The Decision on the Paleo Diet: I’ll Sort of Do It

Over the last few days, my husband and I have seriously considered the paleo diet. We know all the benefits and can see that it is something we could follow.

But we have to be honest with ourselves and I have to be honest with you. I’m not going to follow it perfectly for the rest of my life. There are just certain foods that I wouldn’t be able to give up for life, especially dairy foods. This isn’t because of health—I know the nutritional benefits of dairy can be gained from the leafy greens—but because I know that if I say a definite no to something then I won’t want to follow the diet. I’ll crave and crave the foods.

And these aren’t foods that are inherently bad for you that I’m worried about completely giving up! It’s milk and cheese: two excellent sources calcium, vitamin D and some fats (some of them good). We will always have them in the house too, since my daughters both need them. So for me to say no to them completely would be extremely hard.

I know my limits. And following the paleo diet completely would push me past those limits.

BUT that doesn’t mean I won’t follow it at all. I’m going to keep it in mind and I’m going to make a very conscious effort to follow it throughout the week. On the weekends (from Friday night to Sunday night) I’ll add in the milk, cheese and some whole gains and potatoes.

I’ve said it before and my mind hasn’t changed at all, even with all this research. I believe in everything in moderation. So does my husband.

But I’m also a great believer in following a healthy diet and focusing on food that is beneficial for us. That’s why when we go shopping we mostly buy fruits and vegetables. In fact, half of our shopping budget is spent on fruit and vegetables. The rest on mostly meats, dairy and eggs. We very rarely buy other processed foods or anything with refined sugar now.

So, while I know this will disappoint some of you who expected me to start following the paleo diet, I hope that it encourages others to take a look at the diet. The only time I get annoyed at people dieting is when they follow faddy diets that don’t give them the calories or nutrition that their bodies need (like Juice Plus). I would never knock someone for trying a medically studied and beneficial diet.

While I’m not going to follow the paleo diet completely, I do want you to know that I will be here to help you if you decide to. I’m still going to look into paleo recipes, because I know they will be good for us. So, you can still come here looking for tips on how to stay on track with your chosen diet and find recipes.

In fact, when I write recipes, I’ll keep the paleo diet in mind and look for variations if there is something you would like but can’t have because of a certain food. The most problematic would be anything with pasta—at least, out of the type of meals I’m likely to make—and I know the quickest ways around this.
So, this is the plan moving forward. Throughout the week, I’ll focus as much as I can to follow the paleo diet. But I like some freedom, so at the weekends I won’t be following it as strictly.


What have you decided with your diet plan? Will you follow to help you lose weight and keep it off?

Comments

  1. It sounds like you have made a very sound decision for yourself. I think it's important to know who we are and what we can and cannot do. This post does just that. Several years ago, I was struggling with feeling bad all the time. I had read several places that carbs could cause problems such as inflammation and achy joints. I decided to cut only bread from my diet at that point. As I did I realized I was starting to feel better. Then I started reading about gluten and took the leap into a gluten free life. It's amazing how much different I feel. All that to say, what works for some does not always work for all and I think your thought process and knowing yourself is the key to any success when it comes to diet. Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your support, Robyn. I'm lucky that I can cut down on bread only and see some results. I don't eat more than a couple of slices every couple of days but we now make our own bread and it doesn't seem as bad as the store-bought options. Carbs are linked to inflammation and some other problems, but they're also needed in the diet (even in small amounts). But then you can get carbs from fruit, potatoes, etc. I'm glad to hear you've found a diet that works for you. One of these days I'll stop changing and find something I can stick to! Maybe now that I've eliminated most refined sugar from the house, I'll find a low sugar diet much easier to follow and that's all I need. We'll see with this experiment of sort of following the paleo diet.

      Delete
  2. The thing that comes to mind when somebody mentions the Paleo diet is the average lifespan of humans in Paleolithic times: not very long. Your genetics will largely dictate what type of diet is good for you to stay at a reasonable weight and fat % that will ensure your long term health. For example: some people don't do well on saturated fats so as "good" as avocados are in general for those people they won't be very useful. The key is in finding what works FOR YOU and then you'll be set for the rest of your life. So please don't apologise to anyone because you won't be following the Paleo diet, it's just a marketing exercise. ;-) Best of luck with your weight loss project!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your support. I do know that my body works better with a good amount of protein, which is just what this diet would offer. The lifespan in the Paleolithic times wasn't just down to diet, though. We have come a long way since then with knowledge and medical care :) but you're right about genetics. I know that saturated fat is bad for me. I get pains down my back whenever I eat too much saturated fats (and I don't like avocados anyway).

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Problems with Crash Diets

100 Day Challenge Day 28: Staying In Control on a Busy Day

Halloween Party Ideas to Lose Weight