How Paleo Can You Go?

You might be surprised to know that the Paleo diet or lifestyle, depending on you intend to use it, is on a spectrum.  Now, I’m no expert. After reading a bunch (see Get to Know \Pa”le*o-\ for some links), going off my own experience with diets in general and just applying some common sense, this is my opinion on what going Paleo means and the best ways to do it.

I’m a few pounds shy of dropping a whopping total of 60 since I was preggo with my little guy two years ago.  Anyone with a hypothyroid knows how miserable it is to try to achieve and maintain a five pound loss, so 60 in two years is an accomplishment.  I employed a number of weight loss tactics in this journey that can be best described as “falling forward.”  The first was denial that it was just baby weight that would magically float away. Clearly that got me no where.  Then I tried your basic calories-in-calories-out approach, which proved futile (see Leaving the Modern World Behind).  I saw incredible results doing one cycle of the hCG diet. It was extreme, but I was desperate. I do not regret doing it, but I would hesitate to do it again. The best thing I got out of it was a body that could finally move without risking injury.  Dropping almost twenty pounds on hCG enabled me to challenge myself with long distance running and eventually work into CrossFit style circuits with my fabulous trainer.  This past summer I ran my first 10k and I did it in an hour.  Is that record blowing? Absolutely not. It’s not even impressive.  But for a girl who was super overweight two years ago and had never run in her life, it’s a sign that I’m on the right track.

So why Paleo?  When you’re trying to lose weight, most people find it challenging to drop the last ten.  If you’re trying to figure out why your body always feels like it’s rebelling against itself, you read and read and read seeking out solutions.  These two scenarios brought me here. I jumped in and have not regretted it since. I lost more weight in six weeks on Paleo, with minimal exercise compared to previous routines, that I have with everything else (other than hCG, but that’s just crazy) and my body feels and functions fantastically.  And that’s really what it’s about. Finding a way to care for yourself and be at your best.  Which brings me back to the spectrum.

There are several camps in the Paleo world.  On one end, you will find folks who do not consume any dairy, sugar, legumes or grains at all (see Whole 9 & Well Fed).  On the other, you will find people who eat modest amounts of full fat, organic, grass-fed dairy (hormone and additive-free products). Quinoa, wild sprouted rice and sweet potatoes are also acceptable. Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint is an excellent resource to have on your kitchen counter. However, both camps agree, absolutely no gluten-containing grains or corn.  Sugar, as well as too many fruits that carry a high glycemic load, are also enemies of the primal diet.  By the way, alcohol is on the no list. What is alcohol but grains and/or sugar anyways? As tough as it is to concede, alcohol does wreak havoc in the body and often leads to poor nutritional decisions. But, if you must, the Paleo alcohol of choice is red wine.

The ultimate objective with Paleo is to transform your body from being a sugar-burner to being a fat-burner.  In order to do this, you simply have to avoid foods that ramp up your blood sugar. This is one of the main reasons why maintaining a Paleo lifestyle is such a positive choice for individuals with diabetic-related illnesses, celiacs and hypothyroid conditions.

So let’s get down to the details.  How do you do it?  This is coming from my opinion only, so if you disagree, I wish you well in doing what works for you. If you’re skeptical, do your own research and rest easy with your decision. I know I was and am glad I did. These are my key points in living the Paleo life.

Point 1: This is a transition not a leap.

Many people start their Paleo journey with an 80/20 approach. As you can imagine, giving up all grains (save for a little quinoa, sprouted wild rice and sweet potatoes), sugar, legumes and dairy all at once might send the average American eater into a tailspin. Your body will have a genuine physical reaction. Quitting grains alone takes preparation.

I see it this way. Food is fuel. If you fuel your body with processed foods and oils, sugars, refined carbohydrates and way overdo it on dairy products, then your body will respond accordingly. Your pancreas will be constantly trying to keep up with your out of control blood sugar levels, your gut will be bombarded with food that is difficult to digest–essentially your entire system will be working together to stabilize itself as opposed to utilizing the nourishment to fuel a streamlined machine.

So if you can manage cutting back on the crap and upping the good stuff a little bit, you’re already giving yourself a leg up.  Take small steps of reduction that eventually lead to elimination.  Get informed about which foods are most likely causing inefficiencies with your personal metabolism and practice living without those first. Gradually move yourself into the camp of choice.

Point 2: Get to know your body.

If primal living is a spectrum then you need to determine your place in it.  Remember the founding principals of Paleo are to eat and live like a caveman–what food would you have available to you if it was just you, nature and a spear?  Now, don’t over think this.  There is a lot of commentary about accounting for indigenous foods available during varying time periods and geographic locations–if you’re living far north you will not be snacking on coconuts and likewise if you’re near the equator, chances are you will not be consuming whale blubber daily for survival.  So this is where common sense comes in.

Enter Ciarra’s rules for common sense: If it doesn’t taste good to you, is just too impractical or if it is not achieving optimal results for your body, then don’t do it.  If you enjoy it and if it is yielding positive results, continue.  It’s not rocket science, it’s dinner.

One of my best friends simply cannot digest meat.  She is a vegetarian, but actually I call her Pesca-Paleo, because she eats according to primal guidelines, only she doesn’t eat meat.  This is her place on the spectrum.  She chooses not to eat grains, corn or white potatoes because of the dietary consequences, though she does eat quality dairy and rennet-free cheese as well as legumes in moderation. She avoids sugar too. From my humble opinion, this is one version of what it means to be Paleo.

My personal priorities are absolutely gluten-free, limited to no dairy, limited sugar and no legumes.  Coming from a hypothyroid perspective, I have learned that anything which will cause an inflammatory response in my body is bad news.  Though I am not a celiac, many with a hypothyroid share the same response to gluten as a celiac would because of the auto-immune connection.  Sounds strange, but it’s legit.  I also prioritize things that support a healthy digestive system such as acidophilus, probiotics and kombucha.  This is why I avoid legumes… they behave much like carbs do in the gut.  As much as I love it, I can live without hummus.

Paleo isn’t a regiment of pass/fail.  It is, or at least should be, a lifestyle — and life has its ups and downs, doesn’t it?  Is it going to kill me to have some kidney beans in chili? Nope. But will I eat around them? Yep.

The heart of Paleo is simple. It’s more about what you choose not to eat, then what you do.  Continue eating like you normally would, just be more thoughtful about substitutions or omissions. I will talk more about that in The Paleo Pantry.

Point 3:  Sweat.

Your body was not meant to sit still. Sure, you need your rest, but our bodies were designed to sprint, lift, balance and endure.  If you do more eating than moving then it doesn’t matter what’s on your plate, your body will not be at its best.  Don’t sell yourself short. Find something you enjoy that makes you sweat and do it frequently.  There are creative ways this can be accomplished, which I write about in my Move It! category.

Point 4: But don’t sweat it…

Just like the need to give your pancreas a break from the roller coaster demand for insulin, adrenal glands need their rest too.  Not only are we constantly juggling a million things, we regularly sweat the small stuff.  We invent stressors in the name of improved organization.  I think this is particularly true when we try to drop a few pounds.

If you’re interested in weight loss, then you have likely entertained the advice of many programs regarding calorie counting and food journaling.  After years of doing this I was burnt out.  Seems like there are rules for everything–eat multiple times a day to increase your metabolism, keep your macronutrients in balance or do drastic calorie reduction diets with meals scheduled in precise intervals, careful as to not put anything new in your system 2-3 hours before bedtime, etc.  Blah, blah, blah… I was over it.  Especially because no matter how meticulous I was, nothing worked as promised.

In a sense, Paleo is my rebellion. I do not count calories. I eat as much or as little as I want when I want to. In fact, because the primal diet tends to be comprised of calorie-dense foods, I actually don’t need to consume as much volume as I am used to. I eat just enough to not be hungry anymore then go about my to-do’s til I need to eat again.  Some days I only eat twice, other days I eat eight times. Never would I imagine that having a scotch egg and half an avocado would fuel me for hours, but it does.

Relax. Respect what your body needs—even if that is restraint. You don’t have to eat lunch just because it’s noon. And if you’re starving at 2 o’clock even though you just ate at 12:30, screw it – have an apple with almond butter.  Your body will thank you.

Point 5: Don’t mistake your addiction for need. 

You have to be honest with yourself. Take sugar. It’s obvious that it’s bad for you–or should I say, you find nothing of nutritional value in sugar that you cannot obtain from a wiser source. Paleo challenges your need for it at all. It’s doing more harm than good, so cut it out. Dairy? Modern grains? Soy? Legumes? You can get all the nutrition your body needs from consuming primarily meats, vegetables and healthy fats. Fruit, nuts, natural oils from certain sources are also essential.

There are two things always running in my house: my dishwasher and my two-year-old.  I rarely feel rested and used to sacrificed the sugar crash for the sugar rush.  You can imagine the relief of finally finding a source of sustained energy–I got off the juice and ate some bacon. Be honest with yourself about the difference between need and want.

Point 6: Be informed.

You are about to make decisions that deeply effect your body and mind.  Do your own research. Look deeper into the effects of dairy and hormone-laden protein in your body. Consider going gluten-free to test if your body does indeed function smoother without wheat. Exactly how are your energy levels affected by the constant peaks and valleys of excess sugar and carbohydrate consumption? Are you ready to admit that though delicious that side of protein-rich black beans actually causes unwanted bloating and gas? Read reputable sources, see what things hold true for your body and try to keep to it as consistently as possible.

If you’d like to continue reading more about making the transition, please go to The Paleo Pantry for details about how to stock your kitchen, including a quick summary of popular primal alternatives to Standard American Diet staples.

Best of luck to you as you pursue healthy decision for yourself and your family!