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-   -   Can someone tell me about the caveman diet? (http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/other-plans/805763-can-someone-tell-me-about-caveman-diet.html)

tomswife 06-08-2013 11:59 PM

Can someone tell me about the caveman diet?
So I did a search on here and about all that came up was the paleo diet which sounds pretty similar. So I did a google search and read specifically what it was but I was hoping I could find someone on here who is on it or has tried it. Our fitness club is doing what is called the caveman challenge. It's basically a weekly class where you get weighed and they teach you about this diet. I was pretty excited because I did a weight loss challenge last year and I'm also a member of TOPS and both of those teach the low fat, high carb eating. They also teach that canola oil is wonderful and coconut oil is bad for you. So to actually be able disciuss my eating with someone that gets it, is awesome. So our first class was last Monday. I really liked the way he was talking up coconut oil and nonprocessed foods. But then he was also pushing products that he sold. Like protein powders. And he sold somethingh called coconut apple cider vinegar. It had honey in it which he says is ok because it's "natural". Anyway, I guess I shouldn't complain. It's a far cry from my other groups. I was just wondering if he should even call it the caveman diet. And how he can justify pushing grass fed beef and yet also honey and protein powders. I'm just curious about what you guys think.

lilbeetle 06-09-2013 12:37 AM

There are 2 'caveman' diets. Well theres more, but the 2 main ones are paleo, and the other is primal. The diffference is primal is paleo plus dairy. And yes, even within those two WOE, there are splinter groups :)

The are low carb versions, and carb restricted versions and moderate carb versions. I gather honey is considered acceptable because the average caveman had a shot at find honey in the wild.

If he's 'pushing' products, it prolly how he makes a living and thats ok, we all have to eat. BUT you should be able to embark on a perfectly healthy caveman diet without resorting to processed food at all. Which the average caveman wouldnt have had access too anyway ;)

Im basically Atkins, but I rarely buy any of the official products. Mostly I jjust eat veges and meat. In our house the rule is generally "if you cant shoot it, or pull it of the garden, you dont really need it"

The cocnut apple cider vinegar prolly is ok. Both products have nutritional value, but you could get the vinegar from the supermarket cheaply, and coconut in several forms is easy to obtain as well. Just saying...

tomswife 06-09-2013 02:36 AM

Ok, thanks for explaining that to me. I've been doing Atkins for a while now and basically, like you, I do it without processed foods. Since most of what he says I agree with, I can handle the rest :-)

Trent Black 06-10-2013 12:49 PM

Wow. There is a lot of issues you have to think about.
I have done it. Most think about allowed foods. But, you will need to pick a fuel source, that is way more important.

EATING FAT WITH SUGAR = WEIGHT GAIN. Eat a handful of cashews and a candy bar and see how fast you gain.

On the Caveman diet, some think that you can eat anything the caveman ate, without consideration of the seasons. Well, unless you are in the tropics on a frutarian diet, you only get fruit in the late summer and fall. The fruit is to fatten you up for a long winter. Again, back to fat + sugar = weight gain.

Assuming you are not in the tropics, as a caveman, will be living in state of ketosis. Go outside and look for some food. What are you finding? Protein and fat.

If you stay in a state of ketosis, you should not have hunger issues from low blood sugar. So you have to break a life time of EATING all the time.

If you are using a sugar body fuel, your blood sugar goes low, and there is the hunger signal you need to eat. So you have to constantly and endlessly replenish the blood sugar fuel. There is no sugar ware house reserve. You have to eat.

If you are using a fat fuel source, if you run out of fat from the diet, you start burning body fat. It is cool There is no hunger signal. There seems to be a shortage of nutrients notice, where the body sets off the hunger signal when low on nutrients.

Canola oil was Canadian Oil that got ruined in the USA. There is a 450 page book by Udo Erasmus on it. He is the king of fats. I like coconut oil.

And, in the end, on the caveman diet, if you eat FATS like you are on a CARB DIET, people have gotten pancreatic issues.

Hope it helps. Take what you want and leave the rest.
