I feel like there is such a buzz about the Paleo Diet lately. Have you heard of it? Have you been wondering, what is the Paleo Diet?
I’ve actually been researching a lot about the Paleo Diet and have been reading The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson (check out his blog at marksdailyapple.com for lots of free resources).
Why have I been researching the Paleo Diet? Well, for a couple of reasons. I love staying up to date with the latest trends in nutrition (I think it’s part of my job description ;)), plus when I got my blood results back from my food sensitivities test I was low in a lot of vital nutrients (my triglycerides were actually TOO low…who knew that could actually be a problem?!)
If you’ve followed my page for awhile, you may know that I was actually eating a vegan diet for awhile! Like I said, I love researching nutrition and while I learned all about plant based diets, I decided to try it out for myself.
It didn’t last…I was way too hungry during my pregnancy and I ended up eating eggs and fish again. Since then I’ve been eating mostly plant based, but with some eggs, fish, and more recently chicken added to my diet.
Anyways, back to the Paleo Diet. Since I’ve already been eating gluten and dairy free, I think I’m paleoish (yes, it’s a word ;)) and this diet really does intrigue me!
Here’s the gist about the Paleo Diet:
Lots of veggies, organic meat, nuts, seeds, avocados, some fruit and oils. The main idea behind the Paleo Diet is to eat (and live) how our ancestors ate and lived WAY back…the Paleo Diet is actually also called the Caveman Diet. So think about how a caveman would eat…there wasn’t any bread back in their day, and there certainly wasn’t soda, cookies, cakes, McDonalds, etc., etc., etc.
What do you avoid on the Paleo Diet?
Grains, legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts), dairy, sugar, and processed food. Some dairy is allowed, like raw, full fat milk and heavy cream.
Why eat this way?
Well, it’s argued that eating too many carbohydrates from grains can increase your blood glucose levels, causing your insulin to spike, leading to fat storage. Have you ever had a breakfast of pancakes, bread, or pasta, and then felt either hungry or tired soon after? Or maybe your digestion has been off? Or your brain has been foggy? Read Grain Brain for more info about that…
But the main idea is that weight loss is all about insulin, and you can moderation your insulin production by eliminating sugars and grains from your diet (yes, even whole grains). According to the Primal Blueprint, when you do this, you will lose excess body fat WITHOUT dieting, plus you’ll have more energy and reduced inflammation. The Paleo Diet advocates a diet high in fat, coming from meat, eggs, coconut oil, butter, ghee, nuts and seeds, and that a diet HIGH in fat is key to effortless weight loss and increased energy. I don’t know about you, but I always feel way more satisfied after having some nuts, as opposed to pretzels.
So what would a typical day look like for someone who eats Paleo? This is what I’ve been eating-keep in mind that I’m new, not perfect, and I’m still avoiding some foods due to food sensitivities =)
Breakfast: 3 egg omelet with bell pepper, spinach, avocado and an apple
Snack: Shakeology with sunflower seed butter (Shakeology isn’t Paleo, but no way I’m going without that ;))
Lunch: Roasted veggies with grilled chicken
Snack: handful of macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds
Dinner: Big A** Salad-huge bowl of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, flax seed oil, avocado, turkey breast
The Paleo Diet also focuses on living an active lifestyle. No, it doesn’t advocate for spending hours at the gym. The opposite, actually. The Paleo Diet recommends you sit less, move more, do some walking, try to lift heavy things, and sprint once a week. Totally doable, right? No more spending hours on the treadmill =)
Another thing it recommends is getting outside and playing…and getting some good old sunshine! Vitamin D is crucial for our health, and many people are actually vitamin D deficient (including me!!!!!!!). It doesn’t advocate baking in the sun for hours, but at least 15 minutes a day to soak up all that goodness.
Alright, so that’s the Paleo Diet in a nutshell. I actually kind of want to be a guinea pig and test this bad boy out, so for the next couple of weeks I’m giving it a shot. No more oatmeal for breakfast (I’ll survive), and I’ll actually probably scale BACK my workouts a bit, but try to be more active throughout the day.
Interesting quote (that I totally agree with, BTW) from The Primal Blueprint:
“The theory of compensation asserts that calories burned through exercises are more than offset by increased caloric intake, and generally being lazier, in the hours after exercise-a way of subconsciously rewarding ourselves for the effort.”
That reminds me, I’m going to get off of my tushie and move to my standing desk now š
OK, am I saying go Paleo? No way! You do what’s right for you-BUT I think it’s good to be informed about these things so you can figure out if your body will do better eating this way-especially if you’ve been at a plateau for awhile or have been experiencing some unexplained health issues.
So, what do you think? Could you try the Paleo Diet?
