Paleo / Ketosis diet - anyone else tried it?

Rikki · 26 Jun 2012 at 10:51

After listening to Steve Gibson on the GRC/Security Now podcast I checked out his 2 specials on low carb / paleo / ketosis style dieting.

http://www.grc.com/health/lowcarb-podcasts.htm

and

http://www.grc.com/health/lowcarb.htm

Started it about 2 and a half weeks ago and already found a hell of a difference in my energy levels, sleep, general happiness and weight/fitness.

I wasnt exactly heavy to begin with (12 stone or there abouts) but by changing my eating over, dropping most carbs and all grain/sugars Ive seen a big difference and without killing myself with the gym every day or starving myself. Mainly with the belly starting to disappear and trousers/jeans/belts now fitting far better.

Just wondering if anyone else had given it a go and seen similar success.

Thanks

Rik

icecold · 26 Jun 2012 at 11:27

I occasionally end up being quite paleo, and I'm seriously considering doing a proper stint with it over the summer.

I really tend to notice the difference when I'm doing it, more from the gluten side of things. Long term, I don't think I'd go totally gluten free. I think I have a reasonable tolerance, but it's fun to play with this stuff.

edscdk · 26 Jun 2012 at 11:29

I always struggle with my weight on a normal diet

low carb makes me loose weight at a stupid rate no matter how much I eat (though there is some debate that you just end up eating less calories)

its also give me a lot more energy

PhillyDee · 26 Jun 2012 at 12:16

Would like to know more myself, how does my sunday dinner fit in with this? Seriously.

Chris1712 · 26 Jun 2012 at 12:18

I'd like to try it but I'm pretty sure the food prep/lack of flexibility would make it impossible to stick to for me. If I had someone preparing all my meals I'd be up for it!

Psymonkee · 26 Jun 2012 at 12:31

Chris1712 said:
I'd like to try it but I'm pretty sure the food prep/lack of flexibility would make it impossible to stick to for me. If I had someone preparing all my meals I'd be up for it!

Very much this.

Have been on and off this sort of diet for a few years but can never last more than a few weeks before caving and getting some uber nommy veg and then it just spirals downhill from there

Nexus · 26 Jun 2012 at 13:04

I did a low carb diet about 10 years ago. It certainly works in shifting body fat, but the problem is, its like most other diets that restrict something. As soon as you go back to eating carbs, it will start coming back.

Its far better to just make a healthy lifestyle change approach to what you eat with a balanced diet, as that way its something you can continue to maintain after loosing weight.

Rikki · 26 Jun 2012 at 13:32

Being a fussy eater Im actually not finding it that difficult.

I eat a ton of beef, pork, eggs, tuna, salmon and diet or zero drinks instead of the full sugar ones.

Im keeping away from veg, fruit and most dairy though using Lactose free milk at the moment and its fine.

My PT at the gym isnt so keen on what Im doing saying we need grains and what not, didnt really have an answer when I asked how mankind survived the last 500,000 years before agriculture came along

**Edit: Im fairly happy to keep going this way too, not having any cravings for carbs, cakes or anything so wouldnt see a need to go back**

fluffmct · 26 Jun 2012 at 14:08

Chris1712 said:
I'd like to try it but I'm pretty sure the food prep/lack of flexibility would make it impossible to stick to for me. If I had someone preparing all my meals I'd be up for it!

Funny you mention this, there's a company here that offer Paleo prepped meals for 6 days a week (3 a day) all cooked by a michelin star chef and delivered to your house/gym/work. It seems dead popular - been tempted myself but it's a tad expensive to do week in week out

Chris1712 · 26 Jun 2012 at 14:15

fluffmct said:
Funny you mention this, there's a company here that offer Paleo prepped meals for 6 days a week (3 a day) all cooked by a michelin star chef and delivered to your house/gym/work. It seems dead popular - been tempted myself but it's a tad expensive to do week in week out

Oh lawd, got a link?

Nexus · 26 Jun 2012 at 14:31

Rikki said:
when I asked how mankind survived the last 500,000 years before agriculture came along

Errr... we did survive on grains and fibre rich food though.
Humans would have eaten a diet largely consisting of plants, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit and the odd bit of meat when they could find some.

**Edit: Im fairly happy to keep going this way too, not having any cravings for carbs, cakes or anything so wouldnt see a need to go back**

You will though.

Rikki · 26 Jun 2012 at 14:55

Dont think I will. Never had a sweet tooth, take a teaspoon of sugar in my tea and thats about it generally.

Nexus · 26 Jun 2012 at 15:12

Rikki said:
Dont think I will. Never had a sweet tooth, take a teaspoon of sugar in my tea and thats about it generally.

I wasn't necessarily referring to sweet items like cakes and pastries. I was more thinking along the lines of bread and other starchy carbs like potatoes and such that are found in all kinds of different foods.

Are you really saying you aren't going to eat them anymore?

edscdk · 26 Jun 2012 at 15:14

PhillyDee said:
Would like to know more myself, how does my sunday dinner fit in with this? Seriously.

I kept the weight off doing low card 5 days and normal two, however i feel low card bis a bit unhealthy long term..

LiE · 26 Jun 2012 at 15:17

I couldn't live without sweet potato mash or oats.

How does one squats & oats without oats!!

Rikki · 26 Jun 2012 at 15:59

Nexus said:
I wasn't necessarily referring to sweet items like cakes and pastries. I was more thinking along the lines of bread and other starchy carbs like potatoes and such that are found in all kinds of different foods.

Are you really saying you aren't going to eat them anymore?

Pretty much dont anyway, never eaten much in the way of veg - chips and crisps were my whack. Same with bread, that the bit on the top and bottom of my McDonalds meal usually

Enjoying the lack of carb/sugar highs and lows Ive been accustomed to for the past god knows how long too. Wake up and dont feel sluggish, no high on first sugar intake of the day followed by crash later then chased by a high etc etc.

Ive swapped a weekly eat of : Dominos pizza, KFC Wicked Box Meals, McDonalds, cans of Coke, chips and other **** to a combo of more meat based stuff. Bacon, eggs, tuna, salmon, burgers (minimal grain/wheat), steak, pork with a bit of cheese and lacto free milk. Been in ketosis for nearly 3 weeks now, checked with the little strips from the chemist and cant miss the smell when in the toilet.

Loving it so far and with the gym visits Im seeing huge differences all round.

MoNkeE · 26 Jun 2012 at 16:15

LOL it's not a "ketosis" diet you needed, it was a properly varied and structured diet. I'm not surprised you feel better after cutting out the dominoes, KFCs, chips, McDs......... You've outed all the crappy refined carbs and cheap cuts of meat/processed meat and replaced it with wholesome meat.

Imagine how much better you'd feel with a healthy dose of good source carbs too, ie oats, sweet potato, brown rice.......

Nexus · 26 Jun 2012 at 16:56

Exactly, just eating a balanced diet would have likely of had a similar effect.

Freefaller · 26 Jun 2012 at 17:46

MoNkeE said:
LOL it's not a "ketosis" diet you needed, it was a properly varied and structured diet. I'm not surprised you feel better after cutting out the dominoes, KFCs, chips, McDs......... You've outed all the crappy refined carbs and cheap cuts of meat/processed meat and replaced it with wholesome meat.

Imagine how much better you'd feel with a healthy dose of good source carbs too, ie oats, sweet potato, brown rice.......

Spot on.

Processed and "white" / refined carbs I completely agree with the article, others, such as complex carbs with good complex sugars such as sweet potato, wild/brown rice are absolutely non processed or refined and as such perfectly good to eat. Vegetables are also "carbs" to a certain extent and are absolutely essential for a good diet, the vitamins and minerals within them are necessary for a good cross section of nutrients and dietary requirements.

Sure, a lot of our ancestors ate berries, meats, and fats - however, not all did. Plenty of evidence pointing to the fact that breads and bread-type of products were consumed as well as rice.

The way I see it is, if it grows and occurs naturally and doesn't need to be refined it's perfectly acceptable to eat.

Cutting out the **** in your diet has made the difference. I don't do uber low carbs, but I enjoy careful carb consideration with what I eat. It makes a world of difference. If you were really eating that much fast food, I'm not surprised that you're feeling better.

Good on you for making a change in your lifestyle though.

Keep it up! :cool:

icecold · 26 Jun 2012 at 19:12

To be clear, I'm not encouraging super low carbing. It isn't necessary.

Paleo, on the other hand, is more interesting.

Freefaller said:
Sure, a lot of our ancestors ate berries, meats, and fats - however, not all did. Plenty of evidence pointing to the fact that breads and bread-type of products were consumed as well as rice.

The consumption of grains didn't really start until relatively recently.

LiE said:
I couldn't live without sweet potato mash or oats.

How does one squats & oats without oats!!

Sweet potato is fine for paleo, and oats are something that you can try and reintroduce.

long but worth it.

Really, I think the most important thing to address in the modern diet is insulin resistivity. The paleo diet is one way of doing this, but there are others.