I tell people that I stopped eating grains and sugar. That is simple enough and they get the point. People who are familiar with the paleo / primal / archevore / whatever diet usually pick up on this and will usually ask for details (low carb, dairy or no, etc).

I don't think that basic "Paleo" eating is a fad, but diets with names generally are. I would rather come across as someone who just has a healthy if somewhat unusual diet rather than a cheerleader for a diet label.

Yes. I tend to say things like "I follow a lifeway informed by evolutionary and ancestral patterns," because a) I spent too much time in anthropology classes in college and b) I'm a douchebag.

Whenever I use "paleo," I get cracks like, "so do you take Flintstone vitamins, hurhurhur?" I think as paleo becomes more mainstream, though, it will be less cringy.

'Pity the Fool' who bashes the word Paleo too much on a site called PaleoHacks....

else you 'bout to get booted!

Respect. lol

There is no term that is all encompassing and hyper-definitional at the same time. For better or for worse, Paleo is here to stay.

My definition of the Paleo Diet is as follows:

The Paleo Diet is a meta-rule (a rule about rules) that only demands one thing; that one look at human nutrition through an evolutionary lens. End of story.

What Paleo Diet means day-t-day- will be different as over time better data and research surface through anthropological, genetic and empirical evidence.

You know as well, 'paleo' is such a broad spectrum, some people eat high-fat, more recently people seem to be eating more carbs, lots of people skip dairy, some skip nuts or fruit. It may be hard to google but that's maybe because every 'paleo' eater is just one little circle on a massive venn diagram that coalesces around "no sugar/ no gluten / no vegetable oils."

It beats one of the early books on the subject--"Neanderthin" by Ray Audette. Now that was cringe-worthy.

Nope.

I like it.

It is simple yet relays itself well. A diet based on our PALEOlithic ancestors.

But if it makes ya cringe I have a rather grand solution ...

don't use it.

I know ... didn't see that one coming ...

I don't like using the word paleo either. No one around here has ever heard of it so it doesn't really explain anything. Also, I am a Christian so saying I eat a diet based on evolutionary biology doesn't work too well. haha (and no, I don't want to argue theology here please)

Usually I say I eat "low carb/high fat" or that I "eat a traditional diet, we avoid grains, sugar and processed junk". Them sometimes I ask them if they have ever heard of Weston A Price, that dentist from the 30's? and I always direct them to Marks Daily Apple. :)

My basic problem with Paleo is that it makes me feel like I am eating rocks, but I can't think of a term I would prefer.

I dislike using the term "paleo," too... although at this point, it does work as a shorthand for people in the CrossFit/clean eating community. For people who really don't know anything about nutrition, I usually say I 'eat clean' then elaborate on what that means.

I had to get used to the term paleo in its use regarding diet, since I spent a good portion of the last four years hanging around with paleontologists. To me, the "real" word paleo has far different meaning! And MUCH older ;)

As far as eating, I only discuss things like paleo diet with people I know pretty well. I have celiac disease so that's how the conversation starts with others.

Yep, it does make me cringe. Paleolithic is fine and dandy. It's a shortening that seems to emasculate and render twee. Like 'uni' for university. Despicable.

Around others, I anticipate derision by saying I eat a caveman diet. No fucking about. Sometimes, a 'caveman, with access to Pubmed and the health and beauty section of Amazon, diet.'

I just tell them I'm a lacto intolerant celiac, people then usually smile and move to a safe distance lol! Seriously though do you remember how you felt the first time you heard "paleo"? I didn't cringe at the word I just thought it was another crackpot diet with an Atkins twist. I think some of "us" cringe now because we use it everyday and familiarity is starting to breed some contempt for the word in this context, perhaps :]. What ever it is I'm in the best shape of my life and I don't mind a little cringing for that!

Darren.

I use the term " ancestral" which I feel (and see by people's reactions) "translates" much better. And usually, I don't use any term at all. If people notice things I do and more prominently DON'T eat, then I tend to give them a very concise bit of the science behind it, rather than giving it a name or going into a long yak about it. If people are interested, they will ask more questions. In my explanations, I lean much more on specific info which explicates neolithic agents of disease, and why I believe eating these things would be crazy for me. ;)

I try to not use the term Paleo. It seems people do not take it seriously and then try to apply the term to a type of weight loss diet. I feel it's important that people I talk to about nutrition understand it's not a fad diet but a lifestyle change. SO that said, I tell people that I have changed my diet to one free of grain and dairy. Things we were not meant to eat that have been capitalized upon by the free market for profit.

I don't use the word. I sometimes say evolutionary diet, sometimes ancestral food plan, on low carb forums to distinguish my eating plan from other low carb plans. In everyday life, if needed, I just say I don't eat sweets and starches, and if someone is sincerely, earnestly interested, I let them ask specific questions.

What to avoid doesn't actually need a name, IMO.

Hope this helps some. :)

If forced to label it by someone I say Paleo otherwise I just say I eat a lot of meat and vegetables and some fruit. I hate labels.

Over-simplification? Probably. Does it get the point across? Definitely.

I'm starting to say gluten-free high-protein as a general net term because people have fewer past associations with those terms than with low-carb, etc. I also feel like I might really have a gluten intolerance after going on this diet and experiencing the after effects of some awful cheat days, so it's helpful at restaurants to ask for a gluten-free menu and go from there instead of searching for the "low carb" options.

I use the term paleo - I don't see anything wrong with it. No-one seems to know enough about it to have negative associations - I usually have to explain what I mean and I usually end up in a rant about industrial agriculture. I suppose this helps people understand why I do it more as it hasn't cured me of anything and I didn't have any weight to lose. Sometime though I just say I eat a high fat diet because I love it when then they point out in amazement that I'm quite skinny!

I use the awkward "paleo/primal/ancestral" construction. As soon as the words fall from my lips, I then raise my eyebrows expectantly, and nod a lot. I'm using my body language to coax them into indicating that they understand, and they always do.

I often follow this ritual with some sort of self-effacing statement in order to demonstrate that I'm not one of the "crazy ones," and to conceal my natural tendency to feel superior (they're still eating SAD!).

Finally, I always assure them that I will gladly eat anything that is served to me when I'm a guest (and I do), partly because I know they are already wondering if they'll ever be able to cook for me again, but mostly to offer more evidence that I'm not one of the "crazy ones."

After these interludes, I almost always feel a profound sense of social regret, wonder if I really am one of the "crazy ones," and fret ceaselessly over whether I have shared too much this time.

It does make me cringe a bit I'd say. But I still just say to people, yeah I eat that caveman paleo thing. Who cares what they think or if it sounds stupid, it's just a word to describe the food I eat. No big deal.

If they ask more then I tell them meat, potatoes, vegetables. Simple. They're usually like, oh that's not weird at all. I'm all, yeah I know;)

Paleo does sound a little dufus-y when you are attempting to explain why you won't eat the glow-in-the-dark nacho chips but you'll gladly take a spoon to the homemade guacamole. I usually tell people I'm trying to eat clean, healthy food prepared at home, and stay away from sugar and anything processed. Most folks aren't shocked when you tell them a typical day consists of eggs and sausage for breakfast, a Cobb salad (heavy on the meat) for lunch, steak and asparagus for dinner, and an apple for dessert. Sounds pretty All-American, really, just ditching the potatoes, bread, jello and other basura that comes out of a box.

I do get hit with the "isn't that just Atkins?" comment constantly, and it's a little tiresome to keep telling folks it's similar, but sort of a lactose-intolerant version that doesn't allow processed food (e.g., Atkins bars) and focuses on whole foods rather than glycemic index.

I do wear a tee shirt that says Grok sometimes, though, so I might just be a big dufus after all.

I just say, I eat "real food."

Obviously there's flaws to this as well, as people don't understand what real food is (e.g., bread is not technically real food).

I tell people I'm on a high-fat Meatatarian diet.

The ones who are rattled by the very idea make themselves scarce, and the idle askers who don't really care about what I eat or why just take it as a joke. And that's good, because I'm only interested in explaining why I eat as I do to people who are genuinely interested in it. It's pointless to try explaining it to anyone else; they bring too many erroneous assumptions and too much bad information to the table, then won't let go of it. I learned that much during my Atkins days (and I did clean Atkins--no LC food substitutes).

I still think the term "Paleo" is kind of doofy, however, for reasons I can't put a finger on. But I can live with it.

I have a degree in paleontology, so I love it! Ha! So there!

I may be the only one, though.

I don't tell people about my diet though, because I just don't think they care much.

Paleo just means old, hence Paleolithic meaning old stone age. I prefer the term Primal or Evolutionary but it doesn't make me cringe. I mostly explain it to people along the lines of no grains, no processed carbs and no vegetable oils though as it's a convenient mental shortcut - even simpler is just telling them it's meat and vegetables!

I don't see the problem, everything needs a name, feminism means different things to different people but it doesn't mean it should be nameless

Paleo is a short-cut word. It's easier to say than "no processed foods, sugars, or seed oils" or "low-carb, high-fat". For better or worse it gets the point across and it rolls off the tongue nicely.

There are some alternative phrases I prefer...

'Evo', 'old-school, really-old-school', 'I just eat real food'.

And the one that gets the most nods of understanding?

"I just avoid overly processed food that comes from factories." I let it come up in conversation later that I think that most bakeries are factories, not just the Hostess company.

Come to think of it, that seems to be the kicker.

Most people agree that overly processed food is evil, but where they draw the line seems to be indicative of overall health.

(I have to say factories, because I think that even home cooking is a process. And then people get all nitpicky and start talking about words instead of good recipies.)

Not really, I think it's pretty amusing. What DOES make me want to retreat into myself is even reading the words "ancestral eating". It sounds like I'm some portly old woman who believes in Goddess-Celtic type things and has a bunch of cats.

I just say I try not to eat foods that weren't available to our paleolithic ancestors, but really its just because I feel better not eating those things. Its never been an issue.