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ooooh - good thread! subscribing!

I'm not going paleo, but I've stopped eating breads. When I'm hungry I'll snack on fruit and nuts.
You can eat all meats, veggies, fruits..
I've lost 6lbs and I'm nursing. Been super hungry and I've been eating well.
2 months pp and down 26lbs. 25 to go!

Giving up grains made me feel so much better in terms of my energy levels. I actually went paleo a year ago just as an experiment, because I was super skeptical. It won me over in about a week.

I no longer get that afternoon energy lag and I feel far less bloated (or, well, I did before, but it's hard to not feel bloated when you're 33 weeks pregnant!).

I think it's really important to know that there is no one definition of paleo. The idea behind it is that you eat grain-free, sugar-free and dairy-free (more on this below), but beyond that it very much depends on the individual. It doesn't mean you have to eat massive amounts of meat, which is a common misconception. It is wise though to up the fat content of your diet in order to increase satiety (from sources like avocados, coconut oil, some nuts, naturally derived animal fat, i.e. lard and tallow, and butter from grass-fed cows). So, it's important, if you want to go paleo, to overcome our society's fat phobia (google the "lipid hypothesis" if you want more information on why fat has been demonized in modern society).

I do still eat some dairy (this is considered to be a "primal" diet, as opposed to "paleo"), which mostly consists of full-fat Greek yogurt. Dairy doesn't seem to bother my system, so that's why I still eat it.

For me, paleo was never about weight loss, but it was more about digestive health and hormonal balance, and because of that I am careful to integrate really beneficial nutrient-dense foods like bone broth and fermented foods.

You've probably already seen it, but there's a great support thread here:

http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/paleo-support-thread#post-374810

And if you're looking at starting paleo and want to get more background on what it is, I highly recommend checking out a few different sources. Some of my favourites:

-Robb Wolf
-Mark Sisson
-Chris Kresser
-Balanced Bites Podcast

ETA: I went off on a tangent and forgot to answer your question about simple ways to integrate paleo into the everyday: I think the easiest thing is to just look at what you eat now and modify it to eliminate grains, rather than relying on paleo cookbooks and recipes...it's actually pretty intuitive. So, say a regular dinner in your house now is a meat, a potato and some veggies, replace the potato with another serving of veggies and voila....paleo. Breakfasts are usually eggs (I usually make a crustless quiche on Sundays and reheat throughout the week) and lunches are big salads topped with protein and a bunch of veggies.

@JoJoGirl: I just got that cookbook for free, it's a pdf file if anyone wants me to email them!

Commenting to follow! Great thread.

@stbhismrs: wall me ur email then u can delete it ~

I've been meaning to do this for awhile. I'm actually gluten intolerant so I was already mostly there. However, then I got pregnant and only wanted carbs. Now that DS is 3mo, I have no excuse and I'm really starting to feel crappy and bloated all the time again. I find it's actually easier now that I'm back to work b/c it forces me to plan. I don't plan on going hard core paleo at first and will ease into it. I always knew I would go primal as I can't give up my cheese but for now, I will still allow myself to have quinoa and oatmeal. DH is on board with this too so it's good to have a partner. I've found that it's been nice to make a bunch of meat in the crockpot (shredded pork and chicken) as well as make a big batch of meatballs (paleo version, of course) and freeze them in portion sizes so that you already have the main part of the meal. Then you can just add your favorite veggies. Honestly, the hardest part for me is dealing with snacks. I tend to like things salty and crunchy. I try to limit the amount of nuts I eat, otherwise, I'd be eating way to many in a day. I can't wait until it starts getting warmer here so we can use the grill more!

i don't know if i could go paleo. but i've reduced the quantity of processed foods, been eating more fruits and veggies and checking my calorie intake (while bf) and i've lost 12 lbs since january already.

@MUI831: I've had a hard time with snacks too (I don't eat paleo, but try to make easy paleo/primal-ish substitutions when possible)... here are some of my standbys:
- bison jerky
- pistachios
- apple w/ almond butter
- carrot chips (I buy mine at a grocery store, but you can make things like carrot chips and kale chips at home... the ones I buy are a little saltier than is probably good for me, but I figure it's better than the salty-crunchy alternatives I'd otherwise be eating!)

@mrsjyw: Can you send me a copy of that book as well?? I actaully have that saved on my Amazon wishlist!!

Oh, and I bought Practical Paleo and it is the best cookbook/resource for Paleo that I have seen, I love it!

@blackbird: We eat eggs like its going out of style. At least two each a day. My husband and I have been paleo for a year and a half and we love it.

To me if you are trying to transition slowly, I would say the biggest thing is cutting out all of the processed food. We got rid of everything in our house and don't buy it. If it is in a box or can and has any unrecognizable ingredients (chemicals, flavors, preservatives, etc) we don't buy it.

We pretty much went cold turkey, seemed easiest. My husband did hang on to his cereal until it all ran out. Now when he wants cereal he makes a bowl of fruit and tops it with coconut milk.

A great book if you are trying to integrate your family is "Everyday Paleo" by Sarah Fragoso, lots of good recipes. She also has a new book, "Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook", which I haven't read yet.

@mrsjyw: Just got it thank you!!

@mui, i think the cravings will eventually go away. Could you try making your own sweet potato chips in coconut oil? I've never done this, but you could bake them ultra super slim and see if that is satisfying?

speaking of deviled eggs, if you make them with avocado instead of mayo (and a bit of lime juice), they are DELICIOUS. I also like to sprinkle bacon on top if i happen to have any around. I've never been much of a chip muncher in general, so I'm not sure if that'd help. I do like apple chips, though!

For anyone interested, I have PDF copies of The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, Coconut Cookbook, and The Slow Carb Cookbook.

Wall me your e-mail and I can send it your way

@blackbird: I think it'd be okay to have it on the Kindle. More than half of the book is information anyway! The book itself is pretty hefty in size.

I've been practicing the Paleo diet for two years now, and it was hard in the beginning and I wasn't 100%. Now, I'm closer to 95% since the new year started, so the process was gradual. I was actually quite happy to get an excuse to stop eating whole wheat pasta and brown rice! (I eat white rice here and there as it's considered a safe starch, depending on how strict you are.) The key for me was finding new recipes so I wouldn't be bored. Unfortunately, that does mean I spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing food!

I started eating a lot more fat, and I even lost weight without exercising, not that I needed to lose weight. It's just nice that it happened even though I wasn't trying. During my pregnancy, I did develop an aversion to many Paleo foods, but thank goodness it got better by the second half of my pregnancy. I have waaaaaaaaay less gas, and I don't get sleepy in the afternoon like I normally would have. Those are the things I've noticed for me. I am still nursing as well. Some days, I do feel like I need more carbs, which is why I eat white rice, sweet potatoes and fruit.

Another big difference that skews towards the negative end is the COST!!! For us, it's expensive to eat this way!!! We pay extra for organic produce and grass-fed/pastured meats + wild-caught seafood! I have to tell myself it's all worth it! It's only going to get more expensive as our family expands! >_<

Whoops, I don't think I answered your questions! Maybe there might be some good recipes I can find for you as I recall them. Do you cook regularly??

I've really been looking into this lately so I'm glad this thread came along! I feel like I need to do a sugar detox and this might but just the thing to jump start it What are some of the veggies you eat? I feel like we get in a rut with that!

@mrsjyw: I'd love the books!