most recent 30 from http://paleohacks.com 2013-05-26T07:38:00Z http://paleohacks.com/feeds/question/157741 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo surfin' on a rocket 2012-10-24T08:40:05Z 2012-10-26T15:42:48Z

<p>There's lots of topics on how you came to paleo but what makes you stay with paleo when you've wandered off the beaten track?</p> <p>For me it's the gas. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157745#157745 JoshKrouse 2012-10-24T09:36:52Z 2012-10-24T09:36:52Z

<p>The all around health benefits! </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157751#157751 raydawg 2012-10-24T10:34:31Z 2012-10-24T10:34:31Z

<p>Luckily, or unluckily, I have a very clear reaction to anything gluten, as well as cow dairy. That reaction is quite nasty and obvious, so if I have it, I know I've been exposed to something bad. It includes things like loss of immunity to cold (and actually getting chills), brain fog, lack of energy, and the runs, and hellish acid reflux the night after.</p> <p>I suppose the wonderful high energy of paleo is something I got used to, I still have it, but it's no longer as obvious after almost two years, but it is there when I need it, and gone when I accidentally expose myself to the bad stuff.</p> <p>I suppose that having a baseline of feeling awesome day in and day out is something I've gotten used to to the point that anything that affects this negatively is very obvious. (As opposed to the early stages, where I was used to low levels of health and felt awesome soon after switching to Paleo.)</p> <p>For folks that are asymptomatic it's less obvious, but of course the damaging health effects of SAD exposure are still there.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157756#157756 Judi 2012-10-24T10:58:07Z 2012-10-24T10:58:07Z

<p>I feel great! And when I stray, I don't</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157760#157760 rnoel 2012-10-24T12:01:29Z 2012-10-24T12:30:11Z

<p>I was essentially asymptomatic prior to Paleo, but, at 57, knew the SAD was NOT the way to health and longevity. </p> <p>Since undertaking Paleo (about 4 months) I feel better, lost 20 lbs., see better results from my workouts, and enjoy the knowledge that when I buy my groceries I am frequently supporting small(er) business, humane and environmentally responsible farming practices, and setting a good example for my two young adult children. And I LOVE the food! </p> <p>So it simply doesn't occur to me to stop eating/living this way. It just wouldn't make any sense.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157762#157762 David McC 2012-10-24T12:11:11Z 2012-10-24T12:11:11Z

<p>I want to live a long and healthy life. I want that because I have a son with learning difficulties &amp; I want to be around long enough and stay healthy enough that I can care for his needs.</p> <p>If I revert to eating rubbish (or drinking too much) the feeback I get is almost instant. I know I am damaging myself and that will curtail my longevity and quality of life. </p> <p>If I drink more than a couple of glasses of wine it takes me more than a day to recover. I'm quite sensitive to milk and cheese (not cream or yoghurt). It brings on asthma. Who needs that?</p> <p>I like feeling well, so on the whole I only break the diet when I'm being sociable and even then, not that much.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157772#157772 CD 2012-10-24T12:38:04Z 2012-10-24T12:38:04Z

<p>Everything about my body works better and feels better since I changed my diet. It's just not worth it to go back.</p> <p>But if I had to pick one, it is the SLEEP. OMG the sleep. I used to go to bed and toss and turn for hours. Now I get into bed and I am out in a matter of minutes. And I sleep right through the night (of course I have three kids under 6, so occasionally my sleep is disturbed, but not like it was before). </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157806#157806 MathGirl72 2012-10-24T14:34:04Z 2012-10-24T14:34:04Z

<p>The horrendous heartburn and general bloat is what keeps me from going back to SAD. Got glutened a few weeks ago and was reminded of how bad it gets.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157812#157812 TJ 2012-10-24T14:53:33Z 2012-10-24T14:53:33Z

<p>Paleo is the only thing that makes me feel even semi-human (thank you gut dysbiosis!).</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157826#157826 Missi 2012-10-24T15:36:35Z 2012-10-24T15:36:35Z

<p>Fear of constant migraines returning. Now, I'm weaning off GERD meds (fingers crossed).</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157835#157835 Diane 2012-10-24T16:00:56Z 2012-10-24T16:00:56Z

<p>I stick with it because I feel young, strong and fantastically healthy for the first time in my whole life. I didn't feel young even when I WAS young, so to me this is incredible. And every new paleo thing I try just adds to the effect. Everything just gets better and better even after more than a year of this. The results just keep coming.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157837#157837 CS 2012-10-24T16:08:48Z 2012-10-24T16:08:48Z

<p>I stick with paleo because, from a mental standpoint, I just <strong>can't not</strong> stick with it. For some reason I have this mental complex were if I'm not exercising and eating at an optimum level I'm just not as happy as I would be knowing I'm doing everything right.</p> <p>So basically, now that I know about paleo, there is no going back.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157839#157839 JCentonze 2012-10-24T16:18:30Z 2012-10-24T16:18:30Z

<p>This is an interesting question. I do not suffer from any known dietary issues - my whole life I've eaten grain, dairy, and legumes with relative impunity. This I mention not to brag but only to say that I don't have any pressing medical pressures to keep me on the straight and narrow. (Not that the weight loss is anything to sneeze at!) I came to paleo for a few reasons: Environmental/social, to boost my weight loss, and to generally simplify my life.</p> <p>The first reason doesn't ever go away, even in paleo foods, but I'm in a better position to contribute positively - Farmers Markets help a lot of people (plus, the food tastes better.) Yeah, I could go vegetarian and stop contributing to the slaughter of animals, but I could also work toward boosting pastured meat and away from factory farms and still keep eating the protein I love. It's not perfect, but it helps.</p> <p>The weight loss (100 lbs in 18 months, the last 5 of which have been more or less paleo) I attribute to eating less of the crap I used to eat; could grain, dairy, and legumes still have stayed in my diet and allowed me the same results? Maybe, but paleo gives me not only a plan to work from, but a good set of reasons behind it. I like evidence, and paleo makes a lot of sense.</p> <p>As far as simplification, it's a two-way street to be sure, but I think the net effect is positive. By removing Pollan's "food-like substances" from my menu, I now think of food on a more basic level. I can do all of my shopping in two places - the Farmers Market and Whole Foods (the only place I can regularly get grass-fed beef). I don't have to worry about my apples being shipped in from New Zealand (not that I have anything against the Kiwis, just that there's nothing responsible about eating apples out of season from half a world away) and I'm not tempted by the piles of processed crap that used to stock my pantry. I just cleaned out my fridge after my non-paleo ex moved out - the effects of simplification are seen quite clearly in my easily navigated shelves.</p> <p>Another note on simplification: it has made eating with others more complicated. There are some restaurants that are just never going to be on my menu - anyone ever get invited out for pizza after going paleo? Even with that I find benefits, though - those establishments that cannot possibly offer a paleo meal are generally low quality, fast food-style joints, and I feel better avoiding the corporate food chain (which circles back to point one.)</p> <p>So there you have it. I stay paleo because I feel it helps me contribute to the restructuring of the food industry, I'm terrified of gaining weight back if I cheat, and, now that I've gotten used to it, I spend a lot less time thinking about the mundane aspects of eating.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157848#157848 nursling 2012-10-24T17:17:57Z 2012-10-24T17:17:57Z

<p>Rationally it makes the most sense to me. I honestly haven't felt any benefits from it, probably due to underlying health issues that it wouldn't be able to solve</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157855#157855 Andrew 2012-10-24T17:33:28Z 2012-10-24T17:33:28Z

<p>I love to question stupid generic wisdom and society in general...being paleo I pretty much get to flip off the food pyramid every single day. which gives me some satisfaction. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157856#157856 polynesian_metal 2012-10-24T17:37:55Z 2012-10-24T17:37:55Z

<p>Achieving my athletic goals and eating mindfully. I don't beat myself up if I stray. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157880#157880 VB 2012-10-24T20:03:51Z 2012-10-24T20:03:51Z

<p>I have no choice. That's the only way I can eat in my condition. </p> <p>Not only I am eating Paleo I am eating the strictest form of Paleo - zero carbs. If somebody would tell me about being 0 carbs last year, I would laugh in his face. But here I am, eating bone broth and more bone broth and more bone broth, and fat, and liver... and feeling better and better every single day. </p> <p>I wonder if some day I would be able to eat something that is not Paleo and not get sick? </p> <p>Even if I won't be able to - it is okay. I can live on this bone broth and fat forever, as long as I feel good. It is worth it.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157929#157929 raney 2012-10-25T02:06:38Z 2012-10-25T02:06:38Z

<p>Depression and anxiety are really the worst of what falling off the wagon does to me. </p> <p>A clean diet is a large part of my mental wellness plan, and without it I just can't be the best version of myself. That includes everything from the "big stuff" like advancing in my career and forming loving connections in my personal life - down to the little things like being able to look someone in the eye without triggering my social anxiety.</p> <p>It provides the clear, solid, healthy foundational state that allows me to make progress in all aspects of my life.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/157993#157993 meta 2012-10-25T10:26:17Z 2012-10-25T10:26:17Z

<p>In addition to the gas, the dental carries, the hypoglycaemia, the indigestion, the heartburn, the fatigue, the skin allergies, the hypertension, the overeating, the weight gain.. Need I go on? </p> <p><a href="http://paleohacks.com/questions/157990/has-your-carb-tolerance-decreased-with-age" rel="nofollow">But it wasn't always this way.</a></p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158032#158032 veritasnyc 2012-10-25T14:22:57Z 2012-10-25T14:22:57Z

<p>cause fit chicks dig it when one feels and looks great. </p> <p>stereotyped joking aside... </p> <p>mentally: the psychological income derived from gaining an understanding of how my body works (analogous to solving mysteries, problems, or puzzles)</p> <p>emotionally: feeling like my body is running like it was intended to run (analogous to when i get an engine to purr)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158042#158042 joanna 2012-10-25T14:47:11Z 2012-10-25T14:47:11Z

<p>less bowel movements. thank the universe.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158069#158069 Betsy 2012-10-25T17:05:46Z 2012-10-25T17:05:46Z

<p>I stick with it because of the fact that if I do not I get terrible gas and bloating and constipation (so painful!) and also painful joints for an entire week from grains. I have also noticed all the same symptoms from consuming fake sugar but, those symptoms only last 48 hours. Totally not worth it to me for a few minutes of so called pleasure/social eating.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158186#158186 wally 2012-10-26T04:50:31Z 2012-10-26T04:50:31Z

<p>What makes me stay with Paleo? All around the house I have put a photo of me where I look like a big fat beached whale. All I do is look at it and say 'never again'.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158189#158189 2020mojo 2012-10-26T05:38:58Z 2012-10-26T05:38:58Z

<p>Paleo feels like a higher level of consciousness . Not in a drug like sense, but in a more here and now groundedness kind of way. It’s cool enough to not want to trade it in for some pizza. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158213#158213 Deniz 2012-10-26T10:16:54Z 2012-10-26T10:16:54Z

<p>The disappearance of all my GI problems and yep, the gas. Always thought I was sensitive to everything but on Paleo my body just... works. :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158217#158217 tye 2012-10-26T11:10:23Z 2012-10-26T11:10:23Z

<p>For me, it's the bloating that almost instantly converts to fat gain if I stay off the wagon, the gas and intestinal acrobatics, and the allergies. Sad to say, even though these issues come up, my sweet tooth and lack of other symptoms are sometimes not enough of a deterrent. I really appreciate reading these other answers to help keep me grounded.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157741/what-makes-you-stick-with-paleo/158268#158268 Michelle 2012-10-26T15:42:48Z 2012-10-26T15:42:48Z

<p>Well, I guess my answer is a little complicated. </p> <p>I'm more WAPF than paleo/primal per se, in the fact that I eat properly prepared gluten-free grains and beans on occasion and don't consider it "straying" or "cheating." BUT, I don't eat them much for some of the following reasons:</p> <p>1) I'm gluten free. I don't stray on this because if I do, I'll get some killer sinus infections. Also, being gluten free has GREATLY diminished my carb cravings (even for GF bready things), and I'm simply not hungry as much as I used to be. Being gluten free alone is enough to keep me from straying on most things.</p> <p>2) I limit my carb intake a bit. This means primarily that every time I eat, I don't eat a carb (incl. grain or legume) without combining it with protein. Breakfast is most important because if I don't eat a good breakfast, my day will spiral out of control. I do this to control my blood sugar. If I ignore this, I'll be hungry all day, noshing on everything, get headaches, fatigue and feel generally overfed and undernourished. It's not a fun feeling. </p> <p>3) On the fact that most my meals are paleo/primal and I like it that way--I consciously know that beans and grains are not that nutritious compared to other real foods. Plus, they're a pain to prepare for everyday fare.</p> <p>4) I eat real food. Plain and simple. This is something I trained myself to do even before my paleo education. I became a foodie in college and lost weight with that premise in mind soon after graduating. It really is "all I know." I don't really know what I'd eat if I were to really "fall off the wagon." I really don't enjoy most non-real food, and certainly not in excess.</p>