What is Paleo?

So what is the Paleolithic Diet? Is it legit, does it work and can you maintain it. I like the ideas that support it and I think it has an important place in your lifestyle. I'm not saying stick to this 100% or you will fail, but incorporate the ideas and philosophies into your everyday life and you may see some good results. There are also a few other options I will mention as well. Bottom line, if you stick to something that works for you and you enjoy doing it then you will be successful! Whatever you are doing you won't be perfect everyday but all you can do is strive to be….consistency is key.

The BEST is yet to come. Consistency is the key!

Basic Definition: The paleolithic diet (abbreviated paleo diet or paleodiet), also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a modern nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various hominid species habitually consumed during the Paleolithic era—a period of about 2.5 million years which ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture and grain-based diets. In common usage, the term "paleolithic diet" can also refer to actual ancestral human diets, insofar as these can be reconstructed.
Centered on commonly available modern foods, the contemporary "Paleolithic diet" consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi,roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.
First popularized in the mid-1970s by gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegtlin, this nutritional concept has been promoted and adapted by a number of authors and researchers in several books and academic journals. A common theme in evolutionary medicine, Paleolithic nutrition is based on the premise that human genetics have scarcely changed since the dawn of agriculture, and modern humans are genetically adapted to the diet of their Paleolithic ancestors. Therefore an ideal diet for human health and well-being is one that resembles this ancestral diet.
Proponents of this diet argue that modern human populations subsisting on traditional diets, allegedly similar to those of Paleolithic hunter-gatherers, are largely free of diseases of affluence. They assert that multiple studies of the effect of Paleolithic diet in humans have shown improved health outcomes relative to other widely recommended diets. Supporters also point to several potentially therapeutic nutritional characteristics of preagricultural diets. (wikipedia)

Here's a great point from nerdfitness.com (really cool site by BTW) and I'd agree with him on his statements as I'm sure many of you will as well. He states, "You see, I hate counting calories. I don’t like keeping track of how much I’ve eaten or obsessing over how many grams of a particular nutrient I’ve had. Not only do I hate counting calories, but I know that calories are really only half of the battle, as they’re not all created equal – 400 calories of Doritos do NOT affect your body in the same way as 400 calories of high-quality vegetables and protein.
Fortunately, if you can expand your horizons and remove certain types of food from your diet, you can stop worrying about counting calories FOREVER (sorry, the Count – ah ah ah). I’d love to suggest a particular type of eating that doesn’t require counting a single calorie AND allows you to eat until you’re no longer hungry. Oh, and it can help you lose weight, build muscle, and get in the best shape of your life. " I used to count calories in college and when I was training for baseball. Its very time consuming and personally I think it takes the fun out of things. Maybe its ok to do it every now and then just to get a feel of where you are but I think there may be better options. I like to incorporate Paleo philosophies and VI. Thats been my choice of late. I enjoy making shakes in the morning and its something I can take with me on the road. www.markminor.myvi.net

SO HERES THE DEAL ON PALEO…..

The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows from Crossfit.com:

Protein should be lean and varied and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40% of your total caloric load.
Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated and account for about 30% of your total caloric load.
Calories should be set at between .7 and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass depending on your activity level. The .7 figure is for moderate daily workout loads and the 1.0 figure is for the hardcore athlete.

What should I eat?
In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.

What should I avoid?

Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.

*Caloric Restriction and Longevity
Current research strongly supports the link between caloric restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake. “Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous activity.

Heres a book with great reviews and has a lot of good information regarding athletes and the Paleo Diet. About the authors: 

LOREN CORDAIN, PH.D., a world-renowned scientist and the leading expert on the Paleolithic diet, is a professor in the health and exercise science department at Colorado State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Nutrition and the American Heart Association, among other organizations. His work has been featured on Dateline and the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.
JOE FRIEL, M.S., is founder and president of Ultrafit Associates, LLC, an association of elite endurance coaches. His books include The Cyclist’s Training Bible and The Triathlete’s Training Bible. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

As I stated before stick to something that works for you and that you will enjoy doing. I'm not saying stick to something easy, anything that is worth doing will take some work and conscious thought. Weight watchers is another good option and is very popular. 

If you are interested in The Adkins diet I would refer you to this forum which is very informative: http://www.lowcarbsite.com

You will be able to obtain all the information necessary to decide which option is best for you.