I don't know what it is, but I bet I can find something in there to be pissed off about. WAIT. My husband is lactose intolerant and you talked about cheese. What the fuck, Heather???

I've read about many people eating the paleo way. It seems as if me and my family would benefit from making these changes. I need to change something before I get so big that I can't wipe my butt.

THANK YOU DOOCE! Our house has recently gone gluten free, so this "cave man diet" (as my teen calls it) sounded interesting. We were talking about going vegan, but I can't eat soy/tofu and said teen won't eat beans. She cheered when I told her about this. I'll tell you what: it feels great to wake up without feeling like I have a 3 margarita hangover.

Thank you so much for sharing. I wanted to know more and was going to ask you for some resources since you said you did so much research. I've made such a huge change in my life in the last few months and workout every single day. I've changed my eating habits just a bit (I never considered myself an unhealthy eater...I Love fruits and vegetables!). I've lost 30 pounds since March and in so many ways feel so much better and so much healthier. It's amazing. But, like you described in your first post, I feel tired a lot. I expected to have loads more energy considering how much weight I've lost and how much I am working out. I also feel so hungry and many times so bloated. I think I can try this Paleo diet, but want to see exactly what it's all about first. Sugar would probably be the hardest for me. I am a COOKIE MONSTER!

Thanks for the info, and kudos to you, Heather, for making such healthy changes in your life. You're a good example for all of us and most important, for your daughters.

Just to clarify for people who are new to paleo eating: Larabars are not good to stock up on if you are trying to lose weight. Heather is already at a healthy body weight, so she has more room to make decisions like cheese and Larabars and etc.

If you are starting paleo in an obese or considerably overweight condition and want your body to slim down to its proper proportions, you will need to be a little more strict with your paleo diet. Giving up bread and potatoes and chowing down on six Larabars for breakfast isn't going to get you where you need to go.

Check the websites Heather mentioned and look around for guidance on the right way to start, and later maintain, the healthiest body you can get!

I used to be the biggest pasta and dessert lover EVER so the idea of this diet was crazy to me. However, after trying it for about 6 months, I can't imagine ever going back to my old diet. I was diagnosed with IBS by multiple doctors but after being on this diet, I have no more issues.

I also have been diagnosed with endometriosis and in doing research on it, I read that you should avoid gluten and sugar because they can make it worse. In fact, you would be surprised how many medical conditions can be improved or even cured by following this diet. My father had really high blood pressure and after going paleo, his blood pressure went down to normal, he lost weight without exercising at all and his energy level skyrocketed.

Also, there are so many recipes out there that can be used when you have a bread or sugar craving. I never feel deprived.

Good for you and thank you for writing about this. People often think I'm insane and that this diet is impossible to follow. Maybe if we get the information out there, people will realize it is totally possible!

Hi!

I don't care what ya eat. As long as you're happy. Do what you like. Like what you do. That first post about the new diet def. gave a sense of being beat down. Like all of those negative people who comment have won over how you feel and accordingly, write.

Who cares what you eat/feed your family/ etc.? I sure don't. I've just begun a vegetarian lifestyle and love it and couldn't care less if other people think it's not making a difference in the world. It is making a difference in mine.

I think I'll do a little research on this just to see if I can do it. I'm kind of thinking not because it looks like a LOT of animal products which, don't get me wrong, I LOVE, but too much cholesterol blah blah blah.

I asked my endo about the Atkins Diet many years ago and got a swift "no" because of the high protein and the fact that kidneys are something diabetics are funny about.

No legumes?? I lovelegumes! Why no legumes? Don't take away the legumes!

I started eating Paleo last fall as part of a food challenge through my gym (yo, Roots!). I don't do it 100% of the time because I love beer far, far too much, but when I do stick to Paleo I generally feel great. Another good resource is Inherent Appetite, a food blog by one of my coaches.

Heather, if you feel good and strong and healthy, that's what is important. Great job on sticking with it.

Tell Jon I am 1 year post gallbladder surgery and sometimes a salad will do the same thing to me (almost instantly)! At times, I'm affraid to eat vegetables. The trade off is not waking up in horrid pain every other night, feeling like you are having a heart attack after eating or having constipation so bad you throw up. I wish I could say it gets easier, but...as far as I'm aware...I don't know what day my stomach will allow the salad to stay or what day it will reject it outright. It's kind of like digestion roullette!

How do you handle planning meals for your family? Do you make 2 different meals, or try to alter 1 that both can be either Paleo or non depending on side dishes? I'm cautiously interested (although there is the whole wine habit to kick) but am fairly certain neither husband or 7 year old daughter will be interested in it.

I'm only offended that your fork and napkin are on the wrong side of your plate, and that your knife should be facing the other direction. Other than that, great information!

You do eat fruit though, right? I guess so since you eat Lara Bars (my husband has a gluten sensitivity and loves them). My only reservation about any of this is the carb thing. I've done no-carb before and I it made me horribly depressed and eventually the thought of eating just made me sick. The carbs in the fruit would probably be enough though.

And no cheese? Or french fries? Or french fries covered in cheese? Ever? What's the point in living? ;)

Seriously though, if it works for you and it's a lifestyle change you are happy with... it's all good.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news about those "cage-free" eggs, but according to The Cornucopia Institute's organic egg scorecard (seriously: http://www.cornucopia.org/organic-egg-scorecard/) Oakdell rank pretty poorly, as in "produced on industrial-scale egg operations that grant no meaningful outdoor access." Alas, cage free doesn't mean much these days, other than, well: no cages.

Food is one of the defining issues of our time - thanks for the great info and resources!

Thank you so very much for posting this. I was hoping you would gather the questions and answer them. I asked about the psych meds because I also don't want to alter mine at this time. I'm halfway through Mark Sisson's book and hoping that a gradual transition to this lifestyle will both help health and I can join the three-poops-a-day club. Mine is more projectile after gallbladder surgery several years ago. Really. Thank you for sharing.