Paleo Diet Results

The results are in! I successfully completed a week long Paleo Diet trial! So what is the hype about Paleo? I believe the hype is around the potential weight loss that can occur. To be fair, in my 7 day trial I did manage to lose two pounds. I actually felt like I lost more since I was much less bloated in general. This may not seem like a lot to you, but for someone who does not lose weight very easily; this was actually kind of a big deal. I do believe that if you have the will power to follow this diet for a longer period of time, the weight loss would be even greater. That being said, I had a very difficult time keeping my energy level up. While I was on this diet, I became tired more easily and definitely did not have the same energy I used to have for my afternoon run. I struggled with my regular 5 mile run and felt as though I was “dragging”. I think that if I did this diet again, I would make sure to pay more attention to carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables and make sure I was getting enough from those sources. Carbs are very important for those who are active!
I am not very good at diets that restrict what I eat. It was difficult to pick and choose foods that were on the “allowed to eat” list when out at a restaurant or friend’s house. Most of the time, I could find something, but be warned- finding an item on the menu that is grain free and dairy free is pretty challenging. I had to special order most meals and it generally resulted in pretty bland food. At home, I did not have any difficulty creating meals that were Paleo friendly. They were filling and delicious.I do have to say that this diet never left me feeling hungry which was a huge bonus. However, one thing that my husband ate around me that had me salivating for was surprisingly yogurt. The second I completed my week trial, I downed a greek yogurt and it was delicious. I do not think it would have been that good if I had been able to eat it whenever I wanted it.

My final review would have to be that the diet can definitely help in the weight loss arena. It is a great jump start if you need to see a few pounds melt off in order to get motivated to lose the rest. However, I am not sure that this would be the route that I would suggest. Personally, I believe that any plan that restricts a type of food is eventually going to make it difficult to stick to. Really what needs to happen is an understanding of intake versus expenditure. It is the same as balancing a checkbook. This diet can help you temporarily, but are you really going to avoid all foods with grains for the rest of your life? Probably not. And if you are active, it is definitely not the best choice for you. Sorry in advance to all of the Paleo Dieters out there but in my opinion, the Paleo Diet is simply another fad diet.