Paleo Fantasy

[RJH76]

In researching CBL/CNS to see it was worth trying, I came across a lot of “paleo” sites, blogs, books, etc… I didn't realize paleo diets were so wide spread.  As a trained anthropologist it's easy enough to dismiss the misassumptions and made up science by paleo advocates. But, what I'm wondering is why there's such a close association between these sites and CBL/CNS sites, research, blogs, etc...?  CBL/CNS rely on the use of highly refined grains and starches, which seems to be the bane of all things paleo.I'm assuming that the reason for the connection is the overlap of the social networks among the groups that gravitate toward the fringe of fitness/diet protocols; plus the ULC parts of the diet. That said, I think there should be some research here that debunks the rationale behind paleo fads. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-paleo-diet-half-baked-how-hunter-gatherer-really-eat/

[Brandon D Christ]

In researching CBL/CNS to see it was worth trying, I came across a lot of "paleo" sites, blogs, books, etc... I didn't realize paleo diets were so wide spread.  As a trained anthropologist it's easy enough to dismiss the misassumptions and made up science by paleo advocates. But, what I'm wondering is why there's such a close association between these sites and CBL/CNS sites, research, blogs, etc...?  CBL/CNS rely on the use of highly refined grains and starches, which seems to be the bane of all things paleo.I'm assuming that the reason for the connection is the overlap of the social networks among the groups that gravitate toward the fringe of fitness/diet protocols; plus the ULC parts of the diet. That said, I think there should be some research here that debunks the rationale behind paleo fads. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-paleo-diet-half-baked-how-hunter-gatherer-really-eat/

Paleo is a health thing.  CNS and CBL are performance diets, where it's understood that certain things will have to be done that are considered unhealthy.  Most of the people on here just like the paleo approach to health.  The paleo followers will not eat junk on Carb Nites or backloads.

[David M Pope]

In addition to what ibob said, I think it comes down to what you said about ULC. A large majority of the energy spent looking into “healthy” meats and fats was and is done by the Paleo proponents which then is gleaned for those eating mainly meats and fats all day (CNS) or for portions of their day (CBL). Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

https://one.body.io/forums/topic/inchxinch-b2b-log-were-in-hell-gentlemen/

[RJH76]

Paleo is a health thing.  CNS and CBL are performance diets, where it's understood that certain things will have to be done that are considered unhealthy.  Most of the people on here just like the paleo approach to health.  The paleo followers will not eat junk on Carb Nites or backloads.

I see. I should say that when I referred to the "made up science" in reference to paleo, I meant the rationale behind it. I don't know enough about the health effects of the actual diet, and it would make sense that any diet promoting whole, unprocessed foods should be healthy. I'm also sure there's variation in what people consider to be purer paleo protocols. That said, eating white rice, potatoes, and other classic carbs seems to run as almost as counter to paleo as eating a plate of pasta or a donut. So, when you say "junk" do you mean highly processed junk food? That is, they'll eat the less processed refined grains and starches alone, but not when they've been added to sugar or HFCS?

[Brandon D Christ]

Paleo is a health thing.  CNS and CBL are performance diets, where it's understood that certain things will have to be done that are considered unhealthy.  Most of the people on here just like the paleo approach to health.  The paleo followers will not eat junk on Carb Nites or backloads.

I see. I should say that when I referred to the "made up science" in reference to paleo, I meant the rationale behind it. I don't know enough about the health effects of the actual diet, and it would make sense that any diet promoting whole, unprocessed foods should be healthy. I'm also sure there's variation in what people consider to be purer paleo protocols. That said, eating white rice, potatoes, and other classic carbs seems to run as almost as counter to paleo as eating a plate of pasta or a donut. So, when you say "junk" do you mean highly processed junk food? That is, they'll eat the less processed refined grains and starches alone, but not when they've been added to sugar or HFCS?

First let me make clear that I am not a paleo adherent, but I am familiar with it.  The rational behind it is not "let's eat what cavemen ate".  Most people in the paleo community do not believe that the perfect diet for health is one based on uneducated ideas of what paleolithic people ate.  Some do, but most mainstream paleo is about consuming less processed foods and identifying foods (processed or whole foods) that could pose problems to certain people.  Ancestral diets are often used as just a guideline.  The same thing Weston Price did when he tried to identify foods that made people sick.On the carbs, most paleo followers have no issue with rice or potatoes.  Some of the more hardcore followers will be against those foods, but the good majority are not.  Sweet potatoes are in that category as well.  Anyways, a lot of people on this forum just like following paleo guidelines for ULC nutrition.  Great majority of the diet is ULC.  So if you are paleo when you are ULC, you are 80% paleo. 

[RJH76]

Thanks for taking the time to inform me. I thought that mainstream paleo advocates did think they were eating based somewhat on pre-civilization diets, so I'll have to revisit my preconceptions with a more open mind if I run into a paleo advocate.  I especially thought that wheat, rice, and the other grains were off the menu completely. One of the jokes about paleo among some anthros is that most of the paleos with European ancestry have had grains in their diets for ~10,000 years, but potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, corn, and turkeys for only about 10 generations. If that isn't the case, then it isn't so strange that so many paleo advocates have blogged about their experience trying either CNS or CBL.  Plus, as you said these are performance diets.  I'm trying CNS now, because I gained so much strength in such a short time on the CBL diet.  Hopefully the CNS works just as well for fat loss. I just remembered that I wrote a paper a long time ago about the agricultural revolution, and the transitory effects.  I think I weighed out the pros and cons in it, because there's been a debate in anthropology for a while about why it even happened, given the immediate negative results at the time.  I'll have to see if I can find that paper. 

[Brandon D Christ]

Thanks for taking the time to inform me. I thought that mainstream paleo advocates did think they were eating based somewhat on pre-civilization diets, so I'll have to revisit my preconceptions with a more open mind if I run into a paleo advocate.  I especially thought that wheat, rice, and the other grains were off the menu completely. One of the jokes about paleo among some anthros is that most of the paleos with European ancestry have had grains in their diets for ~10,000 years, but potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, corn, and turkeys for only about 10 generations. If that isn't the case, then it isn't so strange that so many paleo advocates have blogged about their experience trying either CNS or CBL.  Plus, as you said these are performance diets.  I'm trying CNS now, because I gained so much strength in such a short time on the CBL diet.  Hopefully the CNS works just as well for fat loss. I just remembered that I wrote a paper a long time ago about the agricultural revolution, and the transitory effects.  I think I weighed out the pros and cons in it, because there's been a debate in anthropology for a while about why it even happened, given the immediate negative results at the time.  I'll have to see if I can find that paper.

I think where the confusion comes from is that when "paleo" is being explained to the lay person, the "caveman diet" concept is used because it's easy to understand, even if it is a half truth.  However, Robb Wolff, Mark Sisson, and the other paleo experts, have real scientific reasons for recommending what they do.

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