Now, if you've read anything I have said on MamásLatinas about losing weight (since I've lost 100 pounds in the past), you'll know that I am just NOT a fan of fad diets. It's not something that I think really works for people and I don't usually support it. In fact, I think there's only one real foolproof way to lose weight. However, there IS some wisdom in the various diet-of-the-day stories I have seen in the past year. Lately I've been looking at the Paleo diet (where you eat the way our ancestors, the cavemen and women, supposedly did) and seeing how it could actually be used to help you lose weight.
Read more ¿Qué más? Your foolproof plan to FINALLY lose the weight!
Here's what you need to know about the Paleo diet: it's similar to Atkins in that carbs are seen as all of our evils. In fact, the theory is that our carb-heavy eating pattern is the reason for all of our current weight issues and biggest health ills. Instead, on the Paleo diet you're encouraged to go back to our hunter and gatherer days. Basically, you can eat ONLY animal protein and plants.
Basically, you have to cut out anything that cavewomen didn't eat. This means no refined sugar, dairy, legumes and grains (as in, nothing before the agricultural revolution!). You stick to meat, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables. However, there are different programs and regimens that could determine how much of these you eat.
Read more ¿Qué más? 5 Best calorie counting apps to help you lose weight
My big issues with this diet is that it's still a fad and there is no proof that avoiding grains is going to help you lose weight. Even worse, some say that avoiding grains and legumes can leave you missing some key nutrients. At the same time, though, the diet does emphasize quality meats (like grass-fed beef) and lots of vegetables, which is ALWAYS a good thing in my book.
In fact, three of my friends absolutely SWEAR by the Paleo diet. They all love it and have had great success with both losing weight and getting fit while eating this way. However, I have noticed that the meat-heavy diet means that you have to work out a lot. All of these friends are fans of CrossFit, which is an intense exercise regimen. It honestly sounds like a really difficult thing but, hey, they've never looked better!
As for me, I don't think I could ever give up my arroz con frijoles for any period of time. The issue with fad diets is that they only work as long as you can stick to them. This one works for my friends because they completely changed their lifestyle to be Paleo-friendly. As for me, I'm going to take the biggest wisdom of the Paleo diet (eat more veggies, healthier meats and work out more) and apply them to my daily life—with a side serving of some rice and beans, of course.
Image via Stephen Rees/flickr
