Paleo diet?

[Owlie]

Nope, I totally get where you are coming from! A year ago, I might have felt like you were jumping all over my nerves on this one, but I've definitely mellowed.

Generally, veggies have more fiber than whole grains too. I think the idea is that there is nothing in whole grains that you cannot get from vegetables, so we don't NEED them. Even the starches (which is the part that is utilized for fueling workouts) can be gotten from other types of plant matter (like potatoes or root veggies or fruits). I fuel best with these anyway, and they don't ever cause me digestive distress like some of the grains do.

I saw a comparison in a blog somewhere (I'll see if I can find it) where the person compared the soluble fiber content of oatmeal (said to improve cholesterol) with the fiber content of spinach (I think it was spinach!) and how it would work way better than oats but no one would buy eating a bowl of spinach for breakfast. Plus, oats have lobbyists!

Granted, there are a lot of things to be said for the taste, social aspect, and enjoyment of eating grains and most paleo proponents accept this as a fact and expect that no one will be 100% strict 100% of the time.

You finished my train of thought on the oatmeal matter. But I didn't need the "spinach for breakfast" image. Gross! (It would be acceptable as baby spinach in an omelet, though. I definitely pictured the limp dark green frozen stuff.)

[Tri Girl]

But I didn't need the "spinach for breakfast" image. Gross! (It would be acceptable as baby spinach in an omelet, though. I definitely pictured the limp dark green frozen stuff.)

LOL
I have been known to eat sauteed veggies (sauteed in water) for breakfast- a mix of zucchini, squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and fresh baby spinach. My hubs just rolls his eyes at me. He's SO not vegan (or even vegetarian for that matter).

[Owlie]

LOL
I have been known to eat sauteed veggies (sauteed in water) for breakfast- a mix of zucchini, squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and fresh baby spinach. My hubs just rolls his eyes at me. He's SO not vegan (or even vegetarian for that matter).

That would leave me really, really hungry. (I'm a carnivore. Bacon for breakfast!)

So, GLC, and other paleo people, I'm curious. What do you do for on-the-bike/run fuel, especially if you're one of those people who have a hard time with "real food" while riding/running?

[GLC1968]

Throw a little sausage (or bacon) into that veggie scramble and you've got a good breakfast for me!

Owlie, since I've been super strict paleo, I haven't done any endurance workouts of any type, so I'm not sure what I'd do. When I was paleo last fall and running a lot, I'd have sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes the meal before long runs or races and then I'd do close to the same, afterward. I actually really liked to splurge on OJ after workouts figuring the sugar spike would probably be ok for me and I love me some fresh OJ!

During long runs, I would stray from paleo and supplement with gels. Now, I'm not sure I'd continue to do that as I've found some really awesome, portable, real food baby foods that I may use. They are just pureed fruits and veggies and if I stick to the starchier ones (like the ones using winter squash) I bet they would make great, portable run/ride food. I haven't tried this though!

Oh, and real portable fruit (like grapes or melon) and even dried fruit make great ride food that is easy to digest. It wouldn't work for me on runs though where I cannot really digest real food.

[Tri Girl]

That would leave me really, really hungry. (I'm a carnivore. Bacon for breakfast!)

I usually add some tofu if I have some, or some facon (vegan bacon).
Both are highly processed, but sometimes I want protein that's not in bean form.

[westtexas]

So, GLC, and other paleo people, I'm curious. What do you do for on-the-bike/run fuel, especially if you're one of those people who have a hard time with "real food" while riding/running?

I honestly don't eat anything. Since going Paleo, I don't get that intense carb craving at hour 1. I always carry something, just in case, and I use Kind bars (the macademia nut and coconut or almond and apricot). You have to remember though that even a thin person has 10k calories of fat hanging around on their bodies that when you are adapted to living of it, you can access easily and steadily no matter your need.

Since last year, before I ride, I simply have a cup of coffee. And when I get home, I take a shower. And when I get hungry - be it right then or hours later - I eat something. I just eat when I'm hungry and I don't when I'm not. It's so easy.

[Owlie]

I honestly don't eat anything. Since going Paleo, I don't get that intense carb craving at hour 1. I always carry something, just in case, and I use Kind bars (the macademia nut and coconut or almond and apricot). You have to remember though that even a thin person has 10k calories of fat hanging around on their bodies that when you are adapted to living of it, you can access easily and steadily no matter your need.

Since last year, before I ride, I simply have a cup of coffee. And when I get home, I take a shower. And when I get hungry - be it right then or hours later - I eat something. I just eat when I'm hungry and I don't when I'm not. It's so easy.

Makes sense. You and my SO are sort of the same. While he's not paleo, he can just go ride for 20 miles without eating anything. Anything longer, he does have to eat. I can't fathom leaving the house without breakfast! I must not be terribly efficient at accessing fat stores. Hey, adrenal glands! Get with the program!

[Catrin]

Makes sense. You and my SO are sort of the same. While he's not paleo, he can just go ride for 20 miles without eating anything. Anything longer, he does have to eat. I can't fathom leaving the house without breakfast! I must not be terribly efficient at accessing fat stores. Hey, adrenal glands! Get with the program!

From what I am coming to understand, and I could be wrong, our body will use the carbs for energy if they exist before it will start tapping into the fat stores. That is probably a very simplistic understanding, and I am just starting to read on this. Obviously carbs come from many sources, not just the usual prospects, but if your body is accustomed to a certain level of carbs then it becomes very efficient at using them for energy and will complain if those accustomed levels aren't there.

I am becoming more and more curious about this - especially some research that appears to indicate that a primal diet is very good for those of us prone to insulin resistance. At some point I think I will need to give this a shot, but I need to have a better understanding first so I can make educated choices during that trial period.

I don't know that I would ever go 100% Paelo/primal - I like beer even though I may not drink more than 1-2 a week, and my occasional small dose of Blue Bell ice cream.

Rest day today if I like it or not - so will have time to do some good reading this evening...

[westtexas]

I don't know that I would ever go 100% Paelo/primal - I like beer even though I may not drink more than 1-2 a week, and my occasional small dose of Blue Bell ice cream.

To me, this is the beauty of this "diet". It's more of a lifestyle and less of just what you are putting in your mouth. Even Mark Sisson (the Primal Blueprint/Mark's Daily Apple) talks about the 80/20 rule - 80% of the time you follow the plan with an allowance for 20% cheating - and he even gives suggestions for cheats that are "not-so-bad" for you, like red wine, dark chocolate, that bowl of full fat icecream. And I totally cheat, because I love popcorn and soda at the movies and I seriously cannot resist the chocolate bread pudding at my favorite restaurant.

I think it's about doing the best you can, for yourself and for your body, by feeding it right and enjoying yourself every now and then - even monkeys in jungles know how to eat fermented fruit that's spoiled so they can get buzzed.

I read an article once about Are You Paleo Enough? and it discussed how there are a lot of folk out there in the paleo community who think if you don't do it 100% all the time, how dare you even call yourself paleo, get thee back on your Standard American Diet. When really, every small change in the nutrition you put in your body has a positive effect. Life just really can't be that black and white.

[Owlie]

From what I am coming to understand, and I could be wrong, our body will use the carbs for energy if they exist before it will start tapping into the fat stores. That is probably a very simplistic understanding, and I am just starting to read on this. Obviously carbs come from many sources, not just the usual prospects, but if your body is accustomed to a certain level of carbs then it becomes very efficient at using them for energy and will complain if those accustomed levels aren't there.

I am becoming more and more curious about this - especially some research that appears to indicate that a primal diet is very good for those of us prone to insulin resistance. At some point I think I will need to give this a shot, but I need to have a better understanding first so I can make educated choices during that trial period.

I don't know that I would ever go 100% Paelo/primal - I like beer even though I may not drink more than 1-2 a week, and my occasional small dose of Blue Bell ice cream.

Rest day today if I like it or not - so will have time to do some good reading this evening...

Biochemist. I am aware of this.

My not leaving the house without breakfast is less carb-driven, though topping off the fuel tank so I'm not burning my glycogen supply right out of the gate helps. It's protein and fat. I can do bacon, an egg and a single slice of buttered toast for breakfast and be happy, riding or not. My normal morning breakfast cereal is quite generous with the pecans, which helps with the protein and fat.

So a modified version of Paleo (that allows for beer and cheesecake and butter and all that good stuff) might work. I know I operate better on a higher fat and protein diet, anyway.