Any other Paleo eaters out there?

[3ismylot]

Hi I am just starting out eating a paleo diet to both lose weight and to be healthier in general

The main idea is that you eat like a caveman would have, basically meat and vegetables, fruit and nuts.

No dairy
No grains or legumes
No nightshades
No sugar or sweeteners


Would love to hear from others that are doing this to get ideas for recipes and to chat in general

[BaronVonAwesome]

Me! I'm starting out as well.

The whole 'no dairy, no nightshades' thing isn't a hard and fast rule btw. It's whatever suits you best. I do absolutely fine on dairy, although I don't use cow's milk anymore but that's because I never really liked it much in the first place. I'm also ok with nightshades.

What's your favourite meal or snack so far?

[BaronVonAwesome]

Hah, I didn't write mine. At the moment I'm really enjoying using cucumbers in place of crackers, so I'll spread pâté or something on them.

My favourite meal so far - chicken korma! After years of unsuccessful low-fat dieting, I can finally make a korma the way it's supposed to be - loads of creamed coconut.

[Whippoorwhill]

Hi, there are a few of us around. There was another thread a while back and a number who hang out on the Low Carb and Bootcamp threads.

I'm low carb primal rather than paleo. I still eat cheese, cream and yoghurt, not much milk. I'm fine with nightshades but my husband isn't, so I eat them when he's away.

I do limit nuts because of their high omega 6 and I'm only eating fruit if it is locally in season.

I've just started playing around with fermented foods. I've made lacto-fermented mayonaise a few times which is wonderful and I'm now experimenting with sauerkraut and fermented salsa.

It's a great way to eat, I feel better than I have in years. :)

[3ismylot]

Baronvonawesome The cucumber sounds fab and is one of the reasons I started this thread so that I could get yummy ideas like that I only started on monday so am still finding my feet and playing safe with food!
I kmow that nightshades and dairy are not hard and fast rules but Iwant to give myself at least a month without them to see how they affect me when I reintroduce them one at a time. I love chicken korma and plan to make it at the weekend with cauilflower rice and cant wait

Whippoorwhill I will have a look for those threads thank you , Im gonna have to be careful with nuts as I love them!

[Salbertina]

Guess I see myself eating paleo-lite with an emphasis on low carb aka John Briffa

I have some dairy- a little cream jn coffee, some natural yog, butter and a little cheese but never milk.
I avoid potatoes but not courgettes, peppers etc

[Fourfingerkitkat]

I think this diet makes a lot of sense but I'm almost 100% veggie (fish once a week at most) so couldn't do the meat eating part. I'd be starving if I stopped eating my kidney beans and chickpeas !

[BaronVonAwesome]

I would say I'm more primal than paleo as cheese is a big part of my diet. If I have a day without meat because I forgot to defrost some then I have cheese as a main part of a meal to up my protein. Tonight I had a baked camembert with red pepper, red onion, plum tomato and cucumber crudités.

I'm aiming to keep my carbs below 100g per day, but I'm not bothered if it occasionally goes over as long as it's never more than 130g.

[BaronVonAwesome]

Says the woman who caved, ate a Double Decker bar and brought her carbs up to 150g for the day. Sigh.

[vnmum]

I describe myself as eating Paleo but I guess I am primal as I follow 'the primal blueprint' and eat dairy although I am trying to cut back as my skin is better when I don't eat it.

I have been low carbing since feb and gradually learned about paleo/primal and that is how I eat now. I still do it low carb though as I am trying to lose weight so don't eat fruit that often and no pots/sweet pots.

I feel great.

[3ismylot]

Well I am on day 4 of eating this way and I am really enjoying it so far
The only thing I will need to watch is the amount of nuts I eat as I love them but know that they should be limited.

I am finding the no dairy alot easier than I thought and so far Im not missing the wheat or potatoes either so hopefully this really is gonna work for me

The only problem with this way of eating is the cost! The fresh fruit and veg and meat is costing more but I suppose it will get easiser as I learn new recipes and I will also keep an eye out for offers and check out my local market and butcher

[kellykettle]

I follow the primal blue print too - although staying with family recently has kicked me right off the wagon. I am fine with dairy and nightshades - well, I mainly go for tomatoes and don't bother with the rest. Only eat macadamia nuts because of PUFAs, occassional things made with ground almonds.

Snacks? Er, a chicken leg? veggie sticks dipped in cream cheese, fruit (limited, prefer veg).

Sorry for rubbish grammar, nak.

I am pleased to have found the thread though, I could do with the motivation, support & ideas.

Does anyone exercise? I am tempted to buy some kettle bells but we do have a cross fit gym nearby so may be that's an option. I want muscles!

[Whippoorwhill]

Inspired by vnmum I've been going to the gym and lifting weights. I can feel little muscles in my arms and legs now. :)

I've never been a fan of exercising but I'm really missing it this week. I've done something bad to my neck, trapped nerve I think and the pain is all down my arm so am taking it easy till it gets better.

[kellykettle]

Oh sorry to hear about your neck whippoorwhill, probably a wise decision to skip it for a while.

How long was it before you felt results? I can feel my arse getting saggy, I need to re-find my muscles before I have one of those backs-that-runs-straight-into-your-legs.

[vnmum]

kelly i do weights 3x a week with the occasional run and sprint session thrown in. I am starting to see definition on my arms and DH says he can see the muscles on my back. I have photos on my profile if you want a look. Kettlebells are good as they use all the little muscles aswell as the big ones. Crossfit is very paleo

[Whippoorwhill]

Kelly, I was doing weights three times a week and the first week I was really achey so knew I was doing something and by the third week I could feel more muscle in my arms and legs.

I'm not sure that anyone else can see much difference yet but I'm still really fat though, it's probably going to be more obvious quicker if you are slimmer.

[mslicketysplit]

I've started paleo recently too and I'm loving it. Losing weight and feeling way more energetic. I started a body conditioning class which is stretching and using weights and I'm thinking of starting kettlercise this week.

[Needabitofsunshine]

A Crossfit & Paleo gal here too. I was v strict Paleo for the first 3 months or so and have had the odd month (usually combined with holidays...) where I´ve fallen off the wagon. I always come back to it as I feel so so so much better following this way of eating. I do a lot of exercise, so don´t keep it too low carb otherwise I find I run out of steam... Now on Paleo plus oatmeal and the odd bit of grated cheese. :)

[misscph1973]

I have just started Paleo/Primal 2 weeks ago, I am reading Robb Wolf and Mark Sissons. As a former vegetarian I am finding it really hard to a) not eat beans/lentils and b) eat all that meat! Also, I find it really expensive as I was eating quite cheaply as a vegetarian, and I am shocked to find out just how expensive organic meat is.

I am doing it mainly for health reasons. I have wanted to go gluten free for a while to see if it will clear up my acne (i turn 40 next year) and generally improve my health.

My husband is doing it as well and our kids, 5 and 7, eat what we eat, but we don't make their school lunches Paleo/Primal and we don't restrict their diet when they are eating at friends/family.

I do eat fresh legumes if they happen to be in my weekly veg box and I do have some potatoes, tomatoes, beets etc. I have some seeds and nuts (mainly almonds and pumpkin / sunflower seeds. I probably eat more carbs from veg/fruit than I should, but as I don't need to lose weight, I don't see it as a problem.

I can recommend frozen fish from Lidl and Aldi, there is a lot of wild fish, although the catching methods are sometimes net/trawl. Also, check out your local Asian grocer, I found almond flour very cheap and it makes the best American pancakes ;) A hit with our kids is coconut milk (not from a can, the slightly thinner from the Free From section in the supermarket) blended with frozen strawberries.

I exercise somewhat Paleo/Primal, I have a kettle bell, a pull-up bar and some dumb bells and also a rowing machine. The pull-up bar is the best investment IMO, £10 from Amazon and fits in the kitchen door. It took me months to be able to do just one pull up, but now I do 3 in a row. I swim once a week as well. I can't do sprinting, I tried twice now, and I sprained my upper thigh in both legs!

Initially I read Tim Ferriss The 4 Hour Body, he is kind of Paleo/Primal, only he does eat beans/lentils. I tried to do a vegan version of his recommendations, but all the beans/lentils meant too much flatulence even for me ;)

I would appreciate advice for non-egg breakfasts as I think 3 eggs daily is just too much (I am currently managing 2 breakfasts per week without eggs).

Here is a great recipe for a fresh power smoothie:

1/3 pack of fresh spinach
1 avocado
1 handful of almonds
Frozen berries
Coconut milk (about 1/3 to 2/3 of blender)

Great snack or meal when you are in a hurry or if you really don't like spinach but feel you should have some ;)