Conflicting information and request for opinions. - PaleoHacks.com

Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T18:59:36Z

So I am getting some conflicting information from this site. A Lot of people here put more emphasis on meat + fat. However Mark Sission and Dr. Cordain describe the diet as a lot of green with a little lean protein. All of the books I have stress Lean cuts of meat over fatty cuts. So I would like to have this discrepancy resolved.

Also, assuming the earlier question gets resolved to satisfaction, I would like opinions on my course thus far.

So lets start with metrics. Occupation Computer Programmer Age 24 Height 180 cm (5'11") Weight 156 Kg (345 lbs)

Typical Meals over the 11 days I've been on paleo.

note veggies means a mix of carrots, cauliflower and brocoli Stir fry always uses olive oil

Breakfast: 1 Scrambled egg (generic store bought) 4 Strips of bacon

Lunch: Two frozen pre cooked chicken breasts (with rib meat http://www.tyson.com/Products/Grilled-And-Ready-Fully-Cooked-Frozen-Oven-Roasted-Diced-Chicken-Breast.aspx)

Meaty Chili sans beans with steamed veggies

2 80/20 1/4 pound hamburger patties with cheese.

Dinner can include anything from the lunch section as well as...

Chicken Breast with steamed/stir fry veggies.

Steak with steamed/stir fry veggies

Stir fry shrimp and veggies.

Beverages: So far for the 11 days I've been on the diet I have stuck to just water.

Preliminary Results. I have dropped about 10 pounds thus far, but I believe this to just be water weight from the drastic change in eating habits.

Blood Pressure: Pre diet it was running high 120's over high 80's these past few days I have been checking in at ~110 +- 5 / 65 +- 5

If I was a betting man I would attribute the bp drop to the sodium intake being severely cut by the diet.

Blood Glucose. Only one data point here. 2hrs After eating an Easter Sunday meal with my extended family (i kept myself out of the sugar and stuck to ham + carrots only) I scored an 88 on a family members glucose meter.

That seems good, but I dont know what my blood sugar was pre diet so nothing conclusive like the BP stuff.

I havent seemed to have lost any weight since the initial 10 pounds. Was just looking for a few opinions on what I have been eating and what changes I may need to make.

Answer by RanchHand for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T19:11:50Z

Kitavans eat mostly carbs, Inuits eat mostly animal fat. Both are super healthy. Swiss and Mongolians eat the largest amounts of dairy (raw) and they are two of the healthiest and longest lived groups on earth. I have lots of vegan friends who are thin and very healthy too (for now). No clear cut answers on this one. Someone elses' answer won't necessarily work for you. You've got to see what works for you.

To poorly paraphrase Gary Taubes, if you just eliminate processed foods, especially fructose, soy and wheat, you should be pretty healthy.

Answer by greymouser for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T19:21:34Z

I think there is a tendency here to proselytize meat eating, but in general, yes, those books do stress lean, healthy meats that aren't wrought with industrial by-products. Neither celebrate over-indulgence, but "little"? Not sure about that one. I suppose it depends what you mean by "little".

Here's my few suggestions for your stated diet:

Stir-fry - if you're doing it traditional and quick EVOO is okay - if you cook at high temp or for longer, consider an oil better suited for high temp cooking - e.g. coconut oil would be great for a stir fry; maybe include a dash of sesame oil for flavor. I love me some EVOO -- but don't get it too hot.
Eggs - 1?! :-) I think you have room to add 1 to 3 more, even daily.
Bacon - get the real stuff. "Ingredient: pork" (a little salt is OK). Avoid cured meats and nitrates.
Cheese - ehhh ... if you like it, eat it. Cheese kills me.
Burgers - I'd aim for a mix of natural/pastured meats for your patties - not just beef. Grassfed lamb, beef, and pastured pork work very well together for burgers and meatballs.
Your dinner's sound great. Don't fear tossing some denser, starchy veggies like sweet potatoes in, if you aren't doing a VLC diet.
Don't underestimate the importance of losing that "water weight" - it might not feel like "real work" to get rid of it, but carrying it around can and will make you feel bloated.

Dood, you're off to a great start! Make sure to keep eating enough, keep variety high, and have fun. Good luck.

Answer by Jules K for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T19:23:51Z

Agree with RanchHand- unfortunately nobody here will be able to tell you with certainty what will work best for you. Also, some books are stressing lean meats because the fat in grocery store meats (that are most accessible to most of us) is not very healthy; the omega 3/omega 6 ratio is not very good, and the antibiotics, growth hormones, etc. that those animals receive can be passed on to us through their fat. Sisson (and probably Cordain too, but many paleo-folk take a lot of what he says with a grain of salt) will tell you not to shy away from the fat of grassfed & wild animals.

As for your food- how do you feel? I wonder if you are not eating enough. I'd go for more eggs in the morning, maybe a little less bacon. The reason I say that is that while tasty, it's just not a healthy protein source (and that's coming from a girl that loves bacon; eating bacon made my transition to paleo a little easier).

Welcome and good luck!

Answer by Sunny Beaches for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T19:46:11Z

When I first started paleo, I ate fairly lean. Then I came across this board and convinced myself I was doing it wrong because a lot of people seemed to wrap everything in bacon and butter all their meat and drink heavy cream straight. I had never done any of these before and it didn't even seem appealing. Yet, I decided to cut carbs down a little more and up my fat through coconut oil in my cooking and lots of egg yolks. I ended up gaining weight. I'm going back to how I was eating (but still eating paleo foods) with a lower fat focus because that's where I feel best mentally and physically.

I think how much fat you eat depends on your goals and where you are physically. I think the macronutrient ratio is going to be different whether you are trying to lose weight, improve athletic performance or aid in symptoms to improve health, etc.

Answer by Jessica G for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T19:52:34Z

Sidenote: I have to bring up the pre-cooked chicken you're eating - its ingredients are:

INGREDIENTS: Chicken breast meat with rib meat, chicken broth, contains 2% or less of: modified food starch, dextrose, salt, chicken flavor (salt, autolyzed yeast extract, sugar, molasses, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, sodium phosphates), brown sugar, chicken broth [yeast extract, chicken flavor (chicken fat and flavoring), corn syrup solids, salt, and flavor], sodium phosphates, and natural flavor.

That's quite a lot for a piece of "chicken," eh? Autolyzed yeast extract is another word for MSG, which is not good for you at all, and there's a LOT of sugar there, as dextrose, molasses, brown sugar, straight up sugar - it might not seem like a lot ("less than 2%"), but I'd cut that out straightaway if possible. Way more pertinent than whether to eat fat or lean, I think.

Answer by Karen for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T20:49:19Z

Everyone is different but I find meat easier to digest when I have a salad or few raw veggies with the meal. Besides, you need their nutrients. Long term, I'd add a little fresh fruit as well - I like berries, apples or pears - whatever is in season.

Answer by VB for Conflicting information and request for opinions.

2012-04-10T22:27:52Z

My favorite variation of Paleo (there are many different ways of doing it, you know) is Terry Wahls. 9 cups of veggies and not one cup less. Thank you for your question though. I agree.