Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

13

Hey guys

So I have been eating paleo for about 5 weeks now. To say the diet has been liberating would be an understatement...I started it to lose weight but never knew that it would free me of my constant hourly battle with hunger, cravings and guilt.

Anyways just wanted to share something and see if it has been an issue with anyone else..

I had a huuge realisation last night whilst at a friends bbq which was jam packed with SAD food. We had all had our main meals and then dessert rolled around...Various crumbles and chocolate slices with ice cream and more. Everyone started tucking in and when I didnt they all commented that "Gosh this must be really hard for you to resist". It was at that point that I realised for the first time that actually...NO! IT was so easy for me to resist and I actually didnt WANT it anymore. That I wasnt resisting it, it just wasnt a part of my life anymore. I think I have associated my own personality and who I am with occassions revolving aruond junk and crap food etc for so long that it just became such a huge part of my life out of pure habit.

Might not sound very big to anyone else but it was honestly huge for me! And boy did it feel good when about 15 mins later when all the sugar started to kick in, everybpdy started to complain about "feeling sick and tired". That really reconfirmed why I have moved over from the dark side!!!

Anyone else had a similar experience???!

flag	asked Sep 4 2011 at 1:50 pink.protein 351●1●9

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Thats great! That was a big step for me when I stopped wanting to eat deserts. I am now not only not interested, once or twice recently when I have tried a sweet the food has tasted cloying. – JS Paleo Sep 4 2011 at 2:41

Totally have. I'm not even full on Paleo (though I normally fall into the lacto-paleo area, I don't track my compliance), but mainly eating this way and making sure that I eat enough sat fat really keeps cravings under control. Desserts are now a non-issue. If I want it, it's because I actually WANT it and not because I crave it. I've found, though, that if I eat heavy on the mono-unsaturated side (olive oil or mainly pork fat) that my cravings are almost as wild as they were on SAD. – WordVixen Sep 4 2011 at 3:12

Congratulations!!! – Eric Sep 4 2011 at 6:22

Me too! I'm still scheduling "holiday splurges" because I have the emotional cravings, but the actual tastes and reactions are so disappointing I think there's hope I'll be able to say "no more" one of these days. The reward from a Coke or bread/pasta just isn't there now. Unfortunately, though, a good doughnut or Oreos with vanilla ice cream still makes me say "Ahhh!" so there's more change needed. The good news for me is that I used to be unable to stop a binge once started, but now I happily go back to Primal after the holiday. That's a major improvement in weight management. – Nance Sep 4 2011 at 15:21

well done nance that is amazing! its so good to have that feeling of control over food back in your life...rather than the food controlling you! – pink.protein Sep 4 2011 at 23:59

BaconHealsChic · Answer 1 · 2011-09-04 06:28:53Z UTC

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Yes I do love this as well. I am still surprised by people almost violently urging me to have some. What do they care?

answered Sep 4 2011 at 6:28

BaconHealsChic
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For sure on the insane urging! – Eric Sep 4 2011 at 6:53

Happy Now · Answer 2 · 2011-09-04 06:58:35Z UTC

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I loved the oddness of the experience of the first cupcake I had after being without for a couple of months. First thought was, this is not nearly as good as I remember. It was followed by a great big headache, a glorious headache because I can call on that memory when I find myself lingering over the dessert menu at a restaurant.

answered Sep 4 2011 at 6:58

Happy Now
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Yes for me the returning heartburn and so sweet/crisco like taste. – BaconHealsChic Sep 4 2011 at 7:10

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Oh yeah, I almost forgot to add the heartburn. It is such a lovely life to not feel like I might hurl when I bend over to pick things up now. Damn HFCS, I forget every once in a while and indulge in commercial bbq sauce, or a bite of frosting, and sure enough 20 minutes later, heartburn. That crisco taste is so yucky and cloying too. I don't even mind the momentary waxy texture of a spoonful of bacon grease, but the industrial stuff just doesn't break down in saliva the same way, and the waxiness lingers. – Happy Now Sep 4 2011 at 7:23

Jean · Answer 3 · 2011-09-04 09:08:11Z UTC

Once you are no longer addicted to sugar, cake isn't that nice! I rarley eat it and when I do it is usually one I have made with ground almonds or linseeds. The people who urge you to eat cake are feeling bad about themselves. They know they shouldn't eat it and getting you to join them will make them feel better. I am constantly amazed at how relative strangers will comment on my eating habits. As if it is anything to do with them!

Korion · Answer 4 · 2011-09-04 10:32:26Z UTC

The only cravings I have sometimes are paleo-friendly : I crave chicken, ground grass-fed beef and fruits (I don't eat chicken or fruits for optimal health). I don't crave anything else.

When it's really hot I always want raw stuff : I crave raw ground beef, raw vegetables (e.g. raw onions, ...), tomatoes, ...

To answer your question : I had the exact same experience :).

LenaHyena · Answer 5 · 2011-09-04 15:26:44Z UTC

I've noticed that I'm far more sensitive to sweet flavors than I was before, and I don't really care for them. I used to get a GF cupcake from the bakery as a "cheat food" once a week but now all that sugar just makes me sick to my stomach. Sometimes it's hard not to want a chocolate bar (I'm a chocolate fiend) when I'm at the grocery, but for the most part I have zero interest in baked goods.

Hurricane · Answer 6 · 2011-09-04 08:32:13Z UTC

The cravings, or lack therof, for junk food remind me a lot of when I used to be a smoker. For a number of reasons the cravings disappear, one of which is pyschological. The food reward concept is one reason. Once you change your perspective from the SAD thought process you stop seeing the cake and candy as just a sugary treat and view it as a potential harbringer of doom. Your concious is a by-product of the sub-concious desires and needs.

I found that when I stopped considering myself as an exsmoker or as "I haven't had one in a few days" and began to think "I don't smoke" that my response changed significantly. Smoke turned from a painful craving trigger to a repulsive smell.

Also the profile of your palate can change significantly based on your food choices. Ever notice how sweet fruit tastes after you haven't had sweets for a few weeks? My coffee tastes sweeter now with less than half of the sugar I used to use. It's all a comparison in the end.

And congrats with moving away from sad. It makes me Happy. :)

BuzzingAsh · Answer 7 · 2011-09-04 16:01:43Z UTC

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Yes that's great!!I experienced the same thing after about a month of paleo. Your cravings are gone! Congrats!

answered Sep 4 2011 at 16:01

BuzzingAsh
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Big realisation last night! I don’t actually WANT that cake anymore!

7 Answers