I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses, especially what people eat and
how people "cheat" so I decided I wanted to get in on it too!

> > 1)  Why did you choose the paleo plan?

I didn't intentionally choose the paleo plan....I was doing low-carb
already for a few years, and my health problems still continued to worsen
(no wonder when breakfast was a diet coke and an Atkins bar!!!!!!),  I
got introduced to Robert McFerran's work, which is more or less Paleo,
although he doesn't call it that. It's Paleo, with eating according to
your Metabolic Type, and with excluding allergic foods that may still be
in this category.

>
>
> > 2)  How long have you been on a paleo diet?

2.5 years

>
>
> > 3)  Which plan do you most closely follow

Robert McFerran's (I'm not particulary into any of the Paleo books that
are out there, especially since the recipes include tons of foods I don't
eat, like nightshades, citrus, onions & eggs. I agree with and don't
agree with ideas in all of the books, so I use them for what they're
worth to me)

> > 4)  What have been your results - health
> > improvements, weight loss, etc.

Body weight settled at 130 (previously had been up & down) and it stays
that way no matter what I do. I havn't tried to tweak things to make it
lower. Digestion, food allergies, arthritis, mood, energy all
significantly better.

>
>
> > 5)  Did you have any addictions when you started
> > that were hard to kick; if
> > so, how did you do it  (cold turkey or slow
> > withdrawal)???

oh yes. sugar, which is the devil for me. cold turkey. If I indulge in it
I"m immediately craving it to no end. I'm still addicted to caffeine, and
it's my fantasy to be off it but truthfully I can't imagine life without
it. That's probably a good reason to get off it. Instead  I try to limit
amount.

>
> > 6)  Are there any "paleo foods" which you exclude
> > from the diet because they
> > don't work for you?
>

Lots: foods that are wrong for my Metabolic Type or that I'm allergic to,
which also happen to be mostly foods that havn't been used long or are
from tropical climates, which is not my anscestry. Includes all tropical
fruit except coconut, citrus fruit except occasional lemon, all
nightshade veggies, any form of onion, and eggs and mushrooms (Eggs are
actually commonly allergenic). I think that's it. I adapt Paleo recipes
to my even more restricted list.

>
>
> > 7)  Are there any "non-paleo foods" which you seem
> > to be able to handle in
> > small quantities while still maintaining your health
> > improvements, etc.?
>

Aha! yes! I have no problem with vinegar and use it. Wow, is that it? Oh
yes, rice occasionally. Very occasional alcohol. But I do veer away when
eating out or at other people's houses, and I'm usually fine with this
since it's occasional. My rules when eating out where I don't have much
of a choice are: NO dairy except butter, preferably no grain except rice
although I will make exceptions, NO mushrooms. I don't like going to eat
at other people's houses with a long list of what I can't eat, so I try
to limit it to just what will kill me on a one-time basis,

>
>
>
> > 8)  What is a typical paleo day for you?  (I'm
> > particularly interested in
> > what you all have for breakfast as I don't like
> > eggs)
>

varies, but here's examples:

Breakfast: homemade turkey sausage & half avocado

Lunch: piece roast chicken and homemade soup with bone broth
 or, buffalo patty and salad

Snacks: pemmicin! I make it now and LOVE it! Also eat it for breakfast if
I'm on the run
or, smoothie with banana, berries, pumpkin seed butter, flax seeds,
water.
or fruit & nuts

Dinner:  always meat or fish (usually chicken, lamb or salmon)
vegetable or salad

>
>
> > 9)  Do you take any vitamins, supplements?
>
> yes, varies according to what I'm working on

>
> > 10)  What about exercise?

I'm working on it. Right now only Qi Gong and Feldenkrais (both aren't
aerobic). I've been limited because of joint problems


LP