Todd Moody wrote:
But after five years of experimenting, with very mixed results, I

> am less interested in paleo purity than I am in finding what
> works for me.  Weight control continues to be a problem, and I
> slowly but inexorably regained almost all the weight that I
> originally lost -- all while staying "paleo".  Although I don't
> believe elevated cholesterol is a cause of any disease, I do
> think it is a marker of some sort of metabolic abnormality,
> probably insulin resistance.  I think there is a plausible case
> that insulin resistance is affected by the composition of dietary
> fats.

My sister also has a lot of problems with insulin resistance.  I forwarded
her the "Warrior Diet" article that was discussed here some months ago.
Warrior Diet = one meal a day, at the end of the day, pretty much.
She has been trying a modified version, eating almost nothing until
about 4 p.m., then a reasonable meal, and a smaller meal or snack
at 8 p.m.  Her energy stays up very well during the day; she is hungry
by her first meal.  She has been losing weight.  She has reduced the protein

and fat somewhat, and added a little more carbs.

Stands to reason, if insulin resistance is a problem, and you eat 3 to 6
times
a day, insulin is up almost all the time (though less so if you low-carb).
Eat once or
twice a day and your insulin is down most of the time.  A friend with
hypoglycemia has
been recommended by her dr. to set an alarm and eat something every 2 hours!

A recipe for insulin resistance!

This Warrior Diet theory is kind of like the NiCad battery.  If you
discharge it only a
little bit all the time, the battery takes a "set" and you can't get very
much out of it.
A regular deep discharge allows you to use all the energy.  Here it is the
same thing
with food if you have insulin resistance; eat often, insulin high, energy
stored away in
fat cells unavailable to the body, increased hunger, more eating, and round
and round.
A deep discharge, a long time without food, insulin low most of the time,
the body
regains its sensitivity.

I would guess that Paleo man on the hunt ate very little during the day,
maybe even
for several days at a time, followed by feasting if the hunt was
successful.  Paleo woman
maybe had a little more chance to snack, but mostly during the fruiting
seasons.
Most roots and tubers need some kind of processing back at the hearth.

    Lynnet