaging 100 to 150 grams of carbs a day to moderate my fat loss. I have tons of energy these days.

Part of people's problems with paleo is that they see all these recipes that try to recreate their favorite foods, but with paleo approved components. People love their muffins so they make muffins that are made of nut flours as a daily breakfast food. The paleo folks like Sara Faraguso (everdaypaleo) will quickly point out how wrong that is.

When I was hauling my caribou back to the truck, I fueled up the paleo way with some hash browns and caribou/pork breakfast sausage with sauted bell peppers. Lots of fuel for the hard work I was doing.

As for getting discouraged by my fad diet, all I have to keep in mind is that my mom killed herself with diabetes, as did my grandmother, and I have permanently damaged my pancreas to such an extent that diabetes is waiting for me the day I decide to eat a burrito and drink a coke. It makes it an easy choice.

I am looking into making my own backcountry food that does not include wheat or chemicals. I'll be using dried goods from these folks.

http://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/Backpacking-Kit-18-ZIP-Pouches_p_1866.html

 

[Rod]

Nice job Ray! Glad to see that others are having success with this eating lifestyle also. Bottom line is it works.

 

[phinneas_gauge]

The way I understood the Paleo diet is that, primarily, fats are coming from things like nuts and avacados with some from meat - or is this incorrect (I'm certainly no expert on the Paleo diet nor do I try to follow it).

The National Institute of Health DASH diet has been named the best diet/lifestyle change for 3 years in a row by US News and World Report (apparently they have a panel of doctors that evaluated it). I haven't done a lot of research on it, certainly, but from the little that I read, it just seems like common sense and portion control.

 

[squeekieslayer]

I am not going to get into the argument on this thread.... I have been paleo for about 8 months now. I was NOT fat, I was in very good shape, I was a college athlete (wrestling) and know what BAD weight loss is. Paleo is a lifestyle change, not a diet. I can just about no longer eat bread. I just crave it more and it makes me sick. I decided not to stick to the diet through the holidays so my family didn't have to worry about it.... I was miserable for 2 whole months... bloated, no energy, irregular, hungry all the time etc. It has changed the way I will eat for the rest of my life. Will I be strict paleo for the rest of my life? Probably NOT, but I will never ever go back to eating bread, pasta and white potatoes in every meal.

Here is a book, with clinical research and backing, written by a cardiologist with Diabetes..... not paleo, but very very interesting.... it is called "wheat belly"
another to look at is called "the high cholesterol myth" again not a paleo book, but a good read for anyone that is scared about where their health is headed.

Joe

 

[justin davis]

I think paleo principles are good to follow, but I think it would be almost impossible for someone to be strictly paleo. Alot of the people that I know preach the paleo diet and how good it is for them, but they only do it about 80%-90%. They have their weekly "cheat" day etc.

I pretty much follow the The paleo principle. I eat a lot of meat! All lean meat... that I kill with some chicken. Vegetables and fruit and nuts. Thats pretty much what I eat. But I eat some grains (paleo states no grains). I feel that oatmeal is a healthy and good thing to eat. The paleo diet frowns on protein bars, etc. Sometimes those are needed when your on the move around town etc.

Im of the opinion to eat clean and healthy balanced and your better off. But don't stick to a diet where you have to have "cheat" days to get by because that is going backwards

 

[shanevg]

Im of the opinion to eat clean and healthy balanced and your better off. But don't stick to a diet where you have to have "cheat" days to get by because that is going backwards

I'm with you 100% I work out at a local CrossFit gym where the owner and a lot of the other athletes preach Paleo like crazy! I always tell them I'm just going to stick to eating clean and being healthy and it seems to serve me just fine. I also don't get the no beans, no dairy part of paleo.

I like your outlook though, I agree 100%.

 

[HurricaneHuge]

First time posting on the forum. But this is a topic I've been watching a lot. Bought the Primal Blueprint around Christmas, haven't gotten extremely deep into it, but I have read the parts that shows you why the "diet" is valid. For those who haven't read up on it, it makes an insane amount of sense based on simple logic (what we traditionally consumed as a species) and on the physiological level. I have eaten mainly "Primal" meals for the past 2 weeks and I feel so much better than I did during the carb heavy holiday season. I was struggling for energy during December. Now my energy level is constant, sustained throughout the day, and independent of my meals. It's worth looking into for those on the fence.

 

[HurricaneHuge]

I'll add that I'm doing the Primal eating versus Paleo, and I'm starting to see it as a possible reduction in food required for a backcountry trip.

 

[bstiger]

Diet-is a short term event to lose unwanted pounds and is NOT sustainable for long periods of time. Eating Paleo is NOT a diet but instead a way of life. If interested there is a new book out called :The Paleo Coach" authored by Jason Seib. It is a easy read and VERY infomative and highly recommend it. Eating the Paleo way is not cheap which deters alot of people from sustainment. But you can pay more now for good whole foods or you pay pay later with high medical bills. just saying.

 

[huntography]

I've been trying Paleo as much as I can but find myself cheating a bit. Lots of fruits, vegetables and meats while reducing dairy and carbs.

Almond chocolate milk sure does taste better than dairy chocolate milk. That, I was surprised at.

Better than not trying at all. Just not 100% into it yet.

Rudy

 

[squeekieslayer]

Another book to check out is called "Wheat Belly" written by a cardiologist that cured his diabetes by switching to a paleo-like, no carb/wheat/grain celiac diet. Very very informative. If you can read that book and still stand to eat bread, your brain isn't right hahaha.

PS: BE VERY CAREFULL WHEN YOU "GO OFF" JUST FOR HUNTING TRIPS!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been about 95+% paleo for over a year now..... when I cheat (be it out of necessity on a trip or otherwise) I would have to pack 3 rolls of TP. hahaha

JOe

 

[justin davis]

Yea almond chocolate milk is where its at! SO good and healthy!!

 

[HurricaneHuge]

Heads up on the Primal Blueprint: I read the book beginning of the year, adopted the major principles immediately, and am walking around 30 lbs. lighter just with the nutritional switch and little exercise. I've noticed no loss of strength and have maintained the past two months despite a heavy workload and moving because of a new job. I hope to delve in deeper into the details of the life style and to get more stict on the plan as I've just restarted consistent work outs.

 

[IrishnId]

We just got off a six week paleo challenge at the crossfit box I go to. In six weeks of straight paleo I lost twenty lbs, 9 inches from my shoulders, 7 inches from my chest, and 3 from my waste. Body fat went down 8%, muscle mass went up 6%, and my strength output went up 23%. I feel unbelievable. Definitely a lifestyle change. My plans are to stick to an 80/20 paleo type eating habit. Just my experience.

 

[afteamroper]

I have been following a Pale based eating lifestyle for about 4 months now. Can't get 100% paleo as I am deployed and only have the chow hall to eat from. But I have lost 51lbs in that time I feel great and am going to keep it up when I get back stateside.

 

[caihlen]

Any of you paleo / primal guys have backpacking menus or specifics?

Thanks
Kc

 

[quarbles]

dehydrated meats and vegetables in freezerbags, homemade nut date bar, dehydrated fruit. nuts.

 

[HurricaneHuge]

Just started digging into that topic last night. I'd start digging into Mark's Daily Apple forums as a place to begin.

 

[manbearpig]

My favorite paleo quote "If it has a face you should eat it."