Good Morning Designers and Good-Bye 2012:
Well, another year is about to end and I for one can’t believe it has gone by so fast. In some senses 2012 has come and gone faster than others of recent memory. But now, as we all are about to turn yet another year older – thankfully I guess, I figured the best way to end this year’s installments is with a foolproof way to guarantee you’ll lose the weight in 2013 that you didn’t in 2012.
That’s right! I said it. I GUARANTEE you’ll be thinner, healthier and “younger” by this time next year if you follow the “formula” described below.
Many of you have probably heard of the Paleo Diet. Short for Paleolithic (referring to the “Stone Age”), this diet is often called the Caveman Diet. Why? In short, because if followed to a “T”, only foods that our prehistoric ancestors had access to, with very minimal exceptions, are allowed to be eaten.
That means; grass-fed meat, fowl, fish (and other seafood like shellfish, etc.), eggs, vegetables, natural oils, fruits, nuts and tubers (sweet potatoes and yams) are acceptable. Therefore, all process foods and grains, yes grains (even if they are low-glycemic) like; oatmeal, rice – even brown, quinoa, whole grain breads and pastas are out! Hey, “wa’da’ya know,” you’ve just become gluten-free!
The good news? Proponents of the Paleo Diet claim that counting calories is of no concern. They believe, and in some ways they’re right, that if the foods listed above are prepared naturally, without added fats and other unnecessary ingredients, one could eat all day long and not get fat. Mainly because the “bulk” of the diet doesn’t allow for blood sugar to be spiked as it is in our “American Diet” (as long as fruit is consumed in moderate amounts), eliminating the body’s unwarranted craving to constantly be fed.
But, as with all new ideas, the Paleo Diet has its naysayers. And, to some extent, there are some valid criticisms. First, due to the fact that NO grains are allowed, the diet is high protein – which can be problematic for people with kidney problems. While fine for “healthy” individuals, high-protein diets have been found to impair kidney function in those with already reduced kidney function. Second, also as a result of being a grain-free meal plan, it is anti-vegan. Many vegans get their protein by combining different types of carbohydrates (beans and rice as well as peanut butter and whole grain bread for example), but eating like a caveman means, in order to maintain and build muscle, one must be a carnivore. No tofu or other soy-based proteins are allowed. Third, unlike the Mediterranean Diet which is meat-free, there is a legitimate concern that high cholesterol levels may result with this “menu”.
While Paleo Proponents are correct of course in stressing the exclusion of ALL processed food-items, they seem to ignore the fact that exercise is just as important to a healthy lifestyle as one’s diet. To their own point, if we are to eat like cavemen AND women, we should probably be as active as they were too. And while their “exercise” consisted of carrying items and children on their back, chasing prey, running from predators and “working” with their hands, the fact that they were not a sedentary people had as much to do with their “health”, if not more so, than their “diet”. I am not saying that followers of this diet don’t exercise, but I do believe that the health benefits like fiber, found in the grains they warn against, “outweighs” their “detrimental effects” as long as exercise is involved. As you know, fiber is a great way to manage blood sugar and improve digestion; therefore, unless you are allergic to gluten, or don’t exercise (hmmm), I don’t believe that eliminating OR limiting whole grains from your diet is necessarily a good thing.
So, do I think if you follow the Paleo Diet you will lose weight? Yes. Do I think if you follow the Mediterranean Diet you’ll lose weight? Yes. Guess what? If you follow, and stick to, ANY diet you’ll lose weight!
Do it!
