It's official. I'm breaking up with Paleo.
We had so much in common. Bacon. Flank steak. Salmon. Lamb. Bacon. I thought we could make it work. Paleo had most of the characteristics I was looking for in a diet.
First, Paleo got along well with my husband (and it can be so awkward when that relationship is strained). I didn't have to cook separate dinners or shop for two sets of groceries.
Ron missed being able to take sandwiches to work for lunch, and he missed yogurt with granola for breakfast, but fundamentally, he wasn't complaining about a meal plan that regularly included steak for dinner.
Also, I didn't have to buy anything weird. We could eat food, and not "food". Although some of the food fakery recommended on Paleo sites on the Web was a little silly, I discovered not one, but two, recipes that will remain in high rotation even now that we've broken up.
Finally, you can take Paleo anywhere. Paleo loves to go out to eat- there's always a good protein with some veggies on the menu. Cocktail parties are a little trickier but if you eat before you go, you can usually munch on crudite or grilled shrimp, and lord knows I love a cocktail weiner. But of course- no cocktails- Paleo doesn't allow booze.
And it is true that I lost some weight (about 5 lbs in 4 weeks, which is very reasonable).
The dealbreaker for me was that Paleo was a big talker. It made a lot of promises but just didn't come through. It didn't make me feel magically more energetic, or strong, or clear. In fact, I felt pretty awful a couple of times.
I wish Paleo well, and I think it'd be great with someone who does a lot a strength training, and who currently eats a lot of meat.
But as for me- it's time for something new.
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| I think we all saw this coming, no? |
First, Paleo got along well with my husband (and it can be so awkward when that relationship is strained). I didn't have to cook separate dinners or shop for two sets of groceries.
Ron missed being able to take sandwiches to work for lunch, and he missed yogurt with granola for breakfast, but fundamentally, he wasn't complaining about a meal plan that regularly included steak for dinner.
Also, I didn't have to buy anything weird. We could eat food, and not "food". Although some of the food fakery recommended on Paleo sites on the Web was a little silly, I discovered not one, but two, recipes that will remain in high rotation even now that we've broken up.
Finally, you can take Paleo anywhere. Paleo loves to go out to eat- there's always a good protein with some veggies on the menu. Cocktail parties are a little trickier but if you eat before you go, you can usually munch on crudite or grilled shrimp, and lord knows I love a cocktail weiner. But of course- no cocktails- Paleo doesn't allow booze.
And it is true that I lost some weight (about 5 lbs in 4 weeks, which is very reasonable).
The dealbreaker for me was that Paleo was a big talker. It made a lot of promises but just didn't come through. It didn't make me feel magically more energetic, or strong, or clear. In fact, I felt pretty awful a couple of times.
I wish Paleo well, and I think it'd be great with someone who does a lot a strength training, and who currently eats a lot of meat.
But as for me- it's time for something new.
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