What is Paleo?

This is the eating plan as I understand it

I started doing a rendition of the Paleo eating plan about six weeks ago and have been astounded at my progress.  I have done the fat-free thing, weight-watchers, exercise for 5-10 hours a week, distance running, whole foods, count calories etc etc etc for YEARS.  Somethings work temporarily, others didn't work at all.   I have had all sorts of issues with hormone imbalance over the last few years-- mostly just annoying level-- but, I had almost resigned myself to living with the symptoms and the weight-gain or "puffiness" that I felt.  Melissa told me about the Paleo eating plan and I started looking into it.  Basically, as I understand it there are a few simple rules
1. no dairy (though some people do clarified butter, whole milk and cream or yogurt with sufficient bacterias)
2.  no grains
3. no legumes (peanuts and soy fall under this category) or starches (potatoes, corn)
4. no sugar

Eat
1. lean, non-processed meat (stay away from nitrates and salt), fish, and eggs
2. lots of vegetables
3. fruits (limit if you are trying to loose weight)
4. oils such as olive, coconut, nut oils
5. coconut in all forms
6. some go for artificial sweeteners others don't
7. nuts (limit to 4 oz a day if trying to loose weight)
8. supplements-- it seems that there are lots of healthy supplements recommended by different people  I have been doing fish oil and vitamin D daily with a multi, vitamin C and calcium.  I am going to add CLA and L-Carnine more regularly.  I had a few but ran out and so I am not sure if I got benefits from them.


Results:  I threw away my scale a few years ago because it never moved any direction but up and it made me CRAZY to not be able to control it even though I was following my latest plan and exercise schedule!  (Actually Melissa and Alan basically took it away from me because I let it determine my mood for the day...call it a scale intervention if you will) So, I have no idea how much progress I have made in terms of pounds, but I would say at least 6-8.  The most impressive for me is that I have lost inches.  Every measurement that I took showed at least 1/2 difference, and in the case of my waist, (drumroll please....) 1.5 inches in six weeks.. and 2 inches around my ribs.  That's crazy good.

The other thing that I have noticed is that my basic feeling of puffiness is gone.  I recover faster from my workouts, I don't have the hormone stuff going on right now with hot feet etc, my eczema is gone.  I was just going to try it for a few weeks, but, the results beyond simply clothing size are worth sticking with it for longer.  I am sure that I will add some grains and dairy back into my diet when I have reached fitness goals and I still have an occasional sugar-filled item here and there (like the 1/2 of a chocolate cookie I had today...) but, I am still waiting to see when my results will top out.   I imagine that when I reach my goals, I can slowly add back some grains (though, maybe not...) and dairy and see how I do.  My diet consisted of mostly grains and dairy before, so, some part of that combination was clearly NOT working for me.