I've done Atkins in the past and lost a good deal of weight (which I then gained back). Staying away from carbs and sugars is best for me because of insulin resistance and PCOS. But at my last physical, my cholesterol had just entered the "high" level.

I've tried and tried over the past 5 years to get back on Atkins. It usually only lasts a few days. I'm unsure as to whether the higher cholesterol is from too much bacon when I've tried Atkins or if it's just from an unhealthy lifestyle, since I can't adhere to a more healthy one.

My husband just began the Paleo diet. I like it's ideas and philosophy. Prehistoric humans were in many ways so much healthier than us by being hunters and gatherers! No salt! No animal milk! No sugar or artificial sweeteners!

I think I'd like to try this. I may have to go semi-Paleo, though. I think I'll still have to use sweetener (or Crystal Light) until I can wean myself off. We'll see how it goes....

Anyone else doing Paleo?

Although Paleolithic man really didn't have a very long life span, I think what really sets us from them is that they got hours of exercise every day. I think that more than food would've contributed to better health in certain areas

Some people like to eat Paleo but as long as you don't think Paleo eating is mimicing exactly how paleolithic man, then you are fine. I've known many to follow a paleo style eating and although they aren't 100% all the time, they seem to like it for certain durations of time. They also couple it with plenty of exercise.

I just can't do another low carb diet. I've tried to stay on them for years, and failed every time. They just aren't sustainable. Having to give up a food group that I grew up eating is worse than quitting smoking. It's just not do-able for many people. I did the research and all the low carb diets out there have astronomical failure rates.
Doing "semi" anything at least gives you a greater chance at being successful at it. I hope you do well.

I do think that the paleo diet is what we're designed or evolved to eat. I don't however stick to it strictly. I cheat with bread and pasta and other things on occasion. A couple of years ago I quit eating processed sugar and carbs for about 3 months. With that plus moderate exercise I dropped about 30 pounds. Weight loss wasn't my goal just eat healthier (I exercised already anyway). So basically I'm on the semi paleo diet and I've never gained the 30 lbs back even though I cheat.

I do a weird mix of Sonoma and Paleo. I avoid carbs after 3:00pm. A co-worker told it to me and it works for me. I do occasionally have pasta with dinner but mostly I only eat carbs in the morning with breakfast. It gives me a good energy boost for the day and my exercise.

There is no science data that I know about about avoiding carbs later in the day but it works for me and my co-worker.

Generally if you have insulin resistance, you should eat fewer carbs in the AM and more in the PM. I found this out when I had gestational diabetes - they advise eating the smallest amount of carbs at breakfast, more at lunch, and the greatest amount at dinner. The basis for this is that your body processes insulin better later in the day.

I imagine if you are not insulin resistant and you tend to eat a lot of "bad carbs" in the evening, like snacks and desserts, cutting that out will remove a lot of your empty calories from your diet and you'll naturally lose weight.

Do any NO CARB doesn't work for me either, I have to have some carbs every day but I do limit. Mainly I have found that wheat in general makes me crazy, as does sugar. I don't eat sugar and I limit wheat, often I choose rice instead which doesn't make me crazy.

But between you and me, artificial sweeteners are bad stuff. They change your brain and make you crave more sugar in my experience. Quitting that stuff was hands down the best thing I ever did, I truly do not think it's possible to lose weight or be healthy while doing that. You just have to get used to not liking sweetness... it's tough but it's totally possible. I cut out equal from my coffee. Every morning I'd wake up and have a sugarless - sweetless cup of coffee and think "ewwww yuck!!!" This went on for 2 full months of bitter yuckiness. Then one day it was fine, totally fine. A few weeks ago I ordered a cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts and they accidentally put sugar in it without me knowing it. I drank a sip and literally spit it out it tasted like... ewwww yuck!

I think people tend to go into this "all or nothing" mentality. Who says that you have to do a NO CARB diet? or an Atkins induction diet to go lower carb? You simply don't.

Just like you don't have to do full paleo.

But I think most of us would be wiser to limit the grains in our diets. We simply don't need them.

I eat a lower carb diet, but it's by no means a very low carb diet.

I eat all fruits, but bananas and try to stick with berries and apples and rely less on mangos and peaches.

I eat all vegetables and eat mounds of them at meals with a bit of olive oil.

I like sweet though, so I drink a lower carb protein shake and eat lower carb protein bars (like atkins or Quest).

I typically have about 80 net carbs per day. I just simply skip the rice (any kind), cereals, pasta, potatoes and breads and stick to the fruits, veggies and meats (and beans).

Another thing people tend not to realize is that cholesterol is greatly affected by lack of exercise. If you start exercising, you may find your cholesterol goes down and the break down will be better (better good cholesterol). It's not just diet that influences cholesterol levels.

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-man...er-cholesterol

Veggies are the key to making Paleo work, and not eating them in adequate quantity is the main cause people don’t see results.

Personally, I like Paleo Diet because it has a wide variety of food choices but I needed reference to help me guided

would you guys say this is the most effective way to lose weight?