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Comment by js2 | Hacker News Reader

I crossfit, a community that is associated with the paleo diet. No one interprets paleo literally. It's just a buzz word that generally means eat less processed foods, more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats, and limit grains. Some folks do cleanse diets first. I've seen folks loose dozens to hundreds of pounds. For many, this is the first time they've actually paid attention to what they are eating. And this is really the important part. Pay attention to what you eat and avoid processed foods as much as possible. Call it paleo or "clean eating." Who cares.

Aside, I don't think carbs are evil, but they are very energy dense and not particularly satiating, especially refined carbs (i.e. carbs not from produce). I run 60 miles a week, crossfit 3-5x a week, and still have to pay attention to limit calories from refined carbs.

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> No one interprets paleo literally

I have done crossfit in the past and have many friends who still actively participate. The majority of them do take paleo literally.

The reality is, I think, that it varies from box to box, community to community.

Are you including indigestible carbs (fiber) as part of natural whole grain sources, fruits (pectin), oats (soluble fibers) as part of your "not particularly satiating" carbs? I spent 6 months on paleo, 12 months on keto, and 6 months cyclical keto. I have found that complex carbs have helped my training and weight loss far more than restricting carbs in general. It seems that proper carb sources are just as satiating as loading my bowels with red meat (and the outcome is vastly preferred).

I don't eat red meat but maybe a few times a year. My protein is mostly from fish, eggs, greek yogurt, fowl, and protein powder/bars sparingly.

I don't find carbs in any form particularly satiating. Unless I have protein and/or fat with a meal, I'm hungry quickly after. So steel cut oats, not satiating on their own. But if I add say crushed walnuts to the oats and have a couple eggs or greek yogurt too, I fine almost till dinner. The more refined the carbs, the worse it is for me.

why limit grains? (honest question)

Because they are energy dense and not particularly satiating. A slice of bread can be 75-100 calories, a bagel 200-250 calories, a bowl of pasta 400 calories. I like to translate my calories to miles. A mile walked or run burns ~ 100 calories. So that bagel is 2 miles, that bowl of pasta 4 miles.

I'd rather eat fruits and vegetables, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fish, etc.

To be clear, I don't avoid grains entirely. I'll have a slice of toast with 3 eggs at breakfast, or put homemade granola in my yogurt, etc. I eat rice with sushi or chicken tikka. Challah is one of my great weaknesses. It's just that grains are so readily available and easy to eat too much of, so I limit them when I can.

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