would you date someone who lives a paleo lifestyle?

[whirl3daway]

note: I'm not trying to start a debate about if paleo/low carb is healthy or not.

 

this is something that's pretty important to me, as I firmly believe in the benefits of living a "paleo" lifestyle in terms of diet. I eat a lot of eggs, bacon, various vegetables, chicken, fish, meat, healthy fats. I cook most of my meals but sometimes eat salads/steaks etc out. I have no problem finding things to eat while out.

 

ie yesterday:

breakfast: low carb vanilla protein shake w/ almond milk + splash of heavy cream.

lunch: leftover taco meat, avocado, dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkle of cheese.

dinner: low-carb shepherd's pie made w/ ground beef, green beans, cauliflower, cheese, onions, coconut oil.

 

this is something I expect to follow for the rest of my life and would like to feed my children this way as well.

 

this is something you would be freaked out by, out in the wild?

[Frank2thepoint]

I'm a guy. You have mentioned eating meat, which as man, I enjoy. How is this concept considered "paleo"? I only understand "meat eaters" and "people that shun meat, and human nature, to eat a piece of leaf like some caterpillar".

[whirl3daway]

I'm a guy. You have mentioned eating meat, which as man, I enjoy. How is this concept considered "paleo"? I only understand "meat eaters" and "people that shun meat, and human nature, to eat a piece of leaf like some caterpillar".

 

You and I feel similarly there

 

edit: I also kinda hate the term paleo because it seems so pretentious to me but it's the easiest way to explain. I basically don't eat a lot of grain based carbohydrates, as I tend to get them mostly from veggies and some dairy. it's called "paleo" because it's akin to the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate prior to 10K years ago.

Edited April 1, 2014 by whirl3daway

[GorillaTheater]

I eat a lot of eggs, bacon, various vegetables, chicken, fish, meat, healthy fats.

 

As long as you're good with bacon, it's all good baby.

[whirl3daway]

As long as you're good with bacon, it's all good baby.

 

bacon grease runs in my veins instead of blood.

[Frank2thepoint]

You and I feel similarly there

 

edit: I also kinda hate the term paleo because it seems so pretentious to me but it's the easiest way to explain. I basically don't eat a lot of grain based carbohydrates, as I tend to get them mostly from veggies and some dairy. it's called "paleo" because it's akin to the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate prior to 10K years ago.

 

Ah I see. No rice and no bread then. I used to eat white rice and white bread nearly everyday. Then I got disgusted with my weight, switched to whole grain brown basmati rice and whole grain whole wheat bread. But I need the carbs because I have an active lifestyle (at work I run around between six buildings across six city blocks, jog, commute via bicycle, and um, self love). If you are sedentary for the most part of the day, then you don't need rice and bread. Yes I know I could get my carbs from other sources, but I like rice and bread. I also eat a lot of veggies and fruits for the vitamins and minerals needed.

[Priv]

You just described my dream diet.

 

 

But depends how zealous you are about it. Same with vegetarians etc. If you don't force your lifestyle (but pls do... bacon!) on your date I don't see why not.

 

 

Not sure about paleo, but I would definitely not accept a hypothetical future vegetarian mother forcing that upon our children.

[whirl3daway]

You just described my dream diet.

 

 

But depends how zealous you are about it. Same with vegetarians etc. If you don't force your lifestyle (but pls do... bacon!) on your date I don't see why not.

 

 

Not sure about paleo, but I would definitely not accept a hypothetical future vegetarian mother forcing that upon our children.

 

I would never date a vegetarian. It just wouldn't work. I wouldn't force anything on anyone, but if you want to eat my cooking, you're gonna be eating a lot of meat and veggies haha. I'm not super zealous about it ("YOU'RE GONNA DIE IF YOU EAT THAT COOKIE!") but I am passionate about it. I believe strongly in the effect that insulin has on the human body, and how carbohydrates effect insulin levels. Also, bacon.

[TheBladeRunner]

As long as you're good with bacon, it's all good baby.

 

Yes bacon.....lot's of bacon. I wouldn't be freaked out, heck, I can microwave my own potato or open my own loaf of bread . Now the Vegan thing.....couldn't do it. I had a date with one and the fact I was eating a cheese burger offended her.

[Priv]

On second thought. I would not date you. I just googled lasagna and paleo and it is a no go...

[Tayla]

I respect most dietary habits. Where I draw the line is from my lips and my hips. Its no ones right to Shun a being who chooses a different dietary regime. Telling a person- You are unloveable because you eat X,Y,Z...will get you in the Single lane more often then a compatible partner. Maybe respect is the key, respect your differences. Health nuts and meal mongers are extremist....Find the middle ground....Your body will thank you for it , as will your heart.

[whirl3daway]

On second thought. I would not date you. I just googled lasagna and paleo and it is a no go...

 

 

I make excellent low carb lasagna!

[JFReyes]

Unless you're a trained pediatrician MD or nutrititionist I would keep any children out of the lifestyle. Their needs are different from adults and they don't know any better, so they could be harmed. They can make up their own minds when they're grown up.

[ASG]

This is an interesting question... I have to say I don't know.

 

The paleo lifestyle doesn't present too many issues for me. I love meat. I don't mind veggies and in fact try to limit my carb intake. But I do love carbs!

 

but I guess a compromise could be reached, if the other person wasn't OPPOSED to me eating carbs.

 

I think I'd have more trouble with vegetarians, though, cause, you know, meat! But even then, I guess it depends.

My FWB has a flatmate who is vegetarian. He can't really cook meat in the house when she's around, as it bothers her (sensitive sense of smell). *That* I couldn't live with.

[Michelle ma Belle]

Perhaps we might flip the question around and ask YOU...would you date someone who didn't subscribe to your way of eating? Is it a deal breaker or can you live harmoniously while still respecting each other's dietary needs and desires?

 

My partner is a vegetarian working towards being a vegan. Although I LOVE veggies and am happy to "go vegetarian" as often as possible , I do enjoy meat and dairy. My partner does not push his beliefs on to me nor demands that I conform in order for us to remain a couple.

 

It's all about respecting each other's beliefs. And that goes for just about everything in life not just your diet.

[whirl3daway]

Perhaps we might flip the question around and ask YOU...would you date someone who didn't subscribe to your way of eating? Is it a deal breaker or can you live harmoniously while still respecting each other's dietary needs and desires?

 

My partner is a vegetarian working towards being a vegan. Although I LOVE veggies and am happy to "go vegetarian" as often as possible , I do enjoy meat and dairy. My partner does not push his beliefs on to me nor demands that I conform in order for us to remain a couple.

 

It's all about respecting each other's beliefs. And that goes for just about everything in life not just your diet.

 

interesting flip! I've dated a man who wasn't into eating this way and it wasn't a huge deal as he just wanted me to make him a carb now and then. he wasn't as into eating healthy as I am. it wasn't a dealbreaker for me by any means. I would often link him articles that he'd roll his eyes at though! I mostly did that for the lols.

[whirl3daway]

Unless you're a trained pediatrician MD or nutrititionist I would keep any children out of the lifestyle. Their needs are different from adults and they don't know any better, so they could be harmed. They can make up their own minds when they're grown up.

 

this is one of the health related debates I don't wish to get into on this thread. respectfully!

[ashy555]

Paleo is a very popular diet these days! I am a firm paleo eater and have been for the past two years since being diagnosed with Coeliac disease. But if I met a guy who was vegetarian.. it wouldnt bother me at all. After all I wouldnt care about my partners diet in the slightest, as long as we get along. If he doesn't want to touch meat... doesn't effect me in the slightest.

 

I agree! The term paleo is a little annoying.. but the term 'gluten free' is even worse! lol

[rester]

interesting flip! I've dated a man who wasn't into eating this way and it wasn't a huge deal as he just wanted me to make him a carb now and then. he wasn't as into eating healthy as I am. it wasn't a dealbreaker for me by any means. I would often link him articles that he'd roll his eyes at though! I mostly did that for the lols.

 

I respect the health aspects of the Paleo diet but find that many folks that eat this way feel the need to tell everyone about it and don't respect other's dietary habits.

 

It's the proselytizing that is the turn-off for me.

[Noproblem]

I find it unfair to decide your kids food for them .....

 

I am a vegetarian. I don't want to decide for my kids ( not gonna have kids) but if someday I got kids. I won't choose this way of life for them

 

They should choose the way of life and style of food they see fit.. I can only show them the way..

 

What you gonna do, tell them there is no thing called cake & chocolate bars?

[Canucklehead]

Yes, I think it would be a manageable issue..... certainly not a deal breaker

[contact1]

OP, dating someone with a different style of eating can work, if both sides are able to respect each other's way of eating. The same can be said for religion and political views, but hey, lets not get into that for now

Edited April 2, 2014 by a LoveShack.org Moderator

[almond]

I find it unfair to decide your kids food for them .....

 

I disagree. If young children didn't have their choices regarding food made for them, they'd live off fries, ice-cream and cookies.

 

Up to a certain age, it is a parent's job to decide what the child eats. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide the child with a balanced and healthy diet to the best of their ability and knowledge. If an adult makes an educated and informed decision to place their child on a particular diet (eg. paleo), then I don't see any issue as long as there are no obvious risks involved, and the diet is intended to promote healthy development and good nutrition in the child.

 

Once the child is of age, they can then begin to make their own choices regarding diet and lifestyle. While they are young, they are not equipped to understand and carry this out for themselves.

 

On topic - a paleo diet would not be an issue for me. I am slowly moving over to this way of eating myself, and hope to be completely paleo in a couple of months or so.

Edited April 2, 2014 by almond

[whirl3daway]

What you gonna do, tell them there is no thing called cake & chocolate bars?

 

I didn't want to get into this but the reason why I follow this diet is because I believe the human system has not evolved to ingest the massive amounts of refined sugar and carbohydrates that we throw into it every day. The wheat that we have now is a totally different creature than we had back when agriculture was invented (only 10K years ago). There is a protein in gluten that speeds up our appetite (because of the effect it has on our opiate receptors) - AKA the more wheat/gluten products you eat (and gluten is in basically everything these days), the more you're gonna want to eat.

 

The human body is currently designed to work optimally on a hunter/gatherer diet... not because it's better, but because that's what we had to work with for hundreds of thousands of years prior to agriculture. The science behind this is valid - ALL carbs break down into sugar in your body, and sugar makes you produce insulin in order to digest it. Insulin is what makes our cells retain fat. Basically... you eat a ton of carbs, you put on fat. It's well documented science, not just some "fad" as the media likes to put it. Our bodies are MEANT to work like this because you want some fat on your body during times of food shortage. But we don't HAVE food shortages anymore (in western society).

 

(if you want to read more about this, feel free to check out "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes).

 

We just have not had enough time to evolve into eating the way we do. There is a reason why overwhelming obesity exists these days... and it's not JUST because people are lazier, although that's definitely part of it. There is a huge hormonal and food scarcity issue at play here... why are the poorest populations the biggest in our society? Because the cheapest foods are carbohydrates (sugars, chips, pop, etc).

 

So when it comes to my children... I certainly won't shield them from the fact that cakes/chocolate exist, but I will try to encourage them to view them as I do: as a very seldom eaten treat. Nothing is off-limits because of the attitudes towards food that produces, but I don't eat these things very often and my life is JUST FINE without them. When I do want these things, I make versions with almond flour, etc.

 

Anyway... that's the argument I wanted to avoid, so I'm sorry! I've basically spent hours upon hours researching these things and this is the conclusion I've come to. I used to be really against this lifestyle because I didn't understand it, but I've seen enough science and studies and lectures and read enough books to truly believe in it now.

Edited April 2, 2014 by whirl3daway

[pickflicker]

Would you try to tell your partner what they could and couldn't eat?

 

I ask because I'm a vego, but I can cook a steak and roast a chook, and have no problems if my partner is not a vego. But I have had partners attempt to change my eating habits in the past, or threaten that a relationship is not going to work if I don't get on board with their eating habits. This is ridiculous, of course - there are far more incompatibilities to be concerned about than differing diets. If I'm healthy, and he's healthy, that's all that matters.

 

I wouldn't ever force my diet onto anyone, but I would expect my choice to be respected.