Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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My husband is finally coming around after watching me loose 30 lbs in 7months and improved health due to food intolerances, allergies.

What finally did it was this weekend away, our niece told him he had a big belly (4 year olds don't hold back) and then someone mistook him for her grandfather!!

I want to do the right things for him so I hope you can get me started in the right direction. Here is some information that might be important.

-He is 49, 5'10", approx 180lbs (normal weight is about 165)

-non smoker, moderate drinker (wine/whisky),

-he is currently on a statin for cholesterol (my goal would be to remove him from this eventually-but he won't listen to me on this point now....but I'll get there)

-he is on blood pressure meds/hypertensive and on a daily cocktail of meds for post treatment prostate cancer. He had robotic surgery a year ago, had the prostate removed, it may or may not have ventured outside, so far, numbers are clean and no further treatments.

-He has a high powered stressful job, starting a new job now which will add about 50% global travel and a move to Brazil. (not an option to loose the job!!)

-he is very good about his sleep

-he is a meat/potatoes/rice and beans man/loves pasta and bread, corn based masa products are common here as well as fried everything. He's now only eating beef once a week, beans I soak and sprout for him and helps. No more bread or pasta in the house either. But I can't control what he eats outside of the house. (there is a cultural element here as well, he was raised on this and I don't believe he has any intolerance or resistance to starches, just need to back them down)

-He can not eat lettuce without issues so we add regular carbs and stay away from salads.

-Exercise, he walks on the treadmill maybe 3 times wk/1 hr each time. He tries to walk as much as possible, 10,000 steps a day they told him, he wears an odometer on his belt. He bikes once a week for about 1 1/2 hrs. (we live in a dangerous city and can't do much outside too often or after dark)

-His build is thin legs, normal body strength-not muscular not scrawny, no real amt of fat, but his tummy is puffed out, doesnt really have love handles either. His father and brothers are built the same. Trying to get him to do sit ups or something for the stomach has been impossible to date--married 26 yrs!)

So how many calories should a man in this situation have per day to loose weight?

Should his %s be the same as mine (65%fat, 25%protein, <50gr carbs)?

Is this kind of dietary change good for reducing his risk of further cancer?

He will eat what I give him for breakfast and dinner, its lunch that rough, he wont take a lunch, and he often can't get a decent meal because of running from meetings to meetings (dealing with numerous time zones, quick sandwiches etc).

-The simplier the better to get him started.....anything else you can suggest?? (forget supplements etc. he won't take them)

flag	asked Jul 5 2011 at 18:28 Kelly 9,130●5●19

	I take my 4 year old into the dressing room when I shop for clothes. He WILL tell me if my butt looks fat.:) – none Jul 5 2011 at 19:38
	well she told me I was fat too (she was poking my boobs at the time)! lol....I figure we all must look fat according to her! – Kelly Jul 6 2011 at 12:32

ZombieApocalypseKitten · Answer 1 · 2012-07-27 20:00:34Z UTC

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Hack your husband? Well that would be a great finale to a diet.

answered Jul 27 at 20:00

ZombieApocalypseKitten
1,041●2●6

Team Oberg · Answer 2 · 2012-07-27 13:42:16Z UTC

I would add hibiscus tea to the mix too, here is an article discussing how it lowers blood pressure as well as medication.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/lower-blood-pressure-naturally-zmgz11zrog.aspx

Also, try making one change at a time, replace one food like a deep fried chicken tender, with some grilled chicken drumsticks. Some people adjust better this way, for me though it was just much easier to dive in head first.

sherpamelissa · Answer 3 · 2011-07-05 19:23:03Z UTC

So how many calories should a man in this situation have per day to loose weight?

I would have him track his calories for a week to get a baseline and then reduce by 15/20%. If you want me to just take a guess at it, I would say 1700-2000, but I have a tendency to lean toward the low side.

Should his %s be the same as mine (65%fat, 25%protein, <50gr carbs)

This is a great starting point, if he doesn't lose at this level, then mess with it. I might start him at 100 grams of carbs, just so he doesn't feel too restricted, plus it gives you more room to move him down if he doesn't lose at 100 grams of carbs.

Is this kind of dietary change good for reducing his risk of further cancer?

Sorry! I'm no help on this one!

He will eat what I give him for breakfast and dinner, its lunch that rough, he wont take a lunch, and he often can't get a decent meal because of running from meetings to meetings (dealing with numerous time zones, quick sandwiches etc).

I would suggest getting menus from his typical lunch time choices and find the best options for him. That way, he knows what to get when he walks in. Also, send him with good snacks, bag up some nuts in serving size portions, or string cheese/salami and almond butter with apples, hard boiled eggs or things like that. That way, he can have a quick snack if lunch is going to be something not as optimal. If he is eating breakfast, dinner and snacks Paleo and sometimes his lunch is not, that is still better than what he was doing before.

Sara · Answer 4 · 2011-07-05 19:11:02Z UTC

As far as supplements go, you could get a liquid and slip it in a smoothie, perhaps?

Anyhow, I sympathize. My husband will only take a Flintstone's vitamin. eyeroll

Telling my husband that he'd get potatoes back after he shed the weight helped. He thinks he's getting wheat back, too... Not because I told him that, but because he's "only in this to lose weight". I think he still doesn't believe he could be effected by gluten and corn and...

I would suggest just treating it as a temporary thing for now. Let him see light (or masa) at the end of the tunnel. Then, when he gets to that point, let him be the judge of how he feels with or without it.

As for lunches... I'm still figuring mine out.

Aravind · Answer 5 · 2011-07-05 19:09:05Z UTC

Sorry don't have time for a lengthy post.

Archevore "Get Started" to me is the simplest approach - http://www.archevore.com/get-started/. It is both prescriptive and proscriptive in nature. Just have him work his way down the list.

Additional quick comments - don't sweat the details and obsess about macronutrient ratios, supplements, caloric intake, etc etc. My simple advice - Eat whole foods, avoid toxins, get some sleep, and move around a little. The rest will work itself out. Building momentum and enthusiasm is probably more important in the short term.

wheelhouse · Answer 6 · 2011-07-05 19:01:55Z UTC

Sorry to answer a question with a question, but the one thing I notice throughout this makes me wonder if he is mentally ready to do this. I see a lot of "he wont do X" throughout your post. He needs to be commited to this.

It looks like you have control of his breakfast and dinner, so you make the call and feed him the right stuff. As far as lunch is concerned, make him that too, and make him take it. It's just that simple. I had been someone that ate out every day at lunch for the last 15 years. When I started this I realized that was a change I needed to make in my life. Now I have eaten out for lunch maybe twice in the last 6 months.

His exercise level looks good, but some added resistance training (weights, bands, bodyweight) and some mobility/flexibility probably wouldnt hurt. However, in the name of simplicity he doesnt have to jump right into any of this stuff. The diet is the key at first.

Hack my husband to get him started off right…

6 Answers