While my own clinical experience is enough to assure me that an ancestral, Paleo diet is the best choice for weight loss and one that I enthusiastically recommend, there is plenty of credible scientific evidence, much of which I’ve compiled here, to back up this claim and win over even the biggest skeptic. Let’s dig in, so that you can pass these facts along to your loved ones and clients and help guide them on their Paleo-for-weight-loss journey. (And as an added bonus, if you want to lose those last few stubborn pounds yourself, this information may be all the motivation you need.)
Why Willpower Doesn’t Work—But Paleo Does
You probably already know that we gain weight when we eat more calories than our bodies can use. But you might not be aware that it doesn’t need to be a huge excess. Eating just 10 percent more calories than we need on a daily basis can lead to significant weight gain over time. Yes, even a few extra bites at each meal, which would be hardly noticeable, can pack on the pounds.
The Paleo diet seems tailor made for weight loss. Check out this article to find out what the research says. #paleo #changeagent #chriskresser
It’s surprisingly easy to gain weight, especially since processed food has taken hold over the last 50 years or so and super-sized portions are the norm. Unfortunately we’ve become a nation of overweight and obese people.
In the early 1960s, only a little more than 10 percent of adults in the United States were obese (defined as a BMI over 30). (1) Today, that statistic hovers around 40 percent. When you factor in those who are overweight (defined as a BMI between 25 and 29.9), the number skyrockets to more than 70 percent of people over the age of 20. (2, 3) While many have argued that certain nutrients like carbs or fat are to blame, the simple truth is that we’re eating more than we used to. A lot more. (4, 5)
Therein lies the problem: to lose body fat, we need to be in what’s called a “calorie deficit” for an extended period of time. That means that the number of calories entering our bodies (i.e., what we eat and drink) needs to be lower than the number of calories being used by our bodies (i.e., general metabolism and physical activity).
Seems simple, right? As you and your loved ones and clients have heard over and over again, you just need to “eat less and exercise more.”
Unfortunately, this advice rarely works because the brain has powerful mechanisms for overriding our efforts to lose weight. When you consciously reduce your calorie intake, your body responds by lowering your metabolism to match your reduced intake. So as you purposefully consume fewer calories, your body finds ways to use fewer calories, all while ramping up hormones that increase your appetite and drive you to eat more at every meal in order to regain the fat you’ve lost. (6)
In other words, it’s extremely difficult to eat fewer calories than your body uses through sheer willpower alone—and this is exactly why calorie-restricting diets fail.
How Effective Is the Paleo Diet for Weight Loss?
Studies evaluating Paleo for weight loss have shown it to help a number of diverse populations shed pounds and improve their metabolic profile. What’s more, research reveals that it improves risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, better than other dietary approaches. (7)
Impressive Results for Women
In a two-year randomized controlled trial of 70 participants, researchers compared a Paleo diet with a diet structured to meet the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). (These are national dietary guidelines set by health ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and other Nordic regions.) They found a Paleo diet to produce a greater loss of fat mass and reduction in abdominal obesity, as well as a greater reduction in harmful triglyceride levels, than the NNR diet. (8)
Among those same study participants, researchers found the Paleo diet resulted in an average weight loss of more than 17 pounds at the end of the study period, compared with a conventional low-fat diet. After six months, weight reduction was more significant in those following the Paleo diet versus the low-fat diet. Impressively, the study also showed that at six months and 24 months, a Paleo diet reduced liver fat in all of the study participants. (9, 10)
In another study, 10 healthy, non-smoking obese postmenopausal women were instructed to follow the Paleo diet. After five weeks, participants lost an average of roughly 10 pounds (a 5.3 percent reduction in body weight, with a 7.5 percent decrease in waist circumference), as well as experienced decreases in their diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and other metabolic markers. (11, 12)
Beneficial Impacts for Type 2 Diabetics
Compared to a “diabetes diet” generally recommended to patients with type 2 diabetes not treated with insulin, a Paleo diet was found to result in more weight loss and a greater reduction in waist circumference, as well to better improve glycemic control and risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as triglycerides. (13)
Additional studies have confirmed a Paleo diet’s ability to help followers with type 2 diabetes lose excess fat and improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic response. (14, 15) Of particular note is one study of diabetic aboriginal Australians, who agreed to return to the natural hunter–gatherer diet of their ancestors for seven weeks. All participants steadily lost weight over the study period, with an average loss of roughly 17 pounds, and experienced marked improvements in glucose tolerance, fasting plasma insulin concentrations, and blood levels of triglycerides. (16)
Better supplementation. Fewer supplements.
Close the nutrient gap to feel and perform your best.
A daily stack of supplements designed to meet your most critical needs.
Positive Outcomes in Healthy Adults
In one study of healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 40, the Paleo diet produced decreases in weight, body mass index, and waist circumference, as well as systolic blood pressure and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, elevated levels of which are a risk factor for atherosclerosis. (17)
A recent Australian study of 39 healthy women with an average age of 47 randomized participants into two groups: a Paleo diet group and a group following dietary guidelines set by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE), which is similar to the USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guide. After four weeks, participants in the Paleo group had lost significantly more weight than those in the AGHE group. They experienced, on average, a 4.3 percent reduction in body weight, along with a 3.8 percent reduction in their waist circumference. (18)
And you know what? None of these groups was told to reduce their overall food intake or to count calories.
What Happens to Your Body When You Follow an Ancestral Diet
You’re now armed with the scientific evidence behind Paleo for weight loss. But you may also want to share with your friends, family members, and clients exactly how the approach works.
Research shows that a Paleo diet is more satiating per calorie than other dietary interventions, including a Mediterranean-like diet and a low-fat diet. (19, 20, 21) That means it’s more filling for the same number of calories than other popular diet methods. This is crucial for weight loss, since feeling full helps you eat less without fighting hunger or counting calories. As I mentioned before, if you’re constantly fighting hunger, your brain will respond by reducing your metabolic rate and increasing your appetite. Furthermore, studies suggest that a Paleo diet helps your body produce more of the hormones that keep you feeling full after eating versus promoting the hunger hormones that cause you to overeat, as calorie-restricting plans do. (22)
In general, studies of high-protein diets show that this way of eating can reduce appetite and increase metabolism, as well as effectively control hormones that regulate weight. (23, 24, 25)
Just as important, a Paleo diet eliminates so-called “empty calories,” in the form of refined carbohydrates, highly processed foods, and added sugar. The science shows that eating empty calories results in “phantom fullness,” the enemy when it comes to weight loss. (26) In fact, it appears that obesity rates have risen as consumption of processed junk and fast foods has increased. (27, 28)
This is why so many of my patients have lost 20, 30, even 60 pounds or more (I have patients that have lost upwards of 150 pounds!) on a Paleo diet, even when they’ve tried and failed with numerous diets before. If you ask me, the anecdotal and scientific evidence is overwhelming that an ancestral diet is the way to go, not just when it comes to losing weight but also to resisting chronic disease. I hope this article helps you as you guide the important people in your life to looking and feeling their very best.
I’d love to know more about the nitty gritty behind weight loss and paleo. I see many people say how the pounds just melt off…. Not for me. I’ve been following a Paleo diet for almost a year, and I have not lost any weight. Before switching to Paleo, I was already sugar and gluten-free, so giving up grains and legumes was not such a big deal.
I also practice Chinese medicine, and I’m interested in hearing more about the the connection between weight-loss and paleo from this point of view.
Funny enough, the most weight loss I ever experienced was when I switched off the “SAD” (standard american diet) to Macrobiotics–about 15 years ago–giving sugar and dairy–and meat–but focusing on lots of grains and legumes. It’s strange to me that with THAT diet, I shed 25 pounds in a few months without trying…and yet, with Paleo, Nothing.
Maybe it’s my metabolism, I don’t know. One thing is for sure, I’m much healthier now then I was then–Kidney and Spleen function much better, and generally speaking, far less dampness.
Dee, I’m with you.
Glad you found what works for you.
Unfortunately, I have yet to find a guideline that works for me.
When I focus on a low-carb diet, my body needs a good amount of fats and proteins to feel satisfied. This makes my body super damp, very uncomfortable and many physical side effects.
When I go on a low fat diet, with not so many ‘heavy’ foods, I end up needing more carbs to calm my appetite, and this helps dry my body, but I can tell my body is not happy being on carbs as primary fuel, something feels off. I don’t lose any weight either.
I would so love to find some solutions!
Hi Chris,
My blood sugar is always 100 at 2am. everyday. But in the morning its in the low range of normal – My Fasting Blood Sugar is 70.
I was hypoglycemic and LC is what is saving my life. what’s really confusing me now is that when I eat moderate carb my BG plummets. I thought improved insulin sensivity.
This happened three times this week, usually at breakfast or dinner. I use coconut oil per day so could that be inducing ketosis and physiological insulin resistance? I have low FBG so that wouldn’t make much sense. I’m worried with this random spikes and I can’t think of any plausible reason why this happens…
For eg: two days ago I ate beef, avocado, veggies and half potato for dinner and my BS was 153 1h after
this morning at breakfast I ate eggs with coconut oil and yogurt with a banana, 1h after 158. I immediately ate an apple and 1h after it was down to 110. What the heck?
Again, so sorry to bother you I’m worried I am progressevely becoming diabetic and I want to prevent that while it is still possible (while I have FBG of 70).
Best regards and I wish you all the best.
My biggest “ah-ha” in switching to Paleo was when I cut out all the baked goods and pasta how many more vegetables I was eating for snacks and with meals to fill up on. Great switch if you ask me 😀
Think it might be useful to bring hormone optimization into the equation.
Been reading the work of various MDs such as Drs. Weil, Hotze, Smith and Hyman, and they cite some alarmingly high statistics about % of the population w/ poorly functioning (too low or too high) insulin, thyroid, testosterone, estrogen, etc.
Apparently, it’s really tough to get lean if one’s hormone’s are outta whack (yes, an exacting scientific expression).
Re Paleo… I read extensively on diet, nutrition, exercise (and blog about it), but remain confused about the merits of eggs, meat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, etc.
Paleo supporters think all that’s good, and cite some new studies to support such, but some pretty bright research-oriented MDs (Hyman, Ornish, Fuhrman, Gregor) are adamant that a plant-dominate diet is healthier.
On Dr. Gregor’s site, http://nutritionfacts.org/, he has over 1,000 videos where he examines studies that examine the best foods and supplements, and it all comes down to plants.
I’ve tried different diets to see what works best for me. It’s hard to do, to make yourself a science experiment. But what I feel is working best for me is to be very moderate with meat (and make sure it’s pasture raised, grass fed), somewhat moderate with eggs (again, pasture raised), moderate with high-sugar fruits (many more berries than bananas, for instance), very moderate w/ grains, less so w/ beans/legumes (soak them first) and abundant w/ veggies.
My 2 cents.
-Joe
“Plant Based” is a $5 version of “vegetarian” as a useful simplification.
There are three motivations for “Plant Based”.
1) “Morals – not wanting to kill or cause the killing of an animal in order to eat.
2) Environmental – the world can feed a lot more people by eating plants, as animal tissue formation is a very inefficient use of either plants or other animals.
3) Health – it is more “healthy” to eat plant foods than animal foods.
Of course, for many “Plant Based” believers, they maintain one, two or all three of these beliefs and may have others as well.
Evolution has resulted in carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. It is undeniable that humans are omnivores, not herbivores.
The Ornish “scientific” approach originally involved five factors in lifestyle: a) Plant Based Diet, b) smoking cessation, c) exercise, d) stress management, e) psychological support. Later Ornish generally claimed that literally all of the benefits resulted from the Plant Based Diet, without any data to state that this factor actually had greatest weight. It was a “Plant Based” belief, at the time.
His claim of “some decrease in narrowing of arteries (stenosis) was also found in various medical treatments and other diets of various kinds. “Some” is usually just “small” reduction in stenosis and has often been at the very edge of experimental resolution and occurs in “some” participants.
Ornish may be the same kind of “Scientist” as Ancel Keys – a man seeking proof of his ideas, rather than objective knowledge. Some “scientists” cherry pick the data to provide “proof”. It is a constant problem with fame and money involved.
It is amazing how much good opportunity for thinking is wasted by preconceptions of “Paleo”, when those original paleo folks neglected to write down and preserve their recipes for our use. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’ve been eating Paleo for 16 months now, and have close to a dozen health improvements! However, one major problem is that I’ve actually gained about 9-11 lbs. of FAT. Yes, fat, not just overall weight! I used to eat whole wheat products, low fat dairy and low calorie foods. When I switched to Paleo and replaced those with REAL food, I lost muscle definition, gained a spare tire around my mid-section, went up 1 pant size, move slower when sprinting, and I’m just baffled, and scared to continue eating Paleo foods while gaining more and more fat. How long must I wait to see a fat LOSS??
I’m not on the paleo diet but you may benefit by taking CLA. I would bet you will gain the muscle and body definition back with it. If it is working, you will gain weight in the beginning. Don’t mistake that gained weight for fat increase.
I’ve gained on paleo too…..I cannot seem to handle all the fat. If I follow paleo guidelines minus animal fat (olives. avocado coconut oil seem fine) then I can maintain a good weight without trying to hard. But as soon as I start enjoying fattier cuts of meat or using butter, duck fat, lard etc. then the weight slowly creeps up.
I think everyone is unique and some snippet of my DNA makes me less efficient at burning fat. After living in my body 50plus years I see what works for me. Personally I don’t full sated when I eat fat. I just want to eat more. But a whole plate of steamed brocolli or cauliflower. Then I feel full.
So paleo for me is an ok compromise and I would not say it is effortless, it takes alot of effort to have the self control to turn down the foie gras or the bacon wrapped scallops or the butter drenched green beans or salmon skin avocado roll ups my husband enjoys. It’s important to remember in a research piece on diet that shows a statiscally relevant outcome (ie: fat helped folks feel more satisfied), there were people in the study who did not feel that way. Different strokes for different folks.
Cabbage cauliflower broccoli kale are anti thyroid goitrogens they lower your metabolism .Does anyone have cold hands cold feet insomnia thinning hair .I did paleo felt great at first for a year or so .I wish I had known how goitrogenic so many vegetables are.My body was stressed and running on adrenaline which is why I felt so good,then crash .
I feel better now ,I eat white rice and potatoes in moderation.I know I need thyroid the doctors don’t seem to think so.
Why “it takes alot of effort to have the self control to turn down the foie gras or the bacon wrapped scallops or the butter drenched green beans or salmon skin avocado roll ups my husband enjoys”
I would enjoy all those yummy nice high fat why are you restricting them on paleo?
The one thing about the paleo diet that concerns me is the strong correlation between red meat consumption and increased risk for colorectal cancer:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Red-meat-and-colon-cancer.shtml
More information about red meat: http://chriskresser.com/the-truth-about-red-meat
So eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Paleo does not dictate a surfeit of red meat.
As Laura pointed out, there is not a strong correlation between red meat and cancer when the “healthy user bias” is factored in.
See http://chriskresser.com/red-meat-it-does-a-body-good for an explanation. Original study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20663065
This is the best way of eating for me, real food, delicious, nourishing and the side effects are amazing… clear mind, no hunger, more energy, beautiful skin, no menstrual pain, beautiful hair, no cravings for carbs…
Thank you Chris for all the amazing and important information that you share with us.
I must be the odd duck. I have managed to gain weight instead of losing like I wanted. Frustrating doesn’t even sum it up. I am grain free, sugar free, legume free, etc.. following paleo for a year and have managed to gain instead of losing the 30 pounds
I haven’t gained, but I also haven’t been able to lose. Not sure what I am doing wrong!
You may find this podcast helpful: http://chriskresser.com/ask-the-rd-paleo-weight-gain-and-supplements-for-gas
The truth is, calories do count, even on Paleo. I don’t actually count them, but know if I’m starting to gain (I lost 80 pounds years ago) I’m eating too much, and cut back. But, I’ve found this to be an easy diet to stick to. For the first time in my life I’m not hungry all the time and my energy is great. But, that doesn’t mean I somehow know when to stop eating automatically like a regular skinny person. I’m not even skinny. I think it’s a mistake to tell overweight people they can just eat what they want as long as it’s on the diet. No. So, a little self guidance and discipline is necessary. Knowing that at the beginning eliminates surprises and a sense of failure on this diet.
I also gained weight on Paleo and I was hungry all the time. I felt miserable and had no energy for my workouts and yoga. As soon as I added grains back in, the symptoms and the weight went away. I am accustomed to being fit, so this was not acceptable to me. I think if we base our diets on whole, real foods and get away from mainstream processed junk, the particulars of what we eat simply vary depending on each person’s own unique physiology.
Excellent comment, Emily.
Breadie,
Restrictive in which way? In the way of not enough nutrition?
Paleo is not restrictive because it eliminates grain products.
OMG of course it is restrictive if you like eating grain products. Especially if they give you no problems!
Than keep eating grains it they make you happy. I don’t think the article is saying that everybody should quit eating grains!
Breadie, Have you read Chris’ book “Personal Paleo Code” or even tried to cut grains or processed foods out of our diet? I was vegan for a short time and felt that was way more restrictive than a Paleo style diet. My autoimmune disease became much worse on a vegan diet and became better on a Paleo style diet. I just think you might want to try and read Chris’ book, before you claim Paleo is restrictive. He does believe that everyone is different and some tolerate some foods better than others. There isn’t one template that works for everyone.
I have not read it nor will I ever try to cut grains out of my diet. I like grains and they give me no problems. I’m not one to jump on every bandwagon that comes along just because it’s all the rage.
You could also “make your own version” of the Paleo diet. If you don’t want to, don’t exclude grain products but try to limit processed foods like fake meats, pizzas, maybe white bread? Just bring more variation by adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet (eggs if you’re not vegan) and limiting added sugar, instead of limiting grain products. No one says you have to be 100% strict Paleo to see positive results, there’s a lot of people who don’t exclude dairy or beans from their Paleo diet
Breadie, If you’re ‘lean and fit’ (and don’t need to lose weight) and you think the Paleo way of eating is too restrictive…I’m wondering why you’re on this site…and as to your comment above about Paleo being restrictive if ‘you LOVE grains’ – the Vegan and Vegetarian diets would be ‘too restrictive’ to someone who likes to eat meat – so whats your point?
I’m wondering why you’re even on this site??
I think I signed up for his emails when I was following an article he wrote about fish oil.
I believe low carb, paleo anything, is hard and sometimes slightly restrictive. Even being on low carb for 4 months in the past was very hard for me. Always hungry, never truly feeling satisfied. That could be some other problem though. I don’t know. But all I know is that I strongly believe the only way I could possibly lose some weight sitting on my ass is doing very very low carb. No bread or fruit or starch for me. It’s horrible. I don’t have any health problems so it’s basically just vanity with me. I pretty much don’t eat any carbs at all. You lose weight faster but it’s very tough. I was never fat growing up and I don’t plan on being fat much longer. I admit, I am taking the extreme route. Each to their own right?
I think there’s two factors to consider as well here in light of these great points:
(1) The departure from a calorie-centric approach to weight control means that a greater attention to the chemistry of food & the body will yield more lasting results. Understanding how the energy & nutrients and foods affect the balance of hormones in the body, replaces the obsession of “how much do I eat” with “what kinds of foods should i eat,” and many of the other beneficial effects follow from that shift.
(2) Everything is worth trying. The retention of weight is mostly attributed to diet, so if a given person has “tried everything else” and they haven’t found lasting results, then perhaps reforming their tastes is the most viable, or even the only, solution. In other words, they may not like certain foods on the Paleo menu, but if they are truly dedicated to losing weight and are seriously considering the Paleo approach, they may need to challenge themselves to develop a taste for the staple foods that make this approach successful (if they physiologically cannot tolerate certain foods, that is a different story). It’s a cost-benefit exercise weighing their quality of life overall against the foods they enjoy eating which may be inhibiting their progress.
The powers that be have brainwashed the public to view weight loss as a calorie problem.
Weight loss programs that don’t satiate hunger are a complete failure.
Weight loss programs which require people to exercise more than lightly continuously will fail in the long run. The reality is that besides health fanatics, no one goes to gym their entire life.
Any weight loss program needs to utilize foods that don’t contain those processed ingredients. They will fuel obedity and food addictions. GMO foods will aggravate the problem. If one looks at the top chefs in the world, they will use the best ingredients and we’re not talking expensive either. That is the basis to good food.
Some people who have weight problems but are borderline healthy will be able to tip the balance with some calorie and exercise but that is not really addressing what is broken in the body or if they are eating a lot of processed foods.
One may need to detox their bodies in various ways to remove the build up of toxins in their bodies.
If the body isn’t keeping trim on it’s own on a diet that minimizes processed foods then something in the body is broken whether it is an infection or weakened organ etc.
Any weight loss program must be able to diagnose and address what is broken internally. Limited exercise can be an adjunct to this if they diagnose and treat correctly. The problem with most weight loss programs is that they can’t diagnose what is wrong internally. Most ignore the tainted food supply and have people stupidly focus on calories. The more healthier people will have success. The less healthy won’t.
The only weight loss program on TV that ever truly addressed weight loss was a British program called “You are what you eat”. They had the most success out of any TV program.
Most people are not even aware of the severe taint to the general food supply so it is a steep uphill battle to inform people.
Paleo doesn’t always mean “just meat” its eating whole foods – vegetables, berries , nuts and meat. Actually, you should restrict the amount of meat you eat and focus more on eating healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil and avocados. The whole “Meat Only” tag that has been attached to this diet is a misnomer. Wheat (specifically gluten) consumption is the main cause of weight gain in society today.
Breadie (and other high carb eaters), one missing piece here is that tastes change as you switch your eating patterns. Just because your tastes now make this way of eating appear unappealing, over time, more vegetables and other foods now become more appealing. Also, really, let’s be absolutely clear about the diversity of food choices on the Paleo diet. Right, it ‘restricts’ you to all the huge spectrum of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and meats. If you don’t think you can find something ‘tasty’ to eat, and somehow the bland starches and grains are what’s appealing, then you need to take another look and discover what the breadth and depth of tastes are really there. The cup isn’t half empty. Or just go ahead and eat the bread and muffins, and enjoy and accept the consequences.
Hey Chris,
“we’re eating more than we were before.”
Didn’t Taubes, Bailor and others pretty much refute this? In the sense that, yes, we are eating more than before, but the “more” doesn’t equal the levels of obesity we see today.
Put simply – if calorie math is correct, then how come we’re not all wwwaayyy more over weight?
So, technically, you are right, but it seems to me like you’ve stretched that concept past its explanatory capacity.
Please set me straight or put me to data suggesting otherwise, thanks! 🙂
PS: congrats on the success of your book – hopefully it’ll affect change positively the way you’ve intended it to
rs711,
Stephan Guyenet has demonstrated that we certainly are eating more than before, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC20OoIgG_Y
No, Taubes and Bailor have definitely not refuted the considerable amount of hard data showing that we are, in fact, eating more. Whether that is the cause of the obesity epidemic is a subject for debate, because correlation never equals causation. However, based on my review of the evidence, I believe it is the predominant factor (among others, including changes to the gut microbiome).
“[…]we are eating more than before, but the ‘more’ doesn’t equal the levels of obesity we see today.”
+
“So, technically, you are right”
This is me agreeing with your premise that total calorie consumption has gone up and is a contributing factor the obesity epidemic.
I’m asking you to explain why you think the calorie increase cannot COMPLETELY account for the obesity levels we’re seeing…or if you think it actually is the overarching factor, by far, to then to point me to evidence suggesting that as it has been strongly argued against from Taubes & Bailor with pretty convincing data and logic.
Thanks
The idea that people are eating more than people in the 60s and 70s is so absurd. Americans were more wealthy back when.
Everyone in France during the early 2000s must have been eating less also. French people must be alien genetic mutants with the lowest obesity rate in the world or maybe it is because they had the world’s healthiest food supplies.
People eat to satiate that hunger. The idea that this changes is absurd. This was brought about through artificial means by the powers that be with addition of chemicals in food that make people addictive to food and cause people to retain more fat. Also the water supply got toxic with fluoride. It helps the powers that be that people tune out reality around them.
Jonathan Bailor didn’t try to refute the observation that we’re eating more. What he said was that given that we know we’re eating more, the calorie ‘math’ would lead us to expect to be much more overweight than we are. He’s not saying we’re not eating more, but that the simplistic treatment of calories leads to the wrong predictions.
I have found this to be true and just in time, I’m pre-menopausal at 46. I don’t want to gain a lot of weight! Can you address tummy weight as you age. This is the REALLY tough nut for MANY people as they get older!!! 🙂
And not everyone likes bread, believe it or not.
And if you didn’t like bread, but were told “This diet is great! You can eat as much bread as you like!”, you’d think, “So what,” right?
Breadie, there’s a change that takes place in many people when switching to a paleo diet. I’m 55 and up until about 3 years ago, when I discovered the paleo diet, I LOVED bread (and pasta, and other forms of grain). I tried to eat a “healthy” diet (think “whole” grains), but by this time in my life I was so metabolically deranged that I HAD to make some changes if I wanted to have any kind of quality of life. Osteoarthritis was kicking my butt and I was facing a knee replacement operation among other things. I pretty much started eating paleo out of desperation. I thought there was no way I could give up my bread, among other foods, but I did so out of desperation. What surprised me the most was that after a few weeks of eating a very clean, paleo diet, that “need” to eat bread and grains (and sugar) completely disappeared! I’d been on several different kind of “diets” over the years (such as Weight Watchers), and they were excruciating for me to follow, because they were allowing me to continue eating those foods I was addicted to (and didn’t realize at the time were harming my body). Completely eliminating the grains and sugar was quite eye opening to me, and now from what I understand those foods have an opiate affect on people. They stimulate the pleasure hormones and make us want more. I have not had to have the knee replacement, and my health has improved in COUNTLESS ways since adopting this way of eating. I feel better now than I did through my 30’s and 40’s! I think the changes that happened to me regarding food and how it makes me feel happen to most people who switch to paleo. And I think those who have not experienced that physiological “switch” (such as yourself), cannot understand how life altering it can be. I’m happy that you are in good health now, just be aware that the affects of eating grains can and often do catch up with folks over the years. If that ever happens to you, don’t despair because it really IS possible to live life without bread!
You’re totaling missing my point. Not everyone likes Paleo foods.
There are tons of options with paleo. It’s not just focused on meat as you suggested. You are totally missing the point of paleo. It’s about eating real, unprocessed junk food. If you want to eat lots of bread, go ahead and suffer the consequences. If you want be healthy and perform at your best and heal health issues while losing weight, paleo is a good option. You’re right, it’s not always easy–especially when switching from the standard american diet–but what in life is easy?
I have no consequences, I’m lean and fit and have plenty of energy for workouts. My complaint with the articles is that it claims Paleo is easy and natural for everybody and that is just not the case.
Your criticism is completely baseless. No where in the article does Chris state that a paleo diet is “easy and natural for everybody.” He does state that a paleo diet can lead to easy weight loss, due to the sateity per calorie. And if you are “lean and fit” already, why are you even reading an article about weight loss?
Oh, you are being silly. The title of the article is “How to Lose Weight Without Trying on a Paleo Diet.” “Without Trying” implies easy. Do I really need to explain that?
And I read a lot of fitness articles.
Yes, you need to explain that. Because usually losing weight implies counting calories, or limiting fat, or “watching” what you eat, or exercising more. Which isn’t the case with a paleo-type diet. I’ve been on a diet since I was 13 years old….I am now 60. I went paleo 3 months ago and for the FIRST time I am NOT on a diet. I eat anything I want, as much as I want, anytime I want, and still lose weight. That is what Chris is saying when he says “without trying”!!
Well it’s a matter of semantics then, because I have a much greater problem eliminating grains than doing portion control. Being able to eat unlimited Paleo foods but not allowed to eat grains would be something that would require a lot of “trying” on my part. It would not come easy. In fact it would be damn near impossible and I’d probably go jump off a bridge …
Breadie,
You know, being a NorCal girl, I thought the exact same thing. How was I going to give up bread, especially sourdough bread?
But if you are someone with an autoimmune condition (I have Hashimoto’s), gluten does really bad things to your body. So when I started my journey, I said to myself that I was going to give it 3 months. I figured I was good for 3 months of no bread. So I did, and you’re right, it wasn’t easy. It required a change in thinking. And at the end of 3 months, I ate bread. Yeah, I binged on sourdough (the good kind from Boudin SF, all crusty and delicious. Chili in a bread bowl. Yum.)
I was OK that day. And the next. And then it hit. Major joint pain, a return of all my symptoms. Just from a little bread!
Congrats to you for being lean and fit. If your diet works for you, then stick with it! But for people like me (and I’m finding many many people with the same issues as me, we just CAN’T eat the breads, the grains, and other foods that mimic the gluten response.
Now as for Chris Kresser, I am so grateful to have found his blog. Chris doesn’t make unvalidated statements. He backs up his opinions and suggestions with research. I find this to be a credible website and I’ve directed a number of my friends and family to it. Some of them follow the guidelines, some don’t.
So if you don’t like it, if you don’t agree with it, then don’t follow it. But please don’t minimize or dismiss something that helps a lot of people.
My intention is not to put you down or dismiss your concerns, but I feel like you are challenging this article just for the sake of challenging it.
As for the rest of us, we’re not going to be able to convince someone who doesn’t want to be convinced. So let’s just go eat our fabulous food and get healthy!
Katrina, for some reason there is no “reply” button after your post, which is why my reply is here. As I said before, I am only challenging the claim that Paleo is somehow easy or no big deal, which, I maintain, it is being characterized as such by the title “How to Lose Weight Without Trying … “
Breadie ,
I think what you’re not getting is the article is saying the *weightloss* part of eating Paleo is often effortless, because a lot of people lose weight when the cut out the processed junk – I don’t think the article is implying that eating Paleo is easy (though for me it is!!) it is saying that the weight loss part once you make the switch is often without additional effort (calorie counting, exercising etc.). I think you are the one caught up on the semantics!
Agian, you stated “My complaint with the articles is that it claims Paleo is easy and natural for everybody.” My point is that Chris never said that in this article, making your criticism of this article baseless. And your response is to quote the title which clearly applies to people who need to lose weight, and while that may be 60% of the American Population, that isn’t EVERYBODY. And again, if you are “lean and fit” as you state, I don’t understand why you would be trying to lose weight. For those of us who need to, losing weight WITHOUT BATTLING HUNGER would be easy.
See above post. Same answer.
Hi Breadie,
I love bread too! And I still eat it sometimes- albeit gluten free- (also Hashimotos) and I live in Portland which is apparently the gluten free capital of the world, so I eat delicious GF french bread, that tastes like real french bread…but I digress. What I really wanted to say is: that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, we are all really different and it works for some people to eat grains, etc. I would suggest soaking them in an acid (like lemon or vinegar in the water) to get the most nutrients out of your grains. I think their is a lot of backlash from people because Chris is one of the non-extremists and he’s great at meeting people where they are. In good health, Megan
How hard is it to pick up a head of broccoli and chow down? How hard is it to purchase a package of chicken breasts and put them on the grill? How easy would it be to just say “I don’t care about all of this stuff” and throw caution to the wind? It’s only as hard or as easy as you make it out to be. Not sure what point you’re really aiming to make here but you’re obviously not getting out of the article what was intended. Many people DO suffer from eating certain foods, and most people DO have at least one food intolerance, whether you do or not. Can you really argue that Paleo isn’t at least an option in defeating certain illnesses and combating disease in a healthy and positive manner?
Not everyone likes being sick and overweight, either.
Also, there is a thing known as “skinny fat” meaning you can look skinny, but still be unhealthy from the foods you are consuming.
Personally, I struggled with my weight fluctuating throughout high school and college. I tried many different diets and counted calories and would lose 10 pounds, then gain 20. I was ALWAYS hungry. It wasn’t until June or July of 2006, when I went to a doctor that practices functional medicine where I found out about my food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, eggs, and yeast mainly) It was a tough transition at first because the food industry isn’t helpful in the healing process! I was 173 pounds and am 5′-1.5″ and within several months, the weight just melted off and I was never hungry. Also, cravings went away. I have been able to keep my weight stable for over 7 years with ease. Most importantly, the way I look at food and nutrition has changed. I look at food as medicine now and love how when I eat a certain way, I feel great. What I love about the paleo diet is that it stresses eating unprocessed foods that are delicious and I am never hungry. There have been times where I have introduced grains like rice and quinoa back in my diet and have had stomach issues. Everyone is different and it is a definitely a process finding out what works for your body and what doesn’t… But feeling amazing and not being inflamed is well worth it!
If you are bored with your diet or feel there are not many options.. I strongly suggest buying some paleo cook books. You do not have to feel like you are missing out on food. Just make a swap for something that will satisfy you. 🙂
@Breadie: I think pm was responding to the article, not to the point you were making 🙂
Having grown up in France, where bread is its own food group, I got very depressed when I was told that, in order to address my auto-immune condition, I had to go gluten-free, and beyond that, grain-free, dairy-free, and starchy vegetables-free… It most certainly is a very restrictive diet, and I thought I’d never be able to enjoy food again. I went into it kicking and screaming. No joke. NO ONE was more surprised than me that, after following this diet for 8 months, not only do I feel much better, but I do not feel deprived *at all*! It really is possible to make very tasty food on this diet. It did require discipline at the beginning, and it is more expensive and more time consuming, but I’ve always cooked anyway (I’m French, after all!) and my efforts are repaid ten-fold in improvements in my health. I consider it an investment of sorts 🙂
That being said, I agree with you that this diet would be almost impossible for someone who is vegetarian or vegan–though I’m sure there are people out there doing it!
We all have food habits. Tastes can be changed, though it may take time. It’s no use trying to argue that people “like” certain foods so it will be a “nightmare” to change. People often comment that to go suddenly from whole milk to nonfat – or vice versa – can be very unpleasant. But those same people describe the opposite experience once they get accustomed to other foods. Easy does it.
Paleo foods are just real foods. Food we have evolved to eat and properly digest. So if you don’t like paleo food, then you don’t like food. And being vegetarian is a personal choice unrelated to any medical condition. So get over your personal biases and eat real food.
I agree, the paleo diet replaces the processed carbs and sugars with fats, proteins and green vegetable carbs that promote satiety.
If you are on a limited budget and can’t always afford the organic produce, supplementation is vital in my opinion. For if your lacking the minerals and vitamins that veggies supply you body will make you eat until you get them.
Some naturopaths even maintain that you should supplement because a person can possibly eat all the food necessary to get all the nutrition you need.
So to be safe, it can’t hurt to take a whole food multivitamin with ionic trace minerals.
Why try and pretend that Paleo is very easy for everyone? Some people are vegetarian and eat a lot of bread. This diet would be a nightmare for them. Be honest. Paleo is very restrictive, unless your diet already revolves around meat and little else.
So, trying to quit smoking can be a “nightmare” but does that mean one shouldn’t do so? I’m really failing to see the logic behind your statement. No one said going paleo is “easy.” Any lifestyle change is not easy. I believe that what Chris is saying is that once you make the change to paleo, you aren’t constantly reading labels, adding up “points,” or slaving away on a treadmill for 2 hours at a time in order to lose weight.
I eat a paleo diet, but I eat a lot of vegetables. In fact, I eat more vegetables than the vast majority of “vegetarians” I know. I also eat a fair amount of starches. I can walk into darn near any restaurant and find plenty to eat while still staying on plan.
For me, dealing with sticking myself with a needle every day because of type 2 diabetes sounds “difficult.” And having to plan my day around getting to the pharmacy to wait in line for my meds seems “restrictive.” Call me crazy.
You said it so well! At first, it seems difficult because you have to retrain yourself to new rules. But after 3 weeks on Paleo, or clean eating, things got better for me. I am hardly ever hungry. Because it is healthy to walk, I log 10,000 steps a day. And I can do that because of increased energy on the Paleo way!!
How can you compare Paleo with smoking? One is one of many alternatives. The other kills.
And the comment was about not trying to make the diet sound easy, which a lot of people do. Not whether it should be followed.
Dr P was comparing *transitioning to* paleo to *quitting* smoking. (or paleo to nonsmoking.)
And you don’t think food kills you? I had a stroke because I had a silent inflammation caused by gluten in bread goods, two examples here, my sister is size 8 very slender, eats what she wants and is a smoker, I on the other hand eat healthy but until I changed my diet I was always overweight and always poorly.
Both me and my sister agree that being obese and being a smoker is like having the same addiction both equally hard to give up, I changed diet because of having mini strokes
It sent before I finished.
When I had the stroke (a cluster of mini strokes) I was very I’ll, had a tonne of invasive tests, that were very painful. Giving up bread goods took me over a year to complete, 18 months on, since doing a health plan very close to this diet, I don’t struggle with Aphasia as bad as I did, I can now walk without someone with me, and I got back into employment. And yes this was caused by food intake.
My sister tries to give up smoking and yes its a hard addiction to give up, unless faced with death ultimateum and then giving up is not a choice.
My Mum was told to give up smoking and she had smoked for 40 yrs, she was told give up or your be dead in less than a year, she gave up and lived another 20 years.
So I feel your argument needs some life choices to really know the truth about whether a person can follow a diet of this nature or not.
There is a supplement that works to prevent heart attacks and strokes. It is called nattokinase. I have chronic blood coagulation problem. I developed peripheral artery disease over 10 years ago and could barely walk. I walk and move fine. It works and has no side effects.
For most people, nattokinase should be sufficient. For my situation I needed to add serrapeptase. Research fibrinolytic enzymes. Take on empty stomach before bed and optionally in morning.
Diets will not work in most people unless one one has removed processed foods anf / or fixed what is broken inside of their bodies. If you can’t lose weight by removing process foods, you may need to try detoxes, lugol’s iodine, supplements etc … basically experiment with different things to try to fix what is broken.
Your sister’s body hasn’t broken enough so she can abuse her body more.
My son suddenly suffered seizures and “Alice in Wonderland” migraines at age 10. After seeing 6 neurologists, including the head of neurology at Children’s Hospital, we were hopeless. He had severe reactions to the drugs they prescribed (6 of them) and missed over a month of school. Guess what? It was gluten. He doesn’t have Celiacs – it caused neurological symptoms instead of gut issues. It took many, many, months of agony, but we whipped it. He’s gluten-free, drug-free, and seizure free now! Food can be dangerous too!
So…let me try to understand your logic. Diabetes, heart disease, lupus, MS, and many other diseases caused by poor diet don’t kill?
I so agree.. I lost my father at 43 to diabetes.. I do NOT mess around with my diet anymore.. I love Paleo! I feel GUREATTTTTTTTTT!!!!
Well said, Sir!
actually the title of this article states effortlessly! And without trying! To me that says losing weight easily….!this is a meat eaters diet not much different from atkins at all. and there is nothing healthy about me whatsoever. The whole you need protein some meat to be healthy is bullshit……animal products are the worst thing on the planet first person to eat!
While I agree that changing your diet from a vegetarian/vegan to a Paleo diet is difficult for many people, it truly takes time for many people to complete their journey. On the flip side, others really don’t have a the luxury of time to facilitate healing. These people need implement a whole foods diet that removes grains and legumes to heal their gut (etc).
I love Chris Kresser’s approach, in that not everyone is equal in what they can and cannot eat.
And with healing, comes freedom, not restriction.
I think the mindset of many people needs to evolve over time. The journey and paradigm shift for each individual is as different as the bio-individuality of each person and what foods they can handle.
I don’t paleo restrictive at all. It seemed like it at first, but I now feel that my paleo meals are so much more flavorful and enticing than eating bread and pasta. They seem so bland to me now. My diet revolves mostly around veggies with meat on the side. Maybe one or two fruits a day and a handful if nuts. I feel better than ever! My fourteen year old daughter Is a vegetarian that eats eggs and dairy, but limits grains. She’s very happy and healthy. Of course, she still eats pizza with friends, but I think that’s fine.
The Paleo Diet does NOT revolve around meat and little else! Plenty of Fresh Organic Vegetables should be 3/4 of your meal every time. The mainstay of the Paleo Diet is the elimination of all processed foods, grains, sugar, and legumes. I’ve been on the diet for 8 months and lost over 25 lbs, and I’m NEVER hungry. Do I crave foods I can’t have, or ‘fall off the wagon’ now and then? Of course I do, but I get back on track ASAP!
Breadie, you may be thinking of the Atkins diet a bit more than the paleo diet. If you’re doing the paleo diet correctly, you are eating a massive amount of vegetables. However, in addition to those vegetables, you need a source of good fats and protein to have a complete diet.
Unfortunately, what our bodies developed to eat over the course of thousands of generations doesn’t align very well with moral/social choice.
I disagree that the diet “revolves around red meat and little else.” I’ve been eating Paleo for the last year and a half. There’s this misconception that all we eat is meat. Do my daily meals revolve around animal protein? Yes, but I’m generally eating about 4 or 5 ounces per meal. The bulk of my meals comes from all kinds of fruits & vegetables. I have a salad with my lunch and dinner. I have some sort of vegetable at each meal, including a starchy veg at least once a day (sweet potato, butternut squash). You have a ridiculous number of choices for veg (cooked broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout; all sorts of leafy greens, summer squashes, etc.). Every meal includes some forms of fat: butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. And then there’s fruit. And while some say Paleo is expensive because of the cost of organics and pastured raised animal protein, I do what I can do. If I can’t afford organic, then I don’t buy organic. It’s still a better choice than sugar laden, processed garbage that destroys my gut health. You have to make the best choices you can, and for me, an autoimmune former vegetarian, I have found Paleo to be a godsend. I’m healthier now than I was being a vegetarian. My allergies have subsided, my waistline has shrunk, my inflammation is under control, my cholesterol has dropped, and I haven’t had a cold, sore throat or the flu since I started eating this way. And I teach at a public school! I averaged 2-3 illnesses a year prior to Paleo. So don’t buy into the misconceptions out there about Paleo. Do the research yourself & make the best decision for YOU. Everyone is different. We have to remember that a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work.
Katrina, you could have been me posting this! I agree 100% with you. I also was a vegetarian, even trying veganism for a short time and teach at a public school. I eat one starchy vegetable per day, love the vegetable choices, and eat about four ounces of protein three times per day. I have lost weight, have much more energy, my inflammation issues are gone as are depression and anxiety for the most part. I also rarely get sick! This is the first lifestyle change I have made where I no longer experience cravings for junk. It is very exciting and a huge relief. If, for some reason, the only food available is something I am not willing to eat, I can refrain from eating without feeling faint. My anemia and ovarian cysts have diminished. You are right, also, that Paleo can be expensive if you let it. We just do the best we can and eat seasonally. Certain months we have more money and stock up on grass-fed foods. We are able to go hunting, crabbing, and fishing where we live. We can grow our own food. We have farmer’s markets and farm shares we can purchase. I used to work at a grocery store and was honestly repulsed by what people bought to feed their families. Even prior to going Paleo, my family ate whole foods for the most part. These poor kids have to try to learn while trying to live off of factory-made, processed, junk. I work at a lower-income school and many of the students have bags of hot fried cheese curls (not sure if we can mention brand names) for breakfast and/or snack plus a sugary drink. The school does not allow candy but it wouldn’t be any worse! I try to teach lessons that revolve around healthy lifestyles and good food choices but these children don’t have much of a choice in what their parents have available.
I am glad to know there is another teacher out there spreading their knowledge of a healthy and rewarding lifestyle!
I also observe that most people who shop at Supermarket load their carts up with toxic processed and addictive foods. It’s really amazing to watch. People are just unaware or just don’t care.
Processed foods are at least 3 times more expensive than buying raw healthier ingredients. A person on food stamps or low income can get more bang for their buck buying bulk and raw ingredients.
GMO, pesticide laden veggies and all the processed food derived from them are by far cheaper because the government gives large subsides to farmers that use gmo seeds and spray Monsanto pesticides.
Organic farmed food is more expensive. I know because my family is having hard times. We have to supplement more to make up for it.
I can buy way more raw food than processed in a super market like costco and samclub etc because there is a very large profit margin on processed food. The local super markets like winn dixie and publix has very high mark ups on their food. If one is on low income, it pays to shop at more bulk places.
I agree that the government is subsidizing the toxins. It is so blatant.
They say the reason manufacturers use hi fructose corn syrup is because it is cheaper. That’s a lie. HFCS poison which makes people more obese is subsidized and the less expensive plain sugar is not allowed to be imported.
People will say that it is all about greed. That is naive thinking. They have hidden agendas to destroy the populations health. The former is more palatable because people don’t want to confront the darkness and sociopaths who rule over them. They refuse to believe the powers that be would want to poison and kill them. The evidence is all over the place.
Amen sister!!!
Breadie,
we need to be careful not to get caught by assuming “paleo” means something specific. Chris and a lot of the other paleo pundits have gone to great pains to explain that it is more an approach than a diet. It is helpful to view it as being a template for healthy living (see Mark Sisson’s primal blueprint as well as Chris’s work) and can be tailored within an enormous range to give a maximum shot at health taking into account a person’s philosophies, beliefs, priorities and individual makeup. Nobody is saying you can’t eat grains, just that they have been shown to be a problem for many people so a good starting point is to remove them and see how you go.
Richard Bach sums it up nicely in Jonathan Livingston Seagull where he writes “A name is a label, and as soon as there is a label, the ideas disappear and out comes label-worship and label bashing, and instead of living by a theme of ideas, people begin dying for labels…”
My two cents worth is to look behind the labels at the totality of the ideas. Chris along with Taubes, Bailor, Wolf, Sisson, Masterjohn, Noakes etc., etc., are all very sophisticated in their treatment of health with a paleo “template.” Not only do they deal with nutrition, they also deal with lifestyle choices, general health and well being and more.
Knowing that I could be a vegan or an almost total meat-o-saurus (e.g. Kitavan vs Inuit) or anything in between, with appropriate gut bacteria (feed them and they will come), and acknowledging any peculiarities I might have (e.g. gluten, lactose, nut, or other intolerance) I can tailor a lifestyle for myself that ticks all my boxes AND is as healthy as we currently believe it can be.
Cheers,
Andrew.
I couldn’t disagree more………..
take a look at my site….
I agree the transition is a work in progress for many…..but it’s because they have relied on wheat based products for so long instead of exploring foods they don’t recognize…..
This is evident every time I checkout at a market and I end up educating 2-3 passers by when they say what is that…what are you gonna do with that…. Well I hope this helps;)
True paleo is what is available to you seasonally… Look at my site for a hot second and tell me it’s limiting when you have vegetables, wild seafood and pastured animals… Bread was never had less appeal…
I respectfully disagree. No one is saying paleo is easy for everyone. But it’s not as difficult as it sounds. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, potatoes (white and sweet), white rice, eggs, some dairy and meat. I cheat occasionally (mostly at family gatherings), but I feel so MUCH BETTER. That alone makes it easy to stay on this diet. When you’re eating enough fats, protein and safe starches you don’t crave all the sugar, flour and junk foods of the past.
yes, paleo is restrictive.
so is a diet based on “bread”
so is vegetarian diet
so is low fat diet
so is calorie counting diet
so is SAD
but i think the point is which one satiates hence requires least amount of will power. also it’s sustainable for long term health.
although i found my constant reading labels (of calories & fats) has been replaced by constant reading ingredients (gluten & bad fat are everywhere)
No offense but I always get a kick out of Vegans and Vegetarians that say Paleo is too restrictive. To me, a ‘meat-eater’, the vegetarian/vegan diet seems highly restrictive, much more so than athe Paleo diet. If you’re a Vegetarian and the Paleo diet doesn’t work for you, then you don’t have to eat that way – no one said we all have to eat the same way!
actually the title of this article states effortlessly! And without trying! To me that says losing weight easily….!this is a meat eaters diet not much different from atkins at all. and there is nothing healthy about me whatsoever. The whole you need protein some meat to be healthy is bullshit……animal products are the worst thing on the planet first person to eat!
You’re so clueless. Grass fed meat and seafood is the most nutritionally dense food on this planet. Just do a little reading before posting again.
keat,
If one doesn’t eat meat, and can’t handle grains, legumes, starches, eggs, dairy, lots of nuts and seeds, and sugars, the only thing that remains is veggies, fats, and maybe some low glycemic fruits. That is a starvation diet. Many of us have gut problems and food intolerances made worse by years of grain and sugar eating. I have found that adding meat back into my diet to be a profound relief and has enabled me to rebuild my gut so that I can now add various foods back in and safely handle them again. I have found grass fed meats to be very beneficial, healing (particularly bone broth) and strengthening. Of course I don’t recommend the meat, dairy and eggs of grain-fed, inhumanely raised, sickly animals. But there are options. One size does not fit all. At some point you too may just be burdened by fatigue, hormonal dysfunction, allergies, gut problems, auto-immune disease, etc., and find that you feel better after eating meat. Many, many former vegetarians and vegans have discovered this, just so you know for the future (and the present!!!).
Keat, it’s not animals that are unhealthy to eat, it’s the soy faux pas crap burgers that civilization made to attempt to keep the crazy (ya, I just called it crazy) PETA people happy. Real grass fed beef burger vs a rubber soy patty from McDs? Hmmm pretty sure my daughter’s fisher price kitchen came with a plastic burger patty that is a better alternative than
McDonalds soy blah on a bun.
For very long time i believed, like most of us, that more calories in more fat you are, but it’s wrong. I have tried to change my diet and i have verified that’s wrong. Like you said the weight loss is spontaneous, even without doing sport if you eat right you loose weight.
When you find what are the foods that are good for you, you can enjoy it without thinking about calories, now i can eat with satisfaction and without gaining a single pounds.
I think that the major contributors to weight gain are sugar and wheat.