Friday, October 14, 2011

Why Paleo is the black sheep of the diet family


Many days I just want to shout, “Wake up you dolts! Paleo is the answer to what you are missing!” You probably know someone that needs to change the way they eat or workout to improve their quality of life. When we find something that works we want to share that knowledge and help others lead a healthy life. So why don’t people listen? Why do they look for excuses? If this really works, then why don’t more people know about it and follow it?

Yes, this is me in the picture.
Money
The Paleo lifestyle doesn’t have any nifty little products to package and sell on your local grocery store shelves. It doesn’t have a line of “magic presto pills,” meals that come to your door or a piece of essential fitness equipment.

Public: OK – but can’t that be seen as a good thing too? I’m not getting scammed if you aren’t trying to sell me something, right?

True, however, that’s also why people don’t know about Paleo. Nothing to sell = no $$$ = no publicity. No celebrity spokes model is out there to market and sell Paleo to you.

Carb Lovin’
It’s not easy to convince people to give up crusty bread, flour in their baked goods, and sweet corn on the cob. Many of our comfort foods are derived from grains. Combine that temptation with the media telling us to eat our comforting whole grains, we nod like lemmings and continue on the path to self-destruction.

Fad Diet
The Paleo/Primal lifestyle often gets lumped into the “fad diet” category, which is comical since it is adopted from our ancestors. You really want to compare that kind of history to the grapefruit, master cleanse, raw diets out there? Well, not eating grains seems like a radical idea so it must be a fad. Please improve your ignorance and do some research before you shove Paleo aside! There is a reason we have a community growing by the thousands with hundreds upon hundreds of REAL success stories.

How do I convince loved ones Paleo/Primal really works?
Lead by example and others will take notice. They will complement your appearance and ask what you are doing. It’s important to reach out to family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors if they express health concerns or interest in your lifestyle. Read and recommend The Paleo Solution or The Primal Blueprint to get into the nitty gritty of Paleo/Primal.

When people ask me about my diet, I smile and say, “I’ve been eating more protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.” That’s where I stop unless they dig deeper. Otherwise, you will receive odd stares or turn people off if you go into no grains or dairy, “caveman” diet, etc. They will write it off as a bizarre fad diet, whereas the media has made protein, veggies, and ‘healthy fats’ socially acceptable.

Until more people wake up and realize Paleo isn’t the crazy aunt no one invited to the party, we must stay strong in our actions with a friendly and confident approach. 

Are you having difficulty explaining your Paleo/Primal lifestyle to others? Do people treat you differently when they find out you are Paleo/Primal?

Krista